FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ST. PATRICK, Missouri — MG “Doc” Woodworth announces The Padded Pew Mysteries, a cozy mystery series offered as part of The Padded Pew Ministries. Set in the fictional town of Steadfast, Kansas, the series introduces Maggie Keller, the wife of a retired Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) pastor, whose years of listening, serving, and noticing make her an unlikely but resourceful informal detective.
Maggie has no badge and no intention of becoming a professional sleuth. What she has is a lifetime of church suppers, funeral lunches, friendships, and conversations that reveal more than people realize. She notices the untouched plate, the unexpected silence, and the small detail that does not fit. When trouble comes to Steadfast, those ordinary habits become extraordinary tools for finding the truth.
The series pairs fair-play puzzles with small-town humor and questions of faith, memory, justice, and grace. These are clean, character-centered mysteries without profanity or graphic gore, written for readers who enjoy a satisfying whodunit and a community of people worth getting to know.
Three mysteries introduce Maggie Keller’s world
- The Body in the Belfry — A church bell’s restoration reveals the remains of a man missing for decades, forcing Steadfast to reconsider a story it has long accepted as truth. View Book One on Amazon.
- A Casserole to Die For — A church potluck turns deadly when a food critic collapses at the judging table. Maggie must look beyond an obvious suspect to uncover what really happened. View Book Two on Amazon.
- Grave Reservations — Conflicting cemetery deeds and a suspicious death draw Maggie into a mystery about the promises a community makes to its living and its dead. View Book Three on Amazon.
As part of The Padded Pew Ministries, the series brings Christian themes into stories of everyday people facing difficult truths. Maggie’s investigations leave room for both accountability and compassion, inviting readers to consider how closely they listen to—and how well they care for—their neighbors.
Discover the series
The books are available on Amazon. Visit the Padded Pew Mysteries series page for book descriptions and purchasing links.
About the author
MG “Doc” Woodworth is a retired attorney and educator writing from Missouri. The Padded Pew Mysteries brings his interest in faith, human character, and the search for truth to the cozy mystery tradition.
Media inquiries: Contact MG “Doc” Woodworth.