Book picks similar to
Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue
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Familiar Magic
Constance Barker - 2020
She has all the knitting, crocheting and painting items needed for all your crafty projects, as well as a few witchy spells if you're so inclined. While her magic is secret to the mundane, her circle of close friends and family all have their own mysteries.Take Sybil, her fluffy tabby kitten familiar. While Sybil may look young she's much older and has been by Thea's side since she was a wee sprout. She's a sassy kitty who can take care of herself. Thea's half human friends include a detective bear shifter and a best friend fox shifter. Granny rounds out Thea's inner circle. Granny has raised Thea from a small girl when her parents disappeared. A mystery that haunts Thea to this day.When the small town of Ardensville is rocked by a murder of a young woman found in the city park's gazebo, the mundane and the magicals must work separately to find a killer. The victim was just starting her own craft store, which puts a target on Thea. But others, including members of the victim's family and friends, have reasons of their own to wish the victim dead.Can Thea, Sybil and her friends discover the fiend who's taken out one of their own without getting themselves into deep dodo?***Find out in the First Book in the Tabby Kitten Familiar Series***
Death at High Tide
Hannah Dennison - 2020
When Evie Mead’s husband, Robert, suddenly drops dead of a heart attack, a mysterious note is found among his possessions. It indicates that Evie may own the rights to an old hotel on Tregarrick Rock, one of the Isles of Scilly. Still grieving, Evie is inclined to leave the matter to the accountant to sort out. Her sister Margot, however, flown in from her glamorous career in LA, has other plans. Envisioning a luxurious weekend getaway, she goes right ahead and buys two tickets—one way—to Tregarrick. Once at the hotel—used in its heyday to house detective novelists, and more fixer-upper than spa resort, after all—Evie and Margot attempt to get to the bottom of things. But the foul-tempered hotel owner claims he's never met the late Robert, even after Evie finds framed photos of them—alongside Robert's first wife—in his office. The rest of the island inhabitants, ranging from an ex-con receptionist to a vicar who communicates with cats, aren't any easier to read. But when a murder occurs at the hotel, and then another soon follows, frustration turns to desperation. There’s no getting off the island at high tide. And Evie and Margot, the only current visitors to Tregarrick, are suspects one and two. It falls to them to unravel secrets spanning generations—and several of their own—if they want to make it back alive.
Once Upon a Witch
Valia Lind - 2021
She was going to stay away from magic, become a successful interior designer in a big city, and maybe finally learn how to waltz. But then, her magic acts up—without her permission—leaving her without a job and a plan.Coming home was never in the stars. But when her aunt calls, Cassie packs up her stuff and heads to Crooked Windows Inn. Maybe with a little peace and quiet, and a remodeling gig, she can get her magic (and life) back under control.But the universe is clearly out to get her!Not only has she picked up an annoying cat sidekick, but then her childhood nemesis comes back into her life in the form of the (hot) new handyman, and things just can’t get any worse.That is, until one of the inn’s guests turns up dead and Cassie’s aunt is the prime suspect.Now Cassie has no choice but to take the matters into her own magical hands.Can she solve the case before her aunt is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit?If you love a little magic and wit with your murder, you’ll love this brand new paranormal witch cozy mysteries series from USA Today bestselling author, Valia Lind!
A Slice of Magic
A.G. Mayes - 2017
When Aunt Erma leaves a voicemail asking for help at her pie shop, Susanna thinks she’s finally going to get the answers she’s been waiting for. But when Susanna arrives in the small town of Hocus Hills, Aunt Erma is gone, leaving only a short note and her mischievous dog, Mitzy. Running a pie shop is harder than Susanna could have ever imagined. To top it off she has an inspector and an overzealous gym owner breathing down her neck. Then a cookie shop opens up down the street bringing competition she can’t afford. As if that isn’t enough, strange things start happening around town.
Dead-End Detective
Amanda Flower - 2020
Samantha Porter—her mentor and business partner at Two Girls Detective Agency—has died in a car crash, and it doesn’t look like an accident. In fact, evidence is pointing toward Darby.Darby had expected to inherit Samantha’s half of the agency, but Samantha had recently changed the will to leave it to Tate Porter, her nephew, who returns to town. Tate is no P.I. He’s a veteran, a world traveler, and something of a mystery himself. But as he helps Darby delve into secret histories and real estate development plans, he does seem to have a knack for the job. Will the agency have a future…even if Darby can prove her innocence in time?
