by Cynthia Chow & Traci Wilton

We have yet another Valentine’s mystery, Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine by Traci Wilton, along with a fun guest post from Traci. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine By Traci Wilton
Review by Cynthia Chow

It seemed like a good idea to have her Salem, Massachusetts Bed & Breakfast fully booked by a famous photographer and a dozen gorgeous models for Valentine’s Day, but that was before Charlene Morris knew that Dane Stallone planned on also using it as a location shoot for his upcoming calendar. Dane is arrogant and demanding, while the male and female models require a fat-free diet of broth and vegetables. Demanding to shoot 12 months of photos in five days, Dane eventually allows himself to accept Charlene’s past experience in marketing to advise him on his cupid-themed calendar shoot. The diverse models themselves seem to be cowed into submitting to his abusive demands, understandable when Charlene learns that they have all entered contracts that are literally signed in blood. For not only is Dane originally from Salem, he is also a witch coming from a long line of Salem Wiccans. When Dane suddenly dies due to a suspected poisoning, Charlene has a household full of suspects who may be beautiful, but they may also be murderers.

In this ninth of the series Charlene has grown accustomed to living in Salem, where neighbors being self-proclaimed witches is an everyday thing. That’s nothing when compared to her also living with the ghost of Dr. Jack Strathmore, whose murder they solved and who recently declared that he was in love with her. For now, that last proclamation is being ignored, which makes the path for her relationship with the living Detective Sam Holden run much smoother. That doesn’t mean that all is copacetic though, as the investigating detective’s own unrequited crush on Sam results in an animosity towards Charlene that places her high on the shady suspect list. Detective Jiminez orders all of the models to stay in town – a legally sketchy mandate that is refreshingly acknowledged – which means that Charlene is motivated to resolve the case if she doesn’t want to cancel any more upcoming reservations and probably receive cranky Yelp reviews.

Some of the most entertaining aspects of this novel are the depictions of the many models and the issues they face in a very superficial and judgmental industry, ranging from eating disorders to ageism. Jack’s being a ghost plays out rather low-key in the background, with him mostly just eavesdropping but also achieving one fortunately timed rescue. After the death of her husband, Charlene has built herself a found family in Salem, which includes not just Sam and neighboring Wiccans, but also an employee who has become a beloved daughter.

Author Tracie Wilton quickly develops the many characters into fully realized persons, and readers will enjoy spending time with this very entertaining cast. Whether truly cursed or affected by the power of belief, the power of Wiccans is a very fun and realistic element of this latest in the series. Charlene still must make a decision regarding her relationships with Sam and Jack, especially as another may soon be aware of the ghost’s existence. This is a very enjoyable blend of mystery, models, and the paranormal that can make pop culture observations while expanding on some very witchy lore.

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Valentine’s Day
By Traci Wilton

Love it. Hate it? Ambivalent?

These days I’m kind of in the middle. My favorite Valentine’s Day memories involve things I did with my kids when they were little. I still have their handmade Valentines that mean the world. I’ve had romantic dinners, and right after my divorce, celebrated the romantic holiday at the Dive Bar at an anti-cupid party. It had its own charm, lol. What’s not to love about a smooshed cupid coaster when you’re not in the mood?

For Charlene in Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine, her heart is mending after two years of grieving. There is no right way or wrong way to get over a broken heart. You just have to get through it in the best way you can.

She came to Salem with a cat who’d hitchhiked a ride on the moving van. She’d never had a pet before Silva, and she didn’t believe in ghosts. But, Dr. Jack Strathmore was as real as real could be. And hunky Detective Sam Holden has been very patient. He’s loved Charlene from afar to give her space. The teenager she’d taken under her wing, Avery, is now part of her life. When she’d jumped from Chicago in a brave bid to start over, she had no idea that her bravery would be rewarded so richly.

And Minnie, her housekeeper and friend, is another asset she couldn’t do without. The woman cooks like a dream and is part of the reason they have such good reviews at the B and B. People come to Salem to be on vacation and lower the guard on their diets. Minnie uses real butter for her homemade pastries. Cream? Why not?

Well, when the B and B is booked for the week by a moody photographer with secret ties to Salem, neither Charlene nor Minnie approve of his attitude toward the 12 models he’s hired to pump out an entire calendar within a few days. Dane is a narcissist through and through. He can be charming when needed, while lying through those pearly teeth to get what he wants. He brings each model to their breaking point.

And Minnie to hers.

Charlene fears that Minnie might let Dane have a piece of her mind if he doesn’t allow the guests tasty sustenance.

I am not a chocolate person, but dark chocolate and almonds is a nice treat. My perfect dinner would be lobster and shrimp with grilled asparagus. Bread and butter. Champagne.

Everyone at the B and B knows that Dane likes his treats to be borderline dangerous…so when he is poisoned by fugu, any one of the models had a reason to do it. Charlene and Jack have to help find the guilty party. What if they are next?

I hope you enjoy Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine—book nine in the Salem B and B series, writing as Traci Wilton.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copy of Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “venomous” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 15, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite story for everyone. Mystery lovers, be on the lookout for her Scottish Shire series in seaside Nairn, or her Salem B&B Mystery series as Traci Wilton, or third, her Irish Castle mystery series as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it’s her popular By the Sea contemporary romance series or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, by living near the ocean. Reach her here: traciella@aol{dot}com

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.