We return to Willowcroft Michigan and rejoin our sleuthing friends Tammy, who has recently moved there from LA, her rescue cat Lockie, Olivia, Mrs. T., Wally and Xander. They have recently solved a murder that occurred in 1954 and are now investigating the bank robbery that is linked to that murder as the money taken was never recovered. Along the way they discover a dead body, family secrets and a love story that has waited decades.

I LOVED this story. I could not put it down once I began reading it. Yes, the mystery is good and there is the feeling maybe our friends are in over their heads when threats and danger come out. What I enjoy the most is the warm feeling I get from these characters and how I much I like them and reading about the friendship between a group of people who truly become family. I loved the story within a story aspect of this book. The secondary love story inside the mystery was my favorite part. Xander, and his standup comedy routine gave me a few chuckles.

I can't say enough good about this book and can't wait till the next one!

Thak you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial and the Author for allowing me to read this ARC and give my opinion.

I didn't realize this was the second book in the series but I didn't feel lost. This is an interesting, quirky mystery that held my interest. I wanted to see what would happen and enjoyed the characters and the setting. Will be back for future books in the series.

Captivating
Having solved a 70 year old murder linked to a bank heist, the eclectic group of amateur mystery solvers in Willowcroft turn their attention to the heist and where the money went
I had some quite mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the cast of characters, how they work together and some of the secrets that they uncovered but on the other, it’s very much part of a series and not having read the first book meant that I didn’t have a lot of the backstory. I didn’t know all of the story for the murder and how the group came together, especially as they are an unusual combination so it took a while to pick up what was going on and the ending didn’t feel like a fully proper end, but more of a ‘this could happen in the next book’ type thing, even though it technically did tie up most of the stories that had happened so no cliffhangers
One thing I did really like was the discovery of some prohibition tunnels under the town and how they linked to the mystery as well as some unexpected twists and turns that I would love to share but spoilers! Then again, I do love a secret tunnel so I may be a bit biased there
Overall I did enjoy this book, it drew me in and kept me reading, wondering what would happen next and how the story would develop
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy an unexpected murder mystery with a cast of characters who you will adore and that will make you want to read the rest of the series

Tammy Rumbelow and her ragtag set of new friends have already solved one mystery in Willowcroft, and now they are working on a cold case involving a decades old bank robbery. Their investigation takes them underground when they stumble upon the nearly forgotten tunnels that the citizens of Willowcroft used back during Prohibition. In the tunnels, they find a former speakeasy, access to the old bank vault, and human remains. Despite the police banning them from the tunnels so that they can investigate the skeleton, Tammy and her friends continue to track down information about the people thought to be involved in the bank heist. Their amateur investigation puts several of them in danger, but that does not stop them from unveiling past secrets.

Overall, SKELETONS, SECRETS & SPEAKEASIES had an interesting plot. I enjoyed the historical and genealogical aspects. I was not a huge fan of any of the main characters. And I just could not wrap my head around how this random group of people came to be friends/amateur detectives—there are two senior citizens, two women in their twenties or thirties, and an introverted teenage boy. The point of view jumps between the characters and could be a bit jarring. The prose could have used some polishing. There were times when the story was heavily focused on scenes that did nothing to advance the plot. On the other hand, important scenes were entirely skipped over and only vaguely alluded to before moving on to something else.

I loved this one as much as the first book. It was a brilliant follow up and managed to capture the same cozy murder mystery vibes that kept me turning the pages.

I was cracking up at the ‘Knotty but Nice’ group chat. Would love to be part of that group (although I cannot knit to save my life).

Once again the characters were a delight and I loved how their bond continued to develop as they delved head first into their next mystery adventure.

Thanks so much to Fran Heap for the early copy!

A team of amateur detectives, including a precious cat, delves into a decades-old cold case and pieces together an amazing mystery. Fascinating characters, the discovery of hidden tunnels, and compelling, unknown connections drive this suspenseful account. Fran Heap concocts a captivating story in Skeletons, Secrets & Speakeasies.

Cosy mystery and I was instantly intrigued. A fun and quirky story that was very easy to read, very enjoyable

This is a good cozy mystery. It blends age groups, a small town and history. It is a continuation of Murder, Mystery & Mothers.
Tammy teams up with Olivia, Wally, Xander and Mrs. Temperance to find out what happened to the bank heist money that they learned about as part of the mystery in book 1.
There is more danger this time. One of their number ends up in the hospital. There are tunnels from the early 1900s.
And there are numerous secrets that come to light as the Mystery Crew seeks answers. This time they get into trouble with the local sheriff, mostly because he is trying to keep them safe.
I enjoy the Mystery Crew and the history in the story.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I'm hoping this isn't the end of the Mystery Crew.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Fran Heap for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Skeletons, Secrets & Speakeasies coming out June 20, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved the first book so I was super excited to get this book! This was a really short cozy mystery, but it was filled with fun. I loved the plot and characters. I love the spooky vibes. I’ll definitely check out more books by this author!

This was a fun cozy mystery. I enjoyed the characters and the story. The Speakeasies and secret tunnels galore! I didn't read the first book in the series, but didn't feel like I missed anything by not having read it. I'll be watching for the next book in the series.

Another great cozy mystery! The amateur sleuth team has solved the decades old bank heist, uncovered an unknown murder, and learned about the town’s hidden underground tunnels used during prohibition. I just love the mix of characters and their bond to one another. I picture this quaint town, with its suspenseful past, as a seemingly quiet place to live. The sleuthing team has become a unique family that supports its members , young and old. The “Knotty but Nice” chat group ladies crack me up. This was an enjoyable read an once again I can’t wait to see what the group gets into next.

I love a good cozy mystery and this definitely checks the box. Full disclosure: I picked this one up and read it without reading the first one. The book does a great job catching you up without it being repetitious. The story is paced well and does a good job juggling multiple characters. There were times I found the "internal dialogue" of the characters a little distracting but it was in italics so easy to know it wasn't spoken. I really enjoyed Xander's (the teen) interactions with the knitting club (older women). He taught them how to use the internet and that provided a nice bit of comedy throughout the story. I would definitely suggest this series to fans of an easy-to-read cozy mystery. Nothing graphic, no romance, no heavy suspense. A nice found-family story and I look forward to more in the series. Also -- there's a clever cat who's rather good at finding clues. I always enjoy an animal sidekick!

#SkeletonsSecretsSpeakeasies #NetGalley is the second book in this new series, featuring a group of people who work together to solve a decades long mystery.
Tammy thought starting over was a good thing, but then she finds herself involved in solving a bank robbery that happened decades ago, during prohibition.
Tammy and her friends explore the hidden tunnels and are excited to see where they lead, until they discover skeletal remains, and are caught up in another investigation.
I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Five unlikely friends & their cat make a successful team of detectives in this cozy mystery exploring an old bank heist in a small town full of underground tunnels. Follow Tammy, Mrs. T, Wally, Olivia, Xander and Lockie (the cat) through those dark passages that bring surprise after surprise as the bank heist mystery unfolds into a bigger case for the team to tackle.

Reading experience: Vocabulary wasn't superfluous but also not oversimplified. Book length was not extraneous but not so short I felt like I missed anything critical. Each chapter took 7 to 8 minutes to read which is a great pace for picking the book up & down as needed. I love the small additions of the subtle cat help along with the cognitive & demographic diversity of the team. These together helped keep the story in the cozy mystery category.

Only thing that would bump it up to a 5-star is sentence and paragraph complexity was a little simple occasionally. This does work perfectly if the book is meant for younger readers.

This is the first I have read from this author & will definitely be looking up the other book(s) in this series.

The perfect mystery to read by the fire with a hot cocoa and cat.

Interesting overall, but struggled at times to keep track of who was who. I expect there was a previous book or two that gave more details? Otherwise a nice cozy mystery, and would recommend. Fun summer read.

Nice cozy book. Just not enough back stories of the characters for me, but did enjoy reading the book.

First, the title and cover are what caught my attention. I literally read this book within 24 hours. I normally have a character that I like the most but in this case all the characters were my favorite. The mystery and suspense kept me wanting to read more to find out what happened. I love the fact that it is based in a small town where everyone knows everybody and it reminds me of the small towns in movies and how any information or new thing brings excitement to a small town. I love how the author brings a group of people with different backgrounds and age together to make the best amateur investigators around. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more from this author.