Book picks similar to
Cats' Eyes by Mollie Hunt


mystery
first-in-series
cozy-mystery
cats

Maple Can Be Murder


Grace Lemon - 2016
    It’s just that kind of place. And things get a whole lot stickier for the residents when a businessman visiting the island ends up smothered at the local sugar bush. With maple syrup season in full swing, Ida Noe’s fudge shop is busier than a centipede at a toe counting contest – especially when she’s invited to showcase her world famous Maple Bacon Fudge at Sweeney’s Sugar Bush. All is sweet until some poor sap kicks the bucket in the sugarhouse and all fingers point to Ida’s best friend Maura Sweeney. With the help of her lumpy black Lab and origami loving friend, Ida is determined to “tap” the real killer and prove that maple can indeed be murder. Previously published as Maple Can Be Murder.

No Such Thing as a Secret


Shelly Fredman - 2005
    It's not her fault trouble seems to follow her around. Okay, it is her fault, but why quibble over details? When Brandy (a puff piece reporter for a local Los Angeles TV news station) returns to her hometown, after a four year absence, she is thrilled to be reunited with friends and family. But her joy is short-lived when her best friend, John, becomes the victim of a tragic accident. Brandy is alone in thinking that the death is no "accident," and as she sets out to prove her theory, she stumbles upon a political scandal of major proportions. Things begin to heat up when it appears that her former boyfriend, police detective Robert Anthony DiCarlo, is involved in sabotaging the investigation. The one thing Brandy knows for sure is that people keep turning up dead, and if she doesn't get some answers, fast, she could end up on the short list. As Brandy searches out the truth, she gains some unexpected allies, including sexy, dangerous, street-savvy Nicholas Santiago, and the now-married Bobby, who still holds a torch for his former girlfriend. With humor, guts and determination Brandy tackles each challenge, be it dodging a bullet or resisting that box of Tastykakes in the cupboard. Murder, mayhem and romance abound in Shelly Fredman's novel, proving there really is No Such Thing as a Secret.

A Will to Murder


Kathryn De Winter - 2017
    An expensive heirloom locket... And murder... When Molly Wright, a humble school teacher, agreed to help a stranger recover a very special locket she had no idea what she was getting herself into. Lies and deception become commonplace in her life as she gets deeper into the mystery surrounding the stranger. And then she discovers a murder! What has happened to Molly's quiet village life? Not only that but there is someone following her. Is he planning to murder her too? Mystery + Murder = Trouble. Molly Wright... Accidental Super Sleuth! If you love cozy mysteries then you will love this new series too. Get your copy today!

Murder at Castle Rock


Anne Marie Stoddard - 2013
    To make matters worse, the police suspect foul play—and all signs point to two of Castle Rock's own employees. Ame soon finds herself in a race against time to clear the names of her friends and uncover the truth before the killer decides it's curtains for her too! **Winner, 2012 BookLogix & AJC Decatur Book Festival Writers Contest** "Fast-paced and entertaining, Anne Marie Stoddard gives readers a backstage pass to murder taking center stage and demanding an encore." ~ Rochelle Staab, award winning author of the Mind for Murder mysteries

The Whole Cat and Caboodle


Sofie Ryan - 2014
    At the shop, she sells used items that she has lovingly refurbished and repurposed. But her favorite pet project so far has been adopting a stray cat she names Elvis.Elvis has seen nine lives—and then some. The big black cat with a scar across his nose turned up at a local bar when the band was playing the King of Rock and Roll’s music and hopped in Sarah’s truck. Since then, he’s been her constant companion and the furry favorite of everyone who comes into the store.But when Sarah’s elderly friend Maddie is found with the body of a dead man in her garden, the kindly old lady becomes the prime suspect in the murder. Even Sarah’s old high school flame, investigator Nick Elliot, seems convinced that Maddie was up to no good. So it’s up to Sarah and Elvis to clear her friend’s name and make sure the real murderer doesn’t get a second chance.

Twelve Slays of Christmas


Jacqueline Frost - 2017
    Lucky for her, home in historic Mistletoe, Maine is magical during Christmastime--exactly what the doctor prescribed. Except her plan to drown her troubles in peppermints and snickerdoodles is upended when local grouch and president of the Mistletoe Historical Society Margaret Fenwick is bludgeoned and left in the sleigh display at Reindeer Games, Holly's family tree farm. When the murder weapon is revealed as one of the wooden stakes used to identify trees on the farm, Sheriff Evan Grey turns to Holly's father, Bud, and the Reindeer Games staff. And it doesn't help that Bud and the reindeer keeper were each seen arguing with Margaret just before her death. But Holly knows her father, and is determined to exonerate him.The jingle bells are ringing, the clock is ticking, and if Holly doesn't watch out, she'll end up on Santa's naughty list in Twelve Slays of Christmas, Jacqueline Frost's jolly series debut.

Murder is Binding


Lorna Barrett - 2008
    When she moved to Stoneham, city slicker Tricia Miles met nothing but friendly faces. And when she opened her mystery bookstore, she met friendly competition. But when she finds Doris Gleason dead in her own cookbook store, killed by a carving knife, the atmosphere seems more cutthroat than cordial. Someone wanted to get their hands on the rare cookbook that Doris had recently purchased-and the locals think that someone is Tricia. To clear her name, Tricia will have to take a page out of one of her own mysteries-and hunt down someone who isn't killing by the book.

Fame is a Killer


Meredith Potts - 2016
    In the last twenty-four hours, her boyfriend has broken up with her and her long-running police procedural TV show has been canceled. When a homicide detective shows up at her door the next morning with news that her ex-boyfriend has been murdered, she realizes that her troubles are just beginning. She is shocked--not only to learn of her ex's death, but also to find out that the police consider her to be a suspect in the killing. Hope soon realizes that the only way to clear her name is by finding the real killer herself. Fans of page-turning cozy mysteries will love this series that mixes a healthy dose of clues, romance, and humor. Books In The Hope Hadley Series 1. Fame Is A Killer 2. Fishing For A Murderer 3. Murder Of A Yoga Instructor 4. Drowning In Deceit 5. A Not So Merry Christmas Murder 6. Killer Injustice 7. Murder Of A Restaurant Critic 8. Murder Of A Movie Producer 9. The Killer Holiday Office Party Note -- All of the Hope Hadley books can be read in any order.

Skeletons in the Closet


Jennifer L. Hart - 2008
    As the wife of retired Navy SEAL, and the adoptive mother of two little hellions, Maggie is constantly looking for ways to improve her family’s financial situation. She accepts a cleaning position for her new neighbors (who redefine the term ‘eccentric’), never imagining she will end up as the sole alibi for a man with a fascination for medieval torture devices when he is brought up on murder charges.While Maggie struggles to prove the man’s innocence, her deadbeat brother arrives, determined to sell Maggie and Neil on his next great scheme and to mooch with a vengeance. If that isn’t bad enough, her in-laws, (the cut-throat corporate attorneys) descend on the house, armed with disapproval and condemnation, for the family’s annual Thanksgiving celebration.As the police investigation intensifies, Maggie searches for the killer among the upper echelon of Hudson, Massachusetts in the only way she can— by scrubbing their thrones.Of the porcelain variety, that is…

Folk Tales and Fudge Brownies


A.R. Winters - 2020
    With the local Bigfoot festival just days away, there many who stand to benefit from Kevin’s death - from the well-known Sasquatch believer Roy Turner, to the event organizers who profit from the festival each year, to the Bigfoot “researchers” who despised Kevin. In between working at her aunt’s bakery café, Jean finds time to slip into the woods and the festival campground in her quest to uncover the truth. But will her hunt lead her straight into a bear’s den - or worse, into the hands of a killer? This is a humorous cozy mystery featuring a strong female protagonist, some unusual friends and family, and a mystery that needs solving! It has no graphic gore, bad language or sex.

Secrets in a Bottle


Shelly West - 2019
    She's been struggling to make it in Boston when a call beckons her down to the cozy seaside town of Wallace Point. Now's her chance to meet a grandmother she never knew--if Grandma survives, that is!Grandma is in a coma after an apparent break-in at her antique store, leaving Abigail to run Whodunit Antiques in her absence. The locals are very protective of Grandma, their de facto town matriarch, making Abigail wonder... just who is this woman?When Grandma wakes up, a mystery unfolds, starting with a dead body, a broken ship in a bottle, and a historical maritime rivalry. Will Abigail uncover the centuries-old secret that put Grandma in the hospital? And will Abigail learn why her mother kept her away from Grandma for all these years?The Whodunit Antiques series is fun, quirky, and, most importantly, cozy! So settle into your favorite chair, preferably with a cup of hot cocoa in hand, and get ready to escape into a town whose residents are always up to mischief, and where pirates run amok.

October's Eve


Joyce A. Scott - 2013
    Bodies were always being dropped off at Amanda's. So begins Graveside Manner: October's Eve, a quirky murder mystery in the style of Murder She Wrote and Arsenic and Old Lace. Join Prunella, police chief Jenkins, a cast of other characters, and Amanda as she solves the tuxedoed gentleman's murder and brings the killers to justice.

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

Massage & Murder


Jenn Cowan - 2018
    A professional. A healer. Not a killer. When a client ends up dead on my massage table, I become the number one suspect. I have Means. Motive. Opportunity. But I didn't kill her. The clock is ticking, someone is stalking me, I have to find out who before I end up in jail or worse...dead.

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.