Dead Before Chapter One

Murder Mystery Book Club Prequel

They read murder mysteries. They solve real ones. Badly.

When small-town librarian Tilly March agrees to host a cozy mystery party, she expects tea, trivia, and maybe a few fake clues.
She doesn’t expect a volunteer to collapse mid-scone—or two rare books to vanish during the chaos.

Enter the Murder Mystery Book Club:
A retired detective with trust issues.
A knitter with a flair for drama.
A podcaster who never turns her mic off.

They may not know what they’re doing.
But they do know when a charming stranger is up to no good.
Especially when he’s drugged the tea.

Now there’s a thief on the loose, a real crime to solve, and a library reputation on the line.
Can a bunch of amateur sleuths crack the case before the trail goes cold?

Welcome to Mapleoak. Where the only thing deadlier than the daffodil tea... is underestimating a librarian.