Book picks similar to
A Beach House To Die For by K.C. Ames


cozies
mystery
first-in-series
around-the-world-in-80-books-challe

Hardback Homicide


S.E. Babin - 2019
    I’m not quite sure I ever pictured myself ending up in the quaint, little town of Dewdrop Springs, Maine, but the coffee, carbs, and endless reading materials inside my store keep me from venturing outside too much, anyway. But when a special-order hardcover leads me to the scene of a homicide, it looks like I'm the one falling through the looking glass. And while I prefer my murders to stay within the pages of my favorite guilty pleasure paperback thrillers, somehow it falls to me to investigate… or die. Well, let’s just hope the cat is more useful than he looks.

Between a Clutch and a Hard Place


Gayle Trent - 2004
    Based on the note she finds in a black clutch purse, she decides to find out what happened to the purse'

The Family Dictionary


Lisa Walker - 2013
    Quiet, that is, until threatening notes show up to disturb the peace. Trying to discover who is sending the notes leads them to investigate long-dead relatives and a family heirloom, the dictionary passed down through generations. Connie and Rebecca rush to figure out the secrets enclosed in the family dictionary with the help of local cop, Brad Hamilton. But will they find the clues in time?

Moonlight, Murder, and Small Town Secrets


KC Hart - 2020
    Katy and the band land their biggest gig yet at the annual Peanut Patch Festival, but things hit a sour note when she stumbles across a body during mic check. When the investigation strikes the wrong chord, Katy is determined to find the real killer before anyone else is forced to join the heavenly choir.Katy Cross is perfectly content to live her life and mind her own business, which is sometimes harder than you'd think in the small town of Skeeterville, where gossip and sweet tea are town staples. But when she finds the body of Jessa Williams, a newcomer to the area with the reputation of a troublemaking flirt, under the Peanut Patch Festival stage, she's compelled to step out of her comfort zone and snoop around.Since a murder has not occurred in their town in over three decades, the local sheriff is more accustomed to catching jaywalkers than killers. His arrest of a local easy-going, hard-working neighbor sets tongues a-wagging. Will Katy's sharp eye, keen wit, and a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time help the sheriff and his bumbling, good-natured deputy catch the real culprit before more lives are lost?This humorous cozy mystery has no graphic gore, bad language or sexual content, but is filled with lots of laughs, intrigue, and heart. Perfect for fans of amateur sleuths and small towns!

Dead Wrong


Kate Allenton - 2017
    She isn’t known for her finesse, but she’s good at what she does. Her intuition and insight have never steered her wrong.When there’s an attempted murder on the only detective who knows her secrets, she’s willing to step outside the safety of her anonymity and insert herself smack-dab in the middle of an active investigation. She has the skills to help, but convincing the sexy, skeptical detective to accept that help is much harder than dealing with the dead.With an attempted killer on the loose and another cold case nipping at her heels, Cree will risk more than her secret identity to solve both cases. She’ll risk her sanity and her life.

Murder is a Dirty Business


Tricia L. Sanders - 2017
     When Cece Cavanaugh’s husband empties their joint bank account, steals her designer luggage, and runs off with a younger woman, Cece must decide whether to ask her manipulative mother-in-law for a handout or get a job. Choosing the easier path, Cece lands a job cleaning a crime scene where a high school coach was murdered. When his wife is implicated—a young woman Cece practically raised—Cece finds herself mopping floors, balancing an empty checkbook, and ferreting out a killer. Amid all this messy business, Cece bumps heads with a handsome detective. She tries to ignore her growing attraction to the detective, but he gives new meaning to the term “hot flash.” After she stumbles onto a clue that could vindicate her friend, her elation turns to panic when she haphazardly confronts the killer. Through the danger and romance, Cece discovers self-reliance and inner strength. And that crime—at least, someone else’s—does pay the bills.

Double Date Disaster


Hope Callaghan - 2020
    The last few years have been a roller coaster of life changing events for “Garden Girl” Margaret Hansen - the death of her husband, the shocking discovery of what led to his death, and a big move designed to give her a fresh start.Believing she may be depressed, her well-intentioned friends set her up on a blind date without her knowledge. After some persuading, she decides to go, but only to “help her friend, Eleanor.”The date goes surprisingly well until disaster strikes after one of the men falls ill and is rushed to the hospital. They soon discover he’d been poisoned and Eleanor is the chief suspect – having both motive and opportunity.The Garden Girls and friends jump in to investigate and discover more than one person with motive. Can they figure out who is behind the poisoning before their friend is arrested and ends up spending her golden years in prison?

Mrs. Fix It Mysteries Books 6-10


Belle Knudson - 2016
    Her twin boys, Jason and Jared, have graduated college and moved back to town, and her Mrs. Fit It business is going strong. It would seem life couldn't be better. Until... NAILED DOWN MURDER Kate discovers the local baker dead in her car. It's night. There's no one around. And Cookie Halpert didn't die of natural causes. PAINT IT DEAD When a local ex-con with deep roots in this town winds up dead in the parking lot of Daisy's diner, a world of trouble emerges that once again pits Kate against her Police Chief husband. CLAMPED ON MURDER Another dead body turns up in Rock Ridge, this time in a quaint room at the local inn. Rather than call the police, the innkeeper, Amelia knows just who can fix this: Kate Flaherty. TOOL KIT CLUES When a plucky reporter by the name of Jenna Johansen is shot dead, it would seem the reporters aren't just covering the news, but causing it. And Kate will have to use every tool in her kit to catch the killer. WRENCHED IN MURDER The prison warden, Grant Conover has been shot in the head and when Kate barges into his office ready to demand answers she knows he can supply, she is struck with the irreparable truth: her son, Jason might very well end up behind bars.

Snow Ridge Mysteries, The Complete Series: A Small Town Murder Mystery Box Set


Emma Lee - 2018
    The numbness, the disbelief in what had happened and the fear of what would come next ensured that her every thought was tinged with doubt. Hoping for a fresh start, she’s packed up, said her goodbyes and moved to the small town of Snow Ridge, New Hampshire. Settling down in an old, renovated farmhouse, she plans to focus on the simple things in life. And, in time, she is determined to get back to some semblance of normalcy. But, apparently, that is not going to happen any time soon… The young girl at the local bookstore Bonnie frequents has been murdered. She was one of the few with whom Bonnie has become friendly during her short time in town. And whether it’s her mysterious past, her reserved nature or simply the relative ease in pinning the blame on the outsider, the police have Bonnie at the top of their list of suspects. Now, if she wishes to avoid a prison sentence for a crime she didn’t commit, it appears as if Bonnie is going to have to prove her own innocence. In doing so, she’ll uncover a crooked politician, unveil a hidden monster and unearth a web of secrets & lies that certain residents of the town have spent their lives concealing. And, with a little luck, she may just survive long enough to clear her good name. Book 2: Just when Bonnie Mayberry thought her new life in Snow Ridge was getting back to normal after a horrific case involving a deadly, old man bent on revenge, she is pulled into a second case that wraps her in a web of lies, deceit and...murder! At first, the man’s murder seems straightforward enough. That is, until an influential politician arrives in town demanding that the wife of the dead man be turned over to her for prosecution. But Bonnie soon finds out that this powerful woman is not exactly who she seems to be… In fact, she may not only be the killer, but she just may be planning to take over the world! Book 3: When Bonnie agrees to help locate a missing girl, Bonnie leaves her hometown of Snow Ridge, New Hampshire and hits the road on a mission to track her down. But when false leads and countless mishaps have her traveling up & down the East Coast and mingling with a cast of characters ranging from the Amish to the FBI, she begins to doubt her chances at success. That is, until she finds the girl on a dark & stormy night. And that’s when things really start to get messy… Book 4: After traveling up and down the East Coast in search of a missing girl, Bonnie Mayberry couldn’t be happier to return to normal, everyday life. But, as one case closes, another opens… It begins when a bounty hunter arrives in town just as a heavy fog begins to descend upon Snow Ridge. His tale of a murderous clown, a maniacal banker and a promise to a dying woman seems to be as murky as the misty air. But, as always, Bonnie is determined to help solve the mystery and, despite the danger from thickening fog, she soon finds herself on the road once again.

Secrets Come Home


Samantha Price - 2020
    During building repairs, the dreadful discovery is made.When it comes to light that the former owner of the home and the victim were once engaged to marry, the police piece together a scenario where Ettie's friend is the killer.Ettie knows her friend is innocent and sets out to prove it.Could an old key found in the house change everything?Secrets Come Home is the first book in the Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries series. A series full of quirky characters that has delighted lovers of clean, light-hearted mysteries for years.

Dogs Don't Lie


Lisa Shay - 2019
    Murder. Furry witnesses with a story to tell…I’m Dr. Kallie Collins, a veterinarian who can communicate with animals. No, it’s not as crazy as it sounds. Yes, it has landed me smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation.It all starts with a bone.A dog digs up the bone.A detective wants the bone.The dog wants to keep the bone.That’s where I come in.Instead of tranquilizing the dog as the skeptical detective suggests, I use an animal-communication technique and Voila! Tail wagging, the dog drops the bone, then leads me to the location of a complete human skeleton. Sheesh!Now I’m up to my ears in four-legged witnesses and trying to figure out who the killer is before it’s too late and another person disappears.I’m just hoping it won’t be me.

Booking a Killer Vacation


J.R. Ripley - 2020
    Think innkeeper Dick Loudon and mystery writer Jessica Fletcher. Put 'em together, flip 'em around and what do you get? Kelly Green and Harry Leland. One is the new owner of the Beach Lovers Inn in Myrtle Beach, SC. The other is a mystery writer staying at the inn who sees mysteries and murders everywhere.When Kelly’s aunt decides to retire, she jumps at the opportunity to run the inn. But soon after, a guest is murdered and Kelly and Harry are determined to find the killer before any more guests check out for good.First in a new cozy series by critically-acclaimed, bestselling author J.R. Ripley.

The Good, the Bad, and the Pugly


Celia Kinsey - 2019
     If Emma wants to take possession of Little Tombstone's motel, cafe, curio shop and Museum of the Unexplained, then she has to agree to "Love, Honor and Cherish" Earp, her late aunt's ancient and irritable pug. It says so, right there in the will. What Aunt Geraldine's will conveniently omits to mention are the bodies buried underneath the trailer court.

Lost Memories


Katie Winters - 2020
    Her husband of twenty years had an affair; her children have left the nest; and she hasn’t managed to sell a screenplay in almost ten years. Now, one of the people she loved most in the world—her mother—is dead.“Heartbroken” doesn’t even cover it. She’s never been more lost in her life.Elise and her mother had always lived in Los Angeles. Her mother was an actress and a single mother, who never revealed who Elise’s father was.Now, Elise finds a secret diary within her mother’s things—one that reveals a portion of her mother’s life that Elise never knew about.In the late ‘70s, her mother worked as the personal assistant to acclaimed actress, Jane Seymour. And during this time, she journeyed to the glorious Michigan-based Mackinac Island, for the film, Somewhere in Time.While there, Elise’s mother met a man who changed her life forever. He must be Elise’s father. And Elise is determined to find out.Now, Elise must decide what to do next. How will she grapple with her mother’s death? And could a trip to Mackinac Island change her life, like it did her mother’s?She thought all the adventure in her life was over. She thought she would never find happiness again.But she’s beginning to think the adventure has only just begun. Dive in for a trek of a lifetime: from the glittering sands of Los Angeles, all the way to that gem of an island between the southern and northern peninsulas of Michigan, Mackinac Island, where secrets have been kept for the previous forty years.

Brown Bag Murder


Evalynne Shaw - 2016
    After a local foodie, Chet Hurst, is found dead, with a bag from The Fancy Food Truck on his head, truck owner Meredith Malam instantly becomes a person of interest in the case. Refusing to let this horrifying turn of events take her out of the food truck game, Meredith dives into the mystery with the same gusto she uses to attack a new recipe. But can she find the missing ingredient in this bizarre case that hits way too close to home?