Book picks similar to
Happy Birthday Murder (A Reporter Roland Bean Cozy Mystery) by Rachel Woods
cozy-mystery
mystery
ebook
mystery-suspense
Arson at the Art Gallery
Grace York - 2020
A new beginning. A quiet life. Or is it? The beach house is Addison Lake’s retirement plan. Memories of childhood holidays playing in the sand with her cousins come flooding back as soon as she sets foot in Getaway Bay. After the death of her husband, turning her new beach house into a bed and breakfast and reconnecting with family is just the tonic she needs. But just days after her move to the sleepy coastal town, Addison’s new life turns on its head. A fire at her cousin Layla’s art gallery has devastating consequences. There’s a body in the rubble. The stubborn local detective needs a fast arrest, and he has Layla in his sights. With her cousin accused of murder, Addison must act. But between the beach house renovations, an ailing uncle, an over-protective daughter, and the quirky inhabitants of Getaway Bay, she has her work cut out. Can Addison and her new friends uncover the real culprit before Layla is charged with murder? The Getaway Bay cozy mysteries have everything you love – suspense to keep you guessing, twists you don’t see coming, and characters you want to have a cup of tea with – plus an added dose of Aussie flavour. Get Arson at the Art Gallery now.
Murder at the Snowed Inn (Claire Andersen Murder for All Seasons Cozy Mystery Series Book 1)
Imogen Plimp - 2020
She knew her fresh start would be exciting, but she never expected it to be tinged with enthralling adventure, romance that’s sweet as sweet can be … and murder!Adorable and resilient, former NYC chef Claire Andersen is no stranger to second chances. She and her stock trader husband George had decided long ago to trade in their life of ambition for one of quaint & quiet adventure—by opening up a cozy neighborhood coffee shoppe on the ground floor their Brooklyn brownstone. He was the coffee-connoisseur, she was the baker extraordinaire. Claire was so happy, she could just die. But fate had other plans—it came for her husband instead.After George’s passing, Claire decides (with a nudge from her doting foster daughter Al) to trade in her life of brews and baked goods for breakfast—bed and breakfast, that is! And what better setting in which to start over than Galway, Maryland—a charming, snowy mountain town (and favorite cross-county ski destination of Claire’s youth).All is well in Claire’s new B&B venture—and with her new oven constantly in use, it’s mouth-watering, even—until her first guest is murdered in-house. It’s not long until one of the suspects Claire questions about the murder winds up dead, too. Suddenly, Claire finds herself starting over yet again—and trading in her hostess hat (she’d just dusted it off, too!) for a secret life as an amateur sleuth.But it’s not all B&B business and bodies: Claire also finds herself in the throes of not one, but two potential romances—each more toe-curling and butterflies-in-the-stomach inducing than the other.Alongside her trusty new pal Evelyn (who’s feisty enough to make anyone blush) and her faithful bloodhound Rupert, Claire races the clock to get to the next victim—before the killer does. And she knows she’d better hurry. Because if the killer catches her first, she might run out of second chances.Author's Note: This book contains a non-binary character whose preferred pronouns are they/them. If the notion of a non-binary character (and its resultant use of grammar) is offensive, then this book is not for you!
Deal Gone Dead
Carolyn Ridder Aspenson - 2020
Literally.I made a promise to my cranky client, Myrtle Redbecker. I swore I’d sell her house to the highest commercial bidder no matter what.And when I found her dead on her kitchen floor, I vowed to keep that promise, and find her killer.But there’s a catch—or two.The new sheriff in town is my ex-boyfriend, and the last thing I want to do is deal with him. I’m also not big on putting myself in dangerous situations, but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.Now I’m stuck in the middle of a murder investigation, and if I’m not careful... I just might end up the next victim.If you like charming, small town, Southern cozy mysteries, you'll love book one in the Lily Sprayberry Realtor Cozy Mystery Series.
The Charlie Cooper Mysteries
Deany Ray - 2020
A light read with no gore or foul language, these books are perfect to unwind at the end of the day.GLAZED:Charlie’s life in her hometown, Springston, is not by far as dull as she expected it to be. Stumbling over dead bodies, being held at gunpoint or getting kidnapped in the back of a van would actually qualify as a pretty exciting life. If you like to live on the edge.Still, Charlie hopes her next case would not include dead people, guns or exploding cars. Well…one could at least hope.When Celeste’s nephew, Lucas, is suspected of attempted bank robbery and CMC Services – a.k.a. Charlie and her best friends, Marge and Celeste – is called in to help, the girls launch into crime-fighting mode yet again. Apparently, Lucas could be a key witness in what seems to be the new crime wave in Springston.Charlie soon finds herself trying to solve another murder, causing a small explosion involving one particular item in Marge’s black hole of a purse, dodging the advances of Celeste’s cousin, Eddy, and trying to get on board with her mom’s new healthy diet. All the while with Alex, Springston’s hot detective, right on her heels.Running low on caffeine and running out of time, Charlie has to step up her game and out-step a killer.DAZZLED:Charlie, Marge and Celeste are back! This time in Las Vegas. Las Vegas? That’s right. What better way to celebrate a milestone birthday than to fly to Sin City?When Marge and Celeste surprise Charlie with tickets to Vegas, she decides it’s going to be the best weekend ever. I mean, how often does a gal turn 30?But Charlie wouldn’t be Charlie, if she didn’t stumble into a hot mess in the most unlikely place. She comes to realize that finding a small velvet bag full of diamonds does not mean you’ve hit the jackpot playing slots. Neither does finding a dead body when you at least expect it. Nor being chased by presumably some bad dudes for finding said body.Talk about bad luck in Vegas.How do you survive illicit bus rides, surprise guests and bachelor parties all while trying to stay alive…and getting rid of those darned diamonds?There is only one answer in Vegas: you either win…or you lose.BERRIED:Charlie Cooper, former secretary for the Boston PD, chocolate enthusiast and private investigator extraordinaire takes on her most puzzling case yet. Having to work for the grumpiest man in town, Edgar McMillan, the only clues she gets to solve her next case are a lurking shadow, a gunshot blast, possibly a Tony winner, some Ponies and Betty’s crew. Needless to say, nobody knows who Betty is. Or her crew.Oh, and there’s the dead body too. Charlie hates when that happens. Found in no other place than the client’s backyard just seconds after he was shot. But what was he doing there in the first place?Adding to the stress is Charlie’s mother, who’s current project is redecorating the house, meaning there are more cans of paint in the kitchen than a batch of fresh baked cookies. To top it off, Charlie’s love life takes a hit when her boyfriend, Detective Alex Spencer, is assigned the same case as she is.Together with Marge and Celeste, her best friends and business partners, Charlie sets out to find the killer and reinstall peace in her life.
Bed, Breakfast & Bones
Carolyn L. Dean - 2016
Sure, she could pack her bags and travel back to LA…or should she dig in, heal from her failed romance, and find a whole new set of friends and adventures in Ravenwood Cove? And how could a quiet little coastal village have so many secrets? Includes the free recipe for Amanda’s (and the author’s) favorite cinnamon rolls. First novel in the Ravenwood Cove ebook series. Paperback and audiobook (with Whispersync) versions coming soon. Mild PG rating (because hey, there's a dead guy in it).
Cliffhanger
Amy Saunders - 2012
Even worse, Belinda must return to the events surrounding a tragic sailing accident to set things right.But new possibilities emerge in the form of security expert Bennett Tate. Between her connections and his know-how, they're bound to catch the killer - and kick the skeletons out of the closet for good.
Fowl Play
P. Bodi - 2016
All of her customers and their pets are like family. It had been a typical day at Pet Palace. Leah was going to meet some friends for dinner where she suddenly finds out one her customers had been found dead at home. Was it from natural causes or could it have been murder?
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
Cupcakes and Conspiracies
Katherine Hayton - 2017
Small town. Big secrets. With a divorce pending and her career hanging in the balance, Holly Waterston returns to her hometown of Hanmer Springs to lick her wounds. According to her accountant, she also needs to sell the cupcake bakery owned and operated by her family for three generations. The bakery is the only place Holly's younger sister Crystal has ever worked. But when their mortgage holder suffers anaphylactic shock after eating a cupcake, Crystal is chief suspect for the attempted murder. Despite being labeled allergy-free, the cake was chock full of peanuts. Holly must dig in her heels and don an apron if she's to clear her sister's name, uncover the real culprit, and find out why their booming business is hemorrhaging money. If she can't, then Holly might lose Crystal to prison and lose the one place she can truly call home. This Sweet Baked Mystery is certified allergy-free of the following ingredients: No Swearing No Gore No Graphic Scenes and absolutely No Cliffhangers! Warning: May contain traces of danger and good humor. Scroll up to solve the conspiracy today!
Humpty Bumpkin
Sam Cheever - 2018
But her life is about to get less countrified and more...erm...homicide. Deer Hollow is a small community built in a verdant, rolling countryside. The nearest big city is over an hour away and big city ways are rejected at the Hollow. Unfortunately, the big city isn’t the only place where bad things can happen. Things like murder…which has a funny way of messin’ up a debutante’s day and turning a sunny Sunday in June right over onto its bucolic head.
Deadly Home
Trisha Grace - 2019
She is tired of living—as her parents have always said—recklessly.Now that she is a successful murder-mystery writer, she thinks it is time to try and lead a normal life.Time to settle down and live life quietly.And she is doing just that—in the picturesque beach town of Anchorville, Oregon.But two weeks after moving into her beautiful new home, a man triggers her motion sensor alarm at two in the morning.Minutes later, she is in the living room—a gun in hand—facing down the intruder.An intruder who is supposed to be dead.Emily wants answers. Unfortunately, Alexander Lewis doesn’t have any. He has lost his memory and is more confused about the situation than she is.Emily doesn’t know what to do. She is supposed to be done with being reckless. She can’t possibly let Alexander stay, especially not when she suspects his aunt may be a murderer … right?
Cranberry Bluff
Deborah Garner - 2014
Accused and cleared of the crime, she flees both media attention and mysterious, threatening notes, to move across the country to Cranberry Cove, where she has inherited her Aunt Maggie's bed and breakfast on the Northern California coast. Her new beginning is peaceful - that is, until five guests show up at the inn for a weekend, each with a hidden agenda. Mix together one blushing honeymoon couple, one flamboyant boutique owner, a deadpan traveling salesman, and a charmingly handsome novelist, and there’s more than scones cooking at Cranberry Cottage Bed and Breakfast. As true motives become apparent, will Molly's past come back to haunt her or will she finally be able to leave it behind?
A Pie to Die for
Stacey Alabaster - 2016
When the police doubt her story of innocence, she has no choice but to find the real killer. With carefree best friend, Pippa, Rachael sets out on a mission to save her bakery, but it could ultimately cost her and her best friend everything. This is the first installment in the Bakery Detectives Cozy Mystery series. Each book is a stand alone story, but your enjoyment of each story will be increased if you read them all. A Pie to Die For Donuts, Antiques and Murder Death by Chocolate Cake
Poison in the Pastries
Susan Harper - 2021
Not the best way to launch a new business.A cozy mystery from International Bestselling Author Susan Harper.Darla has finally achieved her dream of owning a Food Truck. Before she can start sharing her pastries and coffees with the locals, tragedy strikes. When a customer turns up dead and it’s determined the murder weapon was a pastry from her truck, she has more issues than just launching a new business. Can Darla find a killer and get her food license back or are her dreams all but over?Poison in the Pastries is the first story in the Darla’s Delectables Food Truck Cozy Mystery series. If you like fast-paced mysteries with interesting characters, troublesome pets, and unexpected twists, you’re going to love the Darla’s Delectables Food Truck Cozy Mystery series.
A Shot in the Bark: A Dog Park Mystery
C.A. Newsome - 2011
Neither do her friends at the Mount Airy Dog Park. When the apparent suicide of Lia's deadbeat boyfriend draws the attention of Detective Peter Dourson, he decides to adopt the dead man's dog to infiltrate the tight group he's certain conceals Luthor Morrissey's killer. As his investigation uncovers secrets, a grieving Lia fights her growing attraction to the laid-back detective. Meanwhile, Luthor's killer lurks, desperate to stay ahead of the investigation--no matter who has to die... If you like believable characters, a multi-layered plot, and a compelling sense of humor with your intrigue, pick up this can't-put-down whodunit for a romp through the dog park with Lia and the gang. This extended edition includes new and expanded scenes. (69,000 words)