Herbal Homicide (A Penny Hawthorne Cozy Mystery—Book 1)

By Fiona Grace

“A great story of murder, romance, new beginnings, love, friendships and a wonderful cascade of mystery.”
--Amazon reviewer (regarding Murder in the Manor)
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HERBAL HOMICIDE: A PENNY HAWTHORNE COZY MYSTERY (BOOK #1) is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by Fiona Grace, #1 bestselling author of Murder in the Manor, which has over 10,000 five star reviews!

Penelope “Penny” Hawthorne, an herbalist with a knack for creating unique teas, travels to exotic locations worldwide to source only the best and rarest herbs and roots.

But during a trip to the breathtaking Swiss Alps, Penny’s rare aconite tea brews up more than relaxation when a famed alpinist's death makes her a prime suspect.

As she sifts through clues and uncovers bitter rivalries, Penny must steep herself in the art of deduction to clear her name and unmask a killer, with the unexpected help of a dashing British detective.

Dive into the charm of the Penny Hawthorne series, a cozy mystery filled with clever humor and captivating quirkiness that transports you to far-flung locales. Combining comedic elements with emotional depth and surprising twists, this series promises to introduce you to a delightful new hero who's set to capture your affection and captivate you well into the night.

Future books in the series are also available!

"Very entertaining. I highly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that appreciates a very well written mystery, with some twists and an intelligent plot. You will not be disappointed. Excellent way to spend a cold weekend!"
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Murder in the Manor)
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“The story line wasn't just a who done it, but had a story about her life and romance, including village life. Very entertaining.”
--Amazon reviewer (regarding Murder in the Manor)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“It has endearing and sometimes quirky characters, a plot that keeps you reading and the right amount of romance. I can’t wait to start book two!”
--Amazon reviewer (regarding Murder in the Manor)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“What a great story of murder, romance, new beginnings, love, friendships and a wonderful cascade of mystery.”
--Amazon reviewer (regarding Murder in the Manor)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This is a clean contemporary romance that you will find hard to put down!”
--Amazon reviewer (regarding Always, Forever)
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“A bit of romance and a very determined woman! I have read many of Fiona Grace's novels and loved every one of them—this was no exception. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this new series!”
--Amazon reviewer (regarding Always, With You)
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• Language: English
• Publisher: Fiona Grace
• Release date: Aug 31, 2024
• ISBN: 9781094386416

Book preview

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H E R B A L

H O M I C I D E

(A Penny Hawthorne Cozy Mystery—Book One)

FIONA GRACE

Fiona Grace

Fiona Grace is author of the LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY series, comprising nine books; of the TUSCAN VINEYARD COZY MYSTERY series, comprising seven books; of the DUBIOUS WITCH COZY MYSTERY series, comprising three books; of the BEACHFRONT BAKERY COZY MYSTERY series, comprising six books; of the CATS AND DOGS COZY MYSTERY series, comprising nine books; of the ELIZA MONTAGU COZY MYSTERY series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the ENDLESS HARBOR ROMANTIC COMEDY series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the INN AT DUNE ISLAND ROMANTIC COMEDY series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the INN BY THE SEA ROMANTIC COMEDY series, comprising five books (and counting); of the MAID AND THE MANSION COZY MYSTERY series, comprising five books (and counting); of the ALICE BLOOM COZY MYSTERY series, comprising five books (and counting); of the MAGNOLIA BAY COZY MYSTERY series, comprising five books (and counting); of the TIMBERLAKE TITANS HOCKEY ROMANCE series, comprising five books (and counting); of the ASHVILLE ACES HOCKEY ROMANCE series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the PENNY HAWTHORNE cozy mystery series, comprising seven books (and counting).

Fiona would love to hear from you, so please visit www.fionagraceauthor.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.

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Copyright © 2024 by Fiona Grace. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally.

BOOKS BY FIONA GRACE

PENNY HAWTHORNE COZY MYSTERY

HERBAL HOMICIDE (Book #1)

VANILLA VENDETTA (Book #2)

PEPPERMINT PERIL (Book #3)

MINTY MALICE (Book #4)

CHAMOMILE CALAMITY (Book #5)

FENNEL FATALITY (Book #6)

EARL GREY ALIBI (Book #7)

ASHVILLE ACES HOCKEY ROMANCE

BREAKAWAY BLISS (Book #1)

ICY INTIMACY (Book #2)

FACEOFF FLING (Book #3)

RINK RENDEZVOUS (Book #4)

HOCKEY HEARTTHROB (Book #5)

TIMBERLAKE TITANS HOCKEY ROMANCE

RINKSIDE ROMANCE (Book #1)

FLIRTY FACEOFF (Book #2)

MELTING THE ICE (Book #3)

THE PUCK STOPS HERE (Book #4)

GLOVES DROP, LOVE BLOOMS (Book #5)

MAGNOLIA BAY COZY MYSTERY

THE TAINTED TAFFY (Book #1)

A MASKED MURDER (Book #2)

A CAFE CONFESSION (Book #3)

THE FROZEN FIND (Book #4)

A CURIOUS CURSE (Book #5)

THE MAID AND THE MANSION COZY MYSTERY

A MYSTERIOUS MURDER (Book #1)

A SCANDALOUS DEATH (Book #2)

A MISSING GUEST (Book #3)

AN UNSOLVABLE CRIME (Book #4)

AN IMPOSSIBLE HEIST (Book #5)

INN BY THE SEA ROMANTIC COMEDY

A NEW LOVE (Book #1)

A NEW CHANCE (Book #2)

A NEW HOME (Book #3)

A NEW LIFE (Book #4)

A NEW ME (Book #5)

THE INN AT DUNE ISLAND ROMANTIC COMEDY

A CHANCE LOVE (Book #1)

A CHANCE FALL (Book #2)

A CHANCE ROMANCE (Book #3)

A CHANCE CHRISTMAS (Book #4)

A CHANCE ENGAGEMENT (Book #5)

A CHANCE DREAM (Book #6)

A CHANCE WEDDING (Book #7)

ENDLESS HARBOR ROMANTIC COMEDY

ALWAYS, WITH YOU (Book #1)

ALWAYS, FOREVER (Book #2)

ALWAYS, PLUS ONE (Book #3)

ALWAYS, TOGETHER (Book #4)

ALWAYS, LIKE THIS (Book #5)

ALWAYS, FATED (Book #6)

ALWAYS, FOR LOVE (Book #7)

ALWAYS, JUST US (Book #8)

ALWAYS, IN LOVE (Book #9)

ELIZA MONTAGU COZY MYSTERY

MURDER AT THE HEDGEROW (Book #1)

A DALLOP OF DEATH (Book #2)

CALAMITY AT THE BALL (Book #3)

A SPEAKEASY DEMISE (Book #4)

A FLAPPER FATALITY (Book #5)

BUMPED BY A DAME (Book #6)

A DOLL’S DEBACLE (Book #7)

A FELLA’S RUIN (Book #8)

A GAL’S OFFING (Book #9)

LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY

MURDER IN THE MANOR (Book#1)

DEATH AND A DOG (Book #2)

CRIME IN THE CAFE (Book #3)

VEXED ON A VISIT (Book #4)

KILLED WITH A KISS (Book #5)

PERISHED BY A PAINTING (Book #6)

SILENCED BY A SPELL (Book #7)

FRAMED BY A FORGERY (Book #8)

CATASTROPHE IN A CLOISTER (Book #9)

TUSCAN VINEYARD COZY MYSTERY

AGED FOR MURDER (Book #1)

AGED FOR DEATH (Book #2)

AGED FOR MAYHEM (Book #3)

AGED FOR SEDUCTION (Book #4)

AGED FOR VENGEANCE (Book #5)

AGED FOR ACRIMONY (Book #6)

AGED FOR MALICE (Book #7)

DUBIOUS WITCH COZY MYSTERY

SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF MURDER (Book #1)

SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF CRIME (Book #2)

SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF DEATH (Book #3)

BEACHFRONT BAKERY COZY MYSTERY

BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A KILLER CUPCAKE (Book #1)

BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A MURDEROUS MACARON (Book #2)

BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A PERILOUS CAKE POP (Book #3)

BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A DEADLY DANISH (Book #4)

BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A TREACHEROUS TART (Book #5)

BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A CALAMITOUS COOKIE (Book #6)

CATS AND DOGS COZY MYSTERY

A VILLA IN SICILY: OLIVE OIL AND MURDER (Book #1)

A VILLA IN SICILY: FIGS AND A CADAVER (Book #2)

A VILLA IN SICILY: VINO AND DEATH (Book #3)

