First in the fabulous new Candy Holliday Murder mystery series. 2010

Candy felt her legs go numb. Before they had a chance to collapse beneath her, she crossed to a chair and sat down heavily. Her fingertips were tingling and there seemed to be a buzzing sound in her ears.

Sapphire murdered? Ray arrested? How could that be?

She didn’t have much time to consider an answer, because the phone rang again. Candy rose shakily to answer it and sat back down.

“Did you see it?” Maggie asked breathlessly.

“I saw it. I don’t believe it, but I saw it.”

“Wasn’t that utterly, totally bizarre? The way they brought her body out on a stretcher like that? It was so undignified but at least she got her final moment in the spotlight. I half-expected her to jump up in her cowgirl outfit and start reciting poetry.”

“It doesn’t seem real,” Candy replied, leaning forward and putting a hand to her forehead. She felt hot.

“Oh, it’s real all right. Someone really, truly did it. Someone murdered our Blueberry Queen.”

Warmest thanks to Kae Tienstra for believing in the book, Leis Pederson for making it happen, George Feeman for his encouragement from the very beginning, and Officer Paul Gasper and Chief Neil R. Williams of the Cape Elizabeth (Maine) Police Department for the tour and invaluable information. Also, a special acknowledgment to Todd Merrill and Jen Dyer at Merrill Blueberry Farms, Ellsworth, Maine, for answering endless questions about blueberry farming. As always, big hugs for Sarah and Matthew for help with the manuscript and the website. For updates about Candy and Doc Holliday, Holliday’s Blueberry Acres, and Cape Wellington, Maine, as well as details about upcoming books, visit www.hollidaysblueberryacres.com.