The Cat and the Codex

By Julie Ecker

In charming Pepper Lake, poetry and peril go hand in hand...

Nell Murray thought inheriting Greybriars-her eccentric Aunt Alice's sprawling, book-filled mansion-meant she'd left behind big-city chaos for tea, tranquility, and the occasional mystery novel. But when Nell and her curious cat Gatsby unearth a hidden puzzle box filled with what might be Emily Dickinson's original poems, Nell's peaceful days are replaced with intrigue.

Word spreads fast in a small town, and Nell finds herself fending off literary treasure hunters, including an overly dramatic poet with a flair for trouble and a suspicious philanthropist with secrets of her own. But when the latter turns up dead-right in the middle of a fundraiser book sale-Nell knows this mystery is more than merely historical.

With the help of her best friend Cricket, a barista at the Buttered Scone bakery and coffee shop, and the ever-enigmatic Gideon, who may know more of Aunt Alice's secrets than he's letting on, Nell sets out to uncover the truth. But the more she digs, the more she wonders: is there a killer among Pepper Lake's most bookish residents?

Curl up with a cup of tea and a cat in your lap-this cozy mystery is full of clever clues, small-town charm, and bookish delight.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FN4B1QZS
• ISBN13: 9798298859356
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 142 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"