An Open Book: Spruce Grove Cozy Mysteries, #3

By B. Allison Miller

From the author of 5 Days 'til Christmas and The Boisterous Bridesmaids, the third installment of the Spruce Grove Cozy Mysteries is hot off the press.

Something strange is happening in the quaint town of Spruce Grove.

When best-selling mystery author Bev Darwin comes to town for a much-anticipated book launch party, Charlotte O'Hara is thrilled. Not only is Bev Darwin her favorite author, but she is also having a launch party at BFF Cassie Binder's brand-new bookstore, Page 2. Excitement soon turns to sorrow and disbelief when the author is found dead the morning after the party, and Charlotte is convinced that the author's death was anything but natural.

Against the wishes of her friends and family, Charlotte starts to investigate the death of Ms. Darwin—putting her own life in danger, and causing a rift in her friendship with David Moore.

During her investigation, Charlotte uncovers a few more mysteries, such as: Why is her long-time nemesis, Sarah Payne, suddenly being friendly to her? Why is her Uncle Mark—Spruce Grove's Chief of Police—tolerating her snooping into the case? And why is her mother Patty suddenly giving herself a makeover?

Can a blogger/barista/Christmas tree farmer solve the mysteries before it's too late? Charlotte O'Hara is determined to try.

• Language: English
• Publisher: B. Allison Miller
• Release date: Feb 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393313793

B. Allison Miller

B. Allison Miller is the author of the cozy mystery series “Spruce Grove Cozy Mysteries,” featuring witty amateur sleuth, Charlotte O’Hara, a blogger/barista who lives in a guest cottage on her parents’ Christmas tree farm. Meet Charlotte and her friends in ‘5 Days ‘til Christmas,’ the first book in the in the Spruce Grove Cozy Mystery series. While the books follow a chronological path, each book may also be read as a standalone story. Allison lives in scenic Colorado. When she isn’t plotting a murder, Allison can be found hiking, playing with her dogs, or experimenting with recipes in her cozy kitchen.

Book preview

It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them. Agatha Christie

CHAPTER 1

I can’t believe what a boon this is! exclaimed my best friend, Cassie Binder, as I was helping her set up for the book launch party at her used bookstore located next door to Magic Beans, the coffee shop that Cassie and her husband Joe own. The bookstore was always a dream of Cassie’s and it was finally coming true! The bookstore, Page Two, was having its grand opening in conjunction with a book launch party that very evening.

Cassie and Joe opened Magic Bean’s coffee shop on the bottom floor of a three-story, pink Victorian home in the center of Spruce Grove’s business district only six years earlier. They make their home with their daughter, Max, and cat, Crystal, on the second and third floors of the Victorian, and the bottom floor was converted to a coffee shop with extra space earmarked for a bookstore, and a studio apartment. Finally, Cassie’s dream was a reality, and not only was she opening her bookstore that evening, but she was also hosting none other than mystery author Bev Darwin as her author in residence for the week! When I wrote a blog post in my blog ‘Around the Town’ about Bev Darwin staying in Spruce Grove as the author in residence, my blog followers went a bit crazy, and began visiting Magic Beans in droves in hopes of attaining a much-prized party pass for Bev Darwin’s book launch party! Bev Darwin’s appearance in Spruce Grove was proving to be good for Cassie’s new bookstore, for Spruce Grove, and my blog.

The bookstore looks fabulous, Cassie, I said as I rested my hands on my hips and looked around the big space. Joe, Cassie, our friend, David, and I had spent the last several weeks unloading crates of gently-used books and placing them on appropriate shelves in the bookstore. Once we finished shelving the books, comfy chairs and tables were moved in to accommodate customers, and encourage them to stick around long enough to leaf through books and have a coffee, tea, or expresso drink from Magic Beans next door. Cassie and I put the finishing touches in place, and with Joe’s help, we painted a quote above the door that reads ‘Reading brings us unknown friends—Honoré de Balzac.’ We arranged neat stacks of Bev Darwin’s new book ‘An Introduction to Murder’ by the front counter, and also placed copies strategically throughout the store.

It does look good! said Cassie with enthusiasm. "I am so ecstatic this is happening, Char! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could open my bookstore and host one of my favorite mystery authors in the same week. I mean, who am I?"

You worked hard for this, Cassie. You deserve it. I am so proud of you and Joe, I replied, happily. I was happy for me too. I was going to help at the launch party that evening, and I was hoping to get to meet Ms. Darwin in-person.

I just hope Ms. Darwin likes the studio apartment. I imagine she’s used to staying in much fancier places, said Cassie. She could have easily booked into the Pine Inn down the street.

