One of my favorite about cozy mysteries if when the main character has a unique job. That is usually enough for me to pick up the book. This book had a few things going for it but one really big hole that made the rest of the book hard to enjoy. The premise here is that Tory just got married and then almost immediately find her new husband dead. Now I'm sure there are a few women out there who might be up for sleuthing after that but not many of them. Most would be near catatonic. That just didn't sit well with me. Had I written the book I would have jumped ahead a few months so she had time to grieve and then could move on by solving the case. The story was well written and the mystery well plotted though and since this same scenario is unlikely to happen again I will be looking forward to book two.

This was the first in a new series. I found a lot of the main character's actions to be unbelievable and confusing. The opening of the book with hashtags that she announced to everyone that he was missing seemed frivolous and as if she really didn't care that much about this man she just married. Then it turns out she just met him a few months earlier and was rushing a wedding. Then she is flirting with another guy later in the book. I really didn't like the main character very much and couldn't get up much enthusiasm to care about the mystery.

Tory Benning is a bride without a bridegroom. And it is increasingly looking as if Miles hadn’t run off right after the wedding, but might have met with foul play.

The book starts with Tory posting on Instagram about the sudden disappearance of her newly-minted husband and asking for help in finding him. This post provided a lot of information up front about the incident and sets the tone for the book.

There were lots of theories being thrown around right from the start. It kept me wondering what’s going to happen next and where on earth did Milo go? Things escalated quickly and plenty of additional events occurred. I did not expect the ultimate culprit, so that was pretty cleverly done, in my opinion.

Things wrapped up really fast at the end and there was a thorough recap by everyone involved. I felt a bit breathless after all of that, like I had just run a gruelling race.

Tory and Ashley are great characters and great friends. Tory had some spot-on investigative skills, and she wasn’t impulsive in her pursuits. The two friends tried at all times to do things as safely as possible. I also liked Sergeant Adrian Ramirez a lot. He had no qualms having Tory and Ashley help with the investigation.

I’m not sure what Ernie Gomez was doing in the story. He was like that piece of fluff you discover after you have just vacuumed the carpet, or the last piece of broken hard candy stuck to the bottom of the jar, or gum under your shoe. You’re not entirely sure how he got there and what he is still doing there, but he is extremely annoying.

It was a good read, with lots of excitement and uncertainty, and way too many suspects. This looks like the first book in a new series, I would definitely like to read more.

I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really liked this cozy mystery that is the start of a new series. I liked how the author incorporated a maze into the storyline and the character of Tori was very well-developed. The clues for solving the mystery weren't too obvious but at the same time, they weren't so easy that the reader would have been able to figure everything out midway through the book. I will definitely be reading more of this author's books in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received through NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tory Benning's husband disappears just minutes after they have said "I Do" and Tory sets off on a quest to find out what happened to him and the other body that they find. She quickly comes to the conclusion that she might be the killers next target.

The start of the book is a bit distracting with all the hashtags but otherwise it's a fun cozy mystery.

Tory (Victoria) Benning is getting ready for her wedding to Milo Spinnelli who she has known for a little over 4 months. Her Father died just two weeks prior and she goes ahead with the wedding. The garden and maze attached she designed as she is a landscape architect. Her Uncle Bob walks her down the aisle and after the ceremony goes off without a hitch. The photographer needs more photos of Tory as Phillip her hairstylist took too long getting her and Ashley (her best friend and maid of honor) ready. She finishes the photos, rushes to her suite and she and Ashley change into reception dresses. Tory gets a text that Milo is taking her dog Iris home and the dog is supposedly “freaking” out. Tory continues to wait to go into the reception but Milo never shows. He simply vanishes. Tory and Ashley decide to go thru the maze as one of the gardeners heard Milo arguing with someone in the maze after the ceremony. They discover his destroyed cell phone, a rock with blood on it and the ground soaked (which is should not be due to drought watering guidelines). They also run into a police sergeant Ernie Gomez who they both went to high school with and intensely dislike. He is known for making quick arrests and starts to hint that perhaps Tory has something to do with Milo’s disappearance. I will say that I found it odd that Ernie was there at this point in time. There is another detective that they went to high school with and liked so they call Adrian with their concerns and so begins Tory’s investigation. She jumps back into work and her Uncle Bob (who comes out of retirement to help) finds financial discrepancies which suggests someone has been embezzling money from their family firm. Tory is being followed and an insurance company is investigating her Father’s death. After a couple of weeks Ashely begs her to go to a fundraiser that Tory’s firm is sponsoring and she has her fortune read. Esmeralda gives Tory a very believable reading and she plans to get back in touch with her, unfortunately as she is leaving for the night she goes thru the maze again and finds Esmeralda’s dead body. Turns out Esmeralda was really her Aunt Jo who she believed died in a car accident and now there are 3 deaths of people close to her. A private investigator Jake is at the fundraiser and befriends Tory and Ashley and helps along the way. This was a very compelling and complicated storyline and I really enjoyed it but you really have to pay attention. Lots of death and clues and false clues along the way. Interested to see where this series goes.

Landscaping, weddings, and murder! Full of twists and turns and surprises, this is a good start for a new series. Looking for more character development overall.

On Tory Benning's wedding day, her newly minted husband disappears and she is afraid he's been murdered. As she searches for clues, everything she finds supports that feeling. After an aunt she didn't remember also dies, she begins to suspect the recent death of her father was not accidental.
As Tory and her lawyer friend Ashley doggedly pursue information, it becomes clear to her not only is it murder, but she and her family are in eminent danger if she along with her friend, Adrian, in the police department don't find answers soon.
I didn't get into the story right away as I didn't connect with young well off characters, but as I kept reading I was drawn in by the author's style. The characters are well defined, varied and interesting. I would buy a book written by this author in the future as I did connect and ended up enjoying the book...so much so that I would recommend it..even to readers in my senior age group.
I requested and received a Netgalley ARC to peruse and offer my opinion freely.

A cosy mystery set in sunny California. Interesting complex story - husband disappears within an hour of getting married, wife distraught and convinced he's been murdered. She sets out to prove this but gets into a convoluted story of dysfunctional family not to mention embezzlement of the funds from the family landscaping firm. The plot was complex but came together in the end and the descriptions of place and context well-written. What spoilt it for me was the so-called heroine - the wife. I guess I'm the wrong generation or something but within a month of your new husband going missing, under what become suspicious circumstances, and you're chasing around after another man, flirting and dating, hmm too shallow for me..Thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

California, Landscaping, and Murder!
This is an excellent cozy mystery. Our heroine is in charge of a family-owned landscape and design firm in a fictitious southern California coastal town. The story includes everything one associates with southern California including wildfires and water-conserving landscape design. The storyline is exceptionally cool. Unlike many cozy mysteries, this one does not get obnoxiously detailed about food, wine, pastry, clothing, exercise or pets – but they are all in there. The final reveal was unexpected and actually fit with all of the clues. I will enjoy reading more of this author's work, especially the rest of this series. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

The beautiful California coast as a setting. Tory Benning runs a landscaping business. On her wedding day, Milo, the groom, disappears. Shouldn’t she (Tory) be more upset. Even with a whirlwind romance, I find it hard to believe Tory would be ready to date in a month.

The mystery had plenty of twists and turns. Possibly too much going on in this first of the series novel.
There is a lot of potential for the characters and Tory.

In the first of the new Tory Benning series, Murder in the Secret Maze, Tori Benning, a landscape architect, has just married the love of her life. The unthinkable happens when her groom disappears before the reception begins. Thus begins Tory's investigation into what happened to Milo, her husband.

In between investigating the disappearance of her husband, Tori also finds out some family secrets which adds to her stress. I thought the writing was good and the author laid out the clues to bring the mystery to a conclusion was great.

The only con I have is that I thought Tori was maybe a little too interested in the private investigator so soon after her newly acquired husband disappeared. (This is subjective to the reader)

All in all, it was a good cozy mystery and I would recommend it to any cozy mystery reader.
Please note: I was given a copy of this book by the publisher through Netgalley.com. All opinions expressed are my own.




TO THE PUBLISHER: I have to say while the mystery was really good, I really didn't like the protagonist much and I a question on something in the book.
First, I thought the beginning concerning having her hair done for the wedding was a bit too long and didn't really add anything to the story.
2nd. When she finds Milo's phone it was really beat up, It is mentioned it was too beat up to get anything from it other then a chance to get DNA or fingerprints. It surprised me that Adrian, a police officer, didn't mention he could have had the phone records subpoenaed from the carrier to get the list of the last phone calls to and from Milo's phone. it would have given them a place to start the investigation. While it was mentioned that the sim card was too damaged to get the text content, still if the records were subpoenaed, he could at least have gotten the phone numbers that came from or sent to.
3. I know we live in a anything goes world, but when she is "grief stricken', and 'a hot mess', it seems she forgets all about Milo when she is within the vicinity of private detective Jake and this is not even 1 month after the "love of her life" went missing. Her words contradict her actions. This is just a personal thing for me and other readers might not care, but it made me not overly fond of Tori.
Still, I thought the mystery and the steps the author laid out to bring it to a conclusion was good as is her writing. Thank you for allowing me to read it.

Murder in the Secret Maze is the debut of the A Tory Benning Mystery series set on the California coast and featuring landscape architect Tory Benning. Tory has just said I do to fellow architect, Milo Spinelli at the posh Hotel Santa Sofia, but moments after the ceremony ends Milo goes missing. A text message from him says that he's gone to take their dog, Iris home and will be right back, but their neighbor Katie Omstead still has Iris on a leash. Wondering if he'd just gone into the elaborate maze that Tory's family had designed, Tory sets out with her best friend and maid of honor Ashley Payne to look for him and unfortunately stumbles across a few clues that point to a bloody fight had occurred.

Tory and Ashley team up with their old classmate Sergeant Adrian Ramirez and PI Jake Logan to find out what happened to Milo, and is their any connection between his death and the unexpected death of Tory's father a few months ago.

An interesting premise but Tory is a little hard to warm up to, maybe because the story starts with Milo already missing so you don't get to learn much about their relationship, but she also never appears too upset that Milo is missing and it doesn't take long for her to develop feelings for a new man. Plenty of suspects and twists that will keep you interested until the finish and looking towards the next adventures of Milo, Otis and the Benning family.

I received an advanced copy of Murder in the Secret Maze from NetGalley via Beyond the Page Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

Murder in the Secret Maze by Judith Gonda is the first book in the A Tory Benning Mystery series.


I enjoyed how the author had a bit of fun with the characters and made them multidimensional; there was enough spunkiness to make the two female leads interesting, but not so much that the book would fit in the humor category. However, and this is a big however, the main character, Tory's husband disappeared on their wedding day, and the clues showed he was probably murdered. Tory is soon flirting with another man, and I honestly can't see that as something that would be true of anyone. It would have been much better if Milo had only been a casual first or second date.

Because of the above, I am giving this book a three star rating.

Who needs enemies when you have family? A twisting and turning cozy mystery. I liked Tory and the landscaping business. I look forward to reading more of her adventures. Due to my claustrophobia I do not like mazes, but it was fun to read about this one.

Although I was excited about this book from the description, I found Tori's character to be unbelievable. She loses her husband on the day of their wedding, shortly after losing her father, and yet is rapidly attracted to another man and seemingly unmoved by what should be an enormous loss. The plot's resolution was so convoluted to make it unbelievable as well.

4.5 Stars

This is the first book in the Tory Benning series by Judith Gonda.

On the surface this started out as what looked like a missing person’s case. Tory and her love, Milo had just gotten married and before the groom even made it to the reception, he disappeared. Murder was suspected since blood was found in the Secret Maze at the hotel where the wedding had taken place. Tory immediately becomes suspect number one especially to one of the cops investigating the case. He seemed to have a problem with Tory and was looking more for a promotion to a higher level in the police department than looking for the actual true killer. Adrian, however, was the other cop on the case and her BFF Ashely’s almost boyfriend.

One thing did worry me. Tory spent so much time avoiding the disgruntled cop that I wasn’t sure if that would be realistic in the real world. I was surprised the man didn’t just jail her to be a thorn in her side. The investigation was quite stellar and I was pulled along wondering the entire time if someone from her own family would kill her husband on their wedding day. This book really keeps you on your toes.

I had to laugh when Tory explained her family akin to a soap opera when a lot of surprising family details were finally revealed to her all in one fell swoop. Before the book began her father had died and the investigation into his death was ongoing. Then Milo disappeared at the wedding venue and another Aunt that Tory never knew about ended up dead as well. Seemed like Tory’s world was truly imploding. A little bit of overkill in my opinion but that didn’t lessen the impact of the storyline. It was a compelling read that I couldn’t pull my eyes from.

Once you get into this, plan to read it till the end. You won’t want to stop until the killer is uncovered. What a roller coaster ride this was. Soap opera surely describes this to a T. If Tory does find a missing twin in book two, I wouldn’t be surprised. Can’t wait for the next book in the series. I am hooked already!

If you love a good cozy mystery, you have to check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Murder in the Secret Maze is an excellent title and the concept is quite good, however, this story fell flat to me. Tori and her fiance Milo are getting married! It should be an incredible day, but when Milo disappears right after the ceremony, things turn bad very fast.

While the story has good bones, Tori needs a bit of work. Her husband disappears moments after they say I Do, but she doesn't act to upset over it. She even finds herself attracted to another man.

I think with a little more tweaking, this could become a fantastic series.

Romance, Wedding, Mystery and Murder Most Foul....
Book one in the Tory Benning series of mysteries. A romance, a wedding, a mystery and.... murder most foul. Landscape architect, Tory must up her amateur sleuthing prowess to delve deep and solve a mystery starting with the disappearance of her new husband. Enjoyable and entertaining, light hearted and laced with humour.

I liked this book and I didn't like this book. I loved the California coast as a setting. Loved the landscaping business. Struggled with Tory. If your husband disappears on your wedding day and is presumed dead, I would think you'd be a little more upset, and you wouldn't be on a date a month later. The mystery had plenty of twists and turns but I think the characters need more development. There was a lot going on.