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The Museum of Unusual Occurrence
Welcome to the Museum of Unusual Occurrence—a place full of strange exhibits and even stranger murders. The first in the new Psychic City mystery series by talented author Erica Wright.
“Every small town thinks it’s special—That might be true, but this one actually is.”
Rational and cynical Aly Orlean’s life in her psychic hometown of Wyndale, Florida couldn’t be more hectic. It’s all about running her business, raising a teenage sister, sending out holiday greetings—and her new finding a killer.
For her Museum of Unusual Occurrence not only houses odd curiosities but now has a brand-new The body of Rose Dempsey, a local twenty-year-old, set up in one of the exhibits as if she has been ritually sacrificed.
With the police clueless, Aly is worried that this is a vicious warning for her and her solitary way of life. Fearing for her sister Merope’s wellbeing, she’s determined to find out why the killer murdered Rose and how her body was placed in Aly’s museum . . . But might the killer be someone hiding in plain sight?
Karen Russell’s SWAMPLANDIA! meets Ruth Ware's THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY in this “suspenseful mystery populated with winning characters” (Booklist on Famous in Cedarville).
“Every small town thinks it’s special—That might be true, but this one actually is.”
Rational and cynical Aly Orlean’s life in her psychic hometown of Wyndale, Florida couldn’t be more hectic. It’s all about running her business, raising a teenage sister, sending out holiday greetings—and her new finding a killer.
For her Museum of Unusual Occurrence not only houses odd curiosities but now has a brand-new The body of Rose Dempsey, a local twenty-year-old, set up in one of the exhibits as if she has been ritually sacrificed.
With the police clueless, Aly is worried that this is a vicious warning for her and her solitary way of life. Fearing for her sister Merope’s wellbeing, she’s determined to find out why the killer murdered Rose and how her body was placed in Aly’s museum . . . But might the killer be someone hiding in plain sight?
Karen Russell’s SWAMPLANDIA! meets Ruth Ware's THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY in this “suspenseful mystery populated with winning characters” (Booklist on Famous in Cedarville).
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2026
About the author
Erica Wright
18 books193 followersErica Wright is a poet and novelist. Her latest mystery
Hollow Bones
was called "an incredibly rich work of literature" in the Nashville Scene. Her essay collection
Snake
is part of Bloomsbury's Object Lessons series and was one of LitReactor 's Best Books of 2020. She’s over the moon to be releasing two books in 2026: the poetry collection
A Buyer's Guide to the Afterlife
and the mystery
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence.
She was the poetry editor at
Guernica Magazine
for more than a decade and currently teaches at Bellevue University. She lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her family.
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March 26, 2026There was so much to love about The Museum of Unusual Occurrences. First is the pacing of the novel. It gets going pretty much right away. There’s no long introduction to the characters. The author assumes the reader is smart enough to keep track of the who’s who based on names and personalities, instead of basically giving a Clue suspect sheet (I’ve seen some of those books over the years, and they tend to start rather slowly). It’s easy to remember them as they’re all unique and quirky in their own way.
They’re all great, too. Alycone (“Aly”) could have easily slipped into morose territory. Instead, her regrets stem from a general displeasure that sometimes makes her cranky with people. She thinks of the way her life could have gone but also throws everything she has into making what she has work. She’s fiercely protective of her teen sister, Merope. Merope is a bit of a conundrum, as some teens are. I loved her changeable nature and her constant waffling between being responsible and causing all sorts of chaos.
The side characters (suspects) are a fun, oddball bunch. There’s the close-up magician who helps with the museum, the ex-flame-turned-TV-actor, the detective who is really too big to be allowed. And Alycone’s mother, who both irritated and amused me.
My favorite part of the book, though, was the town itself. It leans into a reputation as being a spiritual hub, with Alycone being one of the few who has no patience for it. The author explained in the note that the offbeat little town is loosely based on Cassadaga, Florida. Apparently, Cassadaga is known as the “psychic capital of the world.” Needless to say, that’s quite the inspiration, and it led to a setting that is more than just a place: it’s a character in and of itself. This quirky place is what made the oddness of the characters and their reactions to a ritualized murder make complete sense.
The twists were twisty, with a few of them catching me completely by surprise. While I did call the “whodunnit”, I was not at all confident in my theory, which was half the fun. I recommend The Museum of Unusual Occurence to readers who like their characters eccentric and their mysteries fast-paced.
Thank you to Netgalley and Severn House for providing me with a copy of this book. My opinions are completely my own.
Full review: https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
They’re all great, too. Alycone (“Aly”) could have easily slipped into morose territory. Instead, her regrets stem from a general displeasure that sometimes makes her cranky with people. She thinks of the way her life could have gone but also throws everything she has into making what she has work. She’s fiercely protective of her teen sister, Merope. Merope is a bit of a conundrum, as some teens are. I loved her changeable nature and her constant waffling between being responsible and causing all sorts of chaos.
The side characters (suspects) are a fun, oddball bunch. There’s the close-up magician who helps with the museum, the ex-flame-turned-TV-actor, the detective who is really too big to be allowed. And Alycone’s mother, who both irritated and amused me.
My favorite part of the book, though, was the town itself. It leans into a reputation as being a spiritual hub, with Alycone being one of the few who has no patience for it. The author explained in the note that the offbeat little town is loosely based on Cassadaga, Florida. Apparently, Cassadaga is known as the “psychic capital of the world.” Needless to say, that’s quite the inspiration, and it led to a setting that is more than just a place: it’s a character in and of itself. This quirky place is what made the oddness of the characters and their reactions to a ritualized murder make complete sense.
The twists were twisty, with a few of them catching me completely by surprise. While I did call the “whodunnit”, I was not at all confident in my theory, which was half the fun. I recommend The Museum of Unusual Occurence to readers who like their characters eccentric and their mysteries fast-paced.
Thank you to Netgalley and Severn House for providing me with a copy of this book. My opinions are completely my own.
Full review: https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a great cozy mystery with just a touch of the paranormal. Set in one of those stops you may visit while on vacation, The Museum of Unusual Occurrence, and a body is found in one of the rooms, positioned as if it was a sacrifice. There were so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming, that I couldn't possibly see the ending. And the ending? Omg how rude. It was amazing, but so rude.
Definitely would recommend this book.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
Definitely would recommend this book.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
April 10, 2026
This looks like it should be a Gothic romance. Or a paranormal mystery. Or something in the middle, even if I’m not entirely sure what that middle would look like. Let’s just say that the cover has a certain vibe.
It begins as a mystery that might, or might not, be a Gothic mystery – even if the setting is utterly right – or ripe – for that.
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence reads like something out of Ripley’s Believe or Not tourist trap – or perhaps an out-of-the-way knockoff of one. Wyndale, Florida certainly seems like the place for it. Once upon a time, in the post-Civil War era, Wyndale became the center of spiritualist practices. There were a lot of people hoping to contact loved ones in the afterlife in the late 1800s, and Wyndale (along with its real-world counterpart, Cassadaga) acquired a reputation as a place where you could find a medium on every street corner, but if you were a medium – or anything else in that line – you could find a home amongst fellow practitioners and believers who wouldn’t automatically think you were crazy for your beliefs.
In the here and now, Wyndale uses its history as a spiritualist haven to attract tourists – and their money. Nothing fraudulent or illegal, just celebrating who they were – and still are – to keep the place going.
The museum that Alcyone Orlean inherited from her dad, the Museum of Unusual Occurrence, showcases the historical aspects of the town – and includes exhibits about the history of spiritual and other ‘unusual’ practices around the world. It’s a combination of labor of love and noose around Aly’s neck that supports both Aly and her younger sister Merope. The exhibits in the museum range from the authentically historic to the chillingly creepy to the hushed reverence of the museum’s library.
At least until the morning that Aly discovers a young and very recently dead woman INSIDE one of the display cases – posed like Snow White in her glass coffin just waiting for her prince. But no prince can wake this ‘sleeping beauty’ – and Aly isn’t looking for one to save her, either.
However, Aly can’t resist getting involved in the case. Not just because it happened inside her own home, but because one of her old high school friends is the lead detective on this big case in this tiny town, and he’s just sure that Aly can help him solve the crime if she does his ‘homework’ on ritual killings for him.
As a way for her old friends to get Aly out of her self-imposed exile, out of her still simmering grief over her dad, and out of her neverending funk over the mother that abandoned her and her sister and left 20something Aly to raise her high school age sister alone, it turns out to be the best worst idea anyone ever had.
Because Aly gets invested in the fate of #wyndalesnowwhite before she’s aware that she’s all in. And before she knows that the truth about the murder – and the girl left in her museum’s glass coffin – lies much closer to home than Aly ever imagined.
Escape Rating B: In a weird way – and there’s a lot of weird to go around with this one – my mixed feelings had mixed feelings. There’s a part of me that thinks the readalikes for this one are Alix Harrow’s Starling House and Tanya Huff’s Direct Descendant. The feeling all three stories evoke is similar, even though the “magic” in both Starling House and Direct Descendant is absolutely real, while the paranormal vibes in Aly’s museum are not – for the most part.
Certainly the mystery and the villainy in Museum are both due to entirely human motives and human agencies, even though Aly begins the story as the only skeptic in a town chock-full of believers. It ends with Aly’s acknowledgement that there are “more things in heaven and Earth” than are dreamt of in her philosophy.
There are at least two mysteries in this mystery. Well, there are two obvious mysteries. It’s not just who was the dead girl or even who killed the dead girl. It’s also who put her body in the museum case and how did they get in? Along with how do they KEEP getting in, leaving threatening messages and scaring Aly half to death?
Everyone in town seems to know a little bit of something – but Aly, skeptic that she is, can’t be certain whether their knowledge comes from the ‘other side’ or just being nosy neighbors on this one. Aly bets on the nosy neighbors – and she’s not wrong to do so. Everyone certainly knows more of her business than she’d like and she learns more of theirs than she wants.
The focus is on Aly’s deepening involvement with the case, with the fate of the dead girl, and with the way that her amateur investigation draws her out of herself and her self-imposed isolation. That she’s fumbling and stumbling along the way, that there are entirely too many things she doesn’t want to see, and that she gets led down the primrose path towards the wrong perpetrator isn’t a surprise.
That the case turns in the direction it does, however, makes for a dark and surprising ending. I was completely lost in Aly’s search for ‘whodunnit’ to the point where I wanted to flip to the end and just ‘get on with it’. Whether that was a result of too many red herrings or a shade too many convolutions in the mystery, well, I’m on the fence about that part. Aly’s flailing turned into a bit of a drag before the final curtain not merely fell but finally fell on the correct parties.
This story is labeled as the first book in the Psychic City Mystery series. The town of Wyndale was every bit as much of a character in this story as Aly, her sister, and their wayward mother, and the town certainly has plenty of characters in it whose stories would be fun to dig into. My curiosity is more than engaged enough to return for another visit if the series continues!
Originally published at Reading Reality
It begins as a mystery that might, or might not, be a Gothic mystery – even if the setting is utterly right – or ripe – for that.
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence reads like something out of Ripley’s Believe or Not tourist trap – or perhaps an out-of-the-way knockoff of one. Wyndale, Florida certainly seems like the place for it. Once upon a time, in the post-Civil War era, Wyndale became the center of spiritualist practices. There were a lot of people hoping to contact loved ones in the afterlife in the late 1800s, and Wyndale (along with its real-world counterpart, Cassadaga) acquired a reputation as a place where you could find a medium on every street corner, but if you were a medium – or anything else in that line – you could find a home amongst fellow practitioners and believers who wouldn’t automatically think you were crazy for your beliefs.
In the here and now, Wyndale uses its history as a spiritualist haven to attract tourists – and their money. Nothing fraudulent or illegal, just celebrating who they were – and still are – to keep the place going.
The museum that Alcyone Orlean inherited from her dad, the Museum of Unusual Occurrence, showcases the historical aspects of the town – and includes exhibits about the history of spiritual and other ‘unusual’ practices around the world. It’s a combination of labor of love and noose around Aly’s neck that supports both Aly and her younger sister Merope. The exhibits in the museum range from the authentically historic to the chillingly creepy to the hushed reverence of the museum’s library.
At least until the morning that Aly discovers a young and very recently dead woman INSIDE one of the display cases – posed like Snow White in her glass coffin just waiting for her prince. But no prince can wake this ‘sleeping beauty’ – and Aly isn’t looking for one to save her, either.
However, Aly can’t resist getting involved in the case. Not just because it happened inside her own home, but because one of her old high school friends is the lead detective on this big case in this tiny town, and he’s just sure that Aly can help him solve the crime if she does his ‘homework’ on ritual killings for him.
As a way for her old friends to get Aly out of her self-imposed exile, out of her still simmering grief over her dad, and out of her neverending funk over the mother that abandoned her and her sister and left 20something Aly to raise her high school age sister alone, it turns out to be the best worst idea anyone ever had.
Because Aly gets invested in the fate of #wyndalesnowwhite before she’s aware that she’s all in. And before she knows that the truth about the murder – and the girl left in her museum’s glass coffin – lies much closer to home than Aly ever imagined.
Escape Rating B: In a weird way – and there’s a lot of weird to go around with this one – my mixed feelings had mixed feelings. There’s a part of me that thinks the readalikes for this one are Alix Harrow’s Starling House and Tanya Huff’s Direct Descendant. The feeling all three stories evoke is similar, even though the “magic” in both Starling House and Direct Descendant is absolutely real, while the paranormal vibes in Aly’s museum are not – for the most part.
Certainly the mystery and the villainy in Museum are both due to entirely human motives and human agencies, even though Aly begins the story as the only skeptic in a town chock-full of believers. It ends with Aly’s acknowledgement that there are “more things in heaven and Earth” than are dreamt of in her philosophy.
There are at least two mysteries in this mystery. Well, there are two obvious mysteries. It’s not just who was the dead girl or even who killed the dead girl. It’s also who put her body in the museum case and how did they get in? Along with how do they KEEP getting in, leaving threatening messages and scaring Aly half to death?
Everyone in town seems to know a little bit of something – but Aly, skeptic that she is, can’t be certain whether their knowledge comes from the ‘other side’ or just being nosy neighbors on this one. Aly bets on the nosy neighbors – and she’s not wrong to do so. Everyone certainly knows more of her business than she’d like and she learns more of theirs than she wants.
The focus is on Aly’s deepening involvement with the case, with the fate of the dead girl, and with the way that her amateur investigation draws her out of herself and her self-imposed isolation. That she’s fumbling and stumbling along the way, that there are entirely too many things she doesn’t want to see, and that she gets led down the primrose path towards the wrong perpetrator isn’t a surprise.
That the case turns in the direction it does, however, makes for a dark and surprising ending. I was completely lost in Aly’s search for ‘whodunnit’ to the point where I wanted to flip to the end and just ‘get on with it’. Whether that was a result of too many red herrings or a shade too many convolutions in the mystery, well, I’m on the fence about that part. Aly’s flailing turned into a bit of a drag before the final curtain not merely fell but finally fell on the correct parties.
This story is labeled as the first book in the Psychic City Mystery series. The town of Wyndale was every bit as much of a character in this story as Aly, her sister, and their wayward mother, and the town certainly has plenty of characters in it whose stories would be fun to dig into. My curiosity is more than engaged enough to return for another visit if the series continues!
Originally published at Reading Reality
April 11, 2026
Aly Orlean confesses at the top of this novel that she has no idea what it feels like to be dead, having never died before. However, she knows more than your average person about the occult and other side having spent her life in the most psychic place in Florida, the town of Wyndale.
It is here where Aly goes about running her unique family business entitled THE MUSEUM OF UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE, which also gives us the title for this latest work from author Erica Wright. She is also raising her teenage younger sister, Merope, and about to take on the biggest challenge of her life to date --- solving a murder that landed literally in her lap.
Aly and her only employee, Muddy, come across the obviously dead body of a young woman lying inside the museum. It is later learned that she was a local 20-year-old named Rose Dempsey who appears to have been murdered in some ritualistic fashion. If anyone can tap into alternative sources to help solve a murder it will be the owner of a museum which features the bizarre. She not only has local psychics, among others, to assist with this but also partners somewhat unwillingly with her former classmate Bud, the nearly seven-foot-tall police chief.
The Museum was founded by Aly’s late father in 1968 and features everything from Loch Ness Monster photos to radioactive meteorite fragments. No one looks twice at this place in a town like Wyndale, which makes being able to solve a murder of this kind more difficult as it seems par for the course in this part of Central Florida. The population hovers around 10,000 but can balloon up to 25,000 at times with all the tourists that travel there looking for some type of spiritual awakening or merely a walk on the wild side.
Bud informs Aly that the victim, Rose, not only seems to have suffered in some strange ritual but also had a deadly toxin in her system at the time of death. Aly reaches out to a former teacher and mentor of hers, Dr. Patel of UF, who specializes in esoteric anthropology. It is with Dr. Patel that Aly shares the ritualistic marks found on Rose Dempsey’s body to see if she could help provide assistance with identifying the meaning behind it.
In addition to leaning on local psychic, Mrs. Manifort, via a séance to get answers from other side, Aly is also struggling to juggle her domestic duties. Merope is planning to head to London with her boyfriend, something Aly is not thrilled with, and their wanderlust mother who basically abandoned them pops in to spend the holidays with her estranged daughters. All of this while the murder case everyone is talking about begins to take a dark turn and the guilty party ends up being someone no one would have expected.
A manuscript called Wonders Seen and Unseen may provide some of the answers Aly seeks and, along with Bud, what seemed like an evil presence in their town might be the tip of the iceberg for something far deadlier. THE MUSEUM OF UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE is a quick and unique read filled with characters that resonate. I hope that Eric Wright plans to do more with Aly, her museum, and residents of Wyndale, Florida in the future.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
It is here where Aly goes about running her unique family business entitled THE MUSEUM OF UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE, which also gives us the title for this latest work from author Erica Wright. She is also raising her teenage younger sister, Merope, and about to take on the biggest challenge of her life to date --- solving a murder that landed literally in her lap.
Aly and her only employee, Muddy, come across the obviously dead body of a young woman lying inside the museum. It is later learned that she was a local 20-year-old named Rose Dempsey who appears to have been murdered in some ritualistic fashion. If anyone can tap into alternative sources to help solve a murder it will be the owner of a museum which features the bizarre. She not only has local psychics, among others, to assist with this but also partners somewhat unwillingly with her former classmate Bud, the nearly seven-foot-tall police chief.
The Museum was founded by Aly’s late father in 1968 and features everything from Loch Ness Monster photos to radioactive meteorite fragments. No one looks twice at this place in a town like Wyndale, which makes being able to solve a murder of this kind more difficult as it seems par for the course in this part of Central Florida. The population hovers around 10,000 but can balloon up to 25,000 at times with all the tourists that travel there looking for some type of spiritual awakening or merely a walk on the wild side.
Bud informs Aly that the victim, Rose, not only seems to have suffered in some strange ritual but also had a deadly toxin in her system at the time of death. Aly reaches out to a former teacher and mentor of hers, Dr. Patel of UF, who specializes in esoteric anthropology. It is with Dr. Patel that Aly shares the ritualistic marks found on Rose Dempsey’s body to see if she could help provide assistance with identifying the meaning behind it.
In addition to leaning on local psychic, Mrs. Manifort, via a séance to get answers from other side, Aly is also struggling to juggle her domestic duties. Merope is planning to head to London with her boyfriend, something Aly is not thrilled with, and their wanderlust mother who basically abandoned them pops in to spend the holidays with her estranged daughters. All of this while the murder case everyone is talking about begins to take a dark turn and the guilty party ends up being someone no one would have expected.
A manuscript called Wonders Seen and Unseen may provide some of the answers Aly seeks and, along with Bud, what seemed like an evil presence in their town might be the tip of the iceberg for something far deadlier. THE MUSEUM OF UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE is a quick and unique read filled with characters that resonate. I hope that Eric Wright plans to do more with Aly, her museum, and residents of Wyndale, Florida in the future.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
April 12, 2026
Aly Orlean confesses at the top of Erica Wright’s THE MUSEUM OF UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE that she has no idea what it feels like to be dead. However, she knows more than your average person about the occult and the other side, having spent her life in the psychic town of Wyndale, Florida.
It is here where Aly goes about running her unique family business, the Museum of Unusual Occurrence. She also is raising her teenage sister, Merope, and is about to take on the biggest challenge of her life thus far.
Aly and her only employee come across the body of a young woman lying inside the museum. Twenty-year-old Rose Dempsey appears to have been killed in some ritualistic fashion. If anyone can tap into alternative sources to help solve a murder, it would be the owner of a museum that features the bizarre. Aly not only has local psychics (among others) to assist with this, she also partners somewhat unwillingly with her former classmate, Bud, the nearly seven-foot-tall police chief.
The museum was founded by Aly’s late father in 1968 and features everything from Loch Ness Monster photos to radioactive meteorite fragments. No one looks twice at this place in a town like Wyndale, which makes being able to solve a murder of this kind more difficult as it seems par for the course in this part of Central Florida. The population hovers around 10,000 but can balloon up to 25,000 with all the tourists who travel there looking for some kind of spiritual awakening or merely a walk on the wild side.
Bud informs Aly that Rose had a deadly toxin in her system at the time of her death. Aly reaches out to a former teacher and mentor who specializes in esoteric anthropology. It is with Dr. Patel that Aly shares the ritualistic marks found on Rose’s body to see if she could assist her in identifying the meaning behind it.
In addition to leaning on a psychic via a séance to get answers from the other side, Aly is struggling to juggle her domestic duties. Merope is planning to head to London with her boyfriend, which Aly is not thrilled with, and their wanderlust mother pops in to spend the holidays with them. Meanwhile, the murder case that everyone is talking about begins to take a dark turn, and the guilty party ends up being someone completely unexpected.
THE MUSEUM OF UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE is a quick and unique read featuring characters who resonate. I hope that Erica Wright plans to do more with Aly, her museum, and the residents of Wyndale in the very near future.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
It is here where Aly goes about running her unique family business, the Museum of Unusual Occurrence. She also is raising her teenage sister, Merope, and is about to take on the biggest challenge of her life thus far.
Aly and her only employee come across the body of a young woman lying inside the museum. Twenty-year-old Rose Dempsey appears to have been killed in some ritualistic fashion. If anyone can tap into alternative sources to help solve a murder, it would be the owner of a museum that features the bizarre. Aly not only has local psychics (among others) to assist with this, she also partners somewhat unwillingly with her former classmate, Bud, the nearly seven-foot-tall police chief.
The museum was founded by Aly’s late father in 1968 and features everything from Loch Ness Monster photos to radioactive meteorite fragments. No one looks twice at this place in a town like Wyndale, which makes being able to solve a murder of this kind more difficult as it seems par for the course in this part of Central Florida. The population hovers around 10,000 but can balloon up to 25,000 with all the tourists who travel there looking for some kind of spiritual awakening or merely a walk on the wild side.
Bud informs Aly that Rose had a deadly toxin in her system at the time of her death. Aly reaches out to a former teacher and mentor who specializes in esoteric anthropology. It is with Dr. Patel that Aly shares the ritualistic marks found on Rose’s body to see if she could assist her in identifying the meaning behind it.
In addition to leaning on a psychic via a séance to get answers from the other side, Aly is struggling to juggle her domestic duties. Merope is planning to head to London with her boyfriend, which Aly is not thrilled with, and their wanderlust mother pops in to spend the holidays with them. Meanwhile, the murder case that everyone is talking about begins to take a dark turn, and the guilty party ends up being someone completely unexpected.
THE MUSEUM OF UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE is a quick and unique read featuring characters who resonate. I hope that Erica Wright plans to do more with Aly, her museum, and the residents of Wyndale in the very near future.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🌙 The Museum of Unusual Occurrence
By Erica Wright
Genre: Mystery
Trope: Amateur Sleuth
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Summary:
Alcyone (Aly) and Merope (Merry) Orlean are two sisters living in a one-of-a-kind museum in a small Florida town, known for being the capital of psychic abilities. With both of their parents absent, Aly has spent most of her 20’s raising her younger sister and trying to keep their world stable and safe. But when a young woman is found murdered inside their museum, everything changes. How did the victim get there? Who killed her? And are Aly and Merry now in danger themselves?
What I Liked:
✨ The world-building — a psychic town and a museum full of strange artifacts is such a fun, atmospheric concept.
✨ The mystery itself had a wide range of suspects, which kept things interesting.
✨ I genuinely didn’t guess the killer, which is always a win for a whodunit.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
➖ I was confused about why Aly’s phone kept dying; it felt important, but was never fully explained.
➖ I didn’t understand why Aly or Merry were never seriously considered as suspects. It was their museum where the dead body was found.
➖ It felt odd that Aly’s old friends tried to reconnect by pulling her into a dangerous murder investigation.
➖ I struggled to connect with Aly as a main character; I found her sister, Merry, much more likable and engaging.
Overall, The Museum of Unusual Occurrence had a compelling setting and a solid mystery, but some character choices and unanswered questions kept it from fully working for me. Still, the psychic small-town atmosphere and twisty suspect list made for an intriguing read, appealing to readers who enjoy small-town mysteries with paranormal elements and sister-centered stories.
A BIG thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for my honest review.
By Erica Wright
Genre: Mystery
Trope: Amateur Sleuth
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Summary:
Alcyone (Aly) and Merope (Merry) Orlean are two sisters living in a one-of-a-kind museum in a small Florida town, known for being the capital of psychic abilities. With both of their parents absent, Aly has spent most of her 20’s raising her younger sister and trying to keep their world stable and safe. But when a young woman is found murdered inside their museum, everything changes. How did the victim get there? Who killed her? And are Aly and Merry now in danger themselves?
What I Liked:
✨ The world-building — a psychic town and a museum full of strange artifacts is such a fun, atmospheric concept.
✨ The mystery itself had a wide range of suspects, which kept things interesting.
✨ I genuinely didn’t guess the killer, which is always a win for a whodunit.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
➖ I was confused about why Aly’s phone kept dying; it felt important, but was never fully explained.
➖ I didn’t understand why Aly or Merry were never seriously considered as suspects. It was their museum where the dead body was found.
➖ It felt odd that Aly’s old friends tried to reconnect by pulling her into a dangerous murder investigation.
➖ I struggled to connect with Aly as a main character; I found her sister, Merry, much more likable and engaging.
Overall, The Museum of Unusual Occurrence had a compelling setting and a solid mystery, but some character choices and unanswered questions kept it from fully working for me. Still, the psychic small-town atmosphere and twisty suspect list made for an intriguing read, appealing to readers who enjoy small-town mysteries with paranormal elements and sister-centered stories.
A BIG thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In this novel we are introduced to sisters Alcyone and Merope, owners of the Museum of Unusual Occurrence in the occult-positive town of Wyndale, Florida. When the dead body of a young woman appears in their museum, posed like a new exhibit, Alcyone is dragged into a "whodunit" investigation that ends in a twist that I never saw coming, and I'm almost positive you won't either! I would classify this book as a mystery/thriller, with the story centering around Alcyone's attempt to figure out if she and Merope are in danger or if the body was placed in her museum coincidentally.
