Hey, all! Darcy Gaughan here. I’m manager of Marysburg Music, the greatest record store in the Midwest. I’m here to give you the scoop about my day.

Before I got into the record store biz, I was in a band called Pixie Dust. Played the drums. We made it big. Life was good. Then. . .things happened. Now, I’m back where it all started, on the outskirts of Muncie, Indiana and my alma mater, Ball State University.

Being part of a punk band that toured the world got me acclimated to life as a night owl. One of the best things about working at the record store is that I still get to sleep in. Though, I gotta admit, rolling into the store at eleven A.M. isn’t quite the same as showing up for a sound check at four in the afternoon. After giving my cat Ringo his breakfast, I usually grab a quick breakfast and mug of tea, hop in my jeep, and I’m off to work.

The first thing I do when I get there, is check in with my boss, Eddie Maxwell. After trading stories with him, I’ll take new merch out onto the sales floor. These days, about ninety percent of our music inventory is in the form of vinyl LPs, both new and used. We also carry CD’s and even a few cassette tapes. And don’t forget the Marysburg Music shirts and stickers.

The store opens at eleven. Along with me and Eddie, we have two other full-time employees. Hank Greenbaum and Charlotte Ryan. Hank’s retired and Char used to be an accountant. They both love music as much as I do, so that’s pretty cool. We also have two high school students, also musicians, on our team, Izzy Preston and Peter Douglas. Our group is small, but mighty.

At Marysburg Music, customer service is number one. It’s an easy code to live by when you’re having fun. And we have fun at the store. Every day is a celebration of music of all sorts. We’ve got you covered, from rock to classical, hip-hop to country, and everything in between.

When it’s time for a break, I’ll usually head over to Selena’s, which serves the best nachos I’ve ever tasted. By early afternoon, business picks up. Between the high school kids getting out from school and the Ball State students, things keep rolling fast and furious until closing time at eight.

After work, I head home. That means either quiet time with Ringo or more work on the endless list of renovation projects around the house. I live in an old, run-down fishing cabin that I got for a song, please pardon the pun.

The constant rehab work is good for me. After I got kicked out of Pixie Dust, I went fell down a deep, dark alcohol- filled hole. I’ve been sober for five years, though. I like to think that me and the cabin are both works in progress. And we’re getting a little better every day.

I hope someday you’ll pay us a visit at Marysburg Music. We’ll hook you up with whatever your musical needs may be. It’s a good gig. And I look forward to sharing it with you. Until next time, keep on keepin’ the music alive!

Record Store Reckoning, A Darcy Gaughan Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: March 2022
Purchase Link

When the manager of Marysburg Music, Darcy Gaughan, returns to work after a vacation, she expects to jump right back into work as the store gets ready for the upcoming Record Store Day celebrations. She’s also celebrating five years of sobriety and is confident that there are good things in her future. She doesn’t expect to find her boss in his office, dead from an apparent self-inflicted stab wound.

The police rule the death a suicide. Darcy, who knew her beloved boss better than anybody, knows better. She vows to get to the truth of the matter before the murderer can get away with the crime and the record store is closed forever. Along the way, she uncovers secrets and shady deals certain town residents would rather keep hidden. Secrets some would commit murder to keep under wraps. Can she assemble the clues and put them in just the right order so everything comes together like a classic jazz album? And how is she supposed to focus on finding a killer when she also needs to figure out a way to keep the record store open? Follow along as Darcy searches for the truth while learning the greatest gifts are truly those that money can’t buy.

About the author
J.C. Kenney is the Amazon and Kobo bestselling author of The Allie Cobb Mysteries and The Darcy Gaughan Mysteries. His debut, A Literal Mess, was a finalist for a Muse Medallion from the Cat Writers’ Association in mystery fiction. When he’s not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife, two children, and a cat. You can find him at jckenney.com.

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