I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author Allie Pleiter and her newbook Knit or Dye Trying. It is the second book in her A Riverbank Knitting Mystery. I read it and it was good.
Knit or Dye Trying (A Riverbank Knitting Mystery) Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series Setting – Maryland Berkley (April 5, 2022) Mass Market Paperback : 304 pages ISBN-10 : 0593201809 ISBN-13 : 978-0593201800 Kindle ASIN : B093YRVK42
Knit or Dye Trying (A Riverbank Knitting Mystery) by Allie Pleiter
You’re just going to have to read, KNIT or DYE TRYING for yourself! ~Lisa Ks Book Reviews
Business is booming for Libby Beckett and her fabulous Maryland shop, aptly named Y.A.R.N., but when a town festival brings a fatality with it, Libby gets all tangled up in murder.
As spring comes to Collinstown, the village launches a food festival to draw a new group of tourists. Libby, the proud owner of Y.A.R.N., has planned a yarn event to provide an alternative option to a foodie weekend. Artisan fiber dyer Julie Wilson—known for her work with animal-friendly, plant-based knitting fibers such as bamboo and hemp as well as her brilliant use of color—will hopefully draw a crowd with a special dyeing workshop.
The festival begins, but it draws more than crowds. First, a flock of sheep parades down the street, herded by farmers protesting Julie’s antiwool stance. Then Julie’s celebrity chef sister appears, and the siblings resume a long-standing rivalry. Despite all this, Julie’s workshop has sold out. Libby is thrilled, and they’re preparing for a full house. But the night before the event, Julie is found alone in the warehouse event space—dead. The witty “Watch Julie Wilson Dye” workshop title now has a terrible new meaning—and it’s up to Libby to catch a crafty killer.
“You’re behind this!” George accused me, still not bothering to say what “this” was. “You did this!”
Margo, who was sitting closer to the window, stood up and began walking toward the door. George was on her heels like an impatient tailgater on the DC Beltway. As she looked out my shopwindow, her expression of “there goes George again” changed immediately to startled disbelief.
“Um . . . Libby?”
As I got up from my chair, I began to notice the other people on the street I could see through the shopwindow. They were all staring in the direction of George’s pointing finger and Linda’s wide eyes.
I heard it before I saw it. A sound I knew, but couldn’t associate with Collin Avenue. It couldn’t be.
It was. A bleat.
A whole lot of bleating, in fact. And quite a few car horns. And shouting. As if a herd of . . .
By the time I reached the door, my brain tried to wrap itself around the sight that met my eyes.
For some inexplicable reason, a sizable herd of sheep was making its way down Collin Avenue.
An avid knitter, coffee junkie and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction working on as many as four novels at a time. The bestselling author of over fifty books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-year career with over 1.5 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers.
Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent and amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father’s widow and books a sixtieth birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will include the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby might be the main suspect.
Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with charming local sheriff, Manual Gonzales. An embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, can’t quell her determination to clear the name of her ex-stepmother.
While gathering clues and interviewing witnesses, however, she suspects dear old step-mom isn’t the only one in jeopardy.
About Mary Cunningham
“I live in my own little world, but it’s okay, they know me here.”
Author, Mary Cunningham grew up in the sleepy little town of Corydon, Indiana. And she really means, “in the town!” Her house was just beyond the main intersection that took Southern Indiana cars and trucks from north to west. That was well before I-64 zoomed traffic just north of town, so imagine the teeth-grinding sound an 18-wheeler made wheeling around the tight corner, then downshifting as they passed her house. Winter? Not so bad. Summer with the windows open? Countless sleepless nights sitting on the porch with her dad telling stories and learning about the constellations.
After 10 years as a bank teller, followed by a horrifying stint as a travel agent and more rewarding experience teaching travel and tourism and the airline computer reservation system, she finally realized that her heart belonged to writing.
Her childhood experiences, and a recurring dream about a mysterious attic, inspired her to create characters, Cynthia and Augusta Lee, for her award-winning ‘Tween series, “Cynthia’s Attic.” Like Cynthia and Gus, her childhood best friend, Cynthia and she grew up in a small, Southern Indiana town…the setting for the series. Cunningham and her friends spent much of the summer playing softball, hide and seek, badminton, and croquet in a vacant lot on her block. Years later, those joyful summers would be recalled in the five-book series, “Cynthia’s Attic.”
She is also co-author of the humor-filled lifestyle book, (WOOF) Women Only Over Fifty, along with a published short stories, Ghost Light, and “Cynthia’s Attic” short story, Christmas With Daisy.
Her latest adult mystery, Margaritas, Mayhem & Murder, An Andi Anna Jones Mystery (Book 1) is being released April 27, 2022. A biography of an army brat/college and professional basketball player who has established a foundation to provide scholarships to children of deployed military veterans, will be published in the spring, 2022.
Cunningham is a member of The International Thriller Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, national chapter, Sisters in Crime, regional chapter, and the Carrollton Writers Guild.
When she gives her fingers a day away from the keyboard, she enjoys golf, swimming and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where she makes her home with her husband. Together they’ve raised three creative children, have 2 granddaughters and an adopted, four-legged, furry daughter, Lucy.
At last count, she’s moved 9 times into six different states (all after the age of 36), and aside from the packing and unpacking, she believes it’s been a great experience, having made some very dear and lasting friendships.
She may be reached through her website: Marycunninghambooks.com. or through The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Margaritas, Mayhem and Murder is the first book in her An Andi Anna Jones Mysteries. It has been updated and expanded. She also is the author of Cynthia’s Attic series.
Synopsis:
Andi’s step-mother is a real piece of work! But is Ruby a murderer?
Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent/amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father’s widow and books a 60th birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will lead to the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby will be the main suspect.
Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with the charming local sheriff, Manuel Rodriquez. After an embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, a chance to check out an eyewitness to the murder leads her to Las Vegas.
In Vegas, a mysterious meeting in the Bodies Exhibition, a body preserving in the prep-room, and an evasive owner of a dance studio, give Andi clues to help Ruby. But when Andi is mercilessly drugged and locked in a storage room, she realizes dear old step-mom isn’t the only one in jeopardy. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Andi is a no-nonsense woman who does not really like to be told what to do. When her former stepmother, Ruby, calls and demands that Andi help her out of the mess that she has gotten herself in (a murder charge), Andi is not happy but what can she do? She promised her dad that she would watch out for Ruby, so she knows she has to help. Ruby is a real pain, and Andi has a hard time being anywhere near her. Her sister, Georgia, has a family and really cannot leave them to help with Ruby’s problem. I personally thought that Georgia was a spoiled person and I really did not like her very much. I did like Andi and I thought her sarcasm and some of her actions were funny. I really enjoyed get to meet har and learn more about her.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the story, I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place. The mystery was well plotted and I felt there was a fair amount of clues to pick up on. But I thought that the mystery ended abruptly and I would have liked it to have been developed and drawn out a little more. That is only my opinion and other’s may not agree with me.
I would recommend this book to all of those who like a funny well written cozy mystery. I hope this is the start of a new series because I would like to be able to spend more time with Andi and see what she gets up in next. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, when it is released.
USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes brings you southern and quirky characters in her mystery series. Her stories are charged with humor, friendship, family and life in small southern towns.
Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where nothing is normal!
When Hank Sharpe asked me in the laundry club ladies to join him in an undercover investigation to help find a missing person, me and ladies grabbed our sleuthing notebook without hesitation.
As undercover Forest Bathing Therapist trainees we were bound and determined to find out with happened to Kyra Tenney. When we did find her body in what appeared to be an accidental forest fire, we thought we were finished with our undercover act.
Only the coroner’s report came back that our missing person had been killed before the fire.
Put on your sleuthing caps and join Mae West along with the Laundry Club Ladies as they take their investigation skills to a whole ‘nuther level! Especially after Mae finds herself in the fire!
Review:
Mae and the Laundry Club Ladies are at it again. They are going undercover, along with Hank, to find out what happened to a missing person. They go undercover as Forest Bathing Therapists and this makes for a fun job, especially with Dottie. Join them on their quest and see if they can figure it out.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions brought the book alive in my mind’s eye. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and the mystery was not easily solved.
I would highly recommend this book (and series) to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. You got to love Mae and friends.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and provided my honest review.
It’s Tinworthy village’s summer fete: a brass band, cream teas, gentle gossip… and a body on the beach? The party’s just getting started for super sleuth Kate Palmer!
Kate Palmer thought spending the day at Tinworthy’s annual summer party would involve sea air, sunshine and Cornish cream cake – how very wrong she was! When Kate goes for a cliff-top walk she is shocked to spot the body of Sienna Stone – Cornwall’s biggest gossip – on the sandy beach below.
Rumours swirl around the close-knit community and all eyes are on Kate. Half the village saw her arguing with Sienna at the party earlier that day. It was the usual bickering between neighbours, but when Kate finds herself in the frame can she – and her new husband Woody Forrest – solve the puzzling death and clear her name?
There’s a long list of people who might have wanted to push Sienna – her long-suffering husband Irvin, her jealous younger sister Sally and Timmy Thomson, the man who idolised her, not to mention all the villagers who felt the sharp end of her tongue. Finding out the truth isn’t going to be easy…
Just as Kate thinks she’s getting closer to an answer, an unexpected afternoon visitor shares some curious information over tea and scones that sets her on an entirely different path. And soon she starts to wonder if she might be in real danger too…
Can Kate solve the curious case before the murderer declares the party over? Or have her days of sleuthing come to an end?
If you love cosy crime stories complete with quirky characters, twisty plots and plenty of suspects, A Body on the Beach will have you absolutely hooked until the very last page! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase.
Why readers are gripped by A Body on the Beach:
‘This series just keeps getting better! I am in love with the charm of Higher, Lower and Middle Tinsworthy. The pubs, the restaurants, the shops and the villagers became more familiar with each new mystery… I’m looking forward to what comes next! @khhsc, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Made me smile and had me captivated.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘With a likeable protagonist in Kate, a colourful cast of supporting characters, and a delightful setting this is another thoroughly enjoyable, fully entertaining read providing some gentle escapism.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A brilliant story and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I loved it… if you haven’t tried these books give them a go, this can be read as a stand alone but the series is so good I would start at Book 1. Enjoyable, humorous, relaxing read from a fabulous author10/10.’ Book Mark!, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Yet another great read. I love the detectives in these books. Perfect read for a summer afternoon laying in the garden.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Great twist!… I loved the resolution… I look forward to the next in the series.’ Celebrating Authors, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Beautifully written… I got really invested in the story. I would highly recommend reading this one. NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
A new life. A clumsy stray. But when Megan decided to open a shop on the boardwalk of Seacrest… she never planned on murder.
Uprooting her life to the tiny seaside town of Seacrest has been a lifelong dream. But it wasn’t just her boyfriend’s proposal that set her plans in motion. The final words of Megan’s late best friend still ring in her ears. “Promise me you’ll live your dreams, Meg.”
And so, she went.
However, her first day running her new scooter rental shop comes with one massive hiccup. A purse-snatcher dashes out the front door and Megan takes off after him. The man collides with a huge Great Dane and tumbles to the ground, but when Megan stops to asses the situation, she finds a few things are very suspicious. For one, the Great Dane is wearing someone’s glasses. But, more importantly, the purse thief is a billionaire who couldn’t possibly be hurting for money. As the moment unravels, she finds it was all a harmless prank.
