Murder Take Two is book 10 from the the Witch City Mysteries by Carol J. Perry. I've read a number of the books in this series, and they each work well as a standalone.

I have enjoyed getting to know the interesting cast of characters in these stories. My favorite is Aunt Ibby, who took in her niece, Lee, when she was very young after her parents died. Lee suffered through more trauma with the loss of her race car driver husband; after that she went back to live with her aunt. While Lee is the main character, Aunt Ibby holds a special place in her heart, always there for her and helping her research mysteries.

Since the story takes place in Witch City: Salem Massachusetts, Carol J. Perry creates a bit of magic with a cat, O'Ryan, who knows things and Lee has the ability to see visions in shiny surfaces.

As with most cozy mysteries, it's a good clean book that doesn't contain the sex and cursing that is all too prevalent in fiction books. By the end, the story is neatly wrapped up

Carol Perry in Murder Takes Two gives us another Witch City murder. In Salem, WICH TV is covering the murder of Samuel Bond, a professor, in a case like one in old Salem. Reporter and amateur sleuth Lee Barrett is working with others to exhonerate professor Cody McGinnis and his girl friend. Lee has several mysterious visions and her cat O''Ryan moves to protect her from suspicious characters. Excellent witchy cozy mystery.

Oh my goodness! This book was delightfully witchy. The characters are mysterious and fun. The crime was exceptionally clever. It kept me guessing until the end. I really liked this series. I definitely recommend it. Especially if you like witchy things as much as I do. This author is fast becoming one of my favorites.

I never realized that you could play CLUE like a murder mystery role playing game! The things you learn from cozys never fail to amaze me. This story was entertaining on various levels. As with any cozy that contains I recipe, I suggest you start at the back first so you can enjoy something tasty while reading about two murders in one, or rather the copy cat murder that reproduces a crime from LONG ago. You don't have to know that the twins are Lee's former students, nor do you need to know that Aunt Ibby and Lee are better known as the Snoop Sisters to be able to follow along without getting lost. History from the previous stories is interwoven in the descriptions in such a way that you never feel lost or confused. Much like the game of CLUE you can follow the characters from room to room guessing as to how it was accomplished and by whom. The twins swear that their nephew is innocent so of course Lee and Aunt Ibby's posse will do what they can to find the CLUEs while taking a stab at playing a live action version of the game complete with full sized props. Oh and I can offer up that Aunt Ibby's Crockpot Coq au Vin is to divine.

Set in Salem, Massachusetts, you've got to know that there has to be some sort of paranormal activity involved in this mystery. But, it's thankfully only a small part of the story, involving a friend of the protagonist who is a tarot reader. The protagonist is a television reporter who loves a good mystery and who is dating a police detective (of course) and has an apartment in her aunt's house. A murder has recently occurred that mimics one from a previous era. Everyone gets involved in solving the case. There are enough twists in the plot that it keeps the reader interested. Enjoyable.

4.5 stars

This is the tenth book in the Witch City Mystery series by Carol J. Perry.

A copy cat murder takes place in Salem and reporter, Lee Barrett is there to cover all the action.

I really liked the story elements that used the old Parker Brother’s board game Clue to help uncover the killer. They also had the assistance of a tv host who was talented with tarot to led their advice which goes perfectly with the witchy Salem vibe. And Aunt Ibby and the other “Angels” were just a hoot too. Everybody had to get into the act to help solve this mystery.

The best part of this is the rich community vibe and the references to the tv shows and board games from the past. I always love when author’s put that kind of stuff into their stories. Just helps us resonate with the people more easily.

This is a series I want to dig more into. Love its vibe and cast. The mystery was pretty complex too and I always enjoy a good cat and mouse chase for a killer.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I usually stick to holiday cozy mysteries, they are just more my jam, but I have enjoyed all the books I've read in this series so far, so decided to branch out from my solely "holiday" stance. And again, this was another impressive addition to the story. I love these character's. Every one is likable. The mystery kept me hooked. I loved that the author used a true story murder and weaved it into the story, and I LOVED that CLUE (my favorite board game) was also used as part of the storyline. My only complaint, and it is not even a complaint really, but this author needs to move Pete and Lee's relationship forward a little faster. Why are these two not living together yet?! 😂

This was an okay cozy Murder mystery. I had a hard time getting into the plot. It didn’t have that grabs your attention factor. The main character just seemed very two dimensional to me and I felt the pace of the story could have moved along and flowed better. It wasn’t a bad story just an average one.

Just the ticket to energize me after a slight reading slump! Carol J. Perry's 10th Witch City book started a little slowly for me concentrating on an historical Salem murder, but once the crew from WICH-TV along with Lee Barrett's friends and family enter the scene, the book takes off. Blending a touch of the paranormal with a relatable heroine and well-drawn characters, this series is one of my favorites.

I’ve read almost every book in this series and loved it. I was excited to dive into this tenth (10!) book in the series. It was wonderful getting to see the characters again, and it didn’t take long to get involved in the plot. I liked that a real murder was woven into the plot of this murder mystery. The writing is as good as always. I didn’t find this one quite as engaging as the other ones, but I think if I hadn’t read the others, I wouldn’t have even noticed. That aside, I did quite enjoy this one, but I was confused about Aunt Ibby; I thought she was involved with someone? This is a great cozy paranormal (just a little) mystery series. Recommend.

Murder, Takes Two by Carol J. Perry, is the 10th book in the Witch City Mysteries, and another great addition. I love this series, the books are never dull, and this book does not disappoint. Lee Barrett is now working as a field reporter on WICH-TV, in Salem, MA. A recent murder resembles a murder that took place almost 200 years ago, and Lee is on the case. I really enjoy the relationship between Lee and her detective boyfriend Pete, Aunt Ibby and of course O'Ryan , the psychic cat. This book has everything you want in a cozy mystery, plus a little paranormal thrown in. The story kept me intrigued and reading page after page. I am looking forward to reading Lee's next adventure.  I highly recommend this book/series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is my first book in this series to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lee is a reporter at a Salem MA WICH-TV. A local murder finds 2 of her former students’ nephew charged. She becomes involved in the story which seems to be a copycat of an old 1800’s murder. Stories tie together and involve an older group of Charlie’s Angels and a Clue game. Lots of fun!

Lee Barrett has come along way from the young widow returning to her home in Salem to live with her Aunt Ibby and work a late night gig as the psychic hosting a horror movie. Along the way she has adopted a cat, O'ryan, who was the familiar to the previous late night host who was murdered. That was Lee's first case and, with this, the 10th of the series, she has left her teaching job at The Tabby, the local arts academy and is now back to doing live tv reporting. Life is good, she and Aunt Ibby share a great old house and Lee has a steady boyfriend who is a local police detective. Together they also uncover their share of killers.
One evening Lee receives a call from one of her former students, a retired Boston police officer with ties to Salem. His nephew is the prime suspect in a local murder and Lee, it turns out, has several ties to the case - not only is the suspect the nephew of her former student but her boyfriend is the lead detective and Lee is covering the story for the local tv station. Of course she will do whatever she can to clear the nephew, Cody and find the real killer, hopefully before she becomes the next victim. One of the tools Lee has at her disposal is her special talent - she is a scryer, able to see vision in shiny surfaces like mirrors and even a patent leather shoe in one book. She also gets help from O'Ryan, one of my favorite mystery cats.
One of the most interesting threads to this mystery was the use of a real murder in Salem, from 1830. Capt. Joseph White was the victim and his supposed killer was Dick Crowninshield, son of a very wealthy local family. The author's father worked for Salem based Parker Brothers game company and she weaves in the game of Clue. It's a wonderful mix and made for another very satisfying mystery to try and unravel. This series has earned a permanent spot on my must never miss reading list.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cody McGinnis might have been an expert on a long ago murder but he wasn't the one who killed Samuel Bond the same way. That's one thing Lee is sure of and now she's going to prove it. Lee, a reporter for WICH-TV In Salem, Mass, is a scryer and has visions which have helped her solve crime in the past. She's also got great assistants in her aunt Iggy and her cat O'Ryan (I know, I know but go with it). AND, she's got a law enforcement romantic interest, Pete, who is, on the whole, supportive when she goes poking around. Can a board game help find a killer? No spoilers from me! This has a fun cast of characters, a nicely twisty mystery, a little paranormal stuff, and a sprightly use of the Salem setting. I've been a fan of this series but you will be fine with it as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read!

Murder,Take two is the 10th installment in the Witch City series by Carol J Perry and it was my first time reading this series. I found it easy to follow and to read as a stand alone novel

It’s fun fast easy reading when something light is called for. I loved all the characters, especially aunt Ibby and her friends. I loved how the characters and story were developed. I honestly wasn’t sure who the killer was till the end - although thanks to Oreily - the cat - I did have an idea and honestly the cat made the story fun. I wish I had one like him.

Lee with help of her visions and her aunt and friends is able to solve the mystery of the murdered professor. I def want to read more books by this author

I'd like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my review.

This is a cozy mystery book, part of a series, set in Salem Massachusetts. Overall, it's a good cozy, entertaining, without out blood/guts/gore, a little bit of romance and amateur sleuths. This story follows a parallel story line - a murdered college professor closely mirrors a historical murder in the town.

Overall, this was enjoyable, and very much a cozy mystery. The mystery wasn't very detailed or involved, and no big surprise reveal for regular mystery readers. But it was a fun way to pass the time. This is book 10 in the series. I had read the first 3 books in the series, but then skipped to this one, without remembering a lot of the details about the main characters. IT wasn't a problem, though. I think someone could even start with this book and not really be lost in the story line at all. Usually cozy mystery series rely on building the story town, and you can be lost if you skip a few books. I didnt' feel that happened here.

Intuitive feline sleuth O’Ryan works hard to protect his human, WICH-TV reporter Lee Barrett when she investigates the brutal murder of Samuel Bond. Lee enlists the aid of her Aunt Ibby along with her two friends, Betsy and Louisa, and Rupert Pennington. Between the four older citizens, Lee hopes to discover a motive for the crime.

Driving Lee’s determination to uncover the culprit is her belief the primary suspect, Professor Cody McGinnis, is innocent even though circumstantial evidence gets him arrested. Carol Perry fabricates an intricate mystery, slowly revealing meaningful clues among appropriate red herrings. The motive remains elusive until the very end and a surprise at that.

Ms. Perry makes the visit to Salem an intriguing adventure and an engaging read.

Lee is a reporter with WICH TV in Salem, MA, residing with her Aunt Ibby, and their cat O'Ryan. When a local professor is murdered in the same way as a crime which took place in the nineteenth century, they endeavor to help prove the innocence of the only suspect. The real murderer is revealed when Lee and friends decide to stage a love-action version of the board game Clue If you are looking for a fun cat cozy mystery with a touch of the paranormal, give this book a try. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Description
When a copycat killer has reporter Lee Barrett brushing up on ancient history, it’s a test where failure could be lethal . . .As a Salem, Massachusetts, native, WICH-TV field reporter and amateur sleuth Lee Barrett is well versed in the region’s lore. So when the murder of revered local professor Samuel Bond resembles a killing from almost two centuries ago, everyone is on edge. Especially assistant professor Cody McGinnis . . .Not only did Cody have differences with Bond, he even taught a course on the historic murder. And when his fingerprints and ladder are found at the crime scene, the police are certain of his guilt. Cody’s family, however, believes otherwise and asks Lee for assistance. Now, with the help of her clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan, her tech-savvy librarian aunt and housemate Ibby, and Pete Mondello, her handsome detective beau, Lee will delve deeper than ever into Salem’s past—and into her own psychic gifts—to find the real killer—before someone else is history . . .

My Review
Murder, Take Two starts off with reporter Lee Barrett receiving a telephone call. Cody McGinnis has been accused of murdering Samuel Bond. His uncle Roger asks Lee for help in snooping around to figure out who really killed Samuel. So, Lee along with her aunt Ibby, the clairvoyant cat O’Ryan and the angels get to work.

What’s great about this story is that the author brings Salem to life and it’s history. The characters and the storyline is so believable you feel as if you are right there alongside them figuring out the clues. The ending was of course surprising, and I love the way it leaves it open for definitely a new book or even a new series.

I thoroughly enjoy books that include recipes and this book has tw!

This ARC was provided in exchange for my honest opinion. Carol J. Perry did not disappoint! I highly recommend Murder, Take Two.

I'm in "book love" with the Witch City Mysteries - the series is the perfect balance of mystery, paranormal, action, history and romance! When Lee Barrett a "scryer" (person who sees visions of the past, present or future) and local tv reporter for WICH-TV, in Salem, MA, finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, that is eerily reminiscent of a murder committed 100 years ago, Lee and her friends are in for a dangerous time from both past and present foes!

I enjoy everything about the series- Lee is smart, kind and a loyal friend. Her housemate and crime solving partner, Aunt Ibby, boyfriend and police detective Pete, her tarot card reading friend River and, of course, O'Ryan the mysterious "familiar" of an infamous dead witch - all bring their own mystery, humor and personalities to the series. The paranormal elements are fun but not overwhelming to the story. The history of Salem is presented in a way that allows the reader to fully enjoy the mystery.

This was the first book I read in the series and I can't wait to catch up with Lee and her adventures!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed, in this review, are my own.