Death on the Danube: A New Year's Murder in Budapest


Jennifer S. Alderson - 2019
    Her luck has run sour for going on a decade, ever since she got fired from her favorite job as an investigative reporter. When her fresh start in Seattle doesn’t work out as planned, Lana ends up unemployed and penniless on Christmas Eve. Dotty Thompson, her landlord and the owner of Wanderlust Tours, is also in a tight spot after one of her tour guides ends up in the hospital, leaving her a guide short on Christmas Day. When Dotty offers her a job leading the tour group through Budapest, Hungary, Lana jumps at the chance. It’s the perfect way to ring in the new year and pay her rent! What starts off as the adventure of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare when Carl, her fellow tour guide, is found floating in the Danube River. Was it murder or accidental death? Suspects abound when Lana discovers almost everyone on the tour had a bone to pick with Carl. But Dotty insists the tour must go on, so Lana finds herself trapped with nine murder suspects. When another guest turns up dead, Lana has to figure out who the killer is before she too ends up floating in the Danube… Introducing Lana Hansen, tour guide, reluctant amateur sleuth, and star of the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery Series. Join Lana as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that, unfortunately for Lana, often turn deadly.

Better Off Wed


Laura Durham - 2005
    Annabelle knows that even her trusted wedding emergency kit won't be able to salvage their careers if she and Richard can't find the real culprit.It's no easy task since the slain matron was perhaps the most hated socialite in DC, but Annabelle navigates through the city's colorful wedding industry and powerful social scene on the deadly trail of a killer. Always the bridal consultant and never the bride, she's seen her fair share of bouquet tosses. But there's no telling what surprises a ruthless killer will throw her way if she gets too close.

Tagged for Death


Sherry Harris - 2014
    Sarah's self-prescribed therapy happily involves hitting all the garage and tag sales in and around her small town of Ellington, Massachusetts. If only she could turn her love for bargain hunting into a full-time career.One man's junk is another man's treasureBut after returning from a particularly successful day searching for yard sale treasures, Sarah finds a grisly surprise in one of her bags: a freshly bloodied shirt…that undoubtedly belongs to her ex, CJ, who now happens to be Ellington's chief of police. If that's not bad enough, it seems Tiffany has gone missing. Now it's up to Sarah to prove that her cold-hearted ex is not a cold-blooded killer…But finding that treasure can be murder.

Shady


Mary Hiker - 2016
     Deena's vacation went so haywire, this book includes TWO stories! FAMILY Deena needs a change of pace and takes a trip to the North Carolina mountains to blow off some steam. A secluded rental cabin in Shady Springs and her dog, Zip, is all she needs for her great escape. That is, until a body is discovered behind the cabin and Deena discovers there's more going on in the small mountain town than meets the eye. She'll need to get to the bottom of it before her new friend takes the fall. DOG HOUSE Deena and her dog, Zip, have been enjoying some time off in the North Carolina mountains. Things have finally settled down and all is serene. That is, until someone ends up in the dog house.

Poison in Paddington


Samantha Silver - 2016
     After a car accident ended her medical career before it even started, Cassie moved to London on a whim, expecting to see the sights and live the typical tourist backpacker lifestyle. Instead she finds herself accompanying a French private detective, Violet Despuis, as they attempt to find out who poisoned four people in the middle of London. Cassie's life soon includes this crazy detective, an ancient landlady with a curious past, a mischeivous orange cat who likes going for walks on a leash, and a super hot pathologist that Cassie is sure is out of her league. And they haven't even found the murderer yet... The Cassie Coburn mysteries are a cozy mystery series featuring a Sherlock-holmes style sleuth. If you want a light, fun, modern mystery featuring a San Francisco girl totally out of her element in London, and a crazy French woman who happens to be very good at noticing things, then this is the series for you.

Savannah Blues


Mary Kay Andrews - 2002
    In Mary Kay Andrews’s delectable New York Times bestseller, Savannah Blues, readers will feel the sultry Georgia breezes and taste sea salt in the air, as they lose themselves in a wonderful, witty tale brimming with sass and peopled by a richly endearing cast of delightfully eccentric characters. Revenge is sweeter than sweet in Mary Kay’s capable hands, and readers of Fannie Flagg, Adriana Trigiani, Emily Giffin, Rebecca Wells, and Jill Conner Browne will definitely want to spend some quality time in Savannah.

Empaths and Paws


Penny Brooke - 2020
    Together with some old friends, Fiona converts the aged mansion into a boarding house, but not all the guests who come to stay are alive.How does a dead body find its way into a bedroom wall? And will Fiona find her Aunt Mable’s missing ferret, Sherlock Holmes? It’s only one read away.

Escape to Osprey Cove


Luisa Marietta Gold - 2016
    It will also change Catherine’s. Doug and Catherine come from two different worlds. Catherine’s world is one of privilege and wealth. Doug grew up dirt poor and full of envy of others who had the things that he wanted but could not have. His goal was to one day have all the things he coveted. Their worlds collide when Catherine, VP of a large New York City marketing firm, hires Doug. As soon as Doug learns of Catherine’s wealth, he sees Catherine as his ticket to all the things he covets. After a whirlwind courtship, they are married. Poor boy meets rich girl should have resulted in “happily ever after” — not exactly. Doug quickly learns he also covets independence. Events begin to unfold in each of their lives. For Doug, it is his mysterious discovery in the secret compartment of the Corvette. For Catherine, it is a business meeting with Alex Droxell at the Osprey Cove Lodge. When Catherine enters the beautiful and serene lodge, it’s as though she is entering another place and time. The lodge is an escape from the nightmare she is living back home. Follow the twists and turns of Book 1 of the Osprey Cove Lodge Series. Follow Doug and Catherine’s story to see if there is a “happily ever after” and with whom. EXCERPT: It appeared to Catherine as though she had just approached Mr. Darcy’s Pemberly in all its magnificence. Now she knew how Elizabeth felt at her first sighting of Pemberly. But unlike Elizabeth, Catherine thought, there would be no happy ending. This would not become her home one day, as Pemberly had become Elizabeth’s, and live happily ever after. Catherine did not covet the house that lay before her. In fact, Catherine was wealthy enough to buy a home like it, if she so desired. What Catherine did long for was what Pemberly represented to all Jane Austen lovers — the culmination of a beautiful love affair. Catherine was not naive enough to expect her life to be storybook in nature. But she did not expect her life with Doug to disintegrate into shambles just two years after marrying him. She did not understand why it was happening. She did not know how to fix it.

Maddie's Recipe of Mysteries


Emily Page - 2015
    a bitter dose of death! For baker Madeline McDougal, life is sweet, literally. As a bakery owner, Madeline spends her days baking a large variety of tasty treats. A skill passed down to her by her late Mother. Madeline's pastries are a hit with not just locals, but people from all across the country. But as of late... business has been waning. Yet everything changes when Madeline notices that the backdoor of her shop has been tampered with, and is led to an even more gruesome discovery. When the local police chief begins his investigation, Madeline becomes the prime suspect. Is she really a suspect? Or just a pawn in a dangerous game?

The Mystery of the Blue Dolphins (A Dog Detective Series Book 1)


Sandra Baublitz - 2014
    Clarissa's amateur sleuth uncle has died, evidently from a heart attack. But was the death truly an accident? An anonymous note hints that her uncle was murdered, and now Clarissa and Paw are determined to sniff out the truth. Soon the duo find themselves nose deep in their uncle's final baffling case: the theft of the fabulous Blue Dolphin diamonds. Clarissa's determination to find her uncle's killer leads her deep into a world of glittering gems and deadly secrets, where each new discovery threatens to bring her to the notice of a ruthless murderer who will stop at nothing to cover his tracks. Can Clarissa and her detective dog Paw crack the case, or will they become the killer's next victims? This is a 5200 word short story/mini mystery. Read time is approx. 30 minutes.

Dog on It


Spencer Quinn - 2009
    Chet might have flunked out of police school ("I'd been the best leaper in K-9 class, which had led to all the trouble in a way I couldn't remember exactly, although blood was involved"), but he's a detective through and through.In this, their first adventure, Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of Madison, a teenage girl who may or may not have been kidnapped, but who has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavory characters. A well-behaved, gifted student, she didn't arrive home after school and her divorced mother is frantic. Bernie is quick to take the case-something about a cash flow problem that Chet's not all that clear about-and he's relieved, if vaguely suspicious, when Madison turns up unharmed with a story that doesn't add up. But when she disappears for a second time in a week, Bernie and Chet aren't taking any chances; they launch a full-blown investigation. Without a ransom demand, they're not convinced it's a kidnapping, but they are sure of one thing: something smells funny.Their search for clues takes them into the desert to biker bars and other exotic locals, with Chet's highly trained nose leading the way. Both Chet and Bernie bring their own special skills to the hunt, one that puts each of them in peril. But even as the bad guys try to turn the tables, this duo is nothing if not resourceful, and the result is an uncommonly satisfying adventure.With his doggy ways and his endearingly hardboiled voice, Chet is full of heart and occasionally prone to mischief. He is intensely loyal to Bernie, who, though distracted by issues that Chet has difficulty understanding-like divorce, child custody, and other peculiar human concerns-is enormously likable himself, in his flawed, all-too-human way.

Death at the Café


Alison Golden - 2015
    An accident-prone nun. Two friends. Two killings. Annabelle and Mary are best friends. But when one gets framed for murder, can the other one save her? Assigned to St. Clement's Church in an inner-city borough just outside Hackney in London, Reverend Annabelle Dixon brings an enthusiasm and drive to her clerical position that baffles her mentor, Father John, but which soon gains her fans and admiration. Annabelle is not your typical vicar, but her strengths prove to serve her, and those around her, very well. When Annabelle plans to meet her longtime friend, Sister Mary, a Catholic nun visiting from West Africa, at a local café, little does she know that she will soon find herself embroiled in a mystery of deadly design. Their meeting place is awash with horror, with Sister Mary standing in the middle, shaking, her hand over her mouth and a dead woman at her feet. Armed only with a note, a disappearing dart, vague hints, and a love of cake, this quick-thinking, quick-footed holy woman must gather the clues, pacify a detective, and find the real perpetrator before both she and her friend wind up in jail. Part Sherlock, part Father Dowling, Annabelle is a new kind of detective – one who sees the truth in the most unlikely places. If you love solving puzzles, then this suspense-filled, endearing, cozy mystery is just for you. Enjoy following our amateur sleuth as she careers around London. It will have you guessing until the very end! Included in this book are recipes for: – Cherishable Cherry Blossom Cupcakes – Cherubic Chocolate Caramel Bars – Jubilicious Jam Turnovers – Teresa's Surprise Cake

Humpty Bumpkin


Sam Cheever - 2018
    But her life is about to get less countrified and more...erm...homicide. Deer Hollow is a small community built in a verdant, rolling countryside. The nearest big city is over an hour away and big city ways are rejected at the Hollow. Unfortunately, the big city isn’t the only place where bad things can happen. Things like murder…which has a funny way of messin’ up a debutante’s day and turning a sunny Sunday in June right over onto its bucolic head.

To Helvetica and Back


Paige Shelton - 2016
    But nestled in the valley of this ski resort town is a side street full of shops that specialize in the simple charms of earlier eras. One of those shops is the Rescued Word, where Chester Henry and his adult granddaughter Clare lovingly repair old typewriters and restore old books. Who ever thought their quaint store would hold the key to some modern-day trouble?When a stranger to town demands they turn over an antique Underwood typewriter they’re repairing for a customer, Clare fears she may need to be rescued. A call to the police scares the man off, but later Clare finds his dead body in the back alley. What about a dusty old typewriter could possibly be worth killing for?

Murder 101


Maggie Barbieri - 2006
    Her car has been stolen so she has to walk to the train station to get to her office at St. Thomas, a college in the Bronx, New York. When she arrived she finds two homicide detectives waiting for her. The good news is that they found her car; the bad news is that in the trunk was the body of one of the students in her Shakespeare seminar.Trying to get her name off of the handsome Detective Crawford’s suspect list turns out to be just one of her problems. Alison has to bail her ex out of jail; deal with the victim’s distraught parents, classmates of hers when she was a student at St. Thomas; and grade those Shakespeare exams, which seem to be getting a lot of attention for a boring old stack of reports. And in the meantime, who would want to kill college student Kathy Miceli?