Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe

Nothing ruins a good walk on the beach like finding a mysterious suitcase full of damaged bones and a skull. The discovery rocks the peaceful community of Mermaid Bay, known for its historic beach cottages. The gruesome find is nothing like the usual summer ills of litterbugs and teens drinking under the pier for the idyllic seaside community, located a few miles from Virginia's historic triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. Ominous posters, followed by threatening notes and voodoo dolls, push the already-worried town's business owners closer to the edge. Then, while trying to cope with the onslaught of threats to their community, prickly bookstore owner Emory Jessup turns up dead, strangled with a string of holiday lights. Christmas shoppe owner Jade Hicks has to connect the dots among all the strange occurrences before the summer tourist season is ruined and the spotlight of blame is focused on her store.

Love is in the air when Hollywood arrives in Mermaid Bay, and the town may never be the same. Fans will do almost anything to get a glimpse of the actors or a chance to be an extra in the Love Channel's "My Coastal Valentine." Crowds flock to the cozy beach town from all over and business is booming for Christmas shop owner, Jade Hicks until the body of a testy reporter is found in one of the actors’ rooms. And if murder isn't bad enough, someone tries to kill the show's star, hunky Raphael Allard. The cozy little beach town feels cursed, as the Love Channel threatens to pull out of the project. Jade and the gang, Lorelei, Peppermint Patti, Bernie, Chloe, and Neville the Devil Cat, have to solve the crimes before it ruins the town's reputation and breaks the hearts of fans across the country.

Excitement is in the air as everyone in Mermaid Bay is preparing for the Christmas season. This year promises to be more dazzling than ever when the business council sponsors a competition for the town's lucrative summer fireworks contract. The quaint little beach town is ready to be wowed with choreographed shows and drone action that light up the night sky. Instead of goodwill and sparkles, two of the teams take the competition to new lows with corporate espionage, feuds, and sabotage, and Jade and her team at 'Tis the Season are ground zero for all the explosive action. When one of the competitors turns up murdered near Jade's shop, she has to solve the mystery before the holidays are ruined. Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop's kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, and Murder by the Glass, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient. She is a member of Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia, Sisters in Crime - Chessie, Guppies, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers. Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.