Secrets of Wayfarers Inn
Series · 27
books · 2018-2025
Books in series
#1
Family Secrets
2018
Welcome to Marietta, Ohio, where the past is never far away and the present invites adventure and intrigue. Bring together three reunited friends, a historic building-turned-inn, and mysteries past and present. Blend in the century-old story of Prudence Willard and her clandestine work with the Underground Railroad, and you'll begin to discover the Secrets of Wayfarers Inn.
#2
River of Life
2018
In Secrets of Wayfarers Inn, Book 2: River of Life, Tess finds a quilt with an unusual pattern in the underground secret room that once housed runaway slaves. Does the quilt provide something more than a source of warmth? What bygone stories and secrets are waiting to be deciphered in its intricate stitch work? Within the walls of the Wayfarers Inn, and amid the streets and residences of this historic Ohio River town, LuAnn, Tess, and Janice find evidence that exposes the darker chapters of local history—as well as its citizens’ unsung acts of heroism and kindness.
#3
All that Remains
2023
When Janice Eastman wakes from a nap to find her five-year-old grandson has gone missing, she must confront crippling fears as her search takes her into the darkest recesses of Wayfarers Inn. There, she makes a startling discovery: skeletal human remains lie alongside an antique photo of a woman holding a child. The discovery of the bones pulls her, Tess, and LuAnn into a mystery that they must quickly solve before archaeological and general curiosity from the public and media threatens to further delay the inn’s opening. Will this be the end of their dream for Wayfarers Inn?
#4
Greater than Gold
2018
Wayfarers Inn finally opens, just in time for Marietta's biggest tourist draw, the Sternwheel Festival. But LuAnn, Janice, and Tess' excitement is tempered when the inn's ancient elevator breaks down—and handyman Tory Thornton goes missing, leaving a bloody rage behind. When LuAnn finds a valuable and long-missing bracelet in THorn's toolbox, suspicions mount—as do the suspects. Has Thorn run off with a treasure that had been hidden in the inn centuries before...or has an old enemy caught up with him? As LuAnn and her friends seek to learn more about the bracelet, and how it ended up at the inn, they uncover a tale of theft, betrayal, and sacrifice that dates to the Civil War.
As the clues pile up, both for and against Thorn, and hidden pieces of his past come to light, the friends find themselves asking the age-old question: How well do you ever really know someone? And how do you ever know what to believe about the people you think you know?
#5
A Flame in the Night
2018
When Marla Still surprises the Inn Crowd with news of her engagement, she recruits Janice Eastman to help her plan her dream wedding—and Janice has only two weeks to do it. Marla, who had nearly given up on falling in love, dreams of hearing church bells toll on her wedding day. But the bells at Christ Fellowship haven’t tolled for decades, not since the belfry became a catch-all storage area for the belongings of some church members—including Marla—when the Ohio River flooded their homes. When Janice,Tess, and LuAnn clean out the belfry, they find an old Bible from Marla’s ancestor, famed abolitionist William Still, which Janice takes for safekeeping. That night a suspicious fire breaks out in the bell tower. Was someone trying to destroy this valuable piece of history—or just trying to spoil Marla’s wedding plans?
Meanwhile, red flags arise for Janice as she learns more about Marla’s husband-to-be. Is he the gem Marla believes him to be? Or does he have more sinister motives?
#6
Never the Twain Shall Meet
2018
The Inn Crowd is thrilled when Moses Willard V, the greatgreat-great-grandson of Prudence and Jason Willard, arrives with his family to stay at Wayfarers Inn—bringing a mystery with him. A series of cryptic notes suggest that someone is holding the Willard family “treasure” for ransom. But who? And what could this treasure be? As Tess, LuAnn, and Janice help Moses search for answers, Thanksgiving draws near and preparations for the holiday are underway. But when Tess and her grown daughter, Lizzie, discuss holiday plans, something goes awry, and Tess is left feeling rejected and unwanted. Can Tess’s friends help her open the lines of communication and patch up their misunderstanding?
#7
The Innkeepers' Conundrum
2018
It’s Christmastime in Marietta, and at Wayfarers Inn the season is in full swing. When the final touches of LuAnn Sherrill’s decorations blow a fuse, she and Realtor Brad Grimes look for a way not to overload the circuits—or sacrifice any of her hard work. But after an antique mirror crashes to the floor in one of the guest rooms, their mission is temporarily forgotten as they try to figure out what caused it to fall. As more mysterious mishaps occur, LuAnn and her friends begin to wonder if someone is trying to sabotage the inn.
Amid all the chaos, LuAnn deals with the unexpected loneliness of her first Christmas since her mother died. When she finds a little dog scratching at the inn’s back door, and that little dog leads her to a kitten, she finds her grief a bit more bearable. But where did the duo come from? And can she convince her friends—especially Tess, who takes an uncharacteristic dislike to the furry pair—to let them stay for good?
#8
At Face Value
2018
At Face Value is the 8th book in the Secrets of Wayfarers Inn cozy mystery series.
When the Ohio River freezes over, the friends take advantage of the rare occurrence to refresh their skating skills. But their elation quickly gives way to curiosity when they find a unique old leather purse that holds a Civil War-era recipe for soup. Winnie is delighted to try it out—minus, of course, the cryptic addition of five poisonous toadstools noted on the recipe! The women’s excitement is shattered when the first person to taste the soup—a public radio correspondent, staying at the inn while she researches her ancestor, a respected judge during the Civil War—becomes dreadfully ill after eating it.
Meanwhile, Tess’s melancholy memories of her beloved late husband, Jeffrey, surface on the anniversary of their first date—on ice skates—and his marriage proposal that followed at the same place a year later. A revelation from a charming Marietta newcomer further stirs up her feelings of grief and loss. Can Tess find a way for her heart to move on and embrace the possibility of love again?
#9
Moonlit Shadows
2019
It’s almost Valentine’s Day at Wayfarers Inn, and the Inn Crowd is just days away from hosting Marietta Moonlight, their first sweetheart banquet. To add to the chaos, staff members from a nearby conference are also arriving to stay at the inn. But nothing is going right—the catering company declares bankruptcy, and their guest speaker slips on the ice and fractures her leg, leaving the Inn Crowd in the lurch. Two guests arrive who may be answers to their prayers . . . or the cause of yet more stress. An hour after RJ Dulak and Brin McLoughlin arrive, back-to-back, RJ claims he’s been robbed. Is it just a coincidence that Brin showed up moments after RJ? Janice, LuAnn, and Tess spring into sleuth mode once again, determined to uncover the truth—and prevent the Valentine Villain from spoiling the banquet. Meanwhile, an old photo of Stuart leads Janice to wonder if her son has kept a very big secret from her for the past twenty years.
#10
Picture This
2019
The Inn is participating in Marietta's famous First Friday event. Photo's are sold out and someone becomes engaged. A wedding is planned on the spot. Ellie and cousin Marsha arrive,but their bickering is making people wonder if they are even related.
#11
Forget-Me-Nots
2019
When an unexpected guest arrives at Wayfarers Inn, claiming not to remember anything about his past, Tess and her friends are intrigued and slightly suspicious. Who is this dapper, urbane man? And what secrets might he be hiding behind his apparent amnesia? As the Inn Crowd tries to help Titus Jones recover his memories, a host of strange clues emerge that seem to suggest his involvement with a decades-old cold case with ties to mobsters. Is Wayfarers Inn harboring a fugitive?
Meanwhile, the Inn Crowd plans for their first-ever Easter egg hunt as an outreach to the community, and they discover a more likable side to their old news nemesis, Karl Mannus, when he stays at the inn with his wife for their tenth anniversary. But even on vacation, Karl’s nose for news is sniffing out a story that could shatter a venerable Marietta family. Could Karl’s ambition put him at greater risk than he expected?
#12
All the Inn's a Stage
2019
When Janice and her friends agree to host her friend Heidi’s traveling theater company at the inn for their big debut, they have no idea how immersive the experience will really be. Janice throws herself into the role of costume designer, using her skills with needle and hot glue to bring Heidi’s vision to life. But as rehearsals continue, fog machines start falling, Janice’s sewing machine is sabotaged, and a rival theater company’s brochures appear all over town. Is there a saboteur in the cast, or is it the rival theater owner who has ties not only to Heidi, but to one of the play’s actors? Meanwhile, Harry gives the Inn Crowd a box of old books from his antique shop that includes a battered fragment of an antique script. A tantalizing clue on the cover makes Janice and her friends wonder—could it have anything to do with the inn’s role as a station on the Underground Railroad? And could there also be a connection to the current drama at the inn?
#13
Stolen Goodbyes
2019
When a tour group checks into the inn, LuAnn has the strangest feeling that she's met one of the guests before. He seems to recognize her, too, but he denies knowing her. Who is he, & how does she know him? As LuAnn combs her memory & searches for some clue to find their connection, she discovers some unsettling facts about this guest's personal history —-or lack thereof.
Meanwhile, a year after her mother's death, she's finally made the decision to sort through her mother's things, including some old home movies. the items make her feel close to her mother again & remind her of the strong bonds of family, as well as provide some surprising answers to who the mystery guest could be.
#14
Red, White, and True
2019
On the Fourth of July, Tess and her friends find a mysterious red, white, and blue brooch in the curio cabinet at Wayfarers Inn. Who could have left it there, and why? When Tess takes it to a local jeweler for appraisal, it is stolen out of his hands before they can find a single clue about its origins. As the friends dig in to the mystery, they learn tidbits about the brooch's colorful history, including the fact that among their current guests are descendants of a man suspected, one hundred and fifty years ago, of stealing this same brooch.
As their search for answers progresses, their friend and handyman, Tory "Thorn" Thornton seems distracted and out of sorts. Can Tess uncover why he's acting this way and help him work through the difficulties he is so reticent to share?
#15
The Secret Ingredient
2019
Wayfarers Inn employer & friend Winnie Washington wins two categories of Marietta's "Rising Star" baking competition—-qualifying her for the finals in Columbus. Janice, Tess, & LuAnn are eager to capitalize on their new superstar, handing a banner over the door at the inn & arranging a wonderful writeup in the paper by young, hungry-for-a-story reporter, Hank Clive. They also offer a free loaf of Winnie's award-winning bread to the first twelve people to book a room at the inn. But when strange messages begin to show up inside the loaves of bread, warning people to stay away from the inn, the friends must figure out who would want to harm them, or Winnie.
In the middle of the confusion, the Inn Crows deals with the eccentric Reena Newberry, whose constant demands for attention wear on the Inn Crowd. Who is this woman, & what does she want from them? Finding the answers becomes imperative when they uncover a connection between Reena's family history & their current mystery.
#16
Submerged Surprises
2019
The Inn Crowd's friend Margaret Ashworth, the head of the Marietta Historical Society, disappears after sharing an old Civil War-era newspaper clipping about a pouch of gold that went missing. As LuAnn, Tess, & Janice try to help Margaret's great-niece figure out what could have happened & where Margaret could be, LeAnn finds an old McGuffey Reader & a Confederate cipher wheel, seeming to point to the gold's —-& possibly Margaret's —- location.
Meanwhile, Ashley, a former student of LuAnn's, is in town researching the Castle, a local historical site undergoing renovation. But Ashley's strange behavior makes LuAnn wonder if something more than a deadline is causing her distress.
