#FollowMe for Murder: A Trending Topic Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – In the fictional, seaside town of Central Shores, Delaware.
Level Best Books (February 15, 2022)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages

Synopsis

Meet 28-year-old influencer and celebrity blogger Coco Cline, who has started her own social media consulting firm in her hometown of Central Shores, Delaware. Her new clients, Sean and Olivia Chen, are ten days away from the grand opening of their specialty consignment shop when Coco stumbles across their store clerk Stacy dead behind the register.

Worried that a cloud of suspicion will ruin their chances of a successful business launch, the Chens ask Coco to work alongside the inexperienced Central Shores police force to speed up the investigation. Using her celebrity status and social media savviness, Coco realizes Stacy’s seemingly ordinary life was all an act. Following a trail of cryptic online posts, confusing timelines, and muddied gossip, Coco and her friends discover Stacy’s questionable relationships just might be the reason for her untimely demise.

Murder is about to go viral in #FollowMe for Murder, a Trending Topic Mystery.

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Guest Post

More than just a sidekick

by Sarah E. Burr

As with many things in life, solving a mystery is more fun when it’s done together. Or at least, that’s how I envision it – I haven’t cracked a case in real life (yet). But my main character Coco Cline certainly has her sidekicks: Jasper, Charlotte, and Hudson. I hesitate to call them sidekicks because they are so much more to Coco. They support her, encourage her, make her laugh, and give her tough love and reality checks. They are her family.

When I began writing #FollowMe for Murder, I knew right away that while I wanted to have a strong female lead, she would be surrounded and assisted with her investigation by a group of close friends. Why? They say write what you know, and I know that if I were to ever stumble across a dead body and a mystery, I would want my besties at my side, puzzling out the crime. No one wants to go through something so grizzly alone. Not only do Jasper, Charlotte, and Hudson have Coco’s back when things get sticky, but they all provide invaluable information and perspective to the mystery. They aren’t just sitting on the sidelines, going along with Coco no matter what. They challenge Coco, call her out when needed, and point her to possible motives that she never even considered. Each is an invaluable member of the mystery-solving team, and as readers will see, they each have their own big personalities.

Why did I choose friendship as one of the main pillars of Coco’s world? Well, the most memorable books I’ve ever read all revolve around solid, steadfast friendships, and I wanted to give readers a group of friends they could root for, both as individuals and as a unit. I think about how greatly Nancy Drew relied on George Fayne and Bess Marvin. The ultimate trio, in my mind. George and Bess had Nancy’s back in the wildest situations, and as a kid, their friendship became my ideal. Soon, Nancy, Bess, and George would be joined by Harry, Ron, and Hermione from Harry Potter, the ladies from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the nine companions who make up The Fellowship of the Ring, Naruto and Team 7 from the Naruto manga, and so many more. I find myself most drawn to books and shows (a special shout out to Shawn and Gus from Psych) where friendship withstands even the most challenging of hurdles, so it felt only natural to embrace such a theme in my novel.

Coco would be lost without Jasper’s wit, Charlotte’s optimism, and Hudson’s loyalty, just as their lives would be less sparkly without her. I hope readers see themselves and their friends in #FollowMe for Murder and enjoy the thrilling ride that is friendship.

Who are some of your favorite literary duos, trios, or groups of friends?

About the Author

Sarah E. Burr lives near New York City. Hailing from the small town of Appleton, Maine, she has been dreaming of being Nancy Drew since she was a little girl. Since Sarah wasn’t stumbling across any crime scenes in corporate America, she left her career in healthcare technology to write mysteries of her own.

Her novel #FollowMe for Murder, first in the Trending Topic Mysteries, shines the spotlight on a social media PR expert after she discovers a dead body in her clients’ store, forcing her to untangle a web of secrets in her small, beach-side town.

Sarah is also the author of the Court of Mystery series and the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, currently serving as the New York Tri-State Chapter’s social media guru. When she’s not spinning up new stories, Sarah is off seeing Broadway musicals, reading up a storm, video gaming, and enjoying walks with her dog, Eevee.

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