Book picks similar to
Merrily Murdered (A Dear Abby Cozy Mystery Book 6) by Sonia Parin


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A Not So Cozy Christmas


Haley Harper - 2014
    Instead she finds herself smack in the middle of a centuries old feud that someone wants to settle once and for all....and they will stop at nothing to reclaim what they feel is rightfully theirs. When Shannon discovers an old diary she is suddenly pulled into all the mystery and legend of the Black Hills.As she deals with a mother who talks to ghosts, a grumpy old geezer who is up to no good, and a handsome colleague with revenge on his mind, Shannon tries desperately to help her friend hold onto her home, her dreams and the land that she loves. An extra bonus to this book includes yummy Christmas Recipes from the Mid West!

Fangs, Fur and Mistletoe


Selena Blake - 2012
    She plans to use her solstice trip to Mystic Isle, the pleasure playground for paranormals, to get it back. For once she’s looking for lust, not love. What she hadn’t planned on was coming face to face with an old obsession. Tall, dark, and oh-so-handsome werewolf Grayson West is well versed in the arts of war and women. He’s got one week to blow off steam before he heads out on his next mission and he’s more than willing to help a lady find her inner vixen. Especially when she’s the same beautiful blue eyed vamp he met one hundred years ago and has never been able to forget. They were once sworn enemies, pulled apart by war. Now they’re lovers. But history has a way of rearing its ugly head and their new relationship will have to stand up to the test of loyalty, friendship and even time itself.

Starlit Winter Nights


Nora Roberts - 2020
    The Playboy Prince. Ever the ladies' man, Prince Bennett of Cordina has always lived his life in the name of recklessness and pleasure. But as his royal duties begin to stack up, Bennett can't help but feel limited by his obligations to his country.When a distant cousin, Lady Hannah Rothchild, arrives from England, Bennett couldn't be more turned off. Modest and academic, Lady Hannah is not his type. Still, there's something intriguing about the reserved stranger. Lady Hannah has a secret, but the Cordina palace is not as safe as it once was and she must retain her privacy to protect herself.More and more, Prince Bennett and Lady Hannah are drawn together and, try as they might, the two cannot ignore the attraction growing between them. But Hannah cannot afford to get attached, even if Bennett is finally willing to risk his heart. Their love couldn't be anything more than a complicated dalliance...could it? Previously published.

The Golden Apples of the Sun: A Variation on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice


Ivy May Stuart - 2018
    “Mr. Darcy, who are you to dictate? My sister is twenty-one years old: therefore an adult. I will guarantee nothing on her behalf! Of course, you may treat Mr. Bingley as a child if you choose. It would be quite in keeping with the rest of your arrogant behavior. And now, I bid you a very good day, sir.” Angry tears pricked behind her eyelids and she turned to walk away. But Darcy reached out and placed a heavy hand on her arm. “Not so fast, Miss Elizabeth…” he began to say, when a shrill voice called out behind them. __________________________________________________________________________________ A QUEST FOR A LIFE OF MEANING. Elizabeth Bennet, a young woman possessed of a keen intellect and sharp wit has spent most of her young life in forced seclusion in the small rural village of Meryton. But with the arrival of two wealthy young gentlemen, things look set to change for the Bennet family, especially when Elizabeth encounters and clashes with the arrogant and controlling Fitzwilliam Darcy, never dreaming that he will come to admire her or that the social barriers between them can ever be surmounted. Darcy, despite being born to power and privilege, has always been discontented with his lot – not least because family obligations make marriage to his sickly cousin, Anne, unavoidable. Until he visits the small town of Meryton his attitude is characteristically contemptuous and bitter and it is only when he has to contend with Elizabeth Bennet and her disturbing ability to pinpoint his faults while mocking him at every turn that he is compelled to examine his own behaviour more closely. Slowly, Darcy travels the path to self-knowledge and in the process over comes his cynicism and begins to yearn for a life of purpose, passion and real fulfilment. BUT CAN DARCY HONOUR HIS OBLIGATIONS TO HIS FAMILY AND RESIST HIS DESIRE FOR ELIZABETH AND THE PROMISE SHE HOLDS FOR ENDING HIS LIFE OF LONELINESS? AND CAN ELIZABETH OVERCOME A FAMILY SCANDAL AND HER ABSORPTION IN THE WORLD OF IDEAS, TO SEE PAST DARCY’S ARROGANT EXTERIOR TO THE MAN WHO IS ON A QUEST FOR THE MOST PROFOUND FORM OF LOVE?

