Book picks similar to
The Murders at Foxglove Close: A brilliantly addictive cozy murder mystery (A Neighbourhood Watch Mystery Book 1) by Rose Temple
mystery
tbr-ebook
strong-female-protagonists
first-in-the-series
The Magpie
Marrisse Whittaker - 2021
A detective who is out of control. Meet DSI Wilde. Wilde by name. Wild by nature. DSI Billie Wilde is on a mission to catch the killer responsible for a horrific showcase of murders, in order to prove that she’s still at the top of her game. But when hidden skeletons come out of dark corners, she is forced to confront her past and face the truth - that she is the ultimate target, now firmly in the executioner’s sights.As Billie grapples with her past, and learns she isn’t who she thought she was, she uncovers devastating childhood links to each of the victims. The past refuses to stay buried and Billie soon finds herself wondering if she knows who’s behind the brutal murders.But can Billie solve the case and unravel the mystery of her own past before it’s too late?
A Wicked Mercy (Harriet Quinn Crime Thriller, #1)
Bilinda P. Sheehan - 2019
Although the police are convinced that these are open and shut cases, Forensic psychologist Harriet Quinn is certain the deaths are due to foul play. Her suspicions deepen when her own friend becomes one of the victims.Fighting the police’s indifference, she sets out to prove that a murderer stalks the village. A murderer that her training tells her might be hiding in plain sight.
Book One of the Harriet Quinn series is an explosive crime fiction series debut where murder and mystery take centre stage in this dark thriller.
For fans of LJ Ross, Val McDermid, JD Kirk, Chris Carter, Joy Ellis, Angela Marsons, and Sally Rigby
Death at the Abbey
Jan Durham - 2022
A clever canine. A seaside sleuth.After the death of her husband, Liz McLuckie has taken early retirement and moved to Whitby, a picturesque fishing town on the North Yorkshire coast. She thinks the renovation of two ramshackle fishing cottages will take her mind off things, but soon discovers Whitby isn’t quite the peaceful retreat she imagined.When she discovers the body of a local Professor near the medieval Abbey, Liz reluctantly finds herself at the centre of a murder investigation. The post mortem reveals death by drowning. So how did he get onto the clifftop? And why did he have a fish in his pocket?Liz follows the trail of the murderer, and many red herrings - both literal and metaphorical - in the company of her friends, including an almost-reformed burglar, a disgraced archaeology student and Nelson the bull terrier - the ugliest (and bravest!) dog in Yorkshire.Death At The Abbey — Book 1 in the Kipper Cottage Mystery series. Perfect for fans of Stella Cameron and Frances Evesham.
The Killing Boys
Luke Delaney - 2021
When Abigail Riley's body is found in an underground shelter, DS Fraser Harvey finds himself hunting her killers--whose depravity is matched only by their naivety.Eleven years later, when the young murderers are released to faraway countries with new identities, Harvey remains haunted by the case, convinced that one--or both--will kill again.Concerned that he is the only thing standing in the way of more deaths of innocents, he must decide how far will he go to stop them--and at what cost to himself and all the others whose lives were changed forever by Abigail's terrible fate.Praise for the crime thrillers of Luke Delaney: "The feeling of being at the heart of a police investigation seeps from every page." --Daily Mail"Scary authenticity." --The SunAddictive . . . captivates and chills." --Richmond Times-Dispatch
A Question of Despair
Maureen Carter - 2011
Two streets away, through the open window of an unmarked police car, and they could hear the screams.HER BABY IS SNATCHED OFF THE STREET.When a child goes missing, every minute’s precious. When a baby’s taken, every second counts.Detective Sarah Quinn is called in.Baby Evie’s mother is in pieces. But then she seems unwilling to help. What isn’t she telling them?Time is running out to find Evie alive.TWO WOMEN ON THE CASERuthless TV journalist Caroline King is a thorn in the side of career cop DI Sarah Quinn. Caroline’s emotional and impulsive. Sarah’s known at work as the Ice Queen.WILL SPARKS FLY? CAN THE THIN BLUE LINE HOLD?The investigation reaches a dead end. The clock is ticking. The two enemies must work together to get baby Evie back alive.A heart-pounding thriller you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of Helen H. Durrant, Charlie Gallagher, Angela Marsons, DS Butler, Carol Wyer and Rachel Abbott.
Death in Disguise
Emma Davies - 2022
Missing canapes? No problem. Burnt brownies? A piece of cake… But a dead body? Now that’s a recipe for disaster.Francesca is nervous about catering her first ever murder mystery party, but it’s clear from the clink of champagne flutes and piles of empty plates that the evening is a roaring success. The guests look spectacular in their disguises, whispering and giggling as they try to identify who killed beautiful young Becky. But days later the game takes a sinister turn when Becky is found poisoned, and all the signs point to the culprit being a party guest.From the woman having an affair to the guest hiding her true identity, everyone had a secret – and it turns out that Becky knew them all. As Fran finds herself centre-stage in a real-life murder mystery, the finger of suspicion points at each guest in turn. And Fran starts to wonder, were any of these secrets dangerous enough to kill for?Then the body of a second guest is found, and it becomes clear a deranged killer is going off-script. It seems anyone who was involved in the game that night is in their sights, even Fran. Can she unmask the murderer before the final curtain falls?A page-turning cozy mystery packed with twists. If you love Clare Chase, M.C. Beaton and The Thursday Murder Club you’ll absolutely adore this unputdownable whodunnit.
Dead Girl Walking
Roberta Gately - 2020
What’s your emergency?”“He came for her. She’s been shot,” says a desperate voice, as footsteps echo down an alley. “She’s dying.”“Oh no, oh no, he’s coming back. Please, come quickly––” And then a click, and the drone of a dial tone.The beautiful young woman on the stretcher could be on her honeymoon. Chestnut hair tumbles around a pretty face, rose petals tangled in the loose strands. But the bandage around her forehead tells a different tale, as Emergency Room Nurse Jessie Novak desperately battles to keep her alive. Jessie’s thoughts are racing—who shot this beautiful young woman and more importantly, why?Ann Hart’s life hangs by a thread, and Jessie cannot bear to see this beautiful young woman die without justice being done. Being a nurse is like hunting for clues, and Jessie is sure she can find the person who hurt Ann. She also asks her friend Detective Sam Dallas for help digging into Ann’s past. But then Jessie receives a gift that sends shivers up her spine: a huge bouquet of blood-red roses, just like the ones in Ann’s hair…As the first snowflakes start to fall, another body turns up. Jessie is sure that she’s in danger too—since the roses, someone has been watching her… Sam is reluctant to see the link but Jessie knows she must find the culprit before he strikes again. He is stalking her through the frozen streets and he doesn’t want his fun to stop. Can Jessie turn the tables on the killer, or is she just a dead girl walking?A totally addictive mystery novel that will leave you gasping for breath and have your heart thumping! Fans of Lisa Regan, Gregg Olsen and Tess Gerritsen will be completely hooked.
A Very Funny Murder Mystery
Paul Mathews - 2018
And when Lady Peculiar’s butler – a part-time comedian – is found drowned in his own mango chutney, Detective Inspector Clinton Trump comes blundering onto the scene – ready to shun logic, breach protocol and trust in his own gut instincts. What will South East England’s greatest detective uncover? Is her ladyship a murderess? Was the killer a comedy rival? Or are darker forces at work in this particular corner of Brokenshire? Join our self-proclaimed British detective genius, as he races against time to solve this very funny murder mystery – so he can play golf at the weekend!
The first novel in the ‘Clinton Trump Detective Genius’ series
This riotous English detective spoof is murderously good fun from first page to last, as Inspector Trump and his unwanted sidekick, Constable Dinkel, encounter a procession of crazy comedy characters in the Great British countryside. Stuffed solid with British humour (or ‘humor’, if you’re one of the many American tourists who visit Upper Goosing), its mix of black comedy, British farce, funny one-liners and downright silliness is guaranteed to generate tremendous titters across the very civilised world.More amateur sleuth than professional investigator, Clinton Trump will bring a smile to your face like no other Trump has before, or probably ever will. So, jump aboard the Trump detection train, blow your Clinton trumpet and join the movement – Make Murder-Mystery Great Again!
A Word from Detective Inspector Clinton Trump:
“Greetings from Upper Goosing – the murder capital of Europe. You’ll find the scenery, tea rooms and cake shops are well worth the risk of a premature, grisly death. But before purchasing this novel, please note that it only employs British English, as spoken by Her Majesty the Queen. I don’t want anyone griping about me saying ‘per cent’ instead of ‘percent’, ‘metre’ instead of ‘meter’ or ‘tea’ instead of ‘coffee’. If you must grumble, please do as the English do and complain only to yourself. And if you’re planning on enjoying a cup of Earl Grey with this quality e-book, please remember: it’s tea first, milk second. Finally, don’t be afraid to laugh thunderously when reading this novel. Just don’t laugh yourself to death – we have enough fatalities around here as it is. Thank you.”
The Shoeless Kid
Marcelle Dube - 2011
She should have known better. Even after a few months, she’s still dealing with a police department angry that an outsider was picked over their local candidate. When a homeless man turns up at the department claiming he witnessed a six-year-old boy's abduction, she has to decide if the child really is missing, or if the homeless man imagined the whole thing. But even as the evidence suggests his story may not be true, the case triggers Kate's own nightmare past. Then she discovers that a boy really is missing. Now Kate must investigate the disappearance while transforming a station full of deeply resentful police officers into a solid unit. When the boy’s mother also disappears, Kate will have to put the pieces of the puzzle together—with her team—in time to save the boy and his mother. Includes an excerpt from Book Two, The Tuxedoed Man. About Marcelle Dubé: Marcelle Dubé grew up near Montreal. After trying out a number of different provinces—not to mention Belgium—she settled in the Yukon, where people still outnumber carnivores, but not by much. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies. Learn more about her and her published work at www.marcellemdube.com.
The Deadly Jellybean Affair
Carrie Marsh - 2017
The Deadly Jellybean Affair guarantees you another head-spinning murder mystery adventure by a retired witch. What secrets lie behind the brutal murder? And can she uncover them without drawing attention from the killer?
