Like most of the people in Peach Coast, Georgia, I was born and raised in this town. Others were only raised here. And then there’s Marvella “Marvey” (Pronounced “marVAY.”) Harris. She moved here at the beginning of the year– nine months ago, now– from New York City. Brooklyn, to be exact, which she says isn’t “The City.” It’s a borough. And New Yorkers wonder why people think they’re exhausting.
Ms. Marvey moved to Peach Coast to take the job of director of community engagement at the Peach Coast Library. I’ll tell you what, I’ve spent more time in that building since Ms. Marvey’s arrival than in the entire five years that it’s been open. That’s a fact. It’s because being a sheriff’s deputy in Camden County’s a busy job.
Don’t get me wrong; Peach Coast is a quiet town, though maybe not as quiet as we like to say. “We” being the town government and law enforcement. But that’s only because we want people to feel safe. Isn’t that better than having everybody walking around like cats in a room full of rocking chairs?
It’s gotten harder to pretend, though, now that Ms. Marvey’s come to town, tripping over dead bodies in bookstores and finding hit lists in the library. You’d think after all that, she’d be worn slap out. Nope, not Ms. Marvey. Now she’s gone and found a dead body in the Angler Grass Arts art gallery.
Mayor Byron Flowers and Sheriff Kenny Green have been madder than wet hens over Ms. Marvey’s meddling from the start. For years, they’ve been bragging about what a good job they’re doing with public safety. Maybe they were. But maybe they weren’t. Sure they arrested robbers and vandals. But they swept the bigger crimes under the rug or kept them to the outskirts of town. That never did sit well with me. But like my granny used to say, “Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy.”
I guess Ms. Marvey’s granny didn’t share that wisdom with her. Ms. Marvey was hardly unpacked before she started her own investigation back in May with the first known murder in Peach Coast in two years. The mayor kicked up a fuss about that.
I was upset at first too. But now I’m thinking Ms. Marvey’s like a secret weapon. I’m starting to rethink this whole thing about telling people they’re safe when maybe they aren’t. Maybe it’s better to keep them safe for real instead of pretending. I don’t know. I’ll leave that decision to the mayor and the sheriff.
As for me, I’m counting the days until my retirement when I won’t have to deal with Ms. Marvey Harris. Bless her heart.
MURDER UNDER A PEN NAME
Series: A Peach Coast Library Mystery, Book 3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: May 2026
Format: Print, Digital
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Marvey, a small-town librarian, discovers a dead body—now she’s being framed for murder!
Marvey’s managing multiple projects at the library and volunteering with the Peach Coast Historical Society’s Annual Scavenger Hunt, but she still has time to help a neighbor in need.
When the town’s art gallery co-owner forgets his satchel at the library after his presentation, Marvey offers to return it to his office the next morning. But once she arrives, Marvey finds the co-owner murdered. Seconds later, sheriff’s deputies appear and Marvey’s cataloged under a cloud of suspicion.
With evidence being planted against her, Marvey must prove her innocence. To do that, she’ll have to find the real killer—who may be hiding under a fake name.
About the author
Best-selling author Patricia Sargeant writes romantic suspense as Patricia Sargeant, cozy mysteries as Olivia Matthews and contemporary romance as Regina Hart. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and Crime Writers of Color. Patricia’s work has been featured in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Mystery Scene Magazine, and Suspense Magazine. Visit her website at PatriciaSargeant.com.