Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid (A Salem B&B Mystery)
by Traci Wilton
Movie stars, mermaids, and murder combine in a unique mystery, decades in the making. MRS. MORRIS AND THE MERMAID is a delightful tale that questions your ability to truly know someone.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
About Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid
Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid (A Salem B&B Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
Publisher : Kensington Cozies (February 20, 2024)
Mass Market Paperback : 368 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496741390
ISBN-13 : 978-1496741394
Digital ASIN : B0C6FV91ML
Set in Salem, Massachusetts, this fun, cozy series sees a widowed B&B owner teaming up with a charming ghost to solve murders—an engaging read for fans who like a paranormal tinge to their mysteries.
Charlene and her handsome spectral friend, Dr. Jack Strathmore, are thrilled that their Salem, Massachusetts, B&B is overflowing with mermaids in advance of the town’s newest attraction—a mermaid parade! Retired Hollywood actress Trinity Powers has even agreed to appear on the lead float to commemorate her breakout role as the eponymous mermaid in the blockbuster cult classic, Sirena. The parade also features Trinity’s rival, an up-and-coming ingénue, who stars in the film’s recent (and somewhat controversial) reboot. Though their rabid fan clubs seem ready to tear each other—and the festivities—apart, the vying actresses are keeping it cool, for now . . .
But when Charlene discovers a mermaid murdered, she realizes a killer is out to steal the show. With the help of Jack and Detective Sam Holden, Charlene plunges into the case, determined to stop a killer from striking again . . .
Excerpt – Chapter One
Friday afternoon, two days before the inaugural Mermaid Parade on the first Sunday of September, Charlene Morris was in her element directing guests and bags from the foyer of her bed and breakfast. It was organized chaos as her previous guests had checked out at eleven-thirty and this wave all wanted to check in at one with mounds of luggage. The atmosphere was holiday festive as the guests conversed.
Three of the four suites would be occupied by those in the parade, except for the Bonets, Dirk and Rose, from Washington state. The young couple was thrilled by the lucky happenstance.
Natalie Southern, mermaid name Tida Wave, whose pink hair matched her pink shirt, offered to help the Bonets with costumes if they wanted to walk the route. She was a seamstress and had packed extra fabric, which explained all four trunks. Natalie’s husband, Linc, had a hand on each of his twin girls’ shoulders—blonde cherubs named Aqua and Jewel—according to the front of their T-shirts.
Dr. Jack Strathmore, her resident ghost, watched from the kitchen hall, arms crossed as he observed the newcomers. Silva peered down from the second-floor landing, the Persian cat safely tucked between the rails, queen of all she surveyed as she flicked her thick, fluffy tail.
Andrew and Barb Martin had multiple suitcases. “You don’t have an elevator?” Barb asked with an eye at the central staircase.
“No elevator. If something is too heavy, I’m happy to help so we don’t ding the stairs,” Charlene said. The carpet runner on the steps did its best as folks lugged bags and cases without a thought to the wood beneath.
“I can lift them.” Andrew grinned and curled his arm to flex his bicep. He had a trim physique, average height, brown hair, and eyes. He and Barb, his wife, a petite attractive woman with light-brown hair, were in their mid-thirties.
Minnie Johnson, the housekeeper at Charlene’s, walked through Jack with a shiver as she read from a clipboard. “The Martins are in the blue room, the Bonets in the gold, the Southerns are in the pink, and the Wheatons in the green. Look for the colored anchor on the door. Inside your suite, you’ll find a list of restaurants and activities. See me for your key.”
The Wheatons stepped forward, a harried couple in their forties with a ten-year-old son who had a pinched mouth. “The green you said?” Terry brought his wife, Lottie, to his side as he waited for Minnie’s confirmation.
“Yes. Here you go.” Minnie gave him the key and the trio hurried toward the stairs.
“There will be a bathroom in the suite, Dillon,” Lottie said to their son, which explained his nervous expression.
Within fifteen minutes, the guests had all gone upstairs—except for the Sanchos brothers, who wouldn’t arrive until after four. They had two of the singles on the third floor.
“We’re getting the hang of handling a crowd,” Charlene told Minnie with appreciation. “The colored anchors on the door and the matching key fob really simplified things.”
“Your idea, and a good one.” Minnie read the list on her clipboard and put a check mark next to the names of those already there.
Check-in was usually more staggered but because of the parade, everyone wanted to be in as early as possible. “I can’t wait to see the mermaid costumes,” Charlene said. “I had no idea people still traveled with trunks. That must cost a fortune.”
Jack, dressed in golf shorts and a polo the same turquoise as his eyes, stared upward at the second-floor gallery. “What a unique event! I’ve never met a mermaid before and now we’ll have a house full.”
Silva loped her way gracefully down the stairs now that the crowd was gone. Charlene had noticed the cat liked to observe the new guests just as much as Charlene, Jack, and Minnie did.
“Too bad Avery couldn’t come home this weekend.” Minnie stuck the pen behind her ear. “She’d enjoy the parade too.”
It was Avery’s first official week at college; only forty minutes away in Boston but she lived in a dorm so she could be independent. They texted every few days.
Charlene missed the teenager terribly yet understood that Avery needed to spread her wings. She’d learned from her parents and didn’t want to smother Avery, who hadn’t been away from Salem before now. “She’ll be home on Friday.” She couldn’t wait.
“Yay!” Minnie smiled. “I’ll make her favorites. All of them.”
“Avery loves everything you create, Minnie, so you’ll be busy.”
The plump housekeeper/cook/friend blushed as she gave her gray curls a sassy pat. “I’ve got a shrimp and bacon recipe I want to try today for happy hour that I need to get the marinade started for. I added orange zest cookies to the welcome baskets in the rooms that are new too, so I hope to get some feedback.”
Charlene’s goal when she’d landed in Salem and bought this historic mansion sight unseen had been to create a classy bed and breakfast in a town known for its witches and paranormal activity.
She hadn’t believed in ghosts, and yet, Dr. Jack Strathmore had haunted this mansion and still resided in it.
About Traci Wilton
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 tale for everyone. Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, as Traci Wilton. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it’s her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.
Author Links
Website https://www.tracihall.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tracie.hall.35/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/traciella/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Traciwiltonauthor/
Twitter https://twitter.com/tracihallauthor
Amazon https://amazon.com/author/tracihall
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tracihallauthor/
Kensington https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author/traci-wilton/
Purchase Links – Amazon – Kindle – Amazon – Paperback – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org
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