Port Aster Secrets

A botanist heroine. A determined detective. A quiet town hiding deadly secrets.

Welcome to Port Aster, where nothing—and no one—is what they seem. If you love high-stakes mystery, emotional depth, and long-arc suspense, this is the perfect place to begin.

Reading Order

  1. Deadly Devotion
  2. Blind Trust
  3. Desperate Measures

👉 These books should be read in order for the full mystery arc.

Image of Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchard beside a cup of coffee and cookies

About the Series

When herbal researcher Kate Adams finds herself at the center of a web of small-town secrets, she teams up—reluctantly at first—with Detective Tom Parker. Together, they uncover conspiracies, buried motives, and powerful enemies who will do anything to hide the truth.

Expect:

  • Slow-building romantic tension
  • Twists that connect across all three books
  • A community filled with allies, suspects, and shifting loyalties
  • Faith, integrity, and courage under pressure
  • Heart-pounding suspense with emotional resonance

Themes Readers Love

  • Romantic tension woven naturally into suspense
  • Moral dilemmas and courage under fire
  • A mystery arc that deepens with each book
  • Plants, herbs, and botanical clues used in clever ways
  • A villain hiding in plain sight
book cover for Deadly Devotion

#1 – Deadly Devotion

The truth can be dangerous—but silence could be deadly.

Cover for Blind Trust by Sandra Orchard Book 2 in Port Aster Secrets

#2 – Blind Trust

Some secrets should stay buried. Others demand the light.

Cover for Desperate Measures by Sandra Orchard #3 in Port Aster Secrets

#3 – Desperate Measures

The final truth can cost everything.

👉 Read an excerpt →

Meet the Main Characters

Kate Adams — Botanist & Reluctant Sleuth

Smart, resourceful, compassionate. Driven by loyalty, truth, and a refusal to accept injustice—no matter the cost.

Detective Tom Parker — Protector with a Complicated Past

Dedicated, honor-bound, cautious with his heart. Torn between protecting Kate and keeping his emotional distance.

Port Aster — A Character of Its Own

Charming on the surface. Dangerous underneath.

A place where herbal lore, industrial secrets, and old grudges blend into a mystery that spans generations.

Orchard infuses romance with suspense and keeps the excitement coming page after page.” 

Booklist

Behind the Story

Coming Soon:

  • Where the idea came from
  • Research I did into herbs/toxicology
  • Real-life inspirations

Frequently Asked Questions about Port Aster Secrets

Yes. Each book builds on the previous one. While each title contains a standalone mystery, a romantic suspense type plot arcs the series.

Yes, it is based on the Niagara area, or at least how it existed before development took over several of the small towns. Kate’s workplace is based on what used to be referred to as the Vineland Experimental Farm. And Sumpner Falls is a reference to Ball’s Falls…again, how it existed before the welcome centre was built along with other changes.

Yes. Many Christian schools tell me they have them in their library. My granddaughter read them when she was eleven. Expect high suspense and emotional depth without graphic content.

Yes, faith themes appear naturally through character choices and moral tension.

It’s secondary but meaningful—woven gradually across all three books.

Sandra choosing her tea blend at a tea bar in a book shop

Hi, I’m Sandra Orchard, the author brewing up trouble in Port Aster. Our herbal researcher heroine may have a tea for whatever ails you, but I give her plenty of mysteries no blend can fix. If you enjoy stories steeped in suspense, heart, and a hint of danger, I hope you’ll cozy up with the Port Aster Secrets series and stay awhile. To stay in the loop about new releases, and get a free read as a thank you, sign up for my newsletter below.

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