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Jenna McGregor Mystery #1
Scones, Secrets, & Sabotage
A Jenna McGregor Mystery
1 Jeep, 4 friends, and a whole lot of trouble.
A dead body. A missing scale. And a gluten-free scone recipe that’s to die for.
Jenna McGregor figured reopening her late Aunt Clara’s café in sleepy Maple Grove would be the start of something sweet. She expected early mornings, artisanal espresso, and maybe the occasional snarky Yelp review. She didn't expect a side of sabotage with her cinnamon twists.
With the town's legendary Harvest Festival in full swing, Jenna is already drowning in missing equipment and suspicious "pranks." But when the Festival Committee Chair is found dead behind a storage tent, the town’s festive spirit curdles faster than spoiled milk.
Suddenly, Jenna’s new life looks less "pumpkin spice" and more "crime scene tape."
Armed with a best friend who reads tea leaves like a pro and a retired neighbor, Mildred, whose "paperwork" past has the town whispering about the CIA, Jenna dives into the chaos. Between a bloodied trophy, a mysterious ledger, and a warning note that’s anything but sweet, she’s about to learn that in Maple Grove, someone is brewing up a recipe for disaster.
Can Jenna catch a killer before her second chance at a new life goes up in smoke?
The first book in the Maple Grove Cozy Mystery series! Perfect for fans of small-town secrets, caffeinated chaos, and a mystery served with a double shot of danger.
BONUS: Includes Lisa’s "Cosmic Clarity" Gluten-Free Lavender Scone Recipe!
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "New favorite series. New favorite author!" ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "I love these unique characters. Plus... the twists and turns!"
PERFECT FOR FANS OF: > Jana DeLeon, Amanda Flower, and classic "whodunnits" with a modern, small-town heart.
AUTHOR GUARANTEE: > All Jenna McGregor mysteries are "clean and cozy," meaning they are free from profanity, graphic violence, and explicit content. You can always expect a puzzling mystery and a heartwarming ending!
1 Jeep, 4 friends, and a whole lot of trouble.
A dead body. A missing scale. And a gluten-free scone recipe that’s to die for.
Jenna McGregor figured reopening her late Aunt Clara’s café in sleepy Maple Grove would be the start of something sweet. She expected early mornings, artisanal espresso, and maybe the occasional snarky Yelp review. She didn't expect a side of sabotage with her cinnamon twists.
With the town's legendary Harvest Festival in full swing, Jenna is already drowning in missing equipment and suspicious "pranks." But when the Festival Committee Chair is found dead behind a storage tent, the town’s festive spirit curdles faster than spoiled milk.
Suddenly, Jenna’s new life looks less "pumpkin spice" and more "crime scene tape."
Armed with a best friend who reads tea leaves like a pro and a retired neighbor, Mildred, whose "paperwork" past has the town whispering about the CIA, Jenna dives into the chaos. Between a bloodied trophy, a mysterious ledger, and a warning note that’s anything but sweet, she’s about to learn that in Maple Grove, someone is brewing up a recipe for disaster.
Can Jenna catch a killer before her second chance at a new life goes up in smoke?
The first book in the Maple Grove Cozy Mystery series! Perfect for fans of small-town secrets, caffeinated chaos, and a mystery served with a double shot of danger.
BONUS: Includes Lisa’s "Cosmic Clarity" Gluten-Free Lavender Scone Recipe!
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "New favorite series. New favorite author!" ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "I love these unique characters. Plus... the twists and turns!"
PERFECT FOR FANS OF: > Jana DeLeon, Amanda Flower, and classic "whodunnits" with a modern, small-town heart.
AUTHOR GUARANTEE: > All Jenna McGregor mysteries are "clean and cozy," meaning they are free from profanity, graphic violence, and explicit content. You can always expect a puzzling mystery and a heartwarming ending!
- GenresCozy Mystery
186 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2025
20 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Willow Thorne
4 books16 followersWillow Thorne crafts cozy mysteries where small-town secrets, 1970s nostalgia, and "meddling kid" energy collide. Her stories invite readers into close-knit communities where the friendships are strong, the mysteries run deep, and the coffee is — mercifully — always brewing.
Her Jenna McGregor Mystery Series follows an unlikely crew of amateur sleuths in the charming fictional town of Maple Grove, where every quiet street hides a secret and every community event seems to end in chaos. Think Scooby-Doo for adults — with better coffee and gluten-free scones.
When she's not plotting her next fictional crime spree, Willow can usually be found hitting a new PR on her Peloton, spoiling her grandchildren, or watching the birds outside her home office window with her cat Charlie. She believes the best mysteries are the ones that make you laugh, gasp, and reach for a second scone.
Willow loves connecting with fellow sleuths!
Find her at willowthornemysteries.com or on Instagram @WillowThorneMysteries.
Her Jenna McGregor Mystery Series follows an unlikely crew of amateur sleuths in the charming fictional town of Maple Grove, where every quiet street hides a secret and every community event seems to end in chaos. Think Scooby-Doo for adults — with better coffee and gluten-free scones.
When she's not plotting her next fictional crime spree, Willow can usually be found hitting a new PR on her Peloton, spoiling her grandchildren, or watching the birds outside her home office window with her cat Charlie. She believes the best mysteries are the ones that make you laugh, gasp, and reach for a second scone.
Willow loves connecting with fellow sleuths!
Find her at willowthornemysteries.com or on Instagram @WillowThorneMysteries.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 24, 2025
Who Murdered Douglas ? . . .
Jenna McGregor decided to come back home to Maple Grove and reopen her deceased Aunt Clara’s cafe after her slight “mishap” at culinary school got her kicked out for causing a fire that took out half the school. Now home, she wasn’t expecting items to start going missing at the various stores around town. Not inclined to believe it could be simple pranks, she and her friends intended to keep a closer watch on things. When Jenna and her dog Biscuit are on an evening walk, she momentarily sees a figure in the dark alley, then it quickly disappears. And when the Harvest Festival begins, someone seems to be lurking around the grounds as it gets dark. Soon after, one of the festival volunteers, Douglas Whitaker, is found murdered, a receipt from Jenna’s cafe near the body, so Jenna and her friends are ready to investigate. As usual, the Police Chief Joe Carter warns her to stay out of his investigation. Also as usual, she doesn’t, especially when she is on the suspect list. Will they start remembering odd things they saw or heard? Will they start to put the facts together and come up with the same name over and over? Will the murderer be arrested before someone else gets hurt?
Jenna McGregor decided to come back home to Maple Grove and reopen her deceased Aunt Clara’s cafe after her slight “mishap” at culinary school got her kicked out for causing a fire that took out half the school. Now home, she wasn’t expecting items to start going missing at the various stores around town. Not inclined to believe it could be simple pranks, she and her friends intended to keep a closer watch on things. When Jenna and her dog Biscuit are on an evening walk, she momentarily sees a figure in the dark alley, then it quickly disappears. And when the Harvest Festival begins, someone seems to be lurking around the grounds as it gets dark. Soon after, one of the festival volunteers, Douglas Whitaker, is found murdered, a receipt from Jenna’s cafe near the body, so Jenna and her friends are ready to investigate. As usual, the Police Chief Joe Carter warns her to stay out of his investigation. Also as usual, she doesn’t, especially when she is on the suspect list. Will they start remembering odd things they saw or heard? Will they start to put the facts together and come up with the same name over and over? Will the murderer be arrested before someone else gets hurt?
May 13, 2025
Jenna McGregor has returned to her hometown, Maple Grove, to open her late Aunt Clara’s café. Things start to go missing from stores around town. Rumor has it that the missing items could be the result of someone playing pranks. However, Jenna and her best friend are not so sure that it’s all just a prank, suspecting something worse.
Jenna is taking her floppy-eared golden retriever, Biscuit, for a walk before heading to bed when she spots a figure in the back alley just as it mysteriously disappears into the night. At the Harvest Festival, Jenna and her friends notice a mysterious figure lurking around the booths after nightfall.
After a man turns up dead at the festival, things take a deadly turn for Jenna as she becomes a murder suspect. Joe Carter, Chief of Police, warns Jenna to steer clear of the case and let him do his job. Jenna tells him that she will, all the while knowing that she won’t.
She knows she can not let it go. She has to conduct her own investigation. Jenna can’t help herself when there’s a mystery to solve; she must know the answers. Besides, she needs to prove that she never harmed anyone.
Scones, Secrets & Sabotage is an engaging ongoing story in Willow Thorne’s Jenna McGregor Cozy Mystery series. Scones, Secrets & Sabotage kept me in suspense from beginning to end as I tried to unravel what was happening and who was responsible for the missing items.
Scones, Secrets & Sabotage is a warm, cozy tale with characters you want to know better and become friends with. Maple Grove seems like a place you wouldn’t just want to visit, but a community you would want to live in. Willow Thorne crafts a narrative that makes you yearn to be a part of it and stay forever.
I recommend Scones, Secrets & Sabotage to all cozy mystery readers! Grab a copy of Scones, Secrets & Sabotage today and help solve a case of missing items and a murder!
Jenna is taking her floppy-eared golden retriever, Biscuit, for a walk before heading to bed when she spots a figure in the back alley just as it mysteriously disappears into the night. At the Harvest Festival, Jenna and her friends notice a mysterious figure lurking around the booths after nightfall.
After a man turns up dead at the festival, things take a deadly turn for Jenna as she becomes a murder suspect. Joe Carter, Chief of Police, warns Jenna to steer clear of the case and let him do his job. Jenna tells him that she will, all the while knowing that she won’t.
She knows she can not let it go. She has to conduct her own investigation. Jenna can’t help herself when there’s a mystery to solve; she must know the answers. Besides, she needs to prove that she never harmed anyone.
Scones, Secrets & Sabotage is an engaging ongoing story in Willow Thorne’s Jenna McGregor Cozy Mystery series. Scones, Secrets & Sabotage kept me in suspense from beginning to end as I tried to unravel what was happening and who was responsible for the missing items.
Scones, Secrets & Sabotage is a warm, cozy tale with characters you want to know better and become friends with. Maple Grove seems like a place you wouldn’t just want to visit, but a community you would want to live in. Willow Thorne crafts a narrative that makes you yearn to be a part of it and stay forever.
I recommend Scones, Secrets & Sabotage to all cozy mystery readers! Grab a copy of Scones, Secrets & Sabotage today and help solve a case of missing items and a murder!
May 21, 2025
Jenna McGregor moves home to reopen her late aunt’s cafe, turning it into a coffee shop/bakery. As she prepares to participate in the Harvest Festival, her best friend Lisa and her neighbor Mildred, join her to assist. Things turn strange when people began to complain about things disappearing. Then, one of the festival officials meets an untimely demise. Jenna and her friends start to investigate and end up with a target on their backs. Can they catch the killer before they become the net victims?
This books has a lot going for it…offbeat characters, humorous situations and some romantic tension between Jenna and Chief of Police, Joe Carter. The small-town atmosphere and cozy setting were charming. However, the plot felt a bit disjointed. At the beginning of the book, the main focus was the missing items, but midway through, it abruptly switched to the murder of a minor character, without much build up. Clues would be found, but some were never followed up on, leaving loose threads.
I feel that this author shows a lot of potential and has a great voice for cozy mysteries, but the storytelling could benefit from tighter plotting. If I could, I would rate this 3.5 stars-an enjoyable read with room to grow.
*I received a free ARC from the author and BookFunnel. All opinions expressed are my own.
This books has a lot going for it…offbeat characters, humorous situations and some romantic tension between Jenna and Chief of Police, Joe Carter. The small-town atmosphere and cozy setting were charming. However, the plot felt a bit disjointed. At the beginning of the book, the main focus was the missing items, but midway through, it abruptly switched to the murder of a minor character, without much build up. Clues would be found, but some were never followed up on, leaving loose threads.
I feel that this author shows a lot of potential and has a great voice for cozy mysteries, but the storytelling could benefit from tighter plotting. If I could, I would rate this 3.5 stars-an enjoyable read with room to grow.
*I received a free ARC from the author and BookFunnel. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 26, 2026
Will Jenna be able to settle down in Maple Grove and run Brewed Awakenings?
As our story begins, Jenna drives up to her aunt’s old café with her dog. Then the cleaning commences and her friend Lisa comes bursting through the doors. On Lisa’s heels is Mildred, her aunt’s best friend. Lisa helps Jenna with the setting up while Mildred sets up all kinds of cameras and security devices. Not surprisingly, Lisa also manages to find some employees for Jenna, two college students who will work the store while the three work a booth at the Maple Grove Harvest Festival. When a murder occurs during the festival, it comes as no surprise when the trio investigates. Between Jenna’s clumsiness and Mildred’s expertise in “security” matters, this becomes a humorous escapade as they solve the murder. I found myself laughing out loud more than once with Jenna taking down an entire tent and everything else she either tripped over or stepped into. These three are definite characters in their own way and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about them. The story is very well written and moves along at a good pace, there’s a bit of romantic tension between Jenna and Joe, the police chief. This is just an all-around enjoyable read.
I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.
As our story begins, Jenna drives up to her aunt’s old café with her dog. Then the cleaning commences and her friend Lisa comes bursting through the doors. On Lisa’s heels is Mildred, her aunt’s best friend. Lisa helps Jenna with the setting up while Mildred sets up all kinds of cameras and security devices. Not surprisingly, Lisa also manages to find some employees for Jenna, two college students who will work the store while the three work a booth at the Maple Grove Harvest Festival. When a murder occurs during the festival, it comes as no surprise when the trio investigates. Between Jenna’s clumsiness and Mildred’s expertise in “security” matters, this becomes a humorous escapade as they solve the murder. I found myself laughing out loud more than once with Jenna taking down an entire tent and everything else she either tripped over or stepped into. These three are definite characters in their own way and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about them. The story is very well written and moves along at a good pace, there’s a bit of romantic tension between Jenna and Joe, the police chief. This is just an all-around enjoyable read.
I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.
May 21, 2025
With the Maple Grove Harvest Festival in full swing, Jenna McGregor and her best friend, Lisa, are preparing to transform their festival booth.
Jenna has just returned to her hometown, after a disastrous showing in culinary school.
She's inherited her late Aunt Clara’s café and her plan is simple- re-open the café and settle quietly into the town.
Of course, things rarely go as planned. Items are disappearing, courtesy of a fraternity prank and then the Festival’s Committee Chair is found murdered.
With her BFF, her neighbor Mildred, and police chief, Joe Carter, by her side, Jenna jumps in to solve the mystery.
This book was funny and action-packed and I loved how clumsy Jenna is! Reminds me of myself!
I really look forward to reading the next book and seeing how the relationship between Jenna and Joe develops!
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy and I am happy to leave this voluntary review.
Jenna has just returned to her hometown, after a disastrous showing in culinary school.
She's inherited her late Aunt Clara’s café and her plan is simple- re-open the café and settle quietly into the town.
Of course, things rarely go as planned. Items are disappearing, courtesy of a fraternity prank and then the Festival’s Committee Chair is found murdered.
With her BFF, her neighbor Mildred, and police chief, Joe Carter, by her side, Jenna jumps in to solve the mystery.
This book was funny and action-packed and I loved how clumsy Jenna is! Reminds me of myself!
I really look forward to reading the next book and seeing how the relationship between Jenna and Joe develops!
I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy and I am happy to leave this voluntary review.
March 27, 2026
Jenna is returning to Maple Grove where she has been left a cafe and apartment above it. With her is Biscuit, her dog. Her friend, Lisa, from schooldays joins her in the shop and together they work hard to get the whole place cleaned up and ready to open. One of her aunt’s friends is Mildred, a neighbour to Jenna. Together these three make a good team. At the local Fall Festival things are “off”. Lisa and all her psychic knowledge is a hoot, but, she is an integral part of the team. Then “off” becomes “someone got murdered” and Jenna, Lisa & Mildred are caught in the crosshairs by whomsoever is being bad! Joe, the Chief of Police is a good friend and he tells them to back off as he is really worried they will get hurt.
May 18, 2025
Jenna, her friend Lisa, and Mildred set up a coffee booth at the Fall Festival and end up in a murder investigation. Jenna is a total clumsy person, that probably should never be let do anything high risk, Lisa with her crystals and all things psychic, and Mildred that dresses and acts like she retired from the CIA, is the crew at the booth and also from the coffee shop. They do alot of snooping around the festival grounds that make the local police man just shake his head and roll their eyes, but in their own way they are helping with the investigation. There are alot of laugh out load moments and this is a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I received this book as an arc and this is my review.
I received this book as an arc and this is my review.
May 13, 2025
Scones, Secrets & Sabotage by Willow Thorne
Willow Thorne's Scones, Secrets & Sabotage is an excellent, hilarious, and a joy to read! The characters are fantastic - each is quirky in their own way.
Willow Thorne's Scones, Secrets & Sabotage is an excellent, hilarious, and a joy to read! The characters are fantastic - each is quirky in their own way.
July 26, 2025
Scones,Secrets, & Sabotagd: A Jenna McGregor cozy mystery
What fun this book is. Jenna returns home to open a cafe. From there a festival, A murder,sabotage and lots of secrets. Great character s.
What fun this book is. Jenna returns home to open a cafe. From there a festival, A murder,sabotage and lots of secrets. Great character s.
May 16, 2025
Absolutely LOVED the cover!
January 19, 2026
Wow what a very good book this was.
I didn’t realize who the killers was until the last two chapters.
I didn’t realize who the killers was until the last two chapters.
February 15, 2026
A wonderful read. This book had so many twists and turns, it was hard to put down! A true laugh out loud book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews