Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Dying to Live Here (Estate Sales Mysteries) by Shelley Marsh. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Dying to Live Here (Estate Sales Mysteries)
by Shelley Marsh
Dying to Live Here (Estate Sales Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Florida
Publisher : Fawkes Press
Publication date : February 10, 2026
When tech burnout Emma Stewart follows her best friend’s advice to view a quaint beachside home in Harbor Shores, Florida, she expects palm trees, sea breezes, and maybe a fresh start. What she doesn’t expect is to stumble into a murder scene—and become a prime suspect.
With the HOA president lying in a pool of blood and her bestie splattered with the evidence, Emma suddenly finds herself knee-deep in neighborhood secrets, rivalries, and a suspiciously missing knife. Armed with nothing but her dry wit, a talent for digital sleuthing, and an adorable bulldog named Hopper, Emma must navigate a world of nosy neighbors, passive-aggressive happy hours, and one dangerously charming lawyer.
In Harbor Shores, the homes are charming—but the secrets are deadly.
Character Post: Emma
A Neighborhood with Rules Against Everything—Except Murder
by Emma Stewart, protagonist of Dying to Live Here
When the opportunity to move into my best friend’s beachside neighborhood came up, it seemed like a great idea. I imagined quiet mornings, ocean air, and long beach walks with my dog, Hopper. What I didn’t expect were neighbors complaining that he was off leash, delivered with the kind of earnest concern usually reserved for much bigger problems. It didn’t take long to realize that in Harbor Shores, people pay attention. To everything.
Laura, of course, had assured me it would all work out. She always does. Laura has been talking me into questionable decisions since we were college roommates. Once, she convinced me to dump garnet-red dye into Westcott Fountain at Florida State University as a show of school spirit. The result was less festive and more alarming, and the dye stained our hands so badly we were caught immediately. I should have learned then that saying no to Laura was not my strong suit.
So when Laura called in a panic about her neighbor’s house, I went along with it, again.
When Laura’s neighbor passed away and she learned that his daughter planned to put the house on the market, she called me in a panic. She insisted I had to act quickly or risk losing my chance altogether. Houses don’t stay on the market for long in Harbor Shores. They’re so close to the beach, you can hear the ocean, but since the houses are what real estate agents call, “cozy,” (translation: small), they might actually be in my price range.
Laura arranged a private viewing for us. By “arranged,” I mean Laura never returned the spare key she’d been given to water his plants. As it turned out, the house wasn’t vacant. There was a body in the foyer.
The body belonged to the former president of the homeowners’ association, a woman so universally despised, her killer could have been anyone in the neighborhood. She and Laura had a history of conflict. Laura thwarted “Nosy Rosie” by standing against her in an election. When Laura tripped over the body and ended up covered in blood, she became the number one suspect. Helping her seemed like the only reasonable response. Isn’t that what best friends are for?
Personally, I thought Laura was jumping to conclusions about her neighbors suspecting her. She claimed that gossip traveled faster than facts in Harbor Shores.
So, Laura and I became amateur sleuths, but her investigation ideas turned out to be a bit unorthodox. First, we scoped out potential murderers at a block party. Right away, I noticed a group of eerily-similar blond women, all dressed alike and sipping chardonnay. They were very forthcoming about how much they disliked the victim, but I didn’t think they’d stoop to murder. It might mess up their hair. Laura’s next idea was to scope out potential suspects at an exercise class. From my spot in the back row, it felt more like a lineup in reverse.
The only investigation plan I felt any excitement for involved attending an estate sale at the home where we found the body. It was also the only one that yielded an actual clue: we found a knife block for sale, minus one knife. The murder weapon?
The more time I spend in Harbor Shores, the more I realize Laura is right: people here don’t miss a thing. Someone in this neighborhood had enough to lose that they were willing to kill a neighbor. If Laura and I draw the wrong kind of attention while snooping around, finding a place to live might be the least of my worries. We could both end up in jail—or worse.
One good thing came out of the block party: I met Laura’s neighbor, Sam. In addition to his easy charm and southern accent, he has one extremely valuable characteristic: he’s a lawyer. Right away, he steered us in a more productive direction.
Regardless of Laura’s tendencies to get us into trouble, she means the world to me. I’ll do anything to help her. Between the three of us, I’m fairly confident we can keep Laura out of jail.
Fairly confident.
About Shelley Marsh
Shelley Marsh writes laugh-out-loud mysteries set along Florida’s sun-splashed coast. Her forthcoming debut, Dying to Live Here (Feb 10 2026), launches the Estate Sale Mysteries series, pairing clever puzzles with a hint of romance. When she isn’t prowling estate sales for story fodder, Shelley combs beaches and bookstores, searching for treasure.
Website: www.ShelleyMarsh.com
Press Kit: https://writershelleymarsh.com/press-kit/
Facebook: Author Shelley Marsh
Instagram: A1ABeachWriter https://www.instagram.com/a1abeachwriter/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@BookTokBelle
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@A1ABeachWriter
BlueSky: @shelleymarsh.bsky.social
Purchase Link – Amazon
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Dying to Live Here TOUR PARTICIPANTS
February 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 10 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
February 11 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 12 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
February 13 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 13 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
February 14 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 15 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
February 16 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 17 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 18 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
February 19 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
February 20 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
February 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 21 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 21 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW
February 22 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
February 23 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 23 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
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