Muffin But Trouble, the new Merry Muffin Mystery by Victoria Hamilton, is available now!
In the new Merry Muffin Mystery from the author of Muffin to Fear, baker Merry Wynter must confront a spiritual guru who may be up to something far from heavenly
With plans for a new performing arts center at Wynter Castle taking up all her time, baker Merry Wynter has been all but unaware of the fringe group compound near her small town—until a street preacher accosts her with taunts of doom and damnation. Worried that some of her close friends may have been lured in by the group and its charismatic leader, Merry begins digging into the ministry—and soon suspects they may have ties to the recent death of a young woman and the disappearance of many others.
With her rebellious teen friend Lizzie at her side, Merry steps in to confront the eerily submissive community and its misguided members, skeptical of their supposed spiritual leanings. When another young woman vanishes and Merry realizes the lives of people close to her are at stake, she will stop at nothing to uncover the group’s sinister secrets before the murderous ministry can strike again . . .
Includes tasty baking recipes!
Praise for the Merry Muffin Mysteries:
“[Has] the ingredients for a wonderful cozy mystery series.” —New York Times bestselling author Paige Shelton
“A great cozy with varied and interesting characters, nice plot with a few twists, and a good main character . . . Loved it!” —Mysteries and My Musings
“Merry Wynter’s character is extremely well-developed . . . This is a great start to a promising new series for cozy mystery fans. Five Stars!” —Goodreads
About the Author:
Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym of nationally bestselling romance author Donna Lea Simpson. She is the bestselling author of the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries, the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, the Merry Muffin Mysteries, and a Regency-set historical mystery series, starting with A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Murder. She blogs at Killer Characters. Visit her website at victoriahamiltonmysteries.com.
The Black Cat Steps on a Crack, the new Bad Luck Cat Mystery by kay Finch, is available now!
Sabrina Tate and her cat, Hitchcock, must sort through the clues when a librarian is killed and justice is overdue . . .
With construction on the town’s new library nearing completion, mystery writer Sabrina Tate is thrilled that local book lovers, and her own forthcoming novel, will soon have a fresh new home. But tensions are rising at the site as the headstrong new librarian insists on telling the construction crew how to do their jobs, bringing work to a standstill. When Sabrina’s cat unearths the dead body of the librarian not long after—and a good friend’s husband is named as the main suspect—she finds herself being pulled into a murder investigation yet again.
While virtually all the workers at the site had a motive to commit the dark deed, Sabrina turns her attention to the victim’s background looking for clues, but hits a dead end when she can’t locate any of the woman’s family. As a string of planted evidence and a murky collection of malicious characters starts to surface, Sabrina knows she and Hitchcock will have to tread carefully, before the library killer decides to check them out for good . . .
Includes delicious 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
“Black Cat Crossing has everything a cozy mystery reader could want—intrigue, memorable characters, a small-town setting, and even a few mouthwatering recipes . . . A purr-fectly cozy read.”
—Ellery Adams, New York Times bestselling author
“Finch has, yet again, offered a great tale of female and feline that cozy readers will love.”
—Suspense Magazine
Spirited Away, the new Bay Island Psychic Mystery, is available now!
In the new Bay Island Psychic Mystery, psychic Cass Donovan is thrown into the middle of a macabre murder she never saw coming
With the summer tourist season on Bay Island in full swing, shop owner Cass Donovan barely has a minute to breathe, and things at Mystical Musings become even more hectic when a fight breaks out at one of her psychic readings. Shaken by the fracas and discouraged that her sixth sense seems to be on the blink, Cass is even more dispirited to learn that one of the men involved in the altercation was later found dead—and that a close friend of hers is the main suspect.
Desperate to help her friend prove his innocence and consumed by haunting visions, Cass follows the clues from one possible culprit to the next, including some very mysterious tourists and not a few questionable locals. And when the police turn to Cass to help them find out who committed the ghoulish deed, she knows she’ll have to tread carefully, because her next grim premonition may be her last . . .
Praise for theBay 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 Reviewson 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 Spoton Death at First Sight
Three Lady Anne Addison Mysteries by Victoria Hamilton are available now!
