A lighthearted cozy mystery!
Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine by Traci Wilton takes us on a journey to Salem, Massachusetts where Charlene Morris�s B&B has just been overrun by a group of beautiful models and a narcissistic photographer. We get to catch up with Charlene, Minnie, Sam, and Jack (as well as Silva). My favorite character is Jack, the ghost that haunts Charlene�s bed and breakfast. My least favorite character is Detective Jimenez (she has a bad attitude). The murder did not occur until I was a third of a way into the story. This did allow the author to establish the groundwork for the murder. There were plenty of suspects, but I had an idea who had committed the deed before the victim was pronounced dead. Detective Jimenez is assigned the case (unfortunately) and her demeaner towards Charlene has not changed (Jack has an idea as to why the newly minted detective is unkind towards Charlene). Charlene asks questions and searches for clues with Jack�s help. There are breadcrumbs that readers can follow to solve the crime. There is a decent wrap up at the end of the book. I felt that the story lacked action. The two days following the murder (which takes up the last two-thirds of the book) seemed much longer. Details regarding food and drink seemed to dominate the story (do we need to know what they eat and drink for every meal and snack). There are repetitive details as well (an example is that Jack is jealous of Sam). Charlene is going to have a romantic dilemma on her hands soon. Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine can be read as a standalone for those new to A Salem B&B Mysteries. Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine is a photogenic tale with a cupid calendar, a ghostly pal, a prima donna photographer, diet troubles, unfriendly detective, a curious cybercrime, and unexpected present.
