Murder Most Eastern - A Guest Post, Review, & Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Emily Harper to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Emily on the pages of the Great Maine Mystery series. MURDER MOST EASTERN is the first book in the series and was released last week.

From Boston to Jasper Beach
By Emily Harper, amateur sleuth and recent inheritor of a lovely house on Jasper Beach

I didn’t move to Maine because I had a plan. I moved here because I inherited a house—and a mystery.

When my sister Becky died, everything shifted. I’d always imagined she’d be the one who settled down in some cozy coastal town, running on Dunkin’ and small-town gossip. Not me. I was the Boston one. A little too tightly wound, maybe, but predictable. Structured. Comfortable with my life in the city, at least on the surface.

Then came the phone call. And the funeral. And the house.

I’d never even heard of Jasper Beach before that week. But there it was—Becky’s house. Her cat. Her entire world tucked inside a weather-worn Victorian perched at the edge of the sea. And when I stepped inside for the first time, I felt it immediately: there was something unfinished. Something unsettled. Something that didn’t make sense.

She wanted me to stay. And at first I did, just to sort through her things. Then, to try to understand what really happened. And before I knew it, I wasn’t just sleeping in her bedroom—I was rethinking my entire life.

Becky left more behind than a house and a cat (Grayson, who is more opinionated than most people I know). She left questions. Secrets. Maybe even a trail she hoped I’d follow. And whether it was guilt, grief, or just sheer stubbornness, I couldn’t walk away.

I thought I was coming to Maine to say goodbye to my sister.

Instead, I stumbled into a murder investigation, befriended Becky’s attorney, Bill, and a retired librarian with more sass than sense (hi, Martha), and found myself navigating local scandals, secret codes, and one very nosy cat who seems to know when trouble’s afoot.

The truth is, nothing about this life was part of the plan. I’m not a detective. I’m not even all that brave. But I’ve discovered something important in this strange, windswept little town: sometimes the best parts of life are the ones you never see coming.

I still miss Becky every day. But in a way, she’s the reason I found this new purpose. She left me a home, a community, and a mystery—and I intend to honor that.

Even if it means chasing murderers in a pair of mismatched boots and figuring out how to keep a psychic cat out of the butter dish. 

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Review

 

MURDER MOST EASTERN by Nellie H. Steele

The First Great Maine Mystery

 

Although they weren't close, Emily Harper is devastated to hear of her sister's death. Upon inheriting Becky's Victorian with the proviso that she live in it a year, Emily leaves Boston behind and moves to rural Maine. Once in Becky's house she is filled with a sense of foreboding that even Grayson, Becky's cat, can't dispel. Though not one to believe in the mystical, Emily finds herself having visions after wearing her sister's bracelet, visions of the man she met at the lighthouse Becky was researching. When Emily returns to the lighthouse she discovers the man has been murdered. Does his death have something to do with the secrets Becky wrote about in her journal? If that's true, was Becky's death truly accidental? Will Emily discover the truth or will she be the next to die? 

 

I found the plot of the first Great Maine Mystery fascinating: an accidental death that may not be so accidental, shifty historians, a wise cat, hidden artifacts that may have a mystical purpose all set within the beautiful backdrop of rural Maine. 

 

I'm not sure how I feel about Emily. Her attitude towards Grayson irked me. While Emily grew attached to her she thought it was odd to talk to a cat and saying that she was just a cat. I suppose non pet people may think that way, but it bothered me. I did like how she was suspicious of others, but at times her actions put her in the too stupid to live category. Bill is a great character and I really liked Martha, the plucky librarian. But the character I liked best was Grayson, the cat. Grayson is a sturdy cat. I understand that. However, it's not necessary for the author to continually use the word waddle to describe her movements. She waddled here, she waddled there, she waddled everywhere! Most annoying.

 

I enjoyed the paranormal aspect to the story. While at times it did act a bit like a deus ex machina, it added another interesting layer to the story.

 

A little bit of mystery and a little bit of magick make MURDER MOST EASTERN an intriguing start to a new series. 

 

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 Murder Most Eastern (Great Maine Mysteries) by Nellie H. Steele

About Murder Most Eastern

Murder Most Eastern (Great Maine Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Maine
Publisher: ‎ A Novel Idea Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: ‎ August 28, 2025
Print length: ‎ 210 pages

A seaside Victorian. A skeptical artist. A cat with secrets. And a murder that won’t stay buried…

When struggling artist Emily Harper inherits a charming but creaky Victorian on the rugged coast of Maine, she expects a fresh start—what she doesn’t expect is cryptic notes, eerie visions, and a cat with an uncanny sense for trouble.

But nothing unsettles her more than the bracelet. A striking piece of tourmaline jewelry left behind in the house, it sends shivers up her spine whenever she wears it. At first, she chalks it up to stress—until she visits West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and is struck by a chilling vision of a man begging for his life. The next day, his body is found.

With a storm brewing, long-buried secrets rising to the surface, and a killer who will do anything to keep the past hidden, Emily must embrace the unexplainable—or risk becoming the next victim.

Fans of Ellery Adams and Carolyn Hart will love this twisty, atmospheric paranormal cozy mystery full of seaside charm, ghostly intrigue, and a heroine who refuses to back down—no matter how haunted her past may be.

Read now and sleuth the clues today.

About Nellie H. Steele

Nellie H. Steele is a storyteller who doesn’t just write books—she writes the stories her characters tell her. With distinct voices and minds of their own, her characters often take over, guiding her through tales of romance, mystery, adventure, and suspense.

A lifelong bookworm, Nellie vividly recalls sitting on the concrete floor of her childhood library, eagerly devouring Nancy Drew books and dreaming of solving mysteries of her own. Now an award-winning author, she spends her days crafting immersive worlds and unforgettable characters that feel like old friends. Her house is a zoo—literally—thanks to her rescue animals who seem perfectly happy napping while she writes.

Nellie’s writing process often involves background TV she never actually watches because she’s too wrapped up in her characters’ antics. When she’s not spinning stories, she works as a professor of statistics, where students who know her as an author are often surprised to find she really does teach math.

If you love twisty mysteries, soap-opera-style romance, and thrilling adventures, dive into Nellie’s books today and discover worlds you won’t want to leave. Connect with Nellie on Facebook at @NellieHSteele—she loves chatting with readers about characters, stories, and more!

Author Links: 

Website: https://nelliehsteele.com/  

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nelliehsteele  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19769743.Nellie_H_Steele  

Purchase Link: Amazon