A Mystery Set Just a Stone’s Throw Away

Inside the fictional world of Eloise Corvo

Meet one of Traverse City’s sort-of-secret authors, Grace Edinger. You may recognize her pen name, Eloise Corvo, from her first (but not last!) published novel, Off the Beaten Path, a cozy mystery set in a fictional town that closely resembles northern Michigan. The book was one of the best-selling books at local bookstores this summer.

When Edinger moved to Traverse City in 2020, she found solace and peace in a newly developed writing practice. “Writing is a wonderful hobby you can do alone, anywhere, at any time. I participated in a challenge that year to write a first draft of a book during the month of November, and that first book [a fantasy novel] was really where my passion for writing began,” Edinger says.

Her husband gifted her a set of mysteries for Christmas that year, and she latched onto the genre. “I started reading more analytically, having written a book, and decided it was something I could do. I also realized this area is the perfect setting for a mystery novel.” 

Empire and Elk Rapids Inspiration

Edinger grew up in suburban metro Detroit and spent summers at a family cabin in Elk Rapids. She’s always harbored a dream of moving to northern Michigan. When the opportunity arose, she and her husband made the move and haven’t looked back.

“I started writing again that winter, this time with the intention of writing a cozy mystery set in the area. The more I explored the region, the more the ideas flowed for me and the setting sort of materialized in my mind. The whole thing came together so quickly, I think I spent six weeks on the first draft and sold it a year later to a publisher.”

Here’s the official synopsis for Off the Beaten Path:

Stone’s Throw State Park Ranger Maudy Lorso spends her days playing cards and sipping drinks with her millennial gal pals, hiking steep sand dunes with her scruffy dog, Martin Short, and trying to ignore the pain of a recent, devastating breakup.

After building a quiet life in the Lake Michigan coastal village of Stone’s Throw, Maudy’s emotional safety net is turned inside out when her boss informs her of looming budget cuts that threaten to permanently close the park—and eliminate her job. Determined to prove the park’s value, Maudy throws herself into organizing a successful campground opening weekend, just one week away.

But when the body of a missing tourist is discovered in the park, her hope of saving Stone’s Throw State Park quickly begins to fade. In order to save her dream job and maintain her quirky, quiet life, Maudy jumps in to solve the murder of the dead man. 

Stone’s Throw, the fictional town in which the book is set, is most similar to Empire, Edinger says, and there are a few Easter eggs in there for anyone familiar with the area. For example, the coffee shop in Stone’s Throw is called Java Jones, and that was what the coffee shop was called in Elk Rapids when Edinger would spend summers there as a girl. The park is obviously an homage to Sleeping Bear Dunes, and the seasonal tourism associated with it closely reflects the similar situation in northern Michigan.

Launch Party Success

For Edinger, the most surreal moment of the entire experience was the book launch party and seeing so many people she didn’t know show up to support her and express their excitement.

“I didn’t know more than half the people there, and that was really amazing to me to see my book in their hands, to discuss the story with them, and to sign their books. Seeing their enthusiasm about my story was really special. It really drove home that I was part of this community that I had tried so hard to cultivate; it was such a warm and fuzzy moment.”

One of the attendees of the launch party was a previous supervisor of the Sleeping Bear Dunes, who approached Edinger to express their appreciation for the setting and how well the park was described in Off the Beaten Path.

“The book has been received really well by most people,” Edinger says. “I think part of that is because I put so much time and care into the setting, and people really resonate with seeing this special and unique area reflected in a book.”

The plan, Edinger says, is to make a Stone’s Throw trilogy. She’s already begun work on the second book, titled Tunnel Vision, which is set to take place about a month after Off the Beaten Path. Readers can expect lots of spooky, autumnal, Halloween vibes from the sequel.

“These books are really a love letter to this region. It’s born out of finding my place up here and admiring the resilience of the people who choose to live up here. That’s what the messages really are; it should be fun escapist literature for people who love this area and setting,” Edinger says.

What’s Up Next

As for other works, Edinger would love to one day publish a horror novel, something old school and scary in all the right ways, she says. 

“I’ve written four books at this point, and I feel like I learn a lot and gain tons of experience with each go around. Horror books were my first love, and it would be so cool to one day have a horror novel of my own published.”

We’re guessing she has the chops: In addition to books, Edinger writes custom games, including murder mysteries, mystery party games (think “Mafia” but more tailored and unique!), and small-group mystery boxed games. Each game is custom-made for your group based on group size, skill level, and other preferences.

The next installment of the Stone’s Throw Mysteries is expected to be released later this year. Fans of Eloise Corvo’s work can find her books in most local indie bookstores in the area, including Horizon Books in Traverse City. 

“I’ve always been a huge fan and supporter of small indie bookstores, and seeing my name on the shelves has been such a dream come true. I get excited every time I see my book on a shelf in a store,” Edinger says. 

For more information on Eloise Corvo and her books, short stories, and custom games, visit eloisecorvo.com.

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