A Hush at Midnight

A Hush at Midnight By Marlene M. Bell
Publication date: October 1, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Mystery
Summary:

Former Celebrity Chef Laura Harris used to be famous for her show-stopping pastries and mouth-watering desserts. Now, she’s attracting a different kind of attention.

Laura’s been accused of murder.

But how could this petite pastry chef brutally smother small-town matriarch Hattie Stenburg to death? And what could be her motive? Hattie was beloved in her little Texas community – a wise humanitarian who Laura considered a confidant and mentor.

Perhaps it has something to do with a last-minute change to Hattie’s will – bestowing the Stenburg fortune and its history-steeped estate to Laura, instead of Hattie’s surviving relatives. Or maybe it has something to do with the sinister secrets Laura uncovers as she desperately tries to clear her name – secrets that could rock the foundations of this close-knit community.

Only one thing seems clear: The real murderer remains one step ahead of both Laura and local law enforcement, leaving a trail of taunts warning Laura to leave Texas or face deadly consequences. She’s in the way – and that means it could already be too late.

An amateur sleuth sets out to solve a small-town murder in A Hush at Midnight, a mystery by Marlene M Bell, author of the “couldn’t put it down” Annalisse Series.

 

—

EXCERPT:

Almost to Coldspell and full of misgivings, Laura couldn’t shake her feeling of dread for Hattie’s sake. Why did she allow Nicole to steer her away? She should’ve stayed with her mentor and not bowed to the will of a neighbor she knew nothing about.

Laura had to drive back to Stenburg no matter how late it was.

She glanced at the clock on her dash, beyond caring what anyone thought about an after-midnight visitation. Even if she had to nap in her car to make the trip back to Coldspell, she wouldn’t rest until she knew that Hattie was okay.

Rabbit Moon

Rabbit Moon By Jan D. Payne
Publication date: September 17, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Summary:

They say you can’t go back home, but Marin Sinclair, end-of-life doula, doesn’t expect her life to be in danger when she answers a mysterious plea for help from a long-ago friend and returns to Dinetah, the Navajo Nation. Her past there holds memories she is reluctant to confront, but what about her life then would make someone want to kill her?

Navajo Nation Police Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes shares a connection with Marin from the past, and he has a few questions of his own when Marin disappears―such as why the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has agents investigating the abandoned uranium mines on the reservation and how Marin is connected.

Marin needs to survive to find any answers, and to do so she is forced to run, going off the grid on her own in the Lukachukai mountains with unknown killers close behind.

—

EXCERPT:

The Bilagaana woman’s eyes were wide and staring, and even if she wasn’t a ghost-witch Haastiin Sani thought maybe she was crazy. Only someone crazy would have been out here alone in the dark and the rain. Crazy people must be treated with care, and the same for ghost-witches. It didn’t help to make them angry.

He looked at the woman, considering.

She was trembling now, as if cold, but witches and crazy people both were known to be clever. The sooner he saw her off the better, and he jerked his chin toward the direction of his camp and motioned the woman to follow. He would show her every hospitality and then gently nudge her on her way.

She looked somewhat better when he gave her a cup of hot coffee and offered the frybread his daughter had left for him, inviting her with a nod to take it, and tears came into her eyes as her lips and chin began to tremble.

In the Midst of Shadows

In the Midst of Shadows By Nicola Italia
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Historical, Mystery
Summary:

In the Victorian era, a cheap and popular form of entertainment has entranced the population often known by the name; penny dreadful. Costing a penny, readers purchased the stories and entered the fantastic world of superhuman men and damsels in distress.

The stories have been popular for over fifty years and Lavinia Howard is a young woman who dreams of being such a writer. Having recently lost her father, she turns to a family friend who puts her in touch with Jasper Courtenay, owner of Courtenay Publishing.

Writing under the pen name G. R. Howard, Lavinia creates a character who becomes a huge success as her penny dreadful stories are the most popular ever printed. Her character is brash and obnoxious and has no respect for authority as he solves London murders and the working classes adore him!

But strange things begin to happen as the stories Lavinia writes start to come true. Two very similar deaths mirror those she writes about, and Detective Chief Inspector Harrison Bryce is assigned to investigate. Inspector Bryce soon discovers that Lavinia has become so popular that she has also made enemies along with her legion of fans.

He realizes that everyone surrounding Lavinia has a motive to have committed the crimes. He must work fast to determine who wants to harm her as he suspects Lavinia may be the next target on the killer’s list.

