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By Kristen Perrin. 2024
Named most aniticpated by: Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, BookRiot, BookBub, The Nerd Daily, Shelf Reflection, Novel Suspects, Borrow Read Repeat,…
The Everygirl, The Scout Guide, The Real Book Spy The Top LibraryReads pick for March 2024A Publishers Marketplace 2024 BuzzBook For fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, an enormously fun mystery about a woman who spends her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country estate.... Now it's up to her great-niece to catch the killer. It&’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances&’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn&’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be. In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances&’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer? As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt&’s fate instead of her fortune.By Joanne Fluke. 2001
In her debut mystery, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, intrepid amateur sleuth and bakery owner Hannah Swensen proved that when it…
comes to crime, nothing is sweeter than a woman who knows how to really mix it up. Now, the flame-haired, tart-talking (and baking) heroine is back, judging a contest where the competition is really murder.Strawberry Shortcake Murder When the president of Hartland Flour chooses cozy Lake Eden, Minnesota, as the spot for their first annual Dessert Bake-Off, Hannah is thrilled to serve as the head judge. But when a fellow judge, Coach Boyd Watson, is found stone-cold dead, facedown in Hannah's celebrated strawberry shortcake, Lake Eden's sweet ride to fame turns very sour indeed.Between perfecting her Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie and Chocolate Crunchies, Hannah's snooping into the coach's private life and not coming up short on suspects. And could Watson's harsh criticism during the judging have given one of the contestants a license to kill? The stakes are rising faster than dough, and Hannah will have to be very careful, because somebody is cooking up a recipe for murder. . .with Hannah landing on the "necessary ingredients" list."Another delicious adventure. . .a superior cozy sure to leave readers satisfied. . .but hungry for more." --Publishers WeeklyIncludes seven delicious recipes!By Charlotte MacLeod. 1979
At Balaclava Agricultural College, a kidnapping and pig-napping are followed by murder Newlyweds Peter and Helen Shandy are picking out flatware…
when a pair of gun-toting hooligans bursts into the silversmith&’s shop, emptying the safe and leaving with Helen as their hostage. Although the police recover Helen quickly, her professor husband is badly shaken by the ordeal. Early the next morning, the college&’s head of animal husbandry frantically reports another hostage situation in progress. Belinda, the school&’s beloved sow, has been kidnapped, and only Peter can bring home the bacon. There&’s a possible witness to the pig-napping in Miss Flackley, the farrier, but before she can point Peter toward the vanished porker, she&’s found dead in the barn&’s mash feeder. By the time Peter discovers the link between the two heists, pigs may really fly.By Carol Dean Jones. 2021
Cozy up with Sarah and her friends for more murder, quilting, and community When sixty-eight-year-old Sarah Miller moves into the…
Cunningham Village retirement community, she is mourning the loss of her husband and the place that has been home for forty-two years. But Sarah is a survivor. As she reaches out into the retirement community that is to become home, she finds friends, activities, new hobbies, and a love interest. In the twelfth installment, excitement grows as the Tuesday Night Quilters plan an antique quilt show. But things go terribly wrong. Sarah and Sophie again throw themselves into the middle of the investigation, but this time Sarah finds herself in real danger. As always, Sarah and her retirement village cohorts offer fun, mystery, and lots of quilting. The twelfth in a series! Follow your favorite characters from story to story In the newest adventure, Sarah and Sophie find themselves at an antique quilt show before things go terribly wrong Includes complete instructions for the cover quilt featured in the storyBy Pamela Crane. 2023
YOUR FAVORITE SAVVY SLEUTHS ARE BACK, AND NOTHING CAN PREPARE THEM FOR THE TWIST THAT'S COMING!When her estranged husband shows…
up on her doorstep, Ginger Mallowan thinks she’s finally getting her happily ever after…until he disappears again.Rick Mallowan had never been the type of father to play catch with his sons. Or the kind of husband to stick around. But when he shows up begging for another chance to win Ginger’s long-retired heart, she can’t deny her first love.As he proves he’s a changed man, for Ginger it’s a dream come true. Until it twists into a nightmare when he vanishes once again. Unlike his previous disappearing acts, this time he leaves behind a trail of terrifying clues:The cryptic notes expose secrets only he knows, but she can't decipher them.The blood she found is his, but a body hasn’t turned up.The bullet aimed at her missed, but it came with a deadly message.Despite the missing years and unanswered questions, nothing can scare Ginger--or her sleuthing sidekick Tara and Deaf daughter-in-law Sloane--away from digging into the past to save Rick…even if it costs Ginger's heart breaking all over again. As the search dredges up traumatic memories along with a shocking clue from the 1970s, will flower power be enough to uncover The Who behind the threats?While the truth might be dangerous, what she doesn’t know might kill her."This murder-solving trio will have you hooked! Meet Sloane, a Deaf Insta-famous party planner with a knack for finding evidence. Ginger, an eccentric grandma unafraid to speak her mind. And Tara, a horse rescuer who attracts trouble and fights for the truth. You'll laugh until you pee your pants, stay up past your bedtime, and be hooked until the twist has you reeling!" (reader review)A witty bestselling murder mystery series perfect for fans of Nita Prose's The Maid, Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series, and The Thursday Murder Club. Unlike anything you've read, it's guaranteed to keep you on your toes until the twisty end!By Philip R. Craig. 2003
It's March on Martha’s Vineyard. Too early for bluefish, but not too early for trouble. The winds are brisk and…
there’s still a chill coming in off the ocean. The mood is gloomy, and for good reason. Former Olympic fencing champion turned millionaire real estate developer Donald Fox has targeted the island for his newest moneymaking scheme. With land values huge and many longtime residents in possession of fuzzy deeds of sometimes dubious legal value, Fox and his team plan to force people to sell cheap. Give up now or we’ll fight you in court...or worse.By Robert Galbraith. 2023
In this New York Times bestselling installment of the "outrageously entertaining" Strike series (Financial Times), detective duo Cormoran and Robin…
must rescue a man ensnared in the trap of a dangerous cult. Private Detective Cormoran Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside. The Universal Humanitarian Church is, on the surface, a peaceable organization that campaigns for a better world. Yet Strike discovers that beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones, and unexplained deaths. In order to try to rescue Will, Strike's business partner, Robin Ellacott, decides to infiltrate the cult, and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito among its members. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her. . . Utterly page-turning, The Running Grave moves Strike's and Robin's story forward in this epic, unforgettable seventh installment of the series.By Ann Myers Ann Myers. 2016
Margaritas, spicy guacamole—and murder—are among this year’s preparations for Cinco de Mayo in the second Santa Fe Café mystery novel.Tres…
Amigas Café chef Rita Lafitte is busy baking her green chile soufflés and chocolate flans for Cinco de Mayo. If only her friend Linda, the daughter of Rita’s octogenarian boss Flori, could get into the festive spirit. Linda’s cart, Tia Tamales, is losing business to Crepe Empire, the hottest food cart in Santa Fe. Napoleon, Crepe Empire’s owner, is a pompous, celebrity chef who wants to squeeze out the competition. But when Linda gets into a heated argument with Napoleon and his corpse is later found stabbed and pinned beneath the wheels of her tamale cart, she becomes the number one suspect.Determined to prove Linda’s innocence, Rita investigates. From Napoleon’s disgruntled former employees to a shady health inspector, the list of suspects is longer than Flori’s strings of dried chili peppers. And when another corpse surfaces, Rita must scramble to find an elusive killer with an appetite for murder…By Sydney Leigh. 2024
Everything is coming up rosé for innkeeper Jess Byrne until a murder on opening weekend gives her B&B&’s killer vibe…
a whole new meaning.Schitt&’s Creek meets Only Murders in the Building in this sparkling debut mystery.It&’s the grand opening of The Pearl B&B in Hudson Valley, and owner Jess Byrne has prepared the ultimate, Insta-worthy welcome, complete with her ex-boyfriend—reality singing sensation Lars Armstrong—performing live. As guests check in and mimosas are poured, Lars arrives with his stepdad-turned-manager Bob in tow. But things go south when Bob is found dead, and Lars is the prime suspect.After a desperate plea from Lars, and knowing the reputation of her B&B is at stake, Jess agrees to help clear Lars&’ name, but the more she digs, the less sure she is that he&’s innocent. Especially when he&’s found at the scene of another murder.With the guests under lockdown, the B&B in the press for all the wrong reasons, and a killer on the loose, Jess is in over her head. With the help of her best friend and business partner Kat, Jess is determined to uncover the truth before Lars is put behind bars and The Pearl is permanently cancelled.By Andrew Cartmel. 2024
The Vinyl Detective plunges into the world of electronic dance music in his seventh adventure. Expect laughs, LPs, cats and…
the return of fan favourites, Nevada, Tinkler, Stinky Stanmer and more.The Vinyl Detective enters the fraught and frenzied realm of electronic dance music. Lambert Ramkin aka Imperium Dart, techno trickster and ambient music wizard of the 1990s, has gone walkabout, disappearing from his rather palatial home in Kent. This isn&’t the first time he&’s pulled a vanishing act, but he&’s never been gone so long before and his wife — wives, actually; it&’s complicated — are worried and hire the Vinyl Detective to find the old rascal. They theorise that wherever the missing man is, he won&’t be able to resist turning up at a record fair somewhere in search of 12-inch white label acid house singles, which he collects compulsively. And no one knows the world of record fairs better than the Vinyl Detective.They&’re not wrong…But once our hero finds the wandering Lamb the trouble really begins — including terrifying mind-fucks with a side order of, if things break the wrong way, mass murder.By Ann Myers Ann Myers. 2016
Holly, jolly, and downright deadly—the third Santa Fe Café mystery unwraps surprises both naughty and nice . . . It’s…
the most picturesque time of theyear in Santa Fe, and Chef Rita Lafitte of Tres Amigas Café hopes the twinkling lights and tasty holiday treats will charm her visiting mom. Rita is also planning fun activities, such as watching her teenage daughter, Celia, perform in an outdoor Christmas play.What she doesn’t plan for is murder.Rita discovers a dead actor during the premier performance but vows to keep clear of the case. Sleuthing would upset her mom. Besides, there’s already a prime suspect, caught red-handed in his bloodied Santa suit. However, when the accused Santa’s wife begs for assistance—and points out that Celia and other performers could be in danger—Rita can’t say no. With the help of her elderly boss, Flori, and her coterie of rogue knitters, Rita strives to salvage her mother’s vacation, unmask a murderer, and stop this festive season from turning even more fatal.By Lee Hollis. 2021
The charming coastal town of Bar Harbor, Maine, has a fancy new Italian restaurant—and a nasty new murder . .…
. As the food and cocktails columnist for the Island Times, it&’s Hayley Powell&’s job to stay on top of the latest eateries in town. Just in time for the summer tourist season, Chef Romeo, a successful restaurateur from New York City, has opened an establishment called—naturally—Romeo&’s. But between his over-the-top temperament and his no-holds-barred diet, Chef Romeo may not live through the grand opening. When the chef actually does suffer a mild heart attack, he ends up sharing a hospital room with Hayley&’s brother Randy, who&’s there for gall bladder surgery. Chef Romeo has tasted Hayley&’s cooking and asks her to take over his restaurant while he&’s laid up. But this temporary gig may turn permanent, after the chef dies from complications. Only thing is, Randy tells a different story. He might have been sedated, but Hayley&’s bro swears he saw someone come into their room and put Romeo out of his misery. Now it&’s up to Hayley to find the person who had no reservations about killing the chef . . . Includes delectable recipes from Hayley&’s kitchen!By Carlene O'Connor. 2024
Fans of M.C. Beaton and Rhys Bowen, prepare for a delectable page-turner that mixes the charm of the Emerald Isle…
