Book picks similar to
Deborah's Judgement by Margaret Maron


mystery
mysteries
mystery-thriller
margaret-maron

Mildred in Disguise with Diamonds


Toni Kief - 2017
     Mildred Petrie expected a comfortable retirement. Except her husband died and his secrets changed everything. Desperate, she takes the only job available at the local gambling palace - undercover security. Drug deals, armed robbery and a mole catapult her into excitement, danger, and disguise. Only Mildred can find the truth! A breathless, page turner, in sensible shoes

Welcome to Piney Falls (Piney Falls Mysteries #1)


Joann Keder - 2020
    From her half-foam morning latte to her high-powered executive job - she controls every outcome. But when her house burns to the ground in mysterious circumstances, her life is thrown into confusion.Searching for some kind of purpose, she stumbles across a century-old mystery and flees to Piney Falls, Oregon, an oceanside hamlet with a curious past. But something isn’t quite right in the picturesque town. Her neighbor speaks in riddles, the death rate is alarmingly high and the impossibly handsome town baker is hiding something.With each clue she unearths in the present and the past, she becomes more convinced that the townspeople are in imminent danger.Will Lanie be able to solve both mysteries without putting her own life in jeopardy?Find out why readers are calling Welcome to Piney Falls “immensely immersive and totally gripping.” Don't miss the first in this exciting new mystery series!

Scratch a Woman


Laura Lippman - 2008
    The author of the enormously popular series featuring Baltimore P.I. Tess Monaghan as well as three critically lauded stand-alone novels, Lippman now turns her attention to short stories—and reveals another level of mastery.Lippman sets many of the stories in this sterling anthology, Hardly Knew Her, in familiar territory: her beloved Baltimore, from downtown to its affluent suburbs, where successful businessmen go to shocking lengths to protect what they have or ruthlessly expand their holdings, while dissatisfied wives find murderous ways to escape their lives. But Lippman is also unafraid to travel—to New Orleans, to an unnamed southwestern city, and even to Dublin, the backdrop for the lethal clash of two not-so-innocents abroad. Tess Monaghan is here, in two stories and a profile, aligning herself with various underdogs. And in her extraordinary, never-before-published novella, Scratch a Woman, Lippman takes us deep into the private world of a high-priced call girl/madam and devoted soccer mom, exploring the mystery of what may, in fact, be written in the blood.Each of these ingenious tales is a gem—sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous, always filled with delightfully unanticipated twists and reversals. For people who have yet to read Lippman, get ready to experience the spellbinding power of "one of today's most pleasing storytellers, hailed for her keen psychological insights and her compelling characterizations," (San Diego Union-Tribune), who has "invigorated the crime fiction arena with smart, innovative, and exciting work" (George Pelecanos). As for longtime devotees of her multiple award-winning novels, you'll discover that you hardly know her.

An Eye for an Eye (Ellie Matthews Novels Book 2)


Caroline Fardig - 2018
     Ellie Matthews is tired of her fifteen minutes of fame. After consulting on a high-profile murder case a few months ago, she wants nothing more than to fade back into obscurity and resume her life as a mild-mannered college professor. But when a family friend goes missing, Ellie finds herself thrust back into the grisly world of crime scene investigation. It isn’t long before Ellie’s young friend is found murdered and her death is tied to a previously unsolved case. Based on the cryptic poems left on the victims, the department soon realizes that the killer’s vendetta is against them. It takes all Ellie has to push her personal feelings aside and partner with Detective Nick Baxter one more time. The duo must stop at nothing to catch a vengeful serial killer before it’s too late.

Baking is Murder


Kathy Cranston - 2016
     Luckily for Jessie, Springdale is every bit as quirky and idyllic as she remembers, and Bee’s baking is just as mouth-watering. Then the unthinkable happens and there’s a murder on the outskirts of town. Worse still, Jessie’s new friend is the prime suspect. The cops think the case is cut-and-dry, but Jessie’s gut tells her there’s more going on than meets the eye. Can she get to the bottom of it? Baking is Murder is the first book in the Bee’s Bakehouse Cozy Mystery series. Each book is a standalone mystery.

The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries: Vol 1-6


Heather Haven - 2020
    Not the cute, four-legged kind but the cute two-legged kind who sniffs out dastardly cybercrimes from the comfort of her gilded office. When she gets up from her desk, she often falls over a dead body or two. But solving crimes is what she and the Alvarez clan are good at. They run Discretionary Inquiries, a family-owned detective agency in the heart of Silicon Valley. This set is for cozy readers who can't get enough of a smart-mouthed woman sleuth out to please her never-had-a-bad-hair-day mother, computer-genius brother, gourmet chef uncle, and energetic orange and white cat, Tugger. Now you can get all six for an amazing bargain price. A delicious Kindle deal! “One of the funniest mystery authors around. You won’t be able to put her books down. A must-read 5-star series!" National Best Selling Author, Cindy Sample MURDER IS A FAMILY BUSINESS Just because a man cheats on his wife and makes Danny DeVito look tall, dark, and handsome is that any reason to kill him? Lee Alvarez, half Latina, half WASP and 100% detective doesn’t think so. Guilted by her aristocratic mother into tailing a friend’s husband to a seedy warehouse, he’s killed on her watch. She also finds an abandoned kitten destined to become hers. But in between kitty litter, kibble, and purrs, she’s determined to find out whodunit. Fans of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, and Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files will get a special kick out of the Alvarez's. “Heather Haven makes a stellar debut in Murder is a Family Business. Highly recommended.” Sheldon Siegel. NY Times Best Selling Author A WEDDING TO DIE FOR A groom arrested for murder puts a crimp in any wedding, no matter who designs the bridal gown. The nuptials of Lee Alvarez’s best friend is threatened, so Lee goes south of the border in search of the real killer. And maybe a little romance. Or is it a case of When Cupid’s Wings Start Flapping, Take Cover? “This cozy mystery has it all – romance, suspense, comedy and a detective you’ll fall hard for.” BestThrillers Reviews DEATH RUNS IN THE FAMILY Competitive foot racers are dropping like flies, which sends Lee Alvarez to Vegas disguised as a dancer in a lounge lizard’s act. When she uncovers a multi-million dollar betting syndicate who kills off the competition, it’s time to hit the ground running in the Alvarez Family’s race with death. “I Just finished Death Runs in the Family and I loved it! This has turned out to be one of my favorite series and I sure hope there will be another installment in the near future!” Becky Carbone, Director Global Ebook Awards DEAD…IF ONLY A man who should be dead isn’t and Lee Alvarez’s very pregnant sister-in-law is about to be charged with a murder he recently committed in the Big Easy. Aided by the rest of the Alvarez Family, Palo Alto’s favorite P.I. kicks the Voodoo in the Who Do throughout New Orleans just as a hurricane hits. “Family plays a huge part in the plot, and what a family it is...For me, this was a great book. The writing was clever and I couldn’t stop laughing.” 100 Romances Project THE CEO CAME DOA It’s a Christmas wedding for Lee Alvarez complete with dead bodies, a missing groom, and a lethal but little known drug called Devil’s Breath.

Dead for Good


Stacy Claflin - 2021
    Brad Morris likes to think of himself as one of the best: an assassin at the top of his game. For years, he’s juggled work and family — attentive husband and loving father by day, cold-blooded killer by night.But when the charismatic neighbor that Brad openly despises turns up dead on the same night he was out on a hit, Brad suddenly finds himself a prime suspect. His wife lies to the police but her lie only lands him deeper in trouble, and it’s clear she thinks he might be guilty too.Brad’s being framed and he knows it, but it’s nearly impossible for him to prove his innocence without admitting he’s an assassin.Can he catch the killer without endangering his family — or blowing his own cover?Dead For Good, Book 1 is the first book in the new Stacy Claflin and Nolon King Dead For Good series.

Chosen for Death


Kate Flora - 1994
    The police have no leads. Her grieving parents are eager to put everything behind them, and Thea--"little mother" to her adopted sister--refuses to back down. Not when she can do one more thing for Carrie: find the killer and get justice for her little sister.But the truth behind Carrie and her adoption proves ugly, and her killer steadfastly believes family secrets must be kept silent.REVIEWS:"A red-hot start to this new series." ~Kirkus Reviews"Complex heroine, simple plot and natural prose..." ~Library Journal"A page-turner!" ~Mystery SceneTHE THEA KOZAK MYSTERY SERIES, in orderChosen for DeathDeath in a Funhouse MirrorDeath at the WheelAn Educated DeathDeath in ParadiseLiberty or DeathStalking DeathDeath Warmed Over

The Cat of Amontillado


S.M. Reine - 2019
     A man like Mr. Poe. Brilliant. Handsome. Fluffy. A psychic cat who can shapeshift into a human. A vampire's shriveled husk is found long-dead in a wine cellar underneath Haven, a retirement resort where immortals pass infinite time. The only rule in Haven is zero violence, and there's zero tolerance. Mr. Poe must team up with the local sheriff, Gwyneth Gresham, in order to solve the murder, bring justice to the deader-than-usual victim, and survive Miss Draconia's Knitting Circle. For a budding detective like Mr. Poe, one little murder mystery won't even give him paws.

Switchblade


Michael Connelly - 2014
    Cold cases are often the toughest: With no body, no murder scene, and no fingerprints, Bosch nevertheless gets lucky when DNA evidence from the murder weapon points to a known killer. But the DA insists that science alone is not enough - he needs the case to be bulletproof before he'll take it to court.Determined to speak for those who can no longer speak for themselves, Bosch has one chance to wrench a confession out of a cold-blooded killer, or risk letting him walk free for good.

Saving Grace: A Victorian Mystery


Hannah Howe - 2018
    During and after dinner he had nothing to excite him save the receipt of a letter which somewhat annoyed him, and that his wife consumed rather more wine than he considered to be good for her health. Immediately after retiring to his room he was seized with symptoms of irritant poisoning, and despite every effort made on his behalf, he succumbed to its effects. An inquest was held, which vexed the minds of the Coroner’s jury to a degree without precedent in Coroners’ Inquest Law, and an open verdict was returned. However, the matter will not rest there, for after questions in Parliament, a second inquest has been called under suspicion that Mr Charles Petrie was murdered. * * * Who poisoned Charles Petrie? Dr James Collymore, a man familiar with poisons, a man harbouring a dark secret that, if exposed, would ruin his career; Florrie, the maid who supplied Charles with his bedtime drink; Bert Kemp, a disgruntled groom, who used poisons in his work, who four months previously had predicted Charles’ dying day; Mrs Jennet Quinn, a lady’s companion with a deep knowledge of poisons, and a deep fear of dismissal; or Grace Petrie, Charles’ wife of four months, a woman with a scandalous past, a woman shunned by polite society. With crowds flocking to the courtroom and the shadow of suspicion falling upon Grace in the shape of the hangman’s noose, could dashing young advocate, Daniel Morgan, save her?

The Inconvenient Corpse: A Grace Cassidy Mystery


Jackie King - 2009
    Cozy readers will be happy guests among these lively characters. —Marcia Preston, winner of the 2004 Mary Higgins Clark Award If you like bed and breakfast settings, friendly cats, delightful, quirky characters and a little tea thrown in with your murder, you’ll love The Inconvenient Corpse. —Bob Avey, author of Beneath a Buried House and Twisted Perception

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes


Arthur Conan Doyle - 1891
    A scandal in Bohemia --A case of identity --The Boscombe Valley mystery --The five orange pips --The adventure of the blue carbuncle --The adventure of the speckled band --The adventure of the engineer's thumb --The adventure of the noble bachelor --The adventure of the beryl coronet --The adventure of the copper beeches.

K-9 Mystery Series Box Set


Bev Pettersen - 2021
    When another teen vanishes from the same riding stable, the details are too eerily similar to ignore, and she vows to uncover the truth.No longer a child but a newly minted private investigator, she now has additional weapons in her arsenal, including a re-homed police dog and an enigmatic detective with ties to the horse stable. However, digging into her sister's case erodes old trusts and brings dark secrets bubbling to the surface.And this time they could be fatal...for her.REPENT (#2)Sometimes the isolated countryside isn't as peaceful as it first appears...Local police aren't very concerned when fourteen-year-old Billy Tanner doesn't show up for his community service at their stable. Tossing a firebomb at a police horse isn't something they can easily forgive.Yet when the boy's frantic grandmother begs PI Nikki Drake to hunt for her missing grandson, it's a call for help Nikki can't ignore. Her search takes her to the backwoods of California where a serial killer is pursuing his own brand of vigilante justice.But time is not on her side...or Billy's.

Crime Scene


Casey Hill - 2014
    For fans of Patricia Cornwell, Tess Gerritsen or TV series CSI & Criminal Minds. CSI Reilly Steel series titles: All stories are standalone and can be read in any order #0 CRIME SCENE - Prequel #1 TABOO #2 INFERNO #3 HIDDEN #4 THE WATCHED Forty miles south of Washington, D.C. lies the small town of Quantico. Situated among lush greenery, the 547 acre property is where FBI recruits run obstacle courses, engage in firearms training and participate in mock hostage scenarios in Hogan’s Alley.It's the world budding forensic investigator Reilly Steel was born for.During her first semester at the Academy, a fatal accident occurs at a student party off-campus, and a fellow recruit is under suspicion. But by the behavior of the other students and the forensic evidence at the crime scene, Reilly guesses that there is more to the story than meets the eye.Will her instincts, and everything she's learnt at Quantico so far help Reilly uncover the truth behind the victim's death?