Book picks similar to
Back in the Game by Susan Harper


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Begonia Means Beware


Lyndsey Cole - 2014
    Plus, the handsome new guy moves in right next door to Lily. She’s well on her way to a successful and exciting season. But when the groom is found dead in her kitchen just days before he’s supposed to be walking down the aisle, Lily has to arrange the trail of flowers to try to solve the mystery. With the help of her scooter-riding, pot-smoking mother, Iris, her sister, Daisy, and her dog, Rosie, Lily races from one disaster to another, all the while keeping herself out of the killer’s sight. Will she solve the cascade of events in time or get caught by the criminals running illegal gambling and selling drugs in Misty Valley? Will romance blossom between Lily and her new neighbor? **Begonia Means Beware is approx. 33K words and is volume 1 in the Lily Bloom Cozy Mystery Series.

Tagged, You're It!


Jamie Lee Scott - 2013
    When there's a murder at the party, Mimi can't believe it's happening again. She's done with dead bodies, right?

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!

Die in the Wool: A Knitty Kitty Cozy Mystery


Katherine Hayton - 2019
    Even worse, when Tash returns to confront her, she finds Fran's dead body in the back room. Luckily, the doctor soon concludes the death is from natural causes. A decision cast into doubt when Tash finds out she's inherited Fran's store and home. With an aggrieved nephew determined to fight the will in court and Fran's despondent fiancé pointing the finger of blame, Tash battles to clear her name. The police mightn't believe the death was murder, but the good folks of Patiti are quicker to rush to judgement. If Tash can't manoeuvre through the undercurrent of small town politics, winning the inheritance will be a Pyrrhic victory. Worse, the doctor's assessment might be wrong, leaving a killer on the loose.

Pushing Up Daisies


Rosemary Harris - 2008
    Paula can handle deer, slugs, and the occasional human pest---but she’s not prepared for the mummified body she finds while restoring the gardens at Halcyon, a local landmark.            Casual snooping turns serious when a body is impaled on a garden tool and one of Paula’s friends is arrested for the crime.            Aided by the still-hot aging rocker who owns the neighborhood greasy spoon, a wise-cracking former colleague, and a sexy Mexican laborer with a few secrets of his own, Paula digs for the truth and unearths more dirty business the town has kept buried for years.

Granny Hooks a Crook


Julie Seedorf - 2013
    It’s not just her all junk food diet, multiplying pets, or her shocking bedtime attire that makes Granny one in a million. No, Granny is an undercover cop, charged by “the Big Guy” (the town’s police chief) of preventing theft in local stores. Granny takes her job seriously and daily foils many shoplifters using her trusty spiked umbrella and amazing acting skills. When some startlingly brazen burglaries begin to occur that Granny can’t solve, along with mysteriously appearing bad guys, disappearing clerks, and misplaced Corvettes, Granny begins to wonder if she isn’t ready for the wrinkle farm. Maybe, it’s fortuitous when she accidentally-on-purpose falls in the lap of an attractive older gentleman who is soon roped into her wild adventures, as they try to figure out what’s happening in their little town.

Burned to a Crisp


K.A. Miltimore
    Her bakery may be bizarre but it is the non-human guests who stay at her home, along with her resident ghost, and her menagerie of talking animals that truly is strange. Hedy hosts a waystation for supernatural travelers and while hosting two such travelers, the town is rocked by an arsonist who is kidnapping women, and pitting the residents of Enumclaw against each other. Hedy and her friends must solve the mystery when one of their own vanishes, leaving them racing to find out who is behind it all before it is too late. Cover Design by Melody Simmons

In the Shadows


Susan Finlay - 2013
    Suspicious, they believe there's only one reason Maurelle Dupre would be lurking in their small village—she's a gypsy, a thief. But a former Chicago detective turned mystery author, Dave Martin, who happens to be visiting his French grandmother, isn't so sure about the beautiful stranger when happenstance causes them to meet. He wonders why she seems so frightened and distrustful. He knows he shouldn’t get involved. The last time he trusted a woman in distress, the consequences resulted in the loss of his detective’s shield and his wife. But, as always, the detective in him can't seem to leave well enough alone. However, what Dave couldn't know is how persuading Maurelle to reveal herself will ultimately unveil something far worse than mere theft. In the Shadows is a story of trust, belonging, and murder.

Shifter Fever Complete Series


Selena Scott - 2018
    Join them on their action-packed adventure. If you love bear shifters, and strong sassy mates, set in a world of passion, love, and sizzling romance, you won't want to put this series down! Book 1 - Ansel's GameBook 2 - Alec's GameBook 3 - Matt's GameBook 4 - Kain's GameBook 5 - Griff's Game Ansel's Game - Book 1 Ruby only wanted to find her brother. Finding a true mate definitely wasn't part of the plan! Little did Ansel know that by claiming his true mate he would be opening the gates to a whole new world. Alec's Game - Book 2 They were in a foreign world, where much was the same as earth, But this was very different. Completely disarmed by Alec's honesty, could Milla allow here desires to manifest, and what would this mean for the mission to save Griff? Matt's Game - Book 3 What begins as some neighbourly pleasantries, Matt and Inka's attraction towards each other soon develops. But such attraction doesn't deepen without its own perils. Has Matt uncovered something that could potentially stop him protecting his own true mate? Kain's Game - Book 4 When Valentina falls victim to one of the shifter hunters, will Kain seize his opportunity and be able to save her? From two different worlds, could there really be a future together or is Kain just deluded in his quest? Griff's Game - Book 5 Torn between her feelings for Griff, was Alanya's gift really a curse to drive them apart? Together they were a force, but apart, the final mission to free the captives could fail. What would this mean for all those shifters on Herta they needed to protect and set free? This steamy 5 book paranormal romance series contains strong sexual themes/language and is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

THE COMPLETE MONICA NOBLE MURDER MYSTERIES three utterly gripping cozy mysteries box set (Cozy crime and suspense mystery box sets)


Faith Martin - 2021
    

One for the Money


D.B. Borton - 1993
    Detective work seems a logical choice. So, she sells her suburban house, buys an apartment building in a “transitional” neighborhood, and begins her training, only to discover a dead body in an upstairs apartment. What’s the connection between a murdered homeless woman and the Golden Age of Hollywood silent movies? Cat races to discover it before the killer can strike again. In this first book of the popular Cat Caliban series from the 1990s, Cat assembles her colorful cast of helpers and neighborhood hangers-on.

White Satin & Murder


Harper Harris - 2018
    A clingy Yorkie. And a dead Maid of Honor. It’s the first wedding Valerie Masters has ever planned and the start of her new business.There’s money flowing in Buckingham Downs, California, a small coastal town largely taken over by the rich, where weddings are a billion-dollar business. Val works tirelessly to make sure this one- the very first that she’s been hired to plan- is perfect, juggling a temperamental florist, a diva cake baker, and a self-obsessed DJ who’s threatened to walk off the job if the Chicken Dance is requested.Not to mention the biggest Bridezilla Val has ever seen, the bride’s “unique” family and snooty Maid of Honor.Starting a new business is hard, and this first wedding is turning out to be more than Val bargained for. Right before the wedding, Val finds the Maid of Honor dead and the expensive, one-of-a-kind wedding dress missing!Now, on top of getting a hitch-filled wedding to go off without a…well…you know, she has no choice but to solve this mystery. No wonder half of all new businesses fail!The stakes couldn’t be higher. This socially influential family has already threatened to ruin Val if any part of the wedding is ruined.But who among this motley cast of characters could be a murderer and a dress thief? And will Val figure it out in time to pull off the perfect wedding? Or will her business crash before it’s even started?White Satin & Murder is a full length cozy mystery novel full of humor, intrigue, and an adorable furry friend named Buttons. It's the first book in the Val Masters Wedding Planner series, which can be read in any order and are best enjoyed together.

The French Fraud: Cozy Mystery


Myrtle Morse - 2021
    

Miz Scarlet and the Imposing Imposter


Sara M. Barton - 2013
    Scarlet Wilson's love life keeps tanking, no matter what she does. It’s pretty sad when the elderly ladies at the inn have a better romantic life than the forty-something innkeeper. Is she cursed when it comes to men, or is there something more sinister going on? As the tension builds in this psychological thriller, the wild ride sweeps her closer to a dark, sinister secret that threatens her whole family. A menacing note left in the garden, an unwelcome stranger claiming possession of her cousin’s home, a bloody body left on the snowy summit of White Oak Hill...."Miz Scarlet", the feisty former teacher, finds she's up to her eyeballs in questions and no real answers. Who's in danger and why? What does it have to do with the Jordan family, who disappeared without a trace? When one of “Miz Scarlet’s” dogs digs up clothing belonging to the Jordan children, her fears are only heightened. Enter Kenny Tolliver ("Captain Peacock"), the still-handsome hunk who captured “Miz Scarlet's” heart all those years ago in high school. Widowed, retired as Assistant Director of Public Safety at Princeton University, now working for Mercer Security, "Captain Peacock" has all kind of tricks up his sleeve. Good thing, because a second guest meets a gruesome death just as he arrives to take charge. Scarlet and Kenny seem to be on the fast track to rekindle their love until they run headlong into "Colonel Grey Poupon", Scarlet's annoying, twice-married brother. Even as Bur Wilson slides into fifty, the old sibling rivalry reignites. As brother and sister vie for Kenny's attention, things spiral out of control. Adding to the confusion, Kenny begins to suspect that his old high school chum is lying. Just how involved was Bur with one of the now-dead guests and what else is he keeping from them? As the distractions pile up, a series of bizarre attacks on the family escalates. Despite Kenny’s best efforts, Scarlet is snatched in the middle of the night in a terrifying episode that convinces her she’s the next victim. Secrets are buried deep and, like skeletons in the family closet, hidden from view. Is there a killer lurking inside the Four Acorns Inn? Will “Miz Scarlet”,” Captain Peacock”, and “Colonel Grey Poupon” solve the clues in time? Buy it now and find out!

Murder in White Lace


Karen Sue Walker - 2016
    When her boss goes on vacation, things quickly unravel when one of her brides-to-be collapses in the shop during a fitting and dies at the hospital soon after, apparently poisoned. When her childhood friend is accused of the murder, Max decides to investigate and clear his name. With help from her new assistant, Keiko, and the other colorful residents of Crystal Shores, Max begins to weave together a list of suspects, much to the concern of the handsome Detective Cruz. Will she be able to tie up the loose threads and catch the murderer - or will the murderer get to her first?