New Orleans, Louisiana
Maissie Wren
"Every old gate holds a secret. Every quiet town hides a story. Come sit a spell — the sweet tea's cold and the mystery's just getting started."
"A mystery, a cup of sweet tea, and a quiet afternoon — that's all a Southern girl needs."
— Maissie
About the Author
A Southern Soul with a Nose for Trouble
Maissie Wren has called New Orleans home for most of her life, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Tucked into a creaky-floored shotgun house in the Garden District, she writes her mysteries surrounded by magnolia trees, the distant sound of a second-line parade, and the ever-present company of her beloved hound dogs.
When she's not plotting fictional crimes, you'll find Maissie haunting the Saturday farmers' market for the freshest Gulf shrimp, tending her courtyard herb garden, or sipping sweet tea on the porch while the neighborhood cats judge her from the fence. She believes every small Southern town holds at least one good mystery — and she intends to write them all.
Coming Mid-2026
Something's Brewing in the South
Title Coming Soon
"Something sweet is hiding a secret. Something warm is about to go very, very wrong. And somewhere in the South, a blueberry buckle holds all the answers."
Maissie's debut novel is coming mid-2026 — and the title is still being kept under wraps, just like a good Southern secret ought to be. What we can tell you is that it's cozy, it's clever, and there's baking involved.
Subscribe to the newsletter below to be the very first to know when the title drops, the cover is revealed, and pre-orders open. You won't want to miss it.
New Orleans Living
Southern Life & Loves
Life in New Orleans has a rhythm all its own — slow enough to notice the jasmine blooming, fast enough to catch the parade before it turns the corner. Maissie has built her world around the things that make the South worth writing about.
Sweet Tea Devotee
Maissie brews her sweet tea the old-fashioned way — a full pound of sugar, a handful of fresh mint from the garden, and enough patience to let it steep properly. She considers it a moral failing to serve tea from a powder mix.
Cast Iron Cornbread
There is a cast iron skillet in Maissie's kitchen that has never been washed with soap, and she intends to keep it that way. Her grandmother's cornbread recipe — no sugar, thank you very much — is a point of fierce Southern pride.
Shrimp & Grits Sundays
Sunday mornings in the Garden District mean one thing: stone-ground grits from the mill, Gulf shrimp from the market, and a roux that takes the better part of an hour to get just right. The neighbors have learned to show up uninvited.
Hound Dog Household
Maissie shares her shotgun house with two Basset Hounds — Biscuit and Gravy — who serve as her unofficial editorial board. If they fall asleep during a chapter reading, she rewrites it. They have excellent taste.
Courtyard Herb Garden
Tucked behind her wrought iron gate is a small courtyard garden where Maissie grows bay laurel, rosemary, thyme, and enough basil to supply half the French Quarter. Gardening, she says, is just plotting with better smells.
Second-Line Sundays
When a second-line parade rolls past her street, Maissie is the first one out the door with her handkerchief waving. She's been known to follow the brass band for six blocks before remembering she left the stove on.
Bid Whist Wednesdays
Every Wednesday evening, four women gather around Maissie's dining room table for a card game that is technically about Bid Whist but is mostly about the neighborhood gossip. She considers it research.
Antique Market Mornings
Saturday mornings find Maissie prowling the Magazine Street antique shops for old skeleton keys, vintage ironwork, and peculiar objects with interesting histories. Everything in her house has a story — some of them true.
Stay in the Loop
Letters from the Garden District
Join Maissie's newsletter for debut novel updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses of life in New Orleans, Southern recipes worth stealing, and the occasional mystery clue. No spam — just good Southern storytelling.
Get in Touch
Drop Maissie a Line
Whether you're a reader, a fellow mystery lover, a book club looking for their next read, or a member of the press — Maissie loves hearing from you. Pull up a chair and say hello.
"A good letter is almost as satisfying as a good mystery — both deserve a proper reply."