Middle age can be murder ...
At least that’s how it seems to former crime journalist, Wilhelmina Chance, whose near-fatal accident has given her a strange side effect ... she sees ghosts.
After a messy divorce sends her fleeing back to her hometown of Mystic Notch, nestled in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Willa finds herself haunted by the tenacious ghost of the town librarian who insists Willa solve her murder.
Luckily, she has lots of help, including a quirky cast of small-town characters, the cat she’s inherited from her grandmother, and her best friend, Pepper, who claims her herbal teas can work magic.
But just when Willa thinks she’s discovered who the killer is, she finds out that things are not what they seem in Mystic Notch, and the case takes a strange turn that has Willa adding even some of her long-time friends to her suspect list.
Can Willa find the real killer in time to keep the magical balance in Mystic Notch on the side of good, or will evil prevail?
My Thoughts :
I am not sure how I came across this book but the title and blurb were enough to trap me. Cozy and paranormal is a lovely combination for me and to see a cat involved was icing on the cake. However the first few pages made me cringe. I was confused about the main character from the get go. How did she know the happenings in town over the last 30 years if she hadn't been there for the last however many. She just arrived and bought the bookshop? Oh look a dead body! I have to admit this wasn't a good start but I was interested enough to keep going and hoped that all would become clear.
Some of the background details of the main character, Willa, became a little clearer as the book progressed but she didn't open up enough about the past she kept referring to. Her accident was never explained as well as her reason for leaving the town in the first, her divorce, why her aunt left her everything and not her sister and some other bits like why she hadn't noticed that her cat must be over 20 years old. Also her age wasn't believable she came across as a younger woman and her love interest came across as younger too.
Away from the main character the book actually turned out to be a good read. The plot was interesting and kept me guessing and the paranormal aspect of ghosts and cats was a cool twist. The cats needed, in my honest opinion, a little more explanation and more of the story should have been from their POV but for a debut in the series it worked out well and it left enough mystery about the whole town to have me looking forward to another installment.
The town of Mystic Notch has many more secrets that need to be revealed and with a strong main character and the nice array of co-stars it may turn out to be a nice visit. I will be on the look out for another addition to the series and may even give some of the authors other cozy mysteries a try. For a nice quick, mysterious and paranormal read this one isn't a bad choice to make. The kinks are there but the concept is good and it is well worth checking out.
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