Death by Chocolate


Sally Berneathy - 2011
    Suddenly Lindsay finds herself battling poisoned chocolate, a dead man who doesn't seem very dead and a psycho stalker. Her best friend and co-worker, Paula, dyes her blond hair brown, hides from everybody and insists on always having an emergency exit from any room. Secrets from Paula's past have come back to put lives in jeopardy. Determined to help Paula and to save her own life, Lindsay enlists the reluctant aid of another neighbor, Fred, an OCD computer nerd. In spite of his mundane existence, Fred possesses tidbits of knowledge about such things as hidden microphones, guns and the inside of maximum security prisons. Lindsay needs more than a chocolate fix to survive all this chaos. Lindsay Powell's only secret is the recipe for her chocolate chip cookies, but she is surrounded by neighbors with deadly secrets. Suddenly Lindsay finds herself battling poisoned chocolate, a dead man who doesn't seem very dead and a psycho stalker. Lindsay needs more than a chocolate fix to survive all this chaos.

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.

If Looks Could Kill


Kate White - 2002
    Smart and savvy, she's got a sixth sense when it comes to seeing the truth in a story-especially if it's murder. Bailey's in bed with her commitment-challenged lover K.C. when she gets a frantic call from her high-maintenance boss at Gloss magazine. Grabbing coffee and a cab outside her Greenwich Village apartment-the consolation prize in her divorce settlement-Bailey reluctantly heads uptown. At Cat Jones's Upper East Side town house, she finds something that seriously clashes with the chic décor: the dead body of the family's live-in nanny. As Bailey-unofficially-delves into the murdered girl's past, she finds no shortage of A-list suspects. But when a startling discovery suggests that Cat may have been the intended victim, Bailey is suddenly up to her bed head in high-profile investigation that's perfect fodder for a tabloid headline: Is someone trying to kill the editor's of women's magazines? With the spotlight on New York's glitzy media world, Bailey interviews back-stabbing editors, straying husbands, and one sexy, six-feet two psychologist who could make her decide to kick K.C. to the curb. Sporting her pair of red slingbacks and armed with the investigative skills she's honed as a true crime reporter, she sets out on a search that takes her from Manhattan's exclusive Carnegie-Hill area-the nanny heartland of America-to the ritzy weekend estates of Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Bailey will need all her street smarts and some lightning-fast detective work to catch a killer who could end up deleting her name from the masthead for good.

The Secret of Seaside


Agatha Ball - 2017
    AND MURDER! Paige Comber dreams of running off to Paris to train at the Cordon Bleu, but fresh out of college, she is stuck running her granny's coffee shop in the small town of Seaside. It looks like a lousy summer until a handsome stranger named Nate arrives. He's here to help his Uncle Byron with his affairs, but when his uncle's body washes up on the beach and Nate is thrown into prison, it is up to Paige to find out who might have been crazy enough to do it. BOOK ONE in the PAIGE COMBER MYSTERY series

How to Leash a Thief


Cat Clayton - 2017
    Normally.But nothing is pleasant or normal about murder.I never thought, in my wildest dreams at 26-years-old, I would see my first dead body. Or take over my grandmother’s floundering pet grooming business, without a lick of experience aside from managing the shop’s (Stone Age) back office, drain my savings account for the shop’s renovations, begin hearing my Chihuahua’s voice inside my head, and wind up a possible suspect in the murder of one of my employees.Now, if I can clear my name, discover the real killer—without getting whacked myself, come to terms with hearing my chatty pup, all while keeping the family business afloat, my life won’t slip down the proverbial drain.♥Author’s Note: Some, more mature, readers in the humorous, cozy mystery genre may love to hate my main character, Steely Lamarr, and that’s okay. But as the writer, it is my duty to remain true to her character and her story. Steely doesn’t claim to have all the answers, nor does she always make the wisest of decisions. Her character is loosely based on a few of my own experiences married to a law enforcement officer in my 20’s, and coupled with inspiration drawn from our oldest daughter’s personality, whose steely attitude and tenacious spirit kept her feet on the ground and her head held high during the difficulties in her young adult life. As with my own daughter, I have a deep appreciation for Steely’s growth, maturity, and her willingness to own and learn from her mistakes as the series progresses. My hope is readers will acknowledge and appreciate this as well. If not, remember, there’s always pie, and pie makes everything better.~Publisher's note: This is the 2nd edition of How to Leash a Thief. Many readers of the 1st edition stated it read like a "cozy" mystery. Although it does contain many cozy mystery elements, we at Pigasus Publications do not want to mislead readers. Our readers’ happiness is top priority. How to Leash a Thief does not contain explicit sex or excessive violence. Some cozy mystery fans might enjoy the story. But we want to inform readers, the book does contain minimal use of curse words and sexual innuendos. Thank you for your interest!

Murder Uncorked


Michele Scott - 2005
    Impressed by her knowledge of wines - and embarrassed by his date - he offers her a job as a winery manager at his vineyard and she accepts because - well, a girl's gotta eat. Where else would her wine expertise come in handy anyway? The eye candy was a nice bonus too.On her first night at Malveaux Estate, Nikki finds something wrong with the fertilizer around the bushes by her cottage: there's a dead body in it.Smack in the middle of the investigation, new girl Nikki is questioned as the prime suspect and told to stay put in Napa Valley. Nikki puts her sleuthing skills to work as she navigates the dramatic dynamic of Malveaux Estate's residents. As she gets closer to the truth, Nikki realizes she will have more than just a new job to worry about.Nikki has just set foot on Napa Valley’s rich soil when she realizes her new job may not be as safe as she thought. First off, Derek Malveaux is disconcertingly sexy. Second, his top winemaker is dead in the bushes outside Nikki’s cottage. It doesn’t take a connoisseur of foul play to know something’s taken a terrible turn…

Murder, Curlers, and Cream


Arlene McFarlane - 2016
    Not only has she got a meddling mother, a wacky staff, and a dying business, but now she’s got a dead client who was strangled while awaiting her facial.With business the way it is, combing through this mystery may be the only way to save her salon. Until a second murder, an explosion, a kidnapping, death threats, and the hard-nosed Detective Romero complicate things. But Valentine will do anything to untangle the crime. That’s if she can keep her tools of the trade in her bag, keep herself alive, and avoid falling for the tough detective.In the end, how hard can that be?

Bakery Detectives Cozy Mystery Boxed Set


Stacey Alabaster - 2016
     Get three fun mysteries from #1 Best Selling author Stacey Alabaster for one low price! Rachael is a distinguished pastry chef who keeps finding herself in the middle of murder investigations. Pippa is her quirky, carefree best friend. Together, they must unravel three of Belldale’s unsolvable mysteries to save the bakery…and themselves. This collection of cozy mysteries includes the first three books in the Bakery Detectives Cozy Mystery series which are listed below. If you like fast paced mysteries full of quirky characters and unexpected twists, you’re going to love the Bakery Detectives. Buy the Bakery Detectives Cozy Mystery Boxed Set and start solving your next mystery today! A Pie to Die For - Rachael will do anything to protect her bakery from the evil Bakermatic Baked Goods Company. Does that include murder? Donuts, Antiques and Murder – Rachael’s bakery is thriving and she’s looking to expand. When a murder takes place in the antique shop she’s trying to buy, she again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Death by Chocolate Cake – Rachael’s business is taking off and starring on a reality TV show will only help her business grow…unless someone winds up dead. The Bakery Detectives Cozy Mystery Series Each book in the series is a stand-alone story, but your enjoyment of each story will be increased if you read them all. Be sure to check them all out. * Book 1: A Pie to Die For * Book 2: Donuts, Antiques and Murder * Book 3: Death by Chocolate Cake * Book 4: Rest, Relaxation and Murder * Book 5: Til a Death Do Us Part * Book 6: The Mud Pie Murderess * Book 7: Catering and Kidnapping * Book 8: The Pumpkin Killer * Book 9: Wined, Dined and Dead * Book 10: Murder Train * Book 11: Houses and Homicide * Book 12: Ice Cream Corpse * Book 13: Apple Assassination Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Death of a Dapper Snowman


Angela Pepper - 2014
    That is unless Jeffrey, the mischievous Russian Blue cat who led her to the icy body in the first place, can flick his sleek gray tail at the final piece in the puzzle.

Carrots


Colleen Helme - 2011
    Her life is organized and predictable, revolving around her husband and two children. All that changes the day she stops at the grocery store for some carrots. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman is busy robbing the bank inside the store. When a customer grabs the robber's mask, he is shot and everyone runs for cover. Everyone except Shelby, who finds herself face to face with the killer. The next thing she knows, she's lying on the floor with a bullet wound to her head. Luckily, the bullet only grazes her scalp, and she doesn't suspect any lasting affects until later, when she suddenly 'hears' what people are thinking. With this uncanny ability, her life takes on a whole new dimension. Her kids think she's bossy and too old to understand them, but that's nothing compared to her husband. He says he loves her, but what is it about the redhead at work that he doesn't want her to know? As if that isn't enough, the gunman knows she can identify him, and he's out to silence her forever. In her fight to stay alive, she is saved from certain death by a handsome hit-man with ties to organized crime. This pulls Shelby even deeper into danger, where knowing someone's thoughts can not only hurt her feelings, but get her killed.

Matrimony, Money and Murder


Cindy Bell - 2014
     But then... the police knock on Wendy’s door because someone close to her has been murdered and she is the prime suspect. When she is released pending further investigation she meets a mysterious stranger who offers to help her find the real murderer. With a wedding to plan she finds it difficult to concentrate on finding the real killer in order to avoid her impending arrest. It is a race against the clock to ensure Wendy doesn’t get collared before the couple get hitched. Who is this hunky stranger? Will they find the real murderer? Or will Wendy land up behind bars?

The Blond Leading the Blond


Jayne Ormerod - 2011
    Curious upon receiving notice of the death of an aunt she hadn't known existed, Ellery travels to Braddocks Beach in hopes of learning a bit about her heritage. There she finds she is to inherit the family house, the family jewels, the family real estate holdings, the family bank accounts, and, much to her dismay, the family role of Queen Bee. Ellery also finds herself accused of Aunt Izzy's murder.Samantha Greene is the lifelong friend and neighbor of Isabel Tinsdale, as well as the self-appointed purveyor of Braddocks Beach history. The recent discovery of a surviving member of Braddocks Beach's 'royal family' sets the town abuzz with anticipation of Ellery's arrival. But Sam soon learns that Ellery is the only person to ever flunk out of Madame Rowena's School of Etiquette and has much to learn about making appearances, leading charity drives, heading up committees, and setting fashion trends. But first and foremost is the business of clearing the Tindsale name of murder.What do a third-grade science teacher and a small-town socialite know about tracking killers? It's what they don't know that gets them into trouble.

Lifestyles of the Witch and Ageless


Shéa MacLeod - 2021
    Sure, they mentioned the hot flashes and reading glasses and the need for Kegels, but they never talked about fireballs sprouting from your fingertips or your sudden ability to turn rat-bastards into, well, actual rats.Which is why it comes as something of a surprise to Juniper when—at the tender age of 46—she discovers that not only has she inherited a quirky house in an even quirkier town called Miracle Bay from a relation she had no idea existed, but she also develops magical powers. Because, apparently, she’s a witch. Something her parents sort of forgot to tell her.With her life turned upside down, a new start in a new town is just what Juniper needs, and the strange bookstore her grandmother left her might be exactly the right opportunity. But beyond her inheritance and sudden affinity for tarot cards, there’s something strange afoot in Miracle Bay. A mystery Juniper is determined to solve before her newfound freedom vanishes along with her life.A brand new paranormal women's fiction series from the best selling author of Lady Rample Mysteries and Sunwalker Saga.Get ready for some midlife magic!

Die Noon


Elise Sax - 2018
    Her insomnia is one more reason to move to the quirky small town of Goodnight, New Mexico, after she inherits a house, a small newspaper, and two old dogs there. But despite the Goodnight name, Matilda still spends hers wide awake, and she has good reason after a reporter is murdered. With a mystery to solve, she begins to investigate the town and uncovers more suspects than she knows what to do with. Meanwhile, the hottie cowboy sheriff is doing his own investigation into Matilda, and the mysterious, handsome stranger, who just happens to live with her, is showing up in all the wrong places. As her investigation continues, danger increases, and it might end up spelling lights out for Matilda.Die Noon is the first installment in the hilarious, romantic Goodnight Mysteries series and a spinoff of the Matchmaker Mysteries.Goodnight… Sometimes sweet dreams end in murder.

Better Off Wed


Laura Durham - 2005
    Annabelle knows that even her trusted wedding emergency kit won't be able to salvage their careers if she and Richard can't find the real culprit.It's no easy task since the slain matron was perhaps the most hated socialite in DC, but Annabelle navigates through the city's colorful wedding industry and powerful social scene on the deadly trail of a killer. Always the bridal consultant and never the bride, she's seen her fair share of bouquet tosses. But there's no telling what surprises a ruthless killer will throw her way if she gets too close.