Murder in the Art Gallery
Sandi Scott - 2017
She beat cancer, against all predictions, and is following her life’s dream to draw portraits of the fur babies of the world. When Georgie and her twin sister Aleta arrive at an art gallery that wants to show Georgie’s work, they schmooze with donors, charm the artists, and overindulge at the sweets table. Everything is working perfectly in their favor, until an owner of the gallery is killed. Georgie must help solve the mystery before the opportunity to have her first art show disappears. Working with Aleta and her detective ex-husband Stan, Georgie sleuths her way to the answers, running into unexpected twists along the way. This is Book 1 in a brand new series, Pet Portraits Cozy Mysteries, and includes recipes!
The Buzz Kill
Katherine Hayton - 2018
Instead, after just one day, a dead body is discovered nearby covered in bee stings. Now the police believe that a killer used her bees as a murder weapon. Desperate to keep her hives safe from destruction, and the bees safe from police officers on the hunt for evidence, Alice sets out to solve the murder. Between an argumentative wife, a neighbor embroiled in property disputes, and a potential stalker, she's soon in over her head. As if having a potential murder conviction hanging over her hives wasn't enough of a worry, Alice's dog Chester is also feeling under the weather. Trouble just seems to be making a beeline to Alice's door.
The Honeybee Mysteries are quick 1-2 hour reads perfect for filling in time waiting for appointments, commuting to work, or when your significant other insists on watching the show that makes you roll your eyes!
The stories contain no swearing, no cliffhangers, and no graphic scenes but are chockablock full of bees.
Sea Change
T'Gracie Reese - 2013
Lucy is a sleepy little Gulf Coast community––and that’s the way its residents like it. Most of them generally ignore the monstrous old Robinson mansion that sits in the center of town, until one day, insane old man Robinson dies and leaves the house and its accompanying fortune to the town. The residents are ecstatic and begin planning improved schools and cultural centers. Local retired school teacher and village elder Nina Bannister is sent to the man’s funeral in New Orleans and to represent Bay St. Lucy at the reading of his will. However, Nina returns from her trip saddened to report that a long lost Robinson relative has appeared to claim the entire inheritance. Almost immediately, the new owner – flamboyant Eve Ivory – arrives and announces her own plans to turn Bay St. Lucy into a extravagant vacation resort, not plans that anyone in this small town like at all and ones that will quickly lead to murder.
Port Danby Cozy Mystery Series 1-3
London Lovett - 2017
Join Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton and the cast of colorful, lovable Port Danby characters—including the endearing and handsome Detective James Briggs—for three intriguing murder mysteries. Marigolds and Murder (Book 1)Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton has left behind a six figure job and her reputation as the million dollar nose—a nickname her super sense of smell earned her within the perfume industry. With her pet crow Kingston and a tabby cat named Nevermore, she is settling right into her new life in the small coastal town of Port Danby. With a flower shop opening soon and a full cast of quirky neighbors and friends, her new digs are exactly what she's been looking for. Away from the hectic hustle and bustle of the city Lacey has found peace and happiness. However, her heightened sense of smell proves to be of use once again when a Port Danby neighbor turns up dead. Lacey finds herself caught up in an unexpected murder investigation alongside the handsome local detective, James Briggs. She’s determined to find the killer and solve the murder mystery before any more bodies turn up. Carnations and Chaos (Book 2)Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton, the local flower shop owner, is thrilled to supply colorful flower arrangements for the Third Annual Food Fair being held in the Port Danby town square. But when one of the well-known but not so well-loved bloggers is found dead in her motel room, Lacey steps in to help Detective James Briggs solve the case. (Whether he likes it or not.) Mistletoe and Mayhem (Book 3) Port Danby is preparing for the annual Harbor Holiday Lights Flotilla, and Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton is anxious to see the colorful boats light up Pickford Beach. But the festive spirits of the town are dampened when one of the boat owners is strangled to death. Lacey enthusiastically volunteers to help Detective Briggs sniff out the clues and track down the killer. Once again, she finds herself nose deep in a murder mystery.*Each book also contains a delicious, mouthwatering recipe that is perfect to pair with your cozy read!
#1 Bundle of Fun
Lizz Lund - 2014
Lund's humor hits home with this delectable duo. Some reader ratings include: “…Kitchen Addiction is a "Must Read" light hearted comedy, perfect for the beach or a snowy day in front of the fireplace. You won't want to put it down. I finished the story last night & realized I would miss Mina's adventures. Congrats Ms. Lund, we look forward to your future stories!!” “I absolutely fell in love with this book! The characters are interesting (and all have their own flaws). I never knew what was coming around the next page in the story. I couldn't wait to finish the book so that I knew the who's and why's while never wanting the story to end. I can't wait for the author to publish another novel!” “Lizz Lund is an amazing author! this book [Christmas Bizarre] is both funny and witty! Made me actually laugh out loud :)” “Loved the book. I actually read it over 2 dreary days. Cannot wait for the next one. Lizz Lund is my favorite writer.” KITCHEN ADDICTION! Meet Mina Kitchen, a forty-something single who likes to cook - and cook and cook. In fact, her zest for whipping up trays of canapés is dwarfed only by her weird luck and mountain-lion size tabby cat, Vinnie. That, and her godmom's tendency for blackmailing new members into joining St. Bart's. Okay, maybe Mina's Swiffer-addicted neighbor, Vito, is a bit weird, too. As if all that wasn't enough, Mina's a Jersey girl transplanted in the midst of the Amish-flavored countryside of Lancaster, PA. Things get really complicated when she learns that her neighbor Vito is in a witness protection program, and her dry cleaner deals in prescription samples. Throw in a few mysterious flaming feces flingers and a fuse box labeled in Arabic, and you have a recipe for catering disorders. Kitchen Addiction! will keep you smiling when you're not LOL-ing. Set in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, you'll find a surprising cast of characters, humorous plot twists, red herrings and actual recipes. Well, some of the recipes are real. The others you might to take with a pinch of salt, and some Tums. CHRISTMAS BIZARRE What do Santa’s Sidekick, a dead lawyer and a geriatric vampire have in common? Meet Mina Kitchen – a forty-something single who finds trouble quicker than she can whip up a batch of breakfast breads. Plural. Her catering disorder runs neck-and-neck with her weird luck, and her cat’s weirder tendency toward gnawing elf gear. Okay, and getting kidnapped a couple of times in one week is a little strange, too. Her next door neighbor Vito's past as ex-leader of the Moils, the Jewish-Polish Family from Bumville, New Jersey, comes to light and throws a dollop of dilemmas into an already simmering plot. Top it all off with a counterfeiting ring, a county-wide dearth of holiday wrapping tape, and a mass of pets running loose at the local mall, and what do you have? A recipe for disaster that Mina whips to a froth. Christmas Bizarre will keep you smiling when you’re not shouting up a belly laugh. Set in Lancaster, “Pee-Ay” you’ll discover a lively cast of characters, funny dialogue and lots of twists and turns. Hang on tight – you’re in for a slalom of a holiday ride.
