Book picks similar to
Cowabunga Christmas by Anna Celeste Burke
mystery
cozy-mystery
christmas
ebook
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.
Flip-Flops and Murder
H.Y. Hanna - 2020
Hanna's new cozy mystery series!English girl Ellie is a 'fish-out-of-water' when she arrives in sunny Florida for a vacation with her aunt at a beach resort. But she's barely dipped her toe in the ocean before she stumbles on a sinister murder. Now Ellie must battle jet lag, sunburn, and a cheeky parrot named Hemingway, while trying to unravel the mystery. With a writers' conference in full flow, there's no shortage of suspects. Is the killer a jealous rival author? Or the victim's secret lover? And why are some of the resort staff behaving so suspiciously?To make things worse, Aunt Olive has gone missing, fueling gossip that she might be on the run. But Ellie is sure that her aunt isn't guilty. Life gets even more complicated when she starts snooping around the resort. First there's the resident cat Mojito, who leads Ellie on a wild 'gator' chase, and then there's the handsome resort doctor who sets Ellie's pulse racing in a different way! As more red herrings than sand dollars wash up on the beach, Ellie must use all her wits to solve the case before her visit to the Sunshine State becomes deadlier than she ever imagined...CLEAN READ: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.GENRE: beach mystery, cat cozy mystery series, culinary cozy mysteries, women sleuth, amateur sleuth, humorous cozy mysteriesBAREFOOT SLEUTH COZY MYSTERIES:*Flip-Flops and Murder (Book 1)*Seashells and Murder (Book 2)*Cocktails and Murder (Book 3)
A Case of Murder by Monte Carlo
Becki Willis - 2019
She may be petite, but she’ll take on anyone who threatens her patients’ safety and well-being. That feisty protectiveness creates problems when a hit and run victim lands in the ER and Police Detective Cade Resnick arrives to investigate. There’s no denying the sparks between these two, but their professions put them at odds. As Cade zeroes in on his suspect, Laurel won’t make it easy for him, not while the suspect is under her care. More than once, these two clash when Cade’s quest for justice collides with Laurel’s concern for her patients. Come along on the start of a new series and meet the staff and professionals who give Texas General Hospital its heart. There’s never a dull moment in the ER, or in the lively college town of College Station, Texas! From the best-selling author of The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series, Mirrors Don't Lie Series, and The Spirits of Texas Cozy Mysteries, enjoy a fresh approach to quick cozy reads, some dedicated to mystery, some to romance. Welcome to Texas General Cozy Cases!
Once Upon a Crime
Mona Marple - 2018
Light and cozy, the book introduces our female amateur sleuth, the village of Waterfell Tweed, and a whole host of quirky characters! Each book in this series can be read as a standalone (but is better enjoyed if read in order), and is free from swearing, sex, violence and cliffhangers.
Patent Pending and Death
Patti Larsen - 2019
At least this time she’s actually legit. Acting as local investigator for her co-owned Fleming Investigations private eye firm while her father, John, takes care of things more far flung, Fee not only uncovers the wrongdoings she's been hired to solve, but stumbles yet again over death, mayhem and murderers bent on keeping their secrets to themselves. Welcome back to Reading, Vermont, the cutest (and deadliest!) town in America!
Better Off Wed
Laura Durham - 2005
Annabelle knows that even her trusted wedding emergency kit won't be able to salvage their careers if she and Richard can't find the real culprit.It's no easy task since the slain matron was perhaps the most hated socialite in DC, but Annabelle navigates through the city's colorful wedding industry and powerful social scene on the deadly trail of a killer. Always the bridal consultant and never the bride, she's seen her fair share of bouquet tosses. But there's no telling what surprises a ruthless killer will throw her way if she gets too close.
High Strung
Janice Peacock - 2014
When she gets an offer to display her work during a bead shop’s opening festivities, it's an opportunity Jax can't resist—even though the store's owner is the surliest person Jax has ever met. The weekend’s events become a tangled mess when a young beadmaker is found dead nearby and several oddball bead enthusiasts are suspects. Jax must string together the clues to clear her friend Tessa's name—and do it before the killer strikes again. PRAISE FOR HIGH STRUNG "A fun mystery series with wacky characters, sparkly jewelry, a fiery torch and, of course, murders." —Nikki Haverstock, author of the Target Practice Mysteries "Janice Peacock writes a strong and unique cozy mystery. In between information on the world of glass beads, the reader is given a first-class mystery to solve that is entertaining and charming. Her characters are real and strong, her wordplay effortless, her sense of urgency skillful, and her story-telling skills are first-rate. Ms. Peacock continues to grow into the difficult role of writing a lasting and engaging cozy series, one that baffles, enlightens and endears." —Heather Haven, multi-award winning author of the Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries "Jam-packed with detail, deception and more than a few twists and surprises. The characters are very believable and their dialogue is very well written. I also enjoyed a few laugh out loud moments." —Lori Caswell, Great Escapes Blog Tours and Vine Voice Reviewer "The interaction between all the characters is fun to read, and there are plenty of humorous incidents as well. Mojitos will make me smile for the rest of my life!" —Teresa Kander, Book Babble
Murder in the Bookstore
N.C. Lewis - 2018
When Alan Earl, a well-known Austin antiquarian book dealer, is found dead at his 12th street bookstore, a tangled web of secrets, lies, deceit, and betrayal is exposed. For Amy King, Alan's death threatens disaster, because his bookstore was the first ever client event for her fledgling professional staging business. Quickly, Alan's death turns into something more than she ever anticipated. Things get worse when an elder of a local religious cult accuses Amy's company of unleashing a curse. Now no one's booking and Amy's dream of running a staging business lies on the brink of ruin. To save her business and protect her reputation, Amy must find out why Alan Earl died and who did it. Join Amy, her detective husband Nick, and friends, as they try to reverse the curse, solve a murder and save Amy's new business venture. MURDER IN THE BOOKSTORE is the first in a series of page-turning cozy mysteries set in Austin, the capital of Texas. Pick up this TOTALLY ABSORBING COZY MYSTERY FULL OF STUNNING TWISTS AND TURNS.
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.
Marigolds and Murder
London Lovett - 2017
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.Book 1 of the Port Danby Cozy Mystery Series. 1. Marigolds and Murder2. Carnations and Chaos (October 15, 2017)3. Mistletoe and Mayhem (November 2017)Full-length novel ~50,000 words.
Coming Unclued
Judith Jackson - 2014
The lights are up, the presents are — actually, only the lights are done, but Val still has a week! Once the dreaded office party is over she can make quick work of the rest of her list.There’s only one, big problem with that plan. The morning after the party, after passing out in the living room, Val stumbles into her bedroom and finds her boss, Mr. Potter, lying in her bed. Okay — two, big problems. Mr. Potter is dead, murdered; his blood soaking into Val's new, 400-thread-count sheets.Val knows that regardless of a couple minor incidents where she was a teensy bit hostile after one too many drinks, there is no way she killed her cheap, petty, world-class halitosis suffering boss. May he rest in peace. The problem is, the police are convinced it was she who stabbed Mr. Potter. Someone has to find the real killer and it looks like it will have to be Val. But she's not alone; her best friend and her seventy-four-year-old neighbor are along for the ride. Coming Unclued is Book One in the humorous Val Valentyn series.
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.
Sounds of Murder
Patricia Rockwell - 2010
She extracts an audio recording of the murder and analyzes it acoustically to determine if any of the sounds made during the murder can help identify the killer. Unfortunately, her aggressive attempts to solve the crime lead her into danger, and she ultimately finds herself in a face-to-face confrontation with the killer."Sounds of Murder" tells a tale of academic intrigue and death. At Grace University, a small southern college, no one in the Psychology Department likes Charlotte Clark, so no one is particularly upset when she is found murdered in the department's million-dollar computer lab. But because she discovered the body, Associate Professor Pamela Barnes feels obligated to find Charlotte's killer, and when she discovers a recording of the murder that was accidentally produced during Charlotte's struggle with the killer, she begins her own investigation. Along the way, Pamela agonizes with her own conscience, fights her growing fear, placates her protective husband, and avoids antagonizing a local rube detective who belittles her efforts--all while she struggles to make sense of the sounds on the recording. As she gets deeper and deeper into her analysis--trying to connect what she hears in the recording with sounds from people (and potential killers) around her--she gets closer and closer to the killer who, unbeknownst to her, is observing her efforts to find the killer, and resolving to stop her. When Pamela finally identifies the one sound on the tape that positively identifies the killer, she works with the detective to try to trick the killer into a confession.
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.