Amateur Detective

After a disastrous accident derails Tempest Raj’s career, and life, she heads back to her childhood home in California to comfort herself with her grandfather’s Indian home-cooked meals. Though she resists, every day brings her closer to the inevitable: working for her father’s company. Secret Staircase Construction specializes in bringing the magic of childhood to all by transforming clients’ homes with sliding bookcases, intricate locks, backyard treehouses, and hidden reading nooks.

A cryptic clue. A missing professor. A town with more secrets than streetlamps. When small-town reporter Julia Wright receives an anonymous email about a decades-old scandal and the sudden disappearance of beloved but eccentric Professor Bing, she trades headlines for hidden clues. Known for her love of puzzles and her stubborn streak, Julia’s hardly the type to back down—even when the trail leads to her own family’s locked-away past. With her mischievous dog Cooper sniffing out trouble and a brooding detective who’d rather she stay out of it, Julia plunges into a world of cryptic ...

Three riveting USA Today bestselling mystery novels. Love great mysteries with surprising twists? Prepare to be up all night reading the books in this best selling series. Novels in this volume include: Bed of Bones Thirteen-year-old Willie Compton and his younger brother Leonard stumble upon a mine shaft while hiking the hills of Park City, Utah. A Slinky Leonard's been flipping back and forth between his hands slips through his fingers. Leonard bolts forward and reaches out to grab it, but he slips, then he falls into the shaft. Bed of Bones tells a tale of murder, shining a big, bold ...

When the life she thought she knew is suddenly taken away, Ella Hunt is determined to make a new life for herself and her faithful companion, Boris the Bulldog. She finds a new purpose in the form of a small, failed hotel in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. With her expertise in designing and upgrading hotel properties, Ella is determined to restore the hotel back to its former glory. But when she finds out the former hotel owner was found murdered in the hotel cellar, Ella teams up with the lead detective on the case, Luke Falconer, to uncover the truth and clear the hotel's name. If you enjoyed ...

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.

Amidst the heart-wrenching turmoil of her husband's unexpected demise, Avery Parker has returned to her hometown. This three-book collection unravels the dark secrets lurking as Avery works to bring justice to victims of the community’s heinous crimes. Join Avery, her golden retriever, Sprinkles, and new friends as they uncork, sip, and solve small town murders in Los Robles! Murder at the Wine Cave Avery and her close-knit group of friends uncover a shocking secret during a winery tour—a body concealed in a wine cave. As suspicions swirl and authorities investigate, Avery and Sprinkles...

It’s been 12 years since Sandi Parkman went missing after being dropped off at home by her schoolmate, Nick Larson, now the Sheriff of Freeport, Michigan. When a construction crew unearths Sandi’s bones - along with Nick’s letterman jacket and one of his hairs - Nick becomes suspect number one in the murder.

A Glamorous Theater Opening Turns Deadly… Event planner Ivy Schaeffer is no stranger to lively celebrations, but when she’s hired to organize the after-show party for a local theater’s grand debut, she expects entertainment, drama, and a little backstage gossip—not murder. Tensions run high among the cast and crew, but no one is prepared when Seth Jenkins—the understudy thrust into the lead role—drops dead behind the velvet curtains. While the old detective urges Ivy to stay in the shadows, the new detective enlists her to help sniff out the truth. With sharp-witted Phyllis and ...

"A rocket ride of action, political intrigue, and suspense."—San Diego Magazine "A sharp thriller. Russell has us in the palm of his hand."—Chicago Tribune "Ingeniously imagined and skillfully told, Political Suicide must be included in any list of this year's best thrillers."—San Diego Union-Tribune Will Travis is an undercover corporate investigator whose job involves low-key assignments like checking out the service at Washington, DC, hotel bars and reporting back to management. But his evening takes an unexpected turn when he interrupts an attempted murder. Soon, Will is on the ...

Although it is autumn in the small English town of Bishop’s Lacey, the chapel is decked with exotic flowers. Yes, Flavia de Luce’s sister, Ophelia, is at last getting hitched, like a mule to a wagon. “A church is a wonderful place for a wedding”, muses Flavia, “surrounded as it is by the legions of the dead, whose listening bones bear silent witness to every promise made at the altar.”

Moira Gallagher has been conversing with ghosts since she was five. Now as an adult, she’s finally putting that ability to good use. Moira’s ability to talk with the dead gives her detective agency, Gallagher Investigations, an edge in uncovering secrets the past has buried. With the help of her sisters, Nuala and Deirdre, she assists those unsettled spirits in finding peace by righting the wrongs done to them before they found themselves on the Other Side. The past collides with the present as these Irish sisters solve cold-case murders and mayhem through their dreams, paranormal ...

Rachel Rowan’s newest assignment is to create an enticing galaxy cake to celebrate the latest release from popular science fiction author, Stan Stickman. But when the legendary scribe is killed in a manner eerily reminiscent of a murder found in his own book, Rachel finds herself sucked into a vortex of mystery & deceit from which she seems unable to escape. Now, if she hopes to get out with her own life intact, she must figure out who is to blame for the deadly deed. And with a cast of suspects including an astronaut turned senator, an obsessive fan and even her own ex-boyfriend, she is ...

Grace Makutsi's husband, Phuti, is in a bind. An international firm is attempting to undercut his prices in the office furniture market. Phuti has always been concerned with quality and comfort, but this new firm seems interested only in profits. To make matters worse, they have a slick new advertising campaign that seems hard to beat. Nonetheless, with Mma Ramotswe's help, Phtui comes up with a campaign that may just do the trick.

Cedar Grove is abuzz with excitement as the Halloween Festival draws near, but for Lila Harrington, owner of the Harrington Inn, the holiday takes a chilling turn. Strange creaks echo from the empty upper floors, shadowy figures flit through the halls, and a mysterious history of tragic lovers haunts the property. When one of her guests is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Lila’s unease turns to determination. With her best friend Jane by her side and her clever beagle Barkley sniffing out clues, Lila dives into a mystery that blurs the lines between the supernatural and the all-...

It's late 1936, and King Edward is in turmoil, having fallen in love with the scandalously divorced and even more scandalously American Wallis Simpson. He wants to marry her but knows that doing so will jeopardize his crown. Edward confides in his dear friend Darcy, Georgie's husband, and the couple agree to hide Wallis in their home while Edward figures out what to do. But unbeknownst to Georgie and Darcy, Sir Hubert, the owner of the estate, has given a film crew permission to shoot a motion picture about Henry the Eighth and Anne Boleyn on the grounds

Good friends Caroline and Laura were in daily contact. When Laura fails to return her calls, Caroline is prompted to find out what is going on. It had been a lover’s tiff; Robert informed her, that had provoked Laura to walk out on him. Caroline knew that in such circumstances her best friend would turn to her for sympathy and advice, yet she hadn’t. There had to be other factors at work. Caroline, together with Robert, begin to track Laura’s movements over the past week. They follow a trail that leads them into the dark world of illegal antiques, illicit drug dealing and money ...

It’s love at first sight when Penelope Kite sees Le Chant d’Eau - The Song of Water - the stone farmhouse tucked high in the hills above the Luberon valley. For years, Penelope put her unfaithful ex-husband and her ungrateful stepchildren first. Now, she’s going to start living for herself. Though her dream house needs major renovations, Penelope impulsively buys the property and moves to St. Merlot. But Penelope’s daydreams of an adventurous life in Provence didn’t include finding a corpse floating face down in her swimming pool.

If you enjoy Christy Barritt’s Beach Bound Books, you'll adore this cozy mystery set in the Coastal Carolinas… Here’s what reviewers had to say about Murder at Sea Oats Beach: “Those who enjoy reading cozy mysteries with a touch of humor and romance will enjoy Murder at Sea Oats Beach. It makes for an excellent beach read…” ~Crimefictioncritic “Engaging characters, perfect setting and delightful twists kept me guessing.” ~Amazon reviewer “If you love a good mystery, the beach and a bevy of cute, cuddly animals, you’ll love this new cozy mystery beach read.” ~Amazon ...

Verity King has a problem with her husband. He’s been turned into a frog, and contrary to opinion, that’s not an improvement. A cryptic message, a severed finger in her fridge, and no signs of forced entry make it clear to Tempest why he was called, but Mr King’s worrying transformation is just the first act. Almost before he can add up the clues, a second victim confirms the theme and Tempest finds himself up against someone performing modern retellings of the Grimm Brothers’ Fairy Tales … with real live human characters. Tempest also has a new partner and it’s not his old army...

In The Accountant’s Cookbook for Murder, buttoned-up accountant Martin Wells never expected murder at the Redwood County Cook-Off. When a food critic dies mid-bite, Martin must follow the breadcrumbs—through sabotage, suspects, and savory secrets—to solve the case. It’s a cozy mystery where spreadsheets meet sabotage, and the recipe for murder gets personal.