Amateur Detective

WAS THERE REALLY A FOOT DANGLING OUT OF THAT CARPET? Fifty-two-year-old Glory Harper is stuck in a wheelchair with a broken leg, bored, and itching for some excitement. She doesn’t expect it to come in the form of a foot dangling out the back of a carpet as it’s carried into her new neighbor’s house. But Glory’s past “run-ins” with the police makes her latest report more difficult to believe. And, just when she thinks someone’s taking her seriously, Glory realizes Detective Rick Spencer, a Harrison Ford look-alike, appears more interested in her than in her story. Despite ...

It’s Christmas Eve in New Chapel, Indiana. But this night will be anything but silent in a brand new Flower Shop Mystery Novella from New York Times bestselling author of Moss Hysteria and Yews With Caution. After being hired to deliver poinsettias to Churchill’s department store in downtown New Chapel, feisty flower shop owner Abby Knight finds herself mixed up in the disappearance of everyone’s favorite Santa Claus, Mr. Churchill himself. Promising Churchill’s daughter that the legendary Christmas Eve celebration will not go on without her father, Abby must recruit her whole staff...

For Ellery Queen, there is no puzzle that reason cannot solve. In his time, he has faced down killers, thugs, and thieves, protected only by the might of his brain - and the odd bit of timely intervention by his father, a burly New York police inspector. But when a university professor asks Queen to teach a class, the detective finds there are people whom reason cannot touch: college students. Queen's adventure on campus is only the first of this incomparable collection of short mysteries.

A disappearance that unravels dark secrets. When therapy dog Bentley and his handler Maggie Shaw visit Viewpoint Retirement Community, they expect to bring comfort, but instead, they find themselves embroiled in a chilling mystery. This gripping tale will keep you guessing until the last page! Why You Need This Book: Join Maggie and Bentley as they dig deep into a web of deceit and danger. If you love mysteries that blend heartwarming moments with thrilling twists, this book is for you!Key Features: 🐾 Engaging Mystery: A beloved resident vanishes without a trace, sparking a frantic ...

A dead hitchhiker, empty canisters found at the bottom of several trucks, and the murder of a harmless mechanic are the bizarre events that lead ex-jockey Freddie Croft to suspect that his transport company, Driving Force, is involved in drug smuggling, or something far worse.

When a mysterious letter arrives at the Shady Pines Library, Librarian Maggie Montgomery never expects it to lead her to Everwood Manor- a crumbling estate steeped in secrets. The new owners have uncovered a bundle of old letters and a diary in the attic. They believe Maggie, with her knowledge of local history, is the perfect person to unravel their secrets. Joined by her loyal beagle Sherlock and her two best friends, Tessa and Hannah, Maggie begins digging into the story of the Van Allen family— The manor’s previous residents who vanished without a trace decades ago. Once the ...

A stolen secret, a strangled judge, and a flowering feud. When Lena Larsen agrees to host the New Oslo Tulip Festival at her grandmother's Victorian home, she expects prickly personalities and competitive gardeners. What she doesn't expect is murder. As tulip enthusiasts and judges gather to showcase their prized blooms, tensions quickly rise to the surface. Head judge Eleanor Summers seems to delight in antagonizing everyone with veiled threats about "revelations" she plans to share. But before she can expose anyone's secrets, Eleanor is found dead among the prize tulip beds. With a house ...

Years ago, Beth Lathrop and her sister Kate suffered what they thought would be the worst tragedy of their lives the night both the famous painting Moonlight and their mother were taken. The detective assigned to the case, Conor Reid, swore to protect the sisters from then on. Beth moved on, throwing herself fully into the art world, running the family gallery, and raising a beautiful daughter with her husband Pete. Kate, instead, retreated into herself and took to the skies as a pilot, always on the run.

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.

Daphne Marriott strolls into Clover Ridge and informs librarian Carrie Singleton that she's a psychic. But if she had foreseen what fate awaited her, Daphne would have steered clear of the quaint Connecticut town. Evelyn, the library ghost, tells Carrie that there's more to Daphne than she lets on. The mysterious woman grew up in Clover Ridge with her no-good dad, who apparently met his end at the hands of Daphne's brother, Billy. Still, Daphne proves a welcome distraction when Carrie's overbearing mother hits town. Mom's much younger husband, Tom, is in a movie that's lensing locally.

In an elaborate house known as the Cloisters, Maud Wainwright rules supreme. The queen of society in the small town of Beverly, she has a table long enough to seat 100, and she keeps an iron grip on the guest list. Her right-hand woman is Pat Abbott, a local girl who is beautiful, innocent, and kind. Pat has no idea how cutthroat high society can be, but she's about to get a deadly first lesson.

Book #8 of the Jab Boone Murder Mystery Series Ezra Parkinson discovers the American Indian that taught Jab’s grandfather the art of tracking 40 years ago. But that discovery unearths deadly secrets—and those determined to keep them! Jab must find a way to draw those responsible for Jay Boone’s death out in the open—or be a target himself!

It's National Library Week, and the Athena Public Library is planning an exhibit to honor the centenary of famous novelist Electra Barnes Cartwright - creator of the beloved Veronica Thane series. Charlie has a soft spot for Cartwright's girl detective stories (not to mention an extensive collection of her books!). When the author agrees to make a rare public appearance, the news of her whereabouts goes viral overnight, and series devotees and book collectors converge on Athena.

Secretive VIPs A man who isn't who he says he is A murder When Addi and the gang encounter a group of interesting VIPs, they think it'll be an easy cruise - until a murder rocks the boat. Now, Addi must uncover a killer - before they strike again. Meanwhile, Ethan is "shadow captain", Sam is overwhelmed with VIPs' demands, and Cece is enjoying her perfect new role. Praise for A.R. Winters: "The perfect balance of being lighthearted, but still a serious page-turning mystery." - Jaycie D, Amazon.com "A fun cozy mystery with engaging and entertaining characters" - lq, Amazon.com "A cute light ...

It’s beginning to look a lot like arson this Christmas season… The Cat Café is buzzing with excitement this holiday season as they prepare for the Holiday Fur Ball & Silent Auction. As Tinsley and her crew put the finishing touches on the treats and decorations, she can’t help but daydream about the new animal shelter she hopes to build with the money from the auction. The excitement soon fizzles, however, when a fire breaks out at the café with the fur babies inside. Thankfully, they’re rescued by firefighters and all safe and sound. But everyone at the Cat Café is shocked when ...

When editor Susan Ryeland is given the tattered manuscript of Alan Conway's latest novel, she has little idea it will change her life. She's worked with the revered crime writer for years, and his detective, Atticus Pund, is renowned for solving crimes in the sleepy English villages of the 1950s. As Susan knows only too well, vintage crime sells handsomely. It's just a shame that it means dealing with an author like Alan Conway.... But Conway's latest tale of murder at Pye Hall is not quite what it seems.

Inspector Witherspoon always triumphs...but how does he do it? Even the inspector himself doesn't know - because his secret weapon is as ladylike as she is clever. She's Mrs. Jeffries: the determined, delightful detective who is also Inspector Witherspoon's housekeeper.

Max Moran looks like Superman but has the personality of Clark Kent. People expect him to take charge, but he'd much rather be a follower. Women expect an alpha male, but he's more the best friend of the romantic lead. This disconnect between his looks and his personality has caused him problems with his family, his girlfriends, and his attempts to develop an acting career in New York. Now he is managing his Uncle Edward's inn in the resort town of Lighthouse Point along the New Jersey Shore, and life is quiet, just the way Max likes it. Then a dead body turns up in one of the rooms, and it...

Minerva Kenny is a dear woman, but her tendency to "borrow" things without asking has finally caught up with her. William Barrett has learned Minerva's shameful secret, and he's holding it over her head. Mrs. Jeffries and the staff at Upper Edmonton Gardens have hatched a scheme to save her - but when they try to recover the damning evidence from Barrett, they discover something more shocking: Barrett's corpse. Considering the victim's wicked ways, Minerva is far from the only suspect.

Meg's neighbors, the Smetkamps', have won a makeover for their old home from Marvelous Mansions, a flashy, yet dubious company, focused on making historic homes more "modern." The company already several days into its makeover of the Smetkamps' house, and tensions are running high—not only between the officious, demanding Mrs. Smetkamp and her neighbors, but also between her and the renovation crew.