Posts by Bill Harris
No Darkness as like Death, a new book in the Mysteries of Old San Francisco series, is available now!
In a new Mystery of Old San Francisco, when a controversial politician is found dead of natural causes, Celia and Nick must prove that his death came about in a most unnatural way . . .
Few in San Francisco were troubled by the news that Ambrose Shaw had been found dead at a local health institute—the prominent banker had recently turned to politics and was reviled by many for his incendiary views. But when Celia Davies learns that his death is considered suspicious by the police and that a damning piece of evidence points to a patient of hers as the culprit, she feels compelled to prove the woman’s innocence.
Teaming up with Detective Nick Greaves, Celia soon discovers there’s no shortage of suspects, including the victim’s many political enemies, his disaffected stepson, who may have been too eager to receive his inheritance, and even the dead man’s fellow patients at the institute, whose founder promises miracle water cures but has been covering up numerous burglaries of his well-to-do clients.
As Celia and Nick struggle with their feelings for each other as well as the many murky aspects of the case, they’ll have to navigate an endless trail of false clues and dead ends to reach the cruel truth behind a perplexing murder . . .
Praise for the Mysteries of Old San Francisco:
“Skillfully brings 1867 San Francisco to life . . . intriguing!” —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries
“Entertaining . . . readers who like independent heroines should welcome this historical series.” —Publishers Weekly on No Comfort for the Lost
“Herriman crafts a finely detailed series debut with a sympathetic protagonist and impeccable, colorful depictions of 1860s San Francisco . . . This atmospheric mystery is just the ticket for anyone who misses Dianne Day’s Fremont Jones series as well as readers of Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy historicals.” —Library Journal Starred Review of No Comfort for the Lost
“With historical precision and wickedly clever plotting, Nancy Herriman once again weaves a mystery that will have you changing your guess right up until the final reveal . . . I loved it!” —Alyssa Maxwell, author of the Gilded Newport Mysteries
About the Author: Nancy Herriman left an engineering career to take up the pen and has never looked back. She is the author of the Mysteries of Old San Francisco, the Bess Ellyott Mysteries, and several stand-alone novels. A winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, when she’s not writing, she enjoys singing, gabbing about writing, and eating dark chocolate. After two decades in Arizona, she now lives in her home state of Ohio with her family.
Hiss H for Homicide, a new Nick and Nora Mystery by T. C. LoTempio, is available now!
Nick and Nora are back in a tantalizing new mystery that’s far more dangerous than a game of cat and mouse . . .
Never one to turn away from a challenge—even when it goes against her better judgment—Nora Charles can hardly say no when an old friend of her mother’s comes to town seeking her help. The author of steamy romances has learned that her writing partner is severing their relationship and threatening to reveal dark and dirty secrets in a tell-all, and she pleads with Nora to intervene. Reluctantly agreeing to help, Nora pays a visit to the writing partner, ready to make her case—right up until the moment she discovers the woman’s lifeless body.
With the police convinced that Nora’s friend is the culprit, she and Nick begin delving into the dead woman’s past and her provocative tell-all. It soon becomes apparent that the woman had a knack for digging up dirt and wasn’t shy about exposing skeletons in closets, and before long Nora has a seemingly endless list of suspects who were at risk of having their darkest secrets revealed. With a police force intent on throwing the book at Nora’s friend and time running out, she and Nick must outwit a dangerous killer before they take their own secrets to the grave . . .
Praise for the Nick and Nora Mysteries:
“A fast-paced cozy mystery spiced with a dash of romance and topped with a big slice of ‘cat-titude.’” —Ali Brandon, New York Times Bestselling author
“Nick and Nora are the purr-fect sleuth duo!” —Victoria Laurie, New York Times Bestselling author
“A page-turner with an endearing heroine.” —Richmond Times Dispatch
“Excellently plotted and executed—five paws and a tail up for this tale.” —Open Book Society
“Nick brims with street smarts and feline charisma, you’d think he was human . . . an exciting new series.” —Carole Nelson Douglas, New York Times notable author of the Midnight Louie mysteries
“I love this series and each new story quickly becomes my favorite. Cannot wait for the next!” —Escape With Dollycas
“I totally loved this lighthearted and engagingly entertaining whodunit featuring new amateur sleuth Nora Charles and Nick, her feline companion.” —Dru’s Cozy Report
“A murder mystery, this book had everything that I could have hoped it would have—intrigue, suspense, a little comedy, even a bit of romance, and yes, a cat! Right from the start, the story had me hooked!” —KittyCat Chronicles
A new book in the Allie Cobb Mystery Series by J. C. Kenney is available now!
Certain she’s seen more than enough death for one lifetime, literary agent Allie Cobb is ready to close the book on her amateur sleuthing, even when she learns that an unidentified body has been unearthed in a local state park. But when a worn and haunted-looking woman shows up on her doorstep with a grim story about her young daughter’s disappearance twenty years ago—and the police confirm that the recently discovered body is hers—Allie can’t bear to turn the poor woman away.
Determined to uncover the truth about the young woman’s murder, Allie begins delving into the circumstances of her life and those she knew so many years before. And when she meets powerful resistance from those she questions—many of whom are now trusted leaders in her small, tight-knit community—she’s sure she’s on the right track. But as she narrows down the list of suspects, Allie realizes too late that a cold-blooded killer is dead-set on keeping the secrets of the past buried, and it will take all her wit and cunning to avoid becoming the second young woman to meet an untimely end . . .
Praise for the Allie Cobb Mysteries:
“Mr. Kenney has written a complicated mystery . . . The killer reveal was so entertaining and the takedown was something I had never seen in a cozy mystery.” —Escape With Dollycas
“Full of charm, great characters, and plenty of small details, making it perfect for fans of cozies.” —Books a Plenty Book Reviews
“A Genuine Fix is a lighthearted cozy mystery with a cunning cat, a disagreeable victim, a mound of mulch, a tolerant police chief, and one determined bicycle-riding literary agent.” —The Avid Reader
“The story behind the mystery and Allie’s interaction with family and friends . . . [are] character-driven and peopled by characters that are easy to become attached to and invested in.” —I Read What You Write
“I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed getting to know Allie and her friends . . . A Mysterious Mix Up is a quick and easy cozy mystery.” —Christy’s Cozy Corner
About the Author:
Award-winning and bestselling author J. C. Kenney grew up in a household filled with books by legends like Agatha Christie and Lilian Jackson Braun, so it was no surprise when he found himself writing mysteries. When he’s not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife, two children, and a cat who is the inspiration for Ursula in the Allie Cobb Mysteries.
Murder in the Christmas Tree Lot is available now!
Landscape architect Tory Benning returns in a holiday mystery tied up with a bow!
Still struggling with the death of her husband, Tory Benning is doing her best to get into the festive spirit of the holiday season, but when her landscaping company’s email is hacked and there’s a break-in at the office, it’s enough to make her see red. And then the unthinkable happens, when the owner of a specialty food truck is brutally slain at the company’s Christmas tree lot, and Tory finds herself mired in murder once again.
With a long list of suspects—including an untold number of revelers disguised in Santa suits, seasonal employees handling tree sales, and even a vengeful jilted suitor—the police investigation grinds along slowly and methodically. But as Tory begins piecing together clues on her own, she finds she’s the target of a menacing stalker who may be out to do more than just scare her. Refusing to be intimidated, Tory vows to nab the culprit, even if it means that catching a Christmas killer has become her lot in life . . .
About the Author:
Judith Gonda is a mystery writer and Ph.D. psychologist with a penchant for Pomeranians and puns, so it’s not surprising that psychology, Poms, and puns pop up in her amateur sleuth mysteries featuring landscape architect Tory Benning.
The Deeds of the Deceitful, a new Hope Street Church Mystery, is available for pre-order now!
Welcome back to Hope Street Church, where friendships are formed, fresh starts are encouraged, and mysteries are solved . . .
It’s June in Virginia, and the scent of flowers and the sound of wedding bells are in the air, an unwelcome reminder to Cooper Lee of the long-distance relationship she recently ended. When Cooper and her Bible study group are invited to spend a weekend at a newly renovated historic inn, it’s the perfect chance to get away with friends and put her bittersweet memories behind her—until the inn’s pompous co-owner is murdered and one of the suspects is Cooper’s own mother.
