Book picks similar to
A Blooming Fortune by Stephen John


miss-fortune-universe
mystery
mystery-cozy
cozy-mysteries

Murder on the Sinful Express


Shari Hearn - 2018
    But fiction becomes reality when one of the book club members is poisoned. Will Fortune, Gertie and Ida Belle catch the perp before she strikes again? Or will one of them become her next victim?Murder on the Sinful Express (Sinful Stories Book 7) is set after the events of Hook, Line and Blinker, book ten of Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune series.A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR: Murder on the Sinful Express was first published on January 19, 2018 as part of the Miss Fortune Kindle Worlds program (which ended in July of 2018). It is now part of the Miss Fortune World published by J&R Fan Fiction. I wish to thank Ms. DeLeon for graciously allowing other writers to explore their own writing in a most Sinful way.Sinful Stories is a series of stories written by Shari Hearn within the Miss Fortune World featuring Fortune, Gertie and Ida Belle. They may be read in any order; however, they do follow the timeline of Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune series with regard to Fortune's relationship with Carter. With the earlier books in the series, Carter doesn't know Fortune's true identity. As Jana DeLeon's series changes with regard to Fortune's continued threat from Ahmad, future stories within Sinful Stories will reflect those changes.Currently, the stories within Sinful Stories include:Nearly DepartedMutiny on the BayouOverdueNearly BelovedRematchLeaving SinfulMurder on the Sinful Express

Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery: Books 4-6


Kathi Daley - 2014
    Not only does Zoe suspect that her dad’s new girlfriend is really a killer, but Zoe is the only one who believes that her soon-to- be evil stepmom is guilty of such a dastardly deed. Add that to the fact that Zak clearly has a secret, Jeremy’s baby mama is making his life as miserable as her pregnancy is making hers, Levi’s girlfriend Barbie is on a rampage, and Ellie is caught in a brotherly love triangle, and you have a Valentine’s Day disaster in the making. Big Bunny Bump Off: Spring is in the air and with the warm weather comes an abundance of babies; human and otherwise. Things seem to be right on course until Jack Frost comes to town throwing the entire town of Ashton Falls into chaos. When Zoe sees the Easter Bunny running from a murder scene during a freak snowstorm she must track down the 'Cartoon Bandits' in order to catch a killer. Beach Blanket Barbie: Zoe suspects that something is up when Levi’s ex-girlfriend Barbie comes to town unexpectedly. When she ends up floating face down in the lake Zoe and the gang shift into full sleuth mode to find a killer. As they delve into Barbie’s life since she left Ashton Falls, they find a complex puzzle that is going to take a group effort to unravel.

Hiding in the Bayou


Riley Blake - 2015
    Convinced Carter didn’t commit the crime, Fortune turns to Ida Belle for help. In the meantime, Gertie tries a dangerous stunt and lands in the hospital. While there, she takes time to piece together a murder clearly executed by amateurs but the motive isn’t what it seems.

Candy Canes & Corpses


Abby L. VandiverMona Marple - 2018
    Candy Canes & Murder is a festive boxed set of twelve (12) cozy Christmas mysteries. A limited edition of never-before-published holiday whodunnits written by WSJ, USA Today and best selling authors. Fun, short stories that will put you in the mood for everyone's favorite time of the year. Pre-order your copy today! Abby L. Vandiver Sonia Parin Dianne Harman Tonya Kappes Kathryn Dionne Sylvia & Leigh Selfman Jenna St. James Constance Barker Mona Marple Ani Gonzalez Zanna Mackenzie Tricia L. Sanders

Body in the Bayou


Morgan Draper - 2015
     Unlucky Lizzy, as she's called by those who know of her close relationship with misfortune, is headed to Sinful, Louisiana, to get her life back on track. But a missed bus, a squished sandwich, and screeching tires mark her dramatic entry into the world of Gertie, Ida Belle, and CIA-assassin-in-hiding Fortune “Sandy-Sue Morrow” Redding. When Lizzy reveals the nature of the job she's on her way to take up at a big, lonely, old house, the three Sinful ladies become suspicious, especially as Lizzy hints that she's learned something creepy about her new boss and says that he wants her to keep everything hush-hush. Things only get worse when the group arrives at the house, as Fortune discovers a body in the bayou, at the back of the compound. A string of revelations and further events send off alarm bells for Fortune, prompting the Swamp Team 3 to spring into action. Will they be able to act fast enough to save the life of a newcomer to Sinful who's clueless about the imminent danger that looms? Lizzy narrates this hilarious, breezy adventure which is chock-full of twists and turns that promise to take you by surprise. The events in “Body in the Bayou” take place between books six and seven in Jana Deleon's Miss Fortune Mystery Series Q & A with Morgan Draper Q: How would you describe “Body in the Bayou”? Morgan: It's a cozy murder mystery that takes place in the world created by Jana Deleon, author of the Miss Fortune Mystery Series. It imagines the thrills and spills that follow when Fortune and the Geritol Mafia become acquainted with a stranger nicknamed Unlucky Lizzy, who thinks of herself as a magnet for disaster. It's a quick, fun read. Q: Explain how you came to write a book based on Jana's series. Morgan: Jana dreamed up the delightful town of Sinful, Louisiana, and populated it with a wonderful mix of oddball characters. Jana has generously opened up her world and invited other authors to use her characters and setting as a base to explore their creativity and come up with their own stories. I had a blast with these characters and wish to thank Jana for the opportunity to play in the Sinful sandbox. Q: Why do you think readers should spend time with these characters? Morgan: Despite appearances, these women are sassy, intelligent, and deadly when they need to be. But there's also a tender vulnerability evident as they grapple with their romantic side. And it's easy to get caught up in their growing friendships. They don't back away from trouble, and when they get together, you can be sure that quite a romp will follow. In this novella, Fortune displays the toughness of a trained CIA-assassin that Jana Deleon breathed into her, and she also has a some of the characteristics of an amateur woman sleuth in the Agatha Christie mold. Q: Is “Body in the Bayou” a one-off or will you be returning to Sinful in another novella? Morgan: I love to laugh, and the world could certainly do with more humor. So, yes, there'll absolutely be more adventures with Unlucky Lizzy mixing up her kind of crazy with the gang from Sinful.

Jumbalaya


Aunt Tillie - 2018
    Meanwhile, a dark and blurry photograph puts the entire town on high alert, and the election recount goes Sinfully haywire. It's all fun and games until bodies start turning up... and Fortune might just be the next victim.Fan Fiction: works written by adoring fans of the original author, using the original author's characters and settings. Jana DeLeon has graciously allowed certain authors to write in her world and Aunt Tillie is proud to be one of them. Jumbalaya was Tillie's first effort, and she hopes you will enjoy this and other stories by fan fiction authors. The timelines for these stories may not coincide with current Jana DeLeon stories, but they should fit almost anywhere within the Miss Fortune series.

Mary-Alice Moves In


Frankie Bow - 2016
    But before Mary-Alice can even unpack her bags, a man of the cloth dies under mysterious circumstances, a device with strange powers turns up in the glove box of her Oldsmobile 88, and her new friends, Ida Belle, Gertie, and young Fortune, are behaving oddly…even for Baptists. This is the first book in a new series, the Mary-Alice files, set in the Miss Fortune world in Sinful, Louisiana. Many thanks to Jana DeLeon for letting us write in her Sinful world!

Daisy Dalrymple Omnibus


Carola Dunn - 2012
    But her interview gives way to interrogation when suave Lord Stephen Astwick meets a chilly end on the tranquil skating pond. With evidence that his death was anything but accidental, Daisy joins forces with Scotland Yard so the culprit can't slip through their fingers like the unfortunate Astwick slipped through the ice...THE WINTER GARDEN MYSTERY: So who put the body in with the spring bulbs?The merest hint of spring has arrived in Cheshire, and so has young reporter Daisy Dalrymple. The feisty flapper's visit is a breath of fresh air for gloomy Occles Hall. But while photographing the rather barren grounds, Daisy spots that someone's been digging among the first green shoots - and much to her horror unearths the corpse of missing parlour maid Grace Moss.So begins an extraordinary adventure, as first the dead woman's shocking secret is revealed and then Daisy swiftly realizes she needs to catch the killer before she herself is left pushing up the daisies...REQUIEM FOR A MEZZO: With dashing Scotland Yard detective Alec Fletcher at her side, Daisy Dalrymple is enjoying a splendid performance of Verdi's Requiem featuring her neighbour Muriel Westlea's celebrated sister, Bettina. But the show comes to an abrupt end when what emerges from the star's gifted vocal chords is literally a dying gasp. Daisy soon learns that the doomed diva was notoriously difficult and had more than her share of enemies. There's a philandering tenor, a burly Russian bass and even her own vocal coach husband, with whom she had a turbulent relationship.Did one of them poison the singer? Or was it someone determined to see that Daisy's investigation ends on as bitter a note as Bettina's last performance...MURDER ON THE FLYING SCOTSMAN: Daisy's in danger of heading off the rails!Daisy's embarking on a journey to Edinburgh and her biggest worry is that she has forgotten her book, so how will she pass the time? Her concern proves to be pointless, however, as once the journey begins Daisy finds a pint-sized stowaway on board - Belinda, the daughter of dreamy Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher, Daisy's beau.No sooner has this problem revealed itself than Daisy and Belinda run into a bickering Scottish clan en route to the deathbed of the head of the family. But before the express reaches its first stop, one of the greedy McGowans has turned up dead. Is it murder? Daisy's willing to bet her first-class ticket it is - after all, the victim was the heir-in-waiting and she's sharing the carriage with an entire family of suspects who have everything to gain by his death...

Mystery Party


Stacey Alabaster - 2017
    Margot runs a French bakery and stumbles into corruption and crime. Felicity launches her party planning business with a bang . . . and a dead body. Follow along as all three women must solve murder mysteries to protect themselves, their businesses, and those they love. This collection of cozy mysteries includes the first book in each of three popular series. If you like cozy mysteries with interesting characters and unexpected twists, the Mystery Party Cozy Mystery Boxed Set is for you. Buy the Mystery Party Cozy Mystery Boxed Set and start solving your next mystery (or three) today! Steps from Death by Stacey Alabaster - When you’re the new girl in a small town, you have to step out of your comfort zone and meet new people. But sometimes that can leave you only Steps from Death. This is book one in the Craft Circle Cozy Mystery series. Croissants and Corruption by Danielle Collins – To all appearances, North Bank is a charming retirement town and tourist attraction - until a murder reveals a darker side of crime and corruption. This is book one in the Margot Durand Cozy Mystery series. Dying for a Drive by Susan Harper – Senoia is a quiet little town . . . until a man drives into town with a classic car to sell but never drives out. This is book one in the Senoia Cozy Mystery series. Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Fortune and Fame


Mark Len Mayfield - 2016
    Shortly after a second murder in Sinful had been solved, Fortune believes she has recognized a woman, now going by the name Georgia Fame, who has been using her affections to prey on well-to-do elderly men, leaving them heartbroken, penniless and sometimes even... dead. Ingeniously clever, the woman has alluded authorities for decades and Fortune soon begins to understand why. With Ida Belle and Gertie at her side, the swamp team begin to build their case but the woman always covers her tracks and stays one step ahead of them. Fortune gets close but Georgia always manages to stay just out of reach. When she realizes her suspect may get away forever, she tries one last act of desperation. “Fortune and Fame” is fast-paced, filled with humor, romance, twists and turns. From KindleWorld’s Mark Len Mayfield, author of the Wayward Pines novel, “The Journey of Peter McCall.”

Peril at the Pawn Shop


Mel Faye - 2019
    Really busy.With her petsitting client, Ralph the pug, at her side, Annie is running around town walking dogs, training greyhounds, organizing puppy classes, and taking energetic Vizlas for runs. And it's all to save money for and build interest in her not-yet-named dog store, the business she's dreamed of for years.But Annie's plans change when she finds out that the death of local pawn shop owner, George Appleby, has been ruled a suicide. She knows that there's at least one person in town who will benefit from Appleby's death: Chet West, the real estate mogul who's trying to buy up all the small businesses in her little town and replace them with chain stores and tourist destinations. And one day soon the small store going out of business might be her own. Now Annie's determined to figure out what happened to Appleby and how Chet West is involved - even if the police don't care. And the more she and Ralph run around chasing down leads and sniffing out suspects, the more Annie realizes that Little Nectar, Connecticut, is not the wholesome little town she thought it was.Peril at the Pawn Shop is Book 1 of the light-hearted Walk in the Bark cozy mystery series. It features:...an amateur detective whose spunk is liable to get her in trouble...a pug who snores in his sleep...a small town full of quirky characters...a mystery that will keep you guessing until you turn that last page...no foul language, cliffhangers, or gore Scroll up and buy it now!

Scandal in Tawas (Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths #13)


Madison Johns - 2017
    

The Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries: Books 1 - 3


J. New - 2018
    Ella Bridges has recently purchased her new home-The Yellow Cottage-from a curious old lady, but with it comes a unique gift. Her new-found ability changes the course of her life in ways she could never have imagined.The Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries: Books 1 – 3 includes the first three stories in the popular series readers describe as ‘Miss Marple meets The Ghost Whisperer.’ The unique slant on the traditional whodunit and the humour peppered throughout are what makes these books firm favourites with readers all over the world.AN ACCIDENTAL MURDERWhen a strange child follows her home on the train from London, Ella Bridges feels bound to help her. However, she soon discovers the child is not what she seems.THE CURSE OF ARUNDEL HALLOne ghost, one murder, one hundred years apart. But are they connected?An invitation to dinner at Arundel Hall takes a turn for the worse when one of the party is murdered.A CLERICAL ERRORWhen the crime scene is pure coincidence and there’s no evidence, how do you prove it was murder?Ella Bridges faces her most challenging investigation so far when the vicar dies suddenly at the May Day Fete.? THE CURSE OF ARUNDEL HALL (Book 2)One ghost, one murder, one hundred years apart. But are they connected?Ella has discovered a secret room in The Yellow Cottage, but with it comes a ghost. Who was she? And how did she die? Ella needs to find the answers before either of them can find peace. But suddenly things take a nasty turn for the worse.Ella Bridges has been living on Linhay Island for several months but still hasn’t discovered the identity of her ghostly guest. Deciding to research the history of her cottage for clues she finds it is connected to Arundel Hall, the large Manor House on the bluff, and when an invitation to dinner arrives realises it is the perfect opportunity to discover more.However the evening takes a shocking turn when one of their party is murdered. Is The Curse of Arundel Hall once again rearing its ugly head, or is there a simpler explanation? Ella suddenly finds herself involved in two mysteries at once, and again joins forces with Scotland Yard’s Police Commissioner to try and catch a killer. But will they succeed?A CLERICAL ERROR (Book 3)When the crime scene is pure coincidence and there's no evidence, how do you prove it was murder?Ella Bridges faces her most challenging investigation so far when the vicar dies suddenly at the May Day Fete. But with evidence scarce and her personal life unravelling in ways she could never have imagined, she misses vital clues in the investigation.Working alongside Sergeant Baxter of Scotland Yard, will Ella manage to unearth the clues needed to catch the killer before another life is lost? Or will personal shock cloud her mind and result in another tragedy?

Sinister Cinnamon Buns


J. Lee Mitchell - 2018
     Recipes included in each book. In Castle Creek West Virginia, rivalries run deep, but has this tiny town’s biggest rivalry finally led to murder? When widely disliked socialite Macie Dixon is found dead on the set of her cooking show, suspicion falls on her rival, elderly family matriarch, and owner of the Red Herring Inn, Liddy Lou Cormier. As the investigation heats up, friendships will be tested, and long buried secrets will come to light. With the evidence stacking up against Liddy Lou, her granddaughter Q’Bita will risk her relationship with Sheriff Andy Hansen, and her own life, to clear her Nana’s name. It will take every ounce of Q’Bita’s culinary cunning, and a little help from her best friend Jamie and brother-in-law Rene, to figure out who’s behind the sinister cinnamon buns that killed Macie Dixon. Sign up for the Red Herring Inn newsletter using the link on the About J Lee Mitchell page to get access to contests, freebies, and an inside look at upcoming books. New subscribers will receive BONUS CONTENT as a thank you for signing up.

Tea and Cupcakes: Twelve Book Cozy Mystery Collection


Katherine Hayton - 2020