by: Heather Weidner
Series: Pearly Girls Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: January 13, 2026
Publisher: Keylight Books
The Pearly Girls return to solve a high school reunion murder in this sequel to Murder Strikes a Chord.
Event planner Cassidy Jamison and her not-so-helpful sexagenarian staff of Roxie, Kate, Aileen, and Ruthanne are up to their elbows with a high school reunion committee’s constantly changing requirements for an event that must be the most elaborate and memorable at all costs.
When well-known reporter, Darcy Branch, and former cheerleader, Brittany Mahoney, are found dead on her property, Cassidy and the gang have to find the killer before the party’s over. And the more Cassidy and her Chihuahua mix, Elvis, dig for clues, the more deadly secrets they uncover—including one that changes everything she knows about her family’s history.
The Pearly Girls need to solve the case before the Class of 2009 goes down in Ivy Springs history as the deadliest reunion.
I am doing well. Thank you so much for hosting me and helping me celebrate the latest in the Pearly Girls Mysteries.
You’re welcome. So I want to get to know you a little bit. What drew you to writing cozy mysteries?
I have loved mysteries since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew, and I’ve always been drawn to cozies. They have quirky characters, interesting jobs and hobbies, and fun settings of places I’d like to visit. They are such a great escape and a fun way to spend an afternoon. I read a lot of genres, but I always gravitate back to the cozy mysteries.
Can you please tell me about the Pearly Girls series and what readers can expect from Murder Plays Second Fiddle?
The Pearly Girls series is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia along the I-81 corridor near Staunton. Cassidy Jamison returns home to take over her grandmother’s event planning business after her grandmother passed away, and her grandmother’s four friends, the Pearly Girls, help her out. And sometimes, the free-spirited seniors are not that much help, especially when they poke around in Cassidy’s love life. This is my Veronica Mars meets the Golden Girls series.
In Murder Plays Second Fiddle, Cassidy and her not-so-helpful sexagenarian staff of Roxie, Kate, Aileen, and Ruthanne are up to their elbows with a high school reunion committee’s constantly changing requirements for an event that must be the most elaborate and memorable at all costs. To Cassidy, it feels like high school all over again when the mean girls show up.
When a well-known reporter, Darcy Branch, and former cheerleader, Brittany Mahoney, are found dead on her property, Cassidy and the gang have to find the killer before the party’s over. And the more Cassidy and her Chihuahua Elvis dig for clues, the more deadly secrets they uncover, including one that changes everything she knew about her family’s history.
Tell me more about Cassidy and the Pearly Girls.
Cassidy is a millennial who is focused on running her business, so she doesn’t have much of a social life. She hopes the reunion will give her opportunities to meet more people. She also doesn’t date much. Though, there is a hunky detective who seems to be interested in her when he’s not telling her to butt out of his investigations. And there is a drop-dead gorgeous bartender who is hired for the events.
The Pearly Girls, four Boomers who grew up with her grandmother, do all they can to help any romantic relationship and to introduce her to every available bachelor in a tri-county radius. The gang is made of Roxie (the group’s cougar), Kate (the stoic former nurse), Aileen (the creative former elementary school teacher), and Ruthanne (the quiet, play-by-the-rules bookkeeper).
Cassidy also shares her life with Elvis the Chihuahua who is an ambassador for her business, but he thinks he’s the director of security.
When you started writing Murder Play Second Fiddle, did you know who the killer was, or was it a surprise to you as the story progressed?
I am a planner. My day gig is in IT, and I love spreadsheets and project plans, so I spend several weeks plotting and outlining each book before I start writing. I know who the killer is, but sometimes, the characters want to take a different turn, and I veer slightly from the plan.
Final question. How do you keep all of your series separate and your mysteries fresh?
I love my spreadsheets. I have four different series (3 cozies and 1 private eye series), so I keep a spreadsheet with the details of each character and what books they appear in. It helps me stay organized and manage all the details.
Heather, thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me.
Thank you so much for letting me visit. Happy reading!
Purchase Murder Plays Second Fiddle from:
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The Pearly Girls Mystery Series:
Murder Strikes a Chord (Book 1)
Murder Plays Second Fiddle (Book 2)
Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, Murder by the Glass, First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder, and Crime in the Old Dominion, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime: National, Central Virginia, Chessie, Guppies, and Grand Canyon Writers, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers, and she blogs regularly with the Writers Who Kill.
Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a crazy Mini Aussie Shepherd named Cooper.
Places to find Heather Weidner:
Website | BlueSky | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | Threads | Twitter (X) | Amazon Author Page
You can follow the Murder Plays Second Fiddle Blog Tour here.
Thanks so much!
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