The Inn at Holiday Bay: Secret in the Storm

A heartwarming cozy mystery series about losing everything, taking a chance, and starting again.

After suffering a personal tragedy, Abby Sullivan buys a huge old seaside mansion she has never even seen, packs up her life in San Francisco, and moves to Holiday Bay Maine, where she is adopted, quite against her will, by a huge Maine Coon Cat named Rufus, a drifter with her own tragic past named Georgia, and a giant dog with an inferiority complex named Ramos. What Abby thought she needed was alone time to heal. What she ended up with was, an inn she never knew she wanted, a cat she couldn’t seem to convince to leave, and a new family she’d never be able to live without.

In book 26 in the series, the perfect storm develops when an unusual weather pattern involving higher than normal temperatures, hundred-year rain totals, and wind speeds that haven’t been seen in a decade, combine with the arrival at the inn of a group of senior citizens with a secret, a ghost, and a pile of cash, or at least potential cash, that might very well make the difference between life and death.

SeaEmJay
5.0 out of 5 stars Different
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This isn’t a "true" murder mystery, but it is a mystery. A couple mysteries, in fact. There's a search for hidden money that's desperately needed to save a life and the cold case of a man who drowned on a beach in Holiday Bay 40 years ago. All this plays out in the middle of a raging storm. Georgia also has some news that could have a big effect on the Inn, if she can get past her fears and "what ifs" that are keeping her from moving forward. If you’re looking for a "who dunnit" with danger and suspense, this probably isn't the book for you. But if you're looking for a couple of interesting puzzles, a little look back into the 80s (I can't believe they were 40 years ago...how did that happen?), then you might enjoy this book. I've read this whole series, and I find them a nice, gentle, leisurely read. There's no sex, violence, swearing, etc, so sit in your recliner, have a cup of coffee, relax, and enjoy.