New Releases For The Week Of October 30, 2022–Part 2

Hollywood, house hunting . . . and hand grenades?! Life turns explosive for New Jersey prosecutor turned LA family lawyer Sandy Moss when she takes on an unexpected new client: pre-teen millionaire Riley Schoenberg.

When Riley Schoenberg strides into family lawyer Sandy Moss’s office without knocking and coolly sits down, Sandy’s more irritated than amused. She has a client meeting to prepare for, and being interrupted by an eleven-year-old girl is not on her to-do list.

But then Sandy hears Riley’s pitch, and it’s a killer one: Riley’s father’s been convicted of murdering her mother . . . and the oddly intimidating pre-teen will do anything to get him out of jail.

Sandy, in turn, will do anything to get Riley out of her office. Which includes, it seems, agreeing to look into her dad’s case for free. A decision she regrets when it turns out Riley’s inheritance has made her a multi-millionaire.

Still, Sandy’s determined to get Riley the answers she needs. There’s just one tiny problem: Riley might be convinced her father’s innocent, but Jack Schoenberg is insisting he did it.

Fast-paced and funny, And Justice For Mall stars a streetwise, loveable heroine who “could give Perry Mason a run for his money” (Kirkus Reviews), and is a great read for fans of cozies, legal dramas and fun! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

Stranded at a house party – when a murderer strikes!

May 1861, Victorian England. When Matthew and Harriet Rowsley are invited to a house party at Clunston Park by Matthew’s cousin, Colonel Barrington Rowsley and his wife Lady Hortensia, Harriet is nervous – surely the aristocratic guests will snub her? After all, they are but mere servants in their eyes! Her fears are realised on their first evening when the only person who deigns to speak to her is the spiteful Grafin Weiserr and confirmed when she commits a major faux-pas at the cricket match the following day.

But there’s no escape! The cricket match is abandoned due to a storm, and flooding leaves the house guests stranded. Things worsen when Grafin Weiserr is found murdered and the finger is quickly pointed at Clara, an eleven-year-old maid as the culprit. Convinced that she cannot be guilty, Harriet and Matthew agree to investigate.

The aristocratic fa�ade begins to crumble under their scrutiny, and they start to unlock the secrets of Clunston Park. Why does the Colonel allow his bullying friend Major Jameson so much leeway? Is there more to the befuddled Lord Pidgeon than meets the eye? Harriet and Matthew must uncover the truth, before they find themselves in deadly danger.(Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover

When a member of an exclusive book club is checked out, spunky librarian Trudell Becket must sort fact from fiction to solve the murder.

The Cypress Arete Society is one of the town’s oldest and most exclusive clubs. When assistant librarian Trudell Becket is invited to speak to the group about the library, its modernization, and her efforts to bring printed books to the reading public, her friend Flossie invites herself along. Flossie has been on the book club’s waiting list for five years, and she’s determined to find out why she’s never received an invitation to join. 

But not long after Tru and Flossie arrive for the meeting, they’re shocked to find the club’s president, Rebecca White, dead in the kitchen. Rebecca was a former TV actress and local celebrity, but was not known for being patient or pleasant. She’d been particularly unkind to the book club’s host for the evening, who also happens to be the mother of Detective Jace Bailey, Tru’s boyfriend. And Rebecca had made it clear that she didn’t think Flossie was book club material.

With her boyfriend and one of her best friends wrapped up in a murder, Tru has to work fast to figure out who cut Rebecca’s story short before the killer takes another victim out of circulation….(Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

In the quaint town of Wisterious Bay, Alice, a spunky witch, just wants to spend her time quietly practicing her spells, and running her crystal and candle shop.

But her peaceful existence is thrown into jeopardy when right before the Halloween celebrations are about to begin, she finds a body in her shop with a note Trick or treat! Want to repel my spell? Give me what I want and I’ll say farewell.

The only way to make certain she’s not framed for the murder is to find the killer and figure out why anyone would want to kill the head of her coven. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Glitz, glamour—and murder. Can the unflappable Lady Marigold outwit and outsmart a killer before more lives are derailed?

Istanbul, 1922. Lady Marigold Grey—former British spy and daring adventuress—sets out for England after inadvertently robbing her cousin of his inheritance. A long and dreary train journey lies ahead, but where Marigold goes, trouble follows.

When the director of the train is murdered—and false evidence linking her to his death emerges—Marigold suddenly finds herself on the fast-track to becoming a prime suspect.

With the help of her fashion-loving German assistant, overly protective English butler and troublemaking fluffy white terrier, Marigold resolves to clear her name and stop the killer in their tracks.

The only problem is, that’s easier said than done—especially when everyone from an ice-sculpting French chef to an acid-tongued prima ballerina has a motive for murder.

To make matters worse, the annoyingly handsome police detective on board not only seems impervious to her charms—he’s also determined to prove she engineered the crime.

As she unravels the clues, Marigold is sure she’s on the right track—but when things go off the rails, she realises the killer will stop at nothing to destroy her and the people she loves.

Can Lady Marigold solve the case before the killer gives her a ticket to ride?

A light-hearted and charming 1920s cozy mystery featuring a smart, sassy sleuth, adorable dog, found family, high society, fashion and a will they or won’t they, opposites attract romance. You’ll be hooked from beginning till end reading the first book in the Lady Marigold’s 1920s Murder Mystery series. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Old Family Secrets Unearthed

It’s canning season and Eve Lloyd is determined to tick more items off her to-do list, starting with filling the pantry with the fruits of her labor, followed by finishing her Rock-Maine Island Recipe Book – Old Family Secrets Unearthed.

An early cold snap has the island residents staying indoors but Eve won’t be deterred. She only has a couple of elderly residents to interview, and then she can send the book to the publishers. Little does she know one of the old family recipes holds more than a secret ingredient and someone is willing to kill for it.

Humorous Cozy Mystery. Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language but lots of fun characters and quirky dialogue (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

When an ‘unofficial’ relative of Alan’s arrives from the States, Dorothy and Alan are drawn into a tangled web of murder and lies.

Dororthy Martin is more than capable of dozing during a raging storm in her snug house in Sherebury, but the loud ping of an unexpected text on her husband Alan’s phone quickly wakes her up. Alan’s unofficial great-niece, Lucy Bowman, is coming over from the States for a conference.

When Lucy arrives, she gushes about her fianc�, Iain. But Alan makes a disturbing discovery about Lucy’s engagement ring, and no sooner has Iain set foot on UK soil when he’s the victim of a mysterious hit-and-run. Was it an accident, or murder? Drawn into the police investigation, Dorothy learns that Iain was not all he seemed to be, and uncovers a shocking trail of deceit. Can she separate fact from fiction to untangle a deadly web of lies? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

A murder in her yarn shop’s backyard puts Libby Beckett’s holiday plans on thin ice.…

The holiday season looks merry and bright for Libby and her friends at Y.A.R.N. The store is expanding for a holiday boom, and she’s gathered Collinstown’s businesses to decorate a community Christmas tree. Dashing “Gallant Herdsman” Vincenzo Marani arrives to showcase the rare vicuña, whose coat produces the world’s most luxurious yarn. It’s a perfect yuletide—until Libby’s ex-husband, Sterling, turns up in town…and then turns up dead.

The murder unravels Libby’s life faster than a hand-knit Christmas stocking. The luxe yarn goes missing, Sterling’s domineering family comes to town, and the vicuña attempt an escape. If Libby can’t stitch up a solution to the case, she may be trading in her knitting needles for a set of handcuffs. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

New Releases For The Week Of October 30, 2022–Part1

Patterson’s #1 bestselling hero Detective Alex Cross hunts down a serial killer who targets entire families—and who will next be coming for the Crosses. 
 
A precise killer, he always moves under the cover of darkness, flawlessly triggering no alarms, leaving no physical evidence.  
 
Cross and Sampson aren’t the only ones investigating.  
 
Also in on this most intriguing case is the world’s bestselling true-crime author, who sees patterns everyone else misses.
 
The writer, Thomas Tull, calls the Family Man murders the perfect crime story. He believes the killer may never be caught.  
 
Cross knows there is no perfect crime. And he’s going to hunt down the Family Man no matter what it takes.  
 
Until the Family Man decides to flip the narrative and bring down Cross and his family.  (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

Roses, chocolate, and a completed to-do list. Is that too much to ask for Valentine’s Day? When you own the Sierra’s best UFO-themed B&B, it might be. Because murder is about to collide with all of Susan’s carefully laid plans…

The Valentine’s special at her B&B has attracted all the wrong guests—a group of Bigfoot seekers and the ex-con who shared the worst night of Susan’s life in a small-town jail. At least she’s got her boyfriend Arsen for moral support.
Or does she? Because as the big day approaches, Arsen’s acting even more unpredictable than usual.

And when she discovers the body of a woman with a bevy of boyfriends, she learns that love gone wrong, means nothing goes right. But will Susan’s determination to set things straight land her on the wrong end of Cupid’s arrow?

If you love quirky heroines, twisty mysteries, and laugh-out-loud humor, you’ll love Night of the Cupid, book seven in the Wits’ End cozy mystery novels. Buy Night of the Cupid and start the hilarious caper today! (Amazon)

Editions Available: : Kindle, Paperback

No matter what she does, mysteries seem to dog her every step…

With her sexy millionaire boyfriend out of town, Monica Baker is sure she’ll have an uneventful week.

She doesn’t.

Because it’s not long before she finds herself dragged into a dog kidnapping scandal the likes of which pet lovers in sunny Arizona have never known. And sadly, that mystery only leads to an even bigger—and deadlier—one.

Seriously, what does a girl have to do to get some peace, quiet, and a happily ever after around here? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Joyce and Ginger, friends as close as they are different, head to London for a weeklong getaway; Joyce to spend hours shopping while Ginger takes in the museums before they reconvene each evening in the cocktail bars of the city. First on their list, however, is a visit to Kenneth, an old friend of Joyce’s glamorous high-kicking Tiller-Girl mother. Kenneth, now in his eighties, is suspicious about the death of one of his peers and has been asking questions. Joyce, on the other hand, dismisses his fears as a severe case of old age. But when Kenneth is found murdered, she has to do something that will never come easily to her: admit she was wrong.

Joyce and Ginger make a formidable sleuthing partnership whenever murder crosses their path, but this time it’s personal. They must delve into the past of Joyce’s late mother, a woman as strong-willed as her daughter, scrutinising her friends and their relationships. Have old jealousies, lies and prejudices resurfaced to seek revenge?

Ginger’s background in the wardrobe departments of London theatres comes in handy as the pair try to solve a murder or two, all the while making sure Joyce has time to add to her shoe collection. There’s also the small matter of avoiding becoming the killer’s next victims… (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Why would the body of a dead truck driver who was drowned in Santa Monica, California, be found in a hotel parking lot in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho?

There doesn’t seem to be a rational reason for it, but Homicide Detectives Luke Falconer and Matt Greene have to find one. Since the hotel parking lot is attached to the York Minster Hotel, Gabriella Hunt’s new hotel, they enlist her help, but finding a nexus for her hotel, Medford, Oregon, and Santa Monica, California proves to be very difficult.

Throw in a suspected smuggling ring and a bar that’s cheating the IRS, and it’s no wonder the Feds have become involved and want Luke and Matt to drop the case. And what about the victim’s Russian wife who has an authentic Fabergé egg and a lot of other expensive items in her display cabinet? Her husband was a truck driver, so where did the money come from?

Lust, greed, love, and hatred are all on display in this fast-paced murder mystery. Each time you think you know who and why, there’s another twist. Join Luke, Matt, and Gabriella on a roller coaster ride as they try to make sense of it all. Good thing there’s Boris the Bulldog always waiting for them at the hotel when they return.

This is the third book in the Gabriella Hunt Cozy Mystery Series by a USA Today Bestselling Author. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Mr. and Mrs. Walker are off on their honeymoon! You’d think they’d get a break from solving supernatural mysteries while vacationing in the Scottish Highlands, but not Drew and Ava. They’re thrown into a mystery when one of the guests at their resort is found dead. Not helping the locals isn’t an option. How could they live with themselves if they ignored all the problems and let someone else die? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

After an ominous Tarot reading, Sedona bookstore owner Rarity Cole must find a killer to keep her friend safe from harm—even if the cards are stacked against her . . .

Following her recovery from breast cancer, Rarity has embraced a life of healing and service in her Sedona, Arizona, community. She welcomes the opportunity to participate in the annual summer healing fair with her fittingly named new-age bookstore, The Next Chapter. The members of the Tuesday Night Survivors’ Book Club are also volunteering, maintaining a cooling station for overheated festivalgoers, and hosting a Tarot card reader for entertainment.
 
But one member, Darby, is anything but entertained when the Tarot reader pulls a Death card. With a mammogram coming up, she’s freaked out and goes home—only to walk into a crime scene where someone near and dear to her has been murdered. Despite the objections of Detective Drew Anderson, Rarity is determined to help her friend and protect her from being the killer’s next victim . . .(Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

In this series debut, a mysterious bookshop visitor dies under murderous circumstances, compelling the Christie sisters and their cat, Agatha, to call on all they’ve learned about solving mysteries from their favorite novelist.

“A fair-play plot, vivid characters, fascinating facts about Dame Agatha, and an intelligent and appealing protagonist make this a winner.”—Publishers Weekly

Ellie Christie is thrilled to begin a new chapter. She’s recently returned to her tiny Colorado hometown to run her family’s historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their beloved cat, Agatha. Perched in a Swiss-style hamlet accessible by ski gondola and a twisty mountain road, the Book Chalet is a famed bibliophile destination known for its maze of shelves and relaxing reading lounge. At least, until trouble blows in with a wintry whiteout. A man is found dead on the gondola, and a rockslide throws the town into lockdown—no one in, no one out.

The victim was a mysterious stranger who’d visited the bookshop. At the time, his only blunders had been disrupting a book club and leaving behind a first-edition Agatha Christie novel, written under a pseudonym. However, once revealed, the man’s identity shocks the town. Motives and secrets swirl like the snow, but when the police narrow in on the sisters’ close friends, the Christies have to act.

Although the only Agatha in their family tree is their cat, Ellie and Meg know a lot about mysteries and realize they must summon their inner Miss Marple to trek through a blizzard of clues before the killer turns the page to their final chapter. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

A trip to the local cemetery draws Hannah into a puzzling case stretching back forty years.

It may seem creepy, but Hannah Ives enjoys her expeditions to the local cemetery to help people find their deceased relatives. Usually a quiet affair, Hannah is surprised when she encounters Isabel ‘Izzy’ Randall laying flowers on the grave of Amy Madison, a college senior who was killed in 1978. Last seen in a popular Annapolis disco bar, Amy’s murder remains unsolved.

Hannah’s interest in the case leads her to join Silent Sleuths, a small, passionate group of ‘citizen detectives’ dedicated to trying to solve cases like Amy’s, and their research soon suggests that Amy may have been the first of several victims targeted by a serial killer. As DNA from the scene of the murder throws up surprising results, their investigation takes them down unexpected avenues. Is Amy’s killer still alive, or has an untimely death taken them beyond justice? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover

The world’s her oyster…until someone is stabbed with her shucking knife.

With a struggling pearl party business, sisters Kelly and Jodi Silverman are thrilled to land a weekend long jewelry party at a large estate. But the gothic house, complete with its weeping woman fountain, gives Kelly a bad vibe.

A nasty storm strands them at the spooky mansion. And when the birthday gal is found with Kelly’s shucking knife poking from her chest, they’re not only stuck in the creepy house with a murderer roaming the halls but Kelly’s accused of the crime.

Can Kelly and Jodi piece together the limited clues, prove their innocence and stay alive? Or will this pearl party be their last?

If you love comedy mystery a la Clue, you’ll love Murder of Pearl, Book 1 in the Pearl Party Cozy Mystery series! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback

Review of A Doomful Of Sugar

A Doomful Of Sugar

Maple Syrup Mysteries, Book #1

Catherine Bruns

5 Stars

Synopsis:

First in the new Maple Syrup cozy mystery series from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns.

There’s nothing sweet about murder…

Leila Khoury has always believed that everyone loved her father as much as they loved his artisanal maple syrup. But when he’s killed, and she returns to Sugar Ridge, Vermont to take over his business, she starts to realize how much of his life she’s left untapped.

