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Murder in Moonburrow #2
Play Dead, Stay Dead
I never knew rooting through the trash would lead to this…When Honey asks me to watch over Dough You Believe in Magic so she can go on a out-of-Moonburrow honeymoon with Sheriff Max, I reluctantly agree. We’re kind of, sort of friends now, and I don’t want to mess up her bakery, but the positive opossum insists that I can’t… I knew better, but I said ‘yes’ anyway.
I’m regretting that now.
It was a silly mistake. I tossed the keys into the garbage, then threw it out in the dumpster. Good thing raccoons don’t mind digging through the trash because, once I shift, I go searching—and find another dead body behind Honey’s charmed bakery.
Only the gorgeous blond-haired, purple-eyed preppie opossum shifter isn’t dead dead… though tell that to the ghost that steps out of the shadows right as I scramble out of the dumpster.
He’s Ashton Morgan, Honey’s cousin and an opossum who played dead and, somehow, his soul left his body. Now he wants to know who ‘killed’ him, how to break the curse that’s keeping him from returning to his body, and how he ended up in Moonburrow in the first place—and he seems to think that I’m going to do everything I can to help him.
And, well, considering he’s my fated mate, I think I’ll have to before Ash goes from playing dead to staying dead.
I’m regretting that now.
It was a silly mistake. I tossed the keys into the garbage, then threw it out in the dumpster. Good thing raccoons don’t mind digging through the trash because, once I shift, I go searching—and find another dead body behind Honey’s charmed bakery.
Only the gorgeous blond-haired, purple-eyed preppie opossum shifter isn’t dead dead… though tell that to the ghost that steps out of the shadows right as I scramble out of the dumpster.
He’s Ashton Morgan, Honey’s cousin and an opossum who played dead and, somehow, his soul left his body. Now he wants to know who ‘killed’ him, how to break the curse that’s keeping him from returning to his body, and how he ended up in Moonburrow in the first place—and he seems to think that I’m going to do everything I can to help him.
And, well, considering he’s my fated mate, I think I’ll have to before Ash goes from playing dead to staying dead.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 14, 2026
A fun, adorable, quick read.
This quirky series just hits that sweet spot.
This quirky series just hits that sweet spot.
May 31, 2026
‘IT’S TRASH CAN, NOT TRASH CANNOT’
Literally a book about a woman that shifts into a raccoon that is a fated mate to an opossum who is also a ghost. Silly and sweet palate cleanser.
Literally a book about a woman that shifts into a raccoon that is a fated mate to an opossum who is also a ghost. Silly and sweet palate cleanser.
June 14, 2026
I was apparently the only person who knew it was part of a trilogy and when I gave the basic summary of the second book, “the raccoon best friend finds out her Fated Mate is an opossum shifter but he’s a ghost“ it’s a crazy enough premise that made three of us decide to read the book today as a side quest and I have finished it and decided to critique it. There will be spoilers below. This is your warning
The Good
It was short. It took me an hour and a half to finish it and half that time also involved me telling my teenager how to make to make waffles
Gus was still the best part
Fated Mates vs Mates got explored a bit better
There was an attempt at light specisism (spelling?) world building
MMC actually was way more interesting than previous MMC
The idea of giving a ghost a blowjob
Actual cool set up for book 3–will it deliver, no.
The Bad
the writing relies on exposition over exposition, as though Spade thinks her readers are stupid
really, the best way to describe the writing is that if you were reading fanfiction or a wattpad story a fifteen year old wrote who is still fine tuning the craft of writing and storytelling which is the most frustrating bit because there is something here. It’s just no where near ready for publication. It needs several passes and expansions.
Taking craft away
The entire reason why the MMC is in his ghost thing is because he has silver in his foot and silver is bad for shifters and the ME didn’t take his socks off that is waved off as because the FMC is a raccoon shifter, and therefore since she found the body, the body is not important—which goes against previous characterization on the police force
the reason why the MMC has silver in his foot is because of the FMC sister rivalry that is barely a footnote over anything
They make magic drug brownies that make people want to fuck in public
For some reason ”alpha” replaces “god” which wasn’t in the first book and is weird as fuck.
especially since we know two alphas who are named characters.
and leads to things like “you’re so Alpha damn pretty.”
Sex is not written well
also no cozy mystery here. Like no mystery at all
FMC not a virgin—we love this, MMC is a virgin we also love this. We just don’t love the sex and how it is written
Like nothing ever about the FMC pleasure, excepting “…urging him to squeeze her tits because it felt good.” Literally that
Was not expecting some Arthurian lore drops with the FMC for the upcoming book 3 being a descendant of Morgan Le Fey.
FMC was very..I said I would move on from the craft aspect of it, but it was just …very teenage edgy girl, and I know what was trying to be portrayed, it just wasn’t
Overall, this series and Spade feels incomplete. There is something there, which is the most frustrating thing. I want it to be good, because the concept of this book has something. It just needed a lot of time, passes and editing and was not ready to be out in the world
The Good
It was short. It took me an hour and a half to finish it and half that time also involved me telling my teenager how to make to make waffles
Gus was still the best part
Fated Mates vs Mates got explored a bit better
There was an attempt at light specisism (spelling?) world building
MMC actually was way more interesting than previous MMC
The idea of giving a ghost a blowjob
Actual cool set up for book 3–will it deliver, no.
The Bad
the writing relies on exposition over exposition, as though Spade thinks her readers are stupid
really, the best way to describe the writing is that if you were reading fanfiction or a wattpad story a fifteen year old wrote who is still fine tuning the craft of writing and storytelling which is the most frustrating bit because there is something here. It’s just no where near ready for publication. It needs several passes and expansions.
Taking craft away
The entire reason why the MMC is in his ghost thing is because he has silver in his foot and silver is bad for shifters and the ME didn’t take his socks off that is waved off as because the FMC is a raccoon shifter, and therefore since she found the body, the body is not important—which goes against previous characterization on the police force
the reason why the MMC has silver in his foot is because of the FMC sister rivalry that is barely a footnote over anything
They make magic drug brownies that make people want to fuck in public
For some reason ”alpha” replaces “god” which wasn’t in the first book and is weird as fuck.
especially since we know two alphas who are named characters.
and leads to things like “you’re so Alpha damn pretty.”
Sex is not written well
also no cozy mystery here. Like no mystery at all
FMC not a virgin—we love this, MMC is a virgin we also love this. We just don’t love the sex and how it is written
Like nothing ever about the FMC pleasure, excepting “…urging him to squeeze her tits because it felt good.” Literally that
Was not expecting some Arthurian lore drops with the FMC for the upcoming book 3 being a descendant of Morgan Le Fey.
FMC was very..I said I would move on from the craft aspect of it, but it was just …very teenage edgy girl, and I know what was trying to be portrayed, it just wasn’t
Overall, this series and Spade feels incomplete. There is something there, which is the most frustrating thing. I want it to be good, because the concept of this book has something. It just needed a lot of time, passes and editing and was not ready to be out in the world
May 29, 2026
Quick, cute, and quirky
Let me preface this with, I was not expecting to like these books as much as I did. I figured I'd have a little fluff read because who else has opossum and racoon shifters in one place? But soon enough I was finished with book 2 and anxiously awaiting the release of book 3.
This book is cute, it has slightly more spice than book one but once again, definitely a plot forward book. Also, people can't seem to stay dead in this book which differs from the last one rather dramatically. Once again MVP Gus steals the show though and makes a few dramatic rescues. It's cute, it's quirky, and it more often than not defies the laws of physics. What more could you ask for in a book?
Let me preface this with, I was not expecting to like these books as much as I did. I figured I'd have a little fluff read because who else has opossum and racoon shifters in one place? But soon enough I was finished with book 2 and anxiously awaiting the release of book 3.
This book is cute, it has slightly more spice than book one but once again, definitely a plot forward book. Also, people can't seem to stay dead in this book which differs from the last one rather dramatically. Once again MVP Gus steals the show though and makes a few dramatic rescues. It's cute, it's quirky, and it more often than not defies the laws of physics. What more could you ask for in a book?
June 5, 2026
It’s fun to read a story now and then where the shifters aren’t all muscular-y and growly. Gus continues to be adorable and contributes significantly to the plot.
Roxy is a raccoon shifter who helped to save Honey in the first Moonburrow book. Honey and her new mate are planning a short honeymoon and Roxy is finagled into running the bakery and babysitting Gus. Naturally another body shows up in the bakery dumpster. Not only that but what seems to be its ghost is present and only Roxy and Gus can see and communicate with it.
Ash, our ghost, is Honey’s cousin who was supposed to move into the apartment above the bakery. This is put on hold until he is corporeal or just fades away. The Deputy Sheriff is on the case and brings in a witch who says Ash has been cursed so the country’s predominant curse breaking witch is summoned.
Ash and Roxy had only had the briefest of encounters many years ago. This time around Roxy can sense he is her fated mate but holds off telling him for several reasons. Her evil sister had known of Roxy’s “crush” and takes advantage of it.
A compact that Roxy had recovered while dumpster diving turns out to be an important clue as to why someone is after Roxy (and it’s not because of her brownies)
P.S. Bouncing!
Roxy is a raccoon shifter who helped to save Honey in the first Moonburrow book. Honey and her new mate are planning a short honeymoon and Roxy is finagled into running the bakery and babysitting Gus. Naturally another body shows up in the bakery dumpster. Not only that but what seems to be its ghost is present and only Roxy and Gus can see and communicate with it.
Ash, our ghost, is Honey’s cousin who was supposed to move into the apartment above the bakery. This is put on hold until he is corporeal or just fades away. The Deputy Sheriff is on the case and brings in a witch who says Ash has been cursed so the country’s predominant curse breaking witch is summoned.
Ash and Roxy had only had the briefest of encounters many years ago. This time around Roxy can sense he is her fated mate but holds off telling him for several reasons. Her evil sister had known of Roxy’s “crush” and takes advantage of it.
A compact that Roxy had recovered while dumpster diving turns out to be an important clue as to why someone is after Roxy (and it’s not because of her brownies)
P.S. Bouncing!
June 18, 2026
Obsessed
Omg!! I am a little in love with Roxy, but also in love with Ash lol. I love a woman in charge, in and out of the bedroom ;) Roxy is a bada$$ raccoon shifter who isn’t afraid to stand up to anyone. She uses sass and sarcasm as a defense mechanism to keep from being vulnerable. She gets roped into taking care of Honey’s bakery, and Gus, while she goes on her honeymoon. That’s how she finds her mate, Ash. Ash was so perfect for Rox. He loved following her lead and found her perfect just as she was. I also really enjoyed the relationship Gus and Roxy developed. This book was really good! I also did NOT expect the Who done it? reveal. I’m so sad I have to wait for the next book.
Omg!! I am a little in love with Roxy, but also in love with Ash lol. I love a woman in charge, in and out of the bedroom ;) Roxy is a bada$$ raccoon shifter who isn’t afraid to stand up to anyone. She uses sass and sarcasm as a defense mechanism to keep from being vulnerable. She gets roped into taking care of Honey’s bakery, and Gus, while she goes on her honeymoon. That’s how she finds her mate, Ash. Ash was so perfect for Rox. He loved following her lead and found her perfect just as she was. I also really enjoyed the relationship Gus and Roxy developed. This book was really good! I also did NOT expect the Who done it? reveal. I’m so sad I have to wait for the next book.
June 15, 2026
She’s literally a raccoon shifter who is dumpster diving and finds her fated mates body in the trash 🤣🤣
3.5 ⭐️
1.5 🌶️
This book was fun and such a twist on mates and curses and solving a mystery. Roxy is grumpy but not unlikeable and Ash is a total golden retriever obsessed with her. 🥰
🦝 Racoon x possum shifters
🦝 Cozy mystery
🦝 Paramormal romance
🦝 Fated Mates
🦝 They’re trying to break his curse
🦝 he’s (kinda) a ghost 👻🤭
🦝 spicy times
3.5 ⭐️
1.5 🌶️
This book was fun and such a twist on mates and curses and solving a mystery. Roxy is grumpy but not unlikeable and Ash is a total golden retriever obsessed with her. 🥰
🦝 Racoon x possum shifters
🦝 Cozy mystery
🦝 Paramormal romance
🦝 Fated Mates
🦝 They’re trying to break his curse
🦝 he’s (kinda) a ghost 👻🤭
🦝 spicy times
June 21, 2026
Spelle that brings love for some
I have enjoyed this story with all its twists and turns that bring mates that are not wolf but others of the shifter world together. I would like to say thankyou for all your heard work and may fourtune smile on you alway from a bookworm tjat loves to read
I have enjoyed this story with all its twists and turns that bring mates that are not wolf but others of the shifter world together. I would like to say thankyou for all your heard work and may fourtune smile on you alway from a bookworm tjat loves to read
May 30, 2026
Found family
I didn't think I could love this anymore than the first book but OH MY GOODNESS I LOOOOVE ROXY AND ASH 😍 this was full of cozy mayhem and yes, ☠️ but wrapped up in possum and raccoon shenanigans. Absolutely amazing
I didn't think I could love this anymore than the first book but OH MY GOODNESS I LOOOOVE ROXY AND ASH 😍 this was full of cozy mayhem and yes, ☠️ but wrapped up in possum and raccoon shenanigans. Absolutely amazing
June 1, 2026
Gus!
LOVE THIS series!!!!!!! I love the quirks and how they’re embraced. Gus runs the show and I’m
1000% here for it! The book is absolutely adorable, it’s cozy why dealing with murder.
LOVE THIS series!!!!!!! I love the quirks and how they’re embraced. Gus runs the show and I’m
1000% here for it! The book is absolutely adorable, it’s cozy why dealing with murder.
May 30, 2026
Fun fast read!
Satisfying ending and good lead into book 3 in series. Roxie and Ash are great together! Gus’s rescue was awesome! I love these characters and hope many more books are added to this series!
Satisfying ending and good lead into book 3 in series. Roxie and Ash are great together! Gus’s rescue was awesome! I love these characters and hope many more books are added to this series!
June 2, 2026
I absolutely adore these characters! Same town, familiar characters from new perspectives, and more crimes to solve
June 5, 2026
cozy murder mystery
Such a great cozy murder mystery. Really enjoy all the Moonburrow books so far! Can’t wait to read the third one!
Such a great cozy murder mystery. Really enjoy all the Moonburrow books so far! Can’t wait to read the third one!
June 5, 2026
prey shifter love
It’s cute. The first one is still my favorite but this one is also great. Roxy is so much fun and ash just loves her as she is.
It’s cute. The first one is still my favorite but this one is also great. Roxy is so much fun and ash just loves her as she is.
June 5, 2026
This is such a fun series!
June 5, 2026
This book has everything: a sparky raccoon shifter fmc, a nerdy librarian opossum mmc, ghost blow jobs, a real opossum with a deputy badge, and attempted murder!
Honestly it is a fun time!
Honestly it is a fun time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2026
Reiterating: it’s Fun and also Not Good. And I will be back for book 3.
June 20, 2026
Really I just continue to like the woodland creature shifter setting.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews