How does one go from being a children’s librarian to a waitress in a beach bar faster than you can read a picture book? You make a promise. And you live by your father’s motto: A promise made is a promise kept.
Before he left for Afghanistan, Boone, my best friend in the whole wide world made me promise if anything happened to him, I’d go help his grandmother, Vivi, run her bar on the beach in the panhandle of Florida. We laughed and toasted and six months later the unthinkable happened. So here I am living in Emerald Cove, Florida running drinks to thirsty patrons at the Sea Glass Saloon. (You’d think I worked at a bar with swinging saloon doors and dancing girls, but this place was way more tiki hut than western bar.)
Did I mention the part where Boone didn’t want me to tell his grandmother why I was there? No? Well, that made everything even more complicated, because Vivi wasn’t the cuddly, grateful woman I was expecting and she certainly didn’t think she needed my help. So, I came up with a story about my vintage Volkswagen Beetle breaking down and I had to earn money to pay for the very expensive part I had on order.
My living situation is also complicated. As in I haven’t found a place to stay yet in this tourist-filled resort area. This morning this hot guy found me sleeping under the tarp on Boone’s boat. These are the first words he said to me:
“You were snoring. Of course, at first I thought a wounded animal had somehow crawled up under here.”
This guy was a riot. Sure, my snoring was a legend within my family, and with two older brothers, that was an accomplishment or a curse, depending on your viewpoint. But who was this guy to point it out?
I walked off in a huff and thought I’d never see him again, but minutes later I stumbled over a body behind the Sea Glass and my screams brought him running. Now usually, I’m not the damsel in distress type, but in that moment, I was both distressed, and yes, a damsel as in a young, unmarried woman. It wasn’t just anyone’s body. It was one of our patrons – a man who wore an armadillo shell on his head instead of a hat. The one I’m pretty sure was arguing with Vivi last night after the bar closed. This wasn’t good. At all.
Suspicion soon fell on Vivi and if I was ever going to get out of here, back to Chicago, and my life as a children’s librarian, I had to do something fast. How hard could it be? Yeah, I regret thinking that.
Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win one (1) print copy of From Beer to Eternity, limited to U.S. residents. Giveaway ends August 1, 2020. Good luck everyone!
From Beer to Eternity is the first book in the NEW “Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon” cozy mystery series, released July 28, 2020.
A whip smart librarian’s fresh start comes with a tart twist in this perfect cocktail of murder and mystery—with a romance chaser.
MURDER ON TAP
With Chicago winters in the rearview mirror, Chloe Jackson is making good on a promise: help her late friend’s grandmother run the Sea Glass Saloon in the Florida Panhandle. To Chloe’s surprise, feisty Vivi Slidell isn’t the frail retiree Chloe expects. Nor is Emerald Cove. It’s less a sleepy fishing village than a panhandle hotspot overrun with land developers and tourists. But it’s a Sea Glass regular who’s mysteriously crossed the cranky Vivi. When their bitter argument comes to a head and he’s found dead behind the bar, guess who’s the number one suspect?
In trying to clear Vivi’s name, Chloe discovers the old woman isn’t the only one in Emerald Cove with secrets. Under the laidback attitude, sparkling white beaches, and small town ways something terrible is brewing. And the sure way a killer can keep those secrets bottled up is to finish off one murder with a double shot: aimed at Chloe and Vivi.
Purchase Link
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About the author
Sherry Harris is the Agatha Award nominated author of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale mystery series and the Chloe Jackson, Sea Glass Saloon mystery series set in the panhandle of Florida. She is the immediate past president of Sisters in Crime and a member of Mystery Writers of America. Sherry loves books, beaches, bars, and Westies — not necessarily in that order. In her spare time Sherry loves reading and is a patent holding inventor. Sherry, her husband, and guard dog Lily are living in northern Virginia until they figure out where they want to move to next. Visit her website at sherryharrisauthor.com.
All comments are welcomed.
This sounds like an exciting new book! I love 💕 Sherry Harris’s other series so this one should be awesome too! Love the cover of the book as well! Sure would love to win Sherry’s new book! 📚. Thanks Dru and Sherry for the chance! 😊
I’m so glad you like the Sarah Winston Garage Sale mysteries. And I hope you like this book too! Good luck.
