Pet Peeves & Poison
(2026)(The first book in the Willow Glen Cozy Mystery series)
A novel by Maya St John
Welcome to Willow Glen—where the dogs are friendly, the gossip is lively… and murder is bad for business.
Kate Morgan is a burned-out Chicago corporate manager who needs a quieter life. She moves to Willow Glen to help her eccentric Aunt Ida run her pet-sitting business. She brings her rescue terrier Max, her color-coded planner, and absolutely zero plans to investigate a murder.
Then a very unpopular real estate developer turns up dead at the town pet fair. Kate's meticulously kept planner is found near the body and she becomes the prime suspect.
In a town where everyone knows everyone and whispers spread fast, Kate quickly learns that small towns protect their own… especially when blaming a newcomer is easier than explaining why half the town has a motive.
With her scruffy terrier Max at her side, Kate starts digging into the town's tangled secrets. Among the suspects: the PTA Treasurer with creative accounting practices and a very public argument with the victim on record; a mechanic, who's been moving dogs—and maybe more—out of his garage under the radar.
The truth is far messier than Kate's color-coded systems can contain.
If Kate can’t uncover what really happened, her fresh start in Willow Glen won’t just be over — It will end with handcuffs.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Kate Morgan is a burned-out Chicago corporate manager who needs a quieter life. She moves to Willow Glen to help her eccentric Aunt Ida run her pet-sitting business. She brings her rescue terrier Max, her color-coded planner, and absolutely zero plans to investigate a murder.
Then a very unpopular real estate developer turns up dead at the town pet fair. Kate's meticulously kept planner is found near the body and she becomes the prime suspect.
In a town where everyone knows everyone and whispers spread fast, Kate quickly learns that small towns protect their own… especially when blaming a newcomer is easier than explaining why half the town has a motive.
With her scruffy terrier Max at her side, Kate starts digging into the town's tangled secrets. Among the suspects: the PTA Treasurer with creative accounting practices and a very public argument with the victim on record; a mechanic, who's been moving dogs—and maybe more—out of his garage under the radar.
The truth is far messier than Kate's color-coded systems can contain.
If Kate can’t uncover what really happened, her fresh start in Willow Glen won’t just be over — It will end with handcuffs.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for Maya St John's Pet Peeves & Poison