Fans of the Lady Julia Grey Mysteries will love these Georgian historical mysteries!
Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark
After receiving a distressing letter from a friend, Lady Anne Addison wastes no time in traveling to Yorkshire to offer whatever help she can. She has no idea what she’ll find there, but she certainly wasn’t expecting to be met by tales of a werewolf terrorizing the area—nor the dead body she discovers upon arriving. Driven by curiosity and a keen intelligence, Lady Anne dismisses the notion of such a beast, but she’s nonetheless drawn into the mysteries by the secrecy surrounding her friend and the infuriating yet enticing Lord Darkefell.
With a murderer on the loose and the supposed werewolf ravaging livestock and terrifying the locals, Lady Anne puts her reservations aside and joins forces with the seductive Darkefell to get to the bottom of things. And though his nearness is a tempting distraction, Lady Anne manages to uncover one clue after another, unraveling the mysteries and drawing ever closer to the killer, even while her true feelings for the enigmatic marquess elude her . . .
Be sure to check out Revenge of the Barbary Ghost and Curse of the Gypsy too!
These books were originally published under the name Donna Lea Simpson.
Praise for the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries:
“If you are looking for a historical mystery with romance, suspense, and a suggestion of paranormal, then read Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark.” —Fallen Angel Reviews
“[Hamilton] excels at imbuing her realistic characters with subtle depths . . .” —American Library Association
“[The author] has set up a well-drawn Gothic horror setting here, so the atmosphere is fantastic, what with it being chilling, mysterious, and menacing all at once.” —Mrs. Giggles
About the Author:
Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym of nationally bestselling romance author Donna Lea Simpson. Victoria is the bestselling author of three mystery series, the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries, the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, and the Merry Muffin Mysteries. She is also the bestselling author of Regency and historical romances as Donna Lea Simpson. Her latest adventure in writing is a Regency-set historical mystery series, starting with A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Murder. She blogs at Killer Characters. Visit her website at victoriahamiltonmysteries.com.
Sifting Through Clues, a new Cookbook Nook Mystery by Daryl Wood Gerber, is available now!
The Agatha Award–winning author of Wreath Between the Lines returns to the Cookbook Nook, where culinary mysteries are giving everyone food for thought . . .
Book clubs from all over have descended on Crystal Cove to celebrate the library’s Book Club Bonanza week, and Jenna Hart has packed the Cookbook Nook with juicy reads and tasty cookbooks. But she’s most excited about spending an evening with the Mystery Mavens and their moveable feast, when they will go from house to house to share different culinary treats and discuss the whodunit they’re all reading. It’s all good food and fun for the savvy armchair detectives, until one of the members of the group is found murdered at the last stop on the tour.
As if that weren’t enough to spoil her appetite, Jenna discovers that all the evidence points to her friend Pepper as being the guilty party. And with Pepper’s chief-of-police daughter too close to the case to be impartial, Jenna knows she’ll have to step in to help clear her friend’s name before a bitter injustice sends her to jail. Sifting through the clues, Jenna unearths any number of possible culprits, but she’ll have to cook up a new way to catch the killer before Pepper’s goose is cooked . . .
Includes tasty sweet and savory recipes!
The new Sheriff Virgil Dalton Mystery is available now!
In the tradition of No Country for Old Men, Shattered Dreams is a story about the ties that bind us to the land and each other, about changing times, and about the forces that can tear us apart.
When he’s called to the scene of a burnt-out trailer in a remote corner of the southwest, Sheriff Virgil Dalton finds a body charred beyond recognition and the telltale signs of a meth lab gone wrong. But he also sees enough evidence to convince him there was foul play, and before long he and his deputies are searching the vast desert landscape to discover who was behind it.
When word of another fatality reaches Virgil, he learns of a supposedly accidental death that seems like anything but, and the pattern emerging tells Virgil he’s dealing with a killer who will go to great lengths to cover his tracks. With signs pointing to the possible involvement of a local company that is growing by leaps and bounds and changing his beloved landscape faster than he can keep track of, Virgil knows he’s headed for a high-stakes confrontation that will force him to put himself and everything he holds dear at risk . . .
Praise for Death at the Black Bull:
“Move over, Walt Longmire. There’s a new sheriff in town. Virgil Dalton is the kind of character that comes along maybe once a decade—a classic Western hero and so much more. When you’re done with Frank Hayes’ stellar debut, Death at the Black Bull, you’ll smell the sagebrush in the air and have to clean the dust off your boots. An absolute must-read for fans of Craig Johnson and Tony Hillerman.” —Reed Farrel Coleman, Shamus Award–winning author of The Hollow Girl
“This is one of the most impressive debut crime novels I’ve ever read. There’s such depth and humanity in the characters, such tension in the story itself, and the sense of place is as good as it gets. I know I’ll be reading every book in this series!”—Steve Hamilton, Edgar Award–winning author of Let It Burn
“Virgil Dalton takes no prisoners in Hayes’s satisfying debut novel, and fans of Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire will cheer the sheriff’s desire to protect his town. With its strong sense of place, this series launch will also keep fans of Western mysteries enthralled.” —Library Journal
“Hayes’s strong debut introduces a complex and likable lawman . . . readers will want to see a lot more of Virgil and friends.” —Publishers Weekly
“Hayes is a skillful storyteller and a deft hand at witty dialogue.” —Booklist
About the Author:
Frank Hayes is a high school teacher who has started a new career as a novelist. He lives and writes in New York’s mid-Hudson River Valley. He is the author of three Sheriff Virgil Dalton Mysteries, Death at the Black Bull, Death on the High Lonesome, and Shattered Dreams.
A new Vintage Kitchen Mystery is available now!
In the new Vintage Kitchen Mystery from the author of No Grater Danger, when the town’s resident Scrooge is found dead, Jaymie says Bah humbug! to murder . . .
“I have loved this series from the first book . . . it’s like returning to a favorite nook for a cup of tea. It will delight, entice, and drive a reader to want to solve the murder.” —Goodreads on No Grater Danger
Now that Thanksgiving’s behind her, vintage cookware enthusiast Jaymie Leighton Müller is excitedly making plans for the upcoming Dickens Days festival—the town’s month-long celebration leading up to Christmas. With a hot cider booth on the village green to warm the hearts and bodies of the townsfolk and a diorama featuring a scene from A Christmas Carol, things are shaping up for a festive season—until the town’s local Scrooge is found murdered, a vintage pudding mould covering his cracked skull.
Nearly everyone had a reason to dislike Evan Nezer—either for his bullying ways or his obnoxious arrogance—but with his body being found in Jaymie’s diorama, she’ll have to figure out who hated him enough to see him dead. With many suspects and even more secrets coming to the surface as she investigates, Jaymie feels buried by a blizzard of clues. But with Dickens Days on hold until the police can nab the killer, she’s determined to catch the culprit so the ghost of Evan Nezer doesn’t cast a pall over the whole Christmas season.
Includes a vintage recipe!
Daryl Wood Gerber’s new Cookbook Nook Mystery is available now!
The Agatha Award–winning author of Pressing the Issue returns to the Cookbook Nook, where Jenna Hart is busy decking the halls and ducking a killer . . .
The holidays are Jenna Hart’s favorite time of year, but just as she’s decorating the Cookbook Nook for all the festive events, her imperious older sister makes a surprise visit, anxious that her husband’s been more naughty than nice. To make matters worse, her father’s good friend Jake shows up on her doorstep with a frantic report that his friend has been murdered—trussed with Christmas lights and impaled with a tree star.
Worried that Jake was the intended victim, Jenna makes a list of suspects and checks it twice. Swapping her Santa’s hat for a sleuthing cap, she gets busy investigating Jake’s long-lost sister, his Grinch of a neighbor, and a stamp collector who covets Jake’s most treasured piece. When Jake himself is poisoned and nearly dies, Jenna knows she’ll have to do whatever it takes to corner the culprit before it’s lights out for Jake . . .
Includes tantalizing holiday recipes!
Praise for Daryl Wood Gerber and the Cookbook Nook Mysteries:
“There’s a feisty new amateur sleuth in town and her name is Jenna Hart. With a bodacious cast of characters, a wrenching murder, and a collection of cookbooks to die for, Daryl Wood Gerber’s Final Sentence is a page-turning puzzler of a mystery that I could not put down.” —Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of the Cupcake Mysteries and Library Lovers Mysteries
“In Final Sentence, the author smartly blends crime, recipes, and an array of cookbooks that all should covet in a witty, well-plotted whodunit.” —Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mysteries
“Readers will relish the extensive cookbook suggestions, the cooking primer, and the whole foodie phenomenon. Gerber’s perky tone with a multigenerational cast makes this series a good match for Lorna Barrett’s Booktown Mystery series . . .” —Library Journal
“So pull out your cowboy boots and settle in for a delightful read. Grilling the Subject is a delicious new mystery that will leave you hungry for more.” —Carstairs Considers Blog
Inherit the Wool, a brand-new Yarn Retreat Mystery, is available now in paperback and ebook!
“If you haven’t read this series yet, I highly recommend giving it a go. The mystery will delight you, and afterward you’ll be itching to start a knitting or crochet project of your own.” —Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
In a new Yarn Retreat Mystery from national bestselling author Betty Hechtman, Casey Feldstein is determined to tie up loose ends to solve another murder . . .
After reconnecting with some old college friends on social media, part-time dessert chef and muffin maker Casey Feldstein has gotten herself roped into hosting a knitting retreat for the group. Tangled up in worries over how they’ll judge her unconventional life and the rustic atmosphere at Vista Del Mar, she watches in dismay as the women arrive and their old personalities—and old grudges—come trickling to the surface. But Casey discovers these are the least of her problems when one of the women is found dead.
With everyone a suspect—including an old crush of Casey’s who’s mysteriously been invited to join the retreat—Casey knows she’ll have to start stitching together clues to uncover the culprit. And as long-held secrets start emerging, she begins to suspect that each of the women may have had a motive for murder. Casey wants to avoid needling her old friends with accusations, but she knows she’ll have to ask some pointed questions if she’s going to unravel the clues and catch a killer . . .
Includes a pattern for a fun, easy scarf and a mouthwatering recipe!
No Grater Danger, a new Vintage Kitchen Mystery, is available now!
In the new Vintage Kitchen Mystery from the author of Leave It to Cleaver, someone out to spice up their life means to crush a helpless victim . . .
“Delightfully entertaining, well-written, and an interesting and exciting plot. Literally keeps you guessing right to the end.” —Goodreads on Leave It to Cleaver
Vintage cookware enthusiast Jaymie Leighton is thrilled at the prospect of meeting an elderly descendant of her town’s founding father, not least because she’s known to possess an enviably large collection of antique spice graters. But the curmudgeonly woman also has substantial real estate holdings, and at the moment she’s engaged in a fierce battle with a property developer who wants her to sell off her old buildings in the name of progress. When Jaymie goes to visit the woman and discovers that there’s been an attempt on her life, she polishes up her sleuthing skills to find out who was behind the foul deed.
Her first instinct is to suspect the developer, but as she digs deeper into the case she learns that her older new friend has purportedly been the victim of numerous criminal acts—all of which point to different suspects. Unsure if the stories are true or simply the confused ramblings of a senior citizen, Jaymie sifts through the clues hoping to expose the culprit, but she knows that if she keeps stirring up trouble, she’ll be next on the would-be killer’s list . . .
Includes a vintage recipe!
Praise for the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries:
“All the right ingredients . . . Small-town setting, kitchen antiques . . . and a bowlful of mystery. A perfect recipe.” —New York Times bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert
“[A] charming new series.” —New York Times bestselling author Sheila Connolly
“A chilling whodunit.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Well-plotted with several unexpected twists and more developed characters.” —The Mystery Reader
“Jaymie is a great character . . . She is inquisitive and full of surprises!” —Debbie’s Book Bag
About the Author:
Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym of nationally bestselling romance author Donna Lea Simpson. In addition to the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, she also writes the Merry Muffin Mystery series and blogs at Killer Characters. Visit her website at victoriahamiltonmysteries.com.