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Chords of Deception
Not yet published
Expected 4 Jul 26 What could be more harmonious than a youth orchestra? You'd be surprised. . .
After a parent is killed at her granddaughter's youth orchestra rehearsal, Lily pushes herself to find the killer before the orchestra falls apart.
Lily expected lots of rest, relaxation, and reading in retirement. It's not turning out that way, especially after her daughter and granddaughter move in with them unexpectedly. Thirteen-year-old Chloe isn't handling the move any better than Lily is, but she's enjoying the orchestra. At least until a parent is killed in the music library.
Lily is appalled. Who would do such a terrible thing while children are making music across the hall? Her old friend, Detective Henderson, is in charge of the case, but she's determined to investigate anyway. Then a couple of students are put in danger, and she begins to question her own judgment. Maybe it's not a safe place for Chloe, after all.
She's about to pull Chloe out and go home when the stakes are raised dramatically.
After a parent is killed at her granddaughter's youth orchestra rehearsal, Lily pushes herself to find the killer before the orchestra falls apart.
Lily expected lots of rest, relaxation, and reading in retirement. It's not turning out that way, especially after her daughter and granddaughter move in with them unexpectedly. Thirteen-year-old Chloe isn't handling the move any better than Lily is, but she's enjoying the orchestra. At least until a parent is killed in the music library.
Lily is appalled. Who would do such a terrible thing while children are making music across the hall? Her old friend, Detective Henderson, is in charge of the case, but she's determined to investigate anyway. Then a couple of students are put in danger, and she begins to question her own judgment. Maybe it's not a safe place for Chloe, after all.
She's about to pull Chloe out and go home when the stakes are raised dramatically.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 4, 2026
About the author
Susanna Sullivan
2 books4 followersSusanna Sullivan always wanted to be a mystery writer, ever since she read her first Nancy Drew in the third grade. A few things got in the way, small things like raising -- and needing to feed -- five kids, for example. After decades of writing for newspapers, magazines, and websites, she finally "retired" and immediately started writing her first mystery, Drowning in Deception. It was published on December 1, 2025.
Her second, Chords of Deception, will be available in July, 2026.
Susanna divides her time between Florida's panhandle and a small beach town in Panama. While she doesn't spend a lot of time on social media, you can follow her on Bluesky and Instagram.
Her second, Chords of Deception, will be available in July, 2026.
Susanna divides her time between Florida's panhandle and a small beach town in Panama. While she doesn't spend a lot of time on social media, you can follow her on Bluesky and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 14, 2026
I was so happy to reunite with Lily Gallagher, retired nurse turned reluctant amateur sleuth, in this second instalment of the Lilly Gallagher Mysteries series. After the events of book one, life has finally begun to settle into a new normal at Lily's condo, especially with her daughter and granddaughter moving in temporarily.
When granddaughter Chloe starts attending youth orchestra lessons, tragedy strikes after one of the parents is murdered. Soon, Lily finds herself drawn into another mystery as shady dealings surrounding the orchestra begin to emerge. What starts as an isolated crime soon reveals a much larger web of secrets, with consequences that ripple through the lives of the children involved.
This book felt a touch darker than the first. While book one largely centred around adult characters, here we see the devastating domino effect that the murder has on the young musicians, some of whom face heartbreaking repercussions. Susanna Sullivan handled these themes thoughtfully though, keeping the story firmly in cozy mystery territory without it ever feeling too YA.
I really appreciated the unique cast of characters and enjoyed seeing some redemption arcs for people I initially disliked. That said, there were perhaps a few too many unlikeable personalities for my tastes. My biggest sticking point was Jeff. I think he was intended as comic relief and I actually enjoyed his antics at first, but by the end, as both Lily and Jeff's wife grew increasingly frustrated with him, I found myself feeling the same way. It's a small complaint, but it's ultimately what kept this from being a full five-star read for me like book one.
One of my favourite aspects of the novel was the found family element that develops towards the end. It added warmth and heart to the mystery, and the final pages set things up beautifully for the next instalment, Code of Deception. I'll definitely be picking it up because I'm invested in seeing what adventures and challenges await Lily next.
Another enjoyable cozy mystery from Susanna Sullivan, and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to read it early. I'm more than happy to continue this series. Thank you to the author and BookSirens for early access to this book for my honest thoughts and feedback.
When granddaughter Chloe starts attending youth orchestra lessons, tragedy strikes after one of the parents is murdered. Soon, Lily finds herself drawn into another mystery as shady dealings surrounding the orchestra begin to emerge. What starts as an isolated crime soon reveals a much larger web of secrets, with consequences that ripple through the lives of the children involved.
This book felt a touch darker than the first. While book one largely centred around adult characters, here we see the devastating domino effect that the murder has on the young musicians, some of whom face heartbreaking repercussions. Susanna Sullivan handled these themes thoughtfully though, keeping the story firmly in cozy mystery territory without it ever feeling too YA.
I really appreciated the unique cast of characters and enjoyed seeing some redemption arcs for people I initially disliked. That said, there were perhaps a few too many unlikeable personalities for my tastes. My biggest sticking point was Jeff. I think he was intended as comic relief and I actually enjoyed his antics at first, but by the end, as both Lily and Jeff's wife grew increasingly frustrated with him, I found myself feeling the same way. It's a small complaint, but it's ultimately what kept this from being a full five-star read for me like book one.
