Smile Beach Murder by Alicia Bessette

Available May 10, 2022

Beaches? Bookstores? Best buds? Smile Beach Murder has them all!

Callie Padget has lost her job, her apartment, her furniture, everything that had defined who she became after losing her mother. Back on Cattail Island she finds her uncle, Hudson, and his Gang still playing poker and welcoming Callie home. Antoinette, one of the Gang and a good friend of Callie's mother, gives her a job working in the MotherVine bookstore. Callie's first day on the job brings in Eva Meeks, the older sister of one of Callie's school friends. Eva is on the hunt for a treasure and calls Callie late one night to invite her to join in her quest. The following morning, Eva is found dead at the foot of the lighthouse. The police are convinced Eva committed suicide but Callie is convinced there's something more sinister behind her friends' demise.

This book checks off all the boxes for a cozy mystery. Young woman, single, lost her job, staring over again, works in a bookstore, cat, intriguing single man who's new in town. Check, check, check. Some people might find that disappointing but I love all the comfortable cozy tropes. I also love books set on the beach so I was really excited to read this book.

Callie sets off to find out what happened to Eva, who has left a 12-year-old daughter orphaned, just like Callie's mother did when she passed away 26 years earlier. In trying to figure out what happened to Eva, Callie digs up information on several people in town including the owner of a local furniture manufacturer, a hardware store employee, and the lighthouse keeper, while also continuing the treasure hunt that lead Eva to her death.

There was no lull in the action in this book. Callie is busy working, getting to know Cattail Island again, and hunting down clues to get answers for Eva's daughter, Summer. All the characters Callie meets have their own secrets, which kept me guessing until the very end. I was never able to wager a guess as to who the guilty party may have been. Anyone who enjoys cozy beach reads should check out this new series.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.