with the irresistible allure of a classic cozy whodunit. Siobhán and Macdara Flannery's plans for a romantic honeymoon by the sea crumble like battered cod when they discover a dead body in the local fish and chip shop. This charming village harbors secrets beneath its culinary delights, but even a crafty killer is no match for these cunning sleuths. Siobhán&’s brother Eoin&’s new family restaurant, The O&’Sullivan Six, is so close to opening—but waiting on the necessary permits plus the heat of July in the village of Kilbane in County Cork is driving everyone a bit mad. Macdara Flannery comes to the rescue with a plan—take a holiday by the sea and stuff themselves with fish and chips to support the struggling business of the aptly named Mrs. Chipper. But when they arrive, a crowd is gathered in front of the closed shop: a local fisherman with a fresh cod delivery, a food critic, Mrs. Chipper&’s ex-husband who&’s opening a competing fish and chips shop directly across the street, and a repairman to fix the vent for the deep fryer. With Siobhán and Macdara as witnesses, a local handyman gets the locked door open, only to find the proprietor lying dead and covered in flour at the base of a ladder, its rungs coated in slippery fat. Clearly this was not an accidental tragedy . . . Even as the local garda take over the murder investigation, Siobhán and Macdara can&’t help themselves from placing their long-delayed honeymoon on hold—at least until they can help apprehend an elusive killer.By Ian Moore. 2024
From UK comedian Ian Moore comes another "laugh-out-loud caper" (Shelf Awareness, starred review for Death and Croissants).Middle-aged B&B owner Richard…
Ainsworth is enjoying his quiet life in the Val de Follet—that is, until the local cheese supplier is found dead in one of his own pasteurization tanks…Running a B&B in the Val de Follet means nothing exciting ever happens to Richard, and really that's the way he likes it. Until scandal erupts in the nearby town of Saint-Sauver, when its famous restaurant is downgraded from three Michelin stars to two. The restaurant is shamed, the town is in shock, and the leading goat cheese supplier drowns himself in one of his own pasteurization tanks.Or does he?Valérie d'Orçay, who is staying at the B&B while house-hunting in the area, isn't convinced that it's a suicide. Despite his misgivings, Richard is drawn into Valérie's investigation, and finds himself becoming a major player in solving the crime. After all, the French do take their cheese quite seriously and it's quite clear there's nothing gouda happening in the close-knit, small village that Richard calls home.By Laura Childs. 2024
It&’s Lights, Action, Murder as tea maven Theodosia Browning scrambles for clues in this latest installment of the New York…
Times bestselling series.When Theodosia Browning reads the tea leaves on the set of the movie, Dark Fortunes, things go from spooky to worse. Lights are dimmed, the camera rolls, and red hot sparks fly as the film&’s director is murdered in a tricky electrical accident.Or was it an accident? Though the cast and crew are stunned beyond belief, nobody admits to seeing a thing. And when Theodosia&’s friend, Delaine, becomes the prime suspect, Theodosia begins her own shadow investigation. But who among this Hollywood cast and crew had murder on their mind? The screenwriter is a self-centered pot head, the leading actress is trying to wiggle out of her contract, the brand new director seems indifferent, and nobody trusts the slippery-when-dry Hollywood agent.Between hosting a Breakfast at Tiffany&’s Tea, a Poetry Tea, and trying to launch her own chocolate line, Theodosia doggedly hunts down clues and explores the seemingly haunted Brittlebank Manor where the murder took place. And just when she&’s ready to pounce, a Charleston Film Board member is also murdered, throwing everything into total disarray. But this clever killer will go to any lengths to hide his misdeeds as Theodosia soon finds out when she and her tea sommelier, Drayton, get caught up in a dangerous stakeout.INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!By Kate Hilton, Elizabeth Renzetti. 2024
A big-city journalist joins the staff of a small-town paper in cottage country and finds a community full of secrets…
… and murder. Cat Conway has recently returned to Port Ellis to work as a reporter at the Quill & Packet. She’s fled the tattered remains of her high-profile career and bad divorce for the holiday town of her childhood, famous for its butter tarts, theatre, and a century-old feud. One of Cat’s first assignments is to interview legendary actor Eliot Fraser, the lead in the theatre’s season opener of Inherit the Wind. When Eliot ends up dead onstage on opening night, the curtain rises on the sleepy town’s secrets. The suspects include the actor whose career Eliot ruined, the ex-wife he betrayed, the women he abused, and even the baker he wronged. With the attention of the world on Port Ellis, this story could be Cat’s chance to restore her reputation. But the police think she’s a suspect, and the murderer wants to kill the story—and her too. Can Cat solve the mystery before she loses her job or becomes the next victim of a killer with a theatrical bent for vengeance?By Mary Higgins Clark. 2001
In the gripping new novel from the Queen of Suspense, a woman is haunted by two grisly murders separated by…
more than a century, yet somehow inextricably linked...Following a nasty divorce and the trauma of being stalked, criminal defense attorney Emily Graham leaves Albany to work in Manhattan. Craving roots, she buys her ancestral home, a Victorian house in the seaside resort town of Spring Lake, New Jersey. Her family sold the house in 1892, after one of Emily's forebears, Madeline Shapley, then a young girl, disappeared. As the house is renovated and a pool dug, a skeleton is found and identified as Martha Lawrence, a young Spring Lake woman who vanished several years ago. Within her hand is the finger bone of another woman, with a ring—a Shapley family heirloom—still on it. Determined to find the connection between the two murders, Emily becomes a threat to a seductive killer...who chooses her as the next victim.By Mary Higgins Clark. 1975
The #1 New York Times bestselling author and Queen of Suspense launched her career with this classic thriller following a…
woman whose past holds a terrible secret.Nancy Harmon long ago fled the heartbreak of her first marriage, the macabre deaths of her two little children, and the shocking charges against her. She changed her name, dyed her hair, and left California for the windswept peace of Cape Cod. Now remarried, she has two more beloved children, and the terrible pain has begun to heal—until the morning when she looks in the backyard for her little boy and girl and finds only one red mitten. She knows that the nightmare is beginning again...By Lin Waterhouse. 2017
In this small-town mystery, a retired teacher moves to the Ozark mountains, where her eager manner ruffles some feathers—and unearths…
dark secrets. Retired schoolteacher Caroline Hudson has moved to Hickory Bend, Missouri, to embrace small-town life. But her eagerness to join the community only rouses the suspicions of longtime residents. Luckily, her friend Terry needs help fixing up the old Hunter&’s Mill. Caroline is thrilled to learn about her new home through this historic building—especially when she discovers some fascinating documents hidden in the attic. These documents reveal family secrets of prejudice, pride, murder, and mayhem—just the kind of story that piques Caroline&’s curiosity! But some residents would prefer to keep the unpleasantness buried in the past. When someone launches a cover-up as shocking and foolhardy as the original crime, it could bring a permanent end to Caroline&’s new career in sleuthing . . .By Ellie Alexander. 2024
Another delicious installment in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, OR!The mountains are calling in Ashland, Oregon, where pastry chef…
turned amateur sleuth, Jules Capshaw, is baking up a bevy of spiced curry buns and chai cookies for a moonlit snowshoe tour. Ramiro’s family is visiting from Spain and Jules can’t wait to take them up to her beloved Mount A with its charming and rustic lodge, backcountry trails, and star-filled skies that stretch for miles. Their winter wonderland adventure is nothing short of magical and the merry party opts to return to the slope the next day for the Downhill Dummy.The annual competition is a favorite amongst snow lovers. Contestants strap makeshift dummies to skis and send them hurling down a death-defying ski jump in hopes of catching big air. The team at Torte is in the mix this year with their own replica of a tiered cake and a baker who closely resembles their fearless leader. It’s a fun and festive atmosphere as dummies sail past the crowd to huge cheers and applause. Until one of the dummies takes a deadly detour and lands atop Fitz Baskin.Fitz is a guide on the mountain and his icy dealings have made for frosty relationships with everyone he encounters. Suddenly there are more suspects than snowdrifts as Jules dives into the investigation. She unearths a web of secrets and motives that threaten to shake the rustic mountain lodge to its core. Can she catch the killer before they strike again, or will the truth be buried forever under fluffy layers of fresh snow?