When a murder mystery stands between her and a fresh culinary start, one amateur sleuth’s secret past could spell her untimely end.
Ontario, Canada. Piper Mars can’t admit to a shameful secret: Her addiction to enchanted online auctions has almost emptied her bank account. And when one last bid scores her a fresh start and a pink unicorn food truck, she’s worried the move back to her gossipy … hometown will cook her reputation too. But her last chance at redemption may be thwarted when her truck is impounded for its connection to a homicide.
Determined to recover her vehicle and convinced the police are on the wrong track, Piper puts her sleuthing skills to the test. But despite the help of her witchy allies and barking bestie, her new venture could be baked to a crisp.
With her future on the chopping block, can she put away a killer before everything goes up in smoke?
Masking for Trouble is the charming first story in the Piper Mars: Donut Witch cozy mystery series. If you like culinary conjuring, canine sidekicks, and quirky heroines, then you’ll love A. J. Maybe’s tasty tale.
Buy Masking for Trouble to unscramble the truth today!
Includes recipes.
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This was a fast, fun read. Nothing extraordinary about it, a clean cozy that allows the reader to escape for a while into their imaginary cozy paranormal world. This story involves a food truck, a witch that can’t catch a break (in her mind anyway), on-line auctions all tied up neatly with a bit of adventure, quirky characters, murder, aa few laugh out loud moments, and second-guessing about who the killer might actually be. This book was more enjoyable than not, and since this is a new to me author, I would give the next book in this series a chance (if there is one)l, overall, good for a first in series but not extraordinary. I received a complimentary copy from Story Origin and my review is voluntary and unsolicited.
This is a first novel for this author and it’s a cute as can be! Magic, is it real? Piper Mars has been looking for real magic, but all she seemed to actually do is get herself an addiction to online auctions and became kind of a hoarder. Then she finds a pink unicorn cupcake truck that was previously owned by a wrestler. Yup, big he-man owned a pink cupcake truck! When someone is murdered she’ll need the help of her new friends and a bit of magic. It is a really fun book. I was hoping the next book was out, but darn pandemic I’m guessing messed that up. Hope it comes out soon!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Our heroine buys a food truck in an online auction, but then it gets caught up in a murder investigation. Can you solve this mystery before her dreams of a new start go up in smoke?
This is a cozy mystery with a bit of magic and a good bit of food. Yum. The story is well written and easy to read, while the mystery is humorous and involves enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The characters are a hoot, particularly our heroine. I really loved her quirky nature and her obsession with food. Overall, this was a really fun story and I hope to see our heroine in future books.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
A really wonderful book by Author A.J.Maybe.
Loved reading this wonderful book. Really awesome characters.
This is the first book I have read by this author but it won’t be my last…
Loved reading this book…
Piper Mars is addicted to online auctions. After an accident at work gets her fired, she feels as if her life is in shambles. She has decided to move back to her home town. Her friend, Brennan, who helped her break her auction addiction, offered her a place to stay in Carteton Cove until she can get settled. Unfortunately, she immediately gets hooked on a live auction and purchases a donut truck. After winning the auction, she maxes out her credit cards to pay for the truck. Unfortunately, one of other the bidders, Rex Bales, is found murdered and the police impound the donut truck, insisting it is evidence in a murder case.
Who killed Rex Bales? Why was he killed? What will happen to Piper’s new purchase? Can Piper figure out what happened?
A.J. Maybe is a new author to me. As with many first in series books, this one starts out pretty slow in an effort to lay the groundwork. There are times when it feels like the mystery takes a back seat to the main character learning to become a witch. The mystery is resolved, so I am sure to read more books from this author.
This is a typical cozy mystery; no violence (except for offscreen), no profanity, and no sex scenes. Just how I like my cozy mysteries. This is a light, easy read that provides a few hours of relaxing escape from every day worries. The characters are relatable (except for their ‘witchiness”) and three-dimensional, the dialogue flows well, and anything with a precious dog in it is a winner in my book.
I just wish the book had had a little more suspense to it. There were two clues given very shortly after the murder and the author might as well have ended the book there. I knew exactly who the murderer was. Granted, I wasn’t completely sure of the motive, but the culprit? – I was right on! That took a little away from my enjoyment of the story, but I will check out other books in the series to see how they turn out.
Great start to a new series!
I really loved the eccentric characters and the setting. The story was well written and very engaging. I can see all sorts of shenanigans in future stories! I cant wait for this series to continue and read the next one! I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Unfortunately a rather average cosy witch mystery. I found the central character, Piper Mars to be rather silly and just didn’t feel any empathy with her. The plot wasn’t bad, but it was presented in a rather haphazard manner which made it quite difficult to follow, however there is quite a good mystery at the heart of the book, with the culprit well concealed.
There are a lot of books in this genre at the moment, and any new ones really need to be rather special to stand out, and although the cover and blurb look good, it just doesn’t stand up there with the better books of this genre.
