A Field Guide to Death & Deceit - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Michelle L. Cullen to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Michelle writes the Harry & Emma Mystery series. A Field Guide to Death & Deceit is the second book in the series and will be released later this year.

Kathy: Harry Lancaster works with his Gen Z colleague Emma. What makes writing two different generations working together fun and/or difficult? 

MLC: I love writing two characters who are at two different stages of life, neither of which I belong to. Harry is a Boomer and Emma is a Gen Z (or very young Millennial). In many ways, Emma’s struggles with finding her own way mirror challenges I faced in my twenties; it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. And I hope that once I retire, I follow in Harry’s shoes and stay active and engaged. For the first book, I had beta readers from each age group review my manuscript to help make sure Harry and Emma’s voices rang true to their ages.


Kathy: In A Field Guide to Death and Deceit Harry meets up with an old sweetheart. Have you ever encountered an old love again? 

MLC: I have. And while I’m not one to second guess the choices I’ve made, one guy has left me wondering what if…


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

MLC: Murder, She Wrote was the first cozy mystery that pulled me in. I have great memories of watching this as a kid with my dad. Each episode took place in a setting I’d love to visit, didn’t get too dark or gory, had interesting characters, sometimes involved humor, and always involved justice. They are the perfect escape.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

MLC: I’ve written an action / adventure novel based on my aid work experiences in Rwanda. It’s a saved file for now…perhaps one day it will make its way into the world.


Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

MLC: Only Murders in the Building goes to the Ohio suburbs in the Harry & Emma Mystery series. Full of wit and warmth, these whodunits feature a cross-generational crime-solving duo with a knack for finding mayhem and murder.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

MLC: I think my favorite character right now is Elizabeth Best from Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. Elizabeth is a cunning, tour de force who’s afraid of nothing. She’s the kind of older woman I’d love to be.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

MLC: My mom sparked the idea for my first book in the Harry and Emma series. She initially resisted the idea of moving to a condominium for years, stating that she valued her privacy and didn’t want other people sticking their noses into her business – even though it would make things easier in terms of yardwork and clearing snow. A few years later, she ended moving to a stand-alone patio home that was part of an HOA that would take care of this outside work. When I went to help her set up her new home, imagine my surprise when I found her running from window to window to watch her neighbors’ comings and goings. With that, the idea for Harry Lancaster was born.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MLC: I love finding books with characters I enjoy spending time with, and finding series that I go back to time and time again because the characters feel like old friends. I wanted to create and offer that same feeling with others who love to read.


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

MLC: This is a tough question because the list of authors I’d love to meet is quite long. Off the top of my head, I’d say M.C. Beaton, Ann Cleeves, Deanna Raybourn, and Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

MLC: I’m reading Jess Cannon’s A Zoom with a View and Uzma Jalaluddin’s Moonlight Murder and just finished Jessa Maxwell’s The Golden Spoon. Each book is fabulous!


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

MLC: When I’m not working my day job or writing, I love to read, do yoga, or get outside, whether walking, kayaking, biking, paddle boarding, or skiing.


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

MLC: Salsa, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and quinoa – none of which go together but are great complements or additions to the meals I make.


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

MLC: I’ve just finished drafting flap copy for Harry & Emma Mystery books three through five, with the hopes of getting a two to three book deal to keep the series going. Fingers crossed!


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

MLC: I love chatting with readers and other authors about books and the writing process. It never gets old! 
You can learn more about me and my books or connect with me on social at the links below:

Website: https://mlcullen.com/

IG: @michellelcullen

Facebook: @MichelleLCullenAuthor

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 A Field Guide to Death and Deceit: A Harry & Emma Mystery - A Novel by Michelle L. Cullen

About A Field Guide to Death and Deceit

A Field Guide to Death and Deceit: A Harry & Emma Mystery - A Novel
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Ohio
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: ‎ September 15, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 336 pages

Widower and anthropologist Harry Lancaster and his Gen Z colleague Emma are back for more murder and mayhem when they stumble upon a dead farmer.

This delightful sequel to A Field Guide to Murder is perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

When an odd request leads Harry Lancaster to agree to meet his former sweetheart Willow at a farm on the outskirts of town, Emma’s suspicions run high, and she insists on joining him. Instead of Willow greeting them when they arrive, they discover the farm's owner dead, with a corn rake embedded in his back.

After being interrogated by the police, Harry and Emma return to his home to find a bereft Willow, who admits she lost her life savings in a real estate scam involving the farm. Worried Willow will become the main murder suspect, Harry decides to help her, despite Emma’s concerns.

To bring the swindlers—and murderer—to justice, Harry recruits his potentially shady, financial-whiz brother and a neighborhood teenage hacker. Then Willow’s realtor is declared missing, and Harry’s brother is caught up in the fray.

As Harry, Emma, and team unearth clues, they increasingly dodge the police, stalkers, and danger in their race to save Willow and Harry’s brother before anyone else turns up dead.

About Michelle L. Cullen

Michelle L. Cullen has lived and traveled all over the world, from working as a bilingual secretary in Paris to backpacking around Europe, Central America, and Southern Africa to helping rebuild communities after war throughout Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific — where she saw the best and worst of human behavior. Her lifelong fascination with people and why they do what they do, was further fueled by her academic training. She obtained her PhD from the London School of Economics' Sociology Department and her master’s degree in anthropology from Melbourne University in Australia.

A fan of adventure, she has a black belt in Taekwondo, has summited 900 feet rock climbing, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, and hiked up an active volcano. She currently lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where she’s either doing yoga, playing outside, or plotting murder. She’s a proud member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and The Authors Guide, and has been gleefully reading and watching murder mysteries since the age of ten.

Author Links

• Website: https://mlcullen.com/
• Newsletters: https://michelle-l-cullen.kit.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleLCullenAuthor/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellelcullen/
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55985912.Michelle_L_Cullen

Purchase Links: Amazon - PenguinRandomHouse - Barnes & Noble - Books A Million - Bookshop.org - Hudson Booksellers - Target - Walmart -

Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils - A Review

 Review

SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE PO'BOY PERILS
By Sandra Jackson-Opoku
The Second Savvy Summers Mystery 

 

Savvy Summers may be the best soul food chef in the South Side of Chicago, but she's always willing to expand her culinary offerings. After taking a course in Cajun cuisine, Savvy finds herself experimenting, much to her sous chef Penny's annoyance. But her foray into New Orleans cookery helps when her old friend Dori asks for a favor. The new face of Dori's business is all about the Big Easy so Savvy agrees to cater a luncheon. What she finds is concerning, a greedy woman wanting free food, an intern who vacillates between mousy and bossy, and the new company face-a fake charmer. When a prank turns deadly Dori becomes a suspect and Savvy determines to get to the bottom of things. Not only will she prove her friend's innocence, but she'll uncover the underhanded business at work at Dori's company.

 

While I like Savvy Summers, my favorite characters in SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE PO'BOY PERILS are Jimmy Blue and his dog, Sergeant Stubby. While it's fascinating how Jimmy is teaching his dog to use talking buttons, what I love even more is their kinship and smarts. I appreciated the backstory of the mysterious patron at Essie's Place and the secondary mystery Savvy helped to solve.

 

The mystery was well plotted with lots of clues as well as misdirection, but as important as the mystery is, it's the characters, their relationships, backstory, and dealings that truly make the story. 

 

Whether you prefer sweet potato pie, king cake, or a soul food version of bread pudding, get ready to savor a well seasoned mystery in SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE PO'BOY PERILS. 

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading All Aboard for Murder by Ellen Byron. This book is the third in the Golden Motel Mystery series and will be released next week.

The towns of Foundgold and Goldsgone are celebrating the birthday of Angus Sprockles, the man made the area a historic site. From the opening of a time capsule to the Sprockles Railroad Halloween-themed fundraiser for the Historical Society featuring former child star Dougie Keefer. After a wonderful event the last of the organizers are ready to take the train ride back only to find Moses Sprockles dead on the track. With murky jurisdiction, multiple law enforcement agencies soon descend upon the scene. Dee Stern, former screenwriter and new motelier is more than happy to leave this murder to the professionals. That is until her dad asks her to investigate the death of his friend. Did the murder have something to do with the silver spike from the time capsule? Or perhaps something related to Moses' work as a notary? With the Golden Motel once again associated with murder Dee and her partner, Jeff, will don their sleuthing hats and try to solve another murder.