But not everything Megan encounters is as harmless as it seems. There’s the charming English woman who runs a bookstore a few doors down, and the young college student Santiago who’s a shameless flirt, the billionaire himself, along with the fireman, the construction crew, and the rest of the gang. Somewhere out there is a murderer, and as she stumbles across the clues, they sets their sites on Megan.
A charming tale of mix-ups and mysteries where the beauty of Seacrest brings you to the page, and the chilling taste of danger holds you there. Explore the wonders of the pacific coastline with Megan and be inspired. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find the courage to chase your dreams as well. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
The Late Frank Jamieson Had a Secret Life…Cat says, “NO,” in Fleece the Cat, a 9 Lives Cozy Mystery from Louise Clark
–Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada—
Pam Muir claims the late Frank Jamieson is the father of her child and wants money from the family trust. But Frank, the cat, denies the allegations. Christy believes the woman is on the hustle, planning to fleece the Jamiesons with a tall tale and phony documents.
Then, on the day Pam is supposed to supply her proof, she is killed, murdered on her way to the meeting. To protect the family trust and Frank’s reputation, Christy investigates, and it isn’t long before she discovers Pam’s sordid past and a long history of duping men.
With secrets abounding, one of those men is angry enough to kill. Now, Christy must protect the family Trust, Franks’s reputation, and her own life.
Publisher Note: The 9 Lives Cozy Mysteries, while containing some very mild profanity, will be enjoyed by readers of clean and wholesome cozy mysteries. Cat lovers and those fond of all things feline, as well as readers of Amanda Lee, Denise Grover Swank, Rita Mae Brown’s Sneaky Pie Brown Mysteries, and Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s Joe Grey Mysteries, will not want to miss this series.
The 9 Lives Cozy Mysteries The Cat Came Back The Cat’s Paw Cat Got Your Tongue Let Sleeping Cats Lie Cat Among the Fishes Cat in the Limelight Fleece the Cat
About The Author: Louise Clark has been the adopted mom of several cats with big personalities. The feline who inspired Stormy, the cat in the 9 Lives books, dominated her household for twenty loving years. During that time, he created a family pecking order that left Louise on top and her youngest child on the bottom (just below the guinea pig), regularly tried to eat all his sister’s food (he was a very large cat), and learned the joys of travel through a cross-continent road trip. The 9 Lives Cozy Mystery Series—as well as the single title mystery, A Recipe For Trouble, are all set in her hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback
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April showers bring murder!
Donations are pouring in for the charity yard sale, but as Kay and her friends sort through the glassware and gently used appliances, they discover a real skull in a box of old Halloween decorations.
The find re-opens a years-old missing person case, giving a local family closure but opening up a trunk-load of questions.
Kay is on the job, digging into a cold case that someone never wanted brought to light. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Muffin but clues!
When the unthinkable happens—another murder, ex-celebrity chef Lyra St. Claire is hounded by the paparazzi once more.
The sheriff doesn’t appreciate her help, but how can she carry on as if nothing’s happened? To make matters worse, her new waitress is causing problems at the diner.
Her beagle, Cinnamon, sniffs out more than muffins and Lyra has to make a choice between family and friends when love is in the air.
Will she solve the crime before the paparazzi make her worst fears come true?
Beagle Diner Cozy Mysteries are light and entertaining, with a passel of clues, delicious baking and a one clever beagle.
Beagle Diner Cozy Mysteries Beagles Love Cupcake Crimes Beagles Love Steak Secrets Beagles Love Muffin But Murder
Cheryl is a USA Today bestselling author from beautiful Auckland, New Zealand with two alter egos: C.A. Phipps writes cozy mysteries and Cheryl Phipps writes romance and women’s fiction. Loving stories filled with feisty heroines, suave heroes, and wonderful small towns, she enjoys crafting her own heart-warming tales of strong family ties, mixed in with a little romance, humor, and delicious baking! Her favorite things are family times, cooking, travel, and the perfect latte. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
Sometimes the smallest towns have the biggest secrets…
Karla Bell is good at three things: running her successful concierge business, being fiercely independent, and detecting lies.
When her late grandmother is falsely implicated in two mysterious deaths, Karla is determined to uncover the truth and clear her family’s name. Even if she has to use every corporate skill she has, accept help from friends and family, and turn herself into a human lie detector.
Can Karla solve both mysteries and reveal the true culprit(s) before the small-town rumour mill grinds her family’s reputation into dust?
If you like humourous cozy mysteries with a bit of small-town Canadian life, a close group of fun, loveable characters, dogs, and cats, then there’s something in this series for you.
Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
Each book in the Bellbrook Murder Mystery Series contains a standalone mystery that is solved by the end of the book. The books can be read in any order, however the characters’ lives and relationships evolve and change as the series progresses.
When Reading’s ME, Dr. Lloyd Aberstock, asks Fiona Fleming to investigate a clinical trial, she’s on the case immediately. With the life and death balance of his beloved Bernice in peril, Fee digs into Dr. Aberstock’s concerns with help from her own husband, Crew. Fee uncovers deceit, sabotage and corporate espionage, all while trying to stay under the radar when one of the trial’s doctors ends up dead. But is the drug a fraud, or will the death of its creator put Bernice’s recovery at risk by ending the trial early?
Available now from Fleming Investigations Cozy Mysteries: Patent Pending and Death Inquiring Minds and Death Finding Zen and Death All In and Death Out With the Old and Death Tropical Destinations and Death (Family Enterprise and Death – March 29th) (Amazon)
Sage Caplin is taking her Portland coffee cart on the road to a sustainable music festival, but murder is an unwanted special guest . . .
