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The Landlord's Downfall: An Emma Carter Cozy Mystery
LANDLORDS, LIES, AND A DEADLY FALL ON MAPLE STREET
Bookstore owner Emma Carter expects her first date with charming veterinarian Jake Donovan to involve pasta, awkward flirting, and maybe a little gossip from the porch-sitting Maple Street Ladies—not a body at the bottom of a staircase.
When notorious landlord Edgar Whitlock dies after plunging from the stairs of one of his crumbling apartment buildings, the whole neighborhood has a motive. Furious Marcus Peck publicly blamed Edgar for evicting his mother after thirty years, while distracted waitress Paula Chen keeps lying about where she was before the fatal fall.
With Jake’s lovable dog Chewie sniffing out clues, Lucy spreading gossip faster than the town newspaper, and Emma’s mystery-novel instincts refusing to stay quiet, the trio uncovers secrets hidden behind freshly repaired stairs, rushed phone calls, and simmering grudges.
But someone in town knows exactly what happened at 412 Maple—and they’ll do anything to keep Emma from turning the final page on the truth.
Bookstore owner Emma Carter expects her first date with charming veterinarian Jake Donovan to involve pasta, awkward flirting, and maybe a little gossip from the porch-sitting Maple Street Ladies—not a body at the bottom of a staircase.
When notorious landlord Edgar Whitlock dies after plunging from the stairs of one of his crumbling apartment buildings, the whole neighborhood has a motive. Furious Marcus Peck publicly blamed Edgar for evicting his mother after thirty years, while distracted waitress Paula Chen keeps lying about where she was before the fatal fall.
With Jake’s lovable dog Chewie sniffing out clues, Lucy spreading gossip faster than the town newspaper, and Emma’s mystery-novel instincts refusing to stay quiet, the trio uncovers secrets hidden behind freshly repaired stairs, rushed phone calls, and simmering grudges.
But someone in town knows exactly what happened at 412 Maple—and they’ll do anything to keep Emma from turning the final page on the truth.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 3, 2026
Totally Disappointing
Lately I have read about 10 cozy mysteries from seven different authors. I have concluded that they are all AI generated. They all have the exact same formula. I don’t mean there is a murder, and an amateur sleuth to help solve the crime, and a town full of quirky characters. What I mean is that the protagonist is rude, arrogant and nosy. They have no police experience and no authority, yet they go around town interrogating people and surprisingly these people answer their questions. Totally unrealistic. If some weird stranger knocked on your door demanding answers to some crime you would tell them to leave and that you would only talk to the police. And that leads to the police being totally inept at policing. There is also an animal companion that seems to have unrealistic abilities when it comes to finding clues and determining answers.
With all that being said this book is exactly that. From the first chapter I found I had no interest or connection to Emma. She comes off rude and arrogant. In Chapter 10 Emma goes to Lorna’s to ask more questions and this is the conversation . . .
Emma: I’m asking why you said you were there.
Lorna: My whereabouts are my own concern.
Emm: That’s true, unless those whereabouts overlap with the time Edgar Whitlock died.
Lorna: You’re being very bold for someone who’s still quite new to this town.
Emma: You told me you were at bible study.
Lorna: And perhaps I didn’t feel like explaining myself to a stranger who showed up asking questions about a man who died in a fall.
Emma: That’s not an explanation.
Lorna: That’s all you’re getting.
Emma: I’m trying to understand what happened Wednesday night.
Lorna: You should let the sheriff do that.
Emma: He thinks it was an accident.
Lorna: Ant that should have been the end of it.
Someone doing what Emma is doing would be arrested for obstruction of justice. It is just too unrealistic to make the story engaging or enjoyable. I am truly disappointed in this story and do not recommend it.
Lately I have read about 10 cozy mysteries from seven different authors. I have concluded that they are all AI generated. They all have the exact same formula. I don’t mean there is a murder, and an amateur sleuth to help solve the crime, and a town full of quirky characters. What I mean is that the protagonist is rude, arrogant and nosy. They have no police experience and no authority, yet they go around town interrogating people and surprisingly these people answer their questions. Totally unrealistic. If some weird stranger knocked on your door demanding answers to some crime you would tell them to leave and that you would only talk to the police. And that leads to the police being totally inept at policing. There is also an animal companion that seems to have unrealistic abilities when it comes to finding clues and determining answers.
With all that being said this book is exactly that. From the first chapter I found I had no interest or connection to Emma. She comes off rude and arrogant. In Chapter 10 Emma goes to Lorna’s to ask more questions and this is the conversation . . .
Emma: I’m asking why you said you were there.
Lorna: My whereabouts are my own concern.
Emm: That’s true, unless those whereabouts overlap with the time Edgar Whitlock died.
Lorna: You’re being very bold for someone who’s still quite new to this town.
Emma: You told me you were at bible study.
Lorna: And perhaps I didn’t feel like explaining myself to a stranger who showed up asking questions about a man who died in a fall.
Emma: That’s not an explanation.
Lorna: That’s all you’re getting.
Emma: I’m trying to understand what happened Wednesday night.
Lorna: You should let the sheriff do that.
Emma: He thinks it was an accident.
Lorna: Ant that should have been the end of it.
Someone doing what Emma is doing would be arrested for obstruction of justice. It is just too unrealistic to make the story engaging or enjoyable. I am truly disappointed in this story and do not recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I liked it! I also like that the characters feel realistic. And who ends up being the culprit is appropriately scary.
Other notes:
Whether Jake has good detective skills or not, I too have been known to make up backstories for random people I see on occasion 😂 So maybe he’s just a creative writer!
“Lick them into submission.” Yeah—that’s about how attack-y my pets would be, too! 😂
“We’ve got maybe ten minutes before my nerves file for divorce…”
One point of contention: wouldn’t Tom have been immediately arrested and not just suspected once he confessed to what he did? That seems pretty evidential with intent to harm.
Obviously, I’m glad Emma kept investigating and proving more alibis and suspects in order to get the full story. But I just have my doubts about how all of this would work in real life 🤷♀️
Other notes:
Whether Jake has good detective skills or not, I too have been known to make up backstories for random people I see on occasion 😂 So maybe he’s just a creative writer!
“Lick them into submission.” Yeah—that’s about how attack-y my pets would be, too! 😂
“We’ve got maybe ten minutes before my nerves file for divorce…”
One point of contention: wouldn’t Tom have been immediately arrested and not just suspected once he confessed to what he did? That seems pretty evidential with intent to harm.
Obviously, I’m glad Emma kept investigating and proving more alibis and suspects in order to get the full story. But I just have my doubts about how all of this would work in real life 🤷♀️
June 5, 2026
Emma Carter is still on a high from solving a murder when the stairs at a nearby apartment house fall and the landlord is killed. Sheriff says accident but Emma doesn't really believe that and immediately starts checking alibis of the people that hated him the most. He was a slum-lord that raised rents, ignored tenet complaints, and didn't do repairs. Emma with Jake, her veterinarian boyfriend, and his dog Chewie, decided that she would figure out who did it even while she herself was getting threats.
With the help of the Maple Street Ladies she found the clues and helped arrest the bad guy.
I received an arc and this is my review.
With the help of the Maple Street Ladies she found the clues and helped arrest the bad guy.
I received an arc and this is my review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A fun mystery. Jake wants a date with Emma, and dead bodies seem to call Emma to figure out was it an accident or a cleverly thought out murder plot. The sheriff, of course, goes for the easy way out. Jake tries to protect Emma while she investigates, the dog, wants Jake and Emma.
Lovely setting, too.
I was provided a copy of the book; this review is given voluntarily and happily. I think you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
Lovely setting, too.
I was provided a copy of the book; this review is given voluntarily and happily. I think you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews