When I decided to open Books & Brew, one of the first tasks I tackled was ordering my inventory of both books and the teas I wanted to serve in my store. I have always been an avid reader, and had quite a few of my own favorite authors I wanted to feature. As the days passed, I learned more about local writers and my customers’ preferences. It has been a joy to fill these old wooden shelves with all kinds of books and to watch my customers, who many times become my friends, find something new to explore.

Because my store is close to the ferry landing, oftentimes Books & Brew is either the first stop after arriving on Mongin Island or the last chance to grab something for the boat ride to the mainland. I see people coming and going! The big front porch lined with comfortable rockers has become a frequent meeting spot for both island residents and visitors. I love hearing the bits and pieces of conversations as new friendships are formed and connections of all kinds happen under this metal roof.

Now that I have a good rhythm going with ordering my inventory and keeping The Trading Floor, the room dedicated to book swaps, well stocked, it is time to focus more on developing my tea offerings. When I was opening the store, I was lucky to connect with the dining manager at the nearby Rosemont Inn who introduced me to a specialty tea vendor. I think my customers have enjoyed the mix of familiar favorites like Earl Gray or English Breakfast teas and some of the exotic blends from Asia, India and other faraway lands.

But it is time to spice things up and today is the day! The latest tea catalog is stuffed with new things – it reminds me of my childhood flipping through the Sears Wish Book to prepare my Christmas list. How can there be this many tea choices?

Surprisingly, it was almost too easy to pick my first new selection. I could almost smell a mug of this tea by just reading the description! I can hardly wait for Tripp, my right hand at Books & Brew, to come to work today so I can tell him what I just picked. As a long time South Carolina resident, he is going to love the idea of featuring a brand new tea made from Mountain Mint grown in the coastal plain regions of our state! Soothing South Carolina Spearmint will be our new featured tea. I have to admit, I was sold by the beautiful packaging – the indigo blue box caught my eye immediately. I am softy for anything in my favorite color. It’s funny how much we both enjoy all the small details that go into this store.

As I sit here, flipping through these pages, I am also glad to find something special for Barb. Since she is a frequent Books & Brew visitor and my closest friend, I want to order something for her too. I definitely think she will enjoy lots of brewed Georgia Peach ice tea. She is always on the move and often likes to fill her travel cup with something cold she can sip as she criss-crosses our island.

One thing is for sure, my customers are in for some treats over these next few months!

All Is Now Lost, An Island Mystery Book #1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: September 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

Welcome to Mongin Island, the South Carolina Lowcountry home of Carr Jepson and the cozy Books & Brew bookstore, where hot and cold tea are not the only things brewing.

Book #1 of The Island Mysteries series finds Carr Jepson arriving alone on Mongin Island, ready to start the next chapter of her life. Accessible by boat, Mongin Island has very few cars, no busy roads, no crowds, no traffic lights, no bridge, but boasts gloriously oak-lined roads, beaches of powdery white sand, marshes with tall beach grasses and an empty storefront that speaks to an unanswered dream in Carr’s heart: creating a gathering spot that happens to sell books.

Recognizing that the Books & Brew’s bare walls could use some “island life,” Carr decides to photograph the glorious island scenery. Promising a truly unique sunrise photo, Carr’s friend Barb takes her to Governor’s Point, an abandoned property that was supposed to be an exclusive waterfront neighborhood. The now neglected property is overgrown and is Barb’s secret hideaway for enjoying some of the island’s most spectacular water views. But what the two women find in the water that morning sets off a mystery that crisscrosses the island and surfaces the many reasons, some of them deeply rooted in the island’s once-turbulent history, that families have come to love this spot in the Atlantic for many generations.

If you love cozy mysteries or you’re looking for your next beach read, you’ll find this page-turner riveting. Be prepared to be swept into Carr’s journey as an amateur sleuth.

Meet the author
Laura Elizabeth has enjoyed a long career in business as well as a rich family life that, many years ago, took her to Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, for the first time. Together, the family embraced the wonder, the pull that they only found in this special place. They returned again and again to rediscover the island’s magic, to walk along its shores with their dogs, explore, treasure hunt and make family memories. As one of the Atlantic coastal islands, Daufuskie has been marked by centuries of American history and was made famous by novelist Pat Conroy’s memoir The Water Is Wide in which he imagined the island in his unique way. From her years of family experiences on the island, Laura imagined Mongin Island as the home for her cozy series The Island Mysteries.

All comments are welcomed.