Bitter Brew: A Tiny House Coffee Cozy Mystery Series with Dog

by Maisy Marple, Fiona Bramble

Murder is brewing in Willow Springs...

Lily Bennett has left her city life behind to pursue her a custom tiny house and a charming coffee shop housed in a renovated Airstream trailer. With her loyal Australian Shepherd, Bean, by her side, she's ready for a fresh start in the picturesque small town of Willow Springs.

But the morning after her grand opening, Lily discovers something that definitely wasn't on the menu—the body of local café owner Patricia Morris, face-down on the floor of Tiny Beans Coffee. Worse yet, Patricia appears to have been poisoned by a cup of Lily's own specialty brew.

With a determined police chief eyeing her as the prime suspect and her fledgling business in jeopardy, Lily must clear her name before her dreams turn as bitter as day-old coffee. Teaming up with handsome local carpenter Sam Cooper, whose skills extend far beyond woodworking, Lily digs into Patricia's past and uncovers a town percolating with secrets, rivalries, and corruption.

From the suspicious mayor with a hidden agenda to the jilted business partner with an axe to grind, everyone in Willow Springs seems to have a motive for wanting Patricia out of the picture. As threatening notes appear and strange "accidents" begin plaguing Tiny Beans, Lily realizes the killer is still at large—and she might be next on their list.

Can Lily track down the murderer before she becomes the next victim? Or will her sleuthing efforts land her in hot water deeper than any French press?

Bitter Brew is the first book in the delightful Tiny House Coffee Mysteries series, featuring a determined heroine, a charming small town full of secrets, and a frothy blend of coffee, clues, and community that will leave readers eager for the next sip.

148 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 8, 2025

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author for me, and I enjoyed this debut story. I immediately liked the protagonist and her dog. I liked Sam, a friendly townsman who quickly befriended her and began making her feel at home in a strange town. I thought the Author’s plot was different from other coffee themed cozies I’ve read, and love the cover on the Kindle e-book showing the Airstream that the coffee shop is set up in, and the cute tiny house the protagonist lives in with Bean! I recommend this book to cozy readers.

[Linda Galella · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in a series, BITTER BREW, is a charming cozy mystery.

Lily and her Aussie Shepherd, Bean, have just moved to the small town of Willow Springs seeking a quieter life. Lily custom built a tiny house and reconditioned an Airstream into a coffee shop, all of which will be landscaped on the pastoral land she purchased on the edge of town.

While shopping at the town’s market, Lily meets Sam, a carpenter who offers to help her get shelves built and a few other last minute adjustments made prior to the grand opening. Sam is a great guy and comes back to help with the opening, doing anything and everything necessary to make the day a success. The town is thrilled with the offerings from Tiny Bean as the only other coffee shop in town has mediocre coffee and a surly proprietor.

When Lily takes Bean out for his morning walk the day after the grand opening, she’s met with an alarming surprise - the Airstream door is partially open and it looks like a body is lying in the doorway! Once Lily realizes it’s the owner of the other coffee shop with whom she had heated words at the grand opening, she knew it was going to be bad news for her.

Sam has skills beyond being a carpenter that are very useful. He’s also been a townie for many years and introduces Lily to the key members of town. This was a great way for author, Maisy Marple, Fiona Bramble, to lay out the key players in this new series as well as get readers familiar with their jobs and the town. As with all small towns, the interpersonal intricacies are so much fun to uncover! Lily and Tom make a good team trying to solve the mystery of the dead woman in her coffee shop, much to the consternation of the town sheriff.

Readers of cozy mysteries will find much to enjoy here in Willow Springs: a feisty barista, an handsome and helpful “carpenter”, a town full of others we’re sure to learn a lot more about and an obedient Aussie Shepherd with sleuthing skills that are sure to come in handy📚

[Chili Diane Evance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily Bennett is very excited to finally be in Willow Springs. Small town life as owner of her own coffee shop in a custom made Airstream trailer has her full of energy and excitement. Her Australian dog, Bean, feels her excitement. She meets a handyman that can do some changes inside the trailer and discovers that he is a very nice person and they quickly become good friends. Especially when the next day after her opening, she finds the owner of the other coffee shop in town, is lying dead on the floor of her coffee shop. It’s a good thing Sam was coming over to work on her tiny home too.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main character is Lily. Lily moves to a small town and starts a coffee shop. She has a small house built and moved there and an airstream moved there that was converted onto coffee shop. The second day opened and she find a dead body inside the airstream. It's the woman who owns the only other coffee shop in town but how did she even get in there and who murdered her. The police think it must be her because she is new in town. Can she figure this out before it's too late ?

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable and Entertaining!

A good start to a new series. Lillie has moved to a small town to live her dream of opening a tiny coffee stand set up in a air stream trailer. A tiny coffee shop to match her tiny house. Things get off to a good start, but soon take a sinister turn when a dead body is found in her coffee shop on only her 2nd day. Her newly formed friendship with the local carpenter, along with a few others attempt to get to the real truth before her business closes before it barely got started. Fast paced, interesting.

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A coffee crime!

Lily has moved to Willow Springs and set up her tiny home, as well as her Tiny Beans coffee shop in her airstream trailer. But no sooner is she moved in than the only other coffee shop owner in town is murdered and she is the chief suspect! Her new friends help her investigate to clear her name and find out the true murderer. Along the way she discovers town corruption and embezzlement. What a way to start life in a new town!

[Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful First Book

Lily's story of opening a tiny coffee house and living in a tiny house is very entertaining. The characters seem real, and the plot makes you keep reading. It is also very well written, which makes for a distraction free read. I look forward to Book 2!

[Megan Mohler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I genuinely surprised this has so many 5 star reviews. While charming, the plot had so many holes and the story quite cheesy. I do appreciate a mystery that’s actually clean, but goodness it was a little much at times.

[Regina Callender · Rating 5 out of 5]

great little mystery

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. The author kept the villain secret until the very end. Was well written and a great storyline.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short enjoyable novella with coffee and a cute dog! Look forward to book two.

[Carolee DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different, but good.

[Kimberly E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in the series and off to a great start.

I enjoyed the pacing and the plot. There are enough secondary characters to make it interesting but not overwhelming. Charming setting.

[Shannon Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

Cute and fast paced. Like able cast of characters. Small town so it’s easy to follow. I enjoy food stories.