Book picks similar to
Murder Before Moscato by Christie Waters


mystery
cozy-mysteries
mystery-cozy
cozy-mystery

March Street Murder


Estelle Richards - 2019
    My name’s Kelly, and I’ll be your server today.I think I’ve said those words a hundred times. But I’m more than just a server.I’m a painter. In fact, a few of my paintings hang on the wall in the March Street Cafe.I’m a dog-lover. I walk Buddy the bulldog every morning and every night, even though he never obeys my commands.I’m a granddaughter. I live with my Grandma Iris, taking care of her and Buddy after she had a fall.And now, I’m a woman trying to solve a murder.March Street Murder is a new short cozy mystery by Estelle Richards, author of the Lisa Chance Cozy Mysteries. It has no sex, no gore, and no swearing. It’s a short read, perfect for giving yourself a little treat in between tasks in your busy day.

Basket Case


Nancy Haddock - 2015
    Sherry Mae Stanton Cutler and her housemates—a crafty group of retirees who’ve dubbed themselves the Silver Six. But when Sherry Mae’s niece, Nixy, arrives to keep them in line, Lilyvale also plays host to a killer.When Leslee Stanton “Nixy” Nix gets the latest call from Lilyvale detective Eric Shoar, she knows it means trouble. There’s been another kitchen explosion at her Aunt Sherry’s farmhouse, and the dreamy-voiced detective has had enough. If Nixy doesn’t check on her aunt in person, the Silver Six could become wards of the court. But the trouble Nixy finds in Lilyvale is not at all what she expects.The seniors are hosting a folk art festival at the farmhouse, featuring Sherry’s hand-woven baskets, when land developer Jill Elsman arrives to bully Nixy’s aunt into selling the property. When Jill is later found dead in the cemetery, Sherry is suspected of weaving a murder plot, and it’s up to Nixy and the Silver Six to untangle the truth.Recipes and crafting tip included!

Mercury Rising


Jerusha Jones - 2016
     Combine the resulting murder investigation with mysterious nighttime kayak trips, politicians run amok, nosy neighbors, and culinary lessons for her blue-haired teenage tagalong, Willow Ratliff, and Eva has her hands full. It doesn’t help that the police detective on the case is handsome, annoying, and more than willing to match her snide remarks with witticisms of his own. Soon, Eva is a walking repository of other people’s secrets. It’s not a role she ever asked for, and it just might prove lethal.

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).

Desperate Housedogs


Sparkle Abbey - 2011
    What she doesn’t expect is that two hours later the police will find Kevin dead, his dogs impounded; and that as the last person to see Kevin alive (well, except for the killer) she is suddenly a person of interest, at least according to Homicide Detective Judd Malone.Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets - Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). They reside in central Iowa, but if they could write anywhere, you would find them on the beach with their laptops and depending on the time of day either an iced tea or a margarita.) Visit the authors at www.SparkleAbbey.com

Pineapple Lies


Amy Vansant - 2015
    Golf cart racing with her surrogate mothers Mariska and Darla was about as nutty as life got...until she found the hot pawnbroker's mom buried in her backyard. Talk about making a lousy first impression. Armed with nothing but her wits, Pineapple Port's questionable cast of characters and a growing crush, Charlotte is determined to solve the mystery of Declan's mother's murder. Hey, at least this guy's skeletons aren't in his closet.

Aunt Bessie Assumes


Diana Xarissa - 2014
    For most of those years, she's been in the habit of taking a brisk morning walk along the beach. Dead men have never been part of the scenery before.Aunt Bessie assumes that the dead man died of natural causes, then the police find the knife in his chest.Try as she might, Bessie just can't find anything to like about the young widow that she provides tea and sympathy to in the immediate aftermath of finding the body. There isn't much to like about the rest of the victim's family either.Aunt Bessie assumes that the police will have the case wrapped up in no time at all, then she finds a second body.Can Bessie and her friends find the killer before she ends up as the next victim?

