Murder in Whimsy Hollow - Prequel: An Absolutely Captivating Cozy Murder Mystery

by Fiona Finch

Welcome to Whimsy Hollow, where solving a murder might cost your life!

Isabella Brookstone, a librarian with sleuth instincts at peace in Whimsy Hollow, a small town known for its cobblestone streets, quirky neighbors, and annual pie contest. But when Felix Marsh, the town’s most despised businessman, drops dead poisoned at the contest, best friend Bonnie Harper, becomes prime suspect.

Bonnie’s fiery temper and recent public feud with Felix make her an easy target, knowing that Isabella with her mischievous cat Whiskers and Jack Larson, the town’s grumpy but sharp-eyed cop, dives into uncovering a tangled web of rivalries, lies, and hidden motives.

As suspects mount—including a bitter treasurer, a jilted business partner, and a town councilor with something to hide—Isabella faces escalating threats. Someone will do anything to keep their secrets buried, even if it means silencing Isabella for good.

With the clock ticking and danger closing in, Isabella must unmask the killer before she becomes the next victim!

Genres: Amazon

56 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2025

Reviews

[Cornel Diaconu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent story ... not too dramatic, not boring either.
I found exposing the killer to ne too shallow - in a real world it would'be been dismissed by a judge quickly, maybe even by police representative (Jack).
Well, the quirks of being this short of a story, I guess....

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

great beginning

This was a great beginning and introduction to some of the townsfolk of Whimsey Hollow. The mystery was simple but enjoyable. Small town feel with a librarian protagonist.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is yet another "new to me" author, and I like her work, so far. The librarian's friend Bonnie dislikes Felix a great deal, but not enough to murder him, yet she is the first person, the cops' approach, because of an ongoing feud between them. The librarian starts asking questions despite two different threats she receives and digs deep enough to find the real culprit and exposes him. I definitely recommend this book.

[Lorraine O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isabella and her cat Whiskers put their detective skills to work once again in Whimsy Hollow. An enjoyable, fun read. You'll enjoy meeting all of the quirky town residents while you try to solve the mystery. Not saying anything else, don't want to give away too much. Buy the book and read it, you'll love it.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery is on when Felix Marsh drops dead. Bonnie, the last to fight with the man, is the top suspect. Time for the investigation, like a pie shell, to unfold. This is a quick read and a fun cozy mystery. Love the author adding the character of Isabella Brookstone, a librarian who is an amateur sleuth.

[GinaB. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great intro to a new series! Librarian Isabella Brookstone is at the annual pie contest to cheer her friend Bonnie Harper. Felix Marsh is poisoned and collapses face first into his pie and dies, Bonnie is a suspect. Accountant Roger Cline is poisoned. Isabella and her cat, Whiskers, work to solve the mystery before anyone else dies. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Nancy Lapierre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book in the series! Isabella is a very smart amateur sleuth trying to help her friend who is accused of murder.

Whiskers is very entertaining and a very smart cat helping to solve the mystery.

I am looking forward to reading more books about Isabella, Jack and Whiskers!

[Mrs K.Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in whimsy Hollow is a story about Isabella who is the Librarian with her assisting sleuthing cat Whiskers who looks for clues. The mystery starts at the Pie Contest. Isabella work with Detective Jack but will they find all the pieces. A great story.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great introduction into this series. I really liked the main character and, of course, her kitty. They make a great amateur sleuthing team. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

[Celest · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Short Intriguing Mystery by Fiona Finch

I enjoyed this interesting little mystery. It was short, but free, so that is a plus. The characters were well developed and fun. I'm looking forward to reading some more of these books in the future.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the other books first so I thought I would go back to where the series started.
This was a great start to this series. The mystery was enjoyable and simple and I loved seeing about how it all started for Isabella and her cat Whiskers. This is definitely one of my new favourite series!

[Jean Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Isabella and her cat Whiskers put their detective skills to work in Whimsy Hollow. A fun, captivating cozy mystery. Quirky residents abound throughout the story.

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute short story/novella. This is my introduction to the series and I was able to follow the story without difficulty. The character is engaging and I look forward to reading more.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute cozy mystery with notes of the Cookie Lady.

[Carol Ackerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy cozy mysteries and this one did not disappoint.