Posts Tagged ‘amateur sleuth’
Knot a Game, a new Yarn Retreat Mystery from Betty Hechtman, is available now!
In a new Yarn Retreat Mystery from national bestselling author Betty Hechtman, it’s knit one, kill two when Casey Feldstein hosts a murder mystery weekend that turns into the real thing . . .
At the urging of Vista Del Mar’s owner, Casey Feldstein takes on the job of combining a murder mystery game with her next weekend yarn retreat. Enlisting the help of the hotel’s staff to play the roles of victim and suspects, she lays out a plot and plants some red herrings. And as her intrigued guests watch the murder play out and the clues unfold, Casey is certain she’s pulled off the perfect make-believe murder—until a real murder intrudes and everyone at the hotel is named as a suspect.
As her retreat guests turn away from the fake murder to solve the real one, Casey has her hands full trying to keep them from meddling in police business. But even as they’re dead-set on unraveling the mystery in their midst, Casey has her eye on a few of them, some of whom don’t seem to be who or what they claim. With time ticking down on her weekend and her guests more interested in nabbing a killer than knitting, Casey will have to stitch together her own solution before the killer can stop her and declare game over . . .
Includes a fun, easy knitting project and delicious muffin and biscuit recipes!
Praise for the Yarn Retreat Mysteries:
“A cozy mystery that you won’t want to put down. It combines cooking, knitting and murder in one great book!” —Fresh Fiction on Yarn to Go
“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
“The California seaside is the backdrop to this captivating cozy that will have readers heading for the yarn store in droves.” —Debbie’s Book Bag on Yarn to Go
About the Author:
Betty Hechtman is the national bestselling author of the Crochet Mysteries and the Yarn Retreat Mysteries. She grew up on the South Side of Chicago and has a degree in Fine Art. Since College, she has studied everything from improv comedy to magic, and has had an assortment of professions, including volunteer farm worker, nanny at a summer resort, waitress at a coffee house, and telephone operator. She lives with her family and stash of yarn in Southern California. You can learn more about Betty and find excerpts from all her books at BettyHechtman.com. She blogs on Fridays at Killerhobbies.blogspot.com, and you can join her on Facebook at BettyHechtmanAuthor.
Killers of a Feather, a new Urban Tails Pet Shop mystery by T. C. LoTempio, is available now!
Shell McMillan and her feline friends must unravel a mystery where everyone’s a suspect and no one’s to blame . . .
With the grand re-opening of her Urban Tails Pet Shop just days away, Shell McMillan has her hands full planning entertainment for the festive event, including a fortune-telling parrot. But her jubilant mood is soon threatened by ominous rumors of the return of Johnny Draco, a former investment guru who swindled money from most of the residents of Fox Hollow and then vanished without a trace. And when the parrot predicts a dire future for Draco and his dead body is found just hours later, no one can say they’re surprised—but no one will say who did it.
With virtually everyone in town a suspect, the police turn their focus on a good friend of Shell’s who was seen arguing with the victim shortly before his death. Determined to clear her friend’s name, Shell begins investigating Draco’s past, his former employer, and everyone who lost money to him. And when the trail of clues suggests there may have been a completely different motive for the murder, Shell suddenly realizes she’s uncovered a secret someone would kill to keep hidden—and that if she’s not careful, the parrot may be predicting she has no future at all . . .
Praise for the Books of T. C. LoTempio:
“The author’s suspenseful and startling reveal had me on the edge of my seat as I turned pages faster and faster until the final conclusion.” —Cinnamon and Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder
“Meow-velous! The multiple murder mystery had the right amount of suspense . . . the thrill never quieted, culminating with a perilous conclusion. Totally enjoyable!” —Kings River Life
“Our two main characters really carried the story in such a way that will have you feeling as if you are right there with them . . . a fabulously fun read that is sure to be enjoyed by cozy fans. I totally loved it.” —Books a Plenty Book Reviews
“A buoyant start to a new series . . . Fans of feline mysteries will relish The Time for Murder Is Meow’s pet shop framework in this story of finding one’s second act.” —Foreword Reviews
“An entertaining series debut . . . Feline-loving cozy fans will be satisfied.” —Publishers Weekly
About the Author:
T. C. LoTempio is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Nick and Nora Mysteries, the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries, and the Cat Rescue Mysteries. For more information, check out her and her cat Rocco’s blog at www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com and visit her website at www.tclotempio.net.
Saddled Up 4 Murder, a new Sophie Kimball Mystery by J. C. Eaton, is available now!
With a killer on the loose and horse thieves plaguing the area, it’s up to Sophie “Phee” Kimball to corral the clues and bring an outlaw to justice . . .
Spring is in the air as Sun City West gears up for its annual Bye Bye Birdie festivities, when residents bid a fond farewell to the snowbirds and happily reclaim the town for themselves. But planning comes to a screeching halt when the town curmudgeon plummets to her death from the library bell tower and sheriff’s deputies suspect foul play. With the celebration on hold—and Phee’s mother worried that she won’t get her moment in the spotlight on a local TV show slated to cover the event—Phee is thrust into the role of sleuth once again to find the killer.
As Phee soon discovers, there’s no love lost between the town and the unfortunate victim, and with the clock ticking and virtually everyone a potential suspect, she’s got her work cut out for her. Then a passel of horseflesh goes missing, and Phee starts to think the two crimes might be connected. With the town on edge and high noon approaching, she’ll have to wrangle with a band of daring desperados and lasso a lawbreaker who’s dead set on sending her to boot hill . . .
Praise for the Books of J. C. Eaton:
“Fun characters, a touch of humor, and a great mystery, the perfect combination for a cozy.” —Lena Gregory, author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries on Ditched 4 Murder
“So cleverly written, you won’t guess the perpetrators until the very end.” —Mary Marks, award-winning author of the Quilting Mystery Series on Booked 4 Murder
“A thoroughly entertaining series debut, with enjoyable yet realistic characters and enough plot twists—and dead ends—to appeal from beginning to end.” —Booklist, starred review, on Booked 4 Murder
“Enjoy this laugh-out-loud funny mystery that will make you scream for the authors to get busy on the next one.” —Suspense Magazine on Molded 4 Murder
About the Author:
J. C. Eaton is the pen name of husband-and-wife writing team Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp. They are the authors of the Wine Trail Mysteries, the Sophie Kimball Mysteries, and the Marcie Rayner Mysteries. In addition, Ann has published nine YA time travel mysteries under her own name. You can learn more about Ann and Jim at jceatonmysteries.com, jceatonauthor.com, facebook.com/JCEatonauthor, and timetravelmysteries.com.
Caught and Collared, a new Low Country Dog Walker Mystery by Jackie Layton, is available now!
When a scavenger hunt turns up a dead body, dog walker Andi Grace Scott will have to make a dogged effort to collar the culprit . . .
Setting out for a day of fun on her town’s first-ever scavenger hunt, Low Country dog walker Andi Grace Scott is dismayed to find an unattended dog wandering the streets—but that’s nothing compared to the shock she gets when she finds a dead man floating in the swimming pool of the dog’s owner. What’s more, she’d seen the very same man having a very public altercation with his wife just the night before. Despite being warned off the case by the local sheriff, Andi Grace can’t help nosing around to find out who’s behind the foul deed.
It turns out the victim was a well-known radio personality who focused on cold-case investigations and was rumored to be breaking a huge story on his next show. As Andi Grace digs deeper to learn who may have wanted him dead, she’s faced with a suspect list that includes a cold-hearted widow who stands to inherit a bundle, a local country star with family demons to hide, and any number of unknown criminals who may have been the focus of the victim’s big reveal. Whether the motive was love gone bad, a career under duress, or a killer’s deadly secret, Andi Grace knows she’ll have to act fast before she becomes the next cold case herself . . .
Praise for the Books of Jackie Layton
“Andi Grace is adorable, resilient, and has a doggedly curious need to solve a murder. A pleasure to read.” —C. Hope Clark, award-winning author of Edisto Tidings
“Completely charming—and exactly what a cozy mystery should be. Amateur sleuth (and dog whisperer) Andi Grace Scott is wonderfully endearing, and her devotion to her pooches—and to justice—will have you rooting for her from the absolutely irresistible page one. Bow wow—What a terrific debut!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, nationally best-selling and award-winning author of The Murder List
“I promptly fell head over heels for this cast of characters, and the dogs burrowed quickly into my heart. The plot of Bite the Dust was intriguing and complex, with plenty of surprising twists and turns. What impressed me the most, though, was the warm tone of the author’s writing voice . . . you just want to snuggle in and keep reading.” —MeezCarrie
About the Author:
Former Kentuckian Jackie Layton loves her new life in the Low Country. She enjoys time on the beach, despite one vacation that ended with cracked ribs from riding her boogie board with the kids and another trip that ended with a fish hook in her foot and a trip to the emergency room. There’s nothing like time at the beach, although she tends to be a bit more cautious these days. Jackie is the author of four Low Country Dog Walker Mysteries, including Bite the Dust, Dog-Gone Dead, Bag of Bones, and Caught and Collared.
Fogged Off, the new Cyd Redondo Mystery from Wendall Thomas, is available now!
“The setting is old London Town, but the story is Wendall Thomas’s trademark three-ring circus, with the redoubtable Cyd Redondo as ringmaster, high-wire walker, and—of course—animal wrangler. What a joy it is to follow the increasingly bonkers plot knowing that every last madcap thread is guaranteed to come together in the end. Fogged Off is what the world needs right now.” —Catriona McPherson, multi-award winning author of The Last Ditch Motel mysteries
When travel agent Cyd Redondo’s client and Jack the Ripper expert Shep Helnikov is found dead in London, she navigates the cutthroat worlds of research librarians, unemployed actors, rodent smugglers and more to find his killer and bring his body back home . . .
When her client and Jack the Ripper expert Shep Helnikov is found dead in London, travel agent Cyd Redondo is on the hook for thirty thousand dollars to return his body home. So when his university offers to cover the costs if she’ll go in person to collect him—and his Ripper research—she jumps at the chance, even if it means bringing her wily uncle along. But no sooner does Cyd arrive in London than her client’s death by natural causes starts to look most unnatural.
Cyd’s only hope for recovering the body and vamoosing back to Brooklyn is to find the killer herself—but she’s thwarted at every turn by Scotland Yard, Shep’s former girlfriends, a sinister mortuary service, an old nemesis, and her taxidermist uncle himself. And when Shep’s apartment is ransacked and a second Ripper expert is found murdered, Cyd knows she’ll have to solve the crimes fast, before someone books her on a one-way trip to the morgue . . .
“Cyd’s Balenciaga bag deserves to become as legendary as Sherlock Holmes’s deerstalker and magnifying glass.” —James W. Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity Award-winning author of the Ellie Stone Mysteries
Praise for the Cyd Redondo Mysteries:
Lost Luggage
2018 Macavity Award nominee for Best First Novel
2018 Lefty Award nominee for Best Debut Mystery
“Thomas makes a rollicking debut with this comic mystery featuring an unconventional protagonist who proves to have the skills of MacGyver. With its sexy overtones, this fun, character-driven novel will appeal to Janet Evanovich fans.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“Ms. Thomas has an absolutely lunatic talent for plot and one of the funniest first-person voices I’ve read in years . . . what kept coming to my mind as I read this were comedy films from the 30s—for me, the golden age of American film humor.” —Timothy Hallinan, Lefty winner and Edgar and Macavity Award-nominated author of the Junior Bender and Poke Rafferty novels
“Laugh-out-loud funny and enchantingly ridiculous . . . highly entertaining . . .” —Jessica Howard, Shelf Awareness
Drowned Under
2020 Anthony Award nominee for Best Paperback Original
2020 Lefty Nominee for Best Humorous Mystery
“Fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum will cotton to Cyd.” —Publishers Weekly
“The passenger list in Wendall Thomas’s Drowned Under is a cavalcade of randy former nuns, gigolos, stowaways, near-extinct marsupials . . . and one brilliantly sexy disaster of a globetrotting travel agent named Cyd Redondo . . . This is a remarkable novel in what is shaping up to be an exciting and hilarious series. You’ll love Cyd, perhaps the funniest heroine out there. Highest recommendation.” —James W. Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity Award-winning author of the Ellie Stone Mysteries
“With her clever mind, tart comebacks, and Balenciaga tote bag, Cyd is a fearsome force. What a heroine for the modern age. Do not miss this!” —Daryl Wood Gerber, Agatha Award-winning national bestselling author of the Cookbook Nook and French Bistro Mysteries
“Drowned Under is laugh-out-loud funny. With its finely tuned timing and zany, emotional protagonist, this novel puts Thomas in a class with Carl Hiassen and Janet Evanovitch.” —Nancy Tingley, Lefty-nominated author of the Jenna Murphy Mysteries
About the Author:
Wendall Thomas teaches in the Graduate Film School at UCLA, lectures internationally on screenwriting, and has worked as a film and television writer. Her first Cyd Redondo mystery, Lost Luggage,garnered Lefty and Macavity nominations for Best Debut, and Drowned Under was nominated for a Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery and an Anthony for Best Paperback Original. Her short fiction appears in LAdies Night, Last Resort, and Murder A-Go-Go’s.
Read the latest interview with Agatha Award-winning author Leslie Budewitz on her new short-story collection, Carried to the Grave and Other Stories!
Elaine Davis of Writers Who Kill recently interviewed Leslie on her new story collection. Read the interview here!
And here’s more on Carried to the Grave and Other Stories . . .
In her Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, Agatha Award-winning author Leslie Budewitz introduces us to Jewel Bay, a tight-knit Montana community that thrives on tourism and farm-to-table fare. Featuring Erin Murphy, beloved proprietor of the Merc—a century-old general store converted into a local foods market—each book brings us closer to the folks who call Jewel Bay home, and the cunning culprits in their midst.
In this delicious new collection of five short stories and one novella, she takes us further into the heart of Jewel Bay—from the playhouse to the Merc, from funerals to food festivals—with equal parts humor, suspense, and compassion, and no shortage of murder to spice up the menu . . .
In Carried to the Grave, a long-hidden family secret refuses to be put to rest.
Jewel Bay’s community food festival serves up the perfect opportunity for a devious killer with an appetite for murder in Pot Luck.
In The Christmas Stranger, a small gesture by a mysterious man turns out to change lives . . . and much more.
A romantic getaway to a secluded beach town in Mexico provides a deadly remedy for a couple’s trouble at home in A Death in Yelapa.
As the local playhouse opens for the season, it’s curtains for a stage manager with a secret in Put on a Dying Face.
And in An Unholy Death, when Kate and Paddy Murphy open Murphy’s Mercantile in 1910, they know making a go of it in rough-and-tumble Montana will be hard work, but for a local preacher, it’s murder.
Praise for the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries:
“A lighthearted and amusing story with the added bonus of several yummy recipes.” —Mystery Scene
“Treble at the Jam Fest has all the necessary elements to satisfy cozy mystery lovers: likeable, believable characters, a fast-moving plot, and a logical ending. Great fun!” —Suspense Magazine
“A pleasing read with a thoughtful heroine, a plethora of red herrings, and some foodie tips.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A delicious mystery as richly constructed as the layers of a buttery pastry. Wine, enchiladas, and song make for a gourmet treat in the coziest town in Montana!” —Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries
“Leslie is a fellow foodie who loves a good mystery and it shows in this delightful tale!” —Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries
“Music, food, scenery, and a cast of appealing characters weave together in perfect harmony in Leslie Budewitz’s Treble at the Jam Fest.” —Sheila Connolly, New York Times bestselling author of the Orchard Mysteries and the County Cork Mysteries
“Small-town charm and big-time chills. Jewel Bay, Montana, is a food lover’s paradise.” —Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author
The Time for Murder Is Meow, the first book in the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery series, is available now!
Shell McMillan and her furry sidekicks aren’t kitten around when they set out to catch a killer . . .
When her TV series is canceled, struggling actress Shell McMillan considers it a blessing in disguise. A beloved aunt who recently died left her a pet shop in her will, and she sees it as the perfect chance to walk away from Hollywood and make a fresh start in the sleepy town of Fox Hollow.
But adjusting to small-town life won’t be easy, as Shell realizes when the head of the museum board is found murdered not long after Shell had a very public argument with her. And when the new kid in town is fingered for the crime, she’ll have to rely on her own wit and pluck and the kindness of strangers to get herself off the hook.
Desperate to exonerate herself and catch the real culprit, Shell begins digging into the lives of the local residents, and she quickly discovers that the victim had no shortage of enemies. As the suspect list grows and time runs short, Shell and her cats will have to claw their way out of danger—and it’s meow or never . . .
“A buoyant start to a new series . . . Fans of feline mysteries will relish The Time for Murder Is Meow’s pet shop framework in this story of finding one’s second act.” —Foreword Reviews
“An entertaining series debut . . . Feline-loving cozy fans will be satisfied.” —Publishers Weekly
About the Author:
T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of the Nick and Nora Mysteries, the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries, and the Cat Rescue Mysteries. For more information, check out her and her cat Rocco’s blog at www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com and visit her website at www.tclotempio.net.
Organize Your Corpses, the first book in the Charlotte Adams Professional Organizer mystery series, is available now!
Fans of Marie Kondo and mysteries will love this series!
Professional organizer Charlotte Adams finds herself caught up in a very messy murder . . .
After freeing herself from a cheating fiancé and the other useless clutter in her life, Charlotte Adams moves back to her hometown in Upstate New York to make a fresh start as a professional organizer. But she’s about to learn that foul play can creep into even the most well-ordered life.
Eager to get her new career started, Charlotte agrees to take on a job from the former high school teacher who filled all her students’ lives with chaos and confusion. But no sooner does Charlotte begin digging through years of accumulated junk than she finds her first client dead—and herself named as the main suspect.
While any number of the victim’s former students had a motive for murder, Charlotte knows that death is rarely that tidy, and she can’t help meddling in the investigation to prove herself innocent and repair her sullied reputation. But the killer has a to-do list of their own, and the first item is to clean up a little mess named Charlotte Adams . . .
Organizing Tips Included!
Praise for the Books of Mary Jane Maffini:
“A comedic, murderous romp . . . Maffini is a relaxed, accomplished, and wickedly funny writer.” —The Montreal Gazette
“Mary Jane Maffini provides a first-rate, well-organized whodunit . . . A new series that is fun to read.” —Midwest Book Review
“Maffini’s new series . . . is off to a brilliant start with this fast-paced mystery!” —Romantic Times
“Deserves top marks for creating an entertaining, fast-paced thriller filled with witty one-liners, snappy dialogue and crackling suspense.” —The Strand Magazine
“I’ll look forward to a long life for this series.” —Deadly Pleasures
“Plenty of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages until the last sentence.” —Dru’s Book Musings
“Maffini is a relaxed, accomplished and wickedly funny writer . . .” —The Times Colonist
From Port to Rigor Morte, a new book in the Wine Trail Mystery Series, is available now!
Norrie Ellington has to pour herself into the case to bottle up a crafty killer . . .
With her overlong stay at Two Witches Winery extended yet again, screenwriter Norrie Ellington wants nothing more than to lay low and avoid murder investigations at all costs. Then two neighborhood boys show up at the winery saying they’ve discovered what looks like a dead body in a nearby woods, and Norrie’s curiosity gets the better of her. When the body turns out to be a local labor manager and the sheriff suspects a neighboring winery of foul play, Norrie turns sleuth once again.
Following the few clues found at the scene, Norrie soon learns that the victim had been charging exorbitant amounts for the seasonal workers he supplied to the vineyards, meaning any of the owners could have wanted him out of the way. And when another dead body is found, Norrie’s dizzying list of suspects threatens to overwhelm her. But with the stakes higher than ever, her biggest fear may be that if the local sheriff doesn’t kill her for meddling, there’s a murderer on the loose who surely will . . .
Praise for the Books of J. C. Eaton:
“Engaging characters and a stirring mystery kept me captivated from the first page to the last.” —Dollycas, Amazon Vine Voice, on Divide and Concord
“Well-crafted sleuth, enjoyable supporting characters. This is a series not to be missed.” —Cozy Cat Reviews on Death, Dismay and Rosé
“A sparkling addition to the Wine Trail Mystery series. A toast to protagonist Norrie and Two Witches Winery, where the characters shine and the mystery flows. This novel is a perfect blend of suspense and fun!” —Carlene O’Neil, author of the Cypress Cove Mysteries, on Chardonnayed to Rest
“A thoroughly entertaining series debut, with enjoyable yet realistic characters and enough plot twists—and dead ends—to appeal from beginning to end.” —Booklist, starred review, on Booked 4 Murder
“Enjoy this laugh-out-loud funny mystery that will make you scream for the authors to get busy on the next one.” —Suspense Magazine on Molded 4 Murder
About the Author:
J. C. Eaton is the pen name of husband-and-wife writing team Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp. They are the authors of the Wine Trail Mysteries, the Sophie Kimball Mysteries, and the Marcie Rayner Mysteries. In addition, Ann has published nine YA time travel mysteries under her own name. You can learn more about Ann and Jim at jceatonmysteries.com, jceatonauthor.com, facebook.com/JCEatonauthor, and timetravelmysteries.com.
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