by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

Spiked Punch kicks off a new cozy mystery series by Lesley A. Diehl with a wonderful bang!

A bit over seventy years young, Maddie Sparks is a retired librarian and now cozy mystery author who decides she needs to change things up in her life. She begins writing a romance, and with that feisty change, she gets a new haircut and more fashionable clothes. Things are looking up.

Soon after her shopping trip, Maddie’s son Geoffrey asks Maddie to fill in at his property management company, and it’s at one of those properties where Maddie stumbles upon the body of one of Geoffrey’s clients, stabbed to death. Geoffrey is at the top of the suspect list, and Maddie knows her son couldn’t possibly be guilty.

As an author of cozy mysteries, Maddie decides to put her amateur sleuthing skills to work by finding the true culprit in their small town. Enter acting county sheriff Zack Montgomery, a handsome man in his mid-sixties. Sparks fly between Maddie and Zack as they work together to solve the mystery–even when roadblocks like Maddie’s annoying ex-husband appear. Maddie’s granddaughter Sara and Maddie’s new fuzzy orange cat Spike both play a role in supporting Maddie. The story takes an even more serious turn when the killer begins targeting Maddie and Zack. The clock is ticking, and Maddie and Zack must find the murderer before other lives are stolen.

This was a delightful cozy read, with a strong mystery, well-developed characters, and perfectly placed humor that had me chuckling out loud as I read. I adored Maddie and her go-big-or-go-home outlook on life. Her refusal to be brushed to the background, as well as her love for her family, was inspiring.

The addition of an animal side-kick in a cozy mystery is one I always welcome, and Spike the cat did not disappoint with his feline personality. The relationship between Maddie and her granddaughter added much to the story–it’s fun to witness grandparents and teen/adult grandchildren interact. The light romance was just the right amount needed in this story. I was sorry to say goodbye to Maddie and Zack and look forward to future entries in this series.

To enter to win a copy of Spiked Punch, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “punch” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen on January 20, 2024. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

You can also click here to purchase this book.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.