Deadly Ambitions

Series: Mapleton Mystery, Book 15
Release Date: January, 2026
ISBN-13: 9798232863807
ASIN: B0FTGNJ5HL
Genre: Mystery
Available Formats: Ebook, Print, Audio

Politics, secrets, and danger—trouble never stays buried

Peace in Mapleton doesn’t last. Police Chief Gordon Hepler is already juggling a bitter ex-mayoral candidate who refuses to accept election results and a new council member determined to cut police department’s funding.

Meanwhile, Angie’s long-delayed diner remodel uncovers an old journal, sparking her curiosity about the girl who wrote it. But as she digs for answers, is she uncovering more than she bargained for?

Now Gordon must untangle political maneuvering, personal grudges, and hidden agendas before danger closes in on the people he loves most.

Deadly Ambitions delivers small-town intrigue, political tension, and page-turning suspense rooted in both history and today’s ambitions.

Testimonials

Chief Hepler is a wonderful leader and a character this reader loves to root for. The story is also very real in showing the strain of police work on personal relationships. … Highly recommend this latest entry for mystery lovers who enjoy the procedural part of crime solving, but want cozy instead of gory details. Sarah Erwin, Kings River Life Magazine News & Reviews

Odell does a skillful job of weaving in and out of the subplots to bring the reader to a satisfying, and somewhat surprising, resolution. A great read!

Before you start reading, set aside some time because you will not want to put this book down. This Mapleton mystery grabs you from the start and just keeps getting better.

Her crisp writing paints a visual picture of the town and its workings, incorporating real world situations that readers can relate to.

A great addition to the series. This one is tough to put down and you have more than one mystery to solve. I really like the main characters and their interactions with others.

Deadly Ambitions drops the reader right into a small town cozy mystery complete with well-drawn characters, unexpected plot twists, and unidentified bones found in an abandoned mine.