Book picks similar to
Murder Before Moscato by Christie Waters


mystery
cozy-mysteries
mystery-cozy
cozy-mystery

Antiques & Avarice


Jane Firebaugh - 2015
    It will make you smile and keep you guessing from start to finish! Olivia McKenna has her own antique shop in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire, where she makes just enough to keep her Golden Retriever, Molly, stocked in treats. But her peaceful existence is about to get turned upside down. One day, while she's out antiquing, she discovers a body in a quaint little antique store. And that leads to a fateful meeting with Josh Abrams, the stunning state trooper with the sexy blue-green eyes who's leading the investigation. Can Olivia help Josh solve the mystery? Will their instant attraction turn into true love? Order the paperback today and find out!

A Tough Case to Crack


Cindy Bell - 2016
     Kerri Gale is getting ready for the grand opening of her nut shop, ‘Nuts about Nuts’, in the small town of Cascade Grove. She is new to the area and is enjoying setting up home with her Yorkshire Terrier, Cashew, and spending time with her new friend, Natalie. But when possible evidence from the murder of the previous shop owner is found in the shop, Kerri finds herself right in the middle of a murder investigation. A handsome reporter, Steve, is writing an article about the murder, but can Kerri rely on him? Then her grandfather, who she hasn’t seen in ages, turns up out of the blue and is being very secretive. During the chaos Kerri has to try to juggle everything so she can find the murderer and her shop can open on time. Can she trust Steve or is he just using her for a story? Can she trust her grandfather or is his sudden arrival not a coincidence? Will Kerri solve the murder? Or is Natalie right and ghosts are to blame? Recipes for Toasted Pecan Cookies and Maple Nut Pie are included!

Guidebook to Murder


Lynn Cahoon - 2014
    So why is she caught up in the business of murder?When Jill's elderly friend, Miss Emily, calls in a fit of pique, she already knows the city council is trying to force Emily to sell her dilapidated old house. But Emily's gumption goes for naught when she dies unexpectedly and leaves the house to Jill—along with all of her problems. . .and her enemies. Convinced her friend was murdered, Jill is finding the list of suspects longer than the list of repairs needed on the house. But Jill is determined to uncover the culprit—especially if it gets her closer to South Cove's finest, Detective Greg King. Problem is, the killer knows she's on the case—and is determined to close the book on Jill permanently. . .

Forget Me Knot


Mary Marks - 2014
    Though at forty Claire’s a tad younger than their average age, her crafty reputation could perk up their patchwork proceedings, especially as they prepare for the fancy quilt show coming to town. But when they arrive at Claire’s home and find her dead inside the front door, and her exquisite, prize-winning quilts soon missing, Martha is not one to leave a mystery unraveled. Especially if she wants to stop a killer from establishing a deadly pattern…“Mary Marks had me on pins and needles and wanting to wrap myself up in a warm quilt while reading her cozy debut!” —Lee Hollis, author of Death of a Chocoholic“Mary Marks has stitched together a very clever plot with a cast of engaging characters in this funny, fast-paced debut mystery. I loved Martha Rose and her posse of crime-solving quilters and can’t wait to read what they’re up to next!” —Laura Levine, author of Killing Cupid

Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse


Harper Lin - 2015
    She spends her days making delicious artisan cappuccinos, until she stumbles upon her neighbor’s dead body. When the police discover Mr. Cardosi was poisoned, Francesca becomes a suspect. The victim’s son, Matty, happens to be Francesca’s old high school friend. Together, they uncover the secrets of the locals in order to find the killer in their idyllic beach town. Includes two special cupcake recipes!

Think Murder


Cassidy Salem - 2015
    to find excitement, not a dead body. When a friend is murdered, Adina is drawn into the middle of the police investigation. Tensions rise as the suspect list expands to include Adina, her friends, and colleagues at the prestigious think tank where she works. But every cloud has a silver lining. Between the nice detective, the hot new volunteer at the dog rescue center, and the newly available preppy ex-boyfriend, Adina's dating dry spell appears near its end. That is, if she doesn't become the next victim.

Death Turns a Trick


Julie Smith - 1982
    That dirty job done, a lovely evening turns even more delightful when she’s picked up by the cops and spends the next two hours at the Hall of Justice. Could this day get any worse? Of Course! Guess who arrives home to find a dead hooker on her living room floor?Handsome Parker Phillips, Rebecca’s new beau and the most attractive man she’s met in ages, is arrested for the murder. (Worse, she suspects he might actually have done it.)On the plus side, another very attractive man is following the case--reporter Rob Burns of the San Francisco Chronicle, a possible ally. And there are other possibilities.Fans of Janet Evanovich, Joan Hess, and Elizabeth Peters will get a kick out of this one.