With her brother under suspicion, her mother just barely holding it together, and police not producing any leads, Leila will have to investigate herself if she wants answers about her father’s sticky end. But the more she learns, the more she worries that there won’t be a sappy ending to the story.

A cozy mystery perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke, this edition includes 5 delicious maple recipes for mystery readers with a sweet tooth!

What readers are saying about A Doomful of Sugar:

“There’s no shortage of twists and turns”

“Memorable characters, a charming setting…a well-plotted mystery”

“Developed characters, a strong plotline, and a few red herrings”

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed.  Leila had gone home after the death of her father.  She thought that everyone loved her father, but obviously someone did not. Leila will have to figure out who killed her father but it will not be easy.   

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and it pulled me into the story from the very beginning.  Whether I was reading about maple syrup or Toast doing his cat things I was engaged and wanted to know more.  The mystery was well plotted and there were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider.  The murder was not easily solved.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy mystery.  I cannot wait to see what mystery Leila has to solve next. 

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Poison Pen Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Review Of The Ginseng Conspiracy

The Ginseng Conspiracy

A Kay Driscoll Mystery, Book #1

Susan Bernhardt

5 Stars 

Synopsis:

On her way to attend a Halloween Ball, Kay Driscoll, a newcomer to town, witnesses the murder of a local professor. When the official coroner’s report rules the cause of death to be accidental and the community accepts the judgement, Kay decides to uncover the truth for herself. Through her personal investigations, Kay exposes a complex conspiracy, woven deep within the thriving local ginseng industry, that involves some of the more prominent figures and families of Sudbury Falls. 

With her new friends, the free-spirited herbalist Deirdre and the untamed modern woman Elizabeth, Kay discusses new clues over tea and pastries at Sweet Marissa’s Patisserie, their crime-fighting headquarters. As Kay gets closer to the heart of the conspiracy, additional murders happen in quick succession. Before long, Kay learns that the villains are gunning for her, too. Phil, her musically talented but preoccupied husband, determined to keep her safe, withholds from her the one thing she needs most: the truth. (Goodreads)

Review:

When Kay Driscoll is heading to The Halloween Ball, she notices some people wearing hooded robes and wonders why they are wearing them.  She decides to follow them into an abandoned building, wondering if they are having a pre-Ball party.  What she sees makes her realize that the only type of party this may be is a “killer” party.  When she is almost discovered,  she runs away and narrowly escapes getting caught.  She does not know what to make of what she witnessed, and after she finds a dead body with her two best friends, she knows there is a murder to be solved.  The death is ruled an accidental drowning, but Kay knows better.  Kay and her two friends, Deirdre and Elizabeth, begin their own investigation into the murder.  When more dead bodies turn up, they know that they must be very careful before they end up deceased as well.

There is so much that I like about this book.  I think that the characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional.  I really enjoy the fact that Kay is an older woman with a family.  So many of the cozies I read have younger main characters and many do not have families.  Although the characters in these books are still relatable to me, Kay and her friends seem even more realistic and very engaging.  Her friends have quirky personalities and the three of them together meshed perfectly.  Kay’s husband seemed a little clueless most of the time but you could tell that he loves Kay.  I feel like they are friends I have known for a long time and I was catching up on their lives.  I think the author did a great job with these characters, especially since this is the first book in the series and I just met them.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I felt like I was right there watching all the action, instead of just reading about it.  The descriptions of the food, the Masquerade Ball and the setting in general are well done and never became repetitive or boring.

The mystery is carried on well throughout the book.  There are enough twists and turns to keep Kay and the reader guessing the whole time.  There is plenty of suspense and tension and I could not turn the pages fast enough.  There are a few times where my jaw dropped open while reading and I did not want to turn the page because I was worried about what was about to happen.  I think the ending is much more realistic than many other cozies I have read.  A lot of the time, the protagonist puts herself in grave danger at the end and someone else needs to rescue her.  That was not necessarily the case with this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well plotted cozy mystery.  The second book, Murder Under The Tree, has already been released.  Do yourself a favor and grab both of these books and enjoy.  You will be happy that you did.

Review Of A Trip With Trouble

A Trip With Trouble

The Mountain Lodge Mystery, Book #2

Diane Kelly

5 Stars

Synopsis:

The second in a charming and engrossing cozy series from Diane Kelly, A Trip with Trouble proves that in the Blue Ridge Mountains, life in the fast lane could end in a crash.

When the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club take over the Mountaintop Lodge for their annual autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Misty Murphy couldn’t be more thrilled. Every room is full and the adventurous women even invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to join them on a ride to admire the colorful fall foliage. Hotel handyman Rocky Crowder is happy to keep an eye on the lodge for the day, and the ladies set out for a fun ride on the scenic road.

The skies are clear, the air is crisp, and the leaves are gorgeous. But what starts as a perfect ride turns worrisome when the tail gunner – the last rider in their group – fails to show up at the Craggy Gardens overlook. Cell phone service is spotty in the remote, mountainous area, and the group is unable to connect with their friend. Might the missing woman have simply run out of gas? Or is something far more sinister afoot?

The ladies are determined to locate their ride or die, and Misty is equally determined to help them. But will they be able to solve the mystery when the scenic route seems intent on hiding its secrets?  (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Misty’s guests belong to a motorcycle club and they are a lively bunch.  They invite Misty and Brynn to go on a ride. Before the ride is over, a member of the club is killed.  Now Misty will have to figure out who the murderer is before the ladies trip is over. 

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions  helped me stay engaged throughout the book.  I felt like I was right there when the motorcycle gals came to the inn.  The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  The mystery was well plotted and it was not easily solved.  There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy mystery.  I really enjoyed this book and I am sure you will too.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

New Releases For The Week Of October 23, 2022-Part 4

A heartwarming cozy mystery that celebrates the connections of friends and family with a Gilmore Girls vibe.

Five days before Halloween, fall turns frightful in Apple Station when a child’s drawing entangles Olivia in a murder at a park lake.

Olivia’s hometown is gearing up for its annual Halloween festival, and pumpkins, corn mazes, and autumn vibes are everywhere. All is cozy in the crisp fall air as excitement builds for the costume parade on Friday. A casual Monday lakeside picnic lunch with her forever friend, though, sets off a chain of events that catches Olivia in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When a body is discovered amid an algae bloom under mysterious circumstances, everyone points fingers, but one among them is not telling the truth. The only apparent witness to the crime is a child who doesn’t speak. Motives abound, suspects are plenty, and it’s up to Olivia to discover why the child has implicated her as the key to solving the murder.

Can Olivia unmask the killer before the endangered evidence vanishes, and she becomes the next victim?

If you like small town, cozy mysteries with heart and humor, a charming cast of characters, and a twisty plot that celebrates the connections of friends and family, you’ll love Silence Says the Most, the second book in The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Jillian only wants to redecorate one room at the Novel Inn—but first she has to deal with murder.

Murder strikes Skirmish Cove during the coastal town’s winter carnival. Jillian Tunney, part owner of the nearby Novel Inn, discovers the body of a clerk at her favorite bookstore. With her sister Kate and brother, Officer Rick Gage, she tries to find out who killed him.

Meanwhile, Jillian is immersed in redecorating one of the themed rooms, but Kate is annoyed when a mysterious guest at the inn doesn’t want to leave his room. The innkeepers find they have way too many secrets to solve. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

“Very entertaining. I highly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that appreciates a very well written mystery, with some twists and an intelligent plot. You will not be disappointed. Excellent way to spend a cold weekend!”
–Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Murder in the Manor)

THISTLEWOOD MANOR: MURDER AT THE HEDGEROW (AN ELIZA MONTAGU COZY MYSTERY—BOOK 1) is the debut novel in a charming 1920s cozy mystery series by Fiona Grace, #1 bestselling author of Murder in the Manor, which has over 300 five star reviews!

For centuries, Thistlewood Manor has stood as home to the Montagu family, a beacon to British aristocracy in rural England. But it’s 1928, and in this new age of women’s rights, Eliza Montagu, 27, a free spirit, has turned her back on her family to live an artist’s life in London.

But when an unexpected family crisis arrives, Eliza has no choice but to return home to the demands of her family, to help her father, and to meet the Lord they hope she’ll marry.

When a dead body appears in the midst of the reunion, Eliza quickly realizes that if she doesn’t solve the mystery, the crime may just be pinned on her, and dash her hopes for a life as a free woman.

