Alex stared at the closing door. The bell jangled, sounding harsh and discordant. And Minka stood on the sidewalk, looking wildly up and down the street like she wasn’t sure where to go. But then, without a backwards glance, she chose a direction and was quickly out of view.

What had just happened?

Unsure what to say in the silence, Alex glanced at her Aunt Lidia, who was still at the register, arms crossed tightly across her chest.

Frowning, Lidia skirted the counter, went to the front door, and pressed her palm against the glass. “She’ll be back, won’t she?”

Alex took a deep breath, breathing in the scents of cinnamon and clove that floated around the shop. “She seemed pretty upset…”

Her cousin had just stormed out of Botanika, her family’s apothecary. Fortunately, the shop had been empty when her cousin and Aunt had their argument.

Lidia slowly turned around, her gaze bouncing off the brick walls and hardwood floors. “I shouldn’t have given her an ultimatum.” She gritted her teeth. “I shouldn’t have been so harsh.”

“We couldn’t have guessed she’d choose… Montgomery.” Alex swallowed against the bitter taste in her mouth. That man…

Lidia walked past wooden shelves of handcrafted perfumes, tables full of soaps and bath bombs, and cabinets holding tonics and loose herbs.

There was a hazy, soft look to her aunt’s eyes she’d never seen before. A look of defeat? No, Alex thought, it couldn’t be, not her steely aunt.

But Lidia’s voice cracked with emotion. “Why would she want to work for him?”

Alex shook her head. Minka’s words were still floating in the air like static—heavy and still charged. She’d said a lot. Made accusations against her mother. She wanted independence. She wanted to prove herself away from the family… She thought her mother belittled her…

None of it made sense. Minka was loved—an important part of the family. This had to be the doing of Montgomery. He was a snake… no, a dragon actually. And he had made threats against her family.

Alex hoped that him luring Minka away from her job at Botanika was not some sort of trick.

She went to her aunt’s side, wrapping an arm around her. “We’ll figure this out.” She stared out the window, as a few leaves, gold and orange, tossed on the wind and landed on the sidewalk. “And Minka will be back.”

A Brew for Chaos – An Enchanted Bay Mystery, Book 3
Genre: Cozy Fantasy Mystery
Release: September 2025
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

Pumpkins, craft beer and mermaid magic! Alex Daniels must solve a puzzling serial killer cold case in the magical third Enchanted Bay Mystery, set in a cozy small coastal town.

It’s fall, and Aleksandra Daniels is settling into her new hometown of Bellamy Bay in North Carolina. She loves her job at her aunt’s herbal apothecary, and is enjoying getting to know her new boyfriend, local detective Jack Frazier. But she’s still trying to figure out her newly discovered magical powers, inherited from a mermaid ancestor.

Leaves are changing, pumpkins are being picked, and the small coastal town is caught up in the excitement of the approaching Oktoberfest and craft beer competition. But Alex’s good friend, local journalist Pepper, is more excited by the upcoming anniversary of a spooky cold case she’s helping her boss, Jonah, investigate. Back in the eighties, a serial killer nicknamed The Fisherman abducted ten local women. He was never caught, and the women never seen again.

Alex isn’t surprised when Pepper asks for her help, but she’s done solving mysteries. She’d much rather be strolling down main street with Jack, sharing a hot cup of apple cider, and that’s not going to happen if she keeps meddling in his investigations.

But when Jonah’s body is discovered on the beach, Alex is forced to reconsider. Soon, she’s caught up in a complex, troubling plot that places not just her own life, but the lives of everyone she loves, in terrible danger.

About the author
Esme Addison is the Amazon & BN.com bestselling author and Agatha nominee for Best First Book. She is a member of Sisters In Crime National, International Thriller Writers and Crime Writers of Color, and resides in central North Carolina with her family. Learn more about Esme at esmeaddison.com and follow her on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram @EsmeAddison. Subscribe to her newsletter HERE.