There’s something wonderfully comforting about Muskoka in the summer.
The docks are busy. The lakes sparkle. The line at Webers Burgers stretches halfway down Highway 11. And, apparently, people claiming to be the reincarnation of famous celebrities are descending on Muskoka for a convention.
At least, that’s the wonderfully absurd premise behind The Split Pea Tango, Josh Hellyer’s latest bestselling Highclere Inn & Carriage House mystery—a novel that proves cottage country isn’t just a beautiful place to unwind. It’s also the perfect place for a deliciously chaotic whodunit.
The story begins with a mystery that’s as bizarre as it is irresistible. An 18-year-old woman arrives claiming she’s the reincarnation of Vanessa Cromwell, a former guest of the inn who disappeared just days before Christmas in 2008.
Highclere’s resident accidental sleuth, Mason Valentine, isn’t exactly convinced the answer lies in the afterlife.
Joined by his fearless cousin, investigative journalist Cordelia “Cici” Bradshaw, and an unforgettable cast of friends and lovable eccentrics, Mason launches an investigation that tumbles headfirst through some of Muskoka’s most recognizable places—and some of its most gloriously ridiculous situations.
Readers will grin as familiar landmarks, including Webers Burgers and Bala’s Cranberry Marsh, make memorable cameos. But don’t expect a leisurely sightseeing tour. Before long, the gang finds itself navigating hilariously awkward encounters at the coroner’s office, chasing clues that refuse to behave, and pulling off an undercover infiltration of a convention dedicated to adult internet stars. Somehow, against all odds, every wonderfully ridiculous detour inches them closer to solving a mystery that has remained hidden for almost two decades.
It’s all delightfully bonkers.
Yet beneath the rapid-fire jokes and wonderfully eccentric characters lies a genuinely moving story about grief, forgiveness, family, and the secrets people keep—even from those they love most.
That’s part of what has made The Split Pea Tango stand out.
Kirkus Reviews called it “an engrossing tale of family secrets, double-crosses, and lies.”
The NY Literary Review praised it as “a genre-defying masterpiece that marries farce and suspense with soul,” while Canadian Mystery Reviews described it as “one of the most original Canadian novels in recent memory—a literary mystery with the heart of a farce and the soul of a ghost story.”
Readers have been equally enthusiastic.
“The Split Pea Tango was the perfect follow-up to A Box of Frogs. It is a must-read! I closed the book and said, ‘Bravo!’ out loud,” wrote one reviewer.
Another called it “a wonderful read that will keep you guessing right up until the end,” while others have praised its laugh-out-loud humour, brisk pace, unforgettable characters, and surprising emotional depth.
Perhaps that’s the novel’s greatest trick. It invites readers in with outrageous comedy and eccentric characters, then quietly delivers a mystery so cleverly constructed that they’ll still be turning pages long after they’ve promised themselves, “Just one more chapter.”
So, if your summer plans include a dock chair, a cold drink, and a good book, consider packing one that celebrates Muskoka while gleefully turning it upside down.
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