Hi, I’m Emma Brennan. Twenty-five, single, a new business owner, and human for a gorgeous Birman cat named Vivi.

I’m very excited because in days I’ll be opening the Aroma Wellness Spa in Carmel-by-the-Sea. For those of you who don’t know about Carmel, it’s located on the coast of California near Monterey and is a lovely town, known for its creative people, charming cottages, fabulous sea air, and arced strand of pristine beach. Plus the shopping and art galleries are unique, and there are fabulous restaurants and hotels. Tourists abound.

What better place for my nana and I to invest? Nana Lissa, or Lissa Reade to those not related to her, is the head librarian at Harrison Library. When my grandfather died, he left Nana a very wealthy woman, but she won’t retire ever. She adores helping people find the right book.

I enjoy helping people find calm and serenity, hence the spa. It’s housed in the Courtyard of Peace. What a perfect name for a spa location, right? There are lots of quaint courtyards in Carmel. Nana purchased this one, and we occupy all three units facing the patio. At the spa you can enjoy fabulous treatments, like a prickly pear massage or an avocado mask facial. At the café, you can indulge in delicious but healthy-for-you treats. My cousin Sierra is the executive chef and is a whiz at making all kinds of goodies. In the gift shop you can purchase gemstones, jewelry, geodes, essential oils, and more.

Divine, right?

Anyway, this morning, I was on cloud nine and raring to go . . . until my friend Willow appeared, up in arms. It seemed she was upset because I was opening a spa. Like she didn’t know. She did. I informed her months ago. She said it wasn’t fair since she already ran the finest spa in Carmel. Ours are nothing alike, I told her. She doesn’t offer meditation or sound baths. She doesn’t have a café or gift shop. We’re not competitors, and even if we were, so what? I said there were lots of people, natives and tourists, who wanted what we offered. She gave me an earful, but I countered her attack with a benign response, something I learned when studying meditative arts in Tibet.
Needless to say, she was miffed and stormed off and nearly knocked over an old man who turned out to be a reporter. He begged me for a story about Willow and our set-to. I refused to take the bait and sent him on his way.

So why now, hours later, am I still feeling antsy, like something bad is about to happen? Is it because another woman who comes looking for Willow hates all things spa-related? Is it because my mother swears my spa is doomed to fail? I sense things all the time. I’m intuitive that way. I don’t read minds. I don’t have ESP. But I definitely feel things to my core. And I’m worried.

Should I be?

Essence of Foul Play: An Aroma Wellness Mystery, Book 1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: March 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

Emma Brennan may have her head in a cloud of eucalyptus, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground in breathtaking Carmel, California, as she prepares to open her new spa business, Aroma Wellness. But all the reiki, shiatsu, and massage in the world can’t help her relax when she’s accused of murder . . .

Everything is going smoothly as Emma prepares for the grand opening of the spa. The therapy rooms are painted. The sales shop and café are stocked with meditative and delicious goodies, from essential oils to avocado masks and prickly pear massages. The fountain in the Courtyard of Peace is burbling with good vibrations. In fact, there isn’t a whiff of trouble until that morning when Emma is shocked to learn that a rival spa owner has been bludgeoned . . . with an item from the goodwill basket Emma gave her. Worse, a witness is pointing the finger at Emma . . .

With the police treating Emma like she’s the only suspect, and the town’s anti New Age anything posse badmouthing her every step of the way, she’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Incensed by the accusations but empowered by her cousin, her nana, and her trusted Birman cat, Vivi, Emma reviews the potpourri of possible suspects, determined to uncover the essence of foul play—before she’s cold-pressed for murder . . .

About the author
Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Fairy Garden Mysteries, the French Bistro Mysteries, the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and the new Aroma Wellness Mysteries, as well as the Cheese Shop Mysteries written under the name Avery Aames. She also writes standalone suspense novels and the Aspen Adams Novels of Suspense. Prior to her career as a novelist, she was an actress with roles in television shows including “Murder, She Wrote,” and she wrote for the popular TV sitcom “Out of this World.” Originally from the Bay Area, she now lives in Southern California where she likes to cook, garden and spend time with her frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky. Visit her online at DarylWoodGerber.com.