Are you kidding? The way you designed and decorated that apartment, you’ll be lucky if Ms. Darwin ever leaves! It’s so cute and designed so well. You and Joe outdid yourselves. The fancy bathroom alone is worth staying for. Heck, if I wasn’t already living in my parents’ guest cottage, I’d sneak in after a shift at Magic Beans, and move in myself! I joked.

Truthfully, I’d been living in my parents’ guest cottage on the O’Hara Christmas Tree Farm for nearly a year, trying to save enough money to get an apartment after a nasty divorce settlement left me broke. Cassie and Joe, who are dear old friends, hired me as a part-time barista to help me get back on my feet, and I also blog and work on my parents’ tree farm part-time as well.

Huh! If David Moore gets his way, you’ll be moving into his house one of these days, and our little studio apartment will look like tenement housing to you, Char! said Cassie with a laugh.

Cassie likes to tease me because Magic Beans’ best customer, David Moore, is also Spruce Grove’s most eligible widower/multimillionaire and he happens to have a crush on me. To be honest, David is very sweet, fun, and good looking, and I have considered dating him, it’s just that my high school crush, Brian Gold, had recently broken up with me, and I didn’t want David to catch me on the rebound.

Cassie, you know I like David, but I’m just not sure I’m ready yet. Brian only left for the university a couple of weeks ago, I replied.

Yes, but you and Brian have been on a break since May, and it’s now September, said my friend, I hate to say it, but David probably won’t wait for you forever, so if you are interested, what have you got to lose? argued Cassie. I realized her argument was solid, but I wasn’t ready to focus on my relationship status.

Well, he needs to wait until I’m ready, and David knows that, I said for what felt like the 100th time.

Cassie shrugged. Okay, I’ll drop it for now. The doors open to our ticketed customers at seven pm. Are you still okay serving and helping out with the cash register this evening? I hope we didn’t order too many books, said Cassie as she looked around at the stacks of ‘An Introduction to Murder’ that she ordered for the event.

I’ll be here, I replied, and you might run out of books if I have anything to say about it. I added a reminder on my blog post saying that this new Bev Darwin book will make an excellent Christmas present and that Ms. Darwin will be autographing them tonight. That should get our customers to buy at least two books each, I replied.

I hope you’re right. I need this bookstore to be a success. Joe and I have a lot riding on it since I quit my job at the school so that I could make this happen, said Cassie with a sigh.

At the end of the previous school year, Cassie resigned from her position of librarian at the local high school so that she and Joe could work full-time at the coffee shop and book store. The Binders did need the store to be a success.

I know it will! Look at Magic Beans! I said with excitement, It is the best coffee shop in town.

Char, it’s the only coffee shop in town, replied my friend.

That’s true, I replied, but people could easily make their coffee at home, and they don’t, they come to Magic Beans because you have the best coffee and the best baristas around. What I said was true, except about the baristas—if you count me, I mean. I’m great at customer service—I love chatting with and getting to know the customers, but I still struggle to make the craft coffee drinks that we serve. Most of the customers stick to black coffee when I’m behind the counter, except for David, he still orders a latte every time he comes in.

Well, I guess we’re done here, and whatever happens, happens, said Cassie with another sigh.

It will be great. When will Bev Darwin and her entourage arrive? I asked.

Joe is picking them up at the airport now, replied Cassie.

Bev Darwin arranged to have both her personal assistant and her husband attend the book launch party, and stay in Spruce Grove for the week as well. Unlike Ms. Darwin, who was staying at the studio apartment, the PA and the husband were both staying at Spruce Grove’s only B&B, The Pine Inn. The B&B is owned by none other than Sarah Payne, my former classmate, and incessant nemesis. Sarah and I have never clicked, and due to us both being very interested in Brian Gold over the years, our relationship has always been superficial and snarky. It doesn’t help that Sarah’s husband was murdered at Christmas, and she suspected me as his killer and lover! Since her husband’s untimely death, Sarah renovated her house in town into an adorable and busy bed and breakfast. The B&B is so busy, that Sarah gave up her career as a successful real estate agent so that she can run her B&B full-time. Everyone in Spruce Grove is very happy about Sarah’s success after such a tragic event.

Honestly, I think it’s a bit weird that Ms. Darwin will be staying in the studio, and her husband will be staying at the bed and breakfast, admitted Cassie. I mean, when I travel, I like having Joe with me. It would seem weird to have him across the street staying in a different hotel.

Maybe Ms. Darwin plans to work while she’s here, and can’t tolerate the distractions of another person in a small place, I offered, or maybe one of them is a difficult person.

