Whisper from the Past: Secrets Never Stay Buried

by Debra Deetz

A cryptic letter. A secret society. A murder that was never meant to be solved.

When Maple Bay investigative journalist Julia Wright receives a mysterious letter signed only “E.G.,” she never expects it to lead straight to murder—or to her own front door. Hours later, Eloise Granger, the town’s beloved antique dealer and historian, is found dead, and Julia is pulled into a puzzle laced with long-buried secrets and suspicious town politics.
With her golden retriever Cooper sniffing out clues and her polka-dot-clad best friend Lucy uncovering coded maps and gossip-laced records, Julia begins piecing together a mystery tied to a secret society of women sworn to protect Maple Bay’s past. All signs point to Councilman Grant, a smooth-talking politician with a sudden interest in historic land, and Professor Bing, a reclusive scholar who vanished under strange circumstances.

But when Julia becomes the prime suspect, the stakes turn deadly. If she doesn’t crack the code and expose the truth soon, Maple Bay’s oldest secrets—and her own freedom—may be lost forever.

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 2, 2025

Reviews

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Wright is an investigative journalist and when she mysteriously receives a letter signed E.G. and Eloise Granger, the Maple Bay’s antique dealer and historian, is found dead. Julia becomes suspect number one and is faced with her clue sniffing, intelligent dog, Cooper and her best friend, Lucy investigate to clear Julia's name. The investigation leads them on a whirl-wind of clue finding with cryptic clues and Lucy finding coded maps and coded maps and strange town records, that are tied to a secret society of women bound to keep the town's past safe and buried. Can Julia, Cooper and Lucy find a murderer and clear Julia's name? With so many secrets being held close to the vest, can Julia put it all together, find a murderer and clear her name without being caught in a dangerous situation? This is a fun, and page turning read that I highly recommend. In fact, I recommend the entire series so far and can't wait to see what Julia, Cooper with the help of Lucy get into next! I received an ARC of this book buy the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Julia becomes the main suspect in a murder, she has to dig deeper together with her friend Lucy and Cooper. Town mysteries that have been hidden for a long time have to be discovered and decoded to figure out what happened. A fascinating cozy mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Wright gets a mysterious letter that sets her into the adventure of her lifetime. It has information on their small town that has been covered up by generations. Lucy, Cooper, Vance, and Max definitely get a lot more than they were planning for, but in the end the truth comes through for the town.

I received an arc and this is my review.

[Emilia Stafano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This mystery promises suspense, small-town secrets, and a heroine worth rooting for. Julia Wright’s hunt for the truth alongside her golden retriever and quirky best friend pulls readers into a tangle of coded maps, political intrigue, and a murder that hits too close to home.

I’ve only read the synopsis, but it’s clear this is a page-turner worth reading.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mysterious letter, a secret society of women with ties to her own family, threats, and a desire to learn the truth leads investigative reporter Julia Wright on a mission to solve a decades-old mystery regarding the town and a recent murder.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sharmani Jayaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Wright is surprised to hear about the death of Eloise Granger . This starts her on a journey of truth where there is more than meets the eye. A sinister plot to this intriguing read. I received this ARC copy via Booksprouts and recommend this book to other readers .

[Linda Whitenight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia, Lucy, Vance, Max and Cooper investigate Eloise's murder and the puzzle pieces and clues start to fall into place. Can they figure out what has been going on in their town? Another great mystery for the Julia Wright Mystery Series for Debra Deetz.

[Russell Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review

I enjoyed this story. I followed as it led me along the path it was taking. The characters' have depth. I am going to read the next in the series.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