THE PERFECTLY PROPER PARANORMAL MUSEUM

The Paranormal Museum gets uncomfortably close to its avowed mission when it becomes the scene of a murder.

The last thing Madelyn Kosloski’s mother expects is that her dear daughter, born into a family of achievers, will come back home from Russia to live for cheap in her aunt Sadie’s garage. But Maddie, who’s had it with the corruption in Moscow, is sure she’s more than qualified to get the right job when it comes her way. Until then, she’s stuck managing San Benedetto’s Paranormal Museum as a favor to her friend Adele Nakamoto. The problem with the museum isn’t that it’s tacky or that it may be haunted or even that the oddest people stop by with “contributions” they’d like exhibited; the real problem is that Christy Huntington’s dead body has been found inside. Since Christy’s body was discovered right before Maddie’s tenure, she doesn’t look too guilty; the same cannot be said of Adele. Adele broke her engagement to Michael St. James because he was cheating with Christy—in a Buick, no less. If Maddie and Adele had their way, the police would see that neither one really has a motive for murder. Instead, the officer investigating the crime is a tall, dark hottie paired with (oh no!) Laurel Hammer, Maddie’s high school nemesis. Since Officer Hammer isn’t willing to put aside her grudge against Maddie, it’s up to Maddie to clear her name and Adele’s before either is sent to the slammer.

A clever combination of characters you care about despite the silliness and absurd situations that hook you even though Weiss (The Hermetic Detective, 2015, etc.) clearly doesn’t take them very seriously.