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Stone's Throw Mystery #1
Off the Beaten Path: A Stone's Throw Mystery
2025 IngramSpark(R) Editorial Selection - Mystery/Thriller
The first installment in the bestelling Stone's Throw Mystery Series from Eloise Corvo.
Welcome to Stone's The dunes are steep, the beaches are breathtaking, the whole town eats spaghetti on Wednesdays, and the murders are cozy.
Stone’s Throw State Park Ranger Maudy Lorso spends her days playing cards and sipping drinks with her millennial gal pals, hiking steep sand dunes with her scruffy dog, Martin Short, and trying to ignore the pain of a recent, devastating breakup. After building a quiet life in the Lake Michigan coastal village of Stone’s Throw, Maudy’s emotional safety net is turned inside out when her boss informs her of looming budget cuts that threaten to permanently close the park—and eliminate her job. Determined to prove the park’s value, Maudy throws herself into organizing a successful campground opening weekend, just one week away. But when the body of a missing tourist is discovered in the park, her hope of saving Stone’s Throw State Park quickly begins to fade. In order to save her dream job and maintain her quirky, quiet life, Maudy jumps in to solve the murder of the dead man.
The first installment in the bestelling Stone's Throw Mystery Series from Eloise Corvo.
Welcome to Stone's The dunes are steep, the beaches are breathtaking, the whole town eats spaghetti on Wednesdays, and the murders are cozy.
Stone’s Throw State Park Ranger Maudy Lorso spends her days playing cards and sipping drinks with her millennial gal pals, hiking steep sand dunes with her scruffy dog, Martin Short, and trying to ignore the pain of a recent, devastating breakup. After building a quiet life in the Lake Michigan coastal village of Stone’s Throw, Maudy’s emotional safety net is turned inside out when her boss informs her of looming budget cuts that threaten to permanently close the park—and eliminate her job. Determined to prove the park’s value, Maudy throws herself into organizing a successful campground opening weekend, just one week away. But when the body of a missing tourist is discovered in the park, her hope of saving Stone’s Throw State Park quickly begins to fade. In order to save her dream job and maintain her quirky, quiet life, Maudy jumps in to solve the murder of the dead man.
229 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2025
About the author
Eloise Corvo
2 books59 followersAuthor Eloise Corvo finds inspiration and peace of mind while skulking around her home library which her husband affectionately (?) says embodies an "Edgar Allan Poe meets Applebee's" aesthetic. Eloise has short fiction published in literary magazines like The Corner Bar, and her debut novel is set to release on April 29, 2025 through Level Best Books. She loves mint chocolate chip ice cream, appreciates a good puzzle, and is terrified of clowns. To learn more, visit EloiseCorvo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
April 13, 2025
A tourist has gone missing the town of Stone's Throw. Maudy, the park ranger, is tasked to find the missing guy, and help solve the mystery of what exactly happened.
“...we need to make sure every inch of that park is clear, off the beaten path.”
The intriguing premise in combination with the stunning cover made me pick this book up. I struggled to get into the story being confronted with stilted, awkward prose from the get-go. Corvo is (overly) direct and descriptive when it comes to characters and environments. We get to know what every major or minor character is wearing immediately when we meet them. This plus the sheer size of the cast took me out of the story several times. I myself prefer more subtlely and artistry in prose and storytelling.
Once we get to the mystery itself the story starts to take off. We get a little bit of intrigue and snippets of promise. However it's quite early on that it's obvious who the perpetrator is. There are few red herrings or diversions to be found here. Which leads to a disappointingly predictable conclusion to the main mystery covered in this book. Corvo then decides to tack on an extra 'gotcha' chapter which seems to be set-up for a subsequent book, but I could have done without that. I would have preferred for this to be a contained story.
While there were some characters that I liked in this book, like the dog Marty and the enthusiastic colleague Zach, the main character and law enforcement got on my nerves. Maudy is uncooperative, has horrible intuition and takes unbelievably stupid risks. On top of that cop Kelly seems to not be too fussed about solving the case. The romance aspect in this novel felt out of place and forced to me.
Off the Beaten Path will appeal to people who love cozy, small town vibes and predictably comfortable mystery stories. If the combination of chicklit meets cozy mystery appeals to you, then you might want to give this book a try.
Thank you Eloise Corvo and Level Best Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
“...we need to make sure every inch of that park is clear, off the beaten path.”
The intriguing premise in combination with the stunning cover made me pick this book up. I struggled to get into the story being confronted with stilted, awkward prose from the get-go. Corvo is (overly) direct and descriptive when it comes to characters and environments. We get to know what every major or minor character is wearing immediately when we meet them. This plus the sheer size of the cast took me out of the story several times. I myself prefer more subtlely and artistry in prose and storytelling.
Once we get to the mystery itself the story starts to take off. We get a little bit of intrigue and snippets of promise. However it's quite early on that it's obvious who the perpetrator is. There are few red herrings or diversions to be found here. Which leads to a disappointingly predictable conclusion to the main mystery covered in this book. Corvo then decides to tack on an extra 'gotcha' chapter which seems to be set-up for a subsequent book, but I could have done without that. I would have preferred for this to be a contained story.
While there were some characters that I liked in this book, like the dog Marty and the enthusiastic colleague Zach, the main character and law enforcement got on my nerves. Maudy is uncooperative, has horrible intuition and takes unbelievably stupid risks. On top of that cop Kelly seems to not be too fussed about solving the case. The romance aspect in this novel felt out of place and forced to me.
Off the Beaten Path will appeal to people who love cozy, small town vibes and predictably comfortable mystery stories. If the combination of chicklit meets cozy mystery appeals to you, then you might want to give this book a try.
Thank you Eloise Corvo and Level Best Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 22, 2025
We meet Maudy Lorso, a park ranger, during a pretty peaceful time in her life. Living in the picturesque community of Stone's Throw in Michigan, hiking and outdoorsy activities are the focus, and Maudy and her dog- Martin Short (I die) have a pretty chill life.
Until a body is found in the park, and Maudy is left to solve the crime. Add in the rumblings of park closure, VERY quirky side characters and some cozy (yet blood) murder mystery scenes, and you've got one fun story.
I like how this equally made me laugh and nervous in sections, and I think the author for the chance to read this, I will highly recommend to all my cozy mystery book besties.
Until a body is found in the park, and Maudy is left to solve the crime. Add in the rumblings of park closure, VERY quirky side characters and some cozy (yet blood) murder mystery scenes, and you've got one fun story.
I like how this equally made me laugh and nervous in sections, and I think the author for the chance to read this, I will highly recommend to all my cozy mystery book besties.
May 12, 2025
Off the Beaten Path follows State Park Ranger Maudy as her once calm and peaceful life and job is thrown into disarray when a man goes missing and shows up murdered in the park.
I am an enjoyer of cozy stories. This is a cozy mystery. On paper this should have been an enjoyable read for me. In execution this is one of if not the most infuriating mystery I have read in a long long time.
The key to a cozy story is the characters. Unfortunately, our heroine Maudy is extremely unlikeable, makes really stupid decisions, throws herself into danger willingly and unnecessarily and seemingly has no respect for her own life or livelihood. She could have been killed or fired at least a dozen times during this book; and honestly I don't think I would have cared if either happened. I'm also tired of authors telling us that their main character is so smart and then showing us that they're a complete imbecile.
The plot. Oh dear. If a mystery being cozy means that it is blatantly obvious then I don't want to ever read a cozy mystery again. If a reader, namely myself, is able to correctly guess the entire twist and solution, as well as the sequel bait, by the 60% mark..... then there is something empirically wrong with your story telling. I was wasting my time reading the second half of this book.
I'm going to keep this spoiler free and not talk about the ending.... but my God it made me so mad.
Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
I am an enjoyer of cozy stories. This is a cozy mystery. On paper this should have been an enjoyable read for me. In execution this is one of if not the most infuriating mystery I have read in a long long time.
The key to a cozy story is the characters. Unfortunately, our heroine Maudy is extremely unlikeable, makes really stupid decisions, throws herself into danger willingly and unnecessarily and seemingly has no respect for her own life or livelihood. She could have been killed or fired at least a dozen times during this book; and honestly I don't think I would have cared if either happened. I'm also tired of authors telling us that their main character is so smart and then showing us that they're a complete imbecile.
The plot. Oh dear. If a mystery being cozy means that it is blatantly obvious then I don't want to ever read a cozy mystery again. If a reader, namely myself, is able to correctly guess the entire twist and solution, as well as the sequel bait, by the 60% mark..... then there is something empirically wrong with your story telling. I was wasting my time reading the second half of this book.
I'm going to keep this spoiler free and not talk about the ending.... but my God it made me so mad.
Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
April 23, 2025
"The usual pastel color palette of downtown...is drained to a stark black and white this morning.
Covering every flat surface are flyers with MISSING PERSON plastered boldly across the top."
OFF THE BEATEN PATH is Eloise Corvo's debut mystery and it was riddled with charm and that small town feel.
