Murder on the Airwaves (Eve Holdsworth Cozy Mysteries Book 2)

A Cozy Halloween Mystery

Murder on the Airwaves is a cozy Halloween mystery set in the charming small town of Hemlock Grove in the Pacific Northwest. Eve Holdsworth arrives hoping for a peaceful visit with her estranged father, Bill, his wife, Crystal, and their cat—a chance to reconnect, heal old wounds, and enjoy the kind of old-fashioned Halloween celebration the town is known for.

Instead, the holiday takes a dark turn. When a beloved community radio host begins broadcasting cutting public insults aimed at local residents, tensions rise across town. Then Bill stumbles across the host’s dead body and suddenly finds himself at the center of a murder investigation. Convinced her father is innocent, Eve begins asking questions of her own, only to discover that Hemlock Grove’s warm, welcoming surface hides grudges, secrets, and dangerous motives.

Blending small-town charm, family tension, seasonal atmosphere, and amateur sleuthing, Murder on the Airwaves is a fun and engaging cozy mystery with memorable characters, festive Halloween vibes, and a clever whodunit at its heart. As the second book in the Eve Holdsworth Cozy Mysteries series by Carmen Radtke, it offers another entertaining mystery for readers who enjoy cozy crime fiction with heart, humor, and a strong sense of place.

This Halloween murder mystery is ideal for readers who enjoy small-town secrets, quirky communities, family-centered storylines, and clean mystery fiction without graphic content. Fans of cozy mystery series, amateur female sleuths, Pacific Northwest settings, and seasonal mysteries will find plenty to love in Murder on the Airwaves.

Excerpt from the book

The instructions seemed clear, yet the reader puzzled over them. They would cause a lot of upset if carried out. But what choice was there? After all, the show had to go on. The show always had to go on.

The note with the instructions was filed away, adding to the others that had already been fulfilled.

Eve Holdsworth stepped out into the Northwestern drizzle.

Her wheeled suitcase bumped painfully into her shin. One wheel was bent at an odd angle. It had survived the long flight from England to Seattle in about the same battered shape as she had.

While her luggage needed replacing, in her case the damage could easily be repaired with a cup of strong coffee, a decent meal and a long shower.

She’d freshened up as good as she could in the airport washroom, brushing her curls and adding a swipe of gloss to her lips. The last thing she wanted was to encounter her dad and his third wife looking like something the cat had dragged out of the gutter.

“Eve?” Bill Holdsworth peered at her. By his side stood Crystal, smiling so hard her jaw must ache.

To Eve’s surprise it was a genuine smile, one that she returned without a second thought. Both her dad and his wife had changed since she last saw them three years ago, and in her opinion to the better.

Her dad’s white hair sprouted only a few dark strands, and his waist could no longer be called trim, but his eyes sparkled and he held his five foot ten frame straight.

Crystal had either decided on battling nature for a little longer or she was blessed with going grey much slower. The sparse silver in her honey-colored bob made her blue eyes sparkle, and her loose-fitting sweater and pants made it clear that she valued her comfort as much as Eve did. They’d both chosen a similar outfit for the reunion.

Crystal grabbed the suitcase as Bill enveloped Eve in a big hug.

A lump formed in her throat. She’d forgotten how safe she used to feel in his arms when she was little.

His aftershave too brought back long buried memories of the good old days when her mom was alive and before he married wife number two, a brittle blonde who as good as destroyed Eve’s relationship with her dad.

“Is that all your luggage?” Crystal asked. “Surely you don’t intend to run away after a few days again, when we finally have you here?” She perked up. “Or we could go shopping together. That is, if you’d like that.”

Bill let go off Eve and ruffled her hair. “Let my girl get home first before you start planning,” he told his wife.

Crystal apologized. “I’m getting ahead of myself again. You must be tired. But don’t worry, we’re only two hours away, and then you can have a nice long rest.”