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Since my big city dreams fell down around my ears and I’ve come back to Maple Creek, I’ve been working at my grandmother’s bar and taking care of the cute little dog I found at the side of the road.

My grandmother is capable of lots of things, but murder isn’t one of them.

When our handsome sheriff suspects her, I know it’s up to me to get Grams out of jail so she can get back to hustling bikers at pool and midnight drives in her ’72 Cadillac convertible.

If I fail, all of our lives will be turned upside down.

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 27, 2022

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Liz Lamar

23 books12 followers

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5 stars
778 (52%)
4 stars
413 (27%)
3 stars
227 (15%)
2 stars
45 (3%)
1 star
17 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
Profile Image for Cozybooklady .
2,254 reviews139 followers
September 24, 2023
I loved this book! This is a new author for me, and I immediately fell in love with the characters, the story, and of course, Nellie.
Profile Image for Melody.
1,388 reviews11 followers
November 1, 2023
The first in a series. Kelly gets a phone call from her Grams that she has cancer and wants Kelly to come home. As she has just broken up with her fiancé and hates her job she packs up and goes home to Maple Creek. Along the way she finds a stray, apparently injured by a car and takes him to the vet. When she gets there she finds out Grams is fine but she wanted her granddaughter to come home. The next day, Gram’s “boyfriend” is found murdered in the alley behind her bar, beaten with the baseball bat Gram’s keep behind the bar for trouble ( which she has never had to use). No one thinks Grams killed him but all the evidence points to her. And new evidence comes to light as well. Turns out the boyfriend was scam artist preying on elderly women and taking their savings and homes before moving onto the next victim and Grams was set to be the next victim. Indeed it was discovered a large sum of money was gone from her business account at the bank. Kelly must investigate outside the rules because there is no way her gram committed murder, but someone did. Great characters!
12 reviews1 follower
November 24, 2023
Slow paced and missing a sub plot

I love a cozy mystery but this just fell flat for me.

The pacing was very slow and a good cozy mystery always has a sub plot that helps keep your interest.

With three potential lover interests in this book there was potential for a great sub plot but it simply fell flat.

The ending oddly seemed rushed and the sub plot finally took off but was an odd fit.
Profile Image for Bianca Ames.
39 reviews
June 25, 2024
I really wanted to love this because it started so good & had my attention but it just fizzled out at the end. It was anticlimactic for me.
Profile Image for Loretta TheMoodyRedhead.
1,135 reviews5 followers
March 1, 2026
Oh I really enjoyed this book.

Kelly just moved home to Maple Creek to take care of her dying grandmother aka “Grams” after living in New York the last 12 years, 7 years, 14 years? I put all three timeframes there because Kelly first said she’d been away for 14 years. Then while she was at the vet checking on the injured dog she found she mentioned to the doc that he hadn’t seen her in 7 years. She also mentioned 12 years. But at the ending she said it’d been 14 years. So, let’s just say for the sake of argument that Kelly has lived away from home for quite awhile.

So, the dog… she was a hot mess when Kelly found her. She was limping and emaciated. She looked like she was ready for the rainbow bridge. Buuuut… Kelly took her to the vet to have her fixed right up and rather than put her to sleep forever, the doc had faith that he could help her. So, during the course of this read Kelly visited her every day. Every day she got better.

Kelly loved the dog so much but figured her grams wouldn’t allow a dog in the apartment above the bar that Grams owned. Grams has her own home near the bar. So Kelly didn’t even want to name the dog although she chose a name, “Nellie” after Nellie Bly. Nellie Bly was a courageous and determined woman and also Kelly’s hero. That’s why she named the determined dog, Nellie. By the way, I knew Nellie Bly was a real person but I didn’t know what she did during her life (born in 1864, active as a journalist 1888 until her death in 1922). She did an expose on a mental institution. You should look her up online! It’s quite an interesting story. Oh my gosh I’m rambling too much at this point. I’m so sorry!

About Grams bar and Grams herself - I have to mention the name - Feisty Goat. Coolest name ever! I’d totally go there! It has a biker presence and Grams can throw down with the lot of them. She keeps a baseball bat behind the bar, but hasn’t actually ever used it to break up any fights. Everyone respects Grams and doesn’t give her any trouble. She is a tough ol’ bird and everyone in town knows her and loves her.

When Kelly did arrive back in Maple Creek she finds out Grams isn’t dying at all and that Grams only told her she was dying in order to get her to move back home. Sneaky of Grams, but it’s quickly discovered Kelly’s grandma is a real firecracker. She’s always up to something ornery! Even her appearance is loud with her colorful hair she dyed a few times throughout this read, including blue. Her age is mentioned, but I can’t recall what it was. I think she’s in her 70’s, but going on her 30’s. Her pranks are more like she’s a child though. One of her more silly pranks was to put blue food coloring in Kelly’s eggs.

Excerpt of some funny banter between Grams and Kelly:

“‘I need to stay busy,’ [Grams] said, intuitively knowing what I was thinking. ‘Being cooped up in the condo with nothing to do would drive me batty.’
‘Grams, you can’t be driven batty,’ I said, trying to muffle a laugh. ‘You arrived at that location years and years ago, unpacked your bags, and bought a house. You are the mayor of Batty, USA.’”

Gosh, I haven’t said much about the murder. A dead man was found behind Grams bar and he happened to have been Grams ex boyfriend. So, Grams was arrested and had to bail out. Kelly was running around gathering clues all throughout this book and irritating the Sheriff. Near the end a trial was set for Grams as the suspect based on a lot of circumstantial evidence.

I’ve definitely said enough. Too much, honestly, so I’ll get going in a sec. This was a good starter book for the series. I don’t feel particularly close to any of the characters or the town, but maybe book 2 will get me there. Book 1’s in series’s are often to introduce the characters, their relationships to the main character, and how the rest of the books are gonna pan out. I believe the next will be even better than this and I may even begin to get close to some of the characters and Maple Creek. I always love it when a town and the characters are described so well that it makes me want to live there in real life.

One more thing, the end brought a few tears to my eyes. It was the scene with the dog - so sweet!

See you in my next book thoughts review.
Stay kind. Stay humble.
Deuces to your cabooses!
350 reviews2 followers
April 2, 2023
My new series

I don't know how I found this book. I hadn't read anything by this author before. I just stumbled on to her book and thought I'd give it a look. I'm glad I did. It was fun reading about Kelly, a feisty artist who just moved back to her small town home after years in New York City. She came back home because her life in NYC was no longer going the way she liked and her grandma, "Grams", as everyone knows her, called and asked her to come back because she was dying. On her way back home, she found a little dog who is sick, hurt, and malnourished. She loads the pup into her car and brings her to the town vet. Kelly no sooner gets back home when Grams is arrested for the murder of an ex-boyfriend who turned out to be a swindler and crook who took advantage of the elderly women he dated. What I liked about this book is that Kelly is smart. She doesn't act flirty and coy when around the males she interacts with, and when threatened, she doesn't whimper - she gives as good as she gets. When she said she was going to make sure Grams didn't go to prison for murder, she meant it, and she wasn't letting the Sheriff stop her. He tells her that he'll lock her up for interfering in the case. She tells him to go ahead. And she visits the dog she saved every day while she's in the vet hospital. Kelly doesn't pretend that she doesn't want to keep the pup. She falls in love with the pup and starts plotting how she can keep her. That was refreshing, and I loved that she'd do that. I'm glad I found this series, and I'm going to continue on with it.
Profile Image for dnsyl57.
652 reviews12 followers
December 20, 2024
"Murder Sunrise" is book #1 in "Maple Creek Mysteries" by Liz Lamar.

Kelly Lewis is lured back to her hometown at her grandmothers request even though she wasn't really sure she wanted to go back to the small town. Turns out things are a bit more exciting back home than she thought - especially when her beloved Gram becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her ex boyfriend who was also a con man. No one who knows Gram believes that she could possibly have killed someone but proving it is going to take some real creative snooping!

Kelly and Gram are both spitfires who aren't afraid to take a stand and don't quit. They truly love each other and despite the serious circumstances, their dialogue can also be quite playful and a bit snarky.

Reacquainting herself with old friends and getting to know some of the regulars of the Feisty Goat Bar makes for some interesting conversations and realizations. There is a lot of potential for future plots and relationships!

On her way back home, Kelly had also found a badly malnourished, injured dog whom she took to the vet. Her regular visits to visit the dog were touching and well written.

The overall story was an entertaining cozy read with a wonderful cast of core characters and sprinkled with witty/snarky comments!
84 reviews1 follower
October 25, 2023
A so-so read

Overall, this was pretty underwhelming for me. Though most of the characters were okay, I couldn't get past the arrogant protagonist. She was an artist with no previous PI or law enforcement training but somehow believed she could carry out a murder investigation with more precision than the police and constantly criticized and undermined the force.

Another thing that threw the book off for me is what I think people refer to as "police procedurals." How can the police be recreating a crime scene for evidentiary purposes and have persons away from the defendant there? Persons who, may I add, are laughing throughout the entire event. There were a number of other inconsistencies like this one that the author unsuccessfully tried to explain away with "small town logic."

Needless to say, I won't be sticking around for the rest of this series.
Profile Image for Debbie Lesley.
537 reviews14 followers
November 27, 2023
A fun little story which shows that older people can still have exciting lives. That is probably what drew me to the book...one of the main characters was in her seventies and still very active. Accused of murdering her former boyfriend, her granddaughter is determined to prove her grandmother innocent.

We do have the standard "girl leaves home for the big city, doesn't make it, and comes back home" only to find the people she left have changed ....or in some cases, that her good freinds are still there for her. The relationships developed have left things open for the next books that might be coming.

Not a difficult read; something light and fun to read. While it might nor be a 5-star book in great literature, it is good for this type of literature.
2,344 reviews47 followers
December 29, 2024
Murderer Sunrise is a fun cozy mystery. Kelly Lewis is living in New York where "life just kept whacking her in the kneecaps with a reality two-by-four". Her boyfriend Roger disappeared so when her grandmother calls and says she is dying, she packs up her things and moves back to Maple Creek. Kelly soon finds out that she has been conned but before she can really confront her grandmother, Grams is arrested for murder. Her ex, Austin Jones, was found dead in the alley outside her bar--the Feisty Goat Bar. While sleuthing, Kelly reconnects with her high school best friend--Lynn Ross, the sheriff, and veterinarian Dr. Michael Sheba. I loved the interactions with Kelly's rescue dog. Maple Creek is a cute small town and Gram and her friends are a hoot!
1,643 reviews22 followers
July 12, 2025
This is the first book in the Maple Creek Mysteries series by Liz Lamar. Kelly Lewis returns to Maple Creek after her big-city dreams fall apart. She starts working at her grandmother Irene White’s bar and takes in a stray dog she finds on the roadside. However, things take a dark turn when Irene is accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend who was a con artist stealing from elderly women. The local sheriff suspects her, but Kelly knows her grandmother is innocent. On a mission to clear her name, Kelly unearths hidden truths in a town full of secrets—while a captivating sheriff adds an unexpected twist to her investigation. A perfect blend of humor, mystery, and heart, this cozy read promises smiles and suspense in equal measure. I thoroughly enjoyed this charming cozy mystery.
Profile Image for Lise.
1,125 reviews
August 17, 2023
Kelly had hoped to take the New York art world by storm. That didn't happen. So, when her grandmother, Grams, asked her to return to her sleepy hometown, Kelly agreed. As fate would have it, it was a blessing she returned as Grams was arrested for murder. Despite the admonishments of the Sheriff, Kelly set out to dig through the victim's past and uncover the real killer.

This was a great mystery! There were enough plot twists to keep the story alive without mudding the waters so much that the plot became hard to follow. Kelly is the epitome of loyalty, making her truly a sympathetic character. I can't wait to go on another adventure with her.
Profile Image for Rebecca Cecil.
435 reviews79 followers
September 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this book Kelly has a sneaky con artist grams who conned her into movie back home by saying she was dying. Kelly moves back. Soon after grams is arrested for killing her ex. No grams might put fear in people by saying is gonna tan their hides but she is not capable of killing anyone and Kelly goes sleuthing to help clear her grams. The sheriff is one if the high school football players that Kelly went to school with. He does not believe grams is guilty but the evidence keeps adding up, can Kelly help her grams. The sheriff just wished Kelly would keep to painting and let him do the investigating. Of course Kelly is not gonna stop until all suspicion are away from her grams.
Profile Image for Jean.
63 reviews2 followers
January 26, 2024
4 out of 5 🌟

Kelly is living it large (sort of) in NYC but when she receives a call from her Grams saying she doesn't have long to live. Kelly rushes back home.

Throughout the story she makes a new little puppy friend, catches up with a good old friend of hers and gets to drive the once Mr. hotshot in highschool now an even bigger ass Sheriff up the wall with her antics....

The story is a relatively quick read and you could probably finish it in a day. It's another laugh out loud whodunnit. And I know I'll be thinking about this one for a while too.

To see my full review go to -> rusticbooktravels.home.blog
Profile Image for Bridget Harrison.
4 reviews32 followers
March 17, 2024
Don't give up a book

I love the characters in the book Grams is one exciting gram to have and the main character is a never give up kind of gal. Now I did have one dislike and I hope the author improves but some of her chapters intro felt like a repeat then the storyline improved. The mystery line was great definitely didn't figure out who done it to the end. The story has a cute dog plot I'm a suckered in right at the mention of DOG. Not a complete love sappy story but a hint of romance that im sure is going to build with this series. Overall I'd give this author a go again ready for the next mystery.
Profile Image for Gem Harper.
26 reviews1 follower
November 1, 2023
3.5/5. A fun, easy read.

“I needed plenty of coffee before I could deal with happy people first thing”

“I wasn’t a morning person. That meant I wasn’t a person in the morning. I was some kind of mean, growling, spikey beast who grunted at everyone and everything.”

“You can’t be driven batty, you arrived at that location years and years ago, unpacked your bags and bought a house.”

“It’s hard carrying the weight of the world around your shoulders. Then when you’re at breaking point, someone puts one more piece of straw on the pile, and the whole thing crumbles.”
Profile Image for Tari.
3,856 reviews107 followers
December 7, 2022
Grams is such a hoot!

It was a lot of fun getting to know Kelly and Grams. I hope I’m always as energetic as that lady! I loved the little dog Kelly found and was visiting every day.

It was great how Kelly tracked down the killer and even turned someone who she thought was an enemy into an ally. Great showdown and what a sweet surprise at the end. I’ll definitely be borrowing the next book on KU too.
Profile Image for Xy Sison.
9 reviews
September 16, 2023
ENJOYED THIS!

First, I love the characters, especially Nick. I dont know why. I wanna meet them all and maybe dance with Grams.

Second, it was indeed cozy. It's not too dark or gory but I still loved reading this.

Lastly, it's not always a detective-mystery thing and it has humor that I'm into.

Thank you for this author! Might save up and buy the next books and join Kelly for the next adventure!
Profile Image for Bev.
3,297 reviews99 followers
October 10, 2023
Kelly Lewis moves back to her hometown when her grandmother, Irene White tells her she is dying. That wasn't exactly true, but she was arrested for killing her ex-boyfriend who just so happens to have been a con-artist stealing from elderly women. But Grams is a feisty thing and won't give up without a fight. Kelly is just as stubborn and sticks her nose in the investigation. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
113 reviews3 followers
February 23, 2024
Charming Cozy

It’s a charming Cozy in which Grams’ love of life and feisty nature get her accused of murder. Fortunately her granddaughter Kelly is back home and will stop at nothing to clear her Grams’ name. I enjoyed the building relationships between Kelly,her former high school boyfriend (will their romance pick back up?) as well as new people in town like the attractive lawyer defending Grams.
Profile Image for Barbara.
781 reviews6 followers
January 1, 2024
Good short read. It was an easy read that kept your attention. A young woman, Kelly, returns to her old town when asked by her grandmother thinking she’s dying. She’s not dying but being charged with murder. Kelly is set to make sure she isn’t charged with murder since there is no way she would do it and the entire town says the same thing. A funny, delightful read.
Profile Image for Richard Cowart.
659 reviews
Read
February 25, 2024
Great cozy

Kelly is called back home by her grams, who said she is dying soon. On the way home, she finds a homeless dog with a broken leg and malnourished. She takes the dog to the local vet and becomes attached on her daily visits. Her Grams gets charged with murder and the investigation begins Great reading
953 reviews29 followers
March 11, 2024
What an easy read! Light and loving!🥰. What I liked about this book was that a granddaughter came home after several years to help her grandmother even through she had said that she would never come back. I’m a grandmother and my grandchildren have always been good to me, but I made loving one and another a priority with me! So, I truly enjoyed reading this 🥸
Profile Image for Jen Winters.
85 reviews2 followers
March 14, 2024
This book had me from the first chapter. Every single chapter seemed to tell a story and each was better than the last. I wasn’t expecting all the suspense that was included but I was definitely here for it. Spice was essentially non-existent, but I’m cool with that too. I can’t wait to see what happens in book number 2.
313 reviews2 followers
April 13, 2024
Really good book

Kelly's grandmother Grams convinced her that she was dying so that Kelly would return to her hometown. When Grams is accused of murdering someone, Kelly goes on the hunt to track down the real murderer to absolve her grandmother of the murder charge. I really enjoyed this heartfelt book!
167 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2025
A Six Star Cozy Mystery

I was so happy to be introduced to your book. I just loved this easy read book. Any book that includes a loving dog is my cup of tea. I so look forward to enjoying more of you captivating stories. I’m so glad Nellie got the best home now with Kelly.
Robert Ericksen
Profile Image for Julie Bawden-Davis.
Author 55 books44 followers
September 17, 2025
Cute whodunnit with really likeable characters. A lot of nice moments in the book between the main character, Kelly, and the dog, Nellie, she rescued at the beginning of the book. Some other hilarious moments with her kooky grandmother named Grams, the murder suspect. Also a nice returning back home to a small town.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews