Steeped in Secrets

At the start of this charming series launch from Elliott (the Beyond the Page Bookstore mysteries), Shayleigh “Shay” Myers returns to her hometown of Bray Harbor, Calif., newly divorced, broke, and with no prospects. Much to her surprise, she discovers that Brigit Early, a woman she barely knew growing up, recently died under mysterious circumstances and left Shay Crystals & CuriosiTEAS (a tea and psychic shop), a cottage on the beach, and a prescient white dog. Shay has always had what her mother called “heightened senses,” but she isn’t quite prepared to give psychic readings for a living, so when her realtor tries to talk her into selling the store, Shay seriously considers it—until she spots a corpse lying on the glass ceiling of the shop’s upstairs greenhouse. Who was this man and why was he killed on the roof of the store? When Shay investigates, she discovers the answer may be written in the tea leaves. Elliott delivers appealing characters, surprising twists, a bit of magic, and the promise of romance. Lovers of paranormal cozies are sure to get on board. Agent: Sandy Harding, Spencer Hill Assoc. (Dec.)