Just for fun, we want to help cozy mystery readers find new series they can love and look forward to reading for years to come. We hope you will welcome these new authors and /or new series ... for many years to come.
To sign up, or for more information, contact the staff in San Diego (858-268-4747). Club membership lists will be maintained by the San Diego location, but all fantastic titles can be picked up in either store, or shipped to you!
A new title will be revealed each month!
January 2018
Description
As the owner of a charming Louisiana bed and breakfast, Holly Davis believes in Southern hospitality--but she draws the line at welcoming the ghost of her cheating husband . . .
Burl Davis checked out of this life a little earlier than expected--before Holly could serve him with divorce papers over his extramarital flings. Unfortunately, it was not before he nearly bankrupted her beloved B&B, Holly Grove, a converted plantation that has been in her family for generations. Holly would never wish anyone dead, but three months later she's feeling a lot more relief than grief.
Until Burl's ghost appears as an unwelcome guest. Before his spirit can move on, her not-so-dearly departed needs Holly's human help to bust up the drug smuggling ring he was involved with. She has reservations, to say the least, but agrees to assist him if he'll make a show of haunting the B&B to draw in visitors. But when Holly's former love, Jack McCann, mysteriously resurfaces in town and checks in, she has to wonder if her B&B is big enough for the ghost of her husband and the very real physical presence of her old flame . . .
November 2017
Description
There's no reverse on the hearse . . .
For Tallulah Graver, marrying wealthy Waldo Phillips seemed like the best way out of the family business, the Graver Funeral Home. But when her marriage falls apart and Tallie is left with next to nothing, she turns to cleaning houses to make ends meet. As humbling as it is to tidy the mansions of the snobby socialites she used to call friends, at least she doesn't have to be around dead bodies. Until . . .She discovers one of her employers lying in a closet with a knife sticking out of her chest. This unpleasant shock seems to be part of a web of weird experiences: Tallie's friend Gina's shop is broken into, her ex is stun-gunned where it hurts the most, and now she's receiving flowers from the dead woman. Granted the deliveryman is handsome, but seriously, that's enough to cast a pall over anyone's day. Now Tallie needs to dig deep to clean up this mess--before she finds herself in a grave situation.
"You'll be cheering as the clues pileup in this creative cozy mystery."
--New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon.
October 2017
Description
The first book in a brand new series featuring New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson's beloved Scumble River setting and characters, Dead in the Water is a gripping mystery that won't let you go until you've turned the last page.
A twister, a kidnapping, and a murder--oh my Scumble River may never be the same.
For school psychologist Skye Denison, there's certainly no place like home. When a violent tornado devastates her small hometown of Scumble River, she can't see how the community will ever recover--especially since town councilman Zeke Lyons appears to have perished in the twister.
But things get even worse for Skye when her police chief husband, Wally, disappears in the midst of investigating Zeke's death, and evidence arises pointing to foul play. Did Zeke really die in the storm, or was he murdered? And could Wally be next on the criminal's hit list?
September 2017
Description
Sometimes you need a sweet tooth to take a bite out of crime . . .
Bailey King is living the sweet life as assistant chocolatier at world-famous JP Chocolates in New York City. But just when Bailey's up for a life-changing promotion, her grandmother calls with news that her grandfather's heart condition has worsened. Bailey rushes to Harvest, Ohio, where her grandparents still run Swissmen Sweets, the Amish candy shop where she was first introduced to delicious fudge, truffles, and other assorted delights.
She finds her grandfather is doing better than she feared. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for a local Englisch developer, whom Bailey finds dead in the candy shop kitchen--with Jebediah King's chocolate knife buried in his chest. Now the police are sweet on her grandfather as the prime suspect. Despite the sincere efforts of a yummy deputy with chocolate-brown eyes, Bailey takes it on herself to clear Jebediah. But as a cunning killer tries to fudge the truth, Bailey may be headed straight into a whole batch of trouble . . .
August 2017
Description
The first novel in a frisky new mystery series set in a small New England town, where an unlikely citizen is called in to solve the purrfect crime. . .
Maddie James has arrived in Daybreak Island, just off the coast of Massachusetts, eager to settle down and start her own business and maybe even fall in love. When a stray orange tabby pounces into her life, she's inspired to open a cat café. But little does Maddie know that she's in for something a lot more catastrophic when her new furry companion finds the dead body of the town bully. Now all eyes are on Maddie: Who is this crazy cat-whisperer lady who's come to town? If pet-hair-maintenance and crime-fighting weren't keeping her busy enough, Maddie now has not one but two eligible bachelors who think she's the cat's pajamas . . . and will do anything to win her heart. But how can she even think about happily-ever-after while a killer remains on the loose and on her path?
July 2017
Description
Never judge a book by its cover...
Sophie "Phee" Kimball is not a cop. She's a divorced, middle-aged mom who works as an account clerk for the police department in a small city in Minnesota. But her retired mother, Harriet Plunkett, is convinced Phee is the only one who can solve the mystery of a cursed book. According to Harriet, four members of her book club have already succumbed to the deadly curse. Harriet insists Phee catch the next plane to her retirement community in Sun City West, Arizona, to investigate.
Is her mother just bored and lonely? She does have a new pet--a long-haired chiweenie (half Chihuahua, half Dachshund)--for company and a host of pals (although that number is admittedly dwindling). Phee is certain that their book club selection isn't cursed, but is somebody really knocking off the ladies? As Phee starts to uncover dark secrets hidden in plain sight under the blazing Arizona sun, she'll need to read between the lines before it's someone else's final chapter....
"You'll chuckle all the way through this delightful romp through Sun City West, as Phee and her mother unravel the mystery behind the sudden deaths of several book club members. It's so cleverly written, you won't guess the perpetrators until the very end." --Mary Marks, award-winning author of the Quilting Mystery series.
About the Author
J.C. Eaton is the wife and husband team of Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp. Ann has published eight YA time travel mysteries. Visit their website at www.jceatonauthor.com.
April 2017
Staff Reviews
This laugh-out-loud debut cozy features broken-hearted wannabe obituary writer Riley Ellison. She works in the local library by day, and tries out a dating service in her off-hours in an effort to move on with her life after her long-time sweetheart leaves her in Tuttle Corner, Virginia for greener pastures in Colorado. Riley has a reputation as a bit of a troublemaker after her grandfather (an obituary writer) died under mysterious circumstances and she pressed the town to look into his “suicide.” So when her high school friend, Jordon James “commits suicide,” Riley doesn’t believe it for a moment and begins to look into her death when she agrees to write Jordon’s obituary. All of these plot lines are wrapped around some humorous moments and some great quotes about writing obituaries. For those looking for a new cozy heroine to root for, give Jill and Riley a try.
— From Terry's Traffic Light Delights
Description
-Who knew obituaries could be this much fun?-
-- Gretchen Archer, USA TODAY-bestselling author of the Davis Way Crime Capers
Meet Riley Ellison, a quirky young library assistant who has become known in her hometown of Tuttle Corner, Virginia, as Riley Bless-Her-Heart. Riley's odd habit of living vicariously through people she reads about in the obituary pages hits a little too close to home when she is asked to write one for her childhood best friend, Jordan James. Jordan's unexpected suicide has left Riley desperate to understand why a young woman with so much to live for would suddenly opt out, so she steps out of her comfort zone and into the role of obituary writer.
Things get messy, however, when Jordan's co-worker, a paranoid reporter with a penchant for conspiracy theories, convinces Riley that Jordan's death was no suicide. He leads her down a dangerous path toward organized crime, secret lovers, and suspicious taco trucks. Eventually, Riley's serpentine hunt for the truth leads to a discovery that puts everything she holds dear--her job, the people she loves, and even her life--in danger. Will writing this obituary be the death of her?
March 2017
Description
Pet sitter Daphne Templeton has a soft spot for every stray and misfit who wanders into the quaint, lakeside village of Sylvan Creek. But even Daphne doesn't like arrogant, womanizing Steve Beamus, the controversial owner of Blue Ribbon K-9 Academy. When Steve turns up dead during a dog agility trial, Daphne can think of a long list of people with motives for homicide, and so can the police. Unfortunately, at the top of the list is Daphne's sister, Piper--Steve's latest wronged girlfriend.
Certain that Piper is innocent, in spite of mounting evidence to the contrary, Daphne sets out to clear her sister's name--and find Axis, Steve's prize-winning chocolate Labrador, who went missing the night of Steve's death. Aided by Socrates, her taciturn basset hound, and a hyperactive one-eared Chihuahua named Artie, Daphne quickly runs afoul of Detective Jonathan Black, a handsome and enigmatic newcomer to town, who has no appreciation for Daphne's unorthodox sleuthing.
Can a free-spirited pet sitter, armed only with a Ph.D. in Philosophy and her two incompatible dogs, find the real killer before she becomes the next victim?
Includes recipes for homemade dog treats
"When murder is unleashed in the idyllic town of Sylvan Creek, it's up to spunky pet sitter Daphne and her darling duo of misfit mutts to catch the killer. A doggone charming read from start to finish " --Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author.
February 2017
Description
In the all-new Kite Shop Mystery series set in the beachside community of Rock Point, Oregon, kite shop owner Emmy Adler gets swept up in a murder investigation.
