Book picks similar to
Wedding Cake Wipe Out by Donna Doyle


cozy-mystery
mystery
mystery-cozy
first-in-series

Cocoa and Chanel


Donna Joy Usher - 2013
    There, she becomes entangled in a case of the worst kind - a serial killer targeting young women.As she is drawn further into the seedy underground in her attempt to unravel the truth, Chanel makes new friends, new enemies and attracts the attention of the killer. Can she solve the case in time, or will she become the killer's next victim?This is a light-hearted cozy mystery with plenty of laughs suitable for fans of Janet Evanovich, Deborah Coonts, Jana Deleon and Stephanie Bond.

Powdered Murder


A. Gardner - 2015
    But Patrick isn't back in town to mess with her head. He's in town with his celebrity tart of a fiancée for a secret wedding at the Pinecliffe Mountain Resort – the very establishment where Essie works. Essie is roped into becoming a stand-in bridesmaid by her sister Joy, the resort's Assistant Event Coordinator. But Essie has more than just her resurfacing feelings for the groom to worry about when she finds one of the bridesmaids dead at the hotel spa. Essie searches for the killer, and with a list of suspects ranging from an undercover reporter to the Mayor's gossipy wife, it isn't an easy feat. Especially with a nosy landlady, and a meddling ex in-law with a fondness for nudism. But after she becomes the killer's next target, Essie realizes all her evidence points to the most unlikely person. Will she get it right before the big ceremony, or will the fresh mountain powder become her permanent resting place? **Recipes Included**

Small Town Murder


Patti Benning - 2017
    If not, enjoy this first book in the incredible series! Autumn Roth has a good job and a long-term boyfriend, whom she hopes will become her fiancé before the year is out. When she loses both in the space of a weekend, she is convinced that her life can’t get any worse…until she witnesses an innocent man’s death while visiting her aunt and uncle at their assisted living home. Trying to maintain her holiday cheer is difficult, especially when Autumn becomes the killer’s next target. With only weeks to go before Christmas, she struggles to deal with the new direction her life is taking… and to catch a killer before someone else gets hurt.

Secrets in a Bottle


Shelly West - 2019
    She's been struggling to make it in Boston when a call beckons her down to the cozy seaside town of Wallace Point. Now's her chance to meet a grandmother she never knew--if Grandma survives, that is!Grandma is in a coma after an apparent break-in at her antique store, leaving Abigail to run Whodunit Antiques in her absence. The locals are very protective of Grandma, their de facto town matriarch, making Abigail wonder... just who is this woman?When Grandma wakes up, a mystery unfolds, starting with a dead body, a broken ship in a bottle, and a historical maritime rivalry. Will Abigail uncover the centuries-old secret that put Grandma in the hospital? And will Abigail learn why her mother kept her away from Grandma for all these years?The Whodunit Antiques series is fun, quirky, and, most importantly, cozy! So settle into your favorite chair, preferably with a cup of hot cocoa in hand, and get ready to escape into a town whose residents are always up to mischief, and where pirates run amok.

Anything for a Story


Cynthia Hickey - 2014
    When her agent tells her that her characters are becoming too cardboard and that she needs to get out and mingle with people, she comes up with the idea of a Neighborhood Watch Program. The only problem is … she’s the only member. On her first night of patrol, she stumbles over a dead body, meets a hunky detective, who happens to be her neighbor and clearly frustrated with her, and her mother, sister, niece and nephew arrive to shake up Stormi’s peaceful life. As she is immersed ever deeper into the mystery surrounding a neighbor’s murder, she decides to change writing tactics and write a romantic mystery based on her experiences. What follows is a frolicking good time as Stormi finds herself the nosiest neighbor of them all. Can she find the killer before she becomes the next victim?

Bubblegum Blonde


Anna Snow - 2015
     "Expect the unexpected" has been Barb Jackson’s motto ever since the day she became a private investigator. But when a blast from the past in the form of her cheating ex-boyfriend shows up in her office and begs her to help him clear his name in an ongoing murder investigation, she fears this time she might have bitten off more than she can chew. But as Barb reluctantly takes the case, she uncovers deadly secrets and it becomes obvious someone is now out to get her. Suddenly Barb finds herself in a race against the clock to clear her ex's name and keep herself alive. And to make matters worse, hunky homicide detective Tyler Black is nipping at her heels—in more ways than one! If anyone can get to the bottom of this mystery it’s Barb...if she can keep herself alive. The Barb Jackson Mysteries: Bubblegum Blonde (book #1) Blondes' Night Out (short story in the "Killer Beach Reads" collection) The Blonde Before Christmas (holiday short story) What critics are saying about Anna Snow's books: "This author knows suspense and how to place just the right amount of comedy to keep us reading. The combination is gripping and pulls a readers attention." —Night Owl Reviews "Will keep you spellbound until the very last page." —The Romance Reviews "A fast and enjoyable read, with plenty of emotion and passion." —Dark Diva Reviews

Reunion and Revenge


Karen Musser Nortman - 2018
    Does that mean they are amicable companions? Not at all. But when, during a family reunion, the murder of a family friend throws suspicion on their shiftless younger brother, they put their heads together to try to save him.

Case of the Strawberry Cream Stabbing


Jessica Lansberry - 2017
     After losing her husband, Beatrice thought her days of adventure were over, but then she meets a handsome debonair man who turns out to be a conman and murdered days later. Armed with her two quirky best friends and a sarcastic handsome police detective, Beatrice must solve the murder mystery before the crime gets too close for comfort! Case of the Strawberry Cream Stabbing is the first of these cozy mysteries new releases. There are absolutely no sex, gore, curse words or cliffhangers in these murder mystery books. This is an easy read about a retired school teacher and amateur sleuth who lives in a retirement community filled with colorful personalities. If you like cats and wise-cracking parrots, you'll enjoy these cozy mysteries for kindle. Although this book is part of a cozy mystery series, it can be read as a standalone book.

Murder at Castle Rock


Anne Marie Stoddard - 2013
    To make matters worse, the police suspect foul play—and all signs point to two of Castle Rock's own employees. Ame soon finds herself in a race against time to clear the names of her friends and uncover the truth before the killer decides it's curtains for her too! **Winner, 2012 BookLogix & AJC Decatur Book Festival Writers Contest** "Fast-paced and entertaining, Anne Marie Stoddard gives readers a backstage pass to murder taking center stage and demanding an encore." ~ Rochelle Staab, award winning author of the Mind for Murder mysteries

Folk Tales and Fudge Brownies


A.R. Winters - 2020
    With the local Bigfoot festival just days away, there many who stand to benefit from Kevin’s death - from the well-known Sasquatch believer Roy Turner, to the event organizers who profit from the festival each year, to the Bigfoot “researchers” who despised Kevin. In between working at her aunt’s bakery café, Jean finds time to slip into the woods and the festival campground in her quest to uncover the truth. But will her hunt lead her straight into a bear’s den - or worse, into the hands of a killer? This is a humorous cozy mystery featuring a strong female protagonist, some unusual friends and family, and a mystery that needs solving! It has no graphic gore, bad language or sex.

Alas, She Drowned


Monica Knightley - 2016
    Betrayal. Tea and Scones. When ex-novice nun, turned steamy romance writer, Maggie O’Flynn moves to the charming village of Stratford Upon Avondale to open a tea room she expects plenty of murders, betrayal, and duplicity. On the stages of the town’s renowned Shakespeare Festival. But when a theater critic is found murdered on the town’s riverbank and the prime suspect turns out to be the sexy bookshop owner Maggie has had her eye on, she takes matters into her own hands. Will she be able to dig through the layers of betrayal and duplicity to find the true murderer before that handsome bookseller, Nate Larimer, finds himself behind bars? With the help of her loud, brash, spitfire of a friend, Gina Mattucci, Maggie plans to do just that. With a bit of Shakespeare, copious amounts of tea, and a faux-English setting to rival anything the real England has to offer, ALAS, SHE DROWNED is the first book in THE STRATFORD UPON AVONDALE mystery series. Lovers of cozy mysteries will find a cozy home in Stratford Upon Avondale.

The Madams of Mischief


Sherry M. Siska - 2012
    I lifted the hinged lid of the trash can, swung it open, and tossed in the diaper. That's when Destiny not only called my name, she also spit in my face, thumbed her nose, and blew me a big old raspberry. Lucky me."         Those crazy Madams of Mischief, Destiny, Lady Luck, and Fate seem to be out to get Marty Sheffield! Marty just wants to live her quiet life in her quiet town while recovering from being left at the altar by up-and-coming country music star, Ricky Ray Riley. The Doom Divas seem to  have other ideas, though. While babysitting her sister's kids, Marty finds the body of a former classmate wedged in a ninety-gallon trash container at a local park. With the help of her sister, Marty sets out to solve the mystery and save her own hide before it's too late.    Also available in the Doom Divas series of humorous mystery novels for Kindle and in paperback: The Divas of Doom (Doom Divas Book 2) and The Floozies of Fate (Doom Divas Book 3)

Dying to Remember


Karin Kaufman - 2018
    But Ray’s memories of the killing are at odds with the official report, and most people in town would rather forget about the tragic event. When Ray’s investigation turn deadly, past and present collide and Kate must act quickly to uncover the truth.As Kate hunts for clues, she makes a discovery that will change her life forever. It seems that Ray’s talk about fairies in the woods of Smithwell was more than just talk—and reality isn’t quite the ordinary thing Kate imagined it to be. Can she and her new sleuthing partner, a determined little fairy named Minette, solve two murder cases before a third body shows up? This light, cozy mystery offers a clean read with a female amateur sleuth in a small-town setting. No foul language, sex, gore, or graphic scenes of any kind. It can be read as a standalone, but it will be enjoyed more as part of the series. Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited. THE SMITHWELL FAIRIES COZY MYSTERY SERIES: Book 1: Dying to Remember Book 2: Dead and Buried Book 3: Secret Santa Murder (coming soon)

Murder on the Road


Adriana Licio - 2019
    Instead, she finds herself a suspect in a brutal murder.Anxious to clear her name, Giò embarks on her own investigation, eavesdropping on the gossip in her sister’s perfumery and the cafés of Maratea as she pieces together the evidence. But something about the case isn’t adding up. Or is Giò allowing her attraction to a fellow suspect to distract her?Wanting to distance herself from danger, Giò keeps her feelings in check. But when new evidence turns the whole case on its head, danger is exactly what is waiting for her.◆◆◆ Murder on the Road is the first book in the compelling and heartwarming An Italian Village Cosy Mystery series. If you want a taste of Mediterranean village life, take a bite of this tasty treat, now! ◆◆◆*Beware - this book is written in British English with a smattering of Italian here and there.---This fun lighthearted cosy mystery can be read as a standalone or you can enjoy the whole series in order:• Book 0.5 (prequel) - And Then There Were Bones• Book 1 - Murder on the Road• Book 2 - A Fair Time for Death• Book 3 - A Mystery Before Christmas• Book 3.5 - When the Clock Chimes Two (A short story)• Book 4 - Peril at the Pellicano Hotel

Apple Pie and Trouble


Amber Crewes - 2018
    Hollywood decided she wasn’t good enough. She left Hollywood broken but with a burning desire to start afresh in the Pacific Northwest, pursuing her second dream – opening a bakery. She never expected that the owner of a rival establishment would be found dead and all eyes would be focused on her as the prime suspect. As the new girl in town with a new bakery store, she’s determined to clear her name and find the murderer; otherwise she’ll have to leave Sandy Bay penniless and pitiful and possibly the murderer’s next victim. No cliffhanger, swearing or graphic scenes!