ARC Review: Deja Moo by Kirsten Weiss

Deja Moo
Author: Kirsten Weiss
Series: A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery (Book 3)
Publication: Midnight Ink (March 8, 2018)

Description: A holiday tradition turns deadly, but is the paranormal museum to blame?

Maddie Kosloski is no fan of San Benedetto's Christmas Cow, a thirty-foot straw bovine that graces the town square every December. For one thing, the cow displaces her paranormal museum as the number one tourist attraction. Plus, every year, despite around-the-clock surveillance, the cow goes up in flames.

But this year, there's more than just a fire blazing in Maddie's wine-country hometown. One of the Christmas Cow guards has been found with an arrow in his chest, and Maddie's new haunted cowbell exhibit is fueling a panic. Are the spirits in her museum getting too hot to handle? If Maddie can't stop the hysteria―and the murderous archer―her holiday plans might not be the only thing full of holes.

My Thoughts: Maddie Koslowski runs the local paranormal museum. It is time for the yearly Christmas Cow display and she is featuring a set of cursed cowbells to draw tourists her way. Every year, someone finds a way to set the cow on fire but this year there is an added complication. the head of the dairy association is found shot with an arrow when the cow is destroyed by flaming arrows. Maddie's mother was on guard duty which encourages Maddie to get involved investigating the murder.

It isn't much later when a member of the town council is also found dead of an arrow shot. Maddie and her mom are busy trying to find out who killed the two and why. There are lots of suspects to choose from. The town councilor was having an affair with the dairy guy which could point the finger at her husband. Or, since her son was part of the group that burned the cow, maybe he was the one who killed the dairy guy. Then there is the question of whether or not the town councilor was taking bribes. Is the person angered by that the woman who wants to build a new housing development or the dairy farmer who wants to sell raw milk?

And while Maddie is trying to figure out who the killer is, the whole question of the cursed cowbells is creating an unsettled feeling in the town. Both Maddie and the police are getting lots of calls from people fearful that they will be the next to die because they are hearing cowbells.

That would be enough to keep any small business owner busy but Maddie is also dealing with an ex whose old girlfriend came back to town along with the son he never knew she had. She is also a suspect in the deaths because she is the one who won a substantial pot of money in the betting pool for when the Christmas Cow would be destroyed. While Maddie is investigating, she is also growing a new relationship with police detective Jason Slate.

This was a fun paranormal mystery will a bunch of engaging characters.

Favorite Quote:

"You're more experienced with this sort of thing. What would you do?"

"You already know my investigative technique."

"Yes, but I don't think asking questions until someone tries to kill you is terribly practical."

My grip tightened on the wheel. "I'm trying to change up that last bit."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.