Book picks similar to
Axed at the Ice Machine by Juliette Harper


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Death in Dalkinchie


Carly Reid - 2019
    When the head judge is poisoned, Jessica's extensive notes, observational skills and ability to be in the wrong place at the right time are put to the test again. Can Jessica narrow down the list of suspects to find the killer before there’s another victim? If you love locked room mysteries, quirky characters, and a Scottish small-town setting, you’ll love Death in Dalkinchie. This is the first full-length novel in the Dalkinchie Mysteries series.

Merry Christmas Murder (A Reporter Roland Bean Cozy Mystery)


Rachel Woods - 2020
    

The Perfect Brew


Jo-Ann Carson - 2019
    When Cassie is summoned to attend the funeral of her great-aunt, Ophelia, she finds the picturesque village on the edge of the ocean is not at all what it seems. Her benefactor’s death is suspicious, and to make matters worse, after Ophelia’s lawyer explains her will to Cassie, he drops dead in a plate of cookie crumbs. That makes two unexplained deaths, which is two too many for a good witch to swallow.Up to her neck in mysteries, and weighed down with a curse, Cassie canvases the town to find the murderer. Of course, there are many unusual suspects, a tall, dark and annoying human detective keeps getting in her way, and a seductive warlock offers his assistance.Will Cassie catch the villain before he kills again? Will she be able to free herself from the curse? Will Sid, her beloved cat familiar with a naughty mind, convince her to play dirty with the boys? This is the first story in The Perfect Brew paranormal, cozy mystery series, set in the modern world where magic remains hidden or at least tries to. There’s no sex or violence on the page, but be prepared for some serious romance, mystery, and magic. The Perfect Brew can be read as a stand-alone.

Casino Witch Mysteries 1 & 2 (Casino Witch Mysteries Boxset)


Nikki Haverstock - 2019
     Of Murders and Mages: Casino Witch Mysteries 1 Three ways that Ella's life is totally messed up: 1. Her new coworker is as cranky as he is attractive 2. A mischievous cat has decided she needs a familiar 3. She just found out she's a witch who can read the emotional hologram of a magical death (and isn't that a mouthful) And oh yeah, there's five dead bodies, and no one knows how they are connected. Now she’s drawn into a madcap investigation at the casino where she's managed to snag a job. She must navigate learning her new mage abilities, a topless burlesque show, a jealous girlfriend, gamblers of all varieties, and magical chocolate cake, all while not setting herself or others on fire before the murderer makes her the next victim. Which Mage Moved the Cheese? Casino Witch Mysteries 2 Ella's Super Awesome Guide to Paranormal Cheese: 1. You eat it, but there are weird side effects. 2. The ingredients can be really gross. 3. You don't use it to squash people. When the ex-president of the Paranormal Cheese Council is found dead under the world's largest wedge of cheese, Ella is on the case! Unable to admit who she really is, she goes undercover. But can she, her klutzy sidekick, and the world's most arrogant familiar escape the Booby-Trapped Queso of Doom, or stop eating the magically addictive beer-cheese fondue without giving things away to the anonymous villain?

But Wait, There’s Myrrh


Morgana Best - 2021
    Her husband has been playing cat and mouse, and soon Jennifer has a murder to solve. Yet it's all not cat and dried.Changes are happening. Is she simply hiss-terical, or will she take advantage of this new op-purr-tunity?The prequel novella to the Paranormal Women's Fiction Cozy Mystery series, MenoPaws Mysteries, from USA Today Bestselling author, Morgana Best.

The Art of Danger


Stuart Doughty - 2020
    Three men are murdered to get a dull, forgotten painting. A crazy, pointless heist? Or something far more sinister?In this action-packed crime-thriller, the tough ex-cop and firearms specialist Kite is up against a foreign spy who’s planning havoc and mayhem, not an art show. To complicate matters, Kite’s being followed by a kooky – and sexy – young woman. Where does she fit in? Even worse, Kite’s got a shameful secret in his past that he thinks is well hidden – until he realises someone’s on to it and the odds stack up to produce an action-packed thriller.What Kite is chasing down isn’t just a painting: it’s the most explosive art in the world. Can he stop the impending cataclysm?

Grits in the Graveyard


J.L. Collins - 2019
    Secrets galore, a new witch at the door, and killer grits that are to die for! An escape - That's exactly what Birdie Devaine needs when witches around the world publicly announce their existence. Instead of performing for the sold out crowd at her world-famous magic show in Vegas, Birdie runs away from the dazzling lights to her hometown in Mississippi. Back to the town she swore off over a century ago. She thinks she has it all planned out - keeping busy with renovating an old beautiful house and eventually fading away from the spotlight. But the house has its secrets, including the haunted cemetery that Birdie is now responsible for. It doesn't help when her nosy neighbor catches on to Birdie's big secret - that she's a true witch with real magical powers. But when the busybody turns up dead on Birdie's new property, the former southern debutante becomes the prime suspect in the case. Cue the ladies of Witch Hazel Lane - a group of women who've stuck together for forty years. With their help, Birdie is on the hunt for the real killer. Will they help get her off the hook? Will Birdie's true nature stay secret? And what is she supposed to do with the stray dog that refuses to leave her house? This book contains plenty of southern sass, friendship, some delicious comfort food, and a little bit of magic along the way! FREE RECIPES INCLUDED! Perfect for readers of Charlaine Harris, Joanna Fluke, and Leighann Dobbs!

Bribing Saint Anthony


Rita Moreau - 2014
    A missing husband. A plot to blow up a national treasure. Fortune telling aunts. Mary Catherine, MC for short, didn’t move as the Queen of Boca Vista, Babbs La-Fleur, placed a pile of cash, which appeared out of a purse she knew cost more than her car, smack dab in the middle of her desk.Word at all the cocktail parties was that MC had a skill that came in handy for an aging socialite going through a divorce. She was good at finding cash in hidden bank accounts. Cash to pay for a nip and tuck and a new identity: Cougar. Hired that day by Queen Babbs to find her bad boy husband, Charlie, MC was back on familiar ground, tracking down bad guys through clues left in the DNA of their paper life. Asking her Aunt Sophia to read the family fortune telling cards might have helped. Instead, the paper trail Charlie left takes MC from a murder in the world of rich socialites to working with covert government agents deep in the world of counter terrorism.Praise for Bribing Saint Anthony Review from Sheldon Siegel "I had a chance to read Bribing Saint Anthony on a recent flight. It was a great read! I don't have a lot of time to read for fun these days, and your story was a treat. You have a nice touch, and MC is an engaging lead. Reminded me a bit of Carl Hiaasen--What is it about Florida, anyway?!? Keep up the good work!" Cheers from San Francisco, SheldonSheldon Siegel is a New York Times best-selling author of the critically acclaimed legal thriller series featuring Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez, two of the most beloved characters in contemporary crime fiction.

A Friend In Knead


Judith Jackson - 2018
     It is springtime in Vermont, and Harriet’s life is finally on a roll. The Bluebell Café, her pride and joy, is a success, and someday soon it may even be solvent. In her scant free time she ghost writes her gran’s wildly popular advice column and tends to her beloved one-eyed, cross dressing, English Bulldog. But then Sevenoaks experiences its first murder in as long as anyone can remember, and the police investigation hits way too close to home. In order to save her café, Harriet and her best friend, Claire, are forced to conduct their own search for the killer. To further complicate matters, Harriet’s long-ago boyfriend – the love of her life – has moved back to town, and if her legs would just stop wobbling every time the two of them are together it would be easier to pretend she’s completely over him. A Friend in Knead is a cozy mystery full of tasty food, lots of laughs and a hit of romance. Includes some of The Bluebell Café’s most-loved recipes.

Murder at the Snowed Inn (Claire Andersen Murder for All Seasons Cozy Mystery Series Book 1)


Imogen Plimp - 2020
    She knew her fresh start would be exciting, but she never expected it to be tinged with enthralling adventure, romance that’s sweet as sweet can be … and murder!Adorable and resilient, former NYC chef Claire Andersen is no stranger to second chances. She and her stock trader husband George had decided long ago to trade in their life of ambition for one of quaint & quiet adventure—by opening up a cozy neighborhood coffee shoppe on the ground floor their Brooklyn brownstone. He was the coffee-connoisseur, she was the baker extraordinaire. Claire was so happy, she could just die. But fate had other plans—it came for her husband instead.After George’s passing, Claire decides (with a nudge from her doting foster daughter Al) to trade in her life of brews and baked goods for breakfast—bed and breakfast, that is! And what better setting in which to start over than Galway, Maryland—a charming, snowy mountain town (and favorite cross-county ski destination of Claire’s youth).All is well in Claire’s new B&B venture—and with her new oven constantly in use, it’s mouth-watering, even—until her first guest is murdered in-house. It’s not long until one of the suspects Claire questions about the murder winds up dead, too. Suddenly, Claire finds herself starting over yet again—and trading in her hostess hat (she’d just dusted it off, too!) for a secret life as an amateur sleuth.But it’s not all B&B business and bodies: Claire also finds herself in the throes of not one, but two potential romances—each more toe-curling and butterflies-in-the-stomach inducing than the other.Alongside her trusty new pal Evelyn (who’s feisty enough to make anyone blush) and her faithful bloodhound Rupert, Claire races the clock to get to the next victim—before the killer does. And she knows she’d better hurry. Because if the killer catches her first, she might run out of second chances.Author's Note: This book contains a non-binary character whose preferred pronouns are they/them. If the notion of a non-binary character (and its resultant use of grammar) is offensive, then this book is not for you!

Haunted Hardbodies


Julia Derek
    So, when the opportunity arises to buy Six-Packs for peanuts, she's thrilled. The fact that the previous owner claims the place is haunted doesn't bother her one bit--she doesn't believe in ghosts. With all her experience, she'll revive floundering Six-Packs!Unfortunately, Celeste soon discovers that the gym IS haunted by a feisty ghost named Lennie. Lennie used to own the building that houses Six-Packs, and he was a slumlord. Lennie approaches Celeste and tells her he must solve five crimes before he can enter the next world to atone for being a terrible person in life.At first, Celeste ignores Lennie's badgering ways. But then one of the gym members suffers a mysterious death--and only Lennie seems to know who's behind it. Celeste has no choice but to help Lennie solve his first crime or it's over for Six-Packs, leaving not only Celeste broke, but her employees without a job.NOTE: Haunted Hardbodies is a cozy murder mystery for people who like to laugh.

Merry Little Mystic Murder


Patti Larsen - 2021
    Trust me on that.Still, this was my favorite part, despite the subject and content, the endless chatter around me trying to pull my focus, scent of pumpkin spice and pine dominating the air thanks to the real, live Christmas tree someone donated to the police department. Maybe that meant something about me, how enjoying the process of uncovering things people thought hidden through the power inside brought me joy and peace, far more than carols or the holiday season or eggnog lattes.And maybe it just meant I was good at what I did.I tried not to think about it.Phoebe Monday’s unusual birth into a triunity of wonderworkers always left her feeling a bit like an outsider. At least the unusual power she (sort of!) controls makes working as a sketch artist for the police department the perfect fit. Still, diving into memories of victims while altering the luck of those around her seems trivial in comparison to what her Maiden, Mother and Crone family are capable of. But when homeless victims come under attack and a normal human’s murder puts the Monday magic at risk, it’s up to Phoebe and her odd talents to save the day.

Brimstone Witch Mysteries - Books 1 to 13


April Fernsby - 2019
     Book 1 - Murder Of A Werewolf Book 2 - As Dead As A Vampire Book 3 - The Centaur’s Last Breath Book 4 - The Sleeping Goblin Book 5 - The Silent Banshee Book 6 - The Murdered Mermaid Book 7 - The End Of The Yeti Book 8 - Death Of A Rainbow Nymph Book 9 - The Witch Is Dead Book 10 - A Deal With The Grim Reaper Book 11 - A Grotesque Murder Book 12 - The Missing Unicorn Book 13 - The Satyr’s Secret

Her Hidden Secret


Alexandria Clarke - 2020
    Until a one hundred year old case gives her a new purpose.When Jacqueline, a self-professed detective with a dark secret, arrives in Whitechapel, she becomes embroiled in one of London's greatest mysteries.Buried SecretsWhen Jacqueline Frye heads to Chicago for a wedding, she never expects a homicide case to land in her lap. Another copycat killer is on the loose, and this time the culprit is obsessed with America’s first serial killer, H. H. Holmes. As Jack navigates secret passageways, coded journals, and charming locals, more victims disappear and the mystery deepens. Then there’s Jack’s best friend, Evelyn, who seems to be hiding a big secret…

Peonies and Peril: A Cozy Animal Mystery


Sue Hollowell - 2020