Murder at the Toy Soldier

Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery #8

by Maddie Day

It’s a cold, wet, February on Cape Cod, but a murder at the local toy store blows an especially icy wind through town—and through bike shop owner Mackenzie “Mac” Almeda’s sleuthing Cozy Capers Book Group.

Mac is extra busy these days as she and Tim do their best as working parents of a preschooler and a baby, not to mention Mac’s participation in the Cozy Capers book group. With Ella’s 4th birthday approaching, Mac uses her lunch break to shop for a gift at the Toy Soldier, which is run by June Fadiman.

Behind the counter is Zia Carven, a young woman Mac recognizes as a shopper at the Free Grocery food pantry Mac’s father sponsors. Zia finds Mac a kid-sized gardening toolkit Ella will love and offers to gift wrap it. In a rush, Mac plans to pick it up after work. But at 5:30, she finds Zia slumped over the counter, dead, dried blood on a toy rifle nearby. The first police officer to arrive is June's son, August. Then June arrives and is upset to find the police won't allow her inside.

Mac’s mother, Astra, confides that she’d been trying to help Zia, and now the police want to speak with her, which worries Mac. Then Mac discovers that Zia had been in town searching for her birth mother, which only multiplies the questions—and the suspects. Just one thing is Mac and the book group will have to double down to find a killer who isn’t playing around . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Christmas

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Expected publication August 25, 2026

About the author

Maddie Day is a pseudonym for Agatha Award-winning mystery author Edith Maxwell.

As Maddie Day, Edith writes the Country Store Mysteries, from Kensington, set in southern Indiana. Maddie lived in the area some years ago and loves writing the adventures of Robbie Jordan, a country store owner and chef in South Lick, Indiana.

She also writes the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, with bike shop owner Mackenzie Almeida and her cozy mystery book group solving murders in a fictional Cape Cod village.

Her new Cece Barton Mysteries series, set northern California wine country, releases in fall, 2023

Please see Edith Maxwell's author page for more information about her other mystery series and her award-winning short stories.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun, light installment in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. While the culprit was obvious, the true charm in the series belongs to the side stories. Mac and her husband adopt his sister's children, and readers see all the poignant moments for new parents of a baby and toddler. Meeting up with all the store workers and owners brings a strong sense of community and the detectives nicely toe the line of "stay out of my investigation, you amateur" with "I appreciate how you can get details we don't easily have access to."

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Murder at the Toy Soldier (Book 8 of A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery)" by Maddie Day is set in late winter, almost spring. Don't let the cover fool you, it's not a Christmas cozy mystery. Mac is figuring out life with a new young daughter and new infant son. The adoption of her husband's sister's kids is moving forward and they seem to adjusting fairly well. It's almost the little girl's birthday and Mac goes to the local toy store for presents. This starts off the mystery for this book.

There is quite a but more armchair sleuthing in this one. However, Mac does still get a bit nosey at times. She thinks she's not coming across as investigating, but she does come across that way. At least I think so and I'm don't have a guilty conscience making me jumpy about people asking questions. This one just felt a bit of a stretch at times. Plus the overall story feels played out. Maybe time to change up main characters since there's a group effort to solve these.

[Jess Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters in this series have been such a joy to follow Mac and her entire, growing family are endearing and always full of surprises.

When the new staff member at the local toy store dies, Mac starts to investigate with help from her friends and family. I loved the family storyline more than the mystery in this installment. The mystery felt a little rushed at the end.

Overall a quick and fun read!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #KensingtonPublishing for an ARC

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have I read books one through seven of the Cozy Capers Book Group mysteries? No. Did I parachute directly into book eight and immediately accept that a mystery book club solving murders is just a normal community activity in this town? Absolutely. At a certain point, Cape Cod needs to have a town meeting.

Murder at the Toy Soldier follows Mac Almeda, who is currently running a bike shop, raising two small children with her husband Tim, participating in a mystery book club, maintaining relationships with approximately every resident of Cape Cod, and, apparently, investigating homicides. The woman has the schedule of three separate people.

The whole thing kicks off when Mac stops by a toy store to buy a birthday present for her daughter. Normal mom errand. In and out. Maybe grab a juice box afterward. Instead, she comes back later and finds the young employee who helped her lying dead behind the counter. Which is terrible. Also, if I were Mac, I'd start ordering everything online.

What I enjoyed about this one is that it isn't really obsessed with the murder itself. The victim, Zia, ends up being much more interesting than I expected. As Mac starts pulling on threads, all these questions about Zia's past start surfacing, and the mystery slowly becomes less about who killed her and more about who she was. There was something genuinely sad underneath all the cozy mystery mechanics that gave the story a little more weight than I was expecting from a book with a toy soldier on the cover.

The real star, though, is the community. Everybody knows everybody. Everybody is connected to everybody. Everybody has information they probably should have shared sooner. Half the conversations in this book feel like gossip disguised as civic engagement, which, to be fair, is exactly how small towns operate.

I also kind of loved that Mac's mystery book club hears about a murder and collectively reacts the way the Avengers react to a sky beam appearing over Manhattan. They're ready. They have theories. They're mobilizing. The police are over there trying to conduct an investigation while the book club is basically running a parallel government.

The mystery itself was good, though I can't pretend I was shocked by the final reveal. This isn't one of those cozies where your jaw hits the floor. It's more one of those cozies where you're happily following along with a cup of tea while side-eyeing every person in town. The ending came together a little fast for me, but by that point I was honestly more invested in Mac's family than the suspect list.

And that's probably why this worked for me even as a newcomer to the series. The murder is fine. The mystery is solid. But the reason people clearly keep coming back eight books later is because they want to spend time with these characters. Mac and Tim trying to figure out parenting while simultaneously existing in a town with an absolutely unreasonable murder rate ended up being the thing I cared about most.

By the end, I felt like I'd spent a few days hanging out in a charming coastal town where everybody brings casseroles, joins book clubs, helps raise each other's children, and occasionally discovers a corpse between errands. That's a weirdly successful vibe. Not every mystery landed perfectly for me, but I had a genuinely good time. Call it four stars.

Whodunity Award: For Running a Murder Investigation Through the Power of Community, Friendship, and Aggressive Book Club Participation

Huge thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. At this point I'm mostly impressed that Cape Cod still has enough residents left to keep opening new businesses.

[DeeG Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

After really enjoying the previous book in this series, I couldn't wait to pick up the next one, and it didn't disappoint.
Mac and the Cozy Capers Book Group are back to solve another murder, this time after a young woman is found dead inside the local toy store. As always, Mac can't help but get involved, especially when the investigation starts hitting close to home.
This was another fast, engaging read with a well paced mystery that kept me turning the pages. I loved being back with Mac, her family, and the Cozy Capers gang. They all work so well together, and catching up with them is one of my favorite parts of the series.
There were a few moments where I was genuinely on the edge of my seat, wondering if Mac had gotten herself into more trouble than she could handle. She has a habit of getting a little too involved in these cases, which definitely adds to the suspense.
I also liked seeing Mac and Tim balancing life with two young children. Sometimes adding kids to an established series changes the dynamic, but that wasn't the case here. They fit naturally into the story without taking away from the mystery.
While returning readers will appreciate seeing familiar faces again, I think this could still be enjoyed as a standalone. The mystery is easy to follow, and the characters are introduced well enough that you never feel lost.
Overall, this was another fun, cozy mystery with an engaging cast, a solid mystery, and plenty of small town charm. I'll definitely be picking up the next Cozy Capers mystery.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the book.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mac Almeda runs a bicycle shop in a small Cape Cod town. She stops in the local toy store to buy a gift for her daughter's fourth birthday and discovers that the young woman working there, Zia, is dead. Mac works with her friends, the Cozy Capers Book Group, to solve the mystery ... as she finds herself in danger from the mysterious culprit.

I wanted to read Murder at the Toy Soldier because I love cozy mysteries. The toy store caught my interest as well.

I have not read the previous books in this series, but had no problem jumping in and enjoying this book as a standalone read. That said, I would like to continue with future books in the series.

Mac is an interesting amateur detective. She's relatively newly married and a new adoptive mother (of a 4 year old girl and a 6 month old boy). She is from the small town and has family and lifelong friends there. The detecting work by her book group is intriguing; I love the way they have a text chain and impromptu meetings with action points of what they each should do next to solve the mystery.

I had this case figured out early on, but I enjoyed Mac's detective work. This is a fast paced read with short chapters and lots of movement with the mystery and the characters.

Murder at the Toy Soldier is a fun read that I recommend for other cozy mystery fans.



Thanks to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy of this book.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Toy Soldier by Maddie Day takes us back to Mac’s Bikes and Mac and Tim, the baker, and their new family. The explanation as to how they came to adopt an adorable four-year-old girl, Ella, and a baby boy, Luca, is in a previous book. It seems to be a new trend in cozies to have children and I really like it. Mac is cognizant of the fact that she needs to be more careful now that these babies are dependent on her and she tries. In fact, she was picking up a birthday present for her Ella when she discovered the dead body of the clerk. Mac and her “book club” can’t resist. This is a small town and they have tentacles everywhere. Day has put together an amazing set of characters in this story, the best being Mac’s grandmother, Reba, who lives in an apartment on Main Street and keeps a pretty close eye on what is going on. Mac’s father is a minister and her mother is a psychic. Odd? Yes, but it fits together nicely.

PpA scary murder, but solvable. So sad. And it makes me even more skeptical of politicians, despite the fact this is fiction. It was a terrific mystery with all the requisite components. The characters are great and the plot is good. It is like returning home, which is one of the goals of a cozy mystery.

I was invited to read Murder at the Toy Soldier by Kensington Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #KensingtonPublishing #MaddieDay #MurderAtTheToySoldier.

[Tracy Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mackenzie, 'Mac' Almeida and her husband, Tim, are on a steep learning curve having recently adopted his niece and nephew especially as they are still running their individual businesses. Planning ahead Mac has ordered a gardening set for daughter Ella's birthday but when she goes to collect it she instead discovers a dead body! Determined to help get justice for the young victim, especially as the police want to speak to her mother about their relationship she once again enlists her Cozy Capers Book Group members to investigate why someone would kill a toy store assistant. As the number of suspects increases and they find actual clues harder to come by Mac begins to wonder if they will ever solve the increasingly problematic killing.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Publishing, Kensington Cozies, but the opinions expressed are my own. I really enjoyed this, as I have all of this series. The addition of Ella and Luca means there is another layer to the storyline which is lovely and having spent decades living with a shift worker can appreciate the accuracy of the amount of evenings Mac spends alone! There is a visiting US Senator in this story who I would have liked more scenes with as he was so awful and entitled that he was brilliant! Recommended.

[Carole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Murder at the Toy Soldier is a gentle, traditional cozy mystery that will likely appeal to readers looking for a light, wholesome read with an amateur sleuth and a close-knit community.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the right fit for me, despite having enjoyed the series up until now. I found the main character so utterly wholesome and polite that she never quite felt a real person, and I wanted more depth and nuance in both the characterization and the dialogue. The writing style is straightforward and accessible, but with nothing challenging my mind it felt rather boring.

There were also a few details that pulled me out of the story. One in particular was a scene wher they reference discounted happy hour drinks, despite the novel being set on Cape Cod, where Massachusetts law prohibits traditional happy hour drink specials. A small inaccuracy like that tends to put me off.

Readers who enjoy very clean, comforting mysteries may have a different experience, but I personally prefer cozies with more layered characters, more natural dialogue, and a stronger sense of place.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Deborah Almada · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always enjoyable to visit with Mac and the gang on Cape Cod. Even though it is winter on the Cape, the bike shop is still steady, but the real change for Mac and Tim is the expansion of their family with the addition of Ella and Luca. With Tim's orphaned niece and nephew added to the family, Mama Mac and Papa Tim have their hands full! Mac finds herself at the Toy Soldier during her lunch break shopping for birthday presents for Ella's upcoming fourth birthday. She is surprised to deal with a young recent addition part time employee but while shy Zia seems pleasant and Mac agrees to pick up the wrapped presents on her way home so she can get back to the bike shop. Unfortunately, when Mac returns after closing the shop, she finds Zia's body hanging over the counter, and she is dead. What follows is Mac and the book club's attempt to find justice for the young lady while living safe lives and putting new priorities first. This is an interesting mystery with several locals and a prominent politician, all as viable suspects! Thanks so much to #Netgally, #KensingtonCozies, and the author for an opportunity to read. #MurderattheToySoldier #CozyCapersBookClubMysteries #MaddieDay #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 8th book in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. It’s set on Cape Cod. The time of year is late February, so it’s cold and gets dark early, which plays into the lightly scary factor when Mac heads home from the bike shop.
Mac and her husband Tim are settling in as new parents to Tim’s sister’s two children. Ella is nearly four and Luca is around six months. The children’s presence in Mac’s life has brought a number of changes to how Mac conducts herself if compared to early books in the series.
Ella’s upcoming birthday is the reason Mac visits the toy store and meets the girl who becomes the victim.
Zia had secrets, and it seems that they may have been behind her death. There were several suspects some more plausible than others.
I enjoyed seeing Mac with her family and with the book group, who were ready to investigate as soon as they learned of Zia’s death.
I enjoyed reading Murder at the Toy Soldier. My enjoyment was tempered with sadness. The reason behind the murder hit a little harder than usual. I recommend this book and encourage the reader to pick up the series from the beginning. Each is an intriguing mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of the book.

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed every book in this series, so I was over the moon to read #8, Murder at the Toy Soldier by Maddie Day. The Cozy Capers Book Mystery series is set on Cape Cod with an appealing set of characters--including Mackenzie “Mac” Almeda, amateur sleuth. She and her husband, Tim. are the guardians of his sister's two young children, both have busy work lives, and they make it all work to include their own interests. Mac is part of the Cozy Capers mystery book club and she great at finding and figuring out clues.

When Mac shops the local toy store for gifts, she finds the young saleswoman dead --- the hunt begins to discover "whodunit". This is a fast-paced page turner that I could not put down. It was great fun to reconnect with the characters I have grown invested in. Though this is a series, it will be easy to jump in with is book. Then you will be hooked!

I recommend this cozy mystery to readers who like a small-town atmosphere, friends who support each other, families, and fast-paced adventure.

Many thanks to #NetGalley #Kensington #MaddieDay #CozyCapers #MurderattheToySoldier

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the next book in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery series, MURDER AT THE TOY SOLDIER by Maddie Day, Mac (Mckenzie Almeida) is the protagonist. Mac is married to Tim, owns a bike shop, and has two adopted children, (a preschooler, Ella, and a baby, Luca). I want to know what happens.

It is a joy to return to Mac’s world and the Cape Cod setting. I enjoy the characters, even though there seem to be a lot of them. Mac’s life seems quite realistic. I would have liked the death to occur earlier in the story. The text messages are appreciated to continually update the plot that comes to a satisfying conclusion. Short chapter keep the story moving forward. There seems to be a good balance of Maddie’s life and the mystery. I am inspired by the backstory and look forward to continuing Mac’s saga in future books. Thank you, Kensington Publishing and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of MURDER AT THE TOY SOLDIER.

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book eight in the Cosy Capers Book Group Mystery series featuring Mackenzie 'Mac' Almeda who owns and runs a bicycle shop in a Cape Cod village.

Mac and husband, Tim, have become instant parents when they adopted Tim's sister's two small children. Mac is collecting toys she purchased from the local toy shop, The Toy Soldier, when she discovers the shop assistant's dead body. When this becomes a murder case Mac and her friends in the Cosy Capers Book Group start to investigate.

Adding the characters of the children to the story brings a new interest as we watch Mac and Tim adapt their lives to the new situation. I also liked the easy relationship between Mac and the local police. This cosy mystery was an easy, entertaining read. Four stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Katie K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was beyond excited to get an ARC of this book—this series is one of my favorites. It’s a perfect addition to the Cozy Capers mysteries. The story moves along at just the right pace, with an engaging plot and a variety of suspects (as usual). I especially loved how the author handled the main character’s transition from being a married woman to a married woman with two kids to care for. In other books I’ve read, adding children can change the tone or mood, but Maddie Day does an amazing job making the transition feel seamless. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantastic cozy mystery series to binge-read!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of the books in this series and have enjoyed them all. It was nice to see how well Tim and Mac are doing as parents after adopting Tim’s sister’s two children. Mac is getting over her OCD as she realizes that is impractical with small children living with her and Tim. There is a murder of an employee of the Toy Store. Tracking down the killer also unveils personal secrets of some of Mac’s friends. I enjoy the way Mac’s parents and grandmother are so involved with their daughter and her family. The book also mentions some current issues such as wind turbines. It had a satisfying ending. I received this book from NetGalley.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series and was so happy when I was approved to read an ARC from #NetGalley and #Kensington. Murder at the Toy Soldier is the 8th book in the Cozy Capers mysteries by Maddie Day. While I was pretty such you the killer was, I couldn't put the book down. I loved seeing how Mac's family has grown and how she has grown as a wife and mother. The setting and the characters make it an enjoyable read anytime of day, but especially at the end of the day when you're winding down. I highly recommend this book.

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mac finds a woman dead in the toy store and the young woman’s death saddens her and fires up the Cozy Capers book club to find out what happened. With politics in the mix, things could turn ugly. Can Mac and the gang ferret out the killer without becoming the next victim? So many secrets, so many suspect, but which one truly dunit?


Another great entry in this series set in Cape Cod. Who doesn’t love a Coastal setting and a feisty bird who adds to the charm of this cozy series? Edith Maxwell always delivers a solid entry in all of her cozy series.

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mac and Tim have adopted his sisters two children, daughter Ella and baby son Luca. Mac goes to the toy store to get a birthday present for Ella's 4th birthday. She meets the new clerk, Zia, who offers to wrap the gifts, and says Mac can come back later in the afternoon to pick them up. When Mac comes back, she finds Zia dead. Mac and her friends jump right in to figure out the culpret. It seems that Zia had moved nearby because she was searching for her birth parents. Mac and her friends continue to sleuth, and of course Mac soon gets herself on someone's death list. The book has very exciting moments. Mac's family is interesting and the plot is well done.

I thank Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC so that I could read this book before publication. It's a great cozy mystery.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the eighth book in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery. What I really liked in this book is Mac and Tim putting the children first. They are adopting two of Tim’s deceased sister children. The baby and the toddler. The mystery was obvious to me.

The heartwarming aspect was the family feeling and the stories involving the children and Cokey. Everyone is excited about the birthday party and the adoption.

I cannot say enough good words about this series or this book.

Netgalley allowed me to read an advance e-copy of the book and these are my own opinions.

[Christine Lussier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mac and her new little family are the center of this story. Stopping in to the toy store to pick up a birthday present for her new daughter, Mac meets a new clerk, Zia.
Zia is later found murdered and Mac, along with the cozy crew and her family are determined to find out who did it and why.
The story can definitely be a stand alone as lots of background information is giving throughout. Two killers in this one, easily determined who they are by their attitude.
Thanks to NetGalley, Ms Day, and Kensington Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read other books in this series that I enjoyed, I was excited for this one. While I enjoyed the mystery part, I felt like some of the personal stuff for the protagonist could have been trimmed a little? I found myself not caring as much about all of the things happening in her life and I found myself putting the book down a few times while reading because of it.

It really could have just been the wrong time for me to read this book in all honesty.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Shaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Maddie Day for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder at the Toy Soldier coming out August 25, 2026. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve really enjoyed this series. I love the east coast and the setting is very idyllic. I loved the Christmas theme. Overall, it was cozy and fun. There were parts that weren’t as cozy. I don’t want to give anything away. But I would check out more books by this author.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

#8 in the series and still delivering great books! Exactly what I want a cozy mystery to be and love how the group of amateur sleuths has grown as the series as progressed. Of course love the local elements of this as well, being a MA girl -- just thankful the author chose to make the Senator in this installment from Rhode Island instead :)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Sheila Penwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this cozy where Mac, the amateur sleuth along with her mystery club help solve mysteries. In this one one Mac goes into the Toy Soldier to buy a birthday gift for her daughter and meets Zia. Mac has to get back to work so Zia says she will wrap them up and Mac can pick them up but when she gets back to the store she finds Zia dead. Now the sleuthing begins . A Very GOOD COZY MYSTERY.

[Jade Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mac and The Cozy Capers keep getting into trouble, they just can't stay away from a good mystery. Mac is growing into a wonderful mom, and is continuing to adjusting to her new life. I'm sad that Yvonne wasn't able to get to know her daughter more and that we didn't get to see justice take the wheel. Overall a good cozy and I enjoyed all the twists and turns.

[Grace Koshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mac and her husband Tim are busy now raising his late sister's two children: a preschooler and a baby. With Ella’s 4th birthday approaching, Mac goes to the Toy Soldier store to buy an appropriate gift for the budding gardener.

Mac meet Zia Carven working at the toy store. When she returns to pick up the gifts after work, Mac finds Zia's dead body in the store. Who would want to kill this young woman? With the help of the Cozy Capers Book Group members, Mac learns that Zia was searching for her birth mother. Despite Mac's sleuthing time being reduced by her new family duties and bike shop business, she and the rest of her friends come up with several possible motives & suspects. But it's another close call for Mac when the killer confronts her alone at the bike shop.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Kensington. All opinions are my own.