Back Room Bookstore Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 - 12

by Susan Harper

  Back Room Bookstore Cozy Mystery Boxed Set

  Books 1 - 12

  Susan Harper

  Fairfield Publishing

  Copyright © 2020 Fairfield Publishing

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Except for review quotes, this book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the author.

  This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is purely coincidental.

  Contents

  Books and Brews

  The Guilty Party

  A Staged Murder

  A Gruesome Goal

  An Eye for Murder

  Holidays and Homicide

  A Lethal Love

  A Supernatural Slaying

  Beaten at His Own Game

  A Trip Through Time

  Seeing Double

  A Magical Ending

  Thank You!

  Books and Brews

  Back Room Bookstore Cozy Mystery, Book 1

  1

  Monica Montoya could hardly contain her excitement as she turned the key in the lock, opening the front door of her Back Room Books. “Fascinating,” she said as she turned the key back and forth, locking and unlocking the door. She pushed the door open and searched for the light switch, flipping it on and giggling excitedly at the rustic bookstore before her. She clapped her hands together several times and let loose a squeal. She looked back at the light switch and flipped it off, then on, then off again. “So interesting,” she said to herself.

  So far, she had seen very little of this new place known as Bankstown, having only just arrived the night before. Her Aunt Wilma was retiring and returning home to Wysteria, and she had asked Monica if she would be interested in taking over the shop. The answer had been an overwhelming yes. She viewed it as a grand learning opportunity. Monica had never been far from Wysteria, and this was quite literally a whole other world for her to explore.

  She scurried over to the counter in the back of the shop, locating the note her aunt had told her would be waiting. It was opening duties for the shop, and it all seemed fairly easy. Bookstores Monica got. The thing that made her nervous was the little coffee stand near the checkout counter. She had no idea how to make coffee, and this was a very fancy espresso machine, but she could see that her aunt’s letter had all of that in it too, so she was not going to let herself worry just yet. For all she knew, no one would even order coffee that day.

  Monica got to work on the to-do list her aunt had left behind, starting by gathering up any books that had been left strewn about and locating their proper place on the shelves. As she was placing several books on one of the older shelves, she heard a loud creak. The shelf snapped, and several books tumbled to the ground. “Oh dear!” Monica exclaimed. “Well, this will never do.” She extended both hands in front of her like a conductor getting ready to lead a performance. With her fingers extended, she muttered under her breath, “Reversum.” The books and the shelf fluttered back up, repairing itself as though nothing had ever happened. “Perfect.”

  “Are you insane!” a voice from above railed, surprising Monica and causing her to jump.

  Looking up, she could see a black cat sitting in the loft area and peering through the railings. Monica had almost forgotten about the loft reading nook—a lovely touch that her aunt said the mortals in the town adored. “What?” Monica said innocently.

  The black cat performed a daring leap and landed nimbly atop Monica’s shoulders before jumping to the ground. “Don’t you what me,” the cat said. “This is not Wysteria, Monica! You didn’t even look around to make sure no one was watching!”

  Monica sighed, knowing that her feline acquaintance was correct. “Sorry, Abs,” she said. “You’re absolutely right. I need to be more cautious.”

  “Abigail,” the cat corrected. “I really don’t care for the nickname.”

  “Come on, every witch gives her familiar some sort of pet name,” Monica said. “Abs is cute.”

  “I don’t do cute,” she said, strutting toward the back of the shop. “I can’t believe I’m stuck in… What is this place called again… Bankstown! Surrounded by mortals!”

  “It’ll be like a new adventure!” Monica insisted.

  Abigail huffed. “For you, maybe. I’ve had my fair share of mortals.”

  Monica shook her head. “Yes, we all know about your run-ins with mortals, Abigail.”

  “It’s bad enough I get stuck with an unnatural witch, but I got to get stuck with one with a fascination for mortals,” Abigail grunted under her breath.

  Monica’s shoulders slumped. She hated that term: unnatural witch. It meant that while she had been born into a family of witches and warlocks, she had been born ungifted. No natural magic. All of her magic had to be learned and carefully studied, and she’d had to rely heavily on potions and simple spells to get by in Wysteria. Quite the opposite of her twin sister Mona, who seemed to have been born with a surplus of magic circling through her veins. Everything magic-related came perfectly naturally to Mona. The sisters would often joke with one another that Mona had gobbled up all of the magic in the womb and left Monica with nothing to spare.

  “You’re just unbearable at times, you know that, Abigail?” Monica snapped. Monica had been assigned a familiar. Most witch’s familiars just appeared to them at a young age, but because Monica was an unnatural witch, she had not been emitting enough magic to attract one. Abigail, a naughty little familiar serving a sentence for her poor behavior, had been assigned to Monica, much to Abigail’s dismay. Abigail didn’t care for unnatural witches, but the two of them were stuck together now.

  Abigail leapt onto the counter. “I am quite aware,” she said, flicking her tail back and forth. “I saw you playing with the light switch when you came in, by the way. You can’t be doing stuff like that when your customers start showing up, you know? You’re supposed to act natural. Act human.”

  Monica sighed. “I know, I know,” she said. “It’s just all very exciting. I’ve never been on this side before.”

  “It’s really not all that great, Monica,” Abigail said. “I’ve been here plenty of times in my days. I find mortals to be boring and inferior creatures. Easily tricked. Unintelligent.”

  “I don’t believe they’re unintelligent,” Monica argued. “I mean, look at all the amazing stuff they’ve done without magic! It’s really incredible when you think about it. We witches rely on magic for just about everything. Look at this shop! Lights using…elec-electricity! A compooter for keeping invoices and keeping track of sales…”

  “You can say invoices, but you pronounce computer wrong,” Abigail said. “Honestly!”

  “And this!” Monica exclaimed, hurrying over to the little coffee area in the corner. There were comfy chairs and small tables all around for people to come, sit, read, and enjoy their drinks. “I mean, just look at this little machine! It makes this drink called—”

  “Coffee,” Abigail said. “Yes, I know all about coffee, Monica. The only reason they have all these sorts of inventions is because they can’t make do without it.”

  “But that’s what’s so remarkable about mortals!” Monica cried. “They invent a solution to everything! And they do it all without magic! I can’t even get my hair looking decent without magic. I can’t imagine going my whole day without it.”

  “You better get to imagining it,” Abigail warned her. “Because you can’t use magic in front of mortals, and believe it or not, your aunt’s shop gets a lot of foot traffic.”

  “Well, I’m just glad you’re here to help,” Monica said. “My aunt’s let
ter told me you know how to work the computer if I get stuck. It says to just ask you if I need anything.”

  Abigail moaned. “Yes, but please keep in mind not to ask me in front of your customers, Monica. Cats don’t talk.”

  “You talk,” Monica said.

  “Because I’m not a cat!” her feline friend retorted. “I’m a familiar, thank you very much.”

  “You’re not even a real familiar,” Monica said under her breath, and Abigail hissed in her direction. “Well, you’re not!” Monica crossed her arms. “You know what? I don’t have time to go back and forth with you today, Abs. I have a lot to do to get this shop ready.”

  “And you need to do it without magic, Monica,” Abigail warned.

  “No one is even here but you and me,” Monica argued.

  “I mean it, Monica!” Abigail hissed.

  “Fine,” Monica said. “Not like my magic is much use anyway.”

  “Potions aren’t going to do you any good with cleaning up,” Abigail teased and stretched herself across the counter.

  “You’re not going to help me?” Monica asked.

  “Not planning on it,” Abigail retorted, closing her eyes for what Monica suspected to already be her second nap of the day.

  Monica shook her head and went about the shop returning books to shelves, checking the inventory, and getting the computer—which she now knew how to pronounce correctly—started up for the day. She also dusted the shelves, since her aunt had informed her in the letter that mortals dislike dust for whatever reason. Such a strange aversion, Monica thought as she busied herself with dusting off all the shelves. She then went up into the loft area, ducking down because of the low ceiling. She straightened the cushions and set out a few books on the small shelf that read Recommended Reading. “I hope those are good books,” she said under her breath, realizing she had an entire shop full of books she was going to have to start reading so that she could help customers make selections. She hadn’t read many books by mortals.

  Monica stood proudly in the middle of the shop—her shop. “I think Aunt Wilma would be proud.”

  “It’s that time,” Abigail said. “Better make sure the door is unlocked and that the open sign is facing out.”

  “Oh, right!” Monica said excitedly, hurrying over to the door. She did as she was told and then decided to pick herself out a book in the classics section. “Oh my goodness! Someone wrote a book about Dracula?” she asked, pulling the book from the shelf.

  “A very inaccurate one,” Abigail said, “but it makes for a good read.”

  “I think this will do,” she said, hurrying behind the counter and setting the book down. “I’ll read it during my spare time. I’m so excited! When do you think we’ll get a customer?”

  “I’m sure pretty soon,” Abigail said. “There is normally a morning crowd that trickles in before all the other shops on the square start opening up. People looking for coffee and a good read before starting the rest of the day.”

  “Today is going to be great,” Monica said. “Nothing could possibly go wrong. I’ve got everything taken care of.”

  Just then, the front door opened. Monica stood upright, excited for her first interaction with a mortal. She could hardly contain herself. “Morning, Wilma!” the voice of the stranger called.

  Monica leaned around the counter, trying to get a glimpse of her first customer from around a bookshelf. Then, as he came into view, she felt her stomach doing flips. It was a tall, handsome man with chestnut brown hair and shimmering eyes. He had on a big smile, and there were a few freckles on his nose and cheeks that made him seem somewhat childish despite the wisdom in those eyes of his. And he was wearing a strange uniform that, after a moment, Monica recalled meant he was a police officer—the mortals’ version of law enforcement.

  “Oh my,” Monica said under her breath, and she could see Abigail roll her eyes.

