Spiked Punch

Maddie Sparks Mystery, #1

by

Lesley A. Diehl

Intriguing debut of a new cozy mystery series!

Spiked Punch is the first book in author Lesley A. Diehl’s new cozy mystery series featuring amateur sleuth and former librarian turned mystery writer, Maddie Sparks. With its sassy heroine “of a certain age” and an intriguing mystery of a murder to solve, this series’ debut is sure to please cozy mystery fans of all ages. 

Maddie Sparks feels restless and ready for a change when the story begins. Since her retirement from the library, she’s had a fair amount of success as a cozy mystery writer, but after a decade of the same old thing, she’s feeling as stale as the tea cookies she found in her cupboard. When she discovers the body of one of her son’s property management clients, life suddenly gets a bit more interesting. Enter investigating officer and interim county sheriff Zack Montgomery and her jerk of an ex-husband, Dan Sparks, and things get a whole lot more interesting. While Dan is a real piece of work, Zack is a work of art. Maddie is as spunky as they come and even gets into a physical altercation or two with the heinous ex-husband. She’s also a pit bull on the trail of the killer, asking tough, pushy questions of those who cross her path. 

With the plot focusing on her eldest son, Geoffrey, the mother in Maddie leaps into action to prove his innocence. She follows each bit of information that comes her way to find the client’s murderer as well as the owner of the strangely omniscient cat found at the crime scene. 

I recommend SPIKED PUNCH to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy more mature amateur female sleuths, sexy law enforcement officers, and stories featuring cats. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.