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Charlie Kingsley Mysteries #3
Murder Next Door
Everyone knows vampires don’t exist.
So when Mildred Schmidt, one of Charlie’s customers, is convinced that her next-door neighbor’s house sitter is actually a vampire, Charlie of course has to step in to see what is really going on.
What she finds is … disturbing. The house sitter DOES have some peculiar habits—like digging holes in the backyard in the middle of the night.
Surely, they aren’t … graves.
But then Polly, a local teenager, goes missing.
Of course, teenagers DO run away from time to time.
Less explainable is the dead body that then appears in the “vampire’s” yard.
Luckily, Charlie is hot on the case, and not a moment too soon as she races to not only find Polly, but to discover the killer before the bodies start to pile up.
Meet Charlie. Better known as “Aunt Charlie” from the award-winning Secrets of Redemption series. She's back, making teas and solving cases in this funny, twisty, cozy mystery series set in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin.
So when Mildred Schmidt, one of Charlie’s customers, is convinced that her next-door neighbor’s house sitter is actually a vampire, Charlie of course has to step in to see what is really going on.
What she finds is … disturbing. The house sitter DOES have some peculiar habits—like digging holes in the backyard in the middle of the night.
Surely, they aren’t … graves.
But then Polly, a local teenager, goes missing.
Of course, teenagers DO run away from time to time.
Less explainable is the dead body that then appears in the “vampire’s” yard.
Luckily, Charlie is hot on the case, and not a moment too soon as she races to not only find Polly, but to discover the killer before the bodies start to pile up.
Meet Charlie. Better known as “Aunt Charlie” from the award-winning Secrets of Redemption series. She's back, making teas and solving cases in this funny, twisty, cozy mystery series set in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin.
265 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2022
346 people are currently reading
2415 people want to read
About the author
Michele Pariza Wacek
64 books1,433 followersA USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but now she does spend much of her time writing stories. Mystery stories, to be exact. They're clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn't enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes and more, at MPWNovels.com.
Michele grew up in Wisconsin, (hence why all her books take place there), and currently lives there after spending nearly 30 years living in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona, with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.
When she's not writing, she's usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she's an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she's not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)
Michele grew up in Wisconsin, (hence why all her books take place there), and currently lives there after spending nearly 30 years living in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona, with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.
When she's not writing, she's usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she's an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she's not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 20, 2025
I liked it as usual but I have questions!!! And I don't think I'll have my answers in the next book as they are pretty much standalones. Ugh, I am so curious of what the ending meant.
February 18, 2024
Entertaining mystery listening. 🎶🎵
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 3 of 7.
Charlie and friends are involved in a man moving into a house. The next door neighbor thinks he is a vampire. Then a dead man is found in the yard and a young girl goes missing. Charlie finds the truth leading to the arrest of the killer.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of fantasy mysteries. 2024
This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 3 of 7.
Charlie and friends are involved in a man moving into a house. The next door neighbor thinks he is a vampire. Then a dead man is found in the yard and a young girl goes missing. Charlie finds the truth leading to the arrest of the killer.
I would recommend this series and author to readers of fantasy mysteries. 2024
April 30, 2022
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Did you say, vampire?
Yes, and he’s digging holes in the backyard in the middle of the night!
Well, it is Redemption, Wisconsin and strange things seem to happen there. But vampires?
Soon Charlie is caught up in finding a missing mailman, a missing teenager, a murder, a psychic, and yes, a vampire who everyone believes is responsible for it all.
We are back in Redemption, Wisconsin and I have to keep reminding myself this series is set in the 1990s when I wonder why Charlie doesn’t have a cell phone. But when that memory kicks in I find myself easily immersed in the quirky small town and its eccentric residents.
Redemption is a peculiar place and the perfect setting for a cozy mystery. Readers quickly learn that is more than just a place though. The residents believe the town has power and like the Hotel California, once you check-in, you can’t check out unless the town is willing to let you go. This gives an overshadowing eerieness to the whole story which makes it different from most traditional cozy mysteries.
This time we meet Mildred, one of Charlie’s tea customers who is worried about what is happening next door. It seems her longtime neighbor has disappeared and someone else is living in his house. The “housesitter” is a very unusual man with some unusual habits and it has poor Mildred completely twitterpated. We also learn that across town a teenager from a large family has gone missing. Then a dead body is found in the missing man’s yard and the entire town is in an uproar. Charlie arrives just in time to stop the surge ready to take the housesitter/vampire down.
The author really plotted this story well. It had a really good flow. Again, Charlie’s friend Pat becomes her sleuthing partner with Pat thinking that a visit to the new psychic in town will get them off to a great start in finding what is going on around town and if anyone truly is in danger. Well, that didn’t go as planned.
I enjoyed how Charlie encouraged and finally was able to convince Mildred to talk to the police. Officer Brandon Wyle listened patiently to Mildred’s outlandish report and then turned to Charlie after Mildred left the room to find out if the woman was truly delusional. Then he tells Charlie to butt out and leave everything to him. Later he realizes it may be beneficial to keep Charlie involved. What was even better is they get together several times to compare notes and by the end appear to be on common ground and maybe more in the future.
All the mysteries were solved by the end of the book although one happened very abruptly when all the clues finally slipped into place for Charlie. I was surprised, the ending could have gone two ways. All I will say is Charlie is one lucky woman.
Murder Next Door is an entertaining story containing several mysteries tangled together in an intriguing way that kept the pages rapidly turning. I can’t wait to escape into the next Charlie Kingsley Mystery and 1990s Redemption, Wisconsin. It is quite the place and she is quite the protagonist. I also to check out the author’s Secrets of Redemption series where Charlie was first introduced.
Did you say, vampire?
Yes, and he’s digging holes in the backyard in the middle of the night!
Well, it is Redemption, Wisconsin and strange things seem to happen there. But vampires?
Soon Charlie is caught up in finding a missing mailman, a missing teenager, a murder, a psychic, and yes, a vampire who everyone believes is responsible for it all.
We are back in Redemption, Wisconsin and I have to keep reminding myself this series is set in the 1990s when I wonder why Charlie doesn’t have a cell phone. But when that memory kicks in I find myself easily immersed in the quirky small town and its eccentric residents.
Redemption is a peculiar place and the perfect setting for a cozy mystery. Readers quickly learn that is more than just a place though. The residents believe the town has power and like the Hotel California, once you check-in, you can’t check out unless the town is willing to let you go. This gives an overshadowing eerieness to the whole story which makes it different from most traditional cozy mysteries.
This time we meet Mildred, one of Charlie’s tea customers who is worried about what is happening next door. It seems her longtime neighbor has disappeared and someone else is living in his house. The “housesitter” is a very unusual man with some unusual habits and it has poor Mildred completely twitterpated. We also learn that across town a teenager from a large family has gone missing. Then a dead body is found in the missing man’s yard and the entire town is in an uproar. Charlie arrives just in time to stop the surge ready to take the housesitter/vampire down.
The author really plotted this story well. It had a really good flow. Again, Charlie’s friend Pat becomes her sleuthing partner with Pat thinking that a visit to the new psychic in town will get them off to a great start in finding what is going on around town and if anyone truly is in danger. Well, that didn’t go as planned.
I enjoyed how Charlie encouraged and finally was able to convince Mildred to talk to the police. Officer Brandon Wyle listened patiently to Mildred’s outlandish report and then turned to Charlie after Mildred left the room to find out if the woman was truly delusional. Then he tells Charlie to butt out and leave everything to him. Later he realizes it may be beneficial to keep Charlie involved. What was even better is they get together several times to compare notes and by the end appear to be on common ground and maybe more in the future.
All the mysteries were solved by the end of the book although one happened very abruptly when all the clues finally slipped into place for Charlie. I was surprised, the ending could have gone two ways. All I will say is Charlie is one lucky woman.
Murder Next Door is an entertaining story containing several mysteries tangled together in an intriguing way that kept the pages rapidly turning. I can’t wait to escape into the next Charlie Kingsley Mystery and 1990s Redemption, Wisconsin. It is quite the place and she is quite the protagonist. I also to check out the author’s Secrets of Redemption series where Charlie was first introduced.
February 2, 2024
3.25 stars
Murder Next Door is the third book in the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series by Michele Pariza Wacek. This slightly paranormal cozy mystery series is a spin-off from a previous series, which I did not read, and would have benefited from reading before starting this series, since there is clearly background information that I’m missing.
Charlie owns a teas and tinctures shop with teas that seem to have special healing properties. She’s also an amateur detective and often finds herself involved with sleuthing alongside the local detective. In this story, someone moves in next-door to Charlie’s elderly friend Mildred in the middle of the night, taking over the home of a staid and steady member of the community. This man seems to have some unusual habits and the townsfolk brand him a vampire. Meanwhile, a psychic moves into town from places, unknown, and Charlie does not has suspicions about her.
When unrelated people begin to go missing, fingers are pointing at the two newcomers. Charlie works with her friend Pat and the town detective she has a slow-growing affection for, to uncover this layered mystery. The Murder Next Door isn’t quite as gripping as the previous books, but it is a well-written, complex mystery and it was fairly entertaining with interesting characters.
Murder Next Door is the third book in the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series by Michele Pariza Wacek. This slightly paranormal cozy mystery series is a spin-off from a previous series, which I did not read, and would have benefited from reading before starting this series, since there is clearly background information that I’m missing.
Charlie owns a teas and tinctures shop with teas that seem to have special healing properties. She’s also an amateur detective and often finds herself involved with sleuthing alongside the local detective. In this story, someone moves in next-door to Charlie’s elderly friend Mildred in the middle of the night, taking over the home of a staid and steady member of the community. This man seems to have some unusual habits and the townsfolk brand him a vampire. Meanwhile, a psychic moves into town from places, unknown, and Charlie does not has suspicions about her.
When unrelated people begin to go missing, fingers are pointing at the two newcomers. Charlie works with her friend Pat and the town detective she has a slow-growing affection for, to uncover this layered mystery. The Murder Next Door isn’t quite as gripping as the previous books, but it is a well-written, complex mystery and it was fairly entertaining with interesting characters.
November 9, 2024
Laughed my way through the whole thing. Once again, I LOVE how Wacek throws in supernatural elements, and it's up to you to decide if any of them mean anything. This time... vampires.
My goodness, Mildred needs an Oscar for her performance on the "coming to a ridiculous conclusion and holding fast for dear life" thing. WOW.
I didn't get this one. In retrospect, I should have. But Wacek did a great job of misdirecting me into something completely different. I had a plot all figured out that included one of her subplots twisting together in a rope to hang one character well and good. It just never happened. While hers made sense and fit, I like mine better. LOL. But who cares? SHE GOT ME. And I like it because she prompted me to overcomplicate things. And that's a great way to know you've got it wrong... and I still fell for it. Well done. And onto the next!
My goodness, Mildred needs an Oscar for her performance on the "coming to a ridiculous conclusion and holding fast for dear life" thing. WOW.
I didn't get this one. In retrospect, I should have. But Wacek did a great job of misdirecting me into something completely different. I had a plot all figured out that included one of her subplots twisting together in a rope to hang one character well and good. It just never happened. While hers made sense and fit, I like mine better. LOL. But who cares? SHE GOT ME. And I like it because she prompted me to overcomplicate things. And that's a great way to know you've got it wrong... and I still fell for it. Well done. And onto the next!
April 24, 2022
This is the third book I've read about Charlie Kingsly and her sleuthing in Redemption, Wisconsin. Charlie owns and operates a tea and tincture business out of her home but on the side she's quite the amateur detective.
This time the story involves a missing teenage girl, a vampire and a dead body in the backyard of yet another missing person, Jonas, a local postman. Drake Crimson (who doesn't love that name) is the suspected vampire who is housesitting for Jonas, who is on vacation, although no one can say if that's true or not. Hes not actually a vampire, obviously, he has a medical condition, but it does make for some laugh out loud moments with everyone talking about a vampire in the town.
I really enjoy this series. Charlie is a likeable character, and her cohorts are fun as well. Mildred is kind of whacky with her accusations of Drake being a vampire. Pat is very knowledgeable about the goings on in the town but is down to earth. There is a new player in town, Rowena, a psychic, who Charlie is suspicious of but has not evidence that she's done anything wrong. And of course, there is still the tense relationship between Charlie and the local police officer, Wyle. I'm secretly hoping that they eventually get together.
All in all, this was another home run hit for me. I love how short the chapters are and how well the story comes together. I am curious about the Polly disappearance as I felt that maybe there was more to the story that wasn't revealed, maybe that's being saved for later. This is a great series, and you will not be disappointed.
This time the story involves a missing teenage girl, a vampire and a dead body in the backyard of yet another missing person, Jonas, a local postman. Drake Crimson (who doesn't love that name) is the suspected vampire who is housesitting for Jonas, who is on vacation, although no one can say if that's true or not. Hes not actually a vampire, obviously, he has a medical condition, but it does make for some laugh out loud moments with everyone talking about a vampire in the town.
I really enjoy this series. Charlie is a likeable character, and her cohorts are fun as well. Mildred is kind of whacky with her accusations of Drake being a vampire. Pat is very knowledgeable about the goings on in the town but is down to earth. There is a new player in town, Rowena, a psychic, who Charlie is suspicious of but has not evidence that she's done anything wrong. And of course, there is still the tense relationship between Charlie and the local police officer, Wyle. I'm secretly hoping that they eventually get together.
All in all, this was another home run hit for me. I love how short the chapters are and how well the story comes together. I am curious about the Polly disappearance as I felt that maybe there was more to the story that wasn't revealed, maybe that's being saved for later. This is a great series, and you will not be disappointed.
April 12, 2022
In Redemption, Wisconsin all is not as it seems. The town, known for its unusual activity, is even more outlandish than ever. An alleged vampire has moved in next to Mildred, a psychic has set up shop, and a teenager has gone missing. Are any of these things related or is Redemption just working its magic again?
Characters
Charlie is front and centre of this mystery and that's a good thing! Charlie continues to be the level-headed go-to person while everyone else is either losing their minds or on the verge of it. With this instalment, we are introduced to several new characters: Mildred, an aged customer, is easily excitable and irrepressible. Drake, Mildred's next-door neighbour, has some unique late-night gardening habits. Rowena, owner of a mystical store, could have "the sight" but Charlie has her doubts.
Plot
There are so many mysteries in this book! All nicely dovetail into each other and the resolution leaves the reader with a feeling of accomplishment. At the core of the book, however, is the concept of an established community coming to terms with newcomers. I loved the way the author looked at this from a variety of angles. There are so many fascinating layers to this book. Or, if you wish, you can mainly read it as a cosy - the choice is left to the reader.
