Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Poppy McQuay—The Mallory Harper Cozy Mystery Collection
A terrier with a nose for clues. A reluctant sleuth with a knack for trouble. Meet Poppy McQuay's Mallory Harper cozies — Books 1–3 in one bingeable boxset.
Series: A Mallory Harper Cozy Mystery — Boxset, Books 1–3
The Book: Welcome to Willow Creek, where the coffee is strong, the cardamom buns hide deadly secrets, and trouble has a habit of landing squarely in Mallory Harper's lap. She's the reluctant sleuth of the town — the one who never meant to get tangled up in anything, and somehow keeps tripping headfirst into it anyway.
This binge-worthy collection gathers the first three books in Poppy McQuay's Mallory Harper series. With a gossipy best friend, a smirking ex, and a terrier who treats crime scenes like treasure hunts, Mallory has to untangle grudges, dodge small-town gossip, and find the truths nobody wants uncovered — before she becomes the killer's next loose end.
Inside the boxset: Vendors, Villains, and a Very Good Dog (a festival vendor vanishes mid-event), Biscuits and a Body (a late-night errand leads Mallory to a dead baker), and Porchlights and a Murder (a silent street, a dead contractor, and a crash that makes no sense). Perfect for readers who like small-town charm, mischievous pets, and twisty whodunits that reward a full weekend on the couch.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars (3 reviews) — Amazon
What Readers Are Saying: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Fast-paced fun reads that keep you turning pages to see what will come up next!" — Early reader
“Three cozies, one terrier with a nose for mischief, and a sleuth who can’t seem to stay out of trouble? That’s what a weekend boxset should look like. I’ve got my eye on Willow Creek.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Finley Page—The Poisoned Petal Express
A librarian. A rescued golden retriever named Bessie. A snowbound train and a dead influencer. Meet Finley Page — free on BookFunnel.
The Book: Librarian Charlotte Wren lives by lists and schedules. She likes knowing what's coming. So when she inherits a mystery bookstore from a great-aunt she barely knew, she does what any organized woman would — packs a neat suitcase, books a seat on the Poisoned Petal Express, and sets off to claim her inheritance the way you're supposed to.
One impulsive rescue of a shivering golden retriever named Bessie, and Charlotte's careful plans collapse in minutes. When ruthless influencer Dylan Rhinehart is found dead in his compartment during a blizzard, the elegant train becomes a locked-room mystery on rails. With Bessie at her side, a charming travel writer named Theo Parker, and rookie Deputy Mindy Collier on the case, Charlotte has to do the thing she's least comfortable with: improvise.
Was it the flamboyant magician Rhinehart humiliated? The ice-queen socialite shielding her husband's past? The quiet chef with a family secret Rhinehart was about to expose? As snowdrifts bury the train and the suspects grow desperate, Charlotte has to unmask the killer before they realize she's seen too much. On this train, everyone aboard is hiding something — but only one secret is worth killing for.
Rating: Just launched on BookFunnel — a brand-new reader magnet from Finley Page.
What Readers Are Saying: Fresh release — early readers are just discovering it.
“A librarian who inherits a mystery bookstore, a rescued golden retriever named Bessie, and a snowbound train with no way off? Every ingredient on my favorite-tropes list, all in one book. Yes please.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Lilly Gibbs—A Hollowcrest Lodge Murder
A snowbound Colorado lodge. A murdered media mogul. Seven suspects, airtight alibis — and one reporter with a very clever Collie on her side.
Series: A Lila Lawson Cozy Mystery Series
The Book: Small-town reporter Lila Lawson thought her Colorado journalism retreat would mean quiet mornings, mountain views, and a notebook full of story ideas. What she didn't expect was a brutal blizzard — and media mogul Victor Graystone stabbed mid-signature in the middle of the lodge.
With the storm cutting off the outside world, Lila takes charge of the scene — cataloging clues and fighting the urge to straighten every room she walks into. Seven suspects emerge: a reporter whose career Victor destroyed, a business partner whose rage outpaces everyone else's, and a handful of rivals with reasons of their own. The problem? Every single one of them has an airtight alibi.
Then Lila and her loyal Collie, Ella, discover a hidden passage behind the lodge walls — and the whole case shifts. The killer wasn't trapped with the guests; they'd been using the lodge as a hunting ground all along. With a target on her back and nowhere left to run, Lila has to stay one step ahead of a culprit who now knows she's seen too much.
Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (12 reviews)
What Readers Are Saying: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The characters were complex, the plot intriguing and well-paced, the world solidly drawn. A great addition to the series." — Amazon reviewer
“A snowbound mountain lodge, a killer who’s been hiding in the walls, and a Collie named Ella who sounds like she’ll steal every scene? This one’s going straight to the top of my stormy-Sunday-afternoon reading pile. ”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: K. Z. Black—The Lakehouse Guests
An influencer books a cozy lake weekend. The house has other plans. Meet K. Z. Black and her locked-house thriller.
Series: standalone
The Book: Influencer Kellie arrives at remote Stillwater House with a suitcase full of good lighting and a weekend plan — film a "cozy getaway" mini-series for her followers. Lake views. Soft mornings. Easy content. What she doesn't expect are hosts with rehearsed smiles, rules that feel weaponized, and cameras that never seem to blink.
Six couples arrive as strangers… until two of them react like they've met before. At midnight, a brand-new episode appears under Kellie's show — scheduled without her — and a timer starts counting up, as if someone's filming her life in real time. The house's timeline doesn't match hers. Keys change hands. Room assignments shift. Then the storm rolls in, cell service dies, and the gate locks from the inside.
When the first death at the dock looks like an accident, Kellie wants to believe it. Until the next one. And the next. The security feeds glitch, delay, and lie — proof that reality can be edited. Kellie came to capture a weekend. So why does Stillwater House look like it's been waiting for her?
Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars (13 reviews) — Amazon
“For readers who like their mysteries with a little more edge than sugar—this one looks genuinely unsettling. A remote lake house, cameras that won’t look away, and a weekend that refuses to go according to plan. Not my usual Maple Grove fare, but I’m always up for a change of pace when the setup is this cinematic!”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Greta Sinclair — The Great Nashville Bake Off Mishap
Meet Greta Sinclair — award-winning author of the Hattie and Moose Cozy Mystery series. A Nashville bake off, a collapsed judge, and furbabies with very strong opinions.
Series: A Hattie and Moose Cozy Mystery
The Book: Hattie Leiper never imagined her baking could earn a handshake from a famous TV judge — especially one that's followed by his sudden collapse.
During a tented garden bake off at a Belle Meade estate, Hattie and her bestie-slash-detective Bo Becket must navigate competitive bakers, daily mishaps, and sugary secrets. Was it a careless ingredient mix-up, or something more deliberate?
Between a retired nurse with suspicious medical knowledge, a seasoned pastry chef, and a tech-minded baker with a grudge, everyone becomes a suspect. And Hattie's furbabies — Moose the Chow Chow, Mini Pearl the feisty Yorkie, and Cecil the crime-magnet British Shorthair — are making their objections known at every turn.
🏆 2025 Global Book Awards Silver Medal Winner
Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (110 reviews)
What Readers Are Saying: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Blossom SeaFarrer definitely knows how to write fantasy." — C. Gruver
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (8 reviews)
“Hattie Leiper is one of those characters you root for from page one — and her furbabies have opinions about everything, which is exactly how it should be. Greta Sinclair won a 2025 Global Book Awards Silver Medal for good reason. If you love food, Southern charm, and a mystery that keeps you guessing, start here.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Blossom Seafarer - Wildergrove Whispers
Meet Blossom SeaFarrer — author of the Dragons of Drakora series. A dragon on a sacred quest, a forest full of illusions, and a spell that changes everything.
Series: Dragons of Drakora (Book 2) — Fantasy Shifter Romance
The Book: A dragon on a sacred quest. A forest full of illusions. And a spell that binds two strangers together whether they like it or not.
Galdraux has one mission: find the Tree of Knowledge or lose his chance to become an elder. But the Wildergrove doesn't play fair, and when a quiet girl named Lyssaria offers help, he wakes up trapped by her magic. His counterspell binds her right back. Now neither can escape without the other.
What follows is an uneasy alliance through a hostile forest, villagers who want Lyssaria dead, and a bond that was never part of the plan. Galdraux must decide what matters more — the destiny he was born for, or the connection he never expected.
What Readers Are Saying: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Blossom SeaFarrer definitely knows how to write fantasy." — C. Gruver
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (8 reviews)
“This one’s a little different from my usual picks — but if you’ve ever wanted your cozy reading to take a detour through an enchanted forest with dragons, this is your invitation. Blossom SeaFarrer builds a world you can get completely lost in.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Susana Sage — Spiced to Death
Meet Susana Sage — author of the Texas Hill Country Cozy Mystery series. A needlepoint shop, a food festival murder, and a cat named Stitches who's on the case.
Series: A Texas Hill Country Cozy Mystery
The Book: When Tilly Martin trades city life for the small-town charm of Hillcrest, Texas, she never expects her dream of running a needlepoint shop to unravel into danger. But when a renowned chef is found dead just before the Hill Country Food Festival's opening dinner, it's clear someone has cooked up more than a recipe for success.
Rumors of secret ingredients, stolen recipes, and family rivalries simmer across the Hill Country. Every clue pulls Tilly deeper into the mystery — from feuding chefs to hidden legacies — and closer to a killer who won't hesitate to silence the truth.
Armed with a cryptic notebook, a mysterious spice mix, and her mischievous gray cat Stitches, Tilly must unravel a web of small-town secrets before the killer strikes again.
Rating: New release — be one of the first to review!
“A needlepoint shop, a food festival, a murdered chef, and a cat named Stitches. Susana Sage had me at the spice blend. If you love small-town Texas charm with a side of mystery, this one’s for you.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Etta True — Dead in the Wool
Meet Etta True — author of the Adri Foster Cozy Mystery series. A fiber festival, a dead body, and a Border Collie who notices what everyone else overlooks.
Series: Adri Foster Cozy Mystery (Book 4)
The Book: A summer fiber festival in the small town of Seven Springs should be all about fleece, folk music, and community. But when the Saturday Spinners discover a body buried in the fleece tent, fiber artist Adri Foster finds herself tangled in something far more dangerous than yarn.
The police say it wasn't natural causes. The gossip says it was the wife. And somewhere between whispers of a red-haired woman, late-night poker games, and fights over a power line, the truth is hiding in plain sight.
Good thing Adri has Snooper — her Border Collie who notices what everyone else overlooks.
What Readers Are Saying: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "More than just a mystery — it's a detailed glimpse into a world you'll want to visit." — S. King
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Another Great Adri Foster Cozy Mystery" — Doreen Bonner
Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars (16 reviews)
“If you love a good mystery with a smart heroine, an even smarter dog, and a small town full of secrets, Etta True delivers. Dead in the Wool had me guessing until the very end—and I may have Googled ‘fiber festivals near me’ afterward.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Sylvia Grant — Confessions of a Wanna-Be Cowgirl
Meet Sylvia Grant — award-winning author of Confessions of a Wanna-Be Cowgirl. A fresh start, a psychotic chicken, and two cowboys who complicate everything.
Series: Standalone — Small Town Reinvention Romance
The Book: Carly Brooks died of humiliation — and Georgia Blake Brooks rose from the ashes with a new name, new boots, and a forty-something-item cowgirl glow-up list.
All she wants is a fresh start, a little peace and quiet, and maybe to win over her aunt's psychotic chicken, Henrietta. What she gets is a horse named Biscuit who steals her heart, a town full of nosy neighbors, and not one — but two — cowboys who complicate everything.
Catching a cowboy might be easier than she thought. Figuring out which one's worth keeping? That's where it gets messy. Especially when secrets don't stay buried for long in small towns — and hers has the power to ruin the only home she's ever wanted.
🏆 Global Book Awards Bronze Medalist | #1 Amazon Bestseller
“A little something different from my usual picks — but if you love small towns, second chances, and a heroine who’s rebuilding her whole life from the boots up, Sylvia Grant will win you over. Also, there’s a psychotic chicken named Henrietta. I’m not over it.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Ellis Thorne — Snowfall at Silver Run
Meet Ellis Thorne — author of the Sable Jones Cozy Mystery series. A snowstorm, a dead rider, and a horse-rescue owner who won't stop asking questions.
Series: Sable Jones Cozy Mystery (Book 1)
The Book: Divorced horse-rescue owner Sable Jones is just trying to get through winter at Silver Run when a difficult rider fails to return and Sable's Labrador, Max, brings home a scarf that turns worry into dread.
The death is ruled an accident, and in a tight-knit equestrian community, few people seem inclined to question it. The victim wasn't well liked. Her anxious nephew can't keep his story straight. The estate manager is a little too quick with spotless paperwork. And Sable's own circle has opinions she isn't sure she trusts.
With her towering ex-racehorse Blaze, a gruff mentor who knows horses better than people, and gossip flying faster than the snow, Sable pieces together a puzzle someone hoped would stay buried.
Because in Silver Run, accidents are convenient — and the truth is anything but.
“A snowstorm, a dead rider, and a town that would rather not ask questions. Ellis Thorne writes the kind of cozy mystery where the setting is as much a character as the people — and the horses. If you love atmosphere with your whodunit, this is your book.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Daisy Stone — Murder on the Morning Route
Meet Daisy Stone — author of The Dog Walking Detective Series. A dog walker, a dead body by the lighthouse, and a beagle-corgi who's always on the trail.
Series: The Dog Walking Detective Series (Book 1)
The Book: Six months ago, Megan traded corporate burnout for a simple life walking dogs in a picturesque seaside town. She knows everyone's routines, their secrets, and which dogs will do anything for treats.
What she didn't expect? To stumble upon the murdered body of controversial real estate developer Marcus Sterling near the historic lighthouse.
As the town's gossip reveals that nearly everyone had a motive, Megan's marketing background gives her an unexpected edge — she notices patterns others miss. But when someone starts leaving mysterious warnings along her walking routes, it becomes clear that asking questions in a small town can be dangerous.
With her loyal beagle-corgi Biscuit at her side and reluctant guidance from Detective Hayes, Megan must untangle decades of secrets before the killer strikes again.
“A dog walker, a murdered real estate developer, and a beagle-corgi named Biscuit — yes, really. Daisy Stone had my attention from page one. If you love a smart heroine who notices what everyone else misses, grab this one.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love the Maple Grove Gazette—my weekly blog where a certain town archivist reports on the latest incidents in Maple Grove (there are always incidents), and I share the cozy mystery authors and books I think you need to know about.
👉 Read the latest Maple Grove Gazette
Want free early copies of my books? My ARC team, The Inner Circle, gets every new release before it hits Amazon — in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for Willow's Inner Circle | Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Bessie Barr and Death at the Easter Egg Scramble
Meet Bessie Barr — the author behind the Pelican Shores Cozy Mystery series. A holiday golf tournament, an Easter egg scramble, a floating caddy, and a dog who refuses to behave. Finn Dockrey didn't come here for this. But she's not leaving without answers.
The kids are hunting Easter eggs at Pelican Shores' City Golf Course. Finn Dockrey shows up expecting coffee, sunshine, and enough pastel chaos to last a lifetime. Instead — a scream from the back nine, and a dead caddy floating in the water hazard next to a plugged-in vintage toaster. Nothing says holiday spirit quite like electrocution before noon.
Best friend Birdie is all in. Beau the dog is sniffing where he absolutely shouldn't. And Queen Bean is carrying herself like she personally outranks the entire police department. The suspect list runs from a sweet-faced dog-walker with a quiet temper to a law student with a grudge to a fellow caddy whose doubled paycheck is looking very suspicious now that his work rival is gone.
This is Pelican Shores — where motives hide beneath the surface, and somebody's always guarding a nasty little secret behind the Easter smiles.
“Death at the Easter Egg Scramble is cozy mystery done exactly right—a holiday weekend, a sun-drenched beach town, a dog who absolutely cannot stay out of trouble, and a murder that hides behind the cheeriest possible façade. Bessie Barr writes community the way it actually feels: warm on the surface and endlessly complicated underneath. Finn Dockrey is exactly the kind of sleuth I want to spend a weekend with.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
Want to read my new novella early? I'm currently recruiting for my Permanent ARC (Advance Reader) Team: The Inner Circle. Members get free early copies of all my books in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for the Willow’s Inner Circle | Pre-order the Prequel on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: LB Dayton and A Five Star Murder
Meet LB Dayton — author of A Five Star Murder, where Kat Calloway's NYC getaway goes sideways the moment she finds a body behind a Manhattan restaurant. The dining scene is cutthroat. The secrets are simmering. And this vacation is heating up fast.
Detective David O'Neil, jaded by the bustling streets of New York, seeks solace in Texas, but finds himself caught in a tangled web of deceit and desire. The Dolanato Family's sinister reach threatens his new beginnings. He must outsmart not just the Mafia, but also navigate the twisted loyalties of friends and neighbors. All while the dazzling Texas dream, Carly Bells, becomes entwined in his perilous path, her heart set on defending him and his daughter.
As secrets unravel, love and survival hang by a thread. Will the couple conquer the chaos, or will Appleton's charming façades conceal yet another mystery lurking in plain sight?
“A Five Star Murder is everything I want in a cozy mystery — sharp wit, genuine chemistry between the leads, and a setting so vivid you can practically smell the kitchen. LB Dayton writes the kind of book that makes you miss your stop on the train and absolutely refuse to apologize for it.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
Want to read my new novella early? I'm currently recruiting for my Permanent ARC (Advance Reader) Team: The Inner Circle. Members get free early copies of all my books in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for the Willow’s Inner Circle | Pre-order the Prequel on Amazon
Murder She Whispered by D. T. Rose
Meet DT Rose — author of Murder She Whispered, where a detective moves his misfit family to a quiet Texas town only to find murder waiting at the door. Quiet places never stay that way for long. Sound familiar?
Detective David O'Neil, jaded by the bustling streets of New York, seeks solace in Texas, but finds himself caught in a tangled web of deceit and desire. The Dolanato Family's sinister reach threatens his new beginnings. He must outsmart not just the Mafia, but also navigate the twisted loyalties of friends and neighbors. All while the dazzling Texas dream, Carly Bells, becomes entwined in his perilous path, her heart set on defending him and his daughter.
As secrets unravel, love and survival hang by a thread. Will the couple conquer the chaos, or will Appleton's charming façades conceal yet another mystery lurking in plain sight?
“Small towns, big secrets, and a cast of characters who are absolutely, gloriously unhinged”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
Want to read my new novella early? I'm currently recruiting for my Permanent ARC (Advance Reader) Team: The Inner Circle. Members get free early copies of all my books in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for the Willow’s Inner Circle | Pre-order the Prequel on Amazon
Fencing & Foul Play by Nina Hunt
Meet Nina Hunt — author of the laugh-out-loud cozy mystery set at a Paris fencing tournament where journalist Mia Andrews walks straight into a murder scene. Plus: a detective Yorkie named Toby who is, frankly, stealing the show.
Paris was supposed to be baguettes, beautiful architecture, and a quick paycheck. Instead, Mia Andrews walks into an international fencing tournament and straight into a murder scene—complete with a staged foil, a cryptic referee symbol, and enough suspects to fill the stands.
While Eli and Kai chase a digital trail through hacked scoring logs, Mia chases the human story: the grudges, the secrets, and the one person who wanted Bastien LeRoux silenced for good. Add Toby the Yorkie—now unofficially famous as a "detective dog"—and you've got one jet-lagged sleuth team on the case.
The killer is caught, the truth is published… and Green Acres welcomes Mia home with Grannies, pastries, and a reminder that trouble loves a return flight.
A globe-trotting, humor-forward cozy mystery with murder, kidnapping, whodunit twists, and a very determined Yorkie. Clean, wholesome, and laugh-out-loud fun.
“Nina had me at ‘Paris’. What a great setting for a funny whodunit!”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
Want to read my new novella early? I'm currently recruiting for my Permanent ARC (Advance Reader) Team: The Inner Circle. Members get free early copies of all my books in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for the Willow’s Inner Circle | Pre-order the Prequel on Amazon
Guest Sleuth Spotlight: Gemma Harper and Murder on the Bunny Slope
Beagles, bunny slopes, and a body that wasn't supposed to be there — Gemma Harper's Poppy James is back and funnier than ever. Willow sat down with Gemma to talk small-town sleuths, quirky sidekicks, and the art of hiding clues in plain sight.
Poppy James just wanted a beginner ski lesson, a mug of cocoa, and a weekend where her biggest problem was uncomfortable boots. But when her beagle Midsip drags her to a suspicious snowbank on the bunny slope, Poppy's cozy instincts kick in — and what looks like an accident feels anything but. With her history-buff boyfriend Theo, her charm-interrogating best friend Nadine, and a resort management team with something to hide, Poppy follows a trail of missing receipts, blocked-off corridors, and disappearing photos. Someone knows she's getting close. And on a mountain full of secrets, the next body might not be staged for show.
“Murder on the Bunny Slope has all the makings of a perfect cozy weekend read — a clever sleuth, a scene-stealing beagle, and a mountain full of secrets that someone very much wants to stay buried. Gemma Harper knows how to build atmosphere and keep you guessing, and Poppy James is exactly the kind of amateur detective I root for. If you love cozy mysteries with heart, humor, and a good furry sidekick, this one belongs on your TBR right now”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
Want to read my new novella early? I'm currently recruiting for my Permanent ARC (Advance Reader) Team: The Inner Circle. Members get free early copies of all my books in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for the Willow’s Inner Circle | Pre-order the Prequel on Amazon
Icy Roads & Cold Justice by Ivy Featherstone
A winter drive turns complicated in this atmospheric cozy mystery. Ivy Featherstone writes setting the way the best mystery authors do — as part of the tension.
A winter drive. A mystery nobody expected. A sleuth who won't let it go.
What starts as a routine winter journey turns into something far more complicated in Ivy Featherstone's atmospheric mystery. The frozen landscape isn't just backdrop — it's a character in itself, creating a sense of isolation and unease that makes every revelation hit harder. Readers who love setting-driven mysteries with a sleuth who absolutely refuses to walk away will find a lot to love here.
“Ivy Featherstone writes setting the way the best mystery authors do — it becomes part of the tension. Really impressive.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
Want to read my new novella early? I'm currently recruiting for my Permanent ARC (Advance Reader) Team: The Inner Circle. Members get free early copies of all my books in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for the Willow’s Inner Circle | Pre-order the Prequel on Amazon
Pies, Lies, and a Deadly Slice by Oscar Tate
A pie contest, a long suspect list, and enough small-town gossip to keep you warm on a cold night. Oscar Tate delivers a cozy mystery that's funny and satisfying.
Oscar Tate has written one of those cozy mysteries that feels like settling into your favorite chair — familiar, warm, and just a little dangerous. When the town's beloved pie competition becomes ground zero for something much more sinister, the only way to sort out the truth is to dig through layers of filling, gossip, and long-buried grudges.
Funny, clever, and satisfying right down to the last crumb.
“This one will make you laugh out loud twice in the first chapter. Oscar Tate is a talent to watch.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
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Murder at the Winter Magic Parade by Kara Post
Holiday lights, festive crowds, and a body nobody expected. A cozy mystery with atmosphere to spare.
Holiday lights, festive crowds, and a mystery no one is prepared for.
The parade is in full swing, the lights are sparkling, and someone isn't going home. This atmospheric cozy mystery uses its winter setting to brilliant effect — the warmth of community events makes the darkness underneath feel all the more surprising. Vivid, suspenseful, and perfect for readers who love a mystery with real atmosphere.
Grab your cocoa and your sleuthing instincts.
“The setting in this one is just stunning. It pulls you right in from the first page.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
Want to read my new novella early? I'm currently recruiting for my Permanent ARC (Advance Reader) Team: The Inner Circle. Members get free early copies of all my books in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for the Willow’s Inner Circle | Pre-order the Prequel on Amazon
Murder on the Campaign Trail by Angie Frost
When a local campaign turns deadly, sharp wit and sharper plotting carry this cozy mystery straight to the top of your TBR.
Politics, small-town gossip, and a body nobody saw coming.
When a local political campaign turns deadly, the race to find the killer is just as fierce as the race for the vote. Angie Frost delivers sharp wit, sharper plotting, and a mystery that feels both timely and timeless — the kind of book that reminds you small-town politics can be far more dangerous than anyone lets on.
If you like your cozy mysteries with a little extra edge and a cast of characters you'd genuinely want to have coffee with (while watching them very carefully), this one is for you.
“Angie Frost has a gift for making you suspect everyone equally. Clever, propulsive, and lots of fun.”
Love Small-Town Mysteries?
If you enjoyed this spotlight, you'll love my Weekly Notebook. Every Saturday, I share a curated round-up of the best cozy mysteries, plus exclusive updates on my own Jenna McGregor Mystery Series.
Want to read my new novella early? I'm currently recruiting for my Permanent ARC (Advance Reader) Team: The Inner Circle. Members get free early copies of all my books in exchange for honest reviews.
👉 Apply for the Willow’s Inner Circle | Pre-order the Prequel on Amazon