Short Cozy Mysteries

Sometimes the only way to do the right thing is to break the rules. Love, Lies, and Murder is a collection of 19 short stories that explore the extremes of human emotion and the conflicts that result. Every story will leave you tense and breathless as the characters race to a conclusion that is as unexpected as it is satisfying. Intense and gripping, each story features a hero that seeks justice and the triumph of good over evil by whatever means necessary - regardless of what society’s rules find acceptable.

Charles Bentley is celebrating his seventieth birthday with his family at a local restaurant when a dying man stumbles into the restroom and falls at Charles' feet. A man who has been stabbed in the heart. Charles and his wife, Joanna, chief of police in the town of Opalsville in western Massachusetts, quickly discover that the man was a high-powered divorce lawyer, so he had more than his fair share of enemies. As they investigate further they find that the victim had unusually close relationships with some his clients, which may have increased even more the number of people who wished to ...

After a rocky start to cruise season, the Caribbean Honey is looking to return to normal. When a new excursion offered to guests goes horribly wrong, Hope finds herself in the middle of another mystery. Then she gets stranded on a deserted island with a murderer on the loose. And finally, someone turns up dead after a lover’s quarrel. Can she keep her head and find these killers, or is she destined to be lost at sea?

Dark and hazy nights were both their sword and shield... Liz Danger surrounded her. Escape seemed impossible. Hope came from the last place she expected. She knew his name...everyone did. But she knew nothing about the man he really was. Or if he had any chance at saving her. Sam The plan was a good one. If it worked. He had the perfect cover story. He’d be the one asking all the questions. Looking for answers was the story of his life and everyone knew it...expected it. This time though...the stories could turn out differently than expected. Sam and Liz knew the trip wouldn’t be easy ...

In Nathalies Cafe findet der alljährliche Käsekuchen-Wettbewerb von Earlsraven statt. Doch statt eines Preises für den leckersten Kuchen gibt es einen Toten! Stuart Ridlington, Chefjuror und Inhaber der erfolgreichen Bäckereikette "Baker's Belly", fällt während der Verkostung tot um. War es Mord? Und hat Rita Buffridge, seit zehn Jahren in Folge die Gewinnerin des Wettbewerbs, womöglich etwas mit seinem Tod zu tun?

Meredith is a divorced empty-nester who bakes brownies for cash. In her tiny rural town of Merryville, the last thing she expects is to stumble upon a dead body. But that’s what happens. And what’s worse is she dreamt about it the night before it happened. To avoid being a suspect, she must figure out who wanted the town’s general contractor dead. And it would be great if she could wrap things up before Christmas! Luckily she’s not alone. She’s got her best friend and roommate Brenda, her parakeet Pickles, and a new cat named Cashew by her side. Will Meredith become known as ...

This Halloween is more trick than treat for Clarissa at the Cat Café. Could the rumors about Jinx the cat be true? Or are they simply cases of him being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Everyone is abuzz this Halloween season, but no one is more excited than Clarissa about her new job as manager at the Cat Café, especially just in time for the Halloween fundraiser, The Black Cat Ball. Customers are already lining up at the door to get a glimpse of Jinx, their newest foster cat who is reputed to be cursed. Clarissa isn’t convinced there is such a thing as a cursed cat, but bad luck ...

Shortly before the holidays, inventor and former assassin Missi Bombay gets orders to perform one last job. It's the granddaddy of all hits-to be carried out on Christmas Eve, no less. Missi knows she has only one chance at success, so she enlists the help of her cousins Gin, Dakota, and Coney. Together the Bombay cousins come out of retirement to stamp out the world's most evil cabal.

It’s Valentine’s Day, and Noelle has no idea what to get for Hunter. While she’s getting her hair cut and tossing around gift ideas, Coralee’s long-term boyfriend pops in and declares his undying love via a marriage proposal, breaking rule numero uno of their relationship clause.

Somehow, they just really needed to disappear without leaving a trace of their presence behind and that simply wasn’t all that easy to do anymore. It’s the middle of the twenty-third century and while there have been staggering technological and environmental advances, human nature is still very much the same as it has always been. One woman unexpectedly finds herself thrust into the middle of a long simmering struggle between power, greed, and an overwhelming effort to keep long hidden secrets buried. Luckily she isn’t on her own. A childhood friend that she hasn’t seen in years is...

