Fred is about to open her dream bookshop, and the only challenges she anticipates are adjusting to small-town life, tourists, and living close to her loveable mother, Phyllis, and hippy stepfather, Barry. When Fred steps into her soon-to-be-bookshop for the first time, she expects dust bunnies and spiders… not the dead body in the upstairs kitchen. The local police have an easy suspect — Barry. Determined to prove quirky Barry innocent of murder, Fred puts on her detective hat, and with Watson by her side, she explores her new town and gets acquainted with her fellow shopkeepers. Could one of her friendly neighbors be the real culprit? And what would be the motive for killing the owner of the Sinful Bites candy store? The secrets Fred discover put her at odds with the local police sergeant and threaten her cozy future in Estes.   With snow falling outside, all Fred wants to do is curl up by the fire with a good book and Watson snuggled at her feet. But before she can begin her new life and put her plans for her bookshop into action, Fred and Watson have a mystery to solve…

    A dead husband with a secret life is always a winner (fictionally speaking, of course), but what about a secret past for a special treat? In fact, a past so secret even Harry the husband didn't know about it. That’s the delicious underpinning of this sprawling, exuberant, generous-spirited cozy mystery series with a yummy side of international adventure.A little bit chick lit, a touch of cozy mystery, a whole lot of humor, romance, suspense—all in one box set!BLACKBIRD FLY – Book OneA dead husband might be sadder except that once Harry dies, his widow, Merle Bennett realizes almost immediately it was no wonder she didn't know anything about him. They’d pretty much been leading separate lives—several of them, as it turns out. Still, the will’s quite a shock. And so is an intriguing surprise—Harry left her a family home in a tiny French village. Or maybe a family home. Because who was Harry’s family? Finding out is half the fun.Merle sets out to claim her inheritance, adolescent son in tow, and thus begins a sojourn reminiscent of A Year in Provence mixed up with something by Carolyn Hart, maybe, or M.C. Beaton. Because Malcouziac, Merle’s tiny Dordogne town, is the quintessential village—just perfect for a murder. And a rollicking good time. THE GIRL IN THE EMPTY DRESS – Book TwoLaw practice is in the Bennett sisters' blood—along with designer suits and stilettos. But they've decided to ditch the more predictable Caribbean cruise or spa weekend at a five star hotel to celebrate Merle Bennett's 50th birthday hiking the French countryside of Dordogne. There’s just one catch: Merle’s little sister Francie has decided to bring along a sixth wheel: a work colleague named Gillian Sargent, whose utter aloofness wouldn’t be so bad. Except she seems to be hiding something…GIVE HIM THE OOH-LA-LA – Book ThreeIt’s Bridget Jones does Christmas in the Big Apple, and this year it promises to be especially festive, as all five Bennett sisters are in town for a very special occasion: Annie, the oldest Bennett, is engaged at the tender age of fifty-five. But while Bohemian Annie is securely and happily in love with a devoted fiancé, Merle-in-the-middle is navigating the roller coaster of her own love life: Pascal, her one-time French summer fling, has unexpectedly flown to New York for the holidays. But why? A relationship ultimatum? Or is there something more mysterious in the works? Because a festive family outing to a drag revue at Pascal’s request just begs more questions to be answered…and the unfolding of dangerous connections to Merle’s own family.THE THINGS WE SAID TODAY – Book FourAnnie is finally getting hitched to Callum Logan in the picture-postcard idyllic Scottish Highlands. The mother of the groom has generously put up the Bennett family in her Kincardie House estate, a gorgeous hunting lodge that’s been in the Logan family for generations. But Annie has reservations. Meanwhile, Merle and Francie are navigating relationship crises of their own.

    In IN DOG WE TRUST, Steve Levitan has returned to his hometown of Stewart's Crossing, in picturesque Bucks County, Pennsylvania, after a bad divorce and a brief prison term for computer hacking. While he’s getting his life back together, trying to start a new career in technical writing and reporting regularly to his parole officer, he becomes friendly with his next-door neighbor, Caroline Kelly, and her golden retriever, Rochester. When Caroline is killed, Steve’s high-school pal, the local police detective, asks him to become the dog’s temporary guardian. With canine charm and doggy love, Rochester begins to win Steve over, and these two unlikely sleuths work to uncover the mystery behind Caroline’s death. The second book in the series is THE KINGDOM OF DOG. When his mentor, Joe Dagorian, director of admissions at prestigious Eastern College, is murdered during a fund-raising event, Steve Levitan feels obliged to investigate. He and his golden retriever, Rochester, go nose to the ground to dig up clues, including a bloody knife and some curious photographs. But will Steve’s curiosity and Rochester’s savvy save them when the killer comes calling? It’s almost time for graduation in book three, DOG HELPS THOSE, and Eastern College is in trouble. A prominent alumna is dead, and a faulty computer program is jeopardizing student records and financial aid. It’s up to Steve and Rochester to dig into the situation and retrieve the culprits! Rita Gaines wasn’t a nice person—but she did love her dogs, and most of her clients respected her financial acumen and her talent in training dogs for agility trials. When she’s found dead, there’s a long line of potential suspects from Wall Street whiz kids to doting doggie daddies-- including one of Steve’s former students. Felae is an art prodigy now studying with Steve’s girlfriend, Lili, chair of Eastern’s Fine Arts department, and Rita hated his controversial senior project. When she tried to have his scholarship cancelled, he threatened to kill her. But is he the villain behind her death? In between helping Steve’s high school friend Rick track the killer, Rochester practices darting around weave poles and jumping over limbo poles while Steve helps shepherd the college toward the completion of another academic year. It’s spring in Stewart’s Crossing, and old friends – and their dogs—gather together to investigate and eventually, to celebrate.

    It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Bellissimo Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. The trees are trimmed, the halls are decked, and Davis Way Cole’s grandmother is there to play in the Winter Wonderland Senior Slot Tournament. This year’s theme: The Nice List. All is merry and bright until Granny Dee meets an elf who belongs on the naughty list. Maybe even the downright nasty list. With nothing more than a lifetime of memories, the sounds of the season, and what she can find in the pockets of her Rudolph jogging suit, can Granny Dee save Bianca Sanders from the rotten elf, and in the process, save Christmas? Granny Dee may try to save Christmas, but trust me, of all the characters in this non-stop page-turner, Granny Dee steals the show.

    Gera Stapleton does not believe in ghosts.In the infamous town of Jerome, Arizona, a once-friendly ghost named Mac has reportedly embarked on a petty crime spree, and Gera is there to investigate. Has her journalism career come down to this? How can she accurately report a story on something she doesn't believe exists? Now there's been a murder, and the townspeople are content to blame Mac for this, too. In a town filled with curiosities, she befriends a lonely old woman, butts heads with an ornery sheriff, falls for a sexy hotel owner, and uncovers an amazing tale about greed, deception, and family honor. And when the killer targets her as the next victim, an unlikely savior comes to her rescue. Now Gera has a difficult choice to make: write the story of a lifetime, or save the legacy of a town—and a man—she has come to love. Smart dialogue, plenty of action, and a touch of the supernatural make this a must-read novel. You'll find yourself wondering Is it possible?Are there truly such things as tangible spirits, after all?From readers like you:"A delicious read. It has ghostly whispers, a brave leading character, bad guys, fun, danger and love. " ..."Loved this book!" ..."What an interesting, captivating cast of characters!" ..."The setting and the ghost legends all added to the atmosphere. The story was good and so were the characters." ...

    As Randall's business partner, wife and assistant arrive shortly thereafter, it becomes clear he intends to sell his mother's estate at all costs. When a body is found floating in the surf, Megan and her friends realize there is more at stake than the Grand Victorian. Can they work to stop a killer before it's too late? Or will the sale of Misty Manor be the only closure in the books?

    An island lawyer hires Maggie to find the necklace before its owner realizes it's missing. With a ticking clock and ten fractious hens to look after, Maggie and her UFO-enthusiast friend go in search of the thief before they strike again.

    "It was so much fun to read, I was really wishing it was longer. And I'm all caught up on the books! I need more Cherry Tucker!” — Riverlizzie ReviewsCherry Tucker's stalking costume parties to catch a vixen Catwoman and steal back a priceless heirloom. Then there's that homewrecker and a town council trying to close her business. And that goat in the backyard. Just another day in Halo, Georgia, for the Southern Fried Sleuth, Cherry Tucker.**This novella first appeared in the Fall 2016 anthology (now retired) MIDNIGHT MYSTERIES**When Cherry Tucker makes a mercy call on a neighbor, she’s roped into a quid pro quo deal—if Cherry recovers a stolen family heirloom, the neighbor will use his family clout to help her with some zoning issues. If she fails, the expression “someone’s got her goat” will take on a whole new meaning for Cherry. And when she discovers a thievery ring, illegal auctions, and some green-eyed emotions after spotting Luke where she doesn’t expect him—well, it’s just another hilarious day in Halo, Georgia.

    During the attacks on Berlin in the winter of 1943-44, wave after wave of British bombers swept over northern Europe and dropped their lethal loads on the German capital. A fair percentage of the bombers would fail to return from these operations, and RAF planners calculated the life expectancy of the airmen in weeks rather than months.Therefore it did not seem strange when a Lancaster named D-Daisy landed at its base in England after a bombing run, and a member of the crew was found dead.However, one person soon came to the conclusion that this man had been murdered. And the person who discovered this happened to be blind since birth. Her name was Daisy and she was the victim’s wife. She was very blonde and very pretty; also very young. Therefore, no one would listen to her. So she was going to have to find the murderer on her own.“Using the carefully plotted twists and turns of the murder mystery, throwing in a highly unconventional blind sleuth with her very own take on the world, Nick Aaron lifts the genre to a more thoughtful level.” - The Weekly Banner

    Arnie Stokes, is shot at the Hand in Paws Animal Clinic. The investigation leads the Misty Point Police Department directly to Megan Stanford who has now inherited ownership of the grant that has continued to keep the clinic running. When thefts of drugs and medical supplies are uncovered, the attacks appear to be coordinated with other animal shelters in the area. As Christmas approaches, Megan, Nick and her friends look to keep the spirit of the holiday alive by restarting the town traditions and hosting a fundraiser for the misplaced animals, two of which Megan reluctantly agrees to foster. With the investigation and festivities consuming Megan’s time, she is introduced to the mysterious, handsome Jonathan Brandon Carter who will serve as the future attorney for her estate. The fate of the shelter and employees are at risk unless Megan and her friends can catch a ruthless criminal before he strikes again.

    A young nobleman. And death stalks them both.... The date is 1191 Aumary Belvoir is seventeen. Seventeen, and bound by an oath so holy, he dare not break it.
 Unexpectedly thrust into the position of the Warden of the Savernake; a woodland of one hundred and fifty square miles in Wiltshire, will Aumary succeed in stamping his authority on the forest? He has also acquired a half brother he did not know he had. With the help of his experienced staff and his willing family, things go well. The surprise brother, Robert proves a worthy assistant. Then the deaths begin. Are they accidents as they seem or is there something more sinister happening in the forest? Seventy year old Aumary is dictating his story to a scribe. He can no longer write for himself and wishes to set down for all time, the truth of two mysteries; the death of Arthur Duke of Brittany, King John's nephew and rival, and other more disturbing deaths closer to home. Aumary Belvoir sets off to uncover a plot so dastardly and deadly, so patient and well planned that it takes thirteen years to lay bare.

    (And the woman may be dead...)Fourth: She just might be falling in love with her new boss. And she just might have lost him his business. But what has she got to lose, other than imprisonment, her dignity, and possibly, her life?

    Now 58 and living in New York City, Marshall has outlived the expiration date he was given with a cancer diagnosis three years ago. He beat the odds but he knows he may not beat the clock. So he’s decided to tell a story or three about some murders he was involved in back in the day. The year was 1983. The bar was the Paisley Parrot, a gay, mob-run dive where people came to drink and few of them remembered the night before. Marshall loves his job as a bartender there. But one night, among the regulars, a killer arrives. Body by body, death by death, Marshall finds himself pulled into a web of murder, deceit and crime, with a psychopath waiting at the center of it all. Marshall falls for the cop who’s investigating him, not knowing if their relationship will survive or even if he’ll come out of this alive. Find out before last call come around, in Murder at the Paisley Parrot.

    Until now. When her neighbor goes missing, she can't help but get involved, no matter how many people ask her not to. Gertrude, Gumshoe: Murder at Goodwill Gertrude is back! When she finds a murder victim at her local Goodwill, she tries to tell the Sheriff's Department everything she knows. Of course, they don't listen. So of course, she must solve the mystery herself. And the only way she can figure to do this is to go undercover—as the Mattawooptock Goodwill's newest team member. Anyone who knows Gertrude knows this probably isn't the best idea. She'll probably get fired. Or arrested. Or worse. Gertrude, Gumshoe and the VardSale Villain Samantha Cooper is missing and her boyfriend is desperate to find her. Desperate enough to hire Gertrude, Gumshoe. Thrilled to have her first real client, Gertrude gets right to work. But is she really ready for a real case? Can she catch a kidnapper without getting herself kidnapped?

    She connects people with loved ones who have passed on. However, her reputation as a psychic medium is failing, and even Prudence has begun to doubt herself. She has never seen a ghost, but receives impressions from the dead. This all changes when the ghost of a detective appears to her and demands her help to solve a murder. Prudence finds herself out of her depth, and to make matters worse, she is more attracted to this ghost than any man she has ever met. Book 2: Ghost Hunter Is Alum Mullein a ghost or not? When Prudence Wallflower discovers Alum’s secret, she has a short time to save him from complete destruction. The key lies with the murderer of another police officer. Can Prudence sift through the suspects and save Alum once and for all? Or will she fall victim to the same fate as he? Book 3: There Must Be a Happy Medium When Prudence’s elderly neighbor is murdered, she has more than one reason for wanting to solve the case. Now that Prudence can no longer make a living doing shows as a clairvoyant medium, what will become of her? And what lies in store for Prudence and Alum?

    A dealer in ancient Native American pottery, Hubert Schuze has spent years searching the public lands of New Mexico for artwork that would otherwise remain buried. According to the US government, he’s a thief, but Hubie knows the real crime would be to allow age-old traditions to die. He honors prehistoric craftspeople by resurrecting their handiwork, and nothing—not even foul play—will stop him in these three installments of the Lefty Award–winning mystery series.  The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras: Hubie accepts a $25,000 offer to lift a rare pot from a local museum but changes his mind when he discovers how tightly the exhibit is being guarded. When the pot goes missing anyway, Hubie’s sent on the hunt for the real thief—and on the run from a killer.  The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy: Hubie goes on a mission to recover stolen relics from a high-rise apartment building. Unfortunately, his perfect plan falls apart when he’s arrested for murder. That’s what happens when you get caught with blood on your hands and a dead body in the room. Now, Hubie must stay one step ahead of the law as he pursues a beautiful mystery woman in this fast-paced thriller that “hook[s] the reader from the get-go” (Albuquerque Journal).  The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein: After Hubie appraises a collection of Anasazi pots for an eccentric, reclusive collector, his $2,500 payment disappears. He suspects the man ripped him off, but soon stumbles into a bigger crime when the collector is murdered. Determined not to end up in handcuffs, Hubie sets out to solve the mystery—and finds himself pulled deeper and deeper into the dead man’s shadowy, dangerous life.

     Whether it's a trick or a treat, these witchy tales will surely get you in a spooky state of mind! The Case of the Exploding Luck Pumpkin by Nikki HaverstockCats, Bats, and Talking Hats by Danielle GarrettOne Spell of a Night by ReGina Welling and Erin Lynn‘Tis the Season to be Creepy by Sonia ParinThe Supernatural Life of a Superhero Wife by Joynell SchultzThe Mystery of the Halloween Mask by Ani GonzalezHow to Date a Witch by Cate LawleyHexing the Ex by Ruby BlaylockCostumes and Cauldrons by Amanda A. AllenHarper Grant and the Poisoned Pumpkin Pie by D.S. ButlerWitches & Stitches by Ava MalloryGoB (Game of Bones) by Pearl GoodfellowHowling Ian by Karny McFlynnBubble, Bubble, Here Comes Trouble by Tegan MaherA Dark Root Samhain by April Aasheim

    But she can’t walk away from her Aunt Eva, who needs help operating her dairy. Once she calls her aunt’s goat farm home, grisly discoveries offer ample inducements for Brie to employ her entire vocabulary of cheese-and-meat curses. The troubles begin when the farm’s pot-bellied pig unearths the skull of Eva’s husband, who disappeared years back. The sheriff, kin to the deceased, sets out to pin the murder on Eva. He doesn’t reckon on Brie’s resolve to prove her aunt’s innocence. Death threats, ruinous pedicures, psychic shenanigans, and biker bar fisticuffs won’t stop Brie from unmasking the killer, even when romantic befuddlement throws her a curve.

    As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day she’s pulled into a world of uncertainty. Reminders appear on her phone for meetings she’s never scheduled with people she’s never met. People who end up dead. With help from her best friend, Maggie discovers the victims on her phone are connected to each other and her new employer. She soon unearths a treacherous plot that threatens her mission—and her life. Maggie must unlock deadly secrets to stop horrific abuses of power before death comes calling for her.

    Then a family tragedy shatters her world. When she finally returns to work, she discovers that colleague Vivian Sutherland has stolen the client and pretty much locked up the partnership for herself. The two women clash at a charity gala. Then Vivian is murdered. And Robbie becomes the primary suspect. Caught in a conspiracy of greed and betrayal, Robbie is abandoned by those she trusted most as she struggles to rebuild her life and career. Can she find the killer before she becomes the next victim of a malicious money grab?

    6 in The Val & Kit Mystery Series, the lifelong friends are vacationing in England. After four days of sightseeing in London, the fiftysomething Val and Kit move on to a rented cottage in the bucolic village of Little Dipping, where Val’s actress daughter, Emily, and son-in-law are temporarily living and where Emily has become involved in community theater. Val and Kit quickly immerse themselves in village life and befriend several locals, including the leader of the Brownie troop, the pub owner and his wife, and a curious eight-year-old named Ivy. They also manage to rub more than one of their new acquaintances the wrong way. Nevertheless, they revel in the English countryside as well as the theatrical activities, despite Val’s ex-husband showing up and some troubling news from back home. The harmony of the village is soon broken, however, by the vicious murder of one of their new friends. The shocking events that follow are only slightly more horrific than one from the past that continues to confound authorities. The crimes threaten to involve Emily, so Val and Kit return to their roles as amateur sleuths, employing their own inimitable ways.

     Who killed Sam Levin with a poisoned knish? Could it be Ellie, who baked it? The yentas at the Menorah Retirement Home think that it just might be. Ellie Shapiro is a reluctant resident of the Minnie and Isaac Memorial Menorah Retirement home. Then Sam, a popular fellow resident, drops dead after eating a knish that Ellie’s baked. Other murders follow. With her fellow sleuths and Sam’s hapless teen-age grandson Noah, plus a dog, Ellie sets out to find the killer. But will the disapproval of Ellie’s hunky crush, Hal, stop the motley detection team before the killer gets her? Over the course of the book, Ellie gains confidence, a friend, a new career and maybe even the guy, as the action takes her from the Menorah kitchens to an out of control fight at a mahjong game and a revelatory visit to gambling casino, culminating in a confrontation with a crazed murderer. Ellie’s recipes included. If you loved Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, the Golden Girls and Harry Kemelman’s Rabbi Small, you won’t want to miss “Long in the Sleuth”.