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MANAGED MAYHEM
NEW SERIES ALERT!
A fresh start, a failing novelty shop…
and a body no one expected to find.
Bridget Rowan is long overdue for a new beginning. So, when her eccentric, black-sheep aunt Agnes Nachtschmidt calls from France begging for help with her struggling shop, Nightsmith Novelties, Bridget doesn’t hesitate. A temporary job, free lodging in the apartment above the garage, and a chance to escape the wreckage of her life in Grand Rapids? It sounds almost too perfect.
Mill Creek, Michigan, is supposed to be quiet. Sleepy. Harmless.
Filled with hope, Bridget arrives to find a novelty store that hasn’t turned a profit in five years, overly curious locals eager to gossip about her mysterious aunt, and a discovery that changes everything, the body of the store’s former manager hidden in the basement. To make matters worse, Aunt Agnes suddenly goes completely silent, leaving Bridget alone to untangle a web of secrets she never asked to uncover.
As whispers swirl and suspicion grows, Bridget realizes that someone in town knows exactly what happened, and they’re hoping the truth stays buried. With no one else to rely upon, she’ll have to trust her instincts, ask the uncomfortable questions, and uncover the truth before she becomes the next secret Mill Creek keeps.
Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, small-town intrigue, and quirky shops, this charming whodunit blends humor, heart, and suspense into a page-turning mystery about new beginnings, and a past that refuses to stay hidden.
A fresh start, a failing novelty shop…
and a body no one expected to find.
Bridget Rowan is long overdue for a new beginning. So, when her eccentric, black-sheep aunt Agnes Nachtschmidt calls from France begging for help with her struggling shop, Nightsmith Novelties, Bridget doesn’t hesitate. A temporary job, free lodging in the apartment above the garage, and a chance to escape the wreckage of her life in Grand Rapids? It sounds almost too perfect.
Mill Creek, Michigan, is supposed to be quiet. Sleepy. Harmless.
Filled with hope, Bridget arrives to find a novelty store that hasn’t turned a profit in five years, overly curious locals eager to gossip about her mysterious aunt, and a discovery that changes everything, the body of the store’s former manager hidden in the basement. To make matters worse, Aunt Agnes suddenly goes completely silent, leaving Bridget alone to untangle a web of secrets she never asked to uncover.
As whispers swirl and suspicion grows, Bridget realizes that someone in town knows exactly what happened, and they’re hoping the truth stays buried. With no one else to rely upon, she’ll have to trust her instincts, ask the uncomfortable questions, and uncover the truth before she becomes the next secret Mill Creek keeps.
Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, small-town intrigue, and quirky shops, this charming whodunit blends humor, heart, and suspense into a page-turning mystery about new beginnings, and a past that refuses to stay hidden.
- GenresCozy Mystery
74 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2026
About the author
Patti Benning
335 books226 followershttps://www.facebook.com/Patti-Bennin...
When Cozy Mystery author, Patti Benning, isn’t busy plotting the deaths of multiple fictitious characters, she loves to spend time hiking with her rescue dog, Max, who is her bestest writing buddy.
Patti loves to cook and the food in her books has been tried and tested in her very own kitchen. She’s technologically shy, and stays away from social media a great deal, because it makes her feel more awkward and introverted than meeting someone face to face.
Writing is the perfect job for her because in her books, she gets to explore all the topics she loves, food, animals, crafts and reading. She loves her readers dearly, and is thankful for the opportunity to share with them through her work.
When Cozy Mystery author, Patti Benning, isn’t busy plotting the deaths of multiple fictitious characters, she loves to spend time hiking with her rescue dog, Max, who is her bestest writing buddy.
Patti loves to cook and the food in her books has been tried and tested in her very own kitchen. She’s technologically shy, and stays away from social media a great deal, because it makes her feel more awkward and introverted than meeting someone face to face.
Writing is the perfect job for her because in her books, she gets to explore all the topics she loves, food, animals, crafts and reading. She loves her readers dearly, and is thankful for the opportunity to share with them through her work.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 9, 2026
A Good Start to a new Series
This talented and prolific author always comes up with interesting stories, plot lines, and characters. A young woman moves to a new town to get away from an unpleasant situation, doing her aunt a favor by working in her novelty store while her aunt is out of the country. But she finds that it isn't quite that simple. The store is an unorganized, jumbled mess, the store manager is missing, and the only other employee quit as she entered the store for the first time. To make everything worse, she discovers the body of the missing manager in her aunt's basement. It will be very interesting to see what unfolds next in what surely seems like another winning series.
This talented and prolific author always comes up with interesting stories, plot lines, and characters. A young woman moves to a new town to get away from an unpleasant situation, doing her aunt a favor by working in her novelty store while her aunt is out of the country. But she finds that it isn't quite that simple. The store is an unorganized, jumbled mess, the store manager is missing, and the only other employee quit as she entered the store for the first time. To make everything worse, she discovers the body of the missing manager in her aunt's basement. It will be very interesting to see what unfolds next in what surely seems like another winning series.
February 19, 2026
When one series ends, readers can always rely on a new series from this author and it’s one I know I’m already liking a lot. Bridget might take a little getting used to, but I really liked her neighbor Janet who was super helpful when she could tell Bridget needed the help. Nothing says welcome like an employee quitting the minute you walk in, right?
The mystery was a good one and pretty easy to figure out, but it was how Bridget and a new friend handled the showdown that was so cool. It sounded like Bridget was willing to get to know this nice new guy better, but for now all she wants to know is how the heck her aunt’s store keeps running without many sales. Can’t wait to read the next book!
The mystery was a good one and pretty easy to figure out, but it was how Bridget and a new friend handled the showdown that was so cool. It sounded like Bridget was willing to get to know this nice new guy better, but for now all she wants to know is how the heck her aunt’s store keeps running without many sales. Can’t wait to read the next book!
March 22, 2026
This is the first in a new series by Patti Benning. Bridget Rowan has agreed to run her Aunt’s shop in Mill Creek. It will give her a fresh start after a rocky time. She just has to run the shop, stay in the apartment above her aunt’s garage and check on the house at times. Should be a piece of cake, but it’s anything but that. Her aunt goes silent, running the shop is a nightmare and there’s a dead body in the basement. Will things get better? A perfect quick cozy mystery. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
February 28, 2026
A pleasant read
This introductory cozy book is a good introduction to the community and some of the characters we can expect to meet in the future. The novelty shop will give opportunities for many directions in the future. I think I’m going to go ahead and get book number two just to see how this goes.
This introductory cozy book is a good introduction to the community and some of the characters we can expect to meet in the future. The novelty shop will give opportunities for many directions in the future. I think I’m going to go ahead and get book number two just to see how this goes.
January 31, 2026
Nightsmith novelties Cozy
This is a new series for me. This takes place at a Novelty shop instead of a book store . The characters are interesting. There is a murder. I didn't see the murderer
This is a new series for me. This takes place at a Novelty shop instead of a book store . The characters are interesting. There is a murder. I didn't see the murderer
February 14, 2026
First day at work, mayhem? mystery?
What a first day at work and at your new home. Good thing someone knew something about the store. But the house! Well trying to help out for your aunt and her novelties store has turned out to be not what she expects. Now what..
What a first day at work and at your new home. Good thing someone knew something about the store. But the house! Well trying to help out for your aunt and her novelties store has turned out to be not what she expects. Now what..
January 9, 2026
I loved it!!!
January 15, 2026
A frets start with a novelty shop turns up a dead body with secrets. Answers will come to the surface as the past will come wth new beginnings, A new series with a proms in start.
March 2, 2026
Another great new series by Patti. I loved the characters and the storyline so much. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher.
March 29, 2026
Good book
It's a short book so if you are looking for a quick read this would be a good one. The story line and the characters are interesting.
It's a short book so if you are looking for a quick read this would be a good one. The story line and the characters are interesting.
April 11, 2026
Really good
A great start to a new series from one of my favorite authors. I look forward to reading more to see what happens next.
A great start to a new series from one of my favorite authors. I look forward to reading more to see what happens next.
April 23, 2026
Dead Man Found in Basement
I enjoyed what there was of this story, but it ended rather abruptly. I hope the next book has more of a mystery to solve.
I enjoyed what there was of this story, but it ended rather abruptly. I hope the next book has more of a mystery to solve.
February 1, 2026
I've been working my way through a lot of Patti Benning mystery novellas, some of which have better premises than others - the motel one where people keep dying is a bit of an issue for me, because I definitely wouldn't want to stay somewhere where a body a week is turning up, but the search and rescue dogs one at least has the excuse for why she keeps finding dead people. Anyway this is the first in a new series, once again set in Michigan where our heroine is Bridget who has been called in by her aunt to go and help with her novelty shop. The aunt is in Europe on holiday and things seem to be going wrong in her absence so she offers Bridget a free room in the apartment above her garage if she'll go to Mill Creek and sort it out. Bridget has her own reasons for wanting to get away from her normal life but when she arrives in town she discovers a shop that doesn't seem to have made any money in years, a missing store manager who then turns up dead in her aunt's basement. The mystery is good enough but the potential for the series is better.
May 18, 2026
Very different but good.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews