A Dark September Night by Patricia Smiley

A Dark September Night

Book 1 of the Justice Bay Mysteries coming August 12th

The death of Emmaline McCoy’s beloved aunt Lydie in a hit-an-run accident shatters her world. Granted two weeks of bereavement leave from her corporate Los Angeles job, Emma heads to the small Northern California coastal town of Justice Bay to settle Lydie’s estate and sell her waterfront cottage.

As Emma navigates grief and lookie-loo home buyers, she opens a popup store in town to re-home the antiques and collectibles accumulated from her aunt’s travels. The sluggish pace of the police investigation and a growing belief that her aunt’s death was not an accident compel her to search for clues on her own. Her investigation uncovers alarming information and stimulates the onset of bizarre paranormal visions. Emma’s out-of-body images and her amassed evidence point to the person at the wheel of the murder car, landing her in a killer’s crosshairs. In her corner throughout the ordeal are her aunt’s wise and quirky Siberian Forest cat Boo, her retired FBI Special Agent neighbor, Walter Kestrel, and his easy-on-the-eyes nephew Cooper Dane, a recovering attorney-turned-sailor whose skill set extends beyond tying bowlines and litigating torts.

Praise

“Longtime mystery novelist Patricia Smiley is on her way with a new series featuring businesswoman-turned-sleuth Emmaline McCoy and a sparkling location called Justice Bay. It’s all here: Smiley’s trademark humor, her witty observations, her memorable characters, her spot-on descriptions of places and people. Her observations about love, grief, and somehow getting on with life are tender and deep. A Dark September Night is a great start to a series that promises to be both memorable and great fun.”
—NYT bestselling author Elizabeth George
A Dark September Night is a superb read, with everything you want in a mystery—relatable characters, a setting that draws you in, a plausible plot, and a satisfying resolution. I read it in one day! Couldn’t put it down.”
—Award-Winning Author Terry Shames
A Dark September Night is the perfect book to cozy up with on a rainy day. Welcome to Justice Bay, a sweet small town full of romance, spies, a touch of the supernatural, and of course, murder. Emma McCoy is a feisty, funny heroine you’ll love rooting for.”
—Bestselling Author Matt Witten