Description
There’s no place like Salem, Massachusetts—aka “the witch city”—for Halloween. As residents embrace their historic heritage to celebrate the season, WICH-TV program director Lee Barrett is assigned the decadent task of highlighting the village’s delectable sweet shops—only to learn that some revelers prefer deadly tricks over delicious treats . . .
Casa del Chocolate is one of Salem’s most charming boutique candy shops, making it a perfect profile story. Although preoccupied with her own personal sweet news—Lee and her detective husband Pete Mondello are expecting a bundle of joy—she cheerfully agrees to interview the chocolatier. Since becoming pregnant, the radiant and exhilarated mother-to-be has discovered that she is finally free of the unwanted haunting “visions” she has endured since childhood.
Shirley Parker inherited Casa del Chocolate, housed in her beautiful ancestral home on the waterfront, continuing her family’s sweet tradition of conjuring magical treats for the folks of Salem. Mesmerized by the delightful chocolate scented aromas filling the air while touring the kitchen, Lee is shocked when she stumbles upon the murdered body of Barney Bingham, Shirley’s estranged husband.
As the police focus their suspicions on Shirley, Lee learns that many people had reasons for wanting Barney dead. Now, with help from Pete, tarot reader River North, and clairvoyant gentleman cat O’Ryan, as well as some new feline friends, Lee must unmask the true killer—and cope with the sudden return of her troubling “visions”. . .
My Thoughts
I so enjoy Carol Perry’s Witch City series and was delighted to find Perry at the top of her game in this newest entry. Lee and Pete and their Salem crew of friends and co-workers are back in a story that clocks in as a bit more serious and mysterious than some earlier entries. All the familiar faces are there, along with a new set of old acquaintances, one of whom shows up dead early on.
Perry is excellent as playing “cat and mouse” with her readers, and that is surely how I felt while reading this one. I kept going back and forth between two suspects and was truly surprised at the end.
The mystery is clever and well-plotted, the characters by turns charming and provocative. All in all, a winner. If you haven’t read Witch City mysteries, you could read this as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the entire series.
I will say though that the last couple pages really felt a bit like a chapter closing on this series. If that is the case, I hope Perry might consider picking it up again and making Ella Marie the star in a new middle grade series!
Publication Date: October 28, 2025
Published By: Kensington Publishing; Kensington Cozies
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
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