Murder in a Cape Cottage by Maddie Day is an enjoyable cozy mystery that transports readers to Cape Cod. I thought Murder in a Cape Cottage was well-written. The main characters are realistic and developed. I love Mac’s grandmother and her African Gray parrot, Belle. I enjoyed the descriptions of the town with its cozy shops and the quaint homes. I like Tim’s (and now Mac’s) carriage house (a hundred-year-old home). Mac and Tim are busy getting ready for their wedding which is in a few days on New Year's Eve. Mac is fortunate to have her best friend, Gin and her mother taking care of all the details. The mystery was unique. Mac and Tim want a bathroom attached to the master. They are going to demolish a closet and a storage room for the purpose. When they break through the lath and plaster, they find a skeleton. The skeleton sitting in a chair and wearing a wedding dress. Someone wanted to make sure the unfortunate soul could not get out because they tied her hands behind her back and fastened a chain to a ring on the wall. Mac feels for the woman who never got to marry her sweetheart. Mac with help from the cozy capers book group looks into the crime. I thought the mystery was an easy one to solve but I enjoyed joining Mac as she asked questions and dug for clues. I like where information was discovered (spoilers) that helped Mac solve the case. There are two secondary mysteries as well. The skeleton bride’s groom has not been seen either (since 1940s). Mac wonders if he did the deed, or did he flee town. There are robberies happening to the shops in town. Who is behind the thefts? The mystery is just the distraction Mac needs to keep her mind off the wedding. There is a good wrap up at the end. Murder in a Cape Cottage is the fourth A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or if you have missed a book along the way (like me). There is repetition of case details. Mac will get information and then she shares it with various individuals. I thought the ending was sweet. I like books that leave me smiling. I loved the mention of Krista Davis’s A Pen & Ink Mysteries. There is a shout out for Lucy Burdette’s A Key West Food Critic Mysteries as well. There are recipes at the end for items made in the story (not by Mac). Murder in a Cape Cottage charming cozy with a chatty parrot, discontinued demolition, a butchered bride, a bevy of burglaries, a flower girl dilemma, and New Year merrymaking.

As Mac and Tim prepare for their upcoming nuptials they find a body behind a wall while doing renovations. It was nice to watch Mac try to figure out what happened along with getting her wedding things done.

MURDER IN A CAPE COTTAGE is the fourth book in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries by Maddie Day. In this newest release, ‘Mac’ MacKenzie Almeda is preparing for her nuptials to baker Tim Brunelle. What should have been a week filled with bridal activities and fun turns into a nightmare when a skeleton is found inside a walled in space in Tim’s hundred-year-old cottage. To up the creepiness factor, the skeleton was dressed in an old-fashioned bridal gown and had been chained to the wall. With only a few days until her wedding, Mac decides she must find out what happened to the bride and find justice before she says her vows.

This brings a sense of urgency to the storyline. With a fast-paced plot that starts from the very first page, Ms. Day pens an intriguing cold case murder mystery. Using her connection to the community, Mac chats with elderly townsfolk, and researches old newspapers hunting for clues of the identity of the dead bride. I’m always in awe of writers who can successfully navigate putting together a cold case mystery and provide enough clues and twists to make it interesting. And Ms. Day does not disappoint. Adding to the enjoyment are the supporting characters, from Mac’s dear grandmother, her African gray parrot (who provides moments of levity), to her Cozy Caper’s book group who helps suss out clues. As they track down information, it becomes apparent that someone in town has a vested interest in keeping the crime unsolved. With the suspect list growing and the days counting down to Mac’s wedding, I felt the need to read faster and faster to find out what happens next. I, for one, can’t wait for the next book in this delightful series!

As in all of Maddie Day’s books, you can count on delicious mentions of food throughout the story. And, of course, lots of wonderful recipes are included at the back of the book for the home cook to try.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The holidays are upon Mac and her cozy town of Westham, MA. It’s busier than ever in her little town, and not only is the shop flourishing, but Mac is trying to sort out those last-minute wedding details. Also while trying to get some renovations done on the cottage. While Mac and Tim are taking down some walls in the cottage, they stumble upon a skeleton wearing a wedding dress. So, with only days before her wedding, the holidays in full swing, Mack finds herself engrossed in the history of the families of their town to figure out who this woman is, and possibly solve a decades-old cold case murder.


Murder in a Cape Cottage was a fun and interesting, cozy mystery. Mac has so much going on. You would think she would leave this cold case up to the authorities to figure out what happened. But I think because it was a bride who probably didn’t see her wedding day. Mac could not go on with her own wedding until she found out some answers. Which luckily she was able to. Mac is a great character. I love this cozy little town and the charming people within it. Author Maddie Day does an amazing job with engaging her readers with likable and charismatic characters that keep us turning the pages.