Tag: Amateur Sleuths

Murder Will Out: A Mystery
Paranormal/Amateur Sleuths/Mystery
Setting – Maine
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Minotaur Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 17, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250382610
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250382610
Kindle
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250382627
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F5PFJD7Z

Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award winner Jennifer K. Breedlove brings coastal Maine to life in Murder Will Out, a lighter, modern gothic mystery that’s as atmospheric as it is heart-warming.

Come for the memories. Stay for the murder…

Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, is so beautiful it could be a postcard. Organist Willow Stone cherishes her memories of childhood summers spent on the island with her godmother Sue… even though her visits ended abruptly, and she hasn’t seen or heard from her godmother in over fifteen years. Until a letter from Sue—and word of Sue’s death—brings Willow back to the picturesque island.

The islanders rarely mention Sue without also bringing up Cameron House, and the controversy around Sue’s unexpected inheritance of the sprawling mansion. When Willow overhears someone threatening the next heir to the property, she starts to question whether Sue’s death was really an accident, and can’t help but wonder whether someone on this sleepy island is willing to stop at nothing—even murder—to claim Cameron House for their own.

Through Willow’s eyes, as well as those of others on the island, a mystery unfolds that keeps drawing Willow back to Cameron House and the very real ghosts that walk its corridors.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Willow Stone used to spend summers on Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, with her godmother, “Aunt” Sue. She has many fond memories, but the visits stopped about 15 years ago, and she never knew why. She was surprised when she received a letter from Sue, begging her to come back to the island for her wedding. After a little research, Willow learns that Sue had recently passed away due to an accidental fall. She quickly decides to make the trip.

Sue had been the caretaker of Effie Cameron, who had lived at Cameron House for all of her 99 years. When she passed away, she left the large estate to Sue. Sue had some wonderful ideas to upgrade the place. Now the property will be passed on again, but Willow overhears the new heir being threatened. It concerns her enough to wonder if Sue’s death was truly an accident. Would someone actually commit murder to become the new owner of Cameron House?

Willow was a very interesting protagonist, and from the beginning, I knew it would be intriguing to see how she fit in with all the people she came to interact with. She wasn’t welcomed with open arms, so I was anxious to learn why and then how she would move forward. I was not disappointed. Willow felt so alone in the world when she arrived on Little North Island. Sue was an important part of her life that was stolen away. I don’t want to say too much, but Willow grows so much within these pages.

Cameron House was captivating, almost a character in itself. ” Cameron House and silence were old friends” until ” that chilly March afternoon, the silence in the massive old house was broken” . . . Its inhabitants, both living and dead, grabbed my attention. For me, this really gave the story a cozy mystery feel. Ghosts willing to help and hinder made the story even more appealing. Genealogies have always been an interest of mine, so I found the history of the estate compelling.

The residents of Little North Island are an eclectic group. Some with close bonds; some barely tolerated. Librarian Catherine was a font of information about almost everything and was willing to research anything she wasn’t familiar with. Rina was to be Sue’s wife and was trying her best to deal with the loss. One by one, Willow meets the residents of the island, trying to fit them together, and they trying to understand why she was really there.

The story unfolds at a deliberate pace as Willow and readers see that the island is full of secrets, some long-held, most hoping never to be revealed. Willow’s inquisitive nature is never-ending. She needs to find the truth, but her needs could land her in a world of trouble. The further I got into the story, the faster the pages turned.

Murder Will Out is Ms. Breedlove’s debut. She has put forth a rich, multigenerational mystery with twists and complex characters, set in a fascinating locale. She is definitely an author to watch.

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 Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About the Author

JENNIFER K. BREEDLOVE is a Chicago area composer, conductor, author, editor, and educator. A frequent visitor to Downeast Maine since childhood, she has an enduring affection for the wild beauty of the coastal islands and the warmth of the people who make their homes there. Her debut novel, Murder Will Out, won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award and was also a finalist for the Killer Nashville Claymore award. Find out more about Jennifer on her website HERE.

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