Baited for Murder: A Whisper Ridge Cozy Mystery

by Maisie Diamond

A body in a locked shanty. Secrets buried beneath the ice. And zero chance Sophie Maxwell is walking away from this mystery.

Journalist Sophie Maxwell is enjoying a quiet morning of painting by frozen Blue Mesa Lake — until shouting on the ice shatters the stillness and draws her into something far more chilling than the mountain air.

With her trusty dog Cooper, and her reluctant sidekick Charles grumbling behind her, Sophie dive headfirst into the frosty mystery. She’s ready to unearth secrets no one wants answered. The deeper she digs, the more tangled the web becomes. Pulling her into a chilling conspiracy beneath the icy surface.

Local fisherman Harlan Bishop is found dead inside his locked ice shanty. The sheriff shrugs it off as a tragic accident, but Sophie isn’t buying it. Did Harlan slip up, or did someone plan the perfect crime?

Murder, mayhem, and a town full of secrets. Sophie will have to decide how far she’s willing to go for the truth... because in this case, curiosity could be the deadliest catch of all.

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2025

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Baited For Murder” begins with a mysterious death at an ice fishing competition at Whisper Ridge. The sheriff believes it was accidental but reporter Sophie Maxwell thinks it’s murder. Sophie and retired police officer Charles along with her border collie Cooper, dig deeper and find a complicated conspiracy that may destroy the town.
This story has many twists and turns, but sometimes it feels convoluted and confusing. The plot was interesting but I’m not sure how many times the reader wants to read about Cooper sniffing out a clue, Sophie blindly chasing after him and Charles coming to the rescue. I know there are readers that will really enjoy this book, it honestly wasn’t one of my favorites.
*I received an ARC from the author and BookFunnel. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who Killed Harlan Bishop ? . . .

Journalist Sophie Maxwell is enjoying the scenery she is painting at Blue Mesa Lake. The ice glistens under the sun and extends as far as she can see. The annual Ice Fishing Challenge is generating lots of interest with local fishermen competing against some outsiders. Cooper, her Border Collie is watching the activity as well. Sudden shouts get her attention, startling her into dragging her paintbrush across her painting. But hearing more shouts, she realizes something urgent is going on. A crowd is gathered near a fishing ice shanty and Cooper runs toward the commotion. The shanty door is bolted from the inside and Cooper starts to whine. Charles Grant, retired detective, urges everyone back and asks questions. Harlan Bishop was supposed to be at weigh-in and never showed up and he isn’t answering the door. So Charles slams his shoulder into the door and the latch cracks. The air is overly warm and there is a metallic smell. Harlan’s ice hole is frozen over, his face is pale, lips blue, and the heater’s metal casing is warped. Cooper barks and Sophie notices the tackle box is missing, which no fisherman would ever allow. Then Cooper finds blood near the doorframe. This wasn’t an accident.

Sheriff Wade Markley arrives soon after, telling everyone to leave. But Charles and Sophie remain. As they expected, the Sheriff immediately decided it was accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Then Cooper finds a charm buried beside the shanty, not very deep in the snow so it had to have been dropped recently. A detailed silver fish with a twisted tail and the initials M.B. on it. Sophie is convinced Harlan was murdered. But poking around for the truth, she and Charles get too close to something they should have avoided and the smuggling network will not be happy about their disruption of their illegal business. Will they make it out of there alive? Can they round up all the bad guys and find justice for Harlan?

[Jeffrey Aitken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a clever and captivating cozy mystery that reels readers in with its crisp writing, engaging plot, and an unforgettable heroine.

Maisie Diamond’s prose is brisk, vivid, and laced with humour.

The banter between Sophie and retired detective Charles is a standout, offering both levity and heart.

The mystery itself is well-structured, filled with twists, red herrings, and a satisfying locked-room setup.

The small-town setting is richly drawn, and the pacing rarely falters.

The most enjoyable aspect is Sophie’s voice—determined, funny, and relatable.

If there’s any room for improvement, it lies in trimming some repetitive dialogue and deepening a few secondary characters.

Still, this is an enjoyable mystery with series potential.

Cozy mystery fans will find much to love here.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie paints near a fishing tournament when a dead body was found. Sheriff thinks it is accident but she thinks it is murder. Cooper, her Border Collie, keeps finding clues. Retired detective Charles helps her on the case. Sheriff keeps telling her to butt out. Then there is a second murder which makes the sheriff reluctantly agree this was not accident. This was a very good story, hard to put it down. Highly recommend this book.

I received an advance review copy, ARC, for free and I am leaving an honest opinion and voluntary review

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like to read something that is non stop action, than Baited for Murder is the book for you. We are back in Whisper Ridge, at the ice fishing competition, where a dead body is found. Of course, Sophie and her sidekick dog, Cooper will stop at nothing to solve a mystery. Charles, the retired detective, reluctantly assists her, in her quest to find the answers, that someone doesn't want known. It seems that everyone is hiding a secret. Is that good or bad. Read on to find out.
I was given an ARC of this book by the author for an honest review.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Sophie, Charles, and Cooper are on the trail. Little do they know how dangerous it will become. From an Ice Fishing Contest to a poaching scandal, in the quiet town of Whispering Ridge. Sophie is recklessly searching for, and finding evidence. Ledgers, flash drives, maps, lockers, backpacks, and even cash are all discovered. Picture a snowy, cold town with a frozen lake, add in an investigative reporter and retired detective.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sophie finds a few inconsistencies in the hut of the dead ice fisher her journalistic instincts kick in. A great cozy mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat for the whole book. Small town characters with their quirks and Cooper who sniffs out many clues make this a fun book to read.
I received a copy of this book from the author. I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie Maxwell is at the Whisper Ridge Ice Fishing contest when they find Harlan murdered in his ice shanty. She decides to look into it after the sheriff just calls it an accident. That is the last time that Sophie and her friend Charles have a normal day. They really find more than they were expecting and turn the town up side down. Great fast read.

I received at arc and this is my review.

[Barb Hegreberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story! It reminds me of a deadly version of the 1993 film Grumpy Old Men.

Although this book is part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

I received this book free from the author, publisher, or other source. My only obligation is to provide a fair and honest review.

[Genesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book from start to finish. Sophie gets involved in a murder investigation, not realizing how much danger she'll be in. While going around asking questions she finds that she stumbles on a network for corruption. The book is full of what makes a cozy mystery worth reading, like the mystery of cause but, as in this case, also the action. It's a page-turner that I'll recommend to all fans of this genre.
Thanks to the author for providing me with an advance copy. I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily.