This guest post was originally published as a guest feature on Ascroft, Eh. as part of the Cruises, Cocktails, and Corpses tour last May with Great Escapes Tours. I’m so excited to now be republishing it here on my author website so more readers can step into Taryn O’Kelly’s world.
If you’re new here, you’re in for a cozy, twisty treat filled with mystery, charm, and a whole lot of heart. This post also celebrates my latest release, Sparks, S’mores and Scandals, which is on tour this week!
Now, let’s dive into Silver Springs and set sail with Taryn…
Setting Sail with Taryn O’Kelly.
From Silver Springs to the High Seas
When I first set out to introduce readers to Silver Springs, I had no idea how important the characters and their stories would become to me. I always loved writing, but I didn’t realize that joy would grow into such a deep passion or that I’d feel such a strong need to tell their stories.
Cruises, Cocktails, and Corpses is the second book in my Taryn O’Kelly Mystery Series. While it takes Taryn far away from Silver Springs, something I hadn’t originally planned, the characters nudged (okay, shoved) me in that direction. But before I dive into book two, I’d love to step back for a moment and introduce you to Party Planning for Murder, the first book in the series, for those who haven’t yet met Taryn.
Taryn is a young, ambitious businesswoman with big dreams of building a successful event-planning company right in her hometown of Silver Springs, Colorado. Taryn’s a workaholic with a mile-long list of excuses for why her love life isn’t exactly thriving, not that her big Irish Catholic family buys any of them. Especially her mother, who’s just as invested in Taryn’s business success as she is in seeing her settle down and start a family. But life in Silver Springs has a way of throwing curveballs, and when a murder disrupts one of Taryn’s first big events, she’s suddenly juggling more than just floral arrangements and seating charts; she’s dodging danger, too.
The town is set at 6,800 feet in elevation and is surrounded by the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Silver Springs, Colorado, is one of those places that feels like it stepped right out of a postcard. The kind where the air smells like pine and adventure. Tucked into the southwestern corner of the state, Silver Springs hums with old Victorian charm, historic brick buildings lining Main Avenue, and the ever-present smell of soot from the narrow gauge train that still puffs its way into the mountains like it’s got secrets to share. There’s an easygoing spirit here, where a good day might start with strong coffee downtown and end with your feet kicked up beside a fire pit, the stars so clear and close you’ll swear you could pluck them right out of the sky. It’s the kind of town where strangers smile at you, your cell service gets a little spotty on purpose, and the line between town and wild starts to blur the second you hit the edge of the pavement. Out here, time doesn’t just move slower, it stretches wide open, daring you to breathe deeper, look longer, and remember what it feels like to be a little wild yourself.
Book 2 takes us on an exotic cruise, the perfect escape from life’s chaos. After my characters made it clear they were ready for a vacation, the cruise ship setting felt like the perfect choice. Sailing to ports of call like George Town, Cartagena, Aruba, and Half Moon Cay, Taryn finds herself surrounded by sun-soaked beaches, colorful markets, romantic old towns, and waters so blue they hardly look real. Every stop feels like a storybook until dead bodies show up. As the trip turns from romantic vacation to deadly homicide, you’ll find Taryn is the kind of person who can’t stop until justice is served and the people she loves are safe.
Cruise ships are often called “floating cities,” but they’re also a perfect setting for a mystery. With thousands of people from all over the world, a maze of hidden corridors, and complicated legal loopholes depending on a ship’s country of registration, a crime at sea can easily get lost in the shuffle. Jurisdiction gets murky fast when you’re floating in international waters, and sometimes what happens on the ship stays on the ship unless Taryn has anything to say about it. Even in paradise, the danger isn’t far behind, and Taryn quickly learns that not everyone on board is simply there for a good time.
Thank you so much for letting me share a little bit about Taryn, Silver Springs, and our latest adventure at sea. Whether you’re diving into Party Planning for Murder or setting sail with Cruises, Cocktails, and Corpses, I hope you find a few laughs, a little romance, and a twisty mystery to keep you guessing. There’s nothing better than getting lost in a good story, and I can’t wait to bring you even more from Taryn’s world in the books to come. Happy reading, and thanks again for welcoming me (and Silver Springs) into your cozy corner of the world!
Thanks so much for spending time in Taryn’s world with me; it means more than you know. I hope you’ll stick around for all the twists, laughs, and cozy chaos still to come.
📚 Read the series and explore more of Silver Springs and Taryn’s adventures
💌 Join my newsletter for exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes extras, and new release news
Until next time, happy reading and stay cozy!
As always, thanks for stopping by for some Salty Inspirations! – Michelle ❤️
