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Resorting to Arson: A Small Town Cozy Mystery
A fire has started, and a life has ended.
Wouldn’t you check out of this quiet, boutique hotel as fast as you could?
Rebecca Sanderson has just settled into the Bluebonnet, an adorable little B&B that operates in the shadow of the massive luxury Ranch Resort just up the country road in Trickle Springs, Texas. When she’s wrenched from a deep sleep by the wail of sirens, alarms, and the strobing red lights of fire trucks racing into the Bluebonnet’s front yard, she’s faced with that very decision.
The fire, however, isn’t the most disturbing event of the night. The body of Travis Murphy, manager of the Ranch Resort, has been discovered by a guest near the Bluebonnet’s porch steps.
While Murphy had enemies all over town, his biggest, loudest enemy was Brianna, owner of the Bluebonnet, and an outspoken critic of his business practices. She’s now the prime suspect in Travis’s murder.
And she is Rebecca Sanderson’s sister.
Resorting to Arson is a scorching addition to the Resorting series from award-winning author Gail Hulnick. If you’re a fan of Richard Osman and Robert Thorogood, and if you enjoy a quick-witted amateur sleuth in a captivating setting, this short read cozy mystery is for you.
Wouldn’t you check out of this quiet, boutique hotel as fast as you could?
Rebecca Sanderson has just settled into the Bluebonnet, an adorable little B&B that operates in the shadow of the massive luxury Ranch Resort just up the country road in Trickle Springs, Texas. When she’s wrenched from a deep sleep by the wail of sirens, alarms, and the strobing red lights of fire trucks racing into the Bluebonnet’s front yard, she’s faced with that very decision.
The fire, however, isn’t the most disturbing event of the night. The body of Travis Murphy, manager of the Ranch Resort, has been discovered by a guest near the Bluebonnet’s porch steps.
While Murphy had enemies all over town, his biggest, loudest enemy was Brianna, owner of the Bluebonnet, and an outspoken critic of his business practices. She’s now the prime suspect in Travis’s murder.
And she is Rebecca Sanderson’s sister.
Resorting to Arson is a scorching addition to the Resorting series from award-winning author Gail Hulnick. If you’re a fan of Richard Osman and Robert Thorogood, and if you enjoy a quick-witted amateur sleuth in a captivating setting, this short read cozy mystery is for you.
101 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2023
7 people want to read
About the author
Gail Hulnick
32 books9 followersGail Hulnick's first novel, The Lion's Share of the Air
Time, was a quarter finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award in 2014. in 2020, she was named the Bronze award-winner in the Royal Palm Literary Awards for the follow-up novel in her media mystery series, A Bird in the Sand. She also won Silver in the Mainstream or Literary category that same year for her novel Resorting to Fraud. In 2022, book 3 in the Media Mysteries series, titled Sleeping Dogs Lie, won a Bronze RPLA.
Her work background includes years as a CBC Radio interviewer and program host, a TV news reporter, a freelance magazine journalist, a business consultant and an indie publisher.
Gail was born in Canada, has lived in four of the ten provinces, and has driven cross-country three times. She currently lives in the U.S. and has crossed that country, west to east and south to north, by road numerous times as well. She likes travel (there's a surprise), movies, books, music and dogs.
Time, was a quarter finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award in 2014. in 2020, she was named the Bronze award-winner in the Royal Palm Literary Awards for the follow-up novel in her media mystery series, A Bird in the Sand. She also won Silver in the Mainstream or Literary category that same year for her novel Resorting to Fraud. In 2022, book 3 in the Media Mysteries series, titled Sleeping Dogs Lie, won a Bronze RPLA.
Her work background includes years as a CBC Radio interviewer and program host, a TV news reporter, a freelance magazine journalist, a business consultant and an indie publisher.
Gail was born in Canada, has lived in four of the ten provinces, and has driven cross-country three times. She currently lives in the U.S. and has crossed that country, west to east and south to north, by road numerous times as well. She likes travel (there's a surprise), movies, books, music and dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 5, 2025
Gail Hulnick delivers another smart, cozy mystery that pulls you in from the very first page. Resorting to Arson blends small-town charm with high-stakes suspense as Rebecca is thrown into a murder investigation that hits far too close to home. What I loved most was the balance of wit, tension, and the vivid sense of place, the Bluebonnet and Trickle Springs feel so real, you can almost smell the smoke and hear the whispers of scandal. A sharp, engaging read for cozy mystery fans who enjoy family dynamics tangled up in danger.
August 3, 2023
There was something about that character - I was pretty sure from their first appearance that they were going to be the killer. (I hope that's vague enough)
I did enjoy the story and was glad that I was right.
I did enjoy the story and was glad that I was right.
January 29, 2024
Ms. Hulnick is a new author for me, and I enjoyed her book "Resorting to Arson." It was well written and though I thought I knew who the killer was I wasn't sure until near the end. Rebecca has a different type of personality than most MC's in cozies and interested me. Recommend reading.
April 18, 2024
The author, Gail Hulnick, is a very talented writer and author, but I personally found this storyline to be just “Ho-hum”…. It would have been nice to see some humor blended into the mystery and perhaps a little action.
July 11, 2023
Who killed Travis Murphy and why??? And where is all the Oxy coming from??? Prescriptions??? I enjoyed this story and recommended the book.
August 7, 2023
I enjoyed reading this and following along for clues. This was interesting and kept me reading and guessing. I would read more from this new to me author.
February 1, 2024
Who killed Travis Murphy and why??? He set the fires as a distraction??? I enjoyed this story and recommended the book.
February 15, 2024
I thought that this was an okay read. This novella is a quick and undemanding read. Few secrets or red herrings.
May 18, 2025
was a good who done it cozy mystery
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews