Home renovations and an impending wedding are nothing compared to finding a skeleton walled up in your home. When Mac and Tim start their bathroom renovation a week before their wedding this is the outcome. The characters in this book are diverse and engaging and the story is well written. I loved solving a cold case and delving into the town's history.

In this fourth instalment in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery series by Maddie Day, Mackenzie 'Mac' Almeida is a bicycle shop owner who is back in the town where she grew up after several years away. She runs "Mac’s Bikes" which caters for tourists visiting the quaint town of Westham, Massachusetts and she is a member of The Cozy Capers Book Group. Her mother is an astrologist and her dad is a minister.

Mac is always on hand to help when her friends need her and she's also very busy with the preparations for her wedding to fiancé, Tim Brunelle. The couple is working on their cottage renovation owned by Tim when they happen across a skeleton in their cupboard wall. It's a woman's remains dressed in her wedding frock with a leather suitcase beside her.

The author's characters are very engaging, their presences jumping from the pages. Mac, in her thirties, is curious, smart, friendly, and very hands-on. The diverse supporting characters arere a hit for me as well; from Tim, Mac's family, and her best friend, Gin, to Mac's African grey parrot, Belle, the local residents and others, the reader is treated to well-crafted characters. I liked the romantic interludes between Tim, a keen race runner and the owner of Greta's Grains, an artisan bakers business based in the town and Mac. Whilst the storyline builds upon the previous books, the novel can easily be enjoyed as an individual read.

The author gave me everything I could want from a fantastic cozy mystery making it easy to escape right into the intriguing, fun story. The pacing was even and there were more than enough twists and clues. If you enjoy a great cozy you need to check out this series. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Murder in a Cape Cottage and I can't wait to read the first in the series, Murder on Cape Cod, as well as revisiting Mac in book five.

This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Kensington Books via NetGalley.

A fun cozy that sees Mac days away from her wedding and embarking with renovations to the house that is soon-to-be-their home with soon-to-be-husband. Only they find a skeleton of a woman in the wall dressed in her wedding gown. Mac can't let go of the horrific sight and does some investigation into the past (and it is a great way not to freak out over all the details of the wedding). Only someone isn't that thrilled that she is investigating a past people thought were long walled away...

If you have read any of this series you have a good idea what to expect. There are plenty of characters that have shown up before and the strong sense of family and friends provide a great support in life as well as in detection even when it is a cold case. Plus, there is a very sweet and happy ending. Yes, reading some others provide context and emotional richness--particularly the relationship between Mac and Tim--but it isn't necessary to understand the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Murder in a Cape Cottage
by Maddie Day
This series has never appealed to me as much as the Country Kitchen series by this author. This particular entry was ok but not great. First, the reason for the original murder was almost kind of silly since the murder itself was really gruesome. Personally, I would never have spent another night in that house.
Then, the present day perpetrators were so obvious there was really no mystery. Plus, there were so many characters in the eighty year old part of the story that it was a bit hard to keep track. And since they were all either dead or around a hundred years old, there wasn’t much character development.
Finally, Mac was so anxious and depressed and tearful so often that it was a bit of a downer.
I think I will stick with the other series and let this one go.

I liked the story of this, I felt like it was something different in the cozy world so I found it refreshing. Rather than having someone murdered they stumbled upon a skeleton. I found the story easy to follow as a standalone. It was interesting and made me want to read the previous books. The only thing I would say is that it is not a very festive book, it's more of a winter as it takes place after Christmas has already passed.

Good addition to the series, the murder was shocking and the twists and turns that popped up as we followed along the clues were good.

One week before the wedding and control oriented Mackenzie (Mac) Alameida is helping her soon to be husband, Tim Brunelle, tear down a wall to create a master suite in their (new to her) home. The last thing either of them expected to find was a skeleton bride chained to a wall. This does not bode well for Mac’s sense of order. Bridey, Mac’s nickname for the corpse bride is a bit of a mystery and Mac’s mystery book club is good at solving mysteries. Looks like Mac will not only need to find something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, but also a little justice for the star crossed lovers too. The clues for this very cold case are well laid, and you get some great tips for conducting family research. This story is very much about family and history. There are also the some amazing food descriptions. Thankfully, Ms. Day shares the recipes at the end of the book and I plan to try the Cape Verdean Cachupa, which sounds perfect for a cold or wet winter’s day.

I loved the mystery and how she went about solving the cold case. It kept me guessing and the town seems interesting. I don't remember reading other books in this series, but never felt lost with who everyone was.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

With a week to go before their wedding, Mackenzie (Mac) and her finance, Tim, decide to start renovating his old cape cod house and uncover the skeleton of a woman—dressed as a bride and handcuffed to a wall—when they break through a wall. While notifying the police and following through with a forensic intern, Mac isn’t going to rest until she has discovered the guilty party of this cold case. Mac enters this rabbit hole and follows the clues with the help of her mystery book club friends and local relatives once the victim has been identified. This is one determined and gutsy gal who will follow any clue even when she might be late for a fitting or rehearsal. Luckily, she has a supportive family who continues to keep the wedding plans for her under control. Her family is incredible with the wisdom and talented seamstress skills of her grandmother, the unorthodox style of her mother and cooking skills of her pastor father as well as the baking skills of her finance. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review. Take Note: This wacky plan to start remodeling directly before one’s wedding is not recommended.

I’m always a big fan of cold cases being solved so this mystery was difficult to put down. Add in the somewhat feuding families, the home renovation, and a wedding, and I am definitely hooked. This had so much going on and although I figured out who the guilty person was early on, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Mac and Tim.

Murder in A Cape Cottage by Maddie Day is a delightful cozy mystery about the days leading up to Mac and Tim’s wedding. Mac had moved out of her tiny house and joined Tim in his cottage. They were knocking down a wall in order to build a bathroom when they came upon a skeleton hidden in the wall. She appeared to be sitting, dressed in a wedding dress, she had a suitcase, but, oddest of all, her hands were tied behind her back and attached to the wall behind her. It was ghastly. Of course, they called the police immediately, but Mac just couldn’t let it go. Maybe because her own wedding was right around the corner?

It was a group of very likable folks who made up the core characters in this story: Tim, Mac’s family and friends, and other folks in this small town on the Cape. Of course, there was the core of old “royalty” of which there were still a few members, but many more were a mixed bag of Portuguese and other immigrants. I really enjoyed this mystery because it was 80 years old. No one had died recently. It was sad, but not immediate. Mac spent all hours not consumed by wedding trivia investigating while Tim continued preparing the room for the actual construction crew. It was a good mystery, very sad, once they discovered that that woman’s husband-to-be had also been killed. Then, Mac figured out what had happened and it made her cry. Most of the people involved were dead now, but they had all been alive at the time. It was compelling.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Murder in A Cape Cottage by Kensington, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Kensington #MaddieDay #MurderInACapeCottage

This is the 4th book in the Cozy Capers Book Group mystery series. It is a cold case mystery that bleeds into current day.
Mac and Tim are preparing for their wedding on New Years Eve. They start a renovation project about five days before the wedding. When they open the wall they find a skeleton. The police are short staffed due to holiday vacations and they have plenty of current day issues to deal with. Mac wants answers about this skeleton before she says I do.
Given Mac’s personality her focus on the mystery rather than the wedding is not surprising. She had turned most the details over to her Mom and her friend Gin.
I had struggled some to follow the timeline of the week at times because the references to when the skeleton was found didn’t seem to add days when it was talked about.
In the end, the story behind the skeleton was rather diabolical. This was something I hadn’t seen with a cozy mystery before.
I like the book. I can understand why some reviewers might say it bogged down for them because there was a good portion of the middle where information gathering was happening but there wasn’t much headway being made.
This would be a good read for someone acquainted with the series and for someone looking for a winter read.

Murder in a Cape Cottage by Maddie Day is an enjoyable cozy mystery that transports readers to Cape Cod. I thought Murder in a Cape Cottage was well-written. The main characters are realistic and developed. I love Mac’s grandmother and her African Gray parrot, Belle. I enjoyed the descriptions of the town with its cozy shops and the quaint homes. I like Tim’s (and now Mac’s) carriage house (a hundred-year-old home). Mac and Tim are busy getting ready for their wedding which is in a few days on New Year's Eve. Mac is fortunate to have her best friend, Gin and her mother taking care of all the details. The mystery was unique. Mac and Tim want a bathroom attached to the master. They are going to demolish a closet and a storage room for the purpose. When they break through the lath and plaster, they find a skeleton. The skeleton sitting in a chair and wearing a wedding dress. Someone wanted to make sure the unfortunate soul could not get out because they tied her hands behind her back and fastened a chain to a ring on the wall. Mac feels for the woman who never got to marry her sweetheart. Mac with help from the cozy capers book group looks into the crime. I thought the mystery was an easy one to solve but I enjoyed joining Mac as she asked questions and dug for clues. I like where information was discovered (spoilers) that helped Mac solve the case. There are two secondary mysteries as well. The skeleton bride’s groom has not been seen either (since 1940s). Mac wonders if he did the deed, or did he flee town. There are robberies happening to the shops in town. Who is behind the thefts? The mystery is just the distraction Mac needs to keep her mind off the wedding. There is a good wrap up at the end. Murder in a Cape Cottage is the fourth A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or if you have missed a book along the way (like me). There is repetition of case details. Mac will get information and then she shares it with various individuals. I thought the ending was sweet. I like books that leave me smiling. I loved the mention of Krista Davis’s A Pen & Ink Mysteries. There is a shout out for Lucy Burdette’s A Key West Food Critic Mysteries as well. There are recipes at the end for items made in the story (not by Mac). Murder in a Cape Cottage charming cozy with a chatty parrot, discontinued demolition, a butchered bride, a bevy of burglaries, a flower girl dilemma, and New Year merrymaking.

Murder in a Cape Cottage is book #4 in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery series by Maddie Day.

Mac and her fiancé, Tim, have closed their businesses after Christmas to start renovations on their home and prepare for their wedding. They find a skeleton and Mac needs answers so she can focus on her wedding.

Wow! I felt so sad for the victims and so happy for Mac and Tim. This was an interesting cold case and I’m glad Mac and the book club were able to find answers. I can’t wait to see what is in store next!

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Murder In A Cape Cottage is Maddie Day's fourth book in the Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery series.

Mac and Tim have started a renovation project in Tim’s home. They want to add a bathroom to the first-floor bedroom. Armed with sledgehammers, they begin to demolish the back wall of a closet. Stopping to check their progress, Mac is shocked to see a skeleton sitting on a chair, wearing a wedding dress. Upon closer examination, they find that her arms are handcuffed and screwed to the wall. There is no identification, but there is a suitcase with the initials DLR. In the suitcase was the skeleton’s purse, and in that purse was the person’s passport. With her wedding only days away, Mac feels the need to find out why and who had taken away the marriage of the person whose body they found. Since the remains have been hidden for some 80 years, Mac will have to rely on relatives of the three prominent families suspected of the disappearance of the young bride-to-be. Hopefully, Mac will be able to find the killer before her wedding. Mac will have the help of the book club, Cozy Capers, and her grandmother.

I find this series to be delightful. The book is well-written and plotted, with a wonderful cast of well-developed and believable characters. Plenty of twists and turns kept me guessing until the end as to who the killer was.

Delicious-sounding recipes are also included in the book.

I’m looking forward to the next to see what adventures are in store for Mac and Tim.

Love this series and I absolutely loved this edition it hooks you within the first chapter and makes you want to keep reading to follow along with Mac to find all the clues and solve the mystery!!! Maddie Day is an exceptional writer and storyteller and I hope there will be many more books in this series!!
One small thing I didn't like was I found it hard to keep up with all the different characters and who's family who belonged to it got a bit confusing at times but all in all a fantastic book that I will highly recommend!!!!

Much thanks to #netgalley and #KensingtonBooks for selecting me to read and review this ARC
All thoughts and opinions are my own

Five days before her nuptials, Mac and her fiancé Tim decide to begin a home reno project. A skeletal bride, chained to the wall greets them as they tear into storage space.
Mac does a quick sleuthing project before she gets married.
The missing lovers angle was really sad. The family history was interesting.
The chapters are short which lends to fast reading.
Nancy Drew doesn’t have anything on Mac.

Most brides would be in a daze less than a week from saying "I do" but Mac is not most brides. With most of the wedding details taken care of and a home renovation project soon to start, she and Tim decide to change their focus and do some demolition work in preparation for the construction crew to get started. The project will give them a downstairs bathroom but what they get is a sad tableau frozen in time behind the demolished wall. It's the skeleton of a woman dressed in a wedding dress c. 1940, seated on a stool and chained to the wall. As a soon to be bride herself, Mac decides that she, with the help of Tim and the members of the Cozy Capers book group, will solve the cold case before she walks down the aisle. Considering that the town thought that the bride had eloped back then, there may be a killer out there who thought the skeleton would never see the light of day. Mac will have to tread carefully. The killer might just want her to become a dead bride, too.
This series has a lovely setting and a great recurring cast of characters - including a parrot -coupled with a well developed mystery to keep the reader guessing. My only issue was the timeline. For me it seemed a bit rushed with the wedding as the deadline. I would have liked Mac to have had more time to solve this cold case but even with the short time span I did enjoy it from start to finish.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The fourth in the Cozy Capers Book Group series, Murder in a Cape Cottage by Maddie Day is a great addition to the series. Set in Cape Cod between Christmas and New Year's, Mac and Tim are finalizing their wedding plans and finishing renovations when they discover a cold case killing. A quick thriller set at a decent pace, chockful of suspense. This can be read as a standalone, but I think reading in order allows the reader a closer relationship with these great characters!
Thank you to @MaddieDay, #NetGalley, and #Kensington Books for the digital ARC of this book to read and review. I am happy to provide feedback on Maddie Day's terrific book. #MurderinaCapeCottage #NetGalley

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is the 4th book in the Cozy Capers collection. Mac and Tim are finally getting married . Christmas has come and gone, Mac has closed the bike shop for three weeks and Tim has closed the bakery for three weeks. In preparation for getting their new home ready, they decide to do some home renovations. They get quite the surprise when they tear a wall down and find a dead body wearing a wedding gown with her suitcase by her side. In this case, Mac does not have to go looking for a mystery, the mystery has found her. There is a lot of history in this book as the police, Mac and her crew open up the history books trying to identify the body, as well as solve a decades old crime. The past and the present collide as everyone starts pointing fingers as they are so sure that their ancestors could never be responsible for such a heinous crime. I think the fact that the skeleton wore a wedding dress made this particular mystery a little more personal for Mac as she is preparing for her own wedding. The characters in this book and this series are fun and full of life. Her grandmother is probably one of my favorite characters. She is definitely full of life and love. Amateur sleuths will love this newest cozy mystery by the very talented Maddie Day. This mystery was even more interesting to me because the crime occurred many decades ago, so there was history to be uncovered which made the mystery solving a little more complex.