Taking place in Michigan, this story leaned heavily into its Midwestern-ness, which I adored, and the main character being a park ranger was so fun as well - I love books that feature nature and parks and, paired with the small town atmosphere of Stone's Throw, this worked really well!
We have a quirky cast of characters (whom I couldn't help but compare to characters in Stars Hollow lol) and a cozy (yet bloody 👀) mystery to boot!
While the main character made some ~choices~ I found this book to be a great one to cozy up with for an afternoon or two!
Thanks to Eloise for the early copy for review - out April 29!
Covering every flat surface are flyers with MISSING PERSON plastered boldly across the top."
OFF THE BEATEN PATH is Eloise Corvo's debut mystery and it was riddled with charm and that small town feel.
Taking place in Michigan, this story leaned heavily into its Midwestern-ness, which I adored, and the main character being a park ranger was so fun as well - I love books that feature nature and parks and, paired with the small town atmosphere of Stone's Throw, this worked really well!
We have a quirky cast of characters (whom I couldn't help but compare to characters in Stars Hollow lol) and a cozy (yet bloody 👀) mystery to boot!
While the main character made some ~choices~ I found this book to be a great one to cozy up with for an afternoon or two!
Thanks to Eloise for the early copy for review - out April 29!
July 11, 2025
This was a good debut and first in a series with just enough backstory to keep you interested in learning more. Maudy, the main character, was interesting. I liked her and how the author showed her anxiety and how she dealt with it, but man did that girl go beyond sleuthing by withholding evidence and putting herself in danger. I love the premise of a state park series and look forward to more. Hopefully book 2 will actually have the spaghetti dinner scene we heard about the whole book though! Lol
March 28, 2025
Nature lovers, rejoice! There is a new cozy mystery series coming and if you love the great outdoors then you're going to love Off the Beaten Path by Eloise Corvo.
Maudy Lorso is a park ranger in the picturesque community of Stone's Throw in Michigan. There is nothing she loves more than hiking and enjoying time with her friends. However, all that peace is about to be disturbed when she finds a dead body! With Stone's Thrown State Park possibly being permanently closed due to budget cuts, Maudy knows she must find a killer and save her park too.
Set in the back drop of a picturesque National Park, this mystery was the perfect spring-time read. Where I live, there is still a lot of snow on ground, and trying to solve this mystery alongside Maudy it had me dreaming of spring and hitting the trails. Without the murder of course!!
I really enjoyed the mystery. It is fast paced and kept me on my toes. Even with a few carefully placed red herrings, I couldn't solve it before Maudy. I love when a mystery stumps me and keeps me guessing until the end and this one definitely did.
If you're looking for the perfect spring-time read that has you craving a walk in the great outdoors, then this mystery needs to be on your reading list. Eloise Corvo delights in this debut, and I can't wait for the second book.
Maudy Lorso is a park ranger in the picturesque community of Stone's Throw in Michigan. There is nothing she loves more than hiking and enjoying time with her friends. However, all that peace is about to be disturbed when she finds a dead body! With Stone's Thrown State Park possibly being permanently closed due to budget cuts, Maudy knows she must find a killer and save her park too.
Set in the back drop of a picturesque National Park, this mystery was the perfect spring-time read. Where I live, there is still a lot of snow on ground, and trying to solve this mystery alongside Maudy it had me dreaming of spring and hitting the trails. Without the murder of course!!
I really enjoyed the mystery. It is fast paced and kept me on my toes. Even with a few carefully placed red herrings, I couldn't solve it before Maudy. I love when a mystery stumps me and keeps me guessing until the end and this one definitely did.
If you're looking for the perfect spring-time read that has you craving a walk in the great outdoors, then this mystery needs to be on your reading list. Eloise Corvo delights in this debut, and I can't wait for the second book.
April 29, 2025
Tis the season for a campground/park cozy mystery…
I am in love with this cover! I love that the MC is a State Park Ranger. It’s something different. A few times I thought Officer Kelly was a little harsh. That could just be her personality. Luckily, Maudy was able to keep her composure. I am not sure I could have!
Maudy is a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer so I know we would bond over the show. Maudy's dog, Martin Short, is adorable. I kept picturing the actual Martin Short every time I read his name.
I hate to give out spoilers, but I was literally happy screaming at the end. A part of me wanted one part in the ending to work out differently. I am holding out hope if there’s more to the series. But wait- there’s more. I thought it was all done but then I screamed again at the very end- when you read it, you will scream too!! Total twister!
Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
I am in love with this cover! I love that the MC is a State Park Ranger. It’s something different. A few times I thought Officer Kelly was a little harsh. That could just be her personality. Luckily, Maudy was able to keep her composure. I am not sure I could have!
Maudy is a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer so I know we would bond over the show. Maudy's dog, Martin Short, is adorable. I kept picturing the actual Martin Short every time I read his name.
I hate to give out spoilers, but I was literally happy screaming at the end. A part of me wanted one part in the ending to work out differently. I am holding out hope if there’s more to the series. But wait- there’s more. I thought it was all done but then I screamed again at the very end- when you read it, you will scream too!! Total twister!
Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2025
Maudy Lorso is trying to get over a bad relationship. She gets a job as a park ranger at Stone’s Throw State Park, and she loves every minute of it. She’s happy to have the companionship of her dog, Martin Short “Marty”. Then, things get a bit crazy when a tourist goes missing in the park and Marty discovers the dead body. The park is closed until the case is solved. Now, the future of the park is in jeopardy and so is Maudy’s job.
Maudy is determined to find out what happened and who is responsible for the murder. She quickly discovers there are many people who didn’t like the guy. She vows to find out which one is the culprit so she can re-open the park.
The book started off slow for me, but then the story really took off. I liked the nature setting as well as the small-town atmosphere. The characters are well-written, even Marty is a fun character. Maudy has much to learn to be an amateur sleuth but she’s getting there.
The storyline is an intriguing adventure. This is a mystery with a touch of romance thrown in. It felt like Maudy was putting a jigsaw puzzle together. The author did a great job throwing me off track with that ending. I was really surprised by it. It’s a good lead for a sequel. The series is off to a solid start. I’ll be looking for the next book.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from BookSirens and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Maudy is determined to find out what happened and who is responsible for the murder. She quickly discovers there are many people who didn’t like the guy. She vows to find out which one is the culprit so she can re-open the park.
The book started off slow for me, but then the story really took off. I liked the nature setting as well as the small-town atmosphere. The characters are well-written, even Marty is a fun character. Maudy has much to learn to be an amateur sleuth but she’s getting there.
The storyline is an intriguing adventure. This is a mystery with a touch of romance thrown in. It felt like Maudy was putting a jigsaw puzzle together. The author did a great job throwing me off track with that ending. I was really surprised by it. It’s a good lead for a sequel. The series is off to a solid start. I’ll be looking for the next book.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from BookSirens and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 17, 2025
First off, a big thank you to NetGalley and author Eloise Corvo for providing access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This wasn't a special approval, but one of the titles available to read freely-and I truly appreciate that option.
As a fan of cozy mysteries, the cover immediately caught my eye with its charming and mysterious vibe. Unfortunately, I struggled to get into the story, and that didn't improve as I continued reading. The writing felt a bit unpolished, and the dialogue relied too much on telling rather than showing. While I really wanted to enjoy this one, it just wasn't the right fit for me.
That said, I'm sure other readers might connect with it more-it just didn't work for me personally.
As a fan of cozy mysteries, the cover immediately caught my eye with its charming and mysterious vibe. Unfortunately, I struggled to get into the story, and that didn't improve as I continued reading. The writing felt a bit unpolished, and the dialogue relied too much on telling rather than showing. While I really wanted to enjoy this one, it just wasn't the right fit for me.
That said, I'm sure other readers might connect with it more-it just didn't work for me personally.
July 10, 2026
I think this is the first time I have read a cozy that includes a park ranger as the protagonist. It was a unique twist!
Maudy is brought in as a consultant, but as is with most cozies, she puts herself in harms way one too many times. It could have resulted in a bad scene for her. But she manages to pull out by the skin of her teeth. She does foolish things, as is typical, but it does help move the case closer to being solved.
I enjoyed the mystery aspect. I didn't really figure it out until closer to the end when a few more clues were dropped. And the ending? What a twist! I wonder what is in store for the second book.
The last chapter did confuse me a little bit, because I thought she had one love interest, but another guy is acting possessive of her. So I'm not sure where that is going, but I am sure I will find out soon as I dive into book two.
I enjoyed the start to this new series, and we give it 4 paws up.
Maudy is brought in as a consultant, but as is with most cozies, she puts herself in harms way one too many times. It could have resulted in a bad scene for her. But she manages to pull out by the skin of her teeth. She does foolish things, as is typical, but it does help move the case closer to being solved.
I enjoyed the mystery aspect. I didn't really figure it out until closer to the end when a few more clues were dropped. And the ending? What a twist! I wonder what is in store for the second book.
The last chapter did confuse me a little bit, because I thought she had one love interest, but another guy is acting possessive of her. So I'm not sure where that is going, but I am sure I will find out soon as I dive into book two.
I enjoyed the start to this new series, and we give it 4 paws up.
Read
November 10, 2025I got to spend an evening with Eloise Corvo at my local indie bookstore during a murder mystery event, and it was such a fun experience. Eloise is incredibly kind, and her passion for her stories is evident. I will be picking up book #2!
April 20, 2025
A cozy small town murder mystery!
I really liked the sense of community in stones throw. It kind of reminded me of Gilmore girls!
However I didn’t care for the romantic subplot at all:(
𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!
I really liked the sense of community in stones throw. It kind of reminded me of Gilmore girls!
However I didn’t care for the romantic subplot at all:(
𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!
May 9, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the author Eloise Corvo for giving me the opportunity to read this e-arc.
I love cozy mysteries and the cover just radiates cozy, forest and mystery. I really struggled getting into the story and it didn't get better the more I read. something about the writing style bugged me. it felt clunky and unedited. the conversations consisted of too much "telling" and not enough "showing".
I didn't connect with the main character at all. we don't really get to know her backstory, only snippets here and there. she took unnecessary risks for someone who'd been assigned ranger barely a year ago. the other characters didn't feel very developed either and the best friend/love interest aspect annoyed me, mostly because he was just rude for no reason. the presence of jeremy felt out of place and forced. there was no chemistry besides him being "super attractive" and he weirded me out the whole time.
I liked seeing maudy pick up clues here and there but the conclusion was pretty predictable. at the end, the author added a chapter that introduces a possible next book but it felt forced and out of place and I'd rather had the book as a standalone.
I love cozy mysteries and the cover just radiates cozy, forest and mystery. I really struggled getting into the story and it didn't get better the more I read. something about the writing style bugged me. it felt clunky and unedited. the conversations consisted of too much "telling" and not enough "showing".
I didn't connect with the main character at all. we don't really get to know her backstory, only snippets here and there. she took unnecessary risks for someone who'd been assigned ranger barely a year ago. the other characters didn't feel very developed either and the best friend/love interest aspect annoyed me, mostly because he was just rude for no reason. the presence of jeremy felt out of place and forced. there was no chemistry besides him being "super attractive" and he weirded me out the whole time.
I liked seeing maudy pick up clues here and there but the conclusion was pretty predictable. at the end, the author added a chapter that introduces a possible next book but it felt forced and out of place and I'd rather had the book as a standalone.
April 27, 2025
Read full review at: https://thereadingarmchair.blogspot.c...
Off the Beaten Path has everything you'd want from your cozy mystery - a small town setting, a sense of community, secrets, and of course, lots of food. The addition to the setting is the Stone Throw's State Park with a backdrop of Lake Michigan, both of which give the author a great chance to add wonderful descriptions. To be honest, I found the outdoors vibe of the book perfect for a summer read.
Maudy Lorso, our protagonist, works at the park. With the state of the park up in the air, and a dead body found on its grounds right before opening weekend, she feels the pressure to solve the murder before it's too late. For the most part, the mystery moved as I was expecting, yet remaining entertaining. Even though I had guessed the murderer, I still found it a very interesting read.
My main complaint about this book is Maudy's behaviour. Of course, we have red herrings in all mystery books, cozy or not. However, Maudy was so fixated on one of the suspects - and the one that was the least plausible. And the reason why she was so determined to prove their guilt was simply because they didn't get along. In addition to this, I found some of her actions a bit reckless and weird, as they would hinder the investigation (i.e. taking evidence without notifying the police, or confronting suspects without enough evidence). Sidenote: if you hate pop culture references in book, be warned that Maudy is always talking about Veronica Mars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
As far as the rest of the cast goes, Maudy's dog, Martin Short, was by far my favourite. He was the best boy, and one that I couldn't get enough of. And Maudy also finds a black cat at the park, and I am a proud black cat owner. When it comes to the human characters, I really liked Eli and I would definitely want to see more of him. We also get mentions of other people from the small town, but no one played a significant role to see them long enough in the book.
By the end of the book, we also have a romance developing, but it's never the main focus of the story. I'm not sure how I feel about it on its own. However, I do have to say that the epilogue seems to imply that this romance is going to lead to the mystery in the following installment of the series, and I would be curious to find out more about it.
All in all, Off the Beaten Path is an enjoyable and quick read. It is a perfect book for the summer due to its settings, and it feels so cozy and light that it would be great after something darker and more challenging. Since it's just a debut novel, I would expect that the author will find her voice and improve in future installments.
Off the Beaten Path has everything you'd want from your cozy mystery - a small town setting, a sense of community, secrets, and of course, lots of food. The addition to the setting is the Stone Throw's State Park with a backdrop of Lake Michigan, both of which give the author a great chance to add wonderful descriptions. To be honest, I found the outdoors vibe of the book perfect for a summer read.
Maudy Lorso, our protagonist, works at the park. With the state of the park up in the air, and a dead body found on its grounds right before opening weekend, she feels the pressure to solve the murder before it's too late. For the most part, the mystery moved as I was expecting, yet remaining entertaining. Even though I had guessed the murderer, I still found it a very interesting read.
My main complaint about this book is Maudy's behaviour. Of course, we have red herrings in all mystery books, cozy or not. However, Maudy was so fixated on one of the suspects - and the one that was the least plausible. And the reason why she was so determined to prove their guilt was simply because they didn't get along. In addition to this, I found some of her actions a bit reckless and weird, as they would hinder the investigation (i.e. taking evidence without notifying the police, or confronting suspects without enough evidence). Sidenote: if you hate pop culture references in book, be warned that Maudy is always talking about Veronica Mars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
As far as the rest of the cast goes, Maudy's dog, Martin Short, was by far my favourite. He was the best boy, and one that I couldn't get enough of. And Maudy also finds a black cat at the park, and I am a proud black cat owner. When it comes to the human characters, I really liked Eli and I would definitely want to see more of him. We also get mentions of other people from the small town, but no one played a significant role to see them long enough in the book.
By the end of the book, we also have a romance developing, but it's never the main focus of the story. I'm not sure how I feel about it on its own. However, I do have to say that the epilogue seems to imply that this romance is going to lead to the mystery in the following installment of the series, and I would be curious to find out more about it.
All in all, Off the Beaten Path is an enjoyable and quick read. It is a perfect book for the summer due to its settings, and it feels so cozy and light that it would be great after something darker and more challenging. Since it's just a debut novel, I would expect that the author will find her voice and improve in future installments.
August 18, 2025
What a fun cozy mystery!
This book follows Maudy, a State Park Ranger in Stone's Throw, Michigan. Her job is in jeopardy after incoming budget cuts. And to make matters worse, the body of a missing tourist is found in the state park keeping it closed right when they need it open most.
I liked Maudy. She really cared about the park and her job and was willing to do anything to keep the park open. She ended up working with the police to help them figure out who the murderer was. She was very anxious due in part to a toxic past relationship, but was able to work through things well and had great coping mechanisms. The community of Stone's Throw is such a cute, close knit community. It seems everyone knows everyone and is friendly and helpful. They welcome tourists in to the state park campground and are happy to have them there. Some great side characters were Maudy's best friend Eli who works as a chef at Pop's restaurant and the group of girls that Maudy plays euchre with. Maudy also has a dog (Martin Short) who is by her side the whole book. He is such a good boy.
The plot was interesting and engaging. There were several plausible suspects. While a lot of the book was about Maudy trying to figure out who committed this murder so she could open the park, there was a lot of connection with the people in town and just day to day stuff that makes it a cozy mystery to me.
The ending was really exciting and had me on the edge of my seat. It was someone who made sense and not someone thrown in out of the blue.
I'm really excited to see what other adventures Maudy gets herself in to!
This book follows Maudy, a State Park Ranger in Stone's Throw, Michigan. Her job is in jeopardy after incoming budget cuts. And to make matters worse, the body of a missing tourist is found in the state park keeping it closed right when they need it open most.
I liked Maudy. She really cared about the park and her job and was willing to do anything to keep the park open. She ended up working with the police to help them figure out who the murderer was. She was very anxious due in part to a toxic past relationship, but was able to work through things well and had great coping mechanisms. The community of Stone's Throw is such a cute, close knit community. It seems everyone knows everyone and is friendly and helpful. They welcome tourists in to the state park campground and are happy to have them there. Some great side characters were Maudy's best friend Eli who works as a chef at Pop's restaurant and the group of girls that Maudy plays euchre with. Maudy also has a dog (Martin Short) who is by her side the whole book. He is such a good boy.
The plot was interesting and engaging. There were several plausible suspects. While a lot of the book was about Maudy trying to figure out who committed this murder so she could open the park, there was a lot of connection with the people in town and just day to day stuff that makes it a cozy mystery to me.
The ending was really exciting and had me on the edge of my seat. It was someone who made sense and not someone thrown in out of the blue.
I'm really excited to see what other adventures Maudy gets herself in to!
June 6, 2026
I feel a little guilty writing this review because this was a local author read that I picked up from a beach town bookstore in Northern Michigan, and I really wanted to love it.
Unfortunately, this one was just very middle-of-the-road for me. The writing felt fairly elementary, and I had a strong suspicion about who the perpetrator was early on, which took a lot of the suspense out of the mystery. There was never really a moment where I felt surprised or particularly invested in uncovering what happened.
That said, it was a quick read, and I can appreciate what it was trying to be. The Northern Michigan setting was easily my favorite part and honestly did a lot of the heavy lifting. The cozy, small-town summer atmosphere kept me reading even when the mystery itself was not especially compelling.
Overall, this was a pretty “meh” read for me, but readers who enjoy straightforward, predictable cozy mysteries may have a better experience than I did. The extra star is almost entirely for the setting and vibe
Unfortunately, this one was just very middle-of-the-road for me. The writing felt fairly elementary, and I had a strong suspicion about who the perpetrator was early on, which took a lot of the suspense out of the mystery. There was never really a moment where I felt surprised or particularly invested in uncovering what happened.
That said, it was a quick read, and I can appreciate what it was trying to be. The Northern Michigan setting was easily my favorite part and honestly did a lot of the heavy lifting. The cozy, small-town summer atmosphere kept me reading even when the mystery itself was not especially compelling.
Overall, this was a pretty “meh” read for me, but readers who enjoy straightforward, predictable cozy mysteries may have a better experience than I did. The extra star is almost entirely for the setting and vibe
July 5, 2025
First off, I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was drawn to the book cover, as well as the allure of a story set in a state park with the park ranger as our heroine. That is a bit out of the ordinary. It was perfect for a relaxing summer read. I've never been to the area of Michigan in the story, but it piqued my interest to learn more about the scenery and the overall vibe of the area.
Without giving any spoilers, I found the story engaging and it kept my interest going to find out "who dunnit it".
My one small quibble with the book is that the author has an odd habit of putting things in parentheses mid-sentence, which I found distracting. I would suggest cleaning that up.
All in all, it met my expectations of a good read, and I would be interested in reading the next in the series.
I was drawn to the book cover, as well as the allure of a story set in a state park with the park ranger as our heroine. That is a bit out of the ordinary. It was perfect for a relaxing summer read. I've never been to the area of Michigan in the story, but it piqued my interest to learn more about the scenery and the overall vibe of the area.
Without giving any spoilers, I found the story engaging and it kept my interest going to find out "who dunnit it".
My one small quibble with the book is that the author has an odd habit of putting things in parentheses mid-sentence, which I found distracting. I would suggest cleaning that up.
All in all, it met my expectations of a good read, and I would be interested in reading the next in the series.
April 20, 2025
This was such a cozy mystery story, I absolutely loved the small town setting and the animal sidekick. It wasn’t a heavy read and would be nice for those who like cozy, small town vibes with a not so complicated mystery. However, the writing seemed a bit awkward as a few passages had grammatical errors and recurring phrases. The main character was a bit inconsistent and the mystery itself was very predictable, also I couldn’t care less about the romance. Still there’s potential here, especially if future books focus more on gradual character and relationship development. All in all I wouldn’t mind revisiting this world if the author decides to continue the series.
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC.
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC.
June 1, 2025
2.5
First, thank you to the author and Goodreads for the free copy of this book.
I like cozy mysteries. Well written ones are good summer reads, but this one just did not resonate with me. The main character, Maudy, was quite annoying. She fixated on a suspect simply because she didn't like her, and was easily charmed by another. The descriptions of people and places were too long. There was a lot of "telling" rather than "showing" and I learned more about what people and places looked like than was necessary for the story. And, if I had to read about Marty's love of peanut butter one more time...
Having said that, Marty was one of my favorite characters, along with Eli. And there was a surprise ending. No spoilers.
First, thank you to the author and Goodreads for the free copy of this book.
I like cozy mysteries. Well written ones are good summer reads, but this one just did not resonate with me. The main character, Maudy, was quite annoying. She fixated on a suspect simply because she didn't like her, and was easily charmed by another. The descriptions of people and places were too long. There was a lot of "telling" rather than "showing" and I learned more about what people and places looked like than was necessary for the story. And, if I had to read about Marty's love of peanut butter one more time...
Having said that, Marty was one of my favorite characters, along with Eli. And there was a surprise ending. No spoilers.
April 5, 2026
Nice first in a cozy series. Bonus points for being set in Michigan with lots of 'Up North' feel to it. Main character Maudy is a park ranger and is drawn into a local mystery when a visitor is found dead in her park. She assists the local police, a friend of hers, with the investigation. In the background she still struggles with some PTSD from a bad relationship and is still just managing to cope some days.
The mystery was well written and interesting. Enjoyed the townspeople as side characters who helped show us who Maudy was as a person. There was an unnecessary foreshadowing at the end. Just didn't feel needed. That aside, I am planning on pre-ordering the next in the series to see how things turn out.
The mystery was well written and interesting. Enjoyed the townspeople as side characters who helped show us who Maudy was as a person. There was an unnecessary foreshadowing at the end. Just didn't feel needed. That aside, I am planning on pre-ordering the next in the series to see how things turn out.
April 6, 2025
I was pleasantly surprised with this story. I enjoyed the characters and the setting in northern Michigan. The cozy town was described well and it was lovely to "visit" while I read the book. It was a fun mystery with more surprises than I expected!
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC! I look forward to a sequel story from this author!
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC! I look forward to a sequel story from this author!
March 8, 2026
Ummmm.... what was that ending? I knew he was involved and I thought for sure that he did it until that twist hit and clearly he didn't but is very much involved. I really liked this one. I love a good cozy mystery and this one kept me thinking till I thought was the end... need the next book ASAP! I liked Maudy, maybe not all her dumb decisions but hey, I probably would have done the same if my job was on the line. I loved her dog Martin Short. Such a cutie and super smart. The side characters were likable and hope to see more of them in future books. A fun and quick read that I recommend picking up if you enjoy cozy mysteries.
May 21, 2026
3 ⭐️
Super cute mystery read! Read it in about two days.
Loved that it was set in Michigan - Midwest represent 🤣
A must read if you want a quick, cozy book to snuggle up with. Definitely would read more by this author!
Also a huge thank you to Eloise for the opportunity to read this book! This book is out April 29th!
Super cute mystery read! Read it in about two days.
Loved that it was set in Michigan - Midwest represent 🤣
A must read if you want a quick, cozy book to snuggle up with. Definitely would read more by this author!
Also a huge thank you to Eloise for the opportunity to read this book! This book is out April 29th!
October 31, 2025
The mystery wasn’t that compelling, Maudy was a bit annoying and the ending sets it up for a sequel. If this had been a stand alone book I would have given it a higher rating, I just don’t think there’s enough there to milk a sequel out of it.
January 16, 2026
This was exactly what I wanted it to be!
Cute cozy mystery based in a fictional town in Northern Michigan? And mentions of traverse city?
So cutie.
Didn’t expect the last chapter, now I’m invested
Cute cozy mystery based in a fictional town in Northern Michigan? And mentions of traverse city?
So cutie.
Didn’t expect the last chapter, now I’m invested
July 8, 2026
This cozy mystery was quite good! I may be slightly biased as a Michigander…lol! I picked up this book (and the next one) from Artemis Books & Goods in Traverse City. The beauty of northern MI is truly a delight!
April 12, 2025
✨
Review
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⭐⭐⭐.5
This book is a fluffy murder mystery set in a small town with cozy vibes (I'd never have thought I'd say that). Okay, so basically Maudy, our main female character, and her fluffy buddy Martin are solving a murder that happened in the Stone Throw.
I loved how the story was easygoing but still very interesting. Martin is our star show diva, and we love him so much.
The plot twist was truly amazing because I didn't suspect a thing until it happened, and that last chapter absolutely had me gasping.
Overall a great book, with an easygoing story and a nice plot twist, with very likable and relatable characters.
⭐⭐⭐.5
This book is a fluffy murder mystery set in a small town with cozy vibes (I'd never have thought I'd say that). Okay, so basically Maudy, our main female character, and her fluffy buddy Martin are solving a murder that happened in the Stone Throw.
I loved how the story was easygoing but still very interesting. Martin is our star show diva, and we love him so much.
The plot twist was truly amazing because I didn't suspect a thing until it happened, and that last chapter absolutely had me gasping.
Overall a great book, with an easygoing story and a nice plot twist, with very likable and relatable characters.
December 1, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ The twist at the end!! Excited to read the next when it comes out!
May 31, 2025
Nicely done cozy murder mystery that sets the first book up for a great book series. It all happens in Northern Lower Michigan and if you're from this area, you are constantly reminded fondly of where these events might have happened. The main protagonist and her faithful dog, is colorful and very witty as she sets about trying to keep the State Park open while also trying to solve a murder.
Take this one to the beach for sure!
Take this one to the beach for sure!
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