… at the Book Show. Yes! At last, the third book in my Pacific Northwest Cozy Mystery series is here. Silenced at the Book show takes bestselling author and amateur sleuth Saffi Graywood to Seaside, Oregon, where she is scheduled to offer the keynote speech at a booksellers’ conference. If that’s not stressful enough, she arrives to find the bed in her luxurious suite covered in flower petals that appear to have been dipped in blood.

One whodunit follows another, including a murder which the local police chief thinks has been committed by Saffi’s editor, Poppy Morales… or by Saffi herself.

A stalker, a looming storm, Surrey cycles, a seaside town with a series of unsolved murders, vintage trailers on a cove with a view of Tillamook Head, mermaids, plus books, books, and more books invite readers to fully experience winter on the Oregon coast. And, of course, there’s a coffee cafe where locals hang out, giving Saffi a chance to sip Mexi-mochas while eavesdropping on conversations that hint at decades-old mysteries.

As an editor, and then as a writer, I’ve spent a lot of time in booths at book shows. I hope that experience lends authenticity to the latest installation of Saffi’s story. I’ve also lived in Seaside, Oregon—the book’s setting. Seaside is a quintessential beach town, complete with salt water taffy shops, pancakes houses, a carousel mall, an arcade, and a mile-long beachfront promenade. Silenced at the Book Show was directly inspired by the wind, waves, weather, people, coffee shops, Surrey cycles, swan-shaped paddle boats, and wild life of one of my favorite Oregon towns.

Inside information: This book was originally titled Silenced in Seaside. I chose the title because “silencing,” especially of women, plays a big role in the book’s plot. I grew up in the South, in Georgia, in the sixties and seventies. As a girl, I was told to be “seen and not heard.” As a glasses-wearing, brown-haired, quiet girl, I never felt seen. And I rarely dared to be heard. That’s probably why my adulthood has centered around finding my voice and helping others find their voices.

Enjoy some scenes from Seaside, Oregon, and, once you read the book, try to match photos to scenes in the book!