Murder Is A Beach

From author Alicia Bessette comes an all-new mystery series featuring Callie Padget, a former reporter turned bookshop clerk in the Outer Banks who is pulled into a deadly web of secrets when a mysterious fall at a lighthouse echoes a tragedy from her past. When Callie is laid off from her reporting job, she returns to her hometown of Cattail Island and lands a gig at the local bookstore—the same one where she found comfort after her mother died. In fact, the anniversary of her mother’s infamous death is approaching. Years ago, Teri Padget tumbled from the top of the lighthouse. As islanders are once again gossiping about the tragedy, devastating news strikes: the lighthouse has claimed another victim. Eva Meeks, of Meeks Hardware. The police are calling it suicide, but Callie does not believe Eva jumped any more than she believes her mother did—especially because Callie knows that before her death, Eva had dug up a long-forgotten treasure hunt that could have put a target on Eva’s back. In Callie’s search for answers, she enlists the help of some beloved books and several new friends, including the handsome local martial arts instructor, Toby Dodge. But when another death rocks Cattail Island, Callie must face her fears alone. As she earns enemies in pursuit of the truth, Callie knows she will either uncover the killer or become a victim herself. Mystery Writers of America’s Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award nominee

Librarian Lucy’s new historic house comes with a lot of baggage and family secrets. Can she put them to rest or will a killer bring Lucy’s family to their downfall, in the 9th Lighthouse Library mystery. It’s spring in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Lucy and Connor have moved into their new home at last, a historic cottage on the Nags Head Beach. The house needs a lot of renovations, but they worked hard over the winter to get it ready. Lucy is now happily immersed in her work at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, planning her wedding, and decorating the house. That is, until a dead body disrupts their peaceful new abode. The first night Lucy’s alone in the house, with the company of Charles the library cat, she hears sounds. Investigating they see footsteps in the dust of the unfinished living room, and the door to the outside is open. Lucy's reminded that the house is said to be haunted: forty years ago the teenage daughter of the owners fled in the night, and never again stepped foot inside her family home. But the sounds have an all-too-human origin and one evening Lucy and Connor find the dead body of a man they don’t even recognize in their kitchen. They soon realize he has a long-time connection to their house. Lucy's forced to find out what happened all those years ago and why it’s threatening her happiness today. Meanwhile, the Classic Novel Reading Club is reading The House of the Seven Gables by Nathanial Hawthorne, a book about another old house full of secrets. Can Lucy find parallels to her own situation in Hawthorne’s fiction before the killer strikes again?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A new and better Miss Marple . . . you'll fall in love with the characters!" Vicki ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Cool little multi-layered mystery about a quaint seaside town. Intriguing." Mamatufy _______________________ Originally published as Fragile Lives. Meet Rina Martin, a retired actress with a taste for tea, gardening and crime solving. She played a TV sleuth for years, but now she has to do it for real. It's lonely out on the cliffs of Marlborough Head. Lonely and dangerous. When a body washes up on the rocks below, everyone assumes it must be brutish Edward Parker. Weeks ago, he slipped over the cliff's edge. Never to be seen again. But on closer inspection, it's not him. The dead man is Pat Duggan, son of a wealthy nightclub owner. And it's not the sea that killed him - it's a gunshot wound. In life, Pat had a habit of disappearing. He worked for his father, alongside missing Edward Parker. Coincidence? Rina and her unlikely new detective friend don't think so . . . Can she unravel the mystery before more innocent victims die? If you love Agatha Christie, Jeanne M. Dams, The Thursday Murder Club, Glenda Young, Stella Cameron, Frances Evesham or Ann Cleeves, prepare to be hooked by this enchanting character-driven mystery! What readers are saying about the Rina Martin mysteries: "Miss Marple fans will find a lot to like." Publishers Weekly "Rina's kickoff emphasizes people and place, letting the reader in on secrets early and relying on psychological conflict to drive the appealing plot." Kirkus ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A new and better Miss Marple . . . she is intelligent, observant and a most welcome to the DI . . . you'll fall in love with the characters. This reads like a good movie . . . I heartily give this a big thumbs-up." Vicki ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Three cheers for Jane Adams!" Linda ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This is my first book by this author and I will eagerly await more!" Nancy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Murder She Wrote is an apt comparison - Rina Martin is sharp and no-nonsense. She knows a bit about law, a bit about murder - and a lot about human nature." Carmen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "If you like Agatha Christie and Patricia Wentworth, give these books a try." Pamela THE DETECTIVE Determined and compassionate, Rina Martin on a mission is an unstoppable force. When Rina retired from acting, she bought a B & B in Frantham on Sea. There, she has a quirky cast of full-time boarders, including wannabe magician Tim. She only wanted a quiet life. Instead, events propel Rina into full investigation mode, and she gets a taste for sleuthing. Can she help it if crimes just keep turning up on her doorstep? THE SETTING Tucked away in a charming little bay on the Jurassic coast, Frantham on Sea is a typical Victorian seaside town, with a picture-perfect promenade, B & Bs, and a grand hotel perched atop the headland. At the end of the promenade is the police station, where the officers' days have always been short and uneventful - until Rina comes to town, and things take a turn for the sinister. ALSO BY JANE ADAMS RINA MARTIN MYSTERY SERIES Book 1: MURDER ON SEA Book 2: MURDER ON THE CLIFF MERROW & CLARKE Book 1: SAFE DETECTIVE MIKE CROFT SERIES Book 1: THE GREENWAY Book 2: THE SECRETS Book 3: THEIR FINAL MOMENTS Book 4: THE LIAR DETECTIVE RAY FLOWERS SERIES Book 1: THE APOTHECARY'S DAUGHTER Book 2: THE UNWILLING SON Book 3: THE DROWNING MEN Book 4: THE SISTER'S TWIN

The true story of an undercover cop who went under the covers with a wiseguy. She was a married organized crime detective. He was the Mafia wiseguy she was trailing. Their affair would shake the very foundation of Miami's criminal underworld-and end in murder.

Amanda Beckwith is a classic underachiever who finally hits the jackpot when she marries Santa Barbara wellness guru Geoff Martin. She is fast becoming the envy of her hip, 30-something girlfriends when Geoff dumps her for Bree, his massage therapist. With nothing to show for her short marriage but a couple of minor brushes with the law and a tiny drinking problem, Amanda escapes to Hollywood Beach, 20 miles south of Santa Barbara, to focus on her career as professional organizer and “Messy Girl” blogger for a small local newspaper.When Bree is found murdered on the beach behind Amanda's house, her life spirals into chaos. Detectives single her out as a person of interest. With few people listening to her side of the story, Amanda resorts to her own devices to clear her name. As Amanda edges closer to the truth, her status shifts from person of interest to next victim.

If you're searching for the perfect light and funny Beach Read, what could be better than one that features mysteries actually on the beach? And with eight funny short stories, you can travel along with our cozy authors to a variety of shores: from the rocky coastlines of New England, to the white stretches of sand on the Atlantic, to the teal and emerald waters of the Gulf Coast, the surfing havens on the Pacific, and even the beaches in between. So take a trip with our authors as they show you that sharks aren't the only danger near the water. Stories by Ritter Ames, Karen Cantwell, Lucy Carol, Barb Goffman, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Shari Randall, Shawn Reilly Simmons, and Cathy Wiley.