A Retired Witch… A Cruel Murder… Can a few old tricks solve a crime?
Left a very comfortable widow after her dear husband passed, Mary Tuttle has many abilities, some of which have allowed her to open the doors to her dreams, a bead shop by the name of Beads and Baubles. But when she stumbles across the body of a dead Morhollow party-girl, Mary discovers that there are much deeper secrets behind the attack of her newly hired employee, who was beaten, bruised, and hidden just out of plain sight. There is no questioning the fact that Mary is compelled to solve the case and find the killer… But she will need to return to her roots to do it. Faced with the realization she will have to dust off her spell books, consult with her domestic cat, and be sure to steer clear of the police investigation, Mary knows she will have to play things carefully to find out the truth.But she will need to return to her roots to do it. Of course, it would be a lot simpler if the Captain of the Morhollow Police Department didn’t happen to be her son.
Can Mary narrow down the long list of suspects before giving herself away? Or will she take one too many risks and place herself in the sights of a killer?
The Eye Thief
M.K. Farrar - 2020
Blind. With holes in their head where their eyes used to be.DI Erica Swift is caught between the stresses of trying to take care of a young family, a father with dementia, and a demanding job. Working for the Violent Crimes Task Force, she does her best not to let her work life encroach on her family, but it’s not always easy.The case the papers have dubbed ‘The Eye Thief’ is a welcome distraction, though London’s residents are fearful of who will be next.When one of the victims dies, turning it into a murder case, Erica and her team find themselves on the trail of a killer.But a chance encounter drags a horrific event in Erica’s past to collide with her present.The killer has one thing on their mind…Revenge.
The Pretty One
Clare Boyd - 2021
If my pretty little sister never came home again, I’d finally be free from the terrible secret we share…Anna is a wonderful mother. She gave up a career she loved to stay home with her children and her kind, polite daughters, Nell and Ivy, are a credit to her. As is Bay, her stepdaughter, whom Anna adores as much as her own two girls. But everything changes the day Anna’s middle daughter’s beauty catches the eye of a stranger in a café…Quiet, sensitive Nell doesn’t want to have her face on a billboard for all to see. But she knows her family desperately needs the money, and perhaps it would be nice to have her mother’s full attention for the first time since Bay arrived? Could this be the escape from her stepsister’s twisted games Nell has been longing for?But the moment Nell steps in front of a camera, the devastating secret she and Bay have been keeping breaks the surface – and the bonds of this close-knit family forever. But with both Nell and Bay insisting they’re innocent, can either girl really be trusted?As Anna’s perfect blended family unravels around her, she is forced to pick a side. To save one daughter, Anna must betray another. Choosing the wrong girl will be more dangerous than anyone could ever have imagined…An unputdownable read-all-night family drama that explores the dark consequences of sibling rivalry and the heart-wrenching emotional cost of keeping secrets from those you love. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere and My Dark Vanessa.
The Perfect Sister
Zoë Miller - 2020
But, though they barely speak these days, Alice knows her sister is hiding something.When she hears that discovery at a soon-to-be-demolished apartment building has led police to re-open an 'accidental death' case, Alice thinks nothing of it. Until someone knocks at her door, with questions about Holly...Alice doesn't believe her sister is capable of involvement in anything so sinister. But when she tries to contact Holly, she can't be reached...Forced to dig through the past in order to uncover the truth, Alice also starts to uncover years of Holly's secrets - and to doubt her innocence. And as the evidence mounts up, she has a choice to make: does she want to help her sister clear her name, even if Alice will end up paying the price?
Dramatic Paws
Corrine Winters - 2020
But when someone starts targeting her customers with death, all signs point to her. Luckily, Ember has a few aces up her sleeve. See, she’s not just a small business owner. She’s a witch.Too bad you don’t need magic to see the whole town start to talk, suggesting she killed her problem customers.It’s not like the victims were pillars or society or anything. One was a boyfriend-stealing bully. The others were just as bad.Who had the motive? Seems everyone had reasons to hate them. And plenty of people in this sleepy little town had things to hide.It’s up to Ember, her bat shifter bestie, the ghost of her ancestor, and Kali, her cat familiar who quotes Sun Tzu’s Art of War to piece it all together.They better hurry. Because right now, all roads lead to Ember as the murderer. And sure, Sheriff Jamison might be giving her the benefit of the doubt, but he’s only going to tolerate her butting around in his investigation for so long.Can his hazel eyes get lost in hers long enough so she can uncover the clues?
Eclairs and Escapes (No-Bake Cozy Mysteries, #1)
Ramona Ransom - 2021
In the midst of adversity, she realizes that she doesn’t have to bake in order to help her grandfather’s bakery keep going. She can pitch in by creating No-Bake items. Or can she?Nessa meets up with old friends, and makes some new ones along her way, showing her that maybe, just maybe, she can actually have a great life in Lake Wilawalo…if she can solve the murder, and successfully help save the bakery.Will she catch the killer and launch her new business?Find out in this delicious Cozy Mystery!