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Book 1: The Potter's Final Piece
A small-town scandal. A stolen fortune. And a women’s club with nothing to lose.
When Biddy Bramley returns to her hometown of Pooka, Indiana, after her husband’s passing, she expects awkward reunions, petty gossip, and a fresh start—not rumors that her estranged sister was cheated out of a multi-million-dollar pottery business before her death. The town dismisses Eileen as a delusional old woman, but Biddy refuses to let her sister’s legacy die with her.
Never one to leave history buried, Biddy enlists a ragtag band of sleuths: a no-nonsense bar owner, an exhausted mom craving a break, and a street-savvy woman working off her community service. Together with Biddy’s own skeptical daughter, they form the Pooka Women’s Club—part support group, part amateur detective team.
But as the unlikely allies dig into Eileen’s past, they stir up more than just old grudges. Someone in Pooka has secrets worth killing for—and if they’re not careful, they’ll find themselves jumping out of the kiln and into the fire.
The Potter’s Final Piece is a charming, twist-filled cozy mystery perfect for fans of small-town secrets, found family, and amateur sleuths with something to prove. With a quirky cast of witty women, this novel delivers a delightful blend of humor, heart, and mystery ideal for readers who love compelling but clean whodunits.
Book 2: A Cryptic Death
An heiress’s fortune up in flames. A desperate nun with no past. Secrets buried in a crypt.
Pooka, Indiana, is still reeling from the fallout of the Pooka Women’s Club’s last investigation. With farms failing, families fleeing, and fingers pointed squarely at Biddy Bramley and her fellow amateur sleuths, the town has never been more divided. Even Biddy herself is barely holding it together—until a bloodied nun appears on the club’s doorstep, shaken, desperate, and terrified.
Sister Dymphna has no memory of who she was before taking her vows—only unexplained injuries, a fortune in cash, and the chilling sense that someone wants her gone. Grateful for a distraction and never willing to turn their backs on a woman no one else believes, the Women’s Club takes the case.
As buried secrets surface in a local church’s crypt and whispers of Sister Dymphna’s past begin to emerge, the investigation expands to include one of the club’s own—and draws dangerous attention.
A Cryptic Death is the second installment in The Pooka Women’s Club Mysteries, a cozy mystery series celebrating sharp-witted women, unlikely friendships, and small-town intrigue. Perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries, layered secrets, and amateur sleuths navigating life’s second acts, this novel blends suspense with warmth and dry humor.
Featuring classic cozy mystery elements (an eccentric town, a puzzling cold case, a mysterious outsider, and a tight-knit group of determined women), A Cryptic Death is ideal for fans of thoughtful, clean whodunits and mature protagonists who know that it’s never too late to uncover the truth.
Virginia Ann started her writing career as a consumer industry analyst with a decade of experience uncovering hidden trends, following the money, and making sense of complex business dealings—all skills that have translated well into crafting intricate mysteries.
Before venturing into fiction, Virginia authored numerous financial articles. Her insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Reuters, and she has appeared as an expert guest on CNBC’s Squawk Box, BNN, and Bloomberg.
A lifelong lover of charming small-town whodunits, Virginia brings her keen analytical eye to the world of cozy mysteries, blending intrigue, humor, and strong female friendships. She lives in Wisconsin with her beloved cocker spaniel, Millie, and, when not devouring cozy mysteries or writing, can be found gardening and wall-papering every available surface. The Potter’s Final Piece is her debut novel.
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