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Psychic Cleaner #1

Murder by the Brush

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Got a ghost in your toaster?

A poltergeist in your pantry?

Sounds like you need a psychic cleaner!

Kate Grimshaw is three things:

Broke

On the run

Recently dumped

When Kate pulls into Hallow Hills, Tennessee, she’s hoping for a good place to settle down and rest for a little while. Little does she know her new town just so happens to be one of the most haunted cities in the state!

In no time, Kate is pulling a brisk business performing psychic cleaning services, but when a ghost refuses to go and pleads for her help in solving his murder, Kate isn’t so sure she wants to add P.I. to her resume. Her soft heart won’t let her say no, though, and soon Kate is drawn into the magic and mayhem of her new home and right into the middle of a twisted murder mystery.

Welcome to Hallow Hills-where the residents are quirky, the houses are haunted, and the place psychic Kate Grimshaw now calls home!

121 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 21, 2022

195 people are currently reading
203 people want to read

About the author

S.E. Babin

86 books389 followers

S.E. Babin has a passion for writing books with a paranormal twist. Whether it's romance or mystery, she loves taking the norm and turning it into the extraordinary. Her love of reading turned into a curious exploration to see whether or not she could write her own novel.

Beginning with random, terrible poetry and a slightly popular reimagining of Beowulf's Grendel in her high school English class, Sheryl spent way too much time in the library, killing any chance of her becoming a cheerleader or anything even remotely cool. Find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SEBabin. She loves to hear from readers!

Sign up for the newsletter to hear about upcoming releases, sales, and freebies! sebabin.com

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5 stars
510 (57%)
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285 (31%)
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85 (9%)
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11 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
Profile Image for Rose.
702 reviews46 followers
October 29, 2025
A cozy murder mystery novella with a psychic h. It didn’t work for me. The writing was just bland and everything felt too easy. I never connected to the story or the h.

Overall: 2.5
Profile Image for Emmalynn.
2,948 reviews29 followers
May 15, 2025
psychic cleaner

This wasn’t bad. The end felt a little rushed and still no real answers on who killed Hannigan so it leaves you unsatisfied.
Profile Image for Em.
42 reviews
January 7, 2023
Cute read, good pacing, didn’t love the MC.
Profile Image for Tambi Smith.
205 reviews12 followers
February 20, 2025
From the moment I delved into Murder by the Brush: A Psychic Cleaner Cozy Mystery, I was utterly captivated. The protagonist, Kate Grimshaw, is a character I found both relatable (minus the ghost-seeing ability) and intriguing. After eight years of marriage, Kate decides to embark on a journey of self-discovery when she leaves Texas behind. Her path leads her to the enigmatic town of Hallow Hills, Tennessee, a place teeming with secrets and spirits. Kate’s unique ability to see and communicate with the supernatural sets her apart, and her knack for summoning doors to help spirits move on adds a fascinating twist to her story. This book offers a fun storyline that effortlessly blends the mundane with the magical, making it a delightful read for anyone who loves a touch of the supernatural.
What truly stood out to me was the vivid imagery S.E. Babin crafted throughout the narrative. Hallow Hills is painted with such rich detail that it almost feels tangible. The town, with its haunted charm, comes alive in the pages, filled with intriguing yet beautiful landscapes. Kate's encounters with the spirits are described with such clarity and creativity that I could almost feel the chill in the air as she navigated the story. The author's ability to create such a vibrant setting enhances the reading experience, drawing me deeper into Kate's world with every page.
The characters in Murder by the Brush are nothing short of intriguing. Kate herself is a multi-dimensional protagonist, full of strength and vulnerability as she navigates her newfound independence. The spirit she encounters, Hannigan Cruise, adds layers of depth to the story. Hannigan's mysterious past and unfinished business intrigued me, as did Kate's determination to uncover the truth about his murder. Each character, both living and spectral, contributes to the richness of the plot, making it a character-driven narrative that kept me engaged from start to finish.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is its original and unpredictable plot. Just when I thought I knew what was coming, S.E. Babin threw in twists that kept me eager to turn the pages. The blend of mystery and the supernatural is executed with such finesse that it felt both fresh and exciting. Kate's sleuthing to solve Hannigan's murder is peppered with unexpected turns, and her interactions with the otherworldly make for a riveting read. The originality of the storyline makes it a standout in the cozy mystery genre.
The conclusion of Murder by the Brush is nothing short of satisfying. Without giving too much away, I can say that the resolution of Hannigan's story is both poignant and gratifying. As Kate helps him to try to find peace, she also finds a sense of purpose, hinting at new adventures to come. The book ends on a high note, leaving me eager to dive into the next installment, Maid for Mayhem. If you're looking for a book that combines humor and the supernatural, this is a series you won't want to miss!
Book Rating:
Originality: 5.0/5.0
Structure: 5.0/5.0
Pacing: 5.0/5.0
Dialogue: 5.0/5.0
Personal Enjoyment: 5.0/5.0
Cover Design: 5.0/5.0 (Not averaged in the overall rating.)
Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0
Profile Image for Chrissy.
375 reviews12 followers
March 9, 2023
💖 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
📚 Genre: Cozy mystery, paranormal 

💕 Positives:
* The idea of a cleaning psychic who cleans physically and spiritually is unique. 

* Easy to binge read and it hooks one in very quickly. 

* The main character was a bit rough around the edges at first, but the more the story progresses, the more likable she became. 

🚫 Negatives:
* Why in the world is she acting like the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee doesn't get 90 degree temperatures with 100% humidity? I went to college over there. It easily gets high humidity and hot temperatures. Tennessee is still apart of the south, and still frequently gets high humidity days.  

* See content warning below.  That shouldn't exist in a cozy mystery series at all.

⚡ Content Warning: This book doesn't have any triggers, but an  abusive ex becomes a major theme within books 3 and 4 within the series. When I skimmed book 4, it was the central storyline. 

🌟 Overall, this cozy mystery drew me in very quickly. I usually don't care for fantasy, but the various magical people and their sometimes hidden magical ability was addicting. 

Thing is, I won't continue the series due to books 3 and 4 having an abusive ex as the main theme of the story. Cozy mysteries shouldn't have darker themes such as abuse within them. They are generally light, sometimes fluffy with an off scene murder. Spousal abuse isn't that whatsoever. So unfortunately I won't recommend nor continue this series for that theme alone.
Profile Image for Christine Rains.
Author 57 books245 followers
September 25, 2022
Kate Grimlock has fled her old life with nothing more than a few bucks and her truck. She ends up in Hallow Hills and hopes to find some work. Strangely, it's a town with people with paranormal talents and Kate has her own secret power. Which immediately takes effect when a ghost of a murder victim attaches himself to her. Now she must help solve a decades old murder or be stuck with her new ghostly partner forever.

This was a fun and light-hearted cozy paranormal mystery. I loved the little town and all its paranormal citizens. Of course, as with every small town, everybody seems to know everything that's going on. So Kate's secret doesn't stay secret for long. Getting a job as a house cleaner, Kate is contacted by the ghost of the victim and must help him with his unfinished business. Poking around, a small number of suspects come up, but who did it? Not much is said about Kate herself or why she's on the run, but she's got a big heart and works hard. It's a wonderful introduction to the series.
Profile Image for Kathy Mayer.
861 reviews9 followers
February 28, 2024
Who killed a sweet man?

