by: Lori Soard
Series: Mildred Wiggins
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: July 6, 2026
Small town. Big secrets. One woman who refuses to mind her own business.
Mildred Wiggins isn’t nosy․
She just… pays attention․
It’s been fifty years since Mildred moved to the small Indiana town of Maple Hollow․ She knows her neighbors by name‚ their habits‚ and when something isn’t right․ The man living near her on Mulberry Lane has been setting off every alarm she has․
He’s rude․ Secretive․ Always in trouble with someone. When he’s found dead at the bottom of his porch steps‚ most of the neighbors are not surprised․
The police deem it an accident․
Mildred calls it suspicious․
Armed with her surprising powers of observation‚ her keen sense of justice‚ and her exceedingly opinionated rooster‚ Sir Alphonse Beauregard Clucksworth III‚ Mildred sets out to solve the case․ Because in a town like Maple Hollow, everyone knows everyone… which means anyone could be hiding something.
The deeper Mildred digs‚ the more she believes his death was not an accident․
It was murder․
But it will take more than curiosity to prove it. Will Mildred be the only one brave enough to ask the questions no one else dares?
After all, in Maple Hollow‚ secrets don’t disappear․
They wait․
Well, hello there!
How are you?
I’ve been great, although things around Maple Hollow have been a bit unsettled. I enjoy a little drama now and then, but murder is taking things too far.
I can definitely agree with that. Please introduce yourself to readers.
I’m Mildred Wiggins, fifty-two years old, the wife of Harry. We’re empty nesters now, although we still have Sir Alphonse Beauregard Clucksworth III to keep us entertained.
I like to garden, spend time with friends, and pay attention to what’s going on in my town. Some people say I’m nosy, but I’m just observant, and I care. Without my help, the sheriff would rarely solve a case.
I go to church most Sundays, and while I don’t know why everything happens the way it does, I do know that the good Lord has a plan in it. We are supposed to love our neighbors. Sometimes that means showing up with a casserole and a hug. Other times, it means asking the hard questions and finding answers.
Can you please tell us about some people we’ll meet in your story?
There’s my husband, Harry. He’s the strong, silent type. My rooster is Sir Alphonse. He’s much smarter than people give him credit for and often brings clues to my attention. My friend Etta Mae is almost as nosy – err, observant – as I am. Sheriff Colton Briggs says he doesn’t want my help, but he needs it.
What’s Maple Hollow, Indiana like?
We have just enough people to justify a town square and stop light, but not so many that you feel like you’re surrounded by strangers. Most everyone around here knows one another. Like most small towns, people love to gossip. You may even hear something about yourself you didn’t know, because rumors fly.
People here know one another’s families, past mistakes, happy moments, and heartbreaks. We remember who people sat at lunch with in high school and who stopped speaking to their best friend twenty years ago. Most of the time, that closeness is a blessing. But people have secrets, too, and some secrets can sit quietly for years before something brings them back into the light.
Tell me about a defining moment in your life.
Becoming an empty nester left me feeling more empty than I expected. I’d spent years running the kids to appointments, sports, and school functions. Suddenly, I had a lot of time on my hands. I started gardening to fill my days. Then, I got Sir Alphonse for companionship. Finally, I realized the sheriff was having trouble solving cases, so I began a new hobby.
Why do you feel the need to put on your sleuthing hat and investigate murders?
Maple Hollow is a small town. We don’t have the law enforcement resources of a big city police department. Without my help, many mysteries would remain unsolved. If not me, who?
What can readers expect from you and your story, Murder on Mulberry Lane?
They can expect to find a small Indiana town in which everyone knows everyone just a little too well‚ plenty of suspects‚ a few secrets‚ some humor‚ a little faith‚ a little friendship‚ and a mystery that is different than it seems.
The official story is that Trent Hill died on Mulberry Lane‚ and something about it just doesn't seem right to me․ The more I dig‚ the more suspicions are raised that a lot of people wanted Trent gone․ It's just a matter of figuring out how he died․
Of course there are consequences of asking questions in Maple Hollow․ People get nervous․ Stories change․ Old grievances surface․ And somebody would very much prefer that I stop digging․
Unfortunately for them‚ I've never been particularly good at leaving a question unanswered․ When I see a loose thread, I keep picking at it. I like things to fit and be orderly. When they aren’t, I have to figure out why. Many times, the figuring out unearths new clues.
Mildred, thank you so much for your time.
Thanks so much for chatting with me. If you’re ever in Maple Hollow, stop by the Cattywampus Café. I’m there most days. Just be careful what you say. You never know who’s listening.
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From an early age, Lori started honing her storytelling skills. As a kid, she was rarely seen without a book in her hand, even walking and reading at the same time. Her first stories were about the world around her. At twenty she wrote her first novel, which she admits was horrible. At twenty-one, she sold her first article to a local newspaper. Once she got that taste of having others read her work and realizing that she could reach others and touch their hearts, there was no turning back for this natural-born writer.
“If I can make someone’s day just a tiny bit better,” Lori says, “if I can make them smile even though they are sad, make them think things could be better, make them understand how much God loves them, then I have accomplished something. I write my stories, articles, and books with that one person in mind who really needs the message. If I can change one person’s perspective, then I’ve succeeded.”
Lori is a lifelong Hoosier and lives in southern Indiana with her high school sweetheart turned husband. They have two grown daughters and two granddaughters. She always has her critters surrounding her, including a couple of miniature dachshunds and several rescue cats. “During the extreme low points in life, it has been my animals that have seen me through. There is nothing like the deep devotion of a dog or the unconditional love of a cat.” Lori adores animals, and while some of her dear friends have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, she will always stand by her belief that animals make the world a better place.
She loves to hear from her readers and blogs regularly.
Places to find Lori Soard:
You can follow the Murder on Mulberry Lane Blog Tour here.
Hi! Thanks so much for having me on your blog today. I'll be popping in to answer any questions anyone has. Looking forward to getting to know new people and seeing a few familiar faces. :D
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