Murder by the Book


Lauren Elliott - 2018
    But she didn't expect her sleuthing skills to come in so handy in a little seaside town . . .Addie left some painful memories behind in the big city, including the unsolved murder of her fiancé and her father's fatal car accident. After an unexpected inheritance from a great aunt, she's moved to a small New England town founded by her ancestors back in colonial times—and living in spacious Greyborne Manor, on a hilltop overlooking the harbor. Best of all, her aunt also left her countless first editions and other treasures—providing an inventory to start her own store.But there's trouble from day one, and not just from the grumpy woman who runs the bakery next door. A car nearly runs Addie down. Someone steals a copy of Alice in Wonderland. Then, Addie's friend Serena, who owns a nearby tea shop, is arrested—for killing another local merchant. The police seem pretty sure they've got the story in hand, but Addie's not going to let them close the book on this case without a fight . .

Design on a Crime


Ginny Aiken - 2005
    Has she been caught in the perfectly designed crime?

Buried in a Book


Lucy Arlington - 2012
    Being paid to read seems perfect to Lila, although it's difficult with the cast of quirky co-workers and piles of query letters. But when a penniless aspiring author drops dead in the agency's waiting room-and Lila discovers a series of threatening letters-she's determined to find out who wrote him off.

A Crusty Murder


J.M. Griffin - 2013
     But then Melina’s entire life veers off course when she finds her temperamental landlady in her best friend’s psychic shop next door, lying in a pool of blood, with a crust of bread sticking out of her mouth! Which means she and her friend BettyJo are suspects in the murder. Then BettyJo finds another dead body, and they realize their lives are in danger as well. Meanwhile, Melina's seventy-year-old grandmother takes a walk on the wild side, and ends up breaking a few laws too. Not to mention, Detective Graham, lead investigator on the case, takes a fancy to Melina and her muffins, but that won’t stop him from charging both her and BettyJo with the crimes. Unless, Melina takes matters into her own hands and finds the killer herself. But finding a killer is a heck of a lot tougher than baking bread!

Wine's Up?


Wendy Meadows - 2019
    They have been struggling with money and regular blow-ups – except this time, one snick of a match to light a candle causes Reginald to go up in flames.Rumors circulate in the small community of Rosemary Harbor. Was it an accident, or was there more to it? Chief Preston is sent out to investigate: the first step, tracing where the gift basket was purchased.Sometimes the best cure for a broken heart is a fresh start.Hilary Sheridan is a widow who has just opened her shop with her daughter, Annabelle, to lead a normal life out of the spotlight after so many years caring for her late husband. Being questioned about a possible murder case is not a welcome she expected. It doesn’t stop her curiosity, especially when the whole town is talking about it – inside and outside – of her shop.For Chief Preston, everything must be conducted by the book, but Reginald’s past comes back to haunt him. He was a man who had many debts, making investments that his body couldn’t insure.Debt wreaks havoc with people’s hearts and minds – even to commit the unthinkable. In this cozy mystery, expect more than one blow up!

Apple Die


Chelsea Thomas - 2018
    All she wanted was hot cocoa, and apple pie. Then she found a dead body, face down in her favorite stream. Now she’s in the middle of a murder investigation, and a killer is on the loose in her quaint small town. Miss May is a former New York City lawyer, so she thinks she and Chelsea can catch the criminal on their own. Local business owner Teeny is nosy, opinionated, and convinced the murder was inspired by her favorite British mystery series. And Chelsea is caught up in the amateur investigation, a timid Watson on her first case. Will the stress of the amateur sleuthing be enough to break Chelsea for good? Or will it be exactly what she needs to get over her ex, and learn to be happy? Most importantly, will this rag-tag crew find the killer before he strikes again?

Sand-Witch on Rye


Molly Dox - 2017
    Turmoil, murder, and cookie jar spirits are turning the paranormal world upside down. Katy can’t help digging for clues when Miss Priss turns up dead at the local bowling alley. Too bad her magic is rusty. She’s having a spell of a time finding answers. Magic is only good when you remember how to use it. Teaming up with her best friend, Katy hopes to reveal the truth before it’s too late. With an itch to become a better witch, she knows she’ll need to brush up on her skills, but with no time to spare, she needs to find answers before the killer strikes again. Sand-Witch on Rye is the first book in The Soup and Sand-Witch Cozy Mystery series, and offers a family-friendly read with no foul language.

The Secret of Seaside


Agatha Ball - 2017
    AND MURDER! Paige Comber dreams of running off to Paris to train at the Cordon Bleu, but fresh out of college, she is stuck running her granny's coffee shop in the small town of Seaside. It looks like a lousy summer until a handsome stranger named Nate arrives. He's here to help his Uncle Byron with his affairs, but when his uncle's body washes up on the beach and Nate is thrown into prison, it is up to Paige to find out who might have been crazy enough to do it. BOOK ONE in the PAIGE COMBER MYSTERY series