At Campathon, an annual eco-friendly festival held on a farm outside of Portland, fans celebrate the Pacific Northwest’s music scene in quintessential PDX style—with gourmet food carts, reusable utensils . . . and lots of coffee. How else to get through three days of nonstop entertainment? Sage has scored a coveted place for her Ground Rules coffee cart thanks to her new-ish boyfriend, Bax, who’s friendly with Maya, one of the musicians performing.
The festivities begin with a stream of customers, friends, and acquaintances stopping by for Ground Rules’ world-class blends, expertly brewed by Sage and her newest barista. But there are tensions between Maya and her former bandmates, who are on the cusp of making it big, and with Ian, the band’s manager. When Sage stumbles upon Ian’s dead body in the nearby woods—his hand still clutching one of her coffee mugs—it’s clear that someone’s grudge boiled over into murder. Can Sage work out who’s responsible before another innocent life fades out, and the curtain falls on Campathon, and maybe her own future, for good?
Praise for Fresh Brewed Murder
“Lively characters help propel the intricate plot. Cozy fans will hope to see a lot more of Sage and friends.” —Publishers Weekly (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
Private Investigator Poppy Harmon can see through the charms of Southern California’s trickiest criminals. But when she and the Desert Flowers Detective Agency go up against a dashing dating show murderer, they may have finally met their match!
While sidekick Matt Flowers shoots a film abroad, Poppy dusts off her own acting chops to break up a Gen Z crime ring targeting seniors in Palm Springs. Tanya Cook and her gal pals have been swindling susceptible residents for all they’re worth—until the gang meets Poppy undercover. Yet with the case cracked, the desert heat is on full blast as new terrors take the lead . . .
Poppy’s already sweating over a menacing mystery stalker when a shocking death proves she’s in serious danger. As suspicions fall once again on Tanya, finding answers may mean pulling off the most challenging performance of her career . . .
Now, with Poppy’s unknown stalker rumored to be posing as one of several bachelors on a glitzy reality series, a disguised Poppy must reveal his true identity on set before he realizes hers. Does Poppy have what it takes to catch the cold‑blooded killer in time for the season finale . . . or should she start planning for her funeral? (Amazon)
Edition Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
In the riveting new mystery from the USA Today bestselling author, a murder and a missing first edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses send rare bookstore owner Addie Greyborne on an investigation to challenge even the most distinguished of bibliophiles…
Addie leaves her Greyborne Harbor bookstore, Beyond the Page Books and Curios, in the capable hands of her assistant while she travels to the neighboring town of Pen Hollow to attend a book sale at a library that is closing due to lack of funding. But the real find is a bookmobile bus, which she’s excited to refit as a traveling bookstore to hit all the summer festivals. The bookmobile also holds a surprising treasure: several classic first editions and an early edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses.
But before the bookmobile can be delivered to Addie, a fatal car crash occurs. When an autopsy reveals poison in the victim’s system and the first editions go missing, it’s up to Addie to determine what would drive someone to murder. If she’s not careful, however, she may be the next one to be dead on arrival . . . “Plenty of specialized knowledge, local color, and romance.”— Kirkus (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
The Agatha Award–winning author of Wining and Dying returns to the Cookbook Nook, where a killer’s explosive vengeance may lead to Jenna Hart’s happily never after . . .
With Bride’s Dream Expo in town, it’s all things wedding in Crystal Cove, including at the Cookbook Nook, where owner Jenna Hart is preparing for her own wedding in just a few short weeks. But there’s a dark cloud hanging over the festive mood by the name of Sarita Strachline, a woman Jenna helped convict of arson who is now out of jail and bent on revenge. And when Jenna and Rhett’s intimate prenuptial dinner is rocked by an explosion that nearly takes Rhett’s life, Jenna can’t help but think Sarita is to blame.
Desperate to prove Sarita’s guilt but consumed by worries over Rhett’s condition, Jenna reluctantly lays her case out for the police and leaves the investigation in their methodical hands. Still, she can’t help piecing together the clues, and as the evidence begins to mount, Jenna realizes that revenge may be a dish best served cold, but she can cook up a scheme of her own to bring the culprit to justice—she just has to hope it doesn’t blow up in her face . . .
Includes mouthwatering recipes!
Praise for Daryl Wood Gerber and the Cookbook Nook Mysteries:
“There’s a feisty new amateur sleuth in town and her name is Jenna Hart. With a bodacious cast of characters, a wrenching murder, and a collection of cookbooks to die for, Daryl Wood Gerber’s Final Sentence is a page-turning puzzler of a mystery that I could not put down.” —Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of the Cupcake Mysteries and Library Lovers Mysteries
“In Final Sentence, the author smartly blends crime, recipes, and an array of cookbooks that all should covet in a witty, well-plotted whodunit.” —Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mysteries
“Readers will relish the extensive cookbook suggestions, the cooking primer, and the whole foodie phenomenon. Gerber’s perky tone with a multigenerational cast makes this series a good match for Lorna Barrett’s Booktown Mystery series . . .” —Library Journal
“So pull out your cowboy boots and settle in for a delightful read. Grilling the Subject is a delicious new mystery that will leave you hungry for more.” —Carstairs Considers Blog
About the Author:
Agatha Award–winning and nationally bestselling author Daryl Wood Gerber is the author of the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, the Fairy Garden Mysteries, the French Bistro Mysteries, the Cheese Shop Mysteries (as Avery Aames), the Aspen Adams Novels of Suspense, and two other stand-alone suspense thrillers. Little known facts about Daryl are that she’s jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, has hitchhiked around Ireland by herself, and has appeared on an episode of Murder, She Wrote. She loves to read, cook, and golf, and has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky who keeps her in line! (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A SMIDGEN OF HOMICIDE
USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes brings you southern and quirky characters in her mystery series. Her stories are charged with humor, friendship, family and life in small southern towns.
Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where nothing is normal!
When Hank Sharpe asked me in the laundry club ladies to join him in an undercover investigation to help find a missing person, me and ladies grabbed our sleuthing notebook without hesitation.
As undercover Forest Bathing Therapist trainees we were bound and determined to find out with happened to Kyra Tenney. When we did find her body in what appeared to be an accidental forest fire, we thought we were finished with our undercover act.
Only the coroner’s report came back that our missing person had been killed before the fire.
Put on your sleuthing caps and join Mae West along with the Laundry Club Ladies as they take their investigation skills to a whole ‘nuther level! Especially after Mae finds herself in the fire! (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent and amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father’s widow and books a sixtieth birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will include the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby might be the main suspect.
Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with charming local sheriff, Manual Gonzales. An embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, can’t quell her determination to clear the name of her ex-stepmother.
While gathering clues and interviewing witnesses, however, she suspects dear old step-mom isn’t the only one in jeopardy. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
Lacey Pinkerton is excited to attend the annual Mayfield Marathon. Her best friend, Elsie, is running in the race. Elsie’s been training for months and she’s ready to push through that finish line ribbon. The day promises to bring lots of cheering and excitement but when one of the top runners goes missing, an emergency search uncovers the tragic truth. Was it a terrible accident or foul play? Lacey plans to get to the bottom of it…with the help of her handsome detective boyfriend, of course.
Book 18 of the Port Danby Cozy Mystery series
More in the series: 1. Marigolds and Murder 2. Carnations and Chaos 3. Mistletoe and Mayhem 4. Roses and Revenge 5. Tulips and Trouble 6. Dahlias and Death 7. Peonies and Poison 8. Hyacinths and Homicide 9. Crocuses and Crime 10. Sunflowers and Sabotage 11. Lavender and Lies 12. Freesias and Foul Play 13. Cornflowers and Corpses 14. Jasmine and Jealousy 15. Shamrocks and Shenanigans 16. Thistles and the Unthinkable 17. Holly and Horror 18. Violets and Vengeance 19. Daisies and Destruction (Amazon)
Entertainment Weekly hails the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series by the beloved New York Times bestselling author as “a love letter to reading.” In this entrancing new story, bookshop owner, bibliotherapist, and occasional sleuth Nora Pennington must enlist the help of her brilliant, brassy librarian friend to unravel the connection between The Scarlet Letter, an obscure 19th century writer, and a dead hiker…
While January snow falls outside in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, Nora Pennington is encouraging customers to cozy up indoors with a good book. Even though the shop and her bibliotherapy sessions keep Nora busy during the day, her nights are a little too quiet—until Deputy Andrews pulls Nora into the sci-fi section and asks her to help him plan a wedding proposal.
His bride-to-be, Hester, loves Little Women, and Nora sets to work arranging a special screening at the town’s new movie theater. But right before the deputy pops the question, Nora makes an unsettling discovery—someone has mutilated all her store’s copies of The Scarlet Letter, slicing angrily into the pages wherever Hester Prynne’s name is mentioned.
The coincidence disturbs Nora, who’s one of the few in Miracle Springs who knows that Hester gave up a baby for adoption many years ago. Her family heaped shame on her, and Hester still feels so guilty that she hasn’t even told her future husband. But when a dead man is found on a hiking trail just outside town, carrying a rare book, the members of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society unearth a connection to Hester’s past. Someone is intent on bringing the past to light, and it’s not just Hester’s relationship at stake, but her life. . . “Captivating…Bibliophilic cozy fans will be in heaven.” – Publishers Weekly (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
Hey girl! This opportunity could be deadly…
Sadie Moose needs a vacation. It’s been a long winter, what with a murder investigation, breaking up with her boyfriend, her bakery business booming, and watching her friends go through major life events. A week at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico should do the trick.
But she has one last stop to make on her way out of town—delivering desserts to a chalet in the mountains where her college friend, Amy, is attending a retreat for Glamarosa Clothing, the multi-level marketing company she represents.
When the road closes behind her, Sadie finds herself stuck at the retreat, her plane taking off without her. Thrust into a world of cutthroat competition, big hair, and wilder leggings, she hopes she can lay low just long enough for the road to reopen.
But when a killer strikes and they’re further cut off from the world in a late spring blizzard, Sadie must investigate to clear Amy’s name, working with a man from her past who’s pretending to be someone he’s not, a celebrity chef who knows more than he says, and an iron-fisted housekeeper that doesn’t like her much.
As the killer gets closer, motives and secrets are revealed…showing that this pyramid is about to topple.
Boss Babe Murder is a classic mansion murder mystery with a modern multi-level marketing boss babe twist! My not so cozy mysteries feature an amateur sleuth, diverse and quirky characters, and mature language. It’s the third book in the Jackson Hole Moose’s Bakery Not So Cozy Mystery series, but stands alone. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle
Aspiring witch and culinary entrepreneur, Mia Malone, must dispel a deadly plot to wreck her clients’ wedding in this charming continuation of New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon’s Kitchen Witch Mystery series.
Business is bubbling at Mia’scatering service and cooking school, Mia’s Morsels, but toil and trouble are not far behind. Mia just accepted her toughest gig yet: last-minute wedding planner for Magic Springs’ own Romeo and Juliet. Though the small town is fairly accepting of magic, two families have been locked in a vicious feud spanning generations. Unfortunately for both families, they’re about to become in-laws! Amethyst and Tok are excited to wed in a few weeks and somehow Mia must ensure the event is flawless.
