What do you think?
Rate this book
Murder Will Out
Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award winner Jennifer K. Breedlove brings coastal Maine to life in Murder Will Out, a lighter, modern gothic mystery that's as atmospheric as it is heart-warming.
Come for the memories. Stay for the murder...
Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, is so beautiful it could be a postcard. Organist Willow Stone cherishes her memories of childhood summers spent on the island with her godmother Sue... even though her visits ended abruptly, and she hasn't seen or heard from her godmother in over fifteen years. Until a letter from Sue—and word of Sue’s death—brings Willow back to the picturesque island.
The islanders rarely mention Sue without also bringing up Cameron House, and the controversy around Sue’s unexpected inheritance of the sprawling mansion. When Willow overhears someone threatening the next heir to the property, she starts to question whether Sue’s death was really an accident, and can’t help but wonder whether someone on this sleepy island is willing to stop at nothing—even murder—to claim Cameron House for their own.
Through Willow’s eyes, as well as those of others on the island, a mystery unfolds that keeps drawing Willow back to Cameron House and the very real ghosts that walk its corridors.
A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books
Come for the memories. Stay for the murder...
Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, is so beautiful it could be a postcard. Organist Willow Stone cherishes her memories of childhood summers spent on the island with her godmother Sue... even though her visits ended abruptly, and she hasn't seen or heard from her godmother in over fifteen years. Until a letter from Sue—and word of Sue’s death—brings Willow back to the picturesque island.
The islanders rarely mention Sue without also bringing up Cameron House, and the controversy around Sue’s unexpected inheritance of the sprawling mansion. When Willow overhears someone threatening the next heir to the property, she starts to question whether Sue’s death was really an accident, and can’t help but wonder whether someone on this sleepy island is willing to stop at nothing—even murder—to claim Cameron House for their own.
Through Willow’s eyes, as well as those of others on the island, a mystery unfolds that keeps drawing Willow back to Cameron House and the very real ghosts that walk its corridors.
A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published February 17, 2026
52 people are currently reading
12747 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
December 24, 2025
An interesting mix of paranormal Gothic, mystery, and genealogical delight. But for me, the three modes didn't add up as well as needed. I liked it all, but it was missing that charm, that underlying tension of "I must know what's going on." Loved solving the various generational gaps and missing relatives. But I also felt like the connection between the main character and her pseudo aunt and godmother was contrived. That said, I also knew where it was going in the long-run, so I held on, hoping it would pop at some point. I liked it... just wish there was something stronger to latch on to. I'll give the author's next book a chance again tho, as it has all the elements to be successful. Sometimes debuts in this genre aren't the author's amazing releases.... those come a bit later!
October 29, 2025
Willow is a graduate student in Chicago who has fond memories of spending summers as a child with her godmother Sue in Maine. She never understood why her parents stopped the visits, and is surprised to receive a letter from Sue urging her to return. She learns that Sue has died from a fall which the police deem accidental, but Willow is suspicious. The old house was where Sue lived caring for its owner, Effie, until Effie died. Were both women murdered by someone who wanted to claim Cameron House? Then there is another suspicious death, and Willow starts to see lights in the old house. She meets some of the deceased inhabitants, but doesn’t tell her new friends lest they think her mad. There are so many secrets in this atmospheric Maine town, and so many things that no one wants known. Willow’s curiosity gets her in trouble, but also provide remarkable revelations. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me to review an advance copy of this amazing first novel.
November 10, 2025
I really struggled with this story. I really wanted to like it. The atmosphere was there, the paranormal was there, the house was alive, and yet, I just couldn't like Willow. She was awkward, meek, and everything I don't like in a heroine, and I just couldn't get past it. I wanted to feel for her, I wanted to like her, but I couldn't connect at all.
I think the best part of this story, was the house and all it's occupants. There were real, they breathed life, and terror into the story and added what Willow didn't. And while Willow did grow stronger and more assertive by the end, it was almost too late to really feel for her, to really connect.
This wasn't a bad story, and it did have a nice mystery element as well as the paranormal. I think, it just wasn't quite for me.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I think the best part of this story, was the house and all it's occupants. There were real, they breathed life, and terror into the story and added what Willow didn't. And while Willow did grow stronger and more assertive by the end, it was almost too late to really feel for her, to really connect.
This wasn't a bad story, and it did have a nice mystery element as well as the paranormal. I think, it just wasn't quite for me.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
February 23, 2026
A highly enjoyable blend of a cozy small-town setting, genealogical research, and the paranormal. Gorgeous writing and plenty of emotion.
I’d compare it to THE SECRET, BOOK & SCONE SOCIETY by Ellery Adams (characters + vibes) and THE TREASURE HUNTERS CLUB by Tom Ryan (setting + big old house).
I’d compare it to THE SECRET, BOOK & SCONE SOCIETY by Ellery Adams (characters + vibes) and THE TREASURE HUNTERS CLUB by Tom Ryan (setting + big old house).
November 27, 2025
So slow and dull. And read much more like a cozy mystery than a regular mystery, if that makes sense?
Read
January 17, 2026MURDER WILL OUT
BY: JENNIFER K BREEDLOVE
This was a very atmospheric chiller so much so that the isolated Little North Island which is described flawlessly by this fantastic new to me Author did an amazing job crafting it as if it was a character. JENNIFER K. BREEDLOVE is extremely talented in her writing prowess in fact, she already is a Minotaur Award Winning Crime Writer and with this excellent novel it''s very apparent why. I was pulled into her storytelling from the Prologue with Effie Cameron who lives in this two hundred year old sprawling mansion who is ninety-nine years old rocking herself in her chair gets smothered by an embroidered pillow. As the murderer says something like nobody will know the difference. This unknown character who also mutters something like calling her stubborn in Cameron House, which Effie's death takes place informed me immediately that the motive must have been greed. Cameron House had been passed down through an inheritance to her since it's two centuries old. Who wouldn't be intrigued wondering whoever this person is I felt the murderer had to do with Cameron House, and someone on this Island. Cameron House which is haunted is also another elaborate character to add to this exquisite, picturesque setting. I needed to know who this murdering character was since I knew it wasn't one of the ghosts.
Willow is a graduate student that lived in Chicago who is a gifted Organ player asks her advisor for some time away since she gets a creamy embossed letter from her honorary Aunt Sue who is really her godmother. After fifteen years of her wonderful memories of spending time at Little North Island, in coastal Maine. Willow had remembered leaving the Island abruptly as a child and thought all along it was because of something wrong that she did. After some research she learns that there is to be a Memorial service because in her newspaper sleuthing she learns that Aunt Sue died in an accidental fall. She must leave at once in order to play the organ during Aunt Sue's Memorial service, which is another story of the push back she gets at first when she arrives. She slowly gets welcomed by a few of the women and an eighty three year old man named Mr. Talbot who after the service and an vicious argument with Aunt Sue's life partner he lands in the hospital, and he was the heir after Aunt Sue died was next to inherit the creepy estate which now Willow questions whether Aunt Sue was murdered, and who tried to poison Mr. Talbot?
As you can see this is a very well written novel with a cast of characters who once they welcome a heartwarming but not a pushover either in Willow's character development with many characters who treat Willow to a pasta meal after she was sent to care for Mr. Talbot who barely made it inside Cameron House which he needed medical attention with no landline and Willow's cell phone having a dead battery. Come pick up a copy of "Murder Will Out," which you can pre-order since it will soon publish next month in February. I really loved this because it's a spooky Gothic Paranormal novel mixed with some grounded and solid characterization. The plot will immerse you to not want to put this down, and it's also quite unique with a quaint and charming storytelling. I didn't want it to end since I don't often come across the original blend of characters you root for, knowing that this is not too scary at all, but I couldn't help but admire this Island in Maine, which is a short distance from where I live in a neighboring State. Before I had my children I would often drive up to bring something to my husband and in my memory I remember him working on a beautiful house, but it was a cool overcast Fall day and I was picturing that choppy Atlantic Ocean in the back of that home which I live in the Seacoast area myself all of my life. That enhanced my reading experiences since we live on the same waterfront property out in the back of our home about 30 feet from our patio, but it is the safest home that I've never been afraid to stay alone. I will be recommending this as a Book Club group read to the one that I lead at our Library, and to all of the other Patrons, and to every reader I know. I'm not ready to say goodbye to this Island which except for the light Gothic elements reminds me so much of our charming small town and I also will want to spend more time with Willow.
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley, Jennifer K. Breedlove, and St. Martin's Press--Minotaur Books for generously providing me with my SPECTACULAR ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.
#MurderWillOut #JenniferKBreedlove #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley
BY: JENNIFER K BREEDLOVE
This was a very atmospheric chiller so much so that the isolated Little North Island which is described flawlessly by this fantastic new to me Author did an amazing job crafting it as if it was a character. JENNIFER K. BREEDLOVE is extremely talented in her writing prowess in fact, she already is a Minotaur Award Winning Crime Writer and with this excellent novel it''s very apparent why. I was pulled into her storytelling from the Prologue with Effie Cameron who lives in this two hundred year old sprawling mansion who is ninety-nine years old rocking herself in her chair gets smothered by an embroidered pillow. As the murderer says something like nobody will know the difference. This unknown character who also mutters something like calling her stubborn in Cameron House, which Effie's death takes place informed me immediately that the motive must have been greed. Cameron House had been passed down through an inheritance to her since it's two centuries old. Who wouldn't be intrigued wondering whoever this person is I felt the murderer had to do with Cameron House, and someone on this Island. Cameron House which is haunted is also another elaborate character to add to this exquisite, picturesque setting. I needed to know who this murdering character was since I knew it wasn't one of the ghosts.
Willow is a graduate student that lived in Chicago who is a gifted Organ player asks her advisor for some time away since she gets a creamy embossed letter from her honorary Aunt Sue who is really her godmother. After fifteen years of her wonderful memories of spending time at Little North Island, in coastal Maine. Willow had remembered leaving the Island abruptly as a child and thought all along it was because of something wrong that she did. After some research she learns that there is to be a Memorial service because in her newspaper sleuthing she learns that Aunt Sue died in an accidental fall. She must leave at once in order to play the organ during Aunt Sue's Memorial service, which is another story of the push back she gets at first when she arrives. She slowly gets welcomed by a few of the women and an eighty three year old man named Mr. Talbot who after the service and an vicious argument with Aunt Sue's life partner he lands in the hospital, and he was the heir after Aunt Sue died was next to inherit the creepy estate which now Willow questions whether Aunt Sue was murdered, and who tried to poison Mr. Talbot?
As you can see this is a very well written novel with a cast of characters who once they welcome a heartwarming but not a pushover either in Willow's character development with many characters who treat Willow to a pasta meal after she was sent to care for Mr. Talbot who barely made it inside Cameron House which he needed medical attention with no landline and Willow's cell phone having a dead battery. Come pick up a copy of "Murder Will Out," which you can pre-order since it will soon publish next month in February. I really loved this because it's a spooky Gothic Paranormal novel mixed with some grounded and solid characterization. The plot will immerse you to not want to put this down, and it's also quite unique with a quaint and charming storytelling. I didn't want it to end since I don't often come across the original blend of characters you root for, knowing that this is not too scary at all, but I couldn't help but admire this Island in Maine, which is a short distance from where I live in a neighboring State. Before I had my children I would often drive up to bring something to my husband and in my memory I remember him working on a beautiful house, but it was a cool overcast Fall day and I was picturing that choppy Atlantic Ocean in the back of that home which I live in the Seacoast area myself all of my life. That enhanced my reading experiences since we live on the same waterfront property out in the back of our home about 30 feet from our patio, but it is the safest home that I've never been afraid to stay alone. I will be recommending this as a Book Club group read to the one that I lead at our Library, and to all of the other Patrons, and to every reader I know. I'm not ready to say goodbye to this Island which except for the light Gothic elements reminds me so much of our charming small town and I also will want to spend more time with Willow.
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley, Jennifer K. Breedlove, and St. Martin's Press--Minotaur Books for generously providing me with my SPECTACULAR ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.
#MurderWillOut #JenniferKBreedlove #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley
February 17, 2026
This was not at all what I expected, but I had a great time! I didn’t expect the story to be light hearted and goofy at times, but it was a good surprise. It was one of those thrillers that isn’t super serious and it was refreshing.
This book is extremely character driven and I think it worked well for this story. The cast of characters were all fairly enjoyable and easy to get attached to. They all came with their own drama, which I loved. Give me a book with small town drama and arguments and I will be seated! Plus, there is that found family element that I am a sucker for in books!
The mystery was interesting, but it often didn’t feel like the overarching story. It often got lost to the drama unfolding, past and present. The mystery was still interesting, but not really what grabbed my attention with this story. I have more I want to say, but don’t want to spoil anything. I will just say, the time we spent in the Cameron house was my favorite! I would like a spin-off!
I also listened to this book over audio and read it on my Kindle! I throughly enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator did a great job! This was such a fun immersive read!
Overall, I would say this is a good palate cleanser book. If you’ve been reading a lot of dark mystery/thriller books, this is a bit more lighthearted and less serious.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martins Press/Minotaur Books for an eARC as well as Macmillan Books for an ALC, both in exchange for an honest review!
This book is extremely character driven and I think it worked well for this story. The cast of characters were all fairly enjoyable and easy to get attached to. They all came with their own drama, which I loved. Give me a book with small town drama and arguments and I will be seated! Plus, there is that found family element that I am a sucker for in books!
The mystery was interesting, but it often didn’t feel like the overarching story. It often got lost to the drama unfolding, past and present. The mystery was still interesting, but not really what grabbed my attention with this story. I have more I want to say, but don’t want to spoil anything. I will just say, the time we spent in the Cameron house was my favorite! I would like a spin-off!
I also listened to this book over audio and read it on my Kindle! I throughly enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator did a great job! This was such a fun immersive read!
Overall, I would say this is a good palate cleanser book. If you’ve been reading a lot of dark mystery/thriller books, this is a bit more lighthearted and less serious.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martins Press/Minotaur Books for an eARC as well as Macmillan Books for an ALC, both in exchange for an honest review!
February 7, 2026
Murder Will Out is about Willow, who finds out her estranged godmother died and goes to the island where she lived to pay her respects, only to find herself at the heart of a murder mystery and an inheritance dispute, oh - and the inheritance is a haunted house.
I enjoyed this book but it felt hard to connect to some of the characters. Finn, the corgi, was probably the most exciting character until we started getting to know Catherine, Nick, and Willow a bit more. Also it felt like we were switching perspectives mid-paragraph at times so that was a bit confusing. The inclusion of the ghosts was interesting but I felt that the mystery felt lower stakes than the plot would have implied. I would recommend for cozy mystery lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for the ARC!
I enjoyed this book but it felt hard to connect to some of the characters. Finn, the corgi, was probably the most exciting character until we started getting to know Catherine, Nick, and Willow a bit more. Also it felt like we were switching perspectives mid-paragraph at times so that was a bit confusing. The inclusion of the ghosts was interesting but I felt that the mystery felt lower stakes than the plot would have implied. I would recommend for cozy mystery lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for the ARC!
February 19, 2026
Come for the memories. Stay for the murder…
I really enjoyed this book! It was cozy and spooky and also surprisingly emotional too. I really enjoyed the overall mystery and the paranormal vibes - and of course The Cameron House.
Willow receives a letter, urging her to return to Maine and she finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. She has some secrets to uncover and there are some good twists and turn!
✨What To Expect:
🌊Small Coastal Town
🥀Gothic Mystery
👻Spooky / Paranormal
🔍Murder Mystery
👀Secrets
⁉️Suspense / Thriller
🦴Finn
I really enjoyed this book! It was cozy and spooky and also surprisingly emotional too. I really enjoyed the overall mystery and the paranormal vibes - and of course The Cameron House.
Willow receives a letter, urging her to return to Maine and she finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. She has some secrets to uncover and there are some good twists and turn!
✨What To Expect:
🌊Small Coastal Town
🥀Gothic Mystery
👻Spooky / Paranormal
🔍Murder Mystery
👀Secrets
⁉️Suspense / Thriller
🦴Finn
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Murder, ghosts and a mystery. Full RTC
February 19, 2026
Thank you Goodreads, the author and publisher for the book. Interesting story with surised. Well written and easy to read. 4 stars
Stacey Bankey
Stacey Bankey
February 14, 2026
Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove
Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This is a paranormal gothic cozy mystery. It takes place in Maine. Willow Stone grew up visiting her godmother Sue, during the Summers as a child, but suddenly the visits stopped. Now, 15 years later, Willow receives a letter from Sue urging her to come. But when she arrives, Willow discovers Sue died suddenly by falling off the walkway atop Cameron House that Sue had inherited. Willow is pulled into a mysterious story and adventure regarding Cameron House, where she discovers other have died seemingly under suspicious causes. Presently, while there, Willow is witness to another death, Gerald, the current owner of Cameron House. Apparently, he had been the last known heir to Cameron House, and a Cameron heir must always be living in the house or else the otherworldly beings will cease to exist. Is there another heir to the Cameron House? If so, can Willow locate them before it is too late, and more people die?
For the most part, I enjoyed this novel, but while fiction, the ghosts seemed a bit too much. Not very believable. But made for an interesting story. Otherwise, I enjoyed the mystery of it. AVAILABLE February 17, 2026
Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This is a paranormal gothic cozy mystery. It takes place in Maine. Willow Stone grew up visiting her godmother Sue, during the Summers as a child, but suddenly the visits stopped. Now, 15 years later, Willow receives a letter from Sue urging her to come. But when she arrives, Willow discovers Sue died suddenly by falling off the walkway atop Cameron House that Sue had inherited. Willow is pulled into a mysterious story and adventure regarding Cameron House, where she discovers other have died seemingly under suspicious causes. Presently, while there, Willow is witness to another death, Gerald, the current owner of Cameron House. Apparently, he had been the last known heir to Cameron House, and a Cameron heir must always be living in the house or else the otherworldly beings will cease to exist. Is there another heir to the Cameron House? If so, can Willow locate them before it is too late, and more people die?
For the most part, I enjoyed this novel, but while fiction, the ghosts seemed a bit too much. Not very believable. But made for an interesting story. Otherwise, I enjoyed the mystery of it. AVAILABLE February 17, 2026
February 17, 2026
3.5 rounded up. This is the first book in a new series featuring some elements that I like in a cozy story. It’s a little Gothic with a bit of paranormal thrown in. It takes place on a n island off the coast of Maine and is centered around a n old house that more than a few people want to take over. Willow is the protagonist that used to spend summers there as a child.For reasons Willow doesn’t know, her family abruptly stopped allowing her to go there fifteen years ago. Willow’s aunt, who owned the house back then left the place to her friend that Willow had been close to as a child. Willow receives a letter from Sue, her aunt’s friend inviting her to visit but Sue dies before Willow makes it to the island. There are a lot of questions she wants to find answers to so she sets out to get them.
The premise for this new series intrigued me and I did enjoy it but I had difficulty feeling a connection to the characters. From reading other reviews,It seems I’m not the only one who felt this way. Some people simply didn’t care for Willow,but I actually did like her. She also has a dog and I liked him too.
Though this story felt just a bit short in some ways, I think it has potential and I am curious to find out where the next installment will take us.
Special thanks to #MinotaurBooks for an early review copy through #netgalley.
The premise for this new series intrigued me and I did enjoy it but I had difficulty feeling a connection to the characters. From reading other reviews,It seems I’m not the only one who felt this way. Some people simply didn’t care for Willow,but I actually did like her. She also has a dog and I liked him too.
Though this story felt just a bit short in some ways, I think it has potential and I am curious to find out where the next installment will take us.
Special thanks to #MinotaurBooks for an early review copy through #netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
a gothic novel set in maine?? sign me up!! thanks to netgalley & the publisher for the arc :)
whenever i want to love a book, i end up not enjoying it. whenever i don't care about a book, it becomes a favorite book of the year. this book falls into the first category. the premise (old house house off the coast of maine with gothic vibes) was fantastic, but the execution was not.
i think my biggest issue with this book was that i wasn't expecting murder will out to be more of a cozy mystery focused on the characters? now don't get me wrong, i love a good character-driven mystery, but this book didn't have interesting enough characters to do that with
overall, while i did enjoy parts of this (hence the 2.5 star rating), i was just left disappointed. at least the cover is gorgeous??
whenever i want to love a book, i end up not enjoying it. whenever i don't care about a book, it becomes a favorite book of the year. this book falls into the first category. the premise (old house house off the coast of maine with gothic vibes) was fantastic, but the execution was not.
i think my biggest issue with this book was that i wasn't expecting murder will out to be more of a cozy mystery focused on the characters? now don't get me wrong, i love a good character-driven mystery, but this book didn't have interesting enough characters to do that with
overall, while i did enjoy parts of this (hence the 2.5 star rating), i was just left disappointed. at least the cover is gorgeous??
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Murder Will Out reads like a paranormal cozy mystery with Cameron House and its surroundings leaning heavily towards a Gothic manor setting.
I found as we were introduced to our FMC Willow the story held promise. I was intrigued with her and her developing story. The introduction to Cameron House and the characters that came along with that held my attention. I wanted to read more about the side characters. The layered mystery felt smart and kept it moving forward at a good pace. Overall I enjoyed this as more of a cozy mystery and I did enjoy most of our characters.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted e-ARC through Netgalley.
I found as we were introduced to our FMC Willow the story held promise. I was intrigued with her and her developing story. The introduction to Cameron House and the characters that came along with that held my attention. I wanted to read more about the side characters. The layered mystery felt smart and kept it moving forward at a good pace. Overall I enjoyed this as more of a cozy mystery and I did enjoy most of our characters.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted e-ARC through Netgalley.
February 28, 2026
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Willow Stone used to spend summers on Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, with her godmother, “Aunt” Sue. She has many fond memories, but the visits stopped about 15 years ago, and she never knew why. She was surprised when she received a letter from Sue, begging her to come back to the island for her wedding. After a little research, Willow learns that Sue had recently passed away due to an accidental fall. She quickly decides to make the trip.
Sue had been the caretaker of Effie Cameron, who had lived at Cameron House for all of her 99 years. When she passed away, she left the large estate to Sue. Sue had some wonderful ideas to upgrade the place. Now the property will be passed on again, but Willow overhears the new heir being threatened. It concerns her enough to wonder if Sue’s death was truly an accident. Would someone actually commit murder to become the new owner of Cameron House?
Willow was a very interesting protagonist, and from the beginning, I knew it would be intriguing to see how she fit in with all the people she came to interact with. She wasn’t welcomed with open arms, so I was anxious to learn why and then how she would move forward. I was not disappointed. Willow felt so alone in the world when she arrived on Little North Island. Sue was an important part of her life that was stolen away. I don’t want to say too much, but Willow grows so much within these pages.
Cameron House was captivating, almost a character in itself. ” Cameron House and silence were old friends” until ” that chilly March afternoon, the silence in the massive old house was broken” . . . Its inhabitants, both living and dead, grabbed my attention. For me, this really gave the story a cozy mystery feel. Ghosts willing to help and hinder made the story even more appealing. Genealogies have always been an interest of mine, so I found the history of the estate compelling.
The residents of Little North Island are an eclectic group. Some with close bonds; some barely tolerated. Librarian Catherine was a font of information about almost everything and was willing to research anything she wasn’t familiar with. Rina was to be Sue’s wife and was trying her best to deal with the loss. One by one, Willow meets the residents of the island, trying to fit them together, and they trying to understand why she was really there.
The story unfolds at a deliberate pace as Willow and readers see that the island is full of secrets, some long-held, most hoping never to be revealed. Willow’s inquisitive nature is never-ending. She needs to find the truth, but her needs could land her in a world of trouble. The further I got into the story, the faster the pages turned.
Murder Will Out is Ms. Breedlove’s debut. She has put forth a rich, multigenerational mystery with twists and complex characters, set in a fascinating locale. She is definitely an author to watch.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Willow Stone used to spend summers on Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, with her godmother, “Aunt” Sue. She has many fond memories, but the visits stopped about 15 years ago, and she never knew why. She was surprised when she received a letter from Sue, begging her to come back to the island for her wedding. After a little research, Willow learns that Sue had recently passed away due to an accidental fall. She quickly decides to make the trip.
Sue had been the caretaker of Effie Cameron, who had lived at Cameron House for all of her 99 years. When she passed away, she left the large estate to Sue. Sue had some wonderful ideas to upgrade the place. Now the property will be passed on again, but Willow overhears the new heir being threatened. It concerns her enough to wonder if Sue’s death was truly an accident. Would someone actually commit murder to become the new owner of Cameron House?
Willow was a very interesting protagonist, and from the beginning, I knew it would be intriguing to see how she fit in with all the people she came to interact with. She wasn’t welcomed with open arms, so I was anxious to learn why and then how she would move forward. I was not disappointed. Willow felt so alone in the world when she arrived on Little North Island. Sue was an important part of her life that was stolen away. I don’t want to say too much, but Willow grows so much within these pages.
Cameron House was captivating, almost a character in itself. ” Cameron House and silence were old friends” until ” that chilly March afternoon, the silence in the massive old house was broken” . . . Its inhabitants, both living and dead, grabbed my attention. For me, this really gave the story a cozy mystery feel. Ghosts willing to help and hinder made the story even more appealing. Genealogies have always been an interest of mine, so I found the history of the estate compelling.
The residents of Little North Island are an eclectic group. Some with close bonds; some barely tolerated. Librarian Catherine was a font of information about almost everything and was willing to research anything she wasn’t familiar with. Rina was to be Sue’s wife and was trying her best to deal with the loss. One by one, Willow meets the residents of the island, trying to fit them together, and they trying to understand why she was really there.
The story unfolds at a deliberate pace as Willow and readers see that the island is full of secrets, some long-held, most hoping never to be revealed. Willow’s inquisitive nature is never-ending. She needs to find the truth, but her needs could land her in a world of trouble. The further I got into the story, the faster the pages turned.
Murder Will Out is Ms. Breedlove’s debut. She has put forth a rich, multigenerational mystery with twists and complex characters, set in a fascinating locale. She is definitely an author to watch.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
February 10, 2026
At first glance, Little North Island is your typical quaint Maine island. However, once you get to know its inhabitants, nothing is as it seems. After fifteen years and a mysterious letter, Willow Stone is back on the island to pay her respects to her godmother, Sue. As Willow spends more time on the island, the bodies start to pile up, and there's a fight for who is the rightful heir to the Cameron House. Someone on the island is out for blood, and they'll stop at nothing to get what they want.
This mystery was a bit slow to start, and I was left wondering when the action would finally pick up (after 50%). I didn't love any of the characters, which made it that much more difficult to get through. However, I did not see the two main twists coming! I thought I had it all figured out, and I was way off. This mystery would be a good summer read - especially if you are in New England. Normally, I love multiple POVs, but at times the POVs jump around, and you aren't sure who is telling the story. Overall, once the story picked up, I couldn't put it down. Not my favorite read of 2026 so far, but a solid mystery!
Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer K. Breedlove, and Minotaur Books for a copy of this book. I received this ARC for free and am leaving a review voluntarily.
This mystery was a bit slow to start, and I was left wondering when the action would finally pick up (after 50%). I didn't love any of the characters, which made it that much more difficult to get through. However, I did not see the two main twists coming! I thought I had it all figured out, and I was way off. This mystery would be a good summer read - especially if you are in New England. Normally, I love multiple POVs, but at times the POVs jump around, and you aren't sure who is telling the story. Overall, once the story picked up, I couldn't put it down. Not my favorite read of 2026 so far, but a solid mystery!
Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer K. Breedlove, and Minotaur Books for a copy of this book. I received this ARC for free and am leaving a review voluntarily.
January 25, 2026
3.5 stars. A murder mystery, a house full of ghosts, and a genealogical mystery, too.
The pacing was slow; some things were drawn out that shouldn’t have been.
I thought there were hints to point towards a relationship blooming for Nick and Willow, but it was never explained why they were so snarky with one another. They supposedly had history, but who knows what it was. I still feel like I don’t know anything about Willow, i.e. who she is or what she wants. She wanted to solve the mystery, but everyone on the island kept telling her she didn’t belong, and she didn’t have much personality. I liked a dead character more than all the other characters (Sue).
Some of the genealogy got hard to follow, as well.
The point of view changed multiple times, even within chapters, which didn’t make any sense. I didn’t care about most of the POVs besides Willow’s, because I didn’t need other characters’ thoughts to add anything to the story.
My favorite thing were the ghosts and Finn. Willow wouldn’t have solved it without them.
* I received an eARC from NetGalley, thanks! All opinions are my own.
The pacing was slow; some things were drawn out that shouldn’t have been.
I thought there were hints to point towards a relationship blooming for Nick and Willow, but it was never explained why they were so snarky with one another. They supposedly had history, but who knows what it was. I still feel like I don’t know anything about Willow, i.e. who she is or what she wants. She wanted to solve the mystery, but everyone on the island kept telling her she didn’t belong, and she didn’t have much personality. I liked a dead character more than all the other characters (Sue).
Some of the genealogy got hard to follow, as well.
The point of view changed multiple times, even within chapters, which didn’t make any sense. I didn’t care about most of the POVs besides Willow’s, because I didn’t need other characters’ thoughts to add anything to the story.
My favorite thing were the ghosts and Finn. Willow wouldn’t have solved it without them.
* I received an eARC from NetGalley, thanks! All opinions are my own.
February 6, 2026
The thing I liked best about this book was that it included actual ghosts, which I wasn’t expecting. I was ready for a mystery with metaphorical ghosts, but Cameron House was quite literally haunted and I was pleased.
The intricate plotlines were well done, but I struggled a bit with the delivery of it all. I couldn’t seem to get invested in the story, and some parts felt dull to me.
But in saying that, I could see this being a winner for a lot of people. I think it’s one of those books you just have to try to see if you like it.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for my gifted copy!
The intricate plotlines were well done, but I struggled a bit with the delivery of it all. I couldn’t seem to get invested in the story, and some parts felt dull to me.
But in saying that, I could see this being a winner for a lot of people. I think it’s one of those books you just have to try to see if you like it.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for my gifted copy!
February 17, 2026
Willow has returned for the funeral of her Aunt Sue, and discovers a mystery in regards to the Cameron House. Willow is an interesting character as she comes to terms with her life. The supporting characters fit the story well. A mysterious plot with some creepiness. The story flowed well and kept the readers attention. I loved the ending as the author wrapped everything up for the reader. A solid read.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.
February 3, 2026
Book 11 of 2026 was “Murder Will Out” by Jennifer K. Breedlove, and is her debut novel. This was an Advanced Readers Copy, which was @goodreads giveaway win. A mystery with layers of drama and supernatural, this story will captivate you, and keep you guessing. 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️
dnf
February 16, 2026No me atrapa. Está tan lento. Y todo es como repetitivo. Están peleando entre ellos, con la muchacha y no dan explicaciones. Lo paranormal llama la atención pero no puedo seguir.
February 20, 2026
This was a light read and an interesting story with colorful characters. I enjoyed the Maine setting and the landscape.
Thank you to #Netgalley and #MacmillanAudio for this ARC.
Thank you to #Netgalley and #MacmillanAudio for this ARC.
December 8, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC!
Unfortunately this is a DNF at 38%. I love the idea of this but the execution isn’t doing it for me. I love the setting but everything else kind of fell flat up to this point.
The dialogue between characters is really strange and formal but also cheesy? And kind of exaggerated? Like, the way Willow interacts with Nick is bizarre. And Willow could be either 15 or 60 but she’s in her late 20s and that just doesn’t seem right. She doesn’t act like that.
I’m mostly bored with it and don’t find myself excited to read it before bed or staying up late to keep reading. Instead I’m putting off picking it up and that’s never a good sign.
I can’t remember is if this was described as a thriller but it feels much more like a cozy mystery than even a regular mystery, which is fine, I like a good cozy mystery on occasion, but not this one. I debated pushing through but subjecting myself to weeks more with this book at this pace is not appealing.
There is definitely an audience for this book, I am just not it at this point.
Unfortunately this is a DNF at 38%. I love the idea of this but the execution isn’t doing it for me. I love the setting but everything else kind of fell flat up to this point.
The dialogue between characters is really strange and formal but also cheesy? And kind of exaggerated? Like, the way Willow interacts with Nick is bizarre. And Willow could be either 15 or 60 but she’s in her late 20s and that just doesn’t seem right. She doesn’t act like that.
I’m mostly bored with it and don’t find myself excited to read it before bed or staying up late to keep reading. Instead I’m putting off picking it up and that’s never a good sign.
I can’t remember is if this was described as a thriller but it feels much more like a cozy mystery than even a regular mystery, which is fine, I like a good cozy mystery on occasion, but not this one. I debated pushing through but subjecting myself to weeks more with this book at this pace is not appealing.
There is definitely an audience for this book, I am just not it at this point.
October 25, 2025
I loved this book. It’s the winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel award, and it’s a very worthy recipient. Set in coastal Maine on Little North Island, the book opens as organist and grad student Willow Stone returns to Little North for the funeral of her godmother, Sue. Thanks to a family quarrel, Sue and Willow hadn’t seen each other in many years, though Willow loved Sue and could never understand why her family stopped seeing her. She receives a letter from Sue inviting her back to the island and to her wedding, but unfortunately, Willow receives the letter only in time to make Sue’s funeral.
Sue had been living in the local haunted house, the Cameron house, after the death of the previous owner. The house had been an unexpected legacy, and Sue had been fixing the old place up slowly but surely. Willow meets Sue’s fiancée, Rina, before the funeral as the cottage that used to be Sue’s home, where Willow spent many summers, is now operating as an Airbnb. Rina seems bristling with resentment and hostility as she hands over the keys to Willow, and it’s with great reluctance that Willow attends the after funeral reception, thrown by Rina at her pottery shop.
Willow is quickly buttonholed by both the island blowhard and the island curmudgeon, who begs her to accompany him up to Cameron house, which will be his as he’s the last living Cameron. He unfortunately passes out when they arrive and Willow leaves to call an ambulance, but not before she meets one of the resident ghosts. Cameron House seems to be full of them, but it takes a minute for Willow to realize just what they are.
While this sounds like a YA novel, the emotions and connections could not be more adult, and, as in real life, one quarrel or resentment may be soothed down only for another one to flare up. This novel is a masterclass on human miscommunication and misunderstanding. However, Willow is not alone, and when she gets back to the cottage after seeing the curmudgeon off to the hospital, she finds the cottage full of pasta, wine, women and a friendly corgi. The other women urge Rina and Willow to clear the air (they do) and when Rina is later arrested, they form a loose sleuthing alliance, headed by Willow and the town librarian.
Between them, they begin to untangle the family ties that connect to both Sue and to Cameron House and the Cameron family. The ghosts are part of the solution offering advice and guidance to Willow at different points in the story. I usually dislike any supernatural element in a book, but the great Barbara Michaels could pull it off, and so, it turns out, can newbie author Jennifer Breedlove. She has a deft and careful hand with the ghosts who are a necessary part of the plot.
This book seemed old fashioned in the best possible way. It’s a classic coming of age/young woman finding her way into a community story, and the ghosts in the story have a classic, old fashioned feel to them that I really enjoyed. The community Willow discovers and comes to rely on are also a pretty classic cozy element, but it seems just right and pretty believable for Willow to bond with like minded women in a place where she spent her summers as a child but that is now unfamiliar.
The solution is both tricky, well laid out, and emotional. I ended the book in tears, my favorite kind of ending. The setting was well done and not heavy handed, though the Maine island atmosphere certainly enhances the story at different parts. The story had humor, pathos, and a good scare or two - really, all you can ask for in a great read. Willow is a wonderful character and I hope there are more adventures for her in the future: this book merely whetted my appetite.
Sue had been living in the local haunted house, the Cameron house, after the death of the previous owner. The house had been an unexpected legacy, and Sue had been fixing the old place up slowly but surely. Willow meets Sue’s fiancée, Rina, before the funeral as the cottage that used to be Sue’s home, where Willow spent many summers, is now operating as an Airbnb. Rina seems bristling with resentment and hostility as she hands over the keys to Willow, and it’s with great reluctance that Willow attends the after funeral reception, thrown by Rina at her pottery shop.
Willow is quickly buttonholed by both the island blowhard and the island curmudgeon, who begs her to accompany him up to Cameron house, which will be his as he’s the last living Cameron. He unfortunately passes out when they arrive and Willow leaves to call an ambulance, but not before she meets one of the resident ghosts. Cameron House seems to be full of them, but it takes a minute for Willow to realize just what they are.
While this sounds like a YA novel, the emotions and connections could not be more adult, and, as in real life, one quarrel or resentment may be soothed down only for another one to flare up. This novel is a masterclass on human miscommunication and misunderstanding. However, Willow is not alone, and when she gets back to the cottage after seeing the curmudgeon off to the hospital, she finds the cottage full of pasta, wine, women and a friendly corgi. The other women urge Rina and Willow to clear the air (they do) and when Rina is later arrested, they form a loose sleuthing alliance, headed by Willow and the town librarian.
Between them, they begin to untangle the family ties that connect to both Sue and to Cameron House and the Cameron family. The ghosts are part of the solution offering advice and guidance to Willow at different points in the story. I usually dislike any supernatural element in a book, but the great Barbara Michaels could pull it off, and so, it turns out, can newbie author Jennifer Breedlove. She has a deft and careful hand with the ghosts who are a necessary part of the plot.
This book seemed old fashioned in the best possible way. It’s a classic coming of age/young woman finding her way into a community story, and the ghosts in the story have a classic, old fashioned feel to them that I really enjoyed. The community Willow discovers and comes to rely on are also a pretty classic cozy element, but it seems just right and pretty believable for Willow to bond with like minded women in a place where she spent her summers as a child but that is now unfamiliar.
The solution is both tricky, well laid out, and emotional. I ended the book in tears, my favorite kind of ending. The setting was well done and not heavy handed, though the Maine island atmosphere certainly enhances the story at different parts. The story had humor, pathos, and a good scare or two - really, all you can ask for in a great read. Willow is a wonderful character and I hope there are more adventures for her in the future: this book merely whetted my appetite.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Murder Will Out is an atmospheric gothic mystery that blends small town secrets, murder, and the supernatural into an intriguing debut. Set on the isolated Little North Island off the coast of Maine, the story follows Willow Stone, a graduate student who spent her childhood summers with her godmother Sue at the sprawling Cameron House. After years of unexplained estrangement, Willow is stunned to receive a letter urging her to return, only to arrive shortly after Sue’s death, officially ruled an accident. From the moment Willow steps back onto the island, it becomes clear that nothing about Sue’s death, or the island itself, is as simple as it seems.
Cameron House is easily my favorite part of the story. The centuries old mansion feels alive, steeped in history, grief, and menace, and the ghosts who inhabit it add both tension and emotional depth. Honestly, the ghosts are the best characters. Rather than feeling gimmicky, the supernatural elements enhance the mystery and provide crucial insight into the house’s past. The island setting is equally effective, described with such care that it feels like a character in its own right, full of charm, isolation, and unspoken truths.
The plot unfolds as a layered murder mystery, with additional suspicious deaths raising the stakes and forcing Willow to confront long buried secrets about her godmother, the island, and her own past. While I was able to predict parts of this story early on, the journey remained engaging, and the motivations behind the crimes were compelling enough to keep me invested in turning the pages. The story leans heavily into atmosphere and intrigue....so let's just say the VIBES do a lot of the work here, and it works well, though the narrative can feel overstuffed at times.
Willow’s character arc is a mixed bag. She grows more confident and assertive as the story progresses, but that development comes fairly late, making it harder to fully connect with her emotionally. The cast of supporting characters is large, and while some stand out, particularly the ghosts and a handful of island residents, others blur together. Keeping track of everyone and their connections occasionally felt overwhelming, and the genealogy aspect of the mystery was more complex than it needed to be. I think this story could have used a bit more restraint there.
The writing itself shows promise, though there are moments where the prose and dialogue feel repetitive or slightly stiff. Some mystery elements are introduced only to be resolved very quickly, which lessens their impact and makes certain plot threads feel unnecessary. That said, the shifting perspectives throughout the book do offer helpful insight into different characters’ motivations and add texture to the story. And I think Jennifer shows a lot of promise in what she's created here.
Overall, Murder Will Out is a solid and imaginative debut with a strong setting, an engaging premise, and memorable gothic elements. While the execution does not always live up to the ambition of the idea, the story’s atmosphere, supernatural twist, and sense of place make it worth reading. I am interested to see how Jennifer K. Breedlove continues to develop her voice and storytelling in future novels.
Cameron House is easily my favorite part of the story. The centuries old mansion feels alive, steeped in history, grief, and menace, and the ghosts who inhabit it add both tension and emotional depth. Honestly, the ghosts are the best characters. Rather than feeling gimmicky, the supernatural elements enhance the mystery and provide crucial insight into the house’s past. The island setting is equally effective, described with such care that it feels like a character in its own right, full of charm, isolation, and unspoken truths.
The plot unfolds as a layered murder mystery, with additional suspicious deaths raising the stakes and forcing Willow to confront long buried secrets about her godmother, the island, and her own past. While I was able to predict parts of this story early on, the journey remained engaging, and the motivations behind the crimes were compelling enough to keep me invested in turning the pages. The story leans heavily into atmosphere and intrigue....so let's just say the VIBES do a lot of the work here, and it works well, though the narrative can feel overstuffed at times.
Willow’s character arc is a mixed bag. She grows more confident and assertive as the story progresses, but that development comes fairly late, making it harder to fully connect with her emotionally. The cast of supporting characters is large, and while some stand out, particularly the ghosts and a handful of island residents, others blur together. Keeping track of everyone and their connections occasionally felt overwhelming, and the genealogy aspect of the mystery was more complex than it needed to be. I think this story could have used a bit more restraint there.
The writing itself shows promise, though there are moments where the prose and dialogue feel repetitive or slightly stiff. Some mystery elements are introduced only to be resolved very quickly, which lessens their impact and makes certain plot threads feel unnecessary. That said, the shifting perspectives throughout the book do offer helpful insight into different characters’ motivations and add texture to the story. And I think Jennifer shows a lot of promise in what she's created here.
Overall, Murder Will Out is a solid and imaginative debut with a strong setting, an engaging premise, and memorable gothic elements. While the execution does not always live up to the ambition of the idea, the story’s atmosphere, supernatural twist, and sense of place make it worth reading. I am interested to see how Jennifer K. Breedlove continues to develop her voice and storytelling in future novels.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Feb. 17, 2026
When Willow Stone was a girl, she would spend summers with her godmother, Sue, on Little North Island, off the coast of Maine. Now, estranged from Sue, she returns to Little North after receiving news of Sue’s death, to hopefully connect with those who loved Sue and find peace with her estrangement from her once-beloved godmother. What Willow finds instead is a large mansion titled Cameron House, full of actual ghosts who will be lost forever if someone from the Cameron family doesn’t come forward and inherit. Willow decides to help her new supernatural friends and, in doing so, discovers secrets about her godmother, and about Little North, that change Willow, and what she thought she knew, completely.
“Murder Will Out” is the debut novel by author Jennifer K. Breedlove. It is full of family secrets, drama, and supernatural beings seeking revenge, and it is one heck of an intriguing read.
Willow is the main protagonist, although a few of the side characters take over for brief periods to provide their perspectives in critical moments. “Murder” takes place during present day and is set almost exclusively on the small fictional island of Little North.
At its core, “Murder” is a murder mystery, as it is Sue’s death that brings Willow to the island, but the deaths don’t stop there as more and more bodies start to pile up. Initially, it isn’t quite clear how the bodies are connected, or even if they are and with Sue dead, the Cameron House mystery seems like it will be left untold. Or will it? Enter the ghosts that haunt the mansion, temporary residents and members of the Cameron family, who fill Willow in on all that happened before she arrived at the island. Then, of course, there’s Sue’s friends, who all reside on the island, and a small group of townspeople who also play a relevant role in the plot so, if nothing else, “Murder” has an excessively large cast of characters to sort through and keep track of (I found myself struggling with this on more than one occasion).
Now, I was able to guess half of the ending almost right away, but the journey to finding out the “why’s” and “how’s” kept me engaged throughout. Breedlove ensured that all of the plotlines were concluded in a satisfying way with all questions answered.
Overall, “Murder” was a great debut where I felt connected to the protagonist and invested in the outcome but there was a large collection of characters with intricate connections to each other that I struggled to sort through and the journey to the ending felt more labyrinthine than necessary. I am intrigued enough by Breedlove, however, to see what she delivers next.
Expected publication date: Feb. 17, 2026
When Willow Stone was a girl, she would spend summers with her godmother, Sue, on Little North Island, off the coast of Maine. Now, estranged from Sue, she returns to Little North after receiving news of Sue’s death, to hopefully connect with those who loved Sue and find peace with her estrangement from her once-beloved godmother. What Willow finds instead is a large mansion titled Cameron House, full of actual ghosts who will be lost forever if someone from the Cameron family doesn’t come forward and inherit. Willow decides to help her new supernatural friends and, in doing so, discovers secrets about her godmother, and about Little North, that change Willow, and what she thought she knew, completely.
“Murder Will Out” is the debut novel by author Jennifer K. Breedlove. It is full of family secrets, drama, and supernatural beings seeking revenge, and it is one heck of an intriguing read.
Willow is the main protagonist, although a few of the side characters take over for brief periods to provide their perspectives in critical moments. “Murder” takes place during present day and is set almost exclusively on the small fictional island of Little North.
At its core, “Murder” is a murder mystery, as it is Sue’s death that brings Willow to the island, but the deaths don’t stop there as more and more bodies start to pile up. Initially, it isn’t quite clear how the bodies are connected, or even if they are and with Sue dead, the Cameron House mystery seems like it will be left untold. Or will it? Enter the ghosts that haunt the mansion, temporary residents and members of the Cameron family, who fill Willow in on all that happened before she arrived at the island. Then, of course, there’s Sue’s friends, who all reside on the island, and a small group of townspeople who also play a relevant role in the plot so, if nothing else, “Murder” has an excessively large cast of characters to sort through and keep track of (I found myself struggling with this on more than one occasion).
Now, I was able to guess half of the ending almost right away, but the journey to finding out the “why’s” and “how’s” kept me engaged throughout. Breedlove ensured that all of the plotlines were concluded in a satisfying way with all questions answered.
Overall, “Murder” was a great debut where I felt connected to the protagonist and invested in the outcome but there was a large collection of characters with intricate connections to each other that I struggled to sort through and the journey to the ending felt more labyrinthine than necessary. I am intrigued enough by Breedlove, however, to see what she delivers next.
November 19, 2025
Title: Murder Will Out
Author: Jennifer K. Breedlove (Debut Author)
Publisher: Saint Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: February 17, 2026
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pages: 336
Set in coastal Maine on Little North Island, the book opens as organist and grad student Willow Stone returns to Little North from Chicago for her godmother, Sue’s wedding. She has fond memories of spending summers there when she was a child. A family quarrel resulted in the two not seeing each other in many years Although Willow loved Sue and could never understand why her family stopped seeing her.
She had received a letter earlier from Sue inviting her to her wedding and urges her to return to the island.
Willow returns but does not attend her wedding instead arrives in time to attend Sue’s funeral. Sue’s fiancée, Rina hosts Sue’s funeral reception, at her pottery shop.
Willow finds out that Sue has died the night before her wedding from a fall which the police deem accidental.
Sue cared for Effie Cameron the owner of Cameron House, Sue lived in a small cabin just outside the large house. Effie died when she was ninety nine- believed she died of old age.
However when Effie’s nephew, Geralt Talbot -age eight-three and someone every active in the community is injured and is in the hospital feared dying. Willow finds it suspicious! She wonders if someone wants Cameron House; which has the reputation of being the local haunted house and surely would be a tourist attraction.
Willow investigates Cameron House with the approval of Effie’s dog Finn. She finds a hidden doorway and when she steps inside and sees a small stairway which she takes and finds it leads to the ‘widow’s bridge’ and also the feeling she is not alone.
There are so many secrets as well as things no one wants to talk about.
Willow is curious as to what is going on (As am I!)
The ending so much fun; we know that Cameron House is haunted and the ghosts come to the rescue.
This is author Jennifer K. Breedlove debut novel and I am looking forward to her next story!
I love her Acknowledgements. In additional to thanking the many who helped, she gives special thanks to her talents parents. Her mother Christine is a retired chemistry professor and ceramic artist. She came up with the core idea on the murder weapon. Her father C. H. Breedlove’s writing for the Somerville Historical Society was helpful.
About the Author ~Jennifer has been writing stories since she was in preschool, when she delighted in crafting tales of magic and adventure.
She holds degrees in piano, choral conducting and theology and is on faculty at Loyola University Chicago. She is an assistant conductor for the Chicago Orchestra Chorus.
She continues to be a visitor to Downtown Maine as she done so since childhood.
She and her husband live in Chicago and have two children in college.
I want to thank NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 17, 2026.
Author: Jennifer K. Breedlove (Debut Author)
Publisher: Saint Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: February 17, 2026
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pages: 336
Set in coastal Maine on Little North Island, the book opens as organist and grad student Willow Stone returns to Little North from Chicago for her godmother, Sue’s wedding. She has fond memories of spending summers there when she was a child. A family quarrel resulted in the two not seeing each other in many years Although Willow loved Sue and could never understand why her family stopped seeing her.
She had received a letter earlier from Sue inviting her to her wedding and urges her to return to the island.
Willow returns but does not attend her wedding instead arrives in time to attend Sue’s funeral. Sue’s fiancée, Rina hosts Sue’s funeral reception, at her pottery shop.
Willow finds out that Sue has died the night before her wedding from a fall which the police deem accidental.
Sue cared for Effie Cameron the owner of Cameron House, Sue lived in a small cabin just outside the large house. Effie died when she was ninety nine- believed she died of old age.
However when Effie’s nephew, Geralt Talbot -age eight-three and someone every active in the community is injured and is in the hospital feared dying. Willow finds it suspicious! She wonders if someone wants Cameron House; which has the reputation of being the local haunted house and surely would be a tourist attraction.
Willow investigates Cameron House with the approval of Effie’s dog Finn. She finds a hidden doorway and when she steps inside and sees a small stairway which she takes and finds it leads to the ‘widow’s bridge’ and also the feeling she is not alone.
There are so many secrets as well as things no one wants to talk about.
Willow is curious as to what is going on (As am I!)
The ending so much fun; we know that Cameron House is haunted and the ghosts come to the rescue.
This is author Jennifer K. Breedlove debut novel and I am looking forward to her next story!
I love her Acknowledgements. In additional to thanking the many who helped, she gives special thanks to her talents parents. Her mother Christine is a retired chemistry professor and ceramic artist. She came up with the core idea on the murder weapon. Her father C. H. Breedlove’s writing for the Somerville Historical Society was helpful.
About the Author ~Jennifer has been writing stories since she was in preschool, when she delighted in crafting tales of magic and adventure.
She holds degrees in piano, choral conducting and theology and is on faculty at Loyola University Chicago. She is an assistant conductor for the Chicago Orchestra Chorus.
She continues to be a visitor to Downtown Maine as she done so since childhood.
She and her husband live in Chicago and have two children in college.
I want to thank NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 17, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The title and description of this book had me intrigued from the first. But oh my!! This was so much more than I expected. The mystery by itself had me compelled to keep reading, but then add in the gothic elements of the setting, a small coastal island town and the large mansion overlooking it on its lonely bluff, and I was completely hooked. It reminded me of the Victoria Holt or Phyllis Whitney romantic suspense novels that I read growing up, only better.
The romance elements were there but they were very, very small compared to the rest of this sweeping story of murder, family secrets and small isolated communities. I loved the main character Willow, who despite seeming to have it together as a musical grad student is still very lonely and adrift at the start of the novel. She returns to North Shore Island off the coast of Maine after receiving a plea from her godmother to come back so they can reunite. Willow cannot resist the chance, but is heartbroken to learn, shortly after receiving the letter, that her godmother has met with an untimely death. From there we follow Willow and a few other point of view characters throughout the story as she struggles to come to terms with what happened to her godmother and why the mysterious and very haunted Cameron House seems to be at the center of it all.
The setting, the mystery and the characters were all well drawn and engaging. I especially loved the women on the island who all seem to want to help Willow but who seem to have secrets of their own that make you wonder along with Willow who she can really trust or if she can accept their overtures to become a part of their found family. Despite the fact that the last living Cameron on the island was truly a despicable and mean old man, I couldn't help but like him a little as Willow did. Then there was the police detective who used to be Willow's nemesis when she visited her godmother, Sue, on the island in the summers. Nick is obviously secretly smitten with Willow still, but hides it well. She likewise finds he has grown up to be quite attractive, but still clings to her impression that he is a royal pain all the same. The banter between them in the few scenes where they're together was entertaining and added just the right amount of zing to the dynamics of the story. The mystery, you realize early, is one of murder and involves a plot on someone's part to claim Cameron House for their own. I was left guessing until near the very end who was behind it all and there were some wonderful twists and reveals at the climax that any mystery lover would enjoy! But then add in the ghosts and the sentient-seeming house and it takes the whole mystery up another notch in my estimation. I truly loved this book and will be getting my own copy to re-read again once it comes out this February!
If you love gothic mystery suspense with rugged settings and haunted mansions, then you will thoroughly enjoy this debut novel. Thank you to NetGalley and to Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The romance elements were there but they were very, very small compared to the rest of this sweeping story of murder, family secrets and small isolated communities. I loved the main character Willow, who despite seeming to have it together as a musical grad student is still very lonely and adrift at the start of the novel. She returns to North Shore Island off the coast of Maine after receiving a plea from her godmother to come back so they can reunite. Willow cannot resist the chance, but is heartbroken to learn, shortly after receiving the letter, that her godmother has met with an untimely death. From there we follow Willow and a few other point of view characters throughout the story as she struggles to come to terms with what happened to her godmother and why the mysterious and very haunted Cameron House seems to be at the center of it all.
The setting, the mystery and the characters were all well drawn and engaging. I especially loved the women on the island who all seem to want to help Willow but who seem to have secrets of their own that make you wonder along with Willow who she can really trust or if she can accept their overtures to become a part of their found family. Despite the fact that the last living Cameron on the island was truly a despicable and mean old man, I couldn't help but like him a little as Willow did. Then there was the police detective who used to be Willow's nemesis when she visited her godmother, Sue, on the island in the summers. Nick is obviously secretly smitten with Willow still, but hides it well. She likewise finds he has grown up to be quite attractive, but still clings to her impression that he is a royal pain all the same. The banter between them in the few scenes where they're together was entertaining and added just the right amount of zing to the dynamics of the story. The mystery, you realize early, is one of murder and involves a plot on someone's part to claim Cameron House for their own. I was left guessing until near the very end who was behind it all and there were some wonderful twists and reveals at the climax that any mystery lover would enjoy! But then add in the ghosts and the sentient-seeming house and it takes the whole mystery up another notch in my estimation. I truly loved this book and will be getting my own copy to re-read again once it comes out this February!
If you love gothic mystery suspense with rugged settings and haunted mansions, then you will thoroughly enjoy this debut novel. Thank you to NetGalley and to Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The title and description of this book had me intrigued from the first. But oh my!! This was so much more than I expected. The mystery by itself had me compelled to keep reading, but then add in the gothic elements of the setting, a small coastal island town and the large mansion overlooking it on its lonely bluff, and I was completely hooked. It reminded me of the Victoria Holt or Phyllis Whitney romantic suspense novels that I read growing up, only better.
The romance elements were there but they were very, very small compared to the rest of this sweeping story of murder, family secrets and small isolated communities. I loved the main character Willow, who despite seeming to have it together as a musical grad student is still very lonely and adrift at the start of the novel. She returns to North Shore Island off the coast of Maine after receiving a plea from her godmother to come back so they can reunite. Willow cannot resist the chance, but is heartbroken to learn, shortly after receiving the letter, that her godmother has met with an untimely death. From there we follow Willow and a few other point of view characters throughout the story as she struggles to come to terms with what happened to her godmother and why the mysterious and very haunted Cameron House seems to be at the center of it all.
The setting, the mystery and the characters were all well drawn and engaging. I especially loved the women on the island who all seem to want to help Willow but who seem to have secrets of their own that make you wonder along with Willow who she can really trust or if she can accept their overtures to become a part of their found family. Despite the fact that the last living Cameron on the island was truly a despicable and mean old man, I couldn't help but like him a little as Willow did. Then there was the police detective who used to be Willow's nemesis when she visited her godmother, Sue, on the island in the summers. Nick is obviously secretly smitten with Willow still, but hides it well. She likewise finds he has grown up to be quite attractive, but still clings to her impression that he is a royal pain all the same. The banter between them in the few scenes where they're together was entertaining and added just the right amount of zing to the dynamics of the story. The mystery, you realize early, is one of murder and involves a plot on someone's part to claim Cameron House for their own. I was left guessing until near the very end who was behind it all and there were some wonderful twists and reveals at the climax that any mystery lover would enjoy! But then add in the ghosts and the sentient-seeming house and it takes the whole mystery up another notch in my estimation. I truly loved this book and will be getting my own copy to re-read again once it comes out this February!
If you love gothic mystery suspense with rugged settings and haunted mansions, then you will thoroughly enjoy this debut novel. Thank you to NetGalley and to Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The romance elements were there but they were very, very small compared to the rest of this sweeping story of murder, family secrets and small isolated communities. I loved the main character Willow, who despite seeming to have it together as a musical grad student is still very lonely and adrift at the start of the novel. She returns to North Shore Island off the coast of Maine after receiving a plea from her godmother to come back so they can reunite. Willow cannot resist the chance, but is heartbroken to learn, shortly after receiving the letter, that her godmother has met with an untimely death. From there we follow Willow and a few other point of view characters throughout the story as she struggles to come to terms with what happened to her godmother and why the mysterious and very haunted Cameron House seems to be at the center of it all.
The setting, the mystery and the characters were all well drawn and engaging. I especially loved the women on the island who all seem to want to help Willow but who seem to have secrets of their own that make you wonder along with Willow who she can really trust or if she can accept their overtures to become a part of their found family. Despite the fact that the last living Cameron on the island was truly a despicable and mean old man, I couldn't help but like him a little as Willow did. Then there was the police detective who used to be Willow's nemesis when she visited her godmother, Sue, on the island in the summers. Nick is obviously secretly smitten with Willow still, but hides it well. She likewise finds he has grown up to be quite attractive, but still clings to her impression that he is a royal pain all the same. The banter between them in the few scenes where they're together was entertaining and added just the right amount of zing to the dynamics of the story. The mystery, you realize early, is one of murder and involves a plot on someone's part to claim Cameron House for their own. I was left guessing until near the very end who was behind it all and there were some wonderful twists and reveals at the climax that any mystery lover would enjoy! But then add in the ghosts and the sentient-seeming house and it takes the whole mystery up another notch in my estimation. I truly loved this book and will be getting my own copy to re-read again once it comes out this February!
If you love gothic mystery suspense with rugged settings and haunted mansions, then you will thoroughly enjoy this debut novel. Thank you to NetGalley and to Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews