When mid-list mystery author Tony Bixby retreats to the quiet redwood town of Boulder Creek to salvage his career and write the grand novel he's always dreamed of, he's expecting solitude, coffee, and the occasional gossip from the locals. What he isn't expecting is a call from an eccentric, deep-pocketed book collector with a tantalizing offer: examine a rare, annotated occult volume rumored to point toward a legendary lost library.
The next morning, that collector is found dead.
Suddenly, Tony's holding more than just a rare book-he's holding the first thread in a knot of murder, secrets, and old grudges that stretches from small-town antique shops to hidden collections and corporate boardrooms. The only person in town who believes him? Caxia, a striking and enigmatic private librarian with the largest collection of forbidden books in the country, a sharp wit, and a guarded past of her own.
Together, Tony and Caxia dive into a mystery where every clue seems to raise more questions, and every suspect has something to hide. From late-night research sessions in Caxia's labyrinthine library to tense confrontations with eccentric locals, the trail winds through a world of rare manuscripts, occult lore, and secrets people are willing to kill to protect.
Murder in the Margins delivers everything cozy mystery lovers crave:
A slow-burn romance between two unlikely partners.
Quirky small-town charm with a full cast of unforgettable locals.
Bookish intrigue steeped in rare books, occult history, and bibliophilia.
High-stakes twists that keep the pages turning until the very end.
Perfect for fans of Ellery Adams, Jenn McKinlay, and Alice Kimberly, this is your invitation to step into Boulder Creek-where the redwoods are tall, the coffee is strong, and every book might be hiding a deadly secret.