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Pressed to Death

(Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum #2)

Kirsten Weiss (Goodreads Author)

3.99 · Rating details · 684 ratings · 133 reviews

Perfectly pressed. Perfectly proper. Perfectly deadly.

Paranormal museum owner Maddie Kosloski thinks she has the perfect paranormal exhibit for the harvest festival—a haunted grape press. But before she can open the exhibit, she’s accused of stealing the antique press. And when her accuser is found murdered, all eyes turn to Maddie.

Solving the crime is the last thing on M ...more

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Paperback, 325 pages

Published March 8th 2017 by Midnight Ink

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Oct 10, 2016 Eve (Between The Bookends) rated it liked it · review of another edition

I always love the covers on these cozy mystery books. This one is a very good representation of the story within. It's eye-catching and interesting. The composition is spot on. It has interesting typography and makes great use of graphics.

I enjoyed this one. It was quirky and well-written. It had a nice pace to it. It was filled with twist and turns. It had a bunch of interesting side characters, and it kept me guessing right up until the end.

That said, what I could have done without was the ...more

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Mar 07, 2017 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Maddie Kosloski had taken over running the Paranormal Museum, a local town tourist attraction that exhibits artifacts that have a paranormal or haunted history attached to them. Maddie thinks her latest addition will be perfect to display in her booth at the upcoming harvest festival, a haunted grape press. Unfortunately the former owner is now claiming the press had been stolen.

However, the festival must go on even with her newest acquisition being questioned Maddie still tries to set up her b Maddie Kosloski had taken over running the Paranormal Museum, a local town tourist attraction that exhibits artifacts that have a paranormal or haunted history attached to them. Maddie thinks her latest addition will be perfect to display in her booth at the upcoming harvest festival, a haunted grape press. Unfortunately the former owner is now claiming the press had been stolen.

However, the festival must go on even with her newest acquisition being questioned Maddie still tries to set up her booth. When her mother finds she needs help with some grapes stuck in a vat Maddie jumps right in to clear the mess only to find a dead body, and not any dead body.... the former owner of the very grape press in question. With Maddie likely to become a suspect her mother convinces her that she needs to start up her own investigation into the untimely death.

Pressed to Death is the second book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series by Kirsten Wiess. While some details into Maddie's life and her previous attempt at investigating a murder would be missed this second edition to the series does focus on a whole new case so it is possible to read without having read the first book. I would warn readers that while the setting does mention the paranormal the series is more cozy mystery set in a unique environment and doesn't bring much paranormal happenings into it.

Having read the first book in this series I already knew that I enjoyed Maddie as a character and loved the unique setting of her museum involved. There's also some quite quirky side characters involved in these books that make them a fun read. My one complaint really with this second installment was ignoring the previous relationship for much of the story before the reader gets any explanation to what had happened. Otherwise this is still a fun cozy mystery series that I've quite enjoyed so far.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress.... ...more

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Jun 01, 2018 Angela (Angel's Guilty Pleasures) rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, 4-stars, library-love

Pressed to Death was a fun cozy mystery. I enjoyed this one! It’s quirky and well-written. It has a bunch of interesting side characters and as for the mystery it kept me guessing right up until the end.

We get two mysteries to solve in Pressed to Death, the current murder mystery and the Old Grape Press that Maddie has acquired for her Paranormal Museum. The story is mostly fast-paced, but slows down occasionally due to family angst, community happenings, troubled romance, a betting pool, a hau ...more

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Jul 04, 2019 JoAn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: cozy-mystery

This was a fun book to listen to while I was walking. Maddie has a lot on her plate with the paranormal museum, setting up a display at the town's fall festival and then finding a dead body. Of course, Detective Hammer immediately accuses her of the murder. Frankly, Detective Hammer's harassment of Maddie is beginning to frustrate me as I read this series. I would think that there is something that could be done to stop her. The mystery plot was well developed and I admire Maddie for her strengt ...more

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Feb 20, 2017 Betty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, cats, cozy, e-books, paranormal

In the second book of this different cozy, that is not really into the unnatural world Maddie Kosloski has personal problems with her boyfriend. The Paranormal museum's entry to Harvest Festival is seized by the police as part of the crime scene because it had been reported stolen. Her accuser was found dead in a truck loaded with grapes. Maddie Kosloski's Mother insists that Maddie investigates the murder. The twists and turns this book takes will keep you turning the pages. The ending is sligh ...more

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Mar 12, 2017 Carrie Schmidt (Reading is My SuperPower) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense, blog-reviewed, cozy-mystery, small-towns, diversity

3.5 stars

Pressed to Death takes us back to San Benedetto and Maddie and her paranormal museum. In this book, it seems everyone has a secret – an element which adds intrigue to the mystery and the overall mood. With so many secrets floating around, narrowing down a murderer proves more difficult than it first appears. The murder mystery is well-plotted and will keep you guessing, as well as looking over your shoulder for rogue Buicks and falling wine barrels.

The hint of romance from book one car ...more

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Jan 17, 2017 Lola rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-that-i-own, e-books-on-ipad, got-a-copy-for-review-reviewed, netgalley

I received a free copy of this book through netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Pressed to death is the second book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series. I enjoyed the first book and was happy to return this series. My thoughts about this one are a bit mixed, not sure if it was my mood or what, but some parts I really enjoyed and other parts not as much. The start of this book was a bit slow and I had a bit of trouble getting into the book. But there were also some great scenes and I received a free copy of this book through netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Pressed to death is the second book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series. I enjoyed the first book and was happy to return this series. My thoughts about this one are a bit mixed, not sure if it was my mood or what, but some parts I really enjoyed and other parts not as much. The start of this book was a bit slow and I had a bit of trouble getting into the book. But there were also some great scenes and then around the halfway mark it got a lot better and kept my attention.

The paranormal aspect is one of my favorite parts of this book. The paranormal museum makes for a fun addition and it never is fully certain if there is something paranormal going on or not. The subtle paranormal touch really works for this book. Then there is the cat who live sin the museum, who is always fun to read about.

But on the other hand it felt like at times there was a bit too much in the book and not enough focus on the mystery at times. There is the ladies aid, the detectives, the haunted house, the romance, the side characters, the paranormal museum, the other wine sellers and the death café to name a few. There is are a lot of side characters and side plots going on that might or might not be connected to the murder and a few things got wrapped up a bit too rushed in my opinion.

Then this book has two of my pet peeves when it comes to cozy mysteries namely the not too believable method in which the main character gets involved into solving the mystery and the incompetent and in this case even unlikeable police. In the first book it felt more natural how Maddie got into solving the mystery, here it felt a bit forced somehow. And police detective Laurel really grated on my nerves, she seemed mean just because she could and was just such an annoying character. Her actions didn't make sense and I couldn't believe she actually could take those things based on such flimsy evidence. And at times it felt like the police were doing nothing except chase the wrong leads while Maddie figured things out.

The mystery was decent. I liked how just as in book 1 there was a current time and a past mystery. In this case the past mystery and current one both are connected to a grape press that came into Maddie her possession. I would've liked to see Maddie do a bit more research herself into the past mystery as now it was mostly historical society who solved that. Who the murderer was in the current day mystery didn't really come as a surprise. I would've liked to see a bit more investigating as it was mostly her talking with some people and then at the end when she was piecing things together we didn't get much of her thought process, which always just kinda ruins things for me as I want to know what she's thinking.

The characters were nice enough and I was able to remember who was who, but didn't really particularly grow fond of anyone. There is a bit of romance, but it didn't get much attention and the parts that we did see I didn't really care for. Based on his personality I thought his actions seemed a bit unrealistic and I wanted to tell Maddie to shallow her pride sometimes and just call him. It just got dragged on a bit even with it barely being there. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the next book.

To summarize: this was a fun cozy, there were parts I really enjoyed, but also parts I liked less. I had a bunch of smaller issues with this one, I couldn't stand laurel and it felt a bit off how Maddie got into solving this mystery. At times it felt like there was a bit too much going on at times and it felt a tad slow at the same time. There are a lot of side plot lines. The mystery was decent enough, but not too surprising. I liked the subtle paranormal aspect, the cat and how there was both a mystery in the present time and a mystery from the past to solve. ...more

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Jul 05, 2018 Stewart Tame rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Not that we doubted it from volume 1, but this is shaping up to be a fun series.

