Book picks similar to
The Curse of Hollister House by Kathi Daley
mystery
cozy-mystery
cozy
first-in-series
Murder & The Monkey Band
Dianne Harman - 2015
Since their early childhood days, her sister has always possessed unexplained psychic abilities that often enable her to predict future events. An antique appraisal in the home of a recently murdered woman puts Marty at the center of a search for the killer. Who did it? The woman's son? The well-known collector of antique Meissen china? A professional art and antique thief? The owner of Mai Tai Mama's Restaurant? And just what part did the collection of Meissen Monkey Band figurines play in the murder? Detective Jeff Combs is just as determined to develop a relationship with Marty and her dog Duke as he is to solve the crime. Will the psychic abilities of Marty's sister help her find the killer? Dianne is the author of two other best-selling series, the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series and the Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery Series. This is the first book in her new "High Desert Cozy Mystery Series." To find out more about Dianne and her books, visit her web site at www.DianneHarman.com
Peppermint Fudge and Fears
Patti Benning - 2019
Candy shop owner, Candice Rothberg, formerly Candice Darling, is excited for Christmas. It’s hard not to be, in a town as festive as Lake Marion, Michigan. When Candice learns that a local bakery is hosting a gingerbread house building contest, she eagerly dives right in. With her background in candy and all things delicious, she plans to rock the contest, whether she wins it or not. What starts out to be a fun and delicious contest, ends up being a holiday horror, when one of the competitors dies, under suspicious circumstances, leaving behind a mysterious candy wrapper and more questions than answers. When the killer targets a second victim, Candice realizes all of the mystery and intrigue, oddly, has something to do with her. Will she figure out who the culprit is, before it’s too late? Or will this be a season of suffering for Lake Marion? Find out in this delectably action-packed Cozy Mystery!
Cobblered to Death
Rosemarie Ross - 2019
. . Courtney Archer is known for hosting the show Cooking with the Farmer’s Daughter . . . despite the fact that she’s actually a pediatrician’s daughter. Now she’s signed on for a role on The American Baking Battle. On this reality show, she can start developing a more authentic image for herself—and as a bonus, the usual backstabbing and manufactured drama isn’t part of the Baking Battle script. But genuine drama is heating up behind the scenes . . . During a film shoot in the scenic Pocono Mountains, Courtney has to juggle career commitments like pots on a six-burner stove. Adding to the stress is Mick, a contestant who finds out about her fake farm-girl story. Determined to succeed at her new gig, she whips up a cherry cobbler in a cast-iron fry pan one evening and leaves it out to cool. But the next morning, it’s Mick’s body that’s cooling—right next to Courtney’s pan, now classified as a murder weapon . . .
Peril in Pensacola
Lucy Quinn - 2019
Meet Dora and Evie, two best friends who are suddenly thrown into the world of life undercover as they fight to prove Dora’s innocence in the death of her money-laundering boss.
The Ginseng Conspiracy
Susan Bernhardt - 2014
When the official coroner's report rules the cause of death to be accidental and the community accepts the judgement, Kay decides to uncover the truth for herself. Through her personal investigations, Kay exposes a complex conspiracy, woven deep within the thriving local ginseng industry, that involves some of the more prominent figures and families of Sudbury Falls. With her new friends, the free-spirited herbalist Deirdre and the untamed modern woman Elizabeth, Kay discusses new clues over tea and pastries at Sweet Marissa's Patisserie, their crime-fighting headquarters. As Kay gets closer to the heart of the conspiracy, additional murders happen in quick succession. Before long, Kay learns that the villains are gunning for her, too. Phil, her musically talented but preoccupied husband, determined to keep her safe, withholds from her the one thing she needs most: the truth.
Dying to Remember
Karin Kaufman - 2018
But Ray’s memories of the killing are at odds with the official report, and most people in town would rather forget about the tragic event. When Ray’s investigation turn deadly, past and present collide and Kate must act quickly to uncover the truth.As Kate hunts for clues, she makes a discovery that will change her life forever. It seems that Ray’s talk about fairies in the woods of Smithwell was more than just talk—and reality isn’t quite the ordinary thing Kate imagined it to be. Can she and her new sleuthing partner, a determined little fairy named Minette, solve two murder cases before a third body shows up?
This light, cozy mystery offers a clean read with a female amateur sleuth in a small-town setting. No foul language, sex, gore, or graphic scenes of any kind. It can be read as a standalone, but it will be enjoyed more as part of the series.
Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited.
THE SMITHWELL FAIRIES COZY MYSTERY SERIES:
Book 1: Dying to Remember
Book 2: Dead and Buried
Book 3: Secret Santa Murder (coming soon)
Cold as a Witch's Toffee
Sara Bourgeois - 2019
The dog is talking! When Allegra Darling, star fitness instructor, inherits an ice cream shop from her Uncle, she is shocked, appalled, and at a loss. Allegra Darling doesn’t eat carbs, and she won't be caught dead selling them. When she goes to the little town of Knox Hills to sell the property, her Uncle’s attorney gives her the absolute worst news possible. She can’t sell the shop. If she does, she loses her entire inheritance. Things get even worse when her stockbroker fiancé breaks up with her over email… for a plus-size model. Distraught, Allegra goes to the ice cream shop and devours an entire tub of Toffee Twist ice cream. Unable to move, she sleeps on the floor in a puddle of her tears mixed with the last shreds of her dignity. Allegra is in for a huge shock the next morning when she wakes up to find her Uncle’s lawyer dead in the shop. What was he doing there? Who killed him? How is Allegra going to prove to the town of Knox Hills she didn’t murder him? After all, everyone saw her fighting with him the day before. But, that’s not the biggest surprise. Something happens to Allegra when she moves into her Uncle’s old house. Magic she’d forgotten comes alive inside of her when she steps inside her childhood refuge. She’ll have to harness her new powers and find a way to solve the crime one spell at a time. Cold as a Witch's Toffee is the first book in An Allegra Darling Cozy Mystery Series. It is a clean read suitable for all ages.
Thyme to Kill
Tegan Maher - 2019
Divorced, low on funds, and unhappy with where she's at in life, she decides to buy a lodge in the mountains and start over. When she arrives at her new home, she finds the grand lodge is a run-down mess. To make matters worse, she finds the one person she's connected with standing over a dead body on her first full day in town. Now, Toni needs to find a way to clear her new friend of murder while searching for a job and figuring out what to do with the lodge she'd pinned her dreams on. Throw in a goofy dog who needs a home, a ghost reluctant to share his space, and a handsome neighbor eager to help her rebuild, and she's got her hands full. Determined to make her fresh start a success, she rolls up her sleeves and gets to work, but will it be enough? This is the first book in the Haunted Lodge Cozy Mystery series.
The Forever Team: A detective and her K9
Suzie Ivy - 2015
The only good thing about their partnership… Suii can’t add a complaint to the growing stack in Laci’s personnel file.
Easter Egg Hunt Murder (A Reporter Roland Bean Cozy Mystery Book 1)
Rachel Woods - 2020
Not only was she unfaithful to her husband, but she was blackmailing her lover and cheating her business partner and may have been involved in a scam with a vicious island cartel. As Beanie continues to investigate, he uncovers sinister secrets and devious motives among those who were closest to the victim. Racing to discover the killer, he ends up the target of a diabolical murderer who won’t hesitate to kill again.
Easter Egg Hunt Murder is a contemporary whodunit murder mystery novel in the Reporter Roland Bean Cozy Mystery Series, but can be read as a standalone. With lots of clues and red herrings, it features plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end! Get your copy today!
The Long Paw of the Law
Laurie Anne Marie - 2015
Ashley Crane is busy nursing a broken heart, working tirelessly as a cook, and hanging out with her family and best friends when her boss at the restaurant is murdered. At first the investigation is left to Nathaniel Thompson, the local handsome police detective. But when Thompson arrests the wrong suspect, Ashley takes the investigation into her own hands. Solving the case won't be easy. She'll need help from her parents April and Burt, her best friends Sean and Lara, and her cute and clever cat Charlie. It's up to Ashley Crane to find the real murderer in Comfortville before they strike again.
A Shot in the Bark: A Dog Park Mystery
C.A. Newsome - 2011
Neither do her friends at the Mount Airy Dog Park. When the apparent suicide of Lia's deadbeat boyfriend draws the attention of Detective Peter Dourson, he decides to adopt the dead man's dog to infiltrate the tight group he's certain conceals Luthor Morrissey's killer. As his investigation uncovers secrets, a grieving Lia fights her growing attraction to the laid-back detective. Meanwhile, Luthor's killer lurks, desperate to stay ahead of the investigation--no matter who has to die... If you like believable characters, a multi-layered plot, and a compelling sense of humor with your intrigue, pick up this can't-put-down whodunit for a romp through the dog park with Lia and the gang. This extended edition includes new and expanded scenes. (69,000 words)
The Silence of the Elves
Meg Muldoon - 2016
FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. If there’s one thing that every elf in the North Pole knows, it’s this: Never get on Mrs. Claus’s bad side. Never. Ever. Ever... After getting reassigned from the North Pole by a jealous Mrs. Claus, misfit elf Holly Hopewell is sent to work in the worst place imaginable: The North Pole Emporium Department store in Mistletoe, Oregon. The elves call it Mistletoe Row: a place so devoid of joy and Christmas spirit, that many a curly-toed folk has lost their poor mind working there. But just when Holly thinks things can’t get any worse, the store’s manager, who also happens to be Mrs. Claus’s nephew, is found murdered in his office. And good-natured Holly Hopewell finds herself as the prime suspect in the local police’s investigation. Will Holly be sent to a row of a different sort for a crime she didn’t commit? Or will the handsome yet mysterious homicide detective assigned to the investigation find the real murderer before the gumdrops hit the fan for Holly?
Dead on the Vine
Elle Brooke White - 2020
B. Haywood and Peg Cochran, Ellie B. White's whimsical series debut is full of farm fun, complete with a helpful baby pig.Reluctant farmer Charlotte Finn needs the help of the livestock to sleuth a mysterious death.Charlotte Finn never wanted to inherit the family's produce farm--much less plow a heap of money into it. Her plan is to hammer a great big FOR SALE sign into the farm's fallow furrows--but Charlotte's sunny hopes of a quick sale succumb to a killing frost when she finds a dead body entwined supine in the tomato vines. The poor man, it seems, was run through...with a pitchfork?Now, Charlotte is stuck with running the farm in the midst of a murder investigation. Charlotte's knowledge of farming is smaller than her bank balance, so she relies on caretakers Joe and Alice Wong and their farmhands. Can she trust them? She doesn't know them. There's also farmer Samuel Brown, who still carries a childhood grudge. But the case gets personal when Charlotte learns that the victim might have been her own kin--and seeds of suspicion grow into a fertile field of suspects.Charlotte turns to the farm's baby pig to help root out the killer. Soon, the goats, geese, and horse join in, but will Charlotte harvest a murderer--or buy the farm?
Bells, Tails & Murder: A Cozy English Animal Mystery
Kathy Manos Penn - 2020
. . a grieving heroine . . . two furry sidekicks . . . and a murder!
Do you like heroines who’ve lived a little? Who’ve suffered life’s ups and downs but kept on trucking? Then you’ll love Leta Parker and her new friends in the Cotswold village of Astonbury.When tragedy strikes Leta Parker’s life, the successful banker and closet sleuth chases a lifelong dream to retire to England. Leaving her friends and neighbors in Atlanta, she settles into Astonbury with her talkative dog and cat, Dickens and Christie.
Picture her driving a refurbished London taxi to the bookshop and the tearoom, enjoying leisurely walks with Dickens the dog, and sipping coffee in the garden with Christie, her sassy cat.
When Leta stumbles across the dead body of a new acquaintance, her inner Nancy Drew comes out. Before you know it, she’s enlisted the help of Wendy, a retired English teacher friend—and even Wendy’s elderly mum.
Two whipsmart retirees, one spunky senior citizen, and a feisty dog and cat are on the case!
Who better to unearth clues from their friends in the village? Even Dickens and Christie get in on the act gathering intelligence from their four-legged friends and pointing out the obvious to Leta.
What do authors A. A. Milne, Arthur Conan Doyle, and J. M. Barrie have to do with all this?
Is their connection with the Cotswolds merely an interesting bit of trivia, or is it more? Will Leta and Wendy let their literary noses lead them astray?You’ll be captivated as this unlikely team chases clues and ferrets out a long-buried secret—a scenario that would make any BBC cozy mystery producer proud. No matter the clues uncovered by Dickens and Christie, you’ll be hard-pressed to guess who the villain is unless, like Leta, you’re able to “talk to the animals.” Grab a copy of Bell, Book, and Murder today—book one of a new and finely crafted Cozy Animal Mystery Series by author Kathy Manos Penn.