"If one of them is difficult, I sure hope it’s the husband. Ms. Darwin did provide me with a list of things she expected in the apartment on her arrival. Bottled water, special snacks, and those kinds of things. I hope that’s as difficult as she gets, said Cassie. Don’t forget, I’m going to be the one looking after Ms. Darwin while she’s staying with us."

Isn’t that what her PA is for? I asked.

You would think so, said Cassie, but when I was booking Ms. Darwin for the event, I had a huge surprise. I did an internet chat with her PA, and I have to say, her PA is a bit dim and a lot gorgeous at the same time.

Cassie! I said with a laugh, what are you suggesting?

Maybe Ms. Darwin’s PA is more of a boy-toy than an assistant. Wait, I just remembered that I did a screen capture of him to show to Joe. Cassie dug her cellphone out of her pocket and showed me the PA’s picture. He was incredibly handsome.

His name is Robbie Lynch, said Cassie, and honestly, when I spoke to him, I got the feeling he didn’t know the slightest thing about book launches or even books. He was quite a flirt too.

Well, that is strange, I admitted. You would think a writer of Ms. Darwin’s caliber would insist on having a personal assistant with a lot of knowledge about books and promotions. But Ms. Darwin must be 20 years older than Robbie Lynch, do you think they could be involved? I said, looking at the handsome man’s picture again. He had sandy hair that was mussed just the right amount, emerald green eyes, and a bright smile. He was something!

Some guys like an older, powerful woman, replied Cassie, and rich too.

"I guess so. And Bev Darwin is an attractive woman, and probably very rich—she’s such a successful author. But if the PA is Ms. Darwin’s boy-toy, I have to feel sorry for Mr. Darwin," I said. I hoped Ms. Darwin wasn’t a cheater. I’d hate to think my favorite author cheats on her spouse.

Oh, the husband isn’t called Mr. Darwin. He’s Mr. Sharp. Mr. Keith Sharp. I guess when he and Ms. Darwin married, she kept her pre-marital name, said Cassie.

Oh, sure that makes sense. If I were a blogger when I got married, I would have kept O’Hara as my last name instead of using Ex’s last name. Or I would have used a pen name. I don’t think Charlotte Stalls is such a good name for a blogger, I said, referring to my married name.

I agree. And Ex wasn’t such a great husband either, added Cassie.

No, he most certainly wasn’t, I replied, thinking of the cheating liar.

Well, I guess I should lock up, and go back to the coffee shop. What are your plans before the book launch party? asked Cassie.

I have to run over to the tree farm and work there for a bit, then shower, change, and wait for David to pick me up for the party.

David is escorting you tonight? asked Cassie with a shocked smile.

It’s not like that, Cass, David is working at the party tonight too, as you well know, and my place is on the way here, so it made sense to ride together, I said in a slightly defensive manner, and anyway, if David drives, I can have a glass of wine or two after the party.

Then it’s not a date, said Cassie. No dinner before—just a ride to Page Two and back?

No, it’s not a date, I replied.

Okay, said Cassie as we walked from the bookstore into the tiny hall that leads to Magic Beans. Cassie turned and locked the door to the bookstore. I’ll see you both later then.

Bye, I called as I walked through the coffee shop and towards the door. I turned and waved to Ted, another part-time barista who was working behind the counter, and he waved back as I left the building and walked to my SUV, and drove home.

I live on my parents’ Christmas tree farm on Holly Lane just outside of Spruce Grove. I grew up on the farm, and I have to say, a tree farm is a fun and interesting place to live. We’re surrounded by trees, and we have a fairly secluded home so we have a lot of privacy. Our closest neighbor is David Moore. He built an enormous show home on the property that abuts ours, and we see him often.

I hopped out of my SUV when I reached home and headed straight to the path that leads to the family tree farm. Since I was already wearing jeans and a t-shirt from working at the bookstore, I didn’t need to change into work clothes. I walked to our barn, hopped on the tractor, and turned the ignition on. The attached trailer already had everything I needed to do my work piled on thanks to my dad who worked earlier in the day. I pulled the tractor out of the barn and drove down the path to the area where the youngest trees were planted in the spring. I hopped off the tractor and began inspecting the trees to make sure they were getting the right amount of water and nutrients. My dad was teaching me the family business from the ground up so that one day, I could take over the tree farm. Inspecting the young trees was a part of my job.

A rustling in the trees caught my attention, and I wondered if I had startled a fox or other wild animal. I stopped working to look towards where the sound was coming from.

Char, said a friendly voice. It was David, and he was stepping through the tree line that separates the O’Hara farm from his property.

"David, what