Book picks similar to
For the Birds by Aaron Paul Lazar


mystery
fiction
other-tbr
mystery-crime

Hazardous Duty


Christy Barritt - 2006
    Claire dropped out of school and started her own crime scene cleaning business. Now, when a routine cleaning job leads her to a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong man is in jail. With the help of her new and attractively single neighbor, Riley Thomas, Gabby plays the detective to make sure the right man is put behind bars.

Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles


Edward A. Grainger - 2011
    Marshals working in 1880s Wyoming Territory. Cash Laramie, raised by Native Americans, is known as the outlaw marshal for his unorthodox way of dealing with criminals and his cavalier approach to life. Gideon Miles is one of the first African American marshals in the service and has skills with guns, knives, and tracking that are unrivaled. This collection broaches issues like racism, child abuse, and morality.

Combustible


David K. Wilson - 2019
    But then someone had to go and get murdered.When he’s sent to investigate an accidental death from a house fire, it seems like just another open-and-shut case... until he discovers the victim was dead before the fire started.It isn't long before Sam stumbles upon a dark side to the victim’s past and unwittingly ignites a powder keg of secrets. Soon he is caught in a maze of murder, abuse and corruption.Was it the vengeful arsonist? The widow with a sordid past? The son with a chip on his shoulder? Or is an ambitious warden trying to keep a prison scandal under wraps? One thing’s for sure: the more Sam fans the flames, the more likely he is to get burned.Set among the colorful backdrop of East Texas, this taut page-turner is sure to keep you guessing until the very last page.

The Casebook of Inspector Blackstone


Sally Spencer - 2017
    Yet to Inspector Sam Blackstone, the case is as puzzling as any he has ever come across. As his investigation proceeds, Blackstone finds himself entering the world of the aristocracy and tramping the dangerous streets of London's Little Russia, where English law and order are not welcome. So begins the illustrious career of the talented inspector, who earns the equal ire and respect of his superiors for his controversial tactics. Absorbing in their detailed depictions of the period, gripping in their ingenious plots, this trilogy of historical whodunnits is the perfect box set for any mystery-lover. Praise for Sally Spencer 'Spencer's finest hour: a tightly plotted puzzler with surprises at every turn' – Kirkus Reviews 'Spencer is an accomplished craftsman who serves up a good puzzle and deftly solves it with intelligence and insight' – Publishers Weekly Sally Spencer worked as a teacher both in England and Iran - where she witnessed the fall of the Shah. She now writes full time.

Euphoria Lane


Tina Swayzee McCright - 2015
    On day one, she finds the body of the Homeowners’ Association president. Day two, she discovers the property manager is her former fiancé. Day three, the new president begins his campaign of violation letters to force her to move. Day four, her sister, the owner of a detective agency, needs her help with the investigation of the murder. And day five, a full-scale neighborhood war! Author Interview: Q: How would you describe cozy mysteries? A: To me, cozy mysteries are set in a small town or community, the mystery is solved by an amateur sleuth, there usually isn’t any graphic violence, and any romance is considered sweet. In Euphoria Lane, the complex has two hundred condos in the suburbs that are set apart from the rest of the city by a wall, this makes it a small community. Q: Where did you get the idea to write Euphoria Lane? A: I live in a community with an HOA, and from time to time there have been issues. I also have friends and family who have told me horror stories about their HOAs. It didn’t take long to realize that these boards have too much power. I decided to write a cozy mystery where the HOA has taken enforcing the rules to the extreme, but their actions are still possible in the real world. Q: Would you consider serving on a homeowners’ board? A: Believe it or not, I was on the board several times. I commend the members who serve in an attempt to better their communities. Unfortunately, I have also witnessed the verbal abuse these board members have received from upset neighbors. In this series, I explore possible solutions. Q: How are your romantic cozy mysteries different from other cozy mysteries? A: My stories include significant romantic elements: there is a couple with a conflict that keeps them apart, they discover they are the best version of themselves together, and eventually find a way to overcome the conflict. They do all this while my female amateur sleuth solves a mystery. In my Homeowners’ Association Mystery, there is a different romance in each story, but the main couple, Andi and Luke, continue to take their relationship to a deeper level. In Super Jax, we begin with her superpower origin story and touch on these romantic elements that will continue to build over the series. Keywords: mystery, romantic mysteries, cozy mystery, cozy mysteries, romantic cozy mysteries, culinary cozy mysteries, amateur sleuth, female sleuth, suburbs, small town, clean romance, sweet romance, Arizona, Arizona mystery, homeowners' associations, humorous, murder, thriller, detective, suspense, romantic suspense, fun, friendship, female protagonist, sister, dating, relationships, dating, singlehood, single women, comedy, private investigators, suburban

Pains and Penalties


Sarah Biglow - 2016
    A murder in plain sight at the annual Solstice Fair pushes Kalina to snoop where she doesn't belong, much to the chagrin of former high school sweetheart, Detective Christian Harper.As Kalina digs into the victim's past she uncovers a dark truth that the victim and her closest friends were hoping to take the grave. A truth the killer wants revealed.Will Kalina and Chris catch the killer before the killer's thirst for vengeance is sated?Pick up your copy FREE.

Maple Hills Mystery Box Set


Wendy Meadows - 2016
    Good, clean, hobby sleuthing for you to enjoy.

Scent of a Killer


Lisbeth Reade - 2015
    Which turns out to be a nice surprise, after all.But just as she’s getting to know her eccentric Aunts and learn to harness her newfound magic, a shocking murder threatens the entire world she’s just uncovered. Her mother’s best friend is found dead, with her Aunts’ fingerprints all over the murder weapon, and Ella must act to save her family.Combining forces with Rory, the cute mailman she’s been crushing on, Ella uses her skills of scent and sense to track the killer. But when clues cross social classes, Ella realizes that catching the killer could alienate Rory.Will Ella catch the killer and still get her man?

Wanna Get Lucky?


Deborah Coonts - 2010
    Almost everyone writes her off as another Vegas victim. But, Lucky O’Toole, head of customer relations at the Babylon megacasino, smells a rat, though she’s got a lot on her plate: the adult film industry’s annual awards banquet, a spouse-swapping convention, sex-toy purveyors preying on the pocket-protector crowd attending ElectroniCon… Still Lucky can’t resist turning over a few stones.When a former flame is one of the snakes she uncovers, Lucky is certain the woman’s death was no Sin City suicide. To top it all off, Lucky’s best friend, Teddie—Las Vegas’s finest female impersonator—presses to take their relationship to the next level. Leave it to Lucky to attract a man who looks better in a dress than she does.Lucky must manage the Babylon’s outrageous festivities, solve the crime, and struggle to keep her life and libido from spinning out of control.

The Tell All


Libby Howard - 2017
    She's working as a skip-tracer for a PI who is desperate to land his own reality TV show. She has a new roommate who arrived with more than the usual amount of baggage. And her attempts at knitting are less than stellar – way less than stellar. Worse, the cataract surgery that restored her sight has also delivered an unexpected and disturbing side-effect. Kay sees ghosts. And when the dead turn to her for help, she just can't say no.

Off the Record: An Avery Rich Mystery (Avery Rich Mysteries Book 1)


Sara B. Gauldin - 2016
    But she is soon forced to keep her investigation "off the record" and gets paired with an unusual consultant. The world of crime and conspiracy takes on a dangerous edge as she finds herself dealing with kidnapped bankers, high stakes cover ups, and criminals who are determined to keep her quiet. To save herself from the unthinkable, she must sort out the conspiracy from the crime and find out who she can trust to finish the case before they can derail her investigation, permanently!

Texas Troubles


N.C. Lewis - 2017
    How is that for her first few days in a quiet little Texas town she never wanted to live in? Thrust into the middle of a murder mystery with a dwindling pile of cash and very few leads Ollie starts digging. Along the way, she teams up with an oddball reporter, a dreadlocks flashing lawyer, a grandma who teaches mixed martial arts, and a stray dog named Bodie. Can she discover the identity of the killer in time or will she end up being the next victim? If you like cozy mysteries, clever animals, southern charm, and coffee, you'll love Texas Troubles, the first in a fun series of Ollie Stratford Murder Mysteries set in a small Texan Hill Country town, with all its quirky inhabitants. Pick up this page turner today!

A High-End Finish


Kate Carlisle - 2014
    But while Shannon can do wonders with a power drill and a little elbow grease, she’s about to discover that some problems aren’t so easily fixed.... Shannon’s home-renovation and repair business is booming, but her love life needs work. On a blind date with real estate agent Jerry Saxton, she has to whip out a pair of pliers to keep Jerry from getting too hands on. Shannon is happy to put her rotten date behind her, but when Jerry’s found dead in a run-down Victorian home that she’s been hired to restore, the town’s attractive new police chief suspects that her threats may have laid the foundation for murder. Determined to clear her name, Shannon conducts her own investigation—with the help of her four best friends, her eccentric father, a nosy neighbor or two, and a handsome crime writer who’s just moved to town. But as they get closer to prying out the murderer’s identity, Shannon is viciously attacked. Now she’ll have to nail down the truth—or end up in permanent foreclosure.…

The Third Girl


Nell Goddin - 2015
    She’s looking for peace, beautiful gardens, and pastry—a slower, safer life than the one she’d been living outside of Boston. But you know what they say about the best intentions… Molly has barely gotten over jet-lag before she hears about a local student’s disappearance. In between getting her old ramshackle house in order and reveling in French food, Molly ends up embroiled in the case, along with the gendarmes of Castillac. And unlike the Nancy Drews she loved as a child, this mystery stirs up emotions she thought had been put to rest..and terrifies the residents of her beloved village.

Girl in Trouble


Stacy Claflin - 2017
     Alex Mercer is no stranger to kidnappings. The emotional scars still run deep from his sister’s disappearance years earlier. His daughter Ariana remains safe long after her adoption, and he cherishes the few times a year he gets to see her. The joy is palpable when he takes her on their first one-on-one outing. At least until he pauses to answer a text and Ariana disappears… Wracked with guilt and determined to find answers, Alex teams up with an unlikely ally at the police department. As the clues reveal a pattern of missing girls, the kidnapping case becomes a race against time to save Ariana. What cost is Alex willing to pay to keep his daughter alive? Girl in Trouble is the first book in a series of thrilling stand-alone novels spun off from the USA Today bestselling Gone Trilogy. If you like heart-pounding suspense, page-turning action, and characters you’ll never forget, then you’ll love Stacy Claflin’s engrossing new series.