One of my favourite aspects of the novel was the found family element that develops towards the end. It added warmth and heart to the mystery, and the final pages set things up beautifully for the next instalment, Code of Deception. I'll definitely be picking it up because I'm invested in seeing what adventures and challenges await Lily next.
Another enjoyable cozy mystery from Susanna Sullivan, and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to read it early. I'm more than happy to continue this series. Thank you to the author and BookSirens for early access to this book for my honest thoughts and feedback.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Chords of Deception had all the elements I usually enjoy in a cozy mystery—an amateur sleuth, a tight-knit community, and a layered personal backstory—but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
A retired nurse is navigating family upheaval while getting pulled into yet another suspicious death, this time within a youth orchestra. I really appreciated the musical setting—it felt fresh and gave the story a nice backdrop that set it apart from more typical small-town cozies. There’s also a solid emotional thread running through the book, especially with Lily dealing with her daughter’s struggles and her granddaughter’s adjustment.
The pacing felt uneven. It takes quite a while for the mystery to fully take center stage, and even once it does, the tension never quite builds the way I wanted it to. Some of the dialogue and interactions also felt a bit repetitive, which slowed things down further.
Lily is a likable protagonist, and I enjoyed her practical, slightly weary perspective on life and “retirement,” but I didn’t feel as connected to the secondary characters as I would have liked. A few of them came across more as types than fully developed individuals.
Overall, this was an enjoyable enough read, especially if you like character-driven cozies with a strong family component. It just didn’t have the spark or momentum to make it truly memorable for me.
I’d still consider reading the next book in the series—there’s potential here, and I’m curious to see how the characters evolve.
A retired nurse is navigating family upheaval while getting pulled into yet another suspicious death, this time within a youth orchestra. I really appreciated the musical setting—it felt fresh and gave the story a nice backdrop that set it apart from more typical small-town cozies. There’s also a solid emotional thread running through the book, especially with Lily dealing with her daughter’s struggles and her granddaughter’s adjustment.
The pacing felt uneven. It takes quite a while for the mystery to fully take center stage, and even once it does, the tension never quite builds the way I wanted it to. Some of the dialogue and interactions also felt a bit repetitive, which slowed things down further.
Lily is a likable protagonist, and I enjoyed her practical, slightly weary perspective on life and “retirement,” but I didn’t feel as connected to the secondary characters as I would have liked. A few of them came across more as types than fully developed individuals.
Overall, this was an enjoyable enough read, especially if you like character-driven cozies with a strong family component. It just didn’t have the spark or momentum to make it truly memorable for me.
I’d still consider reading the next book in the series—there’s potential here, and I’m curious to see how the characters evolve.
Review of advance copy
Lily Gallagher is irritated. She was looking forward to finally getting to enjoy her retirement, but the breakup of her daughter's marriage has her playing mum again - to both her daughter, Shannon, and her granddaughter, Chloe. To help Chloe settle in, Lily signs her up for an extracurricular: orchestra. But all is not well at the organisation; the upper management is toxic, and someone just murdered the music librarian. With Shannon threatening to pull Chloe from the one activity she loves, it's down to Lily to assist Detective Henderson to bring a murderer to justice.
I love the realism of Lily's character. She speaks to me. I'm not quite at her venerated age, but I can tell her reactions are genuine. Lily doesn't sugarcoat her feelings, and this adds so much to the telling.
As for the investigation, Lily was true to herself. She's not a forensic expert, but she knows people, and she utilises that talent spectacularly. Without giving anything away, I can tell you that the motive failed to resonate with Lily, leaving her with red herrings and a broad amount of nothing. This pushed the suspense and heightened the feeling of danger. Superior mystery telling!
Thank you to Susanna Sullivan and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. As always, my opinions are my own, honest and true.
I love the realism of Lily's character. She speaks to me. I'm not quite at her venerated age, but I can tell her reactions are genuine. Lily doesn't sugarcoat her feelings, and this adds so much to the telling.
As for the investigation, Lily was true to herself. She's not a forensic expert, but she knows people, and she utilises that talent spectacularly. Without giving anything away, I can tell you that the motive failed to resonate with Lily, leaving her with red herrings and a broad amount of nothing. This pushed the suspense and heightened the feeling of danger. Superior mystery telling!
Thank you to Susanna Sullivan and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. As always, my opinions are my own, honest and true.
Review of advance copy
This is s story about adults and children, but guess who was behaving worse- the adults!!
For all their faults, I have to give appreciation for the " real adults" who banned together to help students get to practice and a students' instrument repaired. "Support the Children"- our future! It was sad, how convoluted some adults thought processes were! Lily had a great instinct and integrity. You're never too old or tired to speak with courtesy to others. There were a lot of good lessons learned a long with the bad behaviors pointed out. An eye opening, compelling read.
I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.
For all their faults, I have to give appreciation for the " real adults" who banned together to help students get to practice and a students' instrument repaired. "Support the Children"- our future! It was sad, how convoluted some adults thought processes were! Lily had a great instinct and integrity. You're never too old or tired to speak with courtesy to others. There were a lot of good lessons learned a long with the bad behaviors pointed out. An eye opening, compelling read.
I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews