New Releases For The Week Of November 8th, 2020–Part 1

Amateur sleuth Sloan Krause delves into a murderous winter wonderland in another delightful mystery from cozy writer Ellie Alexander, Without a Brew.

It’s winter in the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, Washington, which for local brewmaster Sloan Krause means lots of layers, pine and citrus-flavored craft beers, and getting the new guest rooms at Nitro into pristine condition before visitors flood in for IceFest—a local tradition filled with fireworks, ice carving, and winter games of all varieties. But Sloan and her boss Garrett quickly learn that being brewkeepers turned innkeepers may not be as idyllic as it sounded.

While one couple staying with them seems completely smitten, a flashy group arrives in the evening demanding rooms. Sloan and Garrett are less than impressed, but agree to rent to them anyway. The night takes a turn when brewery patron Liv Paxton finishes her frothy pint and, with no previous plan for an overnight stay in Leavenworth, eagerly takes Sloan up on the offer of sanctuary from the snow—until she has a strange run in with some locals and the other guests. Sloan could be imagining things, but when Liv’s room is found trashed the next morning, a hateful message painted on her car, and Liv herself is nowhere to be found, Sloan is convinced another mystery is brewing. With many of the potential suspects hunkering down under Nitro’s roof, she knows her co-workers and friends won’t be safe until she serves up the killer a hoppy pint of justice. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover

With a picturesque black and white lighthouse, pebble beaches and stunning views of sea and mountains, the island of Anglesey off the coast of North Wales is the perfect place for an idyllic mid-summer painting holiday.
And watercolour artist, businesswoman, and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan is enjoying the retreat enormously – until she discovers the body of a New Zealand journalist on a secluded beach just as the tide is going out, threatening to take the body with it.
The post mortem reveals the victim died from injuries “consistent with a fall from a great height,” and the death is ruled accidental. But Penny thinks there’s more to the story. Curious how the victim came to such an untimely end at this most inhospitable spot, she uncovers a link to a mysterious disappearance several years earlier.
And as her holiday romance with a wildlife photographer turns to love, she learns some truths about herself, too, that surprise her.
As the winds of change blow through Penny’s own life, she sets sail on a friendly tide for a future she never dreamed possible, in a beautiful place she never imagined (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

Christmas is coming, and so is a killer. Will the psychic psychologist save Christmas and herself?

Marnie Reilly is back in Torn Veil, the sequel to Divine Guidance.

Marnie Reilly’s sixth sense is working overtime this holiday season. A haunting sense of evil sweeping through the little town of Creekwood is disturbing her dreams and her waking hours. The ghosts of her past are trying to help, but the messages from beyond the veil are muddled and vague.

When Marnie’s childhood friend turns up dead on the wrong side of the tracks, police detectives discover her business card in the dead man’s pocket. Is it an overdose or murder? As tensions rise in the race to solve the case, so does the body count.

Detectives Tom Keller and Danny Gregg are on the scene to protect Marnie from the evil lurking in Creekwood, or is it Marnie who is protecting them?

A murder mystery with a paranormal twist. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Two women’s husbands are murdered on the same night in the same way–and their investigation uncovers a terrifying connection.

Two men from vastly different backgrounds are murdered one after another on the same night, in the same fashion with two bullet wounds: one in the head, another in the heart. The two slayings sends their wives on a desperate search for answers–and a desperate attempt to save their families’ lives.

Grief takes a heavy toll on northern Virginia freelance editor Deb Linh Thomas when she learns of her husband’s murder. And utter dismay sets in when, just a week after the funeral, she discovers that he had been the subject of an FBI investigation after withdrawing a large sum of money from their shared accounts.

Elsewhere, Baltimore bartender Cessy Castillo is less bereft when her abusive husband, ex-cop Hector Ramirez, is killed. But it turns out that he was deep in hock–and now Cessy’s expected to pay up.

Deb and the FBI agent assigned to her case start digging into her husband’s murder and learn that he had been the target of criminals. As Deb and Cessy join forces to learn the truth, their investigation reveals an ever-darker web of clues, but if they’re not careful, they may just end up like their husbands. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

The quirky and charming third crime novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynne Truss.
In the wake of two extremely high-profile murder cases, and with the summer of 1957 finally winding down, Constable Twitten is eagerly anticipating a quiet spell at work. But his hoped-for rest is interrupted when he and his colleagues find a trio of bodies, all murdered with the same unusual weapon: a milk bottle.

The three victims are seemingly unconnected-a hardworking patrolman, a would-be beauty queen, and a catty BBC radio personality-so Constable Twitten, Sergeant Brunswick, and Inspector Steine are baffled. But with Brighton on high alert and the local newspaper churning out stories of a killer on the loose, the police trio is determined to solve the case and catch the killer.

Charming, witty, and full of the joyfully zany characters Truss’s readers have come to love, Murder by Milk Bottle will delight old fans and new alike. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

On this trip back to the Caribbean, don’t expect an umbrella in your drink. . . .

Returning to the tropical breezes and turquoise waters of St. Thomas to rebuild her mother’s bungalow after it was destroyed by fire, Olivia is shaken by the extensive devastation wreaked by a Category 5 hurricane that recently ripped through the Virgin Islands.

After an exhaustive search for Colton, her on again/off again love interest from her previous visit, she’s left with more questions than answers, his whereabouts unknown.

With nowhere to stay, she accepts the offer from an older, wealthy man to house-sit his spacious villa overlooking the Caribbean Sea while he sets off on an extended sailing trip.

What seems like a perfect arrangement turns into a nightmare. Before she can unpack her suitcase in the posh digs, Olivia stumbles upon the man murdered in his own home and becomes the prime suspect. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

When a local teacher is found dead, LA’s newest pet groomer Mimi Lee finds herself in a pawful predicament—with her younger sister’s livelihood on the line.

Mimi Lee is on top of the world. She has a thriving pet grooming business, the sweetest boyfriend, and a talking cat to boot. When she arrives at the elementary school where her sister Alice works, she’s expecting a fun girls’ night out—but instead finds a teacher slumped over in her car, dead.

Alice was the last one to see Helen Reed, which instantly marks her as the prime suspect. Unable to sit quietly and let the authorities walk all over her sister, Mimi starts snooping and talks to Helen’s closest contacts, including one jumpy principal, a two-faced fiancé, and three sketchy teachers. With the help of her sassy but savvy cat, Marshmallow, and a cute kitten named Nimbus, the clock’s ticking for Mimi to get to the bottom of yet another case before her sister gets schooled. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

The note was threatening enough–but its link to two cold cases and a sinister unseen presence sends P.I. Madison Kelly on a frantic search for the truth.

Madison Kelly, a San Diego private investigator, arrives home to a note stabbed to her front door: Stop investigating me, or I will hunt you down and kill you. The only problem? Madison hasn’t been investigating anyone–she’s been taking time off to figure out what to do with her life. But how does she prove a negative? The only way to remove the threat is to do exactly what “Anonymous”, the note writer, is telling her not to do: investigate to see who left it. Could this have something to do with the true crime podcast she’s been tweeting about, and the missing girls?

The girls went missing, two years apart, after a night at the clubs in San Diego’s famed Gaslamp Quarter, and Madison had been probing the internet for clues. She discovers that someone has been one step ahead of her, monitoring her tweets to prevent her from getting too close. Soon Madison’s investigation brings up more questions than answers: are the disappearances connected? Are the girls dead or did they just walk away from their lives? And who is Anonymous, the person who will stop at nothing to keep Madison from learning the truth?

As she closes in, so does Anonymous. Set against a backdrop of surfer culture and coffee houses of San Diego, Anonymous follows Madison as she confronts the reality of the girls’ disappearance in a terrifying climax where the hunter becomes the hunted–and Madison is running for her life. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover. Audiobook

A sentimental journey. A shot at stardom. A talking cat. What could possibly go wrong?

The idyllic little town of Dumont, Wisconsin, is atwitter with the news that its favorite son, actor Thad Manning, is returning from Hollywood to try his hand as director of a film recalling his youth. A test scene is scheduled, right there on the town commons, with a cast and crew from Tinseltown. Locals are needed as extras. And there’s even a role for a cat. Enter Mister Puss.

When the big day arrives, though, something goes terribly haywire. The test footage looks fabulous, but in a shocking development, someone ends up dead. It was murder, all right, and suspects abound.

Architect Brody Norris and his husband, Marson Miles, have been busy preparing to move into a new house they are building. But now Brody is called to reprise his role as amateur sleuth and sidekick to Sheriff Thomas Simms. And once again, Brody himself gets a bit of help–from that chatty Abyssinian, Mister Puss.

HomeComing is the third book in the Mister Puss series. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback

When an oil baron and his son go missing in the foothills of Alberta, ex-cop Lacey McCrae joins the search-and-rescue operation, sending her on a risky

chase across dangerous terrain in pursuit of a killer. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Emily Garland is getting married and looking for the perfect forever home. When the old, and some say haunted, Hadley house comes up for sale, she’s convinced it’s “the one.” The house is also perfect for reality TV star Miles Pemberton and his new series, House Haunters. Emily will fight for her dream home, but Pemberton’s pockets are deeper than Emily’s, and he’ll stretch the rules to get what he wants.

While Pemberton racks up enemies all around Lount’s Landing, Arabella Carpenter, Emily’s partner at the Glass Dolphin antiques shop, has been hired to appraise the contents of the estate, along with her ex-husband, Levon. Could the feuding beneficiaries decide there’s a conflict of interest? Could Pemberton?

Things get even more complicated when Arabella and Levon discover another will hidden inside the house, and with it, a decades-old secret. Can the property stay on the market? And if so, who will make the winning offer: Emily or Miles Pemberton? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle. Paperback

A new restaurant in town, a sunny picnic, and a helping of murder.

When Pixie Point Bay’s Picnic Day arrives, B&B owner Maris Seaver is curious to see what it’s about. With the Towne Plaza covered in festive blankets and wicker baskets galore, it’s a fun and tasty time for Maris and her crew. But before they can finish lunch, a heated argument erupts near the gazebo and someone collapses.

Despite the coroner proclaiming food poisoning, Maris’s magical allies think otherwise. As their clues mount, Maris is baffled because, as far as anyone knows, there hasn’t been a crime. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Movies, murder and too much vodka …

Mixologist Pepper Revelle is thrilled the Bohemia Bartenders’ latest gig is in her backyard: a cocktail-themed film festival that draws all the usual suspects to Bohemia Beach. But good suspects are in short supply when a body wearing an antique gold coin necklace washes up on the Florida sand.

Pepper’s colleague and elusive crush Neil fears the worst for his grandfather, a treasure hunter who’s been missing for months. Meanwhile, Pepper’s big-bearded ex-boyfriend, an obnoxious celebrity mixologist with a TV crew in tow, is convinced someone’s trying to kill him, too. To Pepper’s dismay, he begs her for protection.

Stir in a couple of flickering Hollywood stars, a pushy TV producer, dashing distillers, a frantic festival chairman, a garnish-eating dog, vats of vodka and a double dose of danger, and Pepper’s patience is poised to pop like popcorn. Can the mixologists shake up a solution to multiple mysteries before they’re skewered like the olive in a martini?

Vexed by Vodka is the third book in the Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries, funny whodunits with a dash of romance set in a convivial collective of cocktail lovers, eccentrics and mixologists. These quasi-cozy culinary comedies contain a hint of heat, a splash of cursing and shots of laughter, served over hand-carved ice. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Practice nurse Kate Palmer is ready for some peace and quiet in her little Cornish village, but there’s soon to be a murder on her doorstep…

Kate’s retirement in Cornwall hasn’t quite gone as planned – Lavender Cottage is in need of substantial repairs and her sister Angie’s fondness for gin does rather stretch the purse-strings.

So when Kate is asked to do some nursing at the luxury retirement flats in Seaview Grange, she jumps at the chance. The old Victorian house has stunning views of the sea and the retirees are a peaceful bunch. That is, until Edina Martinelli, a glamorous ex-opera singer, is found poisoned in her home.

Edina’s death is ruled an overdose by Digoxin, the same medication she had been on for years. But Kate is sure the woman she met was not suicidal, and with the reputation of her practice on the line, she decides to do some digging. Luckily she’s got the newly retired Detective Inspector Woody Forrest to help her…

It’s not long before Kate discovers evidence of foul play, and there’s no shortage of suspects. Was it the besotted vicar? The ill-tempered stepson? Or perhaps Edina’s neighbour finally had enough of her constant warbling. It seems everyone had a motive, but who amongst them had the stomach for murder? And will they kill again?

If you love murder mysteries by Agatha Christie, Faith Martin or Joy Ellis, then this page-turning novel will have you reading late into the night!

What readers are saying about the Kate Palmer series:

‘Looking for a cozy, British mystery novel? You’ve got to read A Body in Seaview Grange by Dee MacDonald… You’ll immediately be drawn to the relatable and superb cast of close-knit seaside village characters… It’s a fantastic murder mystery, a charming whodunit, really, with lots of red-herrings to keep you guessing until the last page!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my fav authors… a satisfying whodunit and I really didn’t have a clue as all suspects had motive and reason but the killer when unmasked was a surprise. 10/10.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A perfect example of how a cozy mystery should be written… I love it.’ B for Book Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Some surprising suspects, red herrings, and some really colourful characters. Loved it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Thoroughly enjoyable, fully entertaining and satisfied a craving for some gentle escapism. Looking forward to more in what is a new series for this author…’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is a cosy mystery with many twists and makes for an enjoyable read.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I found myself racing through this one, eager to find out who did what – and to who! A terrific read… a full house of sparkling stars.’ Grace J Reviewer Lady, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Charming, well written, with excellent characters and an intriguing plot, I adored my visit to this charming Cornish village! What a perfect read with some tea…I gobbled it up in a day and evening!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Kept me involved till the end, turning pages as fast as I could… a great cast of characters and a lovely setting… The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing… an excellent and fun read that I strongly recommend.’ Scrapping and Playing, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Full of superb village characters… LOL humour and a good storyline, this book had me ‘there and part of it’ right from page 1 and I loved every word, just the right book for unsettled times when you can relax and be drawn into pure escapism.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback. Audiobook

A little party never killed anybody! Right? Wrong!

Bay, named after Watergate Bay where she grew up in Cornwall, has just broken up with her long term boyfriend. The one she met at university, the one she lived with, the one she thought she’d marry, THE ONE! Her cosy, quiet, planned out, suburban life in the Cornish countryside has been turned on its head, and what do you do when life takes an unexpected turn? Take a different road, the M3 to be precise, all the way to London!

Accepting an invite to stay with her childhood friend Olivia, an over dramatic, party loving, prosecco drinking, London socialite, Bay’s once peaceful existence literally changes within an hour of arriving and she’s soon rubbing shoulders with the City’s elite. With the help of Olivia’s friends, Mia, a drop dead gorgeous, washed up reality star trying to make a comeback as an aspiring actress and Molly, one of Chelsea’s ‘old money’ descendants, Bay is soon living the highlife of champagne at lunchtime, chauffeur driven cars, free glitzy clothes and party after party after party.

When one of the parties takes a fatal fall from grace, literally, the girls end up in the middle of it and think they could have a murder suspect on their hands. But the deeper you dig, in a world where fame and money equal power, the harder it is to get out and the easier it is to be buried.

A mystery, comedy, drama, like ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ‘Pretty Little Liars’, mixed with some ‘Sex and The City’ girly glamour and an Agatha Christie whodunnit thrown in for good measure. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback