Book picks similar to
Just Shoot Me Dead by Anne R. Tan


cozy-mystery
mystery
cozies
murder-mystery

Fresh Brewed Murder


Emmeline Duncan - 2021
    Sage Caplin has high hopes for her coffee cart, Ground Rules, which she runs with her business partner, Harley - a genius at roasting beans and devising new blends. That's essential in a city where locals have intensely strong opinions about cappuccino versus macchiato - especially in the case of one of Sage's very first customers....Sage finds the man's body in front of her cart, a fatal slash across his neck. There's been plenty of anger in the air, from longtime vendors annoyed at Ground Rules taking a coveted spot in the food truck lot, to protesters demonstrating against a new high-rise. But who was mad enough to commit murder? Sage is already fending off trouble in the form of her estranged, con artist mother, who's trying to trickle back into her life. But when Sage's very own box cutter is discovered to be the murder weapon, she needs to focus on finding the killer fast - before her business, and her life, come to a bitter end . . .

Strawberries and Sweet Lies


Rosie Sams - 2019
    FREE with Kindle Unlimited Melody is the best baker in Port Warren. Kerry, her assistant, is just as much a friend as an employee. Life is good, other than Melody’s pesky fear of getting into another bad relationship. If you love sweet mysteries and even sweeter French Bulldog puppies you will love this book. Looking out the window Melody notices that Amelia, a wealthy and mysterious customer has left her cute blue and white puppy outside the shop. Where has she gone? What can have happened to her? Naming the puppy Smudge, Melody unwittingly starts a hunt for the missing woman. This puts her in the way of the handsome sheriff, Alvin. Using her wit, a bit of luck, and with Smudge’s help, Mel tries to get to the bottom of the mystery. Can she let go of her past, long enough to find a new love in her life? Can she find Amelia? And if not, can she figure out who killed her? Find out in this sweet, fun cozy mystery! Also by Rosie Sams: Brides and Blades The Murder and the Masterpiece The Poison in the Pie Silent Night and Deadly Flight

Duke Investigations: Complete Series


Harper Maguire - 2019
    To this day, Emma carries around a lot of guilt for not having been home on that fateful night. When her own home is broken into, a world of old emotions erupts and Emma can’t rid herself of the anxiety that has surfaced and so she hires Duke Investigations to finally figure out who killed her mother all those years ago. Private Investigator Sean Murphy is just about as hardened as they come. He drinks. He smokes. He curses. And he’s never let himself be distracted by a relationship, which isn’t to say he hasn’t seduced at least half of the female population in Waterville Valley. But when new client Emma Sorkin walks into his office, he soon discovers that she has a way of softening his heart. Part 2 Kind and intelligent, Hayley Mills struggles to keep her bookstore afloat while managing her autistic brother’s highly regimented schedule. If anything is amiss with him, his emotions turn turbulent and he can easily spiral out of control. Even so, he is her best friend. But when Hayley’s neighbor is found dead, the residents quickly suspect her autistic brother, and the dark cloud that this casts over her family is enough to motivate Hayley to hire Duke Investigations. Part 3 Athletic and daring, Megan Freeman works as a ski instructor at the nearby resort by day and spends time with her twin sister at night, who lives in the cabin neighboring her own. The two are identical except for one major difference, Megan’s twin is blind and not because of natural causes. Four years ago, when the twins were camping together over a long weekend and Megan’s twin left for the campsite restrooms, Megan was attacked by a predatory man. Her sister made it back just in time to fight the attacker off of Megan, but that wasn’t all. When the man ran off through the thick forest, Megan’s twin sprinted off after him. But instead of catching him, she was struck badly in the eyes by a spikey tree branch, which damaged her vision beyond repair. One day while giving a ski lesson, Megan can’t tell if her eyes are playing tricks on her. Is her attacker back in Waterville Valley? She doesn’t feel safe and so she immediately hires Duke Investigations to look into the man who has the hairs on the back of her neck pricking up. Part 4 Brilliant and highly introverted, Dawn Stevens has dedicated her life to working at the Wildlife Conservation Center as a biologist. Of course, the peace of spending her days outside with nature is nothing like the war unfolding at home. Months ago, out of the goodness of her heart, Dawn decided to take in her drug addicted cousin, who at the time promised to get himself help. When her cousin is arrested for killing someone in a robbery gone wrong, he insists he didn’t do it. The man who he and his addict friends robbed was alive when they left him. Is Dawn’s cousin lying to her or telling the truth? She’s at a complete loss for figuring it out, which is why she hires Duke Investigations. Part 5 Bubbly and upbeat, Kendra Cavanaugh loves her managerial position—she started at the golf course as a high schooler and truly worked her way up—but life on the whole hasn’t been easy as of late. A murder investigation extremely close to Kendra’s heart just went from active to cold. It happened one year ago, Kendra’s lifelong friends, married couple Mindy and Carl were killed, leaving their twelve-year-old daughter to Kendra since she is the girl’s godmother.

Engaged in Death


Stephanie Blackmoore - 2016
    Readers will love this." --Leslie MeierAll appears peaceful in sleepy Port Quincy, Pennsylvania--but in this small town, old grudges die hard. . .After dumping her cheating fiancé and cancelling the wedding, Mallory Shepard can't bear another disaster. So when the former bride-to-be unexpectedly inherits Thistle Park, a ramshackle mansion in her ex's hometown of Port Quincy, it's a problem she can't afford--literally. Abound with stray cats, peeling wallpaper, and nosy neighbors, Mallory is dying to sell it off--once she finally fixes up both the place and her messy life. . .Turns out, Thistle Park has its charms. But the honeymoon phase is abruptly cut short when an unwanted visitor is found dead on the front lawn. Enlisting the help of her sister Rachel, Mallory vows to unveil the killer before she herself becomes married to the suspect list. . ."I had great fun reading the adventures of nouveau sleuth Mallory Shepard as she wrangles corpses, kittens, and a cheating fiancé in this charming debut mystery."              --Laura Levine, author of Death by Tiara

Paper, Scissors, Death


Joanna Campbell Slan - 2008
    Memories of friends, family . . . and murder? Mousy housewife Kiki Lowenstein has two great loves: scrapbooking and her young daughter, Anya. But her happy family album is ruined when her husband, George, is found naked and dead in a hotel room. As Kiki tracks down George's murderer, she discovers his sordid secret life. Cruel taunts by George's former flame compel Kiki to spout an unwise threat. When the woman is murdered, Kiki's scissor-sharp words make her the prime suspect. She could be creating scrapbook keepsakes for the rest of her life-behind bars. Supported by her loyal friends, along with a little help (and a lot of stomach flutters) from the dashing Detective Detweiler, can Kiki cut the true killer out of the picture and design a new life for herself and Anya?

Counterfeit Conspiracies


Ritter Ames - 2013
    Her father gambled and womanized his way through the family fortune before skiing off an Alp, leaving her with more tarnish than trust fund. Quick wits and connections have gained her a reputation as one of the world’s premier art recovery experts. The police may catch the thief, but she reclaims the missing masterpieces.The latest assignment, however, may be her undoing. Using every ounce of luck and larceny she possesses, Laurel must locate a priceless art icon and rescue a co-worker (and ex-lover) from a master criminal, all the while matching wits with a charming new nemesis. Unfortunately, he seems to know where the bodies are buried—and she prefers hers isn’t next.Related subjects include: women sleuths, cozy mysteries, amateur sleuth books, murder mysteries, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), book club recommendations.Books in the Bodies of Art Mystery Series: COUNTERFEIT CONSPIRACIES (#1) MARKED MASTERS (#2)

Sacred Cows


Karen E. Olson - 2005
    Just the thing her bosses and readers don't want to know about - especially when Annie learns the girl was a student by day and a high priced escort by night. Stonewalled by her cop boyfriend and tailed by overeager but incompetent cub report Dick Whitfield, Annie stumbles onto a network of corruption that even her own mother seems to be involved in. But Annie isn't the only one investigating - a Frank Sinatra look-alike who used to be the biggest geek in Annie's high school is hot on the trail as well. And to top it all off, New Haven, Connecticut is being infiltrated by a parade of ceramic cows. Pulled off the story by her boss, Annie must discover the truth - before she becomes the next big headline.

Mixing Up Murder


Emmie Lyn - 2019
     Hi, I’m Dani Mackenzie and I’m the unfortunate soul who owns said diner. Looks like business is going to be slow for a little while as the whole town scrambles to find whodunnit. At first I just needed something to keep me busy while on my forced vacation, but now as the clues stack up, I’m caught in the middle of this crazy mixed-up murder. And I’ll do anything to get to the bottom of what really happened and why it happened in my kitchen. Too bad the only known witness to the crime is the victim’s terrier, Pip, and no one believes she bludgeoned her owner to death. But if not her… then who? And, perhaps more importantly, who’s next?

Better Homes and Corpses


Kathleen Bridge - 2015
    Leaving her glamorous job at a top home and garden magazine, she fled Manhattan for Montauk, only to find decorating can sometimes lead to detecting… In between scouring estate sales for her new interior design business, Cottages by the Sea, Meg visits the swanky East Hampton home of her old college roommate, Jillian Spenser. But instead of seeing how the other half lives—she learns how the other half dies. Jillian’s mother, known as the Queen Mother of the Hamptons, has been murdered. Someone has staged a coup. When she helps a friend inventory the Spensers’ estate for the insurance company, Meg finds herself right in the thick of things. Cataloging valuable antiques and art loses its charm when Meg discovers that the Spenser family has been hiding dangerous secrets, which may have furnished a murderer with a motive. As Meg gets closer to the truth, the killer will do anything to paint her out of the picture… FIRST IN A NEW SERIES

The 13th Victim


Linda S. Prather - 2017
    Rescued by the man she believed responsible, Andi lost everything: the man she loved, her promising future as an investigative reporter and her memory of the weeks leading up to her torture. "Tell me what I want to know and I won't hurt you again."Thomas's voice haunted her dreams, sending her into the pits of depression to seek solace in a bottle of whiskey until a young woman reaches out for help. Twelve young girls have been brutally murdered, their bodies hidden beneath concrete structures. The thirteenth victim is fighting back the only way she knows how, and telling their story to the one person she believes will listen. "I'm sixteen, alone and scared. I killed a man yesterday, and today I'm going to kill another one."

Cat Got Your Diamonds


Julie Chase - 2016
    Opening Furry Godmother, pet boutique and organic treat bakery, is Lacy Marie Crocker’s dream come true--until the glitter gun used to make her Shih Tzu tutus becomes a murder weapon. And Lacy becomes public enemy #1.Now Detective Jack Oliver is hounding Lacy, and her Furry Godmother investor wants out before his name is tarnished by association. To make matters worse, a string of jewel heists with suspicious ties to the murder case has New Orleans residents on edge. To save her dream, Lacy must take a stand, put her keen eyes to work, and unravel what really happened at her shop that night. But can Lacy sniff out the killer cat burglar in time to get her tail-raising designs on the catwalk?Witty and whimsical, Cat Got Your Diamonds, the first in a new cozy series by Julie Chase, will be the cat's meow for fans of Rita Mae Brown and Miranda James.

Do or Diner


Christine Wenger - 2013
    But the sweet scene turns sour when someone puts murder on the menu… Trixie is in need of a fresh start away from her cheating ex-husband, but she may be biting off more than she can chew when she moves to upstate New York to run her family’s famed Silver Bullet Diner. Not only is she caught off guard by the small town’s resident heartthrob, Deputy Ty Brisco, but her first health inspection turns into a nightmare…when the inspector keels over in his Blue Plate Special. It seems someone made a deadly addition to an old family recipe, and Trixie is determined to find out whodunit. But between serving up orders and sniffing out clues, she’d better watch her back—or her next meal might be her last. Includes recipes!

The Bad Place


M.K. Hill - 2019
    A remote farm out on the Thames estuary, where six children were held captive for two weeks. Five of them got out alive. That was twenty years ago. Now adults, they meet up annually to hold a candlelit vigil for their friend who died. The only rule is that no-one can talk about what happened the night they escaped. But at this year's event, one of them witnesses a kidnapping. A young girl, Sammi, is bundled into a van in front of their eyes. Is history repeating itself? Is one of them responsible? Or is someone sending them a twisted message? DI Sasha Dawson, of Essex Police, is certain that the key to finding Sammi lies in finding out the truth about The Bad Place. But she also knows that with every second she spends trying to unlock the past, the clock ticks down for the missing girl...

Sleuthing for a Living


Jennifer L. Hart - 2016
    She finally catches a break when she inherits half of an apartment building in Boston from her uncle Al...along with his P.I. business. So what if she doesn’t know the first thing about investigation or if their hot-but-crabby downstairs tenant is a police detective who’s looking for any excuse to handcuff her? Her daughter, Mac the computer whiz, has her back. And these two girls don’t know the meaning of the word quit—not even when their first case takes an unexpected turn.The man Mackenzie's been hired to follow in a custody case seems to have upset more than just her client when she spies another person tailing him—a mysterious man Mackenzie would bet is up to no good. But when her mark suddenly winds up dead, and her first and only client is accused of his murder, Mackenzie vows to find the truth. Only one problem: she doesn’t know where to start…or when to draw the line. Who is the mysterious man she spotted tailing the victim? Is he the killer? Is she in over her head, or will she uncover the secrets someone killed to keep hidden? Mackenzie and Mackenzie are on the case, and the world of private investigation will never be the same.

For Whom the Book Tolls


Laura Gail Black - 2020
    Fleeing some unsavory doings in her hometown of Charlotte, Jenna accepts her uncle's gracious invitation to stay with him in small-town Hokes Folly, NC. In exchange, she'll help him out in his antiquarian bookstore. But soon after she arrives, Jenna finds her uncle's body crumpled at the base of the staircase between his apartment and the bookstore.Before the tragedy even sinks in, Jenna learns that she's inherited almost everything her uncle owned: the store and apartment, as well as his not-so-meager savings and the payout from a life insurance policy...which adds up to more than a million dollars. This is all news to Jenna--bad news, once the police get wind of her windfall. An ill wind, indeed, as a second murder cements Jenna's status as the prime suspect in both deaths.Jenna can hit the road again, taking her chances that she can elude trouble along the way. Or she can stick it out in Hokes Folly, take over the bookstore, and try to sleuth out her uncle's killer. On the one hand, she's made some wonderful new friends, and she feels she can thrive in the genial small-town environment. On the other hand, trouble knows her address--and so does the killer, who is determined to write the final page of Jenna's story.