Salem, Massachusetts B&B owner Charlene Morris is looking into a holiday hit-and-run, with a little help from her ghostly housemate . . .
Charlene’s parents are in town for Christmas, and her mother is driving her up a tree. Her bed-and-breakfast’s resident ghost, Jack, isn’t fond of her either—and he’s showing it with some haunting high jinks. But when Charlene takes her mom and dad out for dinner, the less-than-seasonal spirits take a deadly turn.
David Baldwin has just won a fortune in the lottery—and it adds a lot of drama to the charity auction he’s hosting at his restaurant. When he caps off the evening by playing Santa and handing out checks to some of the attendees, the mood shifts . . . and Charlene observes mysterious tensions between David and his flashy, bleached-blonde wife, his neglected teenage son from a previous marriage, and his hostile business partner, among others. And they’re only a few on the long list of potential suspects when David runs into the road and is mowed down by a fleeing motorist. Now it looks like it’s going to be homicide for the holidays . . .
I love this time of year, the best time to curl up with a warm quilt, a good book with a Christmas theme to get you in the holiday spirit, and a roaring fire (well, I don't have a fireplace, but there are videos on Amazon Prime, so that'll have to do.)
This was the first book from the Salem B&B Mystery series that I've read, and I'll definitely be picking up the first two. In this one, Charlene attends a charity auction at a restaurant owned by a recent lottery winner, David Baldwin. Tensions are high at the auction and when David suddenly bolts outside and is fatally struck by a car, there's no shortage of suspects.
This was my introduction to all the characters and I liked them all, from the analytical and down-to-earth Charlene to hunky ghost Jack to Charlene's dad (her mom, however, can go freeze out in the backyard. Tone it down, sweetie) and everyone at the B&B. It made for a very cozy read, and the plot, complete with juicy secrets, intrigue and even a bit of humor here and there made for an exciting and enjoyable read.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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12 October, 2020:
Finished reading
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12 October, 2020:
Reviewed