Crime Rangoon - A Review

 Review

 

CRIME RANGOON by Vivien Chien
The Twelfth Noodle Shop Mystery 

 

Aside from Shanghai Donuts and her family's restaurant, the Modern Scroll is Lana Lee's favorite shop in Cleveland's Asia Village. After all books are food for the soul! Lana thrilled when one of her favorite authors, Charlene Chan is coming to the store for a book signing and Lana will be assisting as her handler, with a special perk of a private dinner with the author afterward. The event is running smoothly until an irate woman makes a scene claiming Charlene stole her book! Then a strange man dressed as the killer from her latest novel shows up, right before Charlene collapses. There will be no special dinner with the author-Charlene Chan has died. The murderer is copying scenes directly from Charlene's latest book. So much so, that instead of warning Lana to stay away, her boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, actually asks for her help! Is this the end of the world? With reality mirroring the book, Lana has cause to be worried for though her helping may not be the end of the world, it may be the end of Lana Lee! 

 

I absolutely love Lana Lee and Asia Village and thoroughly enjoyed this, the twelfth Noodle Shop Mystery. Lana is so relatable, especially in her love of books! Who wouldn't love to hang out with their favorite author? Being a mystery, of course things go terribly wrong. I like how the killer was using Charlie's latest book as a template. Real life and fiction intertwined...just how far will it go?

 

It was also fun seeing Lana and Adam working together. Instead of hiding her sleuthing from him, she's able to share her expertise-and she is an expert at this point. It's not just her knowledge of the author, her work, and Asia Village, but with eleven mysteries behind her as well as the fact an actual private investigator wanted to hire her, she's had lots of experience solving crimes!

 

While there were several suspects I did realize the killer's identity early on. Was that my expertise as a former cop and mystery blogger or sheer luck? Perhaps a bit of both. Even so, I enjoyed waiting to see when the penny would drop and Lana would solve the murder.

 

Death imitates art in CRIME RANGOON so grab a bowl of noodles, or maybe a doughnut, and settle in to see Lana and her friends solve another murder at Asia Village. 

The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Theo Sharp to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Theo on the pages of the Detection Club Mystery series by Kelly Oliver. THE CASE OF THE CHRISTIE WEDDING AFFAIR is the fourth book in the series and was released last month.

A Philosopher's Guide to Murder in Scotland 
By Theo Sharp

There are many reasons to visit Scotland.

The scenery, for one. The Highlands possess a rugged grandeur that makes one feel simultaneously insignificant and strangely alive. There are mountains wrapped in mist, lochs dark enough to conceal ancient legends, and enough dramatic weather to inspire generations of poets.

Murder, however, is not generally listed among the chief attractions.

Yet that is precisely what Eliza Baker and I encountered in THE CASE OF THE CHRISTIE WEDDING AFFAIR.

The adventure began with what should have been a happy occasion. A wedding. Granted, not just any wedding. The wedding in question involved our friend Agatha Christie and archaeologist Max Mallowan, whose courtship was already the subject of considerable interest among their friends.

The trouble with weddings, however, is that they tend to gather people together. And whenever people gather together, they bring with them all the usual complications: old grudges, family disputes, hidden ambitions, jealousy, greed, and occasionally murder. For myself, I take a philosophical approach to these matters, which annoys my friend Eliza to no end.

A philosopher and a detective view human nature from opposite directions. A philosopher begins with grand theories about humanity and attempts to explain individual behavior. A detective begins with individual behavior and discovers how little grand theories matter when someone is lying about where they were at half past nine. Eliza naturally favors the latter approach.

If you’ve met Eliza Baker, this won’t surprise you. She trusts evidence. Footprints. Fibers. Bloodstains. Witness statements. She’s remarkably unimpressed by speculation. I, on the other hand, enjoy speculation far more than is probably healthy. By some messy miracle, this creates a productive partnership.

When I begin discussing motive, morality, and the human condition, Eliza reminds me to examine the mud on a suspect's boots. When Eliza becomes buried beneath facts and details, I occasionally help identify the larger pattern. At least that is my version of events. Eliza might describe matters differently.

The Scottish case proved particularly memorable because it unfolded in one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. There is something deeply romantic about the Isle of Skye. The landscape seems untouched by time. Ancient hills rise above lonely glens. Stone churches stand watch over villages that have existed for centuries. And the coastline has a life of its own.

Such beauty, however, can be deceptive. Indeed, one lesson I’ve learned through repeated exposure to murder investigations is that beautiful places are often excellent locations for terrible crimes. People assume evil prefers dark alleys and foggy streets. In my experience, it is equally comfortable in country houses with spectacular views. Perhaps more so.

The murder at the center of this mystery forced us to confront a question that appears often in our investigations. How well do we truly know the people around us? Every suspect possessed secrets. Every witness withheld something. Even those acting from the best intentions found themselves entangled in deception.

As a philosopher, I find this endlessly fascinating. Human beings are astonishingly skilled at constructing stories about themselves. We explain our actions. We justify our decisions. We convince ourselves we are the heroes of our own narratives. Indeed, we live by stories.

Then a murder occurs and all those carefully crafted stories begin to crack. The truth emerges through the fractures. That process is what makes detective fiction so satisfying. A mystery begins with confusion. Facts appear disconnected. Motives seem contradictory. Nothing makes sense. Gradually, order emerges from chaos. The pieces align. The truth reveals itself. And justice is restored.

As someone who spends a great deal of time thinking about meaning, I find comfort in that structure. The real world rarely offers such tidy conclusions. Life leaves many questions unanswered. Murder mysteries, by contrast, insist that truth and justice matter and that persistence rewards with one if not both. That’s a most reassuring notion.

Of course, readers may wonder whether I enjoy these investigations. The answer is complicated. I enjoy solving puzzles. I enjoy traveling. Most of all, I enjoy spending time with Eliza. I do not, however, enjoy being threatened, chased, attacked, or nearly killed. Unfortunately, the latter activities seem to accompany the former with alarming regularity.

Still, I wouldn’t trade my adventures with beloved Eliza for anything.

The Scottish case remains one of my favorites because it contains everything I love about our adventures. A missing Lord, a baffling mystery, an unforgettable setting, a cast of suspicious characters, and enough twists to keep even the most observant reader guessing.

It also contains a wedding, which is generally preferable to a funeral. Though, given our track record, I suppose it’s something of a miracle we managed to attend one without discovering another body.

Then again, perhaps I shouldn’t tempt fate. After all, wherever Agatha Christie and Eliza Baker go, murder has an uncanny habit of following close behind. And wherever murder appears, I seem destined to follow.

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THE CASE OF THE CHRISTIE WEDDING AFFAIR by Kelly Oliver

The Fourth Detection Club Mystery

 

Some proprieties are necessary - the reading of the banns in preparation of marriage, for example. There's no mandate on where the banns need to be read, however, so in order to avoid nosey reporters Agatha Christie decided to have her banns read for three weeks on the remote Isle of Skye. Braving turbulent seas Eliza Baker and Theo Sharp join Agatha and Dorothy Parker, along with Agatha's young daughter and secretary. What they didn't realize was that the wedding party was sharing the lodge with a hunting party led by the obnoxious Lord Blackwood. When he didn't return from the days hunt with his companions, none of his party seem concerned, least of all, his wife. But Eliza's brain is turning - nearly everyone in the hunting party had reason to want the man dead. In addition, the Reverend and people from the lodge are acting strangely. Did someone murder Lord Blackwood? With Theo by her side Eliza will sift through clues and motives, but is she ready to face the truth the island is so desperately trying to hide?

 

A mystery set on a desolate island with stormy weather? Yes, please! What a perfect location for a murder...if there is a murder. At least it's a perfect locale for a missing lord. In addition to having a great setting, I loved the added air of spooky mystery with the possibility of curses, spectral shadows, and the pronouncement of birds.

 

In this fourth outing of the  Detection Club Theo Sharp spends most of the time rhapsodizing, primarily over Eliza, but also about his upbringing, parents, and the Isle of Skye itself. Indeed, the book would be a lot shorter if he kept his philosophical ramblings to himself. While Theo is waxing poetic, it's Eliza who looks to the certainty of clues and motives, with the help of her beagle, Queenie. These opposites support each other in more ways than one.

 

THE CASE OF THE CHRISTIE WEDDING AFFAIR has plenty of adventure and drama with midnight ramblings and Lord Blackwood's mysterious hunt for "the boy", and more than one disappearance. The book also highlights class differences, the entitlement of the rich, and family.

 

THE CASE OF THE CHRISTIE WEDDING AFFAIR is an atmospheric historical mystery that brings shivers and shockwaves, and ultimately, a wedding.

 

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The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair (The Detection Club) by Kelly Oliver

About The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair

The Case of the Christie Wedding Affair (The Detection Club)
Historical Cozy Mystery 4th in Series
Setting- Scotland
Publisher: ‎ Boldwood Books Ltd
Publication Date: ‎ June 24, 2026
Hardcover Print Length: ‎ 242 pages
Paperback Print Length: ‎ 296 pages
Digital Print Length: ‎ 290 pages

Scotland, 1930: Agatha Christie is getting married. She invites fellow members of the Detection Club to the windswept Isle of Skye for a quiet break while the banns are read. But tranquility proves elusive when the formidable Lord Blackwood, leader of a hunting party sharing their lodge, vanishes from the moors.

Sharp-eyed assistant to the Detection Club secretary, Eliza Baker, suspects foul play as the strange occurrences pile up: a mysterious grave in the churchyard, a missing rifle, and late-night excursions across the rugged island. There may be no body—yet—but someone at Dunmara Lodge is hiding a deadly secret.

As a storm cuts them off from the mainland, Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate lies, half-truths, and a treacherous landscape... but can they uncover the killer in the stalking grounds… or will the moors keep their secrets forever?

Head to the remote Isle of Skye in this delightful and gripping golden-age mystery series, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright and T. E. Kinsey.

About Kelly Oliver

 

Kelly Oliver is the Agatha award-winning and bestselling author of four mystery series: The Jessica James Mysteries, The Pet Detective Mysteries, The Fiona Figg Mysteries, and The Detection Club Mysteries. The Fiona Figg Mysteries have been on the most anticipated list of Mystery Magazine and won the Mystery and Mayhem Award and the Silver Falchion Award for Best Historical Mystery. And The Case of the Christie Conspiracy, Detection Club Mystery book one, is currently nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery. Kelly is Past President of Sisters in Crime National, current Education Coordinator for SinC Guppies, and a Distinguished Emerita Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to www.kellyoliverbooks.com.  

Website Bestselling Author Kelly Oliver  

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kelly-oliver  

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Oliver/e/B001HN3HCM/  

INSTAGRAM @kellyoliverbooks  

Pinterest Kelly Oliver Books https://www.pinterest.com.au/oliver743  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kellyoliverauthor/  

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Purchase Links Amazon US Amazon CA Amazon UK Amazon AU Amazon IN B&N

Dashing Through the Show - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

 Review

DASHING THROUGH THE SHOW by Cindy Goyette
The Second Wiggle Butt Manor Mystery 

 

Charlie Calderbank has taken the plunge, leaving New Jersey for good and moving to the Pacific Northwest. With her dreams of being a police officer dashed because of her rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis Charlie plans to help her aunt run Wiggle Butt Manor, a dog hotel. The possibility of romance with Nick doesn't hurt either. Her arrival coincides with her aunt's first venture into dog agility featuring the champion Bentley. Unfortunately, Bentley comes with his owner, the obnoxiously rude Miles Collins. The man's behavior is so repulsive that he's kicked off the property. The next day the murdered body of Miles is found and all signs are pointing to Charlie as the killer. Who would want to frame Charlie? And why? Charlie will have to prove her innocence and find the real murderer while fighting a dog custody battle, a visit from her mom, and worsening symptoms. So much for a merry Christmas.

 

I was stressed reading the second Wiggle Butt Manor Mystery! There was so much tension as absolutely everything that could go wrong from Charlie was happening. Even worse that being framed for murder, and thus preempting her romance with the local cop, was the possibility of losing Maya, the troublemaking dog she's grown to love.

