A Murderous Valentine (Admiral Shackleford Mystery #1)


Beverley Watts - 2021
    Having been instrumental in improving the lives of so many (his words - others might be inclined to call it something slightly different...), he was struggling to reignite the spark in his own love life with the feisty Mabel. Short on ideas, he decides to gatecrash his much put upon former Master At Arms and best friend Jimmy Noon's Valentine idea and ends up in the middle of a murder mystery weekend... where real murder is on someone else's script. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with a hotel full of potential murderers, the unstoppable duo embark on a series of blundering escapades in an attempt to uncover the Murderous Valentine... The Admiral and Jimmy may be more Laurel and Hardy than Holmes and Watson, but can they catch a murderer...? This humorous cozy mystery short read is the first in The Admiral Shackleford Mysteries.

A Bride for the Texas Ranger


Charlotte Dearing - 2019
    He must, however, work a deal with her. She needs money to save her ranch and he needs access to the spring on her property. Seems simple, right? But nothing’s ever easy with Pearl. The woman is steely and stubborn, but she’s lovely too, with a carefully concealed, vulnerable side. As much as he tries not to notice, thoughts of Pearl distract him plenty. She stirs all sorts of protective notions. He yearns to shield her from the dangerous outlaws that lurk in the nearby canyons. When whispered rumors turn into deadly threats, Levi vows to do whatever it takes to keep Pearl safe.

The Harrisons Boxed Set: Books 1-3: When I Fell For You


Alexa Bloom - 2017
    Over a 100 five-star reviews. Over 600 pages of heart-melting romance. Find out why legions of readers have fallen in love with award-winning author Alexa Bloom's stunning contemporary romance series! The Harrisons Prequel: Once In A Big Dream The Harrisons Book 1: Once In A Blue Kentucky Moon (NATIONAL READERS' CHOICE AWARD WINNER) The Harrisons Book 2: Once In A New York Minute ONCE IN A BIG DREAM After 5 long years inside, Joe Harrison is finally about to taste the freedom he's been dreaming about for so long, except that the outside world doesn't exactly look too kindly on ex-cons. Now, he's keeping his head down at Keeneland trying to stay out of trouble--except trouble finds him in the form of Rose Parmenter. Rose's perfectly ordered life is bubbling along very nicely. Except for the fact that she hates her mother's endless snobby society lunches, she'd rather be a photographer than an accountant and she doesn't love her successful businessman fiancé, Geoffrey. When her photography group heads to Keeneland one day, a chance encounter with gorgeous stablehand Joe, sends their lives skittering in a direction that neither one of them could have imagined. But even as they dream of what could be, the shadows of Joe's violent childhood are about to explode into their lives with savage fury. ONCE IN A BLUE KENTUCKY MOON Tatum O'Connor thought she'd found her happy ever after with the guy of her dreams—but now her life is more like a waking nightmare than the fairy tale ending she'd dreamed of. Fleeing for her life, she winds up at enchanting Lockwood Farm—the place she'd always dreamed of as a kid, only to find that dealing with Lockwood's good-looking but cocky owner Blake Harrison, is a whole lot more than she bargained for. When her presence is unexpectedly discovered, events take a swift and ugly turn. Blake Harrison's relentless hard work turned his late father’s legacy Lockwood Farm, in the heart of bluegrass Kentucky, into a thriving five-star racehorse training facility—until a freak run of bad luck pushed it to the verge of bankruptcy. But even as his cherished family farm plunges further into debt, Blake finds himself magnetically drawn to the enigmatic new stable-hand with the endless doe-eyes. After a passionate waterfall encounter, Tatum's tangled web of secrets starts to unravel and Blake is rocked by the discovery of a devastating secret that leaves him with an impossible choice: does he try and save the family farm he cherishes...or the woman he’s come to love? ONCE IN A NEW YORK MINUTE Laura Harrison is reeling from a failed marriage and a failed business - and the humiliation of her New York days still burns like it was yesterday. Drowning herself in work at the family's Kentucky thoroughbred farm has helped keep her demons at bay, but when her sister unexpectedly turns up from Manhattan, the mysterious letter she delivers forces Laura back to the city she swore she'd never return to. Back in New York, Laura's conniving ex-husband swipes the rug out from under her all over again and she decides to leave the treacherous NYC fashion scene once and for all. Only a chance encounter with old family friend—tall, handsome Marcus, has her thinking twice. She soon finds herself falling for her cute new roomie and his adorable young son, but when the fashion sharks start to circle again and Laura turns to the one guy she thought she could count on - can she survive the worst betrayal of them all? “Alexa Bloom draws you into her richly compelling world of characters so seductively, you'll be rooting for Tatum and Blake like you've

Forever Cherished


Juliette Duncan
    Her older sister arranges for her to spend time at 'Misty Morn', but Leah is suspicious of her sister's motives."Forever Cherished" is a stand-alone novel, but is better read as a follow-on from "The True Love Series" books. If you haven't read them yet, Book 1 is free, and the Box Set is a bargain at 50% off the full price of buying each book separately.

Eve Lloyd's A Deadline Cozy Mystery - Books 6 to 10


Sonia Parin - 2020
    

In the Dismal Swamp


Patrick Balester - 2008
    He is quickly disappointed when a dead body turns up floating in the Great Dismal Swamp. And this is not just any dead body. Ashley Myrtle was the wife of a prominent local politician. Greg soon discovers that Ashley, an apparent drowning victim, may have been murdered. Unfortunately, no one wants to believe him. The mayor, the woman's husband, an old boyfriend and even her coworkers seem eager to rule her death an accidental drowning. With help from a reluctant FBI agent, Greg follows a trail of small town secrets and lies to discover what really happened on that cold spring day. Refusing to give up, he discovers a vital clue deep in the swamp that leads to the killer. But justice won't be served until he can prove it was a case of murder.

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.

Saving Jason


Kate Anslinger - 2014
    Underneath that fun-loving surface lurks a severe case of PTSD, his personal souvenir from the war on terror. After his young marriage breaks up, he bounces from girlfriend to girlfriend, never allowing himself to get too close, all while maintaining a friendship with his ex-wife, Samantha Colton. Everything changes when he meets Abby Jacobsen, a smart and sassy artist - but with love comes jealousy, and Abby doesn't stand for Jason's cozy friendship with Samantha. Two hours after a heated argument causes Jason to storm out of their apartment, Abby receives a phone call from the intensive care unit of a New Hampshire hospital. The hospital walls close in on Abby and Samantha as they are forced to make tough decisions while trying hard not to kill each other. The two form a rare bond when Emma Jane, Jason's mom, arrives on the scene. Three weeks after Jason's accident, Abby is left alone and hovering over a handful of positive pregnancy tests. During her pregnancy, Abby works with Samantha to dig up clues of Jason's past. As the truth is discovered, their worlds are irreversibly changed. An emotionally-moving look at PTSD and the intersection of three lives, Saving Jason is a riveting glimpse into unexpected friendships and the ripples we leave without our knowledge.

Mark of the Loon


Molly Greene - 2012
    She struggles with the inability to put down roots years after the sudden death of her beloved parents. Madison and her three wise, hilarious friends all wonder if she uses her busy, work-centric lifestyle as an excuse to avoid connection with anyone but them.When Madison checks out a probate sale outside Healdsburg, California, she falls in love with the European-style house on a private tract of land overlooking Lake Sonoma. In fact, she likes the place so much she climbs in the window for a private tour. With help from lawyer and friend Genevieve Delacourt, Madison soon learns that the estate’s corrupt attorney has manipulated the sale and is attempting to steer the purchase to an anonymous client in a deceitful plan for personal gain.Good fortune enables her to purchase the Blackburne’s property, but far more than a new home and lush gardens await discovery during this renovation. As Madison works on the remodel, she’s drawn into an old love story with dangerous consequences. In the process, she discovers herself as she unearths buried secrets. The series of events both endanger Madison and lead her to love – and a permanent home. Mark of the Loon is the skillful combination of history, mystery, and romance in a novel that explores deep friendship, choices, and how individuals cope with loss.

Calm and Bright in Dog Town


Sandy Rideout - 2018
    A frantic search for the perfect, furry gift. Will a Dog Town Christmas miracle be enough to heal the rift?Flynn doesn’t want a new dog. When her beloved shepherd, Majesty, passed away she vowed never again. Maj was the dog of Flynn’s heart and the muse to her art. Six months later, she’s still shaken and her cartooning career is floundering.Husband Denver longs for a new canine companion, especially since Majesty only had eyes for Flynn. More than anything, however, he wants to see his grieving wife happy again.A Christmas Eve spat sends Flynn on an urgent mission to surprise Denver with a new dog. How hard could it be to find a cuddly four-legged gift in just a few hours? It is Dog Town, after all.Friends old and new join Flynn’s frantic and funny search for Denver’s ideal dog. Can the magic of Christmas deliver a minor miracle? Is there a tiny space left in Flynn’s heart for just the right pooch?

Hardback Homicide


S.E. Babin - 2021
    I inherited a grumpy Persian cat named Poppy who loves to make her displeasure known around the store … loudly.Things are good until I deliver a special order only to stumble over a body. Suddenly all eyes are on me. Now I have a handsome detective and an annoying reporter on my tail, hounding me about the case.All I want to do is crack open my favorite paperback, grab a cup of coffee, and chill, but with a murderer out there and suspicion falling on me, I have to do a lot more than read.I have to find out whodunnit and quick before I become the next subject of a murder mystery…

What Happened to Rachel? (The Anglesey Murders Book 6)


Conrad Jones - 2020
    

A Grave Gala (Sugar Martin Vintage Cozy Mysteries Book 2)


Shéa MacLeod - 2019
    With some reluctance, she joins the rest of the glamorous attendees on the veranda for cocktails and dancing until the gala turns grave indeed when one of the guests is murdered. With the sure knowledge there’s a killer among them, Sugar sets out to unearth the secrets that led to the death of a peer of the realm. With the help of a grumpy corgi and a handsome Englishman, she’s on the hunt for a cold-blooded killer and she won’t stop until she gets her man! The second book in the Sugar Martin Vintage Cozy Mysteries set in post-WW2 England.

Where There's Smoke: Charlie Walden's First Case


Peter Murphy - 2017
    But he soon finds himself struggling to keep the peace between three feisty fellow judges who have very different views about how to do their job, and about how Charlie should do his.And as if that’s not enough, there’s the endless battle against the ‘Grey Smoothies’, the humourless grey-suited civil servants who seem determined to drown Charlie in paperwork and strip the court of its last vestiges of civilisation.No hope of a quiet life then for Charlie, and there are times when his real job – trying the challenging criminal cases that come before him – actually seems like light relief. If you like Rumpole of the Bailey, you'll love Walden of Bermondsey Praise for Walden of Bermondsey 'No one writes with more wit, warmth and insight about the law and its practitioners than Peter Murphy. He has no equal since the great John 'Rumpole' Mortimer' - David Ambrose'Though his exasperation is sometimes palpable, what triumphs over everything is his sense of humour. And it is the humour that makes Walden of Bermondsey such a delightful read. Think of him as what Rumpole would be like if he ever became a judge, and you get some idea of his self-deprecating wit and indomitable stoicism. Add a dash of Henry Cecil for his situation and AP Herbert for the fun he has with the law, and you get a sense of Peter's literary precedents' - Paul Magrath

Unexpected (Bittersweet Book 2)


Karen Lenfestey - 2017
    Sure, she loves fostering shelter dogs, but she never imagined herself as a mother. Anxious to be an aunt, her sister starts pressuring her to be someone she’s not. Her new friend wants her to stay fun and unencumbered. When Hope’s ex says he wants back in her life, she feels like it might be what’s best for her baby. Pulling away from her sister, Hope spends more time with her new friend and risks letting her ex break her heart all over again.