Fear Off the Beaten Path
(2026)(The second book in the Felicity Dawson series)
A novel by Chris Madison
A peaceful hike. A divided town. A mystery someone is desperate to keep buried.
Late spring in Cedar Brook should mean wildflowers, fresh air, and easy conversation. Instead, a community hike brings together neighbours already divided over the town’s future—and the tension is impossible to ignore.
Felicity Dawson, owner of The Shelf & Scribe, notices the details others miss. Her daughter Olivia, a journalist determined to get the story right, sees the fractures forming beneath the surface. And Rusty, their loyal dog, senses something isn’t right long before anyone says it aloud.
Then a respected town councillor falls gravely ill on the trail.
What first looks like an unfortunate incident quickly begins to unravel. By the time they return to town, whispers are spreading, loyalties are shifting, and a growing list of suspects is hiding behind familiar faces.
As Olivia digs deeper into the story and Felicity follows a trail of overlooked clues—from the forest floor to local shops and town records—they uncover secrets someone is determined to keep hidden.
Because in a small town, the truth isn’t always where it seems.
It’s hiding in plain sight.
With fear spreading and suspicion turning in the wrong direction, Felicity and Olivia must step off the familiar path to uncover what really happened—before the truth is buried for good.
Fear Off the Beaten Path is a cozy mystery featuring:
Late spring in Cedar Brook should mean wildflowers, fresh air, and easy conversation. Instead, a community hike brings together neighbours already divided over the town’s future—and the tension is impossible to ignore.
Felicity Dawson, owner of The Shelf & Scribe, notices the details others miss. Her daughter Olivia, a journalist determined to get the story right, sees the fractures forming beneath the surface. And Rusty, their loyal dog, senses something isn’t right long before anyone says it aloud.
Then a respected town councillor falls gravely ill on the trail.
What first looks like an unfortunate incident quickly begins to unravel. By the time they return to town, whispers are spreading, loyalties are shifting, and a growing list of suspects is hiding behind familiar faces.
As Olivia digs deeper into the story and Felicity follows a trail of overlooked clues—from the forest floor to local shops and town records—they uncover secrets someone is determined to keep hidden.
Because in a small town, the truth isn’t always where it seems.
It’s hiding in plain sight.
With fear spreading and suspicion turning in the wrong direction, Felicity and Olivia must step off the familiar path to uncover what really happened—before the truth is buried for good.
Fear Off the Beaten Path is a cozy mystery featuring:
- A small-town setting filled with secrets
A sharp-eyed bookseller and her journalist daughter
A loyal dog with a knack for finding clues
Multiple suspects and carefully hidden motives
Perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven cozy mysteries in the style of Louise Penny, Kate Carlisle, and Ellery Adams.
Can be read as a standalone or enjoyed as part of the Cedar Brook Mystery series.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for Chris Madison's Fear Off the Beaten Path