American Cozy Mystery

Things can get pretty dark in the City of Light. Claire Baskerville is a 60-something American who finds herself alone in Paris when her husband is brutally murdered. Reeling from the onslaught of devastating secrets he left behind Claire is stunned to realize she no longer knows who to trust. She only knows she can’t move forward until she finds out the truth behind who killed her husband. Unfortunately, the closer she gets to the truth, the more determined that killer is to make sure she never leaves Paris alive.

THERE'S A CORPSE IN THE CABIN. Retired teacher Deena Sharpe and her husband plan the perfect getaway to a Lake Tahoe resort which includes a sunset dinner cruise on a vintage yacht. But when they find a dead passenger in the captain’s cabin, the finger pointing between the on-board wedding party, a few quirky couples, and a Gilligan’s Island trio has everyone ready to jump ship! Sharpe Pain, book 9 in the Maycroft Mysteries, is a fun novella by USA Today Bestselling author Lisa B. Thomas.

You wonder how many things could go wrong in a single day? You embark on a weekend outing to unwind with friends. Float trip during the day, winery celebration at night. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Well, just wait. You just wait. As the lazy summer day drifts by, who is telling you the truth? What devious plan is in play? And whose blood will spill? Another entertaining thriller by C.Y. Stewart, adding to the well-acclaimed Carrie and Steve Series. This time, the emotions are real, the experience so close to home. Caution: To remain true to the reality-based characters and to stay authentic, ...

In the forgotten town of Black Hollow, nestled in the shadows of the Appalachian hills, the past lingers like a bitter chill. Children have vanished for decades, sucked up by the earth and its dark secrets. The townsfolk whisper of a malevolent force, an entity buried deep beneath the crumbling landscape, waiting for the right moment to resurface. The summer of 1978 was hotter than anyone could remember. When three prisoners make a desperate escape from the local penitentiary cemetery, chaos erupts in the already beleaguered town. As Sheriff Thomas leads the frantic search, one of the ...

Rosalinda Alameda adores zoos. When Massachusetts's summertime "Free Fridays" promotion features the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Rosalinda grabs her camera and heads east. A full day amongst lions and tigers is about the best outing she can possibly imagine. But something's wrong at the zoo, and it'll take a combination of her Puerto Rican common sense and her 50 years of wisdom to unravel the puzzle!

That brash decision lands Pegasus Quincy in the midst of a hostile murder situation. She alienates her new partner and almost gets him killed. She ignores regulations and jeopardizes an ongoing investigation. Just when she thinks things couldn’t get worse - they do! She encounters the Nettle family: an insanely jealous wife, a banished son, and a sister whose little girl has been traumatized by an explosion at the illicit family whiskey still.

In "Library Conundrum," excitement brews as Kayla Luna, the vivacious head librarian, eagerly awaits a generous donation from esteemed resident Angus Connolly. His prized books promise to enrich the shelves of the local library with tales of wonder and knowledge. Yet, amidst the anticipation, a startling discovery disrupts the tranquility. A mysterious book, not intended for donation, slips into the collection—an innocuous mistake with profound consequences. This book, "Secrets of Sweethaven," clandestinely records the intimate details and hidden indiscretions of the town's inhabitants. ...

In 1934, the body of a beautiful but poor young woman was found alongside a riverbank near The Depot. Beaten to a pulp, only recognizable by a tattoo on her ankle, and yet, days after the discovery, the story all but disappears. Eighty years later, locals claim The Depot is haunted.

Undercover Detective Arlie has his hands full again! Two very pregnant women, an overeager protégé, and a new arrival bent on making Anchorage the human trafficking hub of the world have complicated his life. Will he be able to handle all of them and still wear the Santa suit? Life has changed so much for the techno-clever Anchorage Undercover Cop since his trip to Arizona the year before (A Stingray Christmas). New people have come into his life - both good and bad. Will he be able to make it home to spend his first Alaska Christmas with his new wife and sons? Or will human traffickers ...

Plunge into the heart of a chilling mystery in Lakeside Falls, MI, with Emily and Josh Flanagan, masters of antiquities, now facing a death as enigmatic as it is modern. In the venerable halls of Laklandia—a revered liberal arts sanctuary an ultra-advanced fire suppression system is maliciously triggered during the senseless destruction of priceless musical antiques, and a beloved professor meets a bizarre and fiery demise. Amidst pressures to silence the scandal, Emily and Josh, a dynamic, quick-witted duo, dive headfirst into the shadows of intrigue. Navigating a labyrinth of seemingly ...

When 28-year-old Tallie Swenson receives a letter from her Aunt Harriet, who has been missing for over a week, she packs her bags for Deadwood, South Dakota, where her aunt lives. After noticing that the envelope was postmarked Keystone, not Deadwood, she is mystified -- and all the more determined to find her. In Deadwood there is no sign of her aunt, so Tallie continues on to Mt. Rushmore and the surrounding area. Her aunt is nowhere to be found and not registered in any of the nearby motels. After one last visit to the monument, Tallie decides to leave the following day. Then, in a ...

“Dispute in progress, lethal weapons involved.” Deputy Pegasus Quincy takes the call to resolve violence on a Friesian horse ranch in Arizona. Intent on his own personal vendetta, partner Shepherd Malone refuses to declare a murder in a fatal fire at the ranch. Peg unwisely circumvents the law to investigate anyway. Two families feuding over water rights, a Gypsy clan suspected of drug dealing, and a blackmailer on the loose, all lead Pegasus astray on her quest to find the killer in a desert mountain town beset by flash floods and arsenic-laced creeks.

When the clock strikes murder, it’s a night to die for. Dallas, 1924 Fashionable detective Penelope van Kessler is working her final case with the Heist Society. They just don’t know it yet. When a friend of her late husband offers her a job as St. Louis’ first female detective, she can't resist the new opportunity. But before Penelope can break the news to the team, Yardley Taft, the owner of her favorite diner, is found murdered at the stroke of midnight, pulling her back in for one last hurrah. With more suspects than tears, his wake is practically a community celebration. ...

Playing Cupid can be deadly. Dallas, 1924 The last person anyone expects to meet their demise is Clarissa Braxton, the esteemed matchmaker with a knack for pairing Dallas' rich and famous. But when Clarissa is found stabbed in her opulent home, the city's social scene is thrown into chaos. Against her boss’ orders, fashion-forward detective Penelope van Kessler dives into a world where society's whispers and matchmaking schemes intertwine. As she investigates the secretive lives of Clarissa's closest circle, she discovers a web of romantic entanglements, family discord, and disgruntled ...

Strangers with the same problem, Louie and Rita shared their anguish at being spurned by their same-sex lovers with two bottles of tequila, finding temporary solace in each other’s arms, knowing they’d never see each other again. Nine months later, life got a lot more complicated. Now, one year later, they’re sharing custody of LuLu, the child neither thought they'd ever have. Or could love so much. Then Louie’s boyfriend came back, filling their lives – and his tiny apartment. The doting gay father and his lover weren’t a problem for the mother but finding new housing and a ...

A cozy mystery brimming with unexpected twists, turns, and a touch of ghostly magic. In the friendly and quiet town of Sweethaven, an elderly schoolteacher, Elizabeth Bordine, has faithfully served the community for decades. But when a young, ambitious teacher named Zack Tracy arrives to take her place, Miss Bordine’s peaceful retirement is disrupted. As strange events start to unfold around the historic one-room schoolhouse, tensions rise between the two educators. A curious 13-year-old boy named Diego Diaz becomes fascinated with the mysteries of the town's past, including the tales of ...

Keeping up appearances takes on a deadly twist. In a house filled with whispers, Penelope's the one who listens. Summer 1924 Decoration Day in a beachside Connecticut town is roaring with scandal when wealthy businessman Howard Sinclair's demise is suspiciously labeled a suicide. Penelope van Kessler, a stylish young widow with a penchant for detective work has her instincts screaming foul play. With her adorable poodle sidekick, Penelope embarks on her first official case. Undercover in a world of opulence and cutthroat relatives she sets out to untangle the web of lies surrounding the ...

A disappeared husband. A life up in the air. And a missing engagement ring. Ainsley Walker is going through a rough time. Her husband has walked out of her life for no reason—and she doesn’t have a clue where he’s gone. Then she discovers something else: Her diamond engagement ring has disappeared too. Convinced that he’s stolen it, Ainsley embarks on a cross-country journey to find her missing husband, her missing ring—and her undecided future. Running from the beaches of Miami to the vineyards of California to the streets of Chicago— Ainsley learns the truth about her past, ...

Rosalinda Alameda adores zoos. When Massachusetts's summertime "Free Fridays" promotion features the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Rosalinda grabs her camera and heads east. A full day among lions and tigers is about the best outing she can possibly imagine.

Murder on the Royal Rocky Express Autumn, 1924 All aboard the most luxurious train route in the country. No expense is spared to pamper travelers on an enchanting ride through the snow-capped mountains. Penelope van Kessler, a stylish young sleuth, embarks on the trip with a secret agenda - find a thief who has been stealing from passengers. But when a wealthy woman is found murdered in her lush, private compartment, Penelope’s investigation is derailed and rerouted. A U.S. Marshal takes charge and steamrolls the case with his one-track-mind approach. With all the passengers trapped in ...