Maddie Kosloski is rather pleased with her recent purchase for the Paranormal Museum: a haunted grape press. She's all set to have it be a featured part of her display at San Benedetto's harvest festival, when she is accused of buying stolen property. When the press' allegedly rightful owner turns up dead in a wine vat at the festival, Maddie is thrust into another mystery. She's reluctant to investigate at first, bu ...more

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Nov 13, 2016 Karen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

. Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss was outstanding.
Not out until March 8th, this advanced reading copy I was granted by net galley was exactly what I needed to get me back into the swing of things! This is the second in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Series and something to put on your to be read list!
I love these characters, the rich history found in the items collected by Maddie and properly investigated. I found I was so caught up in the swirling circles of mystery that surrounded Ma ...more

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Feb 12, 2017 Ann rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a nice cozy series set in the Paranormal Museum. Between the Museum, the Ladies Aide Society and the unusual festivals the town has a healthy tourism rate. Maddie, owner of the Paranormal Museum is setting up a display for the local wine festival centered around a haunted grape press. When the previous owner of the press is found murdered Maddie becomes a prime suspect. When his wife is murdered a few days later Maddie and the Ladies Aide Society start investigating. This zany town is a ...more

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Jan 12, 2017 Carla Johnson-Hicks rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: cozy-mystery, netgalley, supernatural

Maddie Kosloski is the owner of the Paranormal Museum in San Benedetto, California. In this story, an antique grape press that was once used in the wine making business and is rumoured to be haunted, is the newest acquisition of the museum. When Maddie moves it to the Harvest Fair site advertising her museum, her nemesis, Detective Lauren Hammer, comes to tell her that the true owner of the press is claiming that is it stolen and she will have to confiscate it. Even when Maddie produces a receip Maddie Kosloski is the owner of the Paranormal Museum in San Benedetto, California. In this story, an antique grape press that was once used in the wine making business and is rumoured to be haunted, is the newest acquisition of the museum. When Maddie moves it to the Harvest Fair site advertising her museum, her nemesis, Detective Lauren Hammer, comes to tell her that the true owner of the press is claiming that is it stolen and she will have to confiscate it. Even when Maddie produces a receipt signed by Romeo Paganini's wife, the detective goes to the fairgrounds to remove the press. Before she is able to take it, Maddie, helping her mother set up the "Grape Stomp Booth" comes across a dead body buried under the grapes. When it is identified as the vintner accusing her of theft, Maddie becomes a suspect. Everyone, including her mother, wants Maddie to investigate the crime--except the police. One of the things I like about this series is that the police do not co-operate with the amateur sleuth. Maddie does not get any information from them, she is on her own if she wants to solve this crime and take suspicion off herself and her employee, the vintner's estranged son.

There is a lot going on in this story besides just the murder mystery. Maddie is having problems with her boyfriend Seth, the Ladies' Aid Society has a huge rift that has put her mother in the middle and Adele is trying to get her tea shop business off the ground. As in the first book, Maddie is also working on getting more information surrounding the murder/suicide story that is attached to the Grape Press. There is fun when setting up the Haunted House, having a Death Cafe and running the museum in general. I really like the character of Deiter, handyman extraordinaire as well as bookie for all local strange things to bet on. All this adds to the story, even though some reviewers wish there had been more emphasis on the mystery. I liked how this developed the main characters more and we get to know them better in this book. The one character that I still do not like is the terrifically annoying Detective Laurel Hammer whose purpose seems only to annoy Maddie and her friends as well as carrying a grudge from highschool days when she was a bit of a bullly. She is definitely a negative stereotype that make police look bad. I am hoping that she will lighten up in future books.

This is a well written cozy mystery with a great California setting and quirky characters. The idea of the Paranormal Museum is a unique twist to the series. Even though Maddie is not a true believer in the paranormal, she realistically accepts that there are phenomena that cannot be explained. Three is a lot of information about making wine blended into the story and of course drinking wine happens at many occasions. This was a fun, easy read that I recommend to cozy mystery fans, especially those who like wine or the paranormal. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. ...more

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Mar 14, 2017 Nada Sobhi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, must-read, series-sequel, animals, paranormal, cozy-mystery

"I was going to jail.
Worse my arch nemesis would be the one to drag me from my own paranormal museum."

Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss starts with the above lines; the cozy, possibly paranormal mystery novel is exciting, quick-paced and fun.

Maddie, the present owner of San Benedetto's Paranormal Museum, is the unlucky person who discovers the body of a man ahead of wine festival. To make things worse, the same man had accused her of stealing his antique grape press and told the police as mu ...more

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Mar 14, 2017 Bea rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: beas-book-nook, kindle, action-mystery-thriller, ebook, read-in-2017, reviews, arc

3, 3.5 stars

"Pressed to Death"gets off to a furious, full-throttle start. From there it zooms from story idea to story idea, bouncing around and having trouble settling on just a few. The story is mostly fast-paced, but slows down occasionally due to family angst, community happenings, etc.; there's a troubled romance, a potential new romance, a betting pool, a haunted house, rivalry and intrigue in a local ladies organization, a senseless feud that's already old and tired and needs to be ditch 3, 3.5 stars

"Pressed to Death"gets off to a furious, full-throttle start. From there it zooms from story idea to story idea, bouncing around and having trouble settling on just a few. The story is mostly fast-paced, but slows down occasionally due to family angst, community happenings, etc.; there's a troubled romance, a potential new romance, a betting pool, a haunted house, rivalry and intrigue in a local ladies organization, a senseless feud that's already old and tired and needs to be ditched or resolved, and other events. It felt as if Weiss had lots of ideas and didn't know where to focus her attention. The story kept meandering and getting off track.

The paranormal aspect is subtle but sharper than it was in the first book, and added a nice bit of texture to the story. Weiss makes good use of the museum and also incorporates a cat into the story. Cats have a reputation for sensing the supernatural and GD is no exception. He also adds a bit of humor to the story. Some of the human characters were annoying, particularly Detective Laurel Hammer, and a few of the Ladies Aid women. There's some character development but it's low key.

As in the first book, Maddie is simultaneously investigating a historical case and a present day case, despite her protests to the contrary. Although she's very much an amateur detective, she does a better job than the police at solving things. Maddie initially gets involved when she's a possible suspect in the current day murder but her continued involvement was iffy and didn't really hold up. The mystery was not too hard to figure out though Maddie's attempts to solve it were often bumbling, which made sense given her amateur status. I would have liked to see her take a more active part in the investigation as she mostly wandered around, quizzing people, but doing little actual research or investigation.

Now it may seem like I didn't like "Pressed to Death" but I did. It wasn't great but it was pleasant. It has a good setting, interesting characters, and a good blend of mystery and paranormal. Despite the story's meanderings, it held my attention. Weiss has an eye for quirky and a gift for historical detail. It's different from other cozies, and worth a read if you like quirky mysteries mixed with a hint of paranormal. ...more

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Feb 16, 2017 Jessica Robbins rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-kindle, netgalley

For complete review check out my blog at http://booksaplentybookreviews.blogsp... ...more

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Mar 20, 2017 Heidi added it · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf

Stopped at 50%

I picked this book up intrigued by a cozy mystery set in a haunted museum. I was expecting some ghosts or things that go bump, or something paranormal. Unfortunately, there was nothing paranormal. The mystery focused outside the museum and there wasn't anything ghostly. There was a cat in the museum, and I love cats. However, this cat was rather mean spirited. What was up with that? I also wanted a nice cozy, and I wasn't pleased with the lack of cozy. The story centered around a g ...more

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Jan 25, 2017 Jeri rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, netgalley

I enjoyed this second book in the series as much as the first. Maddie is back and trying to keep her museum afloat. When she is accused of theft and the accuser later is found dead she knows the finger will point her way. She is reluctant to get involved but her mother pushes her into investigating. Unfortunately she will have to do it without the support of her boyfriend because he is busy with the past coming into the here and now.

I thought I knew who the murderer was but Ms. Weiss threw me of ...more

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Feb 24, 2017 Paula Adams rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Maddie a curator for a small paranormal museum in wine country California who also huelps out with the harvest festival gets into the middle of a drama she has no control of. Of course she is a suspect as she was the first on the scene and she has to investigate as she didn't do. Has some fun, quirky characters with a haunted plot. It was a fun read and looking forward to the next book in the series. ...more

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Oct 11, 2018 Sophia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books, review-requests, mystery-suspense

Audio Review

A body at the grape harvest festival, a cursed and haunted grape press, danger at the haunted house, and mysterious activities among the ladies' aid society all come together to give Maddie Koslowski a Halloween season she won't soon forget.

Pressed to Death is the second installment in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum cozy mystery series. There is some build on the first book, but in a pinch a reader/listener might squeak by getting them out of order.

Like with book one, Maddie Audio Review

A body at the grape harvest festival, a cursed and haunted grape press, danger at the haunted house, and mysterious activities among the ladies' aid society all come together to give Maddie Koslowski a Halloween season she won't soon forget.

Pressed to Death is the second installment in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum cozy mystery series. There is some build on the first book, but in a pinch a reader/listener might squeak by getting them out of order.

Like with book one, Maddie soon finds herself embroiled in a murder and her old high-school nemesis on the police force is looking for any excuse to arrest her while the other detective gives her an old tingly sensation each time they meet. There are a lot of brands in the fire for her between her boyfriend, Mason, getting a surprise visit from an ex, her mother keeping secrets along with both her best friends, Estelle and Harper. A death society group wants to use the museum for their meeting. And, her teenage employee might be suspect number one in his own dad's killing. While worrying about Mason's ongoing silence, she delves into community Halloween activities, working new angles to make the museum profitable, sleuthing the recent murder, and the one from the past involving the grape press.

I enjoyed the mild spooky aspect of museum and haunted exhibits, GD (ghost detecting) cat's antics around the museum and the 'is it or isn't it' possibility of paranormal activity.

But, as I've emphasized, there is a ton going on in this one and I felt like Maddie was bouncing around from one thing to another making my head spin a bit. I got confused a couple of times over which lady was involved in the historical museum, ladies' aid, or friends of her mother. So many change of scenes and people like that. Yes, there was forward progress, but all of it was somewhat distracting. I suspect that several of the situations were meant to be distractions on purpose and they were humorous at that.

I did have the murder figured out and the tangle with Maddie's love life (let's just say, I'm sort of rooting for someone else) so I wasn't as upset as I might have been to see what was going on there with Mason going radio silent on her.

My big complaint about the first book vanished and this one was a much more enjoyable story for me. Maddie is settled into the museum and gung ho about her life in San Bernedetto. No more wishy washy and constantly complaining or getting envious. She no longer gets whiny with comparing herself to her siblings or her friends and she is loyal and involved in her work, her community, and her family and friends.

The narrator, Emily Durante did a fabulous job once again. She had a good sized cast of varying ages and genders which she did well. I like her voice for Maddie and definitely want to catch more of her work.

All in all, this was a fun and light spooky mystery. I felt it was more settled in ways though a bit too busy in others. It's definitely a series that I want to get more of since I love the paranormal museum, the combo of old and new murders, the quirky cat, and the whole cast of characters.

My thanks to Tantor audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Oct 20, 2016 Mystereity Reviews rated it liked it · review of another edition

See my full review (and more!) at Mystereity Reviews

Maddie has just bought a haunted grape press for her Paranormal Museum when she's accused of stealing it by a vintner that Maddie later finds dead. Coerced into investigating by her mother, Maddie puts catching a killer at the top of her to-do list, along with staging a room at a Halloween haunted house and hosting a Death Cafe at the Paranormal Museum.

I liked this, but I was a little disappointed. At the heart of this book is a good premise a ...more

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Jan 03, 2020 Kerri rated it liked it · review of another edition

This continues to be a fun, fluffy series. The characters continue to grow on me and the mysteries are fun to try to figure out. I like the ties to the stories behind the "haunted" objects too. And Maddie's "investigating" at least has a reason behind it still.

(view spoiler) ...more

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Nov 07, 2020 Carla rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: cozy-mysteries, paranormal-mysteries

The second book in this series was every bit as good as the first, if not better. I love this series. There are interesting characters, humor, mystery, and a little bit of paranormal thrown in. Can't wait to read the next one. ...more

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Jul 16, 2018 Michelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love Weiss's cozy mysteries more than I can possibly explain. They're the perfect combination of silliness, mystery, relationship angst, and entrepreneurship. LOVE. ...more

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Aug 17, 2020 Jennifer Oberth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love these books! I enjoy the characters and the fun and uniqueness of the settings and what the character is dealing with.

This is such a fun cozy series!

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Mar 14, 2017 Kristin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a really good series. I like the characters, the setting and a good mystery. I wish they were out more than once a year.

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Feb 26, 2017 Pamela rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is another cozy series I've added to my favorites. It's original in that it's main character, Maddie, works in a paranormal museum. How she started there is explained in book one and I would recommend reading in order although it would read as a standalone. The museum adjoins one of her best friend, Adele's, tea shop in San Benedetto which is a lesser known area of wine country that is always trying to promote tourism. Maddie is promoting her museum at an upcoming Harvest Festival and a Hau ...more

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Nov 10, 2017 Stormi (BMReviewsohmy) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Pressed to Death is the second in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum mystery series and I really liked it. It took me a little bit to refresh my mind of the characters but soon as it came rolling back I really got into the story.

It starts off with Laurel, the local cop who pretty much despises Maddie, asking about her haunted grape press that she had purchased from her collector, Herb. She is told that the owner is saying that it was stolen and that she stole it but she has a receipt that sh Pressed to Death is the second in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum mystery series and I really liked it. It took me a little bit to refresh my mind of the characters but soon as it came rolling back I really got into the story.

It starts off with Laurel, the local cop who pretty much despises Maddie, asking about her haunted grape press that she had purchased from her collector, Herb. She is told that the owner is saying that it was stolen and that she stole it but she has a receipt that she bought it from the owners wife. Maddie is using the grape press as part of her display at the harvest festival and if she has to give it up then she will have nothing to display.

Then while helping her mom get things ready for the festival she finds a man dead in the grape stomping vat, and it happens to be Romeo the man who was accusing her of stealing the grape press. It also messes up her mother and the Ladies Aid's grape stomping event. It seems something has happened with the Ladies aid and they have had a split in the ranks and her mother wants her to help as she knows the new president will ask for her help. Something is brewing with her mother but she doesn't know what nor figures it out till the end.

Because her helper at the Museum is Romeo's son she figures she should go back to the Museum to let him go home and grieve but needs someone to watch her booth, so she makes a deal with the Visitor's center that she would help them decorate their room in the haunted house not knowing exactly what she got herself into! :)

Asking questions around town gets her into lots of trouble as normal and it also frustrates Laurel, but it seems Maddie is getting a little closer to Detective Slate which I didn't see coming. Although her relationship with Mason did take a very different turn that I didn't see coming, so not sure what I think of this development yet.

I did guess the killer but I wasn't sure of the motive till the end, so I enjoyed the mystery. I do love all the characters even Laurel!

It's a fun series with a slight paranormal element so if you don't mind that then go grab book one! ...more

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Nov 20, 2016 Heather rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series. The characters are well-rounded and feel like real people. It is a pet peeve of mine with characters in cozy mysteries act like morons for the sake of the plot. There is none of that here.
The small town setting of San Benedetto with the Paranormal Museum as an anchor point is vast enough to keep the locations interesting whilst keeping that cozy feeling.
The story is simple: Maddie is accused of stealing a grape press. Before she ...more

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Dec 07, 2016 Jannelies rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: chicklit-mystery

Thank you to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This story revolves mainly around Maddie, who is a nice enough person. Other characters in the book are friendly and sometimes funny (Maddie’s friends) or really hilarious (the chair of Ladies Aid!) but unfortunately there is not a real outspoken ‘killer’ in the book. Of course, after much running around with a grape press that is sometimes invisable, drinking of wine and worrying about her love life, Ma ...more

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Jan 27, 2017 Kelly rated it liked it · review of another edition

**I voluntarily reviewed this ARC**

I just wasn't overly impressed by this one. The premise was great, and there were some funny parts, but the paranormal was practically nonexistent. It takes place at a paranormal museum and has a ghost detecting cat, but the book focuses on the mundane rather than the quirky elements. ...more

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Oct 13, 2016 Jeanne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Although the characters weren't likable or interesting and the writing uneven, the story itself is well thought out and the conclusion believable. It would have been nice if the museum owner actually was knowledgeable about the paranormal ...more

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Fantasy > Paranormal

18 users

Fiction

5 users

Contemporary

5 users

Romance

4 users

Thriller > Mystery Thriller

4 users

Fantasy

3 users

Audiobook

2 users

Paranormal > Ghosts

2 users

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About Kirsten Weiss

Kirsten Weiss

909 followers

Kirsten Weiss has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching Ghost Whisperer re-runs and drinking red wine. The latter gives her heartburn, but she drinks it anyway.

Now based in Colorado Springs, she writes genre-blending cozy mystery, supernatural and steampunk suspense, mixing her experiences and imagination to create vivid worlds of fun and enchantment.

If you l ...more