Maple Grove Gazette - May 9, 2026

Maple Grove's Only Newspaper of Record — Vol. 1 No. 4 — Edited by Mr. Ellison, Town Archivist & Historian

FROM THE EDITORS DESK

This editor extends the Gazette's warmest regards to the mothers of Maple Grove on the occasion of Mother's Day weekend. The weather is cooperating. The lilacs have, for once, accepted their assignment without complaint. The town's florists, bakers, and clergy are all reporting their usual Mother's-Day-weekend levels of quiet panic, which by long-standing local custom signals that everything is on track.

It has also been, this editor must report, an unusually active week for civic complaint. Charlene has filed two formal complaints in seven days—one concerning the curricular choices of the Maple Grove High Agriculture Club, who in her words "grew far too many marigolds and not a single lisianthus," and one concerning what she has alternately described as "vandalism," "destruction of personal property," and "an act of coordinated horticultural terrorism." A police investigation followed.

The investigation has concluded. Findings are reported below. This editor offers no commentary beyond the historical record, as is his policy in matters of this weight.

📜 POLICE BLOTTER

THE CHARLENE FLOWER BED INCIDENT

Wednesday, May 6; Elm St.—Maple Grove

Charlene reported, at 6:14 AM on Wednesday, that her front-yard flower bed—recently planted with tulips, pansies, and petunias and tended, this editor is told, with a degree of attention bordering on fussy—had been "destroyed overnight." She filed a written report at the police station before her morning coffee, which residents of long memory will recognize as a benchmark for the seriousness with which she viewed the matter.

Officer Wilson was dispatched. Initial assessment confirmed that the flower bed had, in fact, been thoroughly worked over. Petals were identified at a distance of up to fifteen feet from the bed itself. Two of the petunias were unaccounted for entirely.

Charlene named several initial suspects, all human and all by name. Officer Wilson—exercising what this editor would describe as professional restraint—declined to make any formal accusation and instead requested permission to review residential security camera footage from the three neighboring properties. Permission was granted, in writing, with what witnesses described as "considerable eagerness."

The footage tells a different story than the one Charlene had prepared for the Village Council. At approximately 4:47 AM, a group of rabbits—described variously in the report as "five to seven in number," "operating with discipline," and "absolutely shameless"—were observed entering the flower bed and remaining for approximately twenty-three minutes. The rabbits departed at 5:10 AM in what the report describes as "no particular hurry."

Final Disposition: The matter has been classified by the Maple Grove Police Department as a non-criminal event. The rabbits have been cleared of all charges. Charlene has indicated, on the record, that she finds the conclusion "unsatisfactory." The flower bed will, by all accounts, be replanted.

In a related and unrelated matter, this editor is told that Gordon was overheard in the café discussing that he had placed a special order this week for wire mesh, a quantity of corrugated metal in a non-standard length, and several galvanized J-feeders. Gordon, when asked, confirmed the order. He declined to elaborate. This editor declines to draw any conclusions.

📋 COMMUNITY NOTICES

METHODIST CHURCH — CHILDREN-LED MOTHER'S DAY SERVICE

The First Methodist Church of Maple Grove will host a children-led service this Sunday morning in honor of Mother's Day. The Gazette is told the order of worship has been "almost entirely surrendered" to the church's Sunday-school program, a decision Pastor Elliot described—without elaboration—as "the right call, made for reasons."

A brunch will follow, hosted, organized, and (this editor is assured) cooked by the Men's Group, who report themselves "cautiously optimistic." A photo booth will be available in the fellowship hall for family portraits. Special music will be provided by The Barber Shop Boys, the town's a cappella quartet, fronted by Luke and Evan Wilson—the two of whom are, this editor is reminded, also Mrs. Wilson's sons, and have been informed in advance that their mother will be in attendance.

BREWED AWAKENINGS — MOTHER'S DAY BASKET

Brewed Awakenings on Main Street is offering its annual Mother's Day Basket through Sunday. Each basket includes four Lemon Spring Sunshine Scones (gluten-free), individual egg soufflés (also glute-free), a half-pound of the café's house coffee blend, and a half-dozen French macarons—the small, chewy meringue cookies, this editor is firmly instructed to clarify, and not the coconut sort, which are an entirely separate dessert and on which the café declines to take a position.

Supply, the Gazette is told, is "limited but reasonable." Pre-orders have kept the Brewed Awakenings team busy. This editor will note, for the record, that one basket has already been ordered in his name, by a party who did not consult him, and he is making peace with this development.

MAPLE GROVE THEATRE DEPARTMENT — MAMMA MIA!

The Maple Grove College Theatre Department will present Mamma Mia! this weekend at the main campus auditorium. Performances are scheduled Saturday at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM, and Sunday at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Tickets are available at the door.

This editor has been informed that the production is, by long-standing small college-musical tradition, "more energetic than precise." Mothers, it is felt, will not mind.

🏛️ HISTORICAL NOTE

This is not the first time a Maple Grove flower bed has fallen victim to local wildlife. In 1977, a similar incident on Beech Lane resulted in the formation of the short-lived Citizens' Committee for Garden Defense, which met three times and disbanded after its members concluded that "the rabbits had simply been here longer." The committee's final report, on file at the town archive, contains the line: "We were never going to win." This editor has consulted it twice this week.

In 1992, the Village Council briefly entertained a proposal to construct rabbit-proof fencing around the perimeter of certain residential gardens. The motion was tabled when the new council was voted in that fall and a particularly opinionated garden enthusiast was voted off. The issue has not been revisited.

This editor offers the historical record without further comment.

🔍 Fellow Sleuths Worth Following

Two picks this week, fellow sleuths — both with a particular soft spot for the small-town-with-secrets setup, and both featuring a sidekick I would let into my kitchen at any hour. Pull up a chair.

🐾 Clues, Chaos, and a Cat — Becca Garner

Hazel Merriweather walks into a cluttered coastal animal shelter wanting two things: a cat, and maybe a fresh start. What she walks back out with is one unconscious volunteer, a regret-tinged ghost only she can see, and Edgar — a sharp-eyed gray cat who has decided, with no input from Hazel, that she is now his person. When the attack on the volunteer is shrugged off as an accident, Hazel and Edgar start asking questions, and the answers lead them to a conspiracy-obsessed janitor with a grievance, an evasive grant writer with secrets, a missing rescue dog, muddy pawprints into the coastal fog, and a box buried in the sand. If they can't crack the case in time, the shelter falls and the past stays buried with it. New author, big-hearted debut, exactly the right level of cozy paranormal nonsense. I am here for Edgar.

👉Meet Becca and grab the book →

🎭 Cue the Catastrophe — Sloan Foster

Retired English teacher Marnie Devlin loans her vintage costume collection to the Players Community Theater expecting sawdust, slapstick, and the pleasant chaos of a small-town production. Instead, the show's notoriously cruel director takes a chandelier to the head — in front of an audience that, for several long seconds, thinks it's part of the bit. Armed with a real police consultant's badge, an English teacher's instinct for what doesn't fit, and a nine-pound Chihuahua named Taco who has never once been wrong about a person, Marnie starts pulling threads. The scorned actress with a broken engagement and a freshly padded bank account looks guilty. The silver-haired theater legend whose life's work was stolen looks guiltier. And then a second body turns up — and evidence lands in Marnie's own boutique trunk. I want to live in this book, and I want Taco to like me.

👉 Meet Sloan and grab the book →

🧁 The Main Course

Christmas in Maple Grove.

I'm sitting in one of my favorite scenes of Book 5, and I am taking my time with it. It's Christmas Eve. The church is full. The candles have just been lit. Lisa is holding one—and anyone who has spent time with Lisa already knows what I am about to spend the next several pages on.

I'm not telling you what happens. But I will tell you that Pastor Elliot does not see it coming.

Maple Grove at Christmas is a love letter to the kind of small town that I grew up in and exists mostly in our better memories. There is snow on the church steps. A children's choir that is mostly on key. Mildred, holding her candle with typical Mildred precision. A grown up Dan Harper is in attendance with his wife and young children. Mom and Dad in the third pew on the left, the way they have been for forty years. And there is Lisa. With a candle. Both hands. Concentration.

I'll let you guess how it goes.

In the meantime, Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints continues to find its readers, and the reader notes coming in have been, every single one, a reason to keep going. If you haven't yet met young Jenna, Lisa, Joe, Dan, and Winston — the door's still open.

Get your copy of Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints →

And to every mother reading this—and every person who has loved a mother, missed a mother, or is the mother who is, right now, holding the entire weekend together—I am grateful for you, this Sunday and every other.

✍️ Behind the Scenes

Charlie has rediscovered the deck. She is not, despite repeated suggestions, burning off any winter belly—but when a chipmunk has the audacity to exist, she covers fifteen feet of cedar in under a second and, unlike the dog, sounds like a herd of elephants the whole way. This Mother's Day is the annual greenhouse run with my girls—Mom is in Canada with my sister, so we'll save her a seat—and I cannot wait to get my hands dirty.

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.

Want to stay in the know? Get the Weekly Notebook

Maple Grove Gazette—May 2, 2026

Maple Grove's Only Newspaper of Record — Vol. 1 No. 3 — Edited by Mr. Ellison, Town Archivist & Historian

🌿 The Maple Grove Update

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

This editor is pleased to mark the official arrival of spring in Maple Grove, which—as readers of long memory will recall—is determined less by any meteorological measure than by the resumption of youth baseball and softball at Memorial Park.

Early indications are that this year's youth teams are unusually strong. Whether this is a credit to the coaching staff or a happy coincidence of demographics, this editor declines to say. What he can say is that the season is, regrettably, also distinguished by a small but persistent uptick in broken window glass in the homes bordering the park.

In response, Charlene has announced her intention to introduce a motion at the next Village Council meeting calling for protective netting around the park. This editor, who as a matter of long-standing policy declines to take public positions on local civic affairs, finds himself—in this rare and we trust isolated instance—in agreement with Charlene.

Full report below.

📜 POLICE BLOTTER

THE WINDOW PANE INCIDENTS

Wednesday, April 22 – Tuesday, April 28Update—Homes Bordering Memorial Park

Between the hours of 5:30 PM and dusk on three separate occasions over the past seven days, residential window panes on the streets bordering Memorial Park were broken by objects which witnesses, in separate accounts, described variously as "a baseball" and "a baseball, again."

Gordon, who tends to know these things, reports that he has been called out to replace three (3) panes in seven days. He notes, additionally, that he is not in the habit of complaining about extra business, but feels that certain patterns are worth mentioning aloud.

The first window, this editor is told, belonged to a kitchen on Elm Street. The second, a sun porch on also on Elm Street. The third—and most recent—the rear window of a detached garage on Birch Lane, which has the distinction of being the only one of the three the homeowner described, on the record, as "honestly, kind of a great hit."

It has come to the attention of this editor, that Coach Ball’s truck, which has been seen repeatedly parked in the grass next to the ball diamond, is in need of a new windshield. No report has been filed about the windshield.

Officer Markle was dispatched to each scene. In every instance the relevant ball was located and returned to its rightful owner—a young person whose identity this editor declines to publish, both out of professional discretion and because the young person's mother is known to know where this editor lives.

Charlene, who first observed the trend over the weekend, has formally indicated that she will introduce a motion at the next Village Council meeting calling for protective netting around the perimeter of Memorial Park. The motion is expected to pass. This editor, who as a matter of policy declines to weigh in on civic matters, will note—for the record, and only this once—that the proposal is sensible.

Final Disposition: Three window panes replaced. One Council motion forthcoming. Glass on the sidewalk has been swept up. The young person in question has, this editor is told, been encouraged to channel his evident promise toward the outfield fence—a suggestion which has not, as of this issue's deadline, been taken.

📋 COMMUNITY NOTICES

WILSON'S FLORAL—PROM CORSAGE SPECIAL

Mrs. Wilson, proprietor of Wilson's Floral on Main Street, has announced a prom corsage special for the season. The shop's hand-lettered front-window sign—observed in passing by this editor—reads, in part, "Mothers—please budget accordingly," a sentiment the Gazette finds both candid and useful.

Maple Grove High's spring prom is scheduled for later this month. Wilson's is, per Mrs. Wilson, "stocked, prepared, and uninterested in last-minute calls from teenagers who 'forgot.'" The Gazette respects this position.

MEN'S CLUB — ANNUAL SANDBOX FILL

The Maple Grove Men's Club completed its annual sandbox fill at the public park last Saturday. The volume of fresh sand was, by long-standing local tradition, "more than necessary, less than enough." The town's youngsters have responded with the enthusiasm one would expect.

The town's cats, this editor is told, have also responded with enthusiasm—in a manner the Men's Club did not anticipate and would prefer not to comment on at this time. Members are reminded that the matter is expected to be discussed at the next club meeting.

🏛️ HISTORICAL NOTE

This is not the first instance of broken window glass attributable to youth athletics in Maple Grove. In 1989, a series of incidents at the original Memorial Park led the Village Council to relocate Field Two thirty feet to the north—a measure which, according to records this editor has consulted, "did not accomplish what was hoped, but did make it slightly less someone's fault."

In 2011, the same conversation regarding netting was held, briefly, before being tabled in favor of a motion to refinish the bleachers. The bleachers were refinished. The matter of netting was not raised again until this week.

This editor offers the historical record without further comment.

🔍 Fellow Sleuths Worth Following

Just one pick this week, fellow sleuths—and full disclosure, a slightly different lane than my usual fare. If clean, sun-drenched second-chance romance is your thing (or you have a friend whose thing it is), this one is worth a look.

🌅 The Marine Who Came Back — Sadie Greene

A reality dating-show host arrives at a Southern California resort to tell other people's love stories—and walks straight into the Marine ex who left her fourteen years ago, now raising an eight-year-old documentarian and quietly running the place's security team. There's a dog who picks his own people. There are evening walks and rescue attempts. There are reality-TV producers who would absolutely sell out somebody's privacy for a ratings bump. Yes please.

👉 Meet Sadie and grab the book →

🧁 The Main Course

A different season, a different draft.

It's strange the way the calendar runs in two places at once. Outside, the lilacs are out, the youth teams are warming up, and spring fever has definitely sprung at the local schools (prompting dress code reminders to students and parents). Inside the manuscript, it is Christmas. Snow on the church steps. A candlelight service that does not go as planned. A character I have been aching to write for two books.

That's where Book 5 lives right now. I'm finishing the epilogue of the first draft. I know what happens. I also know what won't happen, which turns out to be just as important. Christmas in Maple Grove is going to break some hearts and mend a few others, and there is a scene involving Jenna and a certain someone that I think a particular subset of you have been waiting for since Book 1.

In the meantime, Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints has been out for two weeks now and is finding its readers. Many of you have written to tell me that meeting young Jenna, Lisa, Joe, Dan, and Winston felt like coming home before you knew the house. That is the loveliest thing anyone has ever said about a book of mine, and I will be coasting on it for some time. Given the number of readers who have reached out asking for more of Jenna’s early adventures, there may be more stories involving Maple Grove High School students down the road.

If you haven't read it yet, it's waiting for you.

Get your copy of Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints →

And if you have already read it—please help other readers find it by leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or BookBub. I read every single one. Every one matters more than I can say.

✍️ Behind the Scenes

Charlie has discovered that if she sits directly on my laptop, I will give her attention instead of finishing a scene. She has weaponized this knowledge. I am considering writing my acknowledgments section for Book 5 entirely about her—half affectionate, half cease-and-desist.

Until next time, fellow sleuths. Stay caffeinated. Stay suspicious. And—if you live near the ballpark—keep an eye on your windows.

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.

Want to stay in the know? Get the Weekly Notebook

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.

Want to stay in the know? Get the Weekly Notebook

The Maple Grove Gazette - April 18, 2026

Maple Grove's Only Newspaper of Record—Est. This Week—Edited by Mr. Ellison, Town Archivist & Historian

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

It has come to my attention that Maple Grove lacks a proper newspaper. For a town with this much history —and, frankly, this many incidents—the absence of a written record is nothing short of a civic failure. I intend to correct that, starting today. Expect thorough reporting, editorial restraint, and absolutely no gossip.

(Mildred has already submitted three corrections to this paragraph. I have ignored all of them.)

📜POLICE BLOTTER — EASTER EGG-STRAVAGANZA INCIDENT

Saturday, April 12 Update—Town Square Event April 5

The Maple Grove Ladies Group Easter Egg-stravaganza proceeded without incident for approximately eleven minutes.

At 12:14 PM, volunteer coordinator Charlene announced the start of the Golden Egg Hunt, in which one gold-painted egg—containing a gift certificate to the Calamity Jane’s Toys and Trinkets—was hidden somewhere in the town square. Participants were instructed to search "calmly and in an orderly fashion." This instruction was optimistic.

At 12:17 PM, Lisa—who this editor will note was not an official participant—announced that she had "a feeling" about the Golden Egg's location. She proceeded toward the Ladies Group refreshment table with what witnesses described as "a very determined walk." Several children followed.

At 12:18 PM, Lisa's determined walk became a determined reach across the refreshment table for a decorative basket she was certain contained the egg. It did not contain the egg. It contained two dozen deviled eggs prepared by Charlene herself, which were launched from the table when Lisa lost her balance and caught the edge of the tablecloth.

The resulting chain of events was as follows: deviled eggs became airborne. Children screamed—some in horror, most in delight. Charlene, who had been standing directly behind the table adjusting a centerpiece, received the majority of the impact. One deviled egg landed in her hair. Two more found her Easter cardigan. The decorative bunny centerpiece toppled into the lemonade pitcher.

Charlene demanded an immediate investigation. Officer Markle responded and, after surveying the scene, reportedly said, "There's no crime here, ma'am, just egg salad."

The Golden Egg was later found by a six-year-old named Oliver, lodged beneath the park bench nearest to the gazebo. Lisa maintains she was "very close."

Chief Carter declined to comment, though witnesses noted he was trying hard not to smile.

No charges were filed. The tablecloth has not been recovered.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

LOST & FOUND: One Easter bonnet, pale yellow, with deviled egg staining. Found near the gazebo. Owner may claim at the front counter of Brewed Awakenings. Please bring proof of ownership. (Charlene, we know it's yours. Just come get it.)

BREWED AWAKENINGS SPRING MENU: Jenna McGregor's café has introduced its spring menu, featuring lavender honey lattes and a gluten-free lemon scone that this editor can personally confirm is excellent. The chalkboard outside has been restabilized after last week's wind incident. Biscuit remains on greeting duty.

HISTORICAL NOTE: This is not the first Easter-related disruption in Maple Grove. In 1987, the egg hunt was suspended after a raccoon was discovered nesting inside the prize basket. In 1994, a disagreement over hiding locations resulted in three eggs placed on the roof of the post office, where they remained until July. We are, if nothing else, consistent.

🔍 Fellow Sleuths Worth Following

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

🎻 The Great Nashville Bake Off Mishap — Greta Sinclair

Hattie Leiper never imagined her baking could earn a handshake from a famous TV judge — especially one followed by his sudden collapse. Between competitive bakers, sugary secrets, and her opinionated furbabies (Moose the Chow, Mini Pearl the Yorkie, and Cecil the crime-magnet cat), Hattie pieces together clues that nobody else sees coming. A 2025 Global Book Awards Silver Medal winner — and for good reason.

👉 Meet Greta and grab the book →

🐕 Dead in the Wool — Etta True

A summer fiber festival in the small town of Seven Springs should be all about fleece and folk music. But when the Saturday Spinners find a body in the fleece tent, fiber artist Adri Foster and her Border Collie, Snooper, are on the case. Gossip spreads fast, suspects multiply, and Snooper notices what everyone else overlooks. 4.9 stars — readers are obsessed.

👉 Meet Etta and grab the book →

🐉 Wildergrove Whispers — Blossom SeaFarrer

A little something different this week — a dragon on a sacred quest gets trapped by a spell cast by a quiet girl with secrets of her own. When his counterspell binds her right back, neither can escape without the other. Fantasy romance with heart, danger, and a bond that was never part of the plan.

👉 Meet Blossom and grab the book →

🌶️ Spiced to Death — Susana Sage

When Tilly Martin trades city life for a needlepoint shop in small-town Texas, she doesn't expect a murdered chef at the food festival. Secret ingredients, stolen recipes, family rivalries — and a mischievous gray cat named Stitches — pull her into a whodunit that simmers with Hill Country charm.

👉 Meet Susana and grab the book →

🧁 The Main Course

GHOSTS DON'T USE BLUEPRINTS IS LIVE!

I'm sitting here with my coffee going cold because I keep refreshing the page to see the buy button and every time I see it I feel a very specific kind of dizzy that I think is just what it feels like to have put something genuinely personal into the world.

Here is what you need to know about this book:

It starts with Jenna McGregor as a teen, in a town that doesn't quite know what to do with her yet. It ends with the beginning of everything you already know — the friendships, the café, the particular gift for finding trouble that has defined her adult life.

In between, there is a ghost story (sort of), a mystery (definitely), a hallway disaster (not Jenna's fault, mostly), and a moment between Jenna and Lisa that made me laugh when I wrote it and still makes me a little giggly when I re-read it.

It's $3.99 now — but the story is exactly what I hoped it would be.

Get your copy of Ghosts Don’t Use Blueprints.

And if you've already read it and want to make my entire month — a review on Amazon or Goodreads means more than I can say. Even one line. Even just the stars.

✍️ Behind the Scenes

My granddaughter HayHay (nickname) and I set out to make rice crispy treats with our leftover Peeps this week. We got about two minutes in before she announced she was going to "film it." She narrated the entire process in segments like a tiny cooking show host—filming the entire time—complete with dramatic pauses and commentary on the melting marshmallows. I haven't laughed that hard in weeks. Charlie supervised from a barstool and looked deeply unimpressed.

Thank you for being here, fellow sleuths. Truly.

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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