I'm pleased to welcome J. P. Bird to Cozy Up With Kathy today. J. P. writes the Suddenly Psychic Mystery series. MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT is the first book in the series and was released earlier this month.
Kathy: In MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT aspiring artist Amelia Wethers is coerced into posing as a seer at a town fair. Have you ever had a booth at a fair?
JPB: I haven’t had a booth at a fair, but I was a liquor rep for fifteen years and had a lot of sampling booths at different locales. My favorites were the golf tournaments. You get to be out in the sun, chatting to happy people as they came to the hole I sponsored.
Kathy: Amelia discovers she truly has a psychic gift. Do you believe in psychics? Have you ever had a reading?
JPB: I have! I’ve been to several psychics for readings. Some are better than others… I like to believe in psychics; I hope there is more out there than what we can tangibly prove it real.
Kathy: In order to catch a killer Amelia engages in hot yoga. I’ve done some regular yoga, but have zero desire to even attempt hot yoga? Do you practice yoga?
JPB: I practiced yoga years ago and loved it (I need to get back into it). I tried hot yoga once, and it was not for me. The heat made me exhausted! I drew from that experience to write that scene as during the one and only class I took, I spent most of the time trying to come up with a reason to leave early.
Kathy: She even adopts her brother’s feral ferrets. I love ferrets, but have never had them as a pet. I currently have 4 cats. Do you have any pets?
JPB: I have Max, a 14-year-old ginger cat, and Poppy, a 12-year-old Mi-Ki dog. Max is twice the size of Poppy, but Poppy holds her own against him. They love to torment each other.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
JPB: I like the escapism of cozies. They’re going to be light and happy reads. My favorites are the ones with snarky characters whose confidence always gets them into trouble. But in the end, everything works out, and you, as the reader, were taken to this wonderful world that (hopefully) will continue on for many books. You get a chance to get to know the characters and location really well. I’m always waiting for my favorite cozy authors to release the next in their series; it’s like visiting old friends.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
JPB: Not yet, but I would like to try writing a psychological thriller. Lol, some days you need light and happy; others you need thunderstorms and intense drama.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
JPB: The Suddenly Psychic Novels are a light, comedic read. They follow Amelia Wethers, who’s a bit of a chaotic mess, after she discovers she’s psychic and tries to stop her darker visions from coming true. She lives in a small town filled with quirky characters.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
JPB: Definitely Amelia’s brother Laurence. I adore him. As soon as he shows up, I know I’m going to be laughing. I kind of think of him as one of those inflatable waving tube men… He arrives and ridiculous ensues. Trying to come up with some of his phrases had me in fits of giggles (brain juice??).
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
JPB: I wrote the first book, MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT, during the COVID lockdown. It was a difficult time for everyone, and I liked the idea of being able to see into the future. To see a glimpse that life would return to normal. And from there, The Suddenly Psychic Novels just spiraled. I would write a scene and realize that could be a later story plot.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
JPB: I’ve always wanted to be an author, but I never imagined it would actually happen. After finishing Murder at First Sight, I put it aside for a while. When I reread the book, I laughed quite a few times and thought it might have some appeal to cozy mystery readers. I decided to be brave and send it to a publisher.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
JPB: I would want a varied dinner party. Tina Fey would be a blast. I follow Lauretta Hignett on Facebook, and she seems so much fun. Paul Kalanithi and Khaled Hosseini, I think, would balance the brevity. I like dinner parties when the conversation topics flow from every letter of the alphabet.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
JPB: A friend of mine recently recommended EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson. I am loving it! I can’t wait to read more of the series.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
JPB: I’ve recently started making kombucha. It is such a gross thing to have sitting on the counter, though. I have two jars: one is a SCOBY hotel (I use the SCOBYs for fertilizer in my garden, so once a few have grown, I blend them up and feed them to whichever plants need it) and the other is for consumption. Trying new flavors and seeing what works is so satisfying. Plus, having a fridge full of ready to drink kombucha is fantastic.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
JPB: Chocolate - this is a necessary everyday staple.
Sparkling water - I am addicted to that stuff.
Eggs - I’m a lazy cook; they’re quick and easy to make.
Berries - I love all berries, so whatever is on sale that week are the ones I choose.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
JPB: I would love to continue the series. Spending time with Amelia and her family/friends brings me so much joy.
I’ve started working on a new series that is set at a winery, so I’m taking a lot of my experience from visiting wineries for work and adding that to my writing. And there are so many places in a winery and vineyard for ridiculous mayhem and mystery to occur!
Kathy: What’s your favorite thing about being an author?
JPB: What I love about being an author is all the new experiences.
Before this, I would never have imagined myself doing an interview! I’m still in shock that something I wrote is out there in the world and people want to know about the book and me.
I was recently on a couple of panels for the Canada Fiction Fest, which was such an incredible opportunity. I’ll be going to Calgary, Canada in October to attend Bouchercon. A week of being surrounded by talented authors sounds like heaven. Even the social media aspect (which I was dreading) has been fun. I’ve connected with people around the world. I’m looking forward to seeing where this path will take me.
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Review
MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT by J. P. Bird
The First Suddenly Psychic Novel
Amelia Wethers owes her best friend, Carolyn Campbell. After all she's given her a job, an apartment that barely costs anything, as well being the cause of some youthful indiscretions. The least she can do is play the psychic at the school fundraiser, even if she was tricked into it. Getting into the role Amelia was actually having fun, until the crystal ball showed her the murder of local philanthropist Phillip Foster and she told his wife. Now the wealthy woman is screaming and threatening to sue while Amelia is coming to grips that she may actually be a real psychic. Determined to save Phillip's life Amelia will do anything, including hot yoga and assisting in her brother's romantic plans, while simultaneously avoiding the hot new detective in town. Will she be able to track down a killer or will this first vision be her last?
MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT is an absolute delight. Amelia Wethers gets herself into zany situations and her friends and family are also delightfully wacky, in a decidedly charming way. With a brother who lives in their parents' basement and a father who is an extreme gardener and knows when to keep a secret from his wife Amelia might be considered the "normal" one...except for those madcap situations she finds herself in. But however wacky, these characters truly love each other and are there for each other, no matter what.
I enjoyed the mystery, from Amelia discovering her family secret to doing her darndest to protect an innocent man. I love how Nick, the hot new detective, gets involved, and doesn't shy away. Well plotted and well written the first Suddenly Psychic novel is a hit.
MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT is a fast paced laugh out loud mystery filled with eccentric characters and hilarious situations. I loved every minute of it!
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Murder at First Sight (Suddenly Psychic) by JP Bird
About Murder at First Sight
Cozy Psychic Mystery 1st in Series
Setting- Small fictional town of Hillside, USA
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Publication Date: July 1, 2026
Print Length: 230 pages
When a good deed might lead to murder… Coerced into posing as a seer at her small town’s spring fair, barista and aspiring artist Amelia Wethers dives into the dramatic role, comforting herself that it’s only a few hours and then she can indulge in sweet and savory snacks. When the wealthy and snarky Summer Foster swans into her tent inquiring about the expected success of her swanky summer party, Amelia’s not prepared for the crystal ball to fill with smoke and reveal the shockingly violent murder of Summer’s husband. Amelia grapples with skepticism, anger, and scorn as she tries to warn wealthy scion Phillip Foster that he’s a target for murder in a few weeks. Discovering she’s descended from a long line of psychics complicates Amelia’s investigation, especially when the town’s newest and distressingly handsome homicide detective dogs her every step and suspects her of murder. It’s a race to the finish, and Amelia will do anything—including pre-dawn hot yoga, adopting her brother’s feral ferrets, missing dessert, setting herself up as bait and making a fool of herself—to stalk a killer.
About JP Bird
JP writes cozy mysteries with quirky characters that make her laugh when they disagree with the laid-out plans for their story and take her on a different path. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada, and hates the cold weather but loves the winter months because they’re a great excuse to hibernate with a cup of tea or a glass of red wine. When she’s not writing or reading, she spends her summers in the garden and her winters plotting how to win her neighbourhood Christmas display competition. They don’t know it’s a competition, but she plays to win nonetheless.
Author Links:
www.jpbird-author.com JPBird-author (@jpbird_author) • Instagram photos and videos Facebook
Purchase Links Murder at First Sight (Suddenly Psychic Book 1) - Kindle edition by Bird, JP . Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Murder at First Sight by JP Bird | eBook | Barnes & Noble® Murder at First Sight eBook by JP Bird - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States Murder at First Sight by JP Bird - Books on Google Play Murder at First Sight (Suddenly Psychic Book 1) by JP Bird | Goodreads
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