Jodie Morgan

When Laura Evans leaves her high-pressure Boston restaurant job for managing Silver Springs General Store’s café, she’s hoping for a change of pace. Except the Summer Cheese Festival is fast approaching and an esteemed food critic is in town, ready to review the establishment for a second time. The first nearly closed the business. And the day after it hosts a pre-festival tasting…Laura discovers a dead body.

Suddenly Laura’s boss Maggie is the prime suspect, her new job is in jeopardy, and her dreams of a peaceful Vermont life are crumbling faster than a block of cheddar. Determined to save her boss and her fresh start, Laura teams up with her observant landlady Evelyn Chan to uncover the truth.

But as Laura digs deeper, she discovers this charming small town harbors dangerous secrets...

This cozy mystery serves up the perfect blend of charm, community warmth, and intrigue. Ideal for readers who savor small-town settings, quirky characters, and clever puzzles.

The Maplewood Crafters Club Investigates In This Cozy Mystery

Murder At The Summer Cheese Festival

Some puzzles are worth getting lost in...

Laura Evans thought moving to Silver Springs meant leaving surprises behind. After uprooting her entire life from Boston, all she wanted was predictable days and a fresh start in the quaint Vermont town she and her grandmother often visited.

But when a mysterious vintage cookie jar appears in her moving boxes—one she didn't pack—Laura discovers it contains a secret. Inside is a handwritten clue in her grandmother's distinctive purple ink.

With Isaac 'Izzy' Lennox, an enthusiastic young man from the local apple farm who arrives at her door with homemade pickles, Laura finds herself chasing riddles from the cozy Creekside Tearoom to the community theater's costume collection.

Each clue reveals another piece of her grandmother's connection to this close-knit town—and introduces Laura to neighbors who seem remarkably eager to help a stranger.

As Laura follows the trail...she begins to wonder...how does and why everyone in Silver Springs seems to know exactly who she is?

Sometimes the most beautiful secrets are the ones that bring you home.

A Page-turning Crafts & Culinary Cozy Mystery Short Story

Puzzles She Packed

Some treasures are too precious—and too perilous—to keep.

Evelyn Chan has been the backbone of the Silver Springs Public Library's book sales for four decades: a pillar of honesty and community service. But when she discovers a rare poetry collection worth hundreds in a donation box...everything changes.

It should be worth celebrating, but the book isn't just valuable…it's personal. Inscribed 'To my darling Martha', it connects to her dear friend Martha Henderson's long-ago confession about a forbidden romance.

With the library desperately needing funds, Evelyn faces an impossible choice. Keep the secret safe? Or let the book go to auction?

Evelyn needs to think, so she slips the volume into her bag. But as mysterious text messages, flustered conversations, and half-remembered stories pile up...has she stumbled onto Martha's deepest secret? And should she...keep it hidden?

Sometimes the most precious discoveries aren't the ones we're looking for—and sometimes the most poignant secrets are the ones we stumble upon.

Cataloged Under Deception

Her Hometown Welcomed Her Back, But Someone Wanted Her Out...

When celebrity chef Rachel Wu returns to her charming Vermont hometown to test recipes for her second cookbook, she expects nothing more than quality time with her mother Evelyn and some peaceful cooking. But when an ambitious selectboard member orchestrates a high-profile pop-up dinner at the local bistro, Rachel’s quiet retreat turns into a culinary nightmare.

Renowned food critic Heather Bronson collapses at her table in the middle of Rachel’s signature dish tasting from a severe allergic reaction. With Heather saying Rachel deliberately used peanuts despite knowing about her allergy, Rachel’s career hangs in the balance. Her cookbook deal is suspended, legal action looms, and Silver Springs buzzes with suspicion.

But Evelyn Chan isn’t about to watch her daughter’s reputation crumble.

As she and Rachel dig deeper into the mystery, they uncover a web of professional rivalries, past grudges, and hidden motives among the local restaurant owners—each with their own reason to want Heather Bronson taken down.

Mother and daughter must work together to expose the truth before Rachel’s culinary dreams are destroyed forever.

A delightfully cozy mystery short story seasoned with family bonds, small-town charm, and just the right amount of culinary intrigue.

Recipe For Revenge

In the second page-turning novel in the Silver Springs Mysteries, within Fall's beauty lurks deadly deception...

Laura Evans thought managing the General Store café in Silver Springs, Vermont would be a peaceful change from her high-pressure Boston restaurant career. But when apple farmer Vernon Reed is found dead, suspicion falls on Laura's friend Izzy—the outgoing theater enthusiast whose fingerprints are all over the murder weapon.

As damning evidence mounts and the town turns against Izzy, Laura refuses to believe the kind-hearted young man could be a killer. Teaming up with her wise landlady Evelyn and fellow café worker Jasmine, she digs into Vernon's secretive final months.

But the murderer is watching Laura's investigation—and they'll do anything to keep their lies from unraveling. In a community where everyone knows everyone, the deadliest secrets hide behind the most trusted faces.

This engaging book serves up the perfect blend of mystery and comfort. Every clue unfolds at just the right place, and justice is as satisfying as a refreshing glass of sweet cider.

Murder At Goldenleaf Apple Farm

Jeff Morgan

Features over 100 delicious, kosher recipes incorporating flavors from around the world including Braised Beef Short Ribs with Root Vegetables and Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes, Latkes with Sour Cream, Green Onions, and Masago and Gefilte Quenelles with Braised Leeks.

Jodie Morgan

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