You need some time off.
Your boss doesn’t appreciate you.
Your clients are energy vampires.
You don’t need that job.
The first three statements made by my fiancé, Greyson, were quite accurate. The third? Not so much.
Since leaving my event coordinator position, the vines of unemployment coil tighter around my throat with each passing day. I’m in the driver’s seat but have no idea where I’m going.
It’s odd that anyone would ask about a day in my life, given how time revolves around little more than my upcoming wedding. Well, except for planning my actress friend Addy’s summer solstice barbecue. Her New York apartment is tiny. But with Mother Nature’s cooperation, I made more than due with the rooftop terrace.
By the time the big day arrived, I’d steamrolled my way through every minute detail. The night was clear and mild, the air saturated with humidity and the scent of charcoal from the barbecue. I’d transformed the roof into an inviting escape with music and string lights. The table was stocked with drinks, shrimp cocktail, and spicy bruschetta dotted with fresh herbs.
The last task was to grab the swag bags from Addy’s kitchen. A trendy beach tote holding sunscreen, a pair of classic sunglasses, and a plush towel were a nice touch. The sun was setting as I raced down the stairs and into the apartment.
A box of towels proved much heavier than one might think. I dropped it on the hallway floor, checked the apartment door was locked, then hefted the awkward load. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I stumbled forward, barely able to see over the top of the box. The door to the stairwell slammed shut behind me, echoing off the walls.
Despite every step sending a strain up my arms, nothing could dampen my mood. For months, I’d sunk deeper into a vat of purposelessness devoid of all creative outlets. Today’s event served as proof that I could still produce a flawless event. But you know what they say…pride goeth before the fall. And fall I did—right over the lifeless body of another Broadway hopeful, Jessa Tansy.
Detectives zeroed in on Addy with jealousy as the obvious motive. The previous day, Jessa was offered the leading role in a musical. Their friendly rivalry was well known, but wasn’t it possible the woman had simply fallen?
I gave my statement to the police but couldn’t leave. Left alone with my thoughts, I rehashed everything I could remember. When I’d left to retrieve the swag, Jessa was putting on a coy show while everyone congratulated her on the new role. Everyone except Jessa’s agent, Del Howell. You’d think the woman would be over the moon with the commission she stood to make. Instead, she hovered on the outskirts of the crowd without a hint of a smile.
Call it luck or a keen eye for detail, but I spotted Del lift a hand to tuck a lock of hair behind one ear. A red welt blazed against the fair skin on the underside of her arm. I drifted my gaze to where a strap had separated from the top of her dress and stared at the torn fabric peeking out. Would detectives be interested in this minor observation?
Eventually, the puzzle came together. Del had confronted Jessa in the stairwell about breaking their contract to sign with a more esteemed agency. She swore the fall was an accident, but the court system can sort the facts from fiction.
In the meantime, I have Bride things to do.
A Sour Note, A Music Box Mystery Book #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: June 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
On the heels of a public, broken engagement, Maeve Cleary returns to her childhood home in Hampton Beach, NH. When a dead body turns up behind her mother’s music school, three old friends land on the suspect list. Licking her wounds soon takes a back seat to outrunning the paparazzi who spin into a frenzy, casting her in a cloud of suspicion. Maeve juggles her high school sweetheart, a cousin with a touch of clairvoyance, a no-nonsense detective, and an apologetic, two-timing ex-fiancé. Will the negative publicity impact business at the Music Box— the very place she’d hoped to make a fresh start?
Meet the author
Jill Piscitello is a teacher, author, and an avid fan of multiple literary genres. Although she divides her reading hours among several books at a time, a lighthearted story offering an escape from the real world can always be found on her nightstand. A native of New England, Jill lives with her family and three well-loved cats. When not planning lessons or reading and writing, she can be found spending time with her family, trying out new restaurants, traveling, and going on light hikes.
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