But when she goes to pick up paperwork from the couple’s previous wedding planner, Mia discovers the woman murdered in an apparent attempt to stop the contentious union. Now, not only is Mia a prime suspect, as the new planner she may also be the killer’s next target. Backed by her squad, her charms—literal and figurative—and a protective amulet from her Grans, it’s up to Mia to save the star-crossed couple’s wedding, her professional reputation…and maybe even her life!
Includes Recipes!
Praise for Lynn Cahoon
“One Poison Pie deliciously blends charm and magic with a dash of mystery and a sprinkle of romance.” —Agatha Award–winner Daryl Wood Gerber (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
When Ellison Russell Jones returns from her honeymoon, she’s ready for a restful summer.
But while she was away, an older woman was murdered in her bed. And the police have questions only Ellison and her friends can answer.
She gets to be a sleuth. A real one! But with a new husband, her mother in the hospital (targeted by the murderer?), her sister as a house guest, one too many animals, and a full social calendar, Ellison can’t catch a break, much less a killer.
She’d better focus, or she may be the next victim. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
As San Francisco’s Chinatown prepares for the Lunar New Year festivities in the fogbound month of February, astrologer Julia Bonatti finds herself with three new clients, all in desperate straits who don’t seem to heed her advice. Tracy is the victim of a brutal husband with nowhere to run and Jeanette is worried sick about her son, whom she suspects has fallen in with a bad lot. But most frightening of all to Julia is Frankie Chang’s dilemma. Frankie’s only eleven years old and he’s terrified. His mother is missing and no one will help him. Julia’s heart goes out to him but her hands are tied. Frankie won’t let her talk to the police and neither will his family. Julia eventually discovers that the three worlds of her clients intertwine. Those lives inevitably collide exposing a dangerous smuggling cabal. Julia knows too much and becomes a victim of both a ruthless environmental group and criminals who will stop at nothing, including murder.
“Connie di Marco’s twin loves of Astrology and the detective fiction genre are on full display in her latest installment of the Zodiac Mysteries: Serpent’s Doom. It makes perfect sense to fuse these two disciplines in which intelligence, intuition, and interpretation play such a key role. It’s also a delight to see Astrology driving the plot forward rather than employed as a mere gimmick. This adds dimension and suspense to how the mystery plays out and di Marco’s wonderfully cinematic prose keeps you turning the pages in increasing anticipation.” —Christopher Renstrom, astrologer for the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Gate and Astrology Hub, author of The Cosmic Calendar and creator of rulingplanets.com (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
“Here’s small town life portrayed with humor and affection, peopled with quirky characters you’ll care about.” —James Patrick Kelly, winner of the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards
Wanda Duff is an unconventional New England clergywoman, addicted to chicken wings, high-octane ice cream, and saying yes to anyone in need of a prayer, even the folks her town might think don’t deserve one.
When parishioner Niels Pond dies unexpectedly at the Fair Havens assisted living facility, Wanda’s duty to minister to his family is beset by her suspicions about the circumstances of his abrupt passing. Wanda finds an unexpected co-detective in high school vice principal Prudence Rye, who fled town on graduation night a decade ago and returned only recently.
Rye puts her job on the line to investigate the mourning Ponds with the surprisingly edgy Wanda. As they expose difficult family truths and uncover a dangerous conspiracy operating out of Fair Havens, Rye and Wanda discover curiosity has an unanticipated cost.
Comfortably gossipy, with a fresh take on the characters and ethos cozy mystery fans will love, Maria Mankin and Maren C. Tirabassi’s Death at Fair Havens launches a series that celebrates intergenerational women’s friendship and the power of inclusion, curiosity, and love.
Maren C. Tirabassi’s forty years’ experience in mainline ministry shape Wanda Duff’s professional life (but not her personality). Tirabassi is a former Poet Laureate of the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and has published poetry and short stories in fifteen anthologies, as well as twenty nonfiction titles. Maria Mankin, Maren’s daughter, has written five nonfiction books and a thriller, Circ (Pigeon Park Press). Rye’s dilemmas are influenced by Mankin’s ten years in education as a teacher and administrator. She holds a degree in Writing, Literature and Publishing from Emerson College. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
I’m Millie Wentworth and I never thought I’d be involved in another murder, but here I am smack dab in the middle of a crime wave at the swanky resort where I’m Assistant General Manager. It started with a major diamond heist and ended with a dead body on the beach.
When one of my grandmother Lulu’s group of fun-loving septuagenarian friends is a prime suspect it’s time for Lulu’s Crew, Spud the corgi, and me, to get sleuthing and uncover the real criminals.
And because dodging mobsters, international jewel thieves, and solving crimes isn’t stressful enough, my hypercritical parents are in town too. My mother doesn’t approve of Lulu and me in the best of times, and these are decidedly not the best of times. Plus she’s already planning my imaginary wedding to my kinda-sorta boyfriend Scott.
All I need to do is catch a murderer plus a jewel thief and survive my parents’ visit. No problem, right?
Port Sunset Mysteries: Book 1: Penthouse, Pools, & Poison **Best Cozy Mystery Finalist, N.N. Light Annual Book Awards Book 2: Diamonds, Dunes, & Death Coming April 28, 2022 Book 3: Sunshine, Selfies, & Smugglers Coming Autumn 2022! (Amazon)
When it comes to writing Golden Age Hollywood biographies, the pen is deadlier than the sword.
Charlotte Donovan’s life changed drastically when her boss died, leaving her a grand New York City apartment and a small fortune, but with stipulations. While writing an Audrey Hepburn biography, Charlotte consults on a new “Holly Golightly” miniseries, and a reality TV show where America selects the lead of the new series. When the actress who’s the national favorite is murdered at Charlotte’s cast party, she feels obligated to pursue justice for the young ingenue.
Charlotte, along with her detective boyfriend and best friend, follow a a dangerous trail of smoke and mirrors. Nothing is as it appears, and nobody is who they seem to be, starting with the murder victim. With each detail Charlotte unearths, the more frightened she becomes—and the more determined. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
“Rodale crafts an adventure yarn worthy of a 19th-century bildungsroman, but there’s still heaps of her signature wit and banter.”—Entertainment Weekly
An exciting novel based on the fearless reporter Nellie Bly, who would stop at nothing to expose injustices against women in 19th century New York, even at the risk of her own life and freedom.
In 1887 New York City, Nellie Bly has ambitions beyond writing for the ladies pages, but all the editors on Newspaper Row think women are too emotional, respectable and delicate to do the job. But then the New York World challenges her to an assignment she’d be mad to accept and mad to refuse: go undercover as a patient at Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum for Women.
For months, rumors have been swirling about deplorable conditions at Blackwell’s, but no reporter can get in—that is, until Nellie feigns insanity, gets committed and attempts to survive ten days in the madhouse. Inside, she discovers horrors beyond comprehension. It’s an investigation that could make her career—if she can get out to tell it before two rival reporters scoop her story.
From USA Today bestselling author Maya Rodale comes a rollicking historical adventure series about the outrageous intrigues and bold flirtations of the most famous female reporter—and a groundbreaking rebel—of New York City’s Gilded Age. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
Everyone loves cherries, especially if they are from Door County, Wisconsin
Claire and her best friend Cher are once again planning the Door to Door Quilt show and the theme is Quilted Cherries. It is also the theme of their quilt challenge. Claire is doing her best without Grayson, her significant other, since she refused his proposal. A well known artist, Foster Collins, is happy to replace him, but Claire is not very receptive. Whatever could go wrong, does go wrong at the outdoor quilt show. How does it survive and what could possibly be a good ending for Claire?
Fourth in the Door County Quilts series from best-selling author Ann Hazelwood
In the newest installment, Claire plans an outdoor quilt show and juggles her complicated love life
Adventures, quilts, romance, and more! Claire Stewart takes readers on a riveting journey (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
The staff at Salem, Massachusetts’s local station, WICH-TV, is looking forward to the wedding of their program director, Lee Barrett. But when Lee heads off on her Maine honeymoon, she’ll be haunted by the ghosts of her own past . . .
Lee and Detective Sergeant Pete Mondello are finally tying the knot—and Lee is tying up loose ends before the big day. It’ll be an adjustment moving out of Aunt Ibby’s house, but the couple will stay nearby—after all, they have to share custody of O’Ryan, their clairvoyant cat. And Aunt Ibby will be renting out Lee’s old apartment . . . though she’s getting some bad vibes from her current prospective tenant.
After the celebration, complete with a cake made by the station magician, there should be time to relax—but the Maine island happens to be near the site of the crash that long ago killed Lee’s parents, a mystery she’s never been able to solve. Soon she’ll be putting wedding gifts aside and turning to her psychic gifts instead, to wrap up crimes both past and present . . .
Praise for the Witch City Mysteries
“Yet another hit in the Witch City Mystery series!” —Fresh Fiction on Murder, Take Two
“Carol J. Perry juggles these details with finesse and moves the plot toward a creepy conclusion that adds a few shivers to this cozy.” —BookPage on Late Checkout
“This delightful read set against the Halloween festivities in Salem is perfect cozy read for a blustery autumn evening.” —The Intelligencer on Late Checkout (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook
In Oxford’s newest twin city, a case of mistaken identity puts a woman’s life in jeopardy
The invitation to visit Oxford’s twin city of Padua couldn’t have come at a better time. Natalie, Kate, and Mathilde have spent weeks trying valiantly to expand Oxford’s magic, only to have every attempt end in failure. A trip to the land of pasta, high fashion, gelato, and fine wine sounds almost too good to be true.
They pack their suitcases and jet off for Italy, bringing Harry and H, Nat’s cheeky wyvern, along with them. But within minutes of landing, Harry falls prey to a series of mishaps.
As the danger grows, Nat wonders if perhaps Oxford isn’t the only thing with an Italian twin. Could a case of mistaken identity explain the malevolent force which has Harry in its sights?
Nat and her friends follow the evidence, uncovering a decades’ old cold case with a modern day connection. Friends new and old offer a hand with interpreting the clues as the investigation spans generations.
With the clock ticking, can they identify who killed Harry’s lookalike before Harry joins the ranks of the dead?
If you like cozy mysteries where ghosts walk the halls, paintings come to life, wyverns play around, and magic seems within reach, the Oxford Key Mysteries are sure to delight. (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
A morning visit to the chicken coop is supposed to be a delight, not a fright.
On the day when Paisley Sutton goes to salvage barn board from an old chicken coop on her neighbor’s land, she thinks the worst thing she may find is rotten eggs. Little does she know, she’s about to unearth a mystery that has lingered for decades. She can’t help but research the story, but when she does, she finds far more than she hoped.
Does she really want to know the whole story, or would she rather bury it again? (Amazon)
Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback
Zoe Wilder is enjoying life—until her trip to lay flowers on Nana’s grave has Zoe tripping over the body of a young woman.
Wondering how this could happen to her again, she’s determined to help the hunky Sheriff find the killer. His warnings don’t deter her, but she’s slowed by the other obstacles she has to combat. Her friend, Letty, is temporarily out of commission from a fractured ankle, Zoe’s fighting her longtime nemesis who is the president of the local HOA, and she’s trying to adjust to her changed lifestyle.
Join Zoe for a light-hearted cozy mystery certain to entertain you. (Amazon)
I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author Nita DeBorde and her new book Ghost Agents:Revelations. It is the second book in her The Ghost Agents Trilogy.
A new mystery to pursue … a growing threat… Will she be able to stop them?
Claire Abelard has never been normal. She has always been able to see and communicate with energy projections, or the entities more commonly known as ghosts. As an agent of the Bureau for Historical Preservation, her abilities come in handy on the job, but they tend to complicate every other aspect of her life.
Now, four months after a series of world-shattering events in Galveston, Claire’s life is still in turmoil. No one at Bureau headquarters in Boston will even acknowledge the existence of the sinister secret organization known as The Syndicate, but Claire is convinced they are behind the disappearances of dozens of rogue energy projections.
When Claire hears that rogues in New Orleans are behaving strangely, she immediately joins the investigation. As she and her fellow agents unravel the new mystery, they discover The Syndicate has more ominous plans for the rogues than simply making them disappear… and it appears they have plans for Claire as well.
Ghost Agents: Revelations is a cozy, paranormal mystery that continues the story of Claire and her work with Bureau for Historical Preservation.
Nita DeBorde is a published author and teacher from Houston, TX. Writing and teaching are her two major passions, though traveling and being dog-mom to a crazy Staffordshire-Boxer mix named Mabel are high on the list as well.
Nita has taught high school French for more than 20 years and absolutely loves her “day job” job (about 95% of the time). She loves to travel, and not surprisingly, France is her favorite destination, though her home state of Texas runs a close second.
She is also a huge history buff, which comes through in her fiction writing, and particularly in her latest novel, Ghost Agents, a genre-defying, cozy paranormal mystery with a little sci-fi and romance thrown into the mix. Ghost Agents: Revelations, is the 2nd book in the Ghost Agents Trilogy.
Nita’s first novel, Project Lachesis, is currently available in both Kindle and hardcopy format from Amazon.com.
Business is booming for Libby Beckett and her fabulous Maryland shop, aptly named Y.A.R.N., but when a town festival brings a fatality with it, Libby gets all tangled up in murder.
As spring comes to Collinstown, the village launches a food festival to draw a new group of tourists. Libby, proud owner of Y.A.R.N., has planned a yarn event to provide an alternative option to a foodie weekend. Artisan fiber dyer Julie Wilson–known for her work with animal-friendly, plant-based knitting fibers such as bamboo and hemp as well as her brilliant use of color–will hopefully draw a crowd with a special dyeing workshop.
The festival begins, but it draws more than crowds. First a flock of sheep parades down the street, herded by farmers protesting Julie’s antiwool stance. Then Julie’s celebrity chef sister appears, and the siblings resume a long-standing rivalry. Despite all this, Julie’s workshop has sold out. Libby is thrilled, and they’re preparing for a full house. But the night before the event, Julie is found alone in the warehouse event space–dead. The witty “Watch Julie Wilson Dye” workshop title now has a terrible new meaning–and it’s up to Libby to catch a crafty killer. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Libby is a very hard worker and she really loves her Yarn shop. She enjoys all of her customers and feels like she is making a difference in their creativity. When Libby invites a well known Artisan fiber dyer to give a workshop on her craft, Libby never thinks anything bad will happen. But the crafter is murdered and Libby knows she has to solve the mystery. She will have help form her friends, including the mayor.
The mystery was well plotted and there were quite a few suspects to consider and clues to sift through. The mystery was not easily solved. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story and took me on an amazing ride.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a well written cozy mystery. I plan on reading the first book in the series to see what trouble Libby gets into in that one.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate. (Goodreads)
The second in this hilarious cozy mystery series features a woman who is a talent agent for show biz animals and discovers that she has a talent herself: solving crimes.
“Admirers of old comedy sketches and anyone looking for a laugh-out-loud mystery should pick up this series launch by Copperman.” —Library Journal (starred) on Dog Dish of Doom
“Readers will root for Kay to be more than pals with Sam Gibson, proprietor of Cool Beans coffee house—and, of course, to keep Bruno as more than a client. [Filled with] resilient, warm, funny supporting players.” —Publishers Weekly on Dog Dish of Doom
“The wry, feisty heroine is a welcome addition to Copperman’s troupe.” —Kirkus Reviews on Dog Dish of Doom
Kay Powell, theatrical agent to non-human animals, is babysitting—that is, birdsitting—her client, a parrot named Barney, on the set of his new TV show, Dead City. When the show’s charismatic star is shot in his trailer between scenes, the only eyewitness to the crime is—you guessed it—Barney. And even though Kay keeps explaining that even a “talking” parrot doesn’t actually converse with people, the investigators insist on interrogating the bird for information he clearly can’t communicate.
Suspects accumulate like birdseed, and before long it’s clear the killer believes Barney might actually be able to supply useful evidence. Even Barney can’t fly away from this one. (Amazon)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Kay is a talent agent for animal stars and she is kept quite busy. When Barney, the parrot, is left to rest in a trailer, the person in the trailer is killed, The only witness is Barney. And the police want to question him. Kay decides that she is going to solve the mystery herself. Kay is very likable and I really like all of her pets: a dachshund, a greyhound and a big mastiff. Her parents are visiting and that creates some funny moments.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions brought the book to life in my mind’s eye. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy. With quirky characters and adorable pets you should give this book a try.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate. (Amazon)
We’re just inviting you to take a timeout into the rhythmic ambiance of our breakfast, brunch and/or coffee selections. We are happy whenever you stop by.
, is currently available in both Kindle and hardcopy format from Amazon.com.
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