Final Note
I love the interwoven nature of this book - pull on one strand and find it connected to another. I also find myself wholly attached to some of the new characters in this book and I hope to see them again in the series. This is the true talent of the author - she makes you fall in love with her characters. I highly recommend Murder Next Door for paranormal cosy readers.
~~~~~~~~
Thank you to BookSirens and Michele Pariza Wacek for the opportunity to review this eARC. My opinions are left freely and are, as always, honest and true. (less)
Characters
Charlie is front and centre of this mystery and that's a good thing! Charlie continues to be the level-headed go-to person while everyone else is either losing their minds or on the verge of it. With this instalment, we are introduced to several new characters: Mildred, an aged customer, is easily excitable and irrepressible. Drake, Mildred's next-door neighbour, has some unique late-night gardening habits. Rowena, owner of a mystical store, could have "the sight" but Charlie has her doubts.
Plot
There are so many mysteries in this book! All nicely dovetail into each other and the resolution leaves the reader with a feeling of accomplishment. At the core of the book, however, is the concept of an established community coming to terms with newcomers. I loved the way the author looked at this from a variety of angles. There are so many fascinating layers to this book. Or, if you wish, you can mainly read it as a cosy - the choice is left to the reader.
Final Note
I love the interwoven nature of this book - pull on one strand and find it connected to another. I also find myself wholly attached to some of the new characters in this book and I hope to see them again in the series. This is the true talent of the author - she makes you fall in love with her characters. I highly recommend Murder Next Door for paranormal cosy readers.
~~~~~~~~
Thank you to BookSirens and Michele Pariza Wacek for the opportunity to review this eARC. My opinions are left freely and are, as always, honest and true. (less)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2022
This is the second book I have read by this author and again, it's a light and fun read. There are mor laugh out loud moments in this one, especially in relation to a suspected vampire suddenly living in Redemption.
This time we have the discovery of a dead body in the yard of the suspected vampire while at the same time, a local girl has gone missing. The townpeople are convinced this is the handiwork of this vampire but Charlie is not believing it.
I love the characters in this, from Charlie herself who people think is a witch because of her herbal teas, to Mildred who has convinced everyone about the vampire, to Pat who is somewhere in between sensible and wacky. We even now have a new psychic in town just to top things off. I'm also enjoying the relationship , such as it is, between Charlie and Wyle and wonder what will happen there.
I felt the story with Polly was a bit unfinished and not clear. Perhaps that was deliberate but that is the only reason I marked this down to a four star review instead of a five star review. I look forward to reading the next in this series as it's total escapism and very enjoyable.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This time we have the discovery of a dead body in the yard of the suspected vampire while at the same time, a local girl has gone missing. The townpeople are convinced this is the handiwork of this vampire but Charlie is not believing it.
I love the characters in this, from Charlie herself who people think is a witch because of her herbal teas, to Mildred who has convinced everyone about the vampire, to Pat who is somewhere in between sensible and wacky. We even now have a new psychic in town just to top things off. I'm also enjoying the relationship , such as it is, between Charlie and Wyle and wonder what will happen there.
I felt the story with Polly was a bit unfinished and not clear. Perhaps that was deliberate but that is the only reason I marked this down to a four star review instead of a five star review. I look forward to reading the next in this series as it's total escapism and very enjoyable.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 18, 2022
Another fabulous cozey mystery murder .Michele Pariza Wacek has given a well written mystery with colorful and vibrant characters 😀 and of course someone in Charlie's small town has left a dead body in her friends neighbor backyard yep and Charlie's trying to find out who done with the help of the local sheriffs oops isn't that supposed to be the other way around .The mystery, mayhem, intrigue and Charlie will have you turning page after page until all of a sudden you're there 😉 knowing the who,what ever and why. Acquire " Murder Next Door " so you yourself can enjoy it as much as I have 🙂🤔😀😏 Kat
April 10, 2022
Murder Next Door is Book 3 in Charlie Kingsley Mystery by Michele Pariza Wacek. I truly enjoy this series. Charlie Kingsley is an outstanding character with quirky friends. One. of her tea customers, Mildred, is a true busy body. She decided that her neighbor is gone or possibly murdered by a house sitter Vampire! I laughed at times and found myself saying, "really"? This cosy was so enjoyable. I can't wait for book 4, Murder Among Friends. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
April 19, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book! Great characters, smooth flowing and interesting storyline! I definitely want to go read the other two books from this series, not because this can't be read as a stand-alone, because I just love Charlie! 😉 😆 I do wish that a little more would have been explained in the ending, but I definitely recommend this book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 15, 2022
I really enjoy getting to know Charlie and her friends. I wish I could enjoy the tea, too. I love the flow of the mystery.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 19, 2022
Murder Next Door is book #3 in the Charlie Kingsley Mysteries series by Michele PW.
One of Charlie’s customers thinks there is a vampire in the neighborhood. Then a string of events take place creating fear in Redemption.
I characters in this book, especially Charlie. She is the voice of reason even when no one wants to hear it. The people of Redemption are an interesting lot. I loved the various storylines of the vampire, missing people and the murder and how everything wrapped up. I can’t wait for the next book to see what is in store for Charlie.
I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
One of Charlie’s customers thinks there is a vampire in the neighborhood. Then a string of events take place creating fear in Redemption.
I characters in this book, especially Charlie. She is the voice of reason even when no one wants to hear it. The people of Redemption are an interesting lot. I loved the various storylines of the vampire, missing people and the murder and how everything wrapped up. I can’t wait for the next book to see what is in store for Charlie.
I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
December 2, 2024
3.5 stars...now that I know her background....I have issues I need sorted out in these books...
March 14, 2025
Not as good as the last but still good! can't wait for these two to just kiss already
May 3, 2022
Murder Next Door takes place in the fictional town, Redemption, WI. It’s a strange town where lots of unexplained things have happened for years. In fact, Charlie lives in a supposedly haunted house, and lots of townspeople think she’s a witch. In reality, she makes teas. Her teas, like many herbal blends, have medicinal and calming properties. This fuels the fire, but Charlie takes it in stride.
In Murder Next Door, Charlie becomes entangled in another murder quite by accident when her friend Mildred calls her in great distress one night. A “stranger” has moved in next door and she’s convinced he’s up to no good. He only goes out at night and has very pale skin, so Mildred quickly declares that he must be a vampire. And being Redemption, the word spreads like wildfire, and soon the townsfolk are in a frenzy…especially since a teen girl is missing! And then a dead body appears. So, Charlie HAS to get involved in solving the murder and figuring out where the girl is.
Murder Next Door is a very fun cozy mystery with a strong female protagonist, close friendships, quirky side characters, a cute police officer (will he and Charlie get together?!), and a couple of bewildering mysteries to solve…..oh, and a cat! Cats make everything better 🙂 I have really been enjoying getting to know Charlie and the town of Redemption. I definitely recommend you do the same! Give Murder Next Door a read!
In Murder Next Door, Charlie becomes entangled in another murder quite by accident when her friend Mildred calls her in great distress one night. A “stranger” has moved in next door and she’s convinced he’s up to no good. He only goes out at night and has very pale skin, so Mildred quickly declares that he must be a vampire. And being Redemption, the word spreads like wildfire, and soon the townsfolk are in a frenzy…especially since a teen girl is missing! And then a dead body appears. So, Charlie HAS to get involved in solving the murder and figuring out where the girl is.
Murder Next Door is a very fun cozy mystery with a strong female protagonist, close friendships, quirky side characters, a cute police officer (will he and Charlie get together?!), and a couple of bewildering mysteries to solve…..oh, and a cat! Cats make everything better 🙂 I have really been enjoying getting to know Charlie and the town of Redemption. I definitely recommend you do the same! Give Murder Next Door a read!
April 21, 2022
Redemption is a strange little town with some strange people in it! Charlie Kingsley owns the haunted house in town, grows herbs and makes teas from them. Two things happen that get the town in an uproar. The first is that the stay-at home Jonas decides to take an uncustomary 1 month trip and has someone come in to house sit, done all at night. The second is that one of the teens in town disappears. Add in a bunch of small town gossip, and you have the setting for a tragedy! Great read, as are all of Michelle Pacek’s books! I received a free copy of this book from the author and BookSirens and write this review voluntarily.
April 20, 2022
I found the book somewhat confusing as there was obviously a back story on the main character and the town that wasn't explained, this took away from my enjoyment of this story.
April 28, 2022
Murder Next Door is the third installment of Michele Pariza Wacek's Charlie Kingsley Mystery series. In this book, Charlie's good friend Mildred comes to Charlie's house because she is concerned about a neighbor Jonas. Mildred is concerned because Jonas has uncharacteristically left town on a month's vacation and another man has moved into Jonas' house but won't answer the door when Mildred knocked and is only seen outside at night. Charlie agrees to accompany Mildred to Jonas' house to attempt to speak with the occupant. When he finally answers the door, he informs them that he is housesitting for Jonas and that he has a medical condition that is made worse by exposure to the sun. As a result of this visit, Mildred starts making claims that the housesitter is a vampire and he soon becomes a person of interest when a teenager disappears and a body is discovered in the backyard at Jonas' house.
Although this series is a cozy spinoff of the author's Secrets of Redemption Psychological Thriller series, the books in this series can be read as stand alone books or in sequence just within this series as the author has done an excellent job of giving enough backstory on Charlie and her experiences so the reader doesn't feel as though they have entered the movie halfway through. Within this series, the author has created a cast of multi-dimensional characters that can easily be considered for a multitude of roles in both this and future installments. Much of this particular novel focuses on the introduction of a new character, Rowena/Margaret, that I can foresee could easily become a victim, perpetrator or even ally for Charlie in future stories, however, more information will need to be gained by Charlie for her to consider Rowena as anything other than a suspicious newcomer in the town.
As this story unfolded, I found it riveting that the author was able to create the impression of possible connections between the teenager's disappearance and the murder but then was able to offer different but believable resolutions to both crimes and ultimately created a totally unexpected revelation as to the killer's identity and motive. Quite honestly, the killer wasn't even on my radar until the reveal. I look forward to future installments in this series as I can see many possible storyline directions for the author to take Charlie in.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free from the author at booksirens.com, and am leaving this fair and honest review voluntarily.
Although this series is a cozy spinoff of the author's Secrets of Redemption Psychological Thriller series, the books in this series can be read as stand alone books or in sequence just within this series as the author has done an excellent job of giving enough backstory on Charlie and her experiences so the reader doesn't feel as though they have entered the movie halfway through. Within this series, the author has created a cast of multi-dimensional characters that can easily be considered for a multitude of roles in both this and future installments. Much of this particular novel focuses on the introduction of a new character, Rowena/Margaret, that I can foresee could easily become a victim, perpetrator or even ally for Charlie in future stories, however, more information will need to be gained by Charlie for her to consider Rowena as anything other than a suspicious newcomer in the town.
As this story unfolded, I found it riveting that the author was able to create the impression of possible connections between the teenager's disappearance and the murder but then was able to offer different but believable resolutions to both crimes and ultimately created a totally unexpected revelation as to the killer's identity and motive. Quite honestly, the killer wasn't even on my radar until the reveal. I look forward to future installments in this series as I can see many possible storyline directions for the author to take Charlie in.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free from the author at booksirens.com, and am leaving this fair and honest review voluntarily.
April 26, 2022
In "Murder Next Door" the third book in the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series by Michele Pariza Wacek finds Charlie the local tea and tincture business owner involved in what seems like a murder involving, of all things, a vampire! Let me explain, one of Charlie's customers and friends calls her to tell her the neighbor next door is missing and there's a new man living there who's exhibiting some very strange behavior. Charlie heads over to investigate and is soon involved in investigating another murder!
This has been such a fun series and the characters are great! Cozies to me are all about the characters and how they relate and mesh themselves into the story. Wacek does a great job at keeping the story flowing while building on the relationships of the recurring characters as she introduces new ones. This one had the added mystery of a possible vampire, which normally I wouldn't go for, but it really worked here and was actually explained very well.
Charlie Kingsley is the type of female protagonist that works well in a cozy. She's smart, brave and doesn't take "No" for an answer, especially when it comes from her friend and possible love interest Investigator Wyle. I say possible because Wacek hints at an attraction there but never crosses the line, which works for me. I don't want my cozy characters to instantly fall in love with their counterparts. I enjoy the cat and mouse of the investigator/female protagonist storyline and how the author builds on that as the series goes on. With this being book three it's getting pretty hot in the room when Charlie and Investigator Wyle are in the room together. Although just when you think they're going to dip into a relationship, they say goodbye at the door and go about their own business. I love the suspense of it all!
These are well thought out, well written cozies, with a good mystery and wonderful characters. Everything a reader wants when they start a new series. I've really enjoyed each book and this one was no different. I am a big fan of Charlie and friends and look forward to book four! I say if you, like me enjoy a good cozy series, this is a great one to start. Happy Reading!
This has been such a fun series and the characters are great! Cozies to me are all about the characters and how they relate and mesh themselves into the story. Wacek does a great job at keeping the story flowing while building on the relationships of the recurring characters as she introduces new ones. This one had the added mystery of a possible vampire, which normally I wouldn't go for, but it really worked here and was actually explained very well.
Charlie Kingsley is the type of female protagonist that works well in a cozy. She's smart, brave and doesn't take "No" for an answer, especially when it comes from her friend and possible love interest Investigator Wyle. I say possible because Wacek hints at an attraction there but never crosses the line, which works for me. I don't want my cozy characters to instantly fall in love with their counterparts. I enjoy the cat and mouse of the investigator/female protagonist storyline and how the author builds on that as the series goes on. With this being book three it's getting pretty hot in the room when Charlie and Investigator Wyle are in the room together. Although just when you think they're going to dip into a relationship, they say goodbye at the door and go about their own business. I love the suspense of it all!
These are well thought out, well written cozies, with a good mystery and wonderful characters. Everything a reader wants when they start a new series. I've really enjoyed each book and this one was no different. I am a big fan of Charlie and friends and look forward to book four! I say if you, like me enjoy a good cozy series, this is a great one to start. Happy Reading!
March 20, 2025
3 Stars ⭐️. I am really torn with this series. I have read the 0.5 Novella and this is the third book in the series that I have read. It starts out with an exciting and interesting premise. That a vampire has moved in next door and a dead body is found in the backyard. Then the detective work and the shenanigans being. I love the fact that it is set in the early 90s. Something so nostalgic about having to use pay phones and calling from home phones and getting news from the newspaper every morning. My issue is that the stories get wrapped up so abruptly. Like, four pages. Everything is summed up in a discussion and the villain gives a short monologue then flees the scene. Then the next scene is Charlie and Pat discussing the whole book over tea and cookies. The villain’s conclusion is not mentioned. Did they go to jail? Were they shot in the street? Did the vampire eat them? After three books in, I have decided to finish the series but keep my expectations low. I now know the format of each book and how it works. Plus, I do enjoy the town of Redemption and the side characters. This is just a more cozy than mystery and more dialogue heavy.
April 24, 2022
Psychics, missing persons, witches, corpses, and vampires? Redemption, Wisconsin, is my kind of town!
Charlie runs a tea and tincture service from her house. One of her customers, eighty-year-old retired schoolteacher Mildred, is concerned about her neighbor. It seems Jonas has taken a month-long vacation without telling her. Now, a man claiming to be Jonas' house sitter is acting bizarrely. He only appears at night when he digs holes in the backyard by flashlight. Could the holes be graves? People are disappearing in town. Could the house sitter be a real-life vampire? Charlie decides to help Mildred investigate more to protect Mildred than to determine if there really is a neighborhood vampire.
Murder Next Door is a humorous paranormal cozy mystery. I had a great time reading about the crazy locals and trying to solve the disappearances along with Charlie. This book is the perfect vacation read. 4 stars!
Thanks to the author and Great Escapes Book Tours for a digital review copy of the book.
Charlie runs a tea and tincture service from her house. One of her customers, eighty-year-old retired schoolteacher Mildred, is concerned about her neighbor. It seems Jonas has taken a month-long vacation without telling her. Now, a man claiming to be Jonas' house sitter is acting bizarrely. He only appears at night when he digs holes in the backyard by flashlight. Could the holes be graves? People are disappearing in town. Could the house sitter be a real-life vampire? Charlie decides to help Mildred investigate more to protect Mildred than to determine if there really is a neighborhood vampire.
Murder Next Door is a humorous paranormal cozy mystery. I had a great time reading about the crazy locals and trying to solve the disappearances along with Charlie. This book is the perfect vacation read. 4 stars!
Thanks to the author and Great Escapes Book Tours for a digital review copy of the book.
September 10, 2024
This the third in the Charley Kingsley Mysteries set in Redemption, Wisconsin.
I listened to this on Hoopla. I enjoyed this much more than the second book in the series. Polly did sound whiney but many of the other characters, not so much.
Charlie owns a teas and tinctures business. Her teas maybe considered medicinal in nature. They may have healing properties such as relaxation, alertness, qwelling of nausea, etc…
Mildred believes the house sitter next door is a vampire and strange things happen in the evening over there. She calls Charlie.
Also, a 16 year old girl goes missing in Redemption and a murdered man is dumped in the backyard of the next door neighbor.
This is plenty to get Charlie involved in snooping and assisting the detective. The chill between them seems to lighten. Charlie and Detective Wyle share some info to resolve this cases.
Charlie and Pat do not trust the new psychic in town. I feel we will see more of her in future books.
What is she really up to?
There were plenty of rabbit holes to follow in this story.
I enjoyed it.
I listened to this on Hoopla. I enjoyed this much more than the second book in the series. Polly did sound whiney but many of the other characters, not so much.
Charlie owns a teas and tinctures business. Her teas maybe considered medicinal in nature. They may have healing properties such as relaxation, alertness, qwelling of nausea, etc…
Mildred believes the house sitter next door is a vampire and strange things happen in the evening over there. She calls Charlie.
Also, a 16 year old girl goes missing in Redemption and a murdered man is dumped in the backyard of the next door neighbor.
This is plenty to get Charlie involved in snooping and assisting the detective. The chill between them seems to lighten. Charlie and Detective Wyle share some info to resolve this cases.
Charlie and Pat do not trust the new psychic in town. I feel we will see more of her in future books.
What is she really up to?
There were plenty of rabbit holes to follow in this story.
I enjoyed it.
April 23, 2022
Murder Next Door features the residents of Redemption, Wisconsin in the 1990s and all the odd quirks of their personalities and their hometown. The protagonist Charlie is an entertaining character; she makes herbal teas and has a penchant for becoming involved in mysteries. As a relative newcomer to Redemption she is not always aware of the town's history, especially the odd disappearances (and sometimes reappearances) that have happened in its past, but her growing circle of friends keep her informed of the latest events. When an elderly woman tries to convince Charlie that a vampire has moved in, a local teen disappears, and a new psychic shop opens - it seems that something strange may be going on.
I have not read the earlier adventures of Charlie and her acquaintances, so I was not aware of the reasons for various attitudes the characters displayed. Hints were given about the relationships, but readers who start at the beginning of the series will be more informed and the byplay will make more sense to them. I appreciated the author's ability to work humor into the story. Mildred's insistence that a housesitter is a vampire because he only comes out at night, Pat's determination to visit Madame Rowena for a psychic reading, and Charlie's attempts to rein in their imaginations all offer some comic relief to the tension of the murder and missing person cases.
For those who enjoy small towns, memorable characters, and a slightly unwilling sleuth who bakes when she is stressed, this is an enjoyable choice.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have not read the earlier adventures of Charlie and her acquaintances, so I was not aware of the reasons for various attitudes the characters displayed. Hints were given about the relationships, but readers who start at the beginning of the series will be more informed and the byplay will make more sense to them. I appreciated the author's ability to work humor into the story. Mildred's insistence that a housesitter is a vampire because he only comes out at night, Pat's determination to visit Madame Rowena for a psychic reading, and Charlie's attempts to rein in their imaginations all offer some comic relief to the tension of the murder and missing person cases.
For those who enjoy small towns, memorable characters, and a slightly unwilling sleuth who bakes when she is stressed, this is an enjoyable choice.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 12, 2022
This book had a lot of potential.
What I liked: The author wrote interesting characters that seemed realistic and nuanced. The concept for the town was also good. The heroine was likable.
What didn’t quite work: The mysteries happened a bit late in the book. One mystery was never completely resolved. The atmosphere the author was trying to create didn’t come across. There was theoretically supposed to be some kind of chemistry or tension or something between the heroine and the police officer, but it was absent.
Overall: this wasn’t a bad book. This wasn’t a great book. I believe that it is a spin-off of another series by the author, and maybe I would have liked it better if I had read the other series. Extra star for good grammar and quirky characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
What I liked: The author wrote interesting characters that seemed realistic and nuanced. The concept for the town was also good. The heroine was likable.
What didn’t quite work: The mysteries happened a bit late in the book. One mystery was never completely resolved. The atmosphere the author was trying to create didn’t come across. There was theoretically supposed to be some kind of chemistry or tension or something between the heroine and the police officer, but it was absent.
Overall: this wasn’t a bad book. This wasn’t a great book. I believe that it is a spin-off of another series by the author, and maybe I would have liked it better if I had read the other series. Extra star for good grammar and quirky characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
April 30, 2022
While I have really liked books in this series, Murder Next Door just missed its mark for me. The core of the story was okay but the secondary mystery just seemed to distract from the story rather than enhance it. If the point of it was to be a red herring that mysteries need, this story seemed to have enough without it. It seemed to me to be unnecessarily included or perhaps I just missed the reason for it. It just didn't seem to blend well with the rest of the story.
That said, the characters and locale are interesting. It is an easy read. I would read other books in the series. Books like anything else are a matter of personal taste, mine may not be the same as yours.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion in this review.
That said, the characters and locale are interesting. It is an easy read. I would read other books in the series. Books like anything else are a matter of personal taste, mine may not be the same as yours.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion in this review.
October 14, 2022
Wow!!! I love how this author writes about consequences and about carrying tales and gossip. It really is the basics of evil for wrongdoing to dig deep roots and create havoc. A lesson for all of us to keep our mouth shut and our opinions to ourselves. On the other hand someone who is willing to commit evil doesn’t need any help. And we are all responsible for what we do and not for what someone else does. This book really made me think, think about what I just wrote and what happened in the book. This author is so good and I just love this series and I really love the characters in it. The storylines are thought-provoking and actually emotion evoking!! I have to read the next book because I have to find out just how evil is this person!!
April 18, 2024
Very enjoyable
A quick easy read. Charlie is sticking her nose in everyone's bussiness. When Mildred's neighbor comes up missing and a very pale skinned guy who only comes out at night is found to be living in the house , Mildred is convinced of two things. That the guy is a vampire that has killed her neighbor. At the same time a high school girl has come up missing. Mildred the town busybody calls Charlie for some of her home made tea and givers her an ear full of gossip. When a dead body turns up, Charlie is convinced the police need her help to solve the crime. A fun read to learn who did it.
A quick easy read. Charlie is sticking her nose in everyone's bussiness. When Mildred's neighbor comes up missing and a very pale skinned guy who only comes out at night is found to be living in the house , Mildred is convinced of two things. That the guy is a vampire that has killed her neighbor. At the same time a high school girl has come up missing. Mildred the town busybody calls Charlie for some of her home made tea and givers her an ear full of gossip. When a dead body turns up, Charlie is convinced the police need her help to solve the crime. A fun read to learn who did it.
May 13, 2022
Once I started reading Murder Next Door, I didn't put it down until I finished it. For all you cozy mystery lovers this should be on your TBR pile for sure! I have not read any other novels by this author but I definitely will be looking for more of her books. I found Charlie to be relatable and a character you want to know more about and love the mysterious setting in the town of Redemption. I look forward to finding out what happens next for Charlie Kingsley.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC
May 16, 2022
Charlie's friend Pat calls her over because she's worried about her neighbor. Seems Jonas, the neighbor has disappeared and whoever is staying there is keeping nocturnal hours. Polly, a neighborhood teenager, has disappeared. Then a dead body is found in the neighbor's yard. Is he a vampire? Or at least a killer? Is the dead body related to Polly's disappearance? Join in as Charlie investigates and tries to piece the puzzle together. Is the new psychic in town a part of it? A very well written mystery that ties up all the loose ends by the end. Enjoy.
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