For the second time in two years, a mystery series that I follow appears to be ending. The "Witch City" mystery series by Carol J. Perry stars Lee Barrett, an investigative reporter for a Salem, Massachusetts television station. Since childhood, she has experienced visions of the past, present, and possible future whenever she gazes into a reflective surface, but no every time. In the latest book, See Something, Lee has been promoted to programming director. While this keeps her off-screen, it doesn't keep her out of trouble, as she finds a young woman suffering from amnesia. Lee takes the woman to her home, where Lee's aunt Izzy helps the poor woman out. Lee also calls her police officer boyfriend, Pete, for assistance. It turns out that the woman may have been witness to a murder. While not a suspect, the woman's life is in danger as the suspects go after her for an unknown reason. The suspects you disguises and multiple identities, but the main thrust is the motive as opposed to determining the suspects real names. Late in the book, after the most recent threat to Lee's life is resolved, Pete proposes to her, unplanned and out-of-nowhere. In the epilogue, after the case is resolved, the two have an official engagement party. At the end of the book, after the usual recipes and author acknowledgements, there is a publisher's note saying that Perry will be starting a new book series soon, suggestive of haunted houses. And that this series is ending. Why end a series just because the female protagonist is getting married? I should have realized something was happening from the other clues. First, the story was copywriter in 2019, but not published until this year, as if Kensington, the publisher, wanted to milk out the series a little more. Many characters from two books previous had also been brought back. Finally, the book was in the new wide mass market paperback style. Unlike regular paperbacks, it is about an inch wider and a half an inch taller. It is also a dollar more expensive. This seems to be a trend in publishers of cozy mysteries and romances. Too big for a man's pocket, but great for a woman's purse. Other series, that I don't read, continue well after the wedding. At least this series doesn't have any loose ends, unlike another series a liked ended. That one was the "Wiccan Wheel" mystery series by Jennifer David Hesse. It too has seemed to end after the female lead got engaged. Unlike "Witch City," there were a few loose ends left to tie up. For instance, one of the supporting characters had a hidden back story that was hinted at, but never explored. A recurring enemy flew the coop, but still held the possibility of returning. Finally, there were two entire Wiccan holidays that had yet been used of the traditional eight. Leaving such a possibility open irks me. Why have a definite theme, and not complete it? Sure, one of the two holidays is fairly obscure and has no clear parallel in the modern calendar, while the other coincides with Easter, but there was still so much to go into. What hurts me the most, though? I was coming up with a mystery series about ghost/monster hunters, and Perry's new series might be stepping on its toes. At least I have other series still going strong, if I could only get them.
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