Trebled Waters: A Songwriter Sleuth Mystery by Leah Dobrinska #Review @whatleahwrote

Trebled Waters: A Songwriter Sleuth Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Tennessee
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently Published
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 23, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 271 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8988597865
Kindle ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8988597872
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F71DXR3R

Nashburg, Tennessee, isn’t called “Crazy Town” for nothing, and aspiring country music songwriter Leigh Notrap knows that all too well. She’s been grinding to make a name for herself in Music City for years, so when Cal Dutton, a rising star and longtime friend, undercuts her chances for a staff writer position at the hottest music publisher in the industry, Leigh is determined to make him change his tune. But when she shows up backstage to confront Cal, she stumbles upon a murder on Music Row.

Adding to the dissonance, Leigh’s roommate and Cal’s sister, Emma, who always played second fiddle to her golden-boy older brother, becomes a top suspect after a less-than-flattering video of the siblings engaged in a bitter argument surfaces. Desperate to save her reputation and clear her name, Emma enlists Leigh’s help.

As the pair works together to drum up clues, Leigh quickly realizes that everyone in Cal’s circle—the president of his record label, the leader of his fan club, even his famous girlfriend—is hiding something. Can Leigh sort through the evidence and blow the whistle on a country music killer? Or will she end up a broken record?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Leigh Notrap has been working for years to become known as an up-and-coming country songwriter in Nashburg, Tennessee. Her friend Cal Dutton has been making a name for himself as a country music artist, using songs written by Leigh, so she thought she had a great shot of filling an opening for a staff writer at the most popular music publisher in the business, and the one he recently signed with. Suddenly, Cal tells her she wouldn’t fit in well there, and that’s what he told the people at Red Vector.

Determined to convince Cal that they could continue to make beautiful music together, she heads to the Banta Bowl to see him before he takes the stage. But when she arrives, she finds her friend has died, and all the evidence says he was murdered. Sadly, Cal’s sister and Leigh’s roommate, Emma, leads the chart of suspects. She is hoping Leigh can help her find the actual killer before her reputation is destroyed and she is living her life behind bars.

Ms. Dobrinska has introduced a very engaging protagonist in this first Songwriter Sleuth Mystery. Leigh is a character you want to root for. She has common sense and a huge heart. She and Emma have a great friendship, but Emma’s relationship with her brother Cal was strained, and Leigh understood why. She is also sure that Emma had nothing to do with Cal’s murder. The author surrounded these women with a group of well-crafted characters, including Cal’s girlfriend, several people in the music industry, and Detective Ottom and Detective Yance.

The mystery is very well-plotted with a variety of suspects.  Leigh followed each and every clue, no matter where it led. She came up with theories and shared her thoughts and findings with the detectives, even when they didn’t want to listen. I really enjoyed her song lyrics that just had to pour out on the page, and that she found comfort in her swims at the school, where she was able to formulate her thoughts and work through the information she was receiving. I also liked the way she worked with Emma to find a key piece of evidence that sent them in a different direction. Ms. Dobrinska added twists in all the right places. Through those, Leigh learned that the killer was on her tail. Then the last piece of the puzzle fell into place at the totally wrong time. I was right there with her, as my personal suspect list was all over the map.

As a big Backstreet Boys fan, this line was one of my favorites. “Tell me why,” I muttered — and somewhere in the back of my head, I appreciated that I was paying homage to my favorite Backstreet Boys hook. 

Trebled Waters, the perfect title by the way, has set this series off to a grand start. I love the country music theme and that the characters grew through the story, while leaving room for growth as the series continues. The mystery was solid with humor sprinkled throughout. There is also just a touch of romance. I was already looking forward to the next book, and then I read the cliffhanger! All I can say is I hope Ms. Dobrinska doesn’t make us wait too long for it to come out.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About the Author

Leah Dobrinska is the author of the Songwriter Sleuth Mysteries, the Larkspur Library Mysteries, the Fall In Love romcom series, and the Mapleton novels. She earned her degree in English Literature from UW-Madison where she was awarded the Dean’s Prize and served as a Writing Fellow. She has since worked as a freelance writer, editor, and content marketer. As a kid, she hoped to grow up to be either Nancy Drew or Elizabeth Bennet. Now, she fulfills that dream by writing mysteries and love stories.

A sucker for a good sentence, a happy ending, and the smell of books—both old and new—Leah lives out her very own happily ever after in a small Wisconsin town with her husband and their gaggle of kids. When she’s not writing, handing out snacks, visiting the local library, or doing projects around the house, Leah enjoys reading and running. Find out more about Leah, join her newsletter community, and connect with her through her website.

Author Links
Website   Newsletter   Amazon Author Page    Facebook    Instagram    TikTok     BookBub    Goodreads

Also Written by Leah Dobrinska

Find all of Leah Dobrinska’s books HERE. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.