Summary:

In Sabotage at Cedar Creek we return to the charming town of Mabank, and revisit the characters we grew to love in the prequel, Tracking Tilly. This time, there’s a mysterious culprit sabotaging RaeLyn’s best friend’s new B&B. Can RaeLyn figure out who the saboteur is before it’s too late?

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this sequel to Tracking Tilly more than I though I would! Although I found the beginning to be a bit slow, the middle picked up quite a bit, and I became very invested in the lives of the main characters, (even more so than in the first book). I especially loved Bessie Mae, whose spunk and slightly concerning adoration for John Wayne made her by far my favourite character.

My absolute favourite part of the book was by far the setting! I loved being immersed in the small town southern charm, and as someone who doesn’t usually enjoy a contemporary setting, that’s saying something!

As to the ending, I found it a tad bit anticlimactic. I was expecting the villain reveal to be much more dramatic. Despite that, I still liked the way the book ended off.

Overall, I’d recommend Sabotage at Cedar Creek to anyone who is in the mood for a sweaky-clean, short, low-stakes mystery set in a charming small town in Texas with feisty but lovable main characters!

***Thank you NetGalley and Barbour Fiction for providing an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

** “ ‘I’m trying to remind myself every day that God still has plans for my life.’
‘Plans, for good, and not evil,’ Dot said. ‘Plans for a future, one filled with promise and possibility.’ ” **

Janice Thompson continues her cozy Little Red Truck Mysteries series with “Sabotage at Cedar Creek.”

With her Papaw’s beloved little red truck Tilly back after its recent theft, RaeLyn Hadley is helping her best friend Tasha get her new vacation rental ready to be opened. But when acts of sabotage begin to occur, the friends quickly try to get to the root of it and figure out who is trying to harm Tasha’s business and why. With several suspects, can they band together with RaeLyn’s family and her boyfriend Mason to figure it out? And will Tasha therefore ever be able to get her business off the ground?

Once again, Thompson has created a lovely story filled with potentially new budding romances, some intriguing mystery, sweet and funny moments, and a love for animals and family. Her characters are both delightful and unlikeable, many recognizable but a few new ones added to the fold. She also fills “Sabotage at Cedar Creek” with several great themes, like knowing God has a plan for us; giving out second chances; not making assumptions; judging others; dealing with bitterness; having a sense of gratitude and sacrifice; and the importance of community.

Fans of cozy mysteries will love this story, which is due out Feb. 1.

Five stars out of five.

Barbour Fiction provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Sabotage at Cedar Creek is the perfect follow up to Tracking Tilley. It is a fun, easy read story that will entertain and keep you guessing until the very end. All the same characters are back, with a new puzzle to solve. I am so glad there will be a third installment, and I will be among the first to grab it when it is available. You can not go wrong with this lighthearted southern series.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book courtesy of Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sabotage at Cedar Creek – Janice Thompson – Barbour – Feb 1

Janice Thompson gives us a second book in her series featuring Tilly the red truck and the people we met in the first book, Raelynn Hadley, her family, her best friend, Tasha, and several of the others in the first book, along with some new characters.

Tasha is in the process of opening a B&B, but someone in in town is trying to sabotage her efforts. There are several people who could be the culprit and the book centers around Raelynn and Tasha and several of their friends as they try to locate that person so they will be able to open the B&B as scheduled.

This book is a cute cozy mystery with themes of friendships, new friends, old friends renewing a long-time love and new-found love among the friends.

I enjoyed this book very much and recommend it to those who enjoy cozy mysteries. Thanks to Barbour and NetGalley for the advance copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

Janice Thompson is an author who I always enjoy getting to pick up her new titles. I love that she's recently turned her talents towards penning cozy mysteries, and the first book in her Red Truck Mysteries series (Tracking Tilly), ended up being one of my favorite reads of last year. I had high hopes going into this one, and it definitely did not disappoint.

It's kind of refreshing to pick up cozy mysteries that are both faith based, and non murder mysteries, as it's keeps the content less graphic and makes them more appropriate for younger readers as well. That being said, the mystery is not lacking in any measure, and I still found myself invested in the story right along with the characters trying to piece together who was intent on sabotaging Tasha's new vacation rental.

As lovely as the mystery was, it's the characters that truly make this one a five star read, and it was such a treat to be right back with Raelynn, Mason, Bessie Mae, and the rest of the Hadley clan. The new characters introduced also quickly wormed their way into my heart, and I'm already looking forward to reading book three.

Last but not least, there's a plethora of southern goodness included to wrap this one up in a tidy bow, and I don't recommend you pick up this fun title while being hungry as the food descriptions will definitely have your mouth watering.

Final Rating: 5/5.



If you're in the mood for a clean and sweet cozy mystery that tugs at the heart strings and restores your faith in humanity, then this lovely tale is the book you've been waiting for.

I can't recommend it enough, and I'm so thankful that my first read of the year is already a book that will find it's way onto my list of 2024 favorite reads!



Thanks so much to Barbour for allowing me to read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Barbour Fiction) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Barbor Publishing for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.


I loved this book! Romance is normally my main genre, and while this had multiple romances play out, it was never a main focal point as much as the plot was. The characters were so cute! I haven't read book one, but I plan to after finishing this one! The plot was the perfect mix of smalltown romance and what could be a small claims mystery!


Language -none at all as expected from Janice Thompson and a Christian book!
Spice - again, nothing at all! A few sweet kisses that aren't even described are the most romance there is!
Other notes-I think parts of the *current, as of Jan. 8*
synopsis got mixed up. A few of the details in the summary better fit the sneak peak of book 3 than they do book 2. The overall plot is the same, but there are a few little things that were probably meant for the other book


*SPOILER*
- I can't believe that ending! It's so cute, and it fits right in
with the characters, being southern and Christian, but it was such a surprise! I can't wait to read the next one to see how it plays out!
- The wrapping up of the mystery felt a tiny bit fast to me at the end, considering that RaeLyn had hardly considered that as a possibility, it seemed a bit more like a tying up all the
loose ends kind of twist than a shocking but believable plot twist. It was still a good ending, though, that made all the little details come together!

Janice Thompson has a wonderfully follow-up to "Tracking Tilly" in this cozy mystery "Sabotage at Cedar Creek" which brings back RaeLyn, her family, friends and some new characters. Thompson has created a wonderful small town mystery series that draws the reader in right at the beginning of the books. She has some twists and turns to keep the reader guessing at who committed the crime. There is also some family happenings, light romance and you feel like the characters could be your family and friends.

I like that this book, like the first was not a murder mystery. This makes the book enjoyable for ages 16+ being able to read these books. There is some kissing between the main character and her boyfriend, mention of a couple that is divorcing (the husband has a new girlfriend prior to the divorce being final-not portrayed as a good thing) and a bit of suspense trying to solve the crime but none of the suspense is intense.

The small town feel of the book, a community working together during their 4th of July celebration to support various groups through church fundraisers, characters that go to church and worship God are refreshing to see. The family supporting one another is also great to see in this book. Overall this is a wholesome book that shows imperfect people as well as right from wrong. If you like cozy mysteries with a bit of romance and family values - this one is for you.

Thank you to Barbour Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Title: Sabotage at Cedar Creek
Series: Little Red Truck Mystery #2
Author: Janice Thompson
Genre: Mystery/Thriller-Romance
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Pub Date: February 25, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages: 297

Story is based in Mabank, Texas and features RaeLyn Hadley who has opened an antique shop on her family’s ranch. <i>The book cover photo features ‘Tilly’ Papaw’s seventy year old red Chevy truck which is the mascot for the shop.

When I read " Tracking Tilly", My comment was that I was immediately drawn to the story as my granddaughter drives a red truck. It was her high school graduation gift. It was what she wanted to haul her things back and forth to college.
Additionally I have a handsome wonderful grandson named Mason.
So yes I was indeed hoping for a HEA story! (I got my wish in that story- so here I am again.)

In this story her friend Tasha is getting ready to open her newly remolded vacation rental when use someone is sabotaging it and it nearly burnt to the ground.

I am a big thriller fan and have to admit I have to be the right mood for a fun cozy mystery yes there is a bit of mystery along with a bit of a sweet romance going on.

In Janice Thompson’s Bio she tells us why her stories focus on light-hearted!!
She says ~ Life is hard! Readers lead busy, chaotic lives and need those special ‘Take Me Away!” moments!
“Love, Laughter and HEA" is something most of us need and she says it ~ bring her great delight. Plus if think it is all fluff, think again! </i>

Pleased to say, this was also a light enjoyable quick read and for you foodies there are yummy recipes’ posted at the end of this story!
I heard Book #3 [book: Mistletoe and Mayhem] that has hints of a wedding.

Want to thank NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for granted me the pleasure of this early eGalley. Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 25, 2025.

This was my first Janice Thompson and it definitely will not be my last! This was such a fun and cute book!
It’s written in one of my favourite styles ever! First-Person-POV, funny characters, intriguing plot and a really sweet romance? Add in a bit of mystery and I’m in love!
The characters were just top notch! I could use a whole book about Bessie Mae and Bob! And Tasha and her flock of admirers! And her rental of course!
As fun as this cozy mystery was, the best part of the story was, in my opinion, RaeLyn’s narration! Perfect combination of southern expressions, laughter and yummy food. And lots of it! The amount of sweet tea mentions could fill the whole book!

I will say, I didn’t read book one first, and while it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book, I did wish I had read book 1. The series is following Raelyn’s life, so throughout the book there are random references to book 1.

Tilly, the red truck, is still going strong as RaeLyn helps her friend Tasha renovate her house to rent as a vacation home. BUT! Someone does not want Tasha to succeed. Who is trying to sabotage her success? There are plenty if suspects with motives. One of them puts RaeLyn and her boyfriend, Mason, at odds with each other. Will they be able to work out their differences when the culprit is caught? Something is changing for Aunt Bessie Mae too; could she be falling for a gentleman? Lots going on in this book that will keep the reader engaged from beginning to end.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Janice Thompson, author of "Tracking Tilly", has a second zany, cozy mystery in book 2, "Sabotage at Cedar Creek". Characters who turn into amateur sleuths when odd things begin happening. A light, easy read.

Releases Feb 1st. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Love this series. In this book, Raelyn's best friend Tasha is getting ready to open a B&B but someone is trying to keep that from happening. Raelyn is the amateur sleuth and is not going to let that happen. Follow Raelyn as she figures out who done it.

What an awesome job the author does of weaving this story, you will think you know the answers, but then maybe you don't. The surprises kept coming, and I kept guessing! Was I right? Some of the time, but then there are more surprises!
We are back in Cedar Creek and with the Hadley family, this is the second book in this series, but this can be read alone. I loved the first book!
There is a bit of sweet romance here, and loved how the game of finding the right one is played on the pages here!
Also someone is trying to sabotage sweet Tasha's new bread and breakfast? Maybe? But whom?
There are answers coming here, and you are in for a page turning read!
Hoping for more in this series!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.

Love the author and the cover. This was such a great book that I couldn’t put down. If you are looking for a great book then I recommend this one.

Texas, B & B, Christian-fiction, small-town, small-business, arson, family, friendship, sabotage, recipes, antiques****

A pleasant afternoon read of a nice clean mystery filled with well developed characters and a goodly number of suspects.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected e-file on PDF without TTS from Barbour Publishing/Barbour Fiction via NetGalley.
Avail Feb 01, 2025 #SabotageAtCedarCreek by Janice Thompson #RedTruckMysteriesBk2 @BarbourPublishing #BarbourFiction #NetGalley #Christian #CozyMystery @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones **** #Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk

This was my first time reading this author. I did not feel as if there was any real mystery. The book seemed to just follow the goings on of Tasha and RaeLyn. I kept waithing for something exciting to happen. If you like a very wholesome book this would be for you. I had a hard time keeping my attention on it.

Sabotage at Cedar Creek is a well written cozy mystery. I throughly enjoyed the plot and the character dynamics. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

Red Truck Mysteries is such a fun series. Sabotage at Cedar Creek was a delight to read. RaeLyn and her buddies and family have to figure out who is sabotaging Tasha's new rental business. RaeLyn can't let her bestie down. Along with the mystery, sparks of romance fly. If you enjoy cozy mysteries without murder, you'll love Thompson's series. This is a light, enjoyable, and relaxing read, that made me smile and cheer on the characters.

Sabotage at Cedar Creek is considered a cozy mystery in the Little Red Truck series. It was recommended to read the first book, Tracking Tilly prior to the second, but I read it as a stand alone which seemed fine.

The mystery is set in Mabank, Texas, as the Hadley family opens a new antique business called Trinkets and Treasures. All is running smoothly and profitably with Tilly, the red antique truck, as its mascot. RaeLyn Hadley drives, Tilly, her Grandpa’s truck around looking for antiques for the family’s store.

RaeLyn’s friend, Tasha, will soon open a new bed-and-breakfast inn to accommodate the area’s growing tourism, but suspicious circumstances keep popping up, hampering progress. RaeKyn goes to work to try and find out who could be behind the acts of sabotage. As in good mysteries, there are multiple suspects. Could it be the nearby resort owner, the daughter of the house’s former owner; a neighbor, or a squatter who had been living in the house before renovations? RaeLyn is determined to solve the mystery for her friend.

While thoroughly entertaining and inspirational, I grew weary of the seemingly forced southernisms. I’ve lived my whole life in small town, North Carolina and say y’all and eat cobbler, but there was enough sweet tea references to fill all Texas! The term whelp as in “Whelp, my compassion just sailed out the window” was not familiar to this southern girl.

I recommend this clean, sweet story, but you may end up baking a peach cobbler and topping it with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.

First book I've read by this author and it was an entertaining cozy mystery.
The characters are sweet and the friendship among them all seems genuine.
I enjoyed the mystery involving Tasha and the purchase of her new home, it made the story more realistic.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.