Book picks similar to
Happiness is a Smoking Gun by Alaine Allister
cozy-mystery
mystery
paranormal
fantasy
A Hiss-tory of Magic
Harper Lin - 2014
They run the Brew-Ha-Ha café, and naturally, they’re witches hiding in plain sight along with their three magical cats, Treacle, Peanut Butter, and Marshmallow. When Brew-Ha-Ha's baker is burnt to a crisp, along with their beloved café, Aunt Astrid lets out a big family secret: a powerful spell book, a Greenstone heirloom from the Salem days, has been stolen from its secret hiding spot in the café. If it’s fallen into the wrong hands, black magic could destroy not only Wonder Falls but the world. A secret society… A new detective with a shady past… A once-bullied local returning to town as a multimillionaire. Who in town could know Cath’s family secret? Cath, Bea, and Astrid must use their witch powers to uncover the deadly truth. Cath communicates with their cats, also magically inclined, and they help uncover more than one secret lurking in wonderful Wonder Falls. The first novel in a new cozy mystery series featuring modern-day witches and their magic cats.
A Gift of Ghosts
Sarah Wynde - 2011
And ghosts.All the logic and reason in the world can’t protect her from the truth—she can see and communicate with spirits. But Akira is sure that her ability is just a genetic quirk and the ghosts she encounters simply leftover electromagnetic energy. Dangerous electromagnetic energy.Zane Latimer believes in telepathy, precognition, auras, and that playing Halo with your employees is an excellent management technique. He also thinks that maybe, just maybe, Akira Malone can help his family get in touch with their lost loved ones.But will Akira ever be able to face her fears and accept her gift? Or will Zane’s relatives be trapped between life and death forever?
Killer Bait
Martina Dalton - 2019
Much to the chagrin of her brother, Zen, a homicide detective, Clarity throws caution to the wind and jumps into the investigation with both feet. Zen’s ultra-handsome detective partner, Hunter, encourages Clarity to learn self-defense—especially since she’s getting closer to discovering who the killer is. Using her social media sleuthing skills, she sets out to bait the murderer. Is she clever enough to entrap the killer? Or will she end up as the catch of the day?
It Takes a Witch
Heather Blake - 2012
They've come to Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, to join the family business, but they soon find themselves knee deep in murder...Until three weeks ago, Darcy and Harper were working dead-end jobs and trying to put their troubles behind them. Then their aunt Velma delivered a bombshell: They're actually Wishcrafters - witches with the power to grant wishes with a mere spell. Wanting a fresh start, they head to their aunt's magic-themed tourist town to master their newfound skills.But their magic fails them when a wannabe witch turns up dead - strangled with Aunt Ve's scarf - and Ve's sweetheart, Sylar, is found looming over the body. Ve is standing by her man, but Darcy overheard Skylar wish that the victim would disappear - forever. With Harper distracted by her handsome new crush, Darcy is determined to sleuth her way to the truth. But it'll take more than a wish to unravel this mystery....
Trouble in Mudbug
Jana Deleon - 2009
The woman was rude, pushy, manipulative and used her considerable wealth to run herd over the entire town of Mudbug, Louisiana. Unfortunately, death doesn’t slow down Helena one bit.DEA Agent Luc LeJeune is wondering what his undercover assignment investigating the sexy scientist has gotten him into – especially as it seems someone wants her dead. Keeping his secrets while protecting Maryse proves to be easier than fighting his attraction for the brainy beauty. (Note: This book is part of the author’s backlist, originally released in print in 2009 by Dorchester Publishing)
Pawsitively Poisonous
Melissa Erin Jackson - 2019
Amber Blackwood, lifelong resident of Edgehill, Oregon, has earned a reputation for being a semi-reclusive odd duck. Her store, The Quirky Whisker, is full of curiosities, from extremely potent sleepy teas and ever-burning candles to kids’ toys that seem to run endlessly without the aid of batteries. The people of Edgehill think of the Quirky Whisker as an integral part of their feline-obsessed town, but most give Amber herself a wide berth. Amber prefers it that way; it keeps her secret safe. But that secret is thrown into jeopardy when Amber’s friend Melanie is found dead, a vial of headache tonic from Amber’s store clutched in her hand. Edgehill’s newest police chief has had it out for Amber since he arrived three years before. He can’t possibly know she’s a witch, but his suspicions about her odd store and even odder behavior have shot her to the top of his suspect list. When the Edgehill rumor mill finds out Melanie was poisoned, it’s not only the police chief who looks at Amber differently. Determined to both find justice for her friend and to clear her own name, Amber must use her unique gifts to help track down Melanie’s real killer. A quest that threatens much more than her secret …
Switching Hour
Robyn Peterman - 2015
Released from the magic pokey and paroled with limited power is enough to make any witch grumpy.However, if you throw in a recently resurrected cat, a lime-green Kia and a sexy egotistical werewolf, it’s enough to make a gal fly off the edge.Not to mention a mission…with no freaking directions.So here I sit in Asscrack, West Virginia trying to figure out how to complete my mysterious mission before All Hallows Eve when I’ll get turned into a mortal.The animals in the area are convinced I’m the Shifter Whisperer (whatever the hell that is) and the hotter-than- asphalt-in-August werewolf thinks I’m his mate.Now apparently I’m slated to save a bunch of hairy freaks of nature?If they think I’m the right witch for the job, they’ve swallowed some bad brew.
Lattes and Spirits
Alyn Troy - 2020
But will she stir up trouble when spirits order assistance in solving their deaths? Barista April Storm longs for more than making a mean macchiato and talking to her ex-boyfriend’s ghost. So when her quirky aunt asks her to help open a hip café in rural Wales, she jumps at the chance to start fresh. But she gets an extra shot of strife when a famous deceased cricketer wants her to spill the coffee beans on his killer.With her ghostly client unable to remember who did him in, April is forced into the role of supernatural detective. Assisted by her spectral ex, a magical secret agent, and an overcaffeinated talking cat, she finds herself in hot water when the clue trail reveals an escaped demon. And if she can’t get control of her own recently awakened power, the next murder she has to solve may be her own.Can April serve up justice before a brewing disaster boils over?Lattes and Spirits is the first book in the delightful Mystic Brews cozy mystery series. If you like sassy heroines, colorful characters, and a side of spells with your cuppa joe, then you’ll love Alyn Troy’s otherworldly adventure.
Buy Lattes and Spirits to froth up some whodunnit fun today!
Haunted And Hexed
Misty Bane - 2019
Probably. Instead, I'd been lured in by the cute little beach town, a handful of instant friends, and a hunky local. My name is Dru Rathmore Davis, and In my defense, my life had pretty much just fallen apart. So, after learning that I'd inherited a bookstore from a grandmother that I never even knew existed, I was desperate to make this my fresh start. I daydreamed of owning a quaint little bookstore and spending my weekends reading on the beach. Sounds great, right? And what could possibly go wrong? Turns out, everything. The bodies start piling up along with my arrival in town, someone may have murdered Granny… and that’s only the beginning. As a former private investigator, I really can't help but find myself drawn (or pushed) into doing a little investigating of my own. It also helps that the Police Sergeant is super hot… cliché, I know, but what's a girl to do? Things are much more complicated than they first appear though, and being new in town certainly has its disadvantages. No one is who they seem to be. Not even me.
The only ones I can trust are the dead. Well, and my cat. But none of them are talking. Or are they?
Above the Bridge
Deborah Garner - 2012
However, it's not long before her instincts tell her there's more than a basic story to be found in the popular, northwestern Wyoming mountain area. A chance encounter with attractive cowboy Jake Norris soon has Paige chasing a legend of buried treasure, passed down through generations.From the torn edge of a water-damaged map to the mysterious glow of an antler arch, Paige will follow clues high into the mountainous terrain and deep into Jackson's history. Side-stepping a few shady characters who are also searching for the same hidden reward, she will have to decide who is trustworthy and who is not.
A Witchy Business
D.S. Butler - 2016
However, when a body turns up during Abbott Cove’s annual festival, she begins to understand her family isn’t the only one hiding secrets. With the help of the new swoon-worthy police officer, Joe McGrady, Harper finds herself on the trail of the perpetrator. Will Harper uncover the killer’s identity before it’s too late? A Witchy Business is the first book in the Harper Grant Mystery series.
The Perfect Brew
Jo-Ann Carson - 2019
When Cassie is summoned to attend the funeral of her great-aunt, Ophelia, she finds the picturesque village on the edge of the ocean is not at all what it seems. Her benefactor’s death is suspicious, and to make matters worse, after Ophelia’s lawyer explains her will to Cassie, he drops dead in a plate of cookie crumbs. That makes two unexplained deaths, which is two too many for a good witch to swallow.Up to her neck in mysteries, and weighed down with a curse, Cassie canvases the town to find the murderer. Of course, there are many unusual suspects, a tall, dark and annoying human detective keeps getting in her way, and a seductive warlock offers his assistance.Will Cassie catch the villain before he kills again? Will she be able to free herself from the curse? Will Sid, her beloved cat familiar with a naughty mind, convince her to play dirty with the boys? This is the first story in The Perfect Brew paranormal, cozy mystery series, set in the modern world where magic remains hidden or at least tries to. There’s no sex or violence on the page, but be prepared for some serious romance, mystery, and magic. The Perfect Brew can be read as a stand-alone.
Any Witch Way You Can
Amanda M. Lee - 2012
To make matters worse, the police believe the murder may have something to do with the occult.This wouldn't be a problem for a normal reporter, but since Bay is descended from a well-known line of actual witches, the town is understandably on edge.Between the suspicious townspeople, the befuddled police presence and that random hot biker guy that may or may not have something to do with the murder -- Bay has her hands full.When you add the typical family problems, multiplying ghosts -- and one monster of a zit that she's sure came from her aunt's curse -- Bay is just struggling to make it through the week.Of course, when the killer sets his sights on Bay, things could get a whole lot worse.
Pointy Hats and Witchy Cats
Addison Creek - 2018
Her only consolation is that once the wedding was over, Bailey will be someone else’s problem. The wedding itself promises to be incredibly dull. On the actual day, though, something incredible happens. An old woman disrupts the ceremony. Then she tells Jade that she’s her long lost grandmother and asks Jade to go away with her to an unspecified destination. Now Jade has a choice to make. As it turns out, there really isn’t much time for choosing, and off Jade goes to the magical town of Twinkleford, where witches mix with vampires and chameleons are as common as they are . . . anywhere. But not everything is as it seems, and as Jade learns more about who she truly is, what that means, and who she has already lost, she realizes that keeping her newfound family might be far more difficult than she could possibly have imagined.
Even Witches Get the Blues
J.D. Winters - 2016
She wakes up in a strange motel room, no idea who she is, with just the clothes on her back and, weirdly, the deed to a property in Moonhaven where everybody seems to know her. Back for less than a day she discovers, in no short order, that she has an entire missing family, a town history as a wild child, and a grandmother who seems to want her to prepare to save civilization. Not only that, she's the lead suspect in a murder and Deputy Sheriff Shane McAllister knows more about her than he should. The real murderer is on the move. Can Haley clear her name and regain her memory before it's too late?