Death at Pinnacle Cliff
By Vera Lorne
Series: The Long Exile (Book 1.00)
At Pinnacle Cliff, one cut rope changed everything.
Death at Pinnacle Cliff is a gripping cozy mystery set along the fog-covered coast of Maine, where old rivalries, dangerous ambition, and a deadly act of sabotage collide during a prestigious climbing festival.
When veteran climber Frank Delgado plunges to his death during the opening descent of AbseilFest, the tragedy appears to be a terrible accident. But county medical examiner Willa Hart notices something the others miss: the climbing rope was cut.
As fog rolls across the cliffs and whispers spread through the small seaside town, Willa is pulled into an investigation filled with simmering grudges and long memories. Frank wasn’t easy to love. He had spent years making enemies among local climbers, former friends, and business rivals alike. Everyone has a reason to hate him. Very few had the opportunity to kill him.
Among the suspects is Lena Marsh, a talented climber whose career was destroyed after Frank sabotaged her sponsorship years earlier. Then there are the Goren brothers, local guides locked in an ongoing feud with Frank over climbing rights and festival money. Even members of the festival safety crew begin to draw suspicion as Willa uncovers unsettling details hidden behind the event’s polished image.
But the deeper Willa digs, the more the case becomes about something larger than one man’s death. In a town where everyone knows each other’s history, secrets don’t stay buried for long.
As the investigation unfolds beneath cold gray skies and towering coastal cliffs, Willa must piece together a puzzle built from jealousy, pride, and quiet desperation before the truth disappears into the fog forever.
Atmospheric, character-driven, and filled with subtle clues, Death at Pinnacle Cliff combines the satisfying puzzle-box structure of a classic cozy mystery with the haunting beauty of a rugged New England setting. Perfect for fans of Louise Penny, Richard Osman, and small-town mysteries with strong emotional undercurrents, this story delivers suspense without losing the warmth of community at its heart.
