To the brave souls who keep the flame of independent bookstores burning, my deepest gratitude. Seeing my first cozy mystery nestled on your shelves, spines kissed by sunlight and whispers of whodonit, is a joy. You are the literary alchemists who transform cold ink and paper into vibrant worlds, and I owe you a debt of Earl Gray Tea. Thank you for championing authors like me, for welcoming readers into your bibliophilic havens, and for reminding us that magic lives just between the pages, waiting to be discovered. You are the booksellers who keep the whispers of imagination alive, and I'll forever be your grateful author.