Maple Grove Gazette — April 25, 2026

Maple Grove's Only Newspaper of Record—Vol. 1 No. 2—Edited by Mr. Ellison, Town Archivist & Historian

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

This is the second issue of the Gazette, and I am pleased to report that the paper has already acquired its first reliable source.

Gordon—a man this editor considers a model of civic attention — observed a notable disturbance at Maple Grove College early Friday morning and brought it to our attention with admirable brevity. Full report below. The Gazette extends its thanks to Gordon for both the tip and for delivering it in fewer than thirty words, a quality this newspaper considers increasingly rare.

📜POLICE BLOTTER

THE MAPLE GROVE COLLEGE MARQUEE INCIDENT

Sunday, April 19Update—College Entrance Marquee

Sometime between the hours of 11:30 PM Saturday and 6:15 AM Sunday, the letters on the Maple Grove College entrance marquee were rearranged by an unknown party. The original message, placed Monday by the Admissions Office, read SPRING ENROLLMENT OPEN.

By 6:15 AM Sunday, the message read something else.

This editor declines to reprint the replacement message on the grounds that it is both juvenile and, upon careful consideration, anatomically implausible. Gordon, who passes the college on his morning walk and is the only reason the matter was reported before 8 AM, described the scene as "not suitable for children, dogs, or first cups of coffee."

Officer Markle was dispatched at 7:42 AM. Campus Maintenance arrived shortly thereafter with a ladder. Photographs were taken, though this editor is told they will not be preserved.

Professor Smith, Dean of Student Affairs, arrived at approximately 7:55 AM and surveyed the marquee in silence for what witnesses described as "an uncomfortable length of time." When pressed for a statement, he offered: “The replacement message contained an anatomical error. Our biology department has offered to assist with the investigation."

The letters have since been restored. A surveillance camera has been requested. High school seniors and college fraternitieshave been questioned informally. No suspects have been named. The investigation is ongoing, though this editor suspects it will remain ongoing in perpetuity.

Final Disposition: No charges filed. Maintenance noted. A review of the college's overnight security protocol has been added to the next Board agenda.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

BREWED AWAKENINGS—SPRING SUNSHINE SCONES

The new Spring Sunshine Scone, introduced on the café's chalkboard last week, has—per the owner's own report—"outsold every other pastry on the menu by a margin she wasn't prepared for." The recipe features lemon zest and a fluffy lemon icing described by one regular as "dangerously optimistic." This editor has also been told that Charlene was overheard instructing Mabel to purchase four dozen of the scones for the Senior Citizens' Mother's Day Brunch. Grievance, it seems, has its limits. Biscuit has not tasted one but remains emotionally supportive.

CITIZENS ADVISORY

Citizens who frequent Main Street are advised that Lisa has resumed her annual "Clean Sweep" spring ritual, which she performs on the premises every spring without fail whenever a certain recurring patron enters the establishment. The ritual, per Lisa, is intended to redirect "negative busy-body energy" out the front door in a chosen direction. The chosen direction is, apparently, consistent. Jenna has offered no comment on the matter. A broom remains propped near the front door for this purpose. This editor has been asked—formally, by separate correspondence—to ascertain if it is actually working.

FIELD REPORT

Maple Grove's Mommy & Me group held their spring outing at the Keller Farm on Wednesday. The visit proceeded as planned until a goat named Carl took a strong and persistent interest in Rosie Harper's soft pretzel. Carl pursued. Moms and toddlers screamed, startling Carl, who grabbed hold of the pretzel and took off running — Rosie in tow. The toddler was delighted. Emily Harper, the toddler's mother, was less so. Mrs. Keller eventually separated the parties, though Carl watched the group depart with what Mrs. Keller described as "the look of a goat with unfinished business." The pretzel was not recovered.

HISTORICAL NOTE

This is not the first incident of overnight mischief at Maple Grove College. In 1994, a class prank resulted in the main lawn being "redecorated" with approximately three hundred pinwheels, an installation the groundskeeper described as "pretty, actually." In 2008, a marquee incident of a similar nature occurred and was attributed to a rival institution. Authorities at the rival institution denied involvement. They have not been asked again.

🔍 Fellow Sleuths Worth Following

Guest Sleuth picks this week—four cozy authors I think you're going to love. Click through to meet them and grab their books.

🏔️ A Hollowcrest Lodge Murder—Lilly Gibbs A remote mountain lodge, a weekend of guests who don't quite trust each other, and a body where nobody should be. Libby Gibbs delivers the kind of claustrophobic whodunit that makes you check your own locks twice before bed. If you love a closed-circle mystery with atmosphere you can feel, this is your weekend read. 👉 Meet Lilly and grab the book →

🌹 The Poisoned Petal Express—Finley Page A flower delivery, a dead recipient, and a florist who wasn't supposed to be a detective. Finley Page's twisty cozy blends small-town charm with a mystery that unfolds one petal at a time. Perfect for readers who like their whodunits with a garden-scented edge. 👉 Meet Finley and grab the book →

🏡 The Lakehouse Guests—K.Z. Black Everyone has a reason to be at the lakehouse. One of them has a reason to kill. K.Z. Black writes the kind of slow-burn cozy suspense that keeps you flipping pages long past your bedtime. If you've ever side-eyed a vacation rental, this one's for you. 👉 Meet K.Z. and grab the book →

🎀 The Mallory Harper Cozy Mystery Collection — Poppy McQuay A full collection from Poppy McQuay featuring Mallory Harper — amateur sleuth, small-town fixture, trouble magnet. If you love bingeable cozy mysteries where the sleuth feels like an old friend by book two, this box set is built for a long weekend. 👉 Meet Poppy and grab the book →

🧁 The Main Course

What’s next?

Nobody talks about what the week after a launch actually feels like. Everyone talks about the countdown, the prep, the big day. And then it goes live, and it's incredible and terrifying and everything—and then it's Sunday, and you have to figure out what comes next.

Here's what I know after the first week of Ghosts being in the world:

The reviews are starting to come in. Early readers are sharing things that are making me press my hand to my mouth in the best possible way. One person they really enjoyed this story and I was glad to see that there may be more high school adventures ahead. Another said they would definitely love to see more of these Maple Grove High adventures. Someone even emailed me to tell me they loved getting to know young Jenna, Lisa, Joe, Dan and Winston too.

I'm also already well in to Book 5. I’ve actually been wroking on it since November, but pivoted to write Ghosts first. Christmas in Maple Grove is already whispering. I'm not ready to say much yet—but I will tell you that there will be a candlelight church service incident, a disappearance, and something involving Jenna and a certain someone that I think you're going to love.

More on that as the summer grows closer. For now—if you haven't grabbed Ghosts yet, it's waiting for you.

Get your copy of Ghosts Don’t Use Blueprints.

And if you've already read it—please help others find it by leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. To everyone who has left a review on Ghosts—on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, anywhere—please know I read every single one, and each one matters more than I can say.

✍️ Behind the Scenes

I started my Peloton routine back up this week after a long break. Twenty minutes. My legs have filed a formal complaint. Charlie watched from her perch with the expression of someone who has never been physically challenged and intends to keep it that way.

Willow 🌿

Meet Willow

Author, School Board member, and gluten-free baker. I write the Jenna McGregor mysteries from my home in Michigan, fueled by coffee and Peloton PRs.

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