Dead & Breakfast, Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor (Review by Melissa Buchanan)

Rating: 4.0/5 Stars

Dead and Breakfast is a delightfully cozy murder mystery, with a paranormal twist!

Sal and Arthur star as our modern-day Odd Couple: one, accountant-like and logical, the other, a dramatic diva with a killer sense of humor. And did we mention, they’re gay vampires?

They have moved to the (not-at-all Twilight-inspired) Trident Falls (Forks, anyone?) to open their new bed and breakfast—The Iris Inn. However, after their first guest checks in, foul play occurs, and the mayor is found dead in their carefully tended flower bed! With all signs pointing to a vampire attack, Arthur and Sal must solve the mystery to clear their own names.

Familiarly-trodden vampire lore is upended (they don’t actually burn in the sunlight; it’s more of a gentle sapping of energy!) which provides a fresh twist to the novel. Authors Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor work together seamlessly to weave a supernatural and LGBTQIA+ inclusive take on the cozy murder genre.

Our heros Arthur and Sal face prejudice and fear, stemming from society’s distaste for the supernatural (but not their sexuality!), on their journey to discovery. While attempting to solve the mayor’s murder, there is also brutal assault on a teenage boy that leaves him clinging to life. When these clues also point to Arthur and Sal, a vindictive sheriff finally realizes his opportunity to throw someone in jail. Time is ticking until the FPI (the paranormal equivalent of the FBI) arrives, and Arthur and Sal must solve the case! Aided by a werewolf barista, an elven coroner, an army of trash pandas, and one remarkably amiable cat, they play amateur sleuths to uncover whodunnit.

With charming characters, paranormal and otherwise, Dead and Breakfast is a fun and quick read, perfectly suited to its October release date.