“Wake up!” Mama shouted at my ear.
“I’m tired,” I groaned, rolled over, and pulled the blankets over my head.
“Marygene Francis Brown, I’m not telling you again,” Mama said.
I jolted upright, suddenly aware as my mama flipped on the lamp next to her, that she meant business.
Wait a minute, Mama was dead.
And that’s how my day began. My mother went on to warn me that something awful was about to happen and gave me strict instructions to close our business for the day before vanishing before my eyes.
Hi! I’m Marygene Brown and I along with my sister own and operate The Peach Diner located on a tiny little island off the coast of Savannah, Georgia called Peach Cove. We inherited the business my nanny started after my mama passed away a couple of years ago. Nanny always said The Peach saved her from becoming destitute. What saved my nanny then was saving me now.
Several years ago, I fled the Peach Cove after I had a huge blowout with Mama and broke up with my high school sweetheart, Deputy Alex Myers. After I moved to Atlanta to pursue a culinary degree, I made some mistakes. Dropping out of school and marrying Mr. Wrong was a big one. Thankfully he’s now in my rearview mirror. Leaving my sister to run our business single-handedly after our mama died was another doozy.
My mission since arriving home has been to make it up to my sister. And reconnect with the friends and family I lost touch with. My best friend and coworker Betsy for one. She’s my personal cheering section and I love her to pieces. Secrets on this island are nearly impossible to keep and folks tend to stick their noses in everyone’s business.
Back to this morning. As you can imagine with all I’ve had going on, I’ve not been in the best headspace and chalked up my mama sighting to nerves and an overactive imagination. Positive mind, positive life and all that. And it was working. My sister and I had a good heart to heart and things were looking up. Business was booming and I felt better than I had in a long time. I hadn’t even thought about Mama again until I sat down at the counter during our dead time. The space between lunch and dinner crowds. Mr. Ledbetter sat next to me and began his usual rantings. The man was a character for sure. Then to my utter shock and horror, the old man began choking and shoved a crumpled note into my hand with a stiff warning not to trust anyone mere seconds before he dropped dead beside me.
Mama’s warning came to fruition. It gets worse. . . my mother appeared with news that my sister would be charged with the crime. I have no idea what the clue Mr. Ledbetter gave me means and or why I keep seeing my deceased mother. Not to mention that niggling in the back of my mind lies the fear I might have a mental condition I’m unaware of. . . Either way, if yet another of her predictions comes to pass, I’ll stop at nothing to save my sister and our diner. Even if that means working with my mama’s spirit and uncovering our islands unsavory secrets. Today things just got real, y’all. . .
You can read more about Marygene in Southern Sass and Killer Cravings, the first book in the NEW “Marygene Brown” culinary cozy mystery series, released May 28, 2019.
Life has always been sweet on Georgia’s Peach Cove Island, but a case of murder has Marygene Brown down in the pits . . .
For generations, the women of the Brown family on Peach Cove Island have been known for their Southern sass and sweet homemade desserts at their beloved Peach Diner. Since their mother’s passing two years ago, Marygene has been stuck in Atlanta while her sister Jena Lynn has been running the family business. Now Marygene has left her husband and returned to her hometown, where she can almost feel Mama’s presence.
But all is not peachy back home. Marygene has barely tied on an apron when a diner regular drops dead at the counter. When it turns out the old man’s been poisoned, Jena Lynn is led away in handcuffs and the family eatery is closed. Now, to save her sister and the diner, Marygene must find the real killer. With some startling assistance from her Mama’s spirit, Marygene will be serving up a special order of just desserts . . .
Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene’s Kitchen!
Purchase Link
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Meet the author
Kate Young writes Southern mystery novels. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Guppy Chapter. Kate lives in a small town in Georgia with her husband, three kids, and Shih Tzu. When she is not writing her own books, she’s reading or cooking.
To learn more about Kate, visit her website at kateyoungbooks.com.
All comments are welcomed.
Thanks to Kensington Books for donating a print copy of Southern Sass and Killer Cravings. Giveaway ends May 31, 2019 and is limited to U.S. residents. Please leave comment in box below. The winner will be notified by email (so check your spam folder). Good luck everyone!
Sounds like an interesting new series.
Sounds like it’s very interesting. I want to read it soon.
I got the book at Malice. I finished it yesterday. Enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next one in the series.
I <3 1st books in a new series!!!
Thank you for the giveaway…
I would love to win this one.
On my TBR list! Thanks for sharing
Love a Southern series! Would love to win!
I loved the cover before I knew anything about the book. Now that I have read this, I know I am going to love the book too! I can’t wait to read it and get some of my own questions answered. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy, Kate and Kensington Books. Thanks Dru Ann fortoday’s blog.😁
This cozy is unique and special. Love learning about this story and the characters. Many thanks.
A new author to follow! Love culinary cozies. Yummy recipes to make. Thanks to all who made this giveaway possible.Cant wait to meet all the new characters
Sounds like a great cozy, thank you for the chance to win a copy.
wfnren at aol dot com
The cover is eye-catching, and the book sounds like a fun read. Thank you for this chance to win.
Thanks for featuring a Day in The Life of Marygene Brown on your blog, Dru Ann. Southern Sass and Killer Cravings sounds like a fun read!
This sounds like a great start to this new series. I think the diner sounds fun and interesting! Thanks for the chance to win.
I love peaches–a peach-themed diner sounds great, and a series about one even better.
Now I’m curious about the big blowup that made her leave the island and her boyfriend!
Love Southern Mysteries!! Sounds right up my alley.
Great post. Can’t wait to read this new series. Thanks for the giveaway.
This sounds like it will be a fun read! Thanks for a chance to win!
Sounds like a fun new series. Looking forward to reading.
Love trying new authors!
Sounds like a great book – thanks for the contest.
Sounds like a great read!
I’d love to visit The Peach Diner!
Sounds good! Thanks for the chance to win it!!
Sounds like an interesting read
Looks like a Really Good Book 📖 Thanks for Sharing it with us
Great Cover 👍
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**** WINNER ****
Southern Sass and Killer Cravings is Susan Franke
Congratulations!