My name is Sarah Grayson and I own a repurpose store, Second Chance, in North Harbor, Maine. I had no idea when I opened the shop that it was going to lead to me getting mixed up in murder.

I opened Second Chance because I’d always enjoyed prowling around flea markets and thrift stores. I liked giving new life to items that otherwise might end up in a landfill. When I was looking for staff, hiring my grandmother’s friends, Rose and Charlotte, seemed like a great idea.

All was well until Maddie Hamilton became a suspect in a murder. No one who knew Maddie believed she was capable of killing anyone, but the police deal with facts, not feelings and the evidence was pointing in Maddie’s direction. As Charlotte explained she had known Maddie just a few days short of forever and she wasn’t going to stand around and do nothing. Rose was onboard along with her gentleman friend, Alfred Peterson—Mr. P.—who has never met a computer he couldn’t master. Before I realized what was happening I was part of the “team” as well. After all, someone had to drive them everywhere and at least try to keep them out of trouble.

To pretty much everyone’s amazement, they—we—found the real killer. And Charlotte’s Angels detective agency was born. Yes, they chose the name in honor of the 1970s TV show. Mr. P. met all of the state’s requirements to become a licensed private investigator and Rose began working toward her own license.

Over time the Angels, as they like to call themselves, managed to win most people over because it turns out they’re good at what they do. They know everyone in town. They’re smart, resourceful and very persistent. And people tend to underestimate them, especially Rose. (No one makes that mistake twice.)

The Angels have their office in the sun porch of the building where my shop is located. That way I know what they’re getting into even though it means I get pulled into their cases as well. Some days I spend my time refinishing a table or bed frame and other days I’m helping confirm a potential suspect’s alibi.

So, after back-to-back cases, it was nice to head out on the spring house tour with my friend, Michelle, and not have to think about murder victims and crime scenes. The only mystery was which house would be my favorite. Or so I thought. The second stop on the tour was Gladstone House, a bed-and-breakfast run by Annie Hastings and her granddaughter, Emily. The red brick house had been in their family for close to two hundred years. I was looking forward to seeing how it had been furnished. Instead I discovered a body in an upstairs bedroom. When I ended up back at my apartment a lot earlier than expected, Rose wanted to know why. She just has a way of looking at you that makes it impossible to lie to her. It’s one of the reasons she was such a good teacher.

I know Rose and I know the look I saw in her eye when she heard what had happened. The police haven’t decided whether or not there’s anything suspicious about this death but she has an instinct for this kind of thing. An instinct for murder. Whether I like it or not, I think the Angels have another case.

Scaredy Cat, A Second Chance Cat Mystery Book #10
Genre: Cozy
Release: July 2023
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

Secondhand store owner Sarah Grayson and her affectionate rescue cat, Elvis, will scare up a few leads to find a killer in the newest installment of this captivating New York Times bestselling series.

After a long, cold, and snowy winter, it seems as though spring may be arriving early in Maine. Sarah Grayson is busy at her store, Second Chance, and she’s looking forward to an afternoon break from the hustle and bustle, tagging along to the North Harbor Spring House Tour with her friend Detective Michelle Andrews.

But it turns out one of the houses has a haunted history, and when a ghost hunter is found dead on the premises, Sarah knows the best way to uncover the killer/to solve the mystery is by investigating the not-so-dearly departed. With help from Elvis and Charlotte’s Angels, the crew of senior citizen private detectives who work out of the store, she’ll close the case on this creepy crime.

About the author
Sofie Ryan is the author of the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat mystery series featuring re-purpose store owner Sarah Grayson; Charlotte’s Angels, a group of senior sleuths; the world’s oldest computer hacker; and Elvis, a black cat with an uncanny ability to sniff out a lie. Connect with Sofie at sofieryan.com.

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