Emmy is finally living her dream. She's moved to the coastal town of Rock Point, Oregon, and is starting a kite business. Strings Attached features her own unique designs, inspired by everything from Picasso to Matisse's colorful cutouts. Her spirits are soaring sky-high the morning of the grand opening--until she stumbles upon a dead man washed up on the beach.
The body belongs to local chef Miles Logan, and the gash across his chest indicates he's been murdered. The sheriff suspects Emmy's best friend, Avery, who used to date the chef. Emmy is sure Avery would never hurt anyone, but her pal doesn't have an alibi for the night of the murder. With Avery's freedom and the fate of her kite shop up in the air, Emmy takes it upon herself to follow the string of clues and solve the murder before the real killer takes flight.
November 2016
Description
FIRST IN A VISIONARY NEW MYSTERY SERIES.
It doesn t take a crystal ball to see that something's not right on Bay Island...
Since she left her psychiatric practice in New York City to open up a psychic shop in her hometown on Bay Island, Cass Donovan has given her fair share of readings to conflicted customers. But what she sees in Ellie Callahan's future doesn t bode well.
When Ellie's mother, Marge, publicly confronts Cass about the reading, the embarrassment makes her want to curl up and die. And when she later stumbles across Marge's body and is a suspect in her murder Cass is suddenly the star of Bay Island's rumor mill.
Cass is determined to prove her innocence and save Ellie from meeting the fate in her unfortunate vision. But even with the help of her friends Bee and Stephanie, Cass will have to channel some serious sleuthing instincts to find the real killer...
September 2016
Description
A new series from the author of the Tourist Trap Mysteries
Former English professor Cat Latimer is back in Colorado, hosting writers retreats in the big blue Victorian she's inherited, much to her surprise, from none other than her carousing ex-husband Now it's an authors getaway but Cat won t let anyone get away with murder
The bed-and-breakfast is open for business, and bestselling author Tom Cook is among its first guests. Cat doesn t know why he came all the way from New York, but she's glad to have him among the quirkier and far less famous attendees.
Cat's high school sweetheart Seth, who's fixing up the weathered home, brings on mixed emotions for Cat some of them a little overpowering. But it's her uncle, the local police chief, whom she ll call for help when there's a surprise ending for Tom Cook in his cozy guest room. Will a killer have the last word on the new life Cat has barely begun?
Praise for Lynn Cahoon's Tourist Trap Mysteries
Murder, dirty politics, pirate lore, and a hot police detective: "Guidebook to Murder" has it all A cozy lover's dream come true. Susan McBride, author of "Say Yes to the Death"
Lynn Cahoon has created an absorbing, good fun mystery in "Mission to Murder." "Fresh Fiction.
July 2016
Description
An aspiring suspense novelist lands in the middle of a real crime, in the first in a captivating new series by the author of the Undercover Dish Mysteries.
"Lena London's literary dreams are coming true as long as she can avoid any real-life villains..."
Camilla Graham's bestselling suspense novels inspired Lena London to become a writer, so when she lands a job as Camilla's new assistant, she can t believe her luck. Not only will she help her idol craft an enchanting new mystery, she ll get to live rent-free in Camilla's gorgeous Victorian home in the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana.
But Lena's fortune soon changes for the worse. First, she lands in the center of small town gossip for befriending the local recluse. Then, she stumbles across one thing that a Camilla Graham novel is never without a dead body, found on her new boss's lakefront property.
Now Lena must take a page out of one of Camilla's books to hunt down clues in a real crime that seems to be connected to the novelist's mysterious estate before the killer writes them both out of the story for good...
June 2016
Description
This month's pick is the first in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series. With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Intead all she inherits is the widow's hostile hissing tabby and a vintage ambulance restored by Gertrude's late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery to an elderly widower, where she finds Bart Wagner lying dead on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.
To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, an idea is born: a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she's not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is racing to track down Bart's killer before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim...
May 2016
Description
We want to help cozy mystery readers find new series they can love and look forward to reading for years to come. This month's pick takes us to Hubbard, Ohio, where the jobless Laurel Inwood finds herself humbled after flopping as a personal chef to a Hollywood movie star. Much to Laurel's dismay, the restaurant run by her Aunt Sophie is not the cozy bistro her aunt would have had her believe, but a run-down greasy spoon in an old railroad station. To save the dingy diner, Laurel cooks up a plan to feature alternating ethnic cuisine as specials.
But then Jack Lancer, the Lance of Justice, an investigative reporter for local TV news, is found slumped over a table with a receipt spike in his back. Assisted by the drop-dead gorgeous owner of the neighboring Irish store who may or may not be a suspect, Laurel sets out to track down a killer who had no reservations about impaling a newshound. But as she turns up the heat, will she end up in the soup herself?
