Carol J. Perry

Reluctantly taking a job as the host of late-night horror movies after Ariel, the previous host, is murdered, Lee Barrett must unmask a killer in Salem, Massachusetts, as Halloween fast approaches, all with the help of Ariel's cat, who exhibits some strange powers. Original.

Caught Dead Handed

Maureen Doherty and her golden retriever Finn have taken possession of a charming old inn--only to discover that it's already possessed by tenants whose lease on life already ran out . . . Maureen's career as a sportswear buyer hits a snag just before Halloween, when the department store declares bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Finn's lost his way as a guide dog after flunking his test for being too friendly and easily distracted. Sadly, only one of them can earn unemployment, so Maureen's facing a winter of discontent in Boston--when she realizes she can't afford her apartment. Salvation comes when she receives a mysterious inheritance: an inn in Haven, Florida. A quaint, scenic town on the Gulf of Mexico hidden away from the theme parks, Maureen believes it's a good place to make a fresh start with a new business venture. But she gets more than she bargained for when she finds a dead body on her property--and meets some of the inn's everlasting tenants in the form of ghosts who offer their otherworldly talents in order to help her solve the mystery...

Be My Ghost

Volunteering her talents as an instructor at the Tabitha Trumbull Academy of the Arts in Salem, Massachusetts, failed TV psychic Lee Barrett, while working on a documentary charting the history of Trumbull's Department Store with her students, stumbles upon a great evil that leads to murder. Original.

Tails, You Lose

A dead ballplayer means foul play in Salem . . . Field reporter Lee Barrett is not happy that her hours are being cut back at WICH-TV, although it is nice to spend more time volunteering with Aunt Ibby, a research librarian at Salem's main branch. But Lee's least favorite task is going up to the stacks, a spooky, seldom-frequented upper section of the library. On this day she has good reason to be afraid--she finds a dead man, surrounded by hundreds of scattered books and torn-out pages. Her police detective beau, Pete Mondello, is soon on the scene, and the deceased is identified as a former minor league baseball player--and ex-con--named Wee Willie Wallace, who hasn't been seen in Salem for twenty years. With help from her friend River's Tarot reading, her clairvoyant cat O'Ryan, and Lee's own psychic gifts, she steps up to the plate to catch the killer who took the old ballplayer out of the game . . . Praise for the Witch City Mysteries "Perfectly relaxing and readable." --Kirkus Reviews "This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow." --Library Journal "An entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end." --RT Book Reviews

Late Checkout

In Salem, Massachusetts, there are secret everywhere--even in the furniture. . . When Lee Barrett spots the same style oak bureau she once had as a child on the WICH-TV show, Shopping Salem, she rushes to the antiques shop and buys the piece. Just like the beloved bureau she lost in a fire, this one has secret compartments. It also comes with an intriguing history--it was purchased in an estate sale from a home where a famous local murder took place. The day after the bureau is delivered, Lee returns to the antiques shop and finds the owner dead. The police suspect the shop owner's unscrupulous business partner, but Lee wonders if the murder is connected to her new furniture. At least part of the answer may be revealed through a mirror in the bureau, tarnished and blackened, allowing Lee to tap into her psychic visions. Using this bureau of investigation, Lee may be able to furnish her policeman beau with the evidence needed to catch the killer--before the next one to be shut up is her. . .

Look Both Ways

Carlene O'Connor

Liz Ireland

A trio of sweet-toothed Halloween cozy mystery tales by nationally bestselling authors. HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O'CONNOR With Galway’s Halloween Mystery Tour only a few days away, Tara Meehan is scouring the town’s curiosity shops for spooky decorations to draw tourists into her architectural salvage store. But when a stranger appears in her shop bearing a cryptic cupcake and an ominous message, Tara suddenly finds herself tangled in a mystery with ancient Gaelic roots, but very modern—and very deadly—consequences . . . MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELAND Christmastown is pulling out all the stops for their Halloween celebration, planning a huge carnival with rides, games, and a candy corn-themed bake-off! But the sweet theme stokes the bitterest of rivalries amongst the elves, until tragedy strikes at Santaland’s newest bakery. The only clue is a cupcake, leaving Mrs. Claus to sort through tricks and treats as she races to unmask a Halloween fiend . . . A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRY Every October, Salem plunges into a month-long celebration of Halloween and WICH-TV’s Lee Barrett can’t wait to cover the festivities. But rumors swirl after a wealthy bakery owner goes missing—and his beloved cat, Cupcake, is found—under mysterious circumstances. Now, amid Salem’s wicked revelry, Lee must conjure clues to reveal the missing millionaire . . . or the truth about his disappearance . . .

Halloween Cupcake Murder

Innkeeper Maureen Doherty is well aware that no one—when asked why they come to Florida—says, “For the ghosts.” But her historic Haven House Inn has spirits to spare, and just when she thinks she’s met every ghost in town—a new one pops up to help solve a murder. Or so it seems . . .

When the body of “how-to” book writer Terry Holiday is found by Aster Paterson in her flower garden, the townspeople of Haven are shocked. But they’re even more surprised when the beloved bookshop owner insists that the spirit of her late husband Peter Paterson led her to the grim discovery. Only Aster seems unsurprised—she’s been baking his favorite shortbread cookies every day, hoping to lure his ghost back home . . .
 
Even Maureen is a little skeptical—until Peter’s ghost appears in the bookshop window for all to see. Haven’s hard-headed realist cop Frank Hubbard is determined to unveil whatever trickery led to the apparition, as he suspects the answer to who killed Terry Holiday may be connected to the illusion.
 
If Maureen’s learned anything since she moved from New England and inherited her haunted inn, it’s that 1) ghosts are real (at least some of them), and 2) so are murderers. She doesn’t need a how-to manual to solve a murder; she’s done it before. But with suspects ranging from a mystery writers group to a ghostwriter who just checked in at the inn, she will need a little help from her spirited sleuths . . .

The Spirit Moves

Haunting License

Greetings from Haven, Florida, a quaint, scenic old town on the Gulf Coast where Massachusetts transplant Maureen Doherty and her excessively friendly Golden retriever are the newest proprietors of the charming local inn…along with its many ghostly tenants! Now the paranormal crime investigations continue with the second installment in bestselling author Carol J. Perry’s Haunted Haven Mystery Series, as Maureen is preparing for her first holiday season in her haunted century-old inn… Christmas lights on palm trees and Santa hats on plastic pink flamingos are far from the snowy landscape Maureen and her beloved golden retriever, Finn, are used to. But Maureen is determined to make this a holiday to remember—which means finding a way to promote Haven House on a shoestring. Fortunately, Haven’s vintage movie theater, the Paramount, has come up with a great “Twelve Days of Christmas” idea. They’ll feature an impressive list of the best classic Christmas movies ever made—shown by one-time movie actor-turned-projectionist Decklin Monroe . . . But nobody bothered to tell Maureen that the Paramount is haunted by the ghost of a man who was murdered a few years back. Haven’s top cop Frank Hubbard doesn’t believe in ghosts but, believing that Decklin Monroe was somehow involved, he wants a reluctant Maureen’s help. That plan is derailed when, on the first day of the festival, a fresh murder victim is found at the theater. Now Maureen has to defend her staff and guests, while trying to keep her high-spirited resident ghosts out of the picture—before they have company for the holidays . . .

High Spirits

'Til Death

After the murder of the beloved historic walking tour chairman, a revealing clue leads to another dead body. Not even a monster blizzard can stop Salem field reporter Lee Barrett from inching closer to the truthEand a scoop that could spell her own demise this killer Christmas. Original.inal.

Bells, Spells, and Murders

Using her psychic gifts to help a distraught woman recover her memory, Lee wonders if she is harboring a killer when a body is found washed up in a local cove.

See Something

Thirteen and Loving It

Make-Believe Love

An antique carousel horse sends Salem, Massachusetts, into a spin in this eerie murder mystery: “Highly original and great fun.” —Carolyn Hart, New York Times-bestselling author of Ghost Ups Her Game Lee Barrett has agreed to attend a storage auction with Aunt Ibby—even though she suspects the forgotten rooms will yield more junk than treasure. Her skepticism vanishes once the two win an overlooked locker and uncover a trove of beautiful curiosities, including a stunning wooden carousel horse with gentle eyes and fading paint. But just before Lee leaves the fairground relic at a local repair shop, the sight of a silver samovar awakens her psychic abilities and conjures visions of murder. Lee prays the intrusive ESP episode was just a glimpse into the past—until her policeman boyfriend reports a dead man outside the shop. Apparently, the unknown victim had been hot on Lee’s trail since the auction. And with the horse found dismantled, it looks like he was up to no good. What’s the story behind the antique equine, and could a strange bubblegum-chewing woman with fiery hair have something to do with it all? Guided by her gift and O’Ryan, her wise tabby cat, Lee’s set on catching the murderer . . . before she’s sent on the darkest ride of her life. Praise for The Witch City Mysteries “Perfectly relaxing and readable.”– Kirkus Reviews “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal “Keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.” —RT Book Reviews

Murder Go Round

The staff at Salem, Massachusetts’s local station, WICH-TV, is looking forward to the wedding of their program director, Lee Barrett. But when Lee heads off on her Maine honeymoon, she’ll be haunted by the ghosts of her own past . . . Lee and Detective Sergeant Pete Mondello are finally tying the knot—and Lee is tying up loose ends before the big day. It’ll be an adjustment moving out of Aunt Ibby’s house, but the couple will stay nearby—after all, they have to share custody of O’Ryan, their clairvoyant cat. And Aunt Ibby will be renting out Lee’s old apartment . . . though she’s getting some bad vibes from her current prospective tenant. After the celebration, complete with a cake made by the station magician, there should be time to relax—but the Maine island happens to be near the site of the crash that long ago killed Lee’s parents, a mystery she’s never been able to solve. Soon she’ll be putting wedding gifts aside and turning to her psychic gifts instead, to wrap up crimes both past and present . . . Praise for the Witch City Mysteries “Yet another hit in the Witch City Mystery series!” —Fresh Fiction on Murder, Take Two “Carol J. Perry juggles these details with finesse and moves the plot toward a creepy conclusion that adds a few shivers to this cozy.” —BookPage on Late Checkout “This delightful read set against the Halloween festivities in Salem is perfect cozy read for a blustery autumn evening.” —The Intelligencer on Late Checkout

Whose funeral will be next? For residents of Salem, Massachusetts, the day after Halloween brings empty candy wrappers, sagging pumpkins, and a community-wide identity crisis. That is, until Lee Barrett’s TV production class suggests extending the spooky season with the traditional Mexican celebration Dia de Los Muertos. But when the students discover not all of Salem’s dead are resting in peace, the post-October blues don’t seem so bad after all . . . As if a series of haunting graveyard visits isn’t disturbing enough, Lee and her policeman boyfriend connect the crime to an unsolved missing person case. Driven by a series of chilling psychic visions, Lee calls on her cleverest allies—including her shrewd cat, O’Ryan—to go underground and dig up the evidence needed to put a lid on a cold case forever . . . before the latest headstone in town has her name on it! Praise for the Witch City Mysteries “Perfectly relaxing and readable.” —Kirkus Reviews “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal “[A]n entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.” —RT Book Reviews

Grave Errors

There’s a new witch-hunt in Salem, Massachusetts . . . When Lee Barrett joins a former student’s bridal party as maid of honor, she expects cake tastings and dress fittings. But wedding planning becomes more peculiar than Lee’s scrying talents could ever predict. There’s a magical baker, a best man with a checkered past, and a talking crow named Poe as the ring bearer. There’s also a kindly old man dead under his apple tree—one of a series of unexplained deaths hanging over the Wiccan community . . . With witches dropping dead before they even come out of the proverbial broom closet, Lee’s best friend, River, fears she might have somehow unleashed a terrible curse on the city. Now, aided by Poe and her clairvoyant cat, Lee sets out to investigate. Are lives being claimed by vengeful supernatural forces—or by something more shocking? She soon discovers, casting light on the wicked truth can be one killer commitment . . . Praise for the Witch City Mysteries “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal on Caught Dead Handed “Perfectly relaxing and readable.” —Kirkus Reviews on Look Both Ways

It Takes a Coven

A cold case update in Salem, Massachusetts . . . Life at the house on Winter Street is abuzz with preparations for Aunt Ibby’s 45th high school reunion, and Lee Barrett is happy to pitch in, tracking down addresses and licking envelopes. But as a field reporter for Salem’s WICH-TV, her priority is to be on top of the town’s latest news before anyone else. When the local police dredge up a vintage sports car containing human remains, Lee is thrilled to be the first reporter on the scene. Once she learns the car is connected to the cold case her boyfriend Pete happens to be working on, her powers of investigation are quickly alerted. But it’s her Aunt Ibby’s emotional reaction to Lee’s TV report that puts her on the case. With the help of O’Ryan, her psychic feline sidekick, she’ll have to unravel a tangled past of secrets and promises to stop a killer from making history again . . . Praise for the Witch City Mysteries “Perfectly relaxing and readable.” —Kirkus Reviews “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal “An entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.” —RT Book Reviews

Final Exam

A fun cozy mystery of witches, magic, and the haunted history of Salem, Massachusetts! When a copycat killer has reporter Lee Barrett brushing up on ancient history, it’s a test where failure could be lethal . . . As a Salem, Massachusetts, native, WICH-TV field reporter and amateur sleuth Lee Barrett is well versed in the region’s lore. So when the murder of revered local professor Samuel Bond resembles a killing from almost two centuries ago, everyone is on edge. Especially assistant professor Cody McGinnis . . . Not only did Cody have differences with Bond, he even taught a course on the historic murder. And when his fingerprints and ladder are found at the crime scene, the police are certain of his guilt. Cody’s family, however, believes otherwise and asks Lee for assistance. Now, with the help of her clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan, her tech-savvy librarian aunt and housemate Ibby, and Pete Mondello, her handsome detective beau, Lee will delve deeper than ever into Salem’s past—and into her own psychic gifts—to find the real killer—before someone else is history . . . Praise for the Witch City Mysteries “Perfectly relaxing and readable.” —Kirkus Reviews “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal “An entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.” —RT Book Reviews

Carol J. Perry

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