The Cold Case and the Corpse

by Debra Sennefelder

When foul play pays a visit to a snowy mountain retreat, Hope Early will have to battle the elements to catch a cold-blooded killer . . .

With her first cookbook about to be published, food blogger Hope Early decides it’s the perfect time to attend a weekend retreat with a life coach and take her career to the next level. Her hopes for a life-changing experience are soon dashed, however, when she realizes the woman’s wisdom is nothing more than buzzwords and hollow clichés. Suspecting she’s a fraud, Hope discovers the woman is a longtime con artist and is even linked to an unsolved murder. But before she can learn more, someone puts an end to the life coach’s scam—permanently.

News of the murder has put everyone at the retreat on edge, and the stakes are raised when a fierce snowstorm threatens to strand them all there with the killer. With everyone a suspect and at least one other person pretending to be someone they’re not, Hope’s determined to unearth any clues that link the victim’s sordid past with someone at the retreat. But the killer is dead set on stopping Hope in her tracks, and what started as a weekend to build an exciting future turns into a struggle to survive another day . . .

Includes mouthwatering recipes!

About the

Debra Sennefelder lives and writes in Connecticut, where she shares her home with her family and slightly spoiled Shih Tzu. An avid reader across a range of genres, mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. She’s the author of the Food Blogger Mysteries, the Resale Boutique Mysteries, and the Cookie Shop Mysteries. When she’s not writing, she’s either baking or reading. To learn more, visit her on the web at debrasennefelder.com.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2025

About the author

Debra Sennefelder is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.

Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companion is her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzu, Connie.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America.

She can be reached at Debra@DebraSennefelder.com

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Cold Case and the Corpse, by Debra Sennefelder, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Hope Early is doing well, but she decides to go visit a life coach, to see if she needs improvement, she picked the wrong life coach though. This was a nice cozy mystery, I like Hope and her friends. I also liked the recipe in the book.

[Tracy Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Successful blogger Hope Early is about to become a published cookbook author and is feeling a little stressed! Having followed a life coach for a while, she is delighted to discover she's holding a weekend retreat at a nearby lodge and happily signs up. Unfortunately, it soon becomes clear that Masie Cox isn't anything like her online persona. In fact, fraud is closer to how Hope would describe her! With the weather closing in and heavy snow forecast, Hope is determined to confront the woman and find out what's going on. With no phones or means of leaving, discovering a dead body isn't a welcome distraction and by the time they are finally rescued everyone at the lodge is a suspect and Hope knows she has to solve this before anyone else dies.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Beyond the Page Publishing, but the opinions expressed are my own. This was a dream read. It's not a locked room mystery but more of a who's hiding what and why mystery. I enjoyed every word, fell hook, line, and sinker for a throwaway clue and was miles off discovering whodunit. All the main protagonists were involved, and it ticked all my boxes for a cosy book experience. Highly recommended.

[Karen Stallman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved "The Cold Case and the Corpse" the 8th book in Debra Sennefelder's "A Food Blogger Mystery" series. Visiting Jefferson, Connecticut has become a pleasant escape.

I love Hope as she is real and I have become invested in her and what is happening around her. I like her family and friends, Claire, Jane, Drew and of course Ethan (ex Police Chief boyfriend) and the dynamics between them all. Don't get me started on her dog Bigelow, Poppy the chicken and Princess the cat!

Ethan's patience with Hope is truly saintly – I love how he supports her, even when she's barreling headfirst into danger.

With a few suspenseful moments as well as some lighthearted ones, but with plenty of twists and turns to keep us entertained. I did suspect the killer but I started second guessing myself as there was plenty of suspects.

The ending was wonderful full of food, friends, and community plus, that amazing announcement had me smiling. I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to see what’s next for Hope in this series and I look forward to reading the next book ...
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Beyond the Page and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kylie Forsythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Food blogger, Hope, is excited to attend a weekend retreat at a beautiful mountain lodge led by a life coach she admires. Unfortunately, she and others are quick to suspect that the woman is not only a fraud, but not who she says she is. Not long after, Hope discovers the woman's body. Someone at the retreat is a murderer, Stranded on a mountain retreat during a snowstorm with a killer is not an ideal situation, but it gives Hope an opportunity to narrow down some suspects. Once they are all able to head home, Hope can't help but search for the truth. With an engaging plot that rises in suspense until the very end, loveable characters, and recipes!, this book charmed me. I haven't read the earlier books in this series, but I can't wait to. Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is number 8 in the Food Blogger series with Hope Early. Hope is about to become a published cookbook author. She's excited to attend a weekend retreat led by a life coach that she follows. After realizing the coach is a fraud, things go from bad to worse at the retreat. When Hope finds the coach's dead body, she puts on her sleuthing hat.
This has a clever plot line, lovable characters, and kept me engaged the entire time. Hope is likeable and curious. It's perfect for cold and snowy days. I can't wait to see what's next for Hope. I highly recommend!

[Deborah Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cold Case and the Corpse
By: Debra Sennefelder

Publish Date: December 9, 2025

Publisher: Beyond the Page

Cooking, Food and wine/mystery and thriller

#TheColdCaseandtheCorpse#NetGalley





I would like to thank both NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Review:

I gave this book 4 stars. If you like food and mystery this is the book for you. You get both for the price of one. In this book Hope is a food blogger and is just about to publish her first cookbook. To help her to get everything done she has subscribed to a life coach, and she is going to a retreat for the weekend for a life changing event. She has recruited a few friends to go with her. The day of the event the weather is horrible and not getting better as the day goes on. Hope is able to make it to the lodge before the weather gets any worse. The retreat is supposed to start around 6 pm. Unfortunately, Hope isn't too impressed with the coach and some of the other people are acting funny like they know who the coach is before they even met. As the event continues on the weather has turned into a blizzard and they have lost power, and a power line has been knocked down blocking the entrance to the lodge so even emergency crews will have a hard time. One of the guests has brought up a discovery about the coach and all hell breaks loose. Everyone wants to go home but aren't able because of the weather. They are hoping for a better day tomorrow, so decide to go to the library and relax. The problem is they can't find several members of the group, so they go searching. Hope ends up in the basement to check things out and she discovers the coach in the sauna which has been blocked by a beach. The coach is no longer alive of course. She has to tell everyone, so she goes back to the library to let people know. During this time Hope's fiancé is on the way and he has brought a police officer to clear the roads. It's a good thing because now they don't have to wait until morning to report the murder. As normal the main character is an amateur sleuth and gets her nose into things that shouldn't be. Does she figure out who killed the coach and why? Well, you have to read the book to find out.

[boogleloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars: This is Sennefelder's eighth entry in the Food Blogger Mysteries Series which is a Culinary Cozy Mystery set in Connecticut. Featuring a food blogger and cookbook writer who finds herself turning sleuth after the life coach at the weekend retreat she's attending with friends and family not only turns out to be a fraud and connected to a missing person's cold case but winds up dead. News of the murder puts everyone on edge and when a fierce snowstorm threatens to strand them with the killer the stakes are raised. With plenty of suspects and at least one other person pretending to be someone they’re not, she’s determined to unearth any clues from the victim’s sordid past. Because the killer's dead set on stopping her and she'll have to work fast to survive this deadly retreat.

With plenty of twists and turns, Sennefelder has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Sennefelder's writing and character work are stellar; the main character's well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable with a great secondary cast that are well crafted and uniquely voiced.

• Takes place in January and features a winter storm.
• For Animal Lovers: there's the MC's adorable rescue dog, her fluffy white cat and everyone's favorite Rhode Island Red hen.
• Includes absolutely yummy sounding recipes.

While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, The Uninvited Corpse. This is a favorite series; highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

[Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

📱📖 Read on Kindle

📃 275 pages
⏱ Read time: 5 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Beyond the Page
🎁 ARC provided by NetGalley
🧁 Genre: Cozy Mystery

This is my first dip into Debra Sennefelder’s food blogger mysteries, and even though it’s book eight, I never felt lost. The relationships and callbacks to earlier installments are sprinkled in lightly, blending seamlessly into the current plot so new readers can catch the rhythm quickly.

Hope Early is refreshingly grounded as a sleuth. She doesn’t dive into danger with reckless abandon or keep crucial clues to herself. She communicates, collaborates, and still manages to stay likable and curious. There’s something comforting about a main character who uses both common sense and community to solve crime. Her circle’s involvement feels organic, and their support system adds that warm, familiar vibe that cozy mystery fans live for. And the setting? Between the blizzard, the tension, the personalities clashing like mismatched snow boots, and the lingering cold case haunting the narrative, it all blends into a smooth, bingeable mystery. The locked-retreat-turned-snowbound-trap is deliciously blends And Then There Were None tension with Hallmark-level charm. Clues drop at the perfect pace, red herrings are tasty, and the reveal felt earned instead of pulled out of thin air.

Bonus: the recipes sprinkled throughout actually made me pause my Kindle to Google whether brown-butter sage cookies are real (they are, and I blame Hope for the 11 p.m. baking spiral. My only tiny gripe? I now have seven books to add to my Everest-sized TBR. Send help (and stretchy pants).

Would I recommend it?
If you love snowed-in mysteries, smart heroines who don’t play detective responsibly, and food descriptions that attack your diet, grab this. Perfect winter escape read that’ll make you glad you’re warm and murderer-free. Add The Cold Case and the Corpse to your TBR right now.

Murder, snow, and soup. What’s your favorite cozy recipe while reading winter mysteries?

[Acantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really confusing one for me to rate and review.

I'm sorry but Hope is a really annoying main character. She is at once desperate to be liked by everyone and yet constantly going out of her way to annoy people in her quest to be nosy. And its not just during the investigation, she is sticking her nose very deeply into things before anything actually happens - why that obsession with a dark corridor? She also gets very pushy, has no issue with charging in and revealing info she has no right to yet gets weirdly upset when officials tell her they legally cannot share information with her? Some of the characters had extreme and strange reactions to moments that made no sense.

And yet.

And yet, this was one of the most compelling plots of a cosy murder I've read. I read this in two sittings, in one day, and while I am a fast reader, I'm not normally *that* fast when it comes to this genre, but I found myself thinking about it so much I had to pick it back up to see what happened next.

It was a complicated and decent tale, I loved that the author took the time to really build things up, to set the scene and let us get to know the victim before the murder actually happens. It gives us the chance to see possible motives play out and almost everyone in that lodge had a reason to want the victim dead. The plot was full of twists and turns, it was entertaining, page turning and very much 'just one more chapter' then over before you knew it.

There were layers, red herrings and it was a lot of fun.

~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~

[Tzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hope Early has life on the up. Having returned to her home town she has a fiance, two stepdaughters, a successful food blog and is about to launch her first cookbook. She along with her sister and a couple of friends attend a retreat with a renowned life coach - but it doesn't take long for it to become clear that all is not as it seems. Events take a sinister turn and everyone has a motive...

This was a really compelling read, far more so than I expected it to be. The plotline is clever and has a number of layers of complexity which I loved. There was a genuine build up of tension and suspicion before the murder takes place, the setting is brilliant and the method of murder is both unusual and surprisingly dark for a cozy book! There were plenty of plausible motives at play, and the eventual culprit still gave you a lovely twist.

The main frustration was the main character herself - I didn't find her to be the most sympathetic protagonist. She states that she has a need to be universally liked but at the same time she goes about things in such a way that it's impossible for her not to put noses out of joint. She also has a habit of making dangerously impulsive decisions. Melanie as a character is a strange one too, goes from being annoyingly chirpy to being really quite unpleasant for no apparent reason.

Despite the peculiarities, this book had an unusual page turning quality - when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it and when I was reading about it I couldn't put it down. Brilliant fun, definitely worth a read.

- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cold Case and the Corpse by Debra Sennefelder has Hope Early attending a life coach’s weekend retreat. I could tell that the weekend was not going to go well from the beginning. The treacherous driveway to the lodge confirmed my feeling of doom. The author captured the feeling of being isolated in a lodge during a raging blizzard (at least they had a generator). The story is easy to read, but slow-paced and repetitive. I always enjoy a locked room (in this case lodge) mystery. There are a handful of suspects, and it seems each person has a secret (what a bunch). Hope is too pushy when investigating. It seemed that a couple of the regular characters had attitude problems (Claire was peevish, the mayor was extremely annoying). The reveal happened suddenly (you need to hit the brakes, or you will slide right by it). There is a good wrap up at the end. Hope’s surprises do not end at the lodge. I had a feeling this particular news was coming after a certain person made a comment early in the story (I do not want to spoil it for you). The Cold Case and the Corpse is the eighth A Food Blogger Mystery. This book can be read on its own for those who are new to the series as the author provides all the necessary background information. There are (of course) recipes at the end of the book (a savory and two sweet).

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope and several of her friends attend a workshop intended to help them grow their businesses, but things fall flat after the first session. It turns out the woman leading their workshop is not only a fraud, but also wanted for questioning from a previous workshop that left one attended dead and another missing.

When Hope finds the woman dead and locked in a sauna, she realizes that she and her friends are snowed in during a blizzard with a murderer. Can Hope and the gang solve the murder before the murderer strikes again, or will this retreat and Hope’s business aspirations once and for all.

The eighth installment in this series is just as good as the previous seven. The author does a great job and each and every entry at creating not only awesome recipes but also a mystery that leaves you guessing until the end. Come for the mystery and stay for the recipes.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot description of a murder occurring while being isolated at a remote lodge during a blizzard drew me in. However, that was only the first part of the book. That said the plot moved along at a good rate and kept my interest until the end. I’ll admit that the main character’s sister was so annoying in the beginning I was hoping she was the victim. Additionally, the MC kept putting herself knowingly in harm’s way. She’d frequently muse that she should have someone tag along or let someone know where she was going. I get moving the plot along but this happened so often it also became annoying. This was the first book I’ve read in the series and this is one of those series where it appears it is best to read the books in series order. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eArc in exchange for a review.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cold Case and the Corpse is part of the A Food Blogger Mystery series. A snow storm is rolling through town just in time for the weekend retreat Hope is attending with her friends. It shouldn’t be a problem when they get snowed in, but when the leader of the retreat is found dead it becomes a problem. Will Hope be able to keep her curiosity at bay or will she dive into this mystery headfirst like the others?

I’ve always found this to be an enjoyable series and I liked this latest mystery as well. Hope is a good lead and I like the supporting characters. They make a great group. I was pulled in from the beginning of this mystery and enjoyed the twists and turns on the way to the resolution. This was a fun cozy mystery read and I look forward to seeing what else comes in this series.

[Alicia Kozak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the 'isolated area, stuck in a snowstorm' trope. I kind of wish they'd been stranded the whole book, to really get the suspense and isolation, and have to solve mystery on their own without police participation.
The fact that most of the suspects aren't who they say they are keeps things interesting, although I thought Hope got a little too pushy in her investigating this time. The reveal happened rather suddenly. Hope had a couple aha moments but never did identify Maisie's killer until they revealed themself.
I was surprised by Ethan's news as it's only been a book or two since his last career change.
As usual, there's some recipes included at the end that look great.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope can definitely be helpful and snooping to the point of being annoying, but she’s also very endearing, and something about her always makes you wanna forgive her. Luckily Ethan’s got the patience of a saint when it comes to dealing with her curiosity and penchant for getting herself into life and death situations. I liked how someone in the book put it, that she had more lives than her cat, lol.

The ending was awesome with food, friends and fellowship—along with an amazing announcement from someone. Can’t wait to read the next book now.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Beyond the Page via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

[Sally Wilsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cold Case and the Corpse by Debra Sennefelder

This was a very interesting and suspenseful cozy mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and will be reading more from this author.
Hope is about to publish her cookbook and feels kind of off kilter. She decides to get a life couch and attend a weekend retreat. It does not take Hope long to figure out that Maise is a con artist. Before she can do anything Maise turns up dead. Its up to Hope to figure out who the murderer is while trapped in a snowstorm.
This is a good cozy mystery, and I am looking forward to more and some more of the delicious recipes as an add on in the book.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley. While the mystery and overall writing in The Cold Case and the Corpse are competent, the novel ultimately feels unremarkable. It leans heavily—almost to the point of eye-rolling—on familiar cozy mystery tropes, including a protagonist repeatedly chastised for meddling in murder investigations and an almost constant tally of her food and drink consumption. The “snowy mountain retreat” premise that initially drew me in occupies only the first third of the book, and once that setting fades, the story becomes increasingly dull. Overall, it was a serviceable but forgettable read that failed to hold my interest.

[Britney Pelletier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 8 in the series. I was able to read it enough but do feel that if you read some of the prior ones it will help with the storyline.

Hope, a food blogger and amateur slueth, gets in over her head BUT cannot let go of solving the murder and gets herself into trouble. This cozy mystery is set un Jefferson, CT in the wintertime.

I do like how she's cooks as a comfort and the food always sounds good. I also liked how the story pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle.

Thank you to NetGalley, Debra Sennefleder, and Beyond the Page Publishing for this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope Early finds herself wrapped up in another murder investigation when things go wrong while attending a weekend retreat with a life coach.
The life coach is a fraud and has been involved in some sketchy situations, and Hope wants to uncover the truth about the life coach.

[Jarrett Connolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright i mean i don’t like life coaches either but damn. Jokes aside, the book delivers your fix of cozy mysteries and locked room mysteries at once. If you’re looking for a good mystery in these freezing months, perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley for ARC

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

1/10/2026 Never a fan of heroines rushing headlong into danger in order to advance the plot. The Salisbury Steaks were delicious tho! Full review tk at Criminal element.com.

[Sarah Woodhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

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