A great cosy mystery right here! This is the first book I read from Kirsten Weiss and of the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series and I definitely want to read the previous volume and the next ones!

The story is told from the perspective of Maddie Kosloski, the owner of the Paranormal Museum in San Benedetto, California. When the museum gets a new acquisition in the form of an old grape press, hell breaks loose. The owner of the press claims that the press was stolen and even after Maddie proves that she bought it, Detective Lauren Hammer makes it her mission to see the grape press returned to its owner. As if that isn’t complicated enough, the body of the accuser is found. Suddenly, Maddie is not just being accused of thievery but murder as well. When everyone asks Maddie to solve the mystery, she travels deep into the rabbit hole and breaking every wall imposed by the police.

Firstly, I really enjoyed seeing this dark side of the small town living. I know for sure I couldn’t so it! The setting is refreshing and the fact this is actually about wine makes it even better! I think the idea and the storyline were very well thought and that it was very original.

Secondly, about the characters. I have mix feelings about Maddie, it really depends certain events of the story. In the beginning, when she is accused, she throws a bit of a tantrum and walks out in the middle of the police interrogation. I would not expect that from a mature main character since it’s her record that is at stake here. But then, the way she goes about the mystery and by herself discovers clues and puts them together was a treat to read about. I think the character of Lauren goes a bit overboard with her hateful comments and attitude but I get that the heroine must find some walls along the adventure.

The thing that I really appreciated is that, in this cosy novel, there isn’t the usual alliance between the amateur crime-solver and the police. It was refreshing to read and it makes it very interesting.

It was a very fun read, putting wine, humour, mystery and paranormal all in one. Definitely recommend it!

When Maddie discovers a body under the grapes intended for the Ladies Aid grape stomp at the Harvest Fair, she is determined to leave the crime-solving to the police. But when several people -- including her mother! -- beg her to figure out the identity of the killer, she just can't say no.

I'm not sure of the reasons, but cozy series based on wine and wine-making seem to be all the rage lately, and I'm learning a lot about the industry and the wine-making process from these books. The setting for this series is a small town in California, where everyone knows everyone else -- and everyone else's business as well. I liked most of the characters, although a few seemed to be on the sleazy side, but what's a murder mystery without some shady characters? I guessed the identity of the killer way before it was revealed in the book. That rarely happens, so I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. That said, I liked this book even more than the first book in this series, and will definitely keep an eye out for the next installment.

This is book two of the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series, and I am addicted by this point. We continue to follow Maddie as she takes over ownership of the paranormal museum but she yet again finds herself as a suspect in a murder investigation. As she attempts to solve the case she finds herself under pressure from all areas, and stressed about her relationship at the same time. The evolving of the story was great with some excellent paranormal moments to reflect on. I highly recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers. It gets 4/5 stars.

Pressed to Death

Princess Fuzzypants here:
Maddie runs a Paranormal Museum in wine country. The book starts with the accusation that a haunted wine press was stolen from the man whose body Maddie discovers in a wine stomping vat at a local festival. Obviously, this casts Maddie in a suspicious light, particularly when her nemesis, local cop Laurel, is happy to pin anything on her.
The story behind the wine presses haunting and the murder of both the owner of the press and then his widow are interwoven. While Maddie attempts to solve the mystery behind the press, she also uncovers who is behind the murders. She wants to believe her employee, the son and step son of the deceased is innocent.
It all gets mixed together in a delightful brew of witches, haunted houses, ladies groups on steroids, faltering relationships and so much more. Oh yes, there is also a museum cat, GD, who is the definition of catitude. He is quite the scamp and adds humour to the story.
This is a cozy with some elements of the funny/whacky cozies yet never slips into the absurd. It takes a dept touch to be able to straddle that line.
If you are looking for some light and entertaining reading, this might be your glass of wine....or cup of tea.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

This is a nice cozy series set in the Paranormal Museum. Between the Museum, the Ladies Aide Society and the unusual festivals the town has a healthy tourism rate. Maddie, owner of the Paranormal Museum is setting up a display for the local wine festival centered around a haunted grape press. When the previous owner of the press is found murdered Maddie becomes a prime suspect. When his wife is murdered a few days later Maddie and the Ladies Aide Society start investigating. This zany town is a perfect fit for the series and the Museum's black cat adds some smiles and giggles. Fun to read and I'm looking forward to the 3rd story in A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series.

