All Is Now Lost - Elizabeth Laura

Welcome to Mongin Island, the South Carolina Lowcountry home of Carr Jepson and the cozy Books ' Brew bookstore, where hot and cold tea are not the only things brewing.

Book #1 of The Island Mysteries series finds Carr Jepson arriving alone on Mongin Island, ready to start the next chapter of her life. Accessible by boat, Mongin Island has very few cars, no busy roads, no crowds, no traffic lights, no bridge, but boasts gloriously oak-lined roads, beaches of powdery white sand, marshes with tall beach grasses and an empty storefront that speaks to an unanswered dream in Carr's heart: creating a gathering spot that happens to sell books.

Recognizing that the Books ' Brew's bare walls could use some "island life," Carr decides to photograph the glorious island scenery. Promising a truly unique sunrise photo, Carr's friend Barb takes her to Governor's Point, an abandoned property that was supposed to be an exclusive waterfront neighborhood. The now neglected property is overgrown and is Barb's secret hideaway for enjoying some of the island's most spectacular water views. But what the two women find in the water that morning sets off a mystery that crisscrosses the island and surfaces the many reasons, some of them deeply rooted in the island's once-turbulent history, that families have come to love this spot in the Atlantic for many generations.

If you love cozy mysteries or you're looking for your next beach read, you'll find this page-turner riveting. Be prepared to be swept into Carr's journey as an amateur sleuth.