Meet Cassie Gwynne: bookworm, cat lover, reluctant heiress...determined detective?

Florida, 1883. Cassie Gwynne is looking for a fresh start when she steps off the steamship in Fernandina harbor for the very first time. She’s trying very hard to become the proper society lady her father wished she was. She’s styled her unruly hair, shined her boots, and even purchased a whole new wardrobe. However, she’s certain finding a body is not very ladylike behavior....

While out exploring the beautiful island with her aunt Flora, Cassie stumbles across the body of Peanut Runkles, town grump and her aunt’s neighbor, lying at the foot of the harbor lookout tower. To make matters worse, because Peanut and Flora have been quarreling for years over everything - from Flora’s wayward puppy to the location of Peanut’s vegetable patch - Flora is immediately arrested for murder.

Desperate to save the only family she has left, Cassie vows to prove Flora’s innocence and untangle the mystery herself, no matter how much the locals disapprove. Adopting Esy the kitten along the way, Cassie’s brilliant mind and nose for a clue lead her on an investigation that takes her all around the island.

But how does the tattered notebook Cassie finds, hidden in a secret drawer in Peanut’s desk, connect to the crime? Cassie is determined to dig up the truth, but can she catch the culprit before her time on the island comes to a deadly end?

This warm and witty cozy mystery will transport you to Fernandina beach and introduce you to a feisty heroine far before her time! Perfect for fans of Verity Bright, T. E. Kinsey, and Deanna Raybourn.