Book picks similar to
The Chocolate Magic Café by Olivia Swift
mystery
romance
paranormal
cozy-mysteries
If Fried Chicken Could Fly
Paige Shelton - 2012
Everything is going smoothly until they discover the body of local theater owner Everett Morningside in the school's supply closet, and Everett's widow points an accusatory finger at Gram. Now, Betts has to dig deep into Broken Rope's history to find the modern-day killer-before the last piece of chicken is served...
The Confectioner's Guild
Claire Luana - 2018
A culinary killer. The perfect recipe for murder.Wren knew her sweet treats could work wonders, but she never knew they could work magic. She barely has time to wrap her head around the stunning revelation when the head of the prestigious Confectioner’s Guild falls down dead before her. Poisoned by her cupcake. Now facing murder charges in a magical world she doesn’t understand, Wren must discover who framed her or face the headsman’s axe. With the help of a handsome inspector and several new friends, Wren just might manage to learn the ropes, master her new powers, and find out who framed her. But when their search for clues leads to a deep-rooted conspiracy that goes all the way to the top, she realizes that the guild master isn’t the only one at risk of death by chocolate. If Wren can’t bring the powerful culprit to justice, she and her friends will meet a bittersweet end.
Ghost of a Chance
Cate Dean - 2016
His search leads him to Holmestead, and a stubborn, fascinating American who has acquired the box that once contained the rare jar.When the missing jar turns up, clutched in the hand of the very dead local historian, Martin becomes the prime suspect. He and that dead historian were bitter rivals.With his future on the line, Martin turns to Maggie for help, and they join forces to find the real killer.Maggie Mulgrew Mysteries:Ghost of a ChanceWritten on the Wind - coming August 2016Check out all my books here: amazon.com/author/catedean
Carrots
Colleen Helme - 2011
Her life is organized and predictable, revolving around her husband and two children. All that changes the day she stops at the grocery store for some carrots. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman is busy robbing the bank inside the store. When a customer grabs the robber's mask, he is shot and everyone runs for cover. Everyone except Shelby, who finds herself face to face with the killer. The next thing she knows, she's lying on the floor with a bullet wound to her head. Luckily, the bullet only grazes her scalp, and she doesn't suspect any lasting affects until later, when she suddenly 'hears' what people are thinking. With this uncanny ability, her life takes on a whole new dimension. Her kids think she's bossy and too old to understand them, but that's nothing compared to her husband. He says he loves her, but what is it about the redhead at work that he doesn't want her to know? As if that isn't enough, the gunman knows she can identify him, and he's out to silence her forever. In her fight to stay alive, she is saved from certain death by a handsome hit-man with ties to organized crime. This pulls Shelby even deeper into danger, where knowing someone's thoughts can not only hurt her feelings, but get her killed.
Over My Dead Husband's Body
Etta Faire - 2018
She got a dead roommate.
The first in the paranormal series The Ghosts of Landover Mysteries.
Carly Taylor thought her luck was finally changing. Being broke, divorced, and living in her mother’s basement wasn’t where she thought she’d be at thirty-one. So when her ex suddenly dies and leaves her his family’s Victorian, she can’t sign the paperwork fast enough.That’s when she realizes there’s a catch. And it’s a lying, cheating, annoying one she can’t get rid of.Her ex is haunting the house and wants her to solve his murder case, which Carly figures is the only way to get the jerk to leave once and for all.Through channeling with his ghost, Carly is taken straight to the day her ex was poisoned at a strip club to relive the memory with him moment by moment, take down clues, and figure out what happened.But just like a free house, nothing is ever as easy as it seems, at least not in the strange county of Landover where small-town secrets meet the paranormal. And it’s a toss up about which is weirder.
Bittersweet Betrayal
Stephanie Damore - 2018
Except one of them is dead. Ever since Nick passed, Claire has been able to see ghosts. Well the grounded ones anyway. When Nick’s not-so-dearly departed grandma makes an untimely exit, Nick relies on his ever-clever wife to track the clues and bring the killer to justice. Claire is more than willing to take the case if only to send Grandma up to the Pearly Gates and get her out of her hair...and bakery. If you love a clean paranormal mystery, heavy on the whodunit, you're going to love these quick reads!
Magical Blend
Kennedy Layne - 2018
Of course, that was before she and her best friend found a dead body in the back of the charming store. Things go from bad to worse when Raven begins to hear a talking cat spouting on and on about magic and mayhem.Once Raven accepts that she's not losing her mind, she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation while discovering her family's unusual lineage--the Marigolds are bona fide witches!'Tis the season to be scared and delighted...this wickedly charming tale includes magical tea blends, an enchanting spell book, and an eerie cottage on the edge of town that contains a special surprise you won't want to miss!
Under Lock & Key
Sam Short - 2017
Relaxation is not something she should really have expected though – after all, she is a member of the only witch family in town. It’s no ordinary witch family either. Granny’s developed witch dementia, and Boris the goat is getting used to his new life of brandy and biscuits whenever he demands it. He’s starting a blog too, but that’s a whole different story. Penelope’s mother is still visiting the magical haven on a regular basis, and continuing her conquest to get Penny off her boat and back onto dry land. All things considered, everything’s relatively normal in town. When a murder occurs in Wickford, Penny, her best friend, and her sister are drawn into the mystery, helping their oversized and under skilled policeman friend to solve it. There’s also a rumour going around that Barney may have the hots for Penelope, but Penelope’s mother disagrees. She thinks Barney may be Scottish, you see? Penelope’s mother is a complicated woman. There’s a barking goose too. Come to think about it - the only normal animal in Penny’s life is her cat, Rosie. Join the residents of Wickford for some light-hearted fun in this 60,000 word cozy mystery novel, which contains no blood and gore, and only very minimal use of the tamest of bad language. Under Lock And Key is book number One in the Water Witch Cozy Mystery Series
What the Cat Knew
P.D. Workman - 2019
Workman!Reg Rawlins, professional con, has really gotten herself into a bind this time. The fortune teller gig started as a scam, but she suddenly finds herself tangled up in the case of Warren Blake, a man who she thought was dead. It turns out he may still be alive, but in mortal peril. Reg has always taken the quick exit, the easy way out, but running out on this racket might mean someone else’s death. Staying in it might mean hers.***** It sounds like a fairly gentle story, but there is a lot of suspense involved. Add a bunch of humor to the mix and you are in for a treat … This is a story that you don't want to put down.***** This book has all my favourite things: heart, great writing, nearly-flawless editing, something unusual in the air, and a cat.Like paranormal mysteries? Psychics, witches, fairies, and more! Award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author P.D. Workman waves her wand to transport readers to the myth- and magic-filled small town of Black Sands for a paranormal cozy mystery to be solved by Reg Rawlins and her friends. A self-professed con artist practicing as a contact to the dead, a drop-dead gorgeous warlock, and a psychic cat—what could go wrong?Fall under Reg’s spell today.
A Skeleton in the Family
Leigh Perry - 2013
So she settled in and began reconnecting with old friends. Including Sid. Sid is the Thackery family’s skeleton. He’s lived in the house as long as Georgia can remember, although no one, including Sid, knows exactly where he came from and how he came to be a skeleton. Sid walks, he talks, he makes bad jokes, he tries to keep Georgia’s dog from considering him a snack. And he manages to persuade Georgia to let him leave the house. But when she takes him to an anime convention—disguised as a skeleton, of course—he sees a woman who triggers memories of his past. Now he is determined to find out how he died—with Georgia’s help. But their investigation may uncover a killer who’s still alive and well and bad to the bone…
Better Haunts and Garden Gnomes
Michelle M. Pillow - 2018
Lily Goode wasn’t aware she had an inheritance waiting for her in the form of a huge Victorian house in Lucky Valley, Colorado. Life might finally be coming together for her. That is if you don’t count the endless home repairs, dealing with eccentric Aunt Polly who claims they’re both witches, and Nolan Dawson the handsome home inspector who seems to have it out for her, then, sure, life is grand. Oh and not to mention the strange hallucinations and garden gnomes who are far more than lawn ornaments. If mysterious accidents don’t do her in, then the rebellious gnomes just might. With the help of Aunt Polly, it’s up to Lily to discover who’s sabotaging her new home and trying to drive the Goodes out of Lucky Valley once and for all. From NY Times & USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Michelle M. Pillow, a Cozy Mystery Paranormal Romantic Comedy.
Spell Booked
Joyce Lavene - 2014
But as the years passed, their magical powers started to fade—leaving them no choice but to conjure up a retirement package… Before they could blink their eyes or twitch their noses, Molly, Elsie, and Olivia somehow became eligible for AARP. But they can’t fly off to Boca Raton just yet. First they must give up their magic, recruit and train three new witches, and pass on their cherished spellbook. They’ve barely begun to consider potential practitioners when Olivia winds up dead and their spellbook is stolen. To honor their friend and reclaim their spells, Molly and Elsie are about to go wand-to-wand with a dangerous young witch more powerful than the trio was in their prime. And this time they’re going to need more than magic up their sleeves…
Ghost a la Mode
Sue Ann Jaffarian - 2009
The only trouble is, Granny was framed, then murdered. For more than one hundred years, Granny's spirit has been searching for someone to help her see that justice is served--and she hits pay dirt when she pops in to a seance attended by her great-great-great-granddaughter, modern-day divorced mom Emma Whitecastle. Together, Emma and Granny Apples solve mysteries of the past--starting with Granny's own unjust murder rap in the final days of the California Gold Rush. Along with a sprinkling of history, this spirited new mystery series features the amateur sleuth team of Emma Whitecastle and the spirit of her pie-baking great-great-great-grandmother, Granny Apples. Praise: "A delectable first in a new paranormal cozy series from Sue Ann Jaffarian."--Publishers Weekly "A fun new series. Ghostly puzzles are one of the trendy new themes in cozy mysteries, and this is a good one."--Booklist "Jaffarian has done a nifty job of incorporating Julian's history into her tale of unresolved ghosts, uncanny psychics, unsolved murders and unhappy divorcees, while handily introducing some characters, alive and dead, to carry the series forward."--North Country Times "Emma handles her 'gift' of seeing the dead with aplomb, and class. I'll look forward to seeing where the sequel will take Emma and Granny."--Deadly Pleasures "A charming tale, as appealing as apple pie. I predict a long life (and afterlife) for Sue Ann's latest series."--Harley Jane Kozak, Agatha, Anthony and Macavity Award-winning author of Dating Dead Men
"Take colorful characters in a charming setting, mix in a dash of romance, add a pinch of the paranormal, and serve it up like one of Granny's famous pies. I guarantee you'll be back for seconds."--Deborah Sharp, author of Mama Rides Shotgun
The Witching Place: A Fatal Folio
Sophie Love - 2020
She decides it’s time to pursue her lifelong dream of opening a bookstore of her own—even if that means leaving Boston and accepting a job in a curious bookstore in a small seaside town an hour away.But the odd shop, Alexis soon learns, is from more than just a rare, occult bookstore. Something strange is going on in the shop’s secret back room, with its eccentric owner, and in the small town itself.And when a dead body appears, Alexis, with her beloved newfound cat, may find herself right in the middle of it all.
Sense and Scent Ability
Renee George - 2020
At least that's what I tell myself, when I'm not having hot flashes, my knees don't hurt, and I can find my reading glasses.I’m also the proud owner of a salon called Scents & Scentsability in the small resort town of Garden Cove, where I make a cozy living selling handmade bath and beauty products. All in all, my life is pretty good.Except for one little glitch...Since my recent hysterectomy, where I died on the operating table, I’ve been experiencing what some might call paranormal activity. No, I don’t see dead people, but quite suddenly I’m triggered by scents that, in their wake, leave behind these vividly intense memories. Sometimes they’re unfocused and hazy, but there’s no doubt, they are very, very real.Know what else? They’re not my memories. It seems I've lost a uterus and gained a psychic gift.When my best friend's abusive boyfriend ends up dead after a fire, and she becomes the prime suspect, I end up a babysitter to her two teenagers while she's locked up in the clink. Add to that the handsome detective determined to stand in my way, my super sniffer’s newly acquired abilities and a rash of memories connected to the real criminal, and I find myself in a race to catch a killer before my best friend is tried for murder.