Pumpkins are Murder

by Teri Barnett

A dead carver, dueling witches, and more tricks than treats.

Bijoux, Michigan is serious about Halloween. Known as the most haunted town on the Lake Michigan shoreline, Bijoux hosts the annual Pumpkins and Poe Festival—the town’s annual homage to Edgar Allan Poe and all things spooky. Pumpkin carvers from around the country flock to Bijoux, slicing and dicing their way into Halloween history. But when one of the carvers turns up dead with a jack-o-lantern on their head and a note with the word Nevermore pinned to their apron, police captain Morgan Hart is called in to investigate.

After solving multiple murders at three previous Bijoux events, the beleaguered police captain steps into the fray once again, along with her down-in-the-dumps deputy, JJ Jones, recently ditched by his girlfriend, local cupcake maven, Hannah Bellamy. Meanwhile, Morgan’s own “weak and weary” heart keeps getting tested by Caleb Joseph, owner of the Raven’s Nest bookstore. The too-hot-for-his-own-good former Gothic Lit professor has made a hobby out of snooping around Morgan’s cases. It’s up to Morgan to thwart various Halloween high-jinks around Bijoux while preventing the town from panicking as she tries to catch a killer who’s turned “trick or treat” into the darkest diversion of all—murder.

172 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2021

About the author

Teri Barnett is a bestselling author, award winning artist and commercial interior designer who brings a lifetime of learning and exploration to her writing, art, teaching, and design.

Reviews

[Jeff Stanger]

Book 4 in the Bijoux Mystery series is a great read. When you get to the 4th book in a series, it can sometimes become stale. But Teri Barnett has done a great job of expanding her characters' footprint within the series. Small town sheriff Morgan is still the centerpiece, but JJ's role as deputy expands naturally in this case and of course, Cal is there to provide romantic undercurrents and help with the sleuthing.

At first glance, the plot may seem similar to the previous entry. But with a wink and a nod to that very fact, Barnett sends us off in new directions that are both unexpected and satisfying. If you have read the rest, you will enjoy this new entry. If you haven't, what are you waiting for?

[Marrianna Dougherty]

EXCELLENT READ WITH FUNNY LINES FROM ALL

One of the things I enjoy most in this series is the so very funny comments between characters. I’ve got a lot of them highlighted so I can enjoy them later.

[Sue]

A very enjoyable book. I like the characters a lot. I’m. Not sure about the paranormal aspect but overall it’s entertaining. It’s exciting as there is the current mystery in Bijoux as well as the past case of her murdered husband from her prior life in Detroit.

[Desiree Jensen]

Quick read as the rest of the series. Follows suit with the rest of the books.

[Dorothy]

Pretty cute. It is indeed a "cozy mystery," kind of PG or Hallmarkish in style. But fun to read, though I wish some of the story lines would speed up or just go away....