New Releases For The Week Of June 27th, 2021–Part 1

There’s nothing Ruth Galloway hates more than amateur archaeologists, but when a group of them stumble upon Bronze Age artifacts alongside a dead body, she finds herself thrust into their midst—and into the crosshairs of a string of murders circling ever closer.

Ruth is back as head of archaeology at the University of North Norfolk when a group of local metal detectorists—the so-called Night Hawks—uncovers Bronze Age artifacts on the beach, alongside a recently deceased body, just washed ashore. Not long after, the same detectorists uncover a murder-suicide—a scientist and his wife found at their farmhouse, long thought to be haunted by the Black Shuck, a humongous black dog, a harbinger of death. The further DCI Nelson probes into both cases, the more intertwined they become, and the closer they circle to David Brown, the new lecturer Ruth has recently hired, who seems always to turn up wherever Ruth goes. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright is on the case when a rare edition of Rebecca leads to murder in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Bibliophile Mystery series.

Brooklyn and her hunky husband, security expert Derek Stone, have just returned from a delightful trip to Dharma, where the construction of their new home away from home is well underway, when a little black book arrives in the mail from Scotland. The book is a rare British first edition of Rebecca, and there’s no return address on the package. The day after the book arrives, Claire Quinn shows up at Brooklyn and Derek’s home. Brooklyn met Claire when the two women worked as expert appraisers on the television show This Old Attic. Brooklyn appraised books on the show and Claire’s expertise was in antique British weaponry, but they bonded over their shared love of gothic novels.

Claire reveals that during a recent trip to Scotland she discovered her beloved aunt was missing and her home had been ransacked. Among her aunt’s belongings, Claire found the receipt for the package that wound up with Brooklyn and Derek. Claire believes both her own life and her aunt’s are in danger and worries that her past may be coming back to haunt her.

But just as Brooklyn and Derek begin to investigate, a man who Claire thinks was following her is found murdered, stabbed with a priceless jeweled dagger. With a death on their doorstep, Brooklyn and Derek page through the little black book, where they discover clues that will take them to the shadows of a medieval Scottish castle on the shores of Loch Ness. Under the watchful gaze of a mysterious laird and the irascible villagers who are suspicious of the strangers in their midst, Brooklyn and Derek must decode the secrets in Rebecca to keep their friend’s past from destroying their future…. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

When a barista competition comes to town, Torte’s favorite pastry chef finds herself sleuthing once again—in the next installment of Ellie Alexander’s beloved Bakeshop Mystery Series, Mocha, She Wrote!

Summer has ushered in a new season in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon. Torte is bustling with tourists taking in star-drenched shows at the Elizabethan, setting out to hike in the surrounding Siskiyou Mountains, and sampling the bakeshop’s summer lineup of raspberry lemon tarts and mint mojito cold brews. Jules and the team are buzzing with excitement when they learn that Andy, Torte’s head barista, has been selected to compete in the West Coast Barista Cup.

The prestigious competition draws coffee aficionados from up and down the coast to Ashland. The winner will not only claim to be best-in-brew, but also be awarded a hefty cash prize. Andy’s nervous about his chances, but Jules is confident that her star barista will shine. However, things take a grim turn when head judge Benson Vargas spits out Andy’s first offering, claiming it to be the worst thing to ever touch his lips—and hours later, is found dead clutching Andy’s creamy latte. Suddenly Torte’s favorite barista becomes the number one suspect. There’s no roast for the weary. Jules will have to sleuth out whodunit to clear Andy’s name and catch a killer before she ends up with one foot in the grounds. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

With a new litter of Standard Poodles on the way, it’s shaping up to be a vibrant July in Greenwich, Connecticut, for Melanie Travis. Too bad there’s a killer in town who would love to drain the life out of her summer . . .

While usually protective, Melanie feels comfortable sending her sons to the Graceland School’s summer camp for two reasons: The institution is well-regarded and proprietor Emily Grace is a trusted friend. But Emily has been acting strange since three rambunctious Dalmatian puppies suddenly appeared on her doorstep. The unusual arrival marks the first of several mysterious happenings at camp, each more intense than the last. Emily’s rough streak takes a frightening turn with a discovery in the nearby woods—the body of her estranged ex-husband.
 
As suspicions rush in, proving that Emily didn’t murder her biggest mistake will be about as easy as raising prize-winning show dogs. Realizing she’s the only one who can prove her friend’s innocence and keep the Graceland School from shutting down, Melanie dives into an investigation on the victim’s whereabouts leading up to his demise. With a few spotty clues and Aunt Peg’s growing curiosity about the Dalmatian pups’ origins, Melanie must name the culprit before good intentions come back to bite! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover

The charming coastal town of Bar Harbor, Maine, has a fancy new Italian restaurant—and a nasty new murder . . .
 
As the food and cocktails columnist for the Island Times, it’s Hayley Powell’s job to stay on top of the latest eateries in town. Just in time for the summer tourist season, Chef Romeo, a successful restaurateur from New York City, has opened an establishment called—naturally—Romeo’s. But between his over-the-top temperament and his no-holds-barred diet, Chef Romeo may not live through the grand opening.
 
When the chef actually does suffer a mild heart attack, he ends up sharing a hospital room with Hayley’s brother Randy, who’s there for gall bladder surgery. Chef Romeo has tasted Hayley’s cooking and asks her to take over his restaurant while he’s laid up. But this temporary gig may turn permanent, after the chef dies from complications. Only thing is, Randy tells a different story. He might have been sedated, but Hayley’s bro swears he saw someone come into their room and put Romeo out of his misery. Now it’s up to Hayley to find the person who had no reservations about killing the chef . . .
 
Includes delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!  (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Audiobook

Courtney Kelly has a shop full of delights, a cat named Pixie, a green thumb—and a magical touch when it comes to garden design. But in Carmel-by-the-Sea, things aren’t all sweetness and fairy lights . . .

When Courtney’s friend Wanda gets into a ponytail-pulling wrestling match in public with a nasty local art critic, Courtney stops the fight with the help of a garden hose. But Lana Lamar has a talent for escalating things and creating tension, which she succeeds in doing by threatening a lawsuit, getting into yet another scuffle—in the midst of an elegant fundraiser, no less—and lobbing insults around like pickleballs.  
 
Next thing Courtney knows, Lana is on the floor, stabbed with a decorative letter opener from one of Courtney’s fairy gardens, and Wanda is standing by asking “What have I done?” But the answer may not be as obvious as it seems, since Wanda is prone to sleepwalking and appears to be in a daze. Could she have risen from her nap and committed murder while unconscious? Or is the guilty party someone else Lana’s ticked off, like her long-suffering husband? To find out, Courtney will have to dig up some dirt . . .
 
Praise for Daryl Wood Gerber’s A Sprinkling of Murder
 
“Enchanting series launch from Agatha Award winner Gerber . . . Cozy fans will wish upon a star for more.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A winner. . . . Fans of Laura Childs’ work will enjoy.”
—Booklist (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Audiobook

Gluten-free baker Poppy McAllister is about to see the ugly side of beauty expos . . .
 
Easter weekend on the Jersey Shore is hopping. Poppy’s Bed and Breakfast is busier than ever, but she needs to leave things in the hopefully capable hands of Aunt Ginny—and paws of Figaro the black smoke Persian. She’s selling her paleo muffins and keto cookies at the Health and Beauty Expo in Cape May’s Convention Hall. Normally sharing a booth with the love of her life would be a treat, but she’s recently discovered secrets that throw her new romance into chaos.
 
But more secrets are about to be exposed at the expo. In his keynote address, prominent cosmetic surgeon Dr. Lance Rubin reveals his breakthrough anti-aging technology. Unfortunately, someone has one-upped him with a truly foolproof anti-aging formula: murder. With the plastic surgeon dead under his own UV mask, and bedlam reigning in the hall and back at the B&B, Poppy needs to follow a twisted trail marked by glowing footprints to unmask a killer . . .
 
Includes Seven Recipes from Poppy’s Kitchen!
 
“Fans of Chopped will have fun juggling the complicated set of suspects and following a romantic triangle that has yet to be resolved.”
—Kirkus Reviews on Restaurant Weeks Are Murder (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
 

Jeffrey B. Burton’s The Keepers is the next installment of the Mace Reid K-9 series, featuring golden retriever cadaver dog Vira and her handler, Mason Reid.

