A Pose Before Dying (#1)

Forthcoming May 2024

Fledgling entrepreneur Ashley Branson is thrilled to open her dream business—a cat yoga studio. But helping clients find balance and felines find homes soon becomes one unhealthy exercise in murder

Ashley Branson has a lot to prove with her new cat yoga studio, A Purrfect Pose. It’s a place for humans to find inner wellness—and adopt adorable cats from the local shelter. It’s also a chance for Ash to run her own life, out from under her overbearing mother and a stifling relationship. So far, so successful. Until she discovers one of her new clients, a much-disliked college professor, dead in her studio, locked in child’s pose.

To make matters worse, Ash’s hapless always-in-trouble brother, Hunter, instantly becomes the cops’ prime suspect. Determined to clear his name and save her business, Ash does a deep lunge into the surprising—and strange—connections the victim had with her other clients. But countless suspects, contradictory leads, not to mention people desperate to see her studio shut down, mean Ash will have to stretch to the max to outthink a clever killer who’s ready to strike her red in tooth and claw . . .

Reviews

"Readers who enjoy yoga or love cats will appreciate the fresh frame in this series starter, as well as the character of Ash, a sympathetic young woman finding her own way in life."

Booklist

"While cat yoga may be an extremely cozy activity and setting for a novel, Erickson (“Bookstore Café Mystery” series) also offers a vexing murder mystery that will unsettle and intrigue readers. This series starter quickly piles up the tension and conflict and establishes a main character who’s worth rooting for."

Library Journal

Awards & Accolades

USA

Amazon: "Best Mystery, Suspense & Thriller – New and Continuing Series"

Rights