Book picks similar to
A Touch of Shabby by M.L. Bullock
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fantasy-and-magic
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The Inconvenient Corpse (A Maggie & Jasper Caper Book 1)
Barbara Cool Lee - 2021
Spells and Spirits: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery Sampler
Amy Boyles - 2019
This sampler includes SCARED WITCHLESS, SOUTHERN MAGIC, SOUL FOOD SPIRITS and THE WITCH'S HANDBOOK TO HUNTING VAMPIRES. SCARED WITCHLESS – Dylan Apel is your average dressmaker living a simple life in Alabama. That is until she discovers she has magical powers. The whole witch deal seems really cool until someone murders Dylan’s best client with a poisoned gown meant for her. Now everyone's a suspect and Dylan is barely getting a handle on her new powers when she finds herself surrounded by witches bossing her this way and that, local police nosing about, and wary clients—death by clothing is not good for business. And the solstice is coming … a time when witch powers are at their peak. Can Dylan survive the chaos long enough to figure out her new life? SOUTHERN MAGIC -- In less than twenty-four hours Pepper Dunn loses her job, her boyfriend, and her home. But when Pepper discovers she’s a witch and has inherited the most important store in the magical town of Magnolia Cove, Alabama, she’s as happy as a pig in mud. Too bad the shop is a familiar pet store and Pepper doesn’t like animals—not even a teensy bit. Determined to sell the shop and get the heck out of town, Pepper’s plans go haywire when a local storeowner winds up dead and Pepper gets accused of murder. Thrust into a magical mystery, Pepper teams up with a mysterious private detective and a cat so traumatized by the murder that she’s not talking—and that cat could hold the key to Pepper’s innocence. Now Pepper must avoid trouble, solve the mystery, and placate her new grandmother, who keeps a strict ten p.m. curfew that’s enforced by the talking end of her shotgun. Sounds like a simple day in the life—as if. Can Pepper solve the mystery or will she become the next victim of the Magnolia Cove murderer? And most importantly, will Pepper learn to love the animals she’s in charge of? SOUL FOOD SPIRITS -- Blissful Breneaux has spent her career catching troublesome ghosts for a covert government agency. But all that changes the day she is fired. She has one shot to redeem herself— track down the biggest, baddest spirit the agency has ever known and haul him in. Too bad that ghost resides in the one place Blissful despises—Haunted Hollow, Alabama. It’s the tourist attraction from hell. Blissful is knee deep in a foreign place—and it’s not just the deer head trophies and the giant pickup trucks that are throwing her for a loop. When a local reveals he has information that could save her career, Blissful is all ears. But when he winds up murdered, Blissful becomes a suspect. Thrust into a murder mystery, Blissful teams up with a pair of amateur ghost-hunting grannies who know more about town dynamics than hunting spirits. Then there’s the handsome bed and breakfast owner who’s keeping more secrets than he’s revealing. But Blissful is determined to discover what the murder victim knew. She’ll hunt for clues all over town. Will the hunt save her career or place her in the clutches of the Haunted Hollow murderer? THE WITCH'S HANDBOOK -- Andie Taylor is your average single mom. She's got a beautiful toddler, a great job at the local preschool, a neurotic best friend and one huge secret—she used to hunt vampires. Now retired, Andie would much rather be wiping kid snot off her clothes than stalking the undead.
Witch Doggone Killer?
Paula Lester - 2020
Winter lasts for up to nine months there, and the biggest event of the year is the summer dog show. People come from all over to attend. It brings money and prestige to town.But when Willow’s landlord is poisoned to death, she quickly finds herself in a tricky situation. People are canceling their appointments, afraid when they learn someone was murdered in her clinic. And one of her employees is acting super strange.Then she’s asked to take over the dead man’s spot as a dog show judge, and she gets even more nervous. After all, she’s the town veterinarian, so is it even okay for her to be a judge? And, oh yeah, she’s a witch who can talk to animals, but only her elderly aunt is in the know on that point.Before long, Willow is in way over her head. She has to learn the rules for judging the dog show, save her business from financial ruin, and juggle a couple of potential love interests.But that’s not the worst of it. Willow is pretty sure she may be on the short list for the killer’s next victim. Now, she’s racing the clock to catch the murderer and finds herself having to choose between revealing her secret and possibly losing her life.
A Witch by Chance: A Written Fireside Short Story
Lori ConnellyZara Stoneley - 2014
Ivy Mitchell’s life is changed forever after she follows her cat, Karma, into an old house, where she stumbles upon a strange book that not only unleashes her destiny, but attracts a smoking hot, mysterious stranger named Chance with wicked powers of his own. Ivy was born a witch, but an important decision awaits. Make the wrong choice and more than her powers are at risk. A story in nine parts, each written by a different writer in her own individual style: Lori Connelly, Aileen Harkwood, Zara Stoneley, Kari Lemor, Sarah Lefebve, Carmel Harrington, Teresa F. Morgan, Lynn Marie Hulsman, and Jane Lark.Length: 4300 words
High Strangeness
Eric Bickernicks - 2018
Ken Wakeman, a skeptical UFOlogist who seeks the truth about paranormal phenomenon, struggles to discredit the myriad of crackpot theories out there. Melissa "Mel" Howard, a reporter for a small Cape Cod newspaper, copes with the seasonal tourist invasion and its accompanying anxieties. When the Cape becomes the national focus over a rash of UFO sights, they join forces to get to the bottom of it. Despite denials from town officials and the military that UFOs have landed, mass hysteria overcomes the seaside community. In addition to the frantic humans, Astro (Ken’s Golden Retriever) has also been acting strangely. Joining the invasion is Klick, the promiscuous leader of a spandex-clad UFO cult whose members want to “amalgamate” with the Fornacisians when their spaceship lands. Mel learns that when dealing with wing nuts, the truth isn’t necessarily “out there”. Tom Frasier, an infamous proponent of crashed saucers and frozen alien bodies, claims the local military base houses some intriguing secrets. After a visit from the FBI gives legitimacy to Tom’s story, Ken will ultimately decide how far he’s willing to go to witness humanity’s greatest close encounter.
One Summer: ...at Charlie's Diner
Mary Jane Forbes - 2014
Seeing a help wanted sign in a window, she applies for the job as a waitress at the little diner near the Daytona Beach boardwalk. Tyler Jackman, a wannabe cartoonist, works at the diner as a waiter. He falls for the pretty blonde, coming to her rescue time and time again. But Star doesn’t see him as anything more than a new friend. Star is drawn to Ash, a handsome mystery man who frequents the diner. He begins to meet her after work, walks her home, and they share coffee on the beach. A summer romance? The three lives intertwine as they strive to make their dreams come true. Will love, jealousy, friendship help or hinder their struggles?
How to Leash a Thief
Cat Clayton - 2017
Normally.But nothing is pleasant or normal about murder.I never thought, in my wildest dreams at 26-years-old, I would see my first dead body. Or take over my grandmother’s floundering pet grooming business, without a lick of experience aside from managing the shop’s (Stone Age) back office, drain my savings account for the shop’s renovations, begin hearing my Chihuahua’s voice inside my head, and wind up a possible suspect in the murder of one of my employees.Now, if I can clear my name, discover the real killer—without getting whacked myself, come to terms with hearing my chatty pup, all while keeping the family business afloat, my life won’t slip down the proverbial drain.♥Author’s Note: Some, more mature, readers in the humorous, cozy mystery genre may love to hate my main character, Steely Lamarr, and that’s okay. But as the writer, it is my duty to remain true to her character and her story. Steely doesn’t claim to have all the answers, nor does she always make the wisest of decisions. Her character is loosely based on a few of my own experiences married to a law enforcement officer in my 20’s, and coupled with inspiration drawn from our oldest daughter’s personality, whose steely attitude and tenacious spirit kept her feet on the ground and her head held high during the difficulties in her young adult life. As with my own daughter, I have a deep appreciation for Steely’s growth, maturity, and her willingness to own and learn from her mistakes as the series progresses. My hope is readers will acknowledge and appreciate this as well. If not, remember, there’s always pie, and pie makes everything better.~Publisher's note: This is the 2nd edition of How to Leash a Thief. Many readers of the 1st edition stated it read like a "cozy" mystery. Although it does contain many cozy mystery elements, we at Pigasus Publications do not want to mislead readers. Our readers’ happiness is top priority. How to Leash a Thief does not contain explicit sex or excessive violence. Some cozy mystery fans might enjoy the story. But we want to inform readers, the book does contain minimal use of curse words and sexual innuendos. Thank you for your interest!
A Charming Death (do us part)
Tonya Kappes - 2015
The wedding is finally here! June Heal and Oscar Park's upcoming nuptials are sending the Dark Sider and Good Sider spiritual in a tail spin on this All Hallow's Eve wedding celebration. Aunt Helena wants June to have a Good Sider ceremony, while Aunt Eloise wants Oscar to have a Dark Sider ceremony. When one of the Aunts is poisoned, June and Oscar aren't sure they will have enough time to figure out who is sabotaging their wedding before Mr. Prince Charming walks her down the aisle?
Mele Keahi's Ghostly Mysteries (Destiny Bay Mysteries #1-3)
J.D. Winters - 2016
She came to the California coast for the peace and comfort of family, but suddenly she seems to be a magnet for murders. They’re dropping like flies all around her, and she's the only one who can solve them - with the help of some ancestral spirits, and, of course, a trusty black cat. But even with her ghosts, her wits, and her family at her side, she wonders - could the next new ghost in town be her? A GHOST FOR CHRISTMAS—Mele is home for the holidays, only to find a dead man in the front yard. Could her beloved Aunt Bebe be the murderer? GHOST ON DUTY—Mele is nervous to meet with the mean old rich man in the mansion, but it’s even more chilling to find him dead! Does his silver cat carry a clue to the killer? A GHOST IN TIME—This time Aunt Bebe is really in trouble-it seems obvious that she is the one who ran down the victim. But who really engineered the crime? Delicious Hawaiian recipes included!
Dream Stalker
Amy Hopkins - 2016
He's targeting half-bloods, people with limited magical ability. People just like Emma. The police are baffled by the long string of deaths, but they're not willing to put in the legwork to make an arrest. After all, magic users can take care of themselves, right? Except, those with real power don't give a damn about half-bloods. So, when Emma wakes from a strange dream that nearly gets her killed in the waking world, she knows she has to deal with it herself. With only her boggart shop-assistant and the two strange men who have offered to help, can she thwart the killer and make the city safe again?
Witch Way to Nightshade
Penny Brooke - 2021
But she hadn’t perceived the extent of her powers…or the fact she was a witch.An elderly woman moving in across the street sets off a series of events that leads to Salem attending Nightshade Village, a college for women with “special abilities.”But upon arrival at the bizarre school, just as Salem’s true purpose reveals itself, tragedy strikes, and one of their own dies mysteriously.Will Salem be able to use her growing powers to solve the mystery surrounding the witch’s death? Or will her own life be in jeopardy before she can realize her full potential?Join Salem Donovan in the Nightshade Village series, a paranormal cozy mystery featuring a witch sleuth, magic and mayhem, and a mystery to solve.
Catastrophe: A Highland Murder Most Fowl
Lucinda Hare - 2015
What's not to like about this book? It grabs the reader's attention from the start and holds on to it throughout the story. I also love the information about Wild Cat conservation which appears before the story starts: hopefully this will encourage readers of all ages to take an interest in the conservation of this beautiful animal. Whilst this book is going to appear on LoveReading for kids, it would be equally at home in the adult section. I normally clear my downloads after reviewing a book, but I will be keeping this one to reread and I can't wait to read about Catastrophe's next adventure.Sharon Hall (LoveReading4Kids review)What a delightful book! I liked the descriptions of the world as seen through Catastrophe’s eyes, as he described life in the wild for him, and then getting to know Mary and George. After a while this built to a murder mystery that had you rooting for the good guys. Overall an unexpectedly lovely book and I look forward to reading more about the family’s adventures.
Bites
Jennifer Hilt - 2018
Unrelenting. Uncanny. Silverthorne, like any other vampire, loved a good pandemic. And why not? She’d lived through several of them in the past century. But now she’s playing for the good guys as a medical examiner. A paranormal street drug doing terrible things to her kind creates a different kind of challenge—returning to Nowhere, Nevada where the murderer leaves her a trail of grisly shifter corpses in this hick mountain community where she vowed to never return. Her suspects? A sumo wrestling sibling, the ex wife of the sheriff (and her former lover) plus her estranged and oh so very psycho vampire maker. Soon Silverthorne is tracking a killer who wants nothing less than everything she holds dear in her undead life. Good thing paranormal murder most foul is Silverthorne’s specialty.
Keeping Secrets
Zanna Mackenzie - 2017
Needing a job – any job – she becomes an assistant in a shop selling magical candles, charms and crystals. When she learns the truth behind the town’s paranormal vibe and discovers the locals have supernatural abilities, she starts to wonder whether running from her past has landed her in even more trouble in the present!A controversial development of executive homes on what used to be a pretty area of riverside meadows is stirring up bad feelings in Glen Falls. So, when the development is hit by vandalism, there’s a rather long list of suspects – including Kat’s new employer. Desperate to keep her boss and good friend out of serious trouble with the police, Kat wades into sleuthing mode, attempting to catch the vandals herself before things can spiral dangerously out of control.With a broken heart and more than enough crazy stuff already on her plate, risking a new romantic involvement is the last thing she needs, but then she meets the gorgeous and mysterious Alex. As the architect in charge of the housing development everybody hates, Alex is Public Enemy Number One in Glen Falls – another reason why Kat should stay as far away from him as possible. Unfortunately that’s proving rather difficult to do...Soon, she’s way out of her depth and battling magical forces, mysteries and major mayhem – as well as trying to fight her growing attraction towards the intriguing Alex, a man who seems to be keeping even more secrets about his current life than Kat is about her past.Can she track down the culprit before their vandalism escalates to murder and they end up in a prison cell? Why is charming Alex being quite so secretive? Is Kat’s disastrous past about to catch up with her?
Witch on Ice
Cat Larson - 2019
And you thought you had problems.Hi, my name is Sammara Eve Hain and I don’t admit that to just anyone.Especially the witch part.If it were up to me, I would’ve been born into a nice, normal family. One that went camping on weekends and played board games and watched television.Not one that spent their Saturday nights cackling around a cauldron and turning people into frogs.Okay, that’s an exaggeration. They don’t cackle.But they’re definitely not normal. And the frog thing?May I introduce my fiancé, Fernando? Mr. Short, Green, and Bewitched. Courtesy of my sister.All I ever wanted when I left my small town of Bigfoot Bay thirteen years ago was to disappear into the big city and lead an ordinary life.I never expected to return.And when I stumbled upon my childhood nemesis frozen solid inside a wall of ice, I never expected I’d be forced to stay.With my betrothed frog at my side and no sister in sight.** Witch on Ice is the first in a new humorous cozy mystery series. Suitable for all ages. **