The positive part about the bookstore setting is there are several shoutouts to some great books and authors, like Agatha Christie and Mary Higgins Clark. Callie’s attitude of not really wanting to be there didn’t make her a pleasant character to spend time with and no joy of reading came through. The fun of having a cozy mystery set in a bookstore is to share the love of reading with characters in the book. However, Callie, the main character, doesn’t want to be on the island, much less working in the bookstore.

I like the premise of a bookstore on a North Carolina island. Smile Beach Murder is the first in the new Outer Banks Bookstore Mystery series. Callie relates to Eva’s situation because of a tragedy in her own past and is determined to find out the truth about the woman’s death. Eva had everything to live for, including her twelve-year-old daughter, her community causes, and her obsession to locate a pirate’s treasure. The local police department thinks her death was a suicide, and although she hasn’t seen the woman in years, Callie is sure Eva wouldn’t have taken her own life. Callie ends up investigating the death of an old acquaintance, Eva Meeks, who fell from the top of Cattail Lighthouse. As she earns enemies in pursuit of the truth, Callie knows she will either uncover the killer or become a victim herself.Ĭallie Padgett returns home to Cattail Island after being laid off from her job as a newspaper reporter and gets a job working at the local bookstore. But when another death rocks Cattail Island, Callie must face her fears alone. 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. 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. As islanders are once again gossiping about the tragedy, devastating news strikes: the lighthouse has claimed another victim.

Years ago, Teri Padget tumbled from the top of the lighthouse. In fact, the anniversary of her mother’s infamous death is approaching. 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.

Simply from scratch alicia bessette