"Murder at the Spelling Bee (Maya and Sandra Mystery #4)" by Lee Hollis is what I would classify more as a PI Cozy Mystery. It's not your standard cozy mystery in that it's an amateur sleuth just meddling for their own reasons. Maya (an ex-cop) and Sandra are private investigators who seem to get involved in lots of murder cases. This time it starts with a spelling bee and the threats a kid is getting if he doesn't drop out. Then there's a very sled-important teacher playing some major favorites and taking out some grudges people's kids. Any mystery reader knows what that's a recipe for. Of course Maya and Sandra get involved.

The main person I was narrowing things down to, I was also really hoping it was them. They were just a terrible person overall. I briefly thought it was someone else though. In the end it did end up being my primary suspect.

My main annoyance with this book was the time line of some events. At times it felt like things were weeks apart but then they'd be talked about like it was just a day or two before. Then somethings felt like they should have happened already or a lot further apart. It got a little confusing sometimes.

I have enjoyed this series and as Sandra and Maya's kids get older, I expected to see the duo branch out, so their cases are not so kid-centric. Having kids who went through the system, working in schools and volunteering, I've seen a nasty teacher or two who should never have been granted a teaching credential, but this plot was just so over the top, it was extremely difficult to believe. But what do I know? Helicopter parents just weren't a thing when my kids were in school. I liked seeing Sandra moving beyond her divorce and Maya making a real concerted effort at putting her family back together.

When a 12-year-old spelling phenom, Rocco Fanelli, gets a death threat before the school spelling bee, mama bears Maya Kendrick and Sandra Wallage are determined to find out who left the note in his locker. Is someone trying to throw him off his game or is it something more serious. At the competition the moderator turns out to be a high school teacher, Ellie Lambert, that literally no one likes and with whom Sandra has a real problem over the grade her son, Ryan, received from this teacher. She isn't the only parent upset with this nightmare teacher. At the end of the competition Ellie is found dead and Maya and Sandra have no shortage of people who are popping the champagne that she's dead, including Sandra, figuratively, of course.

3 1/2-Stars

My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

This was another enjoyable cozy mystery! Sandra and Maya have their hands full trying to figure out who sent a threatening letter to a student at the middle school, when the teacher in charge, one whom it seems everyone had altercations with, is found dead. When a friend confesses to the murder, Sandra and Maya, along with all who know him, proclaim his innocence. Can they find the real killer before it's too late?
Love these characters, and the little side stories of their personal lives. Truly recommend for all cozy mystery lovers.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that mystery element that I was looking for and thought the overall feel worked with what I wanted. The murder worked in this story and glad I was able to go through this and figure out what was going on. Lee Hollis has a great writing style and loved the way the characters were written.

This was an engaging cozy mystery. Interesting look at helicopter parents. I've read only the first one and did not recall it. The story reads quite well as a standalone. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

The duo that makes up Lee Hollis has done it again with, "Murder at the Spelling Bee". Another fun, cozy romp of a good book this was!!

#MurderattheSpellingBee #NetGalley is a great addition to this series.
Maya and Sandra, private investigators are hired to find out who left a threat in the locker of an elementary school student, who's in the spelling bee.
It seems the parents of other students take this competition very seriously, even if it causes unnecessary pressure on their children.
I found this story to be well written and interesting, and the portrayal of the characters felt very real.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

It's been a while since I caught up with Sandra and Maya from Lee Hollis's school series. When I saw the latest was available from NetGalley, I was granted my wish. It hit my queue today (as I'm surprisingly very current with my TBR for upcoming releases) and it accompanied me on the couch this morning. A wicked schoolteacher who deserved to die (yes, I said it) and a collection of parents who all push their children to win the upcoming spelling bee for 12-year-olds. Toss in Sandra and Maya's teens who are dating one another, and Sandra's own budding romance, and it was a super fun and easy read. I devoured it in two hours, and thought it was quite strong, probably 4.5 stars. I only wished there were more explanations for some of the backgrounds, as well as little comeuppance for the ne'er-do-wells in the story. Maybe next time!