by: Traci Wilton
Series: Salem B&B Mystery
Genre: Ghostly Cozy Mystery
Release Date: February 20, 2024
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
Set in Salem, Massachusetts, this fun, cozy series sees a widowed B&B owner teaming up with a charming ghost to solve murders—an engaging read for fans who like a paranormal tinge to their mysteries.
Charlene and her handsome spectral friend, Dr. Jack Strathmore, are thrilled that their Salem, Massachusetts, B&B is overflowing with mermaids in advance of the town’s newest attraction—a mermaid parade! Retired Hollywood actress Trinity Powers has even agreed to appear on the lead float to commemorate her breakout role as the eponymous mermaid in the blockbuster cult classic, Sirena. The parade also features Trinity’s rival, an up-and-coming ingénue, who stars in the film’s recent (and somewhat controversial) reboot. Though their rabid fan clubs seem ready to tear each other—and the festivities—apart, the vying actresses are keeping it cool, for now...
But when Charlene discovers a mermaid murdered, she realizes a killer is out to steal the show. With the help of Jack and Detective Sam Holden, Charlene plunges into the case, determined to stop a killer from striking again…
So far, the RSVPs for the parade had reached a hundred, with fifty floats. Serenity had agreed to co-chair the parade with her mom, and Charlene, also on the board, stepped in where she was needed. They’d hired a local artist, Bobby Rourke, to design a Sirena 25th anniversary T-shirt for the parade participants to be given at registration Sunday morning at ten.
“Are you part of a float?” Charlene asked Natalie.
“No. This year we’re walking, to check it out. We haven’t been to Salem before. Do you know how much prize money will be awarded?”
“Five hundred dollars for first place,” Charlene said.
“That’s a sweet prize!” Natalie rubbed her hands together. “Better than the mermaid festival in Charlotte last year. My girls won for their age group, but it was only fifty dollars.”
“Do you travel to a lot of parades?” Charlene hadn’t realized that this was such a big deal.
“Yep. It’s what we love to do!” Natalie stepped toward the staircase. “Let me get the family.”
Minnie went to the kitchen with her clipboard muttering that it was simple to be nice to one another. Charlene joined Natalie and they walked up the stairs. The Southerns had the pink room overlooking the oak tree in the backyard and so Natalie turned left at the landing. Charlene tapped on the other three doors, green, blue, and gold, letting her guests know that she’d start the original movie downstairs in ten minutes, and show the remake after that.
Terry answered and said his crew was heading downtown and were undecided about happy hour. The Bonets were also dipping out for lunch. The Martins said they might be down, but not to wait for them.
Charlene returned to the living room where Jack oversaw the proceedings. Linc helped the girls get settled with pillows on the floor. Natalie, in an armchair, had a box of colored tulle and a wristlet with pins, needles, and thread. Other materials for the costume were plastic and foam. Minnie had turned the TV on its stand so that everyone could see.
“I’m looking forward to this.” Charlene had been able to stream Sirena and pressed play on the remote for the movie. So much easier these days than a DVD. “Ready?”
“It was filmed in the Bahamas,” Jack said.
“Yeah!” Linc sat on the floor by his daughters, cross-legged. “Never saw the original either. It’ll be hard to beat Alannah Gomez though. That woman can swim.”
“She’s a mermaid, Dad.” Aqua giggled.
“Yeah, Dad,” Jewel said in a serious tone. “Mermaids have to swim.”
“You’re right, girls.” Linc smacked a palm to his forehead. His hair was brown, his manner as friendly as Natalie’s.
“Cute.” Jack bestowed a fatherly smile at them.
Charlene sat on the yellow brocade chair and was swept away by the magic in the film. Josh, a handsome yet arrogant young man was partying with friends on a cruise ship. He fell overboard during a dance scene. Sirena, a mermaid, saved his life, bringing him to a deserted island and feeding him coconuts to survive. Lots of coconuts.
