Notes from Ellie · Issue No. 8 · October 1, 2026

Pumpkins, Ghost Stories, and a Big Thank You

Sweater weather has arrived, the leaves are turning, and our readers have outdone themselves again. Grab a mug of cider. This one’s for you.

Hello, Dear Reader

Autumn in the Blue Ridge is something special. The mountains blaze red, orange, and gold, the air smells like woodsmoke and apples, and every front porch seems to sprout a pumpkin or two overnight. It’s our favorite season to write, and if we’re being honest, our favorite season to read. There’s nothing quite like a cozy mystery on a crisp October night, with a blanket on your lap and the wind rattling the windows.

You did it again

When we announced Murder at the Pumpkin Patch, we crossed our fingers and hoped Tess and Cocoa’s third adventure would find its readers. Then you showed up in a big way. More than 200 of you pre-ordered it before it ever hit the shelves, and since release, it’s been working its way up the charts.

For a small group of writers, that kind of support means everything. Every pre-order, every rating, and every time you tell a friend “you have to read this one” helps Maple Ridge find new readers. We see it, and we’re so grateful.

Some readers pick up a book. Our readers pull up a chair and stay awhile. Thank you for being part of the family.

If you’ve finished Murder at the Pumpkin Patch, we’d love to hear what you thought. A rating or a quick review on Amazon is one of the best gifts you can give an author, and it helps the next reader find their way to Maple Ridge.

Something spooky this way comes

Halloween is just around the corner in Cedar Hollow, too, with ghost stories, creaking porches, and more than a few mysterious bumps in the night. In Howl-O-Ween Homicide, a frightened couple insists their old rental house is haunted by an eerie midnight howl. Lucy agrees to check things out, and the moment Echo steps into the creaking Victorian, he lets out a long, haunting howl of his own.

The house feels wrong: too cold, too quiet, and too full of secrets. As strange happenings spread through town and Halloween draws nearer, Lucy and Echo find themselves tangled in a puzzle someone clearly doesn’t want solved. It’s spooky-sweet, just the way we like our Halloween.

Our cozy October checklist

• Pick out the perfect pumpkin (and keep an eye out for any that go missing).
• Brew a pot of hot apple cider, extra cinnamon.
• Take a drive to see the fall color along the Blue Ridge.
• Dress your dog (or tolerant cat) in a costume. Cocoa and Echo vote “no.” Mewsly and Boo vote “absolutely not.”
• Curl up with a mystery once the trick-or-treaters have gone home.

On our shelf this season

P.S. Snow is already falling on Maple Ridge. Silent Bite, Tess and Cocoa’s Christmas mystery, arrives November 10 and is available for pre-order now.

Happy autumn, happy Halloween, and thank you, always.
With love,
Ellie (all of us)