Late Checkout
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 psychic gifts, she steps up to the plate to catch the killer who took the old ballplayer out of the game.
Series: A Witch City Mystery – Book #9
Author: Carol J. Perry
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Paranormal/Witch
Publisher: Kensington Mystery
Page Count: 336
Rating: 
The latest cozy in the “A Witch City Mystery” series Late Checkout is a hit!
Lee Barrett is the beloved main character in this cozy series and one that keeps readers coming back for more. Her Aunt Ibby and Lee’s wonderful cat O’Ryan would be the second most important equally. I think Ibby and O’Ryan could carry a series all on their own, and I would be the first person to buy the books!
In this new addition to the series, Lee once again finds the body of a stranger, and in all places, Ibby’s library. She is shocked but also determined to find out why the man was killed and why at the library. This is typical behavior for Lee. Her curiosity knows no bounds, and as a field reporter, it benefits her greatly. Lee’s personality can be that of the hard-hitting reporter and the lovable, compassionate friend and niece. The character always leaves readers smiling and craving the next installment in the cozy series.
All of the characters readers have come to love and admire are present, but some are not as important in this new book as others and play a tiny part. This is also a problem with this book. Beloved characters such as River North do not play a significant role, and this puts a bit of a damper on the story. The killer, although present in the book, is barely noticeable and may even come off as unbelievable to many readers. The suspects are few, so it isn’t hard to follow them and the clues. This cozy did not have the number of paranormal twists that I have come to expect, and feel is needed. Many readers will know from the beginning how the murder was committed, but not necessarily the who. Unfortunately, I also found the ending far too confusing and unsatisfying.
In general, this is a quick read with a nice plot. Even though I found issues with Late Checkout I still happily recommend the book and series to readers who like a touch of the paranormal in their mysteries.
Readers may enjoy checking out cozy mysteries from Kristen Weiss https://www.kirstenweiss.com/ and her series “A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery” https://www.thecozyreview.com/deja-moo/ or perhaps Delia James’s https://www.facebook.com/Delia-James-994395340606865/ series “A Witch’s Cat Mystery” https://www.thecozyreview.com/by-familiar-means/.
About the Author:
Carol J. Perry knew as a child that she wanted to be a writer. A voracious reader, whose list for Santa consisted mostly of book titles, she never lost sight of that goal. While living in Florida, Carol was on assignment for Southern Travel Magazine, preparing an article on the world’s largest sandcastle which was being built near her home. That combination of events inspired her first young adult novel, Sand Castle Summer. That book was soon followed by half a dozen more.
Carol has always been an avid reader of mysteries. Her debut mystery novel is set in Salem and involves O’Ryan, a most mysterious cat, several witches, and some strange Halloween happenings. Appropriately enough, this Salem-born author celebrates her birthday on Halloween Eve! Carol and her husband Dan live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida with two cats and a Black Lab.
Contact Carol: Contact@CarolJPerry.com
Find Carol on Social Media:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/carol.perry.9250595
Follow the Cozy Review on Bloglovin’
Contact The Cozy Review
Leave a Reply