Sex, Murder and a Double Latte Collection: Passion, Betrayal and Killer Highlights\Obsession, Deceit and Really Dark Chocolate\Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss


Kyra Davis - 2014
    And when a filmmaker friend is brutally murdered in the manner of a death scene from one of his movies, she's convinced that a copycat killer is on the loose�and that she's the next target. The man who swoops in to save her is the mysterious new love interest Anatoly Darinsky. Of course, if this were fiction, Anatoly would be her prime suspect.… Passion, Betrayal and Killer Highlights When her brother-in-law turns up dead and her sister is accused of the crime, Sophie's priority is finding the real killer. With or without Anatoly's help. Her brother-in-law's secret life yields plenty of suspects, but the San Francisco police aren't taking any of them seriously. So Sophie does what comes naturally to her: she stirs up trouble (to lure the killer out, of course). Obsession, Deceit and Really Dark Chocolate Sophie's relationship with the irresistible and occasionally insufferable Anatoly is on the rocks when a friend recruits Sophie to decode her allegedly two-timing husband's strange behavior. Suddenly plunged into a crazy world of campaign mudslinging, dirt-digging and cover-ups, Sophie begins to uncover some pretty dirty secrets indeed. Way in over her head as usual, Sophie reluctantly�or not-so-reluctantly�enlists the help of her two-time sidekick and ex, Anatoly. Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss Sophie is head over heels in love�with a three-bedroom San Francisco Victorian. She's just got to have it, despite a few drawbacks. Her slimy ex is the realtor, and her first tour of the house reveals, well, a lifeless body clutching a cameo with a disturbing history of its own. There's no way Sophie is going to give up the ghost on her dreams of stained glass and original woodwork, though�especially since Sophie is 99 percent sure her problems are caused by someone six feet tall instead of six feet under….

Cannellino Caramel


Traci Andrighetti - 2018
    Her family is coming to town, but she’s pretty sure Santa isn’t. Her boyfriend’s flight home has been canceled, but her mom and matchmaker nonna still expect his proposal. To make matters worse, Franki and the family go to a restaurant where her only gift is stolen. With her holiday cheer on hiatus, Franki investigates the staff and uncovers something alarming. She has to act fast to ID the gift thief, or she could sleep in heavenly peace—with the fishes.Cannellino Caramel is book 4.5 in the Franki Amato Mysteries, but it can be read as a standalone story. 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!

Racing From Evil: A Nikki Latrelle Mystery Novella; The Prequel


Sasscer Hill - 2016
    Tony Ryan Best in Racing Literature awards.RACING FROM EVIL What happens to orphaned Nikki Latrelle after she flees from her pedophile stepfather through the streets of Baltimore and climbs the razor-wire fence into Pimlico Racetrack? Nikki’s drawn to horses, knows how to ride, and dreams of being a jockey. But how can a runaway with no ID, no family, and no income survive?“Could Sasscer Hill be the Dick Francis of her generation? Count me among those who would vote yes.” Margaret Maron, New York Times Best Selling Author and Winner of Edgar Best Novel, Edgar Grand Master, Agatha, Anthony & Macavity Awards

Murder at Mallowan Manor


Lesley Cookman - 2014
     It's the run-up to Christmas, Libby Sarjeant and her friend Fran have been invited to stay at grand old Mallowan Manor to investigate some mysterious rumours which are preventing the owner from selling up. A weird cast of characters, including an ageing actress and an enigmatic butler, makes Libby feel like she's ended up in an Agatha Christie plot …

A Diamond Choker for Christmas


Nancy Warren - 2016
    Unfortunately, her latest plan to manifest success is to borrow a priceless necklace to wear to her annual Christmas party in her mobile home. Toni’s worried somebody may try to steal the valuable jewels — but the truth is much deadlier. The Diamond family’s holiday cheer may turn into holiday fear!

Sweet Deal Sealed


Judith A. Barrett - 2020
    She moves to her hometown in southern Georgia and buys a charming, old-fashioned donut shop, complete with the owner's dog, cat, and secret recipes. Karen O’Brien begins her new life as the Donut Lady.Karen's struggles to solve the prison murder and adapt to civilian life become even more complicated when a neglected boy suddenly disappears from his sketchy living conditions. While the Donut Lady searches for the missing boy and pursues clues to solve the prison murder, the killer stalks her.The Second Edition of BOOK 1 of SWEET DEAL SEALED, DONUT MYSTERY SERIES includes all of the FIRST EDITION story PLUS murders to solve and a killer to stop. Right up Donut Lady's alley!

Father Shiftmas


Edith Hawkes - 2016
    to be a dad? Cora Reynolds and her baby were abandoned by her ex and are evicted and made homeless for Christmas. There is no one to turn to and salvation is thousands of miles away. An oncoming snowstorm threatens the life of her child and she can’t afford to tough it out. She must act now. Cora has always done everything by the book but desperation has changed her reality and she will do anything to protect her baby. Even if that means breaking the law. Joseph Stone, security guard and bear shifter, believes he is happy with his solitary life. He likes the simplicity of his routine, enjoys the safety that it provides him. Ask anyone: he doesn’t need or want change. But one snowy night an intruder upsets the balance of his world. He’s used to dealing with shoplifters, but this break-in is far from the norm. Now with a crying baby in his arms, Joseph is left considering something he’s never entertained before. Fatherhood! Father Shiftmas is a short paranormal holiday romance with a HEA and no cliffhangers.

Movie Scripts and Madness


Melissa Baldwin - 2017
    She just never thought she would be living in one.An aspiring actress, she left her normal life in Phoenix for the bright lights of Hollywood. Taking a job as the marketing assistant to a miserable boss at Blossom Studios, she believed this job would eventually open the door into the movie industry. When she finally gets her hands on an audition script, she refuses to let anything stand in her way. What she doesn’t expect is the return of her arch nemesis, the attention of the very dashing actor, Grayson Ellis and finding the body of the nosy receptionist. Before she knows it, Kendall finds herself embroiled in the mysterious events that are happening at studio. With each unfortunate incident including the disappearance of her boss, Kendall is right in the middle of it all. Could the answer be hidden in the canceled movie, Off the Pacific, or has the answer been in front of her the entire time? It’s obvious that someone has set out to destroy Blossom Studios and they will do whatever it takes to succeed. Kendall realizes that she must solve this mystery in order to prove her own innocence and possibly save her own life.

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 Mystery of the Missing Crystal Golf Ball


Jessa Archer - 2019
    Accusing the prospective members of stealing the priceless golf relic will surely insult them and they will stomp out, thus helping the thief escape and putting the New England small town club in yet more desperate financial straits. Word might get around. No new members might apply. The club might close. Because everyone in the clubhouse’s dining room is a suspect, amateur sleuth Beatrice is going to need all the help she can get to solve the mystery, find the thief, and recover the club’s precious crystal golf ball before lunch is over. This closed-door, short cozy mini-mystery is just the beginning of Canterbury Golf Club’s problems, but it’s certainly not the last. Enjoy this quick, bite-sized nugget of mystery and the series of golf-related mayhem starring Beatrice Yates, who is a retired kindergarten teacher and the Lady Captain at the Canterbury Golf Club!

Six Geese a' Slaying


Kathleen Bacus - 2013
    When her grandma’s nemesis, Abigail Winegardner, plans a living nativity, complete with a camel, Tressa’s competitive grandma won’t be outdone. Gammy is determined to create her own living—and molting—“Twelve Days of Christmas” pageant, but her aviary extravaganza is in jeopardy when the stars go missing, turning this holiday into a wild goose chase that’s bound to ruffle more than a few feathers. Will the plucky Tressa track down the missing cast before the curtain rises?