 

Also on audio – The Belle of London

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EXCERPT:

Casimir Kimberly strode resolutely past the throng of people gathered in the alley who were trying to catch a glimpse of the body of the woman lying at the foot of the wooden stairs. His black woolen overcoat reached to his knees and he could feel the material swirl about his legs as he walked. Casimir was not a man given to fanciful dress or cologne as some dandies and French men were known to be, but damn did he love his coat.

He made eye contact with a policeman keeping the crowd under control and the man immediately motioned for Casimir to make his way through the circle of people. Casimir glanced over his shoulder and saw that Ralphie was behind him but lagging. The man was always falling behind.

Paws and Premonitions (Erin Bailey in Franklin Paranormal Mystery, #2)

Paws and Premonitions (Erin Bailey in Franklin Paranormal Mystery, #2) By Pamela McCord
Publication date: August 10, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Summary:

Another murder! Erin Bailey has already been there, done that. Just weeks ago, Erin was embroiled in solving the murder of her benefactor. That little adventure almost led to Erin’s premature death. 

Now, another ghost…long story…has approached Erin asking for her help to solve his murder. When would she ever get to relax and enjoy her new life in Franklin, Tennessee? 

Once again, Erin enlists her reluctant team: Susie, her best friend, Ryan, her detective boyfriend, and DC, her, um, private investigator, and the not-so-reluctant Peekaboo, the talking cat who was responsible for Erin’s entry into the ghost world, to help uncover the person who killed Timothy, a sweet little old gentleman who lived across the street from Erin. As of now, everyone thinks Tim died in his sleep of natural causes. Now it’s up to Erin and her friends to solve Timothy’s murder so his spirit can go into the light.

—

EXCERPT:

“Ow!”

I banged my cast on the kitchen island, and immediately four sets of eyes whipped my way. “I’m okay,” I said to head off the exclamations of concern I was sure were on the way.

I couldn’t blame them, of course. With my broken arm and various cuts and bruises resulting from my encounter with a deranged middle-age charity committee treasurer who was trying to kill me, I was a pitiful sight.

Lucky for me, my friends loved me anyway. I carried my cup of coffee over to the kitchen table, around which sat my best friend Susie DeAngelo, my detective boyfriend Ryan Cahill and my private investigator DC Washington. I didn’t know if I could call DC my PI, since I’d only hired him for one case and didn’t think I’d be needing him for more. But he’d definitely become my friend.

Current of Darkness

Current of Darkness By Robert Brighton
Publication date: March 19, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Historical, Mystery
Summary:

“Unforgettable female leads power this stellar historical mystery” (BookLife Reviews) by Robert Brighton, told with “writing that is on par with the cunning of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle” (Manhattan Book Review).

A swirling tale of industrial espionage, love, and betrayal, Current of Darkness follows aspiring sleuth Sarah Payne behind the sleek, honeymoon façade of Gilded Age Niagara Falls and into a shadowy demimonde of ruthless union bosses, saboteurs, and tycoons-including the powerful, handsome, and mysterious Charles Kendall, whose intentions toward Sarah are unclear.

Meanwhile, sultry widow Alicia Miller is set on taking charge of her murdered husband’s company-only to find herself pitted against the new majority owner, who has his own ideas about women in the world of men. But cunning and captivating Alicia has ideas, too-and will stop at nothing to come out on top.

Both women will have to find the courage and resourcefulness-and set aside their own simmering feud-to survive in this “winning story of action, sabotage, cutthroat business dealings, and women daring to be something new at the dawn of the American century” (BookLife Reviews).

A captivating, page-turning, and immersive tale of industrial espionage, love, and betrayal – set against the backdrop of the glittering Gilded Age. Current of Darkness will draw readers in, and hold them under, until its final, explosive pages.

Read the Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries in any order.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

ALICIA MAKES AN OMELET

Excerpted from Current of Darkness: Desire & Deceit in the Gilded Age

A Novel by Robert Brighton
© 2024 Copper Nickel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

When Alicia got back to the front door of Miller Envelope Company, damned if the thing wasn’t unlocked. She jerked the door open and saw none other than her Majority Owner, Howie Gaines, crossing the lobby, his foot almost to the first tread of the staircase.

“Howie!” she called, and he turned.

“Mrs. Miller,” he said. “I hope you weren’t waiting. I usually get here early.”

“We’ll talk about that in a minute,” she said. “But you need to come with me first.”

He returned to the front door. “What’s wrong?” he said.

“Follow me,” she said, crooking a finger. Together they walked along the Division Street side of the building and back to the loading dock area. The cigarette smoker was sitting on the loading dock again, smoking another cigarette. When he spied Gaines, he stubbed out his smoke and jumped down. “Mr. Gaines,” he said. “Good morning.”

Shadows of the Past (The Unfinished Business of Eliot Ness)

Shadows of the Past (The Unfinished Business of Eliot Ness) By Pamela McCord
Publication date: December 14th 2023

Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal

A copycat serial killer and the ghost of Eliot Ness. Can two amateur sleuths, with the help of the famous ghost, stop the murderer before he kills again.

A ghostly figure surprises India Bennett in her study. That’s unnerving enough, but said ghost leaves a book open to a page showing a mutilated body, a body which looks just like the body in a case Indy’s homicide detective boyfriend, Danny, is currently investigating. 

Standing next to the body in the picture in the mysterious book is a man Indy recognizes as the ghost she saw in her study. Danny points out to her that it would be impossible for her to have seen the man in the picture, the legendary lawman Eliot Ness.

Despite Danny’s insistence, Indy knows what she saw, and she and her best friend Cara become friends with Eliot’s spirit. With ghostly assistance, the amateur sleuths begin their own investigation. 

After their discovery of what appears to be a journal describing the original victims from the 1930s, and with two murders already committed by the current serial killer, Indy and Cara rush to find the copycat murderer before he kills again.

In “Shadows of the Past,” a thrilling fusion of historical crime and supernatural suspense, the spirit of Eliot Ness becomes an unexpected ally, guiding Indy and Cara through a treacherous maze of secrets and hidden motives. With their lives on the line and the body count rising, they must navigate the shadows of the past and confront the malevolent force that seeks to perpetuate the sins of history.

The past and present collide in this captivating novel, unleashing a bone-chilling tale of danger, redemption, and the enduring power of justice. Prepare to be captivated by this gripping page-turner.

—

EXCERPT:

The man bent over, hands on knees, breathing in deep, ragged breaths until his heart rate slowed to a more normal level. He wasn’t as young as he used to be. Standing, he wiped his hands on his pants, brushed off the dirt and weeds clinging to the denim overalls, then gazed down at the body laid out in the field near the railroad tracks.

Foul Play in Franklin (An Erin Baily in Franklin Paranormal Mystery, #1)

Foul Play in Franklin (An Erin Baily in Franklin Paranormal Mystery, #1) By Pamela McCord
Publication date: December 6, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Summary:

Erin Baily never expected her Good Samaritan act would lead to a whirlwind of secrets and otherworldly adventures. When she saved the elderly Alice from muggers years earlier, little did she know that she’d inherit Alice’s estate in picturesque Franklin, Tennessee. But when Erin steps into her new home, she’s in for a shock—both the charming house and a mysterious cat hold secrets that will change her life forever.

A near-death experience leaves Erin with an uncanny ability to converse with the enigmatic cat and opens the door to an unexpected ghostly roommate—Alice herself. Together, they embark on a supernatural mission to unearth the truth behind Alice’s murder.

With her trusty best friend, Susie, now by her side in Franklin, Erin starts digging into a web of suspects, each with their own motives and dark secrets. Sparks fly when she crosses paths with the dashing and determined homicide detective, Ryan, who’s assigned to Alice’s case. Romance begins to simmer even as danger looms.

As Erin and Susie unravel the threads of deception, they inch closer to a shocking revelation that will send shivers down your spine. But when danger rears its head, Erin finds herself in a life-or-death showdown with the cunning killer. Can she outsmart a murderer and save herself, all while helping Alice find the peace she deserves?
“Four Play in Franklin” is a delightful mix of supernatural suspense, heartwarming friendship, humor and a touch of romance.

Join Erin Baily on a thrilling journey as she navigates the living, the dead, and the mysteries that bind them together. Will Erin unveil the truth, or will she become the next victim? Prepare for a spine-tingling, heart-pounding adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

—

EXCERPT:

Elsie had brought Weeds home before she picked me up, so I wasn’t surprised to see gold eyes peering at me from around a doorframe. “Hi, Weedsie,” I said. I thought I heard a growl but ignored her as I made my way to the den and sank onto my sofa. Before I could turn on the TV, I felt her hop up beside me. I looked at her and reached out a hand to pet her, but she backed up just enough to let me know petting was currently off-limits. Such a typical cat thing to do.

