Mix one old flame with a splash of suspicion for the perfect. . . murder.
In the seaside haven of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Willa Keane’s marriage is in a rut. As a retired interior-designer-turned-influencer, she’s sure life begins at fifty-five, whereas her husband, Marty, is more interested in watching his beloved birds.
So when Willa is invited to the opening of the chicest new cocktail bar in town, she hopes the evening will rekindle their flame. But arriving at the party, Willa is shaken to discover it’s being hosted by her charming ex-husband, Paul.
The night is thrown into even deeper chaos when the bar’s enigmatic owner is found dead on the rocks below. A suicide message suggests there’s no foul play, but Willa’s heightened senses aren’t so sure. Now she must solve the mystery together with her husband…and her ex-husband.
Can they find the killer before another victim is served their last cocktail?
A unique locked-room debut about a grandmother and granddaughter who are snowed in at a lavish mansion party where the host has been murdered, and the unlikely sleuthing pair must draw on a unique skillset to navigate a dangerous game together
© 2026 Kelly Mullen