Book picks similar to
Ready or Not in Dog Town by Sandy Rideout
contemporary-romance
mystery
romance
novella
A Cotswold Christmas
Kate Hewitt - 2016
When her reserved room at a bed & breakfast is flooded, she takes up the offer of camping out in Willoughby Close, the converted stables of the nearby manor house… and is taken under the wing of sexy local carpenter Colin Heath.What starts out as merely helping a neighbor in need turns into far more as Colin and Anna share a surprisingly intense and emotional connection, weaving their own Christmas magic as they spend the holiday together. But Anna has a secret she’s scared to reveal, something that could destroy the fragile bond they’ve just created, and Colin knows she’s only in England for a short time. Can these two sudden soul mates risk their hearts for a love that has yet to be tried and tested?Get swept away by this poignant and heartwarming story, set in beautiful Wychwood-on-Lea, in the English Cotswolds. And look forward to four more books set in Willoughby Close, where everyday miracles and happily-ever-afters are guaranteed.
Come Monday
Mari Carr - 2009
Now he’s willing to break all the rules, offering sweet punishments and sweeter rewards. His sexual authority slowly strips away some of her precious control.But that’s the one thing Keira’s not ready to relinquish…Come Monday is the first book in New York Times bestselling author Mari Carr’s Wild Irish series.
Adventures of a Vegan Vamp
Cate Lawley - 2016
But waking up gaunt, hangry, and undead makes for a very bad day. Mallory's killer better hide, because she's just discovered blood, meat, and dairy don't agree with her, and a future with no cheese is grim indeed. She's out to find her killer... and maybe a vegan cheese that doesn't melt her nose hairs.
The Dessert Corpse
Tracey Quinn - 2018
The Breezy Spoon is a big success, and when hunky and flirtatious fireman Mark Adams offers to rent Dani his downstairs apartment, things are really looking up.... until a dead body with a chocolate pie smashed in his face shows up in the dumpster behind the diner! Trying to get to the bottom of the mystery isn't easy when dealing with the quirky and eccentric residents of East Spoon Creek City, and it gets even harder when the body keeps disappearing and popping up around town! There's not a moment to lose when dark secrets threaten to come to light, and Dani discovers that one of her customers just might be a serial killer!
Small Town Shock
Issy Brooke - 2015
Except for Penny May. She’s tired of the stress of her job in London, and it’s time for an early retirement. In an effort to reclaim the exuberance of youth that she once had, she gets a funky hair style, a classic motorcycle - and a dog with “issues”. Dog ownership is harder than she expected, but she won’t give up. To avoid postmen, people in hats, people with bags and all the other dogs in the world, she has to walk in lonely places at lonely times … it’s almost inevitable that she stumbles across a dead body, really. It might not be the most conventional way of settling into a new community, but the locals open up to her, and soon she’s involved in the investigation. But her need for justice brings her into conflict with Drew, the local blacksmith who’s been helping her with dog training, and Cath Pritchard, the detective constable. Is her need for friendship stronger than her need to find the killer? And will she ever be able to walk her dog in daylight? This is a clean read suitable for all; it’s a standalone novel with no cliffhanger, and the mystery is fair-play and solved. “Some Very English Murders” can be enjoyed in any order but you may prefer to follow them chronologically.
Southern Spirits
Angie Fox - 2015
When out of work graphic designer Verity Long accidentally traps a ghost on her property, she’s saddled with more than a supernatural sidekick—she gains the ability see spirits. It leads to an offer she can’t refuse from the town’s bad boy, the brother of her ex and the last man she should ever partner with. Ellis Wydell is in possession of a stunning historic property haunted by some of Sugarland Tennessee’s finest former citizens. Only some of them are growing restless—and destructive. He hires Verity to put an end to the disturbances. But soon, Verity learns there’s more to the mysterious estate than floating specters, secret passageways, and hidden rooms. There’s a modern day mystery afoot, one that hinges on a decades-old murder. Verity isn't above questioning the living, or the dead. But can she discover the truth before the killer finds her?
Footprints in the Frosting
Laura Pauling - 2015
When footprints in the frosting lead to a body facedown in one of her cheesecakes, Holly becomes a prime suspect.With her opening day delayed, Holly deals with a nosy no-good reporter and the local cop, the handsome Officer Trinket, as she puts her sleuthing skills to the test to save her business and her name. With the help of her dog, Muffins, she needs to find the real murderer, before the killer looks to frost someone else.
Armed and Fabulous
Camilla Chafer - 2012
That’s until she discovers the vice president, Martin Dean, in a pool of blood and herself at the center of an investigation into insurance fraud.Millions of dollars are missing, the chief suspect is dead and her mysterious, sexy, new boss is not what he seems.Recruited by the joint task force working on the case, all Lexi has to do is work out who killed Dean and where the missing millions are. That’s easier said than done when her sister insists upon the baby shower to end all baby showers, her wise-ass cop family just wants to keep her safe, someone keeps leaving her creepy gifts, and all the clues point to a seedy sex club on the wrong side of town.As the bodies start to pile up, Lexi is on a race against time to find the killer and the money, before she’s the next one in the murderer’s sights.Also in the series:Armed and FabulousWho Glares WinsCommand IndecisionShock and AwesomeWeapons of Mass DistractionLaugh or DeathKissing in ActionTrigger SnappyA Few Good Women - - coming soon!
Gardenias and a Grave Mistake
Ruby Loren - 2018
Diana suspects that one of her neighbours may be the killer. And she already knows that some of them are keeping skeletons in their closets. Sometimes literally. Murder would send most people running for the hills, but Diana has a blossoming business to think about. She needs to get to the bottom of her neighbourhood’s dark past, or her new floriculture business could suffer a blight! You’ll love this funny British cozy series with its floral inspiration, because everyone loves a fierce female sleuth with a nose for a mystery. Get it now.
The Abalone Shell
Suzie O'Connell - 2017
Cloud is struggling with her guilt over leaving her daughter’s father. She needs a fresh perspective, and she knows exactly how to find it—by spending the summer at her family’s cottage in Sea Glass Cove. Surrounded by abundant peace and fond childhood memories, Hope and her daughter will be able to find a new rhythm with just the two of them. Nothing could’ve prepared her for the immediate and tantalizing attraction to local gallery owner Owen McKinney. Or for his instant connection with her shy daughter. It’s been three years since the accident that stole everything Owen held dear. That’s more than enough time to mourn and move on, but he can’t seem to let go… until Hope and her adorable daughter stroll into his gallery. In them, he finds everything he lost—all the joy and adventure that comes with being a family. But Hope’s divorce is still fresh, and he’s afraid she might’ve made a mistake divorcing her husband. Then a sign straight from his past makes it clear that Hope and her daughter are his future, and he can’t let them walk away.
Pork Pie Pandemonium
Steve Higgs - 2020
It can get a guy killed.‘When Steve Higgs writes, he hits it out of the park. I find myself laughing out loud and often.’When a retired detective superintendent chooses to take a culinary tour of the British Isles, he hopes to find tasty treats and delicious bakes …… what he finds is a clue to a crime in the ingredients for his pork pie.His dog, Rex Harrison, an ex-police dog fired for having a bad attitude, cannot understand why the humans are struggling to solve the mystery. He can already smell the answer – it’s right before their noses.He’ll pitch in to help his human and the shop owner’s teenage daughter as the trio set out to save the shop from closure. Is the rival pork pie shop across the street to blame? Or is there something far more sinister going on?One thing is for sure, what started out as a bit of fun, is getting deadlier by the hour, and they’d better work out what the dog knows soon or it could be curtains for them all.‘This series has it all; everything I want in a story and series ... humour, suspense, and colourful characters. It’s one of my top all-time favourite series.’This series of books contain no cussing and no graphic descriptions of violence or bedroom activities.
Murder Takes the Cake
Gayle Trent - 2008
When the meanest gossip in Brea Ridge dies mysteriously, suspicions turn to cake decorator Daphne Martin. But all Daphne did was deliver a spice cake with cream cheese frosting--and find Yodel's body. Now Daphne's got to help solve the murder and clear her good name. Problem is, her Virginia hometown is brimming with people who had good reason to kill Yodel, and Daphne's whole family is among them.
Another Saturday Night and I Ain't Got No Body
Jennie Marts - 2012
Maybe, when her friends decide to find her Mr. Right. Sunny Vale considers herself a dog-loving, romance-reading homebody. But her life goes from dull to deadly when her book club fires her from her own love life and sets her up on six blind dates--one of whom might be with a murderer. More trouble arrives in the dead of night, in the form of Jake Landon, a mysterious stranger, who breaks into her neighbor’s house and possibly her heart. But Jake is packing more than a loaded gun in his well-fitting Levi’s. He brings an arsenal of secrets and plenty of heat to Sunny’s ho-hum summer.Jake Landon finds himself caught up in the capers of the sexy blonde in the house next door. But he has his own agenda which doesn’t involve playing hero to a curvy second-grade teacher and babysitting her panty-puking puppy. He's got other problems like fiery explosions, a missing person...and a parade of jerks Sunny insists on dating. Could Sunny’s Mr. Right be right under her nose? Even though Jake is gorgeous, likes her dog, and has abs she can crack an egg on, can she really go out with him if he’s just murdered her next door neighbor? Women of all ages will enjoy this tale of humorous, women's fiction that also has a touch of cozy mystery in this small town love story.
Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse
Harper Lin - 2015
She spends her days making delicious artisan cappuccinos, until she stumbles upon her neighbor’s dead body. When the police discover Mr. Cardosi was poisoned, Francesca becomes a suspect. The victim’s son, Matty, happens to be Francesca’s old high school friend. Together, they uncover the secrets of the locals in order to find the killer in their idyllic beach town. Includes two special cupcake recipes!
Worst Laid Plans
Claire Robyns - 2016
Oh, and give her soon-to-be ex cheating scumbag husband a fat headache while she’s at it. He hates all small towns, and Silver Firs in particular, with the kind of passion most men reserve for the bedroom. So call it revenge, or call it poetic justice, but investing his savings in the town’s founding inn seemed like the perfect plan for all her needs. But everything goes out the window when Maddox finds her arch-nemesis dead as a doormat in the kitchen downstairs. Before she knows it, she’s embroiled in a murder investigation and tangling with the smoky-eyed detective on the case. Not that she doesn’t trust him to do his job, but he may not be quite as motivated as she is to bring the guilty party to justice. After all, she’s the one who unwittingly incriminated upstanding townsfolk and worse, she may be living under the same roof as a pair of unlikely murderers.