The Case of Magnolia's Diary
(2026)(The second book in the Windy Willows Whodunit Cozy Mystery series)
A Story by L A Marie
The past has a voice at Windy Willows—and this time, it’s singing murder.
Julia Hawthorne and her sharp-witted grandmother Charlotte have barely begun settling into Windy Willows when the old Victorian estate starts whispering again. After surviving one deadly scheme tied to the house''s dark past, they are determined to restore the property, uncover its forgotten history, and maybe enjoy a little peace.
But peace is the one thing Windy Willows refuses to offer.
When a millionaire’s lawyer arrives with an outrageous offer to buy the estate, Julia refuses. Then Pearl Gantry of the local preservation society appears, claiming she can help Windy Willows gain landmark status. Her timing is suspicious. Her interest is intense. And the groundskeeper she sends to tidy the property is not who he claims to be.
Then comes the song. Soft, chilling, and impossible to trace, the old melody of ‘Lavender’s Blue’ drifts through the walls, accompanied by cold spots, flickering lights, and the uneasy feeling that someone—or something—is watching.
As Julia and Charlotte follow the clues through diaries, ledgers, hidden passages, and old betrayals, they discover that a past resident, Magnolia, may have been more than a victim. She may have been the key to a secret vault, a buried fortune, and a legacy built on greed.
But someone else is searching too.
And if Julia and Charlotte don’t solve the mystery first, the next song drifting through Windy Willows may be their last warning.
Because some family secrets are buried for a reason.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Julia Hawthorne and her sharp-witted grandmother Charlotte have barely begun settling into Windy Willows when the old Victorian estate starts whispering again. After surviving one deadly scheme tied to the house''s dark past, they are determined to restore the property, uncover its forgotten history, and maybe enjoy a little peace.
But peace is the one thing Windy Willows refuses to offer.
When a millionaire’s lawyer arrives with an outrageous offer to buy the estate, Julia refuses. Then Pearl Gantry of the local preservation society appears, claiming she can help Windy Willows gain landmark status. Her timing is suspicious. Her interest is intense. And the groundskeeper she sends to tidy the property is not who he claims to be.
Then comes the song. Soft, chilling, and impossible to trace, the old melody of ‘Lavender’s Blue’ drifts through the walls, accompanied by cold spots, flickering lights, and the uneasy feeling that someone—or something—is watching.
As Julia and Charlotte follow the clues through diaries, ledgers, hidden passages, and old betrayals, they discover that a past resident, Magnolia, may have been more than a victim. She may have been the key to a secret vault, a buried fortune, and a legacy built on greed.
But someone else is searching too.
And if Julia and Charlotte don’t solve the mystery first, the next song drifting through Windy Willows may be their last warning.
Because some family secrets are buried for a reason.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for L A Marie's The Case of Magnolia's Diary