Book 13, 2023

Mrs. Morris and the Vampire by Traci Wilton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Stayed up late on Saturday night to finish reading Mrs Morris and the Vampire, which is the 5th part of Traci Wilton's "Salem B&B" series. Story is in third-person pov, from the perspective of the main character, widowed innkeeper Charlene Morris.

It's Halloween in Salem, and Charlene has been asked to be a judge in the costume contest at the Halloween Ball held in the Hawthorne Hotel. Although Charlene is enjoying herself, her friend Brandy is not. Brandy is aggravated that her grown daughter, Serenity, fancies herself in love with a self-styled vampire named Alaric. When Alaric disappears at midnight, everyone thinks it's an amazing trick...until his body is discovered in the harbor the following morning. Now Serenity is a potential suspect, and Brandy convinces Charlene to help clear Serenity's name. Charlene's natural curiosity lends itself well to investigating, but it also serves to aggravate Detective Sam Holden. When someone else in Alaric's circle dies and one of the B&B's guests seems to be getting drawn into the intrigue, Charlene doubles down with her efforts to solve the mystery before anyone else is killed.

The plot was interesting enough to keep me engrossed, and I was enjoying the first two-thirds of the book. By the end, however, I was back to rolling my eyes at Charlene, her odd co-dependency with Jack (her resident ghost), and even the point of the plot. ( Spoilers )

I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. I do not like Charlene's attachment to Jack. It's unhealthy and it prevents her from fully embracing a relationship with Sam. Not that Sam is a great prize. He comes across as a condescending asshole, if you ask me. He even threatened to have Charlene arrested if she didn't get her happy ass to the police station to give a statement. Pardon me while I swoon at how romantic that is. Blech. Jack, of course, continues to act like a right donkey, jealous of Sam's attention to Charlene. Once again, you're dead. Charlene isn't, and neither is Sam. Go into the light, Carol Ann!

Favorite lines:
♦ "You never go anywhere without collecting a story to tell."
♦ "It's our lucky day. We didn't die, and we beat the rain."

Least favorite line:
♦ As long as she had a resident ghost living at the mansion, she couldn't date any man and risk hurting Jack.

Get yourself some help, Charlene. That's what's known as an attachment, and it's bordering on oppression.

This was heading for a rating of four, but it fizzled out and earns just an average rating of three.