I’m having a hard time accepting the fact that I’ve had to slink back to my hometown of Oak Creek Valley after having my face splashed all over national news. How did those San Francisco reporters catch me doing a perp walk? Who tipped them off? To make matters worse, there were handcuffs involved and two scowling officers of the law escorting me to the backseat of their patrol car. Despite the charges against me being dropped, not many folks believe in my innocence. It’s especially embarrassing because my dad is Oak Creek’s chief of police, the small tourist town in Southern California where I grew up. People think I should have known better than to get involved in something shady. After returning, I’ve hid out at the farmhouse I inherited from my grandmother, for the past few months. Tucked in the middle of an avocado orchard, I’ve felt safe from prying eyes and nosy reporters.

That’s all about to change. Thanks to the encouragement provided by my San Francisco mentor and friend, Mari, I’m gearing up to open an aromatherapy and reflexology shop in downtown Oak Creek Valley. With tourists flooding our town, especially from those in the Los Angeles area looking for a close getaway, I should have plenty of business. Nestled between the Topatopa Mountains, our town has much to offer. There are wineries, art galleries, spas, monthly festivals, outdoor adventures, and quite frequently, Hollywood studio film shoots. In the meantime, I’m learning the retail side of running an aromatherapy shop plus distilling essential oils from locally sourced flowers and herbs.

When I reach my shop, the Aromatherapy Apothecary, each morning, the first order of business is to walk two shops down and pick up coffee and a pastry from the Jean Luc Patisserie. I tell myself it’s my reward for having left my farmhouse haven and for working hard on getting my shop prepared for opening. Should you question any of the townspeople, they’d probably tell you it’s because I’m interested in the enticing baker, Jasper Whitby. They wouldn’t be wrong, but I’ll never admit it. Why would he look at me when there are so many glamorous women vying for his attention? I don’t think it means a thing when he asks if I want my usual every morning. And for the record, my usual is coffee with a liberal splash of milk alongside one of his to-die-for triple chocolate rolls.

With coffee and pastry in hand, I amble down the covered sidewalk fronting the downtown shops, affectionately known as the arcade. If Victoria, the neighboring shop owner of Mystic Valley Candles is alone, I’ll stop in and chat with her about collaborating on essential oil candle fragrances and promotions. However, if her grown son is there, I’ll either hurry by or turn around and walk the long way around the block to reach my shop. For some reason he has it in for me and wants to put an end to my business before I even open. He claims I’m in direct competition with his mother, which is not the case. His incessant harassment over my shop has created several verbal arguments between us.

I cringe when I remember that the day before, I’d yelled that karma would catch up to him. I’d been standing in front of Victoria’s shop when he came charging out at me. Unfortunately, several townsfolk were milling about in front of the patisserie, gossiping while sipping their to-go coffees. They had a front row view of our argument and I hope they realize I wasn’t threatening him, just stating my belief. But, for now, the only thing I can do is go back to my shop, start the distillation process for another batch of lavender essential oil, and breathe in the calming fragrance as I get my shop in order for the grand opening.

Essentials of Murder, An Aromatherapy Apothecary Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: September 2021
Purchase Link

Following a scandal that chased her from San Francisco, Carissa Carmichael struggles to find acceptance in her small Southern California hometown as she opens her aromatherapy and reflexology shop.

When she finds a man murdered in her distilling room, Carissa becomes the main suspect, especially when her fingerprints are found on the murder weapon. Despite her father’s position as Oak Creek Valley’s chief of police, most townspeople assume she’s guilty—including the new leading detective.

Refusing to run again, Carissa knows she must prove her innocence to save her shop and her family’s reputation. With suspects acting as slippery as the essential oils she distills, it’s up to Carissa to apply pressure and sniff out the truth before it’s too late.

If you like your cozies with quirky hometown characters, small-town California charm, recipes, and essential oil and reflexology tips, Book 1 in the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery series is for you. Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.

About the author
Kim Davis lives in Southern California with her husband and mini Goldendoodle puppy, Missy. She writes the cozy Cupcake Catering Mysteries, the Aromatherapy Apothecary Mysteries and suspense novel, A Game Of Deceit. Kim Davis is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

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