Book picks similar to
Death at the Abbey by Jan Durham


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Salt in the Wounds


Mark Richards - 2020
    Going back to his old life.The one that cost him his wife…Michael Brady was a high-flying detective, working on a high-profile case.And much too close to the truth.Someone arranged a hit-and-run.But they missed Brady. And hit his wife.And after six months sitting by her bed, he took the only decision he could take. He turned the machine off.Now he’s back home in Whitby. Trying to rebuild his life. And be a good dad to his teenage daughter.But when his best friend is murdered Brady – unwillingly at first – is drawn into the investigation.And when the only people he has left are threatened, he finds there’s only one answer.Going back to his old life…

To Catch a Latte


Jenn McKinlay - 2018
    Stop that espresso! Annie Talbot's coffeepot has been turned upside down when her cafe is declared a front for a money laundering scheme and the FBI suspects she is the mastermind. So now her sexy new tenant, Special Agent Fisher McCoy, is sifting through her coffee grounds looking for the real culprit while trying to keep his hands off the delightful Annie. Marriage-phobic Annie is doing her best to ignore FBI hottie Fisher, but he is so distracting, her lattes are steaming over and she's thinking crazy thoughts like marriage and happily ever after.

Midnight Beach: A Port Stirling Mystery


Kay Jennings - 2020
    

A Murderous Valentine (Admiral Shackleford Mystery #1)


Beverley Watts - 2021
    Having been instrumental in improving the lives of so many (his words - others might be inclined to call it something slightly different...), he was struggling to reignite the spark in his own love life with the feisty Mabel. Short on ideas, he decides to gatecrash his much put upon former Master At Arms and best friend Jimmy Noon's Valentine idea and ends up in the middle of a murder mystery weekend... where real murder is on someone else's script. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with a hotel full of potential murderers, the unstoppable duo embark on a series of blundering escapades in an attempt to uncover the Murderous Valentine... The Admiral and Jimmy may be more Laurel and Hardy than Holmes and Watson, but can they catch a murderer...? This humorous cozy mystery short read is the first in The Admiral Shackleford Mysteries.

Treasure Borrowed and Blue


S.W. Hubbard - 2018
    She knows first-hand that funerals are family events that bring out the worst in people.Now Audrey is just six weeks away from a joyful family event--her wedding. The band has been hired, the invitations mailed.Wedded bliss is right around the corner.Then a thief strikes and destroys Audrey's happiness. As she narrows the list of possible culprits,her suspicion falls on the family she's about to join.Will catching the thief ruin Audrey's shot at the ideal family she's always dreamed of?When the crime is solved with one final twist, Audrey learns a lesson about the bonds that tie families together and the expectations that can drive them apart.A note from the author: In the chronology of Audrey's life, this short mystery novella fits between the events in This Bitter Treasure (which ended with Audrey's engagement) and Treasure in Exile (which begins with Audrey already married).Loyal readers let me know that they wanted to see Audrey's wedding. So I wrote Treasure Borrowed and Blue because I want to keep my readers happy! Nothing ever goes quite as planned for our Audrey, so the tale of her wedding takes quite a few twists and turns (but no murders!).

Mothers Don't Lie


Jo Crow - 2020
    With the help of medication to control her borderline personality disorder, she’s become a successful real estate agent with a loving husband who treats her four-year-old son as if he were his own. The emotional highs and lows from a difficult childhood have smoothed out but are still best concealed with little white lies to protect loved ones from her troubled history. Until Molly’s past returns to shatter her idyllic life.Molly’s son, Colin, is discovered injured and covered in his grandfather’s blood—and her father-in-law is nowhere to be found. The police suspect foul play. Longstanding bitterness erupts between Molly and her mother-in-law, exacerbating Molly’s feelings of inadequacy and triggering fierce reactions that can no longer be contained.A hallucination of her missing father-in-law only increases Molly’s paranoia over the sins of the past. Deceit lies around every corner and embroils everyone in the growing madness. Someone knows what she did. And someone is trying to expose the truth.And if the truth is revealed, her family will pay the price.

The Trouble with Rose


Amita Murray - 2019
    A broken heart.A whole lot of trouble…Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, The Trouble with Rose is an unforgettable story about a messy family, a big secret at its heart, and the unbreakable bond between sisters.Rilla is getting married. Except she isn't. She's running away – from her confused fiancé Simon, her big mad family, and the memories nipping at her heels.Her sister Rose would know what to do in such times of crisis.But the trouble is, Rose is the crisis. She disappeared years ago, and Rilla's heart went missing too.Where is Rose? And who is Rilla without Rose?If she's to rescue some happiness out of all this chaos, she needs to find out.

The Flower Arranger at All Saints


Lis Howell - 2006
    It’s the sort of place where everyone knows each other’s business. And a new vicar wants to shake things up in the community.Then Phyllis the church flower arranger is found dead before the big Easter service.WHO WOULD KILL A SEEMINGLY SWEET OLD LADY?With fingers pointing and tensions rising, the village is in turmoil.Chaotic mum-of-two, Suzy Spencer, has just arrived in Tarnfield. She needs a fresh start after her husband betrayed her. Now she finds herself entangled in the mystery along with quiet widower, Robert Clark.The killer is set to strike again with another floral flourish. Despite their differences, can Suzy and Robert stop the murderer before anyone else suffers?A new series of cozy mysteries full of red herrings and twists and turns.Perfect for fans of Jeanne M. Dams, Frances Evesham, Margaret Mayhew, Betty Rowlands and M.C. Beaton.

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


Faith Martin - 2021
    

Private Eyes


Rene Fomby - 2017
    In less than 48 hours, his best friend has a date with the needle, the kind of date you don’t walk away from with a kiss. Moose has to find out who framed his pit bull buddy for the savage slaying of a French poodle — and then convince the humans that he’s nailed the right guy. But with no leads and little evidence to go on, there’s only one person in Chicago that has a prayer of hunting down the real killer in time: Antonio Gattogrosso, legendary proprietor of the Feline Detective Agency. Fat Tony. The rave reviews are pouring in: "It's a great summer read. Just like me, you'll want to keep an eye out for it!" - Fisheye Martinez "I predict it will be a smashing success, dahlinks!" - Madame LuLu, astrologer to the stars "Buy dis book if you knows what's good for youse." - Fat Tony Gattogrosso

British Murder


Leslie Meier - 2020
    But traveling to merry old England brings delightful adventure—along with a helping or two or murder—in these beloved mysteries . . .  ENGLISH TEA MURDERA trip to England, sponsored by Winchester College, sounds practically perfect to Lucy Stone—until the tour leader suffers a fatal asthma attack mid-flight. Lucy suspects some very unnatural causes, but luckily, she packed her sleuthing skills. Between stops for afternoon tea, visits to historic sites, and catching up with an old flame, she’s ensnared in a daring scheme. But will it lead her to a criminal mastermind—or ensure that she’s the next victim? BRITISH MANOR MURDERLucy can’t wait to join her friend Sue for a gala hat show at the English country house owned by the Earl of Wickham. But at Moreton Manor, there are secrets—and some unpleasant relatives—lurking among the elaborate chapeaus. When a bludgeoned body is found in a hidden room, Lucy must sift through friends and family foes to find the low-down killer stalking the upper crust, before more blue blood runs red . . .

The Filey Connection


David W. Robinson - 2011
    But the hot months don’t pass without problems for amateur sleuth, Joe Murray.Was Nicola Leach’s death an accident or deliberate? Did Eddie Dobson fall into the sea or did he jump? What’s going on behind the innocent façade – and closed doors – of the Beachside Hotel? And who raided Joe’s room?Joe and his sidekicks must find the answers to solve the mystery of The Filey Connection.