Book picks similar to
Wreath of Deception by Mary Ellen Hughes


mystery
cozy-mystery
mysteries
cozy-mysteries

High Strung


Janice Peacock - 2014
    When she gets an offer to display her work during a bead shop’s opening festivities, it's an opportunity Jax can't resist—even though the store's owner is the surliest person Jax has ever met. The weekend’s events become a tangled mess when a young beadmaker is found dead nearby and several oddball bead enthusiasts are suspects. Jax must string together the clues to clear her friend Tessa's name—and do it before the killer strikes again. PRAISE FOR HIGH STRUNG "A fun mystery series with wacky characters, sparkly jewelry, a fiery torch and, of course, murders." —Nikki Haverstock, author of the Target Practice Mysteries "Janice Peacock writes a strong and unique cozy mystery. In between information on the world of glass beads, the reader is given a first-class mystery to solve that is entertaining and charming. Her characters are real and strong, her wordplay effortless, her sense of urgency skillful, and her story-telling skills are first-rate. Ms. Peacock continues to grow into the difficult role of writing a lasting and engaging cozy series, one that baffles, enlightens and endears." —Heather Haven, multi-award winning author of the Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries "Jam-packed with detail, deception and more than a few twists and surprises. The characters are very believable and their dialogue is very well written. I also enjoyed a few laugh out loud moments." —Lori Caswell, Great Escapes Blog Tours and Vine Voice Reviewer "The interaction between all the characters is fun to read, and there are plenty of humorous incidents as well. Mojitos will make me smile for the rest of my life!" —Teresa Kander, Book Babble

Death in Advertising


Laura Bradford - 2017
    . . of course, neither was murder.   Sometimes when opportunity knocks, the door you open leads to a closet. That’s certainly the case for Tobi, whose weekends spent cleaning cages in her best friend’s pet shop may soon be over. She’s just landed her first big break—Zander Closet Company needs a catchy campaign slogan ASAP, and Tobi thinks she’s got the right hook to knock ’em dead: “When we’re done, even your skeletons will have a place.”   But when a real dead body topples out of a showcase closet, she’s about to discover there is such a thing as bad publicity. To save her fledgling business and not get killed by the competition, Tobi takes on a new pet project: solving the murder. But with a stressed-out parrot as the only witness to the crime, Tobi will really have to wing it to put the cagey killer behind bars.

Going Through the Notions


Cate Price - 2013
    Scott Fitzgerald fan—Daisy Buchanan has finally found her calling in the quaint village of Millbury, Pennsylvania. While her husband endlessly renovates their old house, Daisy happily presides over Sometimes a Great Notion, a quirky shop that sells sewing bits and bobs, antiques, and jewelry. Daisy has her eye on an antique dollhouse and a classic Singer Featherweight at the local auction—until her friend and mentor, auctioneer Angus Backstead, is led away in handcuffs. It appears he bashed in the head of a drinking buddy who stole a set of fancy fountain pens. Daisy’s sure the sprightly old-timer couldn’t have done it. But if Daisy can’t stitch together the bidder truth—and soon—Angus will be going once, going twice… gone forever.Includes creative tips for vintage notions!

Blown Away


Clover Tate - 2017
    She's moved to the coastal town of Rock Point, Oregon, and is starting a kite business. Strings Attached features her own unique designs, inspired by everything from Picasso to Matisse's colorful cutouts. Her spirits are soaring sky-high the morning of the grand opening until she stumbles upon a dead man washed up on the beach. The body belongs to local chef Miles Logan, and the gash across his chest indicates he s been murdered. The sheriff suspects Emmy's best friend, Avery, who used to date the chef. Emmy is sure Avery would never hurt anyone, but her pal doesn't have an alibi for the night of the murder. With Avery's freedom and the fate of her kite shop up in the air, Emmy takes it upon herself to follow the string of clues and solve the murder before the real killer takes flight.

Death By Cashmere


Sally Goldenbaum - 2008
     Not long after Isabel, Izzy, Chambers opens up a knitting shop in the sleepy fishing town of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, a diverse group of women begins congregating each week to form the Seaside Knitters. Izzy raises some eyebrows when she rents the apartment above her shop to Angie Archer, whose reputation for loose behavior and a quick temper has made her unpopular with many locals. But could any of them have wanted her dead? Angie's body is discovered drowned in the harbor, her long red hair tangled like seaweed in a lobster trap. An official investigation rules the death an accident. There are speculations of too many whiskey sours, a slippery wharf, a dark night? But Izzy and the Seaside Knitters smell something fishy. When several strange incidents occur above the shop, the women decide to take matters into their own hands. But before long, their small-town sense of security is frayed, and the threat of more violence hangs over this tightly knit community.

