On All Hallows' Eve in Victorian London, herbalist Clara Wetherly witnesses a séance that ends in murder. With a fraudulent medium dead and nine suspects, Clara must unmask the killer before midnight strikes—and before the exasperating Inspector Redgrave arrests the wrong person.✨ A bite-sized Victorian mystery short read perfect for your lunch break! This Halloween cozy (20,000 words / 80 pages) delivers a complete mystery in one delightful hour.London, 1857. Clara Wetherly wants nothing more than a quiet All Hallows' Eve in her apothecary shop with her cat Marmalade and her herb-infused tinctures. Instead, her neighbor Mrs. Penfield insists she attend a séance conducted by the famous Madame Seraphina Vale.Clara suspects the spiritualist is a fraud—and she's right. But when the lights go out and chaos erupts at the séance table, Clara's instincts prove horrifyingly correct in ways she never expected. Madame Seraphina is dead, stabbed with her own ceremonial dagger, and one of the nine guests is a killer.With the handsome, exasperating Inspector Graham Redgrave investigating and the clock ticking toward midnight, Clara must use her sharp observation, her understanding of human nature, and her ability to see through deception to unmask a murderer. But when Redgrave's logical deductions point to the wrong suspect, Clara races against time to prevent a terrible mistake—and catch the real killer before it's too late.Perfect for fans of Mrs. Jeffries mysteries and Deanna Raybourn, A SÉANCE AT SEVEN BELLS blends Victorian atmosphere, authentic period detail, and a slow-burn romance into an elegant Halloween mystery that will leave readers eager for Clara's next investigation.SERIES NOTE:This Halloween novella introduces the Zia Bellamy Mysteries, a Victorian cozy series featuring herbalist Clara Wetherly, her matchmaking ghost grandmother, and the one marmalade cat who sees everything. While this book stands alone, readers will find threads that weave into future mysteries set in gaslit London. Victorian Mystery • Paranormal Cozy • All Hallows' Eve Setting Séance Murder • Herbalist Protagonist • Cat Sleuth Slow-Burn Romance • Female Amateur Detective • Historical Cozy Subtle Ghost • Inspector Romance • Halloween Mystery
