Hypnosis is for hacks

Berry's delightfully witty fourth Eleanor Wilde mystery (after 2020's Curses Are for Cads) finds the former con artist ("I'm not that woman anymore. I make potions and cast spells and investigate paranormal crimes, but I don't take advantage of people") entertaining her visiting brother, Liam, at her Sussex cottage. When wealthy Vivian Hartford, the mother of Eleanor's long-standing beau, reveals she has a suite booked at a luxurious hotel in Brighton, Liam and Eleanor agree to accompany her there. At the hotel, Eleanor is dismayed to see that her onetime partner in crime, hypnotist Armand Lamont, is among the guests. She's sure Vivian will be Armand's next mark. While Eleanor shares her suspicions with Liam on the nearby deserted beach, they spy a man struggling with two shadowy figures on a boat near the shore. The man falls overboard, and his assailants vanish. The clever, amusing Eleanor narrates with brio what follows, including a series of thefts at the hotel, the appearance of a Victorian lady ghost, and the discovery of a body. Hopefully, she'll soon be back for more paranormal shenanigans. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary. (Oct.)

A former phony draws on her very real psychic skills to find a murderer while on a seaside vacation. Being the American girlfriend of a well-to-do Brit feels like something Ellie Wilde would have schemed to do in her earlier life as a so-called medium, when she took advantage of those desperate for a connection to the past. But Ellie is on the (relatively) straight and narrow, selling teas and other herbal potions in Sussex and dating the somewhat posh Nicholas Hartford III. During a visit from her brother, Liam, the opportunity comes up for the two to accompany Nicholas' mother, Vivian, on a last-minute trip to Brighton. Expecting a quiet vacation, Ellie's horrified by the arrival of Armand Lamont at her would-be retreat. Armand played an active role in the imposter life Ellie left behind, and he's made no commitment to changing his ways. Determined to avoid Armand at all costs--a tough job, since he seems drawn to her--Ellie's certain that he's going to shake her down for money or, worse, companionship. But before she can give Armand the slip for good, more serious trouble strikes when Ellie and Liam witness a murder whose culprits vanish like shadows into thin air. Is what they've seen a murder or a trick from Armand's hypnosis tool bag? Unable to trust her eyes, Ellie relies on her wit, her cat companions, and her undeniable psychic abilities. It doesn't hurt that Nicholas has made his way to Sussex, even if he's posing as Liam's love interest to stay under Armand's radar. Hijinks ensue. It's hard to know who's tricking whom in the best of ways. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.