Murder With a Psychic Touch
B.T. Alive - 2019
A mysterious "Grandma" invites her to stay at the lovely Inn.Then a fellow guest drops dead.And Summer's the only suspect.Until now, Summer's always been a loner. (Except for her beloved cat.) Can she get over her haunted past and work together to catch the killer……with new friends who may have secret powers of their own?You'll love this fun, fast-paced cozy, because it has fresh paranormal powers, a huge warm family, and a twist ending you'll never suspect.Get it now.
On Borrowed Crime
Kate Young - 2020
She likes her job as receptionist for her uncle's private investigative firm, her fellow true crime obsessed Jane Doe members are the friends she's always wanted, and her parents just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. But recently, with her best friend Melanie on vacation, and her ex-boyfriend and horrible cousin becoming an item and moving in next door to her, her idyllic life is on the fritz. The cherry on top of it all is finding Carol, a member of the club, dead and shoved into a suitcase, left at Lyla's front door.Unusual circumstances notwithstanding, with Carol's heart condition, the coroner rules Carol's death undetermined. But when they discover the suitcase belongs to Melanie, who had returned from her vacation the following morning, Sweet Mountain police begin to suspect Lyla's best friend. Determined that police are following the wrong trail, to clear her friend's name, and to not allow Carol become one of the club's studied cold cases, Lyla begins to seek out the real killer. That is, until she becomes the one sought after. Now, finding the truth could turn her into the killer's next plot twist, unless she wins the game of cat and mouse.
Murder on Millionaires' Row
Erin Lindsey - 2018
Rose Gallagher might dream of bigger things, but she’s content enough with her life as a housemaid. After all, it’s not every girl from Five Points who gets to spend her days in a posh Fifth Avenue brownstone, even if only to sweep its floors. But all that changes on the day her boss, Mr. Thomas Wiltshire, disappears. Rose is certain Mr. Wiltshire is in trouble, but the police treat his disappearance as nothing more than the whims of a rich young man behaving badly. Meanwhile, the friend who reported him missing is suspiciously unhelpful. With nowhere left to turn, Rose takes it upon herself to find her handsome young employer.The investigation takes her from the marble palaces of Fifth Avenue to the sordid streets of Five Points. When a ghostly apparition accosts her on the street, Rose begins to realize that the world around her isn’t at all as it seems―and her place in it is about to change forever.
Death in a Budapest Butterfly
Julia Buckley - 2019
But truthfully, one of the shop's largest draws is Hanna's eccentric grandmother, who's known for her remarkable ability to read the future in the leaves at the bottom of their customers' cups. Lately, however, her readings have become alarmingly ominous...Hanna is also an avid teacup collector and especially takes pride in the Anna Weatherley butterfly cup she recently procured. But the exquisite piece of porcelain soon becomes the center of a murder investigation, when it's suspected of delivering poison to one of the guests at their most recent event. Hanna's determined to find the true killer, exonerate her family, their business, and in the process, reclaim her beautiful Budapest Butterfly.
Midsummer Night's Mischief
Jennifer David Hesse - 2016
She's about to land in a cauldron of hot water at work. Good thing she has her private practice to fall back on--as a Wiccan. She'll just have to summon her inner Goddess and set the world to rights. . .Midsummer Eve is meant for gratitude and celebration, but Keli is not in her typically upbeat mood. The family of a recently deceased client is blaming her for the loss of a Shakespearean heirloom worth millions, and Keli's career may be on the line. With both a Renaissance Faire and a literary convention in town, Edindale is rife with suspicious characters, and the intrepid attorney decides to tap into her unique skills to crack the case. . .But Keli weaves a tangled web when her investigation brings her up-close and personal with her suspects--including sexy Wes Callahan, her client's grandson. The tattooed bartender could be the man she's been looking for in more ways than one. As the sun sets on the mystical holiday, Keli will need just a touch of the divine to ferret out the real villain and return Edindale, and her heart, to a state of perfect harmony. . ..
