It’s made her sympathetic to the missing and their families.Starting her new life, Abigail moves to small town and buys a fixer-upper house left empty when old Edna Summers died. Once it was also home to Edna’s younger sister, Emily, and her two children, Jenny and Christopher, who, people believe, drove away one night, thirty years ago, and just never came back.But in renovating the house Abigail finds scraps of paper hidden behind baseboards and tucked beneath the porch that hint the three could have been victims of foul play.Then she finds their graves hidden in the woods behind the house and with the help of eccentric townspeople and ex-homicide detective, Frank Lester, she discovers the three were murdered. Then she and Frank try to uncover who killed them and why…but in the process awaken the ire of the murderer. ***

    Instead, I forced myself to smile and swallow and remind myself the elbow length yellow rubber gloves grasping the handle of the standard issue plunger were all that stood between me and Pooageddon.Suck it up, Fee. Big girl panties and adulting and all that."At what point," I waved the dripping plunger, wincing as droplets of yuck flew, "did I think owning a bed and breakfast was going to be glamorous and romantic?"Fiona Fleming hasn't lived in Reading, Vermont in over a decade, her escape from small town living leading her to New York City and a life of adventure. An adventure that has left her with no career, an ex who cheated on her and zero plans for the future. Her grandmother's death grants her a new chance--inheriting Petunia's, Iris Fleming's bed and breakfast, seems like the ideal fresh start. But when Fee finds out ownership of the property Iris willed her might be in question, she's drawn into the seedy underbelly of the cutest town in America after being singled out as the main suspect in a murder.

    The sleuth is not a detective, private eye, or lawyer. He's an ordinary guy with an extraordinary dog.Jacob Martin is trying to make the best of a divorce and mid-life crisis when he gets a call at two o’clock Sunday morning from his mother. His sister has been arrested for the murder of her fourth husband, and his father is near death. Thus begins an adventure that takes Jake and his golden retriever from their Colorado retreat to a backwater town in the Missouri Ozarks where they search for cold-blooded killers, a cache of gold coins buried by Jesse James, and the love of a beautiful nurse.

    One of them can't cook, they're short a catering van, and the guest of honor at their first party is murdered.That would be bad enough, but then, Christy's cousin, Celia, becomes the prime suspect.Solving a murder is no easy task, but when drunken death threats, a dashing detective, and terrifying taxidermy are added into the mix, the case becomes almost impossible to crack. Who knew a small town like Fletcher Canyon could be filled with so much craziness? Will the disaster-prone duo find the real killer before Celia's reputation is destroyed, or will Celia end up in prison for murder? Find out in this quick comedy cozy!This novella is the first book in the Mom and Christy's Cozy Mysteries series, and is a complete mystery that you can read in an hour or two. It does NOT contain strong language or graphic violence. But it does contain a cute cat!

    Laugh. Lava.Prudence Wallflower is a human volcano, and like Pompeii, she is about to blow.But hot flashes are only one of Prudence's problems. She is a clairvoyant ... who has never seen a ghost. Despite Prudence connecting people with their deceased loved ones through the impressions she receives from the dead, her professional reputation is on the edge of eruption.But when the ghost of a gorgeous detective appears and demands Prudence solve a murder, it's her romantic life, not her reputation, which is about to explode.

    Not exactly the dream she’d had in mind when she moved into her rustic fixer-upper cottage. Marc Shepherd wasn’t part of her plans either. The Stetson-wearing contractor moved in next door, kicking up dust and threatening to cut down a beloved pine that shaded Tasha’s cabin. With Christmas around the bend, and a criminal threatening the community’s peace, will Tasha solve the puzzle … before it’s too late? JULIE CAROBINI writes novels from her home on the California coast.

    When heirloom rubies vanish from Lady Amersham’s neck, Molly relies on her wits to solve her first case. A short story prequel to mystery series.

    Sloan is the brewmaster at the famed der Keller brewing company that operates out of Leavenworth, Washington, and she’s come to the festival to show off the newest spring brew. When Sloan drops in to Torte for a pistachio bar and a latte, she meets Jules, who is instantly smitten with the idea of incorporating beer into some baked goods. But when the two go off to sample some of der Keller’s brews, they realize that one of the kegs have gone missing. Is someone trying to steal the secret recipe? It’s up to Sloan and Jules to get to the bottom of this—and soon.

    The Christmas Stocking by Fern MichaelsPhiladelphia businesswoman Amy Baran is determined to raise money for a new seniors' center by harvesting Christmas trees from the small-town Virginia farm she remembers from her childhood. Trouble is, Gus Moss has come home from California with his own ideas about saving the farm his father has neglected. Neither wants to give up, but when attraction turns to romance, they just might have to give in . 2. The Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly BartonWounded Special Ops officer Mack MacKinnon doesn't have any reason to look forward to the holidays -- until he rescues pretty widow Katie Hadley from a raging blizzard. Now, in a season of miracles, he's falling as hard and fast as the Christmas Eve snow. 3. The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne FlukeTake two lovestruck teachers. Add a dollop of conspiring kids. Place in a boarding school over Christmas break. And add a little help -- and eight, great recipes -- from amateur sleuth Hannah Swenson, and you've got a romantic holiday tale that's sweet, delicious, and definitely served warm. 4. Twelve Days by Shirley JumpOf all the luck -- Natalie Harris can't believe she drew Jake Lyons as her Secret Santa pal! The dreamy hunk leaves her completely tongue-tied. But with twelve days of secret gifts, sweet notes, and steamy emails to go, she just may conquer her fear and discover something surprising under the tree.

    A ghost story to explain the impossible crime. A dead man in the haunted library. And no way for the authorities to reach the survivors until the snowstorm clears… A snowstorm waylays Jaya Jones and Tamarind Ortega. It seems almost too good to be true that they find rooms for the night in beautiful old inn—until they find a dead man clutching an Agatha Christie novel in the secluded hotel’s library. Worse yet, Tamarind is accused of the crime. To clear her friend, Jaya must delve into the history of the hotel’s haunted library. The present-day mystery is eerily similar to a mysterious unsolved death in the 1930s—could it be the work of the library’s avenging ghost? If you’ve never met Jaya Jones or been on one of her adventures, this is a great place to start. And lucky you, you have the whole series (and the novella!) to look forward to!

     What begins as a run of the mill, albeit tasty, assignment turns into something much more dangerous when one of the Cookie Jar’s employees is poisoned. Now Kat is chasing the biggest story of her life, while trying to catch the eye of her handsome editor and avoid becoming the killer’s next victim. A cozy novella: approximately 44,000 words

    Andy Buckland is determined that nothing will interrupt her first Christmas with Malcolm Jones and her last holiday spent in her childhood home. When the family recipe book disappears from the Bowtie Angel, and Aunt Cecily threatens to put “The Eye” on the entire population of Beaverton if it isn’t returned, Andy and Jones decide to put the eggnog on hold for a little old fashioned sleuthing. But as one secret leads to another and rumors are served up along with hot buttered penne, Andy can’t shake the suspicion that her life is about to change forever. Southern Pasta Shop Mysteries: Murder Al Dente – book #1 Murder À La Flambé– book #2 Murder Al Fresco – book #3 Christmas Al Dente – holiday short story What critics are saying about Jennifer L. Hart's books: "A must read for all people who love a good mystery and a jolly good laugh...laugh out loud funny." ~ Black Orchid, Cocktail Reviews "Laugh out loud funny, realistic characters, snappy true to life dialog, and a sufficiently difficult mystery; all the required elements for an excellent read." ~ Manic Readers "I would not hesitate to pick up another of Ms. Hart's works as she definitely made me with one book a lifelong fan." ~ Joyfully Reviewed

    Edgar Award-winning editor Otto Penzler collects sixty of his all-time favorite holiday crime stories--many of which are difficult or nearly impossible to find anywhere else. From classic Victorian tales by Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Thomas Hardy, to contemporary stories by Sara Paretsky and Ed McBain, this collection touches on all aspects of the holiday season, and all types of mysteries. They are suspenseful, funny, frightening, and poignant. Included are puzzles by Mary Higgins Clark, Isaac Asimov, and Ngaio Marsh; uncanny tales in the tradition of A Christmas Carol by Peter Lovesey and Max Allan Collins; O. Henry-like stories by Stanley Ellin and Joseph Shearing, stories by pulp icons John D. MacDonald and Damon Runyon; comic gems from Donald E. Westlake and John Mortimer; and many, many more. Almost any kind of mystery you’re in the mood for--suspense, pure detection, humor, cozy, private eye, or police procedural—can be found in these pages.  FEATURING:-        Unscrupulous Santas-        Crimes of Christmases Past and Present-        Festive felonies-        Deadly puddings-        Misdemeanors under the mistletoe-        Christmas cases for classic characters including Sherlock Holmes, Brother Cadfael, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Ellery Queen, Rumpole of the Bailey, Inspector Morse, Inspector Ghote, A.J. Raffles, and Nero Wolfe.

    But instead of returning to her highly paid position as an investment banker, she’s selling discount make-up at Prospect Point Mall to make a little extra holiday cash. It’s not a great job, but Miranda wants to make this Christmas special for the people who stood by her during her trial and in the aftermath of her acquittal. Plus, keeping herself busy with work keeps her from thinking about her looming birthday. Or thinking about Jake Barnes, the federal agent who saved her life and then disappeared without a trace. But strange things are afoot at Prospect Point, from the shady elves with the neck tattoos to the shadowy figures she sees in the parking garage. Is trouble following Miranda—again? And is that really Jake she keeps seeing in the holiday crowd, or is it just her mind, and heart, playing tricks on her? ** Previously published in the Cozy Christmas Capers holiday anthology, published by Gemma Halliday Publishing in December 2014. **

    What she wasn’t expecting was finding a new guy… or that dead body on the doorstep! Could her sweet aunt really be involved? Or was it someone else near and dear to her? And then there was the handsome ghost from her Hawaiian childhood. Not what she'd bargained for – but sometimes you just have to deal with what the cat dragged in. Will she figure that out before the murderer finds a way to silence her forever? Yummy recipes for Hawaiian style cooking in each book – Chicken Hekka in this one. The books in this series have minor themes that run through them all, but each story can stand on its own.