A quick, cozy murder mystery! Exactly what I need after reading some deep Fantasy novels lately!

The author doesn't mess around, she is quick to the point of the story, and something is always happening, in a cozy small town kind of way.

Maudy and her doggo Martin Short were really nicely written characters, and I enjoyed the adventure they took me on!

I really wanted to like this book due to the state park setting. Unfortunately I never connected with Maudy or any of the other characters which made it difficult to care about the story.

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 Off the Beaten Path
🗓 29.4.2025
💫💫💫.5

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute and fun read. I devoured it in a span of a day and the mystery was super cosy and not heavy. The little town was well depicted, the plot simple to follow.

Unfortunately I struggled a bit with Maudy and her yo-yo ability to make connections in the murder mystery and then suddenly not have a clue which hand was her left or right. I found the whole 'who done it' a bit meh.

The epilogue however hooked me again and I will read more of Eloise's books.

I really love a good cozy mystery, so I was disappointed that this one just didn’t seem to capture my interest. First of all I truly LOVED the setting this story takes place in and I could be comfortable for many books in this setting. However, the story itself just never truly got me invested and there were several grammatical issues as well as 1 or 2 sentence structure issues. The characters themselves might have become endearing to me but I feel like the author introduced too many too quickly so I constantly lost the thread of the story having to go back to remind myself who the character was. I really prefer to “get to know” characters throughout a series not a whole town all at once. I hope in future books of this series that the incessant “tapping” reference is deleted and the word “Merda” retired as they quickly became annoying and a stumbling block to a natural rhythm for me. This series could gain a lot just by a bit more character development at a slower pace. Many thanks to @Netgalley and @EloiseCorvo for the ARC.

I’ve always enjoyed books that focus on State and Federal park land employees. For example, I love Paul Doiron’s Mike Bowditch series. This mystery is also set in my home state of MI, which was another big plus. The ending hints strongly at this becoming a series, and I really hope it does.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

This cozy mystery offers a charming setting and an enjoyable mix of small-town vibes and light suspense. The plot is engaging enough to keep you reading, with a few twists that add intrigue, though nothing too surprising. The characters are likable, but some felt a bit underdeveloped, and the mystery itself could’ve used a bit more depth.

The pacing is decent, though it slows in places, and some scenes feel more like filler than progress. Still, it’s a pleasant read overall perfect if you're in the mood for something light with just a touch of danger.

A solid 3.5 stars cozy, fun, and easy to enjoy, but it doesn’t dig quite deep enough to stand out.

"Off the Beaten Path" follows a state park ranger who doesn't quit. She loves her job, and has to solve a murder in order to keep it. I loved this book, especially the ending, and am looking forward to book 2. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.

3.5
This book is a quick cozy read. Living in a small tourist town myself, where condos are being slammed in left and right. I found myself often relating to the residents of Stones Throw.
The main character really irked me for most of the book. It's mentioned that she's of italian descent but that doesn't add anything to the story other than her muttering a few words here and there in italian to herself. I didn't find this to add any sort of character development or even add to the plot.
Maybe if something needed to be translated from italian, something to tie in why it would even be mentioned. I digress...

Her choice of who she ends up with in the end is the walking red flag!? The entire books she's pining for a MURDER SUSPECT. for Like girl, even though he was actually innocent, why are you involving yourself with that??
Maudy doesn't seem like a girls girl if you know what I mean.
That being said, the author really keeps you on your toes.
She introduces new shady behaviour and motive's from residents of stones throw. This keeps you guessing who the murderer could be and keeps you turning the page.



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/229261433-off-the-beaten-path

(3.5 stars) A cozy, quick-paced, small-town mystery.

The story follows Maudy, a park ranger, as she investigates a murder that threatens the future of the state park she loves.

It reminded me of a mix of a hallmark mystery and an episode of Veronica Mars. Maudy's investigative skills are definitely more armchair detective than private investigator, and I found that more frustrating than not. She'll appeal to readers who like a strong, independent character who does what she thinks is right or necessary, even when she's been explicitly told not to.

There are enough layers to the mystery that keep you guessing while still being very easy to follow along. It would make for a great vacation read that you could pick up and put down as needed.

The ending sets up a series, and while I don't think I personally will keep going, I'd recommend other readers to give it a try. It was a fun, easy-to-read state park mystery.

Maudy is an interesting character. Her inner monologue gives you glimpses into her self-doubt about herself. She attempts to exude confidence but she often has to pull out a coping mechanism that helps with her nerves or anxiety. She pulls it out A LOT. I personally connected to this aspect of her personality though, which just increased my enjoyment of her.

She gets pulled into helping solve a crime in order to try to save her job. Being a Park Ranger she knows the park better than most people You could call her the unofficial expert. She has some good instincts while trying to help the case but she also misses a lot of obvious clues or bread crumbs that she should have looked into further. I don't blame her for this though, she is a park ranger, not an investigator.

Martin Short is such a fun part of the story. He has his own little personality and honestly, how can you hate him? My jaw dropped at the end of the epilogue, I am sooo invested and cannot wait until the next book!

Overall a good, cute, quirky story.

I was pleasantly surprised with this story. I enjoyed the characters and the setting in northern Michigan. The cozy town was described well and it was lovely to "visit" while I read the book. It was a fun mystery with more surprises than I expected!
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC! I look forward to a sequel story from this author!

At the heart of it all, emotions really pull you deep into Maudy's world in the book. Corvo paints Maudy's struggles in a way that hits home, making her journey super captivating. The mix of vulnerability and self-reflection makes it easy to relate to Maudy, forging a strong connection with the reader. The urgency in Maudy's drive to protect the park comes through vividly. Despite some parts needing clearer explanations, Corvo's storytelling shines with humor, creativity, and emotion in a way that sticks with you. This tale of resilience and determination is a gem that blends whimsy with heart, leaving a smile on your face.

"Stone's Throw State Park Ranger Maudy Lorso spends her days playing cards and sipping drinks with her millennial gal pals, hiking steep sand dunes with her scruffy dog, Martin Short, and trying to ignore the pain of a recent, devastating breakup. After building a quiet life in the Lake Michigan coastal village of Stone's Throw, Maudy's emotional safety net is turned inside out when her boss informs her of looming budget cuts that threaten to permanently close the park - and eliminate her job. Determined to prove the park's value, Maudy throws herself into organizing a successful campground opening weekend, just one week away. But when the body of a missing tourist is discovered in the park, her hope of saving Stone's Throw State Park quickly begins to fade. In order to save her dream job and maintain her quirky, quiet life, Maudy jumps in to solve the murder of the dead man."

I mean, I'd want to preserve this job too if it were mine, it seems she doesn't do much...

I really enjoyed this mystery. Maudy is a great character and her sidekick pooch is a fun twist on a partner. The mystery itself had good twists and turns. I was excited by the ending and glad it still wrapped up things well before book 2!

#OfftheBeatenPath #NetGalley is the first book I've read by this author.
Maudy is a State Park Ranger who seems to love her job.
When she receives word that her park may be closed due to lack of campers, she's determined to make it a great season.
When a missing person is discovered, dead, in the park, Maudy is scared of what this will do to the camping season.
I'm not sure how I feel about this book, I couldn't relate to Maudy, or any of the other characters, they seemed kind of stiff, no colorful personalities that made them stand out.
If another book is written, I would give it a read, only book first in a new series dont always capture the true characters unique qualities.
This is a 3 star review
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

3.5

I had a great time with this book! It was cute and a super quick read. A great cozy mystery that really is not to heavy at all. For me the main character was a little "not like other girls" for me, just with her dialogue mainly. She was also a little oblivious to suspects and the people she surrounds herself with especially for being a huge fan of Buffy and Veronica Mars. There were times when she was making leaps and bounds to connect things together, and then other times where she could not make the simplest connections. The book also hit every major plot point of a mystery very predictably, which is not a bad thing but does make it little less fun sometimes. I also felt like there was a little bit to much happening outside the murder plot until the end of the book, because there were characters in the book that were supposedly the best friends of the main girl but they only interacted a handful of times. This book reminds me of the show "Grosse Pointe Garden Society" in the way that all of the characters are cringey millennials but the storyline is somewhat captivating enough to look past it. When I was about 90% through the book it was a 2.5-3 star read for me but the epilogue really got me and if the this author continues this series I would be interested to see where she takes it.