Mrs. Morris and the Ghost of Christmas Past
Charlene’s parents are in town for Christmas, and her mother is driving her up a tree. Her bed-and-breakfast’s quirky resident ghost, Jack, isn’t fond of her either, and he’s showing it with some haunting high jinks. But when Charlene takes her mom and dad out for dinner, the less-than-seasonal spirits take a deadly turn.
David Baldwin has just won a fortune in the lottery, and it adds a lot of drama to the charity auction he’s hosting at his restaurant. When he caps off the evening by playing Santa and handing out checks to some of the attendees, the mood shifts . . . and Charlene observes mysterious tensions between David and his flashy, bleached-blonde wife, his neglected teenage son from a previous marriage, and his hostile business partner, among others. And they’re only a few on the long list of potential suspects when David runs into the road and is mowed down by a fleeing motorist. Now it looks like it’s going to be homicide for the holidays.
Series: A Salem B&B Mystery – Book #3
Author: Traci Wilton
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Holiday/Paranormal
Publisher: Kensington Books
Page Count: 336
Rating: 
First off, I have to say that Mrs. Morris and the Ghost of Christmas Past was enjoyable and, for me personally, much better than the other books in the series. It’s no secret I wasn’t a fan at the beginning. But with this latest addition, the author has won me over. This quirky story has readers smiling and empathizing with Charlene. They can see their own parental relationships within the pages and understand what the main character is going through.
It’s the holidays in Salem, and everyone is trying to enjoy themselves and get in that last-minute shopping and charity donations. Charlene is at her favorite restaurant during a charity event that will help the local children’s home expand and give the kids a merry Christmas. The twist or quirky part is that the host is run down and killed in the middle of the road, and apparently, no one saw it happen, not even Charlene.
The characters in this series have grown into very likable individuals, although I am still not fond of Jack, the ghost, who is becoming more possessive of Charlene and pouts. However, he does add a bit of humor to the situations she finds herself in with B&B guests, the police, and in this case, her mother. It’s nice to get a better idea of what Charlene left behind when she moved to Salem and bought the B&B and why she would never want to go back.
The story is a fun, fast-paced read with plenty of suspects, twists, and red herrings to keep readers happy. The victim starts out very likable, but in the end, we find out that he wasn’t what he seemed, and many had good cause to want rid of him. The unveiling of the killer in Mrs. Morris and the Ghost of Christmas Past may come as a surprise to some, but many readers will know who the culprit is before they reach the final chapter. I am happy to recommend this quirky holiday cozy to readers who like ghosts with their holidays and even those who don’t.
Other holiday cozies that have an odd or quirky twist readers will enjoy are Leigh Perry’s unique “A Family Skeleton Mystery” or Allison Brook’s paranormal series “A Haunted Library Mystery.”
About the Author:
Traci Wilton is the pseudonym of Traci Hall and Patrice Wilton.
From contemporary seaside romances to cozy mysteries, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over fifty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite story for everyone.
New York Times, bestselling author, Patrice Wilton knew from the age of twelve that she wanted to write books that would take the reader to faraway places. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and had a great need to see the world that she had read about. Patrice became a flight attendant for seventeen years and traveled the world. At the age of forty, she sat down to write her first book–in longhand! Her interests include tennis, golf, and writing stories for women of all ages. She has more than forty books published and is best known as a popular romance author. She is especially proud of her best selling contemporary romance series, Paradise Cove, and Heavenly Christmas and the Wounded Warriors.
Contact Traci: Traci@TraciHall.com
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