(Image from Barnes & Noble)
As a former psychiatrist, Cass Donovan knows enough about people to read them with fair accuracy. This makes working as a psychic in little Bay Island, New York, an easy gig. She might not be the real deal, but she's a good enough fake to lure plenty of customers to Mystical Musings, her beachfront shop. And, she can't deny, there are times when strange visions do overcome her, giving her otherworldly insight that is difficult to explain away.
That's exactly what happens when Ellie Callahan, a young newlywed, comes to Cass for a reading. Although Cass doesn't mention the bad juju she's sensing to Ellie, that doesn't stop Ellie's mother from accosting Cass later that evening. Cass is embarrassed by the encounter, but it's not like she would ever lift a hand to overbearing Marge Hawkins. When Cass discovers Marge's dead body in the local theater, however, that's the story that starts buzzing around town. Although the police peg her as Suspect #1, Cass knows Marge had made all kinds of enemies. Which one of them finally had enough of her interfering? Who actually shot the woman? With the real detectives investigating the wrong person, it's up to Cass to Nancy Drew her way to the truth. Even if it means making herself a target for a cold-blooded killer.
Cozy mysteries can be hard for me to take, but I tend to turn to them when I grow tired of the nightmares that often stem from the gory, graphic thrillers I usually read. I'm down with "clean" murder mysteries, especially if they're written in a fun, engaging way, as they often are. If they get too cory or ridiculous, though, I'm out. Someone recommended the Bay Island Psychic Mystery series by Lena Gregory, so I picked up the first installment, Death at First Sight. Guess what? It's an entertaining romp that I quite enjoyed. The quaint beach town setting is vividly drawn, the characters are likable (if cliché), and the story is predictable, but still intriguing enough to keep the pages turning. Not all of its plot points made sense, which annoyed me a little. Overall, though, Death at First Sight is a quick, easy read that made me smile. That's enough to get me reaching for the next installment.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other cozy mysteries by Lena Gregory as well as those by Ellie Alexander)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Death at First Sight with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
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