A Slice Of Mystery is officially out!

Eeeek! Today's the day, the day the world gets to meet Abigail Palmer, and I'm feeling all the feels, terrified, excited, wanting to hide, and wanting to shout from the rooftops! Maybe I should just go back to bed and pretend this isn't happening...

Taking a step back, deep breath, exhale... Okay, I'm good, and I would like to officially announce that A Slice Of Mystery by Sophie Maddon (that's me!) has been released on all platforms (and that includes Kobo Plus, and a number of library platforms such as OverDrive, BorrowBox, and Hoopla).

And I'm so excited!

Where to get it: All retailers (Bookshop.org is in there, if you want to support your local bookshop too.)

What's it about?

When you're lucky enough to land on a project in your hometown, nothing can ruin it—right? That is, until your boss disappears and you're given her job, the police suspect you, and the cheesemonger runs out of your favourite Gouda.

When socially-awkward IT consultant Abigail Palmer is sent to work on a local factory's new computer systems, she's looking forward to daily get-togethers with best friend Hannah and cozy nights with Jasper the cat—not being blackmailed by boss Lynn into investigating a threatening note.

Between managing the IT project, untangling lies, and trying to decode a cute colleague's attentions, Abigail's plate is full—though there's always room for Giuseppe's insanely delicious pizzas.

Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries and awkward heroines with a side of tech. Warning: may cause cravings for artisan cheese and late-night pizza.​

What readers are saying:

"Abigail is lovable as a perspective character and it was great to see her learn and grow when her theoretical beliefs were tested against practical experiences."

"I surely laughed a hundred times at the things Abigail thought, and I adored how she was so obsessed with Sherlock Holmes."

"The mystery aspect of the book kept me on my toes and [...] it was hard to put down."

"This is a different kind of heroine. Abigail is very literal and blunt. Not everyone understands her. [...] But she is very good a deducing mystery."

"This was a fun read about a reluctant investigator, at least reluctant at first."

A word of warning: some of you will like Abigail straightaway. Some of you will spend the first 10% of the book deciding whether you like or dislike her (like Marmite*?!). Give her a chance, she grows on you - and the mystery will keep you turning the pages either way.

If you do read it, reviewing at your favourite retailer and/or on Goodreads, The StoryGraph, or wherever you hang out online makes a huge difference for an indie author. Even just a star rating helps.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Abigail (or if you have a favourite kind of cheese you'd like to see featured in the next book!), don't be shy, just hit reply (oops, sorry, didn't mean to rhyme!)

I also would like to say a huge thank you to the readers who pre-ordered the book, the support you gave me makes me feel so grateful (and I'm tearing up, but it may be because I'm writing this before 7 a.m. and I haven't had coffee or tea yet).

Love, Sophie

*Random anecdote, when I was a child, I once generously slathered my morning toasts with Vegemite, thinking it was Nutella... when I took a bite, my brain took a couple of seconds to register it was not, then it decided it most definitely didn't like Vegemite!

PS: back to our regularly scheduled programme at the end of the month for the April round-up!

 Read for free (or close) with libraries and subscription services!