The Librarian's Secret
(2026)(A book in the Ashcroft Bookshop Mystery series)
A Story by Maggie O'Connor
Every librarian has secrets. Hers just happens to breathe fire.
Beatrice Ashcroft would rather sip tea and shelve books than cause a stir. But this sixty-three-year-old librarian is hiding more than a sharp tongue and a secret stash of cookies—she’s also hiding dragon fire underneath her tweed jacket.
Her quiet life in Warm River unravels when Marcus, a mischievous foster kid, barges into her library and her heart. Between flying bookshelves, a talking cat with too many opinions, and a case worker who thinks Beatrice is too eccentric to care for anyone, she suddenly has more to protect than just her secret.
Because if Marcus is sent away, she won’t just lose the boy who’s made her laugh again—she’ll lose her last chance at family.
For fans of Legends & Lattes and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, this cozy fantasy short story is a heartwarming tale filled with humor, cookies, and a found family you’ll never forget. Set in the same world as Tea, Tomes, and Dragons, this cozy fantasy can be enjoyed as a standalone—or as part of a larger story.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Beatrice Ashcroft would rather sip tea and shelve books than cause a stir. But this sixty-three-year-old librarian is hiding more than a sharp tongue and a secret stash of cookies—she’s also hiding dragon fire underneath her tweed jacket.
Her quiet life in Warm River unravels when Marcus, a mischievous foster kid, barges into her library and her heart. Between flying bookshelves, a talking cat with too many opinions, and a case worker who thinks Beatrice is too eccentric to care for anyone, she suddenly has more to protect than just her secret.
Because if Marcus is sent away, she won’t just lose the boy who’s made her laugh again—she’ll lose her last chance at family.
For fans of Legends & Lattes and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, this cozy fantasy short story is a heartwarming tale filled with humor, cookies, and a found family you’ll never forget. Set in the same world as Tea, Tomes, and Dragons, this cozy fantasy can be enjoyed as a standalone—or as part of a larger story.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for Maggie O'Connor's The Librarian's Secret