A charming historical cozy mystery series that transports readers back in time, THISTLEWOOD MANOR is mystery at its finest: spellbinding, atmospheric and impossible to put down. A page-turner packed with shocking twists, turns and a mystery that’s hard to solve, it will leave you reading late into the night, all while you fall in love with its unforgettable heroine.

Books #2 and #3 in the series (A DOLLOP OF DEATH and CALAMITY AT THE BALL) are now also available! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Things Are About to Change in Sycamore Grove.

The Ghostly Treasure Hunt Mystery: A Sycamore Grove Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Eden Kyle comes back to Sycamore Grove after spending a few days in Pine Ridge only to find out some mystery man broke into a business and is playing scavenger hunt, leaving clues on odd tarot cards.

And now Detective Shane Decker is looking for Eden this morning…

“Yes, I heard you read tarot cards. Is that right?”

Really? Does the good detective want a reading?

“I do.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I have a feeling you’re not asking for personal reasons,” I reply.

To his credit, he doesn’t scoff. I might have kicked him in the shins. He knows I talk to ghosts. Reading tarot cards is nothing compared to that.

Not today. But I wondered if you could help me decipher one.”

Soon, the ghosts will reveal to her shocking information about the old scavenger hunt they used to play in town…until someone died.

That revelation causes an avalanche of questions and an obsession in Eden.

Part of the totally addictive series – The Sycamore Grove Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, The Ghostly Treasure Hunt Mystery brings to life an atmosphere of mystery, humorous moments, and gripping intrigue that will keep you turning pages!

Click “BUY” to get your copy now! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

Hollywood has come to Fern Valley, and the one stoplight town may never be the same. Everyone wants to get in on the act.

The crew from the wildly popular, fan favorite, Fatal Impressions, takes over Jules Keene’s glamping resort, and they bring a lot of offscreen drama and baggage that doesn’t include the scads of costumes, props, and crowds that descend on the bucolic resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Added security, hundreds of calls from hopeful extras, and some demanding divas keep Jules’s team hopping.

When the show’s prickly head writer ends up dead under the L. Frank Baum tiny house in what looks like a staged murder scene with a kitschy homage to the Wizard of Oz, Jules has to figure out who would want the writer dead. Then while they are still reeling from the first murder, the popular publicist gets lost after a long night at the local honky-tonk and winds up strangled. Jules needs to solve both crimes before filming is canceled, and her business is ruined. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

What do donuts, a jewelry store, and a wedding have in common? Murder…

Bakers Ruby and Bee have settled into their new town, Mystery, Maine, where the lobster rolls are fresh, and the locals are friendly. They’re excited for what’s to come—the opening of their new bakery, a serving of delicious donuts, and Ruby’s impending nuptials to her handsome fiancé.

Until disaster strikes.

The owner of the jewelry store is murdered.

His body is found outside the new bakery, Ruby’s wedding band clutched in his cold hand.

With no other suspects or clues, the welcome in Mystery goes from warm to icy, especially when the bulldog of a detective in town takes a dislike to Bee. It’s up to the girls to solve the case before the wedding!Can they figure out whodunit before the murderer finds them? Find out in the first installment of the Bee’s Bakery Cozy Mystery series from USA Today bestseller, Rosie A. Point.Grab your copy today! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

New Releases For The Week Of October 23, 2022–Part 3

Springtime—and another murder case—comes to Goosebush, Massachusetts, in Julia Henry’s latest installment in the Garden Squad Mystery cozy series featuring sixty-something gardener Lilly Jayne!

With spring’s arrival in Goosebush, Lilly and the Beautification Committee turn their eyes to new projects. A cleanup of the historic Goosebush Cemetery may be in order, after Lilly and Delia find the plots there sorely neglected and inexplicably rearranged. Lilly soon discovers that Whitney Dunne-Bradford snapped up custodianship of the graveyard once she inherited Bradford Funeral Homes. But before Lilly can get to the bottom of the tombstone tampering, she stumbles upon Whitney’s body at the Jayne family mausoleum . . .
 
Though at first it appears Whitney died by suicide, Lilly has doubts, and apparently, so does Chief of Police Bash Haywood, who quickly opens a murder investigation. Plenty of folks in town had bones to pick with Whitney, including her stepdaughter, Sasha, and funeral home employee, Dewey Marsh—all three recently charged with illegal business practices. But when the homicide inquiry suddenly targets an old friend, Lilly and the Garden Squad must rally to exhume the truth before the real killer buries it forever . . (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audibook

Sheriff Jax Turner is staring down the barrel of his broken past. On the brink of ending it all, he feels like a failure following his daughter’s tragic passing and his subsequent divorce. But when a schoolgirl vanishes and her backpack is found in a sex offender’s backseat, the weary lawman drags himself into action and vows to nail one last sociopath.

Shocked to discover the teen’s aunt had lost her life in an abduction years prior, the devastating outcome that he’s taken personally, Jax believes the killer has returned with a vengeance. But as the desperate cop frantically hunts down a mysterious relative in search of a suspect, the girl’s time keeps ticking away…

Can the jaded sheriff take down the culprit in time to bring the young girl home alive? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Set in Ireland’s striking, rugged countryside, the USA Today bestselling author’s unsettling, atmospheric new crime fiction novel combines the eerie mood of Tana French and Louise Penny with the compulsively taut plotting of Dervla McTiernan and Lucy Foley, as an Irish veterinarian grapples with life, death, family dynamics, and the secrets at the heart of her small community…

On a rocky beach in the southwest of Ireland, the body of Jimmy O’Reilly, sixty-nine years old and dressed in a suit and his dancing shoes, is propped on a boulder, staring sightlessly out to sea. A cryptic message is spelled out next to the body with sixty-nine polished black stones and a discarded vial of deadly veterinarian medication lies nearby. Jimmy was a wealthy racehorse owner, known far and wide as The Dancing Man. In a town like Dingle, everyone knows a little something about everyone else. But dig a bit deeper, and there’s always much more to find. And when Detective Inspector Cormac O’Brien is dispatched out of Killarney to lead the murder inquiry, he’s determined to unearth every last buried secret.
 
Dimpna Wilde hasn’t been home in years. As picturesque as Dingle may be for tourists in search of their roots and the perfect jumper, to her it means family drama and personal complications. In fairness, Dublin hasn’t worked out quite as she hoped either. Faced with a triple bombshell—her mother rumored to be in a relationship with Jimmy, her father’s dementia is escalating, and her brother is avoiding her calls—Dimpna moves back to clear her family of suspicion.
 
Despite plenty of other suspects, the guards are crawling over the Wildes. But the horse business can be a brutal one, and as Dimpna becomes more involved with her old acquaintances and haunts, the depth of lingering grudges becomes clear. Theft, extortion, jealousy and greed. As Dimpna takes over the family practice, she’s in a race with the detective inspector to uncover the dark, twisting truth, no matter how close to home it strikes . . .

“Compelling…this is the best of O’Connor’s Irish mysteries to date.”- Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

“Wise, riveting, and full of surprises, Anywhere You Run will keep you up past your bedtime and stay with you long after the book is closed.” —Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six

From the award-winning author of All Her Little Secrets comes yet another gripping, suspenseful novel where, after the murder of a white man in Jim Crow Mississippi, two Black sisters run away to different parts of the country . . . but can they escape the secrets they left behind?

It’s the summer of 1964 and three innocent men are brutally murdered for trying to help Black Mississippians secure the right to vote. Against this backdrop, twenty-one year old Violet Richards finds herself in more trouble than she’s ever been in her life. Suffering a brutal attack of her own, she kills the man responsible. But with the color of Violet’s skin, there is no way she can escape Jim Crow justice in Jackson, Mississippi. Before anyone can find the body or finger her as the killer, she decides to run. With the help of her white beau, Violet escapes. But desperation and fear leads her to hide out in the small rural town of Chillicothe, Georgia, unaware that danger may be closer than she thinks.

Back in Jackson, Marigold, Violet’s older sister, has dreams of attending law school. Working for the Mississippi Summer Project, she has been trying to use her smarts to further the cause of the Black vote. But Marigold is in a different kind of trouble: she’s pregnant and unmarried. After news of the murder brings the police to her door, Marigold sees no choice but to flee Jackson too. She heads North seeking the promise of a better life and no more segregation. But has she made a terrible choice that threatens her life and that of her unborn child? 

Two sisters on the run—one from the law, the other from social shame. What they don’t realize is that there’s a man hot on their trail. This man has his own brand of dark secrets and a disturbing motive for finding the sisters that is unknown to everyone but him . . .

“Anywhere You Run had me hooked from the first page… It’s a novel both tender and ferocious—an absolute stunner.” —Lou Berney, Edgar Award–winning author of November Road (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

Clare McKenna returns with the latest book in a historical cozy mystery series sure to appeal to fans of Alyssa Maxwell and Anna Lee Huber.

Against all expectations in Edwardian England, newly married American heiress Stella Kendrick and British aristocrat Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst are bucking traditions—and investigating murder—on their honeymoon . . .
 
Leaving behind tragedies surrounding their wedding at Morrington Hall, travel-worn Stella and Lyndy arrive at the grand Majestic Hotel in York to more misfortune—their stately honeymoon suite has been given away to Horace Wingrove, owner of England’s largest confectionery. Stella refuses to let an innocent booking mistake spoil the mood, but her optimism vanishes when Horace suffocates in the room where she and Lyndy should have stayed . . .
 
Unlike authorities on the scene, Stella can’t believe the business magnate’s death can be explained away as an accident. Troubling signs are everywhere—strange murmurs in the hallway, tight-lipped hotel staff, and a stolen secret recipe for Wingrave’s famous chocolate. Then there are Horace’s murky intentions for visiting the historic cathedral city, and those who were closely watching his every move . . .
 
As Stella and Lyndy tour Yorkshire and mingle with royals as husband and wife, they face a sinister mystery that puts their vows to the test. Can the couple work together to discover the truth about their romantic destination and the strange happenings haunting their trip before they’re treated to another terrifying surprise? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover

After a royal prince is assassinated at the Tower of London, Kitty Worthington is asked to investigate. The murder seems to be the work of a madman who soon makes her his next target. Can she catch the killer before she loses her head as well?

London. 1923. Excited about her new direction in life, Kitty Worthington motors about London in her spiffy new roadster. Granted, finding purloined Poodles and lost Labradors may not be what she envisioned, but they keep her busy enough. At least, there aren’t any bodies dropping at her feet.

But then a visiting royal dignitary loses his head at the Tower of London, and she finds herself embroiled in yet another murder investigation.The suspects are endless. Could it be the wastrel son? The betrayed wife? The devious cousin? The ghost of Anne Boleyn?

With the help of her ace team, comprised of lords and ladies, her maid and chauffeur, and her ever flatulent Basset Hound, Sir Winston, she sets out to solve the mystery. But there’s a madman on the loose who seems equally at home among the glamorous world of British high society and London’s dark underbelly. If she wants to catch the murderer, she needs something more, someone who knows all about the royals. And that can be only one person, heaven help her, her mother.

Murder at the Tower of London, Book 4 in The Kitty Worthington Mysteries, is another frolicking, historical cozy mystery filled with cagey suspects, a duplicitous villain, and an intrepid heroine sure to win your heart. For lovers of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey alike. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

The Feisty Goat has some … colorful regulars. And Dave is one of the best. Gruff. A little scary. But a heart of gold.

Too bad he’s got a secret past.

When a writing professor is murdered, Dave is the number-one suspect, and rumors about his biker life aren’t helping.

Sheriff King thinks the case is open and shut, but I know Dave is no murderer. Proving his innocence isn’t going to be easy, but I’m not going to see my friend go to prison — even if I have to find out the secrets he doesn’t want anyone to know. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

College dreams, sketchy contracts and death!

Lucy’s volunteer efforts at Reading High School lure Fee into the testosterone-laced world of football. To her surprise, billionaire Nelson Delamonte shows interest in the local star. Trouble is, he’s not counting on murder or the fact he’s one of the suspects. Can Fee find out who did it before Fleming Investigations loses its best client? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

 

New Releases For The Week October 23th, 2022–Part 2

The gripping new Jack Reacher thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child

“No Plan B is not to be missed. A perfectly plotted, fast-paced thriller, with bigger twists than ever before. It’s no wonder Jack Reacher is everyone’s favorite rebel hero.”—Karin Slaughter

In Gerrardsville, Colorado, a woman dies under the wheels of a moving bus. The death is ruled a suicide. But Jack Reacher saw what really happened: A man in a gray hoodie and jeans, moving stealthily, pushed the victim to her demise—before swiftly grabbing the dead woman’s purse and strolling away.

When another homicide is ruled an accident, Reacher knows this is no coincidence. With a killer on the loose, Reacher has no time to waste to track down those responsible. 

But Reacher is unaware that these crimes are part of something much larger and more far-reaching: an arsonist out for revenge, a foster kid on the run, a cabal of powerful people involved in a secret conspiracy with many moving parts. There is no room for error, but they make a grave one. They don’t consider Reacher a threat. “There’s too much at stake to start running from shadows.” But Reacher isn’t a shadow. He is flesh and blood. And relentless when it comes to making things right.

For when the threat is Reacher, there is No Plan B. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

In this thrilling installment of the #1 bestselling series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta finds herself a reluctant star witness in a sensational televised murder trial causing chaos in Old Town Alexandria with the threat of violent protests.

Chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta is the reluctant star witness in a sensational murder trial when she receives shocking news. The judge’s sister has been found dead. At first glance, it appears to be a home invasion, but then why was nothing stolen, and why is the garden strewn with dead plants and insects?

Although there is no apparent cause of death, Scarpetta recognizes telltale signs of the unthinkable, and she knows the worst is yet to come. The forensic pathologist finds herself pitted against a powerful force that returns her to the past, and her time to catch the killer is running out . . . (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback

From the USA Today best-selling author Liz Talley comes this hoot of a follow-up to Deconstructed.

Cricket Crosby is back …and she’s licensed to snoop! Fresh off divorce and a private investigator’s course, Cricket’s ready to balance running her antiques store with proving her PI chops…if someone will take a chance on her. When a local PI catches a case involving the theft of luxury goods, he hires the former debutante to go undercover to trap a thief. But snooping during PTA meetings and cotillion parties is harder than it looks, especially when Cricket’s missteps cause a hunky police detective to cast suspicion on her new bestie, Ruby Balthazar.

As a former Long Pines Correctional inmate, Ruby has a lot to lose. She’s a finalist in a local fashion competition and receives an invitation to New York City Fashion Week. Suddenly, she’s parading around town with opportunity knocking faster than a fashion designer can answer. When Ruby is arrested and made the prime suspect in the theft case, everything she’s dreamed of begins to unravel. How can Ruby create a new future if her past keeps dragging her backward?

The only solution is to catch the real thief, but that may prove more dangerous than either Cricket or Ruby imagined. Toss in an incontinent cat, a dognapping, and a hot tow truck driver, and you have a humorous tale that will keep you in stitches! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

The acclaimed historical mystery series A Dickens of a Crime continues with a reimagining of Charles Dickens’s classic Oliver Twist, filled with murder, mystery, and a young Dickens himself as the amateur sleuth. In other words, “Please, can we have some more!”
 
Harrow-on-the-Hill, March 1836: In a sense, orphans Ollie, John, and Arthur have always been treasure hunters. The mudlarks have gone from a hardscrabble life scavenging the banks of the Thames for bits and bobs to becoming students at a boarding school outside of London, thanks to the kind and generous intercession of Charles Dickens. But now they’re missing—as is, apparently, a treasure map.
 
When Charles arrives at the school, he’s hit with another twist—the servant girl who was allegedly in possession of the map has been strangled in the icehouse. Unbeknownst to them on their spirited adventure, his young friends may be in mortal danger. Now Charles and his fiancée Kate Hogarth, who has come to join him in the search for the runaways, must artfully dodge false leads and red herrings to find the boys and the map—before X marks the spot of their graves . . . (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

Ellison and Anarchy Jones are looking forward to a relaxing weekend in the country. Time spent skeet shooting, fishing, and horse-back riding with friends. Hours spent swaying in a shady hammock without friends.

But when Ellison walks into a murder scene, her friends become suspects. And each of them has an excellent motive for murder.

Can Ellison sift through the lies and unmask a killer, or will a weekend away cost her everything she holds dear? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

A 40-year-old Witch with a New Career…

A Gargoyle Sheriff Raising a Teenaged Daughter…

And an Enchanted Island Full of Secrets…

When the island’s golem, Al, complains of trespassers on the north side of the island, Shayla and Needles set out to find out who is blatantly breaking the only rule Black Forest King has to living on Enchanted Island. But as the weeks go by with no hint of the culprit, Shayla turns to other exciting news–like Brick graduating and Serena and Grant’s Baby Reveal Party. When Simone Bitewin is found beaten on the side of the road and her husband missing, Shayla, Needles, Alex, and Grant race to find the missing vampire dentist. The list of suspects is surprisingly long for a guy so well loved by the community. Just when Shayla and the gang are about to close in on a suspect, the unthinkable happens. Someone has snatched one of the gang! Can Shayla and Needles find the killer and the missing family friend before it’s too late? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

A psychic with a quirky gift. A quaint haunted store. And a sassy dog who solves murders.

Janelle Brighton is adapting quickly to life in her hometown of Wyldwood Springs. Her new friends are helping her launch a jewelry store, and the visiting police chief she admires is sticking around.

When a canine specter with a little extra arrives in her new store, however, it stirs up a whirlwind of trouble. The feisty furball’s visit coincides with an unexpected death on Main Street that leaves Janelle’s best friend on the hook for murder.

The ghost without a tail has a very special tale he’s not telling. Luckily, Mr. Bixby—a sassy and previously-deceased dachshund—and Janelle both like a challenge. To solve the crime, they’ll need to crack a complicated canine code that leads down a perilous path into her family’s past.

No one said rescuing ghost dogs would be easy… but there’s never a dull moment.

Love books with hounds, humor and homicide? Join psychic Janelle Brighton in the Mystic Mutt Mysteries, a lighthearted paranormal cozy mystery series featuring a saucy dachshund, several ghosts and murders to solve. Great for fans of funny, fast-paced cozy mysteries with animals. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

When familiars start disappearing, as a witch who can shift into a cat, this mystery is personal.

Something is very wrong on Witchteria Lane, and it’s not just the ridiculous everyday shenanigans of rogue elderly witches. Two cats have gone missing, and new familiars have stopped arriving. This mystery is more significant than the disappearing cats. A witch without a familiar isn’t as powerful. Is one of the witches seeking to steal the magic from the others?

Investigating forces my cat Olaf and me to suspect everyone. We must use our amateur sleuthing skills outside the protected area of the Witchness Program. To make it more difficult, a toad is our only help—but that’s a whole different problem.

Answers to long-held mysteries are revealed—Why is Olaf terrified of toads? Do I look good in sequins? And… who is catnapping familiars?

If we don’t find the culprit, Olaf or I could be the next cat that vanishes. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

A charming, relatable small-town setting and a cast of complex characters sets Alex Erickson’s Bookstore Café Mystery series apart from the cozy pack—and this time the stakes are higher than ever, as bookstore owner Krissy Hancock becomes the target of escalating attacks. Smart and masterfully plotted, will appeal to fans of Leslie Meier, Cleo Coyle, and Carolyn Hart.
 
In a small town like Pine Hills, reputation counts for a lot. And for reasons that Krissy Hancock can’t figure out, someone is trashing hers. Cockroaches in the bookstore’s coffee, spiteful reviews, vandalism—Krissy is being framed for every bit of bad news around. Her boyfriend, local cop Paul Dalton, is on the case, but before they can source the saboteur, Krissy is in the frame for murder, too.
 
The murder weapon was a teapot full of Krissy’s favorite spiced chai, and all the local gossips are spilling the tea about her supposed involvement. But the real culprit has a grudge that’s been simmering for years. And unless Krissy can uncover the truth before the killer’s rage boils over again, it won’t just be her business in hot water—her life will be on the line too . . . (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Set during the Christmas season, the latest novel in this exciting new supernatural cozy series from the author of the Witch City Mysteries features a New Englander transplanted to a Florida town along the scenic Gulf of Mexico when she inherits a charming, century-old—and very haunted—inn from a mysterious benefactor. Fans of Amanda Flower and Heather Blake will delight in murder, ghosts, and the heroine’s golden retriever, Finn.

Christmas lights on palm trees and Santa hats on plastic pink flamingoes are far from the snowy landscape Maureen and her beloved golden retriever, Finn, are used to. But Maureen is determined to make this a holiday to remember—which means finding a way to promote Haven House on a shoestring. Fortunately, Haven’s vintage movie theater, the Paramount, has come up with a great “Twelve Days of Christmas” idea. They’ll feature an impressive list of the best classic Christmas movies ever made—shown by one-time movie actor-turned-projectionist Decklin Monroe . . .
 
But nobody bothered to tell Maureen that the Paramount is haunted by the ghost of a man who was murdered a few years back. Haven’s top cop Frank Hubbard doesn’t believe in ghosts but, believing that Decklin Monroe was somehow involved, he wants a reluctant Maureen’s help. 
 
That plan is derailed when, on the first day of the festival, a fresh murder victim is found at the theater. Now Maureen has to defend her staff and guests, while trying to keep her high-spirited resident ghosts out of the picture—before they have company for the holidays . . .
 
Praise for Be My Ghost

“Maureen is a breath of fresh air in the cozy world. . . . The ghosts, in a refreshing departure from most paranormal cozies, don’t take center stage, and entertaining subplots . . . keep the pages turning. Readers will look forward to Maureen’s further adventures.”
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Spend Halloween witch hunting with the gang in quaint and cozy Holiday Bay.

Shelby Morris decided to come to Holiday Bay after receiving a huge inheritance from a woman she’d never met.
The Bistro, which consists of a restaurant, bar, and live music platform, was exactly the sort of project Shelby needed to find her footing in the new life she was still trying to fit into. She knows she’ll need help, so she enlists the help of new chef and frequent guest to The Inn at Holiday Bay, Amy Hogan, as well as parttime waitress and longtime local Nikki Peyton. Together with the staff and regular customers that seemed to have come with the place, Shelby is certain she’ll be able to create something special.

In book 2 in the series, it’s Halloween in Holiday Bay and the staff at the Bistro will play host to their first holiday event. Things are right on track until a new witch arrives in town and a mysterious visitor turns up dead, plunging the town into chaos and throwing a wrench into the carefully orchestrated plans Shelby and her staff had worked so hard to put into place. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Murder on the Operating Table?

When the sister of a woman who died tragically is on the warpath and out for blood, Kacie, Lyla and Joy are pulled into another mystery. The surgeon might have been drunk, and a nurse is out to expose him. However, someone else turns up dead as well. Can Kacie figure out who is lying about what? Everyone has differing viewpoints. And when one of the team is asked to move away, will that be the end of the murder solving trio? And will Kacie be rid of Justin once and for all? And what does he have to do with an old campground site? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

 

New Releases For The Week Of October 23rd, 2022–Part 1

“Brecher pens a twisty-turny, witty and wonderful, mysterious romp through New York City that was a pure delight to read. Liv Spyers is the sassy and warmhearted amateur sleuth we’d all like to be, and it’s a pleasure to join her as she follows the clues through her sharp-eyed photographer’s lens. Highly recommend this mystery, which is sure to please.” —New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

The first in Christin Brecher’s new cozy mystery promises photo taking fun—and satisfying sleuthing—set in New York City, featuring Liv Spyer, a millennial sleuth sure to charm readers who are young and young at heart.

“Brecher has a winner with this new series that will delight cozy mystery readers!”
—Abby Collette, author of A Killer Sundae

Liv Spyers’ greatest joy is taking photographs of people and the world around them . . . until a shocking murder forces Liv to develop investigative skills using her keen eye . . .
 
While some people escape into books or music, Liv Spyers escapes through her camera’s lens, which inspires her to jump into things she might otherwise have no business tackling—like moving to New York City. Hustling to make her dreams come true as a portrait photographer, she runs a pocket-sized studio below her grandparents’ West Village brownstone and key shop, where she also lives and works part-time. All of which still has her down to the end of her savings as the holidays approach. Everything changes in a flash, however, when elite events photographer, Regina Montague, invites Liv to shoot with her at New York City’s most exclusive socialite event of the year—the Holiday Debutante Ball!
 
Liv snaps at the opportunity, convinced that a job with Regina will launch her career. But when her fabulous new gig ends with the murder of billionaire Charlie Archibald, her dream job may never develop with Regina framed for murder. Once Liv begins to focus on her photos from the ball, she’s convinced they reveal Charlie Archibald’s real killer. Now, between cracking the world of high society—and the attentions of a handsome stranger—Liv must hustle once again to expose the killer . . . before she gets cropped from the picture!

“From F-stops to the F-train, Liv’s expert eye makes her the ultimate cozy detective in Christin Brecher’s Photo Finished. Photographer Liv Spyers and her trusty camera lens charms readers (and the NYC elite) without ever losing focus on the investigation. Expert composition and timing culminates in a portrait of a complex mystery!”
—Olivia Blacke, author of the Brooklyn Murder Mysteries (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

First in the new Maple Syrup cozy mystery series from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns.

There’s nothing sweet about murder…

Leila Khoury has always believed that everyone loved her father as much as they loved his artisanal maple syrup. But when he’s killed, and she returns to Sugar Ridge, Vermont to take over his business, she starts to realize how much of his life she’s left untapped.

With her brother under suspicion, her mother just barely holding it together, and police not producing any leads, Leila will have to investigate herself if she wants answers about her father’s sticky end. But the more she learns, the more she worries that there won’t be a sappy ending to the story.

A cozy mystery perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke, this edition includes 5 delicious maple recipes for mystery readers with a sweet tooth!

What readers are saying about A Doomful of Sugar:

“There’s no shortage of twists and turns”

“Memorable characters, a charming setting…a well-plotted mystery”

“Developed characters, a strong plotline, and a few red herrings” (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

The Cat Who Caught a Killer by L T Shearer is a charming cosy crime read for fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club and S. J. Bennett’s The Windsor Knot.

‘Charming and original. This book is the cat’s whiskers’ – Anthony Horowitz, author of Foyle’s War

Meet Conrad. Conrad is a cat. You’ve never met a detective like him before.

Neither has Lulu Lewis, until he walks into her life one summer’s day. Mourning the recent death of her husband, the former police detective had expected a gentle retirement, quietly enjoying life on her new canal boat, The Lark, and visiting her mother-in-law in a nearby care home.

But when her mother-in-law dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, Lulu senses foul play and resolves to find out what really happened. And a remarkable cat named Conrad will be with her every step of the way . . .

‘A captivating, charming and gentle tale, perfect for all those who love their crime cozy’
Peter James (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Audiobook

Flying high in the New Mexican sky has never been more lethal.

The biggest hot air balloon festival would have been a vacation if Maddie didn’t have to balance her apathetic teenagers, a meddling mother, and act as therapist for a desperate patient. Let alone solve a murder case!

When Maddie witnesses someone fall from a hot air balloon, it seems like a tragic accident. But as facts come to light, the police are convinced it’s foul play. And Maddie’s friend is to blame.

With the remainder of the festival canceled and all attendees required to stay for questioning, Maddie has two days to discover the truth behind the murder and free her friend from suspicion.

Dead Upon Arrival is the second book in the Maddie Swallows mystery series. If you like humor, intrigue, and, of course, hot air balloons, you’ll love this cozy mystery.

Grab Dead Upon Arrival and test your whodunit skills today! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

The Crown meets Clue in this delightful locked-room mystery, sure to charm Agatha Christie fans and keep readers guessing to the end.

The king is dead. The killer is in the family. Solving this murder will be a royal pain.

The royal family has gathered at their Scottish retreat, Balmoral Castle, for a traditional Christmas. As a blizzard gathers outside and a delicious dinner is prepared, the family circles up for a holiday toast. King Eric has something momentous to say—in fact, he is about to name his successor. But as he raises a glass of his favorite whiskey, he drops dead.
 
The king has been poisoned, someone in the family must have done it, and each one of them had opportunity and motive. Eric’s beloved head chef, Jonathan, must now play detective. Why would one of the king’s own family members want to kill him, and how did they do it? What happens in the castle usually stays in the castle, but this secret might be too big for these battlements. Jon is determined to expose the truth, even if it puts him in a killer’s crosshairs—and shakes the entire monarchy to its core. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

Someone will be getting coal in his stocking . . . 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the small town of Bradley, North Carolina. Wreaths adorn doors, halls are decked, and candles cheerfully glow in windows. Adding to the Christmas excitement, there’s also a lovely local wedding with many guests to wish the couple well.

The wedding becomes a bit too exciting, however, when octogenarian sleuth Myrtle discovers the bride’s rather outspoken aunt, mysteriously murdered.

Myrtle and her senior sidekick must find the killer before someone else doesn’t make it home for Christmas. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Can Adele Gossling prove a son didn’t kill his mother?

Teddy Roosevelt has just been elected president and even Arrojo can’t deny progressive reform is here to stay. Rebecca Gold, one of the era’s New Women, comes to Arrojo to start her own law practice and lands the affluent Thea Marsh as her first client.

Thea dies unexpectedly and the trail of suspects leads to her own family. In particular, her beloved eldest son, Theo, is accused of the crime. Mild-mannered and somewhat of a mama’s boy, could he really be guilty of such a heinous crime?

The police think so. So Rebecca turns to her new friend in town: stationary shop owner Adele Gossling. Adele has already proven herself to be adept in helping the local police solve crimes, much to the shock and chagrin of her more conservative neighbors. Despite promises never to involve herself in crime detection again, how can she refuse a friend in need?

Will Adele make a case against Theo for the police out of a stained teacup, a fountain pen nib, ashes that should have been in the fireplace, and daisies that should have been fresh? Or will Theo go the gallows and the real murderer escape justice?

Find out in this third installment of the Adele Gossling Mysteries, the compelling early 20th century series spearheaded by Adele Gossling and her spiritual sidekick, Nin Branch, as they set out to prove women can be crime busters too!

What reviewers are saying:

“Entertaining page-turner!”

“Intrigue that will draw you in and make you want more.”~~~

Don’t forget to check out the other books in the Adele Gossling Mysteries! (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

Unfortunately for Ike Krane, his parents had a wicked sense of humor.

So, early on, he decided to embrace his challenges rather than run from them, which is how he become a ghost hunter and ended up visiting Redemption, Wisconsin.

The problem—trouble seems to follow Ike just as it did his fictional predecessor.

First, there’s the sound of a horse galloping down the neighborhood streets at night, even though there’s never a horse to be found.

Then, Ike’s on-again, off-again girlfriend Kat arrives with an urgent message for him.

But before she can deliver it, a journalist shows up, accusing Ike of murdering Abe … Kat’s former lover.

Surely, Ike can clear all of this up.

Except he’s disappeared.

And then, the journalist is found murdered.

And through it all, the sounds of endless galloping return, night after night.

Things definitely aren’t looking good for Ike, so it’s a good thing Charlie is there to get to the bottom of why a legend has seemingly come to life.

Meet Charlie. Better known as “Aunt Charlie” from the award-winning Secrets of Redemption series. She’s back, making teas and solving cases in this funny, twisty, cozy mystery series set in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin. (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback

“Balances Downton Abbey–style period charm with a tight plot that twists and turns right until the end… a plot that would satisfy Poirot.” – Library Journal

“Dame Agatha would be proud.” – Publishers Weekly

In this captivating English murder mystery from an acclaimed author, Agatha Christie’s housekeeper must uncover the killer amongst a throng of crime writers.

In England’s stately manor houses, murder is not generally a topic for polite conversation. Mallowan Hall, home to Agatha Christie and her husband, Max, is the exception. And housekeeper Phyllida Bright delights in discussing gory plot details with her friend and employer . . .
 
The neighboring village of Listleigh has also become a hub of grisly goings-on, thanks to a Murder Fête organized to benefit a local orphanage. Members of The Detection Club—a group of celebrated authors such as G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Agatha herself—will congregate for charitable events, including a writing contest for aspiring authors. The winner gets an international publishing contract, and entrants have gathered for a cocktail party—managed by the inimitable Phyllida—when murder strikes too close even for her comfort.
 
It seems the victim imbibed a poisoned cocktail intended for Alastair Whittlesby, president of the local writers’ club. The insufferable Whittlesby is thought to be a shoo-in for the prize, and ambition is certainly a worthy motive. But narrowing down these suspects could leave even Phyllida’s favorite fictional detective, M. Poirot, twirling his mustache in frustration.
 
It’s a mystery too intriguing for Phyllida to resist, but one fraught with duplicity and danger, for every guest is an expert in murder—and how to get away with it . . .(Amazon0

Editions Available: Kindle, Hardcover

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Reports of Madison Night’s death have been greatly exaggerated…

When a junior copy editor at the local newspaper mistakenly uses interior decorator Madison Night’s life story in the obituary of a recently deceased woman with a similar name, Madison’s life turns upside down. Addison Nigh, a once in-demand jazz vocalist, had fallen into obscurity, and her death notice surprises only those who thought she died decades ago.

Canceled lines of credit and a swarm of condolences to Madison’s loved ones are just the tip of the iceberg, but when the decorator discovers evidence that the real dead woman played a part in an unsolved murder, their identity mix-up gives Madison backstage access to a life of secrets. As parallels between the singer’s life and her own become impossible to ignore, Madison questions the true price of fame. But Madison isn’t the only one to discover the singer’s buried secrets, and if she’s not careful, the next obituary might be her own.

Can Madison protect a mysterious past with similar notes to her own, or will exposing the truth be her swan song? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle

The second in a charming and engrossing cozy series from Diane Kelly, A Trip with Trouble proves that in the Blue Ridge Mountains, life in the fast lane could end in a crash.

When the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club take over the Mountaintop Lodge for their annual autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Misty Murphy couldn’t be more thrilled. Every room is full and the adventurous women even invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to join them on a ride to admire the colorful fall foliage. Hotel handyman Rocky Crowder is happy to keep an eye on the lodge for the day, and the ladies set out for a fun ride on the scenic road.

The skies are clear, the air is crisp, and the leaves are gorgeous. But what starts as a perfect ride turns worrisome when the tail gunner – the last rider in their group – fails to show up at the Craggy Gardens overlook. Cell phone service is spotty in the remote, mountainous area, and the group is unable to connect with their friend. Might the missing woman have simply run out of gas? Or is something far more sinister afoot?

The ladies are determined to locate their ride or die, and Misty is equally determined to help them. But will they be able to solve the mystery when the scenic route seems intent on hiding its secrets? (Amazon)

Editions Available: Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

A Callie Morgan and Carolina Slade crossover! (A standalone mystery)

Regret has become ex-Police Chief Callie Jean Morgan’s constant companion. Her half-assed, “good ol’ boy” replacement in the town of Edisto deepens her guilt at having abandoned her citizens, her officers. When her friends Carolina Slade and Wayne Largo arrive unannounced and determined to uncover why the hell Callie gave up her badge, the group is pulled into a mystery they shouldn’t have to solve—but no one else seems to care that the Edisto Witch has turned up dead behind the cemetery.

In fact, Callie and posse have caught the new chief in a lie about the death.

She’ll have to decide whether to stay safely retired, save Edisto from an unforeseen criminal element, or take that job offer in her hometown…

The dead still speak to Callie Jean Morgan. Whether she’s on the job or not.

“When a shocking murder leaves more questions than answers, retired police chief Callie Jean Morgan reclaims her true purpose—solving big crimes in a small town. Packed with plot twists, suspicious new characters, and the Edisto Beach community readers have come to love, C. Hope Clark fans will be cheering.” —Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials

“Characters that linger in your mind long after the last page is turned.” —Karen White, New York Times Bestselling Author

Hope Clark’s books have been honored as winners of the Epic Award, Silver Falcion Award, the Imaginarium Award, and the Daphne du Maurier Award.

“I am grateful that the mayhem of the Edisto Island Mysteries is restricted to these enjoyable works of fiction, and I am a big fan.” —former Mayor Jane Darby, Town of Edisto Beach, SC

“Ms. Clark delivers a riveting ride, with her irrepressible characters set squarely in the driver’s seat.” —Dish Magazine on Echoes of Edisto

Author Bio:
C. HOPE CLARK has a fascination with the mystery genre and is author of the Carolina Slade Mystery Series, and the Craven County Mysteries as well as the Edisto Island Mysteries, all set in her home state of South Carolina. In her previous federal life, she performed administrative investigations and married the agent she met on a bribery investigation. She enjoys nothing more than editing her books on the back porch with him, overlooking the lake, with bourbons in hand. She can be found either on the banks of Lake Murray or Edisto Beach with one or two dachshunds in her lap. Hope is also editor of the award-winning FundsforWriters.com. (Amazon)

Editions Available Kindle, Paperback

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours–Too Much To Candle

Too Much to Candle (Glenmyre Whim Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery/Paranormal
2nd in Series
Setting: A fictional town in upstate New York called Crucible
Independently Published (October 13, 2022)
Number of Pages: 249
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B1QT8XL8

Purchase Link – Amazon 

I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author Sarah E. Burr and her new book Too Much To Candle. It is the second book in her Glenmyre Whim Mystery.

Too Much to Candle (Glenmyre Whim Mysteries)
by Sarah E. Burr

Characters that are absolutely cheer-worthy, a setting that sounds like a place I’d love to visit, a fascinating magical system, and an engaging mystery that kept me guessing – Too Much to Candle gets five twinkling candlelit stars from me!
~The Plain Spoken Pen

With its comfortable and homey setting, engaging characters, unique paranormal elements, and intriguing mystery, I recommend TOO MUCH TO CANDLE to cozy mystery readers who enjoy a touch of the supernatural in their stories and those who would like the cozy and warm small-town New York setting during the Halloween season.
~Guatemala Paula

If you are looking for a Halloween read, but don’t want the fear factor, this book might be just what you need.
~Elza Reads

Candlemaker Hazel Wickbury sets out again to bring the truth to light.

Iggy Alewell, Hazel Wickbury’s friend and candle shop assistant, is eager to purchase his own home with the advance from his first big book deal. Iggy is on the hunt for something with character, so what could be better than the old Cragmire house that’s rumored to have buried treasure somewhere on its property? Hazel is thrilled her friend has found success, but things in Crucible take a nasty turn when another potential buyer for the Cragmire house goes missing. He was last seen taking a boat out on Lake Glenmyre, and when the rental is found empty, it’s clear to police that foul play is involved.

What’s worse is that Iggy becomes the prime suspect in the man’s disappearance, and Detective Holden Whitfield’s thorny, new partner is certain Iggy is guilty. To clear Iggy from suspicion and dispel the darkness penetrating their beloved town, Hazel and her Aunt Poppy team up again to find a killer before their friend gets burned.

Return to Crucible in Too Much to Candle, Book Two in the award-winning Glenmyre Whim Mysteries.

Sarah E. Burr lives near New York City. Hailing from the small town of Appleton, Maine, she has been dreaming of being Nancy Drew since she was a little girl. After not finding any mysteries in corporate America, Sarah began writing some of her own. She is the author of the Trending Topic Mysteries and the Court of Mystery series. Sarah is also the author of the award-winning Glenmyre Whim Mysteries. You Can’t Candle the Truth was a 2022 NGIBA Best Mystery Finalist and a 2022 Silver Falchion Best Supernatural Mystery Finalist.

Sarah is a member of Sisters in Crime, currently serving as the social media guru for the NY-TriState Chapter. She is also the creative mind behind BookstaBundles, a content creation service for authors. Sarah is the co-host of The Bookish Hour, a livestreamed YouTube series featuring author interviews and book discussions. She writes as a member of the Writers Who Kill blogging team. When she’s not spinning up stories, Sarah is singing Broadway show tunes, video gaming, and enjoying walks with her dog, Eevee.

 Author Links

 Website: www.saraheburr.com

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/saraheburrsignup

Socials: https://bit.ly/sarahsocialmediahub

Sarah’s Blog: https://bit.ly/noteworthyauthorblog

The Glenmyre Whim Mysteries: https://bit.ly/glenmyrewhimmysteries

Amazon Author Page: https://bit.ly/authorsaraheburr

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To enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway, please click on the link below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/028877921434/?widget_template=56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 14 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW

October 14 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

October 15 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 15 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 15 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 16 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

October 16 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

October 18 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 18 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 19 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 19 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 20 – Elza Reads – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 20 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

October 21 – Lady Hawkeye – CHARACTER GUEST POST  

October 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

October 22 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

October 22 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT