A Death in the Dark

• Author: Ellie Alexander
• Genre: Cozy Mystery
• Publication Date: April 21, 2026
• Publisher: Storm Publishing
• Series: Novel Detectives Mystery #2

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An assistant athletics coach is found murdered at Redwood Grove High School and all evidence points one way—but the Novel Detectives are about to face their most puzzling case yet.

When beloved local teacher and track coach Josh Bynum stumbles into the Secret Bookcase distressed and with no memory of the previous night, Annie and Fletcher’s instincts tell them something doesn’t add up.

As the duo delve deeper into the tight-knit world of high school athletics, they uncover a web of secrets. Between ambitious parents, suspicious fundraising activities, and a star athlete with a lot to lose, everyone has something to hide.

Annie and Fletcher will need all their investigative skills and the support of their Redwood Grove friends if they’re to solve this mystery. Has Josh been set up? And what if there’s a clever killer somewhere in their beloved hometown, who might decide to target them next?

Perfect for fans of Lauren Elliott, Merryn Allingham and M.C. Beaton, this latest installment in Ellie Alexander’s new series combines small-town charm with a twisty ‘just one more chapter’ mystery that will keep you guessing until the final page.

I only discovered the joy that is an Ellie Alexander cozy mystery recently, when I was fortunate enough to be approved for the first book in this series. One book and I was hooked on her writing, the setting, and the characters. Coming across this one meant I automatically requested it, and I’m glad to report that I really enjoyed it as much as the first book.

To start with, the book is set in a quaint, picturesque small town in Northern California. Redwood Grove is the kind of town where you can walk anywhere, which kind of left me wishing that there was a town like that near me. Things are going well for Annie and Fletcher, both with the bookshop and their new detective agency. After their first case in the previous book, they have gotten some more clients, and this book starts them with taking on an unexpected new case: Josh, a local teacher and track coach stumbles into their office covered in blood with no memory of what happened since the track meet the night before. 

Since Annie has a degree in criminology and a good relationship with the local bigwig at the police station, since she was Annie’s teacher and knows she is trained well. Naturally, Annie and Fletcher try to get as much information out of Josh as possible, and report this to Dr. Caldwell, head of the local police. Dr. Caldwell happens to be short-handed and asks the Novel Detectives to serve as consultants. So they now have a new case to work on, along with their regular duties at their store, The Secret Bookcase. Fortunately, they have a really great staff who is willing to hold down the fort as Annie and Fletcher investigate.

I really adore the dynamic between Annie and Fletcher, who have been friends for a very long time. They’re the kind of friends where a look is more than enough to convey a thought, and if you’ve ever had a friend like that, you’re going to love these two. Both are quirky in their own way, and their personalities complement each other both as friends and detective partners. Each brings their own strengths to the table and I really liked how they are able to adopt a flexible approach to their investigation—sometimes they both go, and others they practice a divide-and-conquer strategy. It makes for solid investigating, and I loved that they weren’t afraid to lean on their instincts, especially since they have good instincts.

The story itself was one that was easy to lose myself in. It maintained a pretty fast pace, with plenty of twists and turns—some I was able to see coming, and others blindsided me. I also enjoyed getting to see the other hobbies and interests of the main characters outside of reading and being detectives. Annie’s creativity is on display with her seemingly endless supply of fun activities to host at the bookshop, and we get to see her sweet romance with Liam, the owner of the local bar. Fletcher is considering a creative writing program, and I thought it was really cool that he and his girlfriend had a video date and played Chopped against each other. That makes me want to have a Chopped challenge!

Overall, this was a fun story that moved fast and kept me glued to the pages. I love seeing the characters grow in confidence both in their careers and their personal pursuits, as well as in their relationships. The end does leave the reader with a major cliffhanger, but I have full faith that future books in this series will be just as enjoyable as this one is. In the meantime, I’ll be searching for a quaint and quirky little town of my own to move to, since Redwood Grove sounds so awesome.

Bottom line: A read set in the coolest small town, where the mystery takes center stage even with everything else going on, populated with characters you can’t help but love.

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