Funny Cozy Mysteries

Green chile has never been more dangerous. Psychologist Maddie Swallows’ decision to return to New Mexico seemed like a good idea at the time, considering the divorce and her two teenagers she’d dragged along for the ride. But that was before the New Year’s Eve party she was guilt-tripped into attending. Before a member of the town council wound up dead and everyone at the party became a suspect. And before she was forced to unravel the secrets of her former hometown in order to clear her name. Of course, with the help of two precocious teenagers and one meddling mother, the real ...

When a dead body is found in a Irish pub, only a former chef turned amateur detective can unravel the case and its link to a fabled pot of gold. In Tempest, where mysteries are as frequent as microwavable dinners, Guy Vanduex is occupied with running an Irish pub and prepping a fresh menu for St. Patrick’s Day—quite a shift from his usual knack for solving murder mysteries. But his life is turned upside down when a former FBI agent accuses him of being involved in the very cases he’s helped solve. When this agent is found dead, Guy becomes the prime suspect. With a shepherd’s pie as...

It’s closing in on July Fourth and everyone seems ready to celebrate the birth of the nation. Everyone, that is, except Sheriff Gus. Sure, things are born, but everything must pass away as well. Sheriff Gus was hoping on a more financially stable time before he experienced his truck’s untimely death. Motor vehicles aren’t the only thing passing before their time in Gus’s humble county because in addition to Gus’s truck a professor from the fancy George Taylor University happens to die under mysterious circumstances. The professor’s main passion in life was paleontology or to be ...

It's a race against the oven timer as a culinary detective grapples with a genuine murder at a staged murder mystery party. In the charming town of Tempest, the Murder Mystery Dinner Party is more than just a social gathering. It's an event that stirs the town's imagination, a game of pretend where guests get a chance to play detective. But when Michael Sloss, the overdramatic host, fears his role may turn from make-believe to all too real, he calls upon a quirky detective—Guy Vanduex, a former chef turned private investigator. Vanduex is no ordinary sleuth. With his culinary background, ...

A Paranormal Women’s Mystery Novel! Alyssa Anderson has a fairly normal life in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. That is, until two things happen nearly simultaneously: First, she gets laid off from a job she loves. Second, visions of a missing little girl begin haunting her sleeping and waking hours. A little girl, it tuns out, who's gone missing in Alyssa's home town. Out of work and plagued by these visions, Alyssa returns home to Georgia to reconnect with friends and family...and to help search for the missing girl. There, she makes several startling discoveries about herself, her ...

Book Five in the Maggie Kelly Mystery Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Kasey Michaels (Previously titled High Heels and Holidays) Best selling author Maggie Kelly and her fictional characters come to life (hey, read the books...) are about to celebrate their first Christmas together, if Maggie lives that long, that is. Fans usually send her cards, or pretty crocheted bookmarks, even candy, but one fan has gone too far by way of the delivery of a dead rat and a death threat. Maggie tries to laugh it off ("everybody's a critic") ... until a fellow author and dead rat recipient is ...

Book Three in the Maggie Kelly Mystery Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Kasey Michaels Maggie Kelly writes a best selling Regency Era-set mystery series starring her handsome, witty hero, Alexandre Blake, Viscount St. Just. This works very well, or at least it did until St. Just somehow managed to make the leap between fiction and her New York apartment. He even brought along his sidekick, Sterling Balder, and apparently they have no intention to return to the pages of her books. And that's not even the strangest thing happening in Maggie's once dull but reasonably normal life. ...

A haunted stadium, a long-buried secret, and a team that’s better at banter than battling the supernatural. Can they crack the case, or will they end up on the sidelines?When Jackie Thompson’s paranormal documentary team is called to investigate eerie disturbances at Smoky Stadium, she’s skeptical but intrigued. Rumors of restless spirits, ghostly pranksters, and a notorious serial killer’s remains are too enticing to pass up. As the crew explores the maze-like underbelly of the iconic structure, they uncover more than just creaky floorboards. A scandalous history, spectral football...

Life's a Gamble—Especially in Vegas! Izzie Firecracker is used to picking up life's pieces—but when her latest self-help gig lands her in glittering Las Vegas, she's in over her head. After losing her mother and facing eviction from her swanky Mayfair penthouse, Izzie grabs a risky lifeline: stepping in for a famous guru at a Vegas self-help seminar. What could go wrong? Enter Bobby, a dangerously attractive hotel owner embroiled in mob trouble, and Doris, Izzie’s cleaner-turned-best-friend, who's determined to turn Vegas upside-down. As threats pile up faster than casino chips, Izzie...

When a beautiful detective rolls into town with superior sleuthing skills, Luke and Bandit might just be out of a job. A charming baker-detective moves to Crystal Falls and wins over the town with her pastries, crime solving skills, and cuddly cat. But when a string of burglaries confound the police, Luke and Bandit must scramble to out-sleuth the new investigator before she takes over as the town detective. The burglaries take a deadly turn, and Luke’s telepathic link with his dog Bandit is more vital than ever to sniff out the criminal. The suspect list grows as Luke works from the ...

Problem. I didn’t recognize my ex-girlfriend when she died in my arms. Now I have to explain to the police (and my girlfriend) why I didn’t recognize my ex. Funny how ex-boyfriends make great suspects. It’s been years since I’ve seen my ex. Still, you’d think I’d recognize her. I can’t even have a long weekend in a Washington vineyard without trouble. Even worse, my sister invited my new girlfriend’s family to tag along. If I solve the murder, will this whole mess go away? There’s a reason why I like to stay in Seattle. Holt Jacobs isn’t for everyone. He’s a sarcastic ...

I'm dreaming of a white...poodle. It's been over two months since Sophie helped solve the mystery of a sabotaged wedding. Now that she and Andy are exclusively dating, she tries to put the past behind her and focus on the possibilities that the Christmas season brings. They even find time to go on double dates with Lexie and Daniel, although they try not to spend too much time with those love birds since their over-the-top displays of affection tend to be nauseating. The town of Sweetwater is decked out for the holiday season, from wreaths on the lamp posts to a large Christmas tree in the ...

Winifred Fassbinder was raised on a Pennsylvania farm that has been in her family since the 1700s. As the last surviving Fassbinder, however, she now resides at Royall Crest, an upscale 55-and-over slice of Heaven…or at least its residents hope Heaven can live up to their cushy lives at Royall Crest. But Winnie, who tries to be as uninvolved in other people’s lives as possible, has begun to wonder if some of the Charter Members at Royall Crest aren’t finding out about the real Heaven in oddly increasing numbers. As a Charter Member herself, Winnie figures it might be time she does a ...

Jake O’Hara and her colleagues are looking forward to a complimentary weekend in Manhattan’s swanky Plaza Hotel, the venue for the Greater New York Crime Writers’ Conference. The conference kicks off on St. Patrick’s Day, making the atmosphere a bit more festive—and chaotic—than usual. But things get way out of hand when Senator-turned-writer Charlie Fione and actress-turned-writer Holly Halligan partake of some green beer—that leaves them permanently green around the gills. Now Jake’s Irish eyes are far from smiling as she delves into a mystery and tries to rewrite a ...

In the genteel depths of Southern society—where gossip is currency, calamity wears lace gloves, and bourbon flows before brunch—Colonel Cedric Beauregard Fitzhugh the Third stumbles through a trilogy of misadventures. From scandalous garden brunches and matchmaking misfires to a murder-mystery club’s deadly encounter (and one goat with political aspirations), chaos simmers beneath the genteel surface. Standing as the last bastion of order is Arora Palindrome, his razor-sharp majordomo armed with cold ceviche, a clipboard, and a plan for every catastrophe. With biting wit, bourbon-...

Arlie Biggar is back in Alaska with his new family. Life is nice and boring ... until his pregnant wife is kidnapped! Copycat terrorists have recruited local thugs to help them steal guns from the sporting goods store. When his wife gets in their way, will Arlie be able to get her back or will a ringer come in and save the day? Clean action adventure with a smattering of humor.

Be careful what you wish for… it may come true. When Bernie, Adam and their friends travel to the idyllic town of Heywood, Arizona, to witness a marriage, they never expected to find the officiating minister poisoned to death. With the Heywood sheriff being a novice to murder cases, she enlists Adam’s help, and Ruby and Bernie decide to launch their own side investigation. Yet, with a near-death experience and a town populated by questionable residents with deep secrets, the killer remains elusive. A series of explosive events will change Bernie and Ruby relationship forever… if they ...

Welcome to Whispering Pines—a charming Southern town where the casseroles are hot, the gossip is hotter, and secrets don’t stay buried for long. Denise Dee Devecco thought her biggest worry was surviving her mama’s third wedding. That is, until the groom drops dead mid-vow and her own mother becomes the prime suspect. Toss in a teacup dog that hates her, a cranky parrot with murder-related catchphrases, and a local detective who makes her forget how words work—and suddenly Denise’s quiet life is anything but. Armed with stubborn curiosity, a bad case of adult-onset chicken pox, ...

Welcome to The Sea Star Inn, where the coffee is hot, the gossip is hotter, and murder is on the menu. Lena Merritt thought running her quaint coastal inn would be a peaceful escape from her hectic past. But when the body of a notorious developer is found on the beach, peace is the last thing she finds. Malcolm Sharp had plenty of enemies—angry locals, and shady business partners. As the investigation heats up, Lena realizes some of her guests are hiding more than travel itineraries. From a secretive woman with ties to the victim to a cryptic ledger that could unravel the whole town, the ...

It's a secret Santa whodunnit! "No doughnuts on Tuesdays!" "No Christmas trees allowed!" When their Grinchy landlord posts a stack of crazy proclamation flyers, it rattles an oddball assortment of residents in an apartment complex. But then on a quiet night in, festive gifts mysteriously appear on doorknobs and doormats-- and the game of Guess Who is afoot. The evening turns into a maze of clues as tenants tally gifts, prowl the halls, chase shadows and even run into a little romance before the surprising culprit is caught. And no, it's not the landlord! Ha-ha This holiday short story is ...