Tails, You Lose

Witch City Mystery #2

by Carol J. Perry

After losing her job as a TV psychic, Lee Barrett has decided to volunteer her talents as an instructor at the Tabitha Trumbull Academy of the Arts-known as "The Tabby"-in her hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. But when the school's handyman turns up dead under seemingly inexplicable circumstances on Christmas night, Lee's clairvoyant capabilities begin bubbling to the surface once again. The Tabby is housed in the long-vacant Trumbull's Department Store. As Lee and her intrepid students begin work on a documentary charting the store's history, they unravel a century of family secrets, deathbed whispers-and a mysterious labyrinth of tunnels hidden right below the streets of Salem. Even the witches in town are spooked, and when Lee begins seeing visions in the large black patent leather pump in her classroom, she's certain that something evil is afoot. But ghosts in the store's attic are the least of her worries with a killer on the loose . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Witches, Cozy, Audiobook, Fantasy

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2015

About the author

Carol J. Perry is the author of the Witch City Mystery series and the Haunted Haven series, both from Kensington Publishers. The Witch City stories take place in the magical city of Salem, Massachusetts--the "Witch City." Carol was actually born in Salem (on Halloween eve!) and knows the city well. The Haunted Haven books take place in Carol's adopted home state of Florida. As an experienced travel writer for magazines and newspapers, Carol knows her way around the Sunshine State too. The Salem books are based of course on a real city but Haven, Florida is made up of bits and pieces of some of the Sunshine State's charming older towns--bypassed by the theme parks. Readers of the Witch City books have come to know O'Ryan, a most remarkable cat. The new series introduces Finn, a lovable Golden Retriever.
Carol lives in the Tampa Bay area of Florida with her husband Dan.

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tails, You Lose by Carol J. Perry is the second book in the Witch City Mystery series. This paranormal cozy mystery features Lee Barrett and is set in Salem, Massachusetts. Lee lost her job as a television psychic. She is now volunteering her talents as an instructor at the Tabitha Trumbull Academy of the Arts (The Tabby). When the school repairperson is found dead on Christmas night, Lee’s clairvoyant abilities start working again. Additionally, as Lee and her students start to work on a documentary of the building’s history, they begin to unravel family secrets.

Lee and her aunt, Isobel Russell are well-defined characters. However, Detective Pete Mondello, Lee’s boyfriend does not have as much depth. O’Ryan, Lee’s cat, is a great addition to the characters.

The story has a more involved plot than I expected. Multiple conflicts move the story forward with a couple of unexpected twists. I kept wondering what would be discovered next. Themes include family, friendship, romance, secrets, death, ghosts, and much more. The author did a great job of bringing the history of the old department store to life as it is reshaped into a school of the arts. The novel had the right amount of mystery and history plus a little romance to keep readers interested.

Overall, this engaging and fun novel kept me entertained. If you enjoy paranormal cozy mysteries, then I recommend that you check out this series. This book works as a standalone novel, but readers will get more background if they start with book one.

All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was March 31, 2015.

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My 3.58 rounded to 4 stars review will be coming soon.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tails, You Lose (Witch City Mystery, #2)
by Carol J. Perry
This had an excellent story with psychic experiences, fantastic mystery from fictional history, good suspense, and more! Really liked this! Lee is an instructor for a handful of students but not all the students are who they say they are!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales, You Lose is the second book in A Witch City Mystery Series. I ordered it after reading and enjoying the first book Caught Dead Handed so much. I found that I liked the first book better but did enjoy this book. What I enjoyed about the first book was Lee was learning how to be a late night TV psychic due to the death of the previous psychic. It was humorous and a unique story line. In this book she is a volunteer instructor at Tabitha Trumball Academy of Arts (Tabby). The Trumball was mainstay department store in the city of Salem. There are rumors that a lady in white ghost has been sighted on the top floor. The building is being remodeled and is very atmospheric with tunnels running under it.

Characters are the strength of the book. Lee is likable protagonist. She lives with her Aunt Ibby who is very supportive and a companion to Lee. It felt very cozy when they would eat homemade turkey soup with home made biscuits. They often had hot chocolate together. I think most readers would love to have an aunt like Aunt Ibby. Then there is O'Ryan who is the cat that came to live with Lee after the death of the psychic in the first book. In so many books, cats are put on the covers on books and barely mentioned in the books. O'Ryan is a character in the plot line as much as other characters.

I have to mention the location is Salem Massachusetts. This location is filled with possibilities for future plot lines as it is rich in atmosphere and history. I thought the book was a little too long and could have had some extra material edited out. I am looking forward to continuing with this series as I like it. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with light paranormal activities you should like this book.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO MUCH BETTER than the first one. I really enjoyed this one!!

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked parts of the crime story and didn't care for the supernatural parts as much as in the first book, I'll probably read one more book in the series and if it doesn't get better then I might drop it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun !! The second one I’ve read ! Enjoyed again except the 65-year-old aunt they consider elderly and they never describe how she looks!!???

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say...I just love this series.

From the characters to the location, everything blends in beautiful in these well crafted, plotted and written Witch City mysteries.

This was my second reading and my tarot cards say that it won't be the last! And you know River is very rarely wrong.

If you haven't tried this series yet, you are missing out! So why not go grab a copy of the first book 'Caught Dead Handed' and see what the future holds in your tea leaves?

If you like the review and would like to read my other reviews on books I have read, visit my blog at www.finalchapterreadersgroup.wordpres...... like, comment and follow.

[Melissa ♥ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun edition in the Witch Mystery Series, Tails, You Lose may actually be even better that Caught Dead Handed. I love first books in series…that whole getting to know you honeymoon period with new characters and places. Tails, You Lose did a great job of building on the first in the series.

Lee grows as a character.

I love how much more we get to know her and her personality. We know her back story and her insecurities and can really feel her personal struggle with acknowledging and accepting and even using her special talents.

The budding relationship with Pete, the police detective and her struggles to keep her abilities a secret add extra dimension to the story. The relationship moves nice and slowly and it feels very grownup and real.

Cats make everything better!

O’Ryan lends his help as usual (with an assist from all the neighborhood cats) and makes me wonder why every book doesn’t have cats!

We also get to know Lee’s Aunt Ibby even better…and who wouldn’t love a partially retired reference librarian who organizes her home library by Dewey decimal system.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't as good as the first one but I still enjoyed it. I'm not sure what the point of Lee's 'gift' is when it's mentioned a handful of times and then forgotten like a bad blind date.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars It does what a cozy does. Lee, having lost her job is teaching a journalism class. The students in her class all seem to have major and deadly secrets. She’s still reticent about her gift so it’s not prevalent in this book and it’s more of a mystery with little a ghost appearing at the end. Overall not a bad read.

[Mystereity Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tails You Lose I struggled with how to rate this one, because the plots in this series are completely fresh and unlike any other book I've read.  Just very creative, unique and thrilling. The writing in this book was even better than the first (which was still a pretty good book) and having read the third book in the series, I know that it's improving as time goes on.
 
Lee takes a volunteer position teaching TV production at the new Tabitha Turnbull School Of Arts.  Just before the school opens for the first time, a contractor disappears in the basement of the school and is later found dead.
 
There are a few flaws that brought it from a 5 star to 4 1/2.   Same as with the first book, the fine line between hint and spoiler was toed a little too hard and I felt like it gave away too much.  It's not that I object to figuring it all out early in the story;  it's that I object to being told everything so early in the book.  So if I were to offer any constructive criticism, it's to learn the fine art of red herrings and intrigue. Also, a few plot threads were dropped along the way.  Minor? Yes, but it still annoys me.
 
Also, having read the 3rd book before reading the first 2, I have to say...WTF, Pete and Lee have been dating for almost a year and haven't done anything more than a few kisses? Seriously, Pete, cut bait and run.  You're not getting in her pants.
 
Overall, an enjoyable read and a series I'll be eagerly awaiting with each new release.
 
And that NASCAR jacket has to go. 

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee has recently returned home to Salem, and after her previous job as WICH-TV's "psychic" ends (and she solves the mystery of the previous host's murder, in book #1), she takes a volunteer gig teaching television production at the new School of the Arts, located in an old, supposedly haunted, department store in Salem. A local man is found dead in a local park, yet he had fallen and broken his leg in one of the old tunnels under the department store. Of course this affects Lee and her class, and Lee's sleuthing curiosity is aroused. Unusually for most cozy mysteries, Lee's detective boyfriend doesn't mind her sleuthing (they usually do...), and actively encourages her assistance. It seems that all six of Lee's TV production students have their own secrets, and could any of them have been involved in the local man's murder? And -- is the old department store actually haunted? Will Lee's unexpected scrying skill come back to assist the spirit in moving on?
Considering that this is a paranormal cozy mystery, I don't expect the same level of plotting or writing as from more "literary" fiction, so I was pleasantly surprised at the plot-pacing and level of writing in this mystery. I will definitely be reading the next one in the series.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This one didn't catch my interest as much as the first one. That's probably partially "my fault" because I've had an awful migraine for 48 hours and feeling bad doesn't really make anything better. 🙄

Never the less, I didn't find this one as engaging as the first one. I couldn't really muster up any energy to actually care about the murder and mystery, but the frequent Nancy Drew references made me smile and feel a bit nostalgic. (The Nancy Drew books got me reading once upon a time.)

Lee's new job as a teacher felt very boring compared to her stunt as a TV witch and I didn't care much or at all for the students. They were pretty much basic filler characters with names.

I'm not sure, but I thought there was an overall lack of humour. The first book had a sense of "new" and "fun" to it, but book #2 had none of that. I did however like that Orion started to "talk" in this one. The cat is very much one in the cast and I'm 100% here for it. More Orion please! 😸

I still really like Lee as a main character so I will stick with her and Orion for a while. 🤓📚🔮🐈✨

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Carol. J. Perry has conjured up a good mystery, brewed with a paranormal flare.

Lee Barrett is back in this second installment of the Witch City Mystery series. She’s is a strong protagonist with mystical powers. Cat lovers will simply adore O’Ryan her cat. It was fun reading scenes involving him.

There were wonderful twists and turns. So many that I wondered if it was all done with smoke and mirrors. But it was done by a talented author who clearly loves her craft of writing.

TAILS, YOU LOSE is an enchanting story that will hold readers in its spell.

[Chaitra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn't been majorly impressed by Lee in the first go-around sleuthing-wise, but this time she seems to have learnt some organization and researching. She's also the hot cop's girlfriend, and while he does his job and keeps his mouth shut about most things, he's also genuinely interested in what she can learn independently. I found that non-alpha male crap refreshing. I still like Lee, and O'Ryan is still a highlight whenever he happens to be around. I listened to this on audio. CSA Cooney isn't one of my favorite narrators, but she does an adorable mrreeow.

[Sarah Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author definitely stopped beating the reader to death with clues. Nice example of learning from past mistakes and improving drastically.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most enjoyable read. I can’t wait to read about the finished upstairs, the next step in the relationships and the next mystery to unfold.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn’t my favorite series, but I like the location and theme so I’ll keep trying.

Lee is a bit annoying, but I can’t exactly pinpoint why. Also, in the end of this story she just stands and watches [insert killer’s name] sneak up behind a security guard and choke him with a rope - why she doesn’t call out a warning to him is unknown, and kind of dumb.

Also she goes off on this weird tangent where she says she’s not a good driver, but since her husband was a race car driver, she knows how to handle a car in the snow... um, okay?

There’s also an inconsistency in one scene where Lee and her aunt are walking to someone’s house, and then suddenly they’re pulling their car into the parking lot instead. All within one page.

So this series has things it needs to work on. I’ll see how much longer I can stand it.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the mystery part of this book and many of the characters. Since I have relatives living in Salem, the book's setting is naturally interesting to me. However, I just find it unbelievable that a person would buy a Corvette convertible in winter, while there is snow on the ground, drive around with the top down, and park the car with its top down in New England! Since I live in PA and have those relatives in MA plus know people with convertibles in PA, Lee's car stuff is just so unrealistic--it was a bothersome part of the book.

[Rachel-RN · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* rounded up
This picks up right where the first left off. Lee has volunteered as an instructor in at the Tabby (Tabitha Trumbull Academy of the Arts). She's dating a detective (Pete) and living with her aunt (Ibby/Isobel). I didn't quite like this one as much as the first. I think it's because Lee didn't use her ability that much and for a good part of the book ignored it/wanted it to do away. Her relationship with Pete is very rated G. Her friend River had more of a presence in this one. Overall, decent mystery.
Read for Romance-opoly Autumn square- moon track

[Melodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the first in this new series and was happy to find the 2nd was just as good. I had a good idea who the bad guy was, but wasn't sure until almost the big reveal. Lee is a very believable character and I have no trouble buying her "gift". Once she gets a good handle on it, she's gonna be golden! Looking forward to the next one and seeing where Lee's relationship goes.......oh, and Aunt Ibby's, too! Recommend!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is fast becoming a favorite cozy mystery series for me. This is book #2 and I've read another one- #4 or 5 maybe. I need to find #1. The series are great mysteries with just a touch of the paranormal- after all, the books take place in Salem, MA.

In this book Maralee gets a job as an instructor at the newly opened school for the Arts nicknamed "The Tabby". She has experience as a TV psychic but is now unemployed. The Tabby was previously an old department store belonging to the Trumbells and it has quite a history, which might have remained hidden if it was for the fact that a handyman went missing in the basement on Christmas night and was found dead far away with no exit tracks in the snow. With the help of her cat, O'Ryan, who previously belonged to a witch and often nudges her in the right direction, Lee and her Aunt Ibby set out to learn all they can about the history of the building and the Trumble family. It's a tale that goes back several decades to some secrets. And of course the climax finds Lee in big trouble from the perpetrator.

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2019 bk 243. An enjoyable cosy mystery. The first in the series left me with a developing affection for the characters. The books have the appearance of paranormal mysteries - but they are more mystery than paranormal. In this one Lee uses her scrying abilities only briefly, but there are more witches, and 2 determined ghosts. The one ghost is determined to get her treasure of gold coins to the U. S. government and the other one is determined to save his daughter's life. The mystery hangs on the hidden tunnels of Salem, Massachusetts and tales of cocaine, gun-running, and gold U.S. coins that were not turned in during the 1930's and 1940's. Oh - and there is a safe that won't open. All of this in a magnificent department store turned into a school of the arts. I would have read the book for the architectural descriptions alone. A Fun read, and I believe I will read more in the series.

[Jennice Mckillop · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very entertaining. It could loosely be called a historical mystery because it’s sleuths had to research events and documents dating back from the 1930’s when FDR made it illegal to own gold coins, bullion, etc. Folks had to turn it in to the Feds but some families found a way of hoarding what they had. Then add to that the tunnels dug throughout the city of Salem through which lots of illegal activities occurred during the Prohibition.

And of course, the witches and some supernatural events.
The characters were more complex than they appeared at first, & though there were a couple deaths, & some thefts etc, it was a lovely mystery story.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this series. It has a good mix of mystery and ghost story. The characters are fun and likable, and I'm so pleased that the main character (Lee) is not a dimwit. So many cozy mysteries make the characters just plain foolish, so I'm always thrilled when the characters are intelligent.

[Elaine C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this slightly paranormal mystery series ... the plot and characters are well developed ... and I like the pace of the story. The puzzle-at-hand has enough complication to make it fun, but not super hard to figure out ... and the endings have the perfect amount of intensity to make you sit up and read fast! When I'm done, I'm already downloading the next one!

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good series. Very exciting.

[Hugo's Mom]

I might come back to this one later, but it's simply not holding my interest at the moment, so onto the Did Not Finish shelf it goes. First casualty of the year!

[Tanya 313 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but slow. I like the characters even though they are a bit flat. For a mystery it lacked tension though, and I felt my mind wandering with boredom, so this was just ok.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the second in the series. On to the third...