New Releases For The Week Of December 6th, 2020–Part 1

The latest, delectably witty installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s sumptuous 44 Scotland Street series.

For the residents of 44 Scotland Street, life in Edinburgh’s intriguing New Town is a thing to be relished. After all, there are new faces to excite Domenica’s anthropological imagination, precious moments with his triplets for Matthew to savor, and the prospect of a trip to the promised land of Glasgow for young Bertie. 

But there are mysteries that need solving too. Could Angus Lordie’s dog, Cyril–the only dog in Scotland with a gold tooth–have unearthed a Neanderthal skull? Does the long-suffering Stuart have any hope of kindling a new relationship when Bruce, ever the navel gazer and consummate seducer, effortlessly steps into his pas de deux?  And how will the patrons of Big Lou’s cafe react to the menu’s imminent culinary transformation?

The stories of this wonderfully vibrant cast may take unexpected turns, but the warmth and humor at Scotland’s most recognizable address will ultimately affirm the joy life brings us all.  (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

When a new lead breaks in the cold case that has long haunted Swedish Detective Inspector Embla Nyström, the truth she’s been seeking about her best friend’s disappearance may finally be revealed—if it doesn’t kill her first.

One winter night, 28-year-old Detective Inspector Embla Nyström receives a phone call that sends her reeling. It’s been fourteen years since her best friend disappeared from a nightclub in Gothenburg, but Embla recognizes her voice before the call abruptly disconnects. Embla is thrilled to learn Lollo is still alive, but before she can dive into the case, she gets another phone call—this time from a relative. A man has been found shot dead in one of the guest houses he and his wife manage in rural Sweden. Could she come take a look?

When Embla arrives on the scene, she receives another shock. The dead man is Milo Stavic, a well-known gang member and one of the last people seen with Lollo. And, as Embla soon learns, the same night that Milo was shot in the guest house, his brother Luca was also killed. Why, after all these years, is someone targeting the Stavic brothers, and where is the third brother? With help from a handsome local detective and his police dog in training, Embla launches an investigation into the three Stavic brothers, hoping it will bring her closer to finally finding Lollo and putting an end to her terrible nightmares. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

Second in a new series set in Alaska from beloved cozy author Paige Shelton, Cold Wind will chill your bones.

Beth Rivers is still in Alaska. The unidentified man who kidnapped her in her home of St. Louis hasn’t been found yet, so she’s not ready to go back.

But as October comes to a close, Benedict is feeling more and more like her new home. Beth has been working on herself: She’s managed to get back to writing, and she’s enjoying these beautiful months between summer and winter in Alaska.

Then, everything in Benedict changes after a mudslide exposes a world that had been hidden for years. Two mud-covered, silent girls appear, and a secret trapper’s house is found in the woods. The biggest surprise, though, is a dead and frozen woman’s body in the trapper’s shed. No one knows who she is, but the man who runs the mercantile, Randy, seems to be in the middle of all the mysteries.

Unable to escape her journalistic roots, Beth is determined to answer the questions that keep arising: Are the mysterious girls and the frozen body connected? Can Randy possibly be involved? And—most importantly—can she solve this mystery before the cold wind sweeping over the town and the townspeople descends for good? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

The discovery of a mysterious antique trunk leads to a disappearance—and murder—in the latest in this beloved cozy series set on the rugged New Hampshire coast, Jane K. Cleland’s Hidden Treasure.

When antiques expert Josie Prescott finds a mysterious trunk, no one thinks it could lead to murder. Josie, the owner of Prescott’s Antiques & Auctions, and her new husband, Ty, have finally found their dream home, a Victorian beauty on the beach known in the town of Rocky Point as the “Gingerbread House.” It was recently vacated by Maudie Wilson, an aging widow, whose concerned nieces have moved her into a nearby assisted living facility. Josie befriends Maudie, who seems surprisingly sharp, considering her family’s doubts about her soundness of mind.

As Josie and Ty joyfully begin renovations on the Gingerbread House, the nieces report that Maudie, in her forgetfulness, may have left behind an old trunk, which she’s desperate to get back. Sure enough, Josie finds the trunk inside a hidden compartment, and within it a jewel-encrusted box holding a sculpture of a cat. Josie can understand the sense of urgency about getting the objects back—they look valuable, and not just in the sentimental sense.

But when Josie goes to return the box to Maudie, the woman has vanished. And on the floor of her empty apartment lies a corpse, a woman bludgeoned to death. Sick with worry for Maudie’s safety, Josie begins to piece together the clues to the murder. Everyone around her seems to want to pitch in, from Maudie’s family, to the receptionist at the facility, to the young couple helping Josie with her renovations, but with the killer so close to home, Josie has to be on her guard. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover

“‘Til death do us part” could be closer than the bride realizes in Victoria Gilbert’s tantalizing fifth Blue Ridge Library mystery.

The pursuit to acquire a rare illustrated book turns deadly, and on the eve of her upcoming wedding, library director Amy Webber is drawn into a web of treachery and betrayal that could derail her happy day–and maybe just claim her life.

Planning a wedding can be murder–sometimes literally. At a party celebrating their upcoming nuptials, Taylorsford, Virginia library director Amy Webber and her fiancé Richard Muir discover the body of art dealer Oscar Selvaggio–a bitter rival of their host, Kurt Kendrick.

Both had been in a heated battle to purchase a rare illustrated volume created by William Morris’s Kelmscott Press, so suspicion immediately falls upon Kurt. Amy knows that Kurt has a closet-full of skeletons from his past–but she can’t believe he’s guilty of murder.

Amidst an avalanche of wedding preparations, Amy begins an investigation with the help of her aunt Lydia Talbot and the new mayor of Taylorsford, Sunshine “Sunny” Fields. Much to Lydia’s
dismay, her boyfriend, art expert Hugh Chen, becomes convinced of Kurt’s guilt and launches an investigation of his own. As the case hits painfully close to home, the stakes become impossibly high–and the danger all too real. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover

Senior Investigator Shana Merchant has spent years running from her past. But she never imagined a murder case would drive her to the most dangerous place of all—home. 

After leaving the NYPD following her abduction by serial killer Blake Bram, Shana Merchant hoped for a fresh start in the Thousand Islands of Upstate New York. Her former tormentor has other plans. Shana and Bram share more than just a hometown, and he won’t let her forget it. When the decades-old skeleton of Shana’s estranged uncle is uncovered, Bram issues a challenge: Return home to Vermont and solve the cold case, or the blood he spills next will be on her hands.

As Shana interviews members of her family and the community, mining for secrets that could help her solve her uncle’s murder, she begins to realize how little she remembers of her childhood. And when Bram grows impatient and kidnaps again, leaving a trail of clues Shana alone can understand, she knows his new victim will only survive if she wins the psychopath’s twisted game. In order to solve one mystery, Shana must wade into her murky past to unravel another. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

When the calm of Saxford St Peter is disrupted by a deadly fire at the Old Mill, amateur sleuth Eve Mallow finds herself investigating a most surprising mystery!

Everyone in Saxford St Peter is desperate to know more about Harry Tennant, the newcomer who owns the Old Mill. He usually keeps himself to himself, but he’s finally invited the villagers round for drinks, and Eve Mallow isn’t the only one looking forward to having some questions answered.

But two days before the party, a terrible fire sweeps through the mill, and Harry is found dead. When Eve passes the burned remains of his beautiful house, she can’t resist the call to investigate. Especially when it turns out quiet, charming Harry was living a double life as the famous advice writer Pippa Longford. Eve has to wonder what revelations were contained in the letters he received… and whether one of them was worth killing for.

Accompanied by her reliable dachshund sidekick Gus, Eve starts digging. She soon realises Harry was at the centre of a web of lives – and lies. There’s an uncle desperate to inherit, two women who thought they were his one and only, not to mention everyone who shared their darkest secrets with him. Was one of those strangers much closer to home than Harry knew? And can Eve untangle the truth before she finds herself face to face with a killer?

