Book Review: Murder Go Round by Carol J. Perry

From the publisher: Lee Barrett has agreed to attend a storage auction with Aunt Ibby—even though she suspects the forgotten rooms will yield more junk than treasure. Her skepticism vanishes once the two win a bid on an overlooked locker and uncover a trove of beautiful curiosities, including a stunning wooden carousel horse with gentle eyes and fading paint. But just before Lee leaves the fairground relic at a local repair shop, the sight of a silver samovar awakens her psychic abilities and conjures visions of murder.

Lee prays the intrusive ESP episode was just a glimpse into the past—until her policeman boyfriend reports a dead man outside the repair shop. Apparently, the unknown victim had been hot on Lee’s trail since the auction. And with the horse found dismantled, it looks like he was up to no good. What’s the story behind the antique equine, and could a strange bubblegum-chewing woman with fiery hair have something to do with the crime? Guided by her gift and O’Ryan, her wise tabby cat, Lee’s set on catching the murderer . . . before she’s sent on the darkest ride of her life.

This is the fourth in Carol J. Perry's Witch City mystery series and the first that I've read, but the rest is already queued up and waiting on my Kindle!

Lee Barrett is the widow of a NASCAR driver who has made her home in Salem, Massachusetts with her beloved Aunt Ibby and their cat O'Ryan. One late August day Ibby and Lee decide to attend a storage auction where they get a great deal on unknown treasure. After deciding what to keep, what to donate and what to toss, Lee brings her favorite find, a carved merry go round horse, to be restored. That same night their trash mysteriously disappears, the repair shop is broken into and the horse is left in pieces, plus a dead body is found outside the door. The victim is the author of books about treasure hunting and it's discovered that he was searching for items belonging to Russia's Czar Nicholas II that were brought to the United States in the early 20th century. Other people are hot on the trail of these artifacts too and they have no plans to give up their pursuit, regardless of the cost.

As a fan of the TV show Storage Wars I adored the context of this story, and I'd gladly move into Ibby's super cozy old home in Witch City! Lee and Ibby make a great crime-solving team between Lee's "visions" and Ibby's tech-savvy, but the scene stealer is kitty O'Ryan who gives Lee clues through her collection of bronze pencil sharpeners. I'm really looking forward to spending more time with this fun cast of characters.

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Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.