Book picks similar to
The Case of the Missing Bride by Carmen Radtke
historical-fiction
first-in-series
bloodhound-books
mystery
Murder, She Reported
Peg Cochran - 2018
Tired of being trapped in the gilded cage of her family’s expectations, Elizabeth Adams has done what no self-respecting socialite would think to do: She’s gotten herself a job. Although Elizabeth’s dream is to one day see her photographs on the front page of the Daily Trumpet, for now she’s working her way up as the newsroom’s gal Friday.But fetching coffee isn’t exactly her idea of fun. So when veteran reporter Ralph Kaminsky needs a photographer to fill in for a last-minute assignment, Elizabeth jumps at the chance. At the Waldorf Hotel, Elizabeth is tasked with tracking down the season’s “It girl,” Gloria DeWitt, who will be making her society debut. Working her own connections to New York’s upper crust, Elizabeth manages to land an exclusive interview with Gloria.Then Gloria’s stepmother is shot dead in a Waldorf bathroom, placing Elizabeth at the scene of a headline-worthy scandal: “Murder of a Society Dame.” Now Elizabeth will have to get the scoop on the killer before her good name gets dragged through the gossip columns—or worse. . . .
At Wits' End
Kirsten Weiss - 2017
She knows she can make the B&B work, even if there is a faux-UFO in the roof. After all, what’s not to love about a Victorian nestled in the high Sierra foothills? None of her carefully crafted policies and procedures, however, can prepare her for a corpse in room seven – the body of her small-town sheriff’s ex-husband. But Susan has her own plans to solve the crime. In Susan’s mind, Men in Black, conspiracy-crazed old ladies, and an angry sheriff are just part and parcel of catering to UFO enthusiasts. But is there a government conspiracy afoot? Or is the murder a simple case of small-town vengeance? Susan must keep all her wits about her. Because the killer isn’t finished, and if she isn’t careful, her fate may be written in the stars… Breakfast recipes in the back of the book!
Murder Between the Lines
Thea Cambert - 2020
All three live in tiny apartments above their shops.The trio of friends share a charming rooftop garden, where they meet in the mornings for coffee from Franny’s coffee shop, and sweets from Owen’s bakery. When a new yoga studio, Bliss, opens up across the street, Alice reluctantly agrees to take a class to promote relaxation in her life, and it actually works, much to her relief.A fire breaks out in town, resulting in a tragic death, and Alice’s brother, Blue Valley PD Officer Ben Maguire, and newcomer, Detective Luke Evans—who has an irritating way of making Alice blush—lead the investigation. When it is determined that the death was no accident, Alice, Franny, and Owen get pulled smack dab into investigating the case.Will they solve it before you do?Find out in this fun and fast-paced Cozy Mystery!
Killer Cruise
A.R. Winters - 2019
All Adrienne wanted was a fun new job on a cruise ship—instead, she’s dealt three big surprises.Surprise number one, wonderful: Her best friend Samantha has joined the cruise!Surprise number two, also quite good: the First Officer is rather handsome.Surprise number three, definitely not good: Samantha is suspected of murdering a VIP cruise passenger.Throw in a few more surprises—an over-the-top boss, a potentially homicidal chef, and a blast from Adrienne’s past—and this cruise might end up being Adrienne’s last.Join Adrienne, her new friend Cece, and First Officer Hot Stuff—er, First Officer Ethan Lee—as they try to uncover the truth before it’s too late…
Hidden Agemda
Leighann Dobbs - 2013
even if it means getting shot at, impersonating an FBI agent and tangling with a live volcano. Enlisting the aid of her retired jewel thief parents and their band of thieves, safecrackers and con men from the Golden Capers retirement village, Kate arms herself with a variety of gadgets and disguises to follow a trail of clues from icy Antarctica to a desolate tropical island. But she soon finds that what started off as an easy job may end with a deadly twist. Why is someone going to so much trouble to keep possession of the ruby? And what, exactly, does Kate’s ex-partner, FBI agent Ace Mason, have up his sleeve? Is he really trying to keep her safe as he suggests, or is he simply trying to find the ruby first and take all the credit? By the time Kate realizes things are not as they seem, she may be in too deep. Will she discover the real hidden agenda behind the theft of the gem before it’s too late?
Flora Mackintosh and The Hungarian Affair
Anna Reader - 2016
Sneaking out of St. Penrith's for Girls and with the promise of adventure in the air, Flora packs her hip-flask, Gauloises, and pistol and sets off for Europe. Accompanied by a new friend and with nothing but the telegram to go on, she finds herself suddenly plunged into a world of espionage, danger and thrilling excitement.
Seaside and Homicide
Jenna St. James - 2019
Standing next to the victim is the strange new girl in town, Raven Masters. When Brynn identifies the murder weapon as belonging to her Grams, the three girls set out to prove Granny Winnie is no killer! Brynn and Peyton must learn to set aside their prejudices and trust the quirky new girl. After all, she seems to be an old pro at sleuthing. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the girls get to cut their sleuthing teeth in Raven's cool '66 Fastback Mustang. But when things go from bad to worse for Granny Winnie, Brynn decides to call in her Grams' estranged younger sister, Aggie, a former bounty hunter.Can the girls learn to trust one another, follow their instincts, and get Granny Winnie out of jail? Or will Brynn be destined to spend her last year of high school alone in the small town of Copper Cove?
Dog Collar Crime
Adrienne Giordano - 2013
A move that brings her back into the tempting arms of Frankie Falcone, the ex that never fails to make her heart sit up and beg.When Lucie parlays her temporary dog-walking gig into a career making fancy dog accessories, Frankie becomes her number one supporter. Life starts to look like a walk in the park…until three of her bling-wearing clients are dogjacked. Despite help from the on-again, off-again Mr. Fix-It in her life, Lucie is thrown into an investigation that’s more Goodfellas than good doggie. One that could shatter her new life and her second chance at love.
The Duke of York
Patricia Finney - 2014
Four physicians have failed to bring the young lad back to health, and his nurses seem unable to bring him comfort. Sir Robert decides that he and Elizabeth Lady Carey should have the keeping of the child – despite the disgrace that will come to them if he dies in their care. It’s not long before Sir Robert begins to suspect that foul play lies behind the young Duke’s condition. Is there a poisoner at Court? If so, will Sir Robert find the miscreant in time to save the Duke? Patricia Finney is the author of six novels featuring Sir Robert Carey, all of them written under the pseudonym P F Chisholm and all available on Kindle. Patricia Finney’s latest Elizabethan crime novel, Do We Not Bleed?, features the ambiguous James Enys, his elusive sister, and a young playwright, Will Shakespeare. Do We Not Bleed? is also available on Kindle.
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.
Maids of Misfortune
M. Louisa Locke - 2009
Annie’s husband squandered her fortune before committing suicide five years earlier, and one of his creditors is now threatening to take the boardinghouse she owns to pay off a debt. Annie Fuller also has a secret. She supplements her income by giving domestic and business advice as Madam Sibyl, one of San Francisco’s most exclusive clairvoyants, and one of Madam Sibyl’s clients, Matthew Voss, has died. The police believe his death was suicide brought upon by bankruptcy, but Annie believes Voss has been murdered and that his assets have been stolen. Nate Dawson has a problem. As the Voss family lawyer, he would love to believe that Matthew Voss didn't leave his grieving family destitute. But that would mean working with Annie Fuller, a woman who alternatively attracts and infuriates him as she shatters every notion he ever had of proper ladylike behavior. Sparks fly as Anne and Nate pursue the truth about the murder of Matthew Voss in this light-hearted, cozy historical mystery set in the foggy gas-lit world of Victorian San Francisco. Maids of Misfortune is the first book in M. Louisa Locke’s historical mystery series, see also, Uneasy Spirits, and Bloody Lessons, as well as the two short stories based on the characters from the novels, Dandy Detects, and The Misses Moffet Mend a Marriage.
Down on the Charm
E.L. Wilder - 2019
Several, really. There’s her knack for stealing the limelight. The one for working the red carpet. For charming producers and audiences alike. And the one she’d rather not talk about. The Knack. The one for magic. She’s been ignoring her destiny as a witch since she ran away to Hollywood, but when one very public slip of magic derails her career, she returns to idyllic Vermont. Only it’s true you can never go home again, and Hazel finds the twenty-first century is fast encroaching upon Bennett Farms, threatening its status as a haven and gateway to the magical world. To top it off somebody is murdered before Hazel can even unpack—crushed by the business end of an antique tractor. Now Hazel must prove her sister’s innocence without the faintest idea how. There is no script. No direction. And improv has never been her strength. And that Knack she’s been ignoring all these years? It could be the key to saving both her sister and the farm before all its secrets become tabloid fodder. Down on the Charm is the first in the Farm to Fable Paranormal Mysteries, a cozy mystery series that is packed with spell casters, mythical creatures, and all the things that make Vermont the quirky little state it is. Sometimes deadly serious, sometimes deadly funny, and sometimes just deadly.
Murder at the St. Regis
Dianne Harman - 2020
And not just any old chef – but a chef who goes on to become the darling of the celebrity chef world.When a rabid fan tries to kill her, she ends her television career as a celebrity chef to start a catering company for the VIPs of the world. What she never expected, after not speaking with her brother for years, is that he had a child, and when he unexpectedly dies, that she would become that child’s guardian. Suddenly she’s Auntie Dani to a ten-year-old.But someone wants to kill her. It takes all the resources her bodyguard, Arthur, who doubles as her sous-chef, has to keep Dani and her niece safe. Whipping up cream for chocolate mousses was a lot easier for both Dani and Arthur!This is the debut book in the Chef Dani Rosetti Cozy Mystery Series by a USA Bestselling Author and Amazon All-Star.
Crime Chowder
Hillary Avis - 2018
So when her real estate developer boyfriend offers her a sweet catering gig, she jumps at the chance to cook for his gala and rub elbows with the town’s elite. The problem? That fancy gala is only happening because her best friend’s home was burned down by an arsonist. And the more Bethany learns about her boyfriend’s planned development, the more she suspects that he might have had something to do with it.Determined to uncover the arsonist’s identity, Bethany cooks her way through the gala, listening to the secrets, lies, and gossip swirling around Hosanna Street. But when someone close to her is killed during the party—and the murder weapon is found in her pot of clam chowder—Bethany finds herself in more than a little hot water.---------------------------------------If you like smart culinary mysteries with quirky characters and quaint seaside towns, you’ll love the Death du Jour series that follows Bethany Bradstreet as she builds her career and solves crimes with the help of her friends. Crime Chowder is the first book in the Death du Jour series. This book has clean language and mild suspense with no cliffhangers. It contains depictions of an LGBT relationship.P.S. – There’s a dog in it.
Legwork
Katy Munger - 1997
Casey is a big, bad bottled blonde who takes no prisoners as she delves into cases for those who are marginalized on the outskirts of society. Set in North Carolina and the surrounding states, LEGWORK features a colorful cast, solid plot and writing that is both laugh out funny and vry moving at times.