A cute premise for a story, this features an unremarkable young woman who gets caught up in online auctions looking for magical artifacts, possible hoarding, and definite lack of good judgement. Delaying a slink back home when everything blows up, she stays at a friend’s cabin for a last regrouping before heading to her mom. It is almost her final undoing when she goes to an estate auction and ends up accruing credidit card debt to buy a food truck. When things start to go haywire, she finds some unlikely friends and answers to her heart’s desire.
Not always a likeable or responsible character, Piper Mars grows on you as you wince/laugh/cheer her on.
Masking for Trouble is a fun and enjoyable cozy mystery. This is a new series and I enjoyed this book. I will be looking for the additional books in this series as they become available.
This was a truly delightful, fun read!
Piper is headed back to her hometown in defeat after a series of unfortunate events. During a brief stop at a friend’s cabin, she encounters pro wrestlers, magic, murder AND a pink unicorn cupcake truck!
This is a fast paced read but the author manages to develop each character fully. I felt the personalities of Piper and company jump off the page.
The book has just enough suspense to keep you reading till the end, humor ro keep you smiling and enough twists to keep you guessing!
I recommend reading this first book in what I hope is a new series!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Its a fun lighthearted cozy. I loved it. Piper is my hero. She knows what she wants and went to find it and make it happen.
This is a fun, quirky story of one lady’s search for magic. She had an online gambling addiction which caused her to lose everything. She is on her way back home when she stops at an estate auction. Things begin to change – maybe because of magic. You have to read to find out if magic is involved and/or if she gets her life back or a new direction in her life! Loved this book.
Red Robin
A great start to a new series. A.J. Maybe is a new author to me and I will continue to read her books as long as she writes them. Yes, this book is that much fun. A pink unicorn food truck is something you do not see every day, if ever. The main character Piper Mars is really complex. She has a million flaws and is completely fantastic. In fact, you will love all the characters in this story. The world building is great and the addition of the wrestlers makes the story even better. Try this new author and see what magic is in store for you.
3.5 Stars
The story line was good and had a great flow to it. I loved the character work. I found myself laughing several times. This was a quick, fun read with just the right amount of comedy and mystery. I look forward to more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Might be magic mystery!
Piper Mars is a wanna-be witch with a serious addiction to auctions and is now out of work and homeless as a result. She is on her way to her mother’s in Saint Mauvais, with a short stop-over in Carterton Cove courtesy of her friend Barry, when an estate auction lures her in. Her subsequent purchase mires her even further in debt and in the middle of a murder mystery involving professional wrestlers, witches, and bad baking disasters.
There are humor and mystery in this first book of the series. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary. The satellite characters have potential so I hope they will be in future books. I couldn’t really connect with Piper so I hope her character will become more likable down the road.
Piper Mars is a witch wannabe with minimal power who maxes out her credit cards to buy a pink unicorn bakery truck. When the truck is held as evidence in a murder, Piper is determined to find the killer.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Piper Mars is not a likeable character, she is addicted to online auctions, her good (online) friend has offered her his families holiday home (basically a shack) to lick her wounds after she has lost everything to her addiction her job, her apartment. all she can think of is what people will think of her. Not just online auctions but she has been searching for enchanted items, even though everyone told her it isn’t real.
At an estate auction (not online so it doesn’t count.. right) she buys a unicorn cupcake van that was owned by a now deceased wrestler. His son is later found dead and the van is taken as evidence, she meets with some people who are friends with the wrestlers other son. then she maybe finds out magic is real, nothing is explained very well
This series might get better with time, maybe the characters will flesh out and the magic will be explained or the “intuit”, but I can’t say I found Piper likeable nor clever or witty. I will try the next book to see how it goes
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Piper Mars is going home due to her addiction to auctions. She spend all her time and money chasing items that might be magical. She was doing ok, until an accident at work. Things get worse from there. Her friend suggested a stay at Carterton Cove, to give her time before she goes home. She decides to go to another auction. She sees the food truck as soon as she gets there. She slowly goes through the auction, she meets some cast of characters. She meets an disagreeable man, he just seems like he wants a fight.
The bidding for the truck goes higher than she expected. Yet, she seems to be caught up in the moment and is the winning bid. Which way higher than she expected. She meets an older gentlemen Kasper that gives her a cookie and is nice to her. She remembers him, he use to live on her block. He tries to help her with her bid. She goes to dinner with Kasper and his friend, they find out horrible news. The disagreeable man she meet is dead, they think he was murdered. When Piper tried to get her truck she finds out the police took it in as part of their investigation.
Piper decides she has no choice but to investigate if she wants her truck back. She will work with Kasper and Sherri investigate but also to learn the magic she apparently has. Definitely, interesting times for Piper and her future.
This was an nice introduction to the Piper and the other characters. I look forward to the next book, maybe will not have such a focus on wrestling and her auction issue.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.