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Lucy is a human lie detector. Her rescue dog Paco is a ghost whisperer. Together, they solve crime in this laugh-out-loud cozy mystery series!

Lucy McGuffin has three problems:
She’s a human lie detector, a “gift” she tries hard to keep hidden.
Her rescue dog, Paco, is a ghost whisperer.
And someone’s just been found murdered in her kitchen.

The murder weapon? One of Lucy’s famous apple walnut cream cheese muffins. The victim? Tara Bell, the producer for a reality TV cooking competition that Lucy is determined to win. Lucy and Tara had some very public words the day before the murder. When it’s discovered that Lucy’s café was about to be disqualified from the show, all fingers point to Lucy as the prime suspect.

Travis Fontaine might be Whispering Bay’s newest heartthrob, but the know-it-all cop and Lucy have butted heads in the past. He doesn’t believe she’s guilty, and he’ll prove it. Himself. Without any of Lucy’s “special” help, thanks.

But Lucy isn’t about to sit back and let her goose get cooked. With her best friend, Will, and her dog, Paco, by her side, she sets out to solve the crime. Before someone gets away with murder.

NOTE: This book was previously published under the name Maria Geraci

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 2019

286 people are currently reading
1545 people want to read

About the author

Maggie March

23 books103 followers
Looking for your next addictive cozy mystery series? Maggie March delivers heartwarming whodunits that will keep you guessing until the very last page. Her stories blend clever mysteries with humor and just enough romance to make your heart flutter.

She brings the same warmth and humor from her close-knit family life – complete with a very patient husband, three grown children, two granddaughters, and one grumpy old pup – into her engaging mysteries that readers describe as "impossible to put down."

When she's not plotting her next murder mystery, you'll find Maggie at her favorite beachside café in Central Florida, testing yet another key lime pie in her quest for the perfect recipe.

Maggie loves hearing from her readers. You can write to her at maggie@maggiemarch.com

Maggie also writes heart-warming small-town contemporary romance as her alter ego Maria Geraci.

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5 stars
384 (59%)
4 stars
198 (30%)
3 stars
58 (8%)
2 stars
5 (<1%)
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2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
Profile Image for Krystyna.
5,134 reviews55 followers
July 5, 2019
Caught between a rock and a hard place

Terrific. A great plot in which our heroine not only has to prove her innocence, when she is framed for murder, but has to choose between the two men in her life (her BFF and the hunky police officer). Loved Paco and the rest of the gang. It's like revisiting old friends.
The documentary had seemed a good idea at the time but the more they got to know the producer the more all the contestants had doubts. Especially as she had plans to cause mayhem at their respective restaurants. Maybe they would have erne better off if the original location (they had suffered from a broken sewage line) had been kept. Now the producer was dead, her muffins sprinkled with cyanide and her mother thought that she and Tavistock were dating. What esl6could go wrong. Will she find the killer? What will she do about Will and Tavis? Is Will the famous author?
Profile Image for Marcia.
1,919 reviews30 followers
July 5, 2019
Book 3 is another deliciously funny murder mystery by Maria Geraci. Lucy McGuffin is a human lie detector and with the help of her dog Paco, has solved 2 murders in the small Florida town of Whispering Bay, which until lately had been known as the safest city in America. This book continues where the last one left off, with the Battle of the Beach Eats reality show in full swing, with 6 local eateries competing for the title of Best Beach Eat in Whispering Bay, until Tara the producer of the show is found dead on the floor of Lucy's cafe, The Bistro by the Beach. Despite being warned by officer Travis Fontaine to stay out of it, Lucy can't help not helping. With her best friend, Will Cunningham, at her side, she learns new things about him. Travis has given her an ultimatum to tell Will how she feels, before he will pursue a relationship with her. She is attracted to two men- who will she chose? And the clues about the identity of reclusive vest selling author J. W. Quicksilver, are clear to the reader, but not to Lucy.

I received free advanced copy of this book from the author as part of her "review crew". This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Profile Image for Pennie Morgan.
2,336 reviews10 followers
July 28, 2019
To say I have been enjoying this series would be like saying I enjoy breathing! This series is like none other, it is absolutely delicious right down to Lucy describing fellow characters by muffin ingredients. Seriously! Lucy has a gift (if you can call it that) of lie detecting but really she has inadvertently inherited a dog, Paco, who is a ghost whisper and dead bodies keep popping up in her vicinity. The latest one is Tara, the mean-spirited (best thing I could call her) producer of the Food Network show being down in town who had fired Lucy from the show. ...and she is found dead in her kitchen...and Lucy's muffins seem to have killed her...and Lucy is now feels she must find the real killer even though she promises she will not. Oh, the fun and antics she and Will get in to, along with Travis and the rest of the town and don't forget her parents! This is definitely a must read. Can you read this as a standalone? Yes but it would be much better with the entire series because this is such a great series! This would be a great pool or beach read!

