Book picks similar to
Booking a Killer Vacation by J.R. Ripley
mystery-cozy
mystery
cozy-mystery
r
The Manatee Did It
Kay Dew Shostak - 2020
However, when she arrives she finds that it’s awfully hot and humid there and that these Southern folks really like to hug.Her husband’s past on the island includes a creaky old house in the historic district and lots of nosy relatives he’d forgotten to mention. When one of the Mantelle cousins turns up dead, Jewel needs something she’s never really had before — friends. As her lunch bunch puts on their detective caps to get to the bottom of this murder, Jewel discovers that she may get more than she bargained for out of Sophia Island.THE MANATEE DID IT is a clean and cozy beach mystery set in a historic small town. It’ll keep you turning pages well after bedtime and slathering on more sunscreen to get a few more poolside pages in.
Murder in Mystic Grove
S.F. Bose - 2018
Cramming her Mini Cooper with clothes, cozy mystery books, and her two cats, Snap and Sammy, Liz drives cross country to her family's Bed and Breakfast in Mystic Grove, Wisconsin. Liz has many secrets connected to her work at Worldhead that she can't share with anyone. All she wants now is time to think and a little peace and quiet. However, she also needs a paying job. Soon Liz is working in town as an intern for Sam Nolan Private Investigations. When a longtime Mystic Grove resident is murdered, fear cuts through the village. Liz is shocked when she learns that her divorced mother's boyfriend, Ben, is a key suspect in the murder. When her mother calls to hire Liz and Sam to clear Ben's name, Liz hesitates. Her demanding mother has never asked for her help before. Liz and Sam take the case. They chase down leads, following the evidence as it twists and turns through Mystic Grove and beyond. With all of the lies and deception they find, Liz realizes that Mystic Grove isn't the innocent village she remembered. More threatening events convince Liz that the killer is still in Mystic Grove. Can Liz find the killer before he strikes again?
The 13th Fellow
Tracy Whiting - 2015
AND PROVENCE! American Professor Havilah Gaie has always seen herself as “an academic version of Pam Grier’s characters: smart, quick on their feet, loyal with a keen sense of purpose.” Now she’s got a chance to suit up for action because suddenly she’s a witness in a murder, having spoken with the victim on her phone moments before he was attacked. Against the panoramic backdrop of the Cassis cliffs of Provence, France, the beautiful people of poetry--poets, academics, and patrons of the arts--are assembling at a centennial honoring the founder of the Félibrige Foundation. Finding itself with a surplus of talent, the Foundation has awarded one more than its customary dozen fellowships, but even before the gathering can get underway, the unlucky 13th fellow has fetched up dead. But what's the motive? Professional jealousy? Romantic rivalry? Or something to do with a dark secret about the Félibrige’s founder? Havilah’s at the center of the mystery, and so is Thierry Gasquet, a dashing French agent who doesn't care much for amateur detectives. A specialist in several academic disciplines, fluent in several languages, honored for her academic achievements by the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, and equally appreciated for her accomplishments in filling out a bikini, Havilah is shocked by her colleague’s murder and determined to ferret out the truth. But she’ll have to stay a few steps ahead of Gasquet, who’s been assigned to protect her and avert an international scandal. He’s bossy, but he’s certainly enjoying keeping her in his sights, which isn't easy—she moves pretty fast! The 13th Fellow introduces a uniquely contemporary heroine--a worldly academic female sleuth (fashionable as well!) who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, but who solves her mysteries with a blend of action and zee justly famous leetle gray cells. (As well as a lot of well-placed nosiness.) She’ll appeal to fans of Attica Locke and of African-American sleuths like Charlotte Justice, Talba Wallis, Tamara Hayle, and especially Frankie Bailey’s Professor Lizzie Stuart—not to mention Pam Grier! Those who enjoy international settings will love the Provence setting, and everyone who loves a mystery will appreciate this perfect blend of cozy mystery and action-adventure thriller.
The Maiming of the Shrew: A Pratford-upon-Avon bookshop mystery with amateur sleuth and bookshop owner, Beatrice Hathaway (Pratford-upon-Avon bookshop mysteries Book 1)
Hannah Clemson - 2019
With another failed relationship under her belt, she arrives in the real home of Shakespeare, in search of the truth. Pratford-upon-Avon with its quaint Tudor cottages, cobbled streets, old English pub and a whole host of characters seems the perfect escape - so what could possibly go wrong? - When Charles Deverill, a newspaper tycoon and the owner of Deverill Manor is found poisoned, the night before his Daughter’s wedding, the finger of suspicion firmly points at the village’s newcomer - Beatrice Hathaway. With the help of Antony Marsden, an archaeologist from Egypt who’s been summoned to the Manor, and Beatrice’s only friend in town, they unravel the mystery of the Deverill dynasty, with devastating consequences.
The Witch Who Settled the Account
Emma Belmont - 2020
Murder has met its match.As the new owner of the Pixie Point Bay Lighthouse and B&B, Maris Seaver is finally ready to organize her finances. But while she’s at the town’s credit union, the manager mysteriously dies.Although suspects abound, the murderer has been clever. No one even knows how the man was killed.
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!
Tear Down and Die
Joanna Campbell Slan - 2013
She never expected to uncover an old boyfriend and a dead body… Stuart, Florida--With her parents deceased and her son away at college, Cara Mia Delgatto longs to reinvent herself. And a sentimental purchase of a fixer-upper in a small, coastal town seems ideal for a new business selling repurposed relics. But when she trips over a corpse at her rundown building, she flips from renovator to prime suspect. Desperate to clear her name, it shocks Cara to discover that her property once housed a multi-million dollar art collection—stolen after the original owner’s death. And when her first love shows up and tugs at her heartstrings, her whirlwind life upgrades to a hurricane. With accusations of murder and theft looming, she’s running out of redos. Can Cara crack the case and rebuild her reputation, or will her desire to upcycle treasures send her to jail? Tear Down and Die is the charming first novel in the Cara Mia Delgatto traditional mystery series. If you like cozy reads, witty heroines, former flames reconnecting, and Florida’s beautiful Treasure Coast, you’ll adore Joanna Campbell Slan’s captivating tale.
Narcissist in the Daffodils
Kristy E. Carter - 2018
The last thing Leo Solomon wants to do after returning to his hometown is arrest the woman he loves or her cousin, but all the evidence keeps pointing to it being an inside job. Why would anyone commit a crime and then phone 911? Why is everyone so interested in the missing black book last seen in the victim's possession? Rumors swirl as everyone in town decides to weigh in on who they think killed Elizabeth and why. Penelope refuses to sit by and let the people she loves or her family business be put through the mud to protect a killer. Can Penelope and Leo get to the bottom of the crime before anyone else gets hurt?
Rest In Pieces
Katie Graykowski - 2015
She’s a feisty, single mom living in the small town of Lakeside, Texas where money does buy happiness and keeping up appearances is much more important than the truth. Six months ago on her thirtieth birthday, her husband decided that married life, fatherhood, and his job as the Lakeside Chief of Police weren’t as exciting as a permanent vacation to Grand Cayman with his mistress and a million dollars in diamonds he stole from the police evidence lockup. Mustang is a pariah in a Lakeside full of piranha. But she refuses to leave—this is her home, and she figures that if she can’t join them, then she’ll beat them at their own game. With a little luck, some intimidation, and the help of her good friends Monica and Haley, Mustang presides over her own little slice of Lakeside, the Bee Creek Elementary Parent Teacher Organization. All is quiet in Lakeside until Molly Miars, the kindergarten teacher, is found dead. According to the new police chief, she overdosed on heroin. That doesn’t explain why her head was the only body part to make it to her funeral. Mustang and her follow PTOers don’t buy the heroin overdose for a second. Vowing to do right by Molly, the PTO decides to investigate. Quickly they find that Lakeside isn’t the quiet, sleepy town it appears to be. There is a dark side—money laundering and drug trafficking. When Mustang’s name turns up on a contract killer’s hit list, things go from bad to worse. Can she and the PTO stay alive long enough to find out who killed Molly Miars?
Honey Buns and Homicide: A Funny Culinary Cozy Mystery (Mom and Christy's Cozy Mysteries Book 6)
Christy Murphy - 2018
But when Robert’s girlfriend gets in an auto accident, everyone is sure Christy caused it. Can Mom and Christy solve yet another whodunit? And will Christy’s burgeoning relationship with a certain handsome detective survive?
Greyhound at the Gravesite: A Humorous Cozy Mystery for Animal Lovers
Kyla Colby - 2018
Samantha Hodges is ready to get as far away from crime reporting as possible — especially after what happened in Chicago. Writing for the paper in her pets-obsessed hometown will be easy. Except that she’s not really into animals. And her first interviewee turns up dead. Sam must solve the murder to clear her name — all while attending Dog Zumba class with a new four-legged sidekick like it’s no big deal. If Sam’s going to uncover the dark side of her hometown, she’ll have to embrace the lighter side of life to do it. “Greyhound at the Gravesite” is a new cozy mystery. This novel is lighthearted, fast-paced, and full of quirky characters you can’t wait to meet again. ☆ Free novella — “Catnip & Culprits” — included in purchase! ☆ Scroll up and click Buy Now!
Murder at Stake
Constance Barker - 2017
One of the regulars at the Old School Diner is found with a stake to the heart. Is the stake from his collapsed barn, or as a couple of conspiracy theorists from the diner speculate...that the dear departed was indeed a vampire and there is a vampire hunter among them. Find out what happens in this new hilarious mystery series where the owner, Mercy, has her hands full with a colorful cast of characters.
The Salty Taste of Murder
Christine Zane Thomas - 2018
She's a foodie, and a runner. A restaurant reviewer by day, and a Netflix aficionado by night.Even if it doesn’t make her the most popular dinner guest in the charming southern town of Lanai, Georgia, Allie’s reviews are always honest.And her latest is no different from any other.But Allie’s review isn’t the only thing to hit the newsstand. The restaurant’s owner and Allie’s one-time high school nemesis, Jessica Hayes, is found murdered. When Jessica’s husband, Miller, is labeled the prime suspect, Allie’s convinced the police are mistaken.As if dodging the bad press while she works to clear Miller’s name isn't enough, one false step could put the real killer onto her.Can Allie clear Miller’s name without winding up with the next obituary?
Dead Before The Wedding
Ruby Blaylock - 2015
Professional photographer and part-time bakery employee Carly Keene loves everything about her small hometown, except for the fact that there's a murderer on the loose. When one of Carly's photography clients is murdered just days before his wedding, it's up to Carly to prove that the most likely suspect isn't the culprit at all. With the help of her sassy best friend, Shell, and her clever cop cousin, Carly is determined to get to the truth, no matter what. Can Carly prove that the police are after the wrong woman? And are her feelings for the dead guy's twin brother more than just friendship and a shared love of their dogs? Find out in this first book of the Carly Keene Cozy Mystery series! Meet the colorful residents of Parker's Mill in the first-ever Carly Keene cozy mystery. ***Includes two mouthwatering recipe straight out of the Sweets & Eats Bakery!****
Scene of the Grind
Tonya Kappes - 2017
With the excitement of the Bean Hive opening and rush of business, Roxie is moving on with her life until she finds that one of her best customers, Lilia Walters, was found dead after eating one of Roxie's best-selling doughnuts after Roxie's aunt Maxine gave Lilia as a peace offering. Gossip in Honey Springs is as hot at the coffee served at the Bean Hive and Roxie has to uncover who is behind the murder not only to save her shop, her aunt, but her life.