A completely charming page-turner, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie and Betty Rowlands.

See what readers are saying about the Eve Mallow series:

‘Utterly delightful!… I really enjoyed reading this book. It was the perfect cosy murder mystery to become immersed in… Keeps you on your toes!… I highly recommend this to the armchair detectives of the world!’ The Two Quills

‘Stepping into the pages of a new Eve Mallow mystery is like stepping into your favourite well-worn comfy slippers… Eve now feels to me like a trusted (if fictional!) friend that I can’t wait to catch up with… Deliciously moreish… If you haven’t already discovered this series then what are you waiting for???’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Every one has been a winner!… Kept me on my toes throughout… Ticked every box! A cracking addition to one of my now favourite series.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Lots of red herrings, suspense, and plot twists as well as the usual interesting characters. Of course I stayed up way too late just to finish it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Stunning… Loved the story and the pacing and just everything about it… A great story that I couldn’t put down… The twists and turns were great.’ Crossroad Reviews

‘Plenty of plot twists, red herrings, and misdirection. Kept me in suspense. I loved it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my favourite series of cozy crimes… Twists aplenty and more suspects than you can shake a stick at!… They never disappoint.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I really enjoyed reading this! Loved the typical English village location and the very Jessica Fletcher-type protagonist… I am anxious to read more of this character soon!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Delightful and charming… I absolutely adore this series… Just keeps going from strength to strength’ Once Upon a Time Book Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Why do we need the police when sleuths like Eve are around? This series is getting better and better… 5 stars’ B for Bookreview, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I thoroughly enjoyed it… Loved the setting… I was reminded of a modern-day Miss Marple.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Keeps you glued to the pages. Thoroughly delightful. A cosy murder mystery to sink into’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Barista Lana Lewis’s sleuthing may land her in a latte trouble as Tara Lush launches her new Coffee Shop mysteries.

When Lana Lewis’ best — and most difficult — employee abruptly quits and goes to work for the competition just days before the Sunshine State Barista Championship, her café’s chances of winning the contest are creamed. In front of a gossipy crowd in the small Florida town of Devil’s Beach, Lana’s normally calm demeanor heats to a boil when she runs into the arrogant java slinger. Of course, Fabrizio “Fab” Bellucci has a slick explanation for jumping ship. But when he’s found dead the next morning under a palm tree in the alley behind Lana’s café, she becomes the prime suspect.

Even the island’s handsome police chief isn’t quite certain of her innocence. But Lana isn’t the only one in town who was angry with Fabrizio. Jilted lovers, a shrimp boat captain, and a surfer with ties to the mob are all suspects as trouble brews on the beach.

With her stoned, hippie dad, a Shih Tzu named Stanley, and a new, curious barista sporting a punk rock aesthetic at her side, Lana’s prepared to turn up the heat to catch the real killer. After all, she is a former award-winning reporter. As scandal hangs over her beachside café, can Lana clear her name and win the championship — or will she come to a bitter end? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

When her best friend Dixie is suspected of killing a dog show judge, Lilly must bring one sick puppy to heel . . .
 
Tennessee transplant Lilly Echosby has two great loves: dogs and mysteries. So naturally she’s named her poodles Aggie, after Agatha Christie, and Rex, for Rex Stout. Now that she has two dogs to manage, it makes sense to enter Aggie in an obedience competition—especially since her instructor is Lilly’s gal pal, Scarlet “Dixie” Jefferson.
 
But when one of the judges for the competition turns out to be Dixie’s high school rival, the dog trainer gets hot under the collar. When the woman is found strangled, Dixie becomes the number one suspect. With the help of the other dog club members, Lilly must find the real killer—before the next judge Dixie tangles with throws the book at her . . . (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Christmas time can be murder…

A suburban housewife is found dead in her garden.

There is no weapon, no witnesses, and the only set of footprints belong to her cat.