**Received this ARC for review (but I would have read it anyway!)**
Profile Image for Annette.
3,167 reviews9 followers
July 5, 2019
This is just as hilarious as the title implies, in spite of there being a murder to solve. Love this series, Paco is as smart as ever and Lucy…..well her heart is definitely in it 100% when it comes to her sleuthing. Now, Will, her best friend, the librarian, is definitely a mystery to be solved and I can’t wait until more is revealed on the romance-side of Lucy’s life although I’m still torn which way I want it to go….Love this storyline and the authors writing style and I anxiously await the next mystery in Whispering Bay. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation from the author.
Profile Image for Bianca.
983 reviews5 followers
November 23, 2023
I wonder

I’m starting to wonder if every book is gonna have Lucy doing random accusations so her lie detecting abilities can sus out the culprit while making townspeople not like her, or become temporarily angry. I really don’t think that’s a way to maintain a series, although I’m not gonna lie I enjoy the plot, even if I don’t like when that happens in the story
Profile Image for Melissa Heaney.
31 reviews2 followers
July 18, 2019
I shouldn’t have finished it so quickly. I want more!!
Profile Image for Elaine .
652 reviews7 followers
July 7, 2019
You will be laughing out loud at the hilarious situations that well-being amateur sleigh Lucy gets herself into. She drags her maybe boyfriend Will along for the romp as well as her special dog. Sure, Lucy has solved two high-profile murder cases using her special talent of telling when someone is lying, and her dog who knows when someone dies. But this time it is really personal she is framed for the murder and her famous muffins appear to be the murder weapon! That is so rude. To add to the fun, the small town is full of quirky characters like the gray Flamingos, Sunshine Ghost Club, the pushy book club and all the gossips and other small town personalities.
Lucy and her muffins (did I mention that she can sense what variety of muffin you are?) are in the running for a national cooking show contest, which turns ugly. So Lucy fumbled her way through all the mess to try to find the killer. The dialog is all sparkly, and her internal dialog is so funny. Caution: you will crave muffins while you read this!
4,123 reviews21 followers
July 9, 2019
I almost want to say, “Shame on you,” to author Maria Geraci for making murder so much fun but I enjoyed Murder By Muffin way too much to be that hypocritical. In this third Whispering Bay Mystery book Lucy is there with her delicious muffins that are used in a murder. While I love Lucy, her dog, Paco often steals the show. I sure do love that dog!

While Lucy has been helping to solve two murders in the past, this time she is the prime suspect. Best friend Will is there to help, as well as Officer Travis Fontaine, who as always warns her to stay out of it. Does she listen? Well, she never has before.

Reality TV filming, interesting murder weapon, small-town complications with quirky supporting characters, a romance dilemma and one ghost whispering dog make this the most fun you will ever have solving a murder mystery.

The publisher/author gave me a complimentary ARC of the book which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Latoya.
250 reviews
May 12, 2025
Whispering Bay is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery destinations. Lucy is the prime suspect in the murder inquiry due to having an argument with Tara the day before. To make matters worse Lucy jokingly says she should have poisoned ☠️ the muffins she baked for Tara when things don’t go her way. 😬 This mystery was a fun case to solve especially since Lucy had a lot more to lose. I have to say that Brittany is really growing on me as a character and self proclaimed best friend of Lucy 🤭 I thought I figured it out but in true Maggie March fashion she got me with a little twist at the end. I enjoyed the cliffhanger and I can’t wait for the next installment to see if we learn the true identity of everyone’s favorite reclusive author J.W. Quicksilver. I also want to see if anything else develops in Lucy’s live life 😍 Overall I enjoyed this book and I will continue reading 📖 the series I give this 3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️✨
1,830 reviews18 followers
July 12, 2019
Lucy has helped solve several mysteries lately that even the police department couldn't solve. She pulled out her secret weapon, Paco, her dog.

Tara Bell is going to host a show in town called the Battle of the Beach eats. It was to be held in a neighboring town but a water pipe busted and they had to move it. Everyone loves Lucy's muffins and with all the fame she has been getting lately people thought she was sure to win. Everyone in the town liked Lucy but most of the town did not care for Tara Bell. So when Tara winds up murdered and she is found on the floor of Lucy's restuarant, Lucy has no choice but to help the police, even though she was told not to, find the murderer.

This was a great book and I really enjoyed it. Several times I thought I knew who murdered Tara but in the end I had the wrong person.

Profile Image for Bobbie.
1,202 reviews10 followers
July 8, 2019
The third book in this cozy, funny romantic murder mystery series is everything I have come to suspect from this author. This can be a standalone and I think you wouldn’t miss the other two books, but for me, having read all three, the characters seem familiar, and the plot enjoyable. This is not a romance first, mystery second book, but actually the other way around. The murder always takes precedence in this book over the romance. It is an ongoing storyline, and for now, I am fine with the pace of this; however, I hope Lucy progresses a little faster in some f the succeeding stories. I fear her waffling could get old. Other than that, which is strictly my opinion, i am so enjoying this cute murder mystery in a small beach town.
1,583 reviews14 followers
July 7, 2019
This is the third installment of this fun series. Lucy is trying to get back to equilibrium after solving murders in her small, previously quiet town. She's also trying to prepare to a televised contest to determine the best restaurant in town. The TV crew is bringing stress to the towns people. When another murder occurs, Lucy is entangled in the investigation and she wants to help figure out who did it.

In the meantime, Lucy has discovered that she is in love with one man, while being intrigued by another man. What should she do? As with the other books in the series, this is a nice story that anyone can read. I recommend it.
146 reviews4 followers
August 10, 2023
Lucy McGuffin is a single, 26-year-old, co-owner of The Bistro by the Beach cafe in Whispering
Bay, Florida. She and Sarah Powers, her close friend and business partner, are selected to compete in a televised competition where the winning restaurant receives $25,000 and the title of Best Beach Eat in town. In this third book of the series only a few people are aware that Lucy, since childhood, has had the ability to tell if someone is lying. Plus, Paco, her sweet, adopted dog is a ghost whisperer and finder of dead bodies. Together this heroic duo now faces another murder, sleuthing, embarrassing situations and surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed this addictive cozy mystery.
Profile Image for Maria.
179 reviews
April 24, 2025
This third book in the series is just as good as the first!! This is Lucy McGuffin's most important case! She has to save herself! When a murder hits too close to home, and Lucy is framed for it, she can't just sit by and expect Travis Fontaine do all the investigating. He believes she's innocent, and will do what it takes to prove it. Lucy, along with her sidekicks, Paco her dog & Will her best friend, have their own plans. She just can't bare the fact that one of her very own muffins was used as a murder weapon! Will Lucy solve the case before it's too late? Will she and Paco just get in Travis' way? Will her feelings for Will finally be revealed?

This story was gripping and funny!
Profile Image for Monica.
1,530 reviews
July 6, 2019
This was another fun read in this series. I did figure out who the killer was early on but it was still an enjoyable read. I am still rooting for Travis. I have nothing against Will I just think Travis is a better fit. Overall Paco is still my favorite out of anyone. It is fun to watch Lucy be the human lie detector with Paco at her side. If you have like any of the other books you will like this one. I do want to try Lucy's muffins they sound so good.


*I received a free copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
Profile Image for Pamela Devereux.
1,032 reviews2 followers
July 8, 2019
I had so much fun reading this book! Lucy McGuffin is a human lie detector and her side-kick Paco is a ghost whisperer. When the next murder happens in the kitchen at The Bistro, all hell breaks loose. Tara was in charge of filming The Next Best Beach Restaurant. Now all are suspects especially Lucy. Lucy has been warned away but that does not stop her. She has her lie detecting skill and plans to use it. Oh the hi-jinx that follow. In the end, Lucy gets her murderer. She also gets the answer to the question that has been plaguing her. Does it help or confuse her more.
Profile Image for Beth Temin.
290 reviews
August 17, 2023
Lucy's in love with two men?

Lucy's bakery is a contestant in a TV show, but the producer has kicked her off the show for breach of contract. Suddenly, Lucy finds the producer dead on the floor of her bistro's kitchen. the constable, Travis, investigates but has to await the results of a toxin test. So, Lucy decides to do her own investigation, as usual. The test takes time, but Lucy's investigation leads her to the rally killer. The best part of the story is the little dog, Paco, a ghost whisperer. He always gets his man and saves Lucy in the process.
Profile Image for Rhonda Jones.
2,794 reviews17 followers
October 5, 2023
Fun Mystery

This mystery was not as involved or complex as the first two books, but it had something else going for it that made it really fun. Gossip! A network producer has come to town to film the eateries and Lucy's cafe is one of the six proposed for the show. But they are also in competition with another twin that wants to host the show there. Oh my, this producer is rude and unscrupulous. She wants drama and gossip. Everyone is up in arms. There is a murder and everyone is a suspect.
277 reviews2 followers
November 3, 2025
This was yet another excellent addition to the series! In fact, when I finished reading book two, I didn't even stop to do the review, I just started this book, book three. Then, same day, finished book three and started book four. I'm taking a mini-break during a very exciting scene in book four (can't wait to get back to it) to catch up on these reviews. So far, this is an amazing series. The mysteries are interesting and not solvable from page one, the characters are fantastic, and the love story or triangle is building naturally. I honestly can't wait to read more. I highly recommend.
Profile Image for Jamie.
214 reviews20 followers
July 9, 2019
Oh my! I love it, I love it, I love it!

Author Maria Geraci delivers another amazing cozy mystery that will keep you on pins and needles until the very end, and just when you think you figured it out, she throws you for one final twist!

Each time I read one of her books I find a new favorite! This is the 3rd book in this series, and while it can be read as a stand alone I find it more enjoyable to read the entire series.
Profile Image for Isha Coleman.
8,929 reviews172 followers
July 11, 2019

Geraci has a wicked sense of human and an overactive imagination. Murder By Muffin is adorably, ironic. Lucy is all things crazy, but despite her actively awkward life, her heart is as pure as they come. A baker by trade, a human lie detector and owner a dog with an even more interesting talent. Thrust into a murder mystery and looking to be the major suspect, she's in over her head and the drama could cost her, her heart. Geraci captivates with laughter, intrigue and unpredictably.
795 reviews8 followers
July 17, 2019
Maria Geraci is an Author, I love to read. Her latest, MURDER BY MUFFIN, was amazing! Whispering Bay reminds me of my hometown. This quaint town has been selected for a Food Reality TV show and the Producer is causing a lot of problems between the competing restaurants.
I love Lucy! She makes amazing muffins and she is famous for solving murders using her special talent of being a human lie-detector. Will, her best friend, she has a secret crush on. But Paco steals my heart ♥️. He is her rescue dog, a ghost whisperer that helps Lucy solve murders. Now she needs him more that ever.
The TV Producer was murdered in her kitchen, the weapon weapon was her delicious Apple Walnut Cream Cheese Muffin and Lucy is the prime suspect.
This was my summer vacation read and I really enjoyed it!
2,682 reviews20 followers
July 14, 2019
This is another action packed, fun mystery in the Whispering Bay series. I enjoyed catching up with Lucy and her dog, Paco. I liked that this mystery was intriguing and hard to figure out until the very end. I also liked that Lucy still leaves us hanging about her relationship with Will and Travis so there will be more books to solve that mystery. It was also interesting to learn more about Will that has me curious as to how that is going to play out in future books. or at the book club.
324 reviews1 follower
December 18, 2023
Delightful Series

Maggie March is a very talented writer! This delightful series, Lucy McGuffin, Psychic Amateur Detective is very entertaining and is filled with a town full of colorful characters that keep you coming back for more. Maggie's storylines create a pack full of character suspects that keep you guessing every time Lucy turns up a new clue. I'm ready for the next book in the series!
90 reviews
October 2, 2025
Murder Isn't Helpful

When two small towns are picked to be the possible contestants for a t.v. show. It comes down to the one without the problem of drainage. Only, not everyone likes that idea.
Another great murder solved by Lucy. This time her reputation, her muffins, and her business are in danger. She needs to solve this murder quickly so she can clear herself and her muffins.
Profile Image for Tammy.
1,109 reviews1 follower
July 11, 2019
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, this series is for you! I love this sweet little mystery series and all of the wonderful characters. It's always has some laughs and a story that keeps me trying to figure out who the guilty party is. I can't wait to read the next book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Brenda.
3,484 reviews46 followers
February 16, 2024
Lucy McGuffin has three problems:
She’s a human lie detector, a “gift” she tries hard to keep hidden.
Her rescue dog, Paco, is a ghost whisperer.
And someone’s just been found murdered in her kitchen. She didn't do it. Who is responsible?
I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.
Profile Image for Becca.
1,031 reviews12 followers
October 2, 2024
dang cliffy again

While the most of this book is highly intriguing, comical and mysterious, the endings irritate me every time.

It is possible to end a book without a cliff hanger.

There were parts in this one that dragged for me, especially the Lucy/Will bit in the last chapter

I’m still going to keep reading, but I’ll complain about the cliffhanger every time lol
154 reviews
July 7, 2019
What a cute Mystery book. I love the romance between Lucy and Will with an entanglement from Travis. Paco the dog as sidekick is sweet.
This story has lots of twists and turns which is a must for me. I was totally surprised by the person who murdered Tara. Great job.
1,298 reviews
October 30, 2023
Good murder mystery

Lucy and Paco are at it again with finding a dead body. Lucy has to find the murderer before the police charge her with the murder. A few other big secrets are revealed, too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews

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