A VILLA IN SICILY: CAPERS AND CALAMITY (Book #4)

A VILLA IN SICILY: ORANGE GROVES AND VENGEANCE (Book #5)

A VILLA IN SICILY: CANNOLI AND A CASUALTY (Book #6)

ALICE BLOOM COZY MYSTERY

MURDER IN THE MARIGOLDS (Book #1)

RUIN IN THE ROSES (Book #2)

DECEIT IN THE DAFFODILS (Book #3)

SCANDAL IN THE SAFFRON (Book #4)

CATASTROPHE IN THE CARNATIONS (Book #5)

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

PROLOGUE

The morning rush at Penny’s Potions was in full swing, and I was the conductor of this symphony of steeping teas and clinking porcelain. I navigated through the maze of tables with a dancer’s grace, armed with a tray balanced precariously with cups that held more than just camellia sinensis leaves—they were brimming with comfort, healing, and, for those who believed in my touch of herbal magic, a dash of hope.

Careful with that elderflower elixir, Penny, chided Mrs. Gilmore from her corner seat, her eyes twinkling above her knitting. I’m counting on it to soothe these old bones.

Only the best for you, I replied, winking. The scent of mint and chamomile mingled in the air as I maneuvered to her table, delivering the steaming potion with a flourish.

Your hands are gifted, dear, she praised, sipping the tea like it was the brew of life itself. And who was I to argue? After all, herbs had been whispering their secrets to me since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and I’d long since learned to listen.

In between doling out cups of Tranquili-Tea and Mirthful Mint blends, I caught a glimpse of the local lifestyle magazine fanned out on the countertop, its pages open to a glowing review about the rise of natural healing. My chest tightened just a smidge when I saw the name—Daniel Reed—etched below the title. His words, which once would’ve sent me spinning with dizzy glee, now brought on a cocktail of bemusement and annoyance.

Can you believe it? Sophie, ever the supportive sidekick, piped from behind the counter as she frothed milk for a cappuccino. Daniel’s article has brought in quite the crowd today!

Yup, because nothing says ‘authentic herbal remedy’ like an endorsement from a man whose idea of ‘going green’ is choosing a salad over fries, I quipped, though not without affection. Daniel and I shared a past as tangled as English ivy, and while I couldn’t deny the surge his words gave my humble establishment, it stung to be reminded of what we once brewed together.

Cha-ching for us, though! Sophie shot back, ringing up another customer with gusto. Her optimism was infectious, even if it did taste slightly bitter this time around.

True, I conceded, smiling despite myself. The bell above the door chimed yet again, signaling the arrival of another guest seeking solace in a cup. And so, with the efficiency gained through years of busy days at my tea shop, I returned to the art of healing—one pot at a time.

As I waved the new customers to pick a table they liked, the phone’s shrill ring cut through the hum of my cafe like a scythe through a field of chamomile. I shot a glance at Sophie, who was deftly juggling a tray of scones, and darted for the handset.

Penny’s Potions, Penny speaking. How may I—

Ms. Hawthorne, interrupted a voice as crisp as mountain air, this is Jean-Luc Honore. I’m calling from Chateau Blanc.

I felt my nose scrunch. He’d said it as though I should know what a Chateau Blanc is. It sounded like a nice white wine.

That is…?

His voice took on a haughty air. "A premier ski resort in the Swiss Alps."

Oh. My hand tightened around the phone. The Swiss Alps? This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill request for a bulk order of Earl Grey.

We have heard of your remarkable talents with herbal infusions, Jean-Luc continued, his words rolling off in an accent that sounded dipped in chocolate fondue. We require an exclusive tea blend, one with restorative properties for our esteemed guests after a day on the slopes.

Exclusive and esteemed echoed in my mind like a yodel in a canyon. My little shop had been my sanctuary, its customers mainly locals and now the not insubstantial crowd of tourists who had read Daniel’s article. Now, here I was, being summoned to a world of après-ski and luxury chalets.

Ah, Monsieur Jean-Luc, it’s an honor, truly, but I— I hesitated, gripping the counter for support. My knowledge of healing herbs was as solid as well-baked biscotti, but skiing culture and high-profile clientele were realms as foreign to me as making a decent cup of coffee was to… well, Daniel.

Ms. Hawthorne, time is of the essence, Jean-Luc pressed. Our guests seek the very best, and we are willing to compensate you handsomely for your expertise—in person.

I pictured myself there, amidst the snow-capped peaks and fur-clad patrons, a fish out of water—or more aptly, a tea leaf out of its pot. Images of grand fireplaces and exquisite wood-heavy lounges spun before me, a definite difference from my cozy corner of the world filled with mismatched teacups and the comforting scent of jasmine.

Your proposal is quite tempting, I must admit, I said, stalling as I cast about for any semblance of certainty. But I’m not accustomed to such… altitude in my clientele.

Consider it an adventure, Ms. Hawthorne, he coaxed. "An opportunity to steep yourself in new experiences."

I wasn’t sure if that had been a joke or if the fancy man on the other end of the line was making fun of me.

Adventure. A small part of me, perhaps the same part that had once fallen for Daniel’s charms, sparked at the thought. But could I really trade my familiar tea leaves for a taste of alpine extravagance? I’d have to leave the shop!

Let me think on it, and I’ll return your call posthaste, I replied, hoping my voice didn’t tremble like a spoonful of loose-leaf in a strainer.

Very well. We await your decision with bated breath, Jean-Luc said, leaving me with a dial tone and a heart racing faster than a downhill slalom.

I paced the length of my tea shop, each step a seesaw teetering between yes and no. The hum of hushed conversations from my regulars formed a backdrop to the riotous debate in my head.

Expand your business, Penny, a voice urged.

But another whimpered, What if you’re not cut out for the glitz of Gstaad?

Adventure, I muttered, mocking Jean-Luc’s enticing word as I straightened a row of chamomile tins. Adventure in my book was Daniel showing up after years with a ludicrous article that made my heart do a strange little salsa dance. Adventure was not me traipsing off to Switzerland to play herbalist to the stars.

Talking to the teas again? Sophie leaned against the counter, her eyebrow arching in a way that suggested she knew my internal tempest was more than indecision about inventory.

Switzerland called, I blurted out.

Ooh, the country? She smirked.

Ha-ha. My laugh was dry. A resort there wants me to go there and concoct a healing blend. They’re offering a pretty penny, too.

Sounds divine! So what’s holding you back?

Everything! I flung my hands up, nearly sending a display of lemon verbena flying. "I’ve never dealt with jet-setters. What if they scoff at my blends or—worse—find my methods quaint? Their representative sounded quite snooty."

Sophie chuckled. Since when has Penny Hawthorne ever been quaint? You’ll dazzle them!

Or I’ll collapse like a snowman in the spotlight, I countered, but her confidence was infectious. Could I really pull this off?

Listen, Sophie said, her tone softening. You’ve always dreamed of taking your talents beyond this town. Isn’t this your chance to infuse a little bit of Penny into the wider world?

Her words were like a warm brew slowly seeping through me. She was right. I had bottled up my ambitions for far too long; it was time to let them steep in possibility.

Okay, I breathed, feeling the weight of decision lift as I spoke. Okay, I’ll do it.

Yay! Sophie clapped her hands, her excitement bubbling over. And don’t you worry about this place. I’ll handle everything while you’re gone. The worst that could happen is I mix up the mint and the valerian leaves, and everyone ends up a little more relaxed than expected.

Promise me you’ll keep the hibiscus away from the heater? We don’t need a repeat of the Great Steeping Incident of Twenty-One.

Cross my heart and hope to sip, she vowed, drawing an X over her chest.

I laughed, shaking my head at the memory. With Sophie’s unorthodox methods and boundless enthusiasm, the tea shop would be in good—albeit slightly unpredictable—hands.

Right. I should tell my parents. And start packing. And find a parka. And learn Swiss German… or French… or Italian?

Start with the parka, Sophie advised, grinning. The Alps are unforgiving to the underdressed.

Thanks, Soph. Gratitude warmed me from within. For everything.

I know you’ll show those mountain folks how it’s done, she cheered. And bring me back a handsome ski instructor!

I’ll see what I can do, I promised, already envisioning the case of tea leaves and herbal extracts I’d need to curate.

I guessed I had decided—Switzerland, Penny Hawthorne is coming for you, ready or not.

After that, it was hard to get through the second half of my day, but I somehow managed. The late lunch crowd dispersed, and it was clear that the street outside the shop was quiet. I turned the sign hanging on the quaint door of Penny’s Potions to Closed. The golden afternoon light streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on the neat rows