In The Inheritance Killer (The Iris Blackwood Mysteries Book 1) by Maya Long, we are introduced to Iris Blackwood, the witch in residence at a haunted bookshop in the small town of Seabriar. Her life is quiet and pleasant. But when a strange spellbook arrives at her bookshop, things begin to take a turn for the worse. A local shop owner is discovered murdered with ritual objects around their body. Is there a connection?

As the clues and victims pile up, she discovers that her long-dead ancestor, Prudence, has been exacting her revenge from the grave by possessing people to do her bidding. Iris races to discover how to contain her ancestor’s spirit before she becomes the scapegoat for the town and the witch council’s wrath. But when she realizes that she can’t do it alone, she reluctantly enlists the help of her ex, Merry, her best friend Harry, and her Aunt June. It will take all of them to contain the otherworldly terror that is wreaking havoc on the town and prevent Merry from becoming the next victim.

I enjoyed the unique twist of making the murderer a vengeful spirit rather than a traditional perpetrator. Since this is revealed early in the story, it doesn’t spoil the mystery but shifts the focus to how Iris and her friends will stop the supernatural threat. I liked the town vibe as well as the fact that there was no long-winded explanation of magic systems and how they came to be. The story began with that being an accepted fact within Iris’s world.

My only real criticism is that I wanted more character development. Iris’s relationships with the people around her felt a bit underexplored, and I think spending more time building those connections would have made the emotional moments even more significant.

The Inheritance Killer offers an interesting blend of cozy mystery and supernatural suspense. While I would have liked more depth from the characters, the unique premise and small-town atmosphere made for an enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. Many thanks to the author, Maya Long, for allowing me to read this ARC.