Sugar and Spite (A Witch City Mystery)

304 pages Publisher Kensington Cozies Publication date October 28, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

There’s no place like Salem, Massachusetts—aka “the witch city”—for Halloween. As residents embrace their historic heritage to celebrate the season, WICH-TV program director Lee Barrett is assigned the decadent task of highlighting the village’s delectable sweet shops—only to learn that some revelers prefer deadly tricks over delicious treats . . .

Casa del Chocolate is one of Salem’s most charming boutique candy shops, making it a perfect profile story. Although preoccupied with her own personal sweet news—Lee and her detective husband Pete Mondello are expecting a bundle of joy—she cheerfully agrees to interview the chocolatier. Since becoming pregnant, the radiant and exhilarated mother-to-be has discovered that she is finally free of the unwanted haunting “visions” she has endured since childhood.

Shirley Parker inherited Casa del Chocolate, housed in her beautiful ancestral home on the waterfront, continuing her family’s sweet tradition of conjuring magical treats for the folks of Salem. Mesmerized by the delightful chocolate scented aromas filling the air while touring the kitchen, Lee is shocked when she stumbles upon the murdered body of Barney Bingham, Shirley’s estranged husband.

As the police focus their suspicions on Shirley, Lee learns that many people had reasons for wanting Barney dead. Now, with help from Pete, tarot reader River North, and clairvoyant gentleman cat O’Ryan, as well as some new feline friends, Lee must unmask the true killer—and cope with the sudden return of her troubling “visions”. . .

MY THOUGHTS

Sugar and Spite is chocolate themed and who can resist delicious chocolate at Halloween or any time really.
Taking place in Salem, Mass television reporter, Lee Barrett is assigned the task of visiting candy shops during the Halloween season and reporting on them. Can’t beat that especially when free candy is thrown into the mix.

Lee and her husband detective husband Pete Mondello are expecting their first baby and that chocolate is going to be extra tasty. All thoughts of chocolate tasting are quickly forgotten when a body is found in cold storage in the chocolate shop.

When the body turns out to be the estranged husband of the owner, Shirley Parker we find out there are many who may have wanted him dead as he seemed to make enemies wherever he went.
Along with her husband Pete and many others helping to solve this Halloween mystery this wraps up with a satisfying conclusion.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

About the author

Carol J. Perry is the author of three cozy mystery series. Salem Massachusetts provides the background for her Witch City Mystery series–and is the city where Carol was born–on Halloween eve! Carol and her husband, Dan, now live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, and the Sunshine State provides the setting for her paranormal Haunted Haven Mystery series. Her newest series, Wicked Salem Mysteries is a “spin-off” of the Witch City books, with many of the original characters, but with a fresh point of view. All of the books feature murders, of course, and each one has the expected cast of animals. Watch for Finn, a friendly Golden Retriever and Toby a sweet black Lab. O’Ryan, a clairvoyant gentleman cat is multi talented, and you’ll enjoy meeting a pair of outdoor cats, Bogie and Bacall, along with Frankie, a white cat, who seems to wander through some of the stories whenever she feels like it.

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