Category Archives for Cozy Mystery

Welcome to Desert Palms, a cozy Arizona tourist town set up against the mountains.

Deanna Devlin is a thirty-two year old reporter who dreams of tackling hard-nosed stories, but is stuck writing puff pieces for the local paper.

When a murder strikes Desert Palms, Deanna suddenly gets her chance to cover some hard-hitting news.

Unfortunately, one of Deanna’s good friends is wrongly suspected as the killer by the local police detective. To prove her friend’s innocence, Deanna has no choice but to take matters into her own hands and find the real killer herself.

Books In The Deanna Devlin Series:

Book 1 — Prescription To Die For

Book 2 — A Novel To Die For

When Lila Moore inherits her grandfather’s house, she finds herself in a small Midwestern town where margarine is never an acceptable substitution for butter, a coveted family recipe can serve as currency, and the friend who will take your darkest secrets to the grave will still never give you the secret to her prize-winning begonias.

Lila is charmed by the people of Auburn, from the blue-eyed lawyer with the southern drawl to the little old lady who unceasingly tries to set Lila up with her grandson. But when spooky things begin to happen, Lila realizes some of her new friends are guarding a secret like its a precious family heirloom. It’s a dangerous secret, and it has come back to haunt them. Lila is caught in the middle, and her life may depend on uncovering it. But even if she can, can she stay in Auburn when not everyone is what they seem, and even the house wants her gone?

One night can change everything.

‘I know it as soon as I wake up and open my eyes… Something is wrong.’

Her Saturday night started normally. Recently separated from her husband, Ali has been persuaded by her friends to go on a date with a new man. She is ready, she is nervous, she is excited. She is about to take a step into her new future. By Sunday morning, Ali’s life is unrecognisable. She wakes, and she knows that something is wrong. She is home, she is alone, she is hurt and she has no memory of what happened to her.

Worse still, when she looks in the mirror, Ali doesn’t recognise the face staring back at her…

From the no. 1 bestselling author of The Sister, The Gift and The Surrogate, The Date is a gripping page-turner that will keep you awake until the early hours. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train and Before I Go To Sleep.

What readers are saying about The Date:

‘Holy cow, what a read! I literally dropped everything I was supposed to be doing after reading the first few pages and couldn’t put it down until I reached the very end… one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read this year and without doubt a new all-time favourite!’ It’s All About Books, 5 stars

‘I literally didn’t put it down once from start to finish!… It sent chills down my spine… The last page of this book gave me goosebumps and I felt glad I wasn’t home alone!… gripping, unnerving and an unputdownable read!’ Rather Too Fond of Books, 5 stars

‘Wow, I would give this a 10 out of 5 stars if I could!… An absolutely fantastic, heart-pumping, twisted, thrill-seeking read that I could not put down… a heart-breaking emotional rollercoaster… The Date completely knocked my socks off.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘OMG WOW… you won’t be able to turn those pages fast enough… the final twist will absolutely knock you out… this rare and exceptional book will be put forward for Literature Love’s top 10 books of the year.’ Literature Love, 5 stars

‘Ohhhhhhhh my goodness!!! Louise Jensen has blown my mind AGAIN!… will literally have your jaw dropping… I was nervous to even turn the page (that’s my favourite part of a well written thriller)!!!’ Steph and Chris’s Book Review, 5 stars

‘Every now and then a book comes along that completely blows my mind!! And this is one of them!! To say I loved it is an understatement!! This book was absolutely freaking BRILLIANT!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Mind blowing, edge-of-your seat fantastic!… Kept me guessing straight from the off just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘What a page-turner of a book this is. Just when I thought I had worked it out… bam… another brilliant twist, again and again. This is definitely an edge-of-your-seat story that you won’t be able to put down.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Every chapter had me on the edge-of-my-seat and just when I thought I had it figured out Louise threw another twist in the mix!… suspenseful, thrilling, fast-paced and emotional.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow! What an incredible book… like a rollercoaster ride – building up, building up. You don’t know what to expect and then BAM, you need to hang on. It’s really that good!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Will have your heart-pounding and flipping the pages. And I was finally stumped, thank you Louise Jensen for putting my inner detective in her place!!!’ The Book Collective, 5 stars

‘The most incredible suspense!… I was flipping pages on my Kindle faster than I could read and I was seriously concerned my Kindle won’t take the pressure.’ Shuffle Book Box, 5 stars

Catherine “Cat” Thompson has been held at gunpoint, stuck in a burning dumpster, chased out of a grocery store, caught impersonating a police officer and almost run over by a wayward vehicle. How’s that for her first day as an amateur sleuth?

With her friend Annie Mae, Cat investigates the brick-paved, oak-lined streets of Savannah to catch their friend’s killer. But it’s anything but smooth sailing for these self appointed detectives. Can they catch the killer before the killer gets them? Or will their first case also be their last?

The Georgia Coast Cozy Mystery Series combines mystery, suspense, humor, and southern charm. Each book is a standalone novel.

99c for a LIMITED TIME! The 13th book in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery Series!

A free holiday to a seaside B&B run by drag queens sounds like the perfect way to spend a relaxing week away from Peridale, or so Julia South thought. When she arrives at the quirky B&B with her family, she’s determined to have a fun break, but she quickly finds herself in the middle of another puzzling mystery when a lighting rig falls on the star drag performer, Simone Phoenix.

Was it an accident, or something more sinister? Julia quickly befriends the owner, Russell, and learns that the seemingly tight-knit drag family working at Sparkles are not without their problems. With secrets and lies revolving around love, money, and revenge, each of them appears to have a motive for wanting Simone out of the way. Can Julia resist the lure of cracking yet another case for the sake of having a peaceful family holiday by the sea, or will the urge to uncover the truth take over once again?

Book 13 in the Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series! Can be read as a standalone but will be enjoyed more as part of the series. A light, cozy mystery read with a cat loving and cafe-owning amateur female sleuth, in a small village setting with quirky characters. Written in British English. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

One crazy old lady. Two gin and tonics. Three derelict, beach-bum friends. Will Val’s fourth stab at starting over add up to a big fat zero?

Come along for the ride as Florida’s crazy-ometer spins off the charts!

St. Pete Beach attracts weirdos like mosquitoes to a bug zapper. After being raked over the coals in Europe, Val Fremden flies back to her old stomping grounds to find everyone and everything she knew squashed under the heels of change.

Seven years abroad has done a number on her finances, credit history, friends and social standing. Divorced, broke, and staring forty-five in its haggard face, Val’s got nothing left to go on but her own dry sense of humor and a pair of wobbly thighs.

Will the life coach advice of a beer-guzzling old lady she meets on the beach help Val find her way — or will it lead her even further astray?

Perpetually primed for disaster, starting over again won’t be easy for Val. But she soon discovers that in the world of the down and out, friends (and enemies) can come from very unexpected places….

If you like wacky, deeply flawed characters and laugh-out-loud situations, you’ll love Glad One! It’s the first book in Margaret Lashley’s hilarious Val Fremden Mystery Series. Grab your copy and board the train to crazy town today!

Praise for Glad One:

“Hooked like a fish. OMG Margaret Lashley is the best! Val could be Stephanie Plum’s double!! Phenomenal writing.”
“If you enjoy Janet Evanovich you will love Margaret Lashley!”
“Her characters are real and full, her situations believable, and her dialogue marvelous.”
“There’s a mystery at the heart of this book – a few of them – that will hook fans of Janet Evanovich and other comic mystery writers.”
“Margaret writes with a “smirk” of a Cheshire cat. Fantastic read.”
“Full of twists and turns as only Margaret Lashley can write!”
“If you like Anne George’s ‘Southern Sisters’ don’t miss Margaret Lashley!”
“The characters are great – so many laugh out loud moments…”
“Glad One is a funny, witty and entertaining book.”

Nothing bad ever happens in Ponderosa Pines

At least, that’s what anonymous gossip columnist Chloe LaRue and her best friend, town matriarch EV Torrence thought—until a resident of their sleepy little village turns up dead. When EV becomes suspect #1, even Chloe can’t stop the rumor mill from churning.

Against Detective Nate Harper and Deputy Dalton Burnsoll’s orders, Chloe and EV mount their own investigation—but what they uncover might just rock the community to its very core. Could one of their own beloved citizens really be a killer?

Clean read: no graphic violence or sex.

A Humorous Cozy Mystery for Readers Who Love Beads, and Even Those Who Don’t
After inheriting a house in Seattle, Jax O’Connell is living the life of her dreams as a glass beadmaker and jewelry designer. When she gets an offer to display her work during a bead shop’s opening festivities, it’s an opportunity Jax can’t resist—even though the store’s owner is the surliest person Jax has ever met.

The weekend’s events become a tangled mess when a young beadmaker is found dead nearby and several oddball bead enthusiasts are suspects. Jax must string together the clues to clear her friend Tessa’s name—and do it before the killer strikes again.

PRAISE FOR HIGH STRUNG
“A fun mystery series with wacky characters, sparkly jewelry, a fiery torch and, of course, murders.”
—Nikki Haverstock, author of the Target Practice Mysteries

“Janice Peacock writes a strong and unique cozy mystery. In between information on the world of glass beads, the reader is given a first-class mystery to solve that is entertaining and charming. Her characters are real and strong, her wordplay effortless, her sense of urgency skillful, and her story-telling skills are first-rate. Ms. Peacock continues to grow into the difficult role of writing a lasting and engaging cozy series, one that baffles, enlightens and endears.”
—Heather Haven, multi-award winning author of the Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries

“Jam-packed with detail, deception and more than a few twists and surprises. The characters are very believable and their dialogue is very well written. I also enjoyed a few laugh out loud moments.”
—Lori Caswell, Great Escapes Blog Tours and Vine Voice Reviewer

“The interaction between all the characters is fun to read, and there are plenty of humorous incidents as well. Mojitos will make me smile for the rest of my life!”
—Teresa Kander, Book Babble

Would you drop everything and move to a town with a peculiar name, because an odd little man made you a strange offer?

Millie Thorn did, and she could never have guessed what mysteries and revelations were awaiting her in the magical town of Spellbinder Bay.

After witnessing a murder on her first day in the bay, Millie is cast into a world she never knew existed – a world of magic and the paranormal, and a world where it’s seemingly normal to have a conversation with a cockatiel named Reuben.

Learning she is a witch becomes relatively simple to accept after discovering what other paranormal creatures populate the town, and with ever more mysterious clues about her life coming to light, it’s not just a murder she must solve. She must discover who she is, and why she feels like she’s been to the town before. Is it just déjà vu? Millie isn’t so sure.

With talk of another dimension known as The Chaos, and with an unlikely board of directors running the local school – there’s a lot for Millie to learn, and should she decide to stay in town – a lot for her to accept, too.

Did Millie make the correct decision when she decided to move to the bay? Only time will tell.

Witch Way To Spellbinder Bay is the first book in the Spellbinder Bay Cozy Paranormal Mystery Series.

Book Number Two In The Series – Broomsticks and Bones

Jo Ravens is thirty-two, divorced, and stuck in a rut. She wants two things in life – a new career as a private investigator and to lose the sixty pounds she packed on after her divorce.

When she crashes her nephew’s bike in a construction site, she lands on a girl with a large knife in her chest. Jo enlists her sister Pepper and journalist friend Jackie to help solve the girl’s murder. Things become creepy for Jo when the girl appears to her in dreams and offers unusual clues to her death.

Murder Under Construction is a humorous mystery with Jo’s family adding to the antics of the three women. Mama caterwauls, Pepper’s two children offer sleuthing assistance, and her brother Hank laughs at all of them from the sidelines.