Book 2 - Thrilling Thursday (A Tabitha Chase Days of the Week Mystery Paperback) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.6 (385 ratings)

Tabby is settling into Crystal Cove, Oregon, and her new home on a magic-infused houseboat when the summer fair comes to town. She and her newly inherited cat, Sherlock, operate the coffee truck while screams of excitement erupt from nearby rides. Soon the fun screams turn to shrieks of horror when a dead body is discovered on one of the rides, and Tabby may be the only one who can help her detective friends figure out how it got there.

Apparently, Crystal Cove has no shortage of secrets or murders. Will Tabby’s unique insight and gifting help her see through the town’s shroud of illusions? Order now to find out!

When my Aunt Lizzie told me about the magic of Crystal Cove, I’d always thought she meant magic that involved witches, warlocks, and fortune-telling. I’d lived here for almost three months, and okay, Crystal Cove did boast its fair share of witches and fortune-tellers (although I’d yet to meet a warlock), but the real magic, I’d come to believe, was in the sense of belonging this seaside town brought me.

I looked around at the bright twinkling lights on the rides at the summer fair and let out a happy sigh. This fair took the town’s magic to a whole new level.

“Excuse me? How long will that take? Fair’s gonna open soon.”

I blinked and shook my head to bring myself back to the present. I looked from the espresso machine on the coffee truck down to the two carnival employees waiting for their drinks. “Just another sec. That was two double espressos, right?”

A third guy had appeared behind them while I was lost in thought. “Make it three.” He had a stripe of blue hair down one side of his otherwise blond head.

“Need something to keep us awake in this sleepy town,” the impatient guy in the red baseball cap said.

Funny how others could see the same town in completely different ways. But I could grasp his reasoning. These carnies traveled around from big cities to tiny towns, setting up their rides and booths, and in comparison to other bustling cities, Crystal Cove probably didn’t appear to hold much interest to these guys barely into their twenties. I’d grown up in Portland, and the idea of being a nameless face lost in a crowd was what had lost its sheen.

I passed them their coffees and offered a bright smile. “On the house.”

I waved away red baseball cap’s ten-dollar bill. He squinted at me, not immediately pulling the bill away. Even though he wore the same type of distressed jeans and black T-shirt as his friends, his didn’t look as dirty. I could tell by his wary gaze that people didn’t comp these guys often. Still, I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to paint Crystal Cove in a better light for all of them. Eventually, he stuffed his money away.

“Thanks!” the guy with the blue striped hair said with exuberance, while the third guy had already turned away, seemingly oblivious to the nicety.

As they left with their espressos, I pulled my own ten-dollar bill out of my purse and fed it into the till. The café owner, Olivia, had been on me about giving away free coffees and bakery items at the café, and I had the sense she’d feel no more generous with her coffee truck. She was a nice lady, but she reminded me again and again that she was running a business.

I probably should have had more understanding, having started up my own business recently. Frank, the local marina owner, had put me in touch with a few owners who wanted to rent out their houseboats. Even though my skill set lay more in selling real estate, I’d spent the last few months learning all about property management and was getting the hang of it. Still, I was a lot less business-minded than the family I’d come from, and what was the big deal if I bought people coffee once in a while?

Except that if I did it as often as I liked, I’d be broke in no time. As two of the carnies headed toward their respective booths in the food section of the fair, and the blue-haired guy angled toward the midway, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a new text from Rachael.

~Sorry! Running late! The renters arrived early, so I’m letting them in and getting them set up. Can you watch my booth until I get there?~

I stared over at the art booth I’d set up in the tiny crafts section of the fair, between the snacks and the midway. It was probably only thirty feet away, but still, I didn’t know quite how I’d manage both the art booth and the coffee truck if either had a sudden influx of customers.

But our deal had been that if Rachael cleaned the houseboats I managed, I would set up her booth. The renters weren’t supposed to arrive until the next morning, but if she didn’t show them around, I’d have to leave to do it, so what choice did I have?

~Sure~ I texted back. ~But hurry if you can.~

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