Color Me Murder


Krista Davis - 2018
    By night, she creates her own intricately detailed coloring books for adults, filling the pages with objects that catch her eye. There's plenty of inspiration in her new apartment--a beautiful carriage house belonging to Professor John Maxwell, Florrie's boss. He offers the property to Florrie rent-free with one condition--she must move in immediately to prevent his covetous sister and nephew from trying to claim it.When the professor's nephew, Delbert, arrives, he proves just as sketchy as Florrie feared. But the following morning, Delbert has vanished. It's not until she visits the third floor of the store that Florrie makes a tragic discovery--there's a trap door in the landing, and a dead Delbert inside. The esteemed Professor Maxwell is an obvious suspect, but Florrie is certain this case isn't so black and white. Doodling clues, she begins to consider other colorful characters on the scene, all with a motive for murder. With a killer drawing closer, Florrie will need to think outside the lines . . . before death makes his mark again.

The Square Root of Murder


Camille Minichino - 2011
    Sophie Knowles teaches math at Henley College in Massachusetts, but when a colleague turns up dead, it's up to her to find the killer before someone else gets subtracted.

Fatal Fixer-Upper


Jennie Bentley - 2008
    Now, with help from hunky handyman Derek Ellis, Avery starts learning the ABCs of DIY. But when the designer-turned-renovator finds clues that lead to a missing professor, she wonders if she can finish the house-without getting finished off in the process.

Death of a Domestic Diva


Sharon Short - 2003
    No one is more shocked than Josie herself when the Great Grimes shows up in Paradise, Ohio, to tape a segment in Josie's teeny-weeny hometown. But rapidly spreading rumors of the insufferable icon's immoral—and quite possibly illegal—carryings-on have sparked Josie's curiosity, and her uninvited sorting through Grimes's dirty laundry is exposing all manner of dastardly doings—from mischief all the way to murder. And the irrepressible Toadfern soon realizes it will take more than lemon juice to make this lethal stain come out in the wash.

Death by Dog Show


Arlene Kay - 2019
    But when murder prances into the ring at a Massachusetts dog show, Perri must confront a cunning killer who’s a breed apart.   Accompanied by her bestie Babette and four oversize canines, Perri motors down to the Big E Dog Show in high style. Perri hopes to combine business with pleasure by also spending time with sexy DC journalist Wing Pruett. Until a storm traps everyone at the exposition hall . . . and a man’s body is found in a snow-covered field, a pair of pink poodle grooming shears plunged through his heart.   Turns out the deceased was a double-dealing huckster who had plenty of enemies chomping at the bit. But as breeders and their prize pets preen and strut, the murderer strikes again. Aided by her trusty canine companions, Keats and Poe, Perri must collar a killer before she’s the next “Dead in Show” winner.    Praise for Arlene Kay’s Boston Uncommons Mysteries   “Reminiscent of the comedy-mystery movies of the thirties…An entertaining first entry into the Boston Uncommons Mystery series.” —New York Journal of Books on Swann Dive   “Highly entertaining . . . I can't wait for the next book in the series!” —Jaye Roycraft, author of Rainscape

A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die


Edith Maxwell - 2013
    But when a killer strikes on her property, her first foray into the world of organic farming yields a bumper crop of locally sourced murder…Cam’s first growing season has gotten off to a slow start, but her CSA is flourishing thanks to a colorful group of subscribers led by Lucinda DaSilva, an enthusiastic Brazilian volunteer who’s vowed to eat nothing but locally produced food for one year. When Cam fires her only employee, local handyman Mike Montgomery, because he won’t follow organic growing practices, it seems like just another day at the office—until she finds him with a pitchfork sticking out of his neck.The police suspect Cam of Mike’s murder, but when their investigation goes nowhere, Lucinda joins Cam in the hunt for the real killer. In a small New England town full of eccentric locavores, there’s no shortage of possibilities—from a neighboring farmer who competes with Cam for customers to a Swedish chef whose romantic designs on her have recently taken a turn for the odd. And then there’s the local militia group with its decidedly nonlocal agenda…To clear her name, Cam will have to dig up secrets buried deep beneath the soil of Produce Plus Plus Farm. And she’ll have to catch a murderer whose motto seems to be “Eat local. Kill local.”

Mardi Gras Madness


Alison Golden - 2019
    A New Orleans adventure. A Mardi Gras murder... Roxy believed that life never gives you more than you can handle. But when she's fired from her wage-slave job, bullied by her co-workers, and her boyfriend abandons her, she decides she’s handled quite enough. Eager for a change of scene, Roxy with her white Persian cat Nefertiti head off to New Orleans. The exotic sights, smells, and food of Mardi Gras coax the shy young woman out of her shell. Booking a room at a rundown guesthouse, Roxy is surrounded by a colorful cast of local characters. From tattooed waitresses to mystical tarot card readers, she quickly makes new friends and leaves her old life behind. But she soon discovers that the Big Easy isn’t all beignets and jambalaya. A wealthy developer is eager to buy the guesthouse where Roxy lives and tear it down… until he turns up dead as a doornail! Before she can say ‘Mon Dieu!’, Roxy is caught up in a diabolical murder mystery… and her new friends are the prime suspects! Roxy is determined to protect her pals, and save her new home. But is this anxious adventurer up to the challenge of solving a murder? Or will she become the killer’s next victim… Cozy mystery fans will love this delicious new series from author Alison Golden. No foul language, no sex, and no gore…Just quirky characters, Cajun food, and a puzzling mystery that will keep readers guessing. Mardi Gras Madness is the first book in the Roxy Reinhardt series. Grab your copy today!

While My Pretty One Knits


Anne Canadeo - 2009
    Now a shocking murder has peaceful Plum Harbor, Massachusetts, in knots -- and the Black Sheep women must herd together to protect one of their own from a scandalous frame-up. Maggie Messina, beloved owner of the Black Sheep Knitting Shop, is thrilled to be hosting a workshop for one of her former students, now a celebrity in the knitting world. But the celebration is upstaged when Amanda Goran, the owner of the rival Knitting Nest, is found dead in her shop on the other side of town. Maggie had reasons to dislike Amanda, a thorn in her side ever since Maggie's shop surpassed Amanda's in popularity. Then again, it wasn't hard to dislike Amanda -- the contentious woman, whose marriage was on the rocks, seemed to specialize in causing misery all over town. But the pointed evidence has a detective casting a suspicious eye on Maggie. She may be a whiz at knitting, but can she keep the police from needling her before her shop, her reputation, and her circle of friends become unraveled?

The Mournful Teddy


John J. Lamb - 2006
    But even here, stuff happens... The day is here-and Brad Lyon is helping his wife put the finishing touches on her best bears, just in time for the Shenandoah Valley Teddy Bear Extravaganza. The event will draw fur-ball fanatics from near and far to buy, sell, or simply ogle the bears. But the main event will be the showing of the Mourning Bear, made to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic-and worth a hefty $150,000. Then a local also meets a watery grave-and Brad Lyon spots the body floating in the Shenandoah. Old habits die hard, so Brad starts investigating like a homicide cop and finds the deceased might have had a connection to the Mourning Bear. But the local law would prefer that Brad keep his mouth sewn shut...

Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun


Lois Winston - 2010
    She's left with two teenage sons, a mountain of debt, and her nasty, cane-wielding Communist mother-in-law. Not to mention a loan shark demanding fifty thousand dollars.Anastasia's job as crafts editor at American Woman magazine makes life even stickier when she discovers the dead body of über-ambitious fashion editor Marlys Vandenburg hot-glued to Anastasia's office chair. Marlys collected enemies and ex-lovers like Jimmy Choos. When evidence surfaces of an illicit affair between Marlys and Anastasia's husband, Anastasia becomes the prime suspect. Can she sew up the case and keep herself out of jail before the real killer puts a permanent end to her investigation?Praise:"Oddball characters, uproariously funny situations, and a heroine with a strong sense of irony will delight fans of Janet Evanovich, Jess Lourey, and Kathleen Bacus."—Booklist, starred review"Crafty cozies don't get any better than this hilarious confection.  Anastasia is as deadpan droll as Tina Fey's Liz Lemon."—Publishers Weekly, starred review"North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum. Funny, gutsy and determined, Anastasia has a bright future in the planned series."—Kirkus Reviews"Lovers of funny mysteries, outrageous puns, self-deprecating humor, and light romance will all find something here as Anastasia progresses through repeated misadventures to emerge triumphant in the end."—ForeWord Magazine"Winston has turned a sticky situation into a delightful romp through the halls of who-done-it."—Star-Ledger"Quirky, laughable, and loveable . . . Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun is clever and thoroughly entertaining—a must-read!"—Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling author of Trust Me and Watch Me