A Literal Mess: A bookish, small town, cozy mystery with a literary agent sleuth

When a New York City literary agent returns to her small hometown to bury her father, murder is the one plot twist she didn’t see coming.

Allie Cobb thought she’d left Rushing Creek, Indiana, behind for good, carving out a name for herself in Manhattan’s literary world, far from her famous father’s shadow. But when his sudden death brings her - and her feisty rescue cat, Ursula - back home, Allie’s barely unpacked before tragedy strikes again.

Her father’s bestselling client is found dead under the town’s historic bridge, and Allie’s childhood friend is the prime suspect. With the Fall Festival looming and gossip swirling like autumn leaves, Allie dusts off her fact-checking skills and dives into small-town secrets.

With a charming genealogist clouding her focus and danger closing in, Allie must solve the mystery before the killer writes her off for good.

Perfect for fans of small-town cozies, witty sleuths, and bookish whodunits.

An Allie Cobb Mystery

J.C. Kenney is the Agatha Award winning and bestselling author of cozy mysteries full of oddball characters in unusual settings. He's also the co-host of The Bookish Hour and A Bookish Moment webcasts.

© 2026 SAGA Egmont (Audiobook): 9788727274942

Release date

Audiobook: 15 January 2026