Part of Meg Langslow, book 19
First published 2015
Mayor Randall Shiffley has transformed Caerphilly, Virginia into a Halloween wonderland. Residents drape cobwebs across windows and parade through streets in costume to draw tourists. Meg Langslow's grandfather adds to the festivities by launching his "Creatures of the Night" zoo exhibit. The celebration takes a dark turn when fire destroys the town's Haunted House and investigators discover a body in the ruins. Meg opens her own home as an alternative party location, hoping to salvage the holiday for everyone. Her good intentions backfire when another corpse appears, this one threatening to shut down Halloween entirely. Now Meg must solve two murders while navigating the chaos of costumed revelers, disappointed tourists, and her own eccentric family members. The blacksmith turned amateur detective races against time to catch a killer before the town's biggest celebration becomes its greatest tragedy.
Genres: mystery, halloween, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: cozy, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, found-family
Setting: Caerphilly, Virginia
Period: Halloween
307 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books