Grave Errors

Carol J. Perry

Aug 2017 · A Witch City Mystery Book 5 · Kensington Cozies

About this ebook

Salem, Massachusetts’ resident psychic sleuth is digging up trouble: “A diverting journey.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
Whose funeral will be next?
 
For residents of Salem, Massachusetts, the day after Halloween brings empty candy wrappers, sagging pumpkins, and a community-wide identity crisis. That is, until Lee Barrett’s TV production class suggests extending the spooky season with the traditional Mexican celebration Dia de Los Muertos. But when the students discover not all of Salem’s dead are resting in peace, the post-October blues don’t seem so bad after all . . .
 
As if a series of haunting graveyard visits isn’t disturbing enough, Lee and her policeman boyfriend connect the crime to an unsolved missing person case. Driven by a series of chilling psychic visions, Lee calls on her cleverest allies—including her shrewd cat, O’Ryan—to go underground and dig up the evidence needed to put a lid on a cold case forever . . . before the newest headstone in town has her name on it!
 
Praise for the Witch City Mysteries
 
“Perfectly relaxing and readable.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“This rewarding paranormal cozy series debut will have Victoria Laurie fans lining up to follow.” —Library Journal
 
“[A]n entertaining story that keeps readers guessing until the very twisted and eerie end.” —RT Book Reviews

Ratings and reviews

Grave Errors by Carol J. Perry is the fifth story in A Witch City Mystery series. Lee Barrett is teaching a television production class at Tabitha Trumbull Academy of the Arts that is focusing on interview skills and investigative reporting. The annual class assignment is to produce a video involving some aspect of Salem’s history and the students have decided to highlight Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Dorothy Alden, one of Lee’s students, is taking the class for personal reasons. Dorothy’s sister, Emily passed away recently from an overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol. Dorothy believes her sister was murdered and is looking for proof. She hopes the class will give her the skills she needs. Lee wants to help Dorothy and is quickly drawn into the investigation. With the aid of her visions, O’Ryan (her cat) and her detective boyfriend, Lee sets out to get answers and closure for Dorothy. Grave Errors is the fifth installment in A Witch City Mystery series and it can be read as a stand-alone novel. We are given a background history on Lee along a synopsis of her previous cases. The writing style made the book easy to read, but the pace was a little slow. There to be too many mundane details. I do not need to know every single meal Lee eats (each food item), when she changes clothes (and what she is wearing), going up steps, etc. My rating for Grave Errors is 3.5 out of 5 stars. There is a nice mixture of characters, and I really appreciate that the author does not throw them at the reader all at once. The mystery had some good elements. I thought the method of murder was very unique. The culprit, though, can be identified long before the reveal. I wish the author had put more effort into the mystery and spent less time on Lee’s love life. I delighted in the supernatural elements and wish they had been played up more. Lee has a wonderful gift and, after five books, she has yet to fully embrace (or accept) it. The setting of Salem, Massachusetts is delightful (I would love to live in Salem). I welcomed the history of the city that the author included (especially pertaining to Giles Corey).

This is another winner in the Witch City series. Set in Salem, Lee teaches a class on investigative reporting when a student tells her she's taking the class so that she can find out who killed her sister. Lee starts to have visions that she thinks must be related - she's a scryer that sees visions in shinny objects. Lee, with the help of her class begin to look into things, despite Lee's boyfriend Pete telling her not to. What follows is an engaging paranormal mystery that fans of the genre will love. I particularly enjoyed the way the author wove the history of Salem into the tale, making for a wonderful novel. Add this one to the top of your TBR list. The author is on my must read authors' list.

I can't wait to read this ine, I love all the books in this series.

About the author

Carol J. Perry was born in Salem on Halloween Eve. She has written many young adult novels, and is also the author of the Witch City mystery series. She and her husband Dan live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida with a cat and a black Lab. Visit her at www.caroljperry.com.