Dune Estate Murder
(2026)(The first book in the Lake Michigan Seasonal House Mystery series)
A novel by Marcy Blesy
Book 1 in the Lake Michigan Seasonal House Mysteries is a prequel spin-off featuring Safia Devereaux, a fan-favorite character from the Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery Series. You can start Safia’s story here or meet her first in Tucson Valley starting in book 2! Both reading orders work, and no prior series is required. Each book is a complete mystery, with an ongoing character arc throughout the series. Enjoy Safia's shenanigans!
At thirty, Safia Devereaux never expected to be running a business. Then again, she never expected to collect ex-husbands the way some people collect Beanie Babies.
Especially not in 1995 Dune Point, Michigan, where her two failed marriages happen to involve the town's police chief and its mayor.
In a town this small, that kind of history follows you around.
Determined to start over, Safia joins forces with her two high school best friends to launch the Lake Effect Ladies, a seasonal home service business that opens and closes houses along Lake Michigan's windswept dunes. Armed with a color-coded filing system, a cordless phone with terrible reception, and sheer optimism, Safia is determined to prove she can make it on her own.
At least one member of the team has confidence in her.
Unfortunately, that member is Beeper, her pot-bellied pig.
When the season's first house opening reveals something resting on top of a wealthy client's pool cover—and it is definitely not a forgotten lawn chair—Safia finds herself tangled in a murder investigation before tourists have even finished unpacking their fanny packs.
Meanwhile, a controversial condo development splits Dune Point down the middle, tempers flare hotter than a dashboard cassette player in July, and an out-of-towner is accused of murdering the developer behind the project.
Everyone else seems convinced they've got the right culprit.
Safia isn't so sure.
Partly because she's stubborn.
Partly because she's been wrong about important men before.
As Safia digs deeper into the town's secrets, she discovers that some people will do anything to keep the past buried beneath Dune Point's sandy shores.
Solving murders wasn't part of the business plan. Neither was becoming the killer's next target.If you love:
At thirty, Safia Devereaux never expected to be running a business. Then again, she never expected to collect ex-husbands the way some people collect Beanie Babies.
Especially not in 1995 Dune Point, Michigan, where her two failed marriages happen to involve the town's police chief and its mayor.
In a town this small, that kind of history follows you around.
Determined to start over, Safia joins forces with her two high school best friends to launch the Lake Effect Ladies, a seasonal home service business that opens and closes houses along Lake Michigan's windswept dunes. Armed with a color-coded filing system, a cordless phone with terrible reception, and sheer optimism, Safia is determined to prove she can make it on her own.
At least one member of the team has confidence in her.
Unfortunately, that member is Beeper, her pot-bellied pig.
When the season's first house opening reveals something resting on top of a wealthy client's pool cover—and it is definitely not a forgotten lawn chair—Safia finds herself tangled in a murder investigation before tourists have even finished unpacking their fanny packs.
Meanwhile, a controversial condo development splits Dune Point down the middle, tempers flare hotter than a dashboard cassette player in July, and an out-of-towner is accused of murdering the developer behind the project.
Everyone else seems convinced they've got the right culprit.
Safia isn't so sure.
Partly because she's stubborn.
Partly because she's been wrong about important men before.
As Safia digs deeper into the town's secrets, she discovers that some people will do anything to keep the past buried beneath Dune Point's sandy shores.
Solving murders wasn't part of the business plan. Neither was becoming the killer's next target.If you love:
- Quirky characters in a small-town setting
Found family and reinvention
A Lake Michigan cozy mystery series full of secrets and humor
Strong female amateur sleuths starting over
Seasonal homes, lakefront charm, and local intrigue
Clean, funny mysteries with heart
And a chaotic oinking sidekick who steals every scene…
You’ll love this laugh-out-loud Lake Michigan cozy mystery series, where every season brings new secrets—and every home has a story worth investigating.
Genre: Cozy Mystery