Book picks similar to
Truth or Dare by Kathi Daley
mystery
cozy-mystery
cozy
fiction
Sprinkles and a Situation
Emmie Lyn - 2021
Changed for the worst, that is, when the first thing I do is stumble upon a body.And the new detective in town happens to be the most eligible bachelor around. And my new boss’s grandson. I’ve signed on for way more than I’d ever wanted.With my job on the line, my black Lab at my side, and donuts in hand, my only choice is to follow the clues. But when footprints lead to evidence that doesn’t add up, I kick my natural nosiness into high gear.My life is a complete mess, but with my new passion for sniffing out clues, I might just solve this dirty whodunit before the wrong person is arrested.Grab yourself a huge helping of this clever new cozy mystery series. You’ll fall in love with Ellie Hart, her dog, and the cast of characters who keep her on her toes!
A Sticky Inheritance
Emily James - 2016
Her last serious boyfriend turned out to be married and her career as a criminal defense attorney is in tatters. When her uncle passes away and leaves her his maple syrup farm in Northern Michigan, she thinks it might be time for a career change—hopefully one that allows her to stay as far away from murderers and liars as possible.For half a day at least.Her uncle’s suicide quickly begins to look like it wasn’t a suicide after all, but the chief of police is reluctant to investigate and soil the reputation of his serene little tourist town. Murder’s bad for business. Nicole has no choice but to search for the killer on her own, with a little help from the handsome county medical examiner—who’s exactly her type and all wrong for her.And as she closes in, she not only risks becoming the murderer’s next victim but also starts to wonder if the truth is ever worse than the lie…A Sticky Inheritance is the first book in Emily James’ Maple Syrup Mysteries. If you love small-town settings, quirky characters, and a dollop of romance, then you’ll want to buy this new amateur sleuth mystery series today!
Cupcakes and Catastrophe
Sue Hollowell - 2021
An escape to a quaint beach town. Will a mysterious murder derail a second chance at her dream?Tilly Griffin did everything by the book. Everyone else’s book. Now it was her turn to write a new chapter, three thousand miles from her former life. Her dream of opening a bakery like her grandma Luna was now becoming a reality.No sooner does she arrive in the charming beach town, when she and her quirky uncle are tangled up in a mysterious death. When a kite competition judge is found murdered in the bookstore next to her uncle's Checkered Past Antiques shop, Tilly questions her decision to move to Belle Harbor, and everything about her new life.As the clues emerge, and the small-town secrets are revealed, Tilly’s uncle finds himself smack dab in the middle of the investigation, and surrounded by suspects. Will the murderer be nabbed in time for the bakery’s grand opening or will this close the book on Tilly’s dreams?Cupcakes and Catastrophe is Book 1 in the Belle Harbor Cozy Mystery series. A light, cozy mystery in a quaint beach town with a fun loving, amateur female sleuth, her quirky uncle, and enough antiques and pastries to fill your home and your belly. No gore, swearing or cliffhangers. Can be read as a standalone.
Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop
Darci Hannah - 2021
She'd spent many childhood summers near this beach community and converting the old run-down lighthouse into a bakery café and home offers a perfect fresh start for Lindsey and her devoted Newfoundland dog, Wellington.But not everyone in town has a sweet tooth. The preservation society won't have the lighthouse's history sugar coated by lattes and cakes--and a protest group crashes Lindsey's Memorial Day opening. Then her ex-fiancé Jeffrey Plank and his girlfriend Mia Wong arrive to trash the place. In the ensuing chaos Mia chokes on a donut and dies.An autopsy reveals cyanide in Mia's bloodstream and Lindsey is the police's prime suspect. To clear her name, she's going to need to combine ingredients found in the town's checkered past to uncover the identity of a desperate killer...
Scone Cold Killer
Lena Gregory - 2018
. .When Gia Morelli’s marriage falls apart, she knows it’s time to get out of New York. Her husband was a scam artist who swindled half the millionaires in town, and she doesn’t want to be there when they decide to take revenge. On the spur of the moment, she follows her best friend to a small town in Central Florida, where she braves snakes, bears, and giant spiders to open a cheery little diner called the All-Day Breakfast Café. Owning a restaurant has been her lifelong dream, but it turns into a nightmare the morning she opens her dumpster and finds her ex-husband crammed inside. As the suspect du jour, Gia will have to scramble fast to prove her innocence before a killer orders another cup of murder . . .
The Sweet Smell of Murder
Cindy Bell - 2015
She is planning on using the time off to get over her messy divorce and she is looking forward to spending time with her much-loved grandmother and relaxing making chocolates and anything chocolaty. But then… the delivery driver for her grandmother’s chocolate shop is found murdered. The detectives investigating the crime have a prime suspect, Ally’s high school sweetheart, Brent. Ally believes that Brent would never murder anyone, so with the help of her trusted feline friend, Peaches, she tries to uncover the truth. The search for the killer leads Ally straight into the line of danger. Will she be able find the murderer before she becomes a victim herself? Triple Chocolate Muffin Recipe Included!
Pancakes and Corpses
Agatha Frost - 2017
With a new smug Detective Inspector in town who underestimates her every move, Julia makes it her mission to discover the real murderer, before her village friends are dragged into the frame, and more bodies are discovered.A light, cozy mystery read with a cat loving and cafe owning female amateur sleuth, in a small village setting with quirky characters. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes
A Fatal New Year
J.A. Whiting - 2020
Everything is going smoothly until the end of the night when she finds a dead man on the floor of her carriage.Who could have done this? Was it his friends, drunk and rowdy as Mae drove them back to their hotel? Or could it have been the sorority girl who seemed to be expecting the man at one of the carriage stops?With the help of her friend, Ross, the stable owner and retired lawman from Texas, and her big grey horse called Steel, Mae is determined to find out who is responsible for the death, but she soon learns that some people are equally determined to make sure she never does.
Murder in Devil's Cove: A traditional mystery with a cozy twist
Melissa Bourbon - 2020
After the death of her mother—and twenty years after being abandoned by her father—Pippin and her twin brother, Grey, are back. Inheriting their parents’ old beach house on Rum Runner’s Lane is like a strong wind at their back, pushing them to safe ground. They are home at last.But what was supposed to be a chance at a new life turns sinister when her father’s old fishing boat reveals a dark secret. As the truth about what really happened to Leo Hawthorne unspools, Pippin realizes that an ancient curse her parents fought to break has found her.Now Pippin must embrace her fate as a bibliomancer and learn how to ‘read’ the books she’s always shied away from. Only then will she be able to discover the truth about what really happened to her parents and continue their efforts to break the curse that has haunted the Lane family for two thousand years.“A magical blend of books, mystery, and smart sleuthing, Melissa Bourbon’s Murder in Devil’s Cove offers mystery readers everything they crave and stands out in the crowded cozy genre. This captivating new series will leave readers spellbound.”-NYT and USA bestselling author, Ellery Adams
A New Leash on Life
Chelsea Thomas - 2021
Mystery. Cute animals.Could this be the perfect cozy?Amy Stewart gets cheated on. Twice. So she packs up her things and moves back to her hometown of Toluca Lake, CA, to open a cute pet salon with her Granny.Amy's been living off the grid in upstate NY for so long, California is like a whole new world. But she enjoys re-connecting with old friends and family. And she especially enjoys linking up with the chiseled local cop. Mike Fine.Mike was the uber-jock prom king in high school. But it turns out he had a crush on Amy the whole time...and he still does!!Then there’s a murder......and Amy’s life changes forever.Granny and Amy are accused of the crime, so Granny wants to solve the mystery to clear their names, naturally. But she needs Amy’s help to find the clues and put the bad guy behind bars.This is Amy’s chance make a name for herself in Toluca Lake, and to prove she can thrive without her crummy ex.But will she be able to put her heartbreak aside and catch the killer?
Marvels, Mochas, and Murder
Christine Zane Thomas - 2018
Perhaps things wouldn't look so bad had Kirby not been planning to cut Ryan out of the business. The only witness to the crime, Ryan’s stubborn dachshund, might hold the keys to solving the case. But his attitude toward anything and everything that isn’t his warm doggy bed is less than helpful. With a local detective and former high school crush investigating the murder, it's up to Kirby to put together the clues. Otherwise, he's doing twenty-five to life. Comics and Coffee Case Files is the perfect series for dog-loving fans of The Cat Who. Check out the first installment in this quirky series today.
Murder in Starry Cove
Lucinda Harrison - 2021
Will this be the new beginning she so desperately wants, or will the mysteries and secrets of this small town bring it all crashing down?After Poppy unexpectedly inherits her uncle’s Victorian mansion in Starry Cove, she makes grand plans to open a bed-and-breakfast. But when the local handyman winds up dead and the bodies start to pile up, Poppy’s recent arrival in the town raises eyebrows and sets tongues wagging. To make matters worse, she soon discovers the mansion has hidden secrets of its own that threaten her very safety.With the help of two faithful new friends, Poppy hatches a plan to track down the killer and clear her name. But can she nab the murderer before one of them becomes the next victim?
Cutie Pies and Deadly Lies
Addison Moore - 2018
One too many suitors. And a killer. Living in Honey Hollow can be murder. A HILARIOUS cozy mystery from the New York Times bestselling author Addison Moore My name is Lottie Lemon and I see dead people. Okay, so I rarely see dead people, mostly I see furry creatures of the dearly departed variety. And for some reason those sweet, fluffy albeit paranormal cuties always seem to act as a not-so-great harbinger of deadly things to come for their previous owner. So when I saw that sweet orange tabby twirling around my landlord’s ankles, I figured Merilee was in for trouble. Personally, I was hoping for a skinned knee—what I got was a top spot in an open homicide investigation. Throw in a hot judge and an ornery detective that oozes testosterone and that pretty much sums up my life right about now. Have I mentioned how cute that detective is? Lottie Lemon has a bakery to tend to, a budding romance with perhaps one too many suitors and she has the supernatural ability to see the dead—which are always harbingers for ominous things to come. Throw in the occasional ghost of the human variety, a string of murders and her insatiable thirst for justice and you’ll have more chaos than you know what to do with. Living in the small town of Honey Hollow can be murder.
Grounds for Murder
Tara Lush - 2020
In front of a gossipy crowd in the small Florida town of Devil's Beach, Lana's normally calm demeanor heats to a boil when she runs into the arrogant java slinger. Of course, Fabrizio "Fab" Bellucci has a slick explanation for jumping ship. But when he's found dead the next morning under a palm tree in the alley behind Lana's café, she becomes the prime suspect.Even the island's handsome police chief isn't quite certain of her innocence. But Lana isn't the only one in town who was angry with Fabrizio. Jilted lovers, a shrimp boat captain, and a surfer with ties to the mob are all suspects as trouble brews on the beach.With her stoned, hippie dad, a Shih Tzu named Stanley, and a new, curious barista sporting a punk rock aesthetic at her side, Lana's prepared to turn up the heat to catch the real killer. After all, she is a former award-winning reporter. As scandal hangs over her beachside café, can Lana clear her name and win the championship -- or will she come to a bitter end?
A Crafty Crime
Eryn Scott - 2018
When a cat-sitting job turns into a murder investigation, life no longer seems so perfect.Her twin brother, a deputy sheriff, is on the case but they've always done everything together and she can't help but get involved. Following a trail of crafty clues, the James twins learn that their sleepy town might be harboring more darkness than they could've imagined.