Certain that someone on the inn’s staff must have done the cruel deed, the Bible study group begins piecing together the clues, only to learn that everyone there has a motive for murder. When they discover that a valuable painting has also been stolen from the inn, they know they’re up against an especially cunning evildoer. Determined to bring the culprit to justice and save her mother, Cooper and her friends devise a risky scheme to trap the killer, because even the Bible study group must sometimes work in mysterious ways . . .
Includes heavenly recipes from Magnolia Lee’s kitchen!
Death, Dismay and Rosé, a new Wine Trail Mystery, is available now!
When a local historian is found dead, Norrie Ellington has to dig through the clues to prove the cause was not a centuries-old curse but coldblooded murder . . .
It’s rare that the summer solstice and a full moon fall on the same night, but winery manager Norrie Ellington is all too familiar with the curse that supposedly accompanies the event: the death by suffocation of someone in the area. She’s inclined to write the whole thing off as folktale nonsense―until the president of the local historical society is found smothered on that very night. Local law enforcement aren’t quite so superstitious, however, and they’ve pegged a close friend of Norrie’s for the murder.
Determined to discredit the curse and get her friend off the hook, Norrie begins digging into the background of the victim, only to discover that he had no shortage of enemies. And as evidence emerges of his questionable connections and shady dealings, Norrie follows a trail of clues that leads her smack into the racing world at Watkins Glen. She’ll have to shift into overdrive to save her friend, because curse or not, there’s a flesh-and-blood killer dead set on making Norrie the next victim . . .
A Shot of Murder, the first book in the Lucky Whiskey Mystery series by J. A. Kazimer, is available now!
When it comes to murder, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good . . .
When she put the stifling small town of Gett, Florida, in her rearview mirror ten years ago, Charlotte Lucky happily said goodbye and vowed never to return. But luck has never been on Charlotte’s side, and when the grandfather who raised her gets laid up recovering from a heart attack, Charlotte knows it’s her duty to return home to save the family distillery from going under. Learning the whiskey business turns out to be the least of her worries, though, when she discovers a pickled corpse in a barrel of Lucky Whiskey—and her grandfather is arrested for the murder.
Certain that the local Gett clan is behind the foul deed, Charlotte will have to jump head-first into a long-simmering family feud to prove her grandfather’s innocence. Following a trail of clues that’s as crooked as a drunk’s walk home, she’ll suffer through the town’s oppressive heat, smirking gossip, and even romantic attention from a tempting Gett son to clear her family’s name and nab the real culprit before the Lucky Whiskey stills run dry . . .
“An entertaining and riveting read with more plot twists than a bakery full of pretzels, A Shot of Murder showcases author J. A. Kazimer’s complete mastery of the genre.” —Midwest Book Review
The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror, a new Bad Luck Cat Mystery, is available now!
Mystery novelist Sabrina Tate and her cat Hitchcock are headed to a country music show, but there’s a killer on the loose who plans to end the evening with a deadly Texas two-step . . .
As the summer tourist season draws to a close in Lavender, Texas, Sabrina has invited her brother and nephews for the highly anticipated concert of Colt Jamison, whose hit song “Broken Mirror” is rising to the top of the Nashville charts. But their stay begins on a sour note when one of the boys stumbles upon the dead body of Jamison’s former public relations manager—a man who’d long ago burned his bridges in town, leaving no shortage of suspects in the murder.
As Sabrina is reluctantly drawn into the investigation, she’s confronted with a country singer who may be harboring more than a few dark secrets, an overzealous fan club president who may be up to her ears in criminal activities, and someone leaving shards of broken mirrors scattered all over town. Just as Sabrina narrows the list of suspects and closes in on the culprit, she realizes that seven years of bad luck may be the least of her worries . . .
Includes mouthwatering dessert recipes!
Praise for the Bad Luck Cat Mysteries:
“I loved every page of Black Cat Crossing, and I can’t wait for a return visit to Lavender.” —Miranda James, New York Times bestselling author
“Finch has, yet again, offered a great tale of female and feline that cozy readers will love.” —Suspense Magazine
“Hitchcock and Sabrina make a wonderful detective team, and I can’t wait to read about their next big case.” —TheBookReview.com
“Don’t miss out on this humorous well-written cozy! You’ll be turning pages as fast as you can to find out whodunit!” —MyShelf
A Design to Die For, a new Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery, is available now!
“Discerning cozy mystery fans who delight in well-developed characters, rich detail, and a smart plotline will find that Kathleen Bridge’s A Design to Die For is their cup of tea!” —Ellery Adams, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Montauk’s first annual Designer Showhouse was meant to be a collaborative event, so decorator Meg Barrett can only despair at the group of cutthroat designers scheming to sabotage each other on the project, not to mention the oddball collection of ghost hunters slinking around to investigate a supposedly haunted cottage. But when one of the owners of the showhouse is found murdered on the rocky beach below, Meg suddenly finds herself clashing with local police because of evidence that points to her as a prime suspect.
Desperate to clear her name and track down the real culprit, Meg discovers that many of her fellow designers despised the victim for his unscrupulous business dealings, while others were speculating about his extramarital affairs. And as more secrets emerge about both the deceased and the many outsiders who have come together for the showhouse, Meg realizes she’ll have to decipher a murky pattern of clues to escape the killer’s deadly designs on her . . .
Includes scrumptious recipes and vintage decorating tips!
Praise for the Hamptons Home & Garden Mysteries:
“A delightful sneak peek into life in the Hamptons, with intricate plotting and a likeable, down-to-earth protagonist. A promising start to a promising series.” —Suspense Magazine on Better Homes and Corpses
“An excellent read.” —RT Book Reviews on Hearse and Gardens
“Ghostal Living is a marvelously entertaining tale of revenge, murder, quirky characters—and disappearing books! With a clever protagonist, wonderful details of life in the Hamptons, and plot twists on top of plot twists, Kathleen Bridge will have mystery readers clamoring for more.” —Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author
About the Author
Kathleen Bridge is the national bestselling author of the Hamptons Home & Garden Mystery series and the By the Sea Mystery series. A member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, she is also the author and photographer of an antiques reference guide, Lithographed Paper Toys, Books, and Games. Kathleen teaches creative writing in addition to working as an antiques and vintage dealer, and blissfully lives on a barrier island in Florida. Readers can visit her on the web at www.kathleenbridge.com.
Grave Consequences, a new Bay Island Psychic Mystery, is available now!
Cass Donovan is reminded that you can’t believe everything you hear, especially when it comes from the dead . . .
When stories begin circulating of a centuries-old ghost haunting the Bay Island lighthouse, Cass is caught up in mystical happenings of her own, with countless voices from the beyond all clamoring for her attention with dire warnings. But before she has a chance to learn whether there’s a connection between the rumored ghost and her restless visitors, the lighthouse keeper mysteriously falls to his death, and Cass’s reputation for communing with the dead lands her right in the middle of the police investigation.
Cass knows the victim was no saint, as he made little effort to hide his philandering ways from his wife or anyone else, and often acted out with no thought for the feelings of others. But had he finally gone too far, or were there more menacing motives behind his murder? As Cass begins building a list of suspects, including the man’s supposedly grieving wife and a mysterious new woman in town, she also turns her ear to those otherworldly voices, hoping for a clue. And as she begins to close in on the culprit, she realizes too late that if she’s not careful, she’ll soon be communicating with the dead in person . . .
Praise for the Bay Island Psychic Mystery series:
“The future shows much success for this series! Fun, vibrant characters (as well as a sexy smolder or two for good measure) give the novel just the right tone.” —RT Book Reviews on Death at First Sight
“I loved the protagonist, Cass. She and her friends were very well developed, and felt like a group of people I’d like to get to know.” —The Book’s the Thing
“I stayed up far too late into the evening because I couldn’t put it down. A well-crafted mystery with a quirky cast of characters, and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end.” —The Mysterious Ink Spot on Death at First Sight
About the Author:
Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mystery series, which takes place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, and the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series, which is set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest.
Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island. She recently relocated to Clermont, Florida, with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.