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Mirror Pond #1

Death at the Gazebo: A Mirror Pond Cozy Mystery

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First in a new cozy mystery series from Minnie Crockwell Settling into her new condominium on Mirror Pond, novelist Sallie Chilcoat feels lost in Ashburn, Virginia after moving to the state for love of a man. But with the end of that relationship, she finds herself at loose ends. She stares out the window at the pond and contemplates learning to kayak...or taking up painting...or climbing Mount Everest. Movement in the overwater gazebo catches her eye, and she grabs up her people-watching binoculars to see a man sitting inside the gazebo playing an accordion. Curious about the musician who plays such a rare instrument, Sallie trots down to the pier to investigate. The term “investigate” takes on a whole new meaning when Sallie reaches the gazebo to discover not a happy musician, but a dead body and a missing accordion. Forget Mount Everest! Sallie finds herself immersed in the mystery of the Death at the Gazebo. Death at the Gazebo is Book 1 of the Mirror Pond Cozy Mysteries. Don’t forget to read the Will Travel for Trouble series of cozy mysteries listed below. Book 1—Trouble at Happy Trails Book 2—Trouble at Sunny Lake Book 3—Trouble at Glacier Book 4—Trouble at Hungry Horse Book 5—Trouble at Snake and Clearwater Book 6—Trouble in Florence Book 7—Trouble at Tombstone Town Book 8—Trouble in Cochise Stronghold Book 9—Trouble in Orange Beach Book 10—Trouble at Pelican Penthouse Book 11—Trouble at Island Castle Book 12—Trouble at Yellowstone Book 13—Trouble at Devils Tower Book 14—Trouble in El Paso Book 15—Trouble in Diablo Canyon Book 16—Trouble in Santa Fe

142 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2020

8 people are currently reading
11 people want to read

About the author

Minnie Crockwell

30 books39 followers
Minnie Crockwell is the author of the "Will Travel for Trouble" series of short cozy mysteries featuring Minnie, recreational vehicle (RV) enthusiast and traveler, and her companion, Peregrine Ebenezer (Ben) Alvord, a 19th century cartographer with the Lewis and Clark expedition who just happens to be a ghost! The short cozy mysteries feature Ben and Minnie's adventures on the road as they discover that no one knows what goes on behind the closed doors of those happy campers. Join them for a bumpy ride!

Minnie lives, travels and writes full time in a Class A recreational vehicle. Although she owns a house in Washington State, she enjoys living in other towns and states which the RV allows her to do. She enjoys hearing from readers. You can contact her at minniecrockwell@gmail.com. Minnie also writes time travel romances as Bess McBride.

Book 1: Trouble at Happy Trails
Book 2: Trouble at Sunny Lake
Book 3: Trouble at Glacier
Book 4: Trouble at Hungry Horse
Book 5: Trouble at Snake and Clearwater
Book 6: Trouble in Florence
Book 7: Trouble in Tombstone Town
Book 8: Trouble in Cochise Stronghold

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Kim.
1,163 reviews16 followers
January 5, 2021
This is an entertaining start to a new series by Author Minnie Crockwell. The characters are realistic to quirky. I'm eager to see how they evolve throughout the series. The mystery is full of twists and turns to keep the reader and our sleuths guessing who the murder was.

Narrator Michell Babb does a fantastic job bringing the characters to life; she gives each character his/her own distinctive voice. She makes the listening experience enjoyable. She is a natural storyteller.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.
Profile Image for Michelle Courtney.
Author 21 books92 followers
February 19, 2021
Very good book. I really liked this. Storyline flowed, easy read, entertaining, likeable and realistic characters. I would read more from her.
Profile Image for Anne Rightler.
1,972 reviews35 followers
January 11, 2021
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed most of Minnie Crockwell's Will Travel for Trouble campground series, I was eagerly looking forward to reading Death at the Gazebo, the first book in a new series. I was not disappointed and now am looking forward to the next book about Sallie and her friends. The author keeps reader interest high with action, good characterization, and a fast pace to the story. Add in a little romance and readers have a delightful cozy murder mystery.
I listened to a copy of the audiobook and the narrator, Michelle Babb, does a nice job of giving characters their unique voice, making for an enjoyable listening experience. I enjoyed the book and look forward to listening to any other books that may come in this series. I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Brenda Allen.
1,551 reviews4 followers
January 19, 2021
Good book the narrator could of been better but it was good. Would read again.
Profile Image for Martha.
867 reviews49 followers
February 13, 2021
I liked this easy listen, cozy mystery.

