Review for Salem's Daughters by Stephen Tremp #paranormal

Blurb:

Following the loss of their promising careers, Bob and Debbie Stevens embark upon opening a bed and breakfast. Their savings depleted and desperate for cash, Bob reluctantly allows Debbie's meddling grandparents to co-sign a three million dollar loan. They purchase a burned down property on twenty five acres in scenic rural southern Michigan and builds Murcat Manor.

Rumors of curses and ghosts haunt the property’s reputation. But the history of two previous houses burning to the ground killing nineteen people do not deter Bob and Debbie from their dream: raising a family while earning a living with one of the few bed and breakfasts in the entire region.

During construction, the Stevens adopt thirteen kittens found in the rubble of the property. The cats are possessed by disembodied souls from daughters of witches put to death during the Salem Witch Trials. Each cat possesses a unique ability, and together they bring terror and death to the guests of Murcat Manor.

With each killing bringing more cancellations, Bob has to get creative. Burdened with massive debt, he devises inventive ways to allure new guests in order to keep up the payments. But the malevolent felines have five previous lives, spanning four centuries, of deviltry and murdering practice to draw on. Their vast experience now enhanced with the use of modern technology, they devise cagey ways to keep killing, including leaving evidence at the scene for detectives to believe Bob and Debbie are the perpetrators.

 

My review:

Bob and Debbie Stevens are a young couple down on their luck. On a picnic one sunny day, they discover a property perfect for a future Bed & Breakfast. Even Debbie's grandparents agree and they co-sign a multi-million dollar loan to have the grand Murcat Manor built. The Stevens adopt thirteen kittens found on the property and ignore the animals' strange behavior as well as the dark history of the property. The cats are possessed by the souls of the daughters of the witches killed during the Salem Witch Trials, and they thirst for revenge. Each cat has their own special ability and each of them wants to cause more than just plain mischief. As the deaths pile up, the Stevens have to find a way to keep the B&B booked and dodge two cops who have a vendetta against them. Will Bob and Debbie find out who is really responsible for the killings, or will they be put away for life if the can survive the cats' fury?

A wonderfully written paranormal tale that will raise the hair on your arms and wonder what will happen next. Great tension building and lots of surprises. My favorite part was the great descriptions. I could vividly picture Murcat Manor in my mind with all its unique rooms and the people (and cats!) that reside and visit there. I wasn't drowned by long paragraphs of descriptions, but it was nicely dispersed throughout.

There's a huge cast of characters, and sometimes it was difficult to remember who was who with the cats. Bob and Debbie had incredible depth. They're your ordinary young couple and yet circumstances make them something much more. While I could see how some would describe Bob as boring, he has an immense strength and smarts. Debbie might seem a little wild, but she's just as admirable as her husband. Erma and Ross made me smile too.

Highly recommended to fans of mysteries and paranormals.

Buy the book here:

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Find out more about Stephen Tremp on his blog!