New Releases For The Week Of March 14th, 2021–Part 1

The new novel in the transporting New York Times bestselling Inspector Montalbano mystery series

Giovanni Trincanato has brought ruin to the shipyard he inherited from his father and when a worker he fires hangs himself on the construction site, Inspector Montalbano is called to the scene. In short order, the inspector loses his temper with the crass Giovanni, delivers a slap to his face, and unfortunately, it won’t be the last he sees of Trincanato. Meanwhile, a mysterious schooner called Halcyon shows up in the harbor, seemingly deserted except for just one man. With its presence comes even more mysteries, another death, and the arrival of the FBI. Alongside Sicilian-American Agent Pennisi, Montalbano and his team must attempt a suspenseful infiltration operation in this new, page-turning Inspector Montalbano mystery. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

“A heart-pounding roller coaster ride.”—Tami Hoag, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boy

*A Crime Reads Most Anticipated Book of 2021*

A serial killer and his copycat are locked in a violent game of cat and mouse. Can DI Anjelica Henley stop them before it’s too late?

On the day she returns to active duty with the Serial Crimes Unit, Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley is called to a crime scene. Dismembered body parts from two victims have been found by the river.

The modus operandi bears a striking resemblance to Peter Olivier, the notorious Jigsaw Killer, who has spent the past two years behind bars. When he learns that someone is co-opting his grisly signature—the arrangement of victims’ limbs in puzzle-piece shapes—he decides to take matters into his own hands.

As the body count rises, DI Anjelica Henley is faced with an unspeakable new threat. Can she apprehend the copycat killer before Olivier finds a way to get to him first? Or will she herself become the next victim?

Drawing on her experience as a criminal attorney, debut novelist Nadine Matheson delivers the page-turning crime novel of the year. Taut, vivid and addictively sinister, The Jigsaw Man will leave you breathless until the very last page. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

In the new Tourist Trap mystery from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a new art studio has opened in the coastal California town of South Cove—but it’s about to turn into a crime scene . . .

As the owner of Coffee, Books, and More, Jill Gardner likes to support other Main Street businesses, so she attends a paint-and-sip event where, sadly, her brushstrokes look more like blobs. It’s still fun, though—aside from some disruption by a couple doing more sipping than painting. Jill’s police-detective boyfriend is on alert, but a designated driver volunteers to take the drunken pair back to their bed and breakfast, and everything seems resolved. Until the wife’s body turns up the next morning back in the studio.

The victim, Nan, is from out of town, so it’s hard to imagine who’d have a motive aside from her spouse. Now, in between puzzling over her fortuneteller neighbor’s strange behavior, preparing for her best friend’s wedding, and pouring cups of java at the bookstore, Jill must uncover the secrets of Nan’s life and find out who wanted her out of the picture . . .

Praise for Lynn Cahoon

“I love the author’s style, which was warm and friendly . . . [A] wonderfully appealing series.”
—Dru’s Book Musings on the Tourist Trap Mysteries

“Well-crafted . . . Cat and crew prove to be engaging characters and Cahoon does a stellar job of keeping them—and the reader—guessing.”
—Mystery Sceneon A Story to Kill (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Spring has brought many new beginnings into the world of Persimmon ‘Simmy’ Brown. Not only has her baby arrived, but she and her fiancé Christopher have moved to the historic village of Hartsop – and their forthcoming nuptials are only a short month away.

But when a former acquaintance of Christopher’s reminds him of an undertaking made a decade previously but failed to fulfil, their lives soon take a sinister – and deadly – turn. Yet even with a young baby to consider Simmy cannot ignore her instinct to investigate, especially when the murder has a personal link to her soon-to-be husband. Ably assisted by her would-be detective friend Ben, can Simmy puzzle out this reckoning from the past and protect her family in time for the wedding bells to chime? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

After a contentious debate, a secluded family holds an open house to finally sell their estate. But when one among them suddenly dies, the tragedy threatens to unravel the secrets that bind them together.

***

Deborah, Patricia, and Elizabeth have lived together at the Vonville estate for decades. Of the three sisters, only Patricia has ever ventured out into the world in her adulthood: after a brief failed marriage, Patricia showed up on the doorstep of the Vonville home, light on belongings and lighter on details.

But years later, the eldest sister Deborah agrees to Patricia’s demands to sell the family estate and divide the proceeds. Elizabeth, the youngest, is devastated, all the more so because her sisters seem to be holding something back from her.

The open house fills quickly: the sisters’ real estate agent, Jack Randall, arrives, followed soon after by a young couple that falls desperately in love with the house, a thoughtful older real estate developer and his assistant—and then a ghost from the sisters’ past that leaves Deborah shaken.

Within hours, one among them is dead. And unless those who remain can unravel the secrets of the Vonville family, someone among them may be next.

A DISCOVERY AT VONVILLE is a standalone St. Clair mystery novel. Other St. Clair mysteries include:
•A DEATH AT EASTWICK
•A SCANDAL AT EASTWICK
•A BETRAYAL AT EASTWICK
•A MURDER AT MORLOCK

Praise for L.C. Warman’s works:

“Captivating” -Kirkus Reviews

“An intriguing blend of realism and reflection, unsettling discoveries and natural consequences” -Foreword Reviews

About
L.C. Warman is the author of the St. Clair mystery series. She grew up in New England, in a town where real estate contracts stipulated that you couldn’t back out if you discovered your new place was haunted. She currently lives in a Michigan lakeside town with her husband and two dogs. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Dorey Cameron just wants to do her job. But that’s nearly impossible when her dental patients don’t show up for appointments. The bizarre accidents causing them not to appear can’t be a coincidence. Someone is sabotaging her. But why? Things take a terrible turn when vandalism, mugging and murder have the police pointing the finger at Dorey. Something in her possession must be worth killing for. If Dorey can’t figure out the mystery in time, will she be the next victim? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Life for Blair Wilkes has never been better. She’s been reunited with her estranged father, while the fairies who originally founded Fairy Falls have begun to return to their former home.

When a human girl disappears and the fairies become the main suspects, however, Blair finds herself under pressure to prove their innocence. It doesn’t help that some unsavoury legends of fairies who steal human children are spreading throughout the town, while the newcomers are less than thrilled at being blamed for a crime they never committed.

Can Blair solve the mystery before the peace she fought for is shattered? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

When real estate agent Deidre Fay’s body is found in the house that Laura Magee is trying to sell for her grandmother. Laura is determined to find out who murdered Deidre. Finding Deidre’s killer, however, will not be easy because she was known for having had affairs with many men in town, some of whom were married.

While all of this is going on, Laura’s friend and co-worker, Grissy, is involved in a hotly contested dance contest, and Laura is trying to decide whether to once again get involved with her sometime boyfriend, Michael Farantello, despite the fact that he keeps returning to his ex-wife.

As Laura digs further into the case, she finds that Deidre was not exactly the kind of person she was reputed to be, and there are a number of suspects with complicated reasons for wanting her dead. She also discovers that her career as a newspaper reporter suddenly has come into conflict with her personal life. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Pet portraitist Susie Mahl has to use all her artistic know-how to get to the bottom of a fiendish Scottish mystery

Praise for the Highland Mysteries:

‘A delicious new voice in crime writing… Excellent on the English aristocracy and written in a fine wry style.’ Daily Mail

‘This is a well paced and exciting read. More please!’ Alexander McCall Smith

‘Absorbing, charming and funny.’ Antonia Fraser

Struggling with long-buried family secrets and her own recent heartbreak, artist and pet portraitist Susie Mahl hopes her brief sojourn as an art tutor at a Scottish country house will prove a distraction.

But Susie soon realises she has bigger problems than teaching her eclectic mix of students to draw a Highland cow. Beneath the beautiful landscapes of the Scottish Highlands and the grandeur of the Auchen Laggan Tosh estate lie hidden secrets. Can Susie work out what exactly is going on before it’s too late? And can anyone be trusted? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Fey Anderson has always dreamt about escaping the crowded streets of Saint Paign. Soura Heights appears to be the picture-perfect place to run to: A place where the sun is always shining, the people are welcoming, and the quirky charm of every locally owned store feels like home.

She never expected her move there to be forced upon her. But when her husband, Bruce, goes missing, her deepest fear becomes reality and determination drives her to drop city living and find the truth behind his death. The small down sheriff says there was no foul play. He claims there was no struggle, but Fey knows better. Bruce’s death was no accident and she’s resolved to prove it.

As Fey finds herself weaving effortlessly into the small town fabric, she discovers that things aren’t always as they seem. Secrets start to unravel at the seams and Fey wonders if facing the one thing she never dared, the forest, will give her clarity or take her life as well. The only way to find out is to put her faith in a friend and find an internal strength she never knew she had.

It’s all about survival in Soura Heights. Will Fey uncover what happened and bring justice for her husband, or will she be the next to fall? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

When Anna attends a play at a London theatre, death soon follows. Working together with Jerome Townson, Anna must locate a murderer before time runs out.

But even as she searches for the truth, Anna continues to be haunted by secrets from her past. A final revelation might just hold the answer to everything… (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

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Into the Blue, the third book in Kay Bratt’s By the Sea series takes you on an emotional journey filled with hope for a happily ever after.

Jules Monroe is a woman whose hard work and dedication has built a rewarding life for herself and her family. Now in her late fifties, she gives selflessly to her husband, kids, community, and their charter business. But everything comes to an abrupt halt when her body says enough, and her mind yearns for respite and a place to hide from past hurts.

Oldest son, Jonah Monroe, is a veteran haunted by a childhood tragedy. His past includes things he isn’t proud of and can’t quite shake. When his chance to be a hero finally arrives, it comes with strings attached. Will he accept the kindness of strangers to help bring his family back together, or will his demons continue to be his downfall?

Maui isn’t always the safe paradise it’s made out to be and when ancient island superstitions threaten to rob the Monroe family yet again, they must all find a way to deter the impending disaster.

Praise for Kay Bratt novels:

“Kay Bratt is a masterful storyteller, and the story’s pacing and descriptions of Maui left me always wanting more. Highly recommended for book clubs!” —Anita Abriel, international bestselling author of The Light After the War

“A baring-of-the-soul emotional story that leaves you with a heart full of love and hope.” —Carolyn Brown, New York Times bestselling author

“Kay Bratt captures a mother-daughter relationship with an authenticity rarely seen in novels.” —Bette Lee Crosby, USA Today bestselling author

“Book clubs will love Bratt’s latest!” —Kerry Lonsdale, Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

“Will sweep you away until the very last page. Don’t miss it.” —Julianne MacLean, USA Today bestselling author

“This is the kind of book that will get shared by friends and chosen by book clubs. A phenomenal story of life and love.” —Karen McQuestion, bestselling author of Hello Love

“Kay Bratt reminds us that there is always hope, and that home and family can be found in unexpected places.” —Kerry Anne King, bestselling author of Closer Home

“Book clubs will love the powerful message of this unique novel.” —Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son

“Kay Bratt delivers on all levels in this emotional and tense story of loss and resilience.” —Emily Bleeker, Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

“Bratt is a master of location, it’s even more of a pleasure when the ride takes place on Maui.” —Lea Geller, author of Trophy Life (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Janet Markham’s wedding day is perfect in every way, and she can’t imagine anything better than spending two weeks in Paris and two weeks in Venice on her honeymoon. Less than twenty-four hours later, though, her husband, Edward Bennett, has gone missing.


The last thing Janet is going to do is sit around and wait for him to come back. It isn’t long before she’s managed to get herself tangled up in Edward’s assignment, whether he wants her there or not.


Can Janet help Edward protect Bobby Armstrong from whoever is trying to kill him? Can they both keep up the pretense that they’ve never met before? Or will Edward’s handler, Mr. Jones, get Janet sent back to Doveby Dale before she can do anything at all? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

I’m not supposed to be some storybook heroine who’s all gung-ho about justice and saving the world and blah, blah, blah.

And yet… somehow I’ve ended up in this position.

It was completely by accident, of course, but now it’s up to me and my band of halflings, plus my elven grandpa and an ex-hunter, to restore the Veil between the worlds to its prior state.

Really, I’m just desperate to get home to Portland, where I can hug Mom and Grams, have a hot cup of coffee, and eat a pizza again.

The only problem? The secret to our little border issue lie in the middle of a mountain that just happens to be surrounded by evil and monsters. This should be a piece of cake, right?

Myths, Mysteries and . . . Monsters? Is the seventh book in the Midlife Mayhem Series by Melinda Chase. Melinda loves writing tales that prove life—romance—and ‘happily-ever-afters’—do exist beyond your twenties! Her debut Series features a snarky, hilarious heroine, Shannon McCarthy, and her wild adventure of mid-life self discovery filled with mystery and romance. It’s sure to please fans of traditional paranormal romance and cozy paranormal mysteries! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Bread is supposed to be the staff of life—not a murder weapon.

Every baker has their weak spot. For Poppy it’s bread. So, when The Great British Baking Contest hits bread week, she’s as fragile as an overbaked croissant. Just when she needs to keep all her focus on flour, water, yeast and salt, another ingredient enters the mix. Death.

Someone is not who they appear to be, and secrets from the past are bringing deadly consequences to the present. Poppy isn’t only a contestant in the long-running TV show, she’s also a witch and reluctant amateur sleuth. With the rest of her coven, assorted animal helpers and her ghostly sidekick Gerry, Poppy needs to solve the murder before someone else dies.

Set in the beautiful Somerset countryside, the Great Witches Baking Contest stories are all linked, but they can be read as stand alone cozy mysteries. There is no swearing, gore or sex. Just an entertaining cozy mystery with witches, ghosts, a little romance–and recipes!

From the USA Today Bestselling author of The Vampire Knitting Club. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle