Jan 20-2026 - Feature | Ashley Hollow

Ashley Hollow

ASHLEY HOLLOW

Fern Valley Cozy Mystery Series

Good morning,

Well, the long weekend has passed, and our fridge icemaker quit working, and we had to call a repairman to come fix it. And... buy ice to put in the bucket so we'd have ice until the part they need comes in. A couple month ago the bucket that holds the ice cracked and broke. I ordered a new one and replaced it myself. But now the actual mechanism that makes the ice went on the blink, and the water filter got stuck and we couldn't get it out. Needless to say, those issues were beyond my ability to repair. I'll stick to writing, thank-you-very-much.

So if you're a handy person and a "Jack of all trades," bless you! I honor your ability to fix anything, and to be honest, I'm a bit jealous. I try to fix everything I can, but have my limits. LOL

We have a brand new feature for you today, and several mentions! I hope you enjoy these reads!

Oh! And one more thing... don't forget I'll have a brand new book coming out soon. Keep your eyes peeled and ears to the ground! (English is so full of silly idioms, but there you have it. HA!)

Love,
Ashley H.

Today's Special Feature: A Deadly Rehearsal

A small-town playhouse.

A scandal that refuses to stay buried.

A murder waiting in the wings…

Tilly Martin expected her fall to be filled with canvases and customers at her needlepoint shop, Needle and Canvas. Instead, Hillcrest’s long-anticipated community theater revival shatters when the lead actress collapses during rehearsal, right under the stage lights.

Whispers erupt like applause in the dark. Rumors of blackmail. Rivalries simmering behind velvet curtains. A missing prompt book. And an old scandal tied to the playhouse that no one wants to discuss, at least not out loud.

The suspects are many: a too-eager understudy, feuding board members, ambitious actors (including one dramatic blogger), and anyone with a reason to keep the past from being revealed. Soon, Tilly finds herself caught in a cozy mystery more tangled than thread, where every alibi is an act and every backstage secret could turn deadly.

With her sharp-eyed cat Stitches, steadfast friends, and a reluctant but resourceful bookseller at her side, Tilly must uncover the truth before the final curtain falls, for someone else.

Because in Hillcrest, the show always goes on.

Even when murder takes center stage.

Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries with quirky characters, backstage secrets, crafting clues, and whip-smart amateur sleuths, A Deadly Rehearsal is the third in this heartwarming Texas Hill Country Cozy Mystery series.