The Best Little Motel in Texas: A Novel

Cordelia West has built a quiet, respectable life in Dallas after spending her childhood in the dive bars of her hometown, Sarsaparilla Falls. When she learns that her great-aunt Penelope has died and named her the sole heir to the Chickadee Motel, Cordelia reluctantly returns to settle the inheritance. The will prevents the property from being sold until all residents leave or pass away. Upon arrival, Cordelia discovers the Chickadee is not a motel but a brothel housing three women in their sixties—Daisy, Arline, and Belinda Sue—who have operated there for decades with the tacit acceptance of the town, including Pastor Reed-Smythe, who publicly condemns the town's vices while privately indulging. When the pastor is found poisoned in Daisy's bed, Cordelia becomes entangled in both protecting the Chicks and uncovering the killer. With multiple suspects—including a nurse with access to arsenic, land developers, and the town librarian—Cordelia must navigate the investigation while contending with Archer Reed-Smythe, the pastor's son and her childhood nemesis, who is also investigating the case.