Carol J. Perry – författare

An antique carousel horse sends Salem, Massachusetts, into a spin in this eerie murder mystery: “Highly original and great fun.” —Carolyn Hart, New York Times-bestselling author of Ghost Ups Her Game   Lee Barrett has agreed to attend a storage auction with Aunt Ibby—even though she suspects the forgotten rooms will yield more junk than treasure. Her skepticism vanishes once the two win an overlooked locker and uncover a trove of beautiful curiosities, including a stunning wooden carousel horse with gentle eyes and fading paint. But just before Lee leaves the fairground relic at a local repair shop, the sight of a silver samovar awakens her psychic abilities and conjures visions of murder.   Lee prays the intrusive ESP episode was just a glimpse into the past—until her policeman boyfriend reports a dead man outside the shop. Apparently, the unknown victim had been hot on Lee’s trail since the auction. And with the horse found dismantled, it looks like he was up to no good. What’s the story behind the antique equine, and could a strange bubblegum-chewing woman with fiery hair have something to do with it all? Guided by her gift and O’Ryan, her wise tabby cat, Lee’s set on catching the murderer . . . before she’s sent on the darkest ride of her life.  Praise for The Witch City Mysteries   “Perfectly relaxing and readable.”– Kirkus Reviews   “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal   “Keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.” —RT Book Reviews

Salem, Massachusetts' resident psychic sleuth is digging up trouble: ';A diverting journey.' Kirkus Reviews Whose funeral will be next? For residents of Salem, Massachusetts, the day after Halloween brings empty candy wrappers, sagging pumpkins, and a community-wide identity crisis. That is, until Lee Barrett's TV production class suggests extending the spooky season with the traditional Mexican celebration Dia de Los Muertos. But when the students discover not all of Salem's dead are resting in peace, the post-October blues don't seem so bad after all... As if a series of haunting graveyard visits isn't disturbing enough, Lee and her policeman boyfriend connect the crime to an unsolved missing person case. Driven by a series of chilling psychic visions, Lee calls on her cleverest alliesincluding her shrewd cat, O'Ryanto go underground and dig up the evidence needed to put a lid on a cold case forever... before the newest headstone in town has her name on it! Praise for the Witch City Mysteries ';Perfectly relaxing and readable.' Kirkus Reviews ';This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.' Library Journal ';[A]n entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.' RT Book Reviews

There’s a new witch hunt in Salem, Massachusetts—and an amateur sleuth and her clairvoyant cat are on the case . . .   When Lee Barrett joins a former student’s bridal party as maid of honor, she expects cake tastings and dress fittings. But wedding planning becomes more peculiar than Lee’s scrying talents could ever predict. There’s a magical baker, a best man with a checkered past, and a talking crow named Poe as the ring bearer. There’s also a kindly old man dead under his apple tree—one of a series of unexplained deaths hanging over the Wiccan community . . .   With witches dropping dead before they even come out of the proverbial broom closet, Lee’s best friend, River, fears she might have somehow unleashed a terrible curse on the city. Now, aided by Poe and her clairvoyant cat, Lee sets out to investigate. Are lives being claimed by vengeful supernatural forces—or by something more shocking? As she soon discovers, casting light on the wicked truth can be one killer commitment . . .    Praise for the Witch City Mysteries   “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal on Caught Dead Handed   “Perfectly relaxing and readable.” —Kirkus Reviews on Look Both Ways

A dead ballplayer means foul play in Salem . . .   Field reporter Lee Barrett is not happy that her hours are being cut back at WICH-TV, although it is nice to spend more time volunteering with Aunt Ibby, a research librarian at Salem''s main branch. But Lee''s least favorite task is going up to the stacks, a spooky, seldom-frequented upper section of the library. On this day she has good reason to be afraid—she finds a dead man, surrounded by hundreds of scattered books and torn-out pages. Her police detective beau, Pete Mondello, is soon on the scene, and the deceased is identified as a former minor league baseball player—and ex-con—named Wee Willie Wallace, who hasn''t been seen in Salem for twenty years. With help from her friend River''s Tarot reading, her clairvoyant cat O''Ryan, and Lee''s own psychic gifts, she steps up to the plate to catch the killer who took the old ballplayer out of the game . . .   Praise for the Witch City Mysteries“Perfectly relaxing and readable.”—Kirkus Reviews “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.”—Library Journal “An entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.” —RT Book Reviews

