Read time: 4 minutes
š§ Listened in audio
š¢ Narrated by Molly Secours
ā± Duration: 10 hours
š·ļø Publisher: HarperCollins / MIRA
Book Blurb:
Miranda Abbott, faded star of karate-chopping Pastor Fran, faces ruin until a postcard lures her to quirky Happy Rock. Broke, she joins the local theater’s murder-mystery play. On opening night, an actor dies onstage before 100 witnesses, who saw nothing. Suspects abound: doctor, teacher, mechanic, maybe-CIA gent, and Miranda. With shy sidekick Susan, she channels TV sleuth skills to crack the caseābecause the show must go on!
Let’s talk … murder!!!
If Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek somehow stumbled into a murder mystery, you’d get Miranda Abbott, and honestly, I mean that as the highest possible compliment. Miranda is delightfully, catastrophically self-absorbed. She waltzes into Happy Rock expecting standing ovations, but gets served divorce papers instead, and I was completely there for every second of her bewilderment. She doesn’t just fail to read the room, she doesn’t know the room exists. Self-absorbed without a clue, she’s all faded TV glory and zero self awareness, but damn if her oblivious humor doesn’t hook you. And yet, somewhere between her theatrical declarations, and her accidental moments of genuine humanity, she won me over completely.
The town of Happy Rock is its own character, stuffed with oddball residents who feel like they were plucked straight out of a quirky Canadian sitcom. There’s warmth there, the kind that sneaks up on you. The cozy mystery pacing builds slow like a community bake-off gone wrong, halfway before the body drops, but once it does, Miranda’s “Pastor Fran” detective antics shine, paired with Susan’s secret-spilling smarts. It’s heartfelt too. Miranda stumbles into real community, echoing Moira’s arc, minus the wigs (mostly). Molly Secours nails the diva drama. Perfect escape for cozy mystery fans craving laughs over gone.
Ian and Will Ferguson are building a world you want to live in, and I love it. I did not see the whodunit coming, and I love being surprised. I loved how Happy Rock mocks cozy troupes while embracing them, the bookstore hubby, quirky locals, fame’s fickle glow. Miranda’s growth had me grinning. I’m hooked for the series. This has-been sleuth’s got legs.
Would I recommend it?
Hell, yes!! Especially if Schitt’s Creek’s your jam. Miranda’s unfiltered chaos + onstage murder magic = pure cozy bliss with heart. It’s funny, twisty cozy mystery audiobook you’ve been craving for. If you’re the kind of reader who can fall for a gloriously flawed character on a redemption arc wrapped in small-town charm and cozy mystery goodness, this is absolutely your next read.
Book Recommendations:
- How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin ā Eccentric personality, cozy British setting, and a mystery that keeps you guessing; Miranda fans will feel right at home.
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy - Dial A for AuntiesĀ by Jesse Q. Sutanto: Family chaos + murder cover-up with over-the-top comedy; ideal for fans of diva protagonists finding their footing.
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy - One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose ā If you liked the catty small-town social politics bubbling under Happy Rock’s surface, this one turns up the heat considerably.
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy - Arsenic and AdoboĀ by Mia P. Manansala: Foodie cozy with sassy leads and small-town secretsāechoes the theater troupe’s flavorful eccentrics.
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy - No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith ā Warm, character-driven mystery with an unforgettable protagonist who solves cases on instinct and heart.
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
Moira-Approved Mystery Talk:
Schitt’s Creek fans, does Miranda top Moira’s drama? Drop your fave cozy diva below. What’s your go-to for hilarious small-town sleuthing?
Book Links:
Want to purchase this or any of your favourite books while supporting a local bookstore? Consider purchasing using the sites below. These sites work with independent local bookstore owners to fulfill your book orders. #SupportLocal
Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org
Reading tracker: Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
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