It’s the 4th of July in the Wisconsin Northwoods, and no one is more excited than Emmy Cooper. She’s happy to be back in her hometown, settling once again into small-town living and helping her family run Cooper’s Cove, their lake cottage resort. Emmy and her teen crush, police officer Dean Erickson, are enjoying getting reacquainted, while she and bestie Whitney are closer than ever.

Dru’s Short Musing:
There is no sophomore slump in this fast-paced drama that I could not put down until all was said and done.

I love how this multi-plot storyline was presented with all the elements I love in a cozy — a well-defined mystery, clues to keep me in the game, a wonderful cast of characters, and a murderer hiding in plain sight. With visually descriptive narrative, engaging dialogue, and a small-town atmosphere, the tale comes alive and once again, I feel like I’m part of the action, rooting Emmy, Whitney and Marcus on as the pieces fall into place. The suspect pool was small, but it was the hidden facets that were exposed that narrowed the list until there was one person left holding the bag. It was fun watching this all play out with tips here and there to keep me in the game, especially, when it became clear as to the killer’s identity. The side characters were a bonus to meet like Sam, Cam and Mrs. Oleson who surprised everyone. Overall, another great read in this delightfully charming series and I can’t wait to see what adventures await the gang.

Series Name: Northwoods Mystery Book #2
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: July 2, 2024
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the author.