I am excited to share with you the cover for the first book in a new mystery series, coming in February 2027 from Tule Publishing and now up for preorder.

Publication Date: February 10, 2027
Series: A Foxkill Murder Cases Mystery, Book 1
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Format: Print, Digital
Author Website: shellyjonesauthor.com

Book Synopsis
People lie. Bodies don’t.

When the body of a teenage girl is unearthed following a storm in a state forest in upstate New York, Dr. Mara Voss, now a science professor at a small college, has no desire to get involved, despite being on the scene for the gruesome discovery. A former top NYC medical examiner, she returned to her small hometown, Foxkill, to help raise her niece after her sister’s unexpected death, hoping to be finished with violent murder and corpses.

But as she waits for the Chief of Police, Beth Cruise, her childhood best friend, Mara can’t help but notice the cranial fracture, leading her to suspect homicide. Beth drafts the reluctant Mara to act as the forensic expert. Complicating Mara’s investigation, FBI Agent Noah David arrives, speculating that the Jane Doe could be related to his missing person case. The two have a tense work history, and Noah reminds Mara of the career she left behind.

The more Mara unearths, the more the details point towards the college, potential corruption, and the disturbing suspicion that the months-old murder might not be the only buried crime.

Tule Publishing | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble

About the author
Shelly Jones (they/them) is a professor at a tech college in upstate New York, where they teach classes in transmedia storytelling, the mystery genre, and writing. A Pushcart nominee and Best Microfiction finalist, their short creative works have been published widely. Their cozy mystery, Player Elimination, was nominated for the 2026 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. When they aren’t grading or writing, Shelly can often be found hiking in the woods or playing a board game while their cats look on.