Probationary detective Kay Hunter and her colleagues are convinced it’s murder – but how can they find a killer when there are no clues? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Paperback

They say it’s best to bury your past, but for one misguided grave robber – the past is an obsession. When Althea Rose learns that a grave robber has infiltrated Tequila Key, she does her best to pretend she’s not interested. No, she doesn’t want to hear more details. And she most certainly does not want to help Chief Thomas track down the industrious body thief. Only when one comes knocking at her door in the middle of the night – a corpse, that is – does Althea realize she’ll need to get a little help from her friends to rid her garden of otherworldly pests.

Banding together to track down the grave robber, the crew must work their most intricate spells yet. The only question is – will Rafe survive their magick? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

This is book 4 in the Hope Herring cozy mystery series by USA TODAY Bestselling Author J.A. Whiting and Nell McCarthy.
It is February in North Carolina and Valentine’s Day is fast approaching The holidays are hard for Hope since losing her husband, and this one, in particular, will be difficult.
She and her resident ghost keep looking for clues to his hundred-year old murder and as she continues to research her husband’s death, she finds things that frighten her.
If all that wasn’t enough, Hope is worried about one of her students, and when one thing leads to another she ends up embroiled in a mess of a situation.
Will Hope be able to keep her daughter, Cori, her student, and herself safe or will danger strike before she figures out what’s going on? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

This winter wonderland isn’t quite so innocent after all…

Determined to create a picturesque winter experience at the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast inn, Brenda Rivers eagerly awaits the arrival of her new guests for the weekend. This year brings a wide selection of visitors from all walks of life – from a soft-spoken Amish couple to a plastic surgeon and Anaesthesiologist who just can’t seem to get along. Brenda tries her best to keep the peace and make sure all her guests have a good time.

But when one of their guests turns up brutally murdered and left almost unrecognizable in the midst of a harmless sledding contest, Brenda’s hopes of a perfect weekend are shattered. With her guest’s rival going strangely quiet, his wife crying crocodile tears, and the Amish couple mysteriously coming last in a sport they claimed to be the best at, Brenda must put all of her sleuthing skills to the test if she wants to unravel the truth.

Can Brenda unmask a killer for Christmas? Or will her guest’s murder slip into the background of cold cases?

If you love cozy mysteries with a magical wintery setting and a case which will keep you hooked from the very first page, then you’ll adore Sledding Away with Murder. Scroll up and grab your copy today! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

She partied with rock’n’roll royalty.
They’ll kill to keep their crowns.

Cordelia Dean danced in the rain at Woodstock, drank with Jimi Hendrix in Paris, practiced yoga with John and Yoko at the Dakota, shared a room with Patti Smith at the Chelsea Hotel.

Or so she says.

Now Cordy Dean is a washed-up rock journalist living off Social Security in a crumbling house in Palmyrton, NJ. Estate sale organizer Audrey Nealon must sift through Cordy’s trove of rock memorabilia and find some saleable items to keep the aging hippie solvent.

The collector’s items Cordy boasts about might be figments of her imagination…or might be valuable enough to kill for.

When a man turns up murdered in Palmyrton, Audrey discovers the freaks and misfits who surround Cordy aren’t as harmless as she thought. And her search for rock and roll treasure takes on new intensity. Because the objects that lie concealed in Cordy’s house just might rewrite the cultural history of the seventies.

Everyone knows history is written by the winners.

After the losers get killed. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Somebody Wanted the Homecoming Queen Murdered

The annual homecoming parade isn’t as jovial as it should be when the Homecoming Queen is found murdered on one of the floats. She was rumored to be a siren. Did one of her suitors get tired of being strung along? Or was jealousy part of the equation? With young girls vying for the attention of certain men, mundane or magical, sometimes envy can turn evil.

Aunt Tiegan and Granny have their own ways with teaching magic. Will Thea be stuck in between their feuding?

And what does Thea learn when she meets a college professor who went to school with her mother?

***Find out in the 4th installment of the Tabby Kitten Witch Mystery Series*** (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle