Double Twist (A Mia Murphy Mystery) - Stephanie Rowe

Double Twist (A Mia Murphy Mystery)

By Stephanie Rowe

  • Release Date: 2022-05-03
  • Genre: Cozy Mysteries
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 46 Ratings

Description

In this new mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Rowe, the irreverent, underappreciated, and alarmingly talented Mia Murphy risks it all to do the right thing…even if it means doing the wrong thing. 

A high-octane, feel-good romp starring women you'll wish were your best friends, an inconveniently attractive cop, a posse of gray-haired quilters with a fondness for margaritas, and an eccentric town with more secrets than Mia's con artist mom. 

"[Stephanie] Rowe is such an amazing writer. I can get lost in every book she writes." ~Jecaudil (Amazon Reviewer)

All Mia Murphy wants is an ordinary, law-abiding life. 

Accidentally marrying a drug kingpin? Easily fixed with an anonymous tip to the FBI…which resulted in a not-so-voluntary, surprisingly stressful stint as an undercover spy against him.

But with her ex finally in prison and assassins in her rearview mirror, Mia is off to Diamond Lake in Bass Derby, Maine with King Tut, her rescue (aka purloined) cat, to start over.

Upon arrival, Mia quickly finds a couple of soulmates in a blue-haired "I'll show you what old is" café owner and a baton-twirling mail carrier. Life is headed in the right direction...until the trio stumbles across a dead body during a slightly illegal but well-intentioned home invasion. 

When one of her new besties is arrested for the murder, Mia is the only one with the skills to ferret out the real killer…but she can't afford to resurrect her morally flexible past. Can Mia keep her life on the straight and narrow with so much at stake? Or will a homicidal, jet-skiing moose, a dead Mr. January firefighter, and an overzealous mayor take them all down? 

Mia has to step up, or she'll lose her chance for the life she's always wanted and the friends she's never had. Even worse, she might wind up dead…

"A laugh-out-loud, nail-biting, page-turning read." ~Riding Reviewer

"Stephanie Rowe is one of the most gifted story-tellers I have ever had the pleasure to read." ~Amazon Reviewer

"Stephanie Rowe is definitely an amazing story-weaving genius." ~Amazon Reviewer 

Stephanie Rowe "has a true gift for bringing her characters to life and making you feel as though you’re right there with them." ~Jenn (Goodreads Reviewer)

"Stephanie Rowe just has this way of pulling me into the stories she writes and leaves me completely ensnared so I lose track of time and sometimes what day it is." ~Joann (Goodreads Reviewer)

"Rowe's books are always good… Her characters are fantastic and so are the storylines. I wish more authors wrote like she does." ~Amazon Reviewer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe is  the author of more than fifty published novels. This is her first mystery, but it won't be her last (because it's just so freaking FUN to write!). Notably, she is a Vivian® Award nominee, a RITA® Award winner and five-time nominee, and Golden Heart® Award winner and two-time nominee. She loves her puppies, tennis, and being as sassy and irreverent as her heroines. She's pretty sure dead bodies are better in fiction than real life, but hey, never say never, right? For more info of Steph and her books, head on over to www.stephanierowe.com. 

Reviews

  • Hooked from the start

    5
    By HawaiianMommaof2
    Couldn’t put it down. Enjoyed this so much, I am taking time to review it. I’m a fan of Stephanie’s books and Mia’s story is the favorite!!! Can’t wait to read the next one.
  • Very entertaining

    4
    By angie1229
    As a fan of Stephanie Rowe’s romances I wanted to read her new book, even if it was a departure from what I usually read. I took me several chapters to get into the story, and I found one of the the premises for the plot line a little hard to believe, but as long as I accepted it as truth, everything else made a cohesive whole. A very good effort for a different genre!
  • New beginnings

    4
    By Kreid09
    I say new beginnings because Stephanie Rowe has branched out and written a cozy mystery, which is new for her. She has done amazingly, not that I was at all surprised. Mia Murphy, our main character, has set out to start over after testifying against her husband. Her new start is anything but smooth. The good news is she’s met some amazing ladies that make her feel a part of something big. This book will have you laughing, guessing, and wanting more. Good thing it’s just the beginning of a new series. Can’t wait for more
  • Great Start to a New Series (and genre)

    5
    By csw....
    I was so excited when Stephanie announced she was going to start a cozy mystery series. I’ve been reading her books for years and couldn’t wait to see what she came up with. She absolutely did not disappoint. In Double Twist, she introduces us to Mia Murphy. Mia has a bit of a past - from cons and petty theft, to a drug dealing husband. But she means well. She just has trouble avoiding the criminal elements around her. After a…bit of conflict with her mother in law, Mia is looking for a new, honest start. She moves to main and is hoping to have that new life by the water that she’s always dreamed of. But it’s never that easy - especially not for Mia. She gets fined for destruction of property that she didn’t even cause; realizes she was conned by her realtor; and manages to stumble across a murder while doing a smidge of B&E. Welcome to town and a new life, right? Stephanie finds a good balance of characters, mystery, and humor. Can’t wait to see what happens next. Strongly recommend.
  • A great start to this series - I love Mia

    5
    By Tammy_M_NC
    Mia Murphy and her best friends/amateur sleuths were so fun to read. The story hooked me in and took me along for a hilarious and twisty ride. Mia has a colorful past. She is the daughter of a conwoman and pickpocket, she spent the last two years as an FBI informant to help convict her drug kingpin husband. Now she’s bought a marina and moved to Bass Derby, a small town in Maine, to be normal. But nothing is what she envisioned - not her newly purchased marina or the sleepy pretty town. When one of her new friends, Lucy’s ex is murdered right before they show up to steal back Lucy’s property and Lucy is left holding the murder weapon, the three friends decide they’ll solve the murder to save Lucy. The three amateur sleuths get themselves into absurdly funny and sometimes dangerous situations. They are witty and endearing characters who are also real, relatable people who have flaws, but are really trying to just do their best. This book has a little bit of everything just like you would expect from a good cozy mystery - sweet moments, strong friendships, snort worthy situations, real life issues, imperfect characters, painful pasts, dangerous situations, small town quirky people, shady characters, incompetent police, competent sexy police, twists and turns, mystery and secrets. The book was well written, contained witty dialogue, characters with depth and an engaging storyline. I need more Mia Murphy in my life. I willingly reviewed an early copy of this book.
  • Absolutely Awesome!

    4
    By 1phoenix3
    This was fabulous!! It was such a fun book. Mia is a great character. I loved seeing her going through all the craziness that happened in this book. It’s a mystery but it has me laughing my bum off. I was like oh Mia! Lol then on the flip side I was like Hattie I love you. I love to guess who I think is the culprit but this book had me going, wait maybe it’s this, no it’s definitely that. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. The supporting characters, Hattie and Lucy, were seriously amazing. You want to talk about characters that compliment the MC. These two hit the mark. I have to say, I want to be Hattie when I grow up. You have to read the book to understand. But honestly this group of girls have Mia’s back and she has theirs. She definitely needed them in her life. It’s like the completed each other. I highly recommend checking this book out! You won’t regret it. It is such a great read. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
  • Wild Ride!

    5
    By Rachxx13
    After leaving behind her con artist mother, Mia accidentally married a major drug lord. Oops!! After two years of being undercover to help the FBI take down her husband, he’s finally in jail and Mia is free to start her new life. What does she decide to do? Buy a run-down marina in Maine of course! Just a marina, a girl, and her cat. Well, until she stumbles upon a murder. With the help of her two new friends, Lucy and Hattie, Mia decides she must find the killer before Lucy is arrested for the crime! This book was spectacular! The writing was so witty and funny, the characters were quirky and fun, and the whole story was action-packed and never boring even for a minute! I pretty much loved everything about this book, except that it ended! I definitely need more of Mia’s story, and I cannot wait for the second book to come out. I don’t want to say too much about the actual plot of the story as I had just such a great time going in fairly blind, but if you love a good cozy mystery that keeps you guessing, and strong independent female characters, you MUST read Double Twist!
  • Double Twist

    5
    By ReadingOverTV2
    Double Twist by Stephanie Rowe A Mia Murphy mystery, book 1. Cozy mystery. After testifying against her mob boss husband, Mia declines witness protection and buys a marina, sight unseen, in a small town in Maine. It may not have been her best decision given the old and decrepit marina, the threat of moose and finding a dead body with her two new besties. What’s a girl to do but solve the crime and make sure her new friends are protected? Humorous and a bit crazy, Mia is resourceful and clever and constantly stirring up trouble. With Lucy and Hattie egging her on, Mia is pulling her skills from her grifting days and putting an end to the threat to her quiet and peaceful life goals. Entertaining, twisty and a romping good tale. I can’t wait for the next Mia adventure.