DEATH, HEISTS AND HAT PEOPLE (A Pelican Shores Cozy Mystery Book 15) by Bessie Barr was released on October 9, 2026, by BB Books.
Pelican Shores is overrun with international tourists, and Finn Dockrey is unconvinced that they are here for the offerings at Tory McGee’s Tide and Brim hat shop. After interacting with most of the visitors and becoming the most popular person in town, estate dealer Kitty Kelley is found murdered. Even though Kitty had cheated several people in Pelican Shores, Finn suspects that the estate dealer’s death is connected to the tourists and that the real reason they’re in town is to find two treasures allegedly stolen by two renowned thieves. With the help from her dog, Beau, Finn is determined to capture the killer before the tourists leave town.
DEATH, HEISTS AND HAT PEOPLE is a fun read with laugh-out-loud scenes. The victim was a true villain, and it was hard to feel much sympathy for her. There are several plausible suspects and numerous red herrings to keep readers engaged. The identity of the killer kept me guessing until the end. Finn’s engagement to Detective Pace Stringfellow along with their wedding plans were a great secondary storyline. And then there was Tory and her collection of ridiculous hats . . . Only Tory could distract the tourists from their hunt for stolen treasure and convince them to model the hat collection.
Thanks to the author for the ARC.