Book picks similar to
The Lola Cruz Christmas Story by Melissa Bourbon
christmas
mystery
cozy-mystery
mysteries
Bed, Breakfast & Bones
Carolyn L. Dean - 2016
Sure, she could pack her bags and travel back to LA…or should she dig in, heal from her failed romance, and find a whole new set of friends and adventures in Ravenwood Cove? And how could a quiet little coastal village have so many secrets? Includes the free recipe for Amanda’s (and the author’s) favorite cinnamon rolls. First novel in the Ravenwood Cove ebook series. Paperback and audiobook (with Whispersync) versions coming soon. Mild PG rating (because hey, there's a dead guy in it).
Trudy, Madly, Deeply
Wendy Delaney - 2013
With no physical evidence of foul play, Char's on the case, much to the irritation of Detective Steve Sixkiller, who doesn't want her to stick her pretty nose for trouble in his investigation. But she's a woman on a mission to uncover the truth, and she'd better keep her eyes open or the next body on the way to the morgue could be hers....
The Temporary Detective
Joanne Sydney Lessner - 2010
Think breaking into show business is hard? Try landing a temp job without office skills. That’s the challenge facing aspiring actress Isobel Spice when she arrives in New York City, fresh out of college and deficient in PowerPoint. After being rejected by seven temp agencies for her lack of experience, Isobel sweet-talks recruiter James Cooke into letting her cover a last-minute vacancy at a bank. New to his own job, and recently sober, James takes a chance on Isobel, despite his suspicion that she’s a trouble-magnet. His misgivings are borne out by lunchtime, when she stumbles across a dead secretary in a bathroom stall. With her fingerprints on the murder weapon, Isobel sets out to prove her innocence by investigating the crime herself. While learning to juggle phone lines and auditions, she discovers an untapped talent for detective work—a qualification few other office temps, let alone actresses, can claim.Please note: this is a contemporary cozy with an edge; contains some adult language.
Dying for a Date
Cindy Sample - 2010
Right, or Mr. Every Other Saturday Night, divorced mother of two, Laurel McKay reluctantly joins THE LOVE CLUB, a popular local dating service. Dressed to kill, she meets bachelor number one at a trendy restaurant. But the date is a bust, literally, when the guy decides Laurel is dessert, and she breaks his nose with her cell phone. It gets even worse when the man is found murdered the next morning, and Laurel has his blood on her clothes.Despite her now being a person of interest to the police, Laurel bravely ventures out on date number two. When that unlucky bachelor disappears during dinner, Laurel’s only alibi is a bottle of Dom Perignon. The sexy investigating detective thinks she’s innocent and is worried she may be the next target. That’s more than enough motivation for Laurel to find a murderer determined to kill her social life––before dating becomes a dead end she can’t escape.
Leona's Last Resort
Karen M. Bryson - 2018
When Max Elliot invites Izzy Grant to a fancy Ivy League alumni reception at the Tawnee Mountain Resort, the ghost hunters anticipate a romantic weekend getaway at the premier ski and golf destination. But when wealthy hotelier Leona Hutton is murdered, and her ghost asks Izzy to find her killer, she and Max decide to investigate. Will Izzy and Max solve the case before more alumni end up dead, or the killer turns the tables and decides to hunt the ghost hunters? Leona's Last Resort is a part of the Tawnee Mountain Mysteries series, a collection of seven brand new mysteries, from seven award-winning and bestselling authors, taking place at the same final destination, the Tawnee Mountain Resort. Leona's Last Resort features ghost hunters, Izzy Grant and Max Elliot, from the Izzy & Max Paranormal Mystery series. Each book in this multi-author series is a standalone novella, and the series can be read in any order. The Tawnee Mountain Mysteries series includes: Leona's Last Resort by Karen M. Bryson Dark Side of the Mountain by R.J. Rosatte Deadly Reception by Karen Randau Black Diamond Graves by Wendy Fallon Deadly Misfire by Laurie Fagen Cassidy's Deadly Exit by Marla J. Hayes The Quinnipiac Disappearance by Lee Tidball
Dying for Dinner Rolls
Lois Lavrisa - 2013
How is that for a first day on the job as an amateur sleuth? Along with her friend Annie Mae, Cat investigates the brick-paved, oak-lined streets of Savannah to find their friend's murderer.
Botched Butterscotch
Amanda Flower - 2020
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Mother’s Day is a sweet and busy time at the candy shop Bailey King runs with her Amish grandmother. This year is extra special, because Bailey’s parents are visiting Harvest, Ohio. Bailey’s father has rarely returned since leaving the Amish faith over thirty years ago, but Bailey is confident that the right treats can help sugarcoat any awkwardness. For Mother’s Day Tea at the local church, she’s whipping up her mom’s favorite: butterscotch fudge. All’s going well, until a sticky-fingered thief makes off with the money raised for a local women’s support group. While Bailey tries to discover who stuck their fingers in the cookie jar, she encounters an assortment of suspects. It doesn’t help that Juliet, mother of Deputy Aiden Brody, is conspiring with Bailey’s mom to plan Aiden and Bailey’s wedding…though they’re not even engaged! Can Bailey find the culprit before events—both criminal and personal—boil over into disaster? Recipe Included!
New Corpse In Town
Lucy Quinn - 2016
A phone call to the sheriff should mean the end of Cookie’s involvement, but when it’s clear the sheriff has no interest in the investigation, Cookie calls in reinforcements…her ex-partner Hunter O’Neil. Suddenly it’s like old times while the pair questions the residents of Secret Seal Isle. Except it’s not. Now she has both Hunter and Dylan vying for her attention, a wayward hippy mother, and a potential killer on the loose. With her love life heating up, her mother lighting up, and all signs pointing to the most unlikely suspect, Cookie does the only thing she knows to do—focus on solving the case.
Red Picket Fences
Daphne McLean - 2019
As a stay-at-home mom, the only danger she comes across is in the true-crime novels she devours at night.But when a house fire results in the death of her two neighbors, Jennifer discovers that things are not always what they seem.By poking her nose in where it doesn’t belong, she puts herself up against a local police chief eager to close the case, a husband desperate to keep her safe, and a killer who wants her out of the way.This cozy mystery begs the question, “How well do you know your neighbors?”Get your copy today!Book One: Red Picket FencesBook Two: Body in the BegoniasBook Three: Death at a Dinner PartyBook Four: Death on Rugosa Bay
Astray in Couper
R. Marquez - 2014
She’s hoping the natural beauty there will lift her spirits. But soon she discovers that her impulsive move lands her in a city with one of the highest violent-crime rates in the region.Astray in Couper introduces you to this cozy mystery series with a criminal edge, but the story is told with a dash of humor and fun. If you like a smart, brave heroine who must quickly reinvent herself—or else, quirky, colorful characters, and dark villains, you’ll love R. Marquez’s slightly skewed version of the Pacific Northwest.Buy Astray in Couper today, and get a taste of how Matty learns to survive a city that too many psychopaths love to call home.
Sleeping Dogs Don't Lie
Chloe Grace - 2019
Two super cute animals. And a multitude of suspects. But, no-one hears me.
Hey there. Pleased to meet you. I’m Albertus Eagle. I’m now known as the Detective Beagle. I see things. And I hear more. But what’s best is that no-one suspects me of being the guy who feeds back what the humans can’t unearth.It all started with one case.The one where my owner, Milly was bumped off. It landed me, and the cat, otherwise known as Cleo to her friends, not that she has many, in a shelter for unwanted animals.But, I didn’t let that stop me. Here’s my story.
Sleeping dogs don’t lie is the prequel to the Cozy Mystery series of novels starring Albertus Eagle, his two sidekicks, Cleo the cat and Bella Schuhmann, the smart human who actually understands him. In this wonderful short which is packed with humour and satire, we see the world of murder and intrigue set up through the eyes of a loyal dog turned amateur sleuth.
Murder in the South of France
Susan Kiernan-Lewis - 2011
Along the way, she finds handsome Laurent Dernier, a sexy if nefarious Frenchman who it's not clear is there to help or hinder Maggie's search for the girl. Meanwhile, her sister's murderer sets his sights on the little girl — and Maggie.The first book of the Maggie Newberry Mystery Series, Murder in the South of France was originally titled Murder on the Côte d’Azur.
Dead Angler
Victoria Houston - 2000
But when Doc Osborne catches more than he bargained for, he winds up in the middle of a murder mystery -- and only Chief of Police Lew Ferris can get him out of it.
A Christmas Mourning
Laura Bradford - 2015
But not all traditions are necessarily quaint. When a decades-old mystery threatens the well-being of local police detective Jakob Fisher, she’ll pit herself against a community rooted in the past so that he can get on with his future. When Claire decides to visit the one-room schoolhouse Jakob attended as a young Amish boy, she’s puzzled by his refusal to go along too. As Jakob tells his story, Claire is stunned and saddened by the heartbreaking tale of a childhood mistake that led to the mysterious disappearance of a precious family artifact—and signaled the first break between Jakob and his mother, made all the more painful now that he’s been shunned by the family and community he loves. Knowing there’s only one way to help heal the irreparable wound that continues to haunt Jakob, Claire sets off to follow the trail of the missing heirloom, never suspecting that it will lead her to Jakob’s oldest friend, a long-ago Christmas secret, and an enduring truth about family, love, and the power of forgiveness. Praise for the National Bestselling Amish Mysteries “The best cozy mystery debut I’ve read this year.” —#1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben “Delightful . . . Well-portrayed characters and authentic Amish lore make this a memorable read.” —Publishers Weekly “A fascinating cozy that showcases the culture of the people.” —Gumshoe Review “Bradford’s characters are some of the best developed, most interesting ones I’ve come across in a cozy mystery.” —Lesa’s Book Critiques About the Author: Laura Bradford is the national bestselling author of the Amish Mysteries, the Jenkins & Burns Mysteries, the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Tobi Tobias Mysteries, and the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey). Portrait of a Sister, her new women’s fiction novel, will be available in June. Laura is a former Agatha nominee and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. In her free time, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, and being an advocate for those living with multiple sclerosis. For more information and all the latest book news, visit her website at www.laurabradford.com.
The Mutt and the Matchmaker
J.B. Lynn - 2014
Or that the pushy woman will insist on setting him up with quirky dog walker Jane Bly – his main suspect in a string of home burglaries -- and her high-strung, foster mutt, Calamity. Or that he’ll fall head-over-heels for one of them. Will Tom catch the thief, or will it be his heart that’s stolen?