Murder Page One by Olivia Matthews
A Peach Coast Library Mystery
About Murder Page One
Murder by Page One: A Peach Coast Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Hallmark Publishing (March 23, 2021)
Print length: 328 pages Digital
ASIN: B08KHPBDBS
If you love Hallmark mystery movies, you’ll love this cozy mystery with humor, intrigue, and a librarian amateur sleuth.
Marvey, a librarian, has moved from Brooklyn to a quirky small town in Georgia. When she’s not at the library organizing events for readers, she’s handcrafting book-themed jewelry and looking after her cranky cat. At times, her new life in the South still feels strange...and that’s before the discovery of the dead body in the bookstore.
After one of her friends becomes a suspect, Marvey sets out to solve the murder mystery. She even convinces Spence, the wealthy and charming newspaper owner, to help. With his ties to the community, her talents for research, and her fellow librarians’ knowledge, Marvey pursues the truth. But as she gets closer to it, could she be facing a deadly plot twist?
This first in series cozy mystery includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Classic Peach Cobbler.
About Olivia Matthews
Olivia Matthews is the cozy mystery pseudonym for Patricia Sargeant, a national best-selling, award-winning author. Her work has been featured in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews. For more information about Patricia and her work, visit PatriciaSargeant.com.
Author Links
My Thoughts
Murder By Page One by Olivia Matthews is the debut of A Peach Coast Library Mystery series. Marvey Harris along with her cat, Phoenix has relocated to Peach Coast, Georgia where she is the library’s new Director of Community Engagement. Jo Gomez owns To Be Read which is hosting a book signing of Coastal Fiction Writers. Marvey is attending the signing with Spencer Holt, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Peach Coast Crier. The event is starting, and Jo is worried that one of the author’s Fiona Lyle-Hayes is not in place. The trio go to the backroom where Fiona was unpacking her books to find her dead. Jo becomes the prime suspect of Deputy Jed Whatley which has her unnerved. Jo asks Marvey to help prove her innocence. Marvey with help from her friend’s sets out to discover who wanted Fiona permanently removed from circulation. I enjoyed reading Murder By Page One. I thought Murder By Page One was well-written with steady pacing. The author took the time to introduce Marvella Harris along with a variety of secondary characters. I look forward to getting to know Marvey and her friends better as the series progresses. I enjoyed the descriptions of Peach Coast with its quaint shops and a library housed in a former bus depot. The story is full of quaint southernisms. The one that had me laughing the most was “Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit.” Gossip runs rampant in Peach Coast. As with most rumors, there is only a grain of truth in them. Peach cobbler was another recurring theme. The townspeople seem to consume it in great quantities. The whodunit had several suspects, misdirection, and good clues. I was able to identify the guilty party early, but I did not know why this person had committed the deed. This is what kept me turning the pages. Marvey needs to build the library’s patron list. As she meets new people, she asks them, “Do you have a library card?” I like how the questions unnerves some people. You can tell that Marvey loves her job. I look forward to reading the next A Peach Coast Library Mystery. Murder By Page One is a charming new cozy mystery with rampant rumors, a departed author, a meddling mother, a determined deputy, and a sleuthing librarian.
Excerpt
“It’s
nice that you’ve all come to support Fiona.” I turned to Fiona’s friend.
“Especially you, Mr. Pelt, coming from South Carolina.”
Willy
glanced up from his wristwatch. He seemed surprised that I knew his name, then
he noticed Nolan. Willy inclined his head in a silent greeting to Fiona’s
business partner, the expression on his pale, square face pleasant but vague.
He drove his fingers through his shock of thick auburn hair. “I’ve known
Fiona’s family for years.”
“I wonder
what Fiona will do now?” Nolan’s attention bounced from Jo to the rest of the
group. “Will she give up her share of the business to write full-time?”
It was a
good question, although I knew most authors continued to work full-time.
