I must confess. Before responding to the Peach Coast Library’s employment ad, I hadn’t known the small coastal Georgia town existed. But I’m glad I know now.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, but the opportunity to be a director of community outreach for a public library was a career advancement I couldn’t overlook, even though it meant moving more than 900 miles from my family; 908.4 miles, to be exact. Although it’s been four months since I relocated to Peach Coast with my four-year-old gray tiger tabby, Phoenix, I miss my family every day. But there are perks to small town life.

First, I bought a house. Real estate’s a lot more affordable in Peach Coast than Brooklyn. Second, I walk to work instead of squeezing into buses and trains for a one-hour commute. That’s done wonders for my disposition. Granted, with my abysmal sense of direction, I had trouble finding the library on my first couple of — five — attempts. I’m over that now.

My morning jogs are no longer accompanied by exhaust fumes. They’ve been replaced with the scents of the coast and fresh cut grass. And my neighbors aren’t right on top of me. I thought it would be hard to sleep without my native night sounds: blasting stereos and blaring emergency sirens. But I fall right into sleep to the sound of silence.

The southernisms are taking some getting used to. “It was a bird’s nest on the ground.” What does that even mean?

The residents call soda “pop” and “coke.” I can’t tell you how disappointed I was the first time I was offered a coke and given something that . . . wasn’t Coke. Still, it’s a beautiful town with warm, welcoming people, many of whom have come to feel like family.

Take, for example, my library colleagues. My boss, Corrinne, is the epitome of grace and class, and well-connected with town leaders. Viv, our circulation manager, is a hopeless romantic who reads people’s body language to identify books they would enjoy. Our reference librarian, Floyd, is gruff on the outside — and inside — but knows a little bit on seemingly every topic. And our librarian’s assistant, Adrian, has been helpful during my acclimation to the library. However, his fascination with true crimes can’t be healthy.

I’ve also found good friends outside of work. Spence has deep roots in Peach Coast. His family’s one of the wealthiest in Camden County. They own a bank, a bed-and-breakfast, a hotel, and the town’s daily newspaper. His family’s also philanthropic. They’re like Peach Coast’s version of Gotham City’s Wayne family. Spence’s well-known for his culinary talents. He enjoys hosting small dinner parties and serving regional dishes like baked chicken and peaches with Georgia green beans, which doesn’t taste as weird as it sounds.

Like me, Jo relocated to Peach Coast. She’s a Floridian and a proud University of Florida alum. Being surrounded by University of Georgia fanatics is sometimes tough on her, but she loves the town. Jo owns its only independent bookstore, To Be Read. We bonded over our love of books and chocolate, and her love of tattoos. She’s got some great ones.

Peach Coast is a quiet, idyllic town. It’s hard to imagine violent crimes occurring here – until Jo, Spence, and I found a local author murdered in To Be Read’s back room. Since Jo and the victim, Fiona, had disagreed on more than one occasion while planning her book signing, the sheriff’s deputies considered Jo their prime suspect, which is absurd. Jo isn’t a killer.

In desperation, Jo turned to Spence and me to help prove her innocence. And I turned to my Librarian Team for research assistance. Together, we sussed out a list of people who were much more likely to want Fiona dead:

• • A betrayed business partner;
  • A blackmailed writer;
  • A deceived friend;
  • A cheated stepson; and
  • The vengeful ex-wife of her deceased husband

With the deputies focused on Jo, it was up to Spence and me — with the help of our Librarian Team — to find the real killer . . . if we could avoid being written out of the story.

Murder by Page One, A Peach Coast Library Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: March 2021
Purchase Link

If you love Hallmark mystery movies, you’ll love this cozy mystery with humor, intrigue, and a librarian amateur sleuth.

Marvey, a librarian, has moved from Brooklyn to a quirky small town in Georgia. When she’s not at the library organizing events for readers, she’s handcrafting book-themed jewelry and looking after her cranky cat. At times, her new life in the South still feels strange…and that’s before the discovery of the dead body in the bookstore.

After one of her friends becomes a suspect, Marvey sets out to solve the murder mystery. She even convinces Spence, the wealthy and charming newspaper owner, to help. With his ties to the community, her talents for research, and her fellow librarians’ knowledge, Marvey pursues the truth. But as she gets closer to it, could she be facing a deadly plot twist?

This first in series cozy mystery includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Classic Peach Cobbler.

About the Author
Patricia Sargeant is a national best-selling author. She writes romance as Patricia Sargeant and Regina Hart, and mysteries as Olivia Matthews. Her work has been featured in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews. Learn more about Patricia and her stories on her website, PatriciaSargeant.com.

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