Book 8 in the award-winning Charlie Kingsley Mystery series! Releasing March 25, 2026
Charlie Kingsley is not a private investigator. She makes and sells custom teas out of her home. Which is why she initially refused to look into a recent case of a bar that had burned down.
Yes, it was tragic that the owner’s body was found inside. But this is an arson case, and what does Charlie possibly know about arson?
Except…one of the waitresses is missing.
Who’s pregnant.
Who everyone thought was having an affair with the owner of the bar.
How can Charlie say no to the owner’s widow? And when Charlie accidentally finds the pregnant waitress, things start to take a strange turn. And suddenly, Charlie finds herself thrust into a decades-old mystery that haunts Redemption to this day.
A mystery that could very well cost Charlie her life.
Meet Charlie. Also known as “Aunt Charlie” from the award-winning Secrets of Redemption series.
She’s back, making teas and solving cases in this funny, twisty, cozy mystery series set in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin. If you love a no-nonsense amateur sleuth, quirky characters, pets, small town deadly secrets and a touch of romance, the Charlie Kingsley Mysteries may be your next favorite cozy mystery series.
For fans of Agatha Christie (especially Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot), Louise Penny (Chief Inspector Gamache/Three Pines), Aurora Teagarden by Charlaine Harris, Books by Maddie Day and Murder She Wrote.
All the Charlie Kingsley books can be read as a standalone (but you might enjoy them more if you read them in order).
“Michele Pariza Wacek doesn’t miss with Charlie, and this novel is no exception. It has all the coziness that Redemption can provide with Charlie’s teas and quirky residents, alongside that niggling feeling in the back of your mind that something isn’t quite right.”
“The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries just keep getting better and better. This one was by far the best of the bunch and I can’t wait for number 9 to see how things proceed. The story arc was fantastic and literally had me on the edge of my seat till the end. The town of Redemption is a weird little place with secrets galore and this book delves a bit deeper into one of the major themes. The journey of Charlie and Wyle continues to keep us wondering will they or won’t they. As usual Charlie involves herself in a very tangled murder mystery despite her friends concerns for her well being. This book also brings in other characters from the Redemption Detective Agency and gives them a bit more definition.”
Want a taste? You can read the first chapter here.
For more on how all three series fit together, start here.
And don’t forget to check out all the short stories, snippets, unpublished excerpts and more, available in the FREE MPW Book Club.
In a book club? You can download book discussion questions here.
I’m so excited for this new book! Thank you for the wonderful stories.
You’re so very welcome! And thank you!
When will the paperback version be available? So far I’ve only seen preorders for Kindle.
Great question! I’ll be setting up a preorder on my site next week for signed paperbacks, and I’m hoping I can have the paperback version up and ready in a couple of weeks.
discovered your series accidentally a few weeks ago and I am hooked! It is delightful to find an intelligent, engaging, believable, series of characters, an authentic setting (and yes, I’m originally from the Midwest!) with great and intriguing situations and mysteries. It is also wonderful to be able to enjoy the adventures secure in the knowledge that I will be free from pornography, smut, gratuitous gore, and stuff that isn’t necessary for the plot of the characters themselves. Just awesome story telling (Clearly, I drank the tea!). Thank you.
Aww, thank you sooo much!