Melina's Book Blog: November 2025

A Murder and Maggie MacGill by Rebecca Lee Smith

About A Murder and Maggie MacGill

A Murder and Maggie MacGill Cozy Mystery Stand Alone Setting - A small southern mountain town called Wrenhaven, Tennessee. Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wild Rose Press Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 27, 2025 Print length ‏ : ‎ 296 pages Paperback ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509262296 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509262298 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FC238LWX

When elementary art teacher Maggie MacGill finds the richest, most despised woman in town dead, then inherits her estate, life in the sweet mountain town of Wrenhaven, Tennessee, takes a greased ride downhill. No one knows why Mrs. Grayson left her fortune to Maggie, but once her death begins to look like murder, and a series of unexplained pranks directed at the MacGill family turn nasty, Maggie must untangle a web of secrets and discover who has it in for her before it’s too late. Even if it means accepting help from the victim’s grandson, a man she’s loathed since high school but whose devastating grin and quick wit can still make her heart race.

What I Thought:

Murder and Maggie MacGill is a stand alone by Rebecca Lee Smith. The setting is a small town in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee. Maggie is an elementary Art teacher and she and her father befriended the town curmudgeon, Mrs. Grayson. Maggie by working on her garden and Maggie's father by doing handy man tasks. When Maggie and Mrs. Grayson's grandson find her passed away, right around the time Maggie is told she has lost her Art teacher job. When Mrs. Grayson's will is read and she has left the bulk of her estate to Maggie, things start to look suspicious. Then accidents start happening to Maggie. She has to get to the bottom of what has really happened to Mrs. Grayson. I enjoyed the setting of this book. Maggie was a great protagonist and was very likable. The plot was well thought out and the story flowed well. It kept my attention from the very beginning. I also enjoyed the romantic element of this one as well. I hope to read more by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

Rebecca lives with her husband and a dog named Wilbur in the beautiful, misty mountains of East Tennessee, where the people are charming, soulful, and just a little bit crazy. She’s been everything from a tax collector to a stay-at-home-mom to a professional actor and director. She loves to travel the world but her Southern roots and the affectionate appreciation she has for the rural towns she lives near inspire the settings and characters she writes about.

Author Links

Website http://www.rebeccaleesmith.com Facebook: (Rebecca Lee Smith): http://bit.ly/4lykxcF Twitter/X: (Rebecca Lee Smith): https://x.com/rbeccaleesmith Bluesky: http://bit.ly/467y7ih Author Central on Amazon: https://bit.ly/4lapGr3 Purchase Links - Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo

Deck the Halls With Homicide: Killer Chocolate Mysteries by Christina Romeril

About Deck the Halls With Homicide

Deck the Halls With Homicide: Killer Chocolate Mysteries Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series Setting - Harriston, Montana (fictional) Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently Published Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 28, 2025 Print length ‏ : ‎ 326 pages Paperback ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1069554103 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1069554109 Digital ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1069554116 ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FKMD2SMX

Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Frost and Vicki Delany, when a holiday decorating contest turns deadly, twin sisters Alex and Hanna trade tinsel and twinkle lights for tracking the twists and turns of a cunning killer.

Alex and Hanna, owners of Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are hoping for a quiet holiday. That is, after Alex is finished judging the Deck the Halls contest organized by Vanessa, nicknamed “The Dragon.” The whole experience has turned Alex’s usual festive spirit a little grinchy. Instead of inspiring holiday cheer with fun lawn displays, the contest has turned cutthroat and decorations have started disappearing. After Alex’s beau, Tom, is seen in a heated argument with the Dragon about his stolen trimmings, Alex finds him dressed as Santa, kneeling over Vanessa’s dead body…with one of his missing candy cane decorations buried in her chest. It’s no surprise he becomes the sheriff’s top suspect.

Alex and Hanna quickly amass a cast of suspects deeper than Santa’s reindeer roster, including an old family friend tasked by their mother with romantic interference; a nosy reporter eager to reveal Alex’s previous murder-y exploits; and the victim’s psychologist-to-the-stars husband with a spicy secret. But as they try to catch a crafty killer, Alex also grapples with the escalating wrath of Tom’s daughter, and a mysterious psychic dropping cryptic clues, while Hanna deals with her own Christmas crisis.

Murder puts a bitter spin on the twins’ sweet confections and they must find the killer and wrap up the case to keep Santa off the naughty list.

What I Thought:

This is the third installment in the Killer Chocolate Mystery Series. It is Christmas time again in Harriston, MT and Alex and Hanna are busy in their shop making yummy chocolates with killer poison names. Alex is taped to help judge the town's holiday decoration display for the year and is continuing her relationship with Pastor Tom. Vanessa Lindstrom has organized the holiday display contest and she has also taken it upon herself to speak to Tom and his daughter about Tom and Alex's relationship, much to the chagrin of Alex and Tom. Alex is musing that their hasn't been a murder yet this Christmas, but she shouldn't have spoken so soon. When Tom is found kneeling over the body of Vanessa, Alex has her Christmas murder to solve.

I enjoy visiting Harriston during the holidays. Christina Romeril does such a good job of describing the town, the residents and the decorations, I feel like I am there. This story flowed well and kept my attention. There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I cannot wait for another visit to Harriston at Christmastime.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About Christina Romeril

Christina Romeril grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and has been devouring stacks of books since third grade when the Trixie Belden series sparked a love of mysteries. She has lived on both coasts of Canada as a former member of the Canadian military. As an Alberta transplant, she is fascinated by mountains and loves to spend time with her husband and two Chihuahuas, Nacho and Paco, exploring Waterton National Park in the Canadian Rockies.