Popular media’s depiction of fiction writing as a lucrative career was greatly
exaggerated.
Betty
snorted. “Well, she doesn’t need a job, now does she? Not like the rest of us.
When Buddy died, he left her well provided for. The rest of us have to
work for a living.”
The
bitterness in her voice seemed to come from far more than envy of another
person’s good fortune—literally and figuratively. Then I made the connection:
Fiona Lyle-Hayes. Betty Rodgers-Hayes. There was a story there,
one that could explain Betty’s hostile disposition.
“I was
wondering the same thing.” Willy crossed his arms over his chest. His brown
jersey and tan slacks were slightly wrinkled, as though he’d recently pulled
both from a suitcase. Had he just driven into town from Beaufort? How long that
had taken? “Her late uncle left her his vacation property. The house’s in good
shape, and the land is pretty. It’s in a quiet area on the outskirts of town
where she could write without being disturbed.”
Bobby
shoved his broad hands into the front pockets of his navy blue cargo pants.
“She’ll probably go on a lot of tours.” He sounded disappointed, as though he
was going to miss Fiona’s company.
“This is
ridiculous.” Jo’s words ended the discussion. Her eyes flashed with irritation
as her gaze swung to the back of her store. Her ponytail arched behind her.
“The signing has started, and Fiona still hasn’t brought out her books. Now,
I’m going to have to hustle to help her set everything up.”
“I’ll
help.” I hurried to follow Jo as she whirled toward a book aisle.
“So will
I.” Spence’s voice came from behind me.
Jo
stopped long enough to give us a grateful look. “Thank you, but I can’t ask you
to work for me. You’re here as guests.”
Spence
arched a thick black eyebrow. “We’re also your friends. Let us help.”
“Okay,
since you’ve twisted my arm.” Jo turned to continue her agitated march down the
aisle. Her ponytail swung back and forth in a tsking motion. “I wish she’d let
me and my team handle her books from the beginning. Unloading them now will be
disruptive to the other authors who got here early and actually set up.”
I
struggled to both keep up with Jo and speed read the titles on the passing
shelves. We were in the young adult section. I loved young adult fantasy
novels. I hesitated in front of a newly released title. Spence nudged me along.
I caught
up with Jo. “This won’t endear her to the other members of her group.” I
remembered the way Zelda had acted, as though Fiona was
She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
“I don’t
think Fiona likes them, either.” Jo’s tone was dry.
“What
makes you think that?” Spence asked.
Jo
glanced at us over her shoulder. “It’s just a feeling I got from her when we
were organizing this signing.”
Jo
crossed into the storage room. Spence and I were right behind her. The room was
dimly lit in comparison to the main part of the store. Empty boxes stood to the
side, waiting to be flattened for recycling. Step ladders and carts were stored
in a corner for easy access. Shelving affixed to the walls held office supplies
such as paper, printer inks, packing tape, markers, and box cutters. In the
center of the room, two matching dark wood tables balanced open boxes of books
still to be shelved. On the far table, Fiona’s books had been unpacked, only
needing a cart to carry them out. But who would operate the cart?
Was I the
only one feeling uneasy? “Where’s Fiona?”
In front
of me, Jo frowned as her store owner’s attention seemed to catalog the room’s
contents. To my right, Spence appeared to be scanning the room, searching for
the source of the disquiet. I stepped forward.
“Marvey,
wait.” Spence’s voice stopped me.
But not
before I saw the body, lying in a pool of blood on the far side of the rear
table.
I must
have rocketed a foot into the air before landing on semi-solid ground. Spence’s
large, strong hands gripped my shoulders to steady me.
Jo gasped. “Oh, my God. Fiona.”
Kris
The Avid Reader
Tour Participants
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Thank you so much for featuring Murder by Page One on your blog. And thank you for taking the time and trouble to post a review. I'm so glad you enjoyed the story. Very best wishes for continued success with your blog. - Patricia Sargeant / Olivia Matthews
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