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Maple Syrup Mysteries #3

Almost Sleighed Lib/E

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The truth always comes with a price...

Former lawyer Nicole Fitzhenry-Dawes has finally settled in to her new home in Fair Haven, and her first maple syrup season is upon them. It's not going as smoothly as she'd hoped.

Their sap lines keep springing leaks, and as if that wasn't enough, Nicole finds their groom-mechanic, Noah, apparently trampled in one of the horse stalls.

Fair Haven's interim police chief is ready to declare it an accident, but Nicole believes otherwise. With Noah in a coma, she's determined to figure out who wanted to kill him before the perpetrator can return and finish the job.

But whoever attempted to kill Noah has other ideas and is willing to do whatever it takes to stop Nicole from discovering the truth-even destroy Sugarwood and the man Nicole loves.

Almost Sleighed is the third book in Emily James' Maple Syrup Mysteries. If you love small-town settings, quirky characters, and a dollop of romance, then you'll want to buy this amateur sleuth mystery series today!

Audio CD

First published January 11, 2017

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108 people want to read

About the author

Emily James

34 books95 followers
Award-winning and bestselling author Emily James writes cozy mysteries with quirky characters, twisty plots, and a touch of romance.

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5 stars
204 (48%)
4 stars
140 (33%)
3 stars
70 (16%)
2 stars
9 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Sabine.
602 reviews90 followers
March 24, 2019
Another wonderful, clean addition to the Maple Syrup mystery series. Great characters and a well constructed mystery.
The romance left me wanting to bang my head against the wall but finally the misunderstandings are cleared.
Can't wait to read more in this series.
Profile Image for Henry.
865 reviews74 followers
March 21, 2021
This series is getting tiresome. In this book (the third in the series), the heroine is getting more and more ditzy and the story line has too many misunderstandings, dumb people and annoying dogs. It is like the script of a murder mystery sitcom--think murders every week in Mayberry--amusing but getting silly. I don't know if I'll continue this series.
Profile Image for Krystyna.
5,134 reviews54 followers
April 9, 2019
Misunderstandings muddy the water

A great read. A plot of misunderstandings, misinterpretation and revenge.
When the mechanic/tour guide at Sugarwoods ends up hurt in a horse stalking everyone writes it off as a horse injury. She has her doubts. Is it to do with his gambling or the claim of underage sex. More accidents start happening and she realises that they are all against Sugarwoods and her. Does someone want her to loose the plantation? Rumours abound about her and various men. Why? Will she find the culprit before another life is lost? Will she find out why?
268 reviews1 follower
November 11, 2025
Nicole Fitzhenry - Nikki, Toby, Great Dane puppy and Velma , Bullmastiff, Fair Haven;
Sap lines are leaking, Nikki and Russ, her partner are trying to find out why;
Nikki found Noah, an employee with a head wound in a horse stall, (they end up taking him off life support)
(Key's) + Leaf????
Elise, police - Mark's cousin and Russ, her partner, Erik, interim Police Chief;
Mark, County medical examiner;
Oliver Miller (Owl Mans), Noah's cousin from Quantum Mechanics, KILLER. Noah knew he was cutting the lines, He felt Nikki was the reason he got fired from the police department;
Tony Rathmell, owner of Quantum Mechanics;
Tour of the sugar Grove:
Atty Tom McClanahan and Ashley his receptionist;
Stacey Rathmell loved Noah, and is pregnant;
Photo of Oliver hugging Nikki was texted to Mark and Elise ended up following Oliver's car with Nikki inside. Elise ended up shooting him;
Nikki found out Mark wasn't married, his wife died four years ago;
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
408 reviews
July 12, 2020
The main character gets more addled in each book. I continued the series up to this book because I'd purchased the first three books as s bundle. It was a total waste. I've not read too many series that continually go down hill from the beginning. How can someone trained in law be so obtuse? How can a writer begin a chapter with an investigation of a suspect when the prior chatters have never mentioned this person or given any indication how that person's name was identified? Then, after three stories and lots of hand wringing, the romantic element is resolved only by chance because neither party communicated a very important fact. These people never talked or asked the important questions!!! What kind of weird wally world is that? Ugh! I'm so done.
Profile Image for Karen.
533 reviews9 followers
January 16, 2018
This was an interesting series of 3 books, different murder mystery in each. They are murder "light", not gory or particularly descriptive. The focus is more on who was responsible than the crimes themselves. I figured out a lot of the plot as I went along in all 3 books, but that did not ruin the endings, as I wanted to know if my thoughts were right. I may read more in this series in the future. I also love that there is a maple recipe at the end of the book for a maple treat that was mentioned in the book. I will not delete the ebooks until I jot down the recipes!
Profile Image for Connie.
214 reviews
September 18, 2017
Great characters

This is the third book in the Maple Syrup mysteries. I really enjoyed the first two, and with the third I am hooked for sure. The main character , Nicole Ritz-Henry Dawes, is turning into a very capable South and getting to know the small town residents of Fair Haven. I read a lot of cozy mysteries and the murder mystery in each book has been a very delightful, twisting, surprise. If you like cozy mysteries even a little this is a must read series.
Profile Image for Mary Barrett.
808 reviews11 followers
December 22, 2017
5🌟

I am enjoying this series of maple syrup mysteries. Living in the frozen northeast for the past twenty years has given me an appreciation of the maple syrup industries. It is a long and often dangerous task which we are given a glimpse at in this story. I have gotten helplessly mixed up in the order of these books but they are still enjoyable and have a good , who done it, murder mystery. Well written.
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,043 reviews24 followers
June 19, 2018
I do like this series but tell me
Profile Image for Denise Whelan.
357 reviews14 followers
June 8, 2019
Always Delightful

I absolutely love this series of books. Nicole is funny and adorable all because she has a slight paranoia. Russ is definitely a hardhead, but he obviously cares about the plantation. Mark sounds cute and funny. It's funny that Nicole hasn't gotten a complex from finding all these dead bodies, but then again, she is a lawyer. I highly recommend this book and the series.
104 reviews3 followers
January 25, 2025
Another Great Read

This book in the series grabbed my heart as Nicole continues to struggle with the rumors about her reputation dating multiple men, that are running around her small town. She experiences first hand the impact those rumors have on both existing and new relationships. I also enjoyed the surprise twist in the last chapter. It’s well written and left me wanting to read the next one in the series.
123 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2017
Questions asked and answered

This is the 4th book in the Maple Syrup Series book that I've read and it's the best so far. Surprisingly, it's also the first one that I figured out who done it before Nichole. I love the setting, the recipes and the dogs. Thanks for the fun read.
31 reviews
October 22, 2017
I love the Maple Syrup Mysteries Books, Nicole is the sweetest woman and Mark

Is a great guy. I thought they would never get together, I waited for that kiss, for three books. The story is a good premise. The Maple syrup business, I lived in upstate New York, and had a Maple Syrup shack on the farm, so I know the business. Thank you for writing about this. Shirley Green

Profile Image for Vivian.
769 reviews13 followers
December 29, 2017
I am really enjoying this series! Such a sweet moment when Nicole found out the truth about Mark's marriage! Love the backdrop of Sugarwood and production of maple products - the author gives you enough detail to make it interesting, but not in a way to overwhelm the storyline. The story is full of characters you like and want to read about. Good cozy series.
7 reviews2 followers
September 19, 2017
Well plotted cozy

An enjoyable extensively researched series. The plotting was well thought out with just enough clues along the way. I have only read the first three books but plan on reading the rest.
Profile Image for Linda Walters.
189 reviews4 followers
February 7, 2019
Review

Loved all of the books so far and am ready to dig into the next book in the series. Nicole and Elise are tough women, even though Nicole is more scared of her own shadow. It is her inner strength that makes the stories so interesting.
1,434 reviews
March 22, 2020
I’m finally settling in with the emotionally messy Nicole and gossipy tiny town with yet another murder.
Profile Image for Marge.
70 reviews4 followers
October 13, 2025
Yes, I've read 4 books of this series in a row 🤣🙈
It's just so good!
Profile Image for Brenda Golden.
128 reviews
March 13, 2017
Another good one!

Book 3 in this series is as riveting as the first two. Another mystery with interesting and unique circumstances that kept me turning pages. I really was disappointed when the book ended but glad there was some romantic resolution. No spoilers here. Read the book to find out. Another one for my re-read list. Can't wait for the next one!
Profile Image for Sharon.
295 reviews
March 3, 2017
New friends / Old enemies

Nikki cannot seem to catch a break. She hasn't been in town but a few months, but she already has an enemy who has bludgeoned her head maintenance man, sabotaged the sap lines and equipment, and caused injury to the love of her life. Join her as she finally finds out the truth about Mark, while she & her new friend, police officer Elise, look for clues and solve the crimes.
Profile Image for Aimee.
318 reviews7 followers
February 27, 2017
Captivating Mystery

Almost Sleighed is a captivity mystery. I thoroughly enjoy the small tourist town. Everybody knows each other and their business.

The characters are believable, including Nikki. She isn't portrayed as the amateur super sleuth that makes the local police look like drooling idiots. She draws on her experience as a defense attorney, but doesn't take over the investigation. Most of the characters are likeable, although flawed.

I appreciate how Emily James has found a way to incorporate mystery and suspense without the "F"word & overly descriptive sex scenes.
836 reviews10 followers
February 19, 2017
This Book Absolutely Slayed Me!

OMG! This series keeps getting better & better with each book! There is suspense, romance, & a great story line. I had a very hard time putting it down, the plot twists kept me turning the pages non-stop! Can't wait for book 4.
Profile Image for Carla Eacret.
402 reviews6 followers
February 10, 2017
Thank you

So glad that Nicole and Mark finally get a chance to really start what looks like is going to be a wonderful relationship!!! Of course that is the icing on top of a great mystery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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