A Scone to Die For


H.Y. Hanna - 2016
     Armed with her insider knowledge of the University and with the help of four nosy old ladies from the village (not to mention a cheeky little tabby cat named Muesli), Gemma sets out to solve the mystery—all while dealing with her matchmaking mother and the return of her old college love, Devlin O’Connor, now a dashing CID detective. But with the body count rising and her business going bust, can Gemma find the killer before things turn to custard? (**Traditional English scone recipe included)

Desperate Housedogs


Sparkle Abbey - 2011
    What she doesn’t expect is that two hours later the police will find Kevin dead, his dogs impounded; and that as the last person to see Kevin alive (well, except for the killer) she is suddenly a person of interest, at least according to Homicide Detective Judd Malone.Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets - Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). They reside in central Iowa, but if they could write anywhere, you would find them on the beach with their laptops and depending on the time of day either an iced tea or a margarita.) Visit the authors at www.SparkleAbbey.com

Collared


L.A. Kornetsky - 2012
    Ginny Mallard, owner of a private concierge company, jumps at the opportunity to offer her services when she overhears someone complaining about losing some important legal documents. When the man hires her to find his missing uncle instead, Ginny realizes she’s bitten off more than she can chew. With her bartender friend Teddy Tonica, and also with their surprisingly helpful feline and canine companions, Ginny starts the task of finding a missing person. But will she be able to find him before he winds up dead?

Bones to Pick


Linda Lovely - 2017
    But she can’t walk away from her Aunt Eva, who needs help operating her dairy. Once she calls her aunt’s goat farm home, grisly discoveries offer ample inducements for Brie to employ her entire vocabulary of cheese-and-meat curses. The troubles begin when the farm’s pot-bellied pig unearths the skull of Eva’s husband, who disappeared years back. The sheriff, kin to the deceased, sets out to pin the murder on Eva. He doesn’t reckon on Brie’s resolve to prove her aunt’s innocence. Death threats, ruinous pedicures, psychic shenanigans, and biker bar fisticuffs won’t stop Brie from unmasking the killer, even when romantic befuddlement throws her a curve.

Death of a Dapper Snowman


Angela Pepper - 2014
    That is unless Jeffrey, the mischievous Russian Blue cat who led her to the icy body in the first place, can flick his sleek gray tail at the final piece in the puzzle.

Missing Marlene: Being A Nanny Is Murder


Evan Marshall - 2018
    That's odd, thinks Jane. The pretty blonde, daughter of an old friend of Jane’s, had always been reliable before and a great nanny to boot. Jane feels a sense of obligation to her old friend and calls Ivy. Truth be told, Ivy was the reason she hired Marlene in the first place. But Ivy has no idea where Marlene is. Jane wonders. If something’s happened to Marlene, she should notify the police. But when she does, the police figure Marlene has run away. No one else cares. What happened to Marlene? Never one to settle, Jane starts to snoop. SLEUTH FOR THE TRUTH Juggling book deals, rival agents, and a rocky romance with an author too handsome for his own good, Jane uncovers that Marlene had a secret life—including some erotic videos, a boyfriend with violent tendencies (as well as a police record), and an off-again, on-again flirtation with a mystery man. Jane finds out nothing about him, which makes her want to track him even more. But it’s Jane’s trusted tortie Winky who uncovers the critical clue. It is the last key which makes all the puzzle pieces fit. As Jane and Winky get to the bottom of who the real killer is, they try desperately to get the police to make their move before the killer strikes again—this time, with Jane as the next victim. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from HANGING HANNAH by Evan Marshall. REVIEWS OF MISSING MARLENE 3.46 average rating, 123 ratings, 8 reviews, added by 239 people, 73 to-reads, 86% of people like it—Goodreads 3.9 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)—Amazon ***** Five Stars “The nanny is missing and hardly no one cares. Starting reading this last night and couldn't put it down. It is one of the best mystery books that I have ever read. The book started out nice, put picked up steam. This story has everything. A missing nanny, murder, sex, friends, lovers and family. It is hard to tell too much about the story without giving away the twist of the ending that I never saw coming.”—T Toms, Amazon customer “A very fast and fun read.” Lennie Alickman “The Jane and Winky series is as cozy as a kitten – with tiny sharp claws.”—Jill Churchill "MISSING MARLENE is fast-paced fun. The characters are engaging and the twist at the end took me by surprise."—Laurien Berenson "Jane Stuart, the heroine, is a Miss Marple for the millennium!"—Kensington Publishing ”Miss Marple Lite!”--Kirkus Reviews ABOUT THE AUTHOR Evan Marshall is owner of The Evan Marshall Agency an independent literary agency specializing in fiction and author of The Marshall Plan® For Novel Writing, the international bestseller on novel writing technique now in its 20th anniversary edition. He is the author of 10 commercially published mysteries including the series Manhattan Mysteries and Jane and Winky Suburban Sleuths, named “Miss Marple Lite” by Kirkus Reviews. His books appeal to fans of Janet Evanovich, Lilian Jackson Braun, Agatha Christie and Alexander McCall Smith. You can reach him at evan@evanmarshallagency.com.

