Murder at the PTA is the first book in Maya and Sandra Mystery series by Lee Hollis and I have to say they did it again.

I read and extremely enjoy each and every series this duo writes and this is another winner.

I enjoyed everything about it. From the likable and relatable characters to the many twists and turns to the almost suspenseful direction it took.
This book has it all; murder, mayhem, personal relationships, infidelity, treachery, corruption and betrayal.
There was a lot of character establishing at the beginning as we got familiar with out protagonist so it took a while for the action to start, but I didn't mind that at all. As a matter of fact I prefer it that way in the first book of a new series.

Main characters are Maya and Sandra, Maya is a former cop turned private investigator who works with her best friend. Sandra is the PTA president, US senator's wife.
When a high school employee is suspected of being behind a slanderous web site that reveals secrets about the school members and then found dead, things start to get heated. Two main characters come together to solve the mystery behind the death each of them bringing their own strengths and weaknesses.

I like how they came to start working and I am so looking forward to see who their partnership will turn out to be and also what happens next in their personal lives.

I enjoy cozy mysteries and everything New England. The characters were relatable and the story kept me entertained. I will recommend this title to library coz mystery fans.

This is a first in a new series by Lee Hollis which is set in Portland, Maine. Two mothers find the local gossip columnist dead. They team up to resolve the murder.

I found the layers to the characters, the twist and turns, and writing only enhanced the story. I like complex stories.

I was given an advanced reader’s copy from Netgalley. I am not required to leave a positive review.

Loved reading this book. Cant wait for the 2nd in the series Maya is a private investigator and Sandra a senators wife. When Sandra stumbles on a murder. She sets out to investigate on her own until she gets some help to solve the mystery. In the meantime she is hearing not so good things. To hear more read the book.

I really enjoyed the novelty of having two main characters. The two women are so different, and they each bring a unique skillset to the table. I look forward to reading more about them in the future!

This is a first for me; to really dislike a book because of the characters. The story and plot of a novel is of course dependent on the characters, and in this book every character is a cliché of stupidity. Add the 25% introduction, and the book is a fail.

What a great start to a new series. I really enjoyed this book. It was a well written mystery and the twist at the end got me. I did not see it coming. I really enjoyed both of the main characters, Sandra and Maya. I look forward to reading more of their adventures.


Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the digital arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is an awesome cozy mystery!
Who knew PTA meetings could be filled with rumors, lies, gossip, fights and murder! Someone is spreading lies and gossip about the parents, students, and staff at the high school, and people are getting hurt. The latest gossip involves the PTA president and her Senator husband. But soon after the news is "published", the assistant principal is found dead in her office, an apparent suicide. Maya and her partner, Frances, both private investigators, have been hired by the sister of the deceased to uncover the truth about her death. But no one can predict the direction the investigation is going to go.
Great characters, some humor, some action and a lot of guessing! Truly enjoyed and look forward to the next mystery by Lee Hollis.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A fair start to a new series. The mystery was ok. The characters were fun. From set up to the climax I zipped through this book.

Murder at the PTA is the first book in the Maya and Sandry Mystery series by Lee Hollis.
I love that the story is set in Portland, Maine as I live in Maine myself and I loved reading about Maine. Maya Kendrick is a Private Investigator and Sandra Wallage is the wife of a Maine Senator. Sandra is in a new position as the President of the PTA and social media is rampant with a "Dirty Laundry" a social media site that claims that Sandra's husband is taking taxpayer money to pay for a sexual harrasment suit.

The mystery is a multi-layered complex one here. The character development is EXCELLENT.

This is a great first book in a new series. I look forward to reading more from this author and series.

Sandra Wallage is the new president of the parent-teacher association in South Portland High School. She’s also the wife of a U.S senator, Stephen Wallage.

Sandra is in the middle of her welcome speech when one of the teachers asks her about her husband’s alleged sexual harassment scandal. The news was posted in school on a media platform called Dirty Laundry site by an anonymous person (or persons). On the site, they post dirty gossips and tidbits about students, teachers, and parents. She’s embarrassed to learn about this and calls her husband to confirm the news but her husband denies the allegations and even issues a public statement dispelling the rumors.

Meanwhile, Maya Kendrick is staking out the husband of one of her clients, Jessica Farrow. Jessica suspects her husband of cheating on her with his mistress and wants to gather enough evidence to use against her husband when she officially files for divorce.

Maya’s work partner in her PI firm, Frances Turner is in her third trimester which means Maya now has to handle majority of the workload. So for this stakeout, Maya insists on bringing her sixteen-year-old daughter, Vanessa along. Maya's had to work double time to make up for her partner’s absences and of course to pay the bills.

Soon after the cheating scandal, the website goes on to run an exposé of a friend of Jack’s—Sandra’s sixteen-year-old son—of alleged drug use. Distraught by this news, Vanessa hires her mother to find out who’s responsible for this website before things get out of control.

To make matters worse, Assistant Principal Maisie Portman informs Sandra that the school board has asked Sandra to step down as PTA president considering the publicity surrounding the allegations, in the interest of the school's reputation.

Following her conversation with Maisie, Sandra runs into Maya at the school; turns out they both know each other from high school. After exchanging pleasantries, Maya heads to Maisie’s office.

Of course, Maya is there to question Maisie about the website. But Maya finds Maisie hanging from a rope that’s been tied to the ceiling. There’s a note pinned to the lapel of Maisie's cardigan admitting that she’s the creator of the Dirty Laundry website. However, judging by the bruise on Maisie’s neck, Maya who was a former detective, doesn’t believe Maisie committed suicide. She thinks she was murdered.

At the same time, Maisie’s sister, Chelsea Portman also doesn't think her sister would kill herself. So she hires Maya to find out if Maisie was murdered. As Maya digs deeper into Maisie’s case, she uncovers secrets, secrets some people would kill to protect.

I enjoyed this book very much. The mystery was well crafted with interesting characters and a nice sense of place. Would recommend to mystery lovers.

Thank you to Lee Hollis, NetGalley, and Kensington Books for the ARC of this book.

5 stars

This is the first book in the Maya and Sandra mystery series by Lee Hollis.

I have been waiting for a year to read this and I was not disappointed.

Okay, I have to admit that I am totally obsessed with this. This was one great read! There is so much juice in this that it literally overflowed with goodness.

Maya is the PI who is down to her last dime, used to work for the police force and has a moral compass that points true north. Sandra is the wife of a senator with two sons that I just fell in love with practically after she was introduced. What an amazing combo these two make.

The mystery here is very involved and the ultimate killer is someone you never see coming. What a great reveal! I can’t wait to see what is next in this series. I feel like this could be its own tv show sort of like Charlie’s Angels!

Highly recommended! Check this series starter for sure!

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I'm always a bit hesitant to start a new series as the characters seem too 'fresh'. However, this one had me hooked from the beginning to the end. The characters were real and sometimes were a bit unlikable, just like real friends. Both Sandra and Maya made a very strong impression on me. Both had qualities that showed type of woman that I'd like to be.

The story moved briskly and kept me reading. The mystery was well-done with twists and turns and a bit of a surprise.

I can't wait for the next one in the series!

Debut book in the Maya and Sandra series. I am looking forward to reading more books with these characters. It got off to a great start.

3.5 Stars

Entertaining start to this new mystery series set in and around Portland, Maine. The two main characters, Maya, a former cop and private detective, and Sandra, a senator’s wife and current high school PTA president, are well-drawn and believable. The secondary characters were also vivid, which added to my enjoyment. I laughed out loud at some of the antics/comments from the teens in the book. I’m not sure if this totally qualifies as a “cozy mystery” since one of the main characters is a professional investigator, but the rest of the description of a “cozy” seem to apply.

The authors included enough twists and turns to keep me guessing - and that’s a good thing. I am new to this author duo and will check out their other series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Such a fun setting for a cozy mystery! Reminded me of my mom's PTA life growing up--though with more murder, haha.

Sandra, Senator's wife, PTA president and mom to 2 teenage boys. Maya, separated, former police officer, private investigator, mom to a daughter. How do these two very different women get together to find out who killed the assistant principal and writer of website, Dirty Laundry, who exposes deep, dark secrets of those involved around the school? Fast paced, involving and a great mystery which took me a minute to figure out. I am looking forward to new titles in this new series by Lee Hollis.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy for review.

I love the other books that I've read from this author and will be adding this new series to my must read list. Likeable characters and a great mystery. It's sure to be a big hit.

Murder at the PTA
*𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝟴/𝟭𝟴/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬
While I am continuing to post my regular content, the BLM movement is still going on. Please keep referring to my story and linktree to find ways to help out.✊🏻‼️
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Lee Hollis is my favorite cozy mystery duo because they wrote my absolute favorite series, and I was so honored that netgalley accepted my request to read their newest series. Seriously. Like sobbing when I got the notification.😂
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Sandra Wallage, PTA president is put under full blast on the website Dirty Laundry when they say that her senator husband has been covering up a sex scandal. Maya Kendrick, another parent, who doubles as a private investigator crosses paths with her old classmate, who happens to be Sandra, they team up to decide to find out who is behind the venomous site, and when they do, she’s dead.😨
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Yes, I did guess the killer within the first hundred pages, but alas the curse of reading too many books struck again. I can honestly tell you that, that perspective didn’t hinder my enjoyment at all. I still loved the characters, and the enemies to friends was something that I haven’t really read in a cozy mystery before. I seriously can’t believe I have to wait for more books to come out instead of just binging the first five or so, and I can’t recommend Lee Hollis enough.😁
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I posted this on my story, but would you all like me to a guide to cozy mysteries, or a starter pack type thing? Let me know!💋
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Dm me to talk about all things book or writing related! I’ll be looking forward to it! —Em😌

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Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for ARC of Murder at the PTA for an exchange for an honest review.

It is with a heavy heart that after reading the book, I feel that the characters were not memorable nor did they leave a good impression on me wanting to pursue them further in seeing their relationship through. I liked a few things that were pointed out, that one main character came from a nuclear family, and the other was a single parent unit who is hardworking and learning to balance the odds. However, there were many items projected into the story that made me wonder if I was at a Comicon or actually reading a murder mystery novel.

I'm a fan of Lee Hollis and her Hayley Powell series, but this one... I can't say I am.