#17
Hushed October
2019
When Tess and inn guest Elliott MacIntosh embark on a metal-detecting excursion on the property once owned by Underground Railroad conductors Jason and Prudence Willard, the pair stumbles across a fascinating discovery: half of a rare slave tag, perfectly cut and notched. Who did it belong to? And what happened to the other half? As the Inn Crowd sorts through clues to find the missing piece and learn the story behind the tag, Tippi Coddlesworth, an old friend—and sometime rival—from college comes to the inn for a visit. But her overt curiosity makes Tess wonder…does she know more about the story behind the slave tag than she is telling them?
#18
Before It's Too Late
2019
How can Janice possibly keep such a secret? When her son, Stuart, shares his plans to propose to his girlfriend, Zelda, Janice is overjoyed—but the challenge of keeping it from Stuart’s fiancé-to-be might be more than she can handle. Adding to the excitement, Zelda has been appointed chair of the annual Thanksgiving Feast committee, of which Janice is a member. Townspeople have been busy collecting donations to make sure no one in Marietta goes without a Thanksgiving meal, but when the funds go missing, Zelda is the immediate suspect, despite her claims that she placed the money in the bank’s night depository drop box. When the police get involved, Stuart’s plans to propose are interrupted, and it seems his entire future with Zelda is in jeopardy. Can Janice and her friends find the real thief and clear Zelda’s name in time to save the community Thanksgiving Feast—and Stuart’s proposal?
#19
Mercy's Song
2019
Christmas is fast approaching, and this year, in addition to Christmas preparations and a full house at the inn, LuAnn Sherrill has been asked to step in and chair the Marietta Christmas-In-History Tour committee. But LuAnn’s love of making lists and organizing is put to the test by the overbearing behavior of Fern McPherson. Nothing LuAnn does seems to satisfy her. Things are further complicated when Jerri, one of LuAnn’s former students, comes to town to visit her sister, Michele, and Michele is immediately carried off to the hospital, unconscious. Can LuAnn and her friends make sense of the cryptic notes in Michele’s notebook and solve a possible crime in time for Christmas? In the midst of the mystery, LuAnn realizes her feelings for Brad Grimes may be something more than mere friendship. Can she sort out her feelings and decide, once and for all, where she stands?
#20
There's No Place Like Holmes
2019
Sherlock Holmes has come to Marietta…or at least, his fan club. Tess Wallace and her friends are excited to welcome Tess’s uncle Harold to the inn with his Sherlock Society, and they expect a weekend of deerstalker hats, violin music, and rousing debate regarding the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. But when a new donation to the Underground Railroad Museum goes missing en route to the inn, Tess, LuAnn, and Janice find themselves with a whole club-full of amateur detectives ready to help them solve the case. As the Inn Crowd and their guests investigate, it soon becomes apparent that all the clues they gather seem to be from one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories! How is it possible that this classic book, written decades ago, is leading them on a hunt all around Marietta today?
An unexpected snowstorm foils some of Tess’s plans for a miniature family reunion; and she realizes that Uncle Harold may not be as sharp as he once had been. He has dedicated his life to pursuits she can’t quite understand…but at the heart of it all, are they more alike than different?
#21
A Place to Belong
2019
Winter weather leads to plumbing woes at Wayfarers Inn, but when the plumber starts digging in the front yard, he uncovers a metal box that looks like it has been there for some time. Inside, the innkeepers find a variety of things: a dress, a bracelet, an old piece of newsprint—and an unmailed letter, in which the writer claims someone is going to hurt her. There is also a pocketknife tainted with…is that blood? Who do these things belong to? How did her box end up in the inn’s yard? And, most importantly, is she okay? As the Inn Crowd tries to find answers, the friends uncover a forgotten chapter in the history of the area and learn more about the place they now call home.
Meanwhile, Janice’s daughter, Stacy, has started dating a man who is not exactly the one Janice would have picked. But Janice doesn’t know how to tell Stacy her concerns without alienating her daughter. As she gets to know Stacy’s boyfriend, though, Janice comes to understand that sometimes she needs to learn to trust just a little more…and remember not to judge by outward appearances.
#22
Crossing the River
2020
When a framed print of Eliza from Uncle Tom’s Cabin goes missing from Wayfarers Inn, LuAnn, Tess, and Janice are puzzled—but when a first edition copy of the book is stolen from the Underground Railroad Museum the next day, they are alarmed. With two historic art dealers, a rare book collector, and a Harriet Beecher Stowe Museum employee (who is helping plan an event at the museum for the 170th anniversary of the book) all staying in town, the three owners know they have a thief in their midst. But who could have committed both thefts?
Meanwhile, Brad Grimes, LuAnn’s friend-turned-boyfriend, seems like he’s really getting serious about their relationship. What does the future hold for them, and is LuAnn ready for whatever comes next?
#23
Who Let the Dogs Out?
2025
When Marietta’s annual dog show comes to town, the Inn Crowd decides to open the inn to participants and their families. While some of the human guests are as high strung as their beloved canine companions, Tess, Janice, and LuAnn quickly find themselves falling for the beautiful dogs and enjoying getting to know their owners.
But when Jelly, the fan-favorite cocker spaniel poised to win Best in Breed, goes missing from the arena, Tess immediately suspects foul play. She and her friends are quickly drawn into helping the Lawson family find this furry member of their family. With a pesky reporter hanging around, a rescue organization parking their bus outside the venue, and a visit from a former guest-turned-friend, will the Inn Crowd be able to find Jelly and learn who let the dog out?
#24
Special Delivery
2020
Standing on the steps of the church and waving as her son and his new bride drove away was one of the best moments of Janice Eastman’s life. The phone call before the car turned the corner and disappeared out of sight was one of the worst. In the blink of an eye, or rather the ring of her cell phone, Janice went from happy mother of the groom to a woman facing a possible cancer diagnosis.
LuAnn and Tess attempt to keep Janice’s spirits up while the inn’s rooms are fully booked for the entire month. But then the FBI shows up to shut them down. Someone has been sending drugs to the local prison in books and papers infused with illegal substances, and all signs lead to Wayfarers Inn as the source. With the inn temporarily shuttered, can the Inn Crowd prove their innocence and find the source of the contraband, or will the inn be closed forever?
#25
Old, New, Borrowed, Blue
2020
All LuAnn Sherrill wants is a small, practical wedding, but no matter how organized she tries to be, all of her well-ordered plans keep unraveling. Brad, her groom, is no help. Neither are Tess and Janice, her two best friends and business partners. As the big day approaches, LuAnn begins to feel like she’s in one of those nightmares where everything goes wrong and no one seems to care.
As if she doesn’t have her hands full helping to run Wayfarers Inn and planning a wedding, 90-year-old Irene Bickerton Martin, Brad’s second cousin once removed, insists LuAnn help her redeco-rate and stage her mansion as she puts it on the market. When Brad can’t find the deed to the mansion, LuAnn begins to suspect a plot to keep Irene from selling her house. The question is…why?
#26
The Bucket List
2021
Spring has sprung at Wayfarers Inn, and Tess, LuAnn, and Janice are excited to host an Easter egg hunt extravaganza. Local businesses have chipped in, providing eggs loaded with all kinds of candy and prizes—coupons for services, free goodies, and even cash. Then there is the grand prize: a golden egg stuffed with three hundred dollars. But when the golden egg is found, it’s empty! Tess is baffled—she knows the egg was filled with money when the hunt began. Who could have stolen it? Could it be Griffin, the ex-con who is looking for a second chance but may not be able to help a relapse into his old ways? Or is it Corey, the reporter who seems keen on getting a headline for his newspaper? Who could it be? There is a thief at the inn, and it’s up to the Inn Crowd to discover who it could be!
#27
True North
2021
Janice is thrilled when she hears that her childhood friend is coming to Marietta for a surveyors conference. Her excitement turns to intrigue when she learns that he is in possession of an antique compass reported to have belonged to George Washington. But when Anthony arrives with plans to present the compass to the historical society, another conference attendee accuses him of stealing it from her father over forty years earlier. Then the stakes are raised when Anthony is attacked, and the compass is stolen!
As Janice and her friends search for the culprit, more people show up claiming a connection to the compass. Who could have stolen it? Is Anthony being truthful about how he came to own it? Can Prudence Willard's journal offer clues to help them get to the bottom of the mystery?
Authors
Becky Melby
Author · 12 books
Wisconsin resident Becky Melby is the author of more than 20 titles, including her latest, Candles in the Rain, plus the Lost Sanctuary Series, four books in the Guideposts cozy mystery series Secrets of Wayfarers Inn, and a novella in A Door County Christmas. Married for 48 years, mother of four, grandmother to sixteen, Becky thrives on writing, reading, camping, rides on the back of a silver Gold Wing, and time with family. Connect with her at www.beckymelby.com or Facebook.
Roseanna M. White
Author · 35 books
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. She and her family make their home in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com. see also Roseanna White
Leslie Gould
Author · 38 books
Leslie Gould is the #1 bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of over forty novels. She received her MFA in 2009 and has taught writing at two universities. Leslie enjoys traveling, hiking, and history. She and her husband, Peter, are the parents of four adult children and one grand baby. Visit her at http://www.lesliegould.com/.
Tracey Bateman
Author · 24 books
Tracey Bateman is also published as Tracey Cross, is the Christy award-winning author of more than thirty titles and has nearly a million books in print. She lives in Missouri's Ozarks with her husband and four children.
Janice Thompson
Author · 50 books
Welcome to the wacky, wonderful world of inspirational author Janice Hanna Thompson, where romantic comedy rules the day! I hope you love to laugh, because I make it my goal to tickle your funny bone at every turn in my light-hearted tales. Whether you’re looking for inspirational romance, quirky cozy mysteries, light-hearted historicals or fun books for younger readers, you will find it here. You will also find an abundance of non-fiction books, guaranteed to ease life’s burdens. Why do I focus on the light-hearted stuff? Because life is hard! My readers lead busy, chaotic lives and need those special “Calgon, Take Me Away!” moments! Providing “Love, Laughter and Happily Ever Afters” brings me great delight. Lest you think it’s all fluff, think again! Woven between the lines of each cheerful tale you will find the ultimate love story, one guaranteed to stir your soul and get your heart fluttering. Talk about a real happily ever after! There’s something for everyone on my site, so settle back in your chair, grab a cup of Earl Grey tea, and get ready to discover a light-hearted approach to life!
Kathleen Y'Barbo
Author · 49 books
Publishers Weekly bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than one hundred novels with almost two million copies in print in the US and abroad. A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine. To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.
Kim Vogel Sawyer
Author · 55 books
Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer told her kindergarten teacher that someday people would check out her book in the library. The little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer's Return. Kim's titles now exceed 1.5 million copies and are available in six different languages. A former elementary school teacher, she now enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Kim's passion lies in writing stories that point the reader to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. When Kim isn't writing, you'll find her traveling with her retired military hubby, spoiling her granddarlings, petting the cats, quilting, or—as time allows—participating in community theater. You can learn more about Kim's writing and speaking ministries at her website, KimVogelSawyer.com.
Virginia Smith
Author · 33 books
VIRGINIA SMITH is the bestselling author of forty-six novels (and counting!), 2 illustrated children’s books, and over fifty articles and short stories. An avid reader with eclectic tastes in fiction, Ginny writes in a variety of styles, from lighthearted relationship stories to breath-snatching suspense. Her books have been finalists in many prestigious awards, and two of her novels received the Holt Medallion Award of Merit. Learn more about Ginny and her books at www.virginiasmith.org
