Book picks similar to
Bells and Blazes: A Novella by Karen Musser Nortman
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cozy-mystery
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True Blue Murder
Elise M. Stone - 2016
The former librarian has developed her first hybrid, a plant with unusual deep blue flowers, and hopes to win a first place ribbon. Maybe even best in show. But her excitement turns to dread when the aggravating Bette Tesselink, her fiercest rival, turns up dead, and she becomes the logical suspect. There’s never been a murder in the village of Rainbow Ranch, and it soon becomes apparent that the young Chief of Police is in over his head. Under pressure from the mayor, Lilliana is afraid he’ll arrest her in order to close the case. Her only option is to begin her own investigation and find the murderer before she winds up in jail.
The first in a new cozy mystery series sure to engage you with its fascinating characters and twisty plot.
March Street Murder
Estelle Richards - 2019
My name’s Kelly, and I’ll be your server today.I think I’ve said those words a hundred times. But I’m more than just a server.I’m a painter. In fact, a few of my paintings hang on the wall in the March Street Cafe.I’m a dog-lover. I walk Buddy the bulldog every morning and every night, even though he never obeys my commands.I’m a granddaughter. I live with my Grandma Iris, taking care of her and Buddy after she had a fall.And now, I’m a woman trying to solve a murder.March Street Murder is a new short cozy mystery by Estelle Richards, author of the Lisa Chance Cozy Mysteries. It has no sex, no gore, and no swearing. It’s a short read, perfect for giving yourself a little treat in between tasks in your busy day.
A Charming Christmas
Tonya Kappes - 2014
Not only from a blizzard, but a thief. . . the Whispering Falls Grinch. Sheriff Oscar Park is snowed in the nearby town of Locust Grove and unable help catch the unwanted visitor in their magical town. It is up to June Heal and her familiars, Mr. Prince Charming and Madame Torres, to put their amateur sleuthing skills to work and bring the Whispering Falls Grinch to justice.
Frankie B - The Ghost Ship
Andrene Low - 2018
The coven's being haunted and witches are disappearing. Will she be able to save the coven and herself? Not yet over the loss of her mom, Frankie B's in a new city, without family, a home or her full powers. Thank goodness for her familiar, Dex, the best Jack Russell in the world. They're faced with moving into a flea-pit motel, when Dex spots a vacancy at a nearby marina. But this is no ordinary marina, and before they've even had time to finish unpacking, life takes a deadly turn. Will Frankie solve the mystery of the missing witches and rid the coven of the ghost of Captain Russell Garnet? Or will her ability to make him corporeal see her stuck as his prisoner until her dying breath? Either way, she isn’t going down without a fight and with Zane her mysterious — but drop-dead gorgeous — neighbor helping her, how can she fail? Frankie B and the Ghost Ship will have you longing to perform magic of your own and maybe even considering a few self-defense classes... The perfect read for fans of A.A. Albright and Ani Gonzalez. What others are saying I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to the next one. I loved the characters and the magic twists. I like Frankie. She’s independent, feisty and has signed one hell of a lease. When her familiar, Dex, a spunky Fox Terrier, discovers a suspiciously cheap boat for rent in the marina, Frankie thinks it’s too good to be true... And it is. Sneaky witch, Gwen, pulls a fast one and locks Frankie into a magical lease with dire consequences if she does not fulfill the conditions. Supremely pissed, Frankie does not take this lying down, and I was cheering for her, Dex, and the mysterious Zane as they try to thwart Gwen, and not get Frankie dead. Fun, fast paced, with some interesting characters, this story had me until the end. Definitely reading the next book. Really enjoyed this story, now binge reading the other books in the series. In this series: #1 - The Ghost Ship #2 - The Blood Hex #3 - All Hallows Keep #4 - Faerie Lights #5 - Vampires and Valentines #6 - A Spell in Paradise Coming 2019: #7 - The Curse of the Blue Moon #8 - Part-Time Mermaid #9 - House of Hoodoo
In The Beginning, There Was a Murder
P.C. James - 2020
Pauline Riddell has grand ambitions for her future at the armament factory. So, when her closest workmate reveals a salacious affair with a married man, Pauline refuses to risk her career by listening to the scandal. But she’s shaken to her core when the police arrive with news of her best friend’s homicide.Desperate for justice, Pauline’s insistent poking into the investigation only makes her the prime suspect. And now to clear her name, she must unravel a web of deadly clues entangling her in a sinister plot.
Christmas, Corpses, and Clockwork Kittens
L.A. Nisula - 2016
While preparing their tinkering/ haberdashery shop for the Christmas season, Kate and Ada find a body on their doorstep. When Inspector Wainwright is sent to investigate, they start looking into the crime themselves before he can scare away all of their Christmas patrons. A short Christmas mystery of approx. 5000 words
Cursive, Foiled Again!
Daisy Robyns - 2019
When a friend, desperate to save an inheritance, asks for her help, she must put her hand lettering skills and powers of deduction to work in the charming small town of Cedar Valley, WA. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with something new, or if you're a fan of hand lettering, pen and ink art, graphic design, watercoloring, typography, calligraphy, and creative inspiration, this series is for you! Indulge your inner artist and sleuth. Welcome to Cedar Valley, a thriving tourist town and popular wedding venue. Once you slip into town, you'll want to stay and grab a cup of coffee with Jamie while she solves crimes. Get your copy today! Please Note—This is a short story, not a full-length novel. It's just a taste of this brand new craft and hobby cozy series, like those samples at the grocery store. Don't worry—there's plenty more to come!
Mildred in Disguise with Diamonds
Toni Kief - 2017
Mildred Petrie expected a comfortable retirement. Except her husband died and his secrets changed everything. Desperate, she takes the only job available at the local gambling palace - undercover security. Drug deals, armed robbery and a mole catapult her into excitement, danger, and disguise. Only Mildred can find the truth! A breathless, page turner, in sensible shoes
McKinley Mysteries Box Set
Carolyn Arnold - 2014
This duo will do anything to get to the truth, whether it means going undercover, off the books, or around the world…and they’ll romance it up along the way.Included in this box set:The Day Job is Murder (A Short Story) (McKinley Mysteries #1)As detectives with the Albany Police Department, Sean and Sara solve murders, but it’s their personal life that’s about to take a twist.“The Day Job is Murder blends murder and romance along with a side helping of the Golden Rule in action, with some good consequences. It’s a sweet, uplifting story with pleasant characters and a happy ending in a bite-sized format.” –Beas Book NookVacation is Murder (McKinley Mysteries #2)Sean and Sara hit the beaches of Cancun, Mexico, for relaxation but murder and mayhem are close by.“A cute cozy mystery! There’s action and romance…The storyline is quick and light—perfect for beach reading!” –Writer Blogger Mom Money is Murder (McKinley Mysteries #3)The contents of a mysterious chest have Sean and Sara hitting the streets of New York City to solve a cold case.“This is such a great cozy series with so much going on. It’s like being on a ride right along with Sara and Sean and watching as they put the pieces together.”
–Community Bookstop
~~With McKinley Mysteries, readers can savor the perfect blend of romance, humor, and murder with zero additives such as foul language, graphic violence, or sex. These international bestselling cozy mysteries are bound to hit the spot and keep you coming back for more, but this is an addiction you can afford to have. In fact, these stories are good for the heart and spirit! Get started today.Books in this series include:1. The Day Job is Murder2. Vacation is Murder3. Money is Murder4. Politics is Murder5. Family is Murder6. Shopping is Murder7. Christmas is Murder8. Valentine’s Day is Murder9. Coffee is Murder10. Skiing is Murder11. Halloween is Murder12. Exercise is Murder
Murder in the Aisle
Kris Pearson - 2019
That’s until Vicar Paul and I find Isobel Crombie lying dead in a sea of flowers in the aisle of Saint Agatha’s church. Who’d kill a harmless old girl like her?In no time flat I’ve scored a house-and-pet sitting gig – Isobel’s remote seaside cottage and her two darling dogs. It comes complete with hollyhocks and seagulls and a SEAL from California who looks a lot like a younger Jon Bon Jovi. He's certainly cute, but aren’t his questions about Isobel's house a bit – well, suspicious? Then I find a secret office stuffed with alarming files about car thefts and Black Ops assassins. Maybe Isobel wasn't as harmless as we all thought? Sleuthing’s more fun than I’ve had in ages, but how safe am I on my own now things are unraveling? Little white Bichons are hopeless attack dogs.
Cozy Leading Ladies
Julie Smith - 2017
PLUS a romantic puzzler bonus, which isn’t at all what you might expect…From murder at a conference in fashionable Provence to an underground feminist bordello in San Francisco (with a pit stop on the Gulf Cost where a killer’s on the loose while a hurricane closes in), Cozy Leading Ladies is sure to satisfy mystery readers who love their independent female sleuths. (Friendly piece of advice: it’s probably best to read the collection with a box of chocolates or your favorite brand of potato chips really nearby).
Vol. 1: DEATH TURNS A TRICK, the FIRST book in the Rebecca Schwartz mystery series by Edgar Award Winner Julie Smith
A ROLLICKING TALE OF MURDER, ROMANCE, AND A BORDELLO…
Rebecca Schwartz, nice Jewish lawyer with a few too many fantasies, is happily playing the piano in a whorehouse when she suddenly finds herself assigned to make sure a near-naked state senator escapes a police raid. That dirty job done, a lovely evening turns even more delightful when she’s picked up by the cops and spends the next two hours at the Hall of Justice. Could this day get any worse? Of course! Guess who arrives home to find a dead hooker on her living room floor?
Vol. 2: THE AURA, the FIRST Kate Benedict Paranormal Mystery by Carrie Bedford
Life spins out of control for London architect Kate Benedict when she sees a dancing aura above certain people’s heads that seems to signal death. Suddenly she’s psychic. But that can't be! Psychic’s not acceptable in her circle, where the supernatural is strictly for the superstitious. And yet…people are dying. People close to her.
Vol. 3: THE 13th FELLOW, A Mystery In Provence by Tracy Whiting
POETRY, MURDER, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ... AND PROVENCE!
American Professor Havilah Gaie has always seen herself as “an academic version of Pam Grier’s characters: smart, quick on their feet, loyal with a keen sense of purpose.” Now she’s got a chance to suit up for action because suddenly she’s a witness in a murder.
Vol. 4: HURRICANE SEASON: Florida Panhandle Mystery #1 by Michaela Thompson
“Miss Marple meets Eudora Welty (with a trace of Erskine Caldwell)” –KirkusThe 1950s fairly leap off the page in this classic cozy mystery set in northern Florida in the Eisenhower era, complete with Johnny Ray on the jukebox and a Womanless Wedding—this one interrupted by an explosion at a moonshine still. Lily Trulock, owner of Trulock’s Grocery & Marine Supply, leads a pretty quiet life until a stranger comes to town. Before she can say, “down the hatch,” Lily’s at the center of a vicious murder and a no-holds-barred bootlegging war—and a nasty storm’s on the way.
Vol.
The Gossiping Gourmet
Martin Brown - 2014
But for love of his caramel chicken and cherry fudge brownies, everyone has a story to share regarding their fellow citizens—Stories that too often find their way into his weekly gossip-filled newspaper column, "Heard About Town." When the great chef and his admirers, the Sausalito Ladies of Liberty, take offense to a newly arrived Manhattan power couple, their insular world of tasty sauces and stinging insults leads to deadly results.Everyone has their own theory about who killed Warren. But it takes the combined efforts of Rob Timmons, the local newspaper publisher, and Eddie Austin, his childhood friend and Marin County’s top detective, to unravel this tale of delicious dishes and malicious deception.
Death in Nostalgia City
Mark S. Bacon - 2014
Nostalgia City is the ultimate resort for anyone who wants to visit the past. A meticulous recreation of an entire small town from the early 1970s, it’s complete with period cars, music, clothes, shops, restaurants, hotels—the works. The relaxed theme-park atmosphere is just what Lyle needs—until rides are sabotaged and tourists killed. Then park founder, billionaire “Max” Maxwell, drafts Lyle into investigating—unofficially. As the violence escalates and employees get rattled, Lyle gets help. Kate Sorensen, the park’s PR director—and former college basketball player—becomes another incognito investigator. Except that she’s six-foot-two-and-a-half-inches tall and drop-dead gorgeous. So much for incognito. Together, Lyle and Kate unravel a conspiracy of corporate greed and murder.
Scarlet Oaks and the Serial Caller (Scarlets Oaks Book 1)
Michaela James - 2017
But when an eerie sounding caller is identified as the bay area’s latest serial killer, it appears her life will never be same.With the killer continually calling into Scarlet’s show, while managing to stay one step ahead of the San Francisco police, Scarlet begins to fear she’s his next victim. Enlisting best friends, Niles and Tom, and their often-hilarious help, Scarlet sets out to find the elusive Serial Caller … before he finds her.Root for Scarlet during this heart-pounding and alternately humorous mystery thriller. Fall in love with unforgettable characters, recognize familiar family members and hold on tight for an adrenaline-filled ride.If you’re a Stephanie Plum fan, make room for Scarlet Oaks!This is the first book in the Scarlet Oaks Series. Start the adventure - buy Scarlet Oaks and the Serial Caller today.