Having lost her job as a reporter, Callie is back home, working in a bookshop. The island holds both good and bad memories for her. She was only 12 when her mother tumbled from the top of the lighthouse. Now more than two decades later, Eva, a friend suffered the same fate. The distraught 12-year-old daughter doesn’t believe it’s the suicide that the officials declared the death to be, and she wants Callie to find out what really happened. A treasure hunt factors into the mystery, and Callie must decipher the clues to hopefully figure out what Eva had discovered that perhaps led to her death. It’s a well developed mystery. The characters are interesting and the setting is delightful. ( )

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Mystery, murder, treasure hunt, small beach town, spunky main character, a bookstore, a historic lighthouse, a rich reclusive older woman with secrets, a ramshackle pier, and a dangerous bull shark just off shore. All of these elements made for an irresistible cozy mystery.

Reporter Callie Padget returns to her hometown of Cattail Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina after she is laid off from her newspaper job in Charlotte. She takes a temporary job in the town’s bookstore, just in time for the summer season. And she moves back in with her Uncle Hudson, who she has lived with since she was 12.

This debut is told in first person by Callie, who is smart, determined, and a self-appointed amateur detective. She is still aching from the loss of her mother, who died from a tumble from the town’s lighthouse 26 years ago. So when Eva, another local woman, dies after falling from the same lighthouse on the anniversary of her mother’s death, Callie is highly suspicious. She doesn’t believe either death is a suicide, and promises Eva’s 12-year-old daughter she will find answers for both of them.

The premise was captivating, and Callie’s ability to find clues and make connections kept me turning the pages. Other positives were Callie’s honest voice, and the way the author provided several suspicious characters, a few red herrings, an element of danger as well as a promising hint of romance. What took away some stars for me was when Callie recklessly puts herself in danger chasing after unstable possible murderers. And she does this twice! Why do authors have their otherwise sharp and intelligent amateur sleuths suddenly lose all common sense?

Regardless of this complaint, it’s still a worthwhile read. If you like Mary Kay Andrew’s mysteries, you’ll like this engaging novel. And it’s the first in the series so there will be more stories about Callie Padget, the lighthouse, and the town of Cattail Island. ( )

Smile Beach Murder by Alicia Bessette has Callie Padget returning to Cattail Island, North Carolina. Callie has been laid off from her reporting job and is finding it a challenge to locate another newspaper job. She moves back into her old room in the loft at her uncle’s home and gets a position at MotherVine bookstore. Almost to the day of her mother’s death at the lighthouse, another body is found there. It is Eva Meeks who co-owns Meeks Hardware with her sister. Callie is one of the last people to speak with Eva. The police are ruling Eva’s death a suicide, but Callie does not believe it. Eva had been in the store the day before her death searching for information on her latest treasure hunt. Callie wonders if the search for the treasure led her to the lighthouse. With the police unwilling to explore another solution, Callie begins digging for the truth. Smile Beach Murder takes readers to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the island. Alicia Bessette is a detail-oriented writer who brought scenes alive with her word imagery. All the things that make up a cozy mystery are included: a woman needing a fresh start, small beach town, cozy bookstore, bookstore cat, a mystery, curiosity (as a reporter she wants the truth to be revealed), and an eligible (and handsome) man. I love that the bookstore cat has his own Instagram account. “He” takes pictures around town. There is plenty of action as Callie works at the bookstore, investigates the mystery, and digs into the treasure hunt. I thought it was delightful that a treasure hunt was included (who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt). I enjoyed the reveal of the treasure hunt solution. The whodunit kept Callie busy. She actively searched for clues and asked questions. She came up with a couple of viable suspects. There is a dramatic reveal filled with tension. It depends on how many cozy mysteries you have read on when you will solve it. The clues are there is you pay close attention to the details. There are references to mystery novels throughout the story which I loved (one of my favorites was mentioned). I appreciate that the author took the time to set the stage with the setting and the main characters. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next An Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery. Smile Beach Murder is an enticing treasure with beautiful beaches, a low-ceilinged loft, a comfortable bookstore, a treacherous treasure hunt, a looming lighthouse, mystery novel mentions, an Instagram celebrity cat, and a probing reporter. ( )