Amateur Detective

These are the first four novels featuring Charles Bentley, a retired professor of English Literature who worked at Opal College in Opalsville, Massachusetts in the upper northwestern corner of the state. Upon his retirement, Charles finds himself becoming involved in solving a number of murders that occur in his part of the world. A widower, now without a full-time job, he is also at a decision point in his life where he must deal with new romantic interests and the possibility of pursuing a career path allowing him to develop new talents. Charles rapidly finds that the remaining decades of...

“I’m sorry but the answer’s no.” Reluctant author, Anthony Horowitz, has had enough. He tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne that after three books he’s splitting and their deal is over. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind. His new play, a thriller called Mindgame, is about to open at the Vaudeville Theater in London’s West End. Not surprisingly, Hawthorne declines a ticket to the opening night. The play is panned by the critics. In particular, Sunday Times critic Margaret Throsby gives it a savage review, focusing particularly on the writing.

A luxurious beach resort, a missing friend, and secrets to die for. Emily Parker, meticulous bookbinder and amateur sleuth, thought a getaway to Azure Bay Resort would be the perfect escape from solving mysteries. But paradise quickly turns perilous when her best friend, investigative journalist Jenny Walsh, vanishes without a trace, leaving behind only a treasured pen near the murdered resort owner, Blake Montgomery. Accompanied by her intuitive Maine Coon, Fitzgerald, Emily teams up with Josh Reynolds, a charming local artist whose gallery hides clues as expressive as his paintings. The ...

A Vacation Gone Deadly. A Town Full of Secrets. A Killer Who’s Just Getting Started. Tiffany Black and Rosie wanted a break. Instead, they land in Duck’s Head—a town where people are disappearing, secrets run deep, and the next body could be theirs. When a local vanishes and a corpse turns up, their relaxing getaway turns into a race to catch a killer. Good thing Tiffany’s boyfriend Stone shows up, all broody and heroic. Even better? Nanna’s in town, armed with killer instincts and a purse that packs more surprises than a magician’s hat. The bodies are stacking up, the clues ...

Nobody told Ivy planning a book launch would come with a side mysterious disappearance. Welcome to the Mystique Bookshop, where mysteries are more than just on the shelves. Ivy, an event planner extraordinaire, is about to launch a seemingly simple book event. But when the client's daughter disappears the plot thickens. Rumors of secret societies dance through the air as old cold cases resurface. The town detective shrugs off the disappearance insisting the absence of an adult isn't a cause for concern, leaving Ivy, her loyal friend, and Fable, her ever-curious cat, to sniff out the truth. ...

Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn’t know what stands out more: her Americanisms or her autism. After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, she couldn’t be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the body of the moody town groundskeeper turns up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger—and she’s also a potential suspect.

Undercover mobster Joey "The Weasel" Frizzone needs to lay low before he testifies against a notorious mob boss, so the feds hide him in a place no one would ever think to look-sleepy Whispering Bay, Florida. But someone in the FBI must have a big mouth because soon there are enough hitmen in town to make it look like a Sopranos reunion. Local baker and amateur sleuth Lucy McGuffin just wants her quaint little beach town back-minus the mobsters. As the body count begins to rise, Lucy is forced to team up with handsome, but know-it-all cop Travis Fontaine.

A clever innkeeper, a bookish best friend, and one very intuitive cat… what could go wrong? Amelia Farnsworth thought spring in Tumblebrook meant tea on the porch and quiet days at the inn. But when she uncovers a trail of long-buried secrets, she’s pulled into a mystery that spans decades—and could destroy the town she loves. With her sidekick Clara and her cat Lady Grey sniffing out clues, Amelia digs into the Fixer’s twisted web of lies, betrayals, and backroom deals. The truth is messier than she expected... and far more dangerous. But someone is watching. And in a town where ...

A high school janitor. An old security dog. And a museum murder with a twist. Oliver Holmes is summoned to help the police solve a case in which an old security dog is the only witness to murders in a museum. When nothing appears to have been taken, clues unite this crime to the previous one, creating dangerous conditions in which no one is safe.˃˃˃ Murders and Mayhem Can Oliver protect his loved ones while solving a mystery that is far different from what it appears?p>˃˃˃ Is Oliver a Target? Scroll Up And Grab Your Copy Today!

With her twins, Fitzgerald and Hemingway, back in school, Jane Steward can finally focus on her work again - managing Storyton Hall and breaking ground on the resort's latest attraction: a luxurious, relaxing spa named in honor of Walt Whitman. But when the Earth is dug up to start laying the spa's foundation, something else comes to the surface - a collection of unusual bones and the remnants of a very old book. The attendees of the Rare Book Conference are eager to assist Jane with this unexpected historical mystery - until a visitor meets an untimely end in the Henry James Library.

In New Oslo, the fundraisers are killer... Lena Larsen's fundraising dinner for the local senior center was supposed to be a quiet, sophisticated affair. But when a guest drops dead at the table, Lena's amateur sleuthing skills are put to the test. With a ghostly grandmother offering cryptic clues, a handsome sheriff struggling to remain impartial, and a cast of small-town characters each hiding their own secrets, Lena must unravel a web of lies before the killer strikes again. Can she solve the mystery and clear her name? Or will her meddling serve up a second course of murder?Granny's ...

The Headless Horseman. Everyone knows the legend. That’s all it is, right? When a third headless victim is found on Boston’s streets, Chloe Mayfield is tasked with finding the person behind the crime spree – no one else wants a case this weird. It would be easy to dismiss the murders as nothing more than the random acts of a madman with a cosplay fetish, but when her investigations lead her to the morgue, she comes face to face with an apparition she cannot explain. Throw in the stalker-like attentions of a deranged clown, dangerous interactions with the Salem witches, and an enemy ...

At first, the mystery they're tasked with seems to have nothing to do with Aerin or her kidnapper. But as Seneca, Maddox, and Madison hit the Jersey Shore to gather clues, they begin to uncover the true background of the killer and the horrors that shaped him into who he is. The scavenger hunt leads them to the family of a recently kidnapped boy, a serial child-snatcher, and dark secrets they could never have seen coming.

A private tasting, a quiet afternoon… and a discovery that could ruin everything. Avery Parker was expecting romance, not rumors, when she agreed to a private tour of a rival vineyard’s barrel room. But a disturbing surprise hidden behind the polished barrels sends shockwaves through the small town of Los Robles. Suddenly, her cozy day date turns into a full-blown investigation. With Sprinkles sniffing out tension and her Stammtisch crew ready to sip and sleuth, Avery follows a trail of whispered grudges, old rivalries, and a few people who would rather the truth stay sealed tight. As ...

Newport Innkeeper Caroline Kent and Police Detective Hank Nightingale are back in the middle of murder when Caroline's friend, Broadway actress Meredith Hackett, appears unexpectedly at the Inn at Kenwood Court. When she is found dead shortly after arriving, it's up to Caroline and Hank to solve the case.

They say chocolate is irresistible... this time it's deadly. When Savannah Stanton arrives in Spring Grove to help her cousin Holly run the family bakery, she's looking for a fresh start, not a fresh crime scene. But after a prominent charity board member drops dead at a gala event—right after eating one of Holly's cupcakes—both the bakery's reputation and Holly's freedom are at risk. As suspicions swirl around Sweet Springs Bakery, Savannah finds herself drawn into a web of small-town secrets, suspicious financial dealings, and long-buried scandals. With help from the handsome but ...

It's spring in Shady Hollow, and romance is in the air. Even reporter Vera Vixen is caught up in the season as her relationship with new police chief Orville Braun blossoms. But true love is not always smooth sailing, as two of the hollow's young residents come to find. Jonah Atwater and Stasia von Beaverpelt find themselves battling their families in order to be together. And when Alan's father, Shelby, goes over the top of Twilight Falls, all signs point to Stasia being the murderer.

Six dachshunds, one inheritance, and a killer who’s unleashed chaos. Dogwood Valley is buzzing with gossip. Agatha Worthington, the 90-year-old matriarch, has shocked the town by leaving her fortune to her six dachshunds instead of her feuding relatives. Liv Barker, former lawyer turned dog walker, is hired to care for the dachshunds. But when suspicious events unfold, Liv must sniff out the truth before someone with greedy intentions puts an end to Agatha’s plans—and possibly her dogs’ lives.

What can you do when an enemy claims sanctuary in your home? Hester Johnson is no one's favorite person, but when she arrives at Proctor House begging to be hidden, the Proctor family takes her in. When something spooks Hester, she runs away - straight into her killer. Is it coincidence she's left on Isabella's door? The danger has never been greater for Detective Palmer and Isabella needs to protect him, find the murderer, and keep her family's secrets. For fans of Samantha Silver, Amanda M. Lee, and Leighann Dobbs, On a Larkspur is a clever, fast-paced cozy mystery that will keep you ...

It is an ordinary Thursday, and things should finally be returning to normal. Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club are concerned. A local news legend is on the hunt for a sensational headline, and soon the gang are hot on the trail of two murders, ten years apart. To make matters worse, a new nemesis pays Elizabeth a visit, presenting her with a deadly mission: kill or be killed.