Description

Writing a friend’s obit might be the death of a quirky young librarian in this “fresh and funny, romantic and sunny” mystery (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).**

Riley Ellison, a young library assistant, has become known in her hometown of Tuttle Corner, Virginia, as Riley Bless-Her-Heart. Ever since her beloved granddaddy died and her longtime boyfriend broke up with her, Riley has withdrawn from life. In an effort to rejoin the living, she signs up for an online dating service and tries to reconnect with her childhood best friend, Jordan James, now a reporter at the Tuttle Times. But when she learns that Jordan committed suicide, Riley is shaken to the core.

Riley agrees to write Jordan’s obituary hoping to find out why a young woman with so much to live for would suddenly opt out. But Jordan’s co-worker, a paranoid reporter with a penchant for conspiracy theories, convinces Riley that Jordan’s death was no suicide. He leads her down a dangerous path toward organized crime, secret lovers, and suspicious taco trucks.

When Riley’s hunt for the truth intersects with her emerging love life, she will discover a secret that puts everything she holds dear—her job, the people she loves, and even her life—in danger.

“Orr’s book checked three genre boxes for me: a smart cozy series, a Southern small town setting, and, my favorite, a newspaper mystery.” —Carole Barrowman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“The perfect mix of mystery, humor, and romance, anchored by an endearing heroine.” —Laura McHugh, award-winning author of The Weight of Blood

“Recommended for admirers of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum capers.” —Library Journal