In the Beautiful Dark
A Novel
by Melissa Payne
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Pub Date Apr 22 2025 | Archive Date May 06 2025
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Description
A woman investigates a friend’s long-ago murder in a haunting and hopeful novel about the weight of secrets and regrets by the bestselling author of The Wild Road Home and A Light in the Forest.
At Sunny Pines Retirement Community, where the “Sixty-Two and Better!” share their golden years, secrets abound. Some scandalous, some haunting, and some dangerous. For Birdie Allen, a retired business owner and grandmother, her secret is the only thing she’s got left. Getting old isn’t the hardest part about life. It’s the memories from more than fifty years ago of the death of her unrequited love. And Birdie’s abandoned quest to root out the killer.
With retirement comes a lot of time to revisit old ghosts, so when Birdie ties together a string of recent murders, and a woman disappears, she’s drawn into the same chase she gave up decades earlier. But this time she has the help of an eccentric community of eager new friends. And they’re not alone. Restless souls are watching, including Birdie’s lost love, and they sense the danger that lies ahead. They’re not leaving Birdie’s side until she finishes what she set out to do. But will Birdie’s pursuit of a killer finally free her of regrets and allow her to embrace the beauty of the life she’s created?
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
In the Beautiful Dark
“Melissa Payne’s In the Beautiful Dark is a heartfelt delight of a story, often adorable, sometimes tastefully creepy and even bone chilling, certainly never predictable. She’s created a cast of lovely characters, led by the vibrant and determined Birdie, who remind us that it’s never too late to seize life. Richard Osman, look out, there’s a new geriatric sleuth in town.” —Boo Walker, bestselling author of An Echo in Time
“In the Beautiful Dark has everything you could possibly want in a novel: page-turning suspense, laugh-out-loud banter, an endearing ensemble cast of characters, and a long-unsolved mystery, tucked into an unforgettable setting. Melissa Payne has expertly crafted a moving, unpredictable novel that will keep you guessing and leave you smiling. The relatable (if nosy) residents of Sunny Pines found their way into my heart and will live there for a long time.” —Jessica Strawser, USA Today bestselling author of The Last Caretaker
“What an unexpected treat this novel is! Everything from the characters to the setting to the twisting plot kept me off balance and loving it the entire way. In turns heartwarming and thrilling, In the Beautiful Dark has something for everyone.” —Suzy Krause, bestselling author of I Think We’ve Been Here Before and Sorry I Missed You
The Wild Road Home
“Fans of Andrew J. Graff’s Raft of Stars, Catherine Ryan Hyde’s Just a Regular Boy, and Lee Smith’s Silver Alert will find lots to like in Payne’s tender and heartwarming novel about unexpected connections in surprising places.” —Booklist
A Light in the Forest
“The authentic characters and their realistic struggles make this introspective tale entirely believable. Vega’s resilience is sure to endear her to readers.” —Publishers Weekly
“A Light in the Forest is a thrilling portrait of women finding their footing when all odds seem stacked against them.” —BookTrib
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781662515750 |
| PRICE | $16.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 336 |
Available on NetGalley
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