Apple pie and arsenic, p.1
Apple Pie and Arsenic, page 1
part #1 of Maple Lane Mystery Series
Apple Pie and Arsenic
A Maple Lane Cozy Mystery
C. A. Phipps
Review for Apple Pie and Arsenic
Apple pie and arsenic 5*
This is the first of the Maple Lane Cozy Mystery books by Ms Phipps and wow did I love this book. Maddie is coming home to visit her Gran and to help her Gran sell her house, but Gran has a plan of her own. Maddie ends up staying in town and opening a bakery and then things start to go wrong. A friend dies and the search is on for the killer. Maddie and the Girlz turn into amateur sleuths to help find the killer since Maddie is receiving threats.
I can say that the book ends on a positive note and I loved the way Ms Phipps would throw in a sentence that helped fill in tiny bits of the backstory but it fit and flowed perfectly. It would be amazing to see all the Girlz get a man as they are all single as the series progresses but as long as it doesn’t affect their friendship. I highly recommend this book. A great book to start the series with.
Now I have a need for Apple pie 🥧
by Nicole
Dedication
To the women in my special writing group—you know who you are—without you the Maple Lane Mysteries might never have eventuated. Certainly not the Titles!
You all contributed in some way and I will be eternally grateful for that and your friendship.
Women are strong, and stronger together.
Love you.
Cheryl x
Copyright © 2018 by C. A. Phipps
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Contents
Also by C. A. Phipps
Books by Cheryl Phipps
Apple Pie and Arsenic
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Thanks
Recipes
Easy Maple Syrup Cookie Recipe
Gran’s Apple Pie
Bagels and Blackmail
About the Author
Also by C. A. Phipps
The Maple Lane Cozy Mysteries
Apple Pie and Arsenic
Bagels and Blackmail
Cookies and Chaos
Doughnuts and Disaster
C.A. Phipps also writes as Cheryl Phipps.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter. There’s a free recipe book waiting for you. x
Books by Cheryl Phipps
High Seas Weddings
Against the Tide
Waves of Passion
Kisses on the Sand - Coming 2019
Sycamore Springs Series – Romantic Comedy
Jack and Gill
Adam and Eve
Samson and Delilah - Coming soon!
Prossers Bay Series - set in New Zealand
Prosser Bay Boxed Set – Books 1-3
Doc’s Town
Finding Liam
Seducing Megan
Saving Stephanie
Emily’s Wish
Billionaire Knights Series
Billionaire Knights Books 1-3
Restless Billionaire
Ruthless Billionaire
Reluctant Billionaire
Reckless Billionaire
Resident Billionaire
Millionaire - Family Ties Series
The Millionaire Next Door
The Millionaire’s Proposal
The Millionaire’s Seduction
Apple Pie and Arsenic
🥧 Who knew pie could be deadly? 🥧
Spring Festival and murder.
Can Maddie clear her name?
Finding the body was a shock. Accused of putting it there pushes Maddie over the edge and into the Sheriff’s path. Her ex-flame is as confused as she is when the mystery heats up with another batch of clues.
As the timer ticks down in the race to find the murderer before Maddie’s put in jail or the body count climbs, she enlists the help of her friends.
Danger threatens at every turn, and when Maddie ends up on her own, scared and out of her depth, it seems that even an award-winning baker isn’t safe from Maple Falls’ first serial killer.
Things like this just don’t happen in her small town. Or, it didn’t until now.
If only solving murder were as easy as apple pie!
If you love Murder She wrote, you’ll enjoy Maddie’s style because she’s not taking no for an answer either.
The Maple Lane Mysteries are light, cozy mysteries featuring a quirky cat-loving bakery owner who discovers she’s a talented amateur sleuth.
No swearing, gore or graphic scenes
Book 1, 2 and 3 in the Maple Lane Mysteries are out now, with book 4 on preorder.
Get your copy now.
Chapter One
Maple Falls, Population: 10,915. Madeline Flynn read the sign as it went by and smiled with fondness. You couldn’t get much farther from New York City in distance or size, which was a breath of fresh air.
She opened the window on the passenger side of the taxi, and breathed in the smells of home as they came over one of the last hills to view the full vista of the town. With the crystal-clear waters of the lake behind and the mountains to the left, Maple Falls epitomized the ‘clean and green’ tag they’d been given long ago.
The radio began to crackle with static, so the driver changed stations to their local one. Noah Jackson, the DJ, was playing her kind of music: rock and country with a sprinkling of pop. Maddie tapped her fingers on the top of the door as her long blonde hair swirled behind her, a rarity since it wasn’t often let out of the thick braid she preferred for work.
She would have cut it years ago, but her Granddad, rest his soul, had insisted Maddie keep it long like her Gran’s. Every time she thought seriously about seeing a hairdresser, his voice came back clearly.
“It’s so beautiful, Maddie. Why would you get rid of a gift like that?”
It was impossible to go against such a kind and gentle man, and even after he’d gone she hadn’t the heart to do so.
Pushing her hand into the breeze as they swept past farms with paddocks of cows, sheep, and others with crops, she relished the feeling of freedom the drive from the airport was giving her. She couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel of her Jeep, currently stored in Gran’s garage, to ride with the top down along country lanes again.
‘Honey’ was more than a mode of transport. Her grandfather had bought her for Maddie when she was sixteen and had been a major source of good times for her and her close friends over the years. In fact, Maddie missed Honey—so-called because she was a rich, dark golden color—as if she were another friend and had hated having to leave her behind almost as much as Suzy and Angel. New York City was no place for a country girl to drive, even if she’d been able to find or afford somewhere to park.
When she sighed, Bernie Davis shot her a look. “Nearly home, Maddie. With not being so well over the winter, Gran’s sorely missed you. It’s a shame you couldn’t come back more often.”
Was there a touch of censure in his statement? She wouldn’t be at all surprised. They’d chatted about all sorts of things that weren’t too personal, apart from the initial ‘“Hi, how are you?”’ Clearly, the time had come for him to ask what the rest of the town would want to know. As the only taxi driver in town and the odd-job man for most of the population, it was expected that he would have the latest gossip on anyone entering or leaving Maple Falls, especially if the passenger was one of their own.
She sighed again. It was probably best to get a plausible response out there and avoid the question being asked 10,914 times, even if it annoyed her to have everyone know her business. Like it or not, Maple Falls was probably never going to change regarding that.
“It has been too long. I’ve been working hard and saving for my own bakery. A vacation hasn’t been possible.”
Bernie grinned. “Gran’s been telling us how well you’re doing, even after changing jobs. A bakery of your own in New York? You’ll be more famous around here than you already are when that gets out.”
Maddie brushed that aside, still feeling awkward at receiving praise from an entire town; especially when they’d expected more from the scholarship she’d been awarded to pursue a business degree. When she’d left college, she’d believed aiming for that was what she should be doing. After all, her marks in business studies had been what had gotten her the scholarship. But as soon as she had the degree and taken her first job, she knew it was a mistake. A big one. Madeline Flynn was not made for sitting behind a desk. She was a standing behind the counter type of girl.
She should have known, and may
Going from a well-paid job to starting at the ground level in a bakery would be a terrible waste. For two years she’d told herself that. Finally, when she was completely miserable with her life, and despite a steady boyfriend who thought she was insane to consider throwing away her career, she knew the time had come to stop working at something she felt no passion for and she had called Gran.
Naturally, her grandmother hadn’t said a word about the waste of a degree, wasn’t at all surprised by Maddie’s change of heart, and certainly didn’t care what people thought.
When the opportunity to change careers arose, it was through a chance meeting with a woman who had come to Maddie seeking help with marketing for a future venture. A venture that Maddie was naturally interested in since it revolved around owning a bakery. This shared dream ensured they became good friends and when Camille Fournier told her bosses, at the bakery where she worked, all about Maddie, they’d called her in for an interview.
The sights and smells of the famous French bakery were heavenly, and Maddie’s heart beat with the passion she’d been keeping under wraps. This was the life she wanted. Whether it was due to Camille’s good word or her own over-the-top delight, the owners offered her a job starting at the bottom. It was a huge leap of faith for a family business that didn’t generally hire outsiders, and Maddie liked to believe she was deserving of that faith.
Her heart knew it was the right choice, and with Gran’s blessing, she’d jumped at the chance and had never regretted her decision. However, a residual embarrassment lingered at being seen as a failure around Maple Falls.
“What’s been happening here, Bernie?” She changed the subject.
“The usual. People stepping on toes and then having a drink over their apologies.”
“Nothing new, then?”
They laughed together at the notion that Maple Falls might change in any way. Situated twenty miles south of the bigger town of Destiny, Maple Falls was a lot older and had almost everything a person needed.
Bernie suddenly frowned. “There is one bit of unsavory news. The mayor has been under fire from an anonymous source. I know Denise is a friend of yours, so I thought you might like to know she’s struggling a bit.”
Maddie had been happy to let Bernie talk while she enjoyed the scenery, but now he had her full attention. Denise was a lovely, big-hearted person, so to hear she was being harassed was upsetting. “How do you mean?”
“It’s stuff in the paper and flyers appearing all over town about how she isn’t living up to election promises of bringing in more tourists or boosting the economy in other ways.”
“Surely Maple Falls is doing great for a small town?”
His brow creased at her tone. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I’m doing fine and so are most people, but gossip can spread and we do have a few members of our community that don’t exactly share the same spirit as the rest.”
Bernie was being tactful, but they both knew whom he was referring to. Maddie would be keeping an eye out for them and as much as she might hate confrontation she wouldn’t stand by and let Denise be hurt. She sighed. Not even home yet and she was already enmeshed in a Maple Falls drama.
“Sorry. I’m just surprised, because Denise has already done so much good.”
He nodded as they crested the last hill, and there, stretching out before them, was the town itself. Once more, a peaceful feeling settled over her.
To the left were the vineyards. Row upon neat row stretched out to the mountains, with the small lake sparkling at their base. To the right was farmland. Rich and fertile, the land around Maple Falls was a beautiful myriad of colors that never dimmed even in winter.
At the bottom of the hill and on the outskirts of Maple Falls, Bernie slowed considerably. It was something people did automatically, even before the 30-mph sign was in view, because the old town was spectacularly beautiful and worth an unhurried look.
Especially now, in her best season, anyone who had a heart was bewitched by Maple Falls. Spring was when the old girl shrugged off the darker shades of winter and burst out into the colors of the rainbow, when every garden in every street blossomed as if in competition.
Maddie almost laughed again. There was no denying that the residents could be very competitive, from gardens to the annual spring fair, where they could showcase everything from flowers to baking, crafts to furniture making. Summer heralded the music festivals and farmers’ markets, while fall was full of family fun, harvest festivals, and corn mazes to delight the young and old. Finally, there was the winter carnival and the time when Christmas decorating took center stage. There was always a season and an unwritten opportunity to go one better. Of course, it was all done good naturedly.
A canopy of big-leafed maple trees shaded the main street and many of the ones intersecting it. They were enormous specimens of the Oregon native, some even reaching close to their top height of sixty feet.
The founding fathers’ properties still stood interspersed along the main street with the businesses, the sheriff’s department, and the fire station. Out of the three brothers who had founded Maple Falls in 1880, one descendant, Mickey Findlay, occupied one, while the others had long ago been sold to the town. Of those, one was now the doctor’s office and a small pharmacy; the other was home to the Mayor’s office and the community center.
They were impressive buildings which had been studiously maintained through the years. The community center was a hive of activity, serving as a meeting place for the older generation, who Gran presided over like a queen bee.
Maddie hadn’t lived here for several years, although she had come home for most of the holidays until she changed jobs. That was when the questions about her use of the scholarship veiled thinly with disapproval began. Although a few things had changed, trees had grown, families had come and gone, businesses opened or closed, Gran and her best friend Angel were what always drew her back.
When they reached the center of town, a wave of nostalgia hit her. Here was a place, despite being the town’s hub, which had the quiet grace only a small town could convey. The well-worn sidewalks and roads were spotlessly clean, as were the front yards of the locals who were rightly proud to live here.
It wasn’t quiet because there were people around, but after living and working in the hustle and bustle of New York for a few years, for Maddie this was a direct contrast. People acknowledged each other. They stopped to chat and really listened to what a person had to say.
It was a relief to know the place where she’d grown up was still the same, and that the woman who’d raised her would be waiting to welcome her with open arms. Gran was more like a mother than a grandmother. She had taken Maddie in without hesitation when Maddie’s mother had left town for a faster-paced life. With no father on the scene, maybe her grandparents had felt they had little choice, but they’d never made Maddie feel anything but loved.
