Murder at the Salt and Lantern: A Heartwarming Coastal Cozy Mystery with Friendship, Secrets, and a Tuxedo Kitty

by Poppy Grier

A fresh start after divorce wasn’t supposed to include murder.

Tess Channing arrives in Seabrook Cove for a quiet reset, just her cat, Petals, and a carefully planned new life. Instead, she inherits a creaking Victorian inn and a town that seems to know more about her than she does.

By her third day, a developer is found dead at the bottom of the inn’s cellar stairs. Petals is the only witness who won’t lie, and gossip moves faster than the sheriff’s cruiser.

When Tess unlocks a hidden room, she uncovers a past her aunt never explained—one involving a town official who clashed with the victim and a real estate agent with a vested interest in the inn.

Now every conversation comes with a warning, and someone she’s starting to trust has a reason to keep the truth buried.

If Tess pulls the wrong thread, she could lose everything she’s just begun to claim.

98 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 22, 2026

Reviews

[Taylor Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy mystery for sure! I want to visit this town!!

[Beth R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick summer read! Loved the setting in Maine! Makes me eager for fall!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced cosy mystery with relateable and likeable characters. Tess inherited her aunt's inn and feels a bit out of place - everyone has a role except her. When a pushy developer is found dead at the bottom of her cellar stairs,.she's compelled to understand how and why (not that she liked the man). Learning about sensitive information stored in that cellar only intensifies her drive. She has to contend with secrecy, promises made before her time, and manipulation to name a few of her hurdles. She'll need to form some relationships if she hopes to get to the bottom of this mess. Can she figure out the culprit and keep the town's secrets?

I was gifted a copy of this book and voluntarily provided this review. Happy Reading Y'all 📚

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tess Channing and her feline sidekick Petals set out to start a new life in Seabrook Cove. Tess inherits a Victorian inn and has to deal with all the problems that come with it.

When Petals finds a dead body at the bottom of the inn’s cellar stairs, things take a dangerous turn. Tess is determined to find out what happened, but she doesn’t know who she can trust.

This is a short story with interesting characters. It can easily be read in one sitting. It’s an intriguing case to try and solve with Tess and Petals.

I’ll be sure to check out the next book in the series.




I borrowed this one from the Kindle Unlimited library. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tess Channing arrives in Seabrook Cove to take over the Salt and Lantern, a B&B left to her from her Aunt Rosie. She comes into an established Inn with a full staff and secrets that you had no idea about. She at least has a friend at the bookstore that she can talk things over with especially when a land developer is found dead in her cellar on her third day in town. Things are hidden from her that she really didn't know her aunt was involved with but she is doing a good job in figuring everything and every body out. Truly a good story that makes you want the next installment to show up soon.
I received an arc and this is my review.

[G. Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a really good read. Tess is trying to settle into her inheritance that was left to her. Found a key which she does not know where it belongs, tried one door and finds it does not fit but also notices that it has been tampered with. Questions she has and does not know where to get the answers. The building has secrets but where to turn to get the answers. Go grab this book and read along to get the answers to all the questions and help Tess get things clear in her mind and solve a mystery. Happy reading.

[Etaoin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bautifully Crafted Writing Great Mystery

This first book in the series is wonderful. The prose is so carefully written that it informs the reader about Tess, the main character (Yeah, Petals would disagree!) and how she approaches the world. It was a pleasure to read this book, I didn’t feel any jarring disconnects or plot holes, the characters behaved themselves admirably. Now I have to wait for the next book. (tap, tap, tap) I was honored to read an ARC copy, and have now purchased my own. I will reread soon!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quiet enjoyable mystery.

Quiet enjoyable mystery. It remInds.me of an Agatha Christie mystery in a way. That said it was a quick read with a cup of tea on a rainy day

[Megan Olds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. Some nice writing.

And I would so go to that bookstore.