Book picks similar to
Up in Smoke by Shannon VanBergen


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The Way the Cookie Crumbles: Ginger Burnet Cozy Mysteries Prequel


Clementine Moore - 2021
    Recently returned from big city life, and in an attempt to reconnect with her roots and restart her life, she takes up the job of school baker at the esteemed Chiswick Park Academy. Further turning her back on her recent past and following her true aspirations as an amateur baker, stars seem to finally align in Ginger’s life.When a mysterious invitation to a bake-off challenge for a new TV reality show comes up, Ginger takes the opportunity to further cement her presence in the small town. She still has a month until her new job starts, so what harm could possibly be done?As the contestants gather at the highly gated Manor, things take a bloody turn, and all of a sudden ten strangers will need to work together to get out of their host’s murdering sight.Can Ginger solve the mystery and save her life in time? Will her natural instincts protect her from the mansion’s death traps?Find out in this page-turning mystery full of wild turns and family secrets that will rock Little Chiswick to the core, and announce the arrival of a new amateur sleuth in town!*If you like quirky characters, witty dialogue, heart-wrenching twists and turns, and lots of mystery, then you’ll love “The Way the Cookie Crumbles”

Fame is a Killer


Meredith Potts - 2016
    In the last twenty-four hours, her boyfriend has broken up with her and her long-running police procedural TV show has been canceled. When a homicide detective shows up at her door the next morning with news that her ex-boyfriend has been murdered, she realizes that her troubles are just beginning. She is shocked--not only to learn of her ex's death, but also to find out that the police consider her to be a suspect in the killing. Hope soon realizes that the only way to clear her name is by finding the real killer herself. Fans of page-turning cozy mysteries will love this series that mixes a healthy dose of clues, romance, and humor. Books In The Hope Hadley Series 1. Fame Is A Killer 2. Fishing For A Murderer 3. Murder Of A Yoga Instructor 4. Drowning In Deceit 5. A Not So Merry Christmas Murder 6. Killer Injustice 7. Murder Of A Restaurant Critic 8. Murder Of A Movie Producer 9. The Killer Holiday Office Party Note -- All of the Hope Hadley books can be read in any order.

Live and Let Diet


Morgana Best - 2016
    Although the town is sleepy and nothing has ever happened, her arrival coincides with a murder in the property adjacent to her cottage. Sybil soon finds she is at odds with the attractive Blake Wessley, the exasperated police officer who is trying to solve the murder.After Sibyl narrowly misses becoming the next victim, she turns her attention to the suspects. Is it the English gentleman, Mr. Buttons, who serves everyone tea and cucumber sandwiches, or her landlord, Cressida Upthorpe, who is convinced that her fat cat, Lord Farringdon, speaks to her? Or is it someone else entirely?This is a non-paranormal cozy mystery.

Double Whammy


Gretchen Archer - 2013
    But once there, she runs straight into her ex-ex husband, a rigged slot machine, her evil twin, and a trail of dead bodies. Davis learns the truth and it does not set her free—in fact, it lands her in the pokey. Buried under a mistaken identity, her hot streak runs cold until her landlord Bradley Cole steps in. Make that her landlord, lawyer, and love interest. With his help, Davis must win this high stakes game before her luck runs out.

Russian Roulette


Mike Faricy - 2011
    OR SO DANGEROUS... PI Dev Haskell wakes up one morning in dire need of an asprin, a cup of coffee, and an hour in the sauna. It seems he's just spent a wild night with his beautiful bombshell of a client, Kerri, and she's left him a note. A smart and sly man who fancies himself just a little more savvy and debonair than reality confirms, Dev thinks he's got it made. But he has absolutely no idea what he's getting into when he agrees to track down Kerri's sister Nikki. Turns out both women are involved in an elaborate human trafficking ring with Braco the Whacko, a notorious Russian mobster, at the helm. Soon Dev finds himself at odds with local police, Homeland Security, and an FBI task force, as well as in and out of the hospital thanks to a gunshot wound and a bit of shrapnel in the rear, not to mention on the run from a neurotic underworld boss and a psychotic killer: it must be love... In a bizarre but compelling mixture of crime and offbeat comedy, Dev proceeds to messily balance both sides of the law in a wacky tale that will keep you on your toes while laughing out loud.

A Case of Murder by Monte Carlo


Becki Willis - 2019
    She may be petite, but she’ll take on anyone who threatens her patients’ safety and well-being. That feisty protectiveness creates problems when a hit and run victim lands in the ER and Police Detective Cade Resnick arrives to investigate. There’s no denying the sparks between these two, but their professions put them at odds. As Cade zeroes in on his suspect, Laurel won’t make it easy for him, not while the suspect is under her care. More than once, these two clash when Cade’s quest for justice collides with Laurel’s concern for her patients. Come along on the start of a new series and meet the staff and professionals who give Texas General Hospital its heart. There’s never a dull moment in the ER, or in the lively college town of College Station, Texas! From the best-selling author of The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series, Mirrors Don't Lie Series, and The Spirits of Texas Cozy Mysteries, enjoy a fresh approach to quick cozy reads, some dedicated to mystery, some to romance. Welcome to Texas General Cozy Cases!

A Cutthroat Business


Jenna Bennett - 2010
    But Savannah doesn’t think she’s supposed to take the warning literally ... until an early morning phone call sends her to an empty house on the ‘bad’ side of town, where she finds herself standing over the butchered body of a competitor, face to face with the boy her mother always warned her about. Rafe Collier is six feet three inches of testosterone and trouble; tall, dark, and dangerous, with a murky past and no future—not the kind of guy a perfect Southern Belle should want to tangle with. In any way. But wherever Savannah turns, there he is, and making no bones about what he wants from her. Now Savannah must figure out who killed real estate queen Brenda Puckett, make a success of her new career, and avoid getting killed—or kissed—by Rafe, all before the money in her savings account runs out and she has to go back to selling make-up at the mall.

Mystic Falls


Vickie McKeehan - 2017
    While trying to come to terms with the loss of her Gram, disturbing things begin to happen. Women are disappearing. Just when she begins to realize Coyote Wells has changed—and not for the better—she’s forced to bump heads with Lando Bonner, her ex, a man who still carries around a grudge. But since she’s digging for answers trying to explain exactly how her grandmother died, she needs his help. It won’t be easy. Lando has never forgiven her for leaving him. Tensions flair between the two as a killer grips the town in fear. Is it kill or be killed? Who will the killer target next? And when will it all end?

The Babbling Brook Naked Poker Club: Book One


Ann Warner - 2016
    But when Brookside turns out to be a setting for art theft, dodgy dealings, and naked poker it becomes vastly more interesting. Josephine investigates the unusual goings on with friend and handwriting expert, Lill Fitzel. And the two befriend a young woman Josephine tries to prevent from making the same mistakes she has made.

A Man of Some Repute


Elizabeth Edmondson - 2015
    Or so it seems to intelligence officer Hugo Hawksworth, wounded on a secret mission and now reluctantly assuming an altogether less perilous role at Selchester. The Castle’s faded grandeur hides a web of secrets and scandals—the Earl has been missing for seven years, lost without a trace since the night he left his guests and walked out into a blizzard. When a skeleton is uncovered beneath the flagstones of the Old Chapel, the police produce a suspect and declare the case closed.Hugo is not convinced. With the help of the spirited Freya Wryton, the Earl’s niece, he is drawn back into active service, and the ancient town of Selchester is dragged into the intrigues and conspiracies of the Cold War era. With a touch of Downton Abbey, a whisper of Agatha Christie and a nod to Le Carré, A Man of Some Repute is the first book in this delightfully classic and witty murder mystery series.

Money, Murder and Mayhem


K.P. Stafford - 2016
    In twenty-four hours her world is shattered. She loses her parents and her job. Rummaging through the attic she discovers her “dead” grandmother is very much alive. She returns to her hometown; a quiet, sleepy little town perched above the sea. The disappearance and death of an elderly couple sets the town on edge. Accusations fly. The past is dredged up. Bodies are found. Some even question her return and the timing of the murders. As she joins the town constable to help solve the case, she finds herself attracted to her main suspect, Jake Donovan. Jake is handsome, charming, and secretive. Is he a threat to her or just a threat to her heart?

Murder in the Mystery Suite


Ellery Adams - 2014
    To increase her number of bookings, resort manager Jane Steward has decided to host a Murder and Mayhem week so that fans of the mystery genre can gather together for some role-playing and fantasy crime solving.But when the winner of the scavenger hunt, Felix Hampden, is found dead in the Mystery Suite, and the valuable book he won as his prize is missing, Jane realizes one of her guests is an actual murderer. Amid a resort full of fake detectives, Jane is bound and determined to find a real-life killer. There’s no room for error as Jane tries to unlock this mystery before another vacancy opens up…

The Mystery Of Hollow Inn


Tara Ellis - 2014
    But unknown to them, Hollow Inn is bathed in mystery and legend. After arriving, they soon discover that things are not going well for Sam's Aunt and Uncle, who own the Inn. There's vandalism, ghostly sightings, and rumors of lost treasures. Determined to help, Sam and Ally embark on a challenging journey to discover the truth.

A Cherry Sinister Murder


Nancy McGovern - 2017
     She dreams of cakes & pies.  She dreams of crepes & brownies.  And, more than anything, she dreams of making a career of serving her delicious treats to an adoring public. So, when her grandmother calls and asks her to move to Florida to help run her café, she cannot get out of Minnesota fast enough!  And before she knows it she is standing in Paradise Point, the beautiful, oceanside plaza in which Bessie's Café is located, hardly able to believe her good fortune. Life is now exactly how Faith had imagined it could be.  She's made wonderful friends.  The café, now renamed the Slice of Paradise, has been renovated to showcase her amazing desserts.  And both locals & tourists are loving it! Well, all except for one... The owner of a nearby cupcake shop is not at all happy with Faith's arrival in Paradise Point.  She has accused Faith of trying to ruin her by stealing her recipes & designs.  And she is not shy about letting everyone know it. So, when the woman is found dead the day after their confrontation, people immediately begin to consider whether Faith is the killer... Is Faith guilty of murder?  If not, who is?  And can Faith find a way to clear her name before her dreams turn into nightmares? Find out in A Cherry Sinister Murder! "Slice of Paradise Cozy Mysteries" is a Culinary Cozy Mystery series written by #2 Bestselling Author, Nancy McGovern, and the talented newcomer, Cyra Bruce. Join the "Slice of Paradise Mailing List" inside this book and receive updates on the series, behind-the-scenes info & a FREE "SLICE OF PARADISE" STORY called The Cream Pie Alibi!

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.