The Well-Kept Secret By Kari Lee Townsend

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The Well-Kept Secret By Kari Lee Townsend

Grab a cup of something warm, friends, because today we’re hearing straight from the stars of The Well Kept Secret, the delightful trio known as Tilly, Belle, and Dot! These three Wellies always have plenty to say (and usually a few secrets to spill), and author Kari Lee Townsend has kindly let them take over the spotlight for a bit of fun.

Character guest post for Salty Inspirations Tours

The Wellies Speak

A Guest Post by Tilly, Belle, and Dot of Wishville

Tilly: Well, it’s about thyme—pardon the pun—that someone gave us the floor. We’re the Wellies, self-appointed guardians of the wishing well and the unofficial keepers of Wishville gossip. I’m Tilly Nettlesblossom, retired herbalist, and if you need a spell jar or a charm bottle, come to Bibbidi, Bottles & Boo. I see things more clearly than most. Lavender in my hair helps.

Belle: Clears throat with operatic flair. And I’m Maribelle Crimp. You can call me Belle, darling, everyone does. Former opera star, current town crier, and the woman who brings the sparkle to Wishville. Literally. Sequins, rhinestones…you name it, I wear it. Some say I jingle when I walk. I say I announce my presence. And let’s not forget my pigeons. They’re supposed to deliver secret notes, but lately they’ve been landing in the bakery instead. Can’t blame them. The croissants are heavenly.

Dot: And I’m Dottie Quench. Dot to my friends. Owner of The Quench & Snoop Tea House. Come for the tea, stay for the fortunes. Just don’t expect them to be accurate. My oversized polka-dot spectacles sometimes exaggerate things. Or maybe life just does. Either way, folks leave smiling, which is more than I can say about Belle’s pigeons.

Tilly: You should’ve seen them last week. One dropped a “top-secret” message right into Betsy Plum’s bread dough.

Belle: Artistic delivery, I call it.

Dot: Sloppy aim, more like.

Tilly: Speaking of sloppy, Belle thinks she’s the only one who notices things, but let’s be real…we all do. I saw Lyra Wells giving Calderis the kind of glance that belongs in a romance novel. Broody Dweller, soulful eyes—don’t tell me you didn’t notice.

Belle: Oh, I noticed. But I also caught her fussing with her hair whenever Chief Holden Thorn strutted by. Two lawmen, one WishFest chair…scandalous.

Dot: Or stressful. Depending on your point of view.

Tilly: Point is, nothing escapes the Wellies. We’re the watchers. The listeners. The ones who string together the whispers of Wishville.

Belle: And the sparkle. Don’t forget the sparkle. WishFest wouldn’t shine without my flower-crown quality control.

Dot: Quality control? You hoard daisies like a dragon hoards gold.

Tilly: And I steal them back when you aren’t looking.

Belle: Gasps. Tilly Nettlesblossom!

Dot: Oh, hush. The truth is, people don’t come to WishFest for the lanterns or the dunk tank. They come for the secrets. And we three make sure they never stay buried for long.

Tilly: Whether it’s a suspicious collapse at the pie-eating contest…

Belle: Or a wish that mysteriously comes true after being tossed into the well…

Dot: Or Belle singing arias at three in the morning when her pigeons won’t roost.

Belle: Sniffs. Inspiration doesn’t keep office hours.

Tilly: In the end, Wishville has its magic—real or imagined—but we’re the ones who make sure stories get told.

Dot: Especially the stories people would rather keep quiet.

Belle: That’s what makes us indispensable.

Tilly: The heart of the town.

Dot: Or at least the loudest part of it.

Belle: Gasps again.

Tilly: She’s right, Belle. Between your flair, Dot’s loopy spectacles, and my persistence, we always uncover the truth sooner or later.

Dot: And usually before Holden or Lyra do.

Belle: Which is why the Wellies will always be here, watching over the well, keeping Wishville in check.

Tilly: Like it or not.

Dot: Exactly.

Weren’t Tilly, Belle, and Dot a hoot? I could listen to those Wellies chatter all day! If you enjoyed their guest post, be sure to check out Kari Lee Townsend’s The Well Kept Secret.

Stay tuned for The Well-Laid Trap (A Wishville Mystery #2) 1-20-26

The Well-Kept Secret (A Wishville Mystery) by Kari Lee Townsend

About The Well-Kept Secret

The Well-Kept Secret (A Wishville Mystery) Cozy Fantasy Mystery 1st in Series Setting – Wishville, Vermont Publisher : Oliver Heber Books Publication date : October 28, 2025 ASIN : B0FL8TQXPB

A Spring Festival. A Magical Murder. A Secret Buried Beneath the Well.

Wishville, Vermont looks like a storybook postcard—complete with forest festivals, quirky locals, and a centuries-old wishing well that allegedly grants one wish each season. But for Lyra Wells, the magic isn’t just folklore—it’s her full-time job. As the half-human, half-Dweller Guardian of the Well, Lyra must keep the peace between the mortal world and the magical realm of Elarion. That means overseeing every seasonal WishFest, keeping tourists entertained, and pretending her glowing cat sidekick isn’t judging everyone.

But when an all-too-nosy antique dealer is found mysteriously dead by the well—and a rare memory crystal is discovered at the scene—the fragile treaty between worlds begins to unravel, and the ethereal Dweller chief enforcer isn’t happy. As the townsfolk whisper about curses and coincidences, something ancient stirs beneath the surface—and it’s not ready to stay hidden.

About Kari Lee Townsend

National Bestselling Author, Agatha, RT Reviewers Choice & Golden Duck Award Nominee. Kari lives in Central New York with her husband & 3 Samoyeds. She’s a lover of wine & travel (especially cruising), obsessed with reality TV, loves to try new things, and thinks there’s nothing better than getting lost in a good book with at least some element of mystery, romance & humor. She writes cozy mysteries & upper middle grade as Kari Lee Townsend, as well as suspense, romance, romantic comedy & women’s fiction as Kari Lee Harmon. She’s most known for her Sunny Meadows Mysteries, Kalli Ballas Mysteries, and a crossover series featuring Sunny, Kalli, their detectives, and their crazy families! The Tasty Trio and Greek Mamas are her favorite characters to write about. Granny Gert is based on her late grandmother and Great Grandma Tootsie is based on her husband’s late grandmother who lived to be nearly 109 years old!

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The Well-Kept Secret By Kari Lee Townsend