 

While I was understandably stressed, I was also loving the story as I quickly turned the pages. DASHING THROUGH THE SHOW is smartly written and deals with societal issues while providing a well constructed mystery. The characters are great, including a few despicable ones. And of course the dogs steal the show...especially Maya. Funny moments, a touch of romance, and the drama of family are captured alongside the thrilling and desperate acts in this mystery.

 

Tension, excitement, and gritty realism permeate DASHING THROUGH THE SHOW creating a captivating mystery that will have you enthralled. 

 

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DASHING THROUGH THE SHOW

by Cindy Goyette

July 6 - 31, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A WIGGLE BUTT MANOR MYSTERY

 

Murder is under the mistletoe in the peaceful island community of Orca Cove. Holiday plans are put on hold to give attention to the grand opening of the Wiggle Butt Manor Agility Course. Special guest, Bently, is supposed to dazzle on the stage, but the locals have had enough of his snooty trainer, Miles Collins. So has his killer. When Charlie Calderbank finds Miles’ body in the back of her moving van, it becomes the season of giving…alibis, that is. Her hopes for a Christmas romance are dashed when the local hot cop is forced to pay more attention to the clues leading to her door than the chemistry that simmers between them.

Tainted treats, a widow who raises a toast along with a few eyebrows, a groomer with a grudge, an angry Santa Claus, a nosey reporter, and a canine custody hearing have Charlie spinning in every direction, juggling clues, dogs, and blizzards. She must identify the killer, or she’ll spend her Christmas behind bars.

Praise for Dashing Through the Show:

"A cozy mystery you’ll want to curl up with. Warm, witty, and wonderfully twisty."
~ Kristi Rose, USA Today Bestselling Author

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Number of Pages: 225
Series: A Wiggle Butt Manor Mystery, Book 2
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | | Goodreads | BookBub

The Wiggle Butt Manor Mystery Series

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

Amazon | Kindle | | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

Chapter One

Although it was a few days before Christmas, it felt like spring. By ten a.m., the temperature had already climbed into the fifties, and people were shedding their coats, carrying them folded over their arms or tied around their waists. The grounds of my aunt’s pet hotel, Wiggle Butt Manor, were buzzing as locals and vacationers flooded the property for the grand opening of Orca Cove’s one and only agility course.

Noah, my buff-colored Cocker Spaniel—and a very good boy—stuck close to my side as I navigated the crowd. We’d arrived the night before following a four-day drive across the country from my hometown in New Jersey, arriving at the Pacific Northwest island town my aunt Jo-Jo called home.

Ten-hour days behind the wheel of the moving van I’d rented were exhausting, and my body was stiff from sitting for so long. But we made it. I was about to dive into my new life headfirst. I was now a permanent resident of Orca Cove.

People I recognized from my recent stay on the island greeted me warmly as I passed booths in various stages of readiness for the day. I found Aunt Jo-Jo walking around the property with a cane in one hand and a clipboard tucked under her other arm. A leash encircled her wrist as she tried to subdue Maya, who I wouldn’t exactly call a good girl, but she had her moments.

As I approached, my aunt handed me control of the miscreant, the town’s most infamous resident, best described as a basic brown dog.

“How’d you sleep, Charlie?” Aunt Jo-Jo asked, bending down to give Noah some attention and dropping her clipboard.

I scooped it off the ground before Maya trampled it. On it was a checklist of everything that had to be done for the daylong event. People would shop the booths in the morning. Baked goods, hot drinks, and pet-related items were for sale. The ribbon-cutting, with photo opportunities for the local paper, would be the highlight of the afternoon. For the grand finale, an agility champion would run the new course. The crowd expected him to dazzle them with his speed and skills.

The opening of the agility course was a dream come true for my aunt. She’d been planning it for months and wanted everything to be perfect.

“How’d I sleep? I repeated, falling into step beside her. “Like I’d eaten a poisoned apple.” I always slept well on the porch of my aunt’s home with the fresh ocean air wafting in through a cracked window. But I was itching to find a place of my own.

With a twinkle in her eye, my aunt said, “And did Prince Charming wake you this morning?”

I blushed at the thought. She meant Nick, or Officer Sabato, as many called him. He was the town’s hottest cop who had wooed me the last time I was here. Unfortunately, fate intervened, disrupting our relationship before I could completely fall for him.

First, Nick had a murder to solve. I may have stuck my nose where it didn’t belong, but that hadn’t run him off. It was the unexpected news that he was the father of a sullen sixteen-year-old that knocked him off his feet. While dispensing law and order was in his blood, parenting was new to him. He’d let me know he was in over his head. Not in love with me unfortunately, but in his new role.

He hadn’t been at my welcome party last night. Only my aunt, her sidekick Martha, and Nick’s daughter, Kyleigh, greeted us. Of course, Maya was there. My aunt had assured me Nick wanted to come, but he was on duty.

The others had met me with a welcome-home sign, a bouquet of balloons, and a seafood feast. Once everyone went home, I fell asleep instantly—Maya on one side and Noah on the other. My happy place.

This morning, I woke up to a text message sent late the night before. Welcome home, Jersey.

Nick. So, in a way, Prince Charming had woken me. But I didn’t want to give my aunt any more ammunition, as she’d been playing matchmaker for months. I changed the subject. “Looks like a great event. What can I do to help?”

“Follow me.”

Aunt Jo-Jo led me past a stall decorated like a toy shop, where a man dressed in a Santa costume practiced his jolly laugh. “Make sure you get a photo of Noah and Maya with Mr. Claus,” my aunt said. We stopped at an undecorated booth with the Wiggle Butt Manor sign stretched across a folding table. Boxes sat on the ground. “There are decorations, brochures and giveaway tennis balls for the pups,” she said. “Please decorate and organize. Once people start showing up, you can distribute the balls to anyone who wants one. Oh, and can you answer questions about the hotel? Make sure vacationers know we’d be glad to watch their dogs while they’re out whale watching or kayaking. We do more than overnight visits.”

“Sure thing,” I said.

And with that, my aunt was off to manage other things.

I tied the dogs’ leashes to the table leg and set about opening boxes, hanging signs and displaying handouts on the tabletop. My slightly swollen hands were painful, a reminder that I’d forgotten to take my rheumatoid arthritis medication that morning. I would have to get back to my normal routine, something no thirty-year-old should have to do. Bent over a box and engrossed in my task, I looked up when a shadow darkened my booth and the dogs went bananas.

Nick stood on the other side of the table. He wore jeans, a T-shirt, and a brown corduroy jacket. Unruly chestnut hair skimmed his broad shoulders, defying department regulations. The skin around his nothing-gets-past-me brown eyes crinkled when he smiled at me. “Jersey, you made it.”

My heart thudded as I stood up and smiled. “Hey, you.” I was tall—five ten—but Nick had a few inches on me. I didn’t feel like a big doofus when I was around him, as I sometimes did around shorter people.

Nick turned his attention to Noah and Maya. As he fussed over the dogs, I felt a tug toward him, like we should hug. But the table between us made things awkward. Plus, his newfound fatherhood wasn’t the only obstacle in our way. I hadn’t yet told him about my RA diagnosis, and I was afraid my unknown future might run him off. I mean, who wants to hear about stiff joints from a thirty-year-old?

As if he felt the same frustration, he sighed, then shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels. “How was your drive?”

“Endless,” I said. “But now I can add truck driver to my resume.”

He laughed. “That would take you away too often. Hoping you’ll stay put for a while.”

My cheeks burned. “That’s the plan.”

He scanned the thickening crowd. “Have you seen Kyleigh?”

“Not this morning. How’s that going, by the way?”

He blew out a long breath. “Don’t think she likes me much. But we’re making the best of things.”

“Don’t take it personally. She doesn’t seem fond of most people. It took her a while to warm up to me.”

He pursed his lips. “And now you’re one of her favorite people. Hope she accepts me soon. Right now, everything I say is wrong.” He checked his watch. “Gotta man the booth on microchips. Catch up later?”

“I’d like that.”

He bid goodbye to the dogs and then walked off toward a booth at the other end of the lot. I looked at Maya and Noah, jealous of the hands-on attention they’d received.

Once my booth was in order, Kyleigh appeared, handing me a cup of chai tea. Though petite, she was no pushover. She handed out glares like goodie bags at a birthday party. Everybody got one. As usual, black clothing covered her from head to toe, and a curtain of black hair blended into the trench coat that dwarfed her.

“Bless you,” I said, accepting the drink.

Settled on the folding chair next to me, she propped her Doc Martens on the table and stroked Maya’s head.

“Did you catch up with Nick…. I mean, your dad? He was looking for you,” I said.

She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah. It’s all good.”

I took a leap of faith. “Might want to take it easy on him. He’s new to the game.”

She played with a loose thread on her coat. “I know.”

People started spilling into the space, and the festival was now officially underway.

There were almost as many canines as people in attendance. Maya watched the crowd with interest, while Noah turned his back on the festivities and slept. A wiry, small man wearing neatly pressed trousers, a vest and a bow tie hurried our way. A striking liver and white English Springer Spaniel walked in perfect step by his side.

He stopped at our booth, and his dog sat without a command to do so. “Can you tell me,” the man said, pushing glasses up his ski slope shaped nose, “where I can find Mrs. McMullen? She’s expecting me.”

I looked past him and scanned the crowd. “My aunt’s around here somewhere.”

He checked his watch.

Maya, who had been on her best behavior, decided she wanted to make a new acquaintance. Placing her paws on the table, she barked at the springer.

The dog looked to his owner as if he needed permission to respond.

“Control your mutt,” the man said in a haughty tone.

I resisted the urge to ask him if he had a leash for his ego as he paraded it around so confidently. Sometimes the Jersey in me appeared like a second personality. “Down, Maya,” I said, gently tugging on her lead. We did have work to do.

With a sigh, Maya complied, but the man seemed unimpressed. He puffed his chest out and grasped the lapels of his vest with both hands. “Please tell Mrs. McMullen that Miles Collins has arrived with Bentley. Bentley is a champion,” he added, giving Maya the stink-eye.

“Oh,” I said, wondering if I should bow or just laugh it off.

Clearly irritated, Mr. Collins turned and stalked off, Bentley obediently at his side.

“What was that about?” Kyleigh said, laughing.

“I don’t know,” I said. “I’m sure it’s nothing us peasants can understand.”

Kyleigh played with the hole in her jeans, giving me a sideways glance. Her Morticia Addams-like hair looked too heavy to carry around, almost brushing the ground. “Have you thought any more about the house?” she asked.

She’d sprung the idea on me at the party last night. Kyleigh had inherited the house of Maya’s deceased owner, Lucy Masanova. It needed a tenant until Kyleigh was old enough to either live in it or sell it. Although I was comfortable sleeping on the daybed at my aunt’s, her screened-in porch wasn’t exactly winter-friendly. Plus, I needed my own space if I intended to make Orca Cove my home.

I’d looked for rentals online before I’d made the move. The place would have to take dogs. Not only did I have Noah, but my aunt had hinted that Maya was too much for her to handle after her accident. People weren’t exactly lining up to take the devilish dog, so she was as good as mine. With her reputation, finding a rental that would take her wouldn’t be easy.

But Lucy’s house had a history that made me a tad uncomfortable. If there were another option, I might have declined Kyleigh’s offer. But there didn’t seem to be one, and I wanted to help Kyleigh out.

“I don’t know,” I said, giving her the side-eye. “Are you a mean landlord?”

She laughed. “As long as you pay your rent on time, we should be fine. And you can do what you want with decorating. Make it something I might want to live in someday.”

I held out my hand, and we shook. “You have a deal.”

***

Excerpt from Dashing Through the Show by Cindy Goyette. Copyright 2026 by Cindy Goyette. Reproduced with permission from Cindy Goyette. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Cindy Goyette is a former probation/parole officer who had a front-row seat to the criminal justice system. She kept her sanity by finding humor in most situations. A mix of these things helped her create The Probation Case Files Mystery Series, winner of Public Safety Writer's Association awards, and a finalist for Lefty and Silver Falchion Awards. She also authors The Wiggle Butt Manor Mystery series, which she based on her love of dogs. After spending over twenty years in Arizona, Cindy lives in Washington state with her husband and two Cocker Spaniels.

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