Book picks similar to
Bodies on the Beach by Stacey Alabaster


cozy-mysteries
mystery
mystery-cozy
series-first

Murder in Murloo


Brigid George - 2015
    However, one year later the surfer is still missing and the killer’s identity remains a mystery. The victim’s family call in investigative journalist Dusty Kent who has an impeccable record in solving the cold cases she writes about. Dusty’s determination to investigate unresolved crime is fuelled by a personal connection through her own family tragedy. However, this case tests Dusty to the limit and she despairs of ever catching the callous killer who seems to be lurking nearby and yet... A gripping mystery imbued with the ambience of Australia—from the mysterious wood carving found with the body, the captivating characters of a small town, to the coastal splendour of the Southern Ocean. Murder in Murloo is a classic who-dun-it introducing Dusty Kent written by JB Rowley and published under the pseudonym Brigid George.

Quickstep to Murder


Ella Barrick - 2011
    To clear her name and save her studio, Stacey teams up with Rafe's estranged cousin from Argentina, Tav, to find the real killer. And if Stacy doesn't watch her step, the killer may make this dance her last.

Quiet Anchorage


Ed Lynskey - 2011
    The laidback, good old boy Sheriff Roscoe Fox feels smugly confident he’s got the right culprit, Megan Connors, locked up in his jail. It’s a feather in his cap to help give his re-election campaign for town sheriff a boost. However, not all the townies believe Sheriff Fox has so niftily solved Jake’s murder. Megan’s feisty septuagenarian aunts, Isabel and Alma Trumbo, are angry with Sheriff Fox. They decide they better roll up their sleeves and get busy doing some shrewd detective work. They are avid mystery fans with their large home library filled with every whodunit they’ve read, so they know the tricks a clever killer might employ. They befriend the twentysomething Sammi Jo Garner who takes no guff off anybody and becomes the sisters’s assistant as they snoop away and unravel Jake’s murder mystery. Isabel and Alma also enlist the aid of their other local friends, the Three Musketeers, who are the gray-haired benchwarmers on Main Street, and Sammi Jo’s eccentric aunt Phyllis Garner. Together, they follow the right clues to track down Jake’s actual killer and clear Megan’s name. Everybody wishes they had a determined, loyal pair of aunts like Isabel and Alma Trumbo in their corner. This first book launches the humorous cozy mystery series that offers a clean read and a traditional whodunit. Join Isabel and Alma when they set off on their new life adventure as amateur sleuths that is as fun and challenging for them as it is for the reader.

Involuntary Turnover


Cheri Baker - 2013
    Whether it’s brawling employees, difficult bosses, or dress code drama, she knows how to handle a crisis. But when an employee is murdered at the Seattle hospital where Kat works, and the police try to blame the victim, playing by the rules won’t be enough to save the day. Fueled by an endless supply of coffee, and assisted by a colorful cast of coworkers, Kat is determined to bring the murderer to justice. But can she do it before the killer strikes again?This mystery is the first in the Kat Voyzey Series.

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).

Pancakes and Corpses


Agatha Frost - 2017
    With a new smug Detective Inspector in town who underestimates her every move, Julia makes it her mission to discover the real murderer, before her village friends are dragged into the frame, and more bodies are discovered.A light, cozy mystery read with a cat loving and cafe owning female amateur sleuth, in a small village setting with quirky characters. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes

Murdering the Roses


Cindy Bell - 2013
    She is moving on from the tragic death of her parents four years ago. There is hope of a romantic relationship with handsome Deputy Sheriff Mitchell Slate and she is enjoying running the grand, old inn with her sister and her Aunt Ida. But then, Vicky finds the murdered body of the inn’s gardener. The inn has a wedding booked for the weekend so her wacky Aunt Ida ropes her into investigating the murder. It is a race against the clock to solve the murder so the wedding can go ahead as planned. This puts Vicky and Aunt Ida right in the line of danger. Will Vicky and Aunt Ida be able to stay safe and solve the murder in time? Will the relationship between Deputy Sheriff Mitchell and Vicky blossom or will the mean, by-the-book Sheriff McDonnell stand in their way?

Murder & The Monkey Band


Dianne Harman - 2015
    Since their early childhood days, her sister has always possessed unexplained psychic abilities that often enable her to predict future events. An antique appraisal in the home of a recently murdered woman puts Marty at the center of a search for the killer. Who did it? The woman's son? The well-known collector of antique Meissen china? A professional art and antique thief? The owner of Mai Tai Mama's Restaurant? And just what part did the collection of Meissen Monkey Band figurines play in the murder? Detective Jeff Combs is just as determined to develop a relationship with Marty and her dog Duke as he is to solve the crime. Will the psychic abilities of Marty's sister help her find the killer? Dianne is the author of two other best-selling series, the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series and the Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery Series. This is the first book in her new "High Desert Cozy Mystery Series." To find out more about Dianne and her books, visit her web site at www.DianneHarman.com

The Christmas Letter


Kathi Daley - 2017
    Set in the small town of White Eagle Montana, the series features Tess and her dog Tilly, who spend their days delivering the latest gossip along with the daily mail. When a close friend is murdered they join forces with the new Veterinarian in town to sleuth out the truth behind the shocking murder that is rocking the community as it prepares for the annual Christmas Festival.

Dipped, Stripped, and Dead


Elise Hyatt - 2009
    But finding things to refinish is tough - especially when Dyce goes Dumpster diving for discarded furniture and uncovers a gelatinous-looking corpse. Turns out the body was immersed in a vat of lye - a techniquie used for refinishing furniture - making Dyce a prime suspect.Now, in order to clear her good - and thanks to her parents, slightly absurd - name, Dyce has to play private eye. But solving a murder isn't child's play, especially when the next victim just might be her...

Mastiffs, Mystery, and Murder


Sandra Baublitz - 2017
    Not dead bodies. Clarissa’s boyfriend is tracking a suspect in the death of a dog fancier. It’s up to Clarissa and Paw to provide him cover as they compete in the show. But the competition turns deadly when another dog owner is murdered. Are the deaths connected? Clarissa and Paw must sniff out the clues to solve the crime before the killer collars them. Will Best in Show become Best in Death?

Mardi Gras Madness


Alison Golden - 2019
    A New Orleans adventure. A Mardi Gras murder... Roxy believed that life never gives you more than you can handle. But when she's fired from her wage-slave job, bullied by her co-workers, and her boyfriend abandons her, she decides she’s handled quite enough. Eager for a change of scene, Roxy with her white Persian cat Nefertiti head off to New Orleans. The exotic sights, smells, and food of Mardi Gras coax the shy young woman out of her shell. Booking a room at a rundown guesthouse, Roxy is surrounded by a colorful cast of local characters. From tattooed waitresses to mystical tarot card readers, she quickly makes new friends and leaves her old life behind. But she soon discovers that the Big Easy isn’t all beignets and jambalaya. A wealthy developer is eager to buy the guesthouse where Roxy lives and tear it down… until he turns up dead as a doornail! Before she can say ‘Mon Dieu!’, Roxy is caught up in a diabolical murder mystery… and her new friends are the prime suspects! Roxy is determined to protect her pals, and save her new home. But is this anxious adventurer up to the challenge of solving a murder? Or will she become the killer’s next victim… Cozy mystery fans will love this delicious new series from author Alison Golden. No foul language, no sex, and no gore…Just quirky characters, Cajun food, and a puzzling mystery that will keep readers guessing. Mardi Gras Madness is the first book in the Roxy Reinhardt series. Grab your copy today!

Limoncello Yellow


Traci Andrighetti - 2014
    But Franki soon learns that solving crime in The Big Easy is no Bourbon Street party. Case in point, her first investigation involves the murder of a beautiful boutique manager who was strangled with a cheap yellow scarf, and her primary suspect is her client. When Franki’s not on the clock, she hopes to get cozy with a handsome bank executive named Bradley, but her meddlesome Sicilian nonna has other ideas about who she should date. As Mardi Gras approaches and the boutique mystery deepens, Franki must decipher the odd ramblings of a voodoo priestess, or she could end up single—and the next strangling victim. Limoncello Yellow is book 1 in the Franki Amato Mysteries, but it can be read as a standalone. If you like zany characters and laugh-out-loud humor with a splash of suspense, then you’ll drink up this fun series by USA Today Bestselling Author Traci Andrighetti. Cheers!

Rise and Die


Ginny Gold - 2014
    For two years, she’s been the sole breakfast spot in town so when culinary rival, Tessa Doyle, moves to the small town, Kori can’t help but think she’s just there to compete. Suddenly, Tessa’s Sunrise and Shine café is under attack, with a rock through the window on Monday morning. Kori knows she’s innocent, but still doesn’t feel much empathy for her breakfast nemesis. But when Kori gets arrested and grilled by Detective Gunn and childhood friend Lieutenant Zach Gulch, she can’t help but wonder if she’s the new target. And when things escalate to Tessa’s murder, Kori comes under more scrutiny. Will she and best friend Nora Farmer be able to crack the case before she’s on the receiving end of a deadly dish? Or is she in more danger than she realizes and should skip town to avoid the heated investigation? INCLUDED: In The Kitchen with Ginny Gold—Goat Cheese Omelets and The Early Bird Café’s menu! **Rise and Die is approx. 28K words and is volume 1 in the The Early Bird Café Cozy Mystery Series.

Yarned and Dangerous


Sadie Hartwell - 2015
    But after earning an overpriced master’s degree and getting fired by a temperamental designer, she finds herself heading back to her hometown. Her great-uncle was injured in a car accident, and newly unemployed Josie is the only person available to take care of him. Uncle Eb’s wife didn’t survive the crash, so Josie is also tasked with selling the contents of her Aunt Cora’s yarn shop. But the needling ladies of the Charity Knitters Association pose a far bigger challenge than a shop full of scattered skeins…   Miss Marple Knits is one of the few businesses still open in the dreary downtown. Josie can’t imagine how it stayed open for so long, yet something about the cozy, resilient little shop appeals to her. But when one of the town’s most persnickety knitters turns up dead in a pile of cashmere yarn, Josie realizes there’s something truly twisted lurking beneath the town’s decaying façade…   INCLUDES ORIGINAL KNITTING PATTERNS!