Book picks similar to
The Sand Dollar by Maggie Christensen


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A Shining Star


R. Castro - 2016
     Be captivated by the heartfelt adventure of Cali Malone. Let this emotional ride bring you to tears, as you root for happily ever after. Cali is excited about the holiday season. Despite struggles in her early life, she never lost the Christmas spirit. This holiday season was different, as she was to embark on an unexpected business journey that would give way to the possibility of love. Before she can make any decisions, fate once again would play her a rough hand, as she fights for life. A crystal ornament mysteriously brings everything full circle, as those around Cali find themselves coming together.

All About Ella


Meredith Appleyard - 2021
    A wise and warm-hearted story about aging, family and community for readers of Tricia Stringer and Liz Byrski.At 70, Ella's world is upended, leaving her at odds with her three adult children, whose attention is fixed more firmly on her money than her ongoing welfare. After an argument with her son Anthony, she flees his Adelaide home for Cutlers Bay, a seaside town on the Yorke Peninsula. There she befriends Angie, a 40-year-old drifter, and becomes an irritant to local cop Zach. He's keen to shift Ella off his turf, because Anthony phones daily, demanding his mother be sent home. And besides, Zach just doesn't trust Angie.Ella warms to Cutlers Bay, and it warms to her. In a defiant act of self-determination, she buys an entirely unsuitable house on the outskirts of town, and Angie agrees to help make it habitable. Zach is drawn to the house on the clifftop, and finds himself revising his earlier opinions of Ella, and Angie.A keenly observed story about aging and its inherent vulnerability, about community and chosen family, about how family stressors shape us all, about trust and loyalty, and about standing up for yourself.

The Mushroom Mystery


Agnes Lester Brown - 2018
    Mayor Riley has hatched a hare-brained scheme to turn the tranquil, picturesque village into an garish theme park, much to the disgust of the Whitewood Witches. Fortunately the Mushroom Convention arrives in town, buying them time to stop their crazy mayor. But then a famous mushroom expert is murdered at the convention, and it's up to feisty Lori Whitewood and her inventive family of witches to use all their magic potion prowess to catch a dangerous, unpredictable killer and save Fennelmoore from imminent destruction. In between Lori has trouble coping with the advances of the handsome but enigmatic Matt. What does he know about the murder that he's not sharing with her? Will she solve the mystery before the killer escapes from Fennelmoore?

A Pie To Vie For


Kathryn Lin - 2017
    It is shorter than the rest of the books in the series which are all full length novels. Olivia planned on a summer road trip across the country, but she ends up stuck in her childhood home in Grand Arbor Township when her camper van breaks down. Good thing there's a $1000 grand prize in this year's Grand Arbor Cherry Festival Pie Baking Contest... The problem is--somebody is determined to make sure nobody wins. Can Olivia find out who's sabotaging the contest or will this year be the last cherry festival in Grand Arbor?

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.

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!

The Lanvin Murders


Angela M. Sanders - 2014
     But when Joanna finds a key in a 1930s Lanvin coat cast off by an ex-showgirl, everything changes. The elderly woman turns up dead, and Joanna is pulled into a long-ago drama of back room deals, blackmail, and lost love. She must find a very real—and present day—killer before she becomes his next victim. “As you dive into this intriguing mystery novel featuring vintage clothing dealer/sleuth Joanna Hayworth and a quirky cast of characters, prepare for an entertaining ride through long-buried crimes and Portland lore to solve the mystery of 'the woman in the Lanvin coat.' A truly enjoyable read!" --Christine Finlayson, author of Tip of a Bone, a Pacific Northwest mystery "Slip on a pair of pink mules and a silk robe, mix up a shaker of martinis, and relax with this delightful mystery set in a Portland vintage clothing store. Populated by a charming heroine and a flock of odd characters, this engaging tale will satisfy the sleuth in you as well as the fashionista." --Ann Littlewood, author of Endangered, a zoo-dunnit

Arson at the Art Gallery


Grace York - 2020
    A new beginning. A quiet life. Or is it? The beach house is Addison Lake’s retirement plan. Memories of childhood holidays playing in the sand with her cousins come flooding back as soon as she sets foot in Getaway Bay. After the death of her husband, turning her new beach house into a bed and breakfast and reconnecting with family is just the tonic she needs. But just days after her move to the sleepy coastal town, Addison’s new life turns on its head. A fire at her cousin Layla’s art gallery has devastating consequences. There’s a body in the rubble. The stubborn local detective needs a fast arrest, and he has Layla in his sights. With her cousin accused of murder, Addison must act. But between the beach house renovations, an ailing uncle, an over-protective daughter, and the quirky inhabitants of Getaway Bay, she has her work cut out. Can Addison and her new friends uncover the real culprit before Layla is charged with murder? The Getaway Bay cozy mysteries have everything you love – suspense to keep you guessing, twists you don’t see coming, and characters you want to have a cup of tea with – plus an added dose of Aussie flavour. Get Arson at the Art Gallery now.

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.

Hollywood Scandals


Gemma Halliday - 2009
    Informer tabloid. She knows everything about everyone who's anyone. And she's not afraid to print it. That is, until she receives a threatening note, promising, "If you don't stop writing about me, you're dead." Teaming with a built bodyguard, a bubbly blonde, and an alcoholic obituary writer, Tina sets out to uncover just which juicy piece of Hollywood gossip is worth killing over.(Formerly published under the title: SCANDAL SHEET)

The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay


Julie Brooks - 2021
    England, 1919: Rose and Ivy board a ship bound for Australia.One is travelling there to marry a man she has never met.One is destined never to arrive.Australia, 2016: Amongst her late-grandmother's possessions, Molly uncovers a photograph of two girls dressed in First World War nurses' uniforms, labelled 'Rose and Ivy 1917', and a letter from her grandmother, asking her to find out what happened to her own mother, Rose, who disappeared in the 1960s.Compelled to carry out her grandmother's last wish, Molly embarks on a journey to England to unravel the mystery of the two girls whose photograph promised they'd be 'together forever'...

Pine Mountain Secrets (Pine Mountain Estates, #1)


Emily Josephine - 2019
    Who and what she is running from, she doesn't want to tell. She's learned, over the past eight years, not to trust Americans. But when an injury forces her onto the mercy of Allison Whitlock, who finds Arianna in her shed one cold, southeast Oklahoma winter morning, she begins to see that some people are worth her trust. Until Allie's best friend comes along, pushing Arianna to make a decision that could not only destroy her only hope at freedom, but that could take her life. Allie has her own secret, a secret that is slowly eating away at her conscience. What the authorities believe about the car accident that killed her husband and one of her sons five years ago may not be the complete truth. But the one person who knows the truth, her older son Jared, ran away four and a half years ago and has not been heard from since. The secret begins to burn even hotter when Jeb Mitchell, the man accused of causing the accident, returns from his time in prison and shows up at Allie's door. Allie wants to make things right with her neighbor and former friend, whose wife was also killed in the accident. But she doesn't believe it's her place, since she wasn't at the scene. And so, the secret continues taking its toll. A girl and a woman, each holding tightly to a secret that binds them. Forgiveness and trust are the first steps toward freedom, but they need a miracle to push them all the way. ********** At once heart-warming and suspenseful, this first book in the "Pine Mountain Estates" series by Emily Josephine is a full-length Christian women's fiction novel.

The Eleventh Hour


Anina Collins - 2016
    But now one of the town's most important citizens has been found murdered, and everyone's life is suspect. What begins as a friendly wager with her old friend Officer Derek Hampton soon becomes far more for Poppy, and she turns to Alex Montero for help, but the enigmatic former Baltimore cop's quiet way hides as many secrets as each suspect they encounter. Everyone in Sunset Ridge has something to hide, but Poppy and Alex are determined to uncover the identity of the murderer. They just have to watch that they don't become the next victims. Look for the rest of the Poppy McGuire series too! After Hours (Poppy McGuire Mysteries #2) Top of the Hour (Poppy McGuire Mysteries #3) The Darkest Hour (Poppy McGuire Mysteries #4) Happy Hour (Poppy McGuire Mysteries #5)

The Vale Girl


Nelika McDonald - 2013
    She's the daughter of the town whore so no one seems particularly concerned.No one cares except Tommy Johns, who loves Sarah Vale with all the unadulterated, tentative passion of a teenage boy. He galvanises the town's policeman Sergeant Henson and, together, they turn the town inside out, searching for the lost girl.A delicate and layered exploration of secrets and lies, forgotten children and absent parents, and the long shadows of the past.An extraordinary debut from a talented new writer.

Only the Pretty Lies


Rebekah Crane - 2021
    It doesn’t in Amoris Westmore’s family either. Daughter of a massage therapist and a pothead artist, inheritor of her grandmother’s vinyl collection, and blissfully entering her senior year in high school, Amoris never wants to leave her progressive hometown. Why should she?Everything changes when Jamison Rush moves in next door. Jamison was Amoris’s first crush, and their last goodbye still stings. But Jamison stirs more than bittersweet memories. One of the few Black students in Alder Creek, Jamison sees Amoris’s idyllic town through different eyes. He encourages Amoris to look a little closer, too. When Jamison discovers a racist mural at Alder Creek High, Amoris’s worldview is turned upside down.Now Amoris must decide where she stands and whom she stands by, threatening her love for the boy who stole her heart years ago. Maybe Alder Creek isn’t the town Amoris thinks it is. She’s certainly no longer the girl she used to be.