Cedar River, Texas is a boring little town on the outskirts of Austin where nothing ever happens. Well, there was that big bank robbery back in the fifties, but that was before my time. It’s just far enough away from civilization to be surrounded by bucolic ranches and, of course, the Garza’s dairy farm (they have the best ice cream in the county) but is close enough that any day now it might be gobbled up by the “Big City,” as folks from around here call the Texas capital.
My name is Juniper Jessup, but most everyone calls me Juni. I’m admittedly biased toward Cedar River because I grew up here, along with my two older sisters, Tansy and Maggie. I moved away after college but recently returned to open Sip & Spin Records, a vinyl records shop/coffee café with my sisters. Now that I’m back home, I remember why I adore this place so much.
There’s nothing better than spending the day browsing the quaint Cedar Spines Bookstore or taking a two-step class at Boot Scootin’ Dance Studio. United Steaks of America is a great place to get a fancy dinner with a special someone, and if there’s room for dessert, Sweet Shoppe on Main Street never disappoints. It’s a small town, so we have to make our own fun, even if it’s just catching fireflies along the banks of the river—which might be why karaoke night at Sip & Spin Records is always a big hit.
Speaking of Sip & Spin Records, you’d love it. It’s in the same two-story storefront on Main Street where my grandparents used to have their own record shop, before it went out of business. Now vinyl records are back in style, and at Sip & Spin, there are always great tunes playing, new (and new to you) records to discover, and delicious, musically-themed hot drinks made to order. Today’s drink special is one of my favorites: Nights in White Chocolate Mocha. Or, if you’re looking for something with a couple thousand less calories, we’ve got a simple blend on drip called Brew Can Go Your Own Way. More of a tea person than a coffee drinker? Never fear, we’ve got you covered with Killing Me Softly With Oolong.
And I absolutely promise you that no dead bodies will fall out of the supply closet. Not again. That was a one-time fluke. Okay, so the mayor did drop dead while drinking Sip & Spin coffee at the annual Bluebonnet Festival, but that totally wasn’t our fault. And my old college acquaintance dying in a freak accident outside of the record shop during a torrential Texas thunderstorm? I can assure you that was purely coincidental, even if he was trying to engineer a hostile takeover of our small, family-owned business.
Come to think of it, maybe Cedar River isn’t a boring little town where nothing interesting ever happens! Luckily for the fine folks of my hometown, Juni Jessup is on the case. I’ve already managed to solve two murders since moving back. And like they say, third time’s the charm, right?
RHYTHM AND CLUES by Olivia Blacke
The Record Shop Mysteries #3
The rhythm is gonna get you.
It’s been five whole months since the last murder in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have been humming along when disaster strikes again.
Their struggling vinyl records shop/coffee nook, Sip & Spin Records, is under pressure from predatory investors, though the Jessup sisters aren’t ready to face the music and admit defeat. But the night after their
meeting, the sketchy financier is killed outside their shop during a torrential Texas thunderstorm that washes out all the roads in and out of town. Now the sisters find themselves trapped in Cedar River with a killer, and Juni is determined to solve the case.
When the river spits out an unexpected surprise, Detective Beau Russell asks for Juni’s help, never predicting her investigation will spin her into danger. Up until now, the Jessup sisters have been playing it by ear, but with
the whole town watching, can they catch a killer before he strikes again?
Mystery Cozy [St. Martin’s Paperbacks, On Sale: March 26, 2024, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781250860125 / ]
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About Olivia Blacke
OLIVIA BLACKE (she/her), author of the Record Shop Mysteries, beginning with Vinyl Resting Place, and the Brooklyn Murder Mysteries, finally found a way to put her Criminology degree to good use by writing quirky, unconventional, character-driven cozy mysteries. Olivia is a little nerdy, a lot awkward, and just the right amount of weird. She is a recovering ex-Texan who resides with her husband, Potassium, and Baileycakes, their roly-poly rescue puggle. When not writing, reading, or spending way too much time on social media, Olivia enjoys Amigurumi crochet, scuba diving, collecting tattoos, watching hockey, and baking dog cookies. She wants to be a unicorn when she grows up.
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