When fiction becomes deadly reality, a mystery writer must solve her first real-life case...
Emma Prescott's writing career is at a breaking point. The bestselling mystery author faces relentless pressure from her ruthless literary agent, Victoria Sterling, who demands faster deadlines, bigger commercial hits, and an impossibly aggressive publishing schedule. Burned out from the constant demands, Emma reluctantly attends Seattle's glittering Literary Awards Gala, hoping to negotiate more reasonable terms—but the evening takes a deadly turn when Victoria is found murdered in the hotel's rare book archives the next morning.
With a vintage mystery novel placed ceremoniously on the victim's chest, the staged crime scene triggers every instinct Emma has honed through years of writing about murder. Despite Detective Ray Castellanos's reservations about civilian involvement, Emma finds herself drawn into an investigation that reveals the dark underbelly of the publishing world—blackmail, plagiarism, and revenge plots that have been simmering for years.
As Emma navigates Seattle's cutthroat literary scene alongside the pragmatic detective, she uncovers a web of enemies with motive to kill Victoria Sterling. From bitter former clients to rival agents and expose-hungry journalists, everyone had reason to want the powerful agent silenced. But when the clues point to an elaborate revenge scheme years in the making, Emma realizes the killer is someone who's been hiding in plain sight—and he's not finished yet.
Solving her first real-life mystery forces Emma to confront uncomfortable truths about her career and the toxic demands that have drained her passion for writing. With her love of storytelling reignited and her faith in her instincts restored, she makes a decision that will change everything: it's time to go home to Cedarwood Hollow for Christmas... and maybe longer.
A page-turning prequel to the beloved Cedarwood Hollow Cozy Mystery Series, perfect for both new readers and devoted fans who want to discover how Emma Prescott's amateur detective career truly began.
Genre: Mystery
Emma Prescott's writing career is at a breaking point. The bestselling mystery author faces relentless pressure from her ruthless literary agent, Victoria Sterling, who demands faster deadlines, bigger commercial hits, and an impossibly aggressive publishing schedule. Burned out from the constant demands, Emma reluctantly attends Seattle's glittering Literary Awards Gala, hoping to negotiate more reasonable terms—but the evening takes a deadly turn when Victoria is found murdered in the hotel's rare book archives the next morning.
With a vintage mystery novel placed ceremoniously on the victim's chest, the staged crime scene triggers every instinct Emma has honed through years of writing about murder. Despite Detective Ray Castellanos's reservations about civilian involvement, Emma finds herself drawn into an investigation that reveals the dark underbelly of the publishing world—blackmail, plagiarism, and revenge plots that have been simmering for years.
As Emma navigates Seattle's cutthroat literary scene alongside the pragmatic detective, she uncovers a web of enemies with motive to kill Victoria Sterling. From bitter former clients to rival agents and expose-hungry journalists, everyone had reason to want the powerful agent silenced. But when the clues point to an elaborate revenge scheme years in the making, Emma realizes the killer is someone who's been hiding in plain sight—and he's not finished yet.
Solving her first real-life mystery forces Emma to confront uncomfortable truths about her career and the toxic demands that have drained her passion for writing. With her love of storytelling reignited and her faith in her instincts restored, she makes a decision that will change everything: it's time to go home to Cedarwood Hollow for Christmas... and maybe longer.
A page-turning prequel to the beloved Cedarwood Hollow Cozy Mystery Series, perfect for both new readers and devoted fans who want to discover how Emma Prescott's amateur detective career truly began.
Genre: Mystery
Used availability for Amy Briggs's Seattle Secrets