The Witch Squad #1-3
M.Z. Andrews - 2017
Causing problems with the law in her hometown, she’s faced with two options. Go to a correctional institution or get shipped off to witch boarding school, or as her mother prefers to call it, finishing school. Choosing the latter, Mercy’s mother, Linda, drives her daughter cross-country to the Paranormal Institute for Witches, situated high in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains in cozy, Aspen Falls, Pennsylvania.Upon arrival, Mercy is faced with cheerful smiles, friendly people, and a sticky sweet roommate who has turned their dorm room into an advertisement for the Pottery Barn. Mercy had hoped her fellow witches would be more like her, dark, dreary, and a little bit self-destructive.When the murder of a local teenager takes place on the first day of class, Sorceress Stone, headmistress of the college for wayward witches, takes the class on a consulting job to help the Aspen Falls Police Department solve the murder. Mercy and her mismatched classmates find themselves in the heart of the murder investigation and when the body of the murder victim suddenly goes missing, Mercy must put aside her feelings of resentment about her gift and put her paranormal abilities to good use.Son of a Witch – Book 2Mercy Habernackle has just gotten the surprise of a lifetime. She has a brother – and not just any brother, a dark, mysterious, and incredibly hot brother.Given up for adoption twenty-four years ago, Reign Alexander just wants to get to know his long lost sister, but things take a dangerous turn when on his first night in Aspen Falls, a woman ends up dead, in Reign’s bed!Desperate to prove her brother’s innocence and save her mother from heartache, Mercy enlists the help of the Witch Squad to find out who really killed Harper Bradshaw. But when Mercy discovers that her brother has been lying to her since he got to town, she must ask herself is her brother really as innocent as he begs her to believe?Witch Degrees of Separation – Book 3The first six weeks of witch college has been emotionally draining and physically exhausting for Mercy Habernackle. She’s had to adjust to a new environment and to a new group of friends, she’s solved several murders, saved her roommate from an abduction, found out she had a brother, AND her mother came to town. All she wants is a break.When her roommate suggests the Witch Squad take flying lessons as a way to unwind, Mercy is happy to cut loose.
Death on the Seine (A Paris Booksellers Mystery Book 1)
Evan Hirst - 2017
What could possibly go wrong? For Ava Sext, a transplanted Londoner who sells books from an outdoor stand that overlooks the Seine River, her day goes from bad to worse when the tall handsome stranger whose appearance her horoscope predicted disappears after he is almost killed before her eyes and that's before she discovers that he supposedly died weeks earlier! With the help of her fellow bookseller, Henri DeAth, a former notary in a country where notaries are a powerful caste who not only know where the bodies are buried but probably helped bury them, Ava attempts to find her not-so-dead man before he turns up dead for real while trying to remain alive. Death on the Seine is a cozy mystery set in Paris, a city where food, wine and crime make life worth living… along with a few books and Mercury, the cat.
Death on the Danube: A New Year's Murder in Budapest
Jennifer S. Alderson - 2019
Her luck has run sour for going on a decade, ever since she got fired from her favorite job as an investigative reporter. When her fresh start in Seattle doesn’t work out as planned, Lana ends up unemployed and penniless on Christmas Eve. Dotty Thompson, her landlord and the owner of Wanderlust Tours, is also in a tight spot after one of her tour guides ends up in the hospital, leaving her a guide short on Christmas Day. When Dotty offers her a job leading the tour group through Budapest, Hungary, Lana jumps at the chance. It’s the perfect way to ring in the new year and pay her rent! What starts off as the adventure of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare when Carl, her fellow tour guide, is found floating in the Danube River. Was it murder or accidental death? Suspects abound when Lana discovers almost everyone on the tour had a bone to pick with Carl. But Dotty insists the tour must go on, so Lana finds herself trapped with nine murder suspects. When another guest turns up dead, Lana has to figure out who the killer is before she too ends up floating in the Danube… Introducing Lana Hansen, tour guide, reluctant amateur sleuth, and star of the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery Series. Join Lana as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that, unfortunately for Lana, often turn deadly.
Bundle of Trouble
Diana Orgain - 2009
From the moment she and newborn Laurie lock eyes, Kate can't imagine returning to work after her six-week maternity leave, but in expensive San Francisco, she and her ad exec husband, Jim, need every bit of both incomes. Then a dead body is fished out of the bay and linked to Jim's estranged brother, George. Both the police and PI Albert Galigani, hired by the dead man's mother, believe that Jim and Kate know more than they're revealing. Kate is determined to find the elusive George and get some answers, but she soon gets in over her head. Galigani serves as a charming mentor as Kate navigates the twists of motherhood and an uncomplicated but engaging plot. (Aug.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review "[AN] ENTERTAINING NEW SLEUTH." -GILLIAN ROBERTS, AUTHOR OF THE AMANDA PEPPER SERIES "A charming, gutsy, wry character who will make you laugh so hard you'll forget the labor pains." -LOUISE URE, SHAMUS AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR Book Description: A body has been dredged from the San Francisco Bay. Kate Connelly, pregnant and ready to pop, has reason to fear it may be her long lost brother-in-law. Battling sleep deprivation, diaper blowouts and breastfeeding mishaps she muddles through her own investigation, Mommy style: To do: 1. Find Killer 2. Figure out hideous breast pump. 3. Avoid cranky cop. 4. Send out Make birth announcements – need pink paper. 5. FIND KILLER
The Fargenstropple Case (Terrence Morgan Mysteries #1)
Lia London - 2012
He was wrong. This time stolen family jewels, an enigmatic debutante and radio-controlled ferrets make the case a real mystery. Full of witty dialogue, slapstick humor, and plot twists, THE FARGENSTROPPLE CASE is sure to amuse and intrigue you.
Dead Man's Diamonds
A.R. Winters - 2016
Or is it? When Mindy Macbay moves back to her hometown of Santa Verona, she soon finds herself on the receiving end of anonymous threats, and even worse, unpleasant encounters with her high school nemesis and former paramours. Will Mindy unmask the killer before it’s too late? And will her annoying high-school nemesis manage to make Mindy's life sufficiently miserable?This edition is no longer available
Hazardous Duty
Christy Barritt - 2006
Claire dropped out of school and started her own crime scene cleaning business. Now, when a routine cleaning job leads her to a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong man is in jail. With the help of her new and attractively single neighbor, Riley Thomas, Gabby plays the detective to make sure the right man is put behind bars.
Throw a Monkey Wrench
Karen Chester - 2016
She’s hired to throw a housewarming party for the brash and arrogant Tony Barnet, who’s eager to impress the big end of town. But when the party ends in disaster, Tony is quick to blame Emma, and the subsequent rumors spell doom for Emma’s business. Thank goodness she still has the job of planning Sean and Madison’s wedding. Sean, one of the notorious McCluskey clan, is about to marry Madison, the beautiful daughter of the rich and powerful Whites. But when Tony Barnet is killed, the police swiftly arrest Sean McCluskey. Though the evidence is damning, Emma is convinced her friend is innocent. With Sean facing prison, the wedding in jeopardy, and her fledgling business in danger of tanking, Emma must unravel the mystery and expose the real killer before it’s too late. The Emma Cassidy Mystery series: Book 1: Throw a Monkey Wrench Book 2: Pushed to the Limit Book 3: Murder Most Likely (coming in 2016)
Killer Cleavers & Cupcakes
Mel McCoy - 2020
One luxury cruise ship heading to the Bahamas. And an elusive killer running amok with a penchant for cleavers.After overstuffing her husband with a button-bursting amount of cookies and cakes, Ruth Shores—charmed mother, grandmother, wife, and retired pastry chef—decides to take a dream job in the kitchen of the brand-new, luxury cruise ship, Splendor of the Seas. Luggage rolling behind her, she sets out on her first day, and it's everything she imagined. That is, until she runs into the rudest, most inconsiderate person she’s ever crossed paths with: Loretta Moran.That’s okay—Ruth refuses to allow a stranger to ruin her idyllic new life. But when a body is found in the kitchen, both women become prime suspects in a murder investigation. Compelled to prove their innocence, Ruth and Loretta must work together, all while desperately covering up a mouse running loose in the dining room. Can they set their differences aside to unveil the real killer before they both lose their jobs—or worse, their lives?Pranks. Scandals. Cover-ups. All wrapped up in this fun and quirky cozy mystery!Killer Cleavers and Cupcakes is the first book in this nutty, lighthearted Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery Series. So, get nestled in a cozy chair, pour your favorite beverage, and get ready for an exciting Bahamas escapade aboard the Splendor of the Seas!
Die Buying
Laura DiSilverio - 2011
But there's no time to be bored when someone 'liberates' a 15-foot python from the Herpetology Hut, and a mannequin turns out to be a very real corpse.