A Hot Cider Homicide: A Maggie Nelson Cozy Mystery

by Bonnie Reed

Hot Cider & A Homicide
A Maggie Nelson Cozy Mystery

Halloween drapes Wheatfield in shadow, and Maggie Nelson prefers the warm glow of her library to the season’s sinister games.

But when Lucy persuades her to attend a séance at the Old Mortimer house, Maggie finds herself surrounded by flickering candles, whispered invocations, and walls that seem to breathe with secrets.

Even Watson, her scrappy terrier, bristles at the gloom curling in the corners.

The night turns chilling when Dr. Mark Cavenaugh—the arrogant surgeon who stole the Andersons’ dream home—raises his cup of cider.

One swallow later, he collapses, poisoned before the stunned guests.

Whispers of murder ripple through Wheatfield, and suspicion falls on Lucy’s bakery.

Determined to clear her friend’s name, Maggie follows a trail of grudges and hidden motives.

But with shadows lengthening and fear tightening its grip, Maggie must expose the killer hiding in the autumn shadows… before the next toast turns deadly. Readers can’t get enough of Maggie and Watson

Another captivating addition to the Maggie Nelson Cozy Mystery series

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Hot Cider Homicide delivers twists, suspects, and a chilling séance that keeps readers guessing. Maggie and her loyal terrier Watson once again charm as they clear Lucy’s name in this addictive mystery.

A Perfect Read

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Filled with small-town charm, Halloween ambiance, and heartwarming friendship, this cozy mystery is pure delight. The perfect blend of humor, suspense, and fall flavor makes it a must-read!

Absolute page turner!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ When a séance turns deadly, Maggie, Lucy, and Watson race to uncover who poisoned the cider. Another fantastic installment—clever, cozy, and impossible to put down!

A fun, fast-paced mystery

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A spooky night at the Mortimer house turns deadly when a doctor drops dead from poisoned cider. Full of twists, laughs, and friendship, this Halloween mystery keeps you hooked to the end.

Genres: Mystery

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 12, 2025

Reviews

[Marietta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie Nelson and her friends Lucy and Brett were going to a Séance at the old Mortimer place where Madame Sophia was the entertainment for Friday night. But shortly after they arrived Friday night and were all seating for the séance the candle went out and then they came back on and the next thing everyone was looking at D. Mark Cavanaugh the Cosmetic Surgeon from the city and his girlfriend as he fell to the floor after taking a drink of apple cider that was there for everyone. They call for an ambulance to take him to the hospital, but he did not make it. Of course, Maggie’s Lucy was the one who supplied the cider, so everyone thought that she had poisoned Mark. But Mark had made a lot of enemies in the short time he had been living in Wheatfield with trying to buy up a lot property so that he could develop it into another town with strip mall, condos and large apartments. Not everyone wanted to sell and like the way it was in Wheatfield. So, there was a long list of people who had a motive to kill the good doctor, but it seems to Maggie that it was just easier for everyone say that her friend the murderer. So, with the help of her friends Grant Davis; Brett & Lucy with her dog Watson, they all start to dig and look to see who had the most gain with Mark gone. There were lots of twist and turn and Maggie had her difference with Sheriff Patrick O’Leary who was more like family than anything to her, so it was very hard on her and him, but she refuses to give up on her friend Lucy and keep digging even more. It was very hard to put the book down until I finished it. I will definitely be reading more of Bonnie Reed books as I found them very interest.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Hot Cider Homicide is yet another captivating addition to the Maggie Nelson Cozy Mystery series by Bonnie Reed. This latest installment begins strongly, grabbing my attention from the very first page and holding it until the final reveal with its many twists and turns.

In A Hot Cider Homicide, several potential suspects emerge following the death of Dr. David Cavenaugh at the Old Mortimer house, where Lucy persuades Maggie to join her for a séance. When the lights flicker and come back on, the unfortunate doctor is found dead.

Whispers suggest Lucy is the prime suspect, but Maggie, of course, trusts her friend and sets out to clear her name, assisted by her loyal dog Watson, a determined terrier. As Maggie investigates further, she uncovers more suspects, each with their own reasons for wanting the doctor out of the way.

I’m eagerly anticipating the next book in the Maggie Nelson Cozy Mystery series. I can't wait to see what adventures await Maggie and Watson in the upcoming installment.

I highly recommend that all mystery lovers and animal fans pick up a copy of A Hot Cider Homicide today!

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The book blends small-town charm, Halloween spookiness, and a dash of suspense. This book is set in Wheatfield, following librarian Maggie Nelson and her loyal dog Watson, who has a knack for solving mysteries, during the Halloween season.

The book is well-paced, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. This book combines a great balance of both lighthearted moments and suspense, which makes it so much fun.

Maggie is a relatable and endearing protagonist, and her interactions with the quirky community members add warmth and humor. The characters are great, and the sense of community is a theme throughout the book. The Halloween backdrop, complete with flickering candles and whispered secrets, enhances the mystery, making it a perfect read not only for spooky season but also for any season for the Halloween lover.

This book is a must-read for anyone looking for a light yet intriguing Halloween-themed tale. I highly recommend this fun book.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book, just in time for Halloween! in this book, Lucy, owner of the bakery in Wheatfield convinced her best friend, Maggie, a librarian to go to a séance at the Old Mortimer house of course with her inquisitive, smart terrier, Watson. The old house was decked out for a spooky night. But the night turn even more chilling when the pompous obnoxious, surgeon, Dr. David Cavenaugh took one sip of his cider and drops dead. When Lucy becomes a suspect, Maggie and the great clue finding Watson along with Lucy and Maggie's friends, Brett who is a Journalist and Grant who is a Real Estate Agent, they dive into an investigation to clear Lucy's name. With lots of twists and turns, you just keep guessing until the end. I can't wait to see what the next adventure Maggie and Watson get into next. I highly recommend this book. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this 4 1/2 Stars!

I want to start by saying I received an ARC of this book. This is a cozy mystery book and part of the series A Maggie Neslon Cozy Mystery. When a man dies the main suspect is Maggie’s friend Lucy. As the evidence stacks up Maggie, Brett, and Grant investigate to find the truth. Will they prove Lucy is innocent? When they find multiple suspects who didn’t like the man how will they find the killer? There were times in this book I just didn’t like Maggie. She gets into it with the sheriff when he’s trying to do his job because she doesn’t like what he is doing. If her dad was the sheriff would she act the same way to him? She would drive me insane. She is the only reason I can’t give this book 5 stars. Grant, Brett, and Lucy are what made this book for me. I was shocked when I found out who did it. I’m hoping to see a romance finally bloom between Brett and Lucy as they are my favorites and deserve it. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Chere Gruver · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’re back in Wheatfield with another murder to solve!

This time around, the victim was a cosmetic surgeon from the city. Against her better judgment, Maggie was dragged to a séance by her best friend Lucy and their other friend Brett. No one expected the surgeon to fall over dead though. When Lucy ends up a suspect, Maggie investigates once again, along with Watson, her terrier. I really do enjoy these cozy mysteries. We get all of the investigating and following clues with none of the gore. I really enjoy all the characters in the Maggie Nelson Cozy Mystery series too, from the sheriff to Grant, Maggie’s realtor friend. The plots keep me reading, the characters keep me engaged and there are always twists and turns I did not expect.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mrs K.Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Hot Cider Homicide is an Excellent story about Maggie a Director of Library and her clever, sleuthing Dog Watson and her best friend Lucy who owns the Bakery. They attend a Seance with Madame Sophia when someone collapses and a Mystery starts. So Maggie, Watson with the assistance of Lucy and Brett a Journalist and Grant a Real Estate Agent look into the puzzle. But can they find all the pieces and the truth?
Superb story and series that I highly recommend you read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharmani Jayaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie, Lucy, Brett and Watson Maggie’s dog go to the old Mortimer House at Holloween for a séance. Murder takes place to add chaos . There is more than meets the eye to this intriguing read which has you on anticipation of finding the real culprit. I received this ARC copy via Booksprouts and recommend this book to other readers.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

A seance gone wrong, and everything points to Lucy. I enjoyed how the characters worked together and challenged each other to solve the case. A few surprises along the way made this just fun to read and follow along.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allow a day for this contemporary, small-town cozy murder mystery in Wheatfield, during October, featuring cider, Halloween, and politics.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this story. It was well written and the characters were believable. New author to me, will be looking for her other books. Recommend reading.