Mason “Mace” Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection—that is, he trains dogs to hunt for dead bodies. He calls his pack of cadaver dogs The Finders, and his prize pupil is a golden retriever named Vira.

When Mace Reid and Vira are called in to search Washington Park at three o’clock in the morning, what they find has them running for their very lives. The trail of murder and mayhem Mace and CPD Officer Kippy Gimm have been following leads them to uncover treachery and corruption at the highest level, and their discoveries do not bode well for them . . . nor for the Windy City itself.

The Keepers is an exciting, fast-paced mystery filled with courageous dogs you’ll want to root for. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

“There is so much to like about the cozy perfection that is Catie Murphy’s Death on the Green, from the lush Irish travelogue to the precise balance between comic relief and crime.”
—Bookpage STARRED REVIEW

Squiring a self-proclaimed heiress around Dublin has got limo driver Megan Malone’s Irish up—until she finds the woman dead . . .

American-born Cherise Williams believes herself to be heir to an old Irish earldom, and she’s come to Dublin to claim her heritage. Under the circumstances, Megan’s boss Olga at Leprechaun Limos has no qualms about overcharging the brash Texas transplant for their services. Megan chauffeurs Cherise to the ancient St. Michan’s Church, where the woman intends to get a wee little DNA sample from the mummified earls—much to the horror of the priest.

But before she can desecrate the dead, Cherise Williams is murdered—just as her three daughters arrive to also claim their birthright. With rumors of famine-era treasure on the lands owned by the old Williams family and the promise of riches for the heirs, greed seems a likely motive. But when Olga surprisingly becomes the Garda’s prime suspect, Megan attempts to steer the investigation away from her bossand solve the murder with the help of the dashing Detective Bourke. With a killer who’s not wrapped too tight, she’ll need to proceed with caution—or she could go from driving a limo to riding in a hearse . . .

Praise for Dead in Dublin

“[Murphy’s] irrepressible debut provides a lively entry in the Dublin Driver Mysteries.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Dead in Dublin serves up an interesting whodunit story as it helps push the cozy mystery genre forward into the new decade. One cannot help but be curious to see how this new series unfolds.” —Criminal Element (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

FIRST BOOK IN A BRAND-NEW ISLAND COZY MYSTERY SERIES

It’s all fun in the sun until there’s a murder in paradise

Looking for an escape to the Caribbean? Check out this new series:

• Great beach read
• Perfect for fans of Ellery Adams and Vicki Delany
• For readers of mysteries set in paradise

After Plum Lockhart’s job as a travel magazine editor is eliminated in corporate cuts, she decides she’s sick of cold winters in NYC and fruitless swiping on dating apps—what she needs is a dramatic change of scenery. On a whim, she accepts a job as a villa broker and moves to a beautiful Caribbean island.

However, paradise isn’t as perfect as it seems: the slow pace of island life, the language barrier, and a cutthroat office rival make Plum question leaving her old life behind. But when a client is found dead in the jacuzzi of Casa Mango—a property Plum manages—she knows she’s really in a jam. With a killer loose on the island Plum will have to deal with a stonewalling police chief, a string of baffling clues, and a handsome Director of Security to solve this deadly case! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Appalachian artist and local guide Miranda Trent opens a new murder investigation after her Paint & Shine tour group discovers the remains of a missing hiker along an ancient trail . . .

For her latest excursion, Miranda is thrilled to take a close-knit group of rock climbers, the Risky Business Adventurers, up the challenging Battleship Rock Trail to paint and sample moonshine. But the outing is cut short when they discover a skeleton near the trailhead. Even more startling, the bones belong to Howard Cable, Miranda’s cousin…and a former classmate of the Risky Business group.

The sheriff chalks it up to a hiking accident, but Miranda isn’t convinced that Howard, an experienced woodsman, died within sight of a well-marked trail. So, with the help of Ranger Austin Morgan, Miranda sets out on her own investigation and discovers that the Risky Business group is keeping plenty of secrets. But is one of them hiding the truth about Howard’s death?  

