Review: Murder at the Sunday Brunch by Clara Bennett | A Maplewood Mystery of Buried Secrets and Stolen History

Some cozy mysteries rely on romance, quirky pets, or elaborate themes to keep readers engaged. Murder at the Sunday Brunch by Clara Bennett takes a different approach. This debut Maplewood Mystery puts the focus squarely on the investigation, delivering a fast-paced whodunit filled with buried secrets, suspicious townsfolk, and enough red herrings to keep readers guessing. Set around the welcoming Little Rose Café, this clean cozy mystery offers a satisfying puzzle and introduces a cast of characters I would happily spend more time with in future installments.

A clean cozy mystery that proves a strong mystery can carry the entire story.

If you enjoy small-town mysteries where long-buried secrets refuse to stay hidden, Murder at the Sunday Brunch offers plenty to uncover. Here's a closer look at the story:

About Murder at the Sunday Brunch

Murder at the Sunday Brunch
By Clara Bennett
Series: A Maplewood Mystery of Buried Secrets and Stolen History
on May 2026
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 338

In Maplewood, everyone knows the Sunday brunch tradition.

Not everyone knows what it cost.

When café owner Cassidy Grey prepares for the town’s beloved memorial brunch at The Little Rose Café, the morning begins with warm scones, polished silver, and familiar faces. But when a stranger arrives with questions about Maplewood’s past—and a body falls before breakfast is served—Cassidy finds herself at the center of a murder tied to a long-buried lie.

As the investigation deepens, Cassidy uncovers a hidden history beneath the town’s most cherished stolen labor, erased names, and a story someone is still willing to kill to protect.

To find the truth, Cassidy must look beyond Maplewood’s polished charm and into the quiet machinery of memory, power, and silence—before the next correction becomes deadly.

Murder at the Sunday Brunch is a sophisticated small-town mystery filled with buried secrets, elegant tension, and a heroine determined to keep the truth from being served over once again.

Perfect for readers who love charming settings, sharp female leads, layered secrets, and cozy mysteries with real depth.

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Review at a Glance

Genre	Cozy Mystery
Length	338 pages
Series	Standalone / Maplewood Mystery, Book #1
Setting	Small-town Maplewood; The Little Rose Café
Content Rating	PG
My Rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

My Thoughts

One of the things I appreciated most about Murder at the Sunday Brunch was its commitment to being a true mystery. While many modern cozies devote significant page time to romantic subplots, this story keeps its attention firmly on the investigation. The result is a fast-moving mystery that invites readers to follow the clues alongside Cassidy Grey as she works to uncover the truth behind a shocking death in Maplewood.

The mystery itself is well constructed. Looking back, the clues pointing toward the eventual culprit were present throughout the story, but the author skillfully uses red herrings and town gossip to keep suspicion shifting from one character to another. I enjoyed trying to piece everything together and was never completely certain where the investigation would lead.

The Little Rose Café provides a charming home base for the series, while the town of Maplewood offers plenty of hidden history and long-held secrets to explore. The setting feels cozy without overwhelming the mystery, and several supporting characters quickly established themselves as people I would enjoy seeing again. Daphne, in particular, brought a smile to more than one scene.

Readers looking for a clean mystery will also appreciate that the story contains no spice and very little emphasis on romance. There are perhaps a few hints that relationships could develop in future books, but here the mystery remains the clear focus-and it works remarkably well.

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In Conclusion

Murder at the Sunday Brunch is an enjoyable start to what promises to be a delightful cozy mystery series. With memorable characters, a welcoming small-town setting, and a mystery that keeps the pages turning, Clara Bennett has created a world that feels worth revisiting. If you enjoy clue-driven cozies with minimal romance and plenty of secrets to uncover, Maplewood may be your next favorite destination. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for the next installment.

Before we wrap up, here's a little more about the author behind the story.

About Clara Bennett

Explore more from the author:
Amazon | Goodreads

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Thanks for reading. If this sounds like your kind of story, you can explore purchase options below.

Available now on Amazon.

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