A Killer Romance (A Beach Reads Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – North Carolina
Crooked Lane Books (February 6, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

Synopsis

Love and murder are in the air this Valentine’s day in Maggie Blackburn’s third Beach Reads mystery, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Miranda James.

When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.

As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.

As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.

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Guest Post

Glads

I can’t explain what it feels like to be accused of murder. My name is Gladys Solomon, and folks just call me Glads. I’ve lived here on St. Brigids Island most of my life, and my best friend was Hildy Merriweather, who was murdered a few years back. I will never get over that. Now, her daughter, Summer, has taken over the bookstore and is doing a great job with it. I just know Hildy would be proud and maybe a little surprised, given that Summer always despised the shop. Not so anymore.

Summer is not Ms. Popularity like her mother was. She tries—and with each passing day, she becomes, I don’t know, a little softer, a little more likable. All I know is she’s a person you want on your side. And if a murder accusation will surely show you who is on your side—and who is not.

I have no idea who killed the uppity romance author who visited Beach Reads Books for the “Romance by the Sea” Valentine’s Day event. All I know is it wasn’t me. Sure, I handed her the poisoned tea. But I didn’t place the poison in it. But honestly, I can see why the police thought I may have poisoned her, though I swear I did not do it.

And like I said, Summer is a woman you’d want on your side. She just won’t rest until they find the real killer. Neither will I. I’ve taken this very personally. Of course, I have. I’ve lived here my whole life. How could anybody think I’d commit such a heinous act?

About the Author

Maggie Blackburn is the pen name for bestselling mystery author Mollie Cox Bryan, who writes cozy mysteries with edge. She’s the author of several bestselling mystery series Her books have been selected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award and as a Top 10 Beach Reads by Woman’s World. She has also been short-listed for the Virginia Library People’s Choice Award.  She’s also penned a historical mystery under the name of Mollie Ann Cox. She lives in Crozet, Va. and is the mother of two grown, nearly perfect daughters.

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