I hadn't realised that this was part of a series, but I still enjoyed it as a standalone murder mystery.

I loved the creepy house setting and the atmosphere of a writing retreat in a storm, complete with power outages and lack of phone signal to really add to the tension.

I had no idea about who had committed the murder and the reveal came as a genuine surprise; I was not expecting it to end the way it did.

I really liked Maggy and her relationship with her business partner, Sarah. I will definitely be reading more in this series so I can get to know them both better.

Someone's killed Kate, the organizer of a writers' conference being held in a remote cabin the Wisconsin woods. Luckily, Maggy, who reluctantly agreed to cater the event (she's not a woods kind of person) is there and on the case, She works through the list of suspects (basically everyone present) to find the villain, This is fairly standard cozy stuff but it's got some humor and I liked the idea of the cabin, I'd not read the earlier books but no problem- this will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC, A good read.

No lover of the great outdoors, coffee shop owner Maggy Thorsen is already reluctant to venture into the wilds of the Wisconsin forests to cater to a writer's retreat event. If she had any idea how "unique" an experience awaited her, she would flatly have refused to go.

After arriving at the Payne Lodge log cabin with her colleague Sarah, Maggy discovers a secluded place well-suited to unleashing the creative imagination. Even more so for a gathering of murder mystery writers.

Just about prepared to encounter various creepy-crawlies in the wilderness, Maggy is certainly not expecting to find what is in store for her at the retreat.

In the midst of a storm, she and Sarah stumble across an actual murder - the corpse of retreat organiser and local newspaper editor, Kate McNamara.

But while no great shakes in the popularity stakes, could Kate really have upset one of the writers badly enough for one of them to off her?!

With all the oddball writers in residence, finding the perpetrator may be easier said than done. Though there's no doubt the members of this group would not have trouble coming up with ideas for how to pull off a spot of murder and mayhem...


This is a light-hearted cosy mystery that nevertheless offers some solid writing and an interesting cast of characters. A fun read, especially if you're looking for a change of pace from gritty thrillers and the like.

A fun cosy crime set in a remote lodge during a storm - with a cast of quirky characters as the finger is pointed from one potential suspect to another.

This felt a lot more lighthearted than a pot of the murder mysteries I read but it works well for the characters and the plot. It was a quick read but the characters all felt well developed and I enjoyed the locked room style mystery. It was actually a nice change form the amount of murder/ thrillers I've read recently where gore for shock factor seem to be the main factor. This just relied on good writing, well formed characters and a good plot

Murder Most Foul…
The sixteenth in the Maggy Thorsen series of mysteries and a writer’s retreat, an unexpected storm and murder most foul are all on the horizon when Maggy reluctantly agrees to cater an event. Obviously catering is most definitely Maggy’s thing - but the great outdoors is most definitely not - and the writer’s retreat at Payne Lodge log cabin is calling. Soon Maggy is less worried about the insect life and more concerned with a murderer in their midst. Entertaining, laced with humour, a plot populated with a well drawn and eclectic cast of characters and with a solid mystery at its’ heart - this is a worthy addition to this well written, long running series.

At a weekend writer's retreat in deep Wisconsin, Mangy and her business partner Sarah are set to cater the weekend. During a storm lightning hits the lodge. The event's coordinator is found dead. While trying to solve the mystery they discover the organizer had made many people upset. Great characters that are well developed. Good story plot. Love the setting. Thanks#Netgalley and #SevernHouse for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.