Books, beach roses... and bodies. Bookseller and recent divorcée Max Sayers has risked her life savings to start a fresh chapter with the purchase of Seaside Cottage Books in cozy Snug Harbor, Maine. But she's barely opened the shop's doors when her new storybook life takes a dark turn. The morning after the grand opening—featuring a famous author who shows up at the store on the arm of Max's ex-husband—Max's rescue dog Winston finds a dead man on the beach behind the shop. The murder weapon? One of Max's antique bookends. Will Max solve the case before the murderer strikes again? Or will her bright new beginning turn into a killer of an ending?