Best of
Amateur-Sleuth

2019

Spells & Caramels Box Set Books #1-3


Erin Johnson - 2019
    Read books one through three in the charming Spells & Caramels paranormal cozy series today!A magical French island. A dead contestant. An aspiring baker must clear her name before she gets burned.Imogen Banks has dreamed her entire life of opening her own bakery in Seattle. But when she accidentally sets fire to her apartment and loses all her possessions, her dreams get toasted. Still coping with her loss, she receives a cryptic invitation she can't possibly refuse: entry into a mysterious baking competition on a beautiful French island.When Imogen realizes the island village is magical and the bake-off’s participants are witches and wizards, she’s not sure her fledgling powers will be enough to win the coveted contest. In the midst of trying to cast her very first spell, a competitor drops dead and Imogen finds the psychic judges' mystical fingers all pointing at her. Can Imogen unlock her own magic and stop the killer from coming back for seconds or will she jump straight from the frying pan and into the fire?Seashells, Spells & Caramels is the first book in a charming paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like funny heroines, mysterious magical communities, and quirky conspiracies, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s perfectly witchy recipe.A carnival bakery booth. A deadly magic show. Is it the perfect recipe for murder or a clever sleight of hand?Palace pastry chef Imogen is struggling to control her newfound magic and her potent feelings for the prince. So when the carnival rolls into the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to run the royal bakery booth. But her plan to escape her problems backfires when murder rocks the magician’s table… and her dear friend is found holding the bloody saw.Determined to cook up a way to keep Rhonda out of witch’s prison, she sifts through the clues and the long list of suspects. Between devious dark magicians, cagey stage assistants, and a strongman with more to offer than just muscles, everyone at the fairgrounds seems to be hiding secrets—even Rhonda.With the final night of the carnival approaching, will Imogen’s shaky powers be enough to flush out the murderer before her good friend ends up on the chopping block?Black Arts, Tarts & Gypsy Carts is the second book in the Spells & Caramels paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like feisty heroines, enchanted carnivals, and dueling magicians, then you'll love Erin Johnsons' whimsical whodunit.Scheming pirates. Reveling mermaids. When murder crashes the party, can one witch dredge up the killer?Imogen’s personal spellcraft lessons with Prince Hank have sparked a different type of magic between them. So when she’s invited to bake for the mermaid queen’s lavish wedding, she hopes the underwater ceremony will help cool off their growing attraction. But between the temptations of the sea-cave nightlife and the discovery of a murdered royal court member, her emotions are rising higher than the tide.When one of her signature treats is found in the dead mermaid’s gills, she’ll have to stow her feelings and wade through the clues to clear her name. But surrounded by hard-partying revelers, a scandalous royal court, and a shipload of pirates, the twisted truth may be more elusive than sunken treasure.With rough waters closing in, can Imogen catch the real killer before she has to walk the plank?Mermaid Fins, Winds & Rolling Pins is the third book in the Spells & Caramels paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like underwater kingdoms, magical mysteries, and a splash of romance, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s deep-sea whodunit.

Murder At The Palace


Margaret Dumas - 2019
    There she finds a band of misfit film buffs who care about movies (almost) as much as she does.She also finds some shady financial dealings and the body of a murdered stranger.Oh, and then there's Trixie, the lively ghost of a 1930's usherette who appears only to Nora and has a lot to catch up on. With the help of her new ghostly friend, can Nora catch the killer before there's another murder at the Palace?

A Sip Before Dying


Gemma Halliday - 2019
    So when the small Sonoma winery is suddenly in financial trouble and in danger of being gobbled up by the corporate giants, Emmy moves home to try to save her legacy with her modern culinary know-how. First step—she throws a party showcasing her latest vintage and signature tasty treats to a group of wine country's most elite enthusiasts. Only when one of her VIP guests sips a glass of poisoned wine and dies in her cellar, Emmy's name is on everyone lips for all the wrong reasons.The victim was the young, boy-toy husband of one of Silicon Valley's most successful female CEOs... and his playboy ways and suspicious spending habits have almost no one mourning his death. Enter Detective Christopher Grant, recent SFPD transplant, who is assigned to the case and immediately homes in on Oak Valley. But Emmy is determined to clear her winery's name—even if Grant's dark eyes, sexy smile, and mysterious past threaten to distract her. After calling in the big guns to help her—a.k.a. her jewelry designer best friend and copious amounts of cookie dough ice cream—Emmy finds herself digging through a slew of suspects to uncover crimes, grudges, and secret affairs that could put a soap opera to shame. Can Emmy find out just which of the upper crust poisoned the victim's vintage...or will Emmy's next sip be her last?

Number's Up


Annabelle Hunter - 2019
    2)Cooperate with the FBI. Do not kiss - scratch that. Do not yell at Special Agent Nicholas Kelly, the FBI agent leading said investigation. 3) Discover a dead body... Jennifer Ward, MBA, CPA, and business consultant, likes a nice, orderly lifestyle. Schedules and To Do Lists are what gets her through the day. So when the by-the-numbers fashionista finds her business partner was breaking the law, she turned him in to the SEC. Which brought the FBI to her door, and her ordered world to an end. But that was three weeks ago. Things couldn’t possibly get worse. Right? Until Jen discovers her business partner dead in his hotel room. With Nic the handsome FBI agent dogging her every step, Jen must use her skills to discover the truth. Who killed Henry? And will she be next?

Hems and Homicide


Elizabeth Penney - 2019
    . .Iris Buckley is sew ready for a change. After the death of her beloved grandfather, Iris decides to return to her Maine hometown to help out her widowed grandmother, Anne--and bring her online hand-made apron designs to real-time retail life. Her and Anne's shop, Ruffles & Bows, is set to include all the latest and vintage linen fashions, a studio for sewing groups and classes, and a friendly orange cat. The only thing that they were not planning to have on the property? A skeleton in the basement.Anne recognizes the remains of an old friend, and when a second body shows up in the apron shop--this time their corrupt landlord, whom Anne had been feuding with for decades--she becomes a prime suspect. Now, it's up to Iris to help clear her name. Enlisting the help of her old high-school crush Ian Stewart who, like certain fabrics, has only gotten better-looking with age and her plucky BFF Madison Morris, Iris must piece together an investigation to find out who the real killer is. . .and find a way to keep her brand-new business from being scrapped in the process.

Curtains for Romeo


C. Rysa Walker - 2019
    She just played one on TV. Will that be enough to help her find the killer? Acting jobs are scarce now for former TV teen detective Antigone Alden. So when a teaching position opens up at Southern Coastal University, Tig packs up her teenage daughter and heads home to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.But house she inherited from her mother isn't entirely empty. Her mom seems stuck between this life and the next, and now Tig is a local reporter's prime suspect in the murder of the former theater professor. Given his reputation as a ladies' man, however, there are plenty of people with a motive. Previously published as Jessa Archer

The Cupid Caper


Larissa Reinhart - 2019
    He wants her back. In the grift. And in his life. Can Finley Goodhart convince Lex that doing good is the greatest hustle of all? Ex-grifter Finley Goodhart may try to stay on the straight and narrow, but walking that thin line becomes wobbly when she believes her friend Penny was murdered. The last thing she wants is to work with her ex-partner (and ex-boyfriend), the brilliant (brilliantly frustrating) British con artist, Lex Leopold. However, when it appears Penny's demise might be related to an exclusive matchmaking service for millionaires, Fin needs Lex's help to pull a long con to get the goods on Penny.  Romance is in the air for hustlers, gangsters, and their marks. Unfortunately for Fin and Lex, infiltrating the racket doesn't make for a match made in heaven. This Valentine swindle could stop their hearts for good.

A Death at Tippitt Pond (A Sweet Iron Mystery)


Susan Van Kirk - 2019
    The daughter of a wealthy family in a small town, her lifeless body was found floating in Tippitt Pond in the summer of 1971. Six people were there that day, and one was convicted of her murder. Case closed. Now, forty-five years later, Beth Russell, a freelance researcher and genealogist, is brought to the town by a lawyer who believes Russell is the daughter of Melanie Tippitt and long-lost heir to the Tippitt fortune. Soon Beth finds herself surrounded by people who want her gone as soon as possible, people with a great deal to lose. The more they push, the more determined Beth is to discover the truth. With the help of a handsome detective, Beth vows to uncover what happened that day at Tippitt Pond. The ghostly presence of Melanie Tippitt, a stranger watching from the woods, and the discovery of secrets in Tippitt House make for a suspense-filled investigation where Beth discovers … A DEATH AT TIPPITT POND changed everything.

