Andie Swim - Shop now
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$3.99 with 78 percent savings
Print List Price: $18.24

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Mona Marple
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Mona Marple Starter Library: Two Cozy Mysteries In One: Once Upon a Crime and The Ghosts of Mystic Springs Kindle Edition

by Mona Marple (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 134 ratings

Two cozy mystery books in one!


Enjoy Mona Marple's first-in-series books with this starter library.


Once Upon a Crime:


If Sandy can't solve her rival's murder, it's more than her buns on the line…


Sandy Shaw enjoys her reign as the sole baker and bookseller in the sleepy village of Waterfell Tweed.

But when Reginald, the local eccentric, announces plans to open a competing shop across the square, she fails to hide her frustration. As she formulates her plan of attack, Reginald goes from being the town weirdo to serving as the town corpse…

Thrust into the middle of a murder investigation as the prime suspect, Sandy must go from selling buns to solving crimes in a hurry. With no one to save her biscuits but herself, she puts down her rolling pin and gets to work. If she fails to find the murderer in time, she'll be serving a whole lot more than tea and jam.

Once Upon a Crime is the first book in the Waterfell Tweed Cozy Mystery Series. If you like quirky characters, suspenseful whodunnits, and small-town settings, you'll love Mona Marple's quaint and cozy series starter.


***

The Ghosts of Mystic Springs:


Why be normal when you can be paranormal?

Welcome to Mystic Springs, where things definitely go bump in the night.

As the town’s medium, Connie Winters is the only person who can see the ghosts who call Mystic Springs home.

When young temptress Lola is killed, the dead Mayor and the dead Sheriff are determined to investigate.

Since they’ve never been replaced with live counterparts, they’d better get on with it. But they need Connie’s help. And if Connie’s helping, her sister Sage is going to get involved too - she’s beautiful, slim, and twenty years dead.

Connie must battle her own inner demons in order to believe she’s capable of succeeding. But she has no idea what she’s up against, because when your life has been destroyed, you have nothing left to lose.

What are you waiting for? Scroll up and order this Starter Library now to discover why readers around the world are falling in love with Mona Marple's cozy worlds.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    408 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    January 16, 2019
  5. Reading age
    13 - 18 years
  6. Grade level
    10 - 12
  7. File size
    2.6 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07MW67JWW
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 16, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.6 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 408 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 18 years
  • Best Sellers Rank: #639,881 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 134 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Mona Marple

Mona Marple

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

ONE PENNY A STORY, I called across the playground.

Entirely unusual, given how shy I was (and still am), for me to be shouting anything across a playground.

But there I was, a double-sided sheet of narrow ruled paper (I've always been kind of particular about the paper I like. Back then, narrow ruled. Now, grid.) in my hand, selling stories I hadn't yet wrote.

Every line featured a different title. I'd lay on my bed the night before thinking of them all, probably singing along to Boyzone songs as I did [hey, don't judge... I see you over there like you never thought you were destined to marry a boy band singer...].

My school friends could buy a Mona original for one penny. One penny!

They'd pick the title they liked, hand over their sweaty penny, and I'd write the story for them.

And I've never grown out of writing stories.

Now, I write cozy mystery stories from my den in the Peak District, and when I'm not writing them, I'm reading them.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
134 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book's stories enjoyable and very suspenseful, with one review noting the storyline is easy to follow. The writing quality receives positive feedback, with customers describing it as well-written.

Select to learn more

Story qualityWriting quality
8 customers mention "Story quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, finding it very suspenseful and fun to read, with one customer noting that the storyline is easy to follow.

"I love ghost stories and these two were fun and lighthearted tales that were also mysteries. My cup of tea. I highly recommend them." Read more

"...It was a well-written, cozy mystery. The second story was about Connie and Sage...." Read more

"...Storyline was easy to follow, but I had the killer identified about halfway through the story." Read more

"Once Upon a Crime is another good mystery with a good ending." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book.

"Once Upon a Crime: Very pleasant to read. With a good plot and a good pace. And a lot about village life. Charming!..." Read more

"...There were quite a few red herrings, and the book was well written...." Read more

"...It was a well-written, cozy mystery. The second story was about Connie and Sage...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Nadine Vrijhof
    5.0 out of 5 stars Light-hearted, fun, suspenseful, surprising!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Once Upon a Crime:
    Very pleasant to read. With a good plot and a good pace. And a lot about village life. Charming! It got very suspenseful and the outcome was surprising! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

    The Ghosts of Mystic Springs:
    This cozy has a paranormal element. And I just loved that! Ghosts, suspense, but never nightmarish scary. Exactly how I like it! Some quirkiness thrown in for good measure :)

    Both books were entertaining all the way!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Beckett Shiona
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very Light Cozies
    Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Two books in this compilation. I nearly always enjoy a cozy set in Britain, so I found the first one enjoyable--the characters had some surprising moments of depth to them, and were just likeable people in most cases, although I did find DC Sullivan's behavior to be a bit over-the-top. There were quite a few red herrings, and the book was well written. That being said, I nearly always avoid ghost-mysteries, and so the second book was no exception to my preferences. Sorry, but I just can't suspend my disbelief to that extent, even for purposes of enjoyment. But if these stories are your tipple, then you'll probably like the second novel, as well.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Cindy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories
    Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love to receive sets as freebies as it gives me a chance to find new authors. I really enjoyed the first story about Sandy and Coral Shaw. It was a well-written, cozy mystery. The second story was about Connie and Sage. It was a little slow at first, but I thought the concept was intriguing so I kept reading. I am so glad that I did. It turned out to be a really good story! I recommend these two stories and this author.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • gendot
    3.0 out of 5 stars 50-50
    Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    For me, the first book was the better of the two.
    The Who-Done-It part of the second book and one
    other major ending event ruined it for me.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Catha Reese
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love this story
    Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Wow, you are now one of my favorite writers. This story of ghost living among the living is just awesome. Could not put this book down, you got a fan. Catha Watkins Reese
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed reading.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I'm not a fan of ghost stories, but this one wasn't too bad. Storyline was easy to follow, but I had the killer identified about halfway through the story.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer Sharon Nichols
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Mona Marlow starter Library
    Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love ghost stories and these two were fun and lighthearted tales that were also mysteries. My cup of tea. I highly recommend them.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Gail
    5.0 out of 5 stars very enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Once Upon a Crime is another good mystery with a good ending.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Fred Jones
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent series tasters
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent taster for two of Mona's series. Once upon a crime is a light cozy novella. Sandy Shaw bookshop and cafe owner investigates when a rival business owner is murdered. The Ghosts of Mystic Springs is a paranormal cozy mystery. Connie and the ghosts of her sister, the ex-sheriff and ex-major investigate when a local woman is murdered. Both books are witty, entertaining with great characters, inventive storylines and enough twists and turns to keep you well entertained. I have already bought more books in each series. Highly recommended introduction to this authors books.
    Report
  • Angel Cross
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to Waterfell Tweed and Mystic Springs
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great starter to get the reader acquainted with Waterfell Tweed and Mystic Springs. Both books are comfy reads and full of action. The plot twists are great and the character building lets you into this wonderful world of ghosts and mysteries to solve. The author is very gifted and has a wonderful imagination that takes you along for the ride. I loved them both and highly recommend the set.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars mona marple the cosy writer who doesnt scare you witless
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 20, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    good read thourghly enjoy all mona's books great to get them in order and never disappoints me I always look forward to her next book
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report