A cozy mystery that weaves together the timeless allure of vintage fashion with a fun touch of magical intrigue. In the small town of Sweethaven, nestled among the rolling hills and surrounded by a canopy of old oak trees, lies a charming vintage store named The Time Traveler’s Trunk. Run by a young, energetic woman named Lucia Vega, the store is a treasure trove of beautiful vintage clothing. Seraphina Wilde, a reclusive dressmaker, has an uncanny ability to find the most exquisite and unique vintage dresses, each with its own story to tell. It's not just the beauty of the dresses that ...

Don't be fooled. She may be sweet, but she's one smart cookie. As Kara Summer's second year of law school was coming to a close. Little did she know, her boring and predicable life was about to get turned upside down. When an answer key to an exam is found in the library, the accusations began to fly. When the professor discovers this unethical and crummy behavior, Kara is caught in the middle. The only way to defend herself is to figure out who the real culprit is. However, she may lose a person she loves in the process. Chocolate Chips and Cheaters is the prequel novella short to Key Lime...

Are generations of Snee-Kinsman women actually cursed, or is it just bad luck? A paranormal family saga beginning in 1860 following one family’s journey of tragedy, resiliency and triumph. Their stories are told in three short read books. Book 1 – Curse of the Emerald Ring – 1860 - 1940 *Two spiteful and competitive witches place a curse on each other’s female children. * To punish his wayward daughter, an angry father casts the family curse in stone – an emerald stone. * The ring with the emerald stone is to be worn by the women of the Snee-Kinsman family and passed down from ...

A presumed Russian spy is found tortured and shot in the face in his high-rise condominium in South Beach, Florida. Incredibly, the perpetrators of the gruesome murder correctly copied the manner in which the victim was killed, as described in best-selling author, Jack Ryder’s last novel. Jack is a 40-year-old divorcee, and a Wall Street retired financial analyst turned crime mystery writer. His new lifestyle does not include alarm clocks, suits, or ties. Plus two more novellas!

Family…however close or distantly connected…is still family. And no one knows that better than the many members of the McAdams family. Few understand the vast implications that come with a large extended family as Drew McAdams does…and especially now. His brothers and sisters are also beginning to understand just how complicated it can be now that the four of them are responsible for the equally vast and extensive McAdams Trust. The headaches have only just begun. Life as they knew it will never be the same. Drew McAdams strongly suspects that if another call or message comes into his...

As Deena and Gary Sharpe celebrate their anniversary, things are not all wine and roses. Gary is restless at his job while Deena just wishes she still had one. To make matters worse, one of Gary’s clients, a local vineyard owner, commits suicide. However, the victim’s sister thinks he was murdered, and her suspicions lead Deena and Gary to team up to unearth the truth. Can Deena impress the local newspaper editor enough to get her old job back? Will Gary quit his firm and risk everything he’s worked for on a new business venture? The stakes are high in Sharpe Note.

Welcome to Valentine’s Day in Banford, where snow is drifting, love is in the air, and murder is rediscovered. Cassie Bridgestone isn’t ready for Valentine’s Day - not with a recent breakup stinging her heart, and the alluring Daniel tempting her to move on. So, when Cassie and Daniel stumble across the skeleton of a woman murdered in the '60s, Cassie can’t resist diving into the mystery to discover where love went wrong all those years ago.

Being a P.I. with a new fiance and side-kick isn't easy. Greyson and Sarah’s wedding planning comes to a halt when they must find a missing girl. Will Greyson get a chance to start over with Sarah after all they’ve been through? Will their search for the missing girl foil their romance and pending wedding? Sarah Starting Over (Siletz Bay #1) ends with some unanswered questions for a P.I. and a widowed mom. Greyson Starting Over is (Siletz Bay # 2) takes place one year later in the sleepy seaside town of Siletz Bay.

Fiona’s old college chum, Priscilla Conroy, has recently moved back to the Pittsburgh area after a most unpleasant divorce. Fiona was looking forward to reconnecting with her friend to help cheer her up and the two had made plans to meet at the bank where her friend worked after it closed—only Priscilla never shows up for the lunch date. Thinking the worse, Fiona is beside herself and spends the entire Memorial Day weekend searching for her friend. Did her ex-husband abduct her? Has she been murdered? Somehow Fiona knows that the key to Priscilla Conroy’s disappearance lies within the...

Disillusioned, with their dreams of running an island hotel shattered, the McInnes family return to Glasgow. Hugh and Annabella are planning to go travelling, leaving Leger in the care of the Goldsworthy family while they are gone. He wastes no time on self-pity though and throws himself back into his work. Shortly before arriving back in the city, he learns Nicole has been attacked. With the police taking too long to track down the culprit, Leger and Bob get on the case. However, Isabella can't stop flirting, Ginger is acting out of character and Amber is taking risks that put lives in ...