  “Monica, close your mouth, you’re drooling,” Abigail whispered before jumping off the counter.

  The officer smiled brightly in Monica’s direction as he made his way over to the counter. “Why, hello there,” he said. “I’m Officer Brian. I didn’t realize Wilma hired new help. What’s your name?”

  Monica opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She realized she was very near to making a fool of herself. She felt Abigail brush up against her leg, playing the part of the pet cat. It was enough to snap Monica back into reality. She smiled back at the officer. “My name’s Monica. Monica Montoya. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Back Room Books.”

  2

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Monica,” the handsome young officer said. He seemed to be studying her face for a moment. “Are you, by chance, related to Miss Wilma?”

  “I am, in fact,” Monica said perkily. “I’m her niece.”

  “That’s right! Monica! You have a sister…Mona, right?” he asked.

  “Yes!” she said, smiling. “You must know my aunt fairly well, then?”

  “I’m one of her regulars,” he said with a grin. “I come in every morning for coffee.”

  Monica cringed. She really had no idea how to work the coffeemaker. “Oh, wonderful,” she said nervously.

  “So, I guess one cup of coffee for me, please. Just a regular coffee today, nothing fancy,” he said.

  “Right!” Monica said, and she could hear Abigail snicker slightly as she made her way over to the coffeemaker. She figured out how to turn it on, and she pulled out the coffee grinds. She was about to pour the coffee grinds into the top of the coffee maker when Officer Brian stopped her.

  “Um, Monica, shouldn’t you put in the filter?” he suggested, and Monica stared blankly back at him. He smiled. “Do you…not know how to make coffee?” he asked, and her cheeks felt flushed.

  “Honestly…no…” she said, feeling quite embarrassed.

  “Good thing I just ordered a regular coffee, then!” he said, laughing. “Here, I’ll show you. I’ve watched Wilma work the espresso machine enough times that I can show you how that works too, if you’d like.”

  Monica’s face lit up. “I would love that! Thank you! I was very nervous about making coffee for people. I’ve never drank coffee before.”

  “It’s no problem at all,” he said. “I’m earlier today than usual, so I’ve got time before I’ve got to head into work.” Officer Brian showed her how to start up the coffeemaker, put in the filter, and brew a regular pot. He also showed her how to work the espresso machine and various other features of her aunt’s barista station. “I can’t believe your aunt didn’t show you how to work all of this before hiring you,” Brian said with a smirk. “Sort of set you up for failure there, didn’t she? I’ll have to give her a hard time next time she comes in.”

  “Oh, well, Aunt Wilma probably won’t be by any time soon,” Monica said. “She went back home.”

  “Oh!” Officer Brian exclaimed. “She’s not in Bankstown at all anymore?”

  “No, I’m afraid not,” Monica said. “She’s retired, but she asked me if I wanted to take over the shop. I had to say yes! I love books, and the chance at a new scenery was something I couldn’t pass up.”

  “Where are you all from again?” Brian asked.

  Monica paused, trying to remember the backstory her aunt had given her. “We’re from…Chi-co-go.”

  Brian stared blankly at her for a moment before asking, “Chicago?”

  “That’s what I said,” Monica stammered.

  “Gotcha,” Brian said, laughing a bit as he poured himself a to-go mug of coffee. “You know, your aunt talked about you and your sister a lot. Sounds like she was very proud of you both. Glad to finally put a face with the name.” He took a sip of the coffee. “Very good,” he said. “Why don’t you try the little espresso drink we made? You should probably taste the merchandise you’re going to be selling.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” she said and took a large sip of the hot drink. The taste caused her to cringe a bit, but she had heard
from her aunt that coffee was a bit of an acquired taste.

  “Careful,” Brian warned. “We did a double shot of espresso in there. If you’re not used to coffee, that just might get you really wired if you drink the whole thing.”

  “Wired?”

  “You know, jittery,” he said. “Oh! I almost forgot!” Brian went digging around in his pockets, eventually pulling out a folded-up flier. “I came here to give this to Wilma, but I’d love to see you at the event.”

  Monica took the flier from Brian. The top of it read Bankstown Bash—it was an advertisement for a city-sponsored event that would include food and entertainment. “Oh, how fun!” she said.

  “Since you’re new in town, I definitely recommend coming out,” he said. “The Bankstown Bash is about as exciting as it ever gets around here. It’s a party out by the falls. A lot of fun. And I’d be happy to introduce you to some of the locals at the event. Wilma and I were good buddies, so if you’re her family, I’d love to show you the Officer Brian VIP treatment.”

  “That is awfully kind of you,” Monica said with a smile. “I’ll be there.”

  “Fantastic!” he said. “I’ll see you around, Monica. Good luck with the coffeemaker today!”

  Monica laughed as he headed out the door, and she felt very glad that he had been her first customer. She felt much more confident now that she knew how to work everything at the barista station. “What a nice man!” she said.

  Abigail jumped up onto the counter. “What a flirt,” Abigail said. “He was definitely eyeballing you.”