Whispers of Singing Trails

by Mara Emberly

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2026

Reviews

[Lorraine O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bailey Stewart's godmother had passed and she inherited her house in Singing Trails, where she used to spend her summers. So, she left her boring, stressful job in the city and moved there. . She loves the house, the neighborhood and the town. She's made more friends in a couple of weeks than she made all the years living in the city. Bailey and new friend, Emily, go to the Annual Springfest where the Fair Weather Ceremonial Bell will be rung after lunch. It is said to bring "fair weather" to the town. There are booths lined up with food and crafts, etc. They do a little shopping, grab some food and find an empty picnic table. As they are almost finished, a mom & her adult son, Thomas ask if they can sit there. Then at the top of the church stairs, Emily's friend, Pam announces that the Fair Weather Ceremonial Bell is missing! Suddenly the music stops and everyone is talking. Bailey goes to find Emily and they sneak in the church to look. The outer door was broken open and is splintered. There are drag marks in the back of the room. They find pieces of a yellow rope and a crowbar in sitting on an empty shelf. Bailey vows to herself that she is going to find the bell. The search begins. I know this sounds boring but it's the interpersonal relationships that are the story. What does this bell really mean to the town and it's people? That is the real story and it had me crying near the end. A real feel good read.
I am an ARC reviewer.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pleasant story about the search for the Fair Weather Bell, a landmark of the town of Singing Trails. Bailey has left a stressful career in the Bay Area and moved there after inheriting the home of her godmother Jean. She quickly starts looking for the bell, with friends Emily and Thomas, after it goes missing.

The pace was a bit slow, and there was some repetition. It’s understandable that Bailey would remember Jean, but there were too many flashbacks. At times it seems that Jean is mentioned in every other paragraph. Also, Mara Emberly, the author, often uses a stutter effect when someone is emotional or nervous about what they are saying; “h-how” “w-what”, etc. Doing this occasionally would have been fine, but it was overused.

I did enjoy the descriptions of Singing Trails and other places where Bailey goes. Emberly’s writing emphasizes the highlights of activities in a small town.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Book Sirens for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book. This was the definition of a cozy mystery! It has likeable characters, friendships and even maybe the beginning of a romance (maybe that will be explored in future books?). Bailey is a very likeable character who seems to try to find the good in people. I liked the flashbacks she had throughout the book about time spent in Singing Trails with her Godmother, Jean. The mystery was good as there were many characters introduced that it could have been so that was fun trying to figure it out. I look forward to reading more stories from Singing Trails!

[Betty Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cozy mystery centers around Bailey, a young woman whose friend finds a critical item needed for the community celebration missing. There was a a conspiracy to steal the bell and sell it. The conspirator was identified. He acknowledges that he planned to steal the bell but it was gone when he went in to steal it. Bailey found the bell.

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

[Kristen C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mara Emberly creates a really beautiful, winding atmosphere with this one. It’s got a bit of a lyrical feel to it, where the setting almost feels like its own character. The mystery unfolds in a way that’s more about the journey and the secrets hidden in the landscape than just rushing to a conclusion. It’s a super chill, immersive read that’s perfect for when you want to get lost in a story that’s high on mood and a little bit haunting in the best way possible.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She left her old life behind when she was tired of it and she moved into the cottage she inherited. She had hoped for a quieter life but a stolen treasure is going to pull her into trying to find out what happened. See if she can find it
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a great mystery tale

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good first novel by Mara Emberly. I liked the characters of Bailey, Emily, Rocket and the others that helped search for the bell. I love the tradition of ringing the bell for fair weather. I felt the story was just lacking a little substance. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I look forward to reading more books by Mara Emberly.

[Sherri Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed getting to know Bailey and her new friends. This story has a strong female protagonist, mystery, wonderful characters and small town heart. I read an advance copy of the book and these are my personal opinions.

[Rachel C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The characters were very fleshed out and had depth to them. Also, it was fun to follow along the mystery and I was excited to turn the page to see what happened next.