Murder and Moonshine

A waitress turns sleuth after the death of a customer—and finds herself an attractive target for both cop and criminal—in this rural southern mystery.

All small towns have secrets—and plenty of them—as every small-town waitress knows. Daisy is no different. A young, recently separated waitress at H & P's Diner in sleepy southwestern Virginia, she hears more than her fair share of neighborhood gossip while serving plates of hash and peach cobbler. But when a reclusive old man shows up at the diner one day, only to drop dead a few minutes later, Daisy quickly learns that some secrets are more dangerous to keep than others—especially when there are money and moonshine involved.

The man's death was suspicious, and no longer sure who she can trust, Daisy turns sleuth while also seeking to protect her sick mother and keeping a handle on Aunt Emily, her goading, trigger-happy landlord. Caught between whiskey and guns, a handsome ATF agent and a moonshine-brewing sweet talker, and a painful past and a dangerous present, Daisy has her work cut out for her. There's trouble brewing in her small town, and before it passes, many secrets will come to light.

“[An] appealing debut . . . Miller has produced a story full of intriguing clues and misdirection, liberally laced with Southern charm.” —Publishers Weekly

“Miller's debut amuses but also slices into the heart of a proud region . . . Easy to read, shot with romance, and full of country aphorisms, the book succeeds both at puzzling and moving readers emotionally.” —Library Journal