This is the 8th book in this cozy series following Charlene and her bed and breakfast in Salem, Massachusetts. The town is hosting it's first ever Mermaid Parade. The parade centers around the remake of a famous mermaid movie from 25yrs ago that starred a mysterious Salem native Trinity Powers, who is now a Hollywood recluse. She is coming out of hiding to appear at the festival. The new star of the remake of Sirena, Alannah Gomez is also appearing at the parade. The two have different fan bases fighting over who is better and "Team Alannah" and "Team Trinity" camps have formed. Shortly after she arrives back in Salem, Trinity is found dead in her hotel room and everyone is wondering if the online rivalry is involved.
Charlene with the help of her detective boyfriend, Sam, and resident ghost Jack works to solve the murder and save the reputation of the event and bring justice for Trinity. I love this series and have grown to love the characters like friends. Great cozy read!

A great addition to the series and a cozy blend of mystery, suspense, mermaids and a dash of supernatural. I loved the characters and the mystery was solid and unpredictable. I look forward to the next installment.
Many thanks to Kensington and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion. .

Book Review: Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid by Traci Wilton

Rating: 3 stars

Traci Wilton's "Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid" takes readers on a whimsical journey to Salem, Massachusetts, where B&B owner Charlene Morris finds herself caught up in a murder mystery amidst the excitement of the town's first annual mermaid parade. As the streets fill with mermaids and Hollywood stars, including the infamous Trinity Powers, tensions rise and a killer lurks in the shadows.

While I have enjoyed the series thus far, I found this particular installment to be a bit drawn out and repetitive. The central issue of the love triangle between Charlene, Dr. Jack Strathmore, and Detective Sam Holden felt overplayed and, frankly, tiresome. Sam's character development left much to be desired, making him rather unlikable in my eyes. The constant back and forth between the characters detracted from the main plotline and left me feeling frustrated.

Despite these shortcomings, Traci Wilton's storytelling still shines through, keeping readers engaged in Charlene's quest to uncover the truth behind the mermaid murder. The author weaves together elements of mystery, humor, and a touch of the supernatural that have become synonymous with the series, ensuring that fans will still find enjoyment in this latest installment.

Overall, "Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid" may not have been my favorite in the series, but it still offers an entertaining escape into a world where mermaids and murder collide. While I hope for some resolution in the tangled web of relationships in the next book, I look forward to seeing where Charlene's adventures take her next.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This is a great addition to the Salem B & B series. This is the 8th book in the series. I think it would be ok as a standalone novel, however I have read all the books in the series in order and I appreciate the backstory and how the characters evolve over time.

This story is about Salem's first annual Mermaid celebration, in honor of Salem native Trinity Powers, the star of a mermaid film named Sirena. The story has recently been redone in a new movie with a new star, and it's the anniversary of the original film. As the mermaid parade is getting ready to kick off, Trinity is nowhere to be found. Charlene, aka Mrs. Morris, goes to Trinity's hotel to look for her. Unfortunately, Charlene finds Trinity's dead body and has to call the police and her hunky boyfriend and detective Sam.

This story was well written and there were several possible suspects. I had my suspicions about who the killer was, but I won't give anything away here. I love the paranormal aspect of the Salem B&B series, including the B & B's resident ghost Jack and Charlene's friends who are witches.

This is a good story and I recommend it to anyone who appreciates a cozy mystery with a paranormal twist.

This is the 8th installment in the Salem B&B mystery series. Charlene Morris moved to Salem to start over after her husband’s tragic death and she has finally begun to move on. I love the family Charlene has made for herself in Salem with Jack (her resident ghost), Minnie, Avery (who has just started college in nearby Boston thanks to Charlene) and Sam. Charlene is always there for her friends and her friend Brandy and her daughter Serenity have put together the first ever Mermaid festival and parade. Charlene also has full house of guests who are in town for the parade and since the star of the movie Sirena Trinity Powers is the guest of honor and former Salem resident, there is lots of buzz and excitement since Trinity is rarely seen in public and basically did nothing after this movie (which was done 25 years ago). The movie has just been remade and the new star Alanna has started a social media war with Trinity and now everyone is picking sides with Team Trinity or Team Alanna. Charlene’s guests are evenly split but when on the day of parade, Charlene finds Trinity dead everyone is wondering what might have happened. Trinity was estranged from her Father ever since she left Salem as a child and her Father was actively trying to reconcile. Trinity turns out wasn’t so nice and there are lots of options for her murderer. The new star Alanna is not so nice either and seems like neither entourage are nice. Once again Sam tells Charlene to stay out of it and since they are secretly dating it makes things very complicated. Charlene is trying to help Brandy but also wants to see justice done. Jack is also a constant for Charlene and I love their great friendship but dating Sam makes things complicated. This is a great series and this was a solid mystery which keeps you engaged the entire book. Emotional ending to the book. Can’t wait for the next in the series. Highly recommend.

Princess Fuzzypants here: I always enjoyed the Ghost and Mrs. Muir vibe of this story with the impossible love shared by Charlene and her ghost Jack. When she first took over the B&B, she was still reeling from the death of her husband. Even though it could never come to fruition, their bond never seemed to be a problem until Sam, the detective. The twosome became a threesome, or at least potentially, and how that could be resolved with minimal heartache was always an underlying question. In this book, it is no longer underlying.

And while the murder of the star of a 25 year classic movie at the Mermaid Festival has lots of suspects and plenty of twists and turns, it almost takes a secondary role in the book. Tiffany, local girl who made good, has been a recluse, fearing a stalker who could never be found. This is her first foray back into the world and things could be turning around for her until someone ends it all. Who could it be? The fans and the star of a remake are rabid in their feud with the fans of the original film. Things between the two “teams” can get heated. There is also a father with whom she has been estranged amongst the suspects as well as other intrigues that bubble under the surface. Charlene and Sam are determined to figure out who killed Tiffany and why.

The bigger question going forward will be how to balance Charlene’s love for the two men in her life. It should be interesting. Four purrs and two paws up.

It should be a splashin good time with Salem’s first annual mermaid parade. That is until a high profile guest is found dead, and Charlene has found herself right in the middle.

Charlene runs a wonderful little B&B that has a ghostly resident. In this addition we find ourselves gearing up for Salem’s first annual mermaid festival. Salem is also celebrating one of their own as Trinity Powers, the original actress of the movie Serena. Set movie has recently been remade, and the newer actress playing the same part, finds herself at the mermaid festival as well .Who would’ve thought there would’ve been a rift in the mermaid world, but lo and behold, tidal waves are happening. And a retired Hollywood actress has found herself murdered.

I very much enjoy the promoters of this book and I love the ghostly aspect. However, I don’t feel like there was anything super wild factor about it. I enjoyed the descriptions of the costumes and seeing a different side of Salem Massachusetts than one normally sees. I definitely found things I enjoyed, and makes me wonder about the rest of the series. This was probably not the best entry point, but I did find some enjoyment through the story.

Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid
By Traci Wilton
Kensington
February 2024

Review by Cynthia Chow

The town of Salem, Massachusetts is hosting their first ever Mermaid Parade, and Charlene Morris is thrilled that her Bed & Breakfast is being filled with mermaid cosplayers and fanatics. Charlene never realized just how enthusiastic the mermaid community is, especially now that an iconic 25 year-old mermaid movie has been remade and built up a new generation of fans. Hollywood remaking movies is nothing new, and while occasionally the successor surpasses the original, it is more likely that the result is either disappointment or those who only love the first version they saw. In this case the two “Sirena” movies have created fanbases that bring to mind a Swifties vs. the Bee Hive battle, with even the lead actresses engaged in the fight. A Salem native, actress Trinity Powers disappeared from the entertainment business not long after her outstanding swimming performance, and the younger, Instagram-friendly, Alannah Gomez publicly calls out Trinity as a has-been and nobody. So when Trinity is found dead in her hotel room before her appearance in the parade, the question is whether Alannah or one of her many followers decided to permanently end their rivalry.

Although his presence is less prevalent in this 8th of the series, Dr. Jack Swathmore continues to both assist and flirt with the B&B owner. That Jack is deceased and a ghost haunting both Charlene’s home and her life would seem to hinder their relationship though, especially since the very live Detective Sam Holden is interested in advancing a romance. Charlene has a big decision looming in her life, for while Sam presents a real opportunity to the widow, roadblocks exist not only with his possible move out of town but with her inability to hurt Jack’s feelings. Perhaps that’s why Charlene is so willing to once again delve into murder, this time focusing on the fascinating worlds of mermaid fandom and movie making. Aspiring mermaids are willing to spend thousands of dollars for stunning tails, and there is a burgeoning business for those creating hair pieces and accessories. The president of Salem’s New Business organization brought in the Mermaid Parade to promote tourism as well as ocean preservation awareness, meaning that no one wants a murder casting a shadow over the event. It’s up to Charlene, Sam, and Jack’s ghostly cyber investigations to solve the murder and bring peace back to their town. Fans of the series will be eager to see how Charlene resolves her personal life as well, since the author has compellingly made Jack a tragic but still appealing romantic candidate. There’s so much fun to be had in this exploration of the mermaid fanbase, not to mention that of the movie remaking entertainment business. This is a series that has grown stronger as characters grow closer and evolve, while the plots continue to be as original as they are suspenseful.

Wilton does it again with this addition to the series. The mystery was engaging. I'm not sure, however, how long the love triangle between the MC, the local detective, and the house's ghost can last. Something has to give at some point.

Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid by Traci Wilton
We are back in Salem, Massachusetts at the B&B with Charlene and the friendly ghost, Jack. There is a mermaid parade and festival in town. The B&B is full of guests in town for the festivities. All of the bustling keeps everyone on their toes. A murder overshadows the celebration. Detective Sam Holden and his team are on the case with the help of Charlene who always seems to be on the fringe of the happenings. There are many twists and turns that you won’t see coming. As always, there is the almost sexual tension between Sam and Charlene that adds more dimensions to the story.
As with all the Mrs. Morris books, this book will having you avoiding everything else to sit and read it. It will time well spent reading this delightful story.

This is a difficult review to write. There’s nothing wrong with this book, overall, but, as someone who has read the whole series as they come out, I was hoping for more: I want the characters to develop more, I want the strange love triangle to be resolved (which it might be?); I guess I just want some growth in the series. It feels like the same story, different quirky thing to explore. And this one was much longer than it needed to be so the story dragged as Charlene revisited the same places and had the same conversations over and over again. The whole Jack thing is getting creepy, too. Hoping the next one has things resolved and a little more to it.

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Traci Wilton

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

I enjoyed this light murder mystery. This is my first foray into Traci Wilton's Mrs. Morris series. I like the premise of the story and the whole mermaid parade with feuding actresses and movie remakes was well done. The fact that this takes place in Salem, MA was also a reason for wanting to read this book. I just fell in love with all the major players and the "on the side" romances happening. It doesn't hurt to have witches and ghosts be part of the story either. All-in-all I enjoyed this well written story and all the pieces of the puzzle in figuring out "whodunit".

This series just gets better with each story , I really love Charlene and Jack , the resident ghost of her B and b , I love that each book has a progression of the characters as well as a intriguing story . Mermaids are all the rage , the town is having a parade to honor one of its own stars , but murder takes the spotlight , Charlene and her friends do their best to figure out who killed the starlette and why , I myself am a fan of mermaids , this story was fun and entertaining .

Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid continues Traci Wilton's Salem B&B mysteries. Charlene and her ghostly friend Jack preside over her B&B during the first mermaid parade honoring local celebrity Sirena who was famed for her mermaid movie. Sirena is murdered' Whodunit? Her rival who starred in the second mermaid movie? Her father? Lots of suspects and badly behaved movie stars and locals. Enjoy.

I have read all the books in this series and this one went on for far too long. And I figured out whodunit far before the end. I usually like the banter between Charlene and Jack but something in this book felt stilted and the love triangle in this series is getting old.

I thought the Team Trinity vs Team Alannah wore out its welcome quickly. This one just didn't do it for me and I found myself relieved when it finally ended.

My thanks to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.

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