Kneading to Die


Liz Mugavero - 2013
    Now there's plenty of time to spend in her sleepy new Connecticut town working on her dream: baking healthy, organic pet treats!Before long the neighborhood dogs are escaping their yards to show up at Stan's doorstep, begging for the kinds of special homemade treats her Maine coon cat Nutty loves so much. And Stan's pet-loving neighbors are thrilled with the new organic options available to their furry family members. But not everyone loves Stan and her newfangled organic ways...It seems Carole Morganwick, the town vet, is from the old school of pet care. But when Stan swallows her pride and brings a very unwilling Nutty in for a checkup, she not only finds Carole dead under a pile of kibble. . .but also that she's in the dog house as the prime suspect! Finding the real killer and clearing her name will require some seriously surreptitious sniffing around. . .and hopefully, curiosity won't kill this innocent cat!Includes Gourmet Pet Food Recipes!

Stamped Out


Terri Thayer - 2008
    Featuring small-town stampers who are sure to leave their mark.A professional rubber stamper who creates intricate patterns on walls, April Buchert is back home in Aldenville, Pennsylvania, helping her father restore the famous Winchester mansion. But when a human skull tumbles out of the rubble, all eyes are on April’s father, who oversaw the construction twenty years ago. As unexplained deaths pile up and a dangerously handsome carpenter becomes a pleasant distraction, can April chip away at the truth before another innocent victim is stamped out?

A View to Die For


Richard Houston - 2012
    The sleuth is not a detective, private eye, or lawyer. He's an ordinary guy with an extraordinary dog.Jacob Martin is trying to make the best of a divorce and mid-life crisis when he gets a call at two o’clock Sunday morning from his mother. His sister has been arrested for the murder of her fourth husband, and his father is near death. Thus begins an adventure that takes Jake and his golden retriever from their Colorado retreat to a backwater town in the Missouri Ozarks where they search for cold-blooded killers, a cache of gold coins buried by Jesse James, and the love of a beautiful nurse.

The Persian Always Meows Twice


Eileen Watkins - 2017
    But scratch below the surface, and unmasking a killer becomes a game of cat and mouse . . .Professional cat grooming isn't all fluff--when the fur starts flying, Cassie McGlone, owner of Cassie's Comfy Cats, handles her feistiest four-legged clients with a caring touch and nerves of steel. While these qualities certainly help keep her business purring, they also come in handy when she makes a house call to her best client, millionaire George DeLeuw, and discovers his murdered body next to his newly orphaned Persian, Harpo.To help the local police find the actual killer, Cassie begins her own investigation. But no one, from George's housekeeper to his vindictive ex-wife, is giving up clues. Not until Cassie is given permission to temporarily board Harpo does anyone show interest in the Persian's wellbeing. Someone is desperate to get their paws on Harpo before the feline helps untangle a felony. Are there deadly truths that a cat whisperer like Cassie can coax out? She needs to tread lightly and remember she gets one life, not nine. . . . "A delightful debut mystery. It's smart, well-plotted, and features a cast of characters--both human and feline--that I want to see more of. This book will be catnip for cat lovers." --Laurien Berenson, author of Wagging through the Snow "The purr-fect mystery to curl up with for a lovely cozy read, preferably with a cup of tea, cuddly cat optional but recommended." --Leslie Meier, author of Turkey Trot Murder

Greyhound at the Gravesite: A Humorous Cozy Mystery for Animal Lovers


Kyla Colby - 2018
     Samantha Hodges is ready to get as far away from crime reporting as possible — especially after what happened in Chicago. Writing for the paper in her pets-obsessed hometown will be easy. Except that she’s not really into animals. And her first interviewee turns up dead. Sam must solve the murder to clear her name — all while attending Dog Zumba class with a new four-legged sidekick like it’s no big deal. If Sam’s going to uncover the dark side of her hometown, she’ll have to embrace the lighter side of life to do it. “Greyhound at the Gravesite” is a new cozy mystery. This novel is lighthearted, fast-paced, and full of quirky characters you can’t wait to meet again. ☆ Free novella — “Catnip & Culprits” — included in purchase! ☆ Scroll up and click Buy Now!

Cupcakes and Catastrophe


Sue Hollowell - 2021
    An escape to a quaint beach town. Will a mysterious murder derail a second chance at her dream?Tilly Griffin did everything by the book. Everyone else’s book. Now it was her turn to write a new chapter, three thousand miles from her former life. Her dream of opening a bakery like her grandma Luna was now becoming a reality.No sooner does she arrive in the charming beach town, when she and her quirky uncle are tangled up in a mysterious death. When a kite competition judge is found murdered in the bookstore next to her uncle's Checkered Past Antiques shop, Tilly questions her decision to move to Belle Harbor, and everything about her new life.As the clues emerge, and the small-town secrets are revealed, Tilly’s uncle finds himself smack dab in the middle of the investigation, and surrounded by suspects. Will the murderer be nabbed in time for the bakery’s grand opening or will this close the book on Tilly’s dreams?Cupcakes and Catastrophe is Book 1 in the Belle Harbor Cozy Mystery series. A light, cozy mystery in a quaint beach town with a fun loving, amateur female sleuth, her quirky uncle, and enough antiques and pastries to fill your home and your belly. No gore, swearing or cliffhangers. Can be read as a standalone.

Purr M for Murder


T.C. LoTempio - 2017
    Determined to save the shelter from financial trouble, Sydney and Kat organize a cat café fundraising event at a local coffee shop. Things are looking up until their landlord, Trowbridge Littleton, threatens to shut down the event. When Sydney drops by his art gallery to make peace, she finds Kat--along with Littleton's dead body.Local homicide detective Will Worthington--who just happens to be Sydney's old high school crush--is highly suspicious of the sisters' involvement. Desperate to clear their names from the suspect list, Sydney pounces on the investigation. With the help of one of the shelter cats, a savvy orange tabby named Toby, Sydney begins poking her nose into other local businesses whose owners may have benefited from Littleton's death--until the killer notices she's pawing a little too closely at the truth.Delightfully clever and charming, Purr M for Murder, the first in a new series from nationally bestselling author T. C. LoTempio, will leave readers clawing for more.

The Big Kitty


Claire Donally - 2012
    But there’s not much excitement—or interesting work—in Kittery Harbor. So when Ada Spruance, the town’s elderly cat lady, asks for help finding her supposedly-winning lottery ticket, Sunny agrees. But when she arrives at Ada’s, with a stray tomcat named Shadow tagging along, they discover the poor woman dead at the bottom of her stairs. Was it an accident—or did Ada’s death have to do with that missing lottery ticket, which turns out to be worth six million dollars?Town Constable Will Price suspects the worst. And Sunny’s reporter instincts soon drive her to do some investigating of her own. Even Shadow seems to have a nose for detective work. Following the trail of the purrloined ticket, Sunny and Shadow try to shed some light on a killer’s dark motives—before their own numbers are up...

Better Off Wed


Laura Durham - 2005
    Annabelle knows that even her trusted wedding emergency kit won't be able to salvage their careers if she and Richard can't find the real culprit.It's no easy task since the slain matron was perhaps the most hated socialite in DC, but Annabelle navigates through the city's colorful wedding industry and powerful social scene on the deadly trail of a killer. Always the bridal consultant and never the bride, she's seen her fair share of bouquet tosses. But there's no telling what surprises a ruthless killer will throw her way if she gets too close.