Look Both Ways - Blog Tour Review + Giveaway

Look Both Ways (A Witch City Mystery) by Carol J. Perry
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: Blog Tour
Description:  In Salem, Massachusetts, there are secrets everywhere - even in the furniture.
When Lee Barrett spots the same style oak bureau she once had as a child on the WICH-TV show, Shopping Salem, she rushes to the antique shop and buys the piece.  Just like she beloved bureau she lost in a fire, this one has secret compartments.  It also comes with an intriguing history - it was purchased in an estate sale from a home where a famous local murder took place.  The day after the bureau is delivered, Lee returns to the antiques shop and finds the owner dead.  The police suspect the shop owner's unscrupulous business partner, but Lee wonders if the murder is connected to her new furniture.  At least part of the answer may be revealed through a mirror in the bureau, tarnished and blackened, allowing Lee to tap into her psychic visions.  Using this bureau of investigation, Lee may be able to furnish her policeman beau with the evidence needed to catch the killer - before the next one to be shut up is her... (from Goodreads)

Genre: Mystery 

Why I Picked This Book:  There's a bureau with secret compartments!  I dream of finding a a secret compartment in a piece of furniture or a house or really anything.  Plus I love mysteries that dig into the past even if it's not that distant.

My Impression:  I fully expected to like this book with the antiques and secret compartments and a famous murder and not only did I like it but I thoroughly enjoyed it!  Antique shopping with Lee is now on my Fictional Bucket List.  I loved shopping with her as she looks for furniture for her laughably bare apartment and was thrilled to join her when she volunteered to find props for a series of plays on a teeny tiny budget.
There's a lot going on in this one - plays, an old murder, a new murder, a jewel hunt, dealing with a developing psychic power, and a developing romance - but it all works together and I never felt overwhelmed or that the mystery itself got buried in the details.  I really liked Lee and Pete together and liked that while he does remind her that he is the police officer and he does worry about her safety he also listens to her and values her opinion.
The mystery itself was entertaining with lots of twists and turns.  There are several valid suspects and a bunch of different motives.  I had several theories as to the who and the how by the time I got to the end and I enjoyed seeing which way the author went.  The paranormal aspect does help with the solving of the mystery but it's more of a nudge that contributes to solid police work versus taking over.
Lee is an interesting character.  She's a young widow who has a decent amount of money but doesn't harp on how much money she has which is nice. She's creative and intelligent but not super nosy.  When she hears something that she thinks is connected to the murder or is threatened she immediately calls the police which I appreciated.  She has a good group of friends and there was just an air of niceness that surrounded her life.
Very few books are perfect and this one has it's flaws.  There are several kind of clunky conversations where a character explains more than seems natural and there is some repetition.  Something will happen to Lee during the day and then she'll come home and tell her aunt of Pete all about it.  These flaws didn't affect my enjoyment.  I found Look Both Ways to be a fun, twisty turny mystery with  likable characters and a hint of paranormal.  And I also want a cat just like O'Ryan!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Definitely!  There are a few hints about earlier books that I'd love to read and I look forward to seeing more of Lee in the future.

Would I Recommend this Book?: If you enjoy Victoria Laurie or Juliet Blackwell or other paranormal cozy mysteries I think you'll enjoy this one.

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