My name is Sadie Elizabeth Coleman. Up until a few months ago, I was living in Boston with my boyfriend, Eric. I lost my job to a merger back in the spring and then my relationship completely fell apart (it had been crumbling for a while). I needed to get away, so I decided to visit my Aunt Gilda in the small town of Shady Creek, Vermont. I thought I’d stay in Shady Creek for a few weeks at most, but I wasn’t expecting to fall in love. Not with a man, thank goodness (I’m not ready for another relationship after all the lies I endured in my last one) but with a beautiful stone grist mill. It just so happened that the renovated grist mill and the pub it housed were up for sale when I was in town. Maybe it was crazy of me (my mom certainly thinks so) but I used most of my life savings to buy the place.

I’ve loved books my whole life and have often dreamed about opening my own bookstore one day. At first I thought I might turn the pub into a store, but then I had second thoughts. Shady Creek already has a bookstore and the pub was a popular gathering place for both locals and tourists. So, in the end, I decided on a literary pub and changed its name to the Inkwell. I came up with recipes for literary-themed cocktails and mocktails, and I’m planning to host events like book clubs and literary trivia nights. The first book club—for romance readers—is going to start soon. I’m excited, but also a bit nervous. I desperately want it to go well.

I’m definitely not a morning person, so it’s great that I have a business that doesn’t require me to be up at the crack of dawn. However, even though the Inkwell doesn’t open until noon, that doesn’t mean I can laze about for too long each morning. Sometimes the pub gets morning deliveries and my cat, Wimsey (aka His Lordship), has a tendency to get impatient. He doesn’t like to wait too long for his breakfast and if I don’t get out of bed when he thinks I should, he lets me know how unacceptable that is.

My typical day starts with feeding Wimsey and then having some breakfast of my own. If I have some time to spare in the morning before I get ready to open the Inkwell, I might take a quick walk over to the Village Bean for a mocha latte or stop by my Aunt Gilda’s hair salon for a chat, if she’s not too busy. Recently, however, my life has become more complicated. Someone slashed my car’s tires and Eric showed up in Shady Creek. Then, within hours of Eric’s arrival, my neighbor and I found him dead. Since he was my ex, that makes me suspicious in the eyes of the police. So now I spend much of my spare time searching for clues, hoping I can clear my name. On top of all that, I’m doing my best to prepare for Shady Creek’s Autumn Festival, which is—so I’m told—the most popular event of the year.

During the afternoon and evening, I work at the Inkwell with my employees Mel and Damien. The pub is a great place to get to know the townsfolk and to catch up on any news or gossip. There’s been a lot of both going around lately. Eric’s death—now officially a homicide—has got tongues wagging. So has a recent fire at the local antiques shop. Shady Creek doesn’t usually see so much crime, especially not in such a short period of time. I don’t know who’s behind the crimes, but I know I’m not the culprit, and I intend to prove it. I love my new life in Shady Creek far too much to let it fall to pieces.

You can read more about Sadie in Wine And Punishment, the first book in the NEW “Literary Pub” mystery series.

In the first in an engaging new mystery series from USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox, the owner of a charming literary pub finds her fresh start on the rocks thanks to a case of murder.

Booklover Sadie Coleman knows that in life, as in fiction, the right setting can make a world of difference. The small town of Shady Creek, Vermont, seems like the perfect place to start over after losing her Boston job to a merger and her relationship to her ex’s gambling addiction. She’s bought and redecorated the old grist mill pub, transforming the Inkwell into a cozy spot where tourists and regulars alike can enjoy a pint or a literary-themed cocktail, or join one of several book clubs.

Little by little, Sadie is adjusting to the rhythms of her new home. Fall in Shady Creek is bookmarked by the much-anticipated Autumn Festival, complete with a pumpkin catapult competition and pie bake-off. Unfortunately, the season also brings an unwelcome visitor—Sadie’s ex, Eric, who’s angling for a second chance . . .

Before Sadie can tell Eric to leave, he’s found dead near the Inkwell. When the local antique shop catches fire on the same night, it’s clear the town is harboring at least one unsavory character. Now, with her Aunt Gilda, her friend Shontelle, and the pub’s patrons all in the mix, Sadie must uncover the truth . . . before a killer declares last call.

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About the author
Sarah Fox, writer of cozy mysteries, was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she developed a love for mysteries at a young age. When not writing novels or working as a legal writer she is often reading her way through a stack of books or spending time outdoors with her English Springer Spaniel.

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