Maureen Doherty and her golden retriever Finn have taken possession of a charming old inn—only to discover that it’s already possessed by tenants whose lease on life already ran out . . .  Maureen’s career as a sportswear buyer hits a snag just before Halloween, when the department store declares bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Finn’s lost his way as a guide dog after flunking his test for being too friendly and easily distracted. Sadly, only one of them can earn unemployment, so Maureen’s facing a winter of discontent in Boston—when she realizes she can’t afford her apartment.   Salvation comes when she receives a mysterious inheritance: an inn in Haven, Florida. A quaint, scenic town on the Gulf of Mexico hidden away from the theme parks, Maureen believes it’s a good place to make a fresh start with a new business venture. But she gets more than she bargained for when she finds a dead body on her property—and meets some of the inn’s everlasting tenants in the form of ghosts who offer their otherworldly talents in order to help her solve the mystery . . .  Praise for Carol J. Perry “A fast-paced cozy that entertains from start to finish. A great read!”—Suspense Magazine on Bells, Spells, and Murders “Carol J. Perry writes with alacrity, casting a spell that will leave readers old and new bewitched, beguiled, and begging for more.” —Criminal Element on Final Exam: A Witch City Mystery

Set during the Christmas season, the latest novel in this exciting new supernatural cozy series from the author of the Witch City Mysteries features a New Englander transplanted to a Florida town along the scenic Gulf of Mexico when she inherits a charming, century-old—and very haunted—inn from a mysterious benefactor. Fans of Amanda Flower and Heather Blake will delight in murder, ghosts, and the heroine’s golden retriever, Finn. Christmas lights on palm trees and Santa hats on plastic pink flamingoes are far from the snowy landscape Maureen and her beloved golden retriever, Finn, are used to. But Maureen is determined to make this a holiday to remember—which means finding a way to promote Haven House on a shoestring. Fortunately, Haven’s vintage movie theater, the Paramount, has come up with a great “Twelve Days of Christmas” idea. They’ll feature an impressive list of the best classic Christmas movies ever made—shown by one-time movie actor-turned-projectionist Decklin Monroe . . .   But nobody bothered to tell Maureen that the Paramount is haunted by the ghost of a man who was murdered a few years back. Haven’s top cop Frank Hubbard doesn’t believe in ghosts but, believing that Decklin Monroe was somehow involved, he wants a reluctant Maureen’s help.    That plan is derailed when, on the first day of the festival, a fresh murder victim is found at the theater. Now Maureen has to defend her staff and guests, while trying to keep her high-spirited resident ghosts out of the picture—before they have company for the holidays . . .  Praise for Be My Ghost“Maureen is a breath of fresh air in the cozy world. . . . The ghosts, in a refreshing departure from most paranormal cozies, don’t take center stage, and entertaining subplots . . . keep the pages turning. Readers will look forward to Maureen’s further adventures.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

A fun cozy mystery of witches, magic, and the haunted history of Salem, Massachusetts! When a copycat killer has reporter Lee Barrett brushing up on ancient history, it’s a test where failure could be lethal . . .   As a Salem, Massachusetts, native, WICH-TV field reporter and amateur sleuth Lee Barrett is well versed in the region’s lore. So when the murder of revered local professor Samuel Bond resembles a killing from almost two centuries ago, everyone is on edge. Especially assistant professor Cody McGinnis . . .   Not only did Cody have differences with Bond, he even taught a course on the historic murder. And when his fingerprints and ladder are found at the crime scene, the police are certain of his guilt. Cody’s family, however, believes otherwise and asks Lee for assistance. Now, with the help of her clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan, her tech-savvy librarian aunt and housemate Ibby, and Pete Mondello, her handsome detective beau, Lee will delve deeper than ever into Salem’s past—and into her own psychic gifts—to find the real killer—before someone else is history . . . Praise for the Witch City Mysteries  “Perfectly relaxing and readable.” —Kirkus Reviews “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal “An entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.”—RT Book Reviews

Salem’s WICH-TV program director Lee Barrett is about to discover no good deed goes unpunished . . .   Lee has been promoted from field reporter to program director. Keeping track of all the shows and managing the local TV personalities—including a cowboy, a clown, and a performing dog—has her head spinning. Perhaps that’s what makes her take pity on the distraught woman she finds sitting alone on a bench on the Salem common. When she realizes that the poor woman doesn’t even know her own name, Lee takes her into the warmth of the home she shares with her Aunt Ibby and their clairvoyant gentleman cat, O’Ryan. Maybe Lee can use her own psychic gifts to divine the woman’s identity.   Lee’s detective beau Pete Mondello wants to talk to the “Jane Doe,” but before he can investigate, he’s called to a crime scene. A body has been found washed up in a narrow harbor cove. As harmless as her new houseguest seems, Lee can’t help but wonder if she may be harboring a killer . . .   Praise for the Witch City Mysteries  “Perfectly relaxing and readable.” —Kirkus Reviews “This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal “An entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.”—RT Book Reviews

The staff at Salem, Massachusetts’s local station, WICH-TV, is looking forward to the wedding of their program director, Lee Barrett. But when Lee heads off on her Maine honeymoon, she’ll be haunted by the ghosts of her own past . . .   Lee and Detective Sergeant Pete Mondello are finally tying the knot—and Lee is tying up loose ends before the big day. It’ll be an adjustment moving out of Aunt Ibby’s house, but the couple will stay nearby—after all, they have to share custody of O’Ryan, their clairvoyant cat. And Aunt Ibby will be renting out Lee’s old apartment . . . though she’s getting some bad vibes from her current prospective tenant.   After the celebration, complete with a cake made by the station magician, there should be time to relax—but the Maine island happens to be near the site of the crash that long ago killed Lee’s parents, a mystery she’s never been able to solve. Soon she’ll be putting wedding gifts aside and turning to her psychic gifts instead, to wrap up crimes both past and present . . .  Praise for the Witch City Mysteries“Yet another hit in the Witch City Mystery series!” —Fresh Fiction on Murder, Take Two“Carol J. Perry juggles these details with finesse and moves the plot toward a creepy conclusion that adds a few shivers to this cozy.” —BookPage on Late Checkout“This delightful read set against the Halloween festivities in Salem is perfect cozy read for a blustery autumn evening.” —The Intelligencer on Late Checkout

From Galway, Ireland, to the North Pole, to Salem, Massachusetts, a trio of Halloween mysteries that prove the spookiest season knows no borders . . . and neither does murder!“The three cozy writers successfully exploit the deadly-cupcake theme in entertaining mysteries that will appeal to readers looking for a holiday treat.” —Library Journal on Halloween Cupcake MurderHALLOWEEN CUPCAKE MURDER by CARLENE O''CONNORWith Galway’s Halloween Mystery Tour only a few days away, Tara Meehan is scouring the town’s curiosity shops for spooky decorations. But when a stranger appears in her salvage shop bearing a cryptic cupcake and an ominous message, Tara suddenly finds herself tangled in a mystery with ancient Gaelic roots . . .MRS. CLAUS AND THE CANDY CORN CAPER by LIZ IRELANDChristmastown is pulling out all the stops for their Halloween celebration, but the sweet theme stokes the bitterest of rivalries amongst the elves, until tragedy strikes at Santaland’s newest bakery. It’s up to Mrs. Claus to to unmask a Halloween fiend . . .A TRIPLE LAYER HALLOWEEN MURDER by CAROL J. PERRYWICH-TV’s Lee Barrett can’t wait to cover Salem’s month-long Halloween festivities. But rumors swirl after a wealthy bakery owner goes missing. Now, amid Salem’s wicked revelry, Lee must conjure clues to reveal the missing millionaire . . . or the truth about his disappearance . . .

The latest novel in this exciting supernatural cozy series from the author of the Witch City Mysteries features a New Englander transplanted to a Florida town along the scenic Gulf of Mexico when she inherits a charming, century-old—and very haunted—inn from a mysterious benefactor. Fans of Amanda Flower and Heather Blake will delight in murder, ghosts, and the heroine’s golden retriever, Finn.   It’s June in Haven, Florida, a “between seasons” time in the tourism business, and Maureen’s Haven House Inn is feeling the pinch. There are plenty of ghosts in residence, but Maureen needs living guests to pay the bills.   Inspired by an old brochure she finds in a trunk she inherited along with the inn from her mysterious benefactor Penelope Josephine Gray, she gets the brilliant idea to revive a June fishing tournament from twenty years ago, hoping to reel in anglers who’d love to catch the Gulf Coast’s popular kingfish and take home a trophy.   But one fisherman won’t make it to the tournament. While walking on the beach with her golden retriever Finn, Maureen discovers a body. When Officer Frank Hubbard arrives, he recognizes local charter boat fisherman Eddie Manuel.   Now it’s up to Maureen and her spirited sleuths to sort through the red herrings and bait a hook for a killer before someone else ends up sleeping with the fishes . . .  Praise for Be My Ghost“Maureen is a breath of fresh air in the cozy world. . . . The ghosts, in a refreshing departure from most paranormal cozies, don’t take center stage, and entertaining subplots . . . keep the pages turning. Readers will look forward to Maureen’s further adventures.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

Innkeeper Maureen Doherty is well aware that no onewhen asked why they come to Floridasays, ';For the ghosts.' But her historic Haven House Inn has spirits to spare, and just when she thinks she's met every ghost in towna new one pops up to help solve a murder. Or so it seems . . . When the body of ';how-to' book writer Terry Holiday is found by Aster Paterson in her flower garden, the townspeople of Haven are shocked. But they're even more surprised when the beloved bookshop owner insists that the spirit of her late husband Peter Paterson led her to the grim discovery. Only Aster seems unsurprisedshe's been baking his favorite shortbread cookies every day, hoping to lure his ghost back home . . . Even Maureen is a little skepticaluntil Peter's ghost appears in the bookshop window for all to see. Haven's hard-headed realist cop Frank Hubbard is determined to unveil whatever trickery led to the apparition, as he suspects the answer to who killed Terry Holiday may be connected to the illusion. If Maureen's learned anything since she moved from New England and inherited her haunted inn, it's that 1) ghosts are real (at least some of them), and 2) so are murderers. She doesn't need a how-to manual to solve a murder; she's done it before. But with suspects ranging from a mystery writers group to a ghostwriter who just checked in at the inn, she will need a little help from her spirited sleuths . . .

Fans of Amanda Flower and Heather Blake will delight in this latest mystery in the Witch City series, featuring Lee Barrett, program director for Salem, Massachusetts’s local station, WICH-TV, and a cast of colorful characters and sleuthing helpers—including her detective sergeant husband, and a clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan. Just married, Lee and her husband, Detective Sergeant Pete Mondello, are settling into their new home when Lee is dubbed WICH-TV’s new “Historical Documentary Chief Executive.” Her first subject is the brand-newSalem International Museum, slated to be a location for traveling blockbuster exhibits, starting with “Seafaring New England.”  From research to collecting artifacts of Salem’s long-ago days as a shipping capital, the project is a challenge—but when the driver of a truckload of antiquities turns up dead under a pile of fall leaves, it’s not quite the kind of challenge Lee expected . . .   Soon, Lee and Pete are dredging up clues along with a hardy crew of helpers, including Lee’s librarian aunt, Ibby, Lee’s best friend and practicing witch, River North—and of course the clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan. But when a ship model in the exhibit’s collection appears to be haunted, Lee will have to dive into her own treasure trove of psychic gifts before a killer comes to the surface to strike again . . .    Praise for the Witch City Mysteries“Yet another hit in the Witch City Mystery series!” —Fresh Fiction on Murder, Take Two“Carol J. Perry juggles these details with finesse and moves the plot toward a creepy conclusion that adds a few shivers to this cozy.” —BookPage on Late Checkout

It takes a lot for Salem locals to get excited about their historic Massachusetts town being known as “the witch city.” But when a major studio arrives to shoot a witchcraft-themed movie, folks go Hollywood. For WICH-TV’S program director and chief documentary-maker, Lee Barrett, however, the project may come complete with a real-life death scene . . . Between documenting the progress of the movie, corralling starstruck autograph seekers and fans, and managing unmanageable traffic on Salem’s narrow streets, Lee and her police detective husband, Pete Mondello, are beyond busy. Even Lee’s best friend, River North, tarot card reader and practicing witch, gets in on the action, landing a job as a stand-in and body double. But it only takes one interview for Lee to realize that the male and female leads—whose roles include torrid love scenes—despise each other. Yet the problem is short-lived, literally . . . When the gorgeous lead actress is found dead on a set staged to replicate the room where suspected witches were tried in 1692—and her on-screen lover, in full costume, is discovered sound asleep in her trailer—the hunt is on for a killer on the loose. Nevertheless, the producer decrees “the show must go on!” Now, even with help from River, Lee’s Aunt Ibby, and O’Ryan, a remarkably clairvoyant gentleman cat, sorting out a witch’s brew of secrets, sorcery, and special effects might turn Lee’s documentary into her own final act . . .

There's no place like Salem, Massachusettsaka ';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 shopsonly 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 newsLee and her detective husband Pete Mondello are expecting a bundle of joyshe 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 killerand cope with the sudden return of her troubling ';visions'. . .

In this delightfully spooky series spin-off of Carol J. Perry's beloved Witch City Mysteries, Lee Mondello and her detective husband have plenty of experience solving crimes in Salem, Massachusetts-and now Lee's Aunt Ibby is starting a sleuthing career of her own in the witch city...Nothing can spoil the mood at a one-year-old's birthday celebration like the cops arriving-but it's not because the party got too rowdy. Instead, Detective Pete Mondello has a search warrant for a tenant's apartment. When Lee's aunt Ibby leads the police to Josh Alper's locked door, she's surprised to learn that her renter has redecorated . . . with what appear to be masterpieces stolen from a museum back in 1972.The paintings may be found, but Alper-an artist involved with a shady, cult-like group-is officially missing. So Ibby and her pals, who hold weekly watch parties of their favorite show,Midsomer Murders, decide to jump in and do some real-life sleuthing using the skills they've learned from DCI Barnaby. Ibby, a semi-retired librarian, may be in her sixties, but her tech skills are top-notch . . . and with some help from her friends Betsy and Louisa, as well as O'Ryan the clairvoyant cat, that spells trouble for any criminals in Salem.But when Alper's body is found in the Salem Woods-felled by an unusually sophisticated weapon-Ibby must buckle down with her team and prove that she's just as talented an investigator as her beloved niece . . .