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Volume 8 • Issue 2
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
🗞️ FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
Happy Wednesday, everyone!
We’re halfway through another week in Sunset Cove, and apparently yesterday’s trip across the pond wasn’t enough excitement for us because today we’re heading straight into a bookshop explosion.
I know.
Whatever happened to a nice quiet murder?
Today’s featured mystery has a bookstore, a bestselling thriller writer, a secret someone has been carrying for years, and—most importantly, according to Perry—a cat who discovers something the humans apparently missed.
You can imagine how that news went over in this newsroom.
We also have more mysteries making headlines, another collection of free books in the Community Book Exchange, and since our featured investigator today has whiskers, I thought it was only fair to include something special for the feline members of the family.
Perry has graciously agreed to serve as our culinary consultant.
I already regret this.
Let’s open today’s edition.
🐾 PERRY'S PAW PRINTS
"Finally."
Finally what?
"A competent investigator."
Olivia is the investigator.
"Millie found the evidence."
Olivia also investigates the case.
"After the cat found the evidence."
Perry—
"Please make sure today's newspaper accurately reflects the contributions of feline law enforcement."
Feline law enforcement isn't a thing.
"This publication has lost all credibility."
I knew featuring another cat was going to be a problem.
🔎 TODAY'S MYSTERY SPOTLIGHT
EXPLOSION ROCKS SMALL-TOWN BOOKSHOP—CAT DISCOVERS SOMETHING IN THE WRECKAGE
A Novel Way to Die
A Millie the Miracle Cat Cozy Mystery — Book 7
by Courtney McFarlin
A visit from a bestselling thriller writer should be exactly the kind of event a small-town bookseller dreams about.
For Olivia Sutton, it is.
When bestselling author Jackson Moorehead announces he'll be holding a signing at The Book Emporium, Timber Falls is buzzing with excitement. It's the kind of event that could put Olivia's little bookstore firmly on the map.
Then an explosion shatters the evening.
The blast destroys Moorehead's rental car and sends the crowd scrambling. Once the dust settles, Olivia's cat Millie makes an alarming discovery among the aftermath.
And suddenly, what looked like an explosive act of destruction begins pointing toward something else entirely.
The evidence leads to a secret the author has been carrying for years, and Olivia quickly realizes something much deeper is happening in Timber Falls.
Because sometimes the most dangerous weapon isn't a weapon at all.
Sometimes, it's a pen.
Now Olivia—and Millie—have another mystery to unravel.
📰 MORE MYSTERIES MAKING HEADLINES
More Cases for the TBR
As usual, the news desk has received more mysteries than I could possibly investigate by myself, so I'm passing them along to you.
I've got more books from fellow mystery authors waiting in today's edition. Take a look through the covers, read the clues, and see whether one of them deserves a place on your TBR.
Although at this point, I think we've collectively agreed that the phrase “I have enough books” has no legal standing in Sunset Cove.
📚 COMMUNITY BOOK EXCHANGE
FREE MYSTERIES ARE WAITING
The Community Book Exchange is open again today, and there are more free books waiting to be investigated.
These promos are a great place to discover a new author without spending anything, and you never know when one free mystery is going to introduce you to your next favorite series.
Of course, that's how they get us.
One free book becomes Book Two.
Then Book Three.
Then suddenly you're seven books deep and emotionally invested in the personal life of a fictional amateur sleuth.
No regrets.
🐟 FROM PERRY’S COASTAL KITCHEN
Since today's featured mystery gives another feline some well-deserved attention, Perry has decided that our cat readers deserve something from the newspaper too.
And because we live in Sunset Cove, naturally it needed a little coastal inspiration.
These tiny treats use plain cooked white fish—cod or another boneless, unseasoned cat-safe white fish works nicely—with nothing added that your cat doesn't need.
What You’ll Need
½ cup plain cooked, boneless white fish, cooled and finely flaked
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup plain oat flour, plus a little more if needed
From the Kitchen
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mash the cooked fish very well, checking carefully for any bones. Mix in the beaten egg, then gradually add the oat flour until you have a soft mixture that can be formed into very small bites.
Make tiny, cat-sized pieces and place them on your prepared baking sheet. Flatten them slightly and bake for approximately 10–12 minutes, or until they're cooked through and lightly firm.
Allow them to cool completely before your feline quality-control department begins its inspection.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and use them as an occasional treat rather than a meal.
Important: Keep the fish completely plain—no salt, butter, oil, garlic, onion, sauces, or seasonings. If your cat has allergies, digestive issues, or a prescription diet, check with your veterinarian before introducing a new homemade treat.
🌊 AROUND SUNSET COVE
September is settling comfortably over Sunset Cove now, and we're getting into the kind of evenings that practically demand a book.
There's something about the combination of cooler air, an earlier sunset, and the sound of the coast that makes staying home feel less like avoiding plans and more like making the correct plans.
Add something warm to drink, a mystery that keeps you guessing, and a cat who has taken possession of the best spot on the couch, and I'd say you're doing Wednesday properly.
Perry agrees with exactly one part of that sentence.
I'll let you guess which one.
📰 UNTIL TOMORROW...
That closes Volume 8 • Issue 2.
Today we investigated an explosion at a small-town bookshop, met a feline sleuth who earned Perry's extremely reluctant approval, added more mysteries to our TBRs, raided the Community Book Exchange for free reads, and somehow allowed Perry to become the newspaper's food critic.
I'm sure that decision won't come back to haunt me.
We'll be back tomorrow with the final edition of The Sunset Chronicles for the week.
Until then, enjoy your Wednesday, find something good to read, and if your cat suddenly starts staring intently at something everyone else has overlooked...
You might want to investigate.
Happy Reading!
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