Deeds and Deceptions

Northern Lights Cozy Mysteries #2

by Cheryl Dougan

A suspicious fire. A town full of secrets. And an arsonist on the loose…Cassie Brooks thought she was settling into small-town life, but Northern Lights has other plans. When a beloved local business is burned to the ground, rumors spread faster than the flames. Who is the torch of the north? And what do past deeds have to do with it?

As Cassie peels back the layers, new mysteries unfold, and it's clear someone is playing with fire to protect their secrets. With tensions rising and suspicions swirling, Cassie must rally her quirky allies and use her keen instincts to douse the danger before another fire sparks.

Can she crack the case before she’s toast? Or will her dreams go up in smoke?

Deeds and Deceptions ignites a blend of small-town intrigue and fiery suspense. Join Cassie as she navigates a path lit by secrets and danger, where each clue could be a spark for new discoveries.

Buy now and feel the heat of Northern Lights, where every secret smolders in mystery!

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 22, 2025

About the author

Cheryl Dougan is the author of the River Cruise Cozies, Ocean Cruise Cozies, and Northern Lights Cozy Mysteries—heartwarming whodunits filled with friendship, gentle humor, and a sense of adventure.

Her travel-themed series whisk readers along Europe’s rivers and across the world’s oceans, while her Northern Lights Cozy Mysteries invite them into a charming lakeside town where community and curiosity intertwine.

Cheryl enjoys time with family and friends, loves to travel, and finds inspiration for her stories in the people and places she encounters along the way.

Reviews

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read by Cheryl Dougan ! Cassie Brooks is settling into the quaint small town but there’s a lot going down that makes her frown. There’s an arsonist who is letting fires and thus must be found before they burn the whole town down. Tensions are higher than the flames that swept through a beloved business in town. Lots of questions that need answers quick and Cassie finds herself in the thick of it. A spark ,a clue she knows what to do . But can she save the bakery too? She helps out Bess ,gets her safe and out of harms way and on returning to her home ,she finds it a mess . It’s been ransacked ,but for what ? Is this person or persons after finding out what she knows or are they just having a nose? There’s secrets and lies and people who despise. Covering their tracks but to what purpose. Why are they setting things up for a fall at all? Cassie helps Bess out and lets her use her place to bake which creates havoc too as Cassie had left something in the oven that she’d forgotten about,now it’s burnt to a cinder ,oh dear. But it’s fortuitous as it happens here and the now because this leads to another discovery of faulty wires and it could have been Cassie who next was charred …wow! The whole town comes to their rescue and all pull together which is just as well because Cassie hasn’t got two pennies to rub together. Wonderfully immersive and not at all cursive is this cosy mystery by Cheryl Dougan a great storyline and compelling storytelling to boot and what’s more it’s ever so cute with the characters and all . I thought it divine and I had a ball !

[Anne Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a new person in town who is asking a lot of pointed questions which upsets Cassie a bit. Cassie wakes from a dream of campfires, but then realises that their is a real fire blazing at the Bakery. She rushes to help rescue Bess. When she returns to her rooms above the Café she finds it has been ransacked. Someone definitely wants Cassie to be blamed for the fire as they left a trail of the paint thinner, that started the fire, leading to her back door. Cassie tells Bess she can use the café’s kitchen to bake as where she had been able to move to had a dodgy oven. On the first day Bess uses it there is a fire in the oven! Cassie had put something in there for safe keeping & forgotten it! This leads to the discovery that the wiring of the whole building needs to be replaced, something Cassie cannot afford. But, the whole town comes to the rescue as they did for Bess & an ancient mystery is solved as well. I really enjoyed this latest episode of Cassie’s new life in Northern Lights.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in Cheryl Dougan's Northern Lights Cozy Mystery series and a wonderful addition. Cassie Brooks is settling in the quaint town of Northern Lights and has made some really nice friends. While she is sleeping above her café, she awakens and finds Bess' bakery next door is on fire and burns down and she rushes to help Bess. Why? Who would do something like this? It gets worse for Cassie when she returns to her apartment and finds it ransacked and the accelerant use to burn down Bess' bakery trails to Cassie's shop. People start avoiding Cassie because she now becomes suspect number one. So Cassie and her new quirky friends have to investigate to clear her name and stop the whispers while uncovering secrets that someone is willing to burn down buildings for. What is going on? Can Cassie solve the crime or will she be arrested as an arsonist? This is a fast paced book that keeps you guessing until the end. I can't wait to see what Cassie gets into next. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two in Cheryl Dougan's Northern Lights Cozy Mystery series finds Cassie Brooks settling into her new chosen home. She's made many friends and is very happy but she still feels a bit like an outsider, small towns can do that to people. Cassie has a hard time letting people in and trusting them. She will learn a lot about herself, her new home and the various townsfolk.

Like all small towns there are hidden stories, long held grudges and beliefs and quite a few surprises. Cassie has an old ledger she found while cleaning her new place and it may hold clues long lost treasures, or so some believe. Along the way some will discover the true treasures a small town, and life in general, can carry.

[Anne Kavcic · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Cassie has barely started to settle a bit in her new chosen life in Northern Lights, when a fire burns the bakery next door. As first on the scene, and with some evidence pointing at her, she is suspect number one. People start to avoid her, causing her to start some investigations of her own. Old town secrets turn up, but even when her friends rally around her, can she clear her name? Another heart-warming story in this new series. - I received an advance copy and freely leave this honest review.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Cassie is still settling into Northern Lights, an arsonist is causing havoc. Of course she has to dig deeper. This is a great series of cozy mysteries. Wonderful small town characters, that are just a little quirky. A storyline that will keep you guessing. A fun book to read.
I received a copy of this book from the author. I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.