Book picks similar to
Hoodoo and Just Desserts by Constance Barker
mystery
mystery-cozy
paranormal
cozy-mystery
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?
Harper
Kathi Daley - 2019
Family Ties is a new mystery romance series by USA Today Bestselling Author Kathi Daley based on the setting first described in the book The Road to Christmas Past. The series features a small town where friends and families are tied one to another in the intricate web of life that unites us all. Each story will feature a strong female lead who risks it all to follow her heart while simultaneously solving a mystery. Book 1 in the series features Harper Hathaway, a former member of the armed services who is on her way home to Moosehead after suffering a personal tragedy. Her plans to enjoy a relaxing road trip are upended when a puppy runs onto the road alerting her to a vehicle which had been in an accident but is not visible from the road. Her attempt to avoid hitting the puppy lands her in the ditch herself. Unharmed she tries to help the occupants of the vehicle which include a man, a woman, and a baby. The driver of the vehicle demands that she hide the baby who, as it turns out, is being sought by powerful men intent on harming her. In order to protect the baby, and find a way out of the mess she has gotten herself into, Harper calls her old friend Ben Holiday, a former cop and current PI, who hooks her up with his friend Michael Maddox, a computer genius with a particular skill set that will aide Harper in her quest to bring the baby to safety. With the men who are searching for the baby on their heels, Harper and Michael set off across the country with the baby and the puppy, and a desire in their hearts, to find the answers they’ll need to ensure the safety of the child.
Witch Unleashed
Kate Allenton - 2018
I smile at the complaining guests and accommodate their weird and unusual needs. It's my job. I'm the glue that keeps my brother and dad from feuding and scaring the others away.I've ignored my curiosity and the pull to explore the rest of the world for far too long. Twenty-four more hours and I'll wipe the fake smile off my face and set sail for my first off-island vacation.But my plans change when the unimaginable happens...A notoriously wicked witch dies and someone starts pointing fingers at my father. Walking away is no longer an option with the suspects and motives multiplying.All that matters is proving Dad's innocence and I'll use every trick in my super sleuthing book to help.Witch Unleashed is an emotional mystery with twists and turns that leave readers guessing until the very last page.The rest of the books in this series build on each other, but can be read as stand alone.
Attorney-at-Paw
Diane Wing - 2018
To help her cope with PTSD, she adopts Chrissy, a Shih Tzu with a remarkable secret. Chrissy is also the only witness to the mysterious death of her pet parent. Autumn vows to find the truth behind his death with the help of Chrissy, the neighbors and an attractive detective. Can Autumn unravel the clues while trying to heal Chrissy's trauma and overcome her own devastating emotional wounds in the midst of a dangerous murder investigation?
Midnight Magic
Jo-Ann Carson - 2017
Or so she thinks. Hired to find diamonds hidden in a haunted manor she gets help from a Viking ghost with existential issues. Will she survive? This book contains bad-boy ghosts, mischievous magic, and a woman who knows what she wants in a Viking hayloft.***Midnight Magic is a spin-off story from my novella, A Viking Ghost for Valentine’s Day, but it can be read as a stand-alone.
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.
Frozen Fear: Murder In Season - Book 1
Anne Shillolo - 2020
But injured cop Claire Beckett is right in the path of a killer. The death of a look-alike friend brings murder right to the front door of Claire’s quaint log cabin. After being shot in the line of duty she’s spending the winter in cottage country to recover, but it’s more than a vacation. Much more. The picturesque village of Falcon Lake serves up murder, kidnapping, a mysterious new neighbor, and a blizzard of clues and suspects. When Detective Constable Claire Beckett decides to spend the winter up north with her partner’s dog, Kojak, mistaken identity leads to a web of death and corruption that may lead all the way back to the city where Claire is still on the payroll. For the moment. An evening visit to Marina’s Café brings more than latte and dessert. Claire visits with her artist friends and enjoys some music, but by the end of the night, one person is dead. The local police are working hard, but Claire thinks the ‘crime of opportunity’ theory is all wrong. Falcon Lake just doesn’t seem like the kind of place where thugs wait outside the local businesses to rob them. She’s determined to find out who killed her friend Kayla, and why. Her neighbor is newcomer Miles Gallagher, and he’s distant and as chilly as the winter weather. But helping Claire stay alive and stop a killer may thaw his heart. Meanwhile things aren’t adding up for Claire at work. The tragedy of her boss’s ambush, where she herself was injured, is being laid at her doorstep. How can she clear her name and get back to work? Book 1 of the Murder In Season cozy mystery series.
Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse
Harper Lin - 2015
She spends her days making delicious artisan cappuccinos, until she stumbles upon her neighbor’s dead body. When the police discover Mr. Cardosi was poisoned, Francesca becomes a suspect. The victim’s son, Matty, happens to be Francesca’s old high school friend. Together, they uncover the secrets of the locals in order to find the killer in their idyllic beach town. Includes two special cupcake recipes!
Jack Be Nimble Jack Be Dead
Wendy Owens - 2017
Five years ago, Penny Preston found herself divorced and alone in San Diego, CA. With only her Dachshund named Piper and the possessions she could fit in her beat up Chevy Malibu, Penny decided to take her Aunt up on her offer to move in with her in Wyoming, Ohio, and help her run her coffee shop. She never imagined her Aunt passing away or her leaving the shop to her, but that’s exactly what happened. Besides the occasional nosy community member creating a stir around unsubstantiated gossip, life was peaceful—that’s until Penny’s life got messy . . . as in red body messy. Jack Eggerton, the local dog catcher, is found dead in the back of the animal shelter Penny runs in her spare time. After a heated argument between her and Jack about a missing dog, it appears the finger is pointed directly at Penny Preston. Enlisting the help of her seamstress neighbor, Linda, and her chubby Dachshund, Piper, with whom she has a rather peculiar connection to, Penny sets out to unveil the killer before she is left paying for a crime she didn’t commit . . .
Sinister Cinnamon Buns
J. Lee Mitchell - 2018
Recipes included in each book. In Castle Creek West Virginia, rivalries run deep, but has this tiny town’s biggest rivalry finally led to murder? When widely disliked socialite Macie Dixon is found dead on the set of her cooking show, suspicion falls on her rival, elderly family matriarch, and owner of the Red Herring Inn, Liddy Lou Cormier. As the investigation heats up, friendships will be tested, and long buried secrets will come to light. With the evidence stacking up against Liddy Lou, her granddaughter Q’Bita will risk her relationship with Sheriff Andy Hansen, and her own life, to clear her Nana’s name. It will take every ounce of Q’Bita’s culinary cunning, and a little help from her best friend Jamie and brother-in-law Rene, to figure out who’s behind the sinister cinnamon buns that killed Macie Dixon. Sign up for the Red Herring Inn newsletter using the link on the About J Lee Mitchell page to get access to contests, freebies, and an inside look at upcoming books. New subscribers will receive BONUS CONTENT as a thank you for signing up.
Bed-Bugged
Susan J. Kroupa - 2010
Sniffing out bed bugs? Easy as pie. Well, easier, actually, as getting pie can be a problem for a dog. Doodle finds best part of the new job is Molly, the boss’s ten-year old daughter, who slips Doodle extra treats when she’s not snapping photos with the camera she carries everywhere. But Molly has secrets of her own. And when she enlists Doodle’s help to solve a crime, his nose and her camera lead them straight into danger.Readers have called the Doodlebugged mysteries perfect of fans of Spencer Quinn’s popular Chet & Bernie mysteries, and best-selling author Virginia Smith called Bed-Bugged, "a first-rate mystery" and a "triumphant beginning to a series."
Murder, She Floats
Rachael Stapleton - 2017
With a contest prize of ten thousand dollars on the line, the town is full of summer vacationers on the hunt for the rare 1913 Liberty Head nickel that was lost to Bohemian Lake over fifty years ago. With the help of spitfire local, Eve Berns and Cody Lumos, the town's handsome new detective, amateur sleuth Lucky Penny takes the bait and goes diving for the story behind the legend of the million dollar coin. Unfortunately, her dive turns up more bodies than missing treasure. The deeper she digs, the more secrets she finds hidden in the sand, but will she be buried along with them?
Spirits, Stilettos and a Silver Bustier
Deanna Chase - 2015
All Pyper Rayne—medium and coffee shop owner—wanted was the perfect vintage dress. What she got was a dead shop owner and a sexy ghost who’s suddenly everywhere—at her shop, in her car, and even lounging in her bedroom. But he’s not just any ghost. He’s a witch and able to appear in solid form…sometimes. If only he'd stop disappearing on her. And Pyper needs his help. When she becomes target numero uno and the prime suspect in the shop owner’s death, it appears her ghost holds the key to solving the murder. In between stolen kisses, Pyper will need to get to the bottom of all of his secrets if she wants to stay alive and out of jail…and maybe finally get that date he keeps promising her.
Castelmezzano, The Witch Is Dead
Adriana Licio - 2020
Meeting at the fabled Witches’ Cave, they put aside their woes – the naked body of Sibilla, Castelmezzano’s beautiful witch, lies dead at the foot of the old oak tree. Did she plummet from the sky during a Sabbath flight as the superstitious locals are whispering? Or was the far more worldly evil of a human hand involved?When suspicions fall on Cassandra, Sibilla’s sister in the Art of Witchcraft, Dora and Etta fear the carabinieri have fallen prey to prejudice and local folklore. While Dora remains convinced of Cassandra’s innocence, Etta’s hunch takes her to a completely different conclusion, but could the truth really be so devious? And can she stop the killer before she becomes the next victim?•••Fans of cosy mysteries won’t want to miss this intriguing tale of deceit and betrayal, new from the author of the thrilling An Italian Village Mystery series.Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead is the prequel to the The Homeswappers Mysteries a humorous cosy series from Italian author Adriana Licio exploring the most delightfully murderous European travel destinations on and off the beaten track.Each book can be read as a standalone or you can enjoy the whole series:0. Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead – An Italian Cosy Mystery (A Prequel Novella)1. The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies – A German Cosy Mystery2. A Wedding and a Funeral in Mecklenburg – A German Travel Mystery3. An Aero Island Christmas Mystery – A Danish Cosy Mystery4. Prague, Secrets from the Past – A Czech Travel Mystery (to be released in Spring 2021) (More books and more adventures to come!)Written in British English, this is a clean cosy mystery series with no violence, sex or strong language.
Kiki Lowenstein Cozy Mystery Books 1-6: The Perfect Series for Crafters, Pet Lovers, and Readers Who Like Upbeat Books!
Joanna Campbell Slan - 2019
The first SIX books in the Kiki Lowenstein Cozy Mystery Series!
FANS OF CLEAN, FUNNY BOOKS FILLED WITH GOOD FRIENDS, FAMILY, FOOD, AND FUR-BABIES REJOICE! You will gobble up these books faster than you can say, “I love chocolate!”Readers looking for a hilarious escape with just the right touch of romance and drama will love these appealing mysteries. Agatha Award finalist and Daphne du Maurier Award winner Joanna Campbell Slan displays a unique gift for turning life’s most dismal moments into humor, making us feel there’s hope for us all. Lovers of feel-good cozy mysteries, especially amusing ones with animals, hobbies and food, will discover a new favorite author. Perfect for readers of Alexander McCall Smith, Hope Callaghan, Amy Vansant, and Carolyn Hart. A sure thing for craft cozy fans of Brianna Bates, Laura Childs, Lois Winston, and Mollie Cox Bryan."A nicely crafted cozy full of amusing moments, real-life insecurities, and scrapbooking tips."--Kirkus ˃˃˃ BOOK #1-- PAPER, SCISSORS, DEATH (AGATHA AWARD FINALIST) JUST BECAUSE HER HUSBAND’S NAKED, DEAD, AND IN A HOTEL BED, it might not be what it seems. Of course it is. (Sigh.) New widow, Kiki Lowenstein, walks out of her pampered life and into a scrapbooking store, turning a hobby into a career. In short order, the police come for her and Family Services come for her daughter. With no other options, this papercrafter turns amateur sleuth.Hobbyists and non-crafters alike will love Kiki. Slan also provides the ultimate warm-and-fuzzy: a wonderful floppy-eared dog. PAPER, SCISSORS,DEATH is the kind of mystery that keeps you turning the pages just to spend time with the characters. ˃˃˃ BOOK #2 -- CUT, CROP & DIE SWEET MEMORIES MADE OF THIS: PASTRY, PIZZA, A POISONOUS PILL AND MURDER? Recovering from financial ruin and her husband’s murder, Kiki Lowenstein’s getting her life back on track until a rival scrapbooker goes into anaphylactic shock and dies. Now Kiki must rely on her new sleuthing skills.“This is without a doubt the best book I have read in ages.” -- Amazon Reviewer ˃˃˃ BOOK #3 -- INK, RED, DEAD AS MANY SECRETS AS PILES OF STUFF. IT ALL HIDES A MURDER IN A HOARDER’S HAVEN” An off-site event goes wrong because the hostess’s house is filled with cats and there’s a body in the freezer! "This [series] should quickly become a favorite." -- Booklist ˃˃˃ BOOK #4 -- PHOTO, SNAP, SHOT A RACIST PAST COMES BACK TO HAUNT ST.LOUIS AND ONLY A MOTHER’S LOVE CAN DEFY IT. Kiki must protect her child’s life by following clues that lead to an ugly chapter of St. Louis’s racist history. (Author’s Note: This book actually resulted in me receiving threats…but I wrote it anyway.) “Ms. Slan is a WRITER!! Not just a hack stringing words with no meaning on a page. She is an honest-to-god writer who does her art brilliantly.” -- Kathy Harris ˃˃˃ BOOK #5 -- MAKE, TAKE, MURDER KIKI FINDS A SEVERED LEG IN A DUMPSTER AND a cryptic message suggests that only she knows why it’s there. Can she prove that an abused wife was murdered and save the woman’s daughter from a similar fate? “There is something in every book that I identify with, whether it be love of food or a f