Secrets in the Stacks

Southern Bookshop Murder, Cozy Mystery with cat She came home to save her grandmother's shop, but she didn't plan on finding a body behind the shelves. Allie Jameson thought returning to Savannah would be simple. Restore a few rare first editions. Serve strong coffee. Keep her head down. After seven years in Atlanta, and one long relationship that unraveled in a betrayal that was anything but subtle, Allie returns to Savannah to take over her grandmother's beloved bookstore, Steeped in Stories Books, a place that has always felt more like home than anywhere. Tucked just off Broughton Street in the heart of the Historic District, the shop is located beneath swaying Spanish moss and within walking distance of the city's famous squares, where tourists wander with pralines in hand and locals carry long memories. In Savannah, no one forgets who you were in high school. Especially Miranda Knox. Miranda had perfected the art of public humiliation before senior year ended, and she hasn't mellowed with age. When the Savannah Book Festival chooses Steeped in Stories as a featured venue, Miranda's sudden interest in Allie's business feels less like support and more like surveillance. Then Allie unlocks the shop one morning and finds Miranda dead in the bookstore bathroom. The official ruling? Murder. The problem? Miranda's body is discovered inside Allie's store. And half the town remembers their high school rivalry. When whispers turn into suspicion, and that suspicion lands squarely on her, Allie faces two choices: let Detective Sean Slone, another former classmate, build a case against her, or start turning pages herself before the festival begins. As a former librarian, Allie spent years organizing other people's stories. She recognizes when one doesn't make sense. A dust jacket sits wrong. A sleeve has vanished. And the murder timeline falls apart under scrutiny. With the help of a sharp-eyed salon owner who used to be her best friend, a dramatic historic tour guide who treats gossip like gospel, a poetry-quoting food truck owner parked near Ellis Square, and a cat who knocks over exactly the wrong stack of books at exactly the right moment, Allie starts piecing the truth together the way she repairs a ran her library—carefully, precisely, and with an eye for what doesn't belong. Because in Savannah, reputations last longer than summer heat. And someone is willing to kill to keep theirs intact. ?? A cozy mystery featuring: ? An amateur sleuth with a librarian's eye for detail ?? A bookstore cat named Kevin with impeccable timing ?? A charming Southern bookstore with a coffee counter and festival buzz ?? Slow-burn tension with the town detective who knew her in high school ?? A stylist best friend with secrets of her own ?? A historic district setting full of charm—and long memories ??? A planted clue hiding in plain sight ??? A suspect-turned-sleuth determined to clear her name Perfect for readers who love bookstore cozies, small-town secrets, clever amateur detectives, and warm Southern community vibes with just enough danger to keep things interesting. Welcome back to Savannah. The books remember everything. So does the killer.