Small-town cozy mysteries with a bit of an edge and a hint of magic. You’ll love this series.Welcome to Whispering Pines, Wisconsin. A place for those who don’t belong.Sixteen years after a family feud drove her from the cozy Northwoods village of Whispering Pines, Wisconsin, former detective Jayne O’Shea returns to prepare her grandparents’ lake house for sale. Once there, not only does she find … only does she find that the house has been trashed, her dog discovers a dead body in the backyard.
Jayne intends to stay out of it, but when it becomes obvious the sheriff isn’t interested in investigating the death, Jayne can’t stop herself. Her list of suspects grows faster than the plants in the commons’ pentacle garden. Could it be the local Wiccan green witch with her stash of deadly plants? The shopkeeper who slips into trances and foretells death? The visitor determined to practice black magic?
What Jayne knows for sure is that the closer she gets to solving this crime, the more the sheriff wants her to back off. And when a local fortune teller provides a crucial clue, Jayne knows it’s up to her to solve this murder.
The Whispering Pines Mystery Series
Family Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery
Kept Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery, Book Two
Original Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery, Book Three
Hidden Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery, Book Four
Rival Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery, Book Five
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I absolutely loved this book. I put it down as informative because it does incorporate the Wicca religion, which I feel isn’t talked about as often in fiction. I always enjoy reading stories that have my religion down correctly. I could not put this book down and I was left completely stunned on the identity of the murderer by the end. I will definitely continue reading this series.
Family Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery by Shawn McGuire is a cozy mystery with an array of quirky and colourful characters and a twist. This small town is weird and interestingly different and full of hidden secrets and with a hint of fantasy/supernatural. There are those who once had run away to join the circus, Wiccans, and psychics/fortune tellers just to name a few. Whispering Pines is certainly more than it seems. There are some unanswered questions that remained at the end which was a bit frustrating.
As former police officer it’s hard to leave that life behind so when she comes across a crime scene, she can’t help but want to find out what happened and who is behind it. But it just might be her demise.
Shawn Mcguire write a tale of a mystical place with turmoil to spare. Jayne the sleuth gets caught in a mess of trouble. This book was intriguing, twisted, and an all around page turner! If you’re a mystery buff this is definately for you!
What a fantastic read to start spooky season! The suspenseful mystery Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire, first book in the Whispering Pines series, this book will have you hooked from the very first chapter!
A classic whodunit mystery, somewhat newcomer Jayne O’Shea arrives in her grandparents hometown to discover a murder. She meets Tripp, a camper in the village, who helps her with her investigation while also helping fix up her grandparents’ house, which was the reason she came to Whispering Pines in the first place.
As someone who has been questioning her spiritual beliefs over the last few years, reading about the Wiccan religion and witchcraft in general was especially interesting to me and I love how they incorporated it into the storyline. It definitely put an interesting twist on things and I hope it remains prevalent in the books to come!
The book leaves some unanswered questions, so I definitely plan to read the rest of the books in this series!
Oh my goodness, I am hooked. This mystery had me reading at every opportunity possible; then had the nerve to end on a cliffhanger! Thank goodness book two is out!
Jayne is everything I want to be, a total baddy, and even has the same insecurities as me too! I adore their little village and love the details of the quirky residents. I don’t personally know a lot about Wicca but I feel they did a great job describing it in a respectful manner.
10/10 recommend!
Family Secrets (Book 1 of The Whispering Pines Mystery) is an amazing mystery. From the first page, I am drawn as Jayne is traveling to Whispering Pines, Wisconsin, to clear out her Grandmother’s house. Little did she know, she would be entering into a town full of drama and secrets. Oh boy, the action is basically wherever she turns. There’s a dead body in her grandmother’s yard to a break-in. She meets a handsome guy, Tripp, who basically tells her the town doesn’t like outsiders. She’s treated like royalty because she’s the Original’s granddaughter. Jayne sees the attitudes of the town and it makes her mad that they treat Tripp this way. I can’t share anymore. You have to read this. It’s so thrilling and full of twists and turns and suspense. The character’s are incredible. Honey and Sugar running a sweet bakery. It fits so great. The towns people make me think of the weird people I have met in Boulder. They just fit the characteristics so well; weird and hippy chic with a hint of spooky. So worth the read, I can’t wait to dig into the rest of the series. I love Jayne and Meeka. Highly recommend.
Keeps you guessing right to the very end! I felt like I was investigating with Jayne O’Shea through each part of the story. The end is one I definitely didn’t see coming. Can’t wait to read the next book to see where the story goes. Truly enchanting.
Family Secrets is the first book in the Whispering Pine Mystery series by Shawn McGuire. This is my first time reading anything by this author, but she has won me over already.
Whispering Pines sounds like something out of a fairytale. Jayne arrives back there after 16 years away. She has returned to sort out her grandparents’ property but gets so much more than she bargained for when she discovers a dead body in the garden. She shouldn’t get involved, but once a cop always a cop!
I am already a huge fan of the cosy mystery genre, and the book didn’t disappoint. It has enough mystery and suspense to keep you turning the pages, but it’s also a really easy read. There are quite a few loose ends and unanswered questions, but I’m guessing we’ll get more answers in book 2!
What a way to find a house you want to sell of course it has to be me. The people of this town loved my gran as hee granddaughter Lucy seem to be a patriarch of this town. I actually enjoyed reading this more than I though. Jane is extremely relatable and I really like her character. Tripp I like him. I want to read the next book now. This is amazing book 5/5
This book was a little slow to begin with, but there is a lot packed in.
Jayne comes back to sell her grandma’s house and finds the house wrecked! And… a dead body! So the secret is out! What happened to this body??
The mystery, the stories and paranormal hook you in for the long haul!
Family Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery by Shawn McGuire was a great mystery book! I love the author’s creativity in the writing. It had me hooked from the beginning and I was quickly turning pages to find out what happened next. The plot was very well written. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and “seeing” their interactions. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. The book does end on a cliffhanger, but that isn’t the reason I’m excited to read the rest of the series. Regardless of how it ends, I would have read the rest of the series because I am excited to see what else happens!
I enjoyed this suspenseful mystery story. This is a new author for me which I look forward to seeing what is next for them as well as the next book in this series. I found this book to be fast paced and full of action. The twists and turns had me sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what was lurking in the shadows. This is a well written story about Jane and what happens when she goes to her grandparents lake house. The story picks up when her dog finds a dead body in the backyard and the sheriff has no interest in finding out who did it. I really enjoyed what the characters brought to the story. Their growth as well as the plot throughout the story is great. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into the story as well as kept the story engaging. Jane is a great character that truly made the story easy and entertaining to read. I highly recommend this book.
Jayne has been sent to Whispering Pines to take care of her grandparents house to get ready to sale as her grandmother passed 3 months ago. There are many secrets that lie in Whispering Pines that Jayne has no clue about. She is leaving behind what she feels is a life that she has ruined; turning in her partner, losing an informant, saying no to her boyfriends proposal and quitting her job as a detective at the Madison PD. Whispering Pines is not your typical town, it was established as a Wiccan community after her grandparents purchased the 2000 acres and her grandmother did not like being alone as her husband traveled. Upon arriving in town Jayne and Meeka her K9 partner find a dead young woman on the property and that the house itself has been vandalized. Jayne meets many people along the way to finding out what truly happened on her families property. What does this town and this incident hold for Jayne’s future? Can Jayne keep her detective skills to herself or will she step into something much bigger? This was an amazing start to this series and I can’t wait to see what else Whispering Pines has to offer.
“Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)” written by Shawn McGuire, was a book I couldn’t put down! Set in a small town in Wisconsin, former detective Jayne travels to her late grandparent’s lake house to settle their affairs. As she arrives, her police-trained dog finds a dead body in the yard. Her training has taught her how to handle the situation, and she gives report to the sheriff. Jayne is surprised that the local police do not seem to be worried about the death, and their suspicious behavior leads her to begin investigating on her own. As she investigates the potential murder, she begins to uncover many secrets about her own family, as well as secrets in the village of Whispering Pines.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters, and the small town setting! I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
4 stars
Family Secrets is the first book in the Whispering Pines series by Shawn McGuire, This is a cosy mystery following former police detective, Jane O’Shea as she gets drawn into a murder investigation in her hometown.
This is a crime and investigation story with plenty of suspense, interesting and quirky characters, and more- all woven into a clever little mystery.
Definitely looking forward to following the rest of the series!
Intriguing!
Thank you, Shawn McGuire!
I enjoy discovering new authors and series, especially at the cosy mystery end of spectrum. Family Secrets, the first of a series set in the town of Whispering Pines in Wisconsin, features ex-cop Jayne O’Shea and her Westie, Meeka. They arrive at the home of her late grandparents to find the body of a young woman on the lawn.
With the help of Tripp, another visitor to the community, Jayne slowly becomes involved in an investigation where nothing is as it first seems. The sheriff appears uninterested in the murder. His nephew and deputy, Reed, is openly hostile to Jayne’s involvement. And a whole host of local characters, from a green witch to some local councillors, become suspects.
It’s all lovingly written and described. Jayne’s a strong character with her own baggage to deal with, picking away at the loose threads to piece together the relationships and motives that will help her solve the case. It’s fairly standard fare, but lifted by the setting, the Wiccan religion that guides many of the people, and the distinctive characters who add warmth, humour and charm to the story.
It’s a gentle, easy to read novel that charms and leaves you looking forward to the next in the series.
The book seriously has it all. Some murder mystery, some romance, emotion family business, some action, some whimsy and even some great sounding food. And it all flows together.
Love this series so much. The characters are genuine, funny, and lovable. By the end, you are eager to read the next book in the series. Shawn is a wonderful writer, her village will draw you in, and make you want to stay.
This review is for the audio book.
I started this series on book five and enjoyed it so much I had to start at the beginning. Glad I did, this book was just as good. The books are stand alone but having gone back to the start things make a lot much scene, so I would suggest you start with this book. The characters are fun and I like the way the main character isn’t very sure of herself but can still take charge when needed, it will be fun to listen to her grow in confidence with each book. The police dog (a westie) sounds cute and I hope she gets more confidence so she can join in on the cases too. I also like all the Wicca goings on, as it adds an interesting twist to just a normal murder mystery and it isn’t in your face spell casting and turning people into frogs, the story is much more grown up and focuses more on the spiritual side with the use of herbs.
Jayne returns to her home town to settle her Grandmother’s affairs and sell the house on behave of the rest of the family. Before she can even set foot in the house her Westie and ex police dog finds a body on the property. Jayne’s training kicks in and she secures the crime scene, only for the sheriff seem to be more worried about the influx of tourists about to hit the town than investigating a murder. Jayne is out of work and her stay of only a couple of weeks seems optimistic as her Gran’s house has been vandalised and In no condition to sell. So she jumps at the chance of working as a patrol officer when the sheriff asks for help but only with the tourists. Jayne is dismayed when she see virtual evidence just left laying around and can’t help herself but go against orders and investigate. But she is in more than even she suspects because the sleepy town of Whispering Pines is anything but sleepy.
I really like the narrator and think she helps build up the atmosphere and tension in this delightful mystery. I hope she sticks with this series because with the author and narrator this is a winning series. I am off to start book two.
I simply got lost in this beautifully magical take. I found myself feeling as if I belong in this stunningly described community.
I couldn’t put the book down and now I’m craving the next installment. Bravo Shawn your writing takes me into the story and carries me right along with it. Thank you.