Sallie is a romance novelist although romance didn’t work out so well for her after she moved to Virginia to be with the man she loved. Soon thereafter he ended their relationship. Now she is sort of stuck in her condominium taking breaks from writing by jogging around the condominium ponds and gazebo. One morning she spots a man playing an accordion in the gazebo. When she comes back around, she finds him dead!

Before the police arrive, a local couple appears at the crime scene and Sallie notes that the wife is struggling with grief while the husband is struggling with anger. Soon, the local gossip chain, including Sallie’s across the hall neighbor, gets busy sharing information and Sallie learns the deceased was seen with multiple women, some married, who could be suspects. The suspects expand to jealous husbands too.

The police detective shares some information with Sallie as she shares the local gossip information and the efforts of her own unauthorized sleuthing. Meanwhile, Sallie is coordinating information with the condominium handyman, Bill, a man she has some interest in. But she is cautious since other single women surely find bachelor Bill interesting too. And it seems that Bill is very reluctant to discuss his own past. Sallie and Bill both have some emotional history that leads to misinterpretation of signals.

The characters are likable, and the plot has several suspects to keep things moving along. Some of the writing seemed simplistic but that was okay. I enjoyed the easy flow of the mystery, the light humor, and the hint of a possible romance. I like this as a first of a new cozy mystery series and would be interested to read more. I recommend this to fans of the genre looking for a quick read/listen.

Audio Notes: Michelle Babb does a nice job with the narrations. She is able to give enough voice to the characters to keep them distinct while she also provides fitting emotion and energy. I enjoyed the listening experience.

Source: 1/8/2021 Author Audible Code.
Profile Image for Lis Carey.
2,213 reviews139 followers
December 25, 2020
Sallie Chilcoat is a romance writer, one who moved from her home state of Washington to Virginia, to be with the man she thought she was in love with. That didn't work out, but she's still in Virginia, living in a fairly high-end small town, in a condo development that's very nice, but with a mortgage she can afford.

Sallie tries to keep her writing career to herself, but she's living across the hall from a friendly, likeable, extremely chatty gossip. Beth is an older woman, friendly and outgoing, with no family anymore. Sallie enjoys her company, even if she has to watch what she says.

Then one day, she's looking out the window of her condo, and sees a man playing an accordion in the gazebo. She goes out for a walk, and on her way back, she finds the accordion player still in the gazebo, but no longer playing. He is now dead.

She calls 911, and before the police arrive two of her neighbors, Cass and her husband Dan, arrive. Dan says they barely know the dead man, Alan Staples, while Cass seems far more upset than bare acquaintance makes likely. It's not long before Sallie, and Bill, the handsome handyman whose looks she's been admiring, are conducting their own investigation of their neighbors.

They're both smart, observant, competent people. They also both have their own set of emotional insecurities, though we see Sallie's from the inside, as it were, and Bill's only through what Sallie observes. Amongst their neighbors, both in the condo development and in the nearby area, they find a plentiful supply of potential suspects. The dead man turns out to have been a ladies' man who has been making trouble among the ladies since he was a teenager in a foster home.

This is a lively, fun story, and Michelle Babb, as always, does a great job with the narration. Recommended.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the narrator, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
Profile Image for Elena Alvarez Dosil.
872 reviews14 followers
January 5, 2021
Review originally published at: https://lomeraniel.com/book-review-de...

When I heard that Minnie Crockwell had a new cozy mystery series, I knew I had to listen to the audio version.

Sallie Chilcoat is a writer in her thirties who recently moved to a condo on quiet Mirror Pond, where neighbors like to go outside and relax on the pond shore, dog owners stroll around, and fishing aficionados try their luck. Sallie is out during one of her walks when she finds a body at the most unexpected place.

One of the things I like about Minnie Crockwell’s novels is that she quickly gets into the thick of things. We see the dead man even before we know Sallie’s name, so even if we do not know much about our main character, Crockwell gets us hooked from the start. I enjoyed slowly knowing Sallie and her neighborhood while she did some sleuthing and collected all local gossip. It was a light, easy, and very pleasurable listen, as all cozy mysteries by Minnie Crockwell are. Now that’s what I call instant gratification.

