Getting better. The star of this series, in my opinion, is the city of Salem. I like the characters, though, don't get me wrong. And in this one, the plot twists are a little more unexpected.

Good cozy mysteries, just the way I like 'em. ( )

I feel like this one was longer than it needed to be, and about 2/3 of the way through I was losing patience because I could clearly see where the story was going and the clues were so clearly telegraphed that it was driving me crazy that Lee and her Aunt were being so obtuse.

And then I turned out I was wrong about nearly all of it. Right direction, wrong track completely. So game, set and match to Perry. I still maintain it could have been tighter and shorter though.

In general the series and this book are good solid cozies: great setting, likeable characters with realistic expectations (no 'police are dumb' here) and so far, pretty well crafted mysteries. Maybe a tad too long, but I'm on board for the next one. ( )

I love that Salem MA has a statue to my favorite witch and have enjoyed this series so far, the characters are likeable and the crimes interesting. I only wish that more of the local color was included and the returning characters fleshed out a little more. For instance Lee's best friend "River North" only show up in the book after Lee has a vision and then River rushes over with here tarot cards to do a reading for her. They never seem to do anything together.

I look forward to the next book in the series that's due out August 29, I'll pick up a copy as soon as it's out. ( )

Maralee Barrett and her Aunt Ibby go to a storage locker auction. They win the contents of one locker, finding all sorts of treasures including a silver samovar, a beautiful quilt, and a faded but beautifully carved carousel horse. Almost as soon as they take the items home, strange things start happening. Someone takes their trash. Strangers show up at Goodwill to rifle through the boxes of items they donated. And, after being taken to a local craftsman to be restored, the carousel horse is broken into pieces at the man's shop by an unknown intruder. Maralee's strange ESP visions start warning her of murder and danger, and her cat O'Ryan starts dropping clues to the mystery as well. Soon they discover that the mystery dates back to 1915 when six Russian immigrants came to the United States with some items entrusted to them by Czar Nicholas himself. Maralee and her aunt must sift through the clues, along with Maralee's policeman boyfriend, Pete, to discover the truth behind the items in the storage locker. It's a secret worth killing for in the past and the present, putting them all in danger.

Murder Go Round is the fourth book in the Witch City Mystery series. I enjoy this series because each book is so different. This time the mystery revolves around Russian history and relics from the last days of Czar Nicholas and his family. The mystery was intriguing, well-paced and very interesting. Maralee's ESP visions are a vital part of the plot, but not presented in an over-the-top cheesy manner. And the cat, O'Ryan's special qualities are also understated, not over-done. I enjoy Maralee as a main character, and the supporting cast (Aunt Ibby, O'Ryan, Pete, River) are all wonderful, interesting, eccentric characters. The books are always a nice mix of humor and mystery with a touch of supernatural.

A 5th book in the series, Grave Errors, is coming out this fall.

All in all, an enjoyable, fun cozy mystery. I highly recommend the Witch City Mystery series for mystery lovers who enjoy cozies with a touch of supernatural and cute humor. Fun read! It isn't necessary to read the books in order. A reader could jump in and start with book 4 and not have a hard time figuring out the characters.



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Lee Barrett & her Aunt Iddy bid on and win the contents of a storage unit. The unit once belonged to a Russian family who had a connection to Tsar Nicholas II.

Lee & Iddy rescue a silver samovar, a cuckoo clock, a quilt w/ mysterious stitching, fine hand-made doll dresses, & a carousel horse which was carved by the original owner of a neighboring house & storage unit contents. Everything else is sent to the Goodwill or put into trash bags for pick-up.

When Lee takes the horse to be restored the police find a strangled journalist who was well know for his historical books on treasure hunts and the horse in pieces. Two men then steal the trash bags and go to the Goodwill in order to go through Lee & Ibby's discards.

The local "crazy" lady who runs around town on a pink scooter & reads palms in the park, turns out to be the granddaughter of the maker of the quilt & the carver of the horse.

Then in the reflective surface of the Samovar, Lee sees six men, backs to her at a ship's railing looking out to sea....

It is revealed that the six men once were personal servants of the Tsar and came to America, each with a treasure that would insure the Tsar & his family to live in comfort had they successfully escaped the revolution.

The historical parts of the book was interesting, but much of the rest of the book was boring, especially the portions about the Russian Tea Library Fundraiser.... ( )