Murder, gossip, and freshly brewed suspense await in this charming small-town cozy mystery!
Welcome to The Bean Hive Coffeehouse in Honey Springs, Kentucky, where the coffee is hot, the pastries are fresh, and the gossip could make the strongest espresso seem weak. Roxanne Bloom, a spunky lawyer-turned-barista, has swapped legal briefs for brewing beans, opening the town’s first coffeehouse on the newly revamped boardwalk. Life feels perfect as she reconnects with her quirky Aunt Maxi, old friends, and even a spark from her teenage years.
But when Roxy finds Alexis Roarke—the beloved bookstore owner—dead among the stacks, a dark shadow falls over Honey Springs. With Aunt Maxi at the top of the suspect list and whispers of betrayal brewing in every corner, Roxy sets out to unravel the mystery before it ruins not just her aunt’s reputation, but her new life in the town she’s come to love.
With a cast of lovable, quirky characters, small-town charm, and twists that will keep you guessing until the last sip, Scene of the Grind is the perfect read for fans of Laura Childs, Joanne Fluke, and M.C. Beaton.
Come for the coffee. Stay for the mystery.
Good news! Scene of the Grind has a Book Club Kit
Southern cozy mystery small town murder.
Welcome to Sugar Creek Gap, where front porch gossip travels faster than the mail truck and secrets never stay buried for long.
Mail carrier Bernadette Butler knows everyone in town—from the shop owners on Main Street to the neighbors she greets along her daily route. Delivering the mail means hearing the stories people share…and the secrets they try to hide.
When the clerk of Sugar Creek Gap’s brand-new bookstore turns up dead, the quiet town is already buzzing over a scandalous “fiction” romance novel that just hit the shelves—one filled with thinly disguised stories about the town’s most carefully guarded secrets.
Now whispers are spreading, reputations are on the line, and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.
With the help of her sharp-eyed friends—the Front Porch Ladies—Bernadette begins delivering more than mail. She starts uncovering clues hidden behind friendly smiles and polite Southern manners.
But in a town where everyone knows everyone, solving the murder might expose secrets that were never meant to see the light of day.
Perfect for readers who love:
🔎 Small-town Southern cozy mysteries
🏡 Charming communities filled with gossip and secrets
🐾 Lovable pets and quirky neighbors
🪑 Front porch friendships and amateur sleuthing
🍰 Delicious recipes included at the end
Welcome to Sugar Creek Gap—where the tea is sweet, the gossip is strong, and murder always finds its way to the front porch.
Southern cozy mystery small town murder.
Bernadette Butler knows everyone’s business—it comes with the job. As the mail carrier in her quiet Southern town, she delivers letters, chats with neighbors on their front porches, and keeps track of the gossip that travels faster than the mail truck.
But one delivery changes everything.
While attempting to deliver a return-to-sender package and a certified letter, Bernadette discovers the recipient dead.
When the death turns suspicious, Bernadette can’t resist getting involved. With the help of the ever-watchful Front Porch Ladies—a group of sharp-eyed women who treat gossip like currency—she begins piecing together grudges, secrets, and long-held rivalries hidden behind polite smiles.
In a small town where everyone knows everyone, the truth isn’t easy to deliver.
As suspicion spreads through the neighborhood and the suspect list keeps growing, Bernadette must uncover the real killer before someone else becomes the next fatal delivery.
Perfect for readers who love:
🔎 Small-town Southern cozy mysteries
🏡 Charming communities full of gossip and secrets
🐾 Quirky neighbors and lovable pets
🪑 Front porch friendships and amateur sleuths
📚 Clean whodunits filled with humor and heart
Welcome to Sugar Creek Gap—where the tea is sweet, the gossip is strong, and murder always finds its way to the front porch.
Mail carrier, Bernadette (Bernie) Butler, along with the Front Porch Ladies, are curious of their new neighbor, Courtney Gaines, who is the niece of Florence Gaines, the wealthiest widow in Sugar Creek Gap. Florence lets it be known that she is seeing Zeke Grey, which doesn’t set well with the Front Porch Ladies. They were all in competition for Zeke’s attention.
Shortly after learning that Florence, who announced it rather loudly, that she and Zeke got married, while delivering the mail, Bernie overhears what could be the first marital spat.
As Bernie is happily awaiting the birth of her first grandchild, her best friend shares a feeling that something isn’t right between Bernie’s son, Grady, and her daughter-in-law, Julia. Grady seems to be very chummy with Courtney, which has Bernie singing high praise of Julia and how there is a new baby on the way.
When Florence turns up dead in mulch, coupled with what Sheriff Angela Hafley mentioned, Bernie can’t help but want to get involved and when Sheriff Angela requests Bernie to be a ‘snoop consultant’, she readily agrees. Bernie’s snooping leads her to information that hits a little too close to home and Bernie enlists her best friend, Iris for help.