With the Harvest Festival under way, Maddie Kosloski is shocked when her arch-nemesis Laurel wants to take away her main attraction, a haunted wine press. It seems that the previous owner has called it in as stolen and Laurel is only too happy to confiscate it, even though Maddie has the receipts to prove that she is the rightful owner. Too bad Maddie is later the one to discover the previous owner, Romeo, dead in the grapes that were supposed to be used in her mother's grape pressing contest. But she's not as serious a suspect as the man's wife, his estranged son, and even some of the people who are part of his Death Cafe group (where they discuss aging).
Not only does Maddie's mother get her involved in solving the case in order to help the Ladies' Aid group, but Maddie also gets roped in to helping set up a room in the annual Haunted House and she's working to keep her assistant, the dead man's estranged son, out of jail. Oh, and something is going on with her sweetie, Mason.
And the Mason storyline was just annoying. It's maybe not a plotline used in cozies much but I've read it over and over in romance novels. Maddie is fairly adult about the whole thing (she actually TALKS to Mason) but I just wish that this particular plot point hadn't been used. And there were some other plots that got short shrift since there was so much going on. But over all a good story that I quite enjoyed.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out March 8
Follows The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum

I just wasn't overly impressed by this one. The premise was great, and there were some funny parts, but the paranormal was practically nonexistent. It takes place at a paranormal museum and has a ghost detecting cat, but the book focuses on the mundane rather than the quirky elements.

I enjoyed this second book in the series as much as the first. Maddie is back and trying to keep her museum afloat. When she is accused of theft and the accuser later is found dead she knows the finger will point her way. She is reluctant to get involved but her mother pushes her into investigating. Unfortunately she will have to do it without the support of her boyfriend because he is busy with the past coming into the here and now.

I thought I knew who the murderer was but Ms. Weiss threw me off that track and then surprised me at the reveal at the end. I can't wait for the third book to come out to see what else is in store for Maddie.

I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.

I received a free copy of this book through netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Pressed to death is the second book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series. I enjoyed the first book and was happy to return this series. My thoughts about this one are a bit mixed, not sure if it was my mood or what, but some parts I really enjoyed and other parts not as much. The start of this book was a bit slow and I had a bit of trouble getting into the book. But there were also some great scenes and then around the halfway mark it got a lot better and kept my attention.

The paranormal aspect is one of my favorite parts of this book. The paranormal museum makes for a fun addition and it never is fully certain if there is something paranormal going on or not. The subtle paranormal touch really works for this book. Then there is the cat who live sin the museum, who is always fun to read about.

But on the other hand it felt like at times there was a bit too much in the book and not enough focus on the mystery at times. There is the ladies aid, the detectives, the haunted house, the romance, the side characters, the paranormal museum, the other wine sellers and the death café to name a few. There is are a lot of side characters and side plots going on that might or might not be connected to the murder and a few things got wrapped up a bit too rushed in my opinion.

Then this book has two of my pet peeves when it comes to cozy mysteries namely the not too believable method in which the main character gets involved into solving the mystery and the incompetent and in this case even unlikeable police. In the first book it felt more natural how Maddie got into solving the mystery, here it felt a bit forced somehow. And police detective Laurel really grated on my nerves, she seemed mean just because she could and was just such an annoying character. Her actions didn't make sense and I couldn't believe she actually could take those things based on such flimsy evidence. And at times it felt like the police were doing nothing except chase the wrong leads while Maddie figured things out.

The mystery was decent. I liked how just as in book 1 there was a current time and a past mystery. In this case the past mystery and current one both are connected to a grape press that came into Maddie her possession. I would've liked to see Maddie do a bit more research herself into the past mystery as now it was mostly historical society who solved that. Who the murderer was in the current day mystery didn't really come as a surprise. I would've liked to see a bit more investigating as it was mostly her talking with some people and then at the end when she was piecing things together we didn't get much of her thought process, which always just kinda ruins things for me as I want to know what she's thinking.

The characters were nice enough and I was able to remember who was who, but didn't really particularly grow fond of anyone. There is a bit of romance, but it didn't get much attention and the parts that we did see I didn't really care for. Based on his personality I thought his actions seemed a bit unrealistic and I wanted to tell Maddie to shallow her pride sometimes and just call him. It just got dragged on a bit even with it barely being there. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the next book.

To summarize: this was a fun cozy, there were parts I really enjoyed, but also parts I liked less. I had a bunch of smaller issues with this one, I couldn't stand laurel and it felt a bit off how Maddie got into solving this mystery. At times it felt like there was a bit too much going on at times and it felt a tad slow at the same time. There are a lot of side plot lines. The mystery was decent enough, but not too surprising. I liked the subtle paranormal aspect, the cat and how there was both a mystery in the present time and a mystery from the past to solve.

Maddie Kosloski owns and runs a paranormal museum. She that the haunted grape press that she has recently acquired is perfect for the upcoming festival. But before she can even open the exhibit, she is accused of stealing the press. And as if being accused of stealing is not enough of a trouble, the accuser turns up dead making Maddie the lead suspect. With a museum to run and an upcoming fair to handle, will Maddie be able to find the real murderer or will she fall as a victim?

