Sorbets and Sailors: A Pelican Cove Short Cozy Mystery: Pelican Cove Short Story Series, #4

By Leena Clover

Sorbets, summer, murder ... A prodigal son gets a deadly welcome when he comes back to Pelican Cove on vacation. Can cafe owner Jenny King beat the heat and find out whodunnit?

Jenny King is on her way to rebuilding her life in the small island town of Pelican Cove. Aided by her friends, the Magnolias, she has become a sought after amateur sleuth. When a cheerful young sailor is found dead in the marshes, Jenny's favorite customer becomes the top suspect. Can she find a motive in the sailor's colorful past?

 

If you like cozy mysteries featuring strong heroines, nonstop action, yummy food and a dash of romance, you will love Sorbets and Sailors.

 

* A companion story/ novella set between books 10 and 11 of the main Pelican Cove cozy mystery series.

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leena Clover
• Release date: Nov 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215727683

Book preview

Author’s Note

Thank you for choosing to read this book.

Sorbets and Sailors is a short story set in the fictional town of Pelican Cove, a small barrier island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. It is a companion story to the Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series which has been read and loved by thousands across the world.

If you are new to the series, this book provides a great introduction to the setting and the people. For series fans, this is just a bite sized treat to spend some more time with their favorite characters.

This is a standalone story with a proper beginning and end. However, it might contain series spoilers. You can assume this story occurs somewhere between Book 10 and Book 11.

I hope you give this short cozy mystery a chance. Maybe this will entice you to read the entire series?

Happy reading!

Chapter 1

Jenny King stood on the deck of the Boardwalk Café, watching the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean. She admired the morning sky, painted in myriad shades of pink and orange and looked forward to her day. It was a beautiful spring morning in the small seaside town of Pelican Cove and Jenny found herself in an introspective mood.

The last two years had been a roller coaster ride. Jenny had spent most of her life being an ideal suburban wife to a rich husband. At 44, the bubble she lived in had burst when her callous husband dumped her for a newer model. Her future had indeed looked bleak.

When her eccentric aunt invited her to come live on the remote barrier island she called home, Jenny thought she had nothing to lose. She had arrived in Pelican Cove and wallowed in misery for months, until her aunt talked her into working at the local café to stay busy. The rest was history.

Jenny’s magic touch put the little town on the map. Tourists flocked to the small town on the Eastern Shore of Virginia to visit the Boardwalk Café and sample Jenny’s food. To her surprise, Jenny made plenty of friends and developed a strong support system. She had been pursued by two handsome men and was now married to Jason Stone, a local lawyer she was madly in love with.

The salty tang in the air mingled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Jenny smelt the cinnamon muffins she was baking and realized it was time to go in.

Good Morning, Captain Charlie! Jenny greeted her favorite customer a few minutes later, an old, wizened sailor who was always first in line.

She packed two warm banana walnut muffins in a paper bag and handed them over to Captain Charlie, along with a large coffee.

How about those special omelets of yours, Jenny? And some pancakes? Captain Charlie had a gleam in his eye.

Jenny finally noticed the lanky younger man standing next to Charlie. His craggy skin and deep tan suggested he spent a lot of time outdoors. But Jenny had to admit he was easy on the eyes.

Who’s your friend, Captain Charlie? Have you taken on a new partner?

Captain Charlie patted the young man on the back and beamed at Jenny.

This here is Nemo, my nephew. He’s back in town after five years. I’m going to show him a good time.

Nemo, huh? Jenny tried to remember what she knew of Captain Charlie’s family. After the fish?

The man laughed heartily.

We are a family of sailors, Ma’am. I read about the daredevil captain of the Nautilus when I was eight and adopted his name. Guess it kinda stuck.

His real name is William, Captain Charlie supplied. Named after his Pa. But Nemo’s been the only one he answers to.

Jenny ushered them out on the deck and promised to make chocolate chip pancakes along with Captain Charlie’s favorite crab omelets. The morning rush kept her busy and it was almost ten by the time she went out on deck with a fresh pot of coffee. The two men were engrossed in a lively discussion.

Thanks for the nice breakfast, Jenny. Captain Charlie patted his stomach. "I think I