Book picks similar to
Tomes and Terriers by Hillary Avis


mystery
cozy-mystery
first-in-series
mystery-cozy

Brewing Up Trouble


Constance Barker - 2020
    Her family lives near the lighthouse, which her uncle operates. Her cousin Blanche helps her at the botany store and a flaming drag queen ghost interrupts her on a daily basis. Moira, the ghost, was Marvin in real life. After death she barged out of the closet with a martini in one hand and a long sleek cigarette holder in the other.When Ivy's regular customer ends up missing, she becomes entangled with a private investigator who is also searching for her. Everette has hot cars and a tight ass as Moira describes it. But Ivy's not that easily swayed by good looks and his weird charm.Can they discover what has happened to the woman or will they be next on the missing list?***Find out in the first book in the Ivy Botany Shop Cozy Witch Mystery Series***

Scrabbling for the Culprit


Jane Wallace - 2020
     Adult triplets Cassie, Callie and Lonnie Parker, have thrown their hearts and souls into planning the Scrabble tournament Callie is hosting at the local high school. But, when a bookcase full of dictionaries lands on a beloved teacher, murmurs of foul play threaten the entire competition. With the new-to-the-county detective, who doesn't know the townspeople yet and a school full of suspects, can these siblings work together to find the killer, keep everyone else safe, and move all the pieces into place to run spectacular tournament?

Murder Any Witch Way


N.M. Howell - 2016
    It’s even harder when you live in a town that doesn’t believe in witches. When young witch River Halloway moves to sleepy Brimstone Bay for her very first journalist job she doesn’t expect to cover anything ground-breaking, until a paranormal festival comes to town and a body is found on opening night. Now, with all evidence pointing towards a witch, River must find the true killer before she becomes the prime suspect, or worse, the next murder victim.

Second-Hand Murder


Blair Merrin - 2016
    Will Cassie, and her P.I. pal Dash, find out the meaning behind the unusual artifact before it's too late? This Paranormal Cozy Mystery is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat, and make you laugh out loud too!

Magically Murdered: A Witch Cozy Mystery (Paranormal Bed & Breakfast Mysteries Book 1)


Joynell Schultz - 2020
    

Death and Doubloons


Nola Robertson - 2019
    Add in a muffin stealing mouse who her grandmother insists is her reincarnated great-great uncle, the mystery of some stolen doubloons, and a hot detective who thinks Rylee should be at the top of his suspect list, and things get a whole lot worse.Luckily, with the help of her two best friends, a newly acquired pet, and a local club of paranormal believers, Rylee sets off to do some supernatural sleuthing whether she wants to or not.

Murder in White Lace


Karen Sue Walker - 2016
    When her boss goes on vacation, things quickly unravel when one of her brides-to-be collapses in the shop during a fitting and dies at the hospital soon after, apparently poisoned. When her childhood friend is accused of the murder, Max decides to investigate and clear his name. With help from her new assistant, Keiko, and the other colorful residents of Crystal Shores, Max begins to weave together a list of suspects, much to the concern of the handsome Detective Cruz. Will she be able to tie up the loose threads and catch the murderer - or will the murderer get to her first?

The Body on the Barstool


Lolli Powell - 2016
    With a lousy apartment, less-than-promising job prospects, and even worse romantic ones, the inheritance comes at just the right time. Ricki packs up her cat and heads for the Buckeye State.Now she's trying to change the Top Shelf from a bar known for its Friday night fights into the kind of drinking establishment where you can bring your granny. But finding her ex-husband dead on a barstool at opening time one morning just might put a kink in those plans.

Into the Lion's Den: (A Christian Amateur Sleuth Mystery)


S.E. Biglow - 2021
     Reverend Margot Quade never expected to be dropped in the midst of a murder. She just wanted to get reacquainted with her hometown of Port Marie, Vermont, maybe find her place in the world again after serving her tour of duty. But when a friendly dinner with a member of her unit turns deadly, she's pulled into a mystery she can't help but solve. Then things go from dead to worse when she and all the suspects are stuck in the victim's home during the worst snowstorm her little town has seen in decades. Now she'll need more than a prayer to discover the truth behind who wanted the victim out of the picture ... and to stay alive herself. To complicate matters, her strained relationship with her cousin, who just happens to be the attending officer, threatens to ruin the whole investigation. Can Margot and her cousin set aside their differences and bring a killer to justice? Or will the real reason behind the murder haunt Margot as much as her past? Scroll up and one-click now to see why fans of Alison Golden and Mindy Quigley will love INTO THE LION'S DEN.

Dying To Win


Eve Craig - 2017
     Holly Bridges had always dreamed of having her own stable. While out for a drive in the country, she found a farm with a large indoor arena and several outdoor arenas. Even though it looked like it hadn't been used in years, it was the perfect location for holding equestrian shows and stabling horses. Shortly after opening, Holly managed to acquire a prominent local's horse as her first boarder. With the new tenant it looked like Happy Hollow Stable's first equestrian show could be a huge draw for the locals. Well, that is until a dead body showed up in a nearby field. Will the show go on or will Holly have to give up her lifelong dream?

Drop Dead, Gorgeous


Mike Jastrzebski - 2016
    She had to come back from the grave to convince him she was murdered. Oh, and she brought along the ghost of her mother.What was she thinking? Artie didn't get along with his mother-in-law when she was alive...why would it be any different now?If you like a great mystery and don't mind a couple of ghosts mucking things up, grab this book now. You won't regret it.

Snowflakes, Cakes & Deadly Stakes


Erin Johnson - 2020
    A murderer on the loose. Can a baking witch save this Christmas from going down the chimney?Imogen Banks can’t wait to celebrate her first Christmas as a newlywed to her beloved Prince Hank. But when his estranged Aunt invites the royal family and all Hank’s unruly nieces and nephews to their run-down castle in the woods, Christmas goes from deck the halls, to where’s the rum balls?As tensions among the family and manor staff grow hotter, a blizzard blows in, trapping Imogen and the holiday guests inside. When Santa drops dead on Christmas morning, Imogen is forced to find the killer before someone she loves is next. Can she apprehend the cold- blooded murderer before they slay again?Snowflakes, Cakes & Deadly Stakes is an enchanting short story that can be enjoyed stand-alone, or as a continuation of the Spells & Caramels series. If you like funny witch heroines, holiday baking mishaps, and danger around every corner, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s perfectly whimsical mystery.

The Salty Taste of Murder


Christine Zane Thomas - 2018
    She's a foodie, and a runner. A restaurant reviewer by day, and a Netflix aficionado by night.Even if it doesn’t make her the most popular dinner guest in the charming southern town of Lanai, Georgia, Allie’s reviews are always honest.And her latest is no different from any other.But Allie’s review isn’t the only thing to hit the newsstand. The restaurant’s owner and Allie’s one-time high school nemesis, Jessica Hayes, is found murdered. When Jessica’s husband, Miller, is labeled the prime suspect, Allie’s convinced the police are mistaken.As if dodging the bad press while she works to clear Miller’s name isn't enough, one false step could put the real killer onto her.Can Allie clear Miller’s name without winding up with the next obituary?

Hyde Park Heist


Bettie Jane - 2018
    A generation of lost youth. An elite women’s group determined to find their place in the world. Welcome to Piccadilly Ladies Club. Julia Barlow is an elite member of this all-female club for writers, illustrators, and daughters of accomplished gentleman. She is caught between her desire to prove herself as a respectable journalist in male-dominated 1920’s London and a carefree existence as one of the Bright Young People living life on her terms. When a scavenger hunt at Hyde Park goes badly and her dear friend Jimmie is accused of a heinous crime, Julia finds herself and her friends in the middle of a high-society scandal that could destroy their charmed way of life. Can she clear Jimmie’s name or will her stubborn determination to find her place in the world get her and her friends into even more trouble? Hyde Park Heist is the first book in Piccadilly Ladies Club Mysteries. Join Julia and her best friend Edith on rowdy treasure hunts, at exclusive, often garish house parties, and at speakeasies and jazz clubs where they dance and drink the nights away, challenging the standards of their birthright at every turn.

On the Chopping Block


Jenny Kales - 2016
    The 36-year-old Greek-American proprietor of “Callie's Kitchen,” a meals-from-scratch business in an idyllic small town, has been busy creating a post-divorce life for herself, her young daughter and her Yorkie, Koukla. After a lot of hard work (including staving off her father’s continual advice), she’s got the locals and tourists clamoring for her delicious Mediterranean dishes and Midwest comfort food classics. Recently, she’s started a budding romance with a fellow foodie, the wealthy owner and chef of Crystal Bay’s most popular bistro. However, success is as fleeting as one of Wisconsin’s glorious autumn days. As local businesses begin to shut down due to a slow economy, Callie is struggling not to become another statistic. A contest with a hefty cash prize seems like the perfect chance to fix her financial woes, until a shocking murder threatens not only her livelihood – but her life. When she’s targeted as a prime suspect by an attractive expat British detective, Callie’s situation becomes more delicate than her Greek egg-lemon soup. She’s got to find the killer and fast if she wants to protect her daughter, save her business and stay alive.