She sat stone-still and stared at me, and I stared back. I had no idea what was going on in her little cat brain, but it seemed like she had something on her mind.

“Aw, did you miss me?” I baby-talked to her.

A Murder in Ashwood: Scandals and Secrets in the Gilded Age (The Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries)

A Murder in Ashwood: Scandals and Secrets in the Gilded Age (The Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries) By Robert Brighton
Publication date: June 27, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Historical, Mystery
Summary:

Named BookLife Reviews “Editor’s Pick” – “Setting this series apart from other historical mysteries is Brighton’s deft hand at capturing the dishy lives of long ago … has the feel of a great cocktail party… the tangled mysteries compel … a polished, rewarding page-turner …”

“Brighton spins a tale of murder and revenge… it’s hard to resist the detailed and authentic world [he] creates … time and place are fully realized in this murder story … a fascinating period piece … – Kirkus Reviews

A lush and immersive historical award-winning mystery inspired by a ‘true crime of the century’ that shocked the world.

New Year’s Day 1902 . . . Ashwood awakens to a foul murder . . .

Buffalo, New York . . . as the remains of the great Pan-American Exposition are swept away, and the bitter memories of William McKinley’s assassination begin to fade . . . the city reels again, at the sensational murder of successful businessman Edward Miller, bludgeoned to death in his cozy den, in one of the city’s most fashionable enclaves: Ashwood.

But for all its glitz and glamor, Ashwood guards the dark secrets of its fashionable residents . . . including those of Edward’s estranged wife Alicia, her lover Arthur Pendle, and would-be detective Sarah Payne. Soon, they will all face a hurricane of courtroom drama, public outrage, and the behind-the-scenes scheming of cold and corrupt District Attorney Terence Penrose.

Meanwhile, those caught up in the most scandalous crime of a new century have reputations to protect . . . skeletons best kept hidden away in the tidy closets of trendy Ashwood . . . and plenty of reasons to keep the motive behind Edward Miller’s murder from ever seeing the light of day – a motive that only the victim and his killer knew …

Can justice be done . . . and the truth uncovered by the Avenging Angel Detective Agency . . . before a killer strikes again?

Find out in award-winning A Murder in Ashwood . . . the second novel in the Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries from Robert Brighton, acclaimed author of The Unsealing.

It’s as much a ‘whydunit’ as a ‘whodunit’ in a page-turning story that leaves readers wanting more.

Contains three original interior scratchboard illustrations by Mark Summers.

Discover the Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries…

Get your copy today!

—

EXCERPT:

Murder Before Dawn (Mystery, She Wrote, #1)

Murder Before Dawn (Mystery, She Wrote, #1) By Delta James
Publication date: November 3, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery
Summary:

The only thing more exciting than a famous local author staying at the bed and breakfast is a real murder mystery.

Mystery novelist and member of the Mystery Writer’s Murder Club, Jessica Murdoch, heads off for a staycation at a bed and breakfast in her hometown of Badger’s Drift, Maine for some rest and relaxation. When a murder takes place in her luxurious suite, she figures it’s up to her to uncover the town’s secrets and find the killer.

Thorn Wilder, a seasoned detective in the Badger’s Drift Police Department, is assigned to investigate the murder. Thorn, an astute and methodical investigator, is familiar with Jessica’s work and quickly recognizes her as a potential asset in solving the case. Jessica finds herself irresistibly drawn to the enigmatic detective and becomes an unofficial consultant in the investigation.

Join Jessica Murdoch, Tracer, her faithful basset hound, and Thorn Wilder as they unravel the dark mysteries that lurk beneath the surface of this small town, and discover the shocking truth that lies at the heart of it all.

Murder Before Dawn is the first story in the Mystery, She Wrote series. Four mystery authors meet at a book conference and discover they all live in small towns in Maine. After a fabulous weekend together they decide to form the Mystery Writer’s Murder Club. They meet monthly at a different house to check out cold cases in the area, write, and relax. They soon discover the only thing more exciting than a good murder mystery book is an actual murder mystery.

If you like fast-paced mysteries with quirky characters, an inquisitive basset hound, and unexpected twists, you’re going to love the Mystery, She Wrote series

—

EXCERPT:

Feeling much better about where she stood with Thorn as far as Thompson’s murder went, Jessica had the cop take her and Thorn back to her place to get her SUV. Upon hearing her enter the yard, Tracer, her beloved basset hound, came barreling out the dog door that had been incorporated into the back door.

Sudie followed close behind him, laughing. “He said you were back here, but I didn’t believe him. He always knows where his mama is.”

“Detective Thorn Wilder, this is my friend and housekeeper, Sudie. Sudie, meet Thorn.”

“Are you the one investigating what happened up at DeeDee’s place?”

“I am.”

Death By Theft

Death By Theft By Abigail Keam
Publication date: October 30, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery
Summary:

Josiah is happy for her pals Lady Elsmere and Shaneika Mary Todd when broodmare Jean Harlow gives birth to a male foal sired by Comanche. The owners of both horses have high hopes the foal will become a stakes winner—maybe even win the Kentucky Derby. The foal has a broad chest, indicating significant lung capacity—important for winning races, but just like his daddy, the foal is ebony with a bad attitude.

Josiah and Shaneika visit dam Jean Harlow early one morning and are shocked to find the prized foal is missing. They frantically search Lady Elsmere’s and Josiah’s farms without success. It’s urgent they find the foal fast as he is not yet weaned and is too young to be separated from his mother. Who would snatch the feisty foal from his mother’s care? And equally important, why?

Death By A HoneyBee
Death By Drowning
Death By Bridle
Death By Bourbon
Death By Lotto
Death by Chocolate
Death by Haunting
Death By Derby
Death By Design
Death By Malice
Death By Drama
Death By Stalking
Death By Deceit
Death By Magic
Death By Shock
Death By Chance
Death By Poison
Death By Greed
Death By Theft
Death By Betrayal

AWARDS
2010 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By A HoneyBee: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2011 Gold Medal Award from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Drowning: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By Drowning: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2011 USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist for Death By A HoneyBee: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery 2017 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Design: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2019 Honorable Mention from Readers’ Favorite for Death By Stalking: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
2019 Murder Under A Blue Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery voted top ten mystery reads by Kings River Life Magazine
2020 Finalist from Readers’ Favorite for Murder Under A Blue Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery
2020 Imadjinn Award for Best Mystery for Death By Stalking
2022 Finalist in Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist for Best Historical Category – Murder Under A Full Moon
2022 Finalist the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Historical Category – Murder Under A New Moon
2022 Death By Chance: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist for Best Cozy Mystery

—

EXCERPT:

Excited, I entered the nursery barn with Shaneika Mary Todd leading the way. It was still very early, and the mares were with their offspring in their stalls, quietly munching on hay. They would be let out when the grass had dried. However, kicking and neighing erupted from one stall.

Shaneika shot me a worried look. “That’s Jean Harlow. I know her cry.”

We both rushed to the stall. “What’s wrong?” I asked, seeing Shaneika’s alarmed facial expression.

A Patch of Romance (A Coffee Break Mystery, #4)

A Patch of Romance (A Coffee Break Mystery, #4) By J.C. Valentine
Publication date: October 25, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance
Summary:

Callie’s status as a single mom is about to end when she meets up with local dad, Scott Prince, at the pumpkin patch. Love is definitely in the air…or is that just pumpkin spice? Either way, Callie is about to embark on a seriously satisfying journey. 

That is, until the mystery knocker comes knocking. Is it just a Halloween prank, or is someone trying to send her a message—the deadly kind?

As Callie and Scott traverse the dating life with one another and ring in the holidays with the hope of uniting them all as one big, patchwork family, the lingering question of who keeps knocking and what they want looms in the shadows, waiting to be answered. 

Will Callie and Scott reveal the truth behind the eerie knocking before something it’s too late? And will they ever get their happily ever after?

Follow Callie and Scott’s journey from wary strangers to soulmates in this feel-good holiday romance. With a friends-to-lovers romance, family bonding moments, cozy Christmas traditions, and a found family trope, this wholesome love story will get you in the holiday spirit. 

Curl up with a mug of hot cocoa and let the magic of the season bring this unlikely pair together one knock at a time.

—

EXCERPT:

“Okay, you wild banshees, costumes are ready to go!” I called up the stairs. Instantly, I heard the pounding of little feet as Lily and Ethan raced down the stairs, with Lily predictably in the lead, eager to transform into their Halloween alter-egos.

“Beware the Headless Horseman!” Lily cried, tossing her hooded cape dramatically over her grinning face. Next to her, Ethan was assembling his white boxy Minecraft costume, complete with pixelated foam sword.

I knelt down and made the final adjustments, securing Ethan’s headpiece and Lily’s belt, then ushered them toward the door. “Let’s hit those sidewalks before all the good candy is gone!” I declared.

A Hallowed Date (A Coffee Break Mystery, #3)

A Hallowed Date (A Coffee Break Mystery, #3) By J.C. Valentine
Publication date: October 18, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance
Summary:

Ava is head over heels for her brooding neighbor Ryan, but he barely knows she exists. When he finally pays attention just in time for Halloween, her favorite holiday, Ava is determined to win him over with her bubbly personality and holiday cheer.

But amidst blossoming romance, a mystery unfolds when Ava’s intricately carved pumpkins begin to vanish from her porch overnight. Enlisting Ryan’s help, Ava tries to catch the culprit behind the pumpkin disappearances and solve the spooky whodunit.

As they draw closer to unmasking the pumpkin bandit, Ava wonders if Ryan will ever see her as more than just a friend. Can All Hallow’s Eve cast a spell to turn their friendship into true love? Or will Ava’s heart be left hollow when the case is closed?

This delightfully spooky romantic comedy blends quirky mystery with the magic of the Halloween season.

—

EXCERPT:

The sound of footsteps had me glancing up to see Ryan shuffling up the walkway toward me, looking only slightly bleary-eyed. His dark hair was endearingly mussed from sleep.

“Good morning, sunshine,” I said brightly, puzzled as to why he was gracing me with his presence. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this fine morning?” It wasn’t typical for us to converse most days, aside from a passing nod or hello. This was…unexpected.

“I think I had too much of your magic brew last night,” he said, coming to sit in the vacant seat beside me, only a small wedge of an attached table standing between us.

A Monster Mash Made for Two (A Coffee Break Mystery, #2)

A Monster Mash Made for Two (A Coffee Break Mystery, #2) By J.C. Valentine
Publication date: October 11, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance
Summary:

In the haunted town of Oakdale, sparks fly between bartender Noah and shy photographer Allison amidst costumes and spooky decor at his tavern’s monster bash on All Hallows’ Eve. 

But Allison experiences unexplained supernatural events—glimpses of a shadowy figure that may be the legendary Irish Jack’s ghost. 

Are these just harmless paranormal tricks leading up to Halloween, or could the haunting be real?

Amid lingering questions of the paranormal, cute surprises, and creative dates, Noah and Allison’s connection deepens, until they both begin entertaining ideas of taking their lives and relationship to the next step. 

But even the sweetest romances have challenges. Will their sweet romance end as just another holiday fling?

—

EXCERPT:

Tonight was Halloween eve; otherwise known around here as O’Reilly’s famous annual monster bash, apparently. My stomach fluttered thinking about seeing Noah the handsome bartender again. He was a tall drink of water with all the southern charm to boot. I’d have to be dead not to be smitten.

When Kara picked me up in her compact EV, I barely recognized her beneath an elaborate red and black vampire ensemble with voluminous curled hair framing her gorgeous face. Clearly, she hadn’t been kidding about playing into the tavern’s unofficial motto by going all out.

“You make one sexy witch!” she exclaimed. “I knew that would be the right choice for you. Let’s go break some hearts!”

The Cat That Played Chess

The Cat That Played Chess By Catarrina Cummings
Publication date: July 10 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mystery
Summary:

Having received an eviction notice, Zapporah Leverne needs money fast. Her current job as a product tester will not meet the deadline. She believes her extraordinary cat named Rookie can fix this. 

This feline is so good at copying humans that she can move chess pieces on the chessboard.

Zapporah pulls ropes to land Rookie a part in a commercial. Her cat wows the director to the point he thinks she would be good in his reality television series. But Rookie is stolen from Zapporah’s apartment.

Although there are few clues to the thief’s identity, Sloth, Zapporah’s roommate, believes the landlady is the thief and attempts to prove it. 

When Zapporah receives a voice message with a cat meowing in the background from talent agent Gloria Stravos, her suspicions are confirmed. Whoever stole Rookie will put her in show business. 

Arriving at Gloria’s office, Zapporah discovers Gloria has been murdered. Things don’t look good for Zapporah when the homicide detective learns she and Gloria had a history of fighting.

Will Zapporah’s intuition and tech-savvy help find Rookie and save her from a cunning murderer hiding behind the cloak of a white nationalist organization?

—

Murder in Mystic Hills (Mysteries of Mystic Hills, #1)

Murder in Mystic Hills (Mysteries of Mystic Hills, #1) By Chris Cannon
Publication date: March 27, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Paranormal
Summary:

All she wants is a break from adulting… then she rediscovers a world that’s been wiped from her memory.

Preschool teacher Belinda Harbinger’s summer vacation is going off the rails. After receiving a letter stating she’s inherited a tearoom and home, she’s shocked it’s from a beloved aunt she can’t remember… who could speak to the dead. 

And finding out she has the same power, it’s up to her to solve her mysterious relative’s murder.

Moving to the mystical town, Belinda takes up with a talking cat Familiar and learns she’s the only one who can help her aunt cross over before she becomes a vengeful spirit. 

But while searching the house for her lost memories, she faces heated magical politics, fresh bodies popping up, and a hidden evil threatening to make her the next victim.

Not knowing who to trust, can she expose a killer and rescue everyone from deadly plays for power?

Murder in Mystic Hills is the spellbinding first book in the Mysteries of Mystic Hills cozy paranormal series. If you like feline sidekicks, quirky characters, and winding trails of clues, then you’ll love Chris Cannon’s humorous hunt for justice.

 

The complete series:

—

EXCERPT:

We crowded around my butcher block table and my mom said, “You need to know that we love you more than anything or anyone else in the world.”

And there went my appetite. I set my fork down. “This is going to be bad, isn’t it?”

“Not bad,” my mother said. “Just sad in places. I grew up in Mystic Hills. It’s a town situated above an intersection of ley lines, meaning it’s a nexus for magical energy. Most of the population has some sort of gift or magical power. I didn’t. Citizens without magic are encouraged to leave, so I went to college and met your father. When you were born, we knew there was a chance you’d inherited the Harbinger family gift. I took you home to be baptized as Belinda Harbinger. In the rest of the world, you’re Linda James. Every year, on your birthday we took you to visit my family.”

REVIEW: Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #1)

Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #1) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romantic Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Mystery
Release Date: September 5th 2023
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Audible

Book Description:

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

♥ ♥ ♥

"Don't let your boss quiver your insides, Evie."

With quotes like the above is it any wonder how in love I am with this book?

I know it may seem as if it took me far too long to read Assistant to the Villain, but the reality of it is, I've savored every single sentence of this book since the moment I opened the Amazon box it was in. I think I've been waiting for this book since before I knew it would be a book. I've followed Hannah's journey on TikTok, just like everyone since the beginning and so the anticipation I felt for this book was basically unmatched.

Not only did I have to read the physical copy I pre-ordered [ yay red edges! ] but I also needed to listen to the Audiobook version before being able to sit down and finally write my review. First - out of every book I've read this year, this may have been my absolute favorite. Not only was Evie absolutely precious, but the myriad of emotions Assistant to the Villain made me feel...I'm in awe.

From the short skits on TikTok, it was beyond clear that Maehrer was talented. But the way this story was woven together using fantasy elements as well realistic and relatable personal issues pulled me in and refused to release me until the very last page. And even then I was looking for more [ thank the gods there is going to be more! ]

Above the Fold

Above the Fold By Corrina Lawson
Published by: City Owl Press
Publication date: June 20, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Romance
Summary:

In 1980s New York City, a crime reporter with little to lose risks the only thing that matters to uncover the truth….

Trisha Connell’s journalism reflects her punk rock lifestyle: relentless, confrontational, and bitingly honest. 

It’s a style that scores front-page headlines but has her forever teetering on the verge of victory or disaster. Now one crime will forever change Trisha’s life.

As she charges into the story of a sensational theft at an art museum, she discovers a murdered guard is someone she knew, a former foster kid who was adopted and supposed to be living a good life. 

To make it worse, the guard is suspected to be one of the thieves.

Determined to uncover the truth, Trisha bulls her way into the story, risking her life and career on what could be the story of the decade, if her editor doesn’t fire her first. She finds an ally in Edmund Grayson, a security expert assigned to the museum, who’s driven by his own guilt in failing to stop the murder.

Chasing the story will take Trisha from the punk clubs to the high society to the inner workings of newspapers of New York in the 1980s. It will take all her street skills to survive.

—

EXCERPT:

TRISHA STAGGERED to her motorcycle just as hangover dizziness hit full force. She dropped to one knee on the slimy blacktop of the narrow alley, clutching the soft leather of the bike’s seat for balance. A deep breath brought a whiff of urine and wet rats into her nostrils.

The rising sun peeked over the far corner of the four-story brick monstrosity that held the punk club where she’d spent the night.

Best time to see the sunrise, when I’m ready for bed.

But the beeper in her jacket pocket vibrated. Her fingers fumbled over a wad of tissues, breath mints, quarters, and subway tokens before she finally clutched the beeper.

Painted to Death

Painted to Death By Sarah Vernon
Publication date: January 10. 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery
Summary:

Sam Green is an art student with some pretty creative habits when it comes to solving mysteries, in this new series from author and artist Sarah Vernon.  

It’s the coldest part of a Boston winter when her friend Catherine is found dead in the painting studios one evening. The police are quick to rule her death a suicide, but Sam knows that something doesn’t seem right. 

Despite the protests of her friends Rebecca and Stephanie (although — happily — with the help of her crush Arun), Sam starts to poke around the old art department building. 

Peering into the dark corners of studios and underneath piles of musty art supplies, Sam soon uncovers some surprising suspects and motives behind Catherine’s death, in an art department simmering with artistic jealousy, resentment, and more relationship drama than a daytime talk show could handle. 

The only question is, will Sam be able to find out who killed Catherine before that person finds Sam?

—

EXCERPT:

It was a dark and stormy night. Yeah, for real. That’s how I’m starting, because why mess with what works?

Also, it really was dark and stormy the night this all started, the wind bursting in through all the tiny cracks around the old, barely insulated windows of our triple-decker apartment. I say started, but this was actually a couple of weeks after Catherine had died. I just thought I’d start right in the middle of it, because we all know the worst Agatha Christies are the ones where Poirot doesn’t even come into it until page seventy-five, and you have to first get through hours and hours of slow English family drama, or worse, a bumbling English inspector.

Chaos and Cranberries

Chaos and Cranberries By Joann Keder
Publication date: November 1, 2022
Buy Link: Pre Order
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery
Summary:

Paranormal investigator, Feather Jones and her boyfriend, Tug have arrived in picturesque Piney Falls for their Christmas getaway. To their dismay, they learn that their suite isn’t available because the last guest, author Dash Vixen, never checked out.

Dash was murdered when a copy of his own horror Christmas anthology was used to beat him to death.

Coming to their rescue is local sleuth, Lanie Anders, who invites them to spend the holiday with her and her husband. Unbeknownst to all of them, the murderer has bigger plans. Soon Lanie, Feather and their respective other halves are embroiled in a mystery that will stretch them both to their crime-solving limits!

This is a crossover book: Feather is a sleuth from the Charming Mysteries series and Lanie is a sleuth in the Piney Falls Mysteries.

—

SNEAK PEEK:

Vem stood uncomfortably close and read aloud:

Ivy Merrilee Globe was a prolific author, completing seventy-nine books in her twenty-six years of life. Her most recent, Snowily Severed, was a short story featured in the massively popular Christmas horror anthology, Strung by the Fire.

She recently signed a contract with Brain Gravy Pictures to turn her short story into a movie.

Green House Haunting: An Andy Watts Ghost Column

Green House Haunting: An Andy Watts Ghost Column By Olivia York 
Publication date: September 29, 2022
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Mystery, New Adult, Supernatural, Suspense

A terrible tragedy dead and buried. Can a young woman dig up the haunted truth without falling into madness?
Summary:

Andy Watts needs a break. So when the struggling journalist is asked to revisit a fifty-year-old mystery, she jumps at the chance to move into an abandoned house and honor her long-gone mom by becoming a respected reporter. But she’s shocked when she discovers not only did a polio-stricken boy disappear from within its rooms, but his mother took a fatal tumble down the stairs.

Stonewalled by the locals and unnerved by unexplained events in the eerie home, Andy fears the town would rather bury evidence than admit one of their own could commit murder. And with the ghostly image of a youngster in leg braces persisting, she’s terrified by hints that the awful answer is calling from beyond the grave.

Can Andy deliver justice for the voiceless before she becomes the next victim?

—

EXCERPT:

Green house stood solemnly in a noiseless field of overgrown vegetation. The dim rays of daylight disappeared in the distance beyond, darkening the front while sharpening the jagged exterior outline with a looming violet glow. It rose above the ground, perhaps two floors high, but a lack of windows at the top told Andy it may not have an attic to speak of.

The house drew her closer. The windows appeared somewhat new, the lining freshly painted white. It contrasted the worn, splintered wood on the verge of collapsing from the weight of a perched bird. At the base of the sagging stoop was the frame of a crumbling, rusted bicycle, rendered useless by the rain and condensation.