Maple Drizzle Murder

Milly Pepper #1

by Rosie A. Point

On the list of ways to die, drowning in maple syrup has got to be the worst…

Milly Pepper has two loves: solving murder cases, and her pet bunny, Waffle. But life in the small town, Star Lake, Iowa, involves only one of those things--Waffle. The rest of her time is dedicated to running the failing Starlight Café.

Still Milly’s determined to make the café a success for the sake of her father’s legacy, even though it means setting her aspirations aside. To take her detective’s test and solve cases in the big city.

But when she wakes up one morning and finds her neighbor dead in front of the waffle station, Milly has to choose: investigate the case or lose the café for good. With a not-so-well-meaning sheriff breathing down her neck, Milly’s got to watch her step.

Join Milly as she figures out whodunit in the first in this brand new cozy mystery series and see if you can solve the case before she does.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Animals

126 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2021

About the author

Rosie A. Point is a USA Today Bestselling cozy mystery author who loves writing about food, small towns, and cats. Her favorite books are ones you can snuggle up with under a cozy blanket on a winter's day. Born and raised in South Africa, her books are all set in small towns in the United States. She dreams of visiting the places she writes about in her books.

Rosie wants to hear from you. Whether it’s about a recipe or one of her books, you can contact her on her website. Join her reader club today!

https://www.rosiepointbooks.com/

Reviews

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun start for a brand new Rosie A. Point series. I love all the series this author's written, so I'm always eagerly waiting for the newest book from any of them. Milly was a different than typical type of main character having been a police officer, a job she'd left by choice when her dad left the cafe to her. It did give her more of an edge and know-how about investigating though. She knew exactly what she could do and how to do it because the body found in her cafe wasn't exactly winning her any brownie points with the sheriff, and the detective on the case was convinced she'd killed the woman.

I had a feeling at one point whodunit, and I was right, but it was more of a game to see how Milly was going to trap this person or get some evidence on them. The showdown was great, and the perp never saw her coming.

I got such a kick out of Gran who didn't hide the fact that she had no use for the sheriff, lol. Milly's bestie Sue was an awfully good friend for her, and I'm looking forward to learning more about all of them and the rest of the town in the next book. Waffles was just the cutest-sounding thing! He was definitely a different type of cozy pet!

[Cathy Hooper · Rating 1 out of 5]

All the other reviews saying cute, fun, page-turning cozy sucked me in. It was none of those to me. I know one has to suspend belief with most cozy series but this was too much for me. From the fact Millie had a pet rabbit that ran loose in the house (who wants to clean up those pellets) to the fact she had been keeping a cafe with zero customers (because they had to get used to her?) open for several months, I was aggravated. Those were easy changes the author could have made to make it a bit more plausible. The characters were one dimensional. The grandmother who only wants to fix her up, the cop who assumes she is guilty and is hateful from the beginning with no reason, I could go on and in. But I won’t. I am glad that some people like this series, but it is the end for me.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Maple Drizzle Murder (Milly Pepper #1)" by Rosie A. Point has Milly Pepper trying to get her recently inherited diner to succeed. Her father passed away leaving his small Iowa town diner to her. She quits her police job and moves back to try to turn it into a diner and waffle bar. Unfortunately, someone dies in the dining room. It's clearly foul play. For some reason the detectives and town think Milly did it.

Milly can't help but investigate, she was training to be a detective from before her abrupt change in career. This one worked out exactly how I thought it would once a couple of clear clues were dropped. Cute, quick cozy mystery.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A promising start to a new series but the author is in desperate need of a developmental editor and/or better/more beta readers. Why do I say that? The book has the bones of a good story but it's missing the connective tissue story-wise to make it rise above the crowd or, in some cases, even makes sense. Instead it's like the author checked off a list of cozy mystery elements without tying them together well or logically.

For example, Milly finds the dead body and is immediately discovered by another person while Milly was checking if the person was still alive. Yes, that's incriminating, and right on cue the deputy tells Milly she is the prime suspect.

There's only one problem -- Milly doesn't have a motive for killing the person. At no point in the book does anyone suggest a motive for why Milly might have killed that person. In fact, if the police backtrack through the 24 hours before the person is killed, Milly was pleasant to to the murder victim when no one else is.

Now yes, being accused of murder is a common reason for why an amateur tries to solver a murder but give at least a flimsy reason why Milly might have done it, especially in a time and place where she might be caught.

Worse, it's not too long afterward that Milly in sneaking around the murder victim's home without any significant concern that doing so would make her look guilty.

And yes, a new person to a small town running a business that is struggling financially is another common cozy mystery trope but it needs to make sense. Here, Milly took over running her father's cafe after his death. The book explains that she didn't change the decor but town residents are refusing to patronize the cafe. Why? Because Milly moved away for her career at one point so now she's viewed as outsider plus residents are set in their ways. OK, that could cause a drop in business but I think at one point the book says it's been a year or nearly a year since Milly's father died and the cafe hasn't had any business since. Seriously? How is the cafe surviving? Milly is not wealthy. it would make more sense if business dropped and people were just buying the things her father offered, like coffee, and turning up their noses at Milly's new offerings.

The new offering is a waffle bar, but when Milly tells the sheriff about it he says "waffles" as if she offered him something weird and exotic, like motor oil made of diamonds or something. But all is well because for no apparent reason by the end of the book people are finally trying the waffle bar.

Milly is likeable. The author's writing style is pleasant. A little development editing (or feedback from good beta readers) and rewriting to connect the dots between things could make the next book in this series a real winner.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Millie Pepper was a detective in the city, but was called to the small town of Star Lake, Iowa because her father had died and left her his cafe as his legacy. She vows to make the cafe work, and her Gran who lives in town is a great support system for her. Millie also has a best friend, Sue, who befriended the outsider from the time she arrived. The town is divided into three segments, none of which have much to do with each other as well as the outsider, Millie. Millie has an unusual pet, a bunny who keeps her calm at times. When a neighbor, who is really not liked in town by anyone is murdered in Millie's cafe and the sheriff and detective are sure she did it, she needs to clear her name. In the meantime, her friend Sue and her Grandmother are trying to get Millie out of her shell and meeting people, especially eligible men. When Sue and Gran convinced Millie to go to the annual boat extravaganza and get dressed up for it, she reluctantly said fine. When the owner of the marina who gives the boat tours is found murdered, the detective has his eye on Millie again! Trying to track down the clues to the two murders and feeling in her gut they are linked somehow, has Millie hyper focused on clearing her name and solving the crime and getting the towns people to visit her cafe so she can make ends meet has her hyper vigilant. She has no time to meet men, even handsome, nice men Sue and Gran conspired for her to meet. Wow, round and round in circles she goes. Will she find the murderer and solve the crime? Will the nasty detective eat crow? I love the start of this new series and can't wait to see what else happens. The characters are well written and small town "politics" are well portrayed. Will Millie ever be accepted and her cafe make it? I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in a new series from Rosie A. Point. I am in awe of how she is able to produce these new books so quickly and balance so many other series. Readers get exactly what they want in a Rosie A. Point cozy here. An interesting sleuth and supporting cast to follow, a fun setting, an interesting twist on the furry companion trope, and the all-important love interest. All of these elements are balanced well here and there is enough here to keep most readers interested enough to come back for future installments. I am giving this four out of five stars because I felt like the mystery wasn't quite on par with previous books from Rosie. It felt a bit rushed and disjointed at times, but in the end, it all came together and the identity of the murderer was hidden well. I am absolutely still on board for the ride and I especially love the light-hearted escape that a Rosie A. Point novel always brings. This one is no different.

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

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millie Pepper returned home when her father passed and took over his cafe to honor his legacy. A former beat cop with aspirations of becoming a detective Millie has zero experience in the hospitality industry however she’s determined not to let the cafe fail. Unfortunately for her the small town people are wary of outsiders and are unwilling to give her a chance. When her neighbor is murdered in her cafe Millie becomes the chief suspect even with no real evidence to back it up. With deep hostility from the police she must take up the case to clear her name and hopefully be able to restore her reputation and her father’s cafe to success.
Even though she’s a bit of an outsider in truth and personality Millie is a likable character. Determined, hard working and caring. Her gran and bff Sue are trying to get her out of her shell but they both mean well. Together the trio drive a suitably mysterious mystery and a fun and lighthearted read.

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

[Judy Gittleson Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Milly is taking over her dads cafe after he passes and is having trouble getting people to come in, as she is an outsider to them. Even though she was a cop in the big city, the local cop and detective are against her when a patron dies. Then another and she is tagged for both. I followed this wonderful character, along with the grandmother and a friend, as she hunts down the killer and turns into a detective herself. Loved the pet rabbit, Waffle, and is that not a perfect name for a pet of a cafe? A perfect stress reliever for Milly. The storyline was entertaining and fun as you cheer her on and boo at the detective who does not back down on his ideas until the end. Great ending and a great beginning of a new and fresh series.

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

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maple Drizzle Murder is the first installment of a new series. Milly had aspirations to become a detective when her father passed away and she inherited his café. She moves to the small town of Star Lake, Iowa and decides to make the café a success. Unfortunately, she finds her neighbor dead in the café and becomes a suspect. She has a great support system with her grandmother, and her friend, Sue. Join Milly and her pet rabbit, Waffle as she investigates the murder to clear her name.

This book is well-written and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging cozy mystery to read. All of my favorites are included – shop owner detective, small town, a furry friend and possible romance.

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

[Dyanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this cute murder mystery.
Milly has returned to Star Lake to take over her father’s cafe after he passed away. She gave up her dream of becoming a detective because she doesn’t want the cafe to be closed. Of course being new in a small town means that some people are suspicious of you. When murder occurs in her cafe, the police look at Milly as the prime suspect. She investigates as a way calm herself, and clear her name. When another person is attacked, things get more confusing.
Enjoyed the twists and turns in the story. I’m hoping in future books she gives Luca a chance, he seems like a great guy, from what we have seen.

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

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

On Her Own . . .

Milly Pepper’s goal had been to take her detective’s test and work in the city. Instead, she put that aside and moved to the small town of Star Lake, Iowa, to try to save the failing Starlight Café that was her father’s legacy. When she finds her neighbor’s dead body in the café one morning, she has no other choice but to investigate the case or the café will certainly be closed down. The Sheriff is no help to her, the detective on the case being positive she had killed the woman, so she’s on her own. When a second murder occurs, will it complicate her life further? Can she solve the two probably-related murders?

Grab your copy and meet the characters in this new series. The author always gives us something good, and this case fits right in.

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Public enemy #1?

Milly Pepper always thought small towns were supposed to be kind and welcoming but the folks in Star Lake, Iowa haven't accepted her even though her father had been a long-time resident. Milly is trying to run the cafe she inherited from him. She has no restaurant experience but she hired a good cook and now needs customers. Now a woman has been murdered in the cafe and the town thinks she did it and apparently so do the police. She will have to solve this case on her own to clear her name.

Waffle is a great name for a pet rabbit! I enjoyed the storyline. The characters are relatable and a good mix of personalities. It will be interesting to see how they fit together in future books. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary.

[CarolAnn Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosie A. Point really created a page turning quick read for cozy lovers. Maple Drizzle Murder is a cute , easy to read cozy. Great way to pass time on a rainy day.

Milly is trying to build a new life for herself after her father passes and she is doing this with her fluffy bunny Waffle. A bunny! What?!? Ok I am so game to read about a bunny sidekick. During the book, I was wishing I had my own little cuddly bunny to go for walks with. If you have a few hours to snuggle up and read, I recommend you grab a copy of this book for yourself.

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

[kalei · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was trying to be a fun, cozy mystery and it got most of the way there!

The best part about this book was that it kept the plot moving and knew it had to be short and sweet. You can listen to this entire book in a single afternoon's worth of chores or driving, and it delivers on many of our favorite cozy mystery plot beats.

The worst parts have to do with the treatment of motive, as this is still a mystery, and very undeveloped characters. But for such a short story, the ensemble of the town had differentiated enough characters that I could keep them straight, so that's another plus!

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maple Drizzle Murder is book #1 in the Milly Pepper Mystery series by Rosie A. Point.

Milly gave up her dream of taking the detective’s exam and leaves the big city to take over her father’s cafe when he passed away. When someone is murdered in the cafe, she decides she needs to put her police background to work and investigate.

This was a cute story. It takes place in a Star Lake, Iowa, a small town full of quirky characters. And Milly has a cute bunny, Waffle.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Milly seems to be having trouble with the transitions after the death of her father.

Leaving the police force in Detroit for the diner and tiny house he left her puts her at loose ends when there is little traffic at his diner

when a local celebrity, who is well known but unpopular, stops by for coffee and is murdered, the diner gets even less popular

can Milly solve the case, clear her name and save her legacy ?

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

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read several books written by Rosie A. Point; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is the first book in the Milly Pepper Mystery Series; it is a stand-alone short story. The story is about Milly; she loves solving mysteries and wants to get her Detective License but dedicated to running the Starlight Café in honor of her father but when she finds her neighbor dead outside her café she starts working to solve the mystery.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sue Ruhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Start to a New Series!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the first in a new series, starring Milly Pepper, who has returned to town following her father's passing. She has inherited a diner and a very small house from him and is determined to make a go of the diner, along with gathering some good friends along the way. Unfortunately things don't work out for Milly on either front, especially when a murder happens just inside the entrance to the diner and she's the prime suspect! There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.

[Dwayne Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series. Milly has moved back to her home town to take over her Dad's cafe. She hears the bell jingle on the front door. When she goes out from the kitchen she finds a lady stabbed to death and a syrup bottle jammed in her mouth. Milly tracks down clues to solve the murder, as the police suspect her. Great characters and a nice story line to go along with mystery. Looking forward to more in this series.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosie Point is back with a new cozy series. When Milly inherits her dad's cafe, she thought she would leave her law enforcement dreams behind with a fresh start. But when she becomes a suspect of someone murdered on her premises and the local detective refuses to consider any other suspects, her background comes in handy as she uncovers the culprit and clear her name.

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

[Debbie Orazi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great start to a new series! Loved the new characters, especially the feisty grandmother. I would have preferred Milly to be a little tougher since she was a beat cop from Detroit, she came across as a scaredy cat in several instances that didn't jive with her background. The story was very well developed and had good flow. Looking forward to reading more books in this series.

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

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has given us a wonderful start to a new series. Milly leaves the city for a small town when her father dies and leaves his cafe to her. She was a cop in the city with visions of becoming a detective. When a neighbor is murdered and she is a suspect, she cannot help herself and begins looking for clues to the murderer.

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

[Wannee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Fun Start to the New Series!!!

I really like this book. It's a page turning fun enjoyable easy reading cozy mystery full of mystery, action, twist and turn with delightful characters, it keeps me entertained as I try to figure out the mystery and murder. I highly recommend this book to any cozy mystery fans and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

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

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just got done reading Maple Drizzle Murder book #1 in series Milly Pepper by: Rosie A. Point. If anyone ever lost a parent then you know what Milky is going on with her. Milly gave up a career of being a cop but was her big dream was becoming a Detective. Now Milly has to race against time to by have her fathers cafe. After finding a dead body on the cafe floor. Now she has to learn who the bad guys are before she winds up dead .

[Lee Brothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of a new series. I like the characters, I like the storyline and I like the backstories. The story was twisted enough to make it interesting and the revelation of who done it was well done. I didn’t want to put the book down, I wanted to know what happened and why. I look forward to the next book!

[fred jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written cosy mystery with great characters, when an unpopular woman is murdered in Molly's coffee shop and she becomes a suspect, she decided to clear her name by finding the killer. Liked Milly, loved the bunny. A decent mystery, I will be reading more by this author who is a good storyteller. I received a complimentary copy from the Author and am leaving a honest voluntary review

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy mystery is a fun start to a new series. Mills Pepper’s life is not going quite the way she planned, and now she is suspected of murder. She’ll need to rely on her law enforcement training to solve the case, herself. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the more from this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pepper's father passed away and she came home to reopen the cafe and instead of getting a crowd she gets a woman stabbed with a Maple syrup bottle stuck in her mouth, so what's pepper supposed to do but figure out who killed her. This is another one great start to another great series from Rosie a Point.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another fantastic new series by Rosie A Point.
Rosie never disappoints.
I enjoyed reading this book very much, and look forward to the next one in the series
Highly recommended to all cozy lovers

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody writes a cozy like Point does. I really enjoyed this fresh start to a new series. Always well-written, well-paced, likeable and complex characters, plus a great mystery. Every time I think it can’t get better, Point proves us wrong. Can’t wait for the next book!

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