The Regular: A Novella

by Holly Stephens

Cara Daly is a savvy, small business owner. Her coffee shop, located on the outskirts of Chicago, was a dream that became reality. But when a beloved customer, Reggie, a regular fixture in her coffee shop is found dead, Cara’s world becomes uprooted. A stranger, with curious habits, suddenly begins to frequent the café, causing Cara to question his intentions. Between this curious, new customer and a spike in crime around her town, Cara’s anxiety mounts. She should feel relief after the installation of a high-tech, new alarm system in and around her cafe but finds the opposite result. Notifications sent via text begin to alert Cara to a suspicious presence outside her shop. Is there someone or something who wishes Cara harm? Or, is she and her dream, the café, truly safe?

30 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2023

About the author

People have often told me that I live in a fantasy world. Little did they know, I was building an empire of stories in my head to one day share.

I'm a mother first, a wife second, and a writer third. I'm so thankful to have been given this chance to get my stories out of my head and onto paper.

When I'm not writing, I sell plumbing (no I'm not kidding) and read romances that leave my heart a flutter. I know a ridiculous amount of pop culture information and can quote certain movies word for word. Music drives me to write and to also sing off key.

Reviews

[Jami Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping

A gripping short story with a plucky heroine, a coffee shop setting and a surprise ending. A really fun read.