Autumn Shadows and Hidden Truths
(2025)(The second book in the Photographers and Foliage Mystery series)
A Story by Maisy Marple
Cassidy Morgan has spent two years rebuilding her life after a plagiarism scandal destroyed her travel blogging career. Now working as a photography instructor, she's co-teaching a week-long autumn workshop in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with Troy Lancaster, a charismatic Instagram influencer with two million followers. But what should be Cassidy's big comeback quickly turns into a nightmare when Troy's insufferable ego, manipulative tactics, and systematic destruction of other photographers' careers make him the most hated person at Mountain View Lodge. When Troy is found dead at the base of Eagle Point Overlook in what appears to be a tragic hiking accident, Cassidy's trained eye catches details that others miss, and she realizes this was no accident at all.
As Deputy Jake Winters investigates the death, Cassidy finds herself among the suspects due to her public conflicts with Troy and her lack of an alibi. Teaming up with Nina Patel, a sharp-eyed retired forensic accountant who's attending the workshop, Cassidy begins asking questions and discovers that Troy had been running blackmail schemes and financial scams that left a trail of victims across Ridgeway Falls. With a dozen workshop participants who had reason to want Troy dead, a mysterious car seen fleeing the scene, and threatening text messages warning her to stop investigating, Cassidy must use her photographer's eye for detail to identify the killer before she becomes the prime suspect or the next victim.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of peak autumn foliage in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this cozy mystery combines the beauty of nature photography with a clever whodunit full of red herrings, hidden motives, and small-town secrets. Perfect for fans of amateur sleuths and second-chance stories, Autumn Shadows and Hidden Truths proves that sometimes the most dangerous shadows aren't cast by mountains, but by the secrets people are desperate to keep hidden.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
As Deputy Jake Winters investigates the death, Cassidy finds herself among the suspects due to her public conflicts with Troy and her lack of an alibi. Teaming up with Nina Patel, a sharp-eyed retired forensic accountant who's attending the workshop, Cassidy begins asking questions and discovers that Troy had been running blackmail schemes and financial scams that left a trail of victims across Ridgeway Falls. With a dozen workshop participants who had reason to want Troy dead, a mysterious car seen fleeing the scene, and threatening text messages warning her to stop investigating, Cassidy must use her photographer's eye for detail to identify the killer before she becomes the prime suspect or the next victim.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of peak autumn foliage in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this cozy mystery combines the beauty of nature photography with a clever whodunit full of red herrings, hidden motives, and small-town secrets. Perfect for fans of amateur sleuths and second-chance stories, Autumn Shadows and Hidden Truths proves that sometimes the most dangerous shadows aren't cast by mountains, but by the secrets people are desperate to keep hidden.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for Maisy Marple's Autumn Shadows and Hidden Truths