Great world building. Love the wide array of characters. Kate who has magic but has always had to hide it stumbles on a magical town. Where I'm sure she looked like Harry Potter seeing Dragon Alley for the first time. She was on the run from a controlling ex when she stumbled on Hallow Hills. She finds a housekeeping job that pays well & a place to rent. Kate can see solid ghosts, talk to then, control them, help them pass on, & force them if necessary. No one else in town has half those powers as a psychic medium. While cleaning a house Kate sees a ghost. She tries to help him pass on but there is a darkness around the light & she can't get him through. Harrington touches Kate which bonds them together until she can solve his murder. Kate is now carrying around a ghost as she works, explores her new town, gets groceries, & investigates. However, she is asking a lot of questions around town. The milky is bound to find out she is trying to solve the case. It's a 30 year old cold case. Will Kate solve it before the killer catches her.
1,315 reviews4 followers
October 12, 2025
This is a short (121 pages), fun read.
Kate is looking to start her life over after a bad marriage. Pulling into the small town of Hallow Hills where everyone seems to have some sort of power, looks like it could be a possibility for a fresh start.
Kate can see and talk to ghosts; she also has the ability to help them cross to the afterlife.
When she takes a job housecleaning, she comes across the ghost of Hanrahan, a man murdered 30 years previously. Unable to send him across, she starts looking into his death.
This book has no action but a nice mystery, some interesting characters and powers, good interactions and a bit of humour.
I wasn’t completely happy with the ending as id didn’t clear up all my questions but maybe that will happen in the next book. It wasn’t enough of a problem to lessen my enjoyment of the book.
It is a light, quick read and I’m sure the next books will follow along the same lines.
Profile Image for Hanna.
782 reviews8 followers
May 9, 2025
All in all a cute little story,
writing was a little stilted, clumsy, rough around the edges... not quite sure how to explain it, didnt really flow, I guess. Part of it might be due to it being all tell and no show.
For such a short little book, more of an novella really it seemed a disproportionate amount was spent on describing people, their outfits, some places in a lot of detail or adding random remarks, sometimes in the middle of a conversation... like telling us her preferences on green tea vs. sweet tea. It often seemed quite abrupt and had me go like, really, now?! Who cares! It only distracted from the conversation they were having.
And then the thing with Jacob at the end was cringeworthy to see the least. Also, if this ends up turning into a love triangle or quadrangle more like I am so outta here
479 reviews4 followers
October 25, 2022
Running from her ex and coming across a small town may be the best thing that ever happened to Kate. Especially when most of the people living there have a brush of magic. It could be worse. Since seeing, talking to and helping ghosts pass over is hard to hide in a normal town. This book left a lot unanswered. Did the ghost kill his former wife? Was Margo helping set Kate up to be murdered? If Lori was a shadow traveler, why travel by car to her lover's home? Jacob the cook has a semi-girlfriend why is she considering him? What happened to the cash that was going to be used to buy the house? There are others, essentially the book ended with the assumed guilty party dead but was she really guilty?
Profile Image for Hollie Robb.
338 reviews11 followers
April 27, 2024
Yes I really liked this book, but it didn’t feel finished, it needed an ending. Really this book needs to be a 3.4 stars. It only needed a better ending.

The characters are likable enough for me to keep reading the series. It also looks like to have a love triangle. I usually hate those, but this one looks to be interesting. Who will win her heart? I am hoping for Ryan all the way. He seems more capable and only be use I don’t know enough about Jacob. At first, Jacob, came off as old, but I don’t know. I don’t know enough.

All in all, it is a cozy mystery. Nothing too heavy reading. The ending was a huge problem. It felt like a weak cliffhanger.

It is also a clean book. So yeah, set back with this quirky book.
Profile Image for Chuck Mallory.
Author 5 books5 followers
April 7, 2025
Mildly amusing and a nice, light read. I figured the main character was psychic, but did not know exactly all of her otherworldly skills. This is the story of a down-and-out woman who finds herself in a small town. Lighthearted and positive, she gets set up pretty quickly cleaning houses--and gets involved in a big mystery in town. A romantic angle is hinted. I think that comes in a sequel. There are several more books in this series, but this was enough for me to see what it's all about.

This is more for the reader who likes fun, well-plotted, nonliterary books without a lot of deeper meaning. My favorite part was how she characterized the ghost. How he moved in the real world was interesting.
2,009 reviews
October 29, 2024
New author for me and I enjoyed this first book in the series. The characters are great and the plot moves along at a good pace. Started the next one as soon as I finished this one!


Amazon synopsis:
Broke...On the run...Recently dumped

When Kate pulls into Hallow Hills, Tennessee, she’s hoping for a good place to settle down and rest for a little while. Little does she know her new town just so happens to be one of the most haunted cities in the state!

In no time, Kate is pulling a brisk business performing psychic cleaning services, but when a ghost refuses to go and pleads for her help in solving his murder, Kate isn’t so sure she wants to add P.I. to her resume. Her soft heart won’t let her say no, though, and soon Kate is drawn into the magic and mayhem of her new home and right into the middle of a twisted murder mystery.
4,392 reviews56 followers
August 23, 2023
This was a quick and fun read. S.E. Babin is a recent find for me and I love her female protagonists. They are so relatable. They aren't super strong or throwing fire balls around and have some doubts. They don't whine when everything doesn't go their way. They are willing to work hard. I guess, in some ways, they seem ordinary. Like me. Someone I could definitely be friends with.

Anyways, this is a solid mystery in a magical town that I want to spend more time in. I look forward to reading more of this series and this author in the future.
1,471 reviews4 followers
September 30, 2024
good

I really like this book, the only thing I didn’t like about it is how short it was. I didn’t realize that it was really short when I first read it so I’m hoping that the rest of the books in the series are a little bit longer. I really liked Kate and the fact that she didn’t quite understand all of the ways her magic worked. I would definitely like to know a little bit more of a her background and what she is running from. I’m glad she ended up in a town where she doesn’t have to hide her magic. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Deanna.
239 reviews
January 11, 2023
The first of the series.

Kate has moved to a new town, temporarily while trying to find her place in the world. The town is magical and Kate doesn’t have to hide her gift anymore.

She stumbles into a 30 year old unsolved murder and the victim asks for Kates help to solve it because he can’t remember what happened.

I liked the story, but it had some gaps in her back story. The book also ended so abruptly and didn’t make sense.
Profile Image for Melissa Basnight.
683 reviews20 followers
March 7, 2024
Medium and a mystery

Kate went through a divorce and is driving until she finds a town she wants to live in. She finds a town that contains people like herself that have special gifts. As she is cleaning a house she encounters a ghost that was murdered in the house 30 years ago. He becomes attached to her and in order for her to help him cross over she needs to help solve his murder. The story held my interest and looking forward to reading more from author.
99 reviews1 follower
July 29, 2022
Wow

Paranormal cozy humorous
mystery with a storyline that pulls you in and keeps you so interested that you've read the entire book in one sitting. The location is intriguing, characters both main and minor quirky and fascinating. The mystery portion keeps you guessing who did it till the end. Enjoyable reading for anyone who like cozy mysteries .
Profile Image for Denise .
817 reviews9 followers
September 25, 2022
This was a quick, enjoyable book. The characters are interesting and unique. The magical town setting adds an intriguing element to the storyline. The mystery pulls you in and holds your interest until the end. There’s so much more to learn about this magical community and it’s residents in future installments. Something fun to look forward to!
Profile Image for Larisa  Atkinson.
148 reviews35 followers
October 29, 2022
Fun!

A great mystery that had me guessing thought the whole book.
Kate, the heroin of this story has finally found a place she belongs and is coming into her own. She has a fantastic paranormal gift. I am looking for to seeing where she will take us on her next adventure. I was drawn into this book from page one and didn't put it down until I finished!
620 reviews1 follower
March 18, 2023
What A Great Read!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an incredibly interesting story that grabbed me within the first chapter. I have read other books by S.E. Basin and enjoyed those as well. I look forward to reading the next book in this series and seeing what else Kate finds herself in the middle of.
4 reviews
October 27, 2023
Good read!

You won't be disappointed. Fast paced read for adults. Lately it feels like all I have been able to find in the paranormal genre are written for young adults. This, I am happy to say, is written for adults. Good characters, no plot holes that are polished over, no leaps of logic to move the story. Try it, you'll like it.
863 reviews4 followers
March 28, 2025
magical

A quirky mystery with lots of magical mayhem! A town full of magic wielding beings, who mostly kept non-magical people out! Running from her old life she stumbles into the perfect new life! Fun, entertaining, and exciting mayhem leads to a new life, new job, and solving of an old cold case murder!
14 reviews
March 31, 2025
Intriguing mystery and psychic story.

This got my attention from the very start. It grabbed me from reflections of my own life experience. Starting over alone in a strange city is hard. Then the self growth and learning who to trust was another reflection. The story line was intriguing as was the character development. I'm looking forward to reading another of these.
866 reviews7 followers
September 5, 2025
Not Bad For A Cozy

The FMC managed to get all the way through the book without doing anything ridiculously witless. Based on that, I’m not sure this can be called a “Cozy Mystery”. If the town and occupants develop some real quirk, this series has potential. Liked it at least enough to try book 2, if there is one.
104 reviews
July 31, 2022
This was a fun easy read

I liked this. I liked the characters. This was easy to read. I normally do not like series, especially if I have to read more than one book to be the whole story. This one is good because I don't have to read more, but I want to.
Profile Image for Lesley Hewitt.
832 reviews6 followers
October 5, 2022
A fantastic book

I really enjoyed reading this book, the little town has a lot of magical folk as well as a few normal ones. Kate meets a spirit called Hannigan who was murdered. She helps the police find the murderer. Well worth five stars.
43 reviews5 followers
May 17, 2023
Fun and really good but too short

Fun and really good but too short. Was just getting into it and it was suddenly over. Does this writer have another name that she goes under but she writes longer stories if anybody knows please reply
562 reviews4 followers
June 9, 2023
An enjoyable read

I picked this up as the storyline sounded interesting and am glad I did. This was a well written and entertaining read. If you are looking for a fun quick murder mystery then I recommend this.
848 reviews4 followers
October 3, 2023
Murder by the Brush: A Psychic Cleaner Cozy Mystery 4.7 stars

Well written and clever characters, keeps you intrigued whether part of the original mystery or not. Really enjoyed the description of different kinds of magic in this magical town...good luck newbie Kate!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews

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