Once Upon a Seaside Murder - (A Beach Reads Mystery) by Maggie Blackburn (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

There's no place like home for the holidays, even if home is sleepy, beachside Brigid's Island, NC. During this season for giving, the town wakes up to a welcome throng of shoppers--and Beach Reads is no exception. But bookseller Summer Merriwether's Christmas cheer turns to cringing fear when she uncovers a deadly secret about her late mother--a secret someone will kill to keep.

When the local library hosts a cozy mystery panel discussion, Summer learns that one of the authors on the panel based her book on an actual murder that shook Brigid's Island thirty-five years before. Worse, she soon learns that her dearly missed mother, Hildy, took a disturbingly deep interest in the case, going so far as to collect clippings and keep a journal of the dark doings. This doesn't jibe with Summer's memories of her usually cheery mother at all.

Tidings get worse when Summer learns of her long-lost biological family's involvement in the crime...and still worse when the life of the book's author is threatened. With the help of Hildy's plucky book club, Summer puts her scholarly smarts to work on protecting the cozy author and solving the decades-old murder.

But this ghost from Christmas past may still be deadly in the present, and if she can't find the killer, Summer's future will be brief.

Review Quotes

"[An] engaging cast."
--Booklist

"Blackburn has created a clever mystery...As cozy mysteries go, this is one of the best."
--New York Journal of Books

"A darn good mystery."
--Midwest Book Review

"Charismatic and tackles anxiety, guilt, and grieving through a mystery that highlights the relationship between mother and daughter."
--Seattle Book Review

"With its charming beachfront setting and collection of book-loving characters, Maggie Blackburn's Little Bookshop of Murder has it all: suspense, charm, and a mystery that draws readers in immediately. An enjoyable start to what promises to be a delightful new series."
--Julie Hyzy, New York Times bestselling author of the White House Chef and Manor House Mystery series

"The quirky characters and an intriguing plot provide an enjoyable visit to the Beach Reads bookstore."
--Allison Kingsley, national bestselling author of the Raven's Nest Bookstore mysteries

"A modern, innovative plot line with whimsical characters."
--Terrie Farley Moran, Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Read 'Em and Eat mysteries

"Love, love, love this bookstore! In fact, I want to own it. And I also want to live in this beach town full of warm and quirky people."
--Essie Lang, author of the Castle Bookshop mysteries

About the Author