Dead & Breakfast

A gay vampire, a werewolf, and a Black woman meet in a cafe… Kinda sounds like the start of a joke. It is the start of Arthur Miller’s (no relations) investigation into who killed the mayor of Tristan Falls, Oregon. This is the first book in a new series featuring a gay couple, Arthur and Salvatore, who attempt to run an inn in a town with a strong anti-paranormal sentiment. I could not help but see parallels to recent years and even today.

Arthur’s straitlaced, little stuck in the past, buttoned-up personality contrasts with Salvatore’s over-the-top, flamboyant one.  Nora, a Black woman, back in town to take a new job, is campaigning for acceptance and inclusion of all, which doesn’t sit well with everyone. Thought having an ex-actor be anti-paranormal is a different twist since actors often are characterized as open-minded. 

The authors fully lean into the paranormal and do not just use it as a ploy to get readers in. Every part of the story includes it. Along the way, myths are busted and friendships are made. It seems nearly everyone is covered in this story: Jews, African Americans, Asian Americans, LGBTQIA+, dwarfism, and more. While not spoiling the whodunit, I will share that the message on embracing what makes us different and accepting each other is prevalent and strong (love that). There are several funny moments, of course, courtesy of Salvatore, that keep the story light. 

As the first book in the series, there are introductions of characters that I assume will appear in upcoming stories, like Lore, the elf coroner, and Theo, the werewolf lawyer turned coffee shop owner.

While a good story, the paranormal genre, even as a cozy mystery, is not for me. If it’s your thing, this is a good, maybe slightly too long, read.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #PenguinRandomHouse for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story. 

Happy Reading!