Portrait of a Gossip


Melanie Jackson - 2012
    It comes as no great surprise when the small artists' colony of Bartholomew's Woods ends up with a dead resident. Harvey Allen was a professional gossip, hated the length and breadth of the state for his scandal-mongering in the press, and it seemed that one of Juliet's talented but idiosyncratic neighbors had finally had enough of his pernicious tale-bearing and decided to paint him out of the picture. Juliet may sympathize, but she also knows that once a person resorts to murder to hide a secret, chances are good that they may choose to kill again. Can she find the murderer before the killer paints the town red?Move over Miss Marple, there's a new slueth in town. If you are a fan of Ngaio Marsh or Agatha Christie you are going to love Juliet Henry and the residents of Bartholomew's Woods.

Haunted Hardbodies


Julia Derek
    So, when the opportunity arises to buy Six-Packs for peanuts, she's thrilled. The fact that the previous owner claims the place is haunted doesn't bother her one bit--she doesn't believe in ghosts. With all her experience, she'll revive floundering Six-Packs!Unfortunately, Celeste soon discovers that the gym IS haunted by a feisty ghost named Lennie. Lennie used to own the building that houses Six-Packs, and he was a slumlord. Lennie approaches Celeste and tells her he must solve five crimes before he can enter the next world to atone for being a terrible person in life.At first, Celeste ignores Lennie's badgering ways. But then one of the gym members suffers a mysterious death--and only Lennie seems to know who's behind it. Celeste has no choice but to help Lennie solve his first crime or it's over for Six-Packs, leaving not only Celeste broke, but her employees without a job.NOTE: Haunted Hardbodies is a cozy murder mystery for people who like to laugh.

Previous Engagements


April Anderton - 2019
     It's 1996 and Boston reporter, Ali Loukas, has her sights set on advancing from radio newscaster to TV correspondent, so when the Maxwell story practically drops into her lap, she seizes the opportunity to solve the murder, scoop her competitors, and move up the broadcasting ladder. But gaining access to evidence and witnesses without stepping on the toes of family friend, Detective Ryan McGuire, could be tricky. Despite a knife wedged in her front door and opposition from the police, Ali is determined to prove that she can find the answers, solve the crime and earn the dream job...if she can stay alive to make it all happen. If you love Mary Higgins Clark Mysteries, grab this one today! Content Notes: PG equivalent - No swearing, sex or graphic violence.

All I Got Was The Headache


Anne Avery - 2016
    Literally. Life, for Maxie, has never been the same since. Amelia has rotten taste in clothes, a fondness for single malt scotch, and an annoying penchant for meddling where she’s not wanted. As far as Maxie’s concerned, her fairy godmother’s “assistance” isn’t wanted anywhere, at any time, for any reason whatsoever. Unfortunately for Maxie, when it comes to heeding hints (not to mention demands and outright threats), Amelia has the hide of a rhinoceros—nothing gets through! Maxie is the owner and sole employee of Maxie Peterson Investigations. When she discovers her newest, richest, and (sadly) only client dead on her office floor with her letter opener through his heart, she isn’t surprised to find Amelia’s already on the job—Amelia can always be counted on to be in the middle of things, making them worse. What Maxie isn’t prepared for is the hunky new detective in charge of the case. Ben Trueblood is as hard-nosed as Maxie, and just as determined to find the killer, but he’s got a major advantage—he doesn’t have a fairy godmother making a mess of everything before he even gets started!

The Fatal Heir


Lois Lewandowski - 2006
    A few years previous, she survived a car accident that shattered her ankle and her first marriage. Now she’s remarried and walking again and life would be perfect—if only she could get pregnant.Fortunately, Gillian’s mother-in-law and one of the Jackson County commissioners from Bend Brook, Nebraska, hatch a plan that will enable Gillian and her husband Clint to afford the next step in fertility treatment: they ask her to become an investigator for the county. Her first assignment is to find the biological parents of the commissioner’s adopted daughter, Caroline. With only one concrete fact to go on—Caroline was left at a Colorado monastery in 1967—Gillian heads for Aspen. Unfortunately, no one at the monastery remembers any such event—or so they say. When one monk goes missing and a woman who’s sleeping in the bed reserved for Gillian is murdered, Gillian has second thoughts. She can’t turn back, though, since most of Bend Brook has taken bets on whether she’ll be able to solve the case.As she uncovers past events that lead to the discovery of Caroline’s true identity, Gillian realizes that sometimes the perfect family might be the one you already have …

A Hair Raising Blowout


Constance Barker - 2016
    Owner of the Teasen & Pleasen Hair Salon in the heart of Louisiana, she’s used to big hair, Southern style, and tall tales of the latest town scandal. But her quiet life is turned on its head when Savannah finds an upstanding member of the community murdered outside her salon in cold blood. Savannah investigates, only to find that her pleasant, cute town is just a façade, and that there’s more deception than truth in the lives of its residents. As the case intensifies, Savannah finds herself dealing with a bad blowout, a man who might lose a limb, and a woman scorned, leading to a firefight the village of Knockemstiff will never forget. Desperate Housewives marries GCB in this exciting murder mystery full of humor, suspense, and moonshine. Readers will be laughing aloud and gasping in shock while enjoying A Hair Raising Blowout, the first book in a stunning new thriller series by Constance Barker.

Murder by Nightmare


Jennette Green - 2011
    However, when her husband leaves for the weekend, she's certain she'll be safe home alone in their suburban neighborhood; after all, she's not truly alone, with her cat Marmalade by her side. But when the man next door is attacked, and the woman across the street is murdered, her life begins to take on a nightmarish quality. Who is behind the attacks? Will the nightmares ever end?

Can I Be Frank?


Rob Wyatt - 2011
    He is not sure what to expect, but certainly isn’t prepared for what he finds. As if his new role isn’t challenging enough, he struggles with everything from jalapenos to fire ants, from church politics to the language barrier. Having unwittingly managed to alienate his parish’s main benefactor, Frank soon finds himself in hot water with his Diocese. His troubles only increase when he stumbles across suspicious goings-on deep in the Florida orange groves. Can he solve the mystery before he loses his parish…or his life?

Death Visits the Hair Salon


Amy Andersen - 2016
    When Marion and Ruth open their salon, just as they do every morning, they’re horrified to discover a corpse seated in a styling chair. The police determine that the cause of death is strangulation. The murderer has to be someone from Chippingville, someone who knows Marion and Ruth. In their quest to discover the truth, they receive the unexpected help of their hair salon's clients, and that of the attractive village doctor, Glenn Steel, who has a secret. If you like short mystery stories, get hooked with the first book in the Marion Fox mystery series. Marion is a character that will amaze you with her ingenuity and tenacity.

A Murderous Valentine (Admiral Shackleford Mystery #1)


Beverley Watts - 2021
    Having been instrumental in improving the lives of so many (his words - others might be inclined to call it something slightly different...), he was struggling to reignite the spark in his own love life with the feisty Mabel. Short on ideas, he decides to gatecrash his much put upon former Master At Arms and best friend Jimmy Noon's Valentine idea and ends up in the middle of a murder mystery weekend... where real murder is on someone else's script. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with a hotel full of potential murderers, the unstoppable duo embark on a series of blundering escapades in an attempt to uncover the Murderous Valentine... The Admiral and Jimmy may be more Laurel and Hardy than Holmes and Watson, but can they catch a murderer...? This humorous cozy mystery short read is the first in The Admiral Shackleford Mysteries.

Sugar And Spice And Not So Nice


Janet McNulty - 2012
    She moved into a furnished apartment with her friend Jackie only to find that it already had a tenant: the ghost of a girl who was murdered a year earlier. Now it is up to Mellow to not only discover who the murderer is, but to prove it as well.With the help of the ghost Rachel, Mellow sets out to solve the year old mystery. She soon finds out that she may have taken on more than she can handle. Pursued by someone who wants the identity of the killer to remain a secret, Mellow will have to use all her resources to outwit him and help the spirit of Rachel move on.

Final Chapter: A Megan Montaigne Mystery (Megan Montaigne Mysteries)


Pam Stucky - 2018
    At least it was, before the murders started. Megan Montaigne has always secretly wanted to be a forensics investigator. The small-town library director has just begun rebuilding her life after tragedy tore it apart less than a year ago, and is happily settling into her new apartment on the top floor of the library by the river. But when a local celebrity turns up dead, the time has come to put her sleuthing fantasies into action. Has she unwittingly invited the murderer into her own home? And will she be able to prove her innocence before she becomes a victim herself?

Take the Body and Run (Macey Malloy Mysteries with a Chick-Lit Twist Book 1)


Jada Ryker - 2016
    This is a don't-miss debut." -Carolyn Haines, USA Today bestselling author of Pluto's Snitch and Sarah Booth Delaney  ~*~  2016 Kindle Scout Winner ~*~ Macey's first day in the college employee relations department ends with a knife at her throat. Macey is certain things can't get any worse. She's wrong. An angry employee vows to put her on an online hit list. When he turns up dead, she's a suspect--and on the hit list.  To keep her secrets and her life, Macey partners with two unexpected allies who cause her pulse to race with steamy attraction--and exasperating annoyance. Vince, a handsome, driven lawman, digs up more than just clues to the brutal murder. Brett, a fun-loving pathologist with a deadly sense of humor, drives everyone crazy with his fart machine-will travel. Macey's supersized black cat Wikket, possessing courage, curiosity, and crankiness in equal portions, assists in his own grumpy, feline fashion, golden eyes open and claws extended.

Red Velvet Cupcakes to Die For


Alaine Allister - 2017
    A peculiar cat. A dead deliveryman? When a handsome stranger comes to town, life gets exciting. Coffee shop owner Liana Campbell can’t remember the last time she had such a massive crush. Unfortunately, her attempts to get to know Sugarcomb Lake’s newest resident are overshadowed by a mysterious murder. When folks start speculating that Liana may be the killer, she knows she needs to clear her name - and fast. Can Liana save her business and find true love? Or is she doomed to become a crazy cat lady?

Sedition


Phil M. Williams - 2017
     Americans are angry and divided along party lines. They’re tired of the endless wars, high gas prices, and high unemployment. They’re tired of the graft in DC and on Wall Street. They’re tired of being spied on and herded like cattle into the prison industrial complex. Like in years before, they’re certain that, this time, their guy will change everything. The Republican and Democratic saviors make their promises, and the true believers swoon, but domestic terrorists aren’t buying what these politicians are selling. Truck driver George Chapman is in the right place at the right time to foil an assassination attempt on one of the most influential men in politics. Some might say the reluctant hero was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some might say it was a false flag. Nonetheless, his fifteen minutes of fame grows because of his extraordinary gift. Will he use his gift and newfound fame to unite the country or to tear it apart? A revolution is coming. Which side are you on? Adult language, content, and sexual violence.