Someone is trying to turn Portland High into a school for scandal with a gossipy website called Dirty Laundry. The latest target of ruinous rumors is newly elected PTA president Sandra Wallage. After a heated meeting with outraged parents, Sandra runs into fellow school mom and private investigator Maya Kendrick, who’s discovered the person behind the website. But when the women storm into the … venomous gossip columnist’s office they find a lifeless body—along with a confession.
Although the police rule the death a suicide, Maya suspects an injured party hung the Dirty Laundry creator out to dry. Maya already has a PI partner—but she’s pregnant, and sonograms and stakeouts tend to conflict. So when Sandra volunteers for a crash course in sleuthing, Maya accepts the help. But as these unlikely partners study the clues, a killer plans to teach them a lesson . . .
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Great start to a new series, and I can’t wait to read the next one. Terrific characters, all well developed, and the mystery is first rate.
What a great start to a new series. I really enjoyed this book. It was a well written mystery and the twist at the end got me. I did not see it coming. I really enjoyed both of the main characters, Sandra and Maya. I look forward to reading more of their adventures.
Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the digital arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was a fun first book in a series! Sandra is the new PTA president and on the night of her first meeting, things don’t end well when the gossipy web site, Dirty Laundry, posts a story on her senator husband. Maya is a private investigator whose partner is 8 months pregnant and whose husband went to prison for police corruption. Maya’s daughter asks for her help in finding out who is behind the website so they can shut it down and stop any more people from being hurt. Maya and Sandra run into each other at the school when Sandra is there for a PTA meeting and Maya has come to talk to the person behind the horrible website. They find Maisie Portman, assistant principal, in her office with a note that implies she committed suicide after feeling guilt over the Dirty Laundry site. Maya doesn’t believe Maisie killed herself. Maisie’s sister, Chelsea, hires Maya to look into her sister’s death as she doesn’t believe it was suicide, either. Maya and Frances do some investigating and Sandra also does some investigating of her own. After an argument with Frances, Maya ends up enlisting Sandra’s help with the investigation after Chelsea threatens to go to another agency. These two women seem like unlikely friends, but they actually have more in common than they realize. I really enjoyed the blossoming friendship between the two women and seeing them work together to find the truth. I am looking forward to reading more of this series and seeing Sandra and Maya investigate!
“Murder at the PTA” the first instalment in the “A Maya and Sandra Mystery” by Lee Hollis. I really enjoy the Hayley Powell cozy mysteries by Lee Hollis so couldn’t wait to read this book. First in a series can be a mine of information as we get to know the main characters but I really liked getting to know Maya, a private investigator, and Sandra, a housewife whose husband is a Senator.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is the first in a great new cozy series! Maya and Sandra are the main characters and I loved them. An ex cop turned PI and a Senator’s wife are quite the quirky combo. The characters are well fleshed out and the storyline was interesting. Add in some scandal, Dirty Laundry (a gossip rag) and suicide or is it murder? I highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I’m voluntarily providing an honest review.
Fun read.
Murder at the PTA by Lee Hollis is the debut of A Maya and Sandra Mystery series. This book takes the time to establish the main characters and their families. We get to know Sandra Wallage, the wife of United States Senator Stephen Wallage. She has two teenage sons, Jack and Ryan. Sandra was just elected the PTA president at South Portland High School in Maine. She is used to being in the spotlight, but it is not something that she enjoys. Maya Kendrick is a former police officer turned private investigator after her husband was convicted in a corruption scandal. Maya has a sixteen year old daughter, Vanessa who still believes her father is innocent. Maya has a PI business with friend, Frances Turner who is currently eight months pregnant. This leaves Maya carrying the load at the office. It turns out that Maya and Sandra went to high school together. The story deals with scandals, teenage drama, money problems, a boy with a drug problem, and a death. The mystery is not complex. There are a couple of suspects and good clues. I found it a cinch to solve this whodunit. I would have liked a more challenging mystery. I found the story easy to read, but I wish the pacing had been peppier. I liked seeing the changes in the two women as the story progressed. The ending was humorous. I am curious to see what happens next. Murder at the PTA is a cute cozy with thrilling tittle-tattle, a sexy senator, a pregnant partner, chatting at cooking class, private eye practice, and forming friendships.
I have enjoyed several cozy mysteries by the author, Lee Hollis. This was the first book in the series and has me looking forward to additional books. What a twist at the end! It was a jaw dropping, gasp in shock ending to me.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters…especially Maya, a private investigator, and Sandra, a housewife whose husband is a Senator. In the political climate we live in today, it was interesting to see how Sandra’s life was affected by her husband’s political aspirations and the difficulties in the marriage. Their developing relationship was fun to watch. There were a couple of twists throughout and then a big whammy at the end! I’d say the author has a winner on her hands with the Maya and Sandra team.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I find cold cases to be very interesting. The resources we have now are so much better than in the past. Go along with Hope, Ethan, Devon, and the good folks of Jefferson as they plow through the snow and the clues. I enjoyed this story and the characters in it. Hope makes some very tasty food for her blog. There are even some recipes included at the back of the book. Maybe it’ll be warmer on my next trip. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.
Sandra Wallace has just been elected as president of the PTA and as a politicians wife knows all about scandal. When a website called Dirty Laundry posts an article about her husband she knows she must keep a level head. She runs into Maya, an old classmate who is now a P.I. and find sour she has discovered who is behind the website. When the two women go to confront the woman they find her dead a note next to her. Although the police say her death is a suicide Maya saw some clues that say otherwise. With Maya’s partner out on maternity leave she gets help from Sandra. The two delve into their own investigation and soon learn that they have quite a few secrets to dig through. Along the way these two woman who weren’t friends in school form a bond of friendship. As they work together will they be able to put all the puzzle pieces together and figure out just who the killer is? This was a great start to a new series, the characters were relatable and the plot easy to follow without giving away everything. I look forward to seeing where the author takes the characters to next!
Murder at the PTA is the first in this new series by Lee Hollis. I was already a fan of Hollis and was excited to start a new series. I was not disappointed.
A scandal webpage has started circulating at the local high school unfortunately for the PTA president, it’s focused on her senator husband’s affair. Sandra knows she needs to get to the bottom of this and fast. When the person behind the webpage is revealed, Sandra goes to the school to confront her but, finds her body in her office. It’s ruled a suicide but Sandra feels there’s something wrong with that determination. Enter Maya, a former police officer turned PI. Her daughter and Sandra’s son has started dating so Sandra enlists Maya to investigate and much to Maya’s dismay, Sandra has started her own investigation.
This is an easy to read Cozy with a serious story line. There are plenty of suspects and plot twists. I love the two main characters being strong women and mothers. There is also humor scattered through out.
Overall, this is a great start to this new series with a jaw dropping end!
I was given an ARC by Kensington and NetGalley for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s more involved than most cozies so we get to know the characters better. I loved Maya, the main character, who is a former police officer turned private detective. She’s feisty and strong while still being fun. She’s raising a teenage daughter on her own as her soon-to-be ex is in prison for police corruption. Not sure if this is the first book in the series but it could be. The mystery was very good with lots of red herrings. There was lots of humor too along with it being very real feeling. Women dealing with teenagers and husbands and all that entails. Really good book!
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.
Sandra is PTA president at the high school, her husband is the senator. Shortly after the installation her husband is accused of having an affair by a site called Dirty Laundry. When the vice-principal is found dead in her office, Maya – private detective and hs parent – sees murder. However, it is ruled suicide. Maya is hired by the sister of the vice principal and Broadway star to find what really happened.
Maya and Sandra manage to hook up and work together on this case. And both are surprised by the guilty party.
This is a great start to a new series. I definitely look forward to more. Sandra and Maya are so different but pair well together. Plus, their kids are dating. A lot of good character building that just makes you want more.
MURDER AT THE PTA by Lee Hollis is the first book in the Maya and Sandra cozy mystery series and the first book that I have read by this author. The story is largely set in Portland, Maine. What happens when the latest target of rumors by a scandalous website affects the new PTA president, Sandra Wallage, wife of junior Senator Stephen Wallage? How does private investigator Maya Kendrick fit into the picture?
Sandra and Maya were great protagonists. You wanted them both to succeed and they had depth, flaws and virtues. Their motivations seemed believable and the secondary characters further enhanced the story. Despite there being a lot of character building in this first book in the series, the story line kept me fully engaged. The author did a great job of creating a setting in and around Portland High School. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing whether I had identified the right culprit or not. Themes include death, private investigations, raising teenagers, complicated marriages, gossip websites, friendship and much more. I can’t tell you the ‘much more’ as that would be a spoiler.
Overall, this was an entertaining cozy mystery and a great start to a new series. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well as checking out other books by this author.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Goodreads, Kensington Books and Lee Hollis for the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
This is the first book in a new series and a very good one. As it a new series, time is spent having us learn about the protagonists–their backgrounds,their husbands, their children, their high school lives and all that has led them to where they are currently. I don’t think that takes away from the story but the murder doesn’t take place until about a third of the way in.
Maya is a PI, who had resigned from the Portland police department when her husband was arrested and convicted of corruption, and Sandra, wife of the junior senator from Maine. Maya has a partner, Frances who is in her last months of pregnancy and not able to really help.
Someone is writing a nasty gossip site called “Dirty Laundry” about the high school and related happenings in South Portland, Maine called Dirty Laundry. Maya’s daughter asks her to investigate who it is when the gossip begins to impact the high school negatively. Sandra has already been blindsided by an article about her Senator husband using taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment suit.
Maya and Sandra discover the Asst. Principal’s body hanging from a ceiling joist in her office. Her death is ruled a suicide but Maya saw the bruise on her neck and knew she was strangled. The victim’s sister doesn’t believe her sister committed suicide and hires Maya to dig into it. And so the mystery takes off….
I was totally surprised by who done it and why.
Looking forward to the next installments.
I received an ARC from Kensington via Net Galley but the opinions expressed are my own.
Someone is trying to expose all of the dirty little secrets of the students and staff at the Portland High School. Even newly elected PTA president Sandra Wallage. Sandra runs into fellow mom and private investigator Maya Kendrick, who has figured out who the author of the website that ya caused so much trouble. But when they go to confront them, they find them dead. In what appears to be a suicide. But the ex cop in Maya feels that there is more to it than that. So she, with the help of Sandra, decide to look into the death.
This was a great little story. It’s the first in a new series, and is shaping up to be a new must read series for me. This story was funny, and really held your interest. The characters were all wonderful, and just came alive off the page. This is the first book by this author I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. I really enjoyed this book.
Murder at the PTA by Lee Hollis is the first in what is sure to be an enjoyable and popular cozy mystery series by the excellent author duo. This series is titled Maya and Sandra Mystery after the namesake of the main character/sleuth duo: Sandra Wallage (mom and senator’s spouse) and Maya Kendrick (fellow mom at the local school and Private Investigator Maya Kendrick.
This unlikely duo end up joining forces when they try to solve the mystery of the person behind a gossip website that was the polarizing force for many in the community after they are found murdered. What entails is the quintessential cozy mystery murder/mystery plot. Things are not as they initially seem, twists and turns are dispersed, and the reader is brought along for all the action.
This is an nice introduction into a new series from an author duo that I have been a fan of for many years. This first book irons out the character introductions, the location, and some of the character cast. I most certainly will read the following books that are sure to be a delight.
4/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.