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A Mom Zone Mystery #4
Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder
Settling her family-Air Force pilot Mitch, baby Nathan, and daughter Livvy,-into their new home in Georgia, Ellie Avery is busier than ever. With two children under four, a party to plan for Mitch's promotion, and new contacts to develop for her organizing business, Ellie's eager to relax by taking Rex, the family Rottweiler, for a peaceful stroll. But what they find is anything but tranquil. As evening's shadows fall, Ellie stumbles into an abandoned graveyard disturbed by flooding from a recent storm. It's a chilling enough setting without the shocking spectre of two dead bodies....unearthed from the same grave.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
133 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Sara Rosett
48 books1,664 followersUSA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett writes lighthearted mysteries for readers who enjoy atmospheric settings, fun characters, and puzzling whodunits.
She is the author of the High Society Lady Detective historical mystery series as well as three contemporary cozy series, the Murder on Location series, the On the Run series, and the Ellie Avery series. Sara also teaches an online course, How to Outline A Cozy Mystery.
Publishers Weekly called Sara's books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.” Sara loves to get new stamps in her passport and considers dark chocolate a daily requirement. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.
She is the author of the High Society Lady Detective historical mystery series as well as three contemporary cozy series, the Murder on Location series, the On the Run series, and the Ellie Avery series. Sara also teaches an online course, How to Outline A Cozy Mystery.
Publishers Weekly called Sara's books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.” Sara loves to get new stamps in her passport and considers dark chocolate a daily requirement. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
September 30, 2019
I suppose the organizing hints following most chapters is meant to keep the theme in the books, but the hints don't really go with the chapter, and I found them distracting, so I just skip them all.
Also, something noticed with the very first of this series...this lady loves chocolate, and that's fine, but the only way she seems to know how to each a Hershey's kiss is to "pop" it in her mouth....every time.
Also, something noticed with the very first of this series...this lady loves chocolate, and that's fine, but the only way she seems to know how to each a Hershey's kiss is to "pop" it in her mouth....every time.
November 2, 2012
A woman disappears and her parents rent out her house just after 3 weeks? Not likely.
An 11 month old baby pushes his lawnmower in the front yard? Most 11 month babies can't walk let alone push a toy over an uneven surface such as a lawn.
A "professional" organizer who is always saying how messy her house is? I wouldn't hire her that is for sure.
Finding a skull and not call the police immediately - going home first?
Yep, Ms. Rosett is right on track with another book full of discrepencies and ideas not at all consistent with who her 2 dimensional characters portray.
OMG! Ellie is telling the people that have been putting up flyers for almost a year how to do it better? Like not one of them has a brain to figure out how to hang flyers? That if a light pole has a flyer already, why put up 4 more? Divide the town in to sections? Really? What a novel idea!
I don't like Ellie and that is a major flaw of the writer. If the reader doesn't like the main character the rest of the story is destined to fail also.
Each of these books in this series has "organizing tips", placed at the end of chapters no less that certainly would draw the reader out of the story. I skipped these tips entirely finding them a uselss distraction - unless that is the author's plan so readers won't remember the discrepancy from one page to the next. Most books based on a theme put that theme at the end of the book: recipes, sewing, decorating, etc.
DISCREPENCIES to the max. How can Nita transcribe a notebook that is in police custody and she herself says the detective is trying to get someone to transcribe it? All within 2 paragraphs of one another. This is terrible writing and terrible editing. Then to have Nita request Ellie to take the transcriptions she is working on and match them to newspaper articles? What is wrong with this picture? THEN Nita recommends Ellie for her wonderful organizing skills to Scott? Wonderful skills that the woman has no first hand information about?
Like I have said previously: Ellie is a 2 dimensional character that the author builds up with other characters of less dimension. This is a terrible excuse for writing.
Ellie gets closely followed by a car, semi-runs, then finds out it is Colleen who wasn't sure it was Ellie and that is why she, the driver followed Ellie in such an erratic fashion? Get real!
To think I am not even halfway through the book yet. worse yet, I have 3 more books to go before I get through the series. I bought the books and I will read them despite it all.
The author has Ellie, the not too bright heroine, organize the closet of STAND, where she alone makes the decision of what is thrown out and what should be shredded, and what should be kept and filed? I wouldn't trust Ellie to organize my trash. The premise is totally ridiculous.
Vehicles sitting at the bottom of a lake for almost 60 years will not have recognizable license plates. The vehicles themselves will be rusted, probably in unidentifiable pieces. Water, even in a lake, moves. OMG! I hate using the text abbreviation. Then later a body is finally found and immediately identified as Jodi? Impossible. Forensics, Ms. Rosett, forensics. DNA identification takes time. Check your sources.
The entire Topaz angle was ridiculous. Name recognition equals facial recognition? Poor scapegoat. Oh and the earrings made from keys? Yeah, they would have ripped an earlobe.
An 11 month old baby pushes his lawnmower in the front yard? Most 11 month babies can't walk let alone push a toy over an uneven surface such as a lawn.
A "professional" organizer who is always saying how messy her house is? I wouldn't hire her that is for sure.
Finding a skull and not call the police immediately - going home first?
Yep, Ms. Rosett is right on track with another book full of discrepencies and ideas not at all consistent with who her 2 dimensional characters portray.
OMG! Ellie is telling the people that have been putting up flyers for almost a year how to do it better? Like not one of them has a brain to figure out how to hang flyers? That if a light pole has a flyer already, why put up 4 more? Divide the town in to sections? Really? What a novel idea!
I don't like Ellie and that is a major flaw of the writer. If the reader doesn't like the main character the rest of the story is destined to fail also.
Each of these books in this series has "organizing tips", placed at the end of chapters no less that certainly would draw the reader out of the story. I skipped these tips entirely finding them a uselss distraction - unless that is the author's plan so readers won't remember the discrepancy from one page to the next. Most books based on a theme put that theme at the end of the book: recipes, sewing, decorating, etc.
DISCREPENCIES to the max. How can Nita transcribe a notebook that is in police custody and she herself says the detective is trying to get someone to transcribe it? All within 2 paragraphs of one another. This is terrible writing and terrible editing. Then to have Nita request Ellie to take the transcriptions she is working on and match them to newspaper articles? What is wrong with this picture? THEN Nita recommends Ellie for her wonderful organizing skills to Scott? Wonderful skills that the woman has no first hand information about?
Like I have said previously: Ellie is a 2 dimensional character that the author builds up with other characters of less dimension. This is a terrible excuse for writing.
Ellie gets closely followed by a car, semi-runs, then finds out it is Colleen who wasn't sure it was Ellie and that is why she, the driver followed Ellie in such an erratic fashion? Get real!
To think I am not even halfway through the book yet. worse yet, I have 3 more books to go before I get through the series. I bought the books and I will read them despite it all.
The author has Ellie, the not too bright heroine, organize the closet of STAND, where she alone makes the decision of what is thrown out and what should be shredded, and what should be kept and filed? I wouldn't trust Ellie to organize my trash. The premise is totally ridiculous.
Vehicles sitting at the bottom of a lake for almost 60 years will not have recognizable license plates. The vehicles themselves will be rusted, probably in unidentifiable pieces. Water, even in a lake, moves. OMG! I hate using the text abbreviation. Then later a body is finally found and immediately identified as Jodi? Impossible. Forensics, Ms. Rosett, forensics. DNA identification takes time. Check your sources.
The entire Topaz angle was ridiculous. Name recognition equals facial recognition? Poor scapegoat. Oh and the earrings made from keys? Yeah, they would have ripped an earlobe.
January 23, 2014
Mitch has been transferred to a base in Georgia. The decided to lease a house in a new development. Ellie takes walks in the,area and discovers a grave that has been disturbed and now has 2 skulls in it. Later learns the news that there is a missing girl and the Avery's have leased her home. Ellis has plenty to keep her busy; but offers her skill has an organizer to the campaign to bring Jodi home.
December 5, 2009
Interesting mystery...more about being a busy young mother than the mystery. The clues were there later in the book and it was pretty easy to see where she was going with it. It is not badly written but not the best I have read either. Part of the problem is that I read in bits and pieces...too much Christmas stuff to do and no time to read!
June 30, 2011
One of the worst books I've read in a very long time. Smug and horrible.
November 5, 2024
Professional organizer, Ellie Avery, and her Air Force pilot husband, Mitch, are settling into their new home in central Georgia with their two young children, Livvy and Nathan. Although Ellie enjoys helping clients with her organizational abilities, sometimes it's easier said than done when it comes to her own busy family life and the military transfers that take them from one side of the country to the other on a fairly regular basis. When Ellie goes for a quick walk with their dog one evening around their new neighborhood, they come across an old cemetery, with what appears to be human bones jutting out of the ground. This event pulls Ellie into a decades old mystery, along with the recent disappearance of a local young woman.
I really enjoyed the two mysteries intertwining themselves throughout this storyline. Ellie is very likable and relatable as she makes her way through the daily challenges of a parent of young children, while also trying to find time to establish her own business as a professional organizer in a new location once again.
I really enjoyed the two mysteries intertwining themselves throughout this storyline. Ellie is very likable and relatable as she makes her way through the daily challenges of a parent of young children, while also trying to find time to establish her own business as a professional organizer in a new location once again.
February 13, 2025
I just finished reading Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder by Sara Rosett.
I this book of the Mom Zone Mysteries, Ellie Avery has moved with her family from Washington state to Georgia. Unknown to them, the house they are renting belongs to. Missing woman and Ellie finds herself involved in the mysterious disappearance when she finds two skulls in the nearby woods on her evening walk.
I really enjoyed the layers of mysteries within this book—there is much more than meets the eye. And I also enjoyed reading about Ellie navigating motherhood, her friends, being a supportive husband, and starting her own business—in addition to solving murders wherever she lives.
I this book of the Mom Zone Mysteries, Ellie Avery has moved with her family from Washington state to Georgia. Unknown to them, the house they are renting belongs to. Missing woman and Ellie finds herself involved in the mysterious disappearance when she finds two skulls in the nearby woods on her evening walk.
I really enjoyed the layers of mysteries within this book—there is much more than meets the eye. And I also enjoyed reading about Ellie navigating motherhood, her friends, being a supportive husband, and starting her own business—in addition to solving murders wherever she lives.
September 28, 2020
Ellie and her family moved to Georgia. They are getting settled and planning a party for Mitch and his promotion. Then Ellie gets involved helping a friend with a missing person case. They are trying to find the woman's daughter and it is a long involved investigation. They are not sure if she is just missing or been murdered. Many surprises and lots of mystery as to how it all happened. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did.
February 1, 2019
This is a mystery, murder novel about a young mom and her organizational skills and deep curiosity. I liked it because the story was engaging, believable, and most of all clean of language and sex. That is a rare combination. It was a believable story with lots of twists and turns. I recommend it.
June 17, 2019
This series is thoroughly enjoyable. Unlike other cozy mystery series, this one doesn't get stale. This is due in large part to the fact that the setting changes in each book (great way to work in the military wife aspect while keeping the series fresh). It's the perfect series for summer, and I'm really glad that I found this series :)
June 18, 2022
Ellie Avery, an Air Force wife and professional organizer has lived in this new home a few months when she finds out the woman who lived there before has been missing for almost a year. She offers her organizational skills to the search for the missing woman and becomes involved with the HOA. Not going to say more but except this get dicey for Ellie and downright scary and then....
February 23, 2023
Well, Ellie found two bodies near by her home then found out that the missing girl used to live in the same house that she is in. I was really surprised to find out that the missing girl was only missing 10 months.
How does that happen? in real life, no parents would want to rent out a home to strangers unless it has been more than a year! because what if the missing girl comes back wouldn't she be so mad about the fact that the parents removed her belongings from her home to make a few bucks?
this just don't quite work for me...
How does that happen? in real life, no parents would want to rent out a home to strangers unless it has been more than a year! because what if the missing girl comes back wouldn't she be so mad about the fact that the parents removed her belongings from her home to make a few bucks?
this just don't quite work for me...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2023
It was alright but I had to force myself to finish while still in the first half of the book. I thought she complained too much about her mom duties -- maybe moms can relate better, but I just found it annoying.
I was also disappointed because although it takes place around Halloween time, there are minimal Halloween/fall vibes to be found in this book.
I was also disappointed because although it takes place around Halloween time, there are minimal Halloween/fall vibes to be found in this book.
August 8, 2021
Who knew she could put all that together?
The author writes enough to tie the story together. She has to or the story would lose the reader. The story cracks along. It's a .pretty good book.
The author writes enough to tie the story together. She has to or the story would lose the reader. The story cracks along. It's a .pretty good book.
September 10, 2021
Well written. Enjoyed the whole premise and the fact that a woman sticks up for what she wants and needs. Looking forward to reading more but my library has no further books in this series and B&N only has Nook. sigh.
Was ready to purchase a paperback. Will continue looking.
Was ready to purchase a paperback. Will continue looking.
April 1, 2022
Another good one in this series. I get a little tired reading everything Ellie does most days. A cute family. A very good mystery. Amazing how just trying to help find someone missing got her in so much trouble.
December 31, 2023
I liked seeing a busy mom solve a mystery in this cozy novel, despite the obvious inexperience and "funny" hijinks she gets into, and the dangerous climax before the end of the book. Will continue reading this series.
** Clean cozy mystery **
** Clean cozy mystery **
July 15, 2017
much imprvment from 1st book.. keep me on my book the whole time, i didn't even skip
August 4, 2017
Loving this quirky series. Well written and actually keeps me guessing. I have read so many I can usually see the end coming but these keep me guessing!!
March 23, 2018
This was so good. I had a suspician about the killer but could not figure out the "why". I really enjoy this series.
February 27, 2020
A delightful book. The killer sneaked up on me this time.
On to read the next installment.
On to read the next installment.
August 18, 2020
Another great book in the series. The plot lines were interestingly tied together. I really like the main character and her observations and internal discussions. They are very relatable to me.
did-not-finish
November 3, 2020DNF at 46% - this is so slow going, I can’t relate to a mom with two kids in a military fam. I’m a huge fan of the author but you can tell this is her earlier work.
December 16, 2020
I really enjoy reading about Ellie and her family.
June 21, 2021
Good book
This series is a good one. Not wanting to get in trouble and having people wanting her dead is hard for Ellie. Read and see how she gets out of this mess.
This series is a good one. Not wanting to get in trouble and having people wanting her dead is hard for Ellie. Read and see how she gets out of this mess.
September 29, 2021
Slightly better than book 1, but still ridiculous. Also, the tips are repeated sometimes from previous books.
August 3, 2022
entertaining
September 26, 2022
An easy and very fun read!
It lost one star because I did great a bit confused due to their being two separate story lines.
It lost one star because I did great a bit confused due to their being two separate story lines.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews