Maddie Koslowski runs the local paranormal museum. It is time for the yearly Christmas Cow display and she is featuring a set of cursed cowbells to draw tourists her way. Every year, someone finds a way to set the cow on fire but this year there is an added complication. the head of the dairy association is found shot with an arrow when the cow is destroyed by flaming arrows. Maddie's mother was on guard duty which encourages Maddie to get involved investigating the murder.

It isn't much later when a member of the town council is also found dead of an arrow shot. Maddie and her mom are busy trying to find out who killed the two and why. There are lots of suspects to choose from. The town councilor was having an affair with the dairy guy which could point the finger at her husband. Or, since her son was part of the group that burned the cow, maybe he was the one who killed the dairy guy. Then there is the question of whether or not the town councilor was taking bribes. Is the person angered by that the woman who wants to build a new housing development or the dairy farmer who wants to sell raw milk?

And while Maddie is trying to figure out who the killer is, the whole question of the cursed cowbells is creating an unsettled feeling in the town. Both Maddie and the police are getting lots of calls from people fearful that they will be the next to die because they are hearing cowbells.

That would be enough to keep any small business owner busy but Maddie is also dealing with an ex whose old girlfriend came back to town along with the son he never knew she had. She is also a suspect in the deaths because she is the one who won a substantial pot of money in the betting pool for when the Christmas Cow would be destroyed. While Maddie is investigating, she is also growing a new relationship with police detective Jason Slate.

This was a fun paranormal mystery will a bunch of engaging characters.

The Christmas cow, an annual tradition in San Benedetto, goes up in flames again. That also seems to be an annual tradition, despite the round-the-clock surveillance. However, during this year's vigil, a man was killed during the fiery shenanigans. Was it an accident, a prank gone wrong, or was it murder?

I enjoyed this third book in the series more than I did the previous book, even though there was much less focus on the wine-making aspect of the area than the other two books in the series have had. That was disappointing, as part of the series' appeal is the information about the whole wine-making process. Other than that, though, the characters sound like people I'd like to meet, and the town a place I'd like to visit. As usual when I read mystery books, I had a handful of potential suspects in my head as I read the book, and I wasn't terribly surprised when the villain was revealed in the story. I look forward to reading the next book in this series when it is released.

Deja Moo: A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Mystery
By Kirsten Weiss
Midnight Ink
March 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

For over thirty years, it has been a San Benedetto tradition to build a thirty-foot straw Christmas Cow to honor their Swedish sister city. Even more celebrated have been the ritualistic acts of arson to burn them down (except for the time one was run over by an RV). As the president of the Ladies Aid, Maddie Kosloski’s mother is intent on protecting the sacred cow from those intent on setting it aflame. No one, especially Maddie, could have expected that an attack would come in the form of four gingerbread men, a Santa, and one deadly archer. For while flaming arrows take down the cow, an even more deadly one strikes the other cow protector, president of the Dairy Association Bill Elderich.

Maddie may not have entirely appreciated that the Christmas Cow that for one month replaced her Paranormal Museum as the town’s second biggest attraction, but she never wanted its destruction. Maddie had vowed to stay out of further investigations, especially since Detective Laurel Hammer seriously has it in for the Kosloskis; although Maddie didn’t set the fire that took off Laurel’s hair, nor is it provable that Maddie’s cat was responsible the incident that resulted in Laurel’s foot being run over. Maddie’s mother isn’t about to sit idly by though, especially when they’re shot at, barely escape being blown up, and nearly get hit by a car. The debate over raw milk, “agrihoods”, affairs, and the very high-winning prize over the cow-burning bet, all ensure for multiple suspects, motives, and a villain still on the loose.

This continues to be a hilarious and endlessly clever mystery series. Maddie may be the owner of a museum full of fairy statues, Krampus postcards, and an Icelandic Christmas Ogre cave, but she remains incredibly grounded and reluctant to embrace superstitions. Despite her best intentions to avoid the chaos, it seems to swirl around her. Her recent purchase of Cursed Cow Bells has San Benedetto erupting in paranoia and fear, forcing Maddie to hire a pricey specialist to calm the spreading hysteria. She’s still bruised from her recent breakup with a motorcycle-riding neighbor, but that hasn’t helped to alleviate her crush on the charming Detective Jason Slate. Maddie’s vast array of friends bring their share of laughs and not-so-secret secrets, enhancing their novel while never distracting from the continually evolving plot. From the first page to the very last, this mystery keeps readers glued to the page with humor and extremely witty dialogue.

Deja Moo by Kirsten Weiss is the third book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series and I was drawn to the series because of the paranormal museum. I just love strange oddities and cursed objects. Don't you? A burning cow, cursed bells, and murder have our heroine and her mother investigating. A touch of romance, humor and meddling mommas offered up a suspenseful and fun tale

This was a cute read. The story held my interest. I would recommend it.

This was a fun cozy mystery with some ghosts thrown in. I really enjoyed it; it was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Maddie Kosloski runs the Paranormal museum in the wine country town of San Benedetto. One night just before Christmas though, she's about to take her turn guarding the Christmas cow, a straw cow that's an annual tradition. Unfortunately, the cow gets vandalized every year so it has to be watched. This year, just as Maddie arrives to take over from her mom, a flaming arrow hits the cow and a local farmer who is guarding it. Was it an accident or was it murder? Maddie needs to find out, especially since her mom was there and is now a suspect.

The characters are quirky and fun, and the writing is well done. I highly recommend this book and this series.

Thanks to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, cosy-mystery, perfect for a relaxing evening filled with laughter.

Maddie Kosloski shouldn’t be surprised when the Christmas Cow of San Benedetto’s does up in flames. Every year the same thing happens and she can’t say she doesn’t feel a little bit happy since the cow moves the attention from her paranormal museum. However, this year proves to be a bit different. One of the guards of the Christmas Cow is found dead with an arrow through the chest. When the haunted cowbell in her museum starts developing a weird behaviour, the spirit animals in the place also start going a bit out of control. Can Maddie discover the truth before the killer puts a hole in someone else and madness takes over her museum?

This novel, just like the title indicates, is very amusing and fun. This was the second novel I read from this collection (yes, I still didn’t read the first book) and the Kristen Weiss never ceases to surprise me with her humour and her different plots.

The cast from the previous instalment is back and it was nice to see the evolution of these characters compared with the previous novel. They are still a delight to accompany in the adventure and their depth makes the reader want to get to know them better. Maddie is a great main character, determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, together with Detective Slate. Her best friends

The plot is easy to follow but not easy to predict. There are enough twists to keep the reader guessing and all the weirdness of it makes the read very enjoyable. It was a treat to read and a delight to go deeper into the murder. You’ll never see San Benedetto’s the same way!

This book is definitely a good addition to the collection of the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Collection. I recommend it to the fans of a weird-in-a-good-way cosy-mystery type of book.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Midnight Ink and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

A fun series with a great premise. When the Christmas Cow is burnt down and a local dairy farmer found dead, shot with an arrow, Maddie can't help but investigate. Her mother was helping guard the cow that night and is a suspect, at least in one officers eyes. Maddie is also worried about some decorations that she has on display for the holidays. See Maddie has bought the haunted cowbells that were brought over from the towns sister town. Her exhibit has brought forth the story of when the bells first arrived and several people from a couple of committees died. Has the curse come back to seek revenge on more members of the town, Maddie doesn't believe so she thinks curses aren't real. She is determined to find out just what happened that fateful night and keep her mother safe in the process. Did the people who shot up the cow also kill the guard? Was the killer the lone person dressed as Santa Claus? Has the curse come back to take more lives? Dive in and find the answer to these questions and more. This was the first book I read of the series and I loved it, I'll now be going back and reading the previous books and waiting for a next one to come out. The characters were great and easy to get to know, I had no trouble following along with the story and keeping up with what was happening. This was truly an amusing read.

I really wanted to give this series another try. Like any reviewer, it's difficult to write a review that is not very flattering.
Deja Moo fell flat for me. I just can't relate to the characters. There is no closeness or familiarity that really grabs me and brings me inside to the story.
I feel like the story is disjointed and I was unable to finish the book.

I read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

I found Kirsten Weiss' upcoming March release Deja Moo, to be a very uplifting holiday themed cozy. This one is Christmas themed even though there are three lovely Witch dolls on the fun cover, it is a Christmas Cozy through and through and a great addition to this series. This is a very light paranormal cozy in that it is implied but not overly paranormal. I like the diverse characters and the really different job that main character Maddie has in owning and running a Paranormal Museum, even when she is a very large skeptic herself. In this story she and her mother have a great adventure and work together to help solve the mystery of the Christmas Cow Cursed bells, Seriously loved the idea of this mystery! You will have to wait until March but I recommend this series and this mystery to be added to your to be read list for sure!

Maddie is getting the hang of things in her Paranormal Museum. Especially now with the holidays here. Her shop is full of fairies, strange objects and those blasted cow bells that everyone is freaking out over.

In support of their sister city in Sweden, the folks here put up their own straw cow. 30 foot high. And every year it gets burned down, much like the goat the Swedes erect! I have seen that one and it is huge and interesting. But Maddie's mother, Fran and the folks at the Ladies Aid Society and the Dairy Association have decided to add extra security this year with a couple of volunteers each night. 

When Fran takes her turn with Bill from the Dairy Association, things quickly turn from harmless prank to deadly murder. And with Maddie and her mother getting shot at, car bombed and more, it's getting hard to stick their oh so funny noses into the mystery of what is going on in their town!

There were plenty of suspects in this one. There were more lovely interesting characters that I would love to know in real life.

The ending was a surprise and I guess I have a new Cozy Author to follow!

Thanks Netgalley/MidnightInk

Maddie Kosloski, proprietor of the paranormal museum, has a problem: cursed cow bells. Her town, San Benedetto, has the burning of the Christmas cow and a couple of murders that need solving. Are the cursed bells to blame? Maddie doesn't think so, but the nearly hysterical town seems to think the bells could be a major player. Maddie, with the help of her mother, her closest friends, and a very attractive police detective needs to debunk the bells, help solve the murders, and keep her museum running. It's a tall order, but Maddie manages it with a modicum of grace and a whole lot of luck.
Deja Moo is the third book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series, but the first I have read. While there are some small details that would have had more punch if I knew the backstory, the book held up on its own. Deja Moo was a solid and enjoyable cozy mystery. I would happily read more of the series.

Set in California wine country, Maddie runs the local Paranormal Museum, and at Christmas the town builds a giant Christmas Cow, that each year mysteriously catches fire. This year is no exception, but there is also a murder. Really enjoyable small town mystery, w.ith great characters. Definitely buying for my library

In the third installment of the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series, Maddie finds herself caught up in a mystery of flaming cows, archery, and haunted cow bells. The single most important tourist attraction, a thirty-foot tall straw cow, is set ablaze by a gang of gingerbread men and Santa Clause. As the flames die down, Maddie discovers a body… again. Fortunately, Maddie has a solid alibi for the murder, but her mother, who was guarding the cow, does not. Meanwhile, the townsfolk begin to get whackier than normal as they begin to blame the curious events that are unfolding on the haunted cowbells that are prominently displayed in Maddie’s paranormal museum.

So far, this is my favorite book of the series. It’s quirky and fun. The plot moves a long a lot smoother than the previous two books and it’s development of the characters is really coming along nicely. Maddie is still the protagonist, but the other characters and their storylines are what really flush out the book. In fact, I was amused by how a large number of townspeople arrive at the final showdown with the murderer at the end of the book. These kinds of quirky events and characters make cozy mysteries fun and entertaining. I even commend the author because she didn’t include Detective Laurel Hammer as prominently as she had in the past. It was also nice to see other characters begin to acknowledge Detective Hammer’s unhealthy desire and obsession with putting Maddie in jail or blaming her for everything bad that happens.

This was a nice addition to the series and I look forward to seeing what the next book has in store for me. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I hope you’ll give this series a try and let me know what you think!

Maddie Koslowski owns a paranormal museum in San Benedetto, California. Right now, the town is gearing up for Christmas and the annual tradition of the Christmas Cow - a 30 foot straw cow that seems to be the victim of an accident every year (almost). This night, Maddie's mother Fran is taking guard duty with the cow; and Maddie is supposed to relieve her soon. However, she's stalled on a road and ready to call for a tow when the handsome Detective Slade happens by...at the same time Maddie receives a frantic call from her mother - who's never frazzled.

It seems people dressed as gingerbread men - complete with icing - have sent flaming arrows in the cow, and Maddie and Detective Slade race to the scene. Finding her mother alright, the detective is on the hunt for the other guard, Dairy man Bill Eldrich. But it's Maddie and Fran who find him first - with an arrow in his chest. Now what seems like an annual prank becomes a hunt for a killer - and Fran is determined to find out who that is since it was done on her watch. Unfortunately Maddie gets pulled into the investigation when her mother is almost killed, and now it's two of them who have to elude a murderer before they're next on the list

Then there's the issue of the haunted cow bells in Maddie's museum. People are blaming the death on those items, and even insist they're hearing them ring - which doesn't bode well, since the rumor is that hearing the bells portends death.

Most people in the town think the death is somehow connected to the haunted cowbells in her museum - it seems that before they die, people hear the sound of the bells. So now Maddie's got a near-panic by the townspeople regarding the curse of the bells, and she has to figure out a way to calm everybody as well as help out her mother, who's being guarded by the police while they try to keep her safe. When a second murder occurs, all bets are off for Maddie as she increases her effort to find a killer before her own mother becomes the next victim...

It seems Maddie only has to see a dead body and she's somehow involved in the investigation, and this book is no different. Of course, since her mother's determined on her quest, she really has no choice; but it makes for a very good mystery indeed.

I truly enjoyed this book, however I felt the fact that her relationship with Mason too conveniently ended just so she could begin another one right away with Detective Slate. It just felt like both were rushed, especially since she believed she still had feelings for Mason (as she mentioned several times throughout the book). Hence my stating "too conveniently". Therefore, I felt that her entering into another relationship would have taken longer; but I didn't allow this to dampen my enjoyment of the book at all.

Although this isn't a particularly humorous book by any means, it is indeed good old-fashioned mystery, and one that the reader will truly enjoy. The characters are likable (with the exception of Detective Hammer - but I am sure others will agree she is not meant to be - and interesting in that the Ladies' Aid stick together through thick and thin, and help each other any way they can. I especially like the character of Leo, even though he's not a main one, as he's young but managed to find his place in the world and cares for those around him.

In the end, when we discover the murderer and all is well (as we know it must be) we have a well-written mystery with plenty of twists and turns and quite engaging enough to keep one reading through the night. Recommended.

Deja Moo
A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery #3
by Kirsten Weiss

As if running a paranormal museum wasn’t strange enough, now Maddie’s mother has her mixed up in trying to find out who murdered a prominent dairy farmer during their shift to protect the giant straw cow. Yes, I said a giant straw cow that is a tradition in the small town of San Benedetto located deep in wine country. For some reason, the citizens seem to think it has been brought on by the Haunted Cow Bells that Maddie found to enhance the holiday exhibits at the museum. Maddie believes it might have more to do with the new development going in or was it the idea of expanding the raw milk business?

Don’t let the fluff story line fool you. The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series is very serious. This is a highly entertaining series and Deja Moo is the third installment in this fun series. Danger, fun and romance are the main storylines and Maddie’s friendships and family ties are a strong foundation for these stories to rest on.

Deja Moo is a delightful Christmas mystery that can be enjoyed any season of the year! The paranormal aspects of the story were stepped up a bit in comparison to the first two in the series, and all the regular characters are back. It was great to see the first hints of a new romance developing for Maddie. I'm really having fun with this series and look forward to reading the next installment. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my opinion.

This is a great cozy mystery featuring Maddie Kosloski, sole owner & proprietor of The Paranormal Museum. The story begins with Maggie driving to San Benedetto's Town Square where a 30 foot straw cow stands every December. Despite surveillance the Christmas Cow always goes up in flames. This year is no different. Maggie arrives to see the cow burning. The guards this evening are Maggie's mother and a local businessman. Her mom is fine, but the other guard is dead.

There are several suspects, both for the cow burning and the murder. Maggie and her mother are determined to find the culprits.

I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more in the series.

Deja Moo by Kirsten Weiss
Book #3: Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Series
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars


Maddie Kosloski has always known her hometown of San Benedetto is a bit odd, but perhaps the town’s oddest tradition is the construction of the yearly Christmas Cow. And, the inevitable burning of said Christmas Cow. Determined the cow will stay standing through the holiday, Maddie’s mom and select group of Christmas Cow committee members work out a guard duty rotation that should see the cow safely through the days and nights. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite according to plan.

Just as Maddie and the delectable Detective Slate arrive on the scene of the burning cow, a dead body shows up. Typical, Maddie is on the scene when a dead body appears. Can her luck get any worse? The answer to that is a resounding yes! Immediately, Maddie’s mother feels responsible for the incendiary incident and wants to get to the bottom of both the burning and the dead body. Though Maddie is beyond hesitant to get involved, she sees the determination in her mother’s eyes and knows resisting would be a futile effort.

As the Kosloski women quickly discover, the dead man wasn’t all that well liked and there are a host of people who look good for the crime. There’s the ex-lover, the rogue raw milk dealer, and various members of various committees and groups. With each new question and answer comes a slew of new questions and answers and before Maddie and her mom know it, they’re up to their ears in suspects, information, and puzzle pieces that just don’t quite fit together. Additionally, the closer they get to the truth, the testier the police get about their involvement, and the more attempts are made on their lives. Yeah, Maddie and her mom are up to their butts in this mess and if they can’t figure out whodunit, the Kosloski women might not live to see the New Year.

The Bottom Line: The deeper into this series I get, the more I am liking it! This third book came out swinging with a quirky plot – a Christmas COW! – a delightful cast of returning characters, and character evolution that makes my reader bits all kinds of happy. Maddie’s fiercely determined mother steps up to the plate in this one as does Detective Slate, two characters I am ever so glad to get to know better. Maddie’s best friends are still in the picture, as are her employee, paranormal dealer, local bookie, and ex. With the new-to-this-book characters, Deja Moo is full of fun, well-rounded characters who make San Benedetto all the more delightfully weird. The plot is just twisty enough to keep you guessing, there are several could-only-happen-to-Maddie accidents/incidents, and a smallish love triangle. In all, this cozy mystery is a quick, fun read that certainly adds to the strength of the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series!

decently written but way too light hearted for me. this mix of murder and huge cow trickiness is too out there for my tastes. if you like a cosy crime caper maybe you will appreciate the small town feel and the tone.