Lost Heart in King Manor: Book One in the Mysteries of a Heart Series by Celeste Fenton Book Tour with Guest Post & Giveaway
WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING TOUR
of
Lost Heart in King Manor
By Celeste Fenton
Tour Begins September 15
Book Summary
Some secrets are worth killing for.
And some hearts don’t break quietly.
At 45, Gabby Heart isn’t looking for drama—just quiet days on Dost Island running her village gift shop, teaching art, and keeping her past tucked safely away. But when her mother suffers a sudden health crisis, Gabby is pulled into a storm of family secrets, betrayal, and a dark legacy buried within the walls of the once-grand King Manor.
What was supposed to be a safe place for her mother’s recovery becomes the backdrop for a chilling mystery. Strange incidents begin to unfold, and it becomes clear: someone inside King Manor has a deadly agenda.
As a hurricane traps Gabby inside the sprawling estate, she’s forced to work alongside two very different men—her maddeningly attractive officemate and a charming new neighbor, both hiding dark secrets. One man may want her heart. The other may want her dead.
But can she trust her instincts before it's too late?
Publisher: Independently Published (April 15, 2025)
ISBN: 979-8280071773
ASIN: B0F2ZML3M9
Print length: 347 pages (also available as ebook)
Purchase a copy of Lost Heart in King Manor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Heart-King-Manor-Mysteries/dp/B0F5C97VHH
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-heart-in-king-manor-celeste-fenton/
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/lost-heart-in-king-manor-book-one-in-the-mysteries-of-a-heart-series-celeste-fenton
You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235040101-lost-heart-in-king-manor
Guest Post
Cozy Mystery Doesn’t Have to be Cute: Grit and Grace in Your Cozy
By Celeste Fenton
When I first started reading cozy mysteries, I was captivated by the quaint settings: a teashop brimming with scones, a nosy cat or two, and a plucky amateur sleuth who stumbles across the occasional body between gardening and gossip. I’ll admit, that was the image I carried with me when I first dipped into the genre.
Then I started writing Lost Heart in King Manor. The deeper I went into the story, the more I found myself connected to my characters. They weren’t just puzzle pieces in a mystery; they had wounds, fears, humor, and grit. Their lives weren’t “cute” at all—they were raw and layered, touched by loss, resilience, and the courage to keep going. I discovered that writing a cozy meant I could create both comfort and catharsis, weaving in hard truths without losing the charm that makes the genre beloved.
Of course, I’m not the trailblazer here. Many authors have been blending charm with depth long before I nervously drafted my first cozy. One of my favorites, M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin series, is far from sugar-sweet. Agatha is vain, prickly, and hilariously flawed, which makes her triumphs all the more satisfying. Another frequent pick of mine, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels—part cozy, part comic caper—may lean into zany hijinks, but beneath the laughter lie very real struggles with family, finances, and danger. And Charlaine Harris’ Aurora Teagarden series, while starting in classic cozy territory with a small-town librarian, evolves into something much grittier as Roe faces tragedy, loss, and moral dilemmas. Each of these proves that readers don’t need a perfect heroine or a pastel backdrop to feel comforted—they need authenticity.
Because here’s the truth: murder itself isn’t cute. Many readers want a layered experience. They want to see how ordinary people face extraordinary challenges. They want sleuths who struggle with grief, doubt, or fear, and still push forward with determination. This is where grit enters the cozy.
Take a heroine who has endured personal loss or trauma. She may run a bakery or teach classes at the library, but beneath that everyday exterior lies resilience forged by hardship. When she encounters a crime, it isn’t just idle curiosity that drives her; it’s empathy, justice, or even the need to reclaim a sense of control in a chaotic world. These motives resonate because they reflect real life. We’ve all been through storms. Seeing a protagonist navigate her own helps us believe we can weather ours.
And yet, the grace is equally important. Cozy mysteries are not noir—they don’t revel in despair. They’re about community, hope, and the small victories of good people standing against wrongdoing. Grace might look like neighbors banding together, a mother-daughter reconciliation, or even the humorous banter that keeps tension from boiling over. Grace gives readers the comfort they expect, while grit grounds the story in emotional truth.
Blending grit and grace broadens the appeal of cozy mysteries. Readers who once dismissed the genre as “fluffy” may discover its depth. Meanwhile, those who come for the comfort stay for the substance, finding themselves unexpectedly moved by a sleuth’s courage or a community’s resilience.
In my own writing, I’ve leaned into this balance. Yes, there are cottages and cups of tea—but there are also characters who wrestle with grief, guilt, and questions of trust. My hope is to create mysteries that make readers smile but also think and feel deeply. Because life isn’t only sweet or only bitter. It’s both. And so are the best stories.
Now it’s your turn! When you read cozy mysteries, do you prefer the lighter, cupcake-and-cat kind, or the ones with a little more grit beneath the charm? Maybe both? I’d love to hear what draws you in—share your thoughts in the comments here or on my blog at https://celestefenton.com.
You can follow the author at:
Celeste Fenton holds an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in education and has over thirty years’ experience in higher education. Her writing is fueled by a lifelong love of mystery, a fascination with the complexities of the human heart, and just enough real-world experience to keep things interesting. A widow, mother of adult twin sons, proud grandmother, dog lover, and semi-retired professor living in Florida, she weaves imagination with insight to create stories that are both emotionally rich and laced with suspense.
When she’s not writing, reading, or plotting her next twist, she’s often off exploring small towns across America—setting out solo for month-long adventures, much to the awe (and occasional alarm) of friends and family. Her latest obsessions include escape rooms, mastering the perfect miter cut for a DIY bathroom remodel, and making the impossible decision of where to travel next.
Website: https://celestefenton.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Celeste-Fenton-Mysteries-of-a-Heart
IG: @cherylgreybostrom https://www.instagram.com/cherylgreybostrom/
Book Giveaways
Sept. 15 – 28 The Muffin https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
October 1 Avonna Loves Genres https://avonnalovesgenres.com/
October 7 A Wonderful World of Words https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
Sneak Peek
Intrigued by Lost Heart in King Manor? The adventures continue with Book 2: Captive Heart at Brantmar Castle. And author Celste Fenton will be back at WOW Women on Writing with a blog and podcast tour for her second book from November 10 to December 7. Invite your readers to stop by the Muffin on November 10 for the full schedule.
September 15th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Celeste Fenton's debut novel filled with romance and suspense: Lost Heart in King Manor. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
September 16th @ All Things Writing
Don't miss author Celeste Fenton's advice on Setting the Stage for Suspense.
https://www.caitrincking.com/blog
September 17th @ Chapter Break
Today's guest is Celeste Fenton, telling the story of Publishing at 69! It’s Never Too Late for a Story.
September 19th @ What Is That Book About
The spotlight's on romance and suspense with Celeste Fenton's debut novel Lost Heart in King Manor.
September 22nd @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews & Interviews
Meet Celeste Fenton, the author behind Lost Heart in King Manor and the Mysteries of a Heart series.
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
September 25th @ Words by Webb
Jodi reviews a novel for reader that like a good dose of adventure with their romance: Lost Heart in King Manor.
https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog
October 1st @ Avonna Loves Genres
Start the month off right with a review of Lost Heart in King Manor & a book giveaway.
https://avonnalovesgenres.com/
October 2nd @ Some Thoughts. Everything Creativity
Stop by for a review of the first book in Celeste Fenton's mystery series: Lost Heart in King Manor.
https://www.kaeceymccormick.com/blog
October 3rd @ Books R Us
Author Celeste Fenton is visiting today with the guest post From Barbie to Breakdown: Writing About Complex Women
October 4th @ Three Things on a Saturday Night
Searching for some Saturday fun? Lost Heart in king Manor made the list of Three Things on a Saturday Night! Check out the review.
https://nicolepyles.substack.com/p/3-things-on-a-saturday-night
October 7th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Enter to win a copy of Lost Heart in King Manor. Author Celeste Fenton also share a guest post: Cozy Mystery Doesn’t Have to be Cute: Grit and Grace in Your Cozy.
https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
October 9th @ Knotty Needle
Stop by for a review of Lost Heart of King Manor by Celeste Fenton.
http://www.knottyneedle.blogspot.com
October 10th @ Some Thoughts. Everything Creativity
Novelist Celeste Fenton is posting about Using Weather as A Metaphor.
https://www.kaeceymccormick.com/blog
October 19th @ Just Katherine
Everyone loves a romance! Find out how Celeste Fenton writes it with the guest post Second Chances, Slow Burn: Crafting the Romance in Lost Heart.
https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com/
Thank you, Joy! I appreciate your spotlight on Lost Heart in King Manor. If your readers/visitors have questions and comments, I'd love to connect here or on my website https://celestefenton.com
ReplyDelete