Book Review and Giveaway - A Murder and Maggie MacGill by Rebecca Lee Smith

My Review

Maggie MacGill lives in a small town in Tennessee, painting seascapes and teaching elementary art.  When an unlikable older woman in town dies mysteriously, leaving Maggie her fortune, her life changes.  She finds herself - and her family - in danger, and so she works to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read A Murder and Maggie MacGill because the Tennessee setting and art teacher protagonist appealed to me.  This is my first read by Rebecca Lee Smith and it is a standalone mystery.

This mystery was an absolute delight!  It is a cozy mystery with elements of women's fiction and a fresh, sassy voice.  It was a very fast read for me because I read in all my free time over a couple of days ... I wanted to see what happened next!  A sample of the authorial voice:

"Dust motes floated in the air like glitter. The whole thing felt surreal and romantic, like a scene from a Hallmark movie without the fake snow and the gay leading man."  (eBook location 67)

I really like Maggie.  She is creative, loyal to her family (dad Les and brother Jesse), and she cares about the kids she teaches.  She meets her high school antagonist, Eli, by surprise early on and sparks unexpectedly fly.  She wonders, though, if she can trust him and be vulnerable with him.  Their friendship/possible romance is a big part of the story.

The mystery aspect of this book was well done.  There were a number of strong suspects.  I figured the answer and enjoyed Maggie solving the mystery as well.

The only thing I didn't like about A Murder and Maggie MacGill is that it isn't the start of a series!  I would love to read more featuring these characters.  I enthusiastically recommend this book for other cozy mystery fans.

Book Synopsis

When elementary art teacher Maggie MacGill finds the richest, most despised woman in town dead, then inherits her estate, life in the sweet mountain town of Wrenhaven, Tennessee, takes a greased ride downhill.

No one knows why Mrs. Grayson left her fortune to Maggie, but once her death begins to look like murder, and a series of unexplained pranks directed at the MacGill family turn nasty, Maggie must untangle a web of secrets and discover who has it in for her before it’s too late. Even if it means accepting help from the victim’s grandson, a man she’s loathed since high school but whose devastating grin and quick wit can still make her heart race.

Author Bio

Rebecca lives with her husband and a dog named Wilbur in the beautiful, misty mountains of East Tennessee, where the people are charming, soulful, and just a little bit crazy. She’s been everything from a tax collector to a stay-at-home-mom to a professional actor and director. She loves to travel the world but her Southern roots and the affectionate appreciation she has for the rural towns she lives near inspire the settings and characters she writes about.

Author Links

Website http://www.rebeccaleesmith.com

Facebook: (Rebecca Lee Smith): http://bit.ly/4lykxcF

Twitter/X: (Rebecca Lee Smith): https://x.com/rbeccaleesmith

Bluesky: http://bit.ly/467y7ih

Author Central on Amazon:  https://bit.ly/4lapGr3

Purchase Links –   Amazon​      Barnes & Noble      Kobo

Giveaway