Murder Most Eastern (Great Maine Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Maine
Publisher ‏ : ‎ A Novel Idea Publishing, LLC
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 28, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 210 pages

Synopsis

A seaside Victorian. A skeptical artist. A cat with secrets. And a murder that won’t stay buried…

When struggling artist Emily Harper inherits a charming but creaky Victorian on the rugged coast of Maine, she expects a fresh start—what she doesn’t expect is cryptic notes, eerie visions, and a cat with an uncanny sense for trouble.

But nothing unsettles her more than the bracelet. A striking piece of tourmaline jewelry left behind in the house, it sends shivers up her spine whenever she wears it. At first, she chalks it up to stress—until she visits West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and is struck by a chilling vision of a man begging for his life. The next day, his body is found.

With a storm brewing, long-buried secrets rising to the surface, and a killer who will do anything to keep the past hidden, Emily must embrace the unexplainable—or risk becoming the next victim.

Fans of Ellery Adams and Carolyn Hart will love this twisty, atmospheric paranormal cozy mystery full of seaside charm, ghostly intrigue, and a heroine who refuses to back down—no matter how haunted her past may be.

Read now and sleuth the clues today.

Amazon

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

Guest Post

Why Maine?

By Nellie H. Steele

I can actually trace my fascination with Maine to a single moment: watching the credits of Dark Shadows roll across the screen. There was the water, crashing against the cliffs, dramatic and windswept and completely captivating. Even as a kid, I remember thinking, Where is that? It felt like a place full of secrets and shadows—somewhere that could hold a hundred stories and never run out.

That early curiosity never left me. And when I started writing cozy mysteries, Maine came back to me as the only place the story could begin.

The actual spark for this series started on a trip to West Quoddy Head Light. There’s a plaque there that reads: Easternmost Point in the United States. I stared at it, smiled, and thought, That would make a great title—Murder Most Eastern. It was one of those lightbulb moments I’ll never forget. The series almost wrote itself from there (almost!).

Soon after, I saw the house on Jasper Beach—a unique, weather-worn place perched right on the rocky coastline, with the kind of view that practically demands a story to match it. That became Emily’s house. I could see her there immediately: a woman trying to find peace, maybe even solitude, but instead finding mystery, murder, and a touch of the supernatural in her new life by the sea.

Maine lends itself to mystery in a way few places do. There’s the dramatic natural beauty, of course—fog rolling over pine-covered hills, storm clouds gathering over the Atlantic, the haunting cry of a gull somewhere out in the mist. But there’s also something deeper: the sense that time stretches long in a place like this. The kind of place where history clings to the buildings and the people, where stories are passed down with just enough left out to keep you guessing.

And then there’s the people. There’s a warmth and practicality to Mainers that I adore. They’re the kind of folks who will rescue you from a snowbank without making a fuss, and who can keep a secret for thirty years—unless, of course, it becomes relevant to solving a murder. That combination of tight-knit community and independent spirit makes for the perfect cozy mystery setting. Everyone knows everyone, but nobody knows everything. Yet.

Maine also allows for a rich blend of real and fictional. While the towns in my series are invented, they draw inspiration from real places—Machiasport, Bar Harbor, Castine, and more. You’ll see flashes of real lighthouses, real coastal trails, even real little shops tucked into old buildings where you just know something strange could happen behind closed doors.

There’s also a hint of magic in this series—Emily’s inherited bracelet, Grayson the cat’s uncanny instincts—and Maine is the kind of place where that magic doesn’t feel out of place. It feels like it could be just under the surface, hiding in the fog or buried under the stones of a crumbling foundation.

Ultimately, I chose Maine for all of this: its beauty, its mood, its history, and its mystery. But I stayed because it gave me the perfect home for Emily, Grayson, and all the quirky, nosy, fiercely loyal people who make up her world. Writing this series has become my own version of crashing waves and coastal cliffs—a place I return to again and again, because I can’t stop wondering what secrets Maine might reveal next.

Excerpt

“What is that?”

Grayson continued her stomping down the hill toward the lighthouse without an answer.

As we drew closer to the lighthouse, my blood went cold. I froze as it became more than apparent what was slumped over the bell.  A body.

And not just any body.  It was Dr. Richard Bennett.

My heart slammed against my ribs, and my knees buckled, nearly sending me to the ground.

“Oh, no.” My breath hitched, and for a moment, everything blurred—the lighthouse, the waves crashing in the distance—all fading beneath the sheer horror of what lay before me.

I raced forward, studying the man’s face.  From his blank stare and pale face coupled with his limp, lifeless form, and the bruises around his neck, I assumed he was dead.  To be sure, I pressed two fingers against his neck.

His cold skin suggested he’d been dead for quite some time.

About the Author

Nellie H. Steele is a storyteller who doesn’t just write books—she writes the stories her characters tell her. With distinct voices and minds of their own, her characters often take over, guiding her through tales of romance, mystery, adventure, and suspense.

A lifelong bookworm, Nellie vividly recalls sitting on the concrete floor of her childhood library, eagerly devouring Nancy Drew books and dreaming of solving mysteries of her own. Now an award-winning author, she spends her days crafting immersive worlds and unforgettable characters that feel like old friends. Her house is a zoo—literally—thanks to her rescue animals who seem perfectly happy napping while she writes.

Nellie’s writing process often involves background TV she never actually watches because she’s too wrapped up in her characters’ antics. When she’s not spinning stories, she works as a professor of statistics, where students who know her as an author are often surprised to find she really does teach math.

If you love twisty mysteries, soap-opera-style romance, and thrilling adventures, dive into Nellie’s books today and discover worlds you won’t want to leave. Connect with Nellie on Facebook at @NellieHSteele—she loves chatting with readers about characters, stories, and more!

Website * Facebook * Goodreads * Instagram

Giveaway