“Off the Page” with Cassidy Jamison by The Wren (Sarah E. Burr)

A Note from Sarah Burr: I'm handing over the blogging reins to none other than Winnie Lark, the savvy sleuth and bookish brain behind my Book Blogger Mysteries series. Winnie runs What Spine is Yours—a literary hub often dubbed “Metacritic for Books,” but with a delightfully cozy twist. Under her secret blogging identity as The Wren, Winnie dishes out captivating content while keeping her true self under wraps. Her favorite way to spotlight authors? Interviewing them through the voices of their very own characters. And that’s precisely what’s in store for today’s feature. Settle in and enjoy the bookish fun!

Greetings, bookish friends! It’s your friendly, neighborhood book blogger, The Wren, here to introduce another cozy sleuth you won't want to miss: Cassidy Jamison from the Pearly Girls Mysteries.

Cassidy, thank you so much for coming off the page with me. You’ve just had your debut in Murder Strikes a Chord—how exciting! Or maybe not, depending on how much of a mystery lover you are, LOL. I can’t wait to get to know you better and find out more about the Pearly Girls.

Let’s start with your event-planning business. You recently inherited it from your grandmother, yes? What was it like finding out you were now in charge of her legacy? Was this something you wanted, or were you rather reluctant to carry the torch?

My previous job was in marketing, so I knew sort of what to expect. Plus, I’d lived with my grandmother in my teen years, so I got a firsthand look at her style of event planning. And I am so fortunate to have inherited a great team with the property and the business. My grandmother’s friends, the Pearly Girls, Roxanne, Ruthanne, Kate, and Aileen, have years of experience and aren’t shy about offering all kinds of advice (on any subject).

The property includes a renovated farmhouse, which is my office with an upstairs apartment. There is a serenity garden with a koi pond for weddings and special events, a glammed-up dairy barn for indoor activities, an amphitheater for shows, a cave, and the remnants of the old honky-tonk that stood on the property. I’m not sure what to do with the cave. I’m probably the only gal in the area who has her own cave.

I don’t know anyone who has their own cave! How cool. And I’ve never heard of someone inheriting friends before. Was that a big adjustment for you? And where in bookmarks did the name Pearly Girls come from?

The Pearly Girls are a hoot. They’re all retired now and living their best lives. They grew up in the fifties and sixties and loved the era of Camelot, the Kennedys, and the glamor of stars like Audrey Hepburn. And they wore their pearls all the time. Some classmate named them the Pearly Girls, and the moniker stuck. The gals are my invaluable support system, even though I often have to be their technical support. (And sometimes, I have to bail them out of trouble.) Ruthanne is my bookkeeper. Kate, a retired nurse, keeps the gang in line (usually). Aileen is a former teacher who loves to tint her hair to match her outfits. And Roxanne is known about town as the Ivy Springs cougar. They all have hearts of gold, and I cherish their friendship.

They sound like a really lovable support system! Tell us about the Blue Ridge Mountains, where your adventures take place. What makes it the perfect place for a big event? Have you always lived in the area, or are you a new-to-town amateur sleuth?

When my parents were killed in a car wreck, I moved in with my grandmother. By then, she was widowed and decided to turn the property into a place to host events.

The area is beautiful. We’re on the I-81 corridor, which used to be the main road to Nashville before the highway system. Entertainers on their way to or from the music city would stop in Ivy Springs. My grandfather’s honky-tonk (which burned down in the eighties) was famous for all the celebrities who performed there.

Our serenity garden overlooks the valley and is the perfect spot for weddings and outdoor events.

You’re definitely making me want to visit! In Murder Strikes a Chord, the frontman for a popular band is murdered. How did you get involved with the case? Do the Pearly Girls help (or hinder) your investigative efforts? Who else do you have in your crime-solving corner?

I landed a three-week concert series, Groovin’ Through the Decades, and it’s being headlined by the popular '70s band, the Weathermen. They were heartthrobs during their heyday, and the Pearly Girls are over the moon that they will be staying on the property. (And they have full access to the band.) Life was fabulous until Elvis (my chihuahua) and I found Johnny Storm floating in my koi pond. The serenity garden wasn’t all that serene after that. I had to get involved and figure out who killed the singer before it closed down the show and my business.

Yikes! I hope you and Elvis weren’t too traumatized by that deadly encounter. It also must be hard to run a client-centric business like everything is fine, especially when it’s not. How do you do it? Do you have any tips for planning the perfect event?

You have to be super organized. Details matter, and you have to stay on top of everything. And you have to be creative when it comes to events, decorations, and sometimes backup plans when things don’t quite go as planned.

Being organized sounds like something an amateur sleuth would benefit from, too! Well, Cassidy, thanks for taking the time out of your event planning and coming “off the page” with me. Are there more adventures on the calendar for you and your author, Heather Weidner?

There are. I am so excited to host a huge class reunion on the property in the fall. After that, we’ll host a wine, spirits, and craft beer festival.

My team has a secret project in the works. We’re looking at plans to turn the cave into a spot for indoor events like small concerts, parties, and open mic nights. More to come on that. 

Ooo, how atmospheric! I bet readers have a lot more fun ahead of them in Murder Plays Second Fiddle, which launches January 2026. Meet Cassidy and the Pearly Girls now in Murder Strikes a Chord, available wherever books are sold!

Murder Strikes a Chord on Amazon

Murder Strikes a Chord on Barnes & Noble

Murder Plays Second Fiddle on Amazon Preorder

Murder Plays Second Fiddle on Barnes & Noble Preorder

To stay connected with Cassidy’s author, Heather Weidner, head to her website: https://www.HeatherWeidner.com.

Learn more about The Wren, Winnie, and the Book Blogger Mysteries at www.saraheburr.com.