Buried Secrets and a Suspicious Death
(2026)(The eighth book in the Poppy James Cozy Mystery series)
A novel by Gemma Harper
Café owner Poppy James expects Willowbrook High’s reunion to bring stale punch, awkward memories, and a shortage of cinnamon scones—not a body beside the pried-open class time capsule.
When Diane Caldwell, the town’s meticulous history-keeper and reunion chair, is found dead, Poppy is pulled from Perk & Page into a puzzle of missing photos, scratched metal, and secrets older than the bunting. With loyal Nadine bringing heart, Theo digging through dusty records, and Midsip sniffing out trouble one crumb at a time, Poppy follows a trail that points in too many directions.
A prickly yearbook editor with a past grudge and a charming former classmate with something to protect both had reasons to fear what Diane remembered. But as the clues tighten and someone starts covering old tracks, Poppy realizes the truth may cost her more than her quiet place on the sidelines.
If she fails, Willowbrook’s past won’t just stay buried—it will claim another victim.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
When Diane Caldwell, the town’s meticulous history-keeper and reunion chair, is found dead, Poppy is pulled from Perk & Page into a puzzle of missing photos, scratched metal, and secrets older than the bunting. With loyal Nadine bringing heart, Theo digging through dusty records, and Midsip sniffing out trouble one crumb at a time, Poppy follows a trail that points in too many directions.
A prickly yearbook editor with a past grudge and a charming former classmate with something to protect both had reasons to fear what Diane remembered. But as the clues tighten and someone starts covering old tracks, Poppy realizes the truth may cost her more than her quiet place on the sidelines.
If she fails, Willowbrook’s past won’t just stay buried—it will claim another victim.
Genre: Cozy Mystery