While the storyline is engaging and the characters are well-developed, I do have some editing/structural issues with the book:
-The progression of time is very confusing and hard to follow. Many times, I found myself re-reading portions of the book to try and orient myself in the timeline. One example of this can be found moving from chapter 17 to chapter 18; chapter 17 ends with Alcyone at a funeral service and chapter 18 picks up with Alcyone at a seance, with no explanation of how we got there or how much time has passed between events. This occurs throughout the book and also occurs within chapters,
-There are instances of grammatical errors and the misuse of words. One example of this can be found on page 89 where "scruff marks" is used instead of "scuff marks." Another example can be found on page 72 where a police officer says to Alcyone "You want I send somebody over to watch your place tonight?" While this example COULD be an attempt at colloquialism, it doesn't seem to fit the language structure used in the rest of the book.
All in all, this is a fun, quick read. I would absolutely read another book by Erica Wright.
While the storyline is engaging and the characters are well-developed, I do have some editing/structural issues with the book:
-The progression of time is very confusing and hard to follow. Many times, I found myself re-reading portions of the book to try and orient myself in the timeline. One example of this can be found moving from chapter 17 to chapter 18; chapter 17 ends with Alcyone at a funeral service and chapter 18 picks up with Alcyone at a seance, with no explanation of how we got there or how much time has passed between events. This occurs throughout the book and also occurs within chapters,
-There are instances of grammatical errors and the misuse of words. One example of this can be found on page 89 where "scruff marks" is used instead of "scuff marks." Another example can be found on page 72 where a police officer says to Alcyone "You want I send somebody over to watch your place tonight?" While this example COULD be an attempt at colloquialism, it doesn't seem to fit the language structure used in the rest of the book.
All in all, this is a fun, quick read. I would absolutely read another book by Erica Wright.
May 11, 2026
I found the town a delight, and was even more overjoyed to read the author's note and learn it was inspired by a real life town in Florida. The idea that there is a town full of oddities, spiritualists, the macabre... it's as if the Addams family was hosting an all out family event. It even has gothic mysterious murder, a girl somehow inside a glass cabinet, as if she was part of the museum. As one of the characters says, he learnt how to do Tarot before he was four, he got an Ouija board when he was a teen like it was just a normal gift. This is a dark and delicious town, that yes, plays up a little to the tourists but by and large, they all believe.
Unlike our main character, who is battered by loss, and by not being able to reach out to her father one final time. She had to grow up too fast and the scars show. She's a compelling character, and not always a hugely likeable one, but she comes across as a real person.
The mystery by and large is a good one, the reasoning makes sense, some of the 'hauntings', the unexplained things do make sense in the end.
I did however find the choice for this to be told from a future perspective a slightly odd choice. There are plenty of movements where our main character thinks something along the lines of 'if I knew then, what I know now'. It sort of adds a foreboding element, but in the main it actually takes away from the suspense because we know she has a future.
All in all, this set up the world and the concept really well. I'm excited to see where another book in this universe will take us, once Aly is investigating a murder that hopefully isn't so close to home.
~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~
Unlike our main character, who is battered by loss, and by not being able to reach out to her father one final time. She had to grow up too fast and the scars show. She's a compelling character, and not always a hugely likeable one, but she comes across as a real person.
The mystery by and large is a good one, the reasoning makes sense, some of the 'hauntings', the unexplained things do make sense in the end.
I did however find the choice for this to be told from a future perspective a slightly odd choice. There are plenty of movements where our main character thinks something along the lines of 'if I knew then, what I know now'. It sort of adds a foreboding element, but in the main it actually takes away from the suspense because we know she has a future.
All in all, this set up the world and the concept really well. I'm excited to see where another book in this universe will take us, once Aly is investigating a murder that hopefully isn't so close to home.
~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Museum of Unusual Occurrences is such a fun, fresh start to a new cozy‑mystery series. Erica Wright blends small‑town eccentricity, offbeat humour, and a genuinely intriguing murder plot into a story that feels both comforting and delightfully strange.
Aly Orlean is an instantly likeable lead—smart, dry‑witted, and just trying to keep her life together in a town where psychic abilities are as common as sunshine. Between running her wonderfully odd museum, raising her teenage sister, and juggling everyday chaos, the last thing she needs is a body turning up in one of her exhibits. Yet that’s exactly what happens, and the resulting mystery is as twisty as it is entertaining.
The setup is fantastic: a ritual‑style murder staged inside a museum full of bizarre curiosities. It’s atmospheric without ever feeling heavy, and the small‑town dynamics add plenty of colour. I loved the way Aly’s cynicism bumps up against Wyndale’s supernatural quirks—it gives the story a playful edge while keeping Aly grounded and relatable.
Her relationship with her sister Merope adds warmth, and the protective streak that kicks in once Aly realises the killer might be sending her a message gives the story real emotional stakes. The supporting cast is lively, the pacing brisk, and the mystery keeps you guessing right up to the end.
Overall, this is a charming, slightly oddball cozy with a strong sense of place and a heroine you can’t help rooting for. A great pick for readers who enjoy mysteries with personality, humour, and just a hint of the uncanny.
With thanks to Erica Wright, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Aly Orlean is an instantly likeable lead—smart, dry‑witted, and just trying to keep her life together in a town where psychic abilities are as common as sunshine. Between running her wonderfully odd museum, raising her teenage sister, and juggling everyday chaos, the last thing she needs is a body turning up in one of her exhibits. Yet that’s exactly what happens, and the resulting mystery is as twisty as it is entertaining.
The setup is fantastic: a ritual‑style murder staged inside a museum full of bizarre curiosities. It’s atmospheric without ever feeling heavy, and the small‑town dynamics add plenty of colour. I loved the way Aly’s cynicism bumps up against Wyndale’s supernatural quirks—it gives the story a playful edge while keeping Aly grounded and relatable.
Her relationship with her sister Merope adds warmth, and the protective streak that kicks in once Aly realises the killer might be sending her a message gives the story real emotional stakes. The supporting cast is lively, the pacing brisk, and the mystery keeps you guessing right up to the end.
Overall, this is a charming, slightly oddball cozy with a strong sense of place and a heroine you can’t help rooting for. A great pick for readers who enjoy mysteries with personality, humour, and just a hint of the uncanny.
With thanks to Erica Wright, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
April 8, 2026
Aly runs her family's Museum of Unusual Occurrence while raising her teenage sister, Merope. Just struggling to get by, the charm of their small town that has many psychics and where belief in almost anything is the norm has been lost on Aly. But they are getting by. Then a murdered body is found in one of the exhibits in the museum. Aly doesn't know if it is a threat against her or her family so she is determined to find out why her museum, why the macabre ritual surrounding the body and who. But is the killer much closer than she thinks...
Wright has created crafted characters that are very different from each other. Aly is unhappy with her life, feels stuck and may not even realize that she is depressed. Merope is such a teenager with changeable moods but at the same time doesn't fall into being a stereotype. There are a bunch of other interesting side characters that are also possible suspects: the magician-cum-aide at the museum, the police detective who pulls Aly into the investigation, not to mention a psychic or two. Then there is the town itself that is very much a character in this story.
The mystery kept me guessing but there weren't that many clues that the reader could really pick up on that would allow them to deduce the culprit. That part disappointed me a little. But overall, I enjoyed this book and would read more.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Wright has created crafted characters that are very different from each other. Aly is unhappy with her life, feels stuck and may not even realize that she is depressed. Merope is such a teenager with changeable moods but at the same time doesn't fall into being a stereotype. There are a bunch of other interesting side characters that are also possible suspects: the magician-cum-aide at the museum, the police detective who pulls Aly into the investigation, not to mention a psychic or two. Then there is the town itself that is very much a character in this story.
The mystery kept me guessing but there weren't that many clues that the reader could really pick up on that would allow them to deduce the culprit. That part disappointed me a little. But overall, I enjoyed this book and would read more.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
May 11, 2026
A book where a dead body shows up in a museum of curiosities, and basically everyone is considered a suspect? This sounded like a story right up my alley, but it unfortunately fell flat for me at times.
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence had a strong start. The reader is immediately thrown into the story and mystery, which I enjoyed. However, I found the writing to be a bit jilting at times, which did affect my enjoyment of the story. Sometimes the focus would shift from Aly's worry about her sister's wellbeing to how she can help solve the case (even when she forgets to turn in a piece of evidence, which I found slightly confusing considering she wants the murder solved).
What I did enjoy about the story was the mystery itself. I liked how the pieces were fitting together and the mystery was unraveling. I loved even more how I did not guess the killer - it was a nice surprise! The town itself is also very interesting, and one I hope is explored more in future mysteries. I also liked Merope's character; she's a teen who acted like a teen, and in adult books, sometimes teenagers are portrayed as acting more adult, but Merope acted her age. The sisterly bond between Aly and Merope was wonderful to read too!
Overall, while I did not fully enjoy the story, I think many who love mysteries will find that The Museum of Unusual Occurrence has a strong, surprising mystery that will capture their attention.
My favorite quotes: "But evil finds a way inside anyway, doesn't it? All it needs is a crack."
"I needed a cosmic stop sign. Instead I got an unwanted visitor."
"I could also understand what it felt like to care about something enough to kill."
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence had a strong start. The reader is immediately thrown into the story and mystery, which I enjoyed. However, I found the writing to be a bit jilting at times, which did affect my enjoyment of the story. Sometimes the focus would shift from Aly's worry about her sister's wellbeing to how she can help solve the case (even when she forgets to turn in a piece of evidence, which I found slightly confusing considering she wants the murder solved).
What I did enjoy about the story was the mystery itself. I liked how the pieces were fitting together and the mystery was unraveling. I loved even more how I did not guess the killer - it was a nice surprise! The town itself is also very interesting, and one I hope is explored more in future mysteries. I also liked Merope's character; she's a teen who acted like a teen, and in adult books, sometimes teenagers are portrayed as acting more adult, but Merope acted her age. The sisterly bond between Aly and Merope was wonderful to read too!
Overall, while I did not fully enjoy the story, I think many who love mysteries will find that The Museum of Unusual Occurrence has a strong, surprising mystery that will capture their attention.
My favorite quotes: "But evil finds a way inside anyway, doesn't it? All it needs is a crack."
"I needed a cosmic stop sign. Instead I got an unwanted visitor."
"I could also understand what it felt like to care about something enough to kill."
May 7, 2026
Though I was not familiar with the author prior to reading this book, I am so glad I gave it a chance and dove into the mystery within. It's not a long read and I was sucked in fairly quickly. Another reason to pick it up is the mixture of mystery with paranormal with a bit of a gothic vibe though it's not overly heavy. I like the author does not have to give a huge spiel setting everything up as though we've never read a mystery story.
It's a bit funny for me to say, but I can imagine all of this happening in Florida which the author stated the town was loosely based in. . There is something about the state that just screams anything (even the weird) is possible. The characters are quirky in their own ways and that's exactly what you will get in a place where spiritual things abound. It does help the location to take on it's own personality and become a character in itself. I appreciate when a house or location is it's own entity separate of the others. I feel as though, even in real life, they do absorb and take in the uniqueness of it's inhabitants, making it special.
There were just enough twists and turns to make this a fun, quick read. I will keep the author on my radar for future reads.
It's a bit funny for me to say, but I can imagine all of this happening in Florida which the author stated the town was loosely based in. . There is something about the state that just screams anything (even the weird) is possible. The characters are quirky in their own ways and that's exactly what you will get in a place where spiritual things abound. It does help the location to take on it's own personality and become a character in itself. I appreciate when a house or location is it's own entity separate of the others. I feel as though, even in real life, they do absorb and take in the uniqueness of it's inhabitants, making it special.
There were just enough twists and turns to make this a fun, quick read. I will keep the author on my radar for future reads.
March 23, 2026
This was such a fun, cozy murder mystery set in a delightfully eerie town where séances are common and mediums are just part of everyday life. The atmosphere alone makes this one perfect for a spooky season read.
The story follows Alcyone, who runs the Museum of Unusual Occurrence which is a collection dedicated to all things macabre and strange. She’s also raising her teenage sister, Merope, after their family was torn apart by grief.
When Alcyone and Merope discover the body of a young girl inside one of the museum’s display cases, the story kicks off into a fun whodunit. From there, it becomes a tense unraveling of secrets, suspicion, and the unsettling realization that you can’t trust everyone around you.
The mystery kept me turning pages , and the setting really carried that cozy-but-creepy vibe I love, especially during the fall season!
🍂 Perfect for a cozy fall read if you like:
• Small-town mysteries
• Light paranormal elements
• Atmospheric, slightly spooky settings
Overall, this was an entertaining and fun read!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The story follows Alcyone, who runs the Museum of Unusual Occurrence which is a collection dedicated to all things macabre and strange. She’s also raising her teenage sister, Merope, after their family was torn apart by grief.
When Alcyone and Merope discover the body of a young girl inside one of the museum’s display cases, the story kicks off into a fun whodunit. From there, it becomes a tense unraveling of secrets, suspicion, and the unsettling realization that you can’t trust everyone around you.
The mystery kept me turning pages , and the setting really carried that cozy-but-creepy vibe I love, especially during the fall season!
🍂 Perfect for a cozy fall read if you like:
• Small-town mysteries
• Light paranormal elements
• Atmospheric, slightly spooky settings
Overall, this was an entertaining and fun read!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 9, 2026
Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking the link below. It is also posted in full.
https://novelsalive.com/2026/04/09/4-...
Set in small-town Florida, The Museum of Unusual Occurrence, a Psychic City Mystery by Author Erica Wright, is a quirky whodunnit featuring psychic phenomena.
When the body of a young woman is found amongst the exhibits in the museum, Aly doesn’t have much faith in the local police solving the crime. We are quickly introduced to most of the characters, and Aly and her sister Merope, who own the museum and make it their home, are front and center. Many of the townspeople went to school with Aly, and she’s never thrilled when their paths cross. Aly is raising her sister, and it’s not an easy task.
Aly seems always to be one step ahead of the police. There are a few surprises amongst the twists and turns and vivid descriptions throughout. Of course, Aly figures out whodunnit, which gives closure along with the epilogue that takes place six months later.
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence is a whodunnit that had me turning the pages to see what the next problem Aly would encounter would be and how she would handle it.
https://novelsalive.com/2026/04/09/4-...
Set in small-town Florida, The Museum of Unusual Occurrence, a Psychic City Mystery by Author Erica Wright, is a quirky whodunnit featuring psychic phenomena.
When the body of a young woman is found amongst the exhibits in the museum, Aly doesn’t have much faith in the local police solving the crime. We are quickly introduced to most of the characters, and Aly and her sister Merope, who own the museum and make it their home, are front and center. Many of the townspeople went to school with Aly, and she’s never thrilled when their paths cross. Aly is raising her sister, and it’s not an easy task.
Aly seems always to be one step ahead of the police. There are a few surprises amongst the twists and turns and vivid descriptions throughout. Of course, Aly figures out whodunnit, which gives closure along with the epilogue that takes place six months later.
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence is a whodunnit that had me turning the pages to see what the next problem Aly would encounter would be and how she would handle it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was excited to try this book because I thought that it fits in my favorite genre “terms” and “rules.” Well, it does but not exactly. Aly and her sister Merry live next to an unusual museum which they own and run, with Merry still in high school. There’s a dead body found in the museum, and Aly’s friend Bud is the police investigator who draws her in to the hunt for the murderer. This has a great atmosphere, even for not exactly being a paranormal (to my sadness) mystery. There are hints that MAYBE paranormal is real, but not enough for me. I was also thrown off because we are almost always in Aly’s head as opposed to her interacting with people more, and I would have liked her actively investigating not just mostly thinking about the crime. I also didn’t really connect with her a lot even with being in her head. However, I did quite enjoy this, and I was completely surprised at who the murderer was with even so few characters to choose from. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5
Aly Orlean lives in the small town of Wyndale, Florida, with her younger sister and owns the Museum of Unusual Occurrence. The clue is in the name: the museum is home to all kinds of oddities, usually of a slightly macabre nature.
All is normal… well, as much as it can be, until a dead body appears in one of the exhibits and Aly finds herself assisting in the investigation.
This was a fun and fast read. I found the main character likable, and the people of Wyndale interesting enough to hold my attention to the end. There was a considerable amount of world-building in the novel, which begs for a follow-up.
The mystery itself was absorbing, with a few curveballs here and there to keep the reader guessing.
I wouldn’t say no to a sequel. I enjoyed this book a lot.
With thanks to Severn House for the ARC
Aly Orlean lives in the small town of Wyndale, Florida, with her younger sister and owns the Museum of Unusual Occurrence. The clue is in the name: the museum is home to all kinds of oddities, usually of a slightly macabre nature.
All is normal… well, as much as it can be, until a dead body appears in one of the exhibits and Aly finds herself assisting in the investigation.
This was a fun and fast read. I found the main character likable, and the people of Wyndale interesting enough to hold my attention to the end. There was a considerable amount of world-building in the novel, which begs for a follow-up.
The mystery itself was absorbing, with a few curveballs here and there to keep the reader guessing.
I wouldn’t say no to a sequel. I enjoyed this book a lot.
With thanks to Severn House for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Running the family business, a museum of curiosities, isn’t what Aly Orleans had planned for her life. But she and her sister were left by their Mother and they are working their way through life together. When a body is found in the museum, Aly finds herself with a real curiosity on hr hands…who killed the young woman, why and why did they place her body on display in the museum?
With several suspects and lots of leg work, Aly finds out more than she bargained for as she tries to solve this case. Can she keep herself and her sister safe? What about their mother who suddenly reappears as the museum is in the news? It just adds to the curious circumstances around the murder.
This is NOT what I was expecting and I really enjoyed it. A pleasant surprise and I loved every quirky bit of it!
With several suspects and lots of leg work, Aly finds out more than she bargained for as she tries to solve this case. Can she keep herself and her sister safe? What about their mother who suddenly reappears as the museum is in the news? It just adds to the curious circumstances around the murder.
This is NOT what I was expecting and I really enjoyed it. A pleasant surprise and I loved every quirky bit of it!
April 11, 2026
This is a book of unusual and bizarre occurrence.......and I loved every word!
I was totally intrigued when I read the blurb for this story, and just had to read it. I'm always up for a suspenseful, spooky and weird tale! This story definitely hit the mark!
Aly is raising her teenage sister and running a business -- a museum where the exhibits are odd curiosities. Imagine her surprise when the museum suddenly has a new, unexpected exhibit -- a murdered woman's body. Aly is determined to discover who killed the young woman and find out why they put the body in her museum.
I love it when I read a book by a new-to-me author who surprises me with a book that is spooky, bizarre and something totally unexpected and unique. And, the cover art is perfect.
This is the first book in the Psychic City series. I can't wait to read more!!
I was totally intrigued when I read the blurb for this story, and just had to read it. I'm always up for a suspenseful, spooky and weird tale! This story definitely hit the mark!
Aly is raising her teenage sister and running a business -- a museum where the exhibits are odd curiosities. Imagine her surprise when the museum suddenly has a new, unexpected exhibit -- a murdered woman's body. Aly is determined to discover who killed the young woman and find out why they put the body in her museum.
I love it when I read a book by a new-to-me author who surprises me with a book that is spooky, bizarre and something totally unexpected and unique. And, the cover art is perfect.
This is the first book in the Psychic City series. I can't wait to read more!!
April 21, 2026
I wasn't sure what to expect of this book, but I really enjoyed it. It takes place in a town (this specific one is fictional) that's known for "woowoo" and the main character thinks the whole situation is nonsense. She runs a museum after her father dies (he leaves it to her), mom bails, she has little sister, and it goes from there. Little more spooky than your average cozy mystery type book, but it's nice to have something different too.
At the end it goes into the authors research and it turns out the US does actually have a town like this, and she gives us several interesting books she used to make this story happen. Great read, I really hope there's more and it becomes a series.
I received an advanced reader copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
At the end it goes into the authors research and it turns out the US does actually have a town like this, and she gives us several interesting books she used to make this story happen. Great read, I really hope there's more and it becomes a series.
I received an advanced reader copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As soon as I saw the cover of this book (great artwork!) and read the blurb, I had to request an ARC.
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence is a great setting for a mystery book. To be honest, if I knew a museum of this kind is located close to me, I would definitely visit it!
This book is a slow burn with a mysterious vibe. The body is found at the beginning of the book but except a few minor events, most action is located at the end of the book. The ending was still surprising in the revealing of the identity of the killer.
I did miss a bit more detail and information because sometimes the timeline made some jumps or events and characters were left without an actual explanation by the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence is a great setting for a mystery book. To be honest, if I knew a museum of this kind is located close to me, I would definitely visit it!
This book is a slow burn with a mysterious vibe. The body is found at the beginning of the book but except a few minor events, most action is located at the end of the book. The ending was still surprising in the revealing of the identity of the killer.
I did miss a bit more detail and information because sometimes the timeline made some jumps or events and characters were left without an actual explanation by the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2026
This was an interesting spin on the witchy and supernatural who dunnit. I enjoyed the main characters. The book kicks us off right away, and kept the pace and kept it interesting.
I did take a pause to google occult towns in Florida, because I, too, would like to do a day trip there (missing the author note about Cassadaga). The town was another character in the book, and without it, some of the people wouldn’t make sense. That said, I personally struggle with small town stereotypical exaggerated mindsets (like Northern Exposure), so that part of the story had me going up and down. I mean, even in a small town, who kicks a student out to go home to a murder scene?
I enjoyed the read and recommend you give it a try.
I did take a pause to google occult towns in Florida, because I, too, would like to do a day trip there (missing the author note about Cassadaga). The town was another character in the book, and without it, some of the people wouldn’t make sense. That said, I personally struggle with small town stereotypical exaggerated mindsets (like Northern Exposure), so that part of the story had me going up and down. I mean, even in a small town, who kicks a student out to go home to a murder scene?
I enjoyed the read and recommend you give it a try.
April 19, 2026
*4.5 stars *
I really enjoyed the concept of a 'occult' museum that also focused on the facts of the spiritual realm. The story starts with a young woman who is running her late father's museum, called the Museum of Unusual Occurrence. In a small florida town full of spiritual history, Aly is raising her younger sister and keeping their families business afloat. One morning while opening the museum she discovers a young womans body among her staged displays. How did she get there, who is she and who or how did she die. While helping the police she discovers secrets tucked away in the place shes always lived. Someone doesnt want those secrets found, and she becomes a target. Can she discover the truth before it comes for her too?
Thank you to net galley for this ARC.
I really enjoyed the concept of a 'occult' museum that also focused on the facts of the spiritual realm. The story starts with a young woman who is running her late father's museum, called the Museum of Unusual Occurrence. In a small florida town full of spiritual history, Aly is raising her younger sister and keeping their families business afloat. One morning while opening the museum she discovers a young womans body among her staged displays. How did she get there, who is she and who or how did she die. While helping the police she discovers secrets tucked away in the place shes always lived. Someone doesnt want those secrets found, and she becomes a target. Can she discover the truth before it comes for her too?
Thank you to net galley for this ARC.
April 4, 2026
This felt really hectic to me.
I liked the set up - the body of a girl found displayed in The Museum of Unusual Occurrence, and the curator takes on investigating.
If you like a lot of small town dynamics you might enjoy it more, but for me there was a lot of characters and backstory to plow through, and I had a hard time with the timeline.
There were past events like Aly was reminiscing and then back to present day, but it was hard to tell when the switch was.
Or a big scene change between chapters with no indication of how much time had passed.
(ARC provided by NetGalley)
I liked the set up - the body of a girl found displayed in The Museum of Unusual Occurrence, and the curator takes on investigating.
If you like a lot of small town dynamics you might enjoy it more, but for me there was a lot of characters and backstory to plow through, and I had a hard time with the timeline.
There were past events like Aly was reminiscing and then back to present day, but it was hard to tell when the switch was.
Or a big scene change between chapters with no indication of how much time had passed.
(ARC provided by NetGalley)
May 1, 2026
This was such a fun, cozy mystery with just a touch of the paranormal. It’s set in the Museum of Unusual Occurrence (which feels like a quirky stop I’d pull over on the side of the road for), where a body is found staged like a ritual.
The mystery kept me guessing and there were plenty of twists I didn’t see coming, and I had no idea how it would end.
It’s a quick, engaging read with a likable main character and an interesting small-town cast! The world-building also hints at more to come, which I’d loooove to see.
Thank you to Kaye Publicity for an advance copy of this book. My review and thoughts are my own.
The mystery kept me guessing and there were plenty of twists I didn’t see coming, and I had no idea how it would end.
It’s a quick, engaging read with a likable main character and an interesting small-town cast! The world-building also hints at more to come, which I’d loooove to see.
Thank you to Kaye Publicity for an advance copy of this book. My review and thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This story intrigued me from the beginning. Sisters who inherit their family museum of oddities. They find a body in the museum that has been placed on display and now there is a mystery on their hands of trying to find out who the murderer is. With all of that their mom comes into town wanting to be a part of the museum once again when it has gotten into the press of what is going on at their little museum of oddities.... who could the killer be?
Thank you so much Erica Wright and Netgalley for the ARC! I enjoyed it!
Thank you so much Erica Wright and Netgalley for the ARC! I enjoyed it!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence is nothing more than one of those small town oddities you might stumble on while on vacation. Until a dead body turns up in one of the exhibits.
The mystery was interesting with several twists and an unexpected ending. But I never really connected with the characters and the police seemed to be content to let an amateur run the investigation.
The mystery was interesting with several twists and an unexpected ending. But I never really connected with the characters and the police seemed to be content to let an amateur run the investigation.
May 9, 2026
Overall this was a good book. Quick and easy to get through with a good amount of mystery to keep you guessing. A couple of bits were a little predictable, but the ending/main twist fell flat for me. It just seemed to come out of nowhere and didn’t make a lot of sense.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! ❤️
This story was eerie, emotional, and completely gripping. A creepy museum setting, a devastating loss, and a main character who suddenly has nowhere to call home—it all comes together in a way that really sticks with you.
This story was eerie, emotional, and completely gripping. A creepy museum setting, a devastating loss, and a main character who suddenly has nowhere to call home—it all comes together in a way that really sticks with you.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It felt like it took forever for this story to get interesting.
I enjoyed the story for the most part but did think it dragged and was wordy. I was a little surprised by the ending. I’m interested in seeing where this series goes.
I enjoyed the story for the most part but did think it dragged and was wordy. I was a little surprised by the ending. I’m interested in seeing where this series goes.
March 27, 2026
This book simply wasn’t for me. I wanted to know what would happen, but I couldn’t connect with any of the characters and didn’t care what happened to them. Very disappointing, since the premise sounded so interesting.
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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