Opening a detective agency above her beloved bookstore seems like the perfect business plan—until Annie Murray’s first case involves a suspicious death right on her doorstep.



June Munrow, an elderly resident of Annie’s home town, Redwood Grove, is convinced that young Kelly Taylor’s recent drowning wasn't the tragic accident everyone believes it to be. Despite the police ruling, June is determined to prove there’s more to the story and hires the Novel Detectives to uncover the truth.



As Annie delves into Kelly’s life, she discovers a tangled web of secrets involving Kelly’s complicated relationships, a peculiar landlord, and her mysterious roommate. Everyone connected to Kelly seems to be hiding something, and the deeper Annie digs, the more puzzling the case becomes.

With her trademark blend of curiosity and compassion, can Annie piece together the clues and solve her first official case—before she gets into deep water herself?



Perfect for fans of Lauren Elliott, Merryn Allingham and M.C. Beaton, this charming cozy mystery is brimming with small-town secrets and bookish charm that will keep you turning pages late into the night.



Readers adore Ellie Alexander’s cozy mysteries:



“Absolutely loved this!!! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and had no idea whodunit until it was revealed… I love a good twist!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



“Kept me glued to the page as I raced to find out whodunit. A winner!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



“Ellie Alexander has done it AGAIN!! As cozy mysteries go this is one of the coziest… So good I devoured it in one sitting.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



“Knocked me out of my seat!!! Loved this... eagerly waiting the next… Five stars hands down.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



“ELLIE ALEXANDER HAS A NEW SERIES!!!!! I immediately wanted to hop on a flight to Redwood Grove… The characters and the setting seemed so real.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