The Daydreamer Detective Braves The Winter

Book 2: The Miso Cozy Mystery series

by Steph Gennaro

Genres: Cozy Mystery

Synopsis

She’s got her head in the clouds and a taste for solving crime…

December has set in and just when the rural town of Chikata is recovering from one murder, Mei and her new boyfriend, Yasahiro, find their friend, Etsuko, dead in her apartment. Etsuko was sweet and talented, and now everyone suspects her longtime boyfriend killed her. Mei doesn’t believe it, though, and she vows to help solve the crime.

But Mei has more to think about than murder. With the barn gone and their vegetable stores destroyed, she and her mother are down to their last canned goods and no money for heat. Mei’s mom is fortunate to find work, but Mei must fend for herself, get a job, and keep their financial situation a secret from Yasahiro. In pursuit of paying work, she stumbles onto a new witness to the crime, and before long, the dead woman's secret life unravels before everyone’s eyes.

Half-starving and out of her element, Mei is on thin ice, and it’s going to take a whole lot of ingenuity and quick thinking to solve the crime before the killer gets to her as well…

The Daydreamer Detective Braves The Winter is the delightful second course to the Miso Cozy series of cozy mystery novels.

Release date: July 7, 2016

Publisher: Onigiri Press

Sample

“If only I could do for others what I do for you, as a real job.” I sat back in my chair and stared at the woman making coffee behind the counter. “I don’t think I have it in me to be a nurse, nor do I have the qualifications to work in a nursing home, but there has to be something else.”

Murata hummed, picking at the napkin on the table. “You know what’s missing in Chikata? A gathering place for us older folks. It used to be that the community center was that for us.”

“Right,” I said, perking up. “You were telling me that last week.”

“What about a central place where people can do crafts?”

“Maybe they could do crafts, or sit and talk, or have tea. They could even have family gatherings there some days.”

“Yes, yes,” Murata said, nodding. “If you could figure out how to sell discounted meals there, too, that would be ideal.”

I slipped away into a daydream of this place. Several low tables and easy seating, crafts on designated days, birthday parties, and grandkids coming to visit, hot tea and discounted bento boxes. A place like this, central and catering to anyone over sixty-five, would be hopping with people. What if it also sold specialty items to help cover the rent?

“Mei?” Murata sat forward, trying to get my attention. “Your smile is as wide as the ocean.” She laughed. “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about making dreams into reality.” I picked up our empty cups and brought them to the counter. “Let’s brainstorm some more on this on the way home. I just had a fantastic idea, and it’s going to involve a lot of planning.”

“Planning, young lady, is what I do best.” She snapped her hat on her head. “Let’s go.”