Trinity Powers was true grace as she swam in the ocean, her movements fluid and hypnotic. Her large violet eyes compelled the viewer to fall in love; her hair, long and dark chestnut, the hint of breasts peeping between the soft waist-length curls in a teasing game of peek-a-boo. Nothing too risqué.
The near-death experience caused Josh to realize the error of his ways. He spent a month with Sirena, making love during the moonlight, when she came ashore and gained legs, only to be back in the water again at dawn or risk death. Again, made for a PG audience.
Toward the end of the movie, Josh was bit by a scorpion and almost died. The emotion in Sirena’s violet eyes transcended the twenty-five years since the film was made. No wonder it was a cult classic!
Charlene glanced at her guests—Natalie was as enthralled as her girls and husband, her needle poised over a scrap of fabric. They were all afraid when Sirena was captured by the cruel government for testing and experiments, and they cried when Josh rescued her at great risk to himself. They cried more when the pair accepted their doomed love. Sirena swam away and Josh spent the rest of his life pining for her.
The credits rolled. Through her tears, Charlene read that Trinity Powers starred as Sirena. Mickey Bee as Josh. Natalie cried big tears and Charlene offered her the box of tissue from the side table after swiping one for herself. She sucked in a quivering breath.
“That is tragic and romantic, and beautiful.” Charlene dabbed her damp cheeks. “Why didn’t they do more?”
“I had no idea it would be so good,” Linc said, awe in his voice.
Jack cleared his throat, a human affectation as ghosts didn’t actually need to do such a thing. “Trinity sure could act. Shame she never went anywhere after this.”
The girls were glued to their dad’s side. “That was too sad, but I want to see it again,” Jewel said, her lower lip pouting.
“A romantic at heart, like me.” Linc gave a low chuckle.
Aqua stood and leaned against Natalie’s knee. She was over it. “Now can we see the good one?”
Natalie snugged an arm around her daughter. “You like the new version better?”
“That was all right, but I like the music and songs. And the dancing.” Aqua bounced up down, and twirled, knocking into Jewel.
“Hey!” Jewel crossed her arms and glared at her sister.
“It was an accident,” Aqua said. “Soooorreee.”
Charlene intervened and lifted the remote control to switch films. It made sense for the younger generation to be into a happier version. “I’m ready when you are.”
Minnie arrived with a snack tray loaded with juices and cookies.
“Are you part of a float?” Charlene asked Natalie.
“No. This year we’re walking, to check it out. We haven’t been to Salem before. Do you know how much prize money will be awarded?”
“Five hundred dollars for first place,” Charlene said.
“That’s a sweet prize!” Natalie rubbed her hands together. “Better than the mermaid festival in Charlotte last year. My girls won for their age group, but it was only fifty dollars.”
“Do you travel to a lot of parades?” Charlene hadn’t realized that this was such a big deal.
“Yep. It’s what we love to do!” Natalie stepped toward the staircase. “Let me get the family.”
Minnie went to the kitchen with her clipboard muttering that it was simple to be nice to one another. Charlene joined Natalie and they walked up the stairs. The Southerns had the pink room overlooking the oak tree in the backyard and so Natalie turned left at the landing. Charlene tapped on the other three doors, green, blue, and gold, letting her guests know that she’d start the original movie downstairs in ten minutes, and show the remake after that.
Terry answered and said his crew was heading downtown and were undecided about happy hour. The Bonets were also dipping out for lunch. The Martins said they might be down, but not to wait for them.
Charlene returned to the living room where Jack oversaw the proceedings. Linc helped the girls get settled with pillows on the floor. Natalie, in an armchair, had a box of colored tulle and a wristlet with pins, needles, and thread. Other materials for the costume were plastic and foam. Minnie had turned the TV on its stand so that everyone could see.
“I’m looking forward to this.” Charlene had been able to stream Sirena and pressed play on the remote for the movie. So much easier these days than a DVD. “Ready?”
“It was filmed in the Bahamas,” Jack said.
“Yeah!” Linc sat on the floor by his daughters, cross-legged. “Never saw the original either. It’ll be hard to beat Alannah Gomez though. That woman can swim.”
“She’s a mermaid, Dad.” Aqua giggled.
“Yeah, Dad,” Jewel said in a serious tone. “Mermaids have to swim.”
“You’re right, girls.” Linc smacked a palm to his forehead. His hair was brown, his manner as friendly as Natalie’s.
“Cute.” Jack bestowed a fatherly smile at them.
Charlene sat on the yellow brocade chair and was swept away by the magic in the film. Josh, a handsome yet arrogant young man was partying with friends on a cruise ship. He fell overboard during a dance scene. Sirena, a mermaid, saved his life, bringing him to a deserted island and feeding him coconuts to survive. Lots of coconuts.
Trinity Powers was true grace as she swam in the ocean, her movements fluid and hypnotic. Her large violet eyes compelled the viewer to fall in love; her hair, long and dark chestnut, the hint of breasts peeping between the soft waist-length curls in a teasing game of peek-a-boo. Nothing too risqué.
The near-death experience caused Josh to realize the error of his ways. He spent a month with Sirena, making love during the moonlight, when she came ashore and gained legs, only to be back in the water again at dawn or risk death. Again, made for a PG audience.
Toward the end of the movie, Josh was bit by a scorpion and almost died. The emotion in Sirena’s violet eyes transcended the twenty-five years since the film was made. No wonder it was a cult classic!
Charlene glanced at her guests—Natalie was as enthralled as her girls and husband, her needle poised over a scrap of fabric. They were all afraid when Sirena was captured by the cruel government for testing and experiments, and they cried when Josh rescued her at great risk to himself. They cried more when the pair accepted their doomed love. Sirena swam away and Josh spent the rest of his life pining for her.
The credits rolled. Through her tears, Charlene read that Trinity Powers starred as Sirena. Mickey Bee as Josh. Natalie cried big tears and Charlene offered her the box of tissue from the side table after swiping one for herself. She sucked in a quivering breath.
“That is tragic and romantic, and beautiful.” Charlene dabbed her damp cheeks. “Why didn’t they do more?”
“I had no idea it would be so good,” Linc said, awe in his voice.
Jack cleared his throat, a human affectation as ghosts didn’t actually need to do such a thing. “Trinity sure could act. Shame she never went anywhere after this.”
The girls were glued to their dad’s side. “That was too sad, but I want to see it again,” Jewel said, her lower lip pouting.
“A romantic at heart, like me.” Linc gave a low chuckle.
Aqua stood and leaned against Natalie’s knee. She was over it. “Now can we see the good one?”
Natalie snugged an arm around her daughter. “You like the new version better?”
“That was all right, but I like the music and songs. And the dancing.” Aqua bounced up down, and twirled, knocking into Jewel.
“Hey!” Jewel crossed her arms and glared at her sister.
“It was an accident,” Aqua said. “Soooorreee.”
Charlene intervened and lifted the remote control to switch films. It made sense for the younger generation to be into a happier version. “I’m ready when you are.”
Minnie arrived with a snack tray loaded with juices and cookies.
Purchase Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid from:
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The blurb sounds really good. Thanks for sharing.
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DeleteI liked the excerpt, thank you.
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looks like a fun one
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ReplyDeleteWow, this blurb sounds like a captivating mix of mystery, paranormal intrigue, and small-town charm! The idea of a widowed B&B owner teaming up with a charming ghost to solve murders in Salem, Massachusetts, is already intriguing on its own, but add in a mermaid parade and a Hollywood rivalry, and you've got me hooked! I love how the author blends the cozy atmosphere with a touch of the supernatural and a dash of Hollywood glamour. Can't wait to dive into this book and see how Charlene, Dr. Jack Strathmore, and Detective Sam Holden unravel this mysterious murder amidst the excitement of the mermaid parade.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book! Deff added to my tbr. What’s your favorite genre to read?
ReplyDelete