Awww 🥰 thanks for responding to my comment dear Sherry! You ROCK! Hugs 🤗
On my library list.
Thank you! I hope you like it!
Sounds like a lively new series which would be fun to read.
Thanks, Sharon!
Sounds like a great new series. Looking forward to reading the book.
Not entering, I have the book and just finished it, but I want to say it’s wonderful! So ready for book 2.
Thank you so much, Alicia!
This sounds like a very enjoyable read. I think I would like it very much. I love mysteries with a teist
Thank you — I hope you like it!
Thanks for the chance. Love trying a new series and new author for me.
From Beer to Eternity sounds like the start of a wonderful new series. I think the Florida Panhandle is a great setting, and I’m interested in seeing how Chloe finds her feet there ~Thanks for the giveaway!
You are welcome! Good luck!
CONGRATULATIONS 🎉🎊🎈 Lois Rotella on winning the book! 📚 Woo Hoo! 😊😊😊😊😊
Hi, Lois! Good luck!
What a span between occupations, but a promise is a promise even if alcohol was involved. This sounds like an action packed new series. Can’t wait to claim it as mine. Thanks for the chance.
Chloe’s motto is a promise made is a promise kept!
This sounds like a fun story, thank you for the chance to win a copy.
wfnren at aol dot com
Thanks for stopping by!
Wow! The Panhandle of Florida! I’m here. I want this book!
I loved setting a book there!
Huge fan of Sherry Harris! Definitely this book is on my list! Thank you for the getaway!
Thanks, too, Dru for all that you do to bring great books to our attention! 🙂
Isn’t Dru Ann the best?!!!! I’m so glad you like my Sarah books!
Yep I totally agree that sweet Dru Ann is most absolutely, positively, definitely the BEST! She ROCKS big time! Love 💕 you dear Dru Ann! Hugs 🤗
What an exciting way to escape the Chicago slush! Sounds like it will be funny as well as a good mystery, and with a cover like that, who can resist? I will be reading this one soon!!
I hope you enjoy the book!
Yes please Dru, I would love to win Sherry’s newest book. Her books have always entertained me and kept me company.
OH, thank you! That is lovely to hear!
I am looking forward to starting this new series, Chloe sounds great! Thanks for the chance to win!
Thanks for stopping by!
This sounds like a great start to a series. Although I AM wondering how long Chloe can use the “I’m still waiting for the part” excuse. Thanks so much for the chance to win!
Ha! I love your observation about the part!
Wow! That is quite a setup for a story! Now I am really curious about why Boone swore her to secrecy.
Between us — the set up was hard to work with! It seemed like such a great idea in the moment.
I would love to read this new book. It sounds like a great premise for a series! Thanks for a chance.
I hope you get a chance to read it!
It sounds like a read that you can’t put down.
I hope it is!
Not entering, but wanted to say that I love Sherry and her warm, friendly sense of humor. This book sounds like the vacation we all need!
Thank you, Cindy!!! I miss getting to see you and your description of me is exactly how I would describe you.
Congratulations on your beautiful new book! I would love to win it!
Thank you and good luck!
I’m excited for this new series! Super congrats Sherry!!! I can’t wait to read it!!
Thank you so much!
I’m looking forward to meeting Chloe, Vivi, & all the patrons of the Sea Glass Saloon.
I hope you enjoy them!
I’m very anxious to get this new series started knowing hoe great Sherry’s writing is and how I will have another series to look forward to by this author. Congratulations on the release Sherry and the best of everything for you. One of the things about this book that I’m drawn to is that I love sea glass and I’m always hoping someone will find some for me as I can’t get onto the beach anymore so this saloon in the book had me totally hooked by its name!!!! Would be thrilled to win! Thank you for the chance!
I love sea glass too. I have a lot of it from when we lived in Monterey, California, But don’t find much in the panhandle.
Nice cover. It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
Kensington does a fabulous job with the covers!
As a former children’s librarian, you piqued my interest. I will have to look into this story!
I loved using a children’s librarian as part of Chloe’s background. I talked a lot with a friend who was a children’s librarian so I hope it is authentic.
BEST WISHES on your new series, Sherry! Love the cover.
Thank you!
**** WINNER ****
From Beer to Eternity is Lois Rotella
Congratulations!