An Elegant Death in Hastings by
Marjory Drennan

At fifty-three, Bonnie revels in her ‘second act.’ She quit her life in St. Louis, moved back to Hastings on Hudson, opened a cafe with her best friend Ruth, and became a reluctant multimillionaire. After twenty-five soul-sucking years as a social worker, Bonnie embraces family fun and joy. Ruth and her brilliant daughter are as much her family as the elderly aunts who delight in all mischief-related things.

Her friend Liliana tells Bonnie she has something important to discuss and then is found dead. Bonnie does not doubt that her friend’s new, verbally abusive jerk of a husband, Hank, is to blame.

The police don’t think so.

Bonnie refuses to color inside the lines anymore. Too many times in her old life, rule-following led to injustice.

This time, she’s all in, digging, conniving, and unearthing buried secrets. She’s putting people on edge, and edgy people are volatile, How far will she go to make Hank pay?

Debut Novel Out Now


"Like the quaint village where it’s set, An Elegant Death in Hastings is full of breezy charm, fun characters, and more than a few secrets. An inheritance has allowed Bonnie Alcott to follow two very different dreams—running a small-town café and serving as a charitable benefactor. But the murder of a cherished friend adds “amateur sleuth” to her new résumé. One of the brightest moments of the book is the deal Bonnie strikes with the killer at the end of the story. Elegant, indeed"

Sharon Shinn author of Elemental Blessings series



“Hastings-on-Hudson makes its debut in the world of cozy mysteries and the town’s cafe owner, a retired social worker, is determined to solve the murder of her friend. Come along with the delightful cast of characters and explore village life—and find a murderer—in Westchester County.”

Rett MacPherson author of Torie O’Shea genealogy mysteries