Where the Light Shines Through: An Olivia Penn Mystery by Kathleen Bailey
About Where the Lights Shines Through
Castle meets Clue in this fun, fast-paced, fresh take on the cozy mystery.
Olivia’s syndicated advice column is about solving problems … not murders. But when she returns to her hometown of Apple Station in Virginia to visit her dad, she has five days to expose a killer or fall prey as the next victim.
Olivia had planned for a week of rest and relaxation before her move to New York for a promotion and a chance to pursue her publishing dreams. Within hours of arriving home, her world changes forever with the death of someone dear. A promise to a grieving mother leads her to uncover secrets from the past that put her life in danger, leaving her at a crossroads. Does she risk investigating further or settle for the security of the life that awaits? Will she chase after what she thinks she wants or listen to what her heart needs?
With the support of friends and family, a tenuous alliance with the lead police detective, and the bravery of an intrepid beagle, she races to protect her dad, rescue an unlikely ally, and bring a murderer to justice.
When all seems lost, will Olivia summon the strength and courage she needs to see where the light shines through?
Join the journey in the first novel of The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. If you grew up reading Nancy Drew, you’ll love this cozy mystery that entertains with heart and humor amid a charming cast of characters set in a small Southern town.
Escape to enjoy a captivating, heartwarming story that will inspire you to be the hero of your own life.
EXCERPT:
This selection is the inspiration behind the cover design.
He walked back to the house, leaving Olivia alone to make her visit. After her mother died, she spent countless quiet hours in the cottage, surrounded by her mother’s books and writings, to ease her grief. She had not been inside, though, for nearly a year. The interior remained unchanged—her father never wanted to move a thing. Her mother’s glasses lay on the desk in the same spot she last placed them. One of the four bookcases housed collections of her mother’s writing, while the other three sheltered an ample, diverse library. A glider chair bided its time by the front window, waiting for a willing partner to sit a spell and share in the sun’s radiant warmth.
She read the spines of her mother’s binders, each one labeled by form, genre, theme, location, or season. Fall: Poetry, Short Suspense, Tasmania—1995. The case was full of them. She selected a volume titled Memories, Olivia, and flipped to a random handwritten page.
Olivia,
Today, you were a most enchanted child. As Daddy and I sat on the porch enjoying a fine evening, you saw your first firefly. With you sitting on my lap, one of our little summer friends came to rest on your arm. You gazed at it, and when it glowed, your eyes widened. You looked at us in amazement! When the glow disappeared, your smile left, and you turned sad. When the glow returned, your face beamed as if you had discovered something magical. Daddy and I laughed, and then we carried you to the backyard where hundreds of fireflies danced in the night sky. You pointed to as many of the lights as you could until you fell asleep. May you always be looking for your lights. Even the darkest of night skies can never extinguish the glow of the smallest light.
Love,
Mom
About Kathleen Bailey
Kathleen Bailey is the author of Where the Light Shines Through, the first novel in The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. She writes mysteries with heart and humor that keep to the traditional and cozy sides of crime. Kathleen has degrees in English, psychology, and physical therapy. She previously worked as a pediatric physical therapist for over twenty years with children who have special needs. She now spends her days obsessively plotting and sleuthing in Virginia. When she is not incognito, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and the James River Writers.
Let's Celebrate!
Happy National Stay Home Because You’re Well Day (November 30)! Did this day sneak up on you again this year? Or are you like me and never knew such a day existed? We all are quite familiar with having to take sick days, but what about taking a wellness day? I know … who among us can take a day off from our “real life” jobs/lives just because we’re well. I’m not seeing alot of hands up. The spirit behind the unofficial “holiday,” though, reminds us we need to enjoy moments of ease daily and not just when we’re feeling ill.
This is exactly what Olivia is doing as her journey begins in Where the Light Shines Through. Olivia is a syndicated advice columnist living and working in Washington, D.C. She is moving to New York to accept a promotion and pursue her publishing dreams. Before doing so, though, she makes a trip back to her hometown of Apple Station, Virginia, to visit her dad and spend a week of rest and relaxation, catching up with her friends and enjoying the town’s spring festival. One planned highlight of her trip is the planting of her father’s annual summer garden.
Much of the description of the father-daughter garden, from the drawn-out map that Olivia’s dad makes to the mythology of the habaneros, stems from my own life. For me, planting a garden with my dad was a day of wellness I looked forward to every year. Though it was back-breaking work, often in ninety-degree heat, I wouldn’t trade those days and memories for anything. Planting those seedlings every year would bear fruit (and vegetables!) in all the days that followed, as watching the garden flourish brought much joy to my dad’slife.
Though we can’t always take an entire day for ease (though we should try for one occasionally), we can spend a few moments daily to support our own wellness. Allow yourself some humanity. Savor your coffee or tea, enjoy the sun shining through the window, or curl up and read a cozy!
Today, I’m celebrating my book’s birthday, and so I’m going to be sure to approach the day with ease. I will walk by the garden where I have so many fond memories of my dad, grateful for those days of wellness.
What are you going to do today to support your wellness?
Happy reading!
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