4.5 stars, rounded down

Another wonderful entry to one of my favorite series. Charlene Morris has flourished in the past two years running a B&B in Salem, Massachusetts, where she escaped to after losing her beloved husband to a drunk driver. Not that it has been easy, but with Minnie, her housekeeper/chef, making even a ham sandwich a culinary delight, her reputation for hospitality has led to a booked up reservation schedule. And, of course, there's Jack, the handsome resident ghost, providing support for her penchant in solving unexplained deaths. To boost tourism, the town inaugurates a mermaid parade/festivities and Charlene's B&B is full with parade entrants and some just fascinated by mermaids. The top draw of the parade is the participation of Trinity, a native daughter and movie star known for her mermaid movie of 25 years ago. Of course, the best plans can go awry. The story moves along at a steady clip populated by both the entertaining cast of continuing characters, and new one in town for the event. The only reason I didn't round up to a 5 star rating, was my certainty of who the murderer would be from the very first time the character was introduced.

This was so emotional in some parts and really bittersweet, but I absolutely enjoyed this installment of the series. I’d never guessed whodunit at all, what a surprise and and real nail biter of a showdown as well as some ingenuity on Charlene’s part. I was so happy about a decision that’d really been weighing on Sam and Charlene as well, but now they’re still in a good place and someone else might just benefit from having done a good job too.

It was sweet that Avery was able to come home for a few days, I’m sure she’s really missing her work there but that girl was so interested in justice that she’ll make a great cop or whatever she decides in that field someday. A fun ending to a crazy case was had with food, fellowship and some real barbecue fun.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid is the eighth installment in the Salem B&B series by Traci Wilton. (Traci Wilton is the pen name for the collaboration of seasoned authors Traci Hall and Patrice Wilton.) Charlene Morris is on the new business development board of her adopted home, Salem. To raise funds and awareness for both the board and the group working to keep the ocean off the coast of Salem clean, the board has instituted a Mermaid celebration. This is partly to honor the 25th anniversary of the cult movie Sirena, starring Salem’s own Trinity Powers.

There is a recent remake of the classic starring up and coming actress Alannah Gomez. While updated with music and dancing, many find the remake lacking. This has created a rivalry between Team Trinity and Team Alannah. This rivalry comes to a head the morning of the Mermaid parade when Trinity Powers is found dead in her hotel room.

As Charlene and board members Brandy and Serenity Flint navigate trying to find out who committed this crime, Charlene also maneuvers her budding relationship with Detective Sam Holden. Being torn between her resident ghost and best friend Dr. Jack Strathmore, former owner of the property including her B&B, and the very live detective who adamantly does not believe in anything paranormal, Charlene is as much at a crossroads personally as in her community position.

With many twists and a host of culprit candidates, this story leads to a treacherous finale with the seemingly most unlikely villain. This author team continues to pen intriguing mysteries filled with wonderful characters and a perfect setting. I have enjoyed each book in this series and do very much recommend each and every one

One of my favorite series , and it keeps getting better with each book so much so I'm planning to do a re read of this series even though I just read this one

4.5 Stars
This novel is the latest in a long-standing supernatural cozy series, and it just keeps getting better and better. Many of the same loveable and quirky characters, with a few new ones. Lighthearted with some serious tones, Salem during a mermaid festival, what's not to love? A good summer beach read, Recommended for supernatural mystery fans, movie and mermaid aficionados, or those who enjoy the small pleasures of an outside-of-the-box small town cozy. My favorite resident ghost is still a standout, so I'll be looking to see what happens next for sure.

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MRS. MORRIS AND THE MERMAID by Traci Wilton
The Eighth Salem B&B Mystery

Charlene Morris is thrilled to have a full house at her B&B. Her guests are in Salem for the city's first Mermaid parade. Brandy Flint, Charlene's friend and resident witch, managed to bring the recluse and star of the famed mermaid movie Sirena into town to celebrate the film's anniversary. The stars from the recent reboot of the film have also arrived and rabid fans are taking sides. When Charlene discovers a major player dead, the whole event could be washed away. With the help of her ghostly best friend Charlene will have to uncover the murderer and make sure this first Mermaid event is not the last.

Many people forget that the word fan comes from the word fanatic. Instead of merely liking and showing appreciation, fanatics take things to the next level and are excessive in their devotion. While MRS. MORRIS AND AND THE MERMAID has some fans, it also has a host of true fanatics whose beliefs and actions lead to murder.

I always enjoy visiting Charlene's B&B. She treats her guests like family. In fact her hospitality can be a bit over the top, being overprotective of her guests and wanting their every needs met. I certainly wouldn't pass up Millie's cooking, however, and wish I had her and Will taking care of my home!

Several suspects and lots of bad behavior, along with stars who are too high and mighty populate the pages of MRS. MORRIS AND THE MERMAID. Even our victim wasn't that nice. And I certainly wanted to smack the smirks off the young stars of the reboot. As for the fan club presidents...whoo boy.

In addition to the murder, there's a good deal of personal drama in the eighth Salem B&B Mystery. Charlene is starting to open her heart up to romance with Sam, but is sneaking around and not being completely honest a true relationship? And then there's Jack. No spoilers, but what an ending.

Movie stars, mermaids, and murder combine in a unique mystery, decades in the making. MRS. MORRIS AND THE MERMAID is a delightful tale that questions your ability to truly know someone.

The day is set to be fun, filled with mermaid parades and celebrations, ending with the showing of movie with the hometown actress as the star. Until she is found dead in her hotel room. Was this due to a feud between her and the actress of the remake? Or were there other factors at play?
Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid is the eighth book of the Salem B&B series. Each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone or in order.
This book was so much fun to read! The characters are well-developed, vibrant and feel real. They're characters I'd hang out with in real life, if possible. Mrs. Morris is intelligent, social and a great problem-solver.
The mermaid events were interesting and intriguing to read about. The tension after Trinity is found dead feels penetrating and real. The mounting hostility between the two star's fan groups kept me on the edge of my seat.
This is a book that I got lost in and found very relaxing.
Thank you to NetGalley, Traci Wilton and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I picked up the eighth Salem B&B Mystery because the mermaid festival sounded fun. The actress who played the mermaid in a cult classic film has agreed to appear on the lead float and her rival, who starred in a more recent remake, is also on the scene, stirring up conflict. The author does a great job of portraying the conflict between fans of the remake and fans of the original and capturing the business of the festival. That might be my one complaint -- there's so much going on that it distracts from the mystery. Add in the witches and ghost that are already present in this series and there's a lot of magical fun to enjoy.

Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid is book #8 in the Salem B&B Mystery series by Traci Wilton.

This is one of my favorite series. I love that it is set in a B&B in Salem and that there is a resident ghost at the B&B. Salem is not all about witches. This time there is a mermaid parade. The characters are wonderful and the mystery was interesting. There were enough twists that it kept me guessing until the end. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Someone's killed a mermaid! Well, a woman who plays a mermaid. I'm a fan of this paranormal series because Jack the ghost, is a hoot, and because Charlene, our intrepid amateur detective, is delightful. And then there's Sam the detective. It's a classic cozy so even if you haven't read the preceding novels, this will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc. A good read.

Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid continues a fun series with Charlene Morris encountering mythical creatures like wolf men, leprechauns, ghosts, witches and mermaids. The touch of paranormal added by MMC Jack, the ghost doctor, is fun and provides a bit more drama to the series.
Charlene is helping Brandi and her daughter Serenity with the first mermaid parade in Salem. Trinity Powers, the star of the movie Sirena, is in town and meant to be the star of the parade. Trinity never gets her moment at the head of the parade because she is murdered.
The mystery is well conceived. I was fruitlessly following the many suspects just like Charlene until near the end when I suddenly had a clear idea of who the murderer was. I really enjoyed watching the events play out to finale.
The thing that doesn’t hit the right note for me with this series is the relationships Charlene has with Jack and with Sam, the detective. I like both men. I struggle with how Charlene interacts with them. Some things come up in this book that again disquiets me about how the book ends in regards to Jack and Sam. It’s what makes this four stars for me.
I enjoyed reading Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Traci Wilton for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid coming out February 20, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own..

This is actually the first book I’ve read in the series. I definitely need to go back and read the other books. But the summary really intrigued me. I love cozy mysteries, and I love that this book is set in Salem. I took a trip to Salem once and this book mentions a lot of the places I visited. So this book felt nostalgic and fun to me. I love the paranormal aspect of the book. It’s fun to have witches and ghosts be part of the plot. I wasn’t super into some of the actress mystery, but I loved the cozy vibes. I’ll definitely read other books in the series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal cozy mysteries!

Main character Charlene is just the perfect cozy mystery heroine. I can't believe this is the first book I've read in her series!

I love that she has a B&B, and a cat, and a ghost host! (Haunted Mansion could only)

The Mystery was fun and twisty, the cast of mermaids was interesting and quirky, and the entire thing is just delightful.

As a fan of Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity books, this one definitely hit the spot! Now to find the rest of the series!

Love this cozy mystery series. To get the most out of this book, I recommend reading this series in order. Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid left me wanting more (in a good way)!! I am looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Having had to organize and put on a parade and festival, multiple times, I know the headache they can be, and how life has to plow forward even if something goes wrong. Course with Charlene and her friends, having a murder completely change events wasn't to be expected, and due to being in the wrong place at the right time, Charlene is forced to play detective, even if Sam isn't happy about it, as he worries about her safety, before the murderer can be caught. If you're already a reader of this series, it feels like this book is a bit of a turning point and the authors are hinting at changes to come in the next book. But if you haven't read any of the books, they give you enough info about the main characters and their friends, so you feel like you've gotten to know them all. A charming quick read, this series will grow on you!

I love my visits to Salem with Mrs. Charlene Morris and the supporting characters---especially Jack! Originality and fun are always on the menu in this entertaining cozy series. In this 9th installment we have mermaids, as well as Jack, the ghost. It is hard to believe that every book in the series is a winner, but it is true of this B & B mystery series.

Charlene has come a long way from the grief stricken widow at the start of the series; she seems ready to entertain thoughts of moving forward. The writing is sensitive and caring due to Traci Wilton's delft hand with emotions. The supporting cast has been fleshed out as well, and I look forward to seeing what they get up to in each book.

The mermaid theme was fun to read about! The tightly woven plot involves to movie stars who made the same movie---25 years apart. Salem is honoring the original star with a parade and a weekend of festivities because she is a hometown darling. Glitz, glitter, and glamour abound....until a mermaid is murdered. Then the mystery really kicks in and Charlene finds herself swimming right into the fray.

There are tender moments interspersed in the drama that I really enjoy and that move relationships forward.

I recommend this fun paranormal cozy mystery to all cozy readers and to those readers who enjoy a good mystery.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers E-copy of this book from #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks #KensingtonCozies #TraciWilton My thanks to them. This review is voluntarily given, all thoughts and opinions

Salem, Massachusetts is hosting a Mermaid parade for the first time.
Trinity Powers who was born and raised in Salem returns to lead the parade, she was Sirena in the original movie classic.
Alanna the mermaid in the new version of the movie is also in town stirring things up.
Unfortunately Trinity is found dead by Charlene. Now it is up to Charlene, her resident B&B ghost Jack and her current love interest Sam Holden, Detective to solve the mystery. Can they put the puzzle pieces together?
Twists and turns, interesting mystery that kept me guessing until the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book.

"Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid" the 9th instalment in the Salem B&B Mystery series by Traci Wilton. This is my favourite one so far (I say this every time) , I just loved it!

B&B owner Charlene Morris expects Salem’s first annual mermaid parade will make quite a splash, until a high-profile murder threatens to sink the whole event . . .

I love visiting Salem and Charlene’s B&B with its resident ghost Jack and her B&B family. I love all the characters Charlene, Jack, Minnie, Sam and Avery.

The mystery was interesting, well plotted, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing till the very end. There was sub mysteries to figure out as well, especially surrounding Trinity. I definitely was surprised by the ending and can’t wait for book 10 to see what happens next with Jack and Sam!!!

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love this series and always enjoy these well plotted and solid mysteries. This is another excellent addition and I was glad to catch up with Charlene and Jack.
I strongly recommend it and, even if it can be read as a stand-alone, it's better to read the entire series
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid was such a great book. I like how the main character, Charlene, is evolving and letting love into her life. I hope to see more of that change in upcoming books in the series. The murder mystery was very well-written and I was thrown off the scent of who did it several times. I did, however, figure out who the culprit was before it was revealed. Still, it was a very enjoyable mystery that I couldn't put down. I'm looking forward to more books in this series and can't wait for the next one.