Missing Measures: A Small Town Back to School Cozy Mystery with Pet (Back to School Mysteries)
By Maisy Marple
When professional jazz saxophonist Nolan Winters trades his touring lifestyle for a teaching position at Spruce Valley Middle School, he expects challenging students and administrative headaches—not a missing collection of priceless vintage instruments. Ray “Midnight” Miller’s legendary saxophone and other irreplaceable pieces have vanished just weeks before the Fall Arts Festival, leaving Nolan’s carefully planned showcase in jeopardy. With his faithful Bernese mountain dog Benny at his side, Nolan reluctantly teams up with precision-loving geometry teacher Iris Blackwell and her observant tabby cat Euclid to solve the case before the festival.
As Nolan and Iris follow a trail of cryptic clues through the school’s hidden maintenance tunnels, anonymous tips, and suspicious conversations, they discover more than they bargained for—a web of denied maintenance requests, passionate advocates, and institutional politics that runs deeper than either imagined. The more they investigate, the more they realize this is no ordinary theft, and the motives behind the missing instruments might be more complex than simple greed. Between teaching classes and preparing student performances, the unlikely detective duo must navigate red herrings and false leads while balancing their growing friendship with their different approaches to problem-solving.
With the Fall Arts Festival rapidly approaching and pressure mounting from all sides, Nolan must draw on his improvisational skills to uncover the truth behind the missing instruments. In this mountain town where music and mathematics create unexpected harmony, he’ll learn that the most memorable compositions often arise from the most surprising collaborations. “Missing Measures” is a delightful cozy mystery that hits all the right notes—clever sleuths, musical intrigue, and loyal pets—in a story that proves some treasures are worth more than their monetary value.
When professional jazz saxophonist Nolan Winters trades his touring lifestyle for a teaching position at Spruce Valley Middle School, he expects challenging students and administrative headaches—not a missing collection of priceless vintage instruments. Ray “Midnight” Miller’s legendary saxophone and other irreplaceable pieces have vanished just weeks before the Fall Arts Festival, leaving Nolan’s carefully planned showcase in jeopardy. With his faithful Bernese mountain dog Benny at his side, Nolan reluctantly teams up with precision-loving geometry teacher Iris Blackwell and her observant tabby cat Euclid to solve the case before the festival.
As Nolan and Iris follow a trail of cryptic clues through the school’s hidden maintenance tunnels, anonymous tips, and suspicious conversations, they discover more than they bargained for—a web of denied maintenance requests, passionate advocates, and institutional politics that runs deeper than either imagined. The more they investigate, the more they realize this is no ordinary theft, and the motives behind the missing instruments might be more complex than simple greed. Between teaching classes and preparing student performances, the unlikely detective duo must navigate red herrings and false leads while balancing their growing friendship with their different approaches to problem-solving.
With the Fall Arts Festival rapidly approaching and pressure mounting from all sides, Nolan must draw on his improvisational skills to uncover the truth behind the missing instruments. In this mountain town where music and mathematics create unexpected harmony, he’ll learn that the most memorable compositions often arise from the most surprising collaborations. “Missing Measures” is a delightful cozy mystery that hits all the right notes—clever sleuths, musical intrigue, and loyal pets—in a story that proves some treasures are worth more than their monetary value.