A writer might work more than a year on a novella. Friends say nice things, but that ever-present doubt — is the story any good? — hovers like a black cloud. And then the first review on Goodreads comes in from an international reader (who got the story via a free promotion), and it’s a two out of five stars. Ugh. Even so, one perseveres in trying to shake that disappointed reader off. Somewhere, the courage to get an editorial review emerges. Today, that editorial review arrived from an impartial lover of books. And it’s four out of five stars, and this writer is overjoyed. Below is the Reedsy Discovery editorial review for Willful Obsession.
Loved it! 😍 🌟🌟🌟🌟
A charming, murder-free cozy mystery that’s perfect for a weekend read!
Synopsis
Mary’s best friend dies unexpectedly, but Mary must set aside her grief because the will has vanished. With no clear motives or suspects, Mary begins her quest to find the will within thirty days or the unscrupulous nephew gets everything. As the parks director of the quaint town, Mary juggles work, a recently retired husband, and her deceased friend’s paper-munching dog, Chompers, who might just be a suspect. Knowing the will designates her friend’s estate to charities, one of which is the Community Garden she oversees, Mary digs in to solve the mystery at risk to her own health, which concerns her husband. When an acquaintance acts suspiciously, Mary forms a wild theory, but can’t convince the police to act. Joining forces with her neighbors, she organizes a nighttime dig at the Community Garden to uncover a potential crime. Meanwhile, the unsavory nephew pesters her about her Leap Day deadline to find the original will. Although motivated to see the charities get their inheritance, Mary’s long-held secret dream drives her quest. Will she have to reveal her hidden past as leverage to fulfill getting the will before time’s up?
Most cozies include a murder, albeit without the messy specifics of the crime. Willful Obsession gives us a cozy that’s 100% murder-free (okay, almost).
When her neighbor Denise dies due to her health issues, Mary knows that, as Denise’s executor, she’s responsible for seeing that the terms of her will are carried out. She’s seen Denise’s will. She knows it exists. She knows Denise planned to leave her estate to various charities. But suddenly, the will is nowhere to be found. When Denise’s obnoxious nephew comes into town and starts taunting Mary, saying he’ll be moving in soon, Mary knows time is of the essence.
Mary is a likable amateur sleuth, and since she and her husband Ned take in Denise’s beloved dog, Chompers (who lives up to his name), that makes them extra good in my book! Mary makes a few missteps in her search at first, and Ned, out of concern for her, tells Mary she needs to just accept that the will is gone. They compromise and agree to a time limit on Mary’s detective efforts, and she perseveres in her quest to find the will so that Denise’s last wishes can be honored.
For a novella, the story packs quite a lot in! Kristy Schnabel includes plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing (and I’m not spoiling it, but there was a surprise at the end that I did not expect, and that I just loved!). Her writing style is gentle and warm, and I felt like Mary was a new friend as I read.
If you love a cozy that’s comforting and friendly and don’t mind missing out on murder almost entirely, pick up Willful Obsession and get to know Mary. I hope Kristy Schnabel has more stories in Lake Waluga yet to come!
Reviewed by
Lisa Henson
Reviewer
Reedsy Discovery
If you use the Reedsy platforms, including Reedsy Discovery, which is a really cool place to get book recommendations by genre, kindly give Willful Obsession an upvote here.
Kristy Schnabel 
Leave a comment