A Working Stiffs Mystery Boxed Set, Vol 1, #1-3


Wendy Delaney - 2019
    But she sure never expected she’d need it to solve a murder! Of course, that was before she got her first assignment. Interview the hunky doctor reporting the suspicious death of Trudy, a family friend and one of several elderly patients at the hospital whose heart mysteriously stopped. Coincidence? More likely, there’s a murderer on the loose! In hot pursuit of the truth, Char’s on the case, much to the irritation of her cop buddy, who doesn't want her to stick her nose in his investigation. But she had better keep her eyes open or the next body on the way to the morgue could be hers!SEX, LIES, and SNICKERDOODLES - Book #2Everybody’s got a secret. A secret crush. A secret liaison. A secret recipe. And for a deadly few... a secret murder. Port Merritt’s favorite bad boy, Russell Falco, was a seasoned veteran of secret liaisons. But after his body washes up on the shore of Merritt Bay, Deputy Coroner and human lie detector, Charmaine Digby, suspects one of those liaisons got Russell killed. Secrets. Lies. Cookie-baking rivals. And a dead guy! Char’s on the case and is determined to find the killer...if the killer doesn’t find her first! THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARTY - Book 3It was Marty McCutcheon’s bad luck to die on his birthday. Then again, since Marty is the third husband his young widow will be burying, maybe luck had nothing to do with it. As Deputy Coroner Charmaine Digby discovers when she questions Marty’s widow about his sudden death, she had ample opportunity to kill him. Victoria McCutcheon even admits as much, right before she asks Char to solve her husband’s murder. What? A suspected black widow who wants her husband’s murderer brought to justice? Victoria McCutcheon is either the most skillful liar Char has ever encountered or someone else has spun a web of lies to cover their murderous tracks. But who, and why? With no hard evidence to go on, it’s up to Char and her ability as a human lie detector to break this case wide open. Assuming that someone doesn’t crack her skull open first! What reviewers are saying... “Through her nimble use of wit and humor Ms. Delaney delivers rich, eccentric characters and clever plot twists that promise to keep the reader turning the page.”~ Chanticleer Book Reviews“I love this funny series.”~ Cozy Up With Kathy“Delaney's style of writing is fun, laugh out loud brilliance."~ Kimmy’s Korner“The Working Stiffs series is just fun, fun, fun.”~ Kate, Romance Junkies Book Reviews If you enjoy small town life, quirky characters of all ages, and a splash of romance with your whodunit, you’ll love the Working Stiffs Mystery series. Grab this boxed set today and start reading!

A Dream of Death


Connie Berry - 2019
    Among the invited guests is American antique dealer Kate Hamilton. Returning to the island where her husband died is brutal, but Kate is determined to repair her relationship with her sister-in-law, Elenor Spurgeon, the proprietor of Rothsay's deluxe country house hotel.Kate has hardly unpacked when a body turns up, murdered in an eerie recreation of an infamous unsolved murder two hundred years before. And the only clue to the killer's identity lies in a curiously embellished antique casket. When Bo Duff, the gentle handyman who had tried to save Kate’s husband's life, is taken into custody, she teams up with vacationing Detective Inspector Tom Mallory to clear Bo’s name. To accomplish that, they’ll have to unmask a killer who seems bizarrely fixated on the past…because two hundred years is an awfully long time to hold a grudge in A Dream of Death, the tantalizing series debut by Connie Berry.

The Lizzie Grace Box Set: Books 1-3


Keri Arthur - 2019
    Each book in this box set is available separately, but by buying them in a bundle, you're getting a better deal! The box set contains Blood Kissed, Hell's Bell, and Hunter Hunted. BOOK 1—BLOOD KISSED In a world where magic and science sit side by side, and powerful witches are considered necessary aides for all governments, Lizzie Grace is something of an outlier. Though born into one the most powerful blue blood witch families, she wants nothing to do with either her past or her magic. But when she and Belle, her human familiar and best friend, open a small cafe in the Faelan werewolf reservation, she quickly finds herself enmeshed in the hunt for a vampire intent on wreaking bloody havoc. It’s a hunt that soon becomes personal, and one that is going to take all her skills to survive–that’s if the werewolves, who hate all things witch, don’t get her first. BOOK 2—HELL'S BELL When the church bell tolls thrice in the middle of the night, evil this way comes… Lizzie Grace and Belle Kent, her witch familiar, are living and working on the Faelan Werewolf Reservation—one that has banned the use of magic within its borders. Although they have their supporters—including ranger Aiden O’Connor, who once hated all things witch—Lizzie and Belle now face possible eviction. But the Faelan Reservation is a place filled with wild magic which—when left unprotected—quickly becomes a draw to those who walk the darker paths. As Christmas approaches, a new evil comes to town—one that eats the souls of the living and animates the flesh of the dead. As the body count grows and the trail of clues leads them to the doorstep of the local vampire, Lizzie, Belle, and Aiden must find the killer before death comes calling on them. But the biggest threat of all may come in the form of a witch who sees through the veils of Lizzie’s carefully constructed lies and suspects the truth of who she really is… BOOK 3—HUNTER HUNTED Christmas is fast approaching, and Lizzie Grace and her witch familiar, Belle Kent, are hoping it’s going to be a quiet one. But those hopes are dashed when, on a quest to find a customer’s errant husband, Lizzie comes across the body of a witch and a dark circle of power neither she nor Ashworth can break. Then werewolves begin to turn up dead—skinned. As the body count rises, and the hunters become the hunted, it’s evident there’s a new evil in town. One that is determined to claim the reservation—and the wild magic—for his own.

Kayla Michelle Three-Book Cozy Mystery Set


Kayla Michelle - 2019
    Over the last few years, a surprising number of murders have taken place there. That doesn't sit well with Chloe Cook. The amateur sleuth wants nothing more than to restore peace to her scenic hometown. And she will stop at nothing to bring the killers to justice. This cozy mystery set features three books from the Chloe Cook series including: * Deadly Resentment * Killer Finale * Death, Divorce, and Dessert Buy your copy of Kayla Michelle Three-Book Cozy Mystery Set right now!

Hope Hadley Ten-Book Cozy Mystery Set


Meredith Potts - 2019
     If you love cozy mysteries, this is the boxed set for you. The ten books included in this bundle are: * Fishing For A Murderer * Murder of a Yoga Instructor * Drowning In Deceit * A Not So Merry Christmas Murder * Killer Injustice * Murder of a Restaurant Critic * Murder of a Movie Producer * The Killer Holiday Office Party * Murder Hits Close To Home * Hurricanes Can Be Murder Buy your copy of Hope Hadley Cozy Mystery Set right now! After losing both her job and her boyfriend, actress Hope Hadley trades Hollywood, California, for her hometown of Hollywood, Florida. Before she has a chance to piece her life back together, her best friend's boyfriend is murdered. Even worse, the local police wrongfully suspect that her friend is the killer. Determined to clear her friend's name, Hope sets out to find the real killer herself.

Meredith Potts Christmas Cozy Mystery Boxed Set


Meredith Potts - 2019
     This collection includes: * Christmas Gingerbread Cookies with a Side of Murder * Christmas Cookies with a Side of Murder * Killer Holiday Office Party * A Not So Merry Christmas Murder A murder-for-hire plot. A wild twist. And gingerbread cookies. Sabrina Carlson desperately wants to have a peaceful holiday. As Christmas day quickly approaches, it doesn't seem like that is going to happen. There is a killer on the loose in Treasure Cove. And they have covered their tracks very well. Will Sabrina be able to find a way to catch the killer? Or will her Christmas be ruined? Find out by buying a copy of Meredith Potts Christmas Cozy Mystery Set right now!

LAVENDER TOES: COLD CREAM MURDERS - Book 5


Barbara Silkstone - 2019
    Olive and Lizzy team up with WonderDog to find the killer. Digby’s hives are home to the wondrous Soprano bees. The little buzzers are the source of the secret ingredient that powers their Nonna’s Cold Cream—a fountain of youth in a jar. Finding the killer becomes more of a challenge as the gals protect Digby’s bees from a determined land developer who wants the beekeeper’s farm. The clock ticks as saving the honeybees becomes every bit as important as finding the murderer. While Olive and Lizzy buzz about, Grams, nonagenarian ace reporter for the Silverfish Gazette, takes on the story of a diamond heist in nearby Sarasota. Can the gals protect Grams from another near catastrophe or can the feisty lady handle it alone? Help the Cold Cream gals solve the mystery of the Lavender Toes while once again bailing Grams out of trouble. And what about those bees? Every book comes with a recipe for a homemade beauty product. ~*~ COLD CREAM MURDERS—series When Olive Peroni put out her family therapy sign, she never thought her top client would be the retired head of a New York crime family. When Olive’s Nonna dies leaving her a condo in Florida and a secret recipe for miracle cold cream, Olive grabs the chance at a new life in Starfish Cove, Florida, making designer creams for ladies who spend far too much time at the beach. But when the quiet little community on the Gulf of Mexico soon begins to compete with a certain notorious coastal village in Maine, Olive finds herself solving odd-ball murders as often as she soothes wrinkles. Clean, wholesome, and loaded with laughs! Each book contains a recipe for homemade cosmetics!

Grams' Christmas Baby: Cold Cream Murders


Barbara Silkstone - 2019
    When Olive’s Nonna dies leaving her a condo in Florida and a secret recipe for miracle cold cream, Olive grabs the chance at a new life in Starfish Cove, Florida, making designer creams for ladies who spend far too much time at the beach. But when the quiet little community on the Gulf of Mexico soon begins to compete with a certain notorious coastal village in Maine, Olive finds herself solving odd-ball murders as often as she soothes wrinkles. Clean, wholesome and loaded with laughs! Each book contains a recipe for homemade cosmetics!

A Mystery at Lili Villa


Arathi Menon - 2019
    The Terrific Three set out to solve the mystery but soon discover that there is no shortage of suspects. Is it Pinching Kodavis or Dumdumchecchi, the milking lady? Is it the mean fisherwoman who starves the cat or the retired nurse who owns a luxury car? Or is it Mani with his upside-down Russian secret? Who could the thief possibly be?In a throwback to unscheduled summer vacations, this cozy mystery will charm young readers with plenty of sibling sparring, some intrepid sleuthing, and an endless parade of mouth-watering snacks.

Daisy McDare Twelve-Book Cozy Mystery Set


K.M. Morgan - 2019
     This bundle contains twelve cozies from the Daisy McDare series including: * The Deadly Legal Affair * The Deadly Directorial Affair * The Deadly Real Estate Affair * The Deadly Rock Star Affair * The Deadly Restaurant Affair * The Deadly Secret Affair * The Deadly Rival Affair * The Deadly Radio Affair * The Deadly Political Affair * The Deadly Dinner Theater Affair * The Deadly Floral Affair * The Deadly Judicial Affair Murder once again strikes Daisy McDare's quaint little tourist town. This time the victim is an arrogant independent film director. As the set decorator for the movie, Daisy is in a unique position to do some serious sleuthing. And she is determined to catch the killer at any cost. Buy your copy of this boxed set right now!

Sweets, Suspects, and Women Sleuths Cozy Mystery Set


Meredith Potts - 2019
     If you love cozies, give this delicious set a taste. The ten books included in this bundle are: * Fishing For A Murderer * Murder of a Yoga Instructor * Drowning In Deceit * A Not So Merry Christmas Murder * Killer Injustice * Murder of a Restaurant Critic * Murder of a Movie Producer * The Killer Holiday Office Party * Murder Hits Close To Home * Murder and Chocolate Brownies When Benjamin Norton's body is found face down in his swimming pool, there initially doesn't appear to be anyone who wanted him dead. As amateur sleuth Hope Hadley digs deeper, she uncovers a web of burglary, adultery, and deceit that stretches her investigative skills to the limit.

Bones and Drones:


K.A. Goodsell - 2019
    And in a community as tight-knit as hers, no one wants to believe the killer could be one of their own. But where there’s a murder, there’s a murderer, and with more questions than answers, it’s beginning to look like Paislee is the only one who can connect the dots.