The book is a highly entertaining one. There are a lot of things happening all over the place along with the murder investigation. So, in a way the plot is a multi-layered one. While there is only one investigation line to the plot, Maddie’s business and its reception among the public is an added aspect to it. While the murder plot was fairly simple, and a reader will probably guess the culprit correctly before it is revealed, the cast of character keep the pages turning with their antics. Maddie is an interesting person. She has to be in order to successfully own and run a paranormal museum. Her connection with her mother and her friends through rough times make her strong. But I have to say that I really did not like the detective Hammer at all, even though I know that it is what the author intended. He clearly has something against Maddie and is only happy to ignore any evidence that she has to present. The additional cast of characters (and there are quite a few) bring colour to the story making it more appealing by adding their few cents to the plot.

This is a perfect cozy mystery for a lazy afternoon!

Maddy is beginning to get her feet under her as the owner of a paranormal museum in the small Central Valley town where she grew up. She's not obsessing too much about her highly accomplished brother and sister (at least if she limits time with her hyper-elegant mother), she has a boyfriend, and she's got her two best friends -- as saucy, sassy, and smart as she is and always ready to help.

But that's all threatened when Maddy gets mixed up in a murder. In a town as small as San Benedetto, everything is personal, but the Ladies' Aid society seems to be taking on overtones of organized crime and the people office on the case can't forgive Maddy for setting her hair on fire (long story), so Maddy's not sure which way to jump.

Not to mention the curse of the Haunted Wine Press and the Death Cafe.

Maddy's trying to figure out at least her own personal connections with the case and trying to get her personal life sorted as well. It's all turning out to be a lot more difficult -- and dangerous -- than you'd expect.

The series is stylish, witty, light-hearted, and well written. There's a great sense of place, characters who are memorable without over-the-top quirkiness, and a sense of authentic affection for the people and the town. I look forward to more.

Maddie Kosloski is the owner of the Paranormal Museum in San Benedetto, California. In this story, an antique grape press that was once used in the wine making business and is rumoured to be haunted, is the newest acquisition of the museum. When Maddie moves it to the Harvest Fair site advertising her museum, her nemesis, Detective Lauren Hammer, comes to tell her that the true owner of the press is claiming that is it stolen and she will have to confiscate it. Even when Maddie produces a receipt signed by Romeo Paganini's wife, the detective goes to the fairgrounds to remove the press. Before she is able to take it, Maddie, helping her mother set up the "Grape Stomp Booth" comes across a dead body buried under the grapes. When it is identified as the vintner accusing her of theft, Maddie becomes a suspect. Everyone, including her mother, wants Maddie to investigate the crime--except the police. One of the things I like about this series is that the police do not co-operate with the amateur sleuth. Maddie does not get any information from them, she is on her own if she wants to solve this crime and take suspicion off herself and her employee, the vintner's estranged son.

There is a lot going on in this story besides just the murder mystery. Maddie is having problems with her boyfriend Seth, the Ladies' Aid Society has a huge rift that has put her mother in the middle and Adele is trying to get her tea shop business off the ground. As in the first book, Maddie is also working on getting more information surrounding the murder/suicide story that is attached to the Grape Press. There is fun when setting up the Haunted House, having a Death Cafe and running the museum in general. I really like the character of Deiter, handyman extraordinaire as well as bookie for all local strange things to bet on. All this adds to the story, even though some reviewers wish there had been more emphasis on the mystery. I liked how this developed the main characters more and we get to know them better in this book. The one character that I still do not like is the terrifically annoying Detective Laurel Hammer whose purpose seems only to annoy Maddie and her friends as well as carrying a grudge from highschool days when she was a bit of a bullly. She is definitely a negative stereotype that make police look bad. I am hoping that she will lighten up in future books.

This is a well written cozy mystery with a great California setting and quirky characters. The idea of the Paranormal Museum is a unique twist to the series. Even though Maddie is not a true believer in the paranormal, she realistically accepts that there are phenomena that cannot be explained. Three is a lot of information about making wine blended into the story and of course drinking wine happens at many occasions. This was a fun, easy read that I recommend to cozy mystery fans, especially those who like wine or the paranormal.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

To be published March 2017. Book 2.

There's a lot going on! I love the premise, and the paranormal museum. The present day murder mystery, combined with the mystery attached to the haunted wine press were interesting and fun. The small town has the typical kooky citizens that made me laugh.

But I felt distracted at times by the kooky cast of characters and their betting pool, Maddie's love life and the annoying police officer with a long held grudge. A few less off beat characters and a little more focus on the mystery wouldn't be a bad thing.

Pressed to Death was a fun read and I am looking forward to more.