Hi, I’m Iris Buckley and I sell vintage aprons in a quaint town on the Maine coast. My grandmother, Anne, is my business partner, and I live at home, with her. None of this was in my original life plan, needless to say. And neither was finding a skeleton or the murder of my horrible landlord, both in my brand-new store, but let’s talk about that later.

Most days begin the same way, with a nudge and insistent meow from my orange tabby, Quincy. After he rousts me out of bed—not too early, since I’m not a morning person—we head downstairs for coffee and cat kibble. While I sip coffee to wake up, I enjoy the views of the gardens around the Cape Cod farmhouse built by Buckley ancestors in 1820. From the front, you can see islands in Penobscot Bay.

This is also where I grew up, after my parents died in a car accident when I was eight. Twenty years ago. Until last year, when my darling grandfather became mortally ill, I lived in a cute apartment in downtown Portland. But, recently downsized from my fabric design job for a catalog company, I decided to come back to Blueberry Cove and help my grandparents. It hasn’t been a bad thing. In addition to growing Ruffles & Bows, which I started on-line, I’ve reconnected with old friends, including bestie Madison and a high school crush, Ian. Something wonderful seems to be perking with Ian this time around, I’m happy to report.

My daily routine includes stopping at the Belgian Bean, where my friend Sophie makes fabulous waffles and coffee. I also enjoy strolling along the downtown streets and checking out store windows, especially the one at Mimosa Boutique, owned by my fashionista Italian friend Bella. She has the best taste. And there’s always something happening in the harbor, whether it’s lobster boats bringing in their catch or graceful luxury sailboats gliding to their moorings. And we can’t forget the ferry, with its ear-splitting whistle at arrival and departure. Thousands of people visit Blueberry Cove each year—on purpose, which means I’m pretty lucky to live here, aren’t I?

So, anyway, here I am, making a new and encouraging start, poised on the brink of a new life as a successful business owner, when two terrible things happened right in a row.

In the cellar of my storefront, I stumbled across the hidden body of my grandmother’s friend, missing since the 1970s. And then, a couple of days later, my landlord was found murdered in my store. And guess what? My grandmother is a suspect. Good thing I have Madison to help me. And Quincy. We’ll solve this thing. Even if becoming a sleuth definitely wasn’t in my life plan.

Hems & Homicide is the first book in the NEW “Apron Shop” cozy mystery series, released December 31, 2019.

Welcome to the first in the Apron Shop mystery series by Elizabeth Penney, set in the quaint village of Blueberry Cove, Maine where an expert seamstress turned amateur sleuth is getting measured for murder. . .

Iris Buckley is sew ready for a change. After the death of her beloved grandfather, Iris decides to stay in her Maine hometown to help out her widowed grandmother, Anne―and bring her online hand-made apron designs to real-time retail life. Her and Anne’s shop, Ruffles & Bows, is set to include all the latest and vintage linen fashions, a studio for sewing groups and classes, and a friendly orange cat. The only thing that they were not planning to have on the property? A skeleton in the basement

Anne recognizes the remains of an old friend, and when a second body shows up in the apron shop―this time their corrupt landlord, whom Anne had been feuding with for decades―she becomes a prime suspect. Now, it’s up to Iris to help clear her name. Enlisting the help of her old high-school crush Ian Stewart who, like certain fabrics, has only gotten better-looking with age and her plucky BFF Madison Morris, Iris must piece together an investigation to find out who the real killer is. . .and find a way to keep her brand-new business from being scrapped in the process.

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Meet the author
Elizabeth Penney is the author of more than two dozen cozy mysteries, among other novels. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the owner of 2 Penney Productions. A former consultant and nonprofit executive, Elizabeth grew up in Maine and now lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where she also operates a small farm. Hems and Homicide is the first in the Apron Shop series.

To learn more about Elizabeth, visit her website at elizabethpenneyauthor.com.

All comments are welcomed.