When I’d made the decision to uproot my life and leave the chaos of New York City to move to the small seaside town of Holiday Bay, Maine, with my teacup Havanese, Penelope, I hadn’t known what to expect. A new beginning with new friends, I’d hoped. A business of my own and room to grow as an individual, for sure. Perhaps a place to call home by the water and a best friend to share it with. Most of what I’d hoped and dreamed of had actually transpired, but what I could never have imagined was the quandary I currently found myself in, which appeared to be taken from one of the mystery novels I regularly devoured.
The day had started as planned. I’d risen early, eager to tackle the first big black-tie event I’d been hired to plan after opening Piper Fairchild Events. I’d enthusiastically showered and dressed before I loaded my van, grabbed Penelope, and headed to All About Bluebells, the flower shop owned by my good friends, Marnie and Cricket Abernathy. Once I confirmed that the bouquets of flowers that were to be delivered later that afternoon were to my liking, I’d headed to Courtyard Bakery to pick up my best friend and business partner, Paisley Bradford, who’d been putting the finishing touches on the black forest cake to be served that evening, and headed to the estate where the event was to be held. I’d been filled with such hope and so much heartfelt enthusiasm as I went about the tasks on my list until Penelope decided to escape her carrying case, and I’d ended up hiding in a closet.
“I know you said you heard someone up here, but the bedroom is clear, and our unexpected guest is where she left him. We’re probably okay for now, but he will need to be moved soon.” The man I watched through the shuttered closet doors said to whoever was on the other end of the phone.
I watched as the man walked to the window and pulled back a corner of the heavy drapes designed to keep out the afternoon sun. I closed my eyes and wondered how things had gotten so completely out of control. Today, the first day of what I’d come to think of as my new life, was supposed to have been memorable, but when I’d hoped for memorable, the life-and-death situation I currently found myself embroiled in certainly wasn’t what I’d had in mind.
The man with a deep, gravelly voice walked away from the window and headed directly toward the closet where I was hiding. I held my breath as the man stepped within a foot of the closet doors, which I’d left slightly ajar in my haste to find a place to hide. I wasn’t sure if his intent was to close the doors the rest of the way or open them and look inside, but rather than doing either, he spoke once again. “This does complicate things, but we’ll figure it out. Have the man who helped us with the incident a few years ago meet me in the second-floor parlor.” The man closed the closet doors the rest of the way and then left the room, pulling the door to the suite closed behind him.
It took a minimum of ten seconds before I summoned the courage to breathe and another minute before I worked up the courage to open the closet doors and step into the bedroom. My instinct told me to run, but I still needed to find Penelope, and then, more importantly, I needed to decide what to do about the body in the ensuite bathroom.
Black Forest Mystery – A Bakeshop at Holiday Bay Mystery, Book 1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: July 2025
Format: Digital, Print
Purchase Link
Set in the charming town of Holiday Bay, Maine, Bakeshop at Holiday Day follows Piper Fairchild, a spirited event planner who moves to town with her lovable dog, Penelope.
After connecting with Cricket and Marnie Abernathy, owners of All About Bluebells, Piper meets Paisley Bradford, a young woman with a dream of opening her own bakeshop. The two quickly form a bond and join the warm, welcoming courtyard family—including Lou, Cricket, Marnie, and the rest of the crew you know and love.
Piper manages to land a job planning an exclusive black-tie event to be held at a local estate only to find a body in the bedroom just hours before the first honored guests are due to arrive.
About the author
USA Today best-selling author Kathi Daley lives in beautiful Lake Tahoe with her husband, Ken. When she isn’t writing, she likes spending time hiking the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. Find out more about her books at www.kathidaley.com.