A murder mystery weekend becomes a little too real in the latest Bay Island Psychic Mystery from the author of Death at First Sight— Cass Donovan uses her skills as a former psychiatrist to get away with pretending to be psychic, but she’s not about to let anyone get away with murder… The outlook is not so good for Cass’s psychic shop, Mystical Musings. With winter winds discouraging … shop, Mystical Musings. With winter winds discouraging tourists from riding the ferry from Long Island to Bay Island, Cass hopes to draw in more customers by hosting a murder mystery weekend, complete with a séance, in a supposedly haunted mansion.
But Cass begins to lose her spirit when her ex-husband shows up, along with his fiancée—Cass’s ex-best friend. Then, after one of the guests is found dead, a blizzard blows in, trapping everyone inside with a murderer. Now Cass must divine who did the deed before her reputation and her livelihood fade away.
more
*Received ARC copy from Netgalley which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Book two of the Bay Island Physic Mystery series. I do believe that the paranormal parts of this story are my favorites, and I would love to keep her dog Beast since he is constantly cracking me up with all the things he eats. In this story Cass is hosting a physic weekend at a newly opening bed and breakfast that is going into the haunted mansion on the island. It is believed there is a curse on the mansion which the killer uses to try to blame the murders on. Of course this never works as the investigation continues, but the killer threw me for a loop as I was not totally expecting that. A good choice for fans of cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist to them. I give it 4/5 stars.
I found this to have been a good old who done it
I love the relationship between Cass and her friends and how supportive they are of each other. Love the setting. The island offers so many possibilities, like being cut off from everywhere else in the winter when the ferry isn’t running. Cass’ business makes the story interesting and there were so many suspects to the murder, it made for interesting guessing. While I was able to guess the killer, there still was some interesting twists. However, Cass made a couple of decisions that I couldn’t agree with and they were pretty big for me (not being checked by a doctor after being unconscious & putting off the dog’s training – he is very destructive). I’ve already started book 3.
This was a great book! To supplement her income during the winter months, Cass Donovan sets up a psychic weekend in a supposedly haunted house that is being turned into a bed and breakfast. When one of the organizers/hosts of the event, is found dead, Cass is worried that her business won’t survive. She is determined to set out to find the killer with her two best friends, Bee and Stephanie. I truly enjoy this series and find it entertaining. I look forward to the next book and seeing if Luke and Cass develop more of a relationship!
Occult and Battery is now one of my favorite cozy mystery books ever!
Cass, Bee, Stephanie, and Tank are a great team. Their dynamics create a friendship that is warm and emotional and they have each other’s backs – no matter what. Cass’s character is very down-to-earth. She’s likable from the start. It is easy to connect to her, whether you believe in psychic abilities or not. Stephanie and Bee are wonderful sidekicks to Cass main character. They are supportive and comforting to Cass. Tank, Stephanie’s cop husband, adds a great element as the voice of reason and a protector. He’s also finally warming up to Bee. Cass also has a low key relationship going with a police officer named Kyle who lives and works on the mainland. This isn’t explored too much but Kyle does make an appearance.
The story is unique and entertaining. I was completely engaged from the very beginning. Cass’s decision to host a group reading and seance in a haunted mansion stems from the thought of possibly losing her business, Mystical Musings, due to a bleak winter (meaning less customers). When the power goes out in the mansion during the seance, chaos ensues. Making everything a bit scarier is the body found hanging in the cupola later that evening. Was it suicide or is there a killer among the guests?
The author introduces many characters that could be suspects making it hard to figure out the murderer. I was completely blindsided by the revelation of who committed the crime, the lengths that were gone to, and the methods used to put the plan into place. As per usual Cass, the protagonist, does some pretty dumb things, but unlike other cozies I’ve read, she at least acknowledges the danger of her actions. She’s not oblivious to the danger but her need to figure things out in order to save her business is stronger than her common sense.
I loved this book and cannot wait for Book 3.