A Murder at Midnight Chowder
(2026)(The first book in the Two Cousins and a Canine Mystery series)
A novel by Tracie Kaine
A Two Cousins & A Canine Mystery (Book 1), Featuring a Clever Dog, Amateur Sleuths, and Small-Town Secrets
If a judge tastes your chowder… and dies, do you keep serving?
Pelican Harbor’s Midnight Chowder Festival is the town’s proudest tradition—until a celebrity judge collapses mid-tasting under the glow of string lights. At first, it looks like a tragic accident. But when the coroner confirms poison, it’s clear someone used the festival’s most cherished ritual to commit murder. And if that’s true, the killer isn’t a stranger—they’re someone who belongs here.
Enter cousins Derek Mercer, a disciplined former military dog trainer who sees patterns others miss, and Lila Hayes, a chef with deep roots in the harbor and a sharper instinct for people than she’d like to admit. With Ranger—their calm, observant Newfoundland—at their side, they begin asking questions the town isn’t ready to answer.
But the closer they look, the messier it gets. A rival chef with a grudge. A struggling supplier with everything to lose. A festival director under pressure from sponsors. And a beloved café owner whose legacy may be at stake. Between simmering rivalries, whispered accusations, and a suspicious late-night confrontation, Derek and Lila must figure out who had the access—and the nerve—to turn a simple tasting spoon into a weapon.
Meanwhile, Harbor Hearth Café must keep its doors open, the festival must somehow go on, and the harbor’s tight-knit community begins to fracture under the weight of suspicion. As rumors spread faster than the tide, one thing becomes clear: in Pelican Harbor, loyalty runs deep—but so do secrets.
Because here, recipes are history… and some secrets are worth killing for.
If you love cozy mysteries with coastal charm, clever clues, loyal animal companions, and a satisfying twist, A Murder at Midnight Chowder will keep you turning pages long past closing time.
Other Books in the Series:
A Biscuit, A Bone, and A Murder, a Prequel
Genre: Cozy Mystery
If a judge tastes your chowder… and dies, do you keep serving?
Pelican Harbor’s Midnight Chowder Festival is the town’s proudest tradition—until a celebrity judge collapses mid-tasting under the glow of string lights. At first, it looks like a tragic accident. But when the coroner confirms poison, it’s clear someone used the festival’s most cherished ritual to commit murder. And if that’s true, the killer isn’t a stranger—they’re someone who belongs here.
Enter cousins Derek Mercer, a disciplined former military dog trainer who sees patterns others miss, and Lila Hayes, a chef with deep roots in the harbor and a sharper instinct for people than she’d like to admit. With Ranger—their calm, observant Newfoundland—at their side, they begin asking questions the town isn’t ready to answer.
But the closer they look, the messier it gets. A rival chef with a grudge. A struggling supplier with everything to lose. A festival director under pressure from sponsors. And a beloved café owner whose legacy may be at stake. Between simmering rivalries, whispered accusations, and a suspicious late-night confrontation, Derek and Lila must figure out who had the access—and the nerve—to turn a simple tasting spoon into a weapon.
Meanwhile, Harbor Hearth Café must keep its doors open, the festival must somehow go on, and the harbor’s tight-knit community begins to fracture under the weight of suspicion. As rumors spread faster than the tide, one thing becomes clear: in Pelican Harbor, loyalty runs deep—but so do secrets.
Because here, recipes are history… and some secrets are worth killing for.
If you love cozy mysteries with coastal charm, clever clues, loyal animal companions, and a satisfying twist, A Murder at Midnight Chowder will keep you turning pages long past closing time.
Other Books in the Series:
A Biscuit, A Bone, and A Murder, a Prequel
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for Tracie Kaine's A Murder at Midnight Chowder