Praise for STILL KNIFE PAINTING:

“With its colorful characters, charming Southern setting, and well-plotted mystery, the Paint & Shine series is the perfect blend of all things cozy.”
—Ellery Adams, NYT and USA Today best-selling author

“Using a palette of clever plot twists and intriguing characters, Cheryl Hollon creates a richly drawn world that’s both bucolic and dangerous in Still Knife Painting. Readers will take a shine to this addictive new series!”
—Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Audiobook

Dirty cops, hidden identities and a deadly stalker…

Police handler Tate Emory is thankful that Sabrina Jones saved his trusty K-9 companion, Sitka, but he didn’t sign up for national media exposure. That publicity unveils his true identity to the dirty Boston cops he took down…and brings Sabrina’s murderous stalker even closer to his target. With their covers blown, Tate will risk his life—and his guarded heart—to save Sabrina from a fatal end.

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in theA K-9 Alaska Novel series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order: 

Book 1: K-9 Defense
Book 2: Alaska Mountain Rescue
Book 3: K-9 Cold Case
Book 4: K-9 Hideout (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

How can Dorothy Martin clear an elderly woman of murder, when she can’t remember if she did it or not?

American Anglophile Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired chief constable Alan Nesbit, are enjoying a pleasant, albeit rain-soaked, stay in the historic university city of Durham with their old friend David Tregarth. Castle tours and cathedral services fill their days as they wander up and down the steep, cobbled lanes of the medieval city. But the holiday comes to an abrupt halt when David’s elderly great-aunt is accused of the murder of a fellow patient at her nursing home. How could a frail dementia sufferer commit such a terrible deed? Dorothy is determined to prove Aunt Amanda’s innocence, and launches into an unofficial investigation. But as she and David navigate their way amongst reckless students, inefficient police work and witnesses who have lost the ability to remember, the investigation soon becomes as twisty, slippery and treacherous as the damp cobblestones outside . . . (Amazon)

Editions Available: Hardcover, Paperback

Puppets are cute, right? Deadly too!

With her boyfriend MIA and her trip-of-a-lifetime canceled, cash-strapped Jill Cooksey decides to use her vacation to moonlight on the set of a children’s TV show and earn some much needed dough. The Mr. Snicklefritz Show is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, and all Jill has to do is give tours of the set and answer questions. Even better, she gets to meet all her childhood heroes: Mr. Snicklefritz, Princess Gretel, and Squirrelly-Joe. How difficult could it be?

Deadly difficult.

When a puppeteer is murdered, Jill’s excitement turns to fear as she learns that puppets have problems and what you see on TV is far from the truth. With the TV network threatening cancellation, can Jill figure out who’s pulling the strings and save The Mr. Snicklefritz Show?

Death of a Dolly Waggler is the latest madcap adventure for Jill Cooksey, a PR professional whose clients never fail to misbehave but whose friends always have her back. With the help of her PR Posse, Jill takes on clients, criminals, and the New York dating scene. It’s hard to say which is worse.

LESLEY ST. JAMES is also the author of the award-winning novel The Sweet Scent of Death, which first introduced feisty sleuth Jill Cooksey. Connect with Lesley at http://www.lesleystjames.com. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Trouble has a way of finding Blanche Murninghan…

When Blanche “Bang” Murninghan visits an exhibit of ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico City, she sees that all is not ancient. One of the mummies has a pink hair clip embedded in its haylike do, and the texture of the skin is not quite right.

Blanche, a part-time journalist, starts to dig for answers and gets tangled in the mystery of the mummy at the Palacio Nacional.Her cousin and traveling companion, Haasi Hakla, aids and abets and puts the reins on Blanche. All the while, the two eat and drink their way across the city, following one hunch after another with a cast of colorful characters that include a prescient elderly chilanga, an amiable overworked detective, and a stunning doctor of shady deeds.

The cousins are willing to risk kidnapping and attempted murder to get at the truth, but first, Blanche stops for another excellent beer and Haasi delights in one more taco al pastor.

Trouble Down Mexico Way is the second book in the Blanche Murninghan cozy mystery series. Each of the books can be read as a stand-alone. Foreword Reviews is in love with the “spunky heroine” and Kirkus Reviews says, “There’s a reason Blanche Murninghan’s cousin Jack calls her ‘Bang.’ When she gets mad, it’s an event to rival a Santa Maria Island sunset and it happens about as often.”

Fans of Jana Deleon’s Miss Fortune Mystery series and Tonya Kappes A Camper and Criminals Cozy series will fall hard for the colorful characters and exciting misadventures in the Blanche Murningnan Mysteries. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback