Secrets in D Minor

SECRETS IN D MINOR

A Classical Cozy Mystery of Music, Murder, and Long-Buried Secrets

Some melodies are meant to be heard.

Others were written to be hidden.

When an antique music box begins playing a subtle variation that should not exist, Rose Brighton realizes the tune is not simply nostalgic.

It is deliberate. Structured. Encoded.

And someone once killed to keep it quiet.

If you would like to begin, the first two chapters are available below.

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Written for readers who enjoy quiet unease

This story is written for readers who prefer mysteries that take their time.

Stories where tension grows through small details.

Where familiar spaces begin to feel altered.

Where the past lingers, even when no one speaks of it.

If you enjoy reading slowly and noticing what others might overlook, this may be your kind of mystery.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is truly a "cozy" mystery as mentioned on the cover. I got comfortable and truly enjoyed the book from beginning to end. It's so refreshing and relaxing. I suggest that anyone who wants the same experience to try these books.

— Leander J.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I can say that I'm now a mystery book person. I didn't think that it was possible. These books are great. The book is a wonderful mix of charm and intrigue. I couldn't put it down.

— Happy Buyer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The imagery is superb. His words are like a painting and the plot is intriguing, keeping the reader turning the pages.

— Emily G.

Millbury is a town that prides itself on tradition.

Rose Brighton runs Rose & Remnants, an antique shop filled with forgotten objects and inherited histories. When a music box tied to a long-disappeared pianist begins playing a modified melody in D minor, Rose begins listening more closely.
The pianist was Lydia Harrow.
Gifted. Young. Ambitious.
And gone for thirty years.
Officially, she left town.
Unofficially, no one ever proved it.
As Rose and her friends transcribe the melody, patterns emerge. Repeated notes. Rhythmic anomalies. Initials hidden in phrasing. The music is not decorative.
It is testimony.
The deeper they decode the composition, the clearer it becomes that Lydia anticipated danger. She left fragments behind. Breadcrumbs. A cipher in sound.
But someone else knows that too.
This is a slow-burn mystery.
You will find:
• A small antique shop
• A classical composition in D minor
• A missing pianist
• Hidden ledgers and quiet corruption
• A town forced to confront its past
There are no graphic scenes.
No spectacle.
No exaggerated twists.
Instead, tension builds carefully.
Clues are uncovered gradually.
The truth surfaces note by note.
The first two chapters establish the voice, the atmosphere, and the first sign that the past is not finished.

A quiet glimpse into the story

In Millbury, music lingers longer than memory.

When a music box begins playing a melody that feels altered… intentional…

Rose Brighton starts asking questions.

Thirty years ago, a young pianist vanished. Now her music is resurfacing.

And hidden inside the notes is something no one wanted revealed.

[ Watch the Trailer ]

This trailer sets the tone, not the outcome.

Begin with the first two chapters

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You can read at your own pace and decide whether you’d like to continue.

About Steven T. Duff

Steven T. Duff writes warm, character-driven cozy mysteries set in small towns where history lingers and secrets rarely stay buried.

Steven T. Duff Context File. His stories blend familiar settings; antiques, bookshops, museums, inherited homes, with quiet tension and thoughtful resolution.

The focus is never shock.

It is always discovery.

Why Readers Love These Mysteries

Readers say Steven T. Duff’s mysteries are

“The perfect mix of cozy comfort and page-turning suspense.”

Here are just a few words from the community:

A wonderful mix of charm and intrigue, I couldn’t put it down!
The characters feel like old friends. Every mystery keeps me guessing until the very end.
Cozy, clever, and deeply satisfying. Steven T. Duff has become one of my go-to authors.

Start where the story begins

If you would like to begin listening to Lydia’s melody, the opening chapters are available below.

There is no rush.

The story will wait for you.