Who would think a career as an executive assistant could be dangerous? Certainly not me. Hi! I’m Kate Muldoon, executive assistant extraordinaire—at least that’s what my boss calls me.

For the past few years, I’ve been having a blast working alongside Father Sean Dalton, a cheeky yet charming priest who is the bishop’s second in command. Yep, that’s right, I work for a priest. But it’s not nearly as straight-laced as it sounds. Sean is young (mid-30’s like me) and has a wicked sense of humor. His good-natured ribbing and droll Irish wit keep me on my toes and, believe me, our days are never dull. Oh, and did I tell you that Sean’s not hard on the eyes, either? In fact, his nickname is Father What-A-Waste. Yeah, I don’t think he knows about that, and I’m not going to be the one to tell him.

Up until about a week ago, I would have said working at the Holy Apostles Center was positively blissful. That is, until the murder happened. But before I get to that nasty little bit of business, I should probably tell you more about my everyday life. I’d rather concentrate on the good stuff, anyway.

I’m lucky enough to share my life with some fantastic friends, two of whom live with me in my cozy bungalow: my precious and precocious fur babies. Winston is my adorable French bulldog who tags along with me whenever he can; Oliver is my sassy tabby cat who prefers to stay home and protect our backyard from his nemesis, a particularly pesky blue jay. More often than not, you’ll find me having deep and lengthy conversations with the boys. And yes, I do believe they understand every word I’m saying. Don’t laugh. I told you they’re precocious, didn’t I?

When I’m not at work or at home, you’ll probably find me with my best friend, Grace Sullivan, who owns Busy Bean, the premier pet-friendly coffeeshop/bakery in all of Bay Grove. Grace is one of those people that you should hate. She is: a) a gorgeous blond with a killer body that defies all the sugar she consumes; b) wickedly smart; and c) brilliantly talented. But because Grace is also one of funniest, most kind-hearted women you will ever know, pretty much everybody loves her. Especially Liam Brannick, a new co-worker of mine who has been consuming copious amounts of the Bean’s coffee and yummy cheesecake brownies since he moved to town. Imagine that. You may ask, which does Liam love more—the baked goods or the baker, herself? I’ll let you decide.

Another favorite Bay Grove haunt of mine is the Fox River Boat Club. Luckily, it’s not nearly as pretentious as it sounds. The boat club is a fantastic place to kick back on the enormous deck and drink craft beers and munch on deep-fried cheese curds, all the while watching boaters, kayakers, and inner-tubers float lazily down the sparkling river. Kinda makes you want to come along and hang out there with Grace and me, doesn’t it?

Yep, me and my bestie have had some memorable get togethers at that boat club, including a recent one with Liam and Jack. Oh, did I forget to mention Jack? He’s an irritatingly handsome police detective who just happens to be the doppelgänger of my favorite actor, Bradley Cooper. To describe Detective Jackson Ryder, all I have to say is this: imagine Bradley’s character, Jackson Maine, in A Star Is Born. Yep, the good detective shares the character’s first name (Jackson), voice (gravelly), hair (sexily disheveled), and smile (killer). A combo that makes my knees go weak and my heart go pitter-patter. Not that I would ever let him know that—he’s already got too big of a head. Oh, and did I mention that Jack may or may not have given me a ride home from the boat club on his vintage Harley Davidson? But I digress. . .

The murder. Yes. That’s what I was going to tell you about next. Focus, Kate.

Deep breath. Okay, here it goes. An old curmudgeon of a priest—well-known for getting into some bitter feuds—got bashed over the head with a heavy candlestick. Unfortunately, this happened where I work, and poof, my blissful job took a nightmarish turn. Jack takes the lead on the investigation, but when he starts looking at some of my friends and co-workers as likely suspects, Sean teasingly suggests that he and I do some sleuthing of our own to unmask the culprit. Little did we know that our Holmes and Watson routine would uncover some long-buried secrets that are better left forgotten.

That’s all I’m going to tell you for now. If you want more details—about how the murderer is caught, if Jackson and I go on another motorcycle ride, or if Oliver the cat finally catches that dratted blue jay—you’ll have to check out Murder on the Agenda.

I’d better get going. Winston and Oliver are reminding me that we need to have an important discussion on what we’re eating for dinner tonight. Later!

Murder on the Agenda is a cozy mystery, released August 2, 2020. It is the first book in the NEW “Bay Grove” mystery series.

Being an indispensable executive assistant may not seem exciting to some, but for Kate Muldoon, it’s a dream job. She loves the lighthearted bond she shares with her boss, the cheeky yet charming Father Sean Dalton. His good-natured ribbing and droll Irish wit keep Kate on her toes and their days are anything but dull. But when local curmudgeon, Father Sheridan, is found murdered at their workplace after a bitter feud with several colleagues, Kate’s blissful career takes a nightmarish turn.

Sean looks to his former classmate, Detective Jackson Ryder, to take the lead on the investigation. While there is no end to the list of people who hated the old priest, Kate worries that the hotshot detective—who just happens to be the doppelgänger of Kate’s favorite actor, Bradley Cooper—is looking for the murderer in all the wrong places. She and Sean decide to do a little sleuthing on their own to unmask the culprit. With the help of Kate’s adorable fur babies, Winston and Oliver, and encouragement from her best friend and coffee shop owner, Grace, the intrepid duo work to expose the murderer, but in doing so, they just may uncover long-buried secrets that are better left forgotten. . .

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Meet the author
Mary Ellen Bliss became a bona fide bookworm at the age of seven when she was given her very first Nancy Drew mystery. A lifetime later, she can still be found every Saturday morning at the local library, gleefully perusing the shelves for a new cozy mystery series to dive into. Like her main character, Mary Ellen has enjoyed a career as an executive assistant for more than 25 years. Writing is Mary Ellen’s passion and she is a proud member of Sisters in Crime and the SinC Guppy Chapter. When she’s not writing or reading, Mary Ellen can often be found happily sipping a vanilla latte with her sassy cat, Gemma.

All comments are welcomed.