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Mt. Abrams Mystery #1
A Mother's Day Murder
Mt. Abrams was the kind of small, quiet town where, as any of its residents would tell you, nothing ever happened. That was why Ellie Rocca loved living there, even if her ex-husband did not.
But even small towns had secrets, as Ellie discovered when Lacey Mitchell suddenly disappeared. Ellie caught Lacey’s husband in a lie, and one small discovery led to another until it became apparent that nothing about the Mitchell’s was quite what it seemed.
Mother’s Day was just around the corner. With a sexy detective on the case, and Ellie and her friends getting closer to the truth, can Lacey Mitchell be found in time to enjoy the day with her sons? Or was something more deadly going on?
This novella is 35K words, the first in the Mt. Abrams Mystery Series
But even small towns had secrets, as Ellie discovered when Lacey Mitchell suddenly disappeared. Ellie caught Lacey’s husband in a lie, and one small discovery led to another until it became apparent that nothing about the Mitchell’s was quite what it seemed.
Mother’s Day was just around the corner. With a sexy detective on the case, and Ellie and her friends getting closer to the truth, can Lacey Mitchell be found in time to enjoy the day with her sons? Or was something more deadly going on?
This novella is 35K words, the first in the Mt. Abrams Mystery Series
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 12, 2015
575 people are currently reading
1460 people want to read
About the author
Dee Ernst
34 books379 followersDee Ernst was born and raised in New Jersey, which explains a great deal about her attitude towards life. She loved reading at a very early age, and by the time she was ten she had decided to become a writer. It took a bit longer than she expected.
She went off to college, moved around a bit, had a job or two, a husband or two, and a daughter or two. It was the birth of her second daughter at the age of forty that got her thinking about what to do with the rest of her life. That was when she decided to give writing a real shot.
Dee loved chick-lit and romantic comedy, but hated the twenty-something heroines who couldn’t figure out how to go and get what they wanted. She began to write about women like herself — older, confident, and with a wealth of life experience to draw upon. She got an agent but no sales, and took the plunge into self-publishing in 2010.
In 2012, Better Off Without Him became an Amazon bestseller. She signed with Montlake Publishing, which went on to re-release Better Off Without Him and launch A Slight Change of Plan in 2013.
Since then she has written across several genres (cozy mystery, YA/fantasy, women's fiction) gone from full-length novels to short stories, and has written for Lake Union Publishing. She self-publishes under the 235 Alexander Street logo.
She is still in New Jersey, where she writes full-time. She lives with husband #2, daughter #2, a few cats and a needy cocker spaniel. She loves sunsets, long walks on the beach, and a really cold martini.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
May 10, 2019
4.5 stars
MUCH better than most small-sized KU independent mysteries tend to be. Writing style, characterization, and small town charm make it a slice above the rest.
While the mystery part didn't start heating up more intensely until later, I was enchanted with the main character, a mother who has come off weight loss with daughters after a mid-life change. It almost felt like the comedy The Burbs, where a group of friends start getting nosy about weird neighbors. Fun stuff.
Her friends and their health walks with the wine and dogs felt absolutely natural. The conflict of still being hung up on her ex-husband who bailed was also natural but not usually touched upon with this kind of novel that usually keeps it simpler, but the new relationship felt mixed between downright cute/funny and warming. Sometimes kids can be annoying in these, but that wasn't the case here - instead the mother has to start letting an older daughter go when she wants to move on with her life, while consoling a younger daughter who doesn't feel the same. Even the dog had a convincing personality.
Mystery wise it was good. There were some small twists. The strength of the story didn't like in a complex mystery, but how the small town was woven up into this tragedy under their noses.
Another thing was a surprisingly dark and gritty finale mixed in with standard cozy mystery fare. Despite convincing humor this book didn't keep it so light and fluffy that it was airy as some cozies tend to be. This helped put it a pace above the rest, with the mental illness coming across chilling, and the final dream sobering - hard to forget.
Highly recommended for cozy mystery fans.
MUCH better than most small-sized KU independent mysteries tend to be. Writing style, characterization, and small town charm make it a slice above the rest.
While the mystery part didn't start heating up more intensely until later, I was enchanted with the main character, a mother who has come off weight loss with daughters after a mid-life change. It almost felt like the comedy The Burbs, where a group of friends start getting nosy about weird neighbors. Fun stuff.
Her friends and their health walks with the wine and dogs felt absolutely natural. The conflict of still being hung up on her ex-husband who bailed was also natural but not usually touched upon with this kind of novel that usually keeps it simpler, but the new relationship felt mixed between downright cute/funny and warming. Sometimes kids can be annoying in these, but that wasn't the case here - instead the mother has to start letting an older daughter go when she wants to move on with her life, while consoling a younger daughter who doesn't feel the same. Even the dog had a convincing personality.
Mystery wise it was good. There were some small twists. The strength of the story didn't like in a complex mystery, but how the small town was woven up into this tragedy under their noses.
Another thing was a surprisingly dark and gritty finale mixed in with standard cozy mystery fare. Despite convincing humor this book didn't keep it so light and fluffy that it was airy as some cozies tend to be. This helped put it a pace above the rest, with the mental illness coming across chilling, and the final dream sobering - hard to forget.
Highly recommended for cozy mystery fans.
January 24, 2023
I have begun to enjoy these short mysteries that are termed 'cozy', even though I'm male and hetero. I enjoy murder mysteries in general and whodunits. This one is not a whodunit because the reveal is a bit of a cheat, but still sufficiently compelling that I figuratively inhaled this novel. One of the problems with a cozy is that because they are so brief there is seldom enough characterization or plot, and this is about 200 pages so a little on the long side for a cozy, but still a very quick 200 pages. The plot is good, but again Ernst sacrifices characterization for plot. Not a terrible choice, but is it too selfish to want more of a good thing? I needed more characterization because to my way of thinking, characterization adds heart to story. Just my two cents.
April 29, 2020
A humorous, romantic who-done-it 😁
A Mother's Day Murder by Dee Ernst is a character driven who-done-it that is witty and humorous with a touch of romance! A terrific plot, great dialogue, and spicy characters really make this a stand out book! Can't wait to read the next one!
A Mother's Day Murder by Dee Ernst is a character driven who-done-it that is witty and humorous with a touch of romance! A terrific plot, great dialogue, and spicy characters really make this a stand out book! Can't wait to read the next one!
June 6, 2021
I finished this book a couple of days ago and liked it mostly.
My main issue with this cozy mystery was that it's very crowded with unnecessary characters (at least for this first in series) - I was wondering several times 'Who's that?' and had to look up who's who (love the search feature in the ebooks *grins*). Other than that it was one of the more enjoyable cozies and very well written and edited - after so many indie books full of errors, plot holes, ... that was really great.
I liked the main character very much - especially her job: freelance book editor specialised in mysteries. I like especially that she's not sleuthing alone but with her three walking friends, supported by their friends. The budding romance to a police detective was very well crafted and added to my enjoyment, the ex-husband muddying the waters not so much.
I hope to continue this series but am waiting for a price deal (apart from this 200-pages book, all following are between 110 and 150 pages so the current price is higher than I'm willing to pay).
My main issue with this cozy mystery was that it's very crowded with unnecessary characters (at least for this first in series) - I was wondering several times 'Who's that?' and had to look up who's who (love the search feature in the ebooks *grins*). Other than that it was one of the more enjoyable cozies and very well written and edited - after so many indie books full of errors, plot holes, ... that was really great.
I liked the main character very much - especially her job: freelance book editor specialised in mysteries. I like especially that she's not sleuthing alone but with her three walking friends, supported by their friends. The budding romance to a police detective was very well crafted and added to my enjoyment, the ex-husband muddying the waters not so much.
I hope to continue this series but am waiting for a price deal (apart from this 200-pages book, all following are between 110 and 150 pages so the current price is higher than I'm willing to pay).
February 28, 2019
Very well written.
Warning: Do not start before bedtime, as this is a compelling story you won't want to put down. Well told and well plotted with surprising last- minute info. Until this reveal I couldn't predict the guilty one.
Warning: Do not start before bedtime, as this is a compelling story you won't want to put down. Well told and well plotted with surprising last- minute info. Until this reveal I couldn't predict the guilty one.
January 31, 2019
I would have liked to give this a five.
This was a good read with lots of humor and well developed characters. The plot had plenty of twists and turns and kept me guessing to the very end. I'm just not sure why a book this good had to put in the f### word and make unnecessary sexual remarks. They were few and far between, but totally inappropriate. Otherwise, I would have given it a 5++!
This was a good read with lots of humor and well developed characters. The plot had plenty of twists and turns and kept me guessing to the very end. I'm just not sure why a book this good had to put in the f### word and make unnecessary sexual remarks. They were few and far between, but totally inappropriate. Otherwise, I would have given it a 5++!
August 27, 2017
Loved the main character - short
February 2, 2018
I enjoyed the characters in this book very much. And I enjoyed the story too. Ellie and her group of friends notice something strange with the neighbours. Very soon they are hot on the trail of a missing wife, a possibly murderous husband and a set of clues that lead them in many different ways. Of course there is a handsome police officer and ex-husband drama to keep it spicy.
December 29, 2015
(Reviewer's Note: I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review). I have previously enjoyed all of Dee's books--especially the fact that the heroines are close to my age and stage in life. This book was no exception. The main character and those closest to her are likable and interesting; enough so that I finished the book quickly. While I enjoyed the overall story, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and some of the character development was lacking. I got to a pivotal point in the story and was like, "Wait. Who?". A couple of the secondary characters (the ex-husband, the new love interest) weren't well developed, and I'm guessing this is simply because of the book's shorter format and that these people will be fleshed out as the series continues. Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the second in the series.
May 8, 2016
Exciting story
I found this book offered at no charge. Being Mother's Day, I decided to try it. What a good idea! This book was fantastic! I love My. Abrams and I would love to live there and hang out with all the characters in the story.
I now have another new series to enjoy and I can't wait to read the other books in this series The author has such a smooth style of writing that I felt like I was actually in the story. This cozy mystery has all the strong elements I look for, a good, strong plot, a believable cast of characters, and humor that will bring a smile to your face.
I found this book offered at no charge. Being Mother's Day, I decided to try it. What a good idea! This book was fantastic! I love My. Abrams and I would love to live there and hang out with all the characters in the story.
I now have another new series to enjoy and I can't wait to read the other books in this series The author has such a smooth style of writing that I felt like I was actually in the story. This cozy mystery has all the strong elements I look for, a good, strong plot, a believable cast of characters, and humor that will bring a smile to your face.
April 29, 2018
Ellie and her walking buddies in the close-knit community of Mt. Abrams are surprised to learn that Lacey, a neighbor across the pond, has disappeared. After catching the nervous husband in a lie as to his wife's whereabouts, the group is determined to unearth the truth.
Very short story, great characters, engaging.
Very short story, great characters, engaging.
March 13, 2024
Very light & entertaining.
A good story line, plenty of family characters & mystery, so the story read smoothly & was enjoyable to the end.
A good story line, plenty of family characters & mystery, so the story read smoothly & was enjoyable to the end.
November 1, 2019
I received a pre-print copy of this story to read in exchange for an honest review, which I will provide now. In all, I enjoyed this book. It's the first one I've read by this author and I would read more by her in the future. The writing is done well and descriptions are interspersed not given all in a lump at the beginning of a paragraph, which makes for a quicker read. The entire town comes to life on the pages and it felt like I was living there or had been there, although that was aided by growing up in one myself. I loved the sense of knowing the town, as if it was a separate character of its own. That being said, I gave it four stars for a reason. There are a lot of characters introduced and I didn't feel as if I ever really kept all of them straight, but bear in mind that this is the first in what is going to be a series, so there is plenty of time to get to know the individual characters later. The mystery felt a bit like an afterthought. If you want to read a mystery alone you may be disappointed. It felt more like a romance with a mystery entwined, although I'm not complaining at all. I loved the build up and characters all came to life. I really liked them, all of them, even the ones you never really get to know well. They could have been real people and everything was realistic, which is another thing I enjoyed. I look forward to the next book in this series.
November 28, 2017
I adore Dee Ernst's writing style. I've read several of her books, and I enjoy her characters so much, they're so real and wonderfully flawed and funny and lively. This book was good, kept me entertained, but was not up to her usual depth of story, plot and character development, perhaps because it was more of a short novella, than a novel. These characters seemed like people I'd enjoy getting to know, but I just didn't feel like I got to know them as well as I do the characters in her other books. I usually feel like I know her characters so well, they're like friends of mine, and I miss them when I finish the book. However, in the Mother's Day Murder, I didn't get to know them well enough to miss them, and I'm not sure I'll continue the series. As a loyal fan of Dee Ernst, I'm keeping an open mind, but I'm not feeling the pull to continue. I also did not sit down and finish this from start to finish due to multiple conflicts going on in my life this fall, but I didn't feel compelled to either. Usually when I start a Dee Ernst novel, it's all I can do to tear myself away! I'll definitely be looking for more books from this author, just not entirely sold on this series yet.
February 6, 2018
Again, Dee Ernst kept me reading, kept me away from cleaning, kept me away from doing the laundry...I thought that this book was fabulous. Again Ernst gets us into the lives of Ellie Rocca, and her neighbors in the "close-knit" Mt. Abrams community where everyone knows each other's business. She takes us to the familiar haunts of the Pizza Parlor, to the lake, to the Clubhouse, to her next door neighbors, who seem to live a "secret" life...Ernst takes us to observe Ellie's daughter, Tessa's bus stop and on her morning walks with other mom's of Mr. Abrams...We also find out how Ellie meets the chief of Police of Mt. Abrams, also a divorcee, over fifty, like Ellie, and how Ellie helps the Mt. Abrams Police department solve the latest murder of this quiet, quaint, peaceful community. On the side we also see Ellie deal with her feisty Mother, who tries to make Ellie feel guilty about her being in a Nursing Home...A Great fabulous read. Thank you Dee!!
May 13, 2024
It was a fairly short, cosy mystery that was light and entertaining. The only slightly negative thing about it was that there were a lot of characters that I struggled to keep up with, which meant that when the mystery was solved I was a bit confused and had to go back and check something.
The chapters were fairly long so you got a good chunk of the story before moving on. There were lots of little things being added to the story which whilst they made the chapters longer, it kept my interest.
There was a good flow to the book and I was able to keep on reading without feeling bored.
The characters were good. I enjoyed reading about the close knit community. It's not something that I would particularly enjoy in real life, but it is entertaining to read about! The length to which the characters went to get the gossip was extraordinary, which in turn made the answer to the mystery interesting.
Lastly the settings. These were imperative to making the story what it was. Whilst they were only lightly described they were just as important as the narration.
Overall a good story with lots of different elements that I enjoyed reading about.
The chapters were fairly long so you got a good chunk of the story before moving on. There were lots of little things being added to the story which whilst they made the chapters longer, it kept my interest.
There was a good flow to the book and I was able to keep on reading without feeling bored.
The characters were good. I enjoyed reading about the close knit community. It's not something that I would particularly enjoy in real life, but it is entertaining to read about! The length to which the characters went to get the gossip was extraordinary, which in turn made the answer to the mystery interesting.
Lastly the settings. These were imperative to making the story what it was. Whilst they were only lightly described they were just as important as the narration.
Overall a good story with lots of different elements that I enjoyed reading about.
November 7, 2025
This is the first book in the Mt. Abrams Mysteries by Dee Ernst. Ellie Rocca is a single mom of Cait and Tessa living the quiet life as an editor for cozy mysteries in the small town of Mt. Abrams. A local woman Lacey Mitchell disappears and her husband's story regarding her disappearance is suspicious. While Ellie investigates clues of Lacey’s husband's whereabouts she reveals that the Mitchells’ life wasn’t what it seemed. With Mother’s Day approaching, Ellie teams up with the charming Detective Sam Kinali and her group friends Kathy, Shelly and Carol to uncover the truth. This is a fast-paced, lighthearted mystery with small-town charm, quirky characters, and a dash of romance. I really enjoyed this wonderful cozy mystery novella.
November 12, 2025
This is the first book in the Mt. Abrams Mysteries by Dee Ernst. Ellie Rocca is a single mom of Cait and Tessa living the quiet life as an editor for cozy mysteries in the small town of Mt. Abrams. A local woman Lacey Mitchell disappears and her husband's story regarding her disappearance is suspicious. While Ellie investigates clues of Lacey’s husband's whereabouts she reveals that the Mitchells’ life wasn’t what it seemed. With Mother’s Day approaching, Ellie teams up with the charming Detective Sam Kinali and her group friends Kathy, Shelly and Carol to uncover the truth. This is a fast-paced, lighthearted mystery with small-town charm, quirky characters, and a dash of romance. I really enjoyed this wonderful cozy mystery novella.
March 9, 2018
A nice cozy mystery with a sleuth by default
Mt Abrams is a small town with a lot of “characters.” Our sleuth is a mystery editor by day, busybody by nature, as well as a single mom with a complicated romantic life. Her friends are nosy and chatty as well, all leading to the solution of a not quite mysterious disappearance of another mom.
I’ll definitely read the next books in the series.
Mt Abrams is a small town with a lot of “characters.” Our sleuth is a mystery editor by day, busybody by nature, as well as a single mom with a complicated romantic life. Her friends are nosy and chatty as well, all leading to the solution of a not quite mysterious disappearance of another mom.
I’ll definitely read the next books in the series.
March 25, 2018
Keep Religion off limits in a cozy mystery, please.
I chose the low rating because the author inserted her dislike of Catholics in this book. I assume it is because of the fictional brother's homosexuality, and the church's stance on the issue. Regardless, it is inappropriate for a cozy mystery to have such decisive opinions in Amazon. I read to escape reality, and do not wish to be reminded of such issues, even if I agree with the author.
I chose the low rating because the author inserted her dislike of Catholics in this book. I assume it is because of the fictional brother's homosexuality, and the church's stance on the issue. Regardless, it is inappropriate for a cozy mystery to have such decisive opinions in Amazon. I read to escape reality, and do not wish to be reminded of such issues, even if I agree with the author.
May 17, 2020
Nice small town set up. Good bunch of nosy friends in the walking group keen to help out Ellie and Detective Sam is a very promising romantic prospect. I hope ex hubby Marc doesn’t throw a spanner in those works. As to the mystery, it wasn’t too hard to figure out but it was a fun read anyway. I am keen to read more in the series but mostly for the town and characters and hopefully some progress in Ellie & Sam’s relationship that to solve a mystery.
August 12, 2021
A somewhat cute story. The author does a very good job of physical descriptions of the characters. However there are a lot of unanswered questions at the end. Some are not expected to be answered as this is a book in a series but why the swirl of people in a dream just a few words away from the last sentences?
A very quick read with some fun and a mystery that isn't solved by the reader by chapter two.
A very quick read with some fun and a mystery that isn't solved by the reader by chapter two.
January 19, 2024
I liked this book, but I wouldn't say I LOVED it. Ellie's character is one of my favorite characters because she is so curious and confident (in certain ways). I wish Ellie and Sam's relationship was a little more developed than it was, but its not a romance. I also think the suspense could have been done better, but overall it wasn't a bad book. I'm probably not going to read the rest of the series but I will say I'm glad I gave it a chance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2018
Winner for a first book.
This was a great story filled with friendship, red herrings, romance, regret, architecture, and small town stories. Did I mention people that disappear, a murder/suicide and a whale of an ending. Just the kind of a story to read on a cold winter afternoon, wrapped in an Afghan, in front of a fire. Bet the next one will be just as good.
This was a great story filled with friendship, red herrings, romance, regret, architecture, and small town stories. Did I mention people that disappear, a murder/suicide and a whale of an ending. Just the kind of a story to read on a cold winter afternoon, wrapped in an Afghan, in front of a fire. Bet the next one will be just as good.
January 31, 2018
I like this
I would’ve given this for stars, or even five stars. But the ending felt rushed. And the romance was so over done, it felt comical. I honestly could’ve done without those two things. But other than that the story is really cute, and the mystery is well done. It is a true cozy mystery.
I would’ve given this for stars, or even five stars. But the ending felt rushed. And the romance was so over done, it felt comical. I honestly could’ve done without those two things. But other than that the story is really cute, and the mystery is well done. It is a true cozy mystery.
May 31, 2018
this is an extremely fast pace story about a woman who wonders what happened to one of her neighbors. Once she starts being nosy she is sucked in to this murder mystery. interesting storyline I just felt like a couple things were missing so you were not as attached to the characters as you could have been. entertaining read
November 9, 2018
Mum's Day
Started reading as a light read,but became totally engrossed by the characters as they developed. Had guessed the character that must have killed the first victim about two-thirds of the way in, but not the identity of that character until the end of the book. Neatly twisted for maximum plot. Well worth a read.
Started reading as a light read,but became totally engrossed by the characters as they developed. Had guessed the character that must have killed the first victim about two-thirds of the way in, but not the identity of that character until the end of the book. Neatly twisted for maximum plot. Well worth a read.
September 25, 2019
A great read
I loved this book. It was familiar to me as I live in NJ too and can relate to the characters. I loved shortness of the book. Some, books I have found take forever to get to the bottom of things. This one did not. Also, I didn't come across any typos, grammatical errors etc as see a lot of in other books.
I loved this book. It was familiar to me as I live in NJ too and can relate to the characters. I loved shortness of the book. Some, books I have found take forever to get to the bottom of things. This one did not. Also, I didn't come across any typos, grammatical errors etc as see a lot of in other books.
July 14, 2022
I really liked this book. It was a light, fun and easy read. This was the first of Dee Ernst's books I've read but it won't be the last. The characters were so fun they brought the whole story come together and stick. I really can't wait to read another of Dee's books and hopefully it will be as much fun as this one was.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews