Deadly Divination

Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum #7

by Kirsten Weiss

Paranormal museum owner Maddie is no stranger to the bizarre. But when she receives a donated Yoruba divination bowl, she can’t shake the feeling there’s something deeply wrong. And when her investigation into the bowl leads her to a mysterious death and a cold case, the situation becomes more sinister than she could have imagined.

With the help of her quirky family and friends, Maddie must untangle the truth from the lies. But can she get to the bottom of this cold case before a crooked killer gets to her?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Cozy, Contemporary, Novella

106 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 27, 2023

About the author

Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries. Her heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop.

She is best known for her cozy and witch mystery novels. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…

Kirsten sends out original short stories of mystery and magic to her mailing list. If you’d like to get them delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to sign up for her newsletter at kirstenweiss.com

Feel free to follow her on Twitter @KirstenWeiss or Bookbub, get in touch on Facebook, post a picture of this book to Instagram and tag her @kirstenweissauthor, or send her an email. She’ll answer you personally…which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.

Reviews

[Kirsten Weiss]

It's here!!!

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this on kindle so was super surprised by how short it was. I kept checking to make sure I hadn’t missed something but nope, that’s it.

Still managed to be fun though I’m disappointed it wasn’t longer. That’s my only gripe! There wasn’t enough of it.

[Susan Reads Cozies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadly Divination is the seventh book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series by Kirsten Weiss.
 
For those of you not familiar with the series- Maddie Kosloski owns the San Benedetto Paranormal Museum. The museum has a cat named GD, short for Ghost Detecting and one employee, college student named Leo. Maddie is currently dating Detective Jason Slate and his partner happens to be Maddie’s high school bully, Laurel Hammer.
 
In this book, the newest item to the museum is an African divination bowl. It was donated to the museum and Maddie thinks the owner was murdered.
 
I was initially drawn to this series because of the Paranormal Museum theme. I was not sure what to expect but I really enjoy this series. It has the right amount of paranormal and cozy mystery combined.
 
I love how the books explain the newest additions to the museum. It’s like you were right there in the museum visiting the exhibit for yourself. I had never heard of an African divination bowl, but I enjoyed learning about it. I just wish the book was longer. This is a fun, short read for any paranormal cozy mystery fan. This is more like a novella. I am excited the next book in the series is full length.
 
I like how the author still managed to get Maddie’s dose of Laurel in the book. I feel like Maddie and I would be good friends. What is the saying? “An enemy of my friend is my enemy”. I do not particularly care for Laurel, but I love the banter between the two. I would miss it if it were not there.
 
Kudos to the cover designer! The cover is amazing.
 
 I also really enjoy Kirsten’s Pie Town series. I am waiting on another adventure with Val and Charlene.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

FOUR PAWS!!

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirsten Weiss is one of my favorite authors and on the immediately get/pre-order list. She has several series and I enjoy each one, but this series is my absolute favorite. It's quirky, has a very cool premise and a main character I'd love to be friends with.
This particular book moved quickly and was spiffily done. GD, the museum cat, might be my favorite character and we saw some development in his nature here. Maddie is right to be cautious. GD is his own cat and keeps himself to himself, guarding the museum, so I'm curious to see where this goes.
The mystery is neat and Maddie gets involved naturally as usual, which is key to one of my 'rules' for a cozy. I like for their to be a vested interest by the main character for them to get involved.
And an antagonistic police personage, which is in the form of Laurel, an antagonist from Maddie's past. It's fun watching them verbally spar.
I would love to visit this museum! The books are always good about describing rooms and exhibits and you can feel like you are there, but I do wish it was a real place to put on my bucket list.
This was fun and fast and I can definitely recommend the book, series and author.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Paranormal Museum received an African divination bowl with a mysterious blood stain, and Maddie can't wait to learn more about it.
Maddie researches the bowl and finds herself embroiled in another murder mystery to solve.
This series is fun, and the recurring characters have grown and developed in the previous books, which is one reason I love it. This particular short story didn't seem to build on these relationships and storylines, which was a mild disappointment.
The story was not as polished as expected from this series, and I felt it would have hit that expectation if it had been a normal length novel, not short story. It was a little disjointed and didn't flow as smoothly as previous books.
With that being said, I enjoyed it and would recommend it as a quick, easy read. While it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dealing in antiquities has an air of mystery all its own. Add a spice of the paranormal and a murder and things get a bit out of hand.

This is book seven of the series, but it is written as a standalone. Jump in at any time.

This is a cozy mystery with a touch of the paranormal. Nothing wrong with that! The story is well written, easy to read and just plain fun. It features a well developed setting and wonderful characters that bring the story to life. I really liked our heroine who are feisty and resourceful and willing to go that extra mile for a good mystery. Speaking of which, the mystery is a good one and features plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Overall, it was a wonderful story and I look forward to exploring more from this author.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Paranormal Museum is gifted an African divination bowl, museum director Maddie is thrilled. The fact that she knows so little about them and has no clue how they work, sends her into research mode. If it hadn't been from a collection of a man who was murdered, she might not have believed a spot inside the bowl was blood and tried to prove the owner was murdered.
I love Maddie's presistent personality as she seeks out information. I also loved her connection to GD, laughing as she carefully allowed him to come home with her.
However I felt the book lacking compared to previous books in the series. I missed the daily routine of working and interactions with friends and visitors at the museum. It skimmed the surface when previous books were more detailed and complex.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following Up on a Cold Case . . .

Paranormal museum owner Maddie Kosloski receives a donated African divination bowl a century old, but something is strange. Walter, the donor, talked about its value. Maddie could never have afforded to buy the piece, yet he was donating it! He also gave her a magic scroll from Ethiopia and a thunder stone from a Ghana vodou market.

The bowl fascinates her and she starts investigating possibilities that point to an odd death. Ghost Detecting (“GD, the cat”) may be of some help this time. Will Maddie find out the truth? Will she look into the cold case that has caught her attention? Or will she put herself in danger of being another victim for the killer?

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Divination is the seventh book in the Paranormal Museum series. It is a short story and can be read as a standalone. I’ve only read the first book in the series prior to this story, but I plan to go back and fill in rest. The main character, Maddie, receives some items for the museum, and ends up solving a murder mystery revolving around the donated items. It’s an interesting, quick read. This author is one of my favorites; her books are fun and interesting and this book is no exception. It left me feeling happy after I finished it. Which is what I always like.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[NurseyByNature · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was on the shorter side and perhaps slightly predictable at times but it was still a joy to read. Maddie is so much fun and her inner monologues with herself are humorous and witty.

There are wonderful characters, a grumpy but loveable cat (who did something that one of my own cats has totally done, which made me laugh out loud) and the mystery was not too obvious.

I do wish it had been a little longer, but there was a good deal of action and story packed into the pages. I will read more of the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book seven is really a novella and a quick read. The Paranormal Museum is gifted a Yorubian Divination Bowl. The story centers on the bowl, GD, the cat, and Maddie trying to research the background of the bowl and the deaths possibly connected to it.

I rated this a four due the lack of: the inclusion of the gang, a suspenseful mystery, and the length. I especially liked GD’s caring for Maddie.

I was given an advanced copy and am not required to leave a positive review. The cover is enchanting. I recommend this novella.

[Anteia Consorto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 7 in the series is a quick, easy read in short story form. I love this series but this felt more like a brief interlude rather than a new novel that would move the series forward. It’s entertaining and fun with GD having a starring role. There just wasn’t enough room for character development or normal interactions in the short story. I look forward to book 8 and more paranormal mysteries at the museum.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great hug of a cosy , late to the party book seven but standsalone ok. Paranormal Museum owner Maddie is donated after the death of a doctor by his cousin, she can’t shake an uneasy feeling that something is wrong. With her Cat GD ( ghost detecting) acting weirdly it’s time to delve into a mystery and find a killer. She’s dating detective Jason Slate and his partner is Maddie’s high school nemesis and bully Laurel Hammer. The banter is great the characters are well developed and good backstory.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Federica De dominicis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Precious Gem!

With every book, Kirsten Weiss is adding more curiosities to her "special items shop" of a catalogue!
This story packs all the delightful quirkiness, adored characters and good mystery she has spoiled us with so far in her career, keeping it fresh and surprising as well as comfortable as our favourite robe.
The writing is excellent and the pace fast.
It is indeed another brilliant, highly recommended book!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Divination is book #7 in the Paranormal Museum Cozy Mystery series by Kirsten Weiss.

This novella was a quick read. Maddie receives a donation of a Yoruba divination bowl. While trying to learn about it, she gets involved in a possible murder.

This is a new series to me and I enjoyed it. I like Maddie and GD, the cat and the paranormal museum setting. The mystery that Maddie stumbled on was interesting. I bought a couple of earlier books to catch up on the whole series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

GD seems to be quite a guardian of the Paranormal Museum and its contents

a mysterious African Divination bowl has some odd markings

a relatively mundane inquiry into the uses and histories of similar artifacts gets deadly

can Maddie survive the latest crazed kook?

love the imperious Siamese; hate the ex nemesis, the beau seems not entirely sharp witted - a fun to read series

[SusanR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy Read

Normally I would rate the Paranormal Museum Cozy Mystery stories a solid five. Love Maddie and the gang. However, there was no "gang", no real suspense, and the ending just abruptly ended. I did pre-order the next one though , because I do enjoy the series. Looking forward to the next in the series.

[Greg Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be aware that this is a short story as it caught me by surprise! Kirsten Weiss has again tantalized us with a Perfectly Proper mystery in her on-going series. A full-length tale will be out later according to the blurb at the end. I enjoy the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series and the characters. This quick read will have you guessing until the end.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Deadly Divination: Book 7 in the Paranormal Museum Cozy Mystery Novels" is a typical cozy mystery with the story enmeshed around a museum donation. Death bookends the acquisition. I appreciate the bit of research the author did on the item in the book that was donated. I'm sure many people aren't aware of such items.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fi Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully entertaining short story with the usual quirky characters and laugh out loud lines I’ve come to expect from Kirsten Weiss. Her heroine is a delight with the book holding you attention beginning to end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mooncat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was only a novella with 82 pages. Which was disappointing because I would have loved to read a full-length book and missed a few regulars of the series. But the hero of this book was definitely GD, which, as a cat-lover, naturally enjoyed very much. All in all a (too) short, funny little mystery story.

[Amanda LePage Holtgrewe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this series, on a grab and go library run before it shut down for COVID lockdown. And I have enjoyed every book.

Deadly Divination is more of a novella, but is a super quick read, that makes you wish your kid’s practice/class was just a bit longer. The quick pace keeps you turning pages and wanting to do research at the same time.

[Katherine Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Divination is a cute, short story. Maddie is so funny. Her thoughts throughout the book are great. I literally laughed out loud, especially with the Ladies Aide women. I like how Kirsten’s heroines figure out who did it and don’t just stumble upon the killer. Definitely a great read!

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book. Although some readers do not like novellas, that is not an issue for me, providing the story is well told, which I thought this was.
Looking forward to the next book.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Valeri Sullivan (vsulvn29) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertaining short installment in the Paranormal Museum Mysteries. As a newcomer of the series I had no problem following along with the storyline and it definitely made me want to go back and read the series from the beginning. Terrific!

[cdbest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this cute cat cozy with a surprising detective at the end! It was a fun read! Interesting characters centered around an unusual paranormal object!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a few twists and turns in this cozy mystery that keep you guessing until the end. Interesting characters that help lend to the mystery. Good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set aside an afternoon for this family-friendly contemporary cozy mystery featuring GD, the cat proprietor of the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum of San Benetto, California, defending his property.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Barely 65 pages, so a novella. But the next one is supposed to be full-length.

There is no filler here, obviously. No red herrings. No side stories. Just straight up murder and Maddie getting involved to solve it. All very tidy. And GD gets really invested in the divination bowl.

[Mai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful short!