HOMETOWN HALLOWEEN HOMICIDE by Rosalie Spielman
Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Hometown Mysteries #7
5*****
Blurb: It’s the spookiest time of year in New Oslo, Idaho, and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Tessa Treslow is looking forward to spending time with her aunt and their friends as they give away candy at the New Oslo community Trunk-or-Treat event. But first she agrees to accompany local salon owner, Becky Baker, to a funeral home to style the hair of a recently deceased woman—where they are both in for a surprise! There’s a note addressed to Tessa in the decedent’s bouffant do, asking Tessa to solve her murder. But was her death even a murder? As odd as that is, things get weirder when the woman’s body disappears…and then another body disappears from the funeral home as well! Where did they go? Who would take them? Tessa has barely has time to wonder before she and boyfriend, Nick, stumble upon yet another body—only this one is fresh, wearing a creepy clown mask, and has clearly been murdered. As Tessa realizes she knows the victim, she also realizes Becky’s husband has a connection to all three of the recently deceased. Is it a coincidence or something more sinister? It’s up to Tessa to find out before more any more bodies pop up…or wander off. Between a trio of “Grim Reapers” haunting the town, a glowing orb floating in the fields, a mysterious skeleton left on Tessa’s front porch, and a pup dressed like a hot dog, Tessa’s hometown Halloween could not be wackier. Will Tessa and her friends find the murderer…before the killer makes clowns out of them all?
THOUGHTS: Tessa and Aunt Edna are at it again! I love Tessa. She’s not your usual cozy mystery heroine. She’s ex-army, a mechanic with her Aunt Edna, has a boyfriend but is in no hurry to make their relationship anything more than what it is – friends with benefits. And he’s good with that too. Magnus the Moose is back too!
In this mystery, there are multiple dead bodies and way too many suspects. And multiple Grim Reapers are all over the place. Tessa just hopes one of them isn’t real and after her – but that gets iffy when she and Edna are caught by the villain. I love these stories. Tessa is not a twenty-something bakery owner. She has aches and pains that come with getting older, an ancient dog, and lots of friends. The stories are fun, challenging, and with good endings that satisfy.
Recommended.
Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
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