Murder in Miniature (Maple Bishop Mystery #2) by Katie Tietjen

Rating: ★★★★☆

This was my first Katie Tietjen read, and it certainly won't be my last! Despite being the second instalment in the Maple Bishop Mystery series, Murder in Miniature stands firmly on its own, offering enough background to comfortably introduce readers to the charmingly crafted cast of characters. Maple Bishop, a talented dollhouse creator turned crime scene consultant, instantly drew me in with her keen eye for detail and quietly resilient nature. Joined by Sheriff’s Deputy Kenny, Fire Chief Orson, steadfast Sheriff Scott, and the heartwarming widower Ben with his adorable dachshund Frank, the ensemble brings warmth and depth to this intriguing historical mystery.

Set in 1947, the novel cleverly weaves historical detail with a plot inspired by Frances Glessner Lee’s pioneering forensic miniatures. The concept of using dollhouse replicas to unravel crime scenes is both fascinating and effectively executed, giving the investigation a unique edge. When Maple is tasked with determining whether a deadly cabin fire was an accident or arson, she recreates the scene in meticulous miniature, unearthing hidden secrets and painful ties to her own past.

Tietjen skilfully balances suspense with emotional depth, particularly in Maple’s ongoing struggle with the grief of losing her husband. This personal dimension adds a compelling layer to the plot, enriching the mystery as Maple confronts unresolved issues from her former Boston neighbourhood.

Full of twists, atmosphere, and historical charm, Murder in Miniature captivated me from start to finish. I eagerly look forward to revisiting Maple Bishop’s world—and perhaps catching up on the first book too!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I had read about Frances Glessner Lee, who created miniature replicas of actual crime scenes which are used to train forensics and investigators. Her attention to detail in creating these miniatures is impressive. When I came across this book which is inspired by this miniature artist, I just had to read it.

Maple Bishop is the heroine of this book who has uncanny memory of people and situations and can create exact, miniature replicas. Her artistic skills and analytical skills are put to good use as she works as a consultant for the local police force. When one of the aspiring firefighters is found dead in his cabin (ironically due to a fire), Maple is called into study the scene. She smells something fishy and starts helping the local police force with the investigation.

This is a mystery book and one doesn’t expect strong, memorable characters, but the author takes time to establish strong characters. Maple comes across as a strong, independent, woman who can take care of herself and others. She is grieving her husband’s death and that is always present as an undercurrent throughout the book. Not just the protagonist, but even the supporting characters are so beautifully portrayed – even the motel owner who hardly appears in a few pages. I fell in love with the character and the writing.

The book is fast paced, revealing new twists and turns as the plot thickens. The book was so engaging that I would look forward to my bed time just to read the book. This is the second book in the “Maple Bishop Series” – which is great news to me. I will get to read more Maple books in the future.

Wow another great book 📖. The details and descriptions given in the writing is amazing. You get to know each character, even if they were talked about in the 1st book there’s more details given to get to know the characters deeper. The story was so intriguing and I love the MC! She is so attuned to those around her. Love the little hints and nodes throughout the book. Once again another 5 ⭐️ book from this author.


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Murder in Miniature by Katie Tietjen was an adventure in retrospect, going back to the era around the second World War. A lawyer who had the misfortune of being female in those days could not get work in rural Vermont as a lawyer. Her name is Maple Bishop, and she creates dollhouses, or in this instance, miniature houses to sell as a business since her husband recently passed away. She also finds herself making them for the local sheriff to assist in solving crimes. She recreates scenes where someone died or was murdered, to help figure out what happened.

In Murder in Miniature, a friend of a deputy sheriff was found dead in his bed by a firefighter who was supposed to pick him up to go to work. He found the house on fire and put it out with a hose but was too late to save his friend. Maple uses several versions of the cabin to try to determine how it happened,

This is the third book in a series but the first that I have read. I found it more interesting after I discovered it was based on a woman (Frances Lee Gessner) who in real life did the same. If you enjoy mysteries, especially murder mysteries, you will enjoy this book.

I reeeeeally wanted to receive this book and I was overjoyed when I saw my approval! Thank you so much for this ARC! I loooved this book! I read the first one and fell in love with the writing style. Very Agatha Christie. You can definitely read this as a stand alone and not feel like you’re missing anything. 10/10 recommend.

I am fascinated by Frances Glessner Lee and the concept of a book series loosely based on her murder rooms drew me in immediately. I somehow missed the introduction of the series, but when I saw this one I requested the first from my local library and dug in. Frankly, I found it very slow-going. It was definitely more historical fiction than murder mystery, and I had a tough time connecting to the characters. I wanted to empathize with and like Maple so much more than I did - she just never felt compelling as a character, and definitely did not have the sassy spark that the biographies of Lee have attributed to her. I also didn't find there to be anywhere near as much of a focus on the dollhouses/miniatures as I was hoping for. It truly felt like a snapshot of a place and time more than a Glessner Lee-inspired murder mystery.

Still, I thought I'd give the second book a try just in case it took a while for the author to find her way with the characters. Sometimes the scene needs to be set for things to pick up, after all. Unfortunately, I found this second book to feel nearly identical in tone to the first. For those who enjoyed that first book (and the reviews indicate there are many), this will be welcome news - for me, not so much. I think this series just isn't for me. It's entirely possible that is simply a matter of my expectations not matching the books' realities, but regardless, I was not engaged and wasn't able to finish.

Murder in Miniatrue is book 2 in the Maple Bishop series. This book picks up a couple months after book one. Maple has a thriving dollhouse business now and has been recognized as a consultant for the local sheriff. She's called out to help the sheriff when there is a fire at a home where a body is found. Although initially suspected as being an accident, the sheriff asks Maple to take a good look to document everything she sees.

This particular case ends up having Maple using techniques where she makes four sets of the same bedroom scene so they can test arson theories. additionally the course of events takes her back to Boston where she's able to get some closure on her brother's case and learn something that knocks her speechless in the process.

Like the first one, this is a clean novel of mystery. There is a brief hint towards a pair of ladies not being "just" friends, but that's all there is. A vague inference, nothing more.

4 Stars. I will definitely keep on with this series. It's clever.

*Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for an ARC of this novel. All opinions are 100% my own.

Following Maple Bishop who makes dollhouse of murder scenes, this twisted tale of arson, the effects of coming home after war,a touch of Irish mob and of course murder will have you on the edge of your seats!! This is the second book to death in details. I did not read the first one however you don’t really need to because this has its own plot. Maple’s life is at risk here and she persevered as any strong woman who has been through so much trauma should!!! I give this book four stars!! I wil be recommending as well🖤

This is book 2 in a series that began with Death in the Details which introduced Maple Bishop. She has a law degree and passed the bar but in the 1950's, in her area of Vermont, she can't get anyone to hire her as a lawyer. Instead, she has made a business making very intricate and detailed doll houses. This character is based off of Frances lee Gessner who pioneered many areas of forensics in law enforcement and trained others by using miniature crime scenes. Historical mystery fiction is a favorite genre of mine and it is hard to find good series. I am excited to go forward with this series. The writing is very good and the mystery was engrossing. I did not read the first book in the series. I am not sure I will, after having read book 2, because there are enough clues that I have a bit of an idea of how it turns out. I am not ruling it out.. I am sure there are surprises to be found in reading it, even so.
Maple Bishop has a photographic memory and can remember detail. A fire was reported and a man, who was a firefighter, was found dead in the ruins. The sheriff calls Maple in to consult on the case. Maple is an interesting character. She seems to struggle with some social cues and handling certain social circumstances. If you like engrossing historical mystery, give this one a try. I would give this 4.5 stars.

Maple Bishop is still adjusting to small town life. Originally from Boston, she moved with her husband to a small town in Vermont. But since his death, she has struggled with her role in life, since she isn't able to practice law. But in the first book in this series, she has found a niche. She uses her miniature houses to reconstruct crime scenes and help the local sheriff solve murders.

In this, the second book in the series, a young firefighter is burned to death. Was it an accident? Or was it murder? Maple's miniatures are actually used to establish the cause of the fire that killed him. But who was the murderer?

Maple's investigation takes her back to her roots in Boston. There, she learns more about the death of her brother. And, she gets an offer to remain in Boston and join the prosecutor's office. She she stay or return to her new home in Vermont?

Well-written and well-plotted, this series is quite enjoyable. The characters are intriguing. Sometimes, in cozy mysteries, the side plots can detract from the main mystery. But Maple's exploration of her brother's death and her questions about where she should call home fit neatly into the flow of the book. I highly recommend this book and the series.

The following review was posted on Goodreads on 2.14.25:

I enjoyed the first book in the Maple Bishop series, so reading the second book was a no-brainer. Like its predecessor, MURDER IN MINIATURE is an intriguing mystery featuring a unique heroine (who's based on a real woman), likable characters, and an engaging plot. Although I liked the first book slightly better, I still very much enjoyed this second installment.

Maple is a fascinating heroine. She's bright and observant and, although she's clearly smarter than most of the people around her, she's humble about it. While she can come off as abrupt and even cold, she's also passionate, loyal, and determined. Her friends are a likable lot, who are patient with Maple's eccentricites. They work together well.

As far as the mystery at the center of this novel, it's a pretty straightforward, even predictable, one. I didn't see all of the twists coming, but I knew who killed Daniel almost from the start. That made the book a little less exciting for me. All in all, though, MURDER IN MINIATURE kept me reading and wanting to know what was going to happen next.

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for violence

I’m thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

As a general rule, I enjoy murder mystery and investigations. This book was no different. The simplicity of the writing, the details included to engage the reader, and the main character was relatable and fun to experience the world with. And yes, I enjoyed the solving of the death too.

Thank you Netgalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.
I was surprised to find out this was the second in a series. You can easily read this as a stand-alone as I didn't feel I missed any context.
A great mix of historical fiction and mystery, we follow Maple's journey to finding her way in life after the death of her husband and the war.
After a fire and the tragic loss of the Sheriff's Deputy best friend, Maple is called in to assist with the investigation, recreating the scene with one of her signature miniatures. The investigation takes a surprising turn and Maple is required to return to her old neighbourhood in Boston.
This mystery will have you hooked right up to the last page.

Expected publication September 23, 2025

I was really excited about this book because the premise is fascinating—especially since it’s based on a real woman with such an interesting history. I also love miniatures. I was eager to see how they would play a role in the story. While I appreciated the cozy, nostalgic feel (it reminded me of watching Murder, She Wrote or Monk with my grandmother), I found myself wanting more—more depth in the characters, more emotional connection, and especially more vivid descriptions of the miniatures and the process of creating them.

At times, the story felt over-explained in certain areas while leaving others underdeveloped, which made it difficult for me to fully engage. That said, I think this would be a great fit for readers who enjoy low-stakes, comforting mysteries with a historical touch.

I loved this quirky little book and truly enjoyed the mystery and the plot . It was a fast easy read for me
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

Murder in Miniature was a very good story. I enjoyed it very much. It takes place in the town of Elderberry, Vermont. The country was just getting over the war. Maple Bishop is the main character who makes custom dollhouses. Ben Crenshaw is the owner of the hardware store where Maple sells her dollhouses. He would like their friendship to be more. Ken Quirk works with Mable constructing the dollhouses. She had hired him when he came back from the war. Sam Scott is the chief of police who worked with Mable on a murder case, the Elijah Wallace murder. He was a local farmer. She is now a independent consultant for the police. She also reconsructs the murders via nutshells.

Sam calls Mable and tells her that there was a fire and a body was discovered. Could she come with him to the scene. Kenny Quirk is Sam's nephew and is a deputy also comes along. They arrive at the scene and finds Curt Olsen, fire chief, there. The dead man was Daniel Perkins who lived with his Uncle Phillip who was a long haul trucker and is away on a trip. Daniel had been a childhood friend. Daniel had moved when he was 8 but came back recently and was a trainee for the department. He has also just came back from the war overseas. Peter Johansen, also a childhood friend of Kenny's had also came back from the war. He was there to pick-up Daniel and take him to work for their shift. Mable wondered why Daniel was in bed if he knew he was being picked up. The only part that was destroyed by the fire was Daniel's bedroom and a little bit of the livingroom. Mable was troubled about where the fire was. The rest of the cabin looked like nothing happened. The fiire chief, Sam, Kenny and Mable walked around the cabin and looked in the windows. The kitchen was tidy except for the table that still had food from dinner on it. Mable was surprised at the mess on the table. A chair was pushed back as if someone had pushed it back in a hurry. A fork was on the floor under the table. They also checked the uncle's bedroom which was also very neat. There were footprints outside of the window. Peter's or someone else? They looked into Daniel's room with the body still there. Daniel was lying on his back. The top part of the body was burned, the bottom was intact. Except for the bed area the rest of the room was intact and neat. How could someone have set the fire and no one saw the person. Whilel looking up the mountain Mable saw smoke coming from the Patterson's cabin. He had died earlier of old age. She and the sheriff would have to go and see who was living there.

Dr. John Strong was the new doctor from Oklahoma. He had his teenage daughter with him. After reviewing the body he felt that the death was not right and wanted to check Daniel's lungs for smoke. He could have been dead before the fire started. Mabel sent Kenny to see about his friend, Peter who was sitting near a tree.

The next day Sam and Mable went to the Patterson's cabin. They looked around and then introduced themselves to Eliza Patterson who was there to pack up her father's things and get the house ready to sell. She was there from CA where she was a producer. Another woman came into the room. She was the actress Cecelia Randall. Eliza told them that they had seen three trucks there. One was there all the time. A green one was there but wasn't now and a blue one which was Peter's. The day before they had seen a man she had never seen before. There was something wrong with his arm as if it was in a sling. The man was all in black. Daniel had walked the man out to his car and watched him drive away. After they had spoken to Eliza and Cecelia they left. Mable wanted to go back to the scene and get some things that she could use to reconstruct what could have happened to Daniel. The scenes were called nutshells.

Phillip came home and was told about the death of his nephew. He was very upset when he heard. Kenny had told him. Dr. Strong came to the office with his report. He told them that Daniel had smoke in his lungs and burns and scaring in his esophagus that were not from cigarettes. The body was definitely Daniel and he had been alive before the fire, The upper part of the body was unreognizable.

It was decided that Mable and Kenny would go to Boston and meet with a detective Francis. They were going to find Kenny's mother, Laurie Perkins, who was in a hospital there. They also dropped off a specimen which Dr. Strong sent to his friend that worked the lab there. Detective Francis went with them and found that Laurie had left the hospital. They did not know where she went so it was decided to go back to the police station the next day to meet with the detective. They found out that the man who had visited Laurie was Leo Matthews who was the head of the mafia.

The next day while Detective Francis was at a meeting they went over the folders on Leo Matthews and Thaddeus Perkins, Daniel's father. While looking at the file they came across the name Annabel Hastings. Her husband, Jack. was killed the same time as Thaddeus. They had been arrested many times together. Kenny asked for the file on Jack as well as the file on James Cooper, Mable's brother. They also went over the list of mob members. Kenny recognized three names that he wanted to check out. The detective left to meet with his staff so he left Jame's folder for them to check out. In viewing his folder they found that James was known for his fights. A Robert Halpern was the arresting officer. They decided to go and speak to him about James death.

This is where the story takes off. There is so much to tell that I will leave it to the reader to enjoy with all the twists and turns that take the reader to a surprising ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.


Jamie was Mable's brother who died in the jail in Boston. She wanted to look into what happened to him.

I was worried I’d be lost since I hadn’t read the first book, but this one does a great job of summarizing key details, and the mystery stands on its own. Murder in Miniature blends the Historical Fiction and Mystery genres well, with a compelling plot and fascinating post-WW2 setting. The well done research adds depth, and Maple’s journey of figuring things out after the war is captivating. I’ll be circling back to read the first book and eagerly awaiting the next!

So this is actually closer to a 3.5 star read, but I did enjoy my time enough with the book that I bumped it up rather than down. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Death in the Details, I was really happy to catch up with Maple and her friends. I still love the characters and I think that does a lot of heavy lifting in this book. Maple leaves some new things about her brother's death and Kenny is dealing with the death of his friend in the titular murder.

The major problem I had with this book is the pacing. Maple and Kenny are taken to Boston because of the murder and they spend a decent amount of the story there. This moves Maple's personal story along, but it kind of makes the murder part of the story suffer. I don't feel like the nutshells, the dioramas that Maple makes, really had a major purpose in the story in the same way they did in the first book. I also felt like the mob being involved in the story was kind of a large jump from the first book. I thought there would be a more gentle ramp if the series ever got to that point, maybe in a few books.

However, I still read the book in a day and will gladly pick up the next book. I curious what the author will do.

Murder in Miniature is the second book in the Maple Bishop mystery series by Katie Tietjen. This was a fabulous book and I really enjoyed reading it. The historical setting and details were very well researched and fascinating to read about. The mystery kept me guessing right up until the last page and truly surprised me. The characters are becoming more well developed and interesting, especially Maple herself. I’m enjoying how she is figuring out who she is and what she would like to do with her life in the wake of WWII and the loss of her husband. It’s also interesting to read about what the other characters are going through in the time after WWII. I think sometimes we feel like people just went right back to their lives and of course, that didn’t happen. It was compelling and sad to read about the suffering after the war as people tried to adjust to life back home or adjust to family members who came back different or not at all. I look forward to read more about Maple and her friends and their lives after WWII.