Best of
Amateur-Sleuth

2022

Blind Bake


Denise Grover Swank - 2022
    My uncle died. I gave up my life to move back to my hometown to take care of my ailing aunt. And oh…I unwittingly drove a guy to his murder. Not exactly a stellar restart.But things just keep getting worse, because the sexy-as-hell, yet stick-up-his-butt homicide detective in charge of solving the case thinks I had something to do with it, and he won't leave me alone. Even more concerning? It turns out the victim was one of the last people to see my mother alive before her unsolved murder eighteen years ago. Noah I left a big city police department for a fresh start in a smaller town. Less crime. Less murder. But three months later, I’ve been handed the murder investigation of the most hated man in town. The list of potential suspects is as long as Santa’s naughty list, but one name keeps popping up.Maddie Baker. She’s infuriating as hell, but is she a cold-blooded murderer? My instincts tell me no, yet I can’t exactly trust those. The last time I let myself presume someone was innocent, I ended up with a bullet wound and a broken heart.

Poison at the Village Show: The start of a BRAND NEW cozy murder mystery series from Catherine Coles for 2022


Catherine Coles - 2022
    

Monday Is Murder


Jess Lourey - 2022
    ✨Big city gal Mira James is finally settling into itty bitty Battle Lake. Sure, there’s that pesky dead-body-a-month hitch, and her hunky musician boyfriend has begun receiving mysterious late-night texts. The fact that her problematic ex-boyfriend seems to be tailing her doesn’t help, either.But Mira is determined to ignore all that for one day so she can focus on the December wedding of two dear friends. She's succeeding, too, until Kennie Rogers, Battle Lake mayor and frenemy extraordinaire, is kidnapped right in front of her eyes by a murderous Santa Claus.Ho-ho-ho-oh-no! Can Mira save Kennie (and her relationship) before the slay bells ring…for good? Find out in this 124-page Murder by Month romcom novella featuring all your Battle Lake favorites.PRAISE FOR THE MIRA JAMES ROMCOM MYSTERIES:★ "Lourey skillfully mixes humor and suspense . . . the characters are wonderful and wacky, and the mile-a-minute pace never falters." ―Booklist (starred review)★ "Get started on this Lefty-nominated series if you've previously missed it!" ―Library Journal (starred review)

Birthdays Are Murder


Cindy Sample - 2022
    She soon discovers that gigs for middle-aged entertainers are scarcer than good hair days in the Pacific Northwest. With her bank account sliding toward zero, she swallows the indignity of donning a ten-pound wig and elaborate costume to perform at a child’s birthday party. Little does Sierra know she’ll soon be upstaged by a corpse and become the leading-lady suspect. As the bodies pile up, the entertainer adlibs her own crime-solving gig, a performance putting her in the crosshairs of a killer, and a finale that truly may be final.

Death in Disguise


Emma Davies - 2022
    Missing canapes? No problem. Burnt brownies? A piece of cake… But a dead body? Now that’s a recipe for disaster.Francesca is nervous about catering her first ever murder mystery party, but it’s clear from the clink of champagne flutes and piles of empty plates that the evening is a roaring success. The guests look spectacular in their disguises, whispering and giggling as they try to identify who killed beautiful young Becky. But days later the game takes a sinister turn when Becky is found poisoned, and all the signs point to the culprit being a party guest.From the woman having an affair to the guest hiding her true identity, everyone had a secret – and it turns out that Becky knew them all. As Fran finds herself centre-stage in a real-life murder mystery, the finger of suspicion points at each guest in turn. And Fran starts to wonder, were any of these secrets dangerous enough to kill for?Then the body of a second guest is found, and it becomes clear a deranged killer is going off-script. It seems anyone who was involved in the game that night is in their sights, even Fran. Can she unmask the murderer before the final curtain falls?A page-turning cozy mystery packed with twists. If you love Clare Chase, M.C. Beaton and The Thursday Murder Club you’ll absolutely adore this unputdownable whodunnit.

Knitorious Murder Mysteries Books 10 - 12


Reagan Davis - 2022
    This charming cozy mystery series will entertain crafters, pet lovers, and foodies alike.If you like your cozy mysteries with a bit of humour, small town Canadian life, a hint of romance, a close circle of quirky, lovable characters that you wish you knew in real life, dogs and cats, and free knitting patterns, there's something in this series for you.Download The Knitorious Murder Mystery Books 10 - 12 and start unravelling the mysteries in three entertaining cozy mysteries today! Read FREE in Kindle Unlimited.Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.Books included: Sins & Needles, Rest in Fleece, Life Crafter Death

A Deadly Bone to Pick (Molly Madison #1)


Peggy Rothschild - 2022
    Molly Madison is starting over. After the death of her husband, she and her golden retriever, Harlow, move cross-country to California. But as charming and peaceful as the beachside town seems, she soon learns its tranquil tides hold dark secrets.On her first day in the new house, a large, slobbering Saint Berdoodle wanders in. Molly winds up taking on the responsibility of training Noodle since his owner is too busy to do the job. On one of their daily beachside walks, Noodle digs up a severed hand. Once Molly alerts the police and they run a background check on her, she's an immediate suspect--after all, Noodle's testimony to clear her name won't hold much water in court.To prove her innocence, Molly must rely on instincts keener than a canine's to sniff out the real killer. But when Molly's life is put in danger, will her two very loyal pups be able to rescue her?

Caught and Collared A Low County Dog Walker Mystery #4


Jackie Layton - 2022
    

Murder in the Park


Jeanne M. Dams - 2022
     June, 1925. Having been widowed in the First World War, Elizabeth Fairchild lives a quiet life at the home of her wealthy parents in genteel Oak Park village, Illinois. Although she does her best to avoid emotional entanglements, determined never to be hurt again, Elizabeth forms a close friendship with gentle Mr Anthony, who owns the local antiques store.But tragedy strikes when Mr Anthony is found stabbed to death in the alley behind his shop. Why would anyone murder a mild-mannered antiques dealer who simply loved beautiful things? A robbery gone wrong? A gangland execution? Or could it have something to do with the mysterious customer who bought a gold pocket watch from Mr Anthony on the day he died?When one of her father's oldest friends is accused of the crime, Elizabeth determines to expose the real killer. But her investigations soon attract unwelcome attention. With gangsters moving into the neighbourhood from nearby Chicago, Oak Park is no longer the safe haven it once was. Could Elizabeth be seriously out of her depth?