Book picks similar to
Leaving Sinful by Shari Hearn


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Mrs. Pickles' Perilous Parting (A Mystery Theater Presents Cozy Mystery)


K.P. Stafford - 2018
     At least for theater owner Jessica James and her crew in the small town of Peculiar. Things get shaky when they’re thrown into the crazy world of murder investigation. This new cozy mystery series is a step back in time for those that love old fashioned ghosts who like to stir up mayhem, amateur sleuths, and a few animals keep things lively and interesting. Jessica needs to pull off the biggest production of her life to save her small community theater. Murder in the theater threatens to bring her efforts to a screeching halt as she scrambles to figure out who the killer is and who can fill the lead role before opening night. If she can’t pull this off and the show is a flop, she will lose everything she’s been working so hard to hold onto. The resident ghost, Farley, keeps things stirred up with his antics and sarcastic remarks about everything, which leads to more trouble. Every time she turns around, the new deputy overhears her talking to thin air. How can she convince him that ghosts are real and she’s not some crazy lady who talks to herself?

My Wolfy Wedding: In Between


Renee George - 2018
    To celebrate (survive) their union on Friday, the Twenty-First of December, Two Thousand Eighteen at Four-Twenty-Three p.m. Destination: Peculiar, Missouri. The only thing Chavvah wants more than to marry Billy Bob is to have his baby, but since that ship has sailed thanks to prior trauma, she's happy just to get down the aisle with him and make their life together official. The date is set for the Winter Solstice, marking the longest night of year, but a challenge from an unexpected guest, is turning her special day into a fight-club nightmare. And after having postponed the wedding twice already, Chav is starting to think fate hates her guts. On top of that, there are almost forty werewolves camped out on Billy Bob's property, claiming that Chav and Billy Bob are their new leaders. But when Chav tries to get her spirit guide, Brother Wolf, to cough up answers, he ignores her. Worst, the silent deity is sending her BFF Sunny visions that are taking a physical toll on her human friend's all too frail body. Throw in Billy Bob's manipulative father, Chav's pushy mother, and other surprise guests, these two furry lovebirds may never make it to "I do!" Peculiar Mysteries series from USA Today bestselling author Renee George are laugh-out-loud, grip the edge of your seat, and swoon as you fall in love tales of mystery, humor, and romance that take place in the small (fictional-not the actual) Ozark shifter town of Peculiar, Missouri.

Fashion Goes to the Dogs: A Kate Killoy Mystery - Suspense for the Dog Lover


Peggy Gaffney - 2015
     Could Not Put Book Down - 5 stars "Peggy's description of the dog show scene is perfect and twisting a plot into the NY show was artful. Love introduced, politely and with good manners, leaving the reader hopeful the relationship continues in the next book. Where does Dillon go now that he is a champion dog? Ah, wait, wait...there will be more books." Sandra M. McDonald Can't wait for the next in the series! 5 stars "This book is a pure delight! ... Peggy writes a good action story, gives great insight into the dog show world, and develops a lovely love story, all around a very strong woman with classic self doubts. What a nice, nice read!" Susan H. An enjoyable story. 5 stars "I like dog books, detective stories, mysteries, and just about anything written well. This one had all of that. Although I haven't met the author personally I know her by reputation in the dog world, so I wanted to see what she had done. Within a few chapters it drew me in. I wanted to know what was going to happen, and found I was beginning to like the characters, which is a big deal to me. Even the names she used were easy to read. Her character development is better than you expect from a first time novelist, and the plot is well thought out with surprises in the right places. I was trying to ration the book and read just a few chapters at a time, but when I started reading today I decided to ignore the world until I finished. It's that good. I haven't enjoyed a book as much as this in ages." Ron Manor. FASHION GOES TO THE DOGS Kate Killoy is an expert at two things; knitting design and dogs. She arrives in New York City to launch her first line of fashion knits and exhibit her champion Samoyed, Dillon, but instead is drawn into a foreign world of international intrigue and attempts on her life. She even finds a dead body on her fashion show’s runway. When this witty romantic suspense story begins, it’s February. Fashion week is winding down and the country’s best known dog show is gearing up for a week of activities. In steps twenty-four year old Kate Killoy who has been showing dogs since she the age of seven and is launching a career as a designer. She is ready to take the fashion world by storm – those fashionable who love dogs. She’s invited her dog breeding friends to model her line of Fancier Fashions, before they compete in the best known dog show in the country. However, when she arrives at the event hotel she finds a poster of herself she never posed for, an FBI agent ready to arrest her and a bitchy dog groomer upsetting all her models. Her Irish temper and New England stubbornness keep her going ‘til the attempts on her life start piling up to the point where the police complain she is ruining the year’s crime statistics. She needs help. Along comes Harry Foyle, a former math geek for the FBI, who offers to help.

The Dangers of Candy Canes


Laura Levine - 2007
    Now it’s up to Jaine Austen to sift through a long list of scheming neighbors with dirty secrets in their stockings to expose a murder..

Mystic Notch Boxed Set: Books 1-3


Leighann Dobbs - 2017
    Join Willa Chance bookstore owner and the cats of Mystic Notch in three magical twisty mysteries. Book 1 Ghostly Paws Middle age can be murder ... At least that’s how it seems to former crime journalist, Wilhelmina Chance, whose near-fatal accident has given her a strange side effect ... she sees ghosts. After a messy divorce sends her fleeing back to her hometown of Mystic Notch, nestled in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Willa finds herself haunted by the tenacious ghost of the town librarian who insists Willa solve her murder. Luckily, she has lots of help, including a quirky cast of small-town characters, the cat she’s inherited from her grandmother, and her best friend, Pepper, who claims her herbal teas can work magic. But just when Willa thinks she’s discovered who the killer is, she finds out that things are not what they seem in Mystic Notch, and the case takes a strange turn that has Willa adding even some of her long-time friends to her suspect list. Can Willa find the real killer in time to keep the magical balance in Mystic Notch on the side of good, or will evil prevail? Book 2 - A Spirited Tail Middle-aged bookstore owner Willa Chance is looking forward to the opportunity of appraising a valuable private library that hasn't seen the light of day for fifty years ... until she finds a dead body in the backyard and the ghost of the home's previous owner anxiously waiting for her inside. Hampered by the persistent ghost who insists on keeping secrets from her, Willa navigates a sea of confusing clues as she struggles to uncover the connection between the recent murder and two murders fifty years ago. Is the answer contained in the secret she found in the library? Or the unusual bequest left by the long-dead owner of the house? Or maybe it has something to do with the mysterious journal that everyone seems to be after. Once again, Willa's cat Pandora has to help her figure out the clues, while she and the other cats of Mystic Notch try to keep vital mystical knowledge from getting into the wrong hands. Can Willa discover the identity of the killer in time or will she end up being the fourth victim? Book 3 - A Mew To A Kill When the ghost of a murder victim appears in Last Chance Books, middle-aged bookstore owner, Willa Chance, must find the ghost's killer or risk being haunted with its unwanted advice forever. Too bad the ghost suffers from amnesia and only has a few scant clues as to the identity of the killer. That's okay, though, because Willa has a pretty good idea who did it ... until her investigation turns up additional suspects with curious motives. Meanwhile her cat, Pandora, is on the hunt for a mystical kitten that the cats of Mystic Notch must bring into the fold before the kitten is enticed to the side of evil by a powerful foe. When Willa's own life is threatened, she enters into a race against time to figure out the identity of the killer before she becomes the next victim.

Summer in the Bayou


Caroline Mickelson - 2016
    James (AKA manners columnist Miss Prim & Proper) heads to Sinful, Louisiana to stay with her frail, elderly great-aunt Ida Belle, a woman she's never met. What better place to hide than a sleepy little southern bayou town where nothing ever happens? But when the bullets start to fly, she soon discovers that her aunt Ida Belle and friends are anything but feeble, and that Sinful is anything but quiet. When the corpse of a scorned suitor goes missing, Stephanie decides her best hope to escape a murder rap is to join forces with Swamp Team Three.

Death by Dancing: a 1930s Cozy Murder Mystery (A Higgins & Hawke Mystery Book 4)


Lee Strauss - 2021
    Haley Higgins is surprised to discover the deceased is the widow of a man whose body still lay in the cold cabinets of her morgue. She has reasons to believe the man’s death wasn’t natural, and now, with his wife having succumbed to the same symptoms, her convictions of foul play are stronger than ever.With the help of investigative reporter Samantha Hawke, Haley works to determine which contestants in the dancing contest had means, motive, and opportunity. And most of all, how to keep the killer from striking again.

Murder And Grits: A Piper Sandstone Savory Mystery Series (A contemporary Gulf Coast mystery with recipes), Book 1


Karen McSpade - 2021
    

The Missing Pom Mystery


Donna Doyle - 2021
    She’s ready for a change, and when she finds an opening at the Curly Bay Pet Hotel and Rescue, it seems like the perfect fit. Until a prize winning Pom disappears on the very first day and Courtney is in the firing line!The finger is pointed at her, and she has to get to the bottom of the case before her life is turned upside down once again.Join Courtney Cain in her very first Curly Bay Animal Rescue Cozy Mystery and meet a host of quirky, lovable characters, both furry and otherwise!

Murder in Starry Cove


Lucinda Harrison - 2021
    Will this be the new beginning she so desperately wants, or will the mysteries and secrets of this small town bring it all crashing down?After Poppy unexpectedly inherits her uncle’s Victorian mansion in Starry Cove, she makes grand plans to open a bed-and-breakfast. But when the local handyman winds up dead and the bodies start to pile up, Poppy’s recent arrival in the town raises eyebrows and sets tongues wagging. To make matters worse, she soon discovers the mansion has hidden secrets of its own that threaten her very safety.With the help of two faithful new friends, Poppy hatches a plan to track down the killer and clear her name. But can she nab the murderer before one of them becomes the next victim?

A Blooms, Bones and Stones Cozy Mystery Boxed Set Books 1 to 6


Olivia Swift
     In ‘The Secret of Chestnut Hall’ meet garden restorer Jasmine Summer as she and her friends unravel the secret behind a mysterious find in the gardens of Chestnut Hall. The following books feature her interesting and very different friends. This collection of cozy mysteries includes books one to six in the Blooms, Bones, and Stones series. If you like cozy mysteries with interesting characters, unexpected turns, magical moments and sweet romances, then this is the Cozy Mystery series for you! FREE on Kindle Unlimited Included Books Each book in the series is a stand-alone story, but your enjoyment of each story will be increased if you read them all. The Secret of Chestnut Hall - Jasmine (Jazz) Summer takes on a contract to restore an intriguing old garden for her client Evan Sutherland. Evan, a famous mountaineer, is trying to leave behind a shattered life and an ex-wife that almost ruined him. Chestnut Hall, Evan’s house and garden, has a mysterious past that intrigues the pair, but leads them into situations that they would never have dreamed about …and into unforeseen dangers. The Secret of the Jewel Shop - What do lavender, stones, and spirits have in common? You’ll need to read this love story within a love story to find out! Carly James dream of opening a jewelry shop is fast becoming a reality. The building’s history intrigues Carly, especially when she senses a spirit presence. Dex arrives on the scene for his brother Evan’s wedding. He’s recently been through a rough patch, however he’s starting fresh. Dex agrees to temporarily help Carly out in the store. He’s logical and serious by nature and skeptical about her crystal readings. Can two opposites really attract or will a schoolboy stalker cause a tragedy? Almost Picture Perfect - Miller Hollenbeck hates her job. In her spare time, she loves to upcycle furniture. Miller Hollenbeck dropped the screw she was about to tighten with her electric drill and it slipped to the floor. The door dropped away from her hand and fell over onto her shoulder. She swore loudly and expressively and pushed the door to one side as she retrieved the escapee screw. Meet Jules Callander, a successful photographer who is impressed with Miller’s work. What can happen when two redheads collide? The Secret of the Quilt - When Kim Summers begins to restore an ancient quilt; strange things start to happen. Kim’s dream is to turn her little garden shop into a large garden center, complete with a crafting and quilter’s area. With help from her long-time friend, Rob Manners, it’s quickly becoming a reality. Rob has carried a torch for Kim since he was ten years old. Is Kim brave enough to risk losing her best friend for love? Rob is not about to give up when Kim needs him the most. As they unravel the secrets of the quilt, with the help of their friends, perhaps there will be a message for Kim and Rob. The Secret of the Pendant - When Corby Santana receives an unexpected inheritance from her great uncle, she learns that he has left her a house along with a very unique turquoise and silver pendant. For Corby, it seems like a piece of good news, but she's not sure, especially when the will states she needs to wear the pendant when she visits the house. What secrets do the house and the pendant hold in store for Corby and her friends? The Secret of the Stones - Katarina Jones’ sensible exterior and strong practical streak often masks her real feelings.

High Heels Mysteries Boxed Set Vol. II


Gemma Halliday - 2012
    When Europe's designer de jour, Jean Luc LeCroix, invites Maddie to show her creations at Paris Fashion Week, Maddie's sure she's died and gone to heaven. That is until Jean Luc's top model is found dead on the runway, stabbed with a familiar stiletto heel. Sure someone is trying to frame her, Maddie enlists the help of her friends, including the sexy Detective Jack Ramirez, to uncover a daring jewel heist, a devious blackmailer, and even a few skeletons lurking in the closets of those closest to her. But as the evidence mounts, Maddie becomes the prime suspect and Ramirez is stuck between a badge and a cute blonde with a tendency for trouble. Will he stand by her as she attempts to track down an international killer, or will this be the case that finally comes between them? One thing's for sure, if Maddie doesn't uncover the real killer soon, she may be saying her final adieu.MAYHEM IN HIGH HEELS - book #5Maddie Springer is finally walking down the aisle with the man of her dreams. And she's got the perfect wedding planner to pull it all off in style. Well, perfect, that is, until the woman winds up dead - murdered in buttercream icing. With the help of her fellow fashionista friends, Maddie vows to unveil the cold-blooded killer, but as the wedding day grows closer, tempers flare, old flames return, and Maddie's race to the altar turns into a race against time.FEARLESS IN HIGH HEELS - book #6Morning sickness sucks. Which is why fashion designer turned amateur sleuth Maddie Springer has spent the last six weeks being a couch potato and Moonlight vampire movie devotee. But when Maddie's best friends finally convince her to venture out, Maddie stumbles on a dead body of a girl who has been bitten on the neck, and life suddenly imitates art in the most deadliest of ways. Now Maddie is smack in the middle of a murder investigation involving a deadly dance club and a coven of Hollywood "vampires". Not to mention navigating the world of baby showers, diaper genies and Lamaze classes with her LAPD Homicide detective husband who would rather his pregnant wife not continue popping up in his murder investigation. Between the hormones, the homicides, and a flurry of fangs, Maddie and her gang work to track down the deadly truth... before the killer bites again!Also available in High Heels Mysteries Boxed Set Vol.I:Spying in High Heels - book #1Killer in High Heels - book #2Undercover in High Heels - book #3Also Available:Sweetheart in High Heels - novellaChristmas in High Heels - novellaHoneymoon in High Heels - novellaREVIEWS:"A saucy combination of romance and suspense that is simply irresistible."- Chicago Tribune"Stylish... nonstop action...guaranteed to keep chick lit and mystery fans happy!"- Publishers’ Weekly, starred review"Maddie Springer is like a cross between Paris Hilton and Stephanie Plum, only better. This is one HIGH HEEL you’ll want to try on again and again "- Romance Junkies

Spellbound Sweets


Connie Shelton - 2017
    After baking a zillion pumpkin cookies, ghostly cupcakes, and an all-black cake for a young witch’s wedding, the gang is looking forward to a gala costume party at the neighborhood bookshop. But when one of the guests is murdered and a rare book vanishes—practically in front of their eyes—the evening takes a whole different turn and Sam finds herself in the midst of another mystery. BONUS: Includes 10 recipes from the author’s personal collection. Praise for Spellbound Sweets, from the anthology Midnight Mysteries: “This was my first time reading Connie Shelton, but it will not be the last. I love her writing style and love her main character, Samantha Sweet, whose series I will be buying. I tend toward more "heavy" mysteries, but this example of the cozy genre makes me want more. This was a real whodunit in the classic sense, with actors, a bakery, an antique book store, and witches to enliven the story.”— Riverlizzie, 5 stars on Amazon “Connie Shelton’s Spellbound Sweets novella is delightful. Just reading about Samantha Sweet and friends at her pastry shop will leave you drooling in anticipation of delicious treats. Join the Halloween party at a bookstore where someone dies and a rare book is now missing. This makes me crave another book in this series.” –Joanne K, 5 stars, Amazon “Connie Shelton created a book full of mystery, perfect from the first page! Don't you think there's always some mystery in the bookshops?” – Maria, 5 stars, Amazon "Spellbound Sweets"- Delectable yet witchy storyline that never wavered from the bakery aroma for too long! A longer read but worth the extra time for sure. The teamwork between Samantha and Beau was a main draw as well as attention to detail, down to the last frosted cookie.” – Janine Thiemann, 5 stars, Amazon “Spellbound Sweets by Connie Shelton was fun – although I think I gained weight reading about Samantha Sweet and the “crew” at her pastry shop. It is one of a few Samantha Sweet Magical Cozy Mysteries I’ve read and I’ll find previous stories to catch up.” – GDS, 5 stars, Amazon

Bound for Magic


Constance Barker - 2021
    But when a witness claims to have seen a strange animal with a human in its mouth, can Mary believe it, even if her instincts tell her it's true?Her cat Ugly seems to be making noises other than the usual meows...like she's trying to communicate. Is Mary losing it or is Ugly attempting to speak or something even more unusual?Mary's dreams are also trying to tell her something....that a group called the Soul Brokers are in need of payment. Make remuneration or forfeit an innocent soul. What the heck has she gotten herself into?***Find out in the First book of the Tortie Kitten Mystery Trilogy***

Deadly Beginnings: Hardy Brothers Security Books 1-3


Lily Harper Hart - 2015
    And not one of them is looking for a love match. Unfortunately, the women they meet are a little more than they can handle – and in danger at every turn. Find out if Mandy and James can make a relationship work despite a long past. Find out if Grady and Sophie can embrace a future despite obstinate personalities – and warring goals. Find out if Finn can help Emma overcome her haunted past and look forward to a happy ending. This omnibus includes the first three books – Deadly Intentions, Deadly Intuition, Deadly Illusions – in the Hardy Brothers Security romantic suspense series.