Sitting in the car, I leaned forwards and gazed out of the windshield towards the two story’s of Victorian stonework that made The Grand Hotel. Perched high on the hill on the edge of Stoney Creek, it was an icon in the area, and my home for the next few days.

Butterflies zipped in my belly as I thought of the weekend ahead. A writers retreat. A real writers retreat! Hosted by non-other than the amazing best-selling author Willow Fox. I’d devoured all her books and gushed about them for weeks afterwards, annoying my friends Ellie and Spencer with every tiny detail. Swooning over the heart-melting romance, the intriguing plot twists, and the way she could break my heart and then leave me gasping for more in a single chapter.

And here I was, about to spend an entire weekend learning from her. She lived the dream. My ‘someday I’ll be her’ dream. Of course, I’d never told anyone about this fantasy, because who needs that kind of pressure. Taking six months off my day job to write this book already felt like announcing it with a megaphone, which was scary enough. I did not need my mom announcing to the neighbors that I was a best-selling author before I’d even figured out chapter two.

I sighed. To be honest, I kind of felt like a fraud. Sure, I’d written plenty of novels, all of which were sitting in folders on my laptop, gathering digital dust bunnies. Every time I even thought about letting someone read them panic hit hard and doubt screamed at me, but my friend Jenna had assured me that everyone here, except a select few, were all beginners, wanting to pen their first masterpiece. Did that stop that sneaky little imposter syndrome from throwing a party on my shoulder? Nope. That smug little gremlin kept insisting that the infamous Willow Fox would look at me and think – who let her in?

Still, we all had to have faith, right? After all, if I didn’t at least try, I’d spend the rest of my life wondering. And who knows – maybe after this retreat I too could write words that would keep someone up until 3 a.m. turning pages, muttering ‘just one more chapter’ until the sun came up. It could be the push I needed.

I swallowed hard as I thought of Willow reading my words, enjoying my twisty plots, and racing to solve the mystery before the last page. For one terrifying, thrilling moment my stomach flipped with hope that she might actually see something worth believing in.

Could my life ever look like that? Could I really step out of my daydreams and into the pages of an award-winning novel? After all that’s what talented authors did, right? They made you forget reality. They made you believe.

As I pushed the car door open and stepped into the crisp morning, my heart swelled with hope. Maybe- just maybe – this weekend would change everything, and my life would become stuff best-selling novels were made of. And if not, then I hoped at least I would have a good story to tell. Possibly even the kind where fact and fiction collided, and a writer like me stumbled into the middle of a mystery.

THE WRITE WAY TO DIE — A Murder by the Book Mystery, Book 1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: October 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

From USA Today bestselling author Beth Prentice comes a brand new series filled with humor, romance, and deadly deceptions…

A writing retreat. A famous author. A deadly fall.

Aspiring novelist Aubrey Jackson never expected her big break to be wrapped in crime scene tape. Invited to an exclusive writer’s retreat hosted by the legendary author Willow Fox, Aubrey was excited to sharpen her plot twists and finally finish her first book. But when Willow is found dead—pushed from a third story window—the peaceful getaway turns into a real-life investigation.

With a retreat full of suspects, and the police pointing the finger at one of her best friends, Aubrey’s instincts kick in. After all, she’s read enough murder mysteries to know this wasn’t an accident! So with her writer buddies, Ellie and Spencer, by her side, she sets out to find a killer!

Only problem? The sharp detective with gorgeous eyes and enough muscles to be on a magazine cover, who has a frustrating determination to arrest the wrong person.

Can Aubrey uncover the truth before the killer writes her off for good? Or will her first big break end in a plot twist she never saw coming?

About the author
USA Today bestselling author Beth Prentice lives on the gorgeous Sunshine Coast in Queensland. She writes funny, romantic mysteries (aka cozy mysteries), paranormal cozy mysteries, and the odd rom com because two of her favorite things are romance and mystery. When she’s not writing you can find her lost in a good book, passively watching documentaries, or scrolling Instagram and dreaming of perfect hair. She loves a good chat so feel free to reach out to her anytime!