About the Book
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award winner Jennifer K. Breedlove brings coastal Maine to life in Murder Will Out, a lighter, modern gothic mystery that's as atmospheric as it is heart-warming.
Come for the memories. Stay for the murder...
Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, is so beautiful it could be a postcard. Organist Willow Stone cherishes her memories of childhood summers spent on the island with her godmother Sue... even though her visits ended abruptly, and she hasn't seen or heard from her godmother in over fifteen years. Until a letter from Sue—and word of Sue’s death—brings Willow back to the picturesque island.
The islanders rarely mention Sue without also bringing up Cameron House, and the controversy around Sue’s unexpected inheritance of the sprawling mansion. When Willow overhears someone threatening the next heir to the property, she starts to question whether Sue’s death was really an accident, and can’t help but wonder whether someone on this sleepy island is willing to stop at nothing—even murder—to claim Cameron House for their own.
Through Willow’s eyes, as well as those of others on the island, a mystery unfolds that keeps drawing Willow back to Cameron House and the very real ghosts that walk its corridors.
My Review
Willow Stone is an organist living on her own in Chicago. She’s stunned when she receives a letter from her godmother Sue Davis. She hasn’t heard from the woman in years. Her parents never told her the reason she just vanished from Willow’s life, but it hurt her very much. She loved Sue and loved their time together on Little North Island in Maine. This letter is an unexpected surprise.
The letter from Sue begs Willow to give her another chance. Sue is getting married and wants to settle things between them. Willow is unsure what to do until she does some research and found out that Sue had been living in Cameron House where she was caretaker to the owner, Effie Cameron, who recently passed away. Effie left the estate to Sue. However, the truly shocking news is that Sue had an accident and died. Willow can’t believe it. Instead of going to Sue’s wedding, she goes to the funeral.
When Willow gets to Maine, she quickly realizes things aren’t always as they seem. She can’t help but wonder what really happened to Sue. Many people wanted ownership of Cameron House and would do anything to get it.
With the help of Sue’s friends, a dog named Finn, and a house filled with ghosts, Willow is determined to get to the bottom of this. She continuously finds more and more mysteries to unravel. To add to her problems, she has no idea who she can truly trust.
The story has everything I look for in a suspense novel - many twists, an old mansion, and a cast of complex characters - all with their own agendas. It reminded me so much of the gothic mysteries I used to love and still do. It's always fun when the house is a main character, not to mention the ghosts that live there.
This book grabbed me right from the start. I couldn’t put it down. It caused a few sleepless nights to say the least. A truly captivating novel. I’ll be looking for more books by this author. I hope a sequel is in the works.
For reading challenges:
Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2026 (Maine)
Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge 2026
NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2026
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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