The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder

by Marla A. White

After injuring herself on the job as a Los Angeles cop, Mel O’Rourke leaves the force battered both physically and mentally. Looking for a fresh start, she moves to a quiet mountain town and opens the Babbling Brook Inn. Excited for her new life, Mel decides to participate in the town’s holiday cookie contest, but her newfound joy goes up in smoke when one of her guests turns up dead in her lobby.

Mel is tempted to attribute the death to natural causes but when another guest dies, her cop instincts kick in. The local Sheriff tells her to stand down, but Mel can’t let it go. With everything on the line, she has to push through her fears to catch the killer before more bodies drop, perhaps even her own.

Genres: Christmas, Mystery, Cozy Mystery

97 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2021

About the author

Marla White started her illustrious career as a storyteller at the age of four by drawing on the TV screen to help Winky Dink get out of mortal danger, earning her a firm spanking. Deterred by the negative feedback, she studied to be a park ranger instead until she realized it was really a TV show about park rangers she liked, not the actual outdoors.

After a stint working in local TV as an assistant/hand model/ad copywriter and occasionally a camera operator, she came out west. Her first job was working for the producers of “A League of Their Own” but no, the character of Marla is not named after her. She’s been involved in several award winning television movies and was the head of television for Emmy Award winner Peter Tolan’s Fedora Entertainment. Additionally, she teaches story analysis and story workshop at UCLA Extension.

Appropriately, she found out on April Fool’s Day she’d sold her first book, "The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder” to Wild Rose Press.

Reviews

[Barbara Behring · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder by Marla A. White was an enjoyable and short cozy mystery. It was pretty easy to figure out who the killer was but the author created a likable main character and an interesting cast of characters.

[ItaPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder was a quick, easy read, I’ve found it a good escapism from a tiring day.

Mel left her work as a LA cop after an accidents and decided to open a B&B in Pine Cove. During her first week she finds one of her few guests dead, everything let to think of a natural death but Mel wants to be sure so she begins to investigate.

I liked Mel, she is smart and witty but she still has to come at peace with her change of work and with the living in a small village. Some of her actions are a mystery for me, but I hope to see her again.
I adored the isolated little town because of the snow storm and the villagers who help Mel with her sleuthering.

The mystery was intriguing but not too difficult to solve. I would have liked to discover more insight into the characters, the murder and the murderer, but if this promising short story becomes a series I'm sure we will have more of those.

This is the first time I read something by Marla A. White I've enjoyed her writing and I'll definitely be reading other books by her in the future.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

In order to keep the Babbling Brook Inn from losing more guests, Mel must catch the killer or she’s through. An injury forced Mel O’Roarke to leave the police force, but her cop instincts are still alive and kicking. She loves her new quiet life as an innkeeper in a small mountain town. She’s getting to know the townsfolk and even enters a holiday cookie contest but all that comes crashing down when a guest is found dead at her inn. She chalks it up to natural causes at first, but her cop instincts go on red alert when a second guest is murdered. The sheriff tells her it’s just a coincidence, but she trusts her own gut. She starts investigating herself and when she gets too close, the murderer tries to kill her. The stakes couldn’t be higher for Mel. Can she nab the killer before the body count grows?

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder is a fantastic holiday cozy mystery I read in one sitting. I love a good cozy mystery, especially during the holiday season. Marla White blends cozy mystery with small town holidays perfectly. I adored Mel as the heroine. She’s very likable with honest reactions. The rest of the characters were quirky with their own backstories. Any of the characters fit the profile of a killer but the motive was a complete surprise. The plot moved at a nice easy pace, even though it was less than a hundred pages. Marla White’s writing captures the reader’s attention and keeps the reader invested until the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder and I look forward to more from Marla White. If you’re looking for a holiday cozy, pick up The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it. My thoughts are completely my own.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[Barbara Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute short story and a nice way to wrap up a busy weekend.
After being injured in the line of duty as an LAPD officer, Mel moves to a small town to recover and live a simpler life. It doesn’t end up working out that way when a dead body is found in her new B& B, the Babbling Brook.
The characters were like able and though the mystery was fairly easy to solve, it was still intriguing to see how it all played out.
Thanks to The Wild Rose Press and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being injured while working as a LAPD police officer Mel's family pleaded with her to move to a small town to reduce her stress. It did not end up working that way when a dead body was discovered in her B&B in small town Pine Cove.

This is a short story that will leave you wanting more. It is an interesting mystery with some great characters. Thanks to The Wild Rose Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas cookies? Cozy B&B? Hot barista? Double murder? What more do you need this holiday season?

Mel just opened up her B&B, putting her LAPD days behind her and starting new. When the town gets snowed in and the guests are stuck for a few extra days at her B&B, a couple of them start turning up dead! Mel becomes invested in solving the case when the local cops don’t take it seriously, assuming it’s an open-and-close natural death case. Will she be able to find out who-dun-it before the roads open back up and the guests (and potential murderer) leaves? More importantly: can she perfect her grandma’s ridiculously complex cookie recipe before the Christmas Festival?!

This was just a cute and cozy quick read to get you in the holiday spirit. The book is less than 100 pages, making it something you can easily read in one sitting. Due to its short nature, everything is pretty basic. I figured out who the murderer was right away. I wasn’t sure why Mel was being so secretive about her ankle injury, like why not just say you broke your ankle once and you’re still dealing with the recovery? The romance between Mel and Jackson (hot barista guy) felt a little forced at the beginning. There was only one scene where I could feel the chemistry. I honestly ship Mel and Marks (the local cop) wayyyy more. For those wondering - there’s no spice in this book. Not even a kiss, but I personally thought it worked. Who wants to be sleeping around when there’s a murderer on the loose?

There were some parts where I think extra editing was needed. I would reread a passage over and over and still it wouldn’t make sense. This only happened a couple of times and didn’t ruin my reading experience. I would still recommend this to someone wanting to fit in some quick holiday reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Backlight PR for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a NetGalley ARC. I'll be honest and say that I requested the book before I looked at the length. Once I started to read, I realized that this book is very short. 97 pages. That surprised me. I think because it was so short, I never really got a feel for why the murder actually happened. Most of the characters seemed a little disconnected from the story, so I didn't feel very invested in the who/why/how of it all. I also have thoughts about the title. The cookies had very little to do with the story. I know there was a competition, but I'm not sure why??? Also, the cookies themselves weren't actually made with starlight mints. She addresses this in the story and says that the name is misleading. I guess I just don't understand it.

NOTE: I received a free copy of the ebook from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Darlene Fredette · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. This cozy mystery is a suspenseful who-done-it. The author wrote a strong and likable leading character. Mel is an ex-cop who must solve two murders while suffering from an injury, emotional fears, and running an Inn. The engaging storyline has moments of humor and plenty of drama. The author takes you on a fun ride with a list of suspects, leading to an explosive ending. An enjoyable weekend read.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to The Wild Rose Press, Inc. and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Mel O'Rourke has given up her badge as an LAPD patrol officer in order to run her family's lodge aptly named the Babbling Brook Bed and Breakfast. Her family purchased the lodge and renovated it. Their opening is not going as planned because of a snowstorm. Mel is busy preparing her grandmother's cookie recipe (which are named Starlight Mint Surprise) to enter the cookie contest for Pine Cove's Christmas festival, but the fun is just getting started! One of her guests is found dead sitting in the lobby with a cookie at his feet. Because of her law enforcement background, Mel cannot help herself. She has to investigate. There are great characters, and I can envision the snow covered town, as well as hear the babbling brook. I Mel is my hero because she is like a dog with a bone when she starts investigating! The setting reminds me of something out of a Hallmark movie, but murder is afoot! This is an enjoyable mystery with a Christmas setting to make it even more special. It is an easy read that you can literally read in one sitting! I hope to see more of this type of story from Marla A. White.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mel’s attempt at starting over leads to an attempt on her life!

After an on-the-job injury leaves Emmeline “Mel” O’Rourke unable to return to work as an LAPD patrol officer, she retires to start over in a mountain resort town as an innkeeper. She and her supportive family invested their savings in this new endeavor and finally got the long-closed Babbling Brook B&B up and running, just in time for the holiday tourist season. But when one of the B&B’s first guests is found dead in the inn’s great room, and no cause of death is forthcoming because the area is shut down due to a heavy and isolating winter storm, Mel worries the gossip mill and bad social media may brand her new business as a death trap. The former police officer takes matters into her own hands when local law enforcement drags their feet to find the answers she desperately needs.

Mel is a likable main character, and I quickly came to sympathize with her about her worries that the bad press was going to singlehandedly bankrupt her family. Her fear of heights, a result of her work injury, was well conveyed and so genuine that I felt her panic. The several secondary characters are also well drawn and offer some interesting romantic options, though, with all that was going on at the inn, they will have to wait for a future story to blossom.

This exciting novella is one of the many marvelous offerings in the CHRISTMAS COOKIES collection of short stories and novellas published by The Wild Rose Press, Inc. I recommend THE STARLIGHT MINT SURPRISE MURDER to cozy mystery readers who enjoy a holiday or culinary-themed story.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts: This is a quick, cute murder mystery that actually crams two murders into one short read. Mel is desperately trying to make a go of her new B&B business, but a dead body at the inn and then one of the guests also dying make it a definite challenge. There’s the requisite cute guys and a cookie bake-off challenge to add to the mix. And a snow storm that keeps everyone stuck there and the emergency people away is a nice twist. I laughed when Mel’s mom tells her the secret to making her grandmother’s cookies. Without giving it away, I could definitely see someone doing something like that! There were only two anomalies that kept this from being a 5 star for me. First, why not just tell the sheriff she’s an ex-cop? He found out anyway, and Jack knows so it didn’t seem to make sense to make an issue out of it. Also… I didn’t “get” the whole problem between Jack and the sheriff. That one didn’t work for me. But maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, I could see the author turning this into a series. One that I would enjoy reading. And you will too. Recommended.

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

[Kathy Cottrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a serious on the job injury, LA cop Mel O’Rourke leaves the force battered both physically and mentally. Looking for a fresh start, she moves to a quiet mountain town and opens the Babbling Brook Inn. Excited for her new life, Mel decides to participate in the town’s holiday cookie contest, but her newfound joy crashes when one of her guests turns up dead in the Inn’s lobby.
Tempted to attribute the death to natural causes, Mel’s cop sense kicks in after a second guest dies. The local sheriff tells her to stand down, but with her own life in danger, Mel refuses to back off. With everything on the line, she has to push through her own fears to catch the killer before more bodies drop, perhaps even her own.

Our Review: In this fun, fast read, script writer turned author Marla White shows off her talent for writing crisp, snappy dialogue and creating unique, one-of-a-kind characters capable of invoking laugh out loud moments. Just when things are running smoothly, another monkey lands on the pile of wrenches, sending B&B owner Mel O’Rourke off and running—literally if not figuratively. The Starlight Mint Murder Mystery is an homage to small rural communities and those who flock to them—as well as large, Irish families who pass down their traditions—flawed by accident, or maybe not. We hope this story is the beginning of even better stories to come.
On a scale of 1-5, The Starlight Mint Murder Mystery deserves a 6.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mel O’Rourke has left her job as a police officer in LA after a injury and has moved to a small mountain town to open a B&B with the support, both emotional and financial, of her large family. So far things are going well (except for her attempts at her grandmother’s recipe for starlight mint surprise cookies) when one of her guests is found dead. She’s pretty sure it’s natural causes but she wants an investigation done to protect the reputation of the B&B and her family’s investment. The local deputy, on the other hand, thinks an investigation would be a waste of resources even after another guest goes missing. When her body is found at the bottom of a cliff, he’s convinced it’s just an accident but Mel is not so sure and decides to investigate on her own, a decision that could put her in danger.

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder (Christmas Cookies) by Maria A. White is a fun fast and short cozy mystery with an interesting storyline, a likeable female protagonist, a touch of humour, and, of course, the requisite potential love interest. I’m not sure if this is a stand-alone or the start of a new series - either way, I will be looking for more by this author in the future. A perfect read for a snowy afternoon with a warm blanket, a cup of hot chocolate, and maybe a cookie or two.

Thanks to Netgalley and The Wild Rose Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[Manpreet Kaur]

The Starlight Mint Murder Surprise by Maria A White

A Short Xmas book, but not your normal warm fuzzy feel book, except with who dunnit feel.
Book synopsis -Mel injures herself at her job of a cop in LA. Mel leaves the force and moves to a small isolated town and looking for a fresh start, and she opens the Babbling Brook Inn. Excited for her new life, she participates in the town’s holiday cookie contest, but her newfound joy goes up in smoke when one of her guests turns up dead in her lobby.
Book synopsis -Mel injures herself at her job of a cop in LA. Mel leaves the force and moves to a small isolated town and looking for a fresh start, and she opens the Babbling Brook Inn. Excited for her new life, she participates in the town’s holiday cookie contest, but her newfound joy goes up in smoke when one of her guests turns up dead in her lobby.

What has happened to the dead person found in lobby?, there are a few twists and turns, as another body is found, is there a link between theses bodies?

I enjoyed reading this short novel if you like who dunnit murder mysteries especially at Xmas time. I wouldn’t say it was a Christmas book, apart from the cookie contest and gingerbreads mentioned. However it is a short enjoyable book if you enjoy murder mysteries too.

4 stars from me.


I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not to my tastes. The main character, Mel O'Rourke, big city former beat cop moving to the small town was fine. She was smart and actually had a background that made sense for her being a murderer. But I am very much over love triangles (and one was definitely being set up) and with her asking about if any one in town is a man whore.... just.... ew. Especially coming from L.A., she should know better.
Mel got badly injured on her job and is now running a B&B, the Babbling Brook. She is now in the South and, though an independent woman, finds herself intrigued by the old skewl politness (ew ew ew) of the southern gentlemen in town. Though Jackson is sort of upsetting her what with parking in front of her driveway while he's getting ready for the local Christmas festival and cookie baking competition. And dude is REALLY pushy about her confronting past issues.
She's catering to a visiting yoga group but unfortunately, one of the few guests who isn't with that group dies in her lobby. It seems like a usual murder but then one of the yoginis dies as well. And just because the woman was rude and entitled doesn't mean she deserved to be murdered.
This was an okay story for being the first in a series.

[Carol Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mel is a former cop, now the owner of the Babbling Brook Inn. When she finds a guest dead in front of the fireplace in her lobby, her instincts won’t let her believe it was a simple heart attack.

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder is a fun, Christmassy novella. Mel is a good character, smart, tenacious. She’s afraid the death will scare guests away from her inn, so decides she has to do some investigating with the help of a local restaurant owner, Jackson, and the town doctor. At the same time, she’s trying to perfect her grandma’s cookie recipe for the town’s contest. A good cozy mystery sleuth always has to juggle real life and solving the crime.

I was suspicious of the killer pretty quickly and it turned out I was right. That didn’t stop me from enjoying the book though. The clues are well-placed and the story moves along quickly. We had a couple of suspects and Mel tries to stay suspicious even of the people she likes.

I love a good Christmassy novella, especially one that involves a murder or two and cookies. I don’t think I’ve ever actually had a starlight mint surprise cookie. I may have to try making them, but maybe leaving off the walnut. I did find one recipe that calls cornflakes instead, so I might try that.

[Ppcfransen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s fluff. A quick read, but not much substance.

New B&B owner and former LAPD cop, Mel O’Rourke gets quite a shock when she finds one of her guests dead in front of the fireplace. It could be a heart-attack, but her cop training tells her not to rule anything out. She calls local police, and is told to store the body some place cold, because the police won’t be able to make it up the hill for another day or two because of the snow.

I wonder why not start with calling a physician? Granted, the man is dead, so a physician can’t do much, other than establish cause of death. But if it’s naturel causes, the police are pretty useless too.

It’s at one third of the story that Mel suggests to call a physician. By that time a police officer has arrived and he nixes the suggestion. He’s sure it was a heart-attack. And apparently, he can sign death-certificates.

Then another of Mel’s guests is found dead and Mel starts to really worry what this will do to her business. Headlines about two dead guests are surely going to scare off the typical B&B clientele. Mel decides she must dig into this investigation and soon she finds a connection between the two dead guests, and one of the town’s people. But he’s too cute to be a killer, right?

I read an ARC through NetGalley.

[Victoria Hamel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book zips along and has all the elements that I love in Christmas-themed cozy mysteries. You have a Christmas Festival that has a cookie contest, you have cocoa and coffee, a B&B a cozy little town--this one is in the mountains, there is snow and there is of course a murder.

I read the book in two sittings, I enjoyed that in this story the protagonist Mel is a retired police officer, this makes her sleuthing and her investigating seem second nature. She has a new business and she needs it to be successful--a common theme in both Hallmark Christmas movies and Cozy Mysteries.

A big mystery for me was the cookies. I have never heard of Starlight Mint Suprise cookies, not knowing if Marla White made them up whole cloth or if they were a thing, I did my googles and found that they are a thing.

So Retro!
Overall 4 stars, I liked Mel, the Christmas theme was on point, and some nice red herrings were all part of this fast-paced- mystery!

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mel O'Rourke left Los Angeles behind when she was injured in her job as a police officer. Hoping to live a much quieter life in the Northern California mountains, Mel and her family have invested in a B&B that she will run. Upon opening, she finds a guest dead in the great room. While it looks like it could have been a heart attack, it could very well have been murder, but Mel is the only one who thinks that. Rather than waiting to see what the verdict is, and to save her new business, she begins looking into what happened and who would want the man, and then a second of her guests, dead.

Set in Christmas season, this is a cozy that will have you cuddled up with a mug of something warm and settling in to read this in one sitting. It's a short cozy and could be a little stronger on the story line, but it left me in a feel good mood and ready for the holidays!

[Jeanne Kern · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Murder in a mountain resort –and whodunit?
One of the yoga instructors who really had no reason to plan their retreat in a small mountain town? The cop who couldn’t seem to get interested in the murder? The hunky owner of a people and puppy restaurant? Or someone else that Mel O’Rrourke hasn’t thought of? She’s a former LA cop manning the resort for her family and trying to recover from a traumatic arrest that left her somewhat battered and totally acrophobic. And there’s the hanging footbridge she can’t possibly cross—until someone’s life depends on it. This story has it all: intrigue, murder, suspects galore, and even a spark of romance. The only thing it almost doesn’t have is those darned starlight mint surprise cookies. This is a must read for sure.

[Jill Piscitello · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder is the perfect cozy mystery to add to your reading list this holiday season. Rest assured, this delightful story is an enjoyable read any time of year. The twists and turns will keep you guessing until the end. The eclectic cast of characters in and around the Babbling Brook Inn leap off the page with their individual and engaging personalities. Mel O’Rourke is no damsel in distress, but she does find herself in the middle of a potential love triangle. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this is only the first in a series of future cozies and hope to follow Mel along on her journey.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder is a quick easy mystery to read.
Mel O’Roarke is the owner of Babbling Brook Inn. She wants the Inn to be a success and when a group of guests gets snowed in and one in found dead in her lobby, she has to make sure this does not affect her business much. But when another guest is found dead, she knows somehow the two deaths are connected. Her goal is to help figure out what happened and who is the guilty person.
The combination of characters, holiday time, cookie baking and a mystery makes for a fun read.
Thank you, Net Galley and The Wild Rose Press, Inc for the copy. This is my personal review.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d started reading the ARC for the first book in a new series featuring Mel (who’s now one of my fave main characters) but it sounded like there’d been a previous murder at the inn. I checked Amazon and found this little novella that was part of a large Christmas cookie themed collection and got it so I could read more about Mel and the other characters first.

I’m actually glad I got this book since it gave me a better grasp on who the key players were. I guessed the whodunit and I was right except for the why. That was one great showdown! There was lots packed into this shorter book, and Mel’s backstory was filled out nicely. Now I can return to the first book!

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

stars Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley and The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Former cop turned inn keeper for a new start finds herself in an investigation when a body shows up on her inn lobby during the town holiday cookie contest. She will get more than she bargained when another body is found.

She will have to battle with the local sheriff who does not want her involve. A new mystery series to enjoy.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Injured doing her job as a police officer in Los Angeles, Mel O'rourke moves in with her sister and helps run the Babbling Brook Inn. She's starting to enjoy small town life and decides to enter the town's Christmas cookie contest. When 2 people die attending a yoga retreat at the Inn the local police are reluctant to call them murder. Mel decides to investigate and stirs up a lot of bad feelings. This is a shorter cozy and I figured out the bad guy fairly easily. It was a good story that held my interest. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like cozy mysteries and in the mood for a holiday read? Then you're going to want to grab this one. It's a short read, and you could easily get through it in an afternoon while curled up with your favorite cookies and some cocoa. I loved Mel - she's a great character who's just made a big life change, but can't quite leave her old life behind. A quiet town, a quaint inn, and a murder. I'm really hoping we get to see more of Mel, or at least the town and the people who live there, in future books!

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super fun Christmas novella to read over one evening. Set in a small wintry village, our protagonist (a baker and hotel owner who used to be a cop) finds a dead body and is convinced that they have been murdered. 

She is then on a countdown to solve the mystery before the village Christmas biscuit contest in order to save her business! I would reccomend this for a super quick, christmasy (but still action packed) mystery book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced readers copy.

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first cozy mystery and I am now hooked! I really enjoyed the pace of the book, the strength of Mel's character, and all the side characters that really brought this book to life. It a wonderful holiday quick weekend read and is perfect for a snowy day.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun short story filled with all kinds of Christmasy bits of snow, cookie baking and a Christmas festival. Lots of great humor and a decent mystery. I'd be interested in visiting these characters again. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable cozy mystery novella that I enjoyed. It's entertaining and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
I liked the festive atmosphere and the characters.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine