Cozy Crime Fiction

The last thing DS Stephanie Johnson and DS Andy Carter expected during their much-needed canal holiday was a murder. When retired folk musician Annie Shipton is found stabbed through the neck at the helm of her barge, the couple can’t help investigating the seemingly impossible crime. Nobody else boarded Annie’s boat—so how was she killed from behind?

One of Ngaio Marsh’s most famous murder mysteries, which introduces Inspector Alleyn to his future wife, the irrepressible Agatha Troy. It started as a student exercise, the knife under the drape, the model’s pose chalked in place. But before Agatha Troy, artist and instructor, returns to the class, the pose has been reenacted in earnest: the model is dead, fixed forever in one of the most dramatic poses Troy has ever seen. It’s a difficult case for Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn.

White Monk Abbey is a local landmark and its resident patriarch, Caradoc Mansell, a foreboding presence. He runs his household and family as if he is still in the army. So, when he is found murdered, the challenge Chief Inspector Matt Lambert faces is that many people had a good reason to want him dead. And when it is discovered that Caradoc had children from dalliances in his youth, his family also fall under suspicion - their substantial inheritance having been put in doubt.

Mina Wilde is thrilled to be invited to a prestigious writers' retreat at Meddleworth House. Heathcliff, Morrie, and Quoth decide to come along to keep her company and indulge in some of the estate's activities. Mina is excited to get feedback on her first novel, but her dreams of writing stardom are shattered when the other writers tear her work to pieces. A little criticism never hurt anyone, right? Wrong. Their picturesque country holiday soon turns deadly when a violent storm closes in. As the writers gather around the fire to critique each other's work, the power goes out.

An anonymous skull, an unsolved murder, sinister rumors from the Cold War era of espionage - Bruno's investigation into a long-standing cold case finds him caught between an enigmatic winegrower and a menacing communist organization from the past.

THE GUEST ROOM - COZY MYSTERY SERIES - SHORT READ Much to her disgust, everyone at the vicarage is helping the housekeeper, Mrs. Gladys David, prepare the mansion for two events tomorrow: a wedding, and an impromptu visit from the Bishop who will stay in the guest room. She hates it when people have to be called in to help her for she feels it makes her look incompetent. Regardless, she's frantic to make everything perfect, and Father Eli has offered to help. Lots to do and no time to spare with all the preparations. As Mrs. David enters the guest room after a year of having no visitors, ...

DCI Oldroyd has seen his fair share of victims, but he has never witnessed a murder - until now. When world-famous violinist Hans Muller is shot and killed during a concert, the detective is faced with a case beyond logic. The culprit is nowhere to be found - and the victim’s priceless violin has disappeared too. As Oldroyd investigates the murderer’s identity and the motive for the killing, he enters the ruthless world of wealthy instrument collectors and stumbles upon a dark path where shocking secrets have been buried in the past. But the secrets will soon take centre stage.

A beloved village, a renowned family, a suspicious death - it's the latest adventure in the Dordogne for police chief Bruno. When Bruno is invited to the lavish birthday celebration of World War II flying ace and national icon Marco "the Patriarch" Desaix, it's the fulfillment of a boyhood dream. But when the party ends in the death of Gilbert, Marco's longtime friend, it's another day on the job for the chef de police. All signs point to a tragic accident, but Bruno isn't so sure.

After their nearly devastating legal encounter with the Lindseys, Tiffany and Rosie are approached by Elle Lindsey for some work. Elle seems friendly and disapproving of the rest of her family and their behavior. But can Tiff and Rosie trust her? Meanwhile, Tiffany and Rosie stumble into a murder investigation in the art world, and re-encounter their old friend, eccentric artist Kylie Mince and her now-hubby, Pierre, along with a host of strange suspects and odd art aficionados. As their investigation leads them into murky territory, Tiffany and Rosie must risk their lives to uncover the ...

Everyone in the small town in Northern California seems drawn to Jason, the good-looking yet arrogant cupcake baker, and his French Bulldog—which means no customers for the trio. But when they discover Jason's dead body and are treated as major suspects, they decide to investigate! Who is the killer? The ex-girlfriend? The victim's best friend? Even Ms. Tobin is considered a suspect by the new detective in charge of the case. Lauren and Mitch go on a double date with Zoe and Chris, while Annie finds a possible clue.

Summer is ending in County Cork, Ireland, and with it the tourist season. Expat Maura Donovan is determined to keep Sullivan's Pub in the black as the days grow shorter - but how? When she hears that the place was once a hot spot for Irish musicians who'd come play in the back room, she wonders if bringing back live music might be Sullivan's salvation.

A Cupcakes-and-Crime Caper When a journalist is killed at an “up-and-coming” artist’s exhibition, Tiffany Black and her friend Ian find themselves on the case. Who could’ve murdered investigative reporter Lizzie Morgan, and what secrets could they be trying to hide? Tiffany and Ian find themselves plunged into an unfriendly world of art and archaeology, rumors and resentments. Meanwhile, Tiffany finally receives some news she’s been waiting for… Praise for A.R. Winters: "Fans of Stephanie Plum, meet Tiffany Black, A.R. Winters's new heroine." - Rea, Amazon.com "You fall in love ...

On the surface, Bria's Mediterranean life radiates beauty—the kind her late husband, Carlo, dreamed about when he concocted the romantic idea to start a bed and breakfast on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. With the grand opening of Bella Bella approaching six months after Carlo's tragic death, Bria and her eight-year-old son Marco brace for a bittersweet new beginning by the sea . . . Before celebratory vino flows on opening day, a stranger appears in an otherwise pristine guest room, lifeless and covered in blood. Bria can't understand why murder would check into Bella Bella.

Disappearing wasn’t going to be enough…they needed a plan…some answers…and a safe place so they could stop running in circles trying to stay one step ahead of the guys who seemed to want her dead. Simon Sullivan might not be who Ava always believed him to be, but along with his brother, he’d spent his life trying to protect her. That wasn’t going to change especially now when everything they’d planned for, hoping against hope it would never be needed, was playing out exactly as they’d feared. But he’s not alone. Harper Riley isn’t about to let anything happen to Ava. ...

The April Fool’s Day had been a roaring success for all, it seemed - except for poor Mr. Cartell, who had ended up in the ditch - forever. Then there was the case of Mr. Percival Pyke Period’s letter of condolence, sent before the body was found - not to mention the family squabbles. It was a puzzling crime for Superintendent Alleyn.

"A Lesson in Murder": When Jack and Sarah are called in to investigate mysterious pranks at Cherringham Girls School, it seems at first that it might be the work of a few mean pupils with a grudge. But things quickly turn serious when a popular teacher meets a sudden, violent death. "The Secret of Combe Castle": When the penniless FitzHenrys find themselves victims of a threatening campaign to oust them from their ancestral home, Jack and Sarah are called in to track down the culprit.

In a poisonous cloud of spray, the curtain falls on a drama queen. Little did beloved British actress Mary Bellamy know that she would be done in at her own birthday party - choked by toxic mist from the bottle of Slaypest, a deadly insecticide. Basking in the glow of her most adoring fans - who all happened to be her most duplicitous enemies - Mary would make her final performance.

Albert Campion, an eccentric but intelligent and resourceful man, becomes involved in a mysterious crime in Black Dudley, an isolated country estate owned by the wealthy and secretive Dudley family. A grand gathering is taking place at the house, but not all will leave.

A wine tasting in Montmartre… What could possibly go wrong? When Ava Sext, a part-time sleuth and transplanted Londoner who sells books from an outdoor stand in Paris overlooking the Seine, is invited to a wine tasting held by a dead man to smoke out his killer, she can't resist. With the help of her fellow book seller, Henri DeAth, a former notary in a country where notaries are a powerful caste, Ava investigates the strange goings-on in the world of Grand Cru wines to try and find the dead man's killer before the killer finds her. Death in Montmartre is a light-hearted cozy mystery set ...

A visit to Notre Dame... What could possibly go wrong? For Ava Sext -- Parisian bookseller and part-time sleuth -- everything. Roped into attending an impromptu seance, she's faced with a spirit's desperate plea to solve his murder. Dubious but curious, Ava's skepticism shatters when death strikes Notre Dame itself. Alongside Henri De’Ath, her bookselling partner, she races against time to unmask the killer. Turns out that talking to the spirits is easier than avoiding becoming one. “Death in Notre Dame” -- a lighthearted cozy mystery set in Paris, a city where food, wine and crime ...