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Milford Elementary: Book One in the Gwendolyn Strong Small Town Cozy Mystery Series
One deceased groom-to-be. One dead-end clue. One last chance at redemption. Gwendolyn Strong feels lost outside the classroom. And at loose ends after retiring, the ex-kindergarten teacher longs for the excitement her stable marriage and yoga sessions can’t provide. So the spirited fifty-something leaps into action when a former student takes his life on the eve of his wedding day.
Skeptical that he died by his own hand, Gwendolyn teams up with her elderly mentor and true-crime addict daughter to scour the small town for clues while dodging the dismissive cops. But when her prime suspect turns up fatally crushed in a freak accident, she fears a cunning culprit could be pulling some murderous strings.
Can Gwendolyn solve the case before her name is next on the hit list? Milford Elementary is the nail-biting first book in the Gwendolyn Strong Small Town Cozy Mystery Series. If you like whip-smart heroines, buried secrets, and gripping suspense, then you’ll love J A Hoda’s masterful whodunit.
Skeptical that he died by his own hand, Gwendolyn teams up with her elderly mentor and true-crime addict daughter to scour the small town for clues while dodging the dismissive cops. But when her prime suspect turns up fatally crushed in a freak accident, she fears a cunning culprit could be pulling some murderous strings.
Can Gwendolyn solve the case before her name is next on the hit list? Milford Elementary is the nail-biting first book in the Gwendolyn Strong Small Town Cozy Mystery Series. If you like whip-smart heroines, buried secrets, and gripping suspense, then you’ll love J A Hoda’s masterful whodunit.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2022
102 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 22, 2022
Gwen Strong is a veteran kindergarten teacher of 38 years, all of them spent in Milford Elementary, a school just a few blocks from her house. Facing an unexpected retirement, Gwen faces the first day of the school year at loose ends. Teaching was her life. Then she hears of a possible suicide of one of her former students and teams with her daughter, putting investigative skills to work. Not believing her student would commit suicide, she picks up some loose ends that the local police overlooked. Before long, another student dies in a freak accident. He was the business partner of the first.
My take: this is a new series, well written. Gwen Strong was a likeable protagonist. There were two subplots running throughout the book that really had nothing to do with this story. The first was that Gwen was biracial,
the second was that she had been abandoned by her mother and reared by her father. Since this book is the first of a series, perhaps those two subplots will mean more at a later date.
There was no huge reveal at the end. I figured out the killer and motive long before everyone else did. I enjoyed this cozy mystery and will certainly try another in the series.
My take: this is a new series, well written. Gwen Strong was a likeable protagonist. There were two subplots running throughout the book that really had nothing to do with this story. The first was that Gwen was biracial,
the second was that she had been abandoned by her mother and reared by her father. Since this book is the first of a series, perhaps those two subplots will mean more at a later date.
There was no huge reveal at the end. I figured out the killer and motive long before everyone else did. I enjoyed this cozy mystery and will certainly try another in the series.
September 29, 2022
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The story begins with Gwen retired and thinking about the 1st day of school where she was for over 30 years. The school board had decided to close Milford Elementary and as a result a lot of teachers were let go. Gwen decided that she would leave so that a younger teacher who she mentored could continue working.
Gwen learned of one of her students dying and believed to be a suicide. Gwen, knowing how he was when she taught him believed that he had been murdered. The police department already considered the case closed and it was a suicide. Gwen decided that she would help Sharon, Jason's fiancée, and his parents find out the truth. With the assistance of her daughter Erin, she began her investigation. After requested reports from both the Police and Sheriff's office, the case was reopened.
As her investigation was proceeding, her prime suspect was killed as well. Again, the police thought it was an accident, but Gwen believed this case was connected to Jason's death. As time went by, the police made an arrest charging an individual with both deaths. Gwen did not agree that this person was guilty. After meeting up with the individuals defense attorney and a private investigator, Gwen asked for their assistance in recreating the case where she believed that she could determine who the killer was.
To discover who the true killer was and what clues Gwen had developed leading her, then you need to read this book. It is quite enjoyable.
The story begins with Gwen retired and thinking about the 1st day of school where she was for over 30 years. The school board had decided to close Milford Elementary and as a result a lot of teachers were let go. Gwen decided that she would leave so that a younger teacher who she mentored could continue working.
Gwen learned of one of her students dying and believed to be a suicide. Gwen, knowing how he was when she taught him believed that he had been murdered. The police department already considered the case closed and it was a suicide. Gwen decided that she would help Sharon, Jason's fiancée, and his parents find out the truth. With the assistance of her daughter Erin, she began her investigation. After requested reports from both the Police and Sheriff's office, the case was reopened.
As her investigation was proceeding, her prime suspect was killed as well. Again, the police thought it was an accident, but Gwen believed this case was connected to Jason's death. As time went by, the police made an arrest charging an individual with both deaths. Gwen did not agree that this person was guilty. After meeting up with the individuals defense attorney and a private investigator, Gwen asked for their assistance in recreating the case where she believed that she could determine who the killer was.
To discover who the true killer was and what clues Gwen had developed leading her, then you need to read this book. It is quite enjoyable.
May 16, 2023
Gwendolyn Strong is not accustomed to feeling at loose ends on the 1st day of school. For 35 years, it was the 1st day of new beginnings. Gwendolyn had always been excited, greeting and welcoming her kindergarten students at Milford Elementary School as she simultaneously reassured their parents. What will the future hold for her? After initial signs point to Jake Dawson’s apparent suicide, Gwendolyn wants to help his fiancée, Sharon McGrath, and Jake’s parents learn the truth. Can a former teacher still help her former student and a former student’s parents?
I enjoyed this cozy twist of a teacher becoming a sleuth after retirement. The lead-in became even more believable due to the law enforcement connection from an earlier mother-daughter weekend. A pleasant few hours of reading.
The author has used his professional background as a former police officer, insurance fraud investigator, and licensed private detective to bring authenticity to the investigation. Using his full name, John A. Hoda, the author began his fiction debut writing the FBI Agent Marsha O'Shea series. I look forward to reading the mysteries and continuing the cozy series.
I enjoyed this cozy twist of a teacher becoming a sleuth after retirement. The lead-in became even more believable due to the law enforcement connection from an earlier mother-daughter weekend. A pleasant few hours of reading.
The author has used his professional background as a former police officer, insurance fraud investigator, and licensed private detective to bring authenticity to the investigation. Using his full name, John A. Hoda, the author began his fiction debut writing the FBI Agent Marsha O'Shea series. I look forward to reading the mysteries and continuing the cozy series.
March 8, 2025
Nice “cozy mystery”
I really liked reading this book. It was a quick and easy read where I read in one day. A retired teacher turned sleuth makes for an interesting story. I loved the twists, turns and roadblocks as we found out who really committed the crimes. I had guessed it pretty early in the book, though, just had to get there.
I really liked reading this book. It was a quick and easy read where I read in one day. A retired teacher turned sleuth makes for an interesting story. I loved the twists, turns and roadblocks as we found out who really committed the crimes. I had guessed it pretty early in the book, though, just had to get there.
March 16, 2025
I really liked the characters in this book. I also liked the way the author encouraged the characters to face their own personal tragedies and come to some resolutions and personal growth. I guessed the culprit about half-way through, but there wasn't enough evidence to nail anything down. Good book!
November 18, 2022
New favorite female sleuth! Gwendolyn Strong uses her vast experience from teaching kindergarten-love the log line- and puts all the puzzle pieces together in this twisty, mystery. I'm curious what happens with her next!
February 27, 2023
Good book!
This book caught my eye because I’ve taught kindergarten and I like mysteries. It didn’t disappoint. I like the characters and the plot was twisty enough to keep me reading when I should have been doing other things.
This book caught my eye because I’ve taught kindergarten and I like mysteries. It didn’t disappoint. I like the characters and the plot was twisty enough to keep me reading when I should have been doing other things.
October 17, 2022
3++. Interesting, but not quite to my taste.
November 3, 2023
Mother\daughter
They work so good together. Mom is working hard, I missed the daughter. She is in the story but not a major part and neither is mob search.
They work so good together. Mom is working hard, I missed the daughter. She is in the story but not a major part and neither is mob search.
May 9, 2025
A really wonderful mystery with an unexpected lead character. Looking forward to reading the next one, my J.A. Hoda. Highly recommended.
May 11, 2025
Very good
I read this one last instead of first. Very good start for the series. Strong characters good story well written. I'm hoping for a fifth story.
I read this one last instead of first. Very good start for the series. Strong characters good story well written. I'm hoping for a fifth story.
March 23, 2025
When Gwendolyn Strong decides to retire and let someone else take over her job, she is left feeling adrift. When the police dismiss the apparent suicide of a groom the night before his wedding, Gwen decides to check things out.
I know this is the start of a new series, and the author is introducing the cast of characters in the small town. However, this plot moves at a snail's pace, and I had to force myself to finish the novel. The perp was evident from the beginning.
I don't plan to read any more of this series; it was a dead bore. Having a kindergarten teacher solving crimes? Please. Overall score = 2 stars.
I know this is the start of a new series, and the author is introducing the cast of characters in the small town. However, this plot moves at a snail's pace, and I had to force myself to finish the novel. The perp was evident from the beginning.
I don't plan to read any more of this series; it was a dead bore. Having a kindergarten teacher solving crimes? Please. Overall score = 2 stars.
October 8, 2022
I received this book from the author in return for an honest review.
The book starts out with the protagonist voluntaily reaching the end of her teaching career as a kindergarten/primary teach in a small town, where everyone knows everyone and the majority of the town's population were once her students.
Upon her retirement (or shortly thereafter), one of the town's prodigal sons and local auto mechanics dies a sudden death the night before taking his matrimonial vows. This has been deemed a death by suicide by the local authorities.
This being a small town, the protagonist takes an interest in re-examining the "facts" and trying to find out the truth behind the sudden demise of one of her former students. When I read this book, one of the first things that came to mind was "Murder She Wrote" and even the author uses that line in this book.
I believe that this book would be of interest to those readers of small town mystery novels and sure to be a favourite.
That said, I would give this book three and three quarter stars out of five (which rounds up to four on goodreads.com).
As with all my literary ramblings, this is just my five cents worth.
The book starts out with the protagonist voluntaily reaching the end of her teaching career as a kindergarten/primary teach in a small town, where everyone knows everyone and the majority of the town's population were once her students.
Upon her retirement (or shortly thereafter), one of the town's prodigal sons and local auto mechanics dies a sudden death the night before taking his matrimonial vows. This has been deemed a death by suicide by the local authorities.
This being a small town, the protagonist takes an interest in re-examining the "facts" and trying to find out the truth behind the sudden demise of one of her former students. When I read this book, one of the first things that came to mind was "Murder She Wrote" and even the author uses that line in this book.
I believe that this book would be of interest to those readers of small town mystery novels and sure to be a favourite.
That said, I would give this book three and three quarter stars out of five (which rounds up to four on goodreads.com).
As with all my literary ramblings, this is just my five cents worth.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews