My 6P review: Premise, Plot, People, Place, Prose/Pace, Praise

Maple Bishop uses her dollhouse making skills to recreate crime scenes. Working with the local Sheriff, and her close friend Kenny, they investigate the death of the local firefighter.

This was such a unique story set in the 1950’s post-war Boston.

Although there wasn’t much of a mystery because it could only have been the one person given the details supplied by Maple, I still enjoyed it.

I loved the miniature scenes Maple created and I really liked her independent nature.
This story was inspired by the real life of Frances Glessner Lee which made it even more interesting.

With a beautiful cover too, what was there not to like about this book.

Score 130/150= 8.6

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was disappointed to find this was the second in a series once I received the advance copy. But this is a stand alone, for certain,The first book isn't needed to follow this story. This was a decent second book, and I will go and get the first to see how it all started.

The story is based around Maple Bishop, who is a dollhouse creator and amateur sleuth. She has a good eye for detail and joins the Sheriff and Fire Chief as well as a widower and his dog to help solve a historical mystery, It's set in 1947 and the plot is based on using dollhouse replicas to figure out crime scenes - which is really well done by the author. Maple can determine whether crimes are an accident or arson, murder, etc.

The author does a great job of balancing suspense with introducing Maples past traumas and grief. This personal dimension adds a compelling layer to the plot, enriching the mystery as Maple works on solving these crimes.

There are twists and a lot of charm in Murder in Miniature. I hope there will be another book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane and Ms. Tietjen for this advance copy. Opinions are my own.

Murder in Miniature is an engrossing and atmospheric mystery that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, true crime, and those who enjoy a strong, character-driven plot. Katie Tietjen has crafted a novel that’s as intellectually stimulating as it is captivating, and it offers a great blend of suspense, historical depth, and clever detective work. If you love puzzles, twists, and a rich historical setting, this book will not disappoint.

This was the first title I've read by this author. I noticed quickly it was the second in a series, but that really didn't matter to the story line. I was fascinated with the characters from page one and didn't see who done it until it was revealed at the end. Will definitely be reading all the series.

This book was alright. I didn’t realize that it was the second book in the series.

Maple is still dealing with the death of her husband. And then the sheriffs deputy’s remains are found in a burned cabin. She decides to create a miniature cabin so she can find the discrepancies from the scene.

I didn’t find myself reaching for this book. I’m not really into historical fiction so I think that’s why I didn’t enjoy it as much.

Thank you NetGalley, Katie and Crooked Lane Books for eARC!

Rating: 📕📕📕
Publication Date: September 23 2025

#MurderinMiniature #NetGalley

When I originally requested this book from NetGalley to read, I didn’t know that this was the second book of a series or duology(idk?). But when found the book to mark it as currently reading I noticed this was the second novel. Oopsy. But you know, I felt like I didn’t really need to read the first book to understand the story or know what was going on because the first book was how she got into this crime solving to begin with and was a different case (they referred to the first case from time to time but I still understood everything). I really loved story and Maple Bishop (MFC). It was so fun to follow her sleuthing and figure out who dunn it, you know?It was a really fun time and I thoroughly enjoyed. This could be the next Agatha Christie imo. They should make these books into a movie or show. I think that would be really fun.

This book is as well crafted as the nutshells the main character creates. Characters and their emotions are described in realistic detail. I love that it celebrates and reimagines some historical figures and events. It contrasts life in small towns post WW to that in big city suburbs and the benefits and challenges of living in various degrees of isolation and community, especially when dealing with grief and loss. The story is peopled with a wide range of relationships and the accompanying struggles and benefits experienced by people of different economic and social status. I look forward to the next installment.

Murder in Miniature
Maple Bishop was living in a small Vermont town where her husband had been the town doctor. After his death in World War II, she remained in the town and started a business making doll houses.
She used her training as a lawyer to help the local police chief to solve crimes. So she offered her help when a young firefighter was found dead in his burning house. She built a miniature cabin to find out how the fire started. Then she traveled to seedy South Boston to find more evidence in the death and also the truth of her own brother’s death.
The author based this story and the first in the series on a real life character, Frances Glessner Lee, whose miniature crime scenes are still used in police training today.
I enjoyed the book and want to read the first book in the series.
I received this ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maple Bishop returns in this sequel to Death in the Details. Maple loses herself in creating miniatures and dollhouses to escape the lose of her husband, killed during WWII, and challenges of living her adopted town of Elderberry in Vermont after a childhood in the tough streets of Boston. Maple's "nutshells," minature recreations of crime scenes, prove invaluable once again as she and local authorities try to solve the murder of a local man with a troubled past and possible mob ties. Forced to return to Boston to investigate the murder, Maple is forced to confront her past and her unresolved grief due to her brother's death. This second entry in the series has all the characters developing and Maple emerging from her grief and beginning to imagine a new future and opportunities for herself.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Land Books for the opportunity to read an eARC!

#MurderinMiniature #NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks

**Review: *Murder in Miniature* by Katie Tietjen**

*Murder in Miniature* is a refreshingly unique mystery that proves sometimes the tiniest details can hide the darkest secrets. Katie Tietjen invites you into a world that’s as intricate as it is suspenseful, where every small clue could be the key to unraveling a chilling crime.

From the opening pages, the book hooks you with its clever premise—a murder mystery set in a miniature setting that’s so meticulously detailed, you feel like you’re peering into a perfectly crafted diorama. Tietjen’s writing is both engaging and atmospheric, blending moments of tension with surprising twists that keep you guessing at every turn.

What really makes this novel shine is its attention to detail. Every little piece of evidence is carefully woven into the narrative, challenging you to look closer and think deeper. The characters are layered and enigmatic, each with their own secrets, adding to the rich tapestry of suspense that defines this story.

If you’re into mysteries that demand your full attention and reward you with clever, unpredictable storytelling, *Murder in Miniature* is a must-read. Get ready to immerse yourself in a world where the smallest details hold the greatest secrets—and where nothing is as it seems.

**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**

A great follow-up to Death in the Details. I love everything about the Maple Bishop Mystery series - the characters, the setting, the amateur sleuthing, and the cozy descriptions. I recommend this book to all cozy mystery lovers, especially if you like a touch of historical fiction in your books.

Another great mystery in this series. I love the characters and the way it is based on true events. I can't wait for the next one!

Katie Tietjen hasn't written a bad book, but she hasn't written a very good book either, she has written a run of the mill book if anything.
A young man lies in a cabin, supposedly burned to death as he slept, a fairly gruesome beginning, with the added twist that his childhood friend is one of the firefighters first on the scene.
Enter the sheriff and his newly appointed nutshell creating assistant. A nutshell is a miniature recreation of the murder scene, produced, in this case, to learn how the fire was started and to glean clues from how the fire in miniature spreads.
The little dioramas have a basis in fact, a forensic scientist Frances Glassner Lee, produced amazingly detailed dollhouse sized crime scenes as training tools for detectives up until her death in 1962.
As a murder mystery, Murder in Miniature , has several twists and turns and the final denouement is relatively unexpected. There is a back story among the main characters which is obviously developing to be part of a series, but overall, the story feels a little flat with some extra side plots almost crowbarred into the main story.
The new Dr and his daughter are introduced but left sketched in as characters, presumably to be fleshed out in a later title.
As a cosy type crime novel, Murder in Miniature does a competent job, but I won't be rushing off to read another in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an earc copy of this title.

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book 🫶🏼

this was a good and entertaining read! I expected a cozy mystery but found myself involved in a really disturbing history.

I liked the pace, the plots and the way it was written, but I did felt it was a little bit redundant sometimes.

I’d really like to know more about the cases of Maple!!!

I found myself enjoying this book even more than the first one! What I previously called adorable seems to now be really coming into its own in terms of plot, characters, and writing.

Starting out there is recap of the first book laid out slowly, not just regurgitated on the first page or two, which I always appreciate. I think it shows the author’s ability to weave a story skillfully.

No spoilers, but more than one nutshell? Now you’re just multiplying my interest. Such realistic procedural thinking for testing theories.

I did love that the investigation takes Maple back to South Boston, which seemed to figure so prominently in her life according to the first book. It gives us some more insight into to Maple, and only helped expand her character. I think this storyline was a good choice on the part of the author, both to explore her brother’s death, and to investigate to latest crime.

The progression of the partnership between Maple and Kenny was engaging and humorous. Kenny sounds more intelligent and less “golly gee” in this book, which struck a good balance. Maybe he’s just becoming more confident in his role as a police officer, but I loved the change.

There are more threads to this crime which I found to be fun. Overall this had more going for it than Death in the Details.

Maple Bishop is a dollhouse maker and a consultant to the local sheriff's office. Her eye for detail, photographic memory, and ability to identify red flags in crime scenes, makes her a valuable part of the team. When Deputy Kenny's childhood friend is killed in a fire, officials seek to determine if the fire was deliberately set. Maple builds realistic, to-scale models of the cabin that burned in order to test various accelerants and methods of starting a fire. While following clues to Boston, Maple, with Kenny's help, also tries to learn exactly what happened when her brother died in police custody a few years earlier. Maple and Kenny find answers, but also more trouble, than they bargained for.

The character of Maple Bishop is based on a real-life forensic investigator, Frances Glessner Lee. These "Miniature" books are set in the 1940s when forensic investigation was a new field. The plot moves along steadily and suspensefully, but not so much as to keep the reader awake at night. A solid, clean mystery.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book follows main character Maple—a widower, maker of doll houses, lawyer, and consultant for the local police force.

Maple crafts miniature replicas of crime scenes to aid in solving mysteries in her Vermont mountain town. Maple is a no-nonsense, curious sort of person. She loves a good mystery, her cat, and her doll houses.

When a local firefighter dies in a mysterious house fire, Maple becomes entangled with the Irish mob in pursuit of answers. She also seeks to uncover mysteries in her personal life.

This is a clean mystery with no romance subplots. If you loved Nancy Drew as a child, this might be the series for you!

"When the sheriff needed her keen eyes and photographic memory, he'd call on her"

First, a thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Crooked Lane Books for approving the e-ARC for my honest opinion.

I think what captured my interest from the beginning was that this book is based on a real female investigator. And not just anyone, but Frances Glessner Lee who was influential in developing the science of forensics in the mid 19s.

This is book 2 in the Maple Bishop series, and although you do not need to read book 1 to understand this one, I found myself reading it because I was very intrigued.

Ms Maple is a widower living in the small town of Elderberry. In book 1, she helped the sheriff solve a murder by re-creating the scene of the crime using "a nutshell" - basically like a doll house.
In book 2, she has a business of making doll houses.
The sheriff needs her help again when a beloved firefighter dies in a house fire. This being suspicious, Maple would use four "nutshell" replicas to study how the fire happened and whether it was an accident or an act of arson.

She is reunited with Kenny, a previous character from book 1 and friend of the deceased, and together they set out to solve the murder where their path will take them into a bigger case.

What I liked mostly

The book started with a quick pace in the first 30 pages and then in the last 100 pages. The events unraveled nicely and without any plotholes.

New characters are introduced whom I think they'd have significant parts in future books.

Also, although some twists felt predictable, the overall story and mystery kept me on the edge of my seat

What felt short for me was the middle of the book. I felt it stretched and some parts were unnecessary tending towards being boring somehow.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and loved reading 2 books about a real life female hero

Murder in Miniature is the second in the Maple Bishop mysteries series. A true cozy mystery, Maple is a woman rebuilding her life after the death of her husband in WWII. Although trained as a lawyer, Maple's life took an interesting turn after solving her first murder in Death in the Details. Maple is now settling into her life in a small town in Vermont, putting Boston behind her....or so she thought.
With her new job as a consultant for the sheriff's office, Maple is asked to help investigate the death of a childhood friend of her new friend and deputy, Kenny. When the arson of his friend's cabin begins to look more and more suspicious, Maple uses her special skills to create "nutshells' to help solve the case.
Based on Frances Glessner Lee, Maple is a complex, strong woman who uses her intellect and skills to excel at analyzing and visualizing solutions. Tietjen actually pulls in two of Lee's own nutshells in this entertaining second novel.

Maple loves her dollhouse business. Making things in miniature with Kenny’s fathers help on the building end.

Maple is also enjoying her side hustle. Murder. Not in committing, but solving. And she definitely has a gift for that!

This time one of Kenny’s friends and a new firefighter has been found dead from fire in his cabin. His friends are gutted and Maple is coming in to assist.

The fire wasn’t accidental and Maple gets busy recreating the entire cabin in miniature a few times, using different accelerants each time until she finds the one.

And the end was a shocker!

I adore this series! Maple is such a good character and who doesn’t love doll houses?

NetGalley/ Crooked Lane Books September 23, 2025