Murder in Starry Cove


Lucinda Harrison - 2021
    Will this be the new beginning she so desperately wants, or will the mysteries and secrets of this small town bring it all crashing down?After Poppy unexpectedly inherits her uncle’s Victorian mansion in Starry Cove, she makes grand plans to open a bed-and-breakfast. But when the local handyman winds up dead and the bodies start to pile up, Poppy’s recent arrival in the town raises eyebrows and sets tongues wagging. To make matters worse, she soon discovers the mansion has hidden secrets of its own that threaten her very safety.With the help of two faithful new friends, Poppy hatches a plan to track down the killer and clear her name. But can she nab the murderer before one of them becomes the next victim?

Killer Cupcakes


Leighann Dobbs - 2012
    She's finally opened her dream bakery, gotten rid of her cheating boyfriend and settled into her grandmothers house with her perky dog Sprinkles at her side.But her blissful life doesn't last long. When her ex boyfriend is found poisoned with cupcakes from her bakery, Lexy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation headed up by her hunky neighbor detective Jack Perillo.With the help of a gang of iPad toting, would-be detective grandmothers, Lexy decides to take it upon herself to find the real murderer in order to clear her name and get her bakery back in business. As things heat up on the murder trail, in the kitchen and between Lexy and the hunky detective, it's a race against time to put the real murderer behind bars and get back to baking.Will Lexy get her man?

A Treasure to Die For


Terry Ambrose - 2017
    What could be better for the reputation of a quaint coastal California town like Seaside Cove?Local eyebrows go up when eight friends come searching for a 16th Century Spanish galleon. After all, everybody knows there’s no such thing as Spanish gold off this part of the California coast. The group’s visit turns ugly when a killer strikes and leaves Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast owner Rick Atwood with a trunkful of questions. Who murdered one of his guests? Will his precocious ten-year-old daughter stop interfering in his investigation? And can he squelch the latest town gossip? Which is, of course, can Rick and his daughter do what the cops can’t and solve the crime?

A Deadly Course


Diane Weiner - 2016
    As if the discovery isn’t shocking in itself, Emily learns the dead body has a connection to the adult summer writing camp she is about to start teaching. With no apparent cause of death, Henry’s buddy, the coroner, suspects foul play. Neither Dr. Henry, nor former reporter Emily can resist solving a puzzle. As they work to solve the mystery, they discover an intricate web of relationships and motives involving the writers in Emily’s class. Along the way, they are confronted with a profound, life changing decision. Follow A Deadly Course through the first book in the Sugarbury Falls mystery series and see if Emily and Henry make it safely to the end.

A Flair for Chardonnay


Deborah Garner - 2016
    The fourth generation Tremiato Winery promises answers, but not before a dead body turns up at the vintners’ scheduled Harvest Festival. All four Tremiato siblings have possible motives, as well as a few peripheral acquaintances, but only one could be the guilty party. As Sadie juggles truffles, tips and turmoil, she’ll need to sort the grapes from the wrath in order to find the identity of the killer.

On What Grounds


Cleo Coyle - 2003
    Clare arrives at work to discover the assistant manager dead in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere. Two detectives investigate. But when they find no sign of forced entry or foul play, they deem it an accident. Still, Clare is not convinced. And after the police leave, Clare can't help wondering...If this was an act of murder, is she in danger?

A Body on Fitzgerald’s Bluff


Anna Celeste Burke - 2018
    The mystery takes a quick detour when Miriam and her friends return to Fitzgerald’s Bluff with the Deputy Sheriff. The dead woman’s gone, but not for long. Where the body turns up is only one of the surprising twists the mystery takes for Miriam and her friends. Convinced that the local deputy isn’t up to the task of finding a killer on the loose, Miriam and her gang of Grand Old Lady Detectives [G.O.L.D.] set out to discover the truth about A Body on Fitzgerald’s Bluff. Can they solve the case without becoming the killer’s next victim? To find out, grab your copy of book 1 in this new cozy mystery series by USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Anna Celeste Burke. Recipes included. The surprises keep coming in book 2 when the Grand Old Lady Detectives take on their first client and investigate the mystery behind The Murder of Shakespeare’s Ghost.

52 Steps To Murder


Steve Demaree - 2006
    An elderly woman is found poisoned in the upstairs bedroom of her home whose front door stands 52 steps above the street in an old-fashioned whodunit that blends clues, red herrings, suspects, and humor.