Ever bitten off more than you can chew? Sticky sweets can lead to a sour case of murder. Lydia Doherty is about to achieve her dream by opening up her very own saltwater taffy shop on the Jersey Shore boardwalk. A sweet dream soon turns into a nightmare, however, when a prominent local realtor is poisoned, apparently after consuming one of Lydia’s free samples. Determined to clear her name and save her business, Lydia dives into investigating, despite the potential danger. Who would have wanted the realtor dead? What was the real motive behind his murder? And why did the killer choose her delicious pineapple taffy as the way to commit this crime? Lydia is determined to get to the bottom of it all – no matter how sticky the situation becomes!

    Lovers of traditional mysteries will appreciate the web of fierce loyalty tempered with fearful caution that links Jazz’s tiny but hardy support system—both at work and at home. In every tale, Amato manages to mix all the excitement of an action thriller with the swirling emotions of a mainstream psychological novel. STEELE RESOLVE "Don't think you're untouchable…you or your son." Then a dial tone... Home is no haven with that that kind of caller on the line. Shrewd, hardened New York homicide detective Jasmine (Jazz) Steele’s just come back from a grisly crime scene involving the body of a brutally-beaten young girl, the second she's investigated this week. That was horrendous, but with these eight words, ending ominously in “your son,” Jazz’s immediate fear is for her nephew Chase, who’s already been through hell in his seven short years. In Kimberly Amato’s hard-boiled yet deeply emotional police procedural, no one is spared tough breaks and turbulent anguish. A lesser cop than Jazz would barely be able to cope. MELTING STEELE In Jasmine Steele’s heartbreaking new case, an entire family's been viciously murdered. Hard-boiled alert: author Kimberly Amato pulls no punches. The mother's throat was slit while trying to call for help and the father was shot in the chest, then gruesomely sliced up while still alive, like a scene from a horror film. Also found, the body of their young son, about Jazz’s son’s age, left in the closet with a snapped neck.  But it's the remaining clues to a missing fourth victim--a teenage daughter named Kaley--that leave her reeling. Kaley's seemingly disappeared without a trace. Soon Jazz discovers that the family had plenty of disturbing skeletons in its closet. Skeletons possibly warranting hiring a hit man on the Internet. BREAKING STEELE Gory video game violence comes home to roost when two store managers are brutally murdered in the back room of their gaming shop just before peek holiday season. The corporation that owns the store is doing everything it can to keep the matter quiet—but they won’t succeed if detective Jasmine Steele cracks the case. A fast-paced police procedural that’s as gripping as it is eerily personal. And this one comes with a captivating (although, as Jazz might say, a slightly “nerdy”) bonus: a heaping dose of the fascinating ins and outs of video game subculture. Which is far more murderous than the average reader would suspect. COLD STEELE Jazz gets a rude awakening when a 3-year-old cold case comes back hot. New York City’s “Carnation Killer,” a serial rapist and murderer, leaves his fifth calling card on a woman named Emilia Smith. The calling card? A heart-shaped carving into the woman’s chest and a single white carnation.

    You don’t want to miss this bundle of Vegas highjinks, murder, romance, and laugh-out-loud moments we all can relate to.Everyone Has a Hidden TalentFor Lucky O’Toole it’s murder…solving it.Surviving in Sin City takes cunning, a pair of five-inch heels, and a wiseass attitude. Lucky has mastered them all and has a pair of legs she uses to kick butt and turn heads.As the Chief Problem Solver for the Babylon, Las Vegas’s most over-the-top destination, mischief is in her job description.She’s good at her job.She’s less good at life. But who has time for a life when there’s a killer on the loose?Light, funny, romantic mysteries providing a Vegas escape appropriate for anyone looking for a good laugh.

    Kool-Aid and kids. Will the stains on the carpet ever come out? Is it contagious? But the most desperate thought churning through Chrissy Chronister’s mind was a hysterical mantra of “Please, don’t die. Please, don’t die. Please, don’t die.” But she did anyway.When Chrissy Chronister agrees to help in her small community church’s vacation Bible school she knows that it will be a hectic week of making crafts, telling stories and singing songs. However, she never expects it to land her in the middle of a murder investigation with her friends, fellow church members and possibly even herself being the prime suspects.Chrissy is a spunky, petite blonde (all adjectives she hates) mother of eleven-month-old, Lukas, along with her husband, Luke, living in south Georgia.As the newest church member Chrissy is stuck with the team teacher from hell, Ramona Snyder, a self-centered thorn in the flesh at United Community Church. However, she also is the richest woman around and her tithe is all that keeps the church solvent.The theme for the week is “God’s Beautiful World,” emphasizing saving our ecology. Thus, everyone has his/her own labeled eco-cup to be used each day during snack time. Day one Chrissy is already hearing Ramona making threats that she will be withholding her money from family members and causes if things do not change to her specifications.By the end of the second day Chrissy is holding a dying Ramona in her arms.The evidence shows that Ramona’s eco-cup has been poisoned. The only people with access are fellow members of UCC including Bro. Michael, the pastor accused of embezzling, his wife Melanie, John, whose farm Ramona foreclosed on, his pregnant teenage daughter Peggy, who Ramona disdained, Scott the youth minister, who Ramona had accused of having inappropriate relations, Emilie Anne the church secretary, Deacon Melvin, Ramona’s own children, Suzanne and Rick, and her husband Max.Chrissy is unwillingly drawn into the investigation. She tries to distance herself, but motherhood forces her back where she unintentionally finds clues through the help of her mischievous son. Due to Lukas’ baby monitor, blankie, tipping over trash cans, getting into ladies’ purses, crawling places he shouldn’t and destroying the story of Abraham and Isaac from his storybook, Chrissy finds skeletons that her fellow parishioners thought were deeply buried.Will Chrissy and baby Lukas solve the crime before the uncovered secrets tear their little church apart?

    No one can read just one! "Toby Neal's storytelling skills are evident in these books about a female law enforcement office in the Hawaiian Islands. The characters are always strong, interesting people with many layers to their personalities. Their actions often surprise, but not without clues laid by the author that help the reader understand. The plots are crafted with care, created so that they flow naturally and never feel forced. The stories pull in the reader and make it impossible to put down the books; I've often lost sleep when reading her latest because I end up reading late into the night. Most importantly, these books are a sort of immersion course in Hawaiian culture, food, and geography. There are many layers of details in these novels, information about native Hawaiians and those new to the islands, how the various cultures sometimes clash, how outsiders may have to alter their behaviors to be accepted fully. The food descriptions alone are enough reason to read the books.I loved every book in this series, each one adding to the story of Lei, her life, her family, her complex history, and finally, her growth into an amazing law enforcement officer." F. Pepoon, Reviewer

    She also has the uncanny knack of discovering murdered people. In this story Julia visits one of her clients, a genealogist called Hugo Barnes. Hugo has uncovered a family secret during the course of his work. He tells Julia that the client won’t be happy about the secret he’s discovered. Julia finds Hugo’s dead body the next day. She makes her own investigations into Hugo’s death and soon discovers that his assistant, Dinah, and his brother, Gilbert, have strong motives for killing him. Julia also finds out who the last client of Hugo’s was. Did they have a motive to kill Hugo too? And who is the man who’s been watching Julia’s house? A Lesson In Deceit - A Julia Blake Short Cozy Mystery In this story, Julia travels to Edinburgh University to visit her son, Sam. It’s not long before she stumbles upon a dead body. Julia is happy to leave the murder investigation to the police – until her son becomes one of their suspects. Julia has no option but to get herself involved, despite the danger she puts herself in. The Death Planner - A Storage Ghost Murder Grace Abrahams helps ghosts – particularly those who were murdered. She meets the ghosts at storage locker auctions. Grace meets Jenny Lorrimer. Jenny was strangled by the lead of her headset. Grace finds out that Jenny was an events planner and she was murdered at a wedding that she’d organised. Grace delves further and discovers two suspects – Jenny’s sister and Jenny’s best friend. A shock discovery leads her down a different route. A Lonely Death - A Pearl And Derek Mystery Derek Quill is an elderly gent who can see the ghosts of murdered people. With the help of his ghostly friend, Pearl, he finds out who killed them. In his first investigation, Derek meets the ghost of Eric Malone. Derek knows Eric from his schooldays. Eric bullied Derek mercilessly back then and now he’s asking for Derek’s help. Derek soon discovers that Eric never changed his bullying ways and there is more than one person who could be a suspect. Playing At Murder - A Butterworth Mystery A short murder mystery story It’s always been a dream of Connie Butterworth’s to be a private investigator. Now that she’s retired, she makes that dream a reality and sets herself up as an investigator. With reluctant help from her sister-in-law, Sable, Connie takes on her first client. What starts out as a simple case of tracking down a missing person soon turns into an intriguing case of deception, phone hacking and murder. A Ghost In The Store - A Ruby And Nessa Mystery A short ghost story. Ruby Laurel is a ghost hunter. She locates ghosts who are haunting places – or people. In this first story, Ruby is called upon to investigate a haunting in a supermarket. She soon discovers the ghost of a young woman called Mary Jackson. How is Mary connected to the supermarket? And why is she haunting it? Ruby’s investigation is made more difficult by the arrival of her troublesome younger sister, Nessa.

    A clingy Yorkie. And a dead Maid of Honor. It’s the first wedding Valerie Masters has ever planned and the start of her new business.There’s money flowing in Buckingham Downs, California, a small coastal town largely taken over by the rich, where weddings are a billion-dollar business. Val works tirelessly to make sure this one- the very first that she’s been hired to plan- is perfect, juggling a temperamental florist, a diva cake baker, and a self-obsessed DJ who’s threatened to walk off the job if the Chicken Dance is requested.Not to mention the biggest Bridezilla Val has ever seen, the bride’s “unique” family and snooty Maid of Honor.Starting a new business is hard, and this first wedding is turning out to be more than Val bargained for. Right before the wedding, Val finds the Maid of Honor dead and the expensive, one-of-a-kind wedding dress missing!Now, on top of getting a hitch-filled wedding to go off without a…well…you know, she has no choice but to solve this mystery. No wonder half of all new businesses fail!The stakes couldn’t be higher. This socially influential family has already threatened to ruin Val if any part of the wedding is ruined.But who among this motley cast of characters could be a murderer and a dress thief? And will Val figure it out in time to pull off the perfect wedding? Or will her business crash before it’s even started?White Satin & Murder is a full length cozy mystery novel full of humor, intrigue, and an adorable furry friend named Buttons. It's the first book in the Val Masters Wedding Planner series, which can be read in any order and are best enjoyed together.

    The town's local detective, Jack Irvin, has an eye for Meghan but will she find time to build a romance while she tries to clear her name? 3 complete BESTSELLING cozy mystery series in 1 boxset! Apple Pie and Trouble (Book 1) Meghan Truman always had a dream to become a Hollywood actress. Hollywood decided she wasn’t good enough. She left Hollywood broken but with a burning desire to start afresh in the Pacific Northwest, pursuing her second dream – opening a bakery. She never expected that the owner of a rival establishment would be found dead and all eyes would be focused on her as the prime suspect. As the new girl in town with a new bakery store, she’s determined to clear her name and find the murderer; otherwise she’ll have to leave Sandy Bay penniless and pitiful and possibly the murderer’s next victim. Brownies and Dark Shadows (Book 2) When Sandy Bay’s crème de la crème congregate to raise money for charity, Meghan Truman is proud to have her tasty desserts the talk of the party. She’s not so proud when the wealthiest couple in Sandy Bay are discovered dead and rumors circulate around town that her brownies are the cause of this tragedy. This murder case casts a dark shadow over Meghan’s budding romance with handsome Officer Irvin who’s disappointed that she’s once again at the center of another murder investigation. With everything to lose, Meghan must work hard to clear her name, restore broken relationships and solve this murder mystery before everything she’s worked so hard to build comes crumbling down. Cookies and Buried Secrets (Book 3) When a beautiful stranger sashays into a birthday party, Meghan Truman, along with other guests, is surprised to discover her relationship to the birthday celebrant. This beautiful stranger attracts more shady characters to Sandy Bay. When one of these characters is found dead in an alley, the whole town is set on edge. Will Meghan’s attempt to link the owner of a golden antique gun to the murder prove helpful to handsome Officer Irvin’s investigation or will the discovery of a buried secret lead to more murders? The first 3 books in the Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery series! Perfect for a lunchtime read or on a commute to/from work. If you want to enjoy a quick light-hearted read, with an amateur female sleuth, mouth-watering culinary desserts and a gripping murder mystery with a touch of romance, then you'll love Meghan Truman and all the quirky characters in Sandy Bay. No cliffhanger, swearing or graphic scenes! THE FULL SANDY BAY READING ORDER: 1. Apple Pie and Trouble 2. Brownies and Dark Shadows 3. Cookies and Buried Secrets 4. Donuts and Disaster 5. Eclairs and Lethal Layers 6. Finger Foods and Missing Legs 7. Gingerbread and Scary Endings 8. Hot Chocolate and Cold Bodies 9. Ice Cream and Guilty Pleasures 10. Jingle Bells and Deadly Smells

    This is their first full-length story. When San Francisco Homicide Inspector Rebecca Mayfield arrives at the scene of a deadly shooting, she's shocked to find that the witnesses have caught the killer, and that he's someone she knows. Rebecca's a by-the-book detective, and she's always done her job according to the rules, without hesitation ... until Richie Amalfi comes back into her life. Richie knows his way around everything and everyone in his city. When people say they "know a guy who knows a guy," Richie's the guy they're talking about. He can usually help people out of tight situations, but suddenly finds he can't get himself out of hot water when he's accused of murder. Richie's on the run, and he runs straight to Rebecca to help him prove his innocence. From the nightclubs of North Beach to the scenic heights of Twin Peaks, dangers lurk and more deaths happen. As Rebecca discovers there's a lot more to Richie than she thought, and a lot more to like than she imagined, she soon fears not only for her life, but also her heart.

    It wasn’t much, but it would keep Spot the cat in Kitty Queen tidbits.But then somebody poisoned Jack in Paul’s own living room. A day that begins with a body in your house really ought to get better, but next comes burglary and after that, assault-by-cop. And Paul’s got a feeling that’s just the beginning. There must have been something someone didn't want him to know in one of those client reports. But what?The wise-cracking, funny, but slightly depressed ex-journalist better become an ace private investigator in about two seconds—or end up like his detective mentor.Birnbaum's last report concerned a kidnapped child, so Paul begins there. The trail leads him to the laboratory of a Nobel laureate geneticist, and then to San Francisco City Hall, where an extremely nasty surprise awaits. But there’s an upside—lovely witness Sardis Kincannon. Nothing like falling in love while you’re running for your life!

    But when her perfect husband turns out to be a lying, cheating slimeball - and bad in bed to boot - Savannah kicks the jerk to the curb and embarks on life on her own terms. With a new apartment, a new career, and a brand new outlook on life, she's all set to take the world by storm. If only the world would stop throwing her curveballs...A CUTTHROAT BUSINESS - book #1Everyone has warned Savannah that real estate is a cutthroat business, but she doesn't think she's supposed to take the warning literally... until she finds herself standing over the butchered body of a competitor, face to face with the man her mother always warned her about.HOT PROPERTY - book #2When Savannah’s fellow realtor and friend Lila Vaughn turns up dead, tied to her bed and strangled, Savannah's old school mate Rafe Collier becomes a suspect. It's up to Savannah to find the real murderer before Detective Grimaldi can arrest the wrong man.CONTRACT PENDING - book #3Savannah has to make the choice between staying safe by accepting Todd Satterfield’s proposal, or taking a chance on losing her life - and her heart - by trying to help Rafe Collier, when the term ‘contract pending’ takes on a whole new meaning.

    One summer of her childhood is a mystery she intends to solve. But digging up her past also lays bare the skeletons of others, including her mother’s. Entangled between what she once believed and a new reality, will she be able to live with the consequences of full disclosure?

    It appears random...until US Marshal Jack Dillon recognizes one of the victims. An Ace of Spades in the victims mouth? Someone's seen too many movies. At least that's the thinking until the card appears in another victim, and another, and another one after that, and... Fortunately they have a suspect... But then there's another murder he couldn't have possibly done. Somethings awfully wrong and it's up to US Marshal Jack Dillon to find out what's happening, and fast!

    But, a serial killer is back in town, and Jake has to follow his trail. The only clue left behind is the dying words of the three victims. And, before he could have asked Kiara's help, she is sucked into a high political game that is spread across continents. Will they be able to solve the cases without each other's help and that too using their new, inexperienced partners? Book 2 - Perfect Crime The daughter of one of the most influential man in New York falls for a struggling investment banker. After a torrid affair, they finally get married. Everything seems to head towards a life of joy when the wife vanishes into thin air and the husband becomes the prime suspect. As Agent Kiara Davenport is about to get hold of him, a ransom call is made from overseas. And, as she is about to catch the caller, someone else confesses to the crime. She knows something is amiss and as she is about to get to the bottom of it, all the suspects start getting killed one by one. Everyone is a suspect and each suspect is more influential than the other. Will Kiara find the real culprit or become a pawn in the cat and mouse game? Book 3 - Wrong One When Kiara invited Jake to a family wedding, he had not thought that it will be different from any other wedding. However, he started sensing something wrong with everyone in the wedding party. Is Jake going to find out anything or is it a mere hunch? Or Kiara's fear of Jake creating a trouble in the marriage will come true?

    Dressed in her finest Parisian low-waisted gown, feather-topped tiara, and T-strapped Italian leather shoes, Ginger is ready to host the delectable event.It's a jolly good time, until someone chokes on the pudding.Is it an accident or is it murder? And can Ginger unravel the mystery before the church bells ring and New Year's Day dawns?Karen MacInerney - SLAY BELLS RINGIt's Christmastime on Dewberry Farm, and homesteader Lucy Resnick is busy bundling mistletoe bunches and cedar swags for the Buttercup Christmas Market when a neighbor's houseguest keels over right next to her peach orchard. Was it a stray bullet from a hunter that took him out? Or did a guest at the fancy ranch next door decide to scratch somebody off his or her Christmas list? It's up to Lucy to unwrap the mystery… before the holiday killer strikes again.CeeCee James - CHRISTMAS AT BAKER STREETIn this Baker Street spin-off, Oscar and Cecelia find themselves and the guests snowed in this Christmas holiday. What should be all sugar cookies and hot cocoa takes a drastic turn when one of the guests turns up cold—as in stone cold dead. With no help in sight, the two hope to find the killer before anyone else gets iced out, including them.Nancy Warren - CAT'S PAWS AND CURSESIn this classic closed room mystery, someone is murdered during a knitting class. But how was it possible? Lucy Swift and her band of undead knitters must catch the culprit before there's a second Christmas catastrophe!Molly Fitz - MEOWY CHRISTMAS MAYHEMIt's Angie's first Christmas as a pet owner, and she can't wait to celebrate with Octo-Cat, Paisley, and Nan. All it takes is a little finely-crafted trickery to get her crabby tabby into the local pet supply store for a special photo opportunity with Santa. Unfortunately, the jolly old soul is found dead in the stock room before he ever gets the chance to say "cheese." Angie and her motley crew of sidekicks need to work fast to find the culprit and prevent any further suspicious holiday slaying... Otherwise, the most wonderful time of the year could end up becoming the most murderous season Blueberry Bay has ever seen.Addison Moore - CHRISTMAS FUDGE FATALITYMy name is Lottie Lemon, and I see dead people. Okay, so I rarely see dead people, mostly I see furry creatures of the dearly departed variety, aka dead pets, who have come back from the other side to warn me of their previous owner's impending doom.The holidays have arrived and the Jolly Holly Tree Lot is hosting a special event that has the entire town bustling to get a picture with the jolly old elf himself. And I'm just as anxious as anyone to get to the front of the line, but that body I stumble upon threatens to take the joy right out of the season.