Pawsitively Poisonous
Melissa Erin Jackson - 2019
Amber Blackwood, lifelong resident of Edgehill, Oregon, has earned a reputation for being a semi-reclusive odd duck. Her store, The Quirky Whisker, is full of curiosities, from extremely potent sleepy teas and ever-burning candles to kids’ toys that seem to run endlessly without the aid of batteries. The people of Edgehill think of the Quirky Whisker as an integral part of their feline-obsessed town, but most give Amber herself a wide berth. Amber prefers it that way; it keeps her secret safe. But that secret is thrown into jeopardy when Amber’s friend Melanie is found dead, a vial of headache tonic from Amber’s store clutched in her hand. Edgehill’s newest police chief has had it out for Amber since he arrived three years before. He can’t possibly know she’s a witch, but his suspicions about her odd store and even odder behavior have shot her to the top of his suspect list. When the Edgehill rumor mill finds out Melanie was poisoned, it’s not only the police chief who looks at Amber differently. Determined to both find justice for her friend and to clear her own name, Amber must use her unique gifts to help track down Melanie’s real killer. A quest that threatens much more than her secret …
Dramatic Paws
Corrine Winters - 2020
But when someone starts targeting her customers with death, all signs point to her. Luckily, Ember has a few aces up her sleeve. See, she’s not just a small business owner. She’s a witch.Too bad you don’t need magic to see the whole town start to talk, suggesting she killed her problem customers.It’s not like the victims were pillars or society or anything. One was a boyfriend-stealing bully. The others were just as bad.Who had the motive? Seems everyone had reasons to hate them. And plenty of people in this sleepy little town had things to hide.It’s up to Ember, her bat shifter bestie, the ghost of her ancestor, and Kali, her cat familiar who quotes Sun Tzu’s Art of War to piece it all together.They better hurry. Because right now, all roads lead to Ember as the murderer. And sure, Sheriff Jamison might be giving her the benefit of the doubt, but he’s only going to tolerate her butting around in his investigation for so long.Can his hazel eyes get lost in hers long enough so she can uncover the clues?
Pride, Prejudice and Poison
Elizabeth Blake - 2019
At the Society’s monthly meeting, matters come to a head between the old guard and its young turks. After the meeting breaks for tea, persuasion gives way to murder—with extreme prejudice—when president Sylvia Pemberthy falls dead to the floor. Poisoned? Presumably…but by whom? And was Sylvia the only target?Handsome—but shy—Detective Inspector Peter Hadley and charismatic Sergeant Rashid Jarral arrive at the scene. The long suspect list includes Sylvia’s lover Kurt Becker and his tightly wound wife Suzanne. Or, perhaps, the killer was Sylvia’s own cuckolded husband, Jerome. Among the many Society members who may have had her in their sights is dashing Jonathan Alder, who was heard having a royal battle of words with the late president the night before.Then, when Jonathan Alder narrowly avoids becoming the next victim, Farnsworth (the town’s “cat lady”) persuades a seriously time-crunched Erin to help DI Hadley. But the killer is more devious than anyone imagines.
Sweet Murder
Tegan Maher - 2017
But that's just the beginning. She has the Magical Oversight Committee on her back because she can't keep her unruly little sister in line and the hunky new city-slicker sheriff would like to take her to dinner, except he suspects her of murder. To top it off, her possessed miniature donkey is being particularly calamitous and the old hens at the local beauty parlor are laying bets on her love life. A skydiving best friend and a bossy, living-impaired aunt become the least of her worries when the killer decides to bump up the plan by bumping her off. Can she figure it out in time to save all that she holds dear, or will Noelle be next on the list of folks who've turned up dead?
Show Time
Suzanne M. Trauth - 2016
Now she’s further up the coast in sleepy Etonville, managing a restaurant that dishes dinners themed around the community theater’s latest productions. But Dodie just never imagined she’d land the starring role in a case of bloody homicide . . . Intrigued by rumors of vanishing box office money, Dodie has agreed to help oversee the casting of Romeo and Juliet at the modest Etonville Little Theater. If nothing else, it’s a welcome escape from the thirty-something’s usual going-to-bed-with-a-mystery-novel routine. But when Jerome Angleton, a well-respected member of the theater company, is inexplicably found murdered on the loading dock, deadly drama transcends the stage—and the page. As a crime wave crashes over the small town, the spotlight is on Dodie to orchestrate her own investigation behind the scenes . . . before someone has a chance at a killer encore.