Another good reason to listen to this audiobook was that it is narrated by Michelle Babb. She interprets characters like second nature, making them sound natural and easily recognizable, which is a plus for dialogs. She delivers retorts and punch lines in a way that makes the listener “see” the characters talking to one another. Michelle Babb’s narrations are always so very enjoyable.

Let me tell you that Michelle Babb, Minnie Crockwell, and cozy mysteries are the perfect trifecta when I am in the mood for some relaxing and careless reading. It is like the triple chocolate cake of books, a true guilty pleasure.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Profile Image for Julie Howard.
Author 2 books31 followers
December 23, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I love the authors Will travel for trouble series so thought I would give her new series ago too. Glad I did because it is just as much fun (without the Paranormal aspect). There is plenty of suspects to keep you guessing and it is a nice little mystery that unfolds well, there is even a mystery surrounding the love interest. The story had me hooked as I tried to guess who the killer was. The characters are fun and it is a series I will be looking forward to listening to.
Sallie is an author and unless she makes herself get out and exercise she finds that she spends the day staring at the computer screen or out the window. So when she sees a man sitting under the gazebo playing an accordion she decides it is a good time to get out of the apartment. When she arrives at the gazebo she is surprised to find him lying on the floor apparently the victim of a murder. She is joined by a married couple and the apartments handyman Billy before the police arrive and with the strange behaviour going on Sallie finds herself offering help and friendship to the distressed wife. With a nosy neighbour living opposite and police asking for information Sallie soon finds herself teaming up with the handyman to find the killer. The dead man was a ladies man and it doesn't take long to find a motive for his death, jealousy. but can they work out which one killer him?
Michelle Babb is one of my favourite narrator's and she is a big reason why I gave this author ago in the first place. She is a pleasure to listen to and has a certain way of always brings the characters to life.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
278 reviews3 followers
December 29, 2020
Minnie Cockwrell has a new lightweight mystery series, A Mirror Pond Cozy Mystery, to accompany her “Will Travel for Trouble” series. The first entry, Death at the Gazebo, is mildly entertaining and diverting and I enjoyed listening to it, in part because it didn’t require a lot of concentration to follow. That may sound like a backhanded compliment, but it really isn’t. There are times that listening to something that is a bit lighter is a good thing and I find myself there right now. The new protagonist, Sally Chilcoat, is an independent, mid-thirties woman who is quite capable of taking care herself with a writing career that is successful enough to support her. Good for her. The book centers around the murder of a fellow condo resident in Mirror Pond’s gazebo. I found it sort of funny that he wooed many women by his charming manner and playing an accordion, a seemingly long forgotten instrument—I think of Lawrence Welk (younger readers will say, “Who?”) and polka bands. Sally and the resident handy man share an attraction, though Sally is insecure around all the seemingly more attractive women in residence. I’m not sure that Sally’s insecurities around other women won’t grow old if that continues in future books—there almost seems to be a reversed bias against attractive women. There is certainly room for Sally and Bill’s relationship to develop in future books and there are plenty of questions about Bill’s past to be explored and answered.  

The narration by Michelle Babb was very good, which I expected from her readings of previous books. 

I give the book three stars and a half stars because, though it is lightweight and somewhat predictable, I enjoyed it and thought it was fun. 

I was a given a free copy of this audiobook by the narrator in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write an honest review. 
3,981 reviews14 followers
December 27, 2020
( Format : Audiobook )
"Jealousy was an ugly thing."
The first in a new cozy mystery series by Minnie Crockwell, Death at the Gazebo was always going to be a light, amusing and easy read, with oddball characters and somewhat bizarre murders. Told in the first person by Sallie, a 35 years old recent resident in the Mirror Pond condos, still coming to terms with her renewed single status, and an author of light romantic novels, who discovers the body of an accordion playing man in the lake side gazebo. Along with the crime solving in this shifter chattering gathering of condo residents, we the readers also meet the numerous characters who are likely to star in future episodes - like Ben, the popular handiman, for example, and nosy friend Beth from the condo opposite.

This book is fun, not to be taken seriously, but is also setting the scene for future mysteries and will surely improve as the folks become more familiar.. It is always a pleasure to hear Michelle Babb, the narrator.She brings a sparkle to every reading. I was fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of Death at the Gazebo, at my request, by the rights holder. Thank you. I look forward to future stories in this new cozy mystery series.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
345 reviews17 followers
January 2, 2021
A very interesting story since I got the chance to listen to the audio version of this book. As far as cozy mysteries go I have to say I liked it.

Sally Chilcoat ended up at Mirror Pond because of some guy and when things didn’t work out she focused on writing her book and getting herself into shape by taking daily walks . One day as she was walking around the pond she took note of a guy playing the accordion in the gazebo and as she made it back around realized the guy was laying on the floor of the gazebo and ran to check on him. That’s when she new something was terribly wrong and called 911 Sally knew she had to find out who had killed him and why? Let the sleuthing begin as she starts digging into the lives of the Mirror Pond community and finds a couple of allies in Bill the handyman and her neighbor Beth .
So many ups and downs and twists in this adventure that you are wondering who done it until the end.

The narrator does a great job in bringing the characters to life and giving them their unique voices. Very enjoyable to listen to.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review .
Profile Image for Terri.
2,371 reviews52 followers
January 29, 2021
I listened to the audio version of this book. I have listened to many Minnie Crockwell cozy mysteries and as much as I like her characters of Minnie and Ben in those, I was glad to see she's writing something a little different. The story was full of new and interesting characters. The mystery of who killed the man at the gazebo took me some places I wasn't expecting as Sallie and Bill discovered more about his many "conquests". My very favorite part was the Epilogue in which Ms. Crockwell gave us an update on what ended up happening to the different characters--nice touch!
I love the even tone of Michelle Babb's voice for these cozy mysteries. It's very easy to listen to.
I was given a complimentary copy of this audiobook. All thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for April.
2,201 reviews58 followers
December 26, 2020
Death at the Gazebo: Mirror Pond Cozy Mysteries, Book 1
By: Minnie Crockwell

This is a short cozy mystery with the female protagonist is a romance

writer, that is drawn into a real life murder mystery. Lots of suspects,

lots of nosy neighbors, and plenty of funny moments. Fun 1st book in a

new series.


The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed. Michelle

Babb makes this a fun listen.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have

voluntarily left this review.
261 reviews6 followers
May 13, 2020
I love the Minnie Crockwell books, so I really thought I would like this. It wasn’t my favorite. I like Sallie, Bill, Beth, and Sam, but this book didn’t have the same charm for me as the RV books with the ghostly companion. I can’t really say why, it just didn’t flow as well. I will try another though..
Profile Image for Tammy Bulcao.
918 reviews11 followers
December 28, 2020
A fun Mystery!💜

This was a fun murder mystery. Like all good murder mysteries there were a few twists & tons of suspects.
The narration was good for the most part, she has a great narration voice.

Sisters Spotlight 💜
Profile Image for Jocelyne.
4,924 reviews22 followers
April 24, 2021
This is the first book in the Mirror Pond Cozy Mysteries Series. This is a great start to the Series. The characters are great, and the plot is intriguing and interesting. I like the sleuthing, and the twists and turns. Michelle Babb did a great job with the narration. I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for AMANDA.
194 reviews
November 1, 2022
Another fun cozy mystery from Minni Crockwell. I love her series with Frannie Shoemaker and this one is just as fun. Killer was kept a mystery til the end. I didn’t figure it out. And the same narrator as her other books and I enjoy her, Michelle Babb.
Profile Image for Deedra.
3,932 reviews40 followers
October 7, 2021
This was a good book.It was about a busy body who helps the police solve crimes.Narration was good.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
Profile Image for Deedra.
3,932 reviews40 followers
October 14, 2021
This was a good book.It was about a busy body who helps the police solve crimes.Narration was good.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
Profile Image for Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs'.
2,792 reviews44 followers
April 12, 2021
This was such great escapism - mixture of comedy, romance, murder, gossip it has it all. And I just love listening to Michelle's narration and always enjoy these audibles.

The book is set in a complex and there is lot of romance and interesting characters. You can see that this is a start of a series and you do really want to know what else happens to their journey. Do people get together?

I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review which I have done.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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