In this 3rd installment of the Sleuth Sisters Mysteries, the renters who lived on the sisters' family farm move out abruptly, and it seems that at least some of them didn't go voluntarily. Now the sisters are stuck with a menagerie of animals to care for and a mystery to solve. What happened to Ben McAdams, his girlfriend Rose, and her three daughters? Why are mysterious people hanging around the farm? And what exactly do reindeer eat? The investigation develops along with plans that please Faye's animal-loving heart. Making the best of things, she turns the farm into a horse retirement home. Still, there are those threatening figures hanging around, and details of a looming disaster emerge. On Michigan's beautiful Mackinac Island, our female sleuths must work together, face their fears, and foil a plot that only they can stop. This cozy mystery is for those who love dogs, horses, and farm animals; like a good but not-too-scary mystery with lots of humor; and know a little bit about what it's like to love a sister and want to slap her at the same moment. As one reviewer said, "If you have sisters, you've got to read this series." Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but you'll want to go back and read the others too!

Murder in the Boonies (The Sleuth Sisters)

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Pill, Maggie

Mystery

Gwendolyn Books

In this cozy mystery, the first of a series, middle-aged sisters Faye and Barb decide to open a detective agency in Allport, their small town in northern Lower Michigan. They agree that Retta, their baby sister, will NOT be included, since she tends to take over any organization she's part of. Sweetly but firmly, Retta will tell you what you should do, could do, and will do. The agency does not take off, and Faye reconsiders the decision to leave Retta out, since as the widow of a slain state trooper, she's got contacts all over Michigan. Retta's only too willing to "help" and immediately begins second-guessing their decisions, which leads to sparks between her and Barb. The sisters finally get a decent case: finding a man who apparently murdered his wife years ago and has been on the run ever since. As they try to investigate what happened, they're opposed at every turn. Local cops doubt the "lady detectives" and most of the town is convinced Neil Brown killed his wife and brother-in-law in a fit of anger. The murder victims' father has no doubt Brown is guilty, and he's furious that anyone might take a different view. Still, someone wants to keep the sisters from finding Brown and digging into what really happened the day he left Allport. As the sisters piece things together, the new police chief seems like a possible ally. The problem is that both Barb and Retta are attracted to him, and Retta seldom meets a man she can't get. Accepting defeat in that arena, Barb tries to concentrate on the case and prove Brown isn't guilty of murder. That leads to a show-down with a desperate killer in a remote, dangerous spot. Only Faye and Retta can save her, and they have no idea where she is. Family humor--particularly the close-but-oh-so-different status of sisters, plays a big role in this murder mystery. Each sister has strengths and foibles. Barb, intelligent and composed, sneaks around town at night, correcting the spelling and grammatical errors on signs that drive her bonkers. Faye, kind-hearted but insecure, can't see herself as the capable person she is. And Retta? She's only trying to help when she tells you exactly what you should do with your life--or your detective agency. One reviewer's comment: "If you have sisters, you have to read this book!"

The Sleuth Sisters: A Sleuth Sisters Mystery

When Retta’s “gentleman friend” is accused of murder, the Sleuth Sisters take on the case, though some of the locals still aren't sure about the value of female sleuths. Winston Darrow is a charmer, but his secrets create trouble that spills onto Retta, Barb, Faye, and even police chief Rory Neuencamp. Someone is out to get Win, someone he claims is the real killer. While Retta admits Win is less trustworthy than her daffy Newfoundland dog, she insists he’s not a murderer. Dogs become an issue when Faye rescues a mutt she finds hurt on the road. Though Barb isn’t a fan, she can’t refuse Faye’s request to keep the homely, ill-tempered Buddy. Retta, though doubtful about adopting strays, is determined that Faye’s dog and her Styx will be great friends. The adjustment isn't easy, since Buddy sees Faye as the only worthwhile being in the world. Watching the interplay between dogs and sisters, Barb tries to hold on to her sense of humor. As the sisters conduct their investigation, mysterious men interfere, each more threatening than the last. What do they want with them—and with Winston? When the situation turns dangerous, the sleuths hide Win at Rory’s cabin, reachable in a Michigan winter only by snowmobile. In the frozen wilderness, Barb and Retta must ignore their differences and work together to stay alive. Back at home, Faye faces a deadly enemy with only Buddy and a couple of horses for backup. If you like a good cozy mystery or if you have a sister or a dog that you love despite the problems they create, you're ready for this second adventure of the Sleuth Sisters, which can be read as a stand-alone mystery. If the Sleuth Sisters live through their adventures, it will be due to family solidarity, doggie instincts, and loyal friends. But really, who would ask for more?

3 Sleuths, 2 Dogs, 1 Murder: A Sleuth Sisters Mystery (The Sleuth Sisters)

Maggie Pill's characters seem like people you know: In The Sleuth Sisters Series, it's siblings we love but can't always relate to. In the Trailer Park Tales Series, we meet the residents of an RV park in Florida: fussy husbands, smart-aleck wives, grumpy neighbors, conspiracy lovers, and more. The residents of B-Bird Over-55 RV Park are mostly snow-birds, so for months each year they face the joys and irritations of living in tight spaces with people from all over the place. Usually they cope with good humor, but at times it's difficult. In ONCE UPON A TRAILER PARK, a murder on the property put residents on alert and one woman in deadly danger. In this, the second story of the series, our heroes are presented with two crime threads, one hot and one cold. The cold case is half a century old, which is okay, since many residents remember those days like they were yesterday. In 1967, on a warm night in Nashville, Tennessee, someone committed two brutal murders. It's reported that person now lives in the park, hiding under a false identity. When local police ask Ron and Julie Rogers to try to find out who it is, they enlist the help of their friends to learn where each man in the park was on the date the crime occurred. The other crime is ongoing, and more of an annoyance than a concern. Rumor says someone is peeping in residents' windows, but it must be admitted that in any large community, rumor is often wrong. Ignoring the peeper sightings, the sleuths concentrate on finding the eighty-year-old killer. Neck-deep in suspects, they have no idea how dangerous things will become for one of them.

Twice the Crime This Time (Trailer Park Tales)

Faye meets a woman at a local nursing home who claims she doesn’t belong there. Investigation leads some intriguing questions: Why did someone force Clara out of her home? How did one neighbor die and another lose his home to fire? And can a dog and a dozen chickens be part of a daring rescue?

Sleuthing at Sweet Springs (The Sleuth Sisters)

What do a kayak, a wine barrel, and a tractor have in common? They’re all weapons in the hands of women with Sister Power! When the FBI asks the Sleuth Sisters to attend a retreat for “Love-Able Ladies,” Barb opts out, unwilling to spend a weekend celebrating the joys of being some man’s “little wife.” Retta is eager to go, since the venue is a swanky vineyard/inn on the Leelanau Peninsula, north of Traverse City, Michigan. Never a fan of large groups of strangers, Faye would just as soon stay home, but since Retta needs a “wing-woman,” she doesn’t get a choice. Their assignment is to assess the possibility a retreat attendee might cooperate in an FBI investigation. Dina Engel is launching a line of high-fashion clothing, and the feds hope that means she’s separating herself from her drug king-pin father. The sisters are supposed to get to know Dina, hint the Bureau is interested in a meeting, and provide her with a safe way to contact them. Though the setting is lovely and the inn is all that Retta imagined, things quickly go bad. Murder, kidnapping, and a mysterious plot involving Dina’s fashion show plunge Faye and Retta into danger. The sisters are separated from each other and threatened with death if they don’t cooperate. Retta finds it hard being isolated and alone. Faye has to decide which people around her are enemies and which are innocent retreat attendees. Sensing trouble, Barb shows up, but she soon faces a choice between being shot and drowning in Grand Traverse Bay. It seems impossible all three sisters can survive the dream weekend-turned-nightmare. Still, this is the fifth Sleuth Sisters adventure, so readers know these women don’t give up easily. Sit back, have a glass of wine, and learn a little more about Sister Power!

Eat, Drink, and Be Wary (The Sleuth Sisters)

When a midnight murder comes to Allport, Barb is observed conducting one of her “Correction Events” nearby. The police want to question the Grammar Nazi, and Retta insists the only way to save Barb’s reputation is to solve the crime before her secret activities are revealed to the whole town. The victim was a newcomer to Allport who was engaged to marry a local businessman’s attractive but spoiled daughter. Retta finds Frannie Habedank particularly irritating, since the younger woman commands the attention of just about any man who comes near her. Perhaps rightly and perhaps not, Retta is convinced Frannie killed her fiancé. As the Sleuth Sisters probe the mystery, they learn that Frannie’s father wasn’t completely happy with his prospective son-in-law. Many back in his home town considered Steve Deline a “slug,” and even the man’s own brother hasn’t got much good to say about him. It’s difficult to eliminate any suspect, but who would take violent action and end his life with a blunt metal object? On a different case the sisters uncover a puppy mill, which results in the seizure of two dozen neglected and pitiful dogs. Faye’s whole-hearted plunge into helping with their recovery means she’s distracted from other events. As Faye re-homes dogs and Barb frets about being exposed as the Grammar Nazi, Retta wrestles with a question of her own. She has a life-changing decision to make by the end of the year, and it’s already December. She’d like some advice, but when everyone she knows is involved, where can a woman get objective input? Though personal issues get in the way, the sisters know that when the situation takes a perilous turn, they can count on each other. Combine resources. Stand together. Sister power!

Peril, Plots, and Puppies (The Sleuth Sisters)

In Book 7, Retta and her FBI agent boyfriend stop in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for the night, at which point Lars disappears. Desperate, Retta calls in sisters Faye and Barb. As they follow leads, they run into three sisters who might be future versions of them: Betty, a sweetheart who loves the Green Bay Packers; DeeAnne, a dramatic type always in acting mode; and Lydia, a business-like grump. Though they say they don't know where Lars could be, something at their antique/vintage store isn't right.Soon Retta is captured and held prisoner. She escapes, is caught, and escapes again...and again. Barb and Faye search frantically for her across the wintry landscape, with Styx the Newfoundland as their clumsy-but-dedicated ally. Success had better come soon, since the plan is for Retta--and anyone else who gets in the criminals' way--to die.

Captured, Escape, Repeat (The Sleuth Sisters)

Once Upon a Trailer Park (Trailer Park Tales)

Literature & Fiction

Humor & Satire

Cutest Little Killer

Peg Herring

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