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A Killer First Draft: A Texas Hill Country Cozy Mystery
A cozy bookshop.
A missing woman.
And a manuscript someone would kill to keep buried. . .
When Tilly Martin left the city for quiet Hillcrest, Texas, she thought she’d traded high-stakes drama for needlepoint canvases and small-town charm. But after a bestselling mystery author is found dead just hours after a provocative talk at the local bookstore, Tilly’s new life unravels faster than a dropped stitch.
Before his death, the author hinted that his next novel would expose long-forgotten secrets tied to the decades-old disappearance of a local woman. Now his research is missing, and someone in Hillcrest is desperate to keep the past hidden.
From evasive archivists to former flames, and a sharp-tongued librarian with a story of her own, everyone has something to lose. As Tilly pieces together the truth with the help of her closest friends and her clue-sniffing cat, she uncovers a manuscript that blurs the line between fiction and confession, and puts her directly in the killer’s sights.
The deeper she digs, the more dangerous the trail becomes. She needs to solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim.
Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries with quirky characters, crafting clues, and whip-smart amateur sleuths, A Killer First Draft is the second in the heartwarming Texas Hill Country Cozy Mystery series.
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“I hope she really expands this series. I’ll definitely buy every one.” - MW
“I love the descriptions of the canvases and shop projects. I only wish it were a real store!” - PL
“Grabbing you and not letting go until the very end.” - LW
A missing woman.
And a manuscript someone would kill to keep buried. . .
When Tilly Martin left the city for quiet Hillcrest, Texas, she thought she’d traded high-stakes drama for needlepoint canvases and small-town charm. But after a bestselling mystery author is found dead just hours after a provocative talk at the local bookstore, Tilly’s new life unravels faster than a dropped stitch.
Before his death, the author hinted that his next novel would expose long-forgotten secrets tied to the decades-old disappearance of a local woman. Now his research is missing, and someone in Hillcrest is desperate to keep the past hidden.
From evasive archivists to former flames, and a sharp-tongued librarian with a story of her own, everyone has something to lose. As Tilly pieces together the truth with the help of her closest friends and her clue-sniffing cat, she uncovers a manuscript that blurs the line between fiction and confession, and puts her directly in the killer’s sights.
The deeper she digs, the more dangerous the trail becomes. She needs to solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim.
Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries with quirky characters, crafting clues, and whip-smart amateur sleuths, A Killer First Draft is the second in the heartwarming Texas Hill Country Cozy Mystery series.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
“I hope she really expands this series. I’ll definitely buy every one.” - MW
“I love the descriptions of the canvases and shop projects. I only wish it were a real store!” - PL
“Grabbing you and not letting go until the very end.” - LW
128 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2025
7 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Susana Sage
4 books3 followersSusana Sage writes cozy mysteries with a heart as big as Texas.
Set in the charming Texas Hill Country town of Hillcrest, her books follow amateur sleuth Tilly Martin, a young widow with a flair for needlepoint, a stubborn streak, and a tendency to land in the middle of murder investigations. She is often accompanied by her mischievous cat Stitches, who has a knack for finding clues. Blending small-town charm, quirky characters, and twisty plots, Susana’s stories are perfect for readers who love their mysteries served with friendship, sassy feline sidekicks, and a dash of spice.
When she’s not writing, you can find her adding to her ever-growing needlepoint stash and trying to complete current projects, sipping iced coffee on the porch, or being bossed around by her brown tabby cat. She’s passionate about creating stories that celebrate resilience, community, and clever women who don’t wait around for someone else to solve the mystery.
Set in the charming Texas Hill Country town of Hillcrest, her books follow amateur sleuth Tilly Martin, a young widow with a flair for needlepoint, a stubborn streak, and a tendency to land in the middle of murder investigations. She is often accompanied by her mischievous cat Stitches, who has a knack for finding clues. Blending small-town charm, quirky characters, and twisty plots, Susana’s stories are perfect for readers who love their mysteries served with friendship, sassy feline sidekicks, and a dash of spice.
When she’s not writing, you can find her adding to her ever-growing needlepoint stash and trying to complete current projects, sipping iced coffee on the porch, or being bossed around by her brown tabby cat. She’s passionate about creating stories that celebrate resilience, community, and clever women who don’t wait around for someone else to solve the mystery.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 20, 2025
This time around, Tilly is trying to solve a murder and disappearance!
When her friend Joe suggests a combined event between his bookshop and Tilly’s Needlepoint Store, Tilly is happy to arrange something. When the author who was the headline of the book signing turns up dead after researching the disappearance of a woman way back in the 1990’s, Tilly knows she needs to find out what happened. I really do enjoy these stories, and not only because I do needlepoint myself. The best thing about cozy mysteries to me anyway, is the sense of community and friendship and how the amateur sleuth always friends who help her out, and yes, most of them are women. With each story in the series, we become introduced to more and more characters. That, and Susana Sage always has interesting plots that keep me guessing.
I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.
When her friend Joe suggests a combined event between his bookshop and Tilly’s Needlepoint Store, Tilly is happy to arrange something. When the author who was the headline of the book signing turns up dead after researching the disappearance of a woman way back in the 1990’s, Tilly knows she needs to find out what happened. I really do enjoy these stories, and not only because I do needlepoint myself. The best thing about cozy mysteries to me anyway, is the sense of community and friendship and how the amateur sleuth always friends who help her out, and yes, most of them are women. With each story in the series, we become introduced to more and more characters. That, and Susana Sage always has interesting plots that keep me guessing.
I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.
October 19, 2025
Another great book, sure hope Susana has more coming. Tilly went to the bookstore to here an author talk about his book but there was more to it and it bothered her plot. Tilly was having a hard time getting the info she heard from the author out of her head, then she finds out that the author was found dead sometime during the night. Her mind starts thinking about the author and what he talked about and now he was gone, she just could not let it go. Go grab the book and follow along with Tilly as she starts digging to find the truth about what happened before and what happened to the author and if what he was talking about was real or fiction. Happy reading.
October 13, 2025
A small town with secrets some don’t want brought up again and it all starts when a visiting author is murdered. It nags at Tilly, and she wants to find out more. Can she find out the truth or will she be stopped? I enjoyed reading A Killer Draft: A Texas Hill Country Cozy Mystery. It kept me interested til the end.
October 28, 2025
Wow
This author really keeps things interesting I hope she really expands this series. I will definitely buy everyone, mystery is good and so is her shops projects. Wish it was a real store
This author really keeps things interesting I hope she really expands this series. I will definitely buy everyone, mystery is good and so is her shops projects. Wish it was a real store
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews