Dollycas’s Best Reads of 2019

December 26, 2019July 2, 2024 Dollycas 3 Comments

Dollycas’s Best Reads of 2019

There were so many great books this year and many were classified as “Perfect Escapes” by me, but this list contains the books that received a “Paradise Rating”, those that I enjoyed so much I thought they deserved more than 5 star-fish.

They are in no particular order.

Congratulations to all the authors!

The Novel Art of Murder (Mystery Bookshop)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Michigan
Kensington (November 27, 2018)
Paperback: 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1496711858
ISBN-13: 978-1496711854
Digital ASIN: B07B7B4C8Q
You can read my review here.

Wed, Read & Dead (Mystery Bookshop)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Michigan
Kensington (April 30, 2019)
Paperback: 272 pages
ISBN-10: 1496718291
ISBN-13: 978-1496718297
Digital ASIN: B07G6RDBRV
You can read my review here.

Fields’ Guide to Voodoo (The Poppy Fields Adventures)
Mystery/Suspense (Humorous)
3rd in Series
Setting – Louisiana
J & M Press (February 28, 2019)
Print Length: 248 pages
ASIN: B07N34V34S
You can read my review here.

Fields’ Guide to Fog (The Poppy Fields Adventures)
Mystery/Suspense (Humorous)
4th in Series
Setting – London, England
Publisher: Independently published (September 30, 2019)
Paperback: 266 pages
ISBN-10: 1698265018
ISBN-13: 978-1698265018
Kindle ASIN: B07XZB4TYT

You can read my review here.

A Daughter’s Truth
Women’s Fiction/Amish
Setting – Pennsylvania
Kensington (May 28, 2019)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1496716485
ISBN-13: 978-1496716484
Kindle ASIN: B07H1ZQY11

You can read my review here.

Jealousy Filled Donuts (A Deputy Donut Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Wisconsin
Kensington (August 27, 2019)
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1496711912
ISBN-13: 978-1496711915
Kindle ASIN: B07L2FNKSJ

You can read my review here.

The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking (A Family Skeleton Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
Diversion Books (September 24, 2019)
Paperback: 280 pages
ISBN-10: 1635766478
ISBN-13: 978-1635766479
Kindle ASIN: B07V1YFW55
You can read my review here.

A Woman of Two Minds
Medical Thriller/Suspense
Setting – Nevada
Black Opal Books (November 9, 2019)
Paperback: 300 pages
ISBN-10: 1644371677
ISBN-13: 978-1644371671
Kindle ASIN: B07WDD56PL
You can read my review here.

Let’s Fake a Deal (A Sarah W. Garage Sale Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
Kensington (July 30, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1496716981
ISBN-13: 978-1496716989
Kindle ASIN: B07K5ZMBZB
You can read my review here.

Run Away
Suspense/Thriller
Setting – New York
Grand Central Publishing (March 19, 2019)
Hardcover: 384 pages
ISBN-10: 1538748460
ISBN-13: 978-1538748466
Kindle ASIN: B07F67CXPW
You can read my review here.

Died in the Wool: A Whisky Business Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Scotland
Alibi (June 18, 2019)
Print Length ~300 pages
Digital ASIN: B07GN17SQJ
You can read my review here.

Brewed Awakening (A Coffeehouse Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
18th in Series
Berkley (December 3, 2019)
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN-10: 0451488873
ISBN-13: 978-0451488879
Digital ASIN: B07GQHK51D
You can read my review here.

The Loch Ness Papers (A Scottish Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Scotland
Minotaur Books (April 2, 2019)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1250127815
ISBN-13: 978-1250127815
Kindle ASIN: B07H7CS993
You can read my review here.

A Witch to Remember: A Wishcraft Mystery
Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
Crooked Lane Books (April 9, 2019)
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1683319788
ISBN-13: 978-1683319788
Kindle ASIN: B07H7QRV4R
You can read my review here.

Fiddling with Fate (A Chloe Ellefson Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Setting – Wisconsin/Norway
Midnight Ink (September 8, 2019)
Paperback: 360 pages
ISBN-10: 0738760900
ISBN-13: 978-0738760902
Kindle ASIN: B07KN76WMH
You can read my review here.

What were your favorite books this year? Please share them in the comment section below so we can all see them and add them to our wish lists!

I am so excited about the books being released in 2020. There is no way I will be able to read them all.

I have started a list of 2020 Recommendations, they are mostly cozy mysteries. I will continue to add to the page all year through and announce future escapes on My Monday Reading Itinerary posts.

2020 Recommendations

I hope you have enjoyed my reviews, recommendations, and giveaways. It has been a pleasure to be your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent this year. I will start my 11th year of blogging about books on Tuesday. Be sure to come back for an amazing week of giveaways!

Thoughts Berkley Prime Crime, Best of 2019, Black Opal Books, Crooked Lane Books, Diversion Books, Grand Central Publishing, Kensington, Lyrical Underground, Midnight Ink, Minotaur Books, self published

Comments (3) on “Dollycas’s Best Reads of 2019”

SandyG says:

December 26, 2019 at 7:43 AM

One of my favorite books this year was Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber
Kay Kaz says:

December 27, 2019 at 1:46 PM

Okay, I started the Skeleton series on your recommendation, and read A Woman of Two Minds after you said how wonderful it was (and it was great, super thought provoking. My husband loved it too.)
Now I’ll have to get acquainted with V. M. Burns. Thank you so much for making my “want to read” list so easy to fill.
May you and yours have the very best 2020 ever!
Alice Alfonsi says:

December 28, 2019 at 8:18 AM

Just dropping in to thank you, Dollycas, for including BREWED AWAKENING on your 2019 Best Reads list. We’re honored to be in such stellar company. This particular Coffeehouse Mystery has special meaning for me and Marc, which is why we’re so glad to see it included.

Thanks again and Happy New Year to you—and everyone who enjoys your wonderful blog!

~ Cleo (aka Alice)

Comments are closed.

I have adored reading all eight books in this series . . . And while endings are hard, this was handled beautifully. Well done!
~SARAH CAN’T STOP READING BOOKS

Booked on Murder
(A Haunted Library Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Setting - Connecticut
Publisher ‏
‎ Crooked Lane Books (August 6, 2024)

Librarian Carrie Singleton must catch a killer before she can say “I do” in the 8th delightful installment in Agatha Award-nominee Allison Brook’s Haunted Library mystery series.

Carrie Singleton is ready to kiss the single life goodbye. Her wedding to Dylan Avery is just a few weeks away, and a happy ending is about to be hers. But when a body is found on the lawn of their wedding venue, happily-ever-after is looking deadlier than ever.

The victim turns out to be Billy Carpenter, a young man recently released from prison after serving time for a bank robbery. The stolen money he’d buried is gone and Carrie and the police suspect Billy’s two alleged co-conspirators, his friends Luke Rizzo and Tino Valdez. But then Luke is murdered and Tino is nowhere to be found.

With no leads and only a week to go before her big day, Carrie is on the hunt for clues. She hopes to wrap up this investigation with a neat bow before she and Dylan tie the knot. Carrie has something old, something new, and something borrowed ready for her walk down the aisle. Now she needs to find the killer without becoming the ‘something blue.’

Author Links
Website and Newsletter
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@MarilynLevinson
@AllisonBrookML

Buy Links:
Amazon
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The Rest of the Series

Find books written as Marilyn Levinson here.

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

11/30/2024

NEW FROM
MOLLIE COX BRYAN
The Much-Loved Buttermilk Creek Series Continues!

Moo River:
A Buttermilk Creek Mystery Novella
Independently Published
October 5, 2024
Print length ‏ : ‎ 115 pages
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DCGD348H

Fall is always busy in the village of Shenandoah Springs, Virginia, and this year is no exception. Brynn McAlister is juggling the grand opening of a new local business and preparations for the big Harvest Festival.

But when expensive koi fish vanish from Sally’s Pond Plants & Supplies, and Brynn’s mischievous bull calf, along with a close friend, are accused of the crime, she vows to find the real thief—no matter what the local police say. And if that one officer happens to have just asked her to the police ball? Well, that only complicates things.

In a village where gossip travels fast and everyone has a theory, Brynn will need all her wits—and maybe a bit of luck—to solve the case before the festival starts.

Amazon Buy Link

Author Links
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Previous Books In The Series

Find more books by Mollie Cox Bryan HERE.

And Mollie writing as Maggie Blackburn HERE.

Click on the covers/links for more information or to order from Amazon.

11/5/2024

Lovely characters and a charming setting are the icing on the lemon cake. I look forward to reading more in this series!
~Reading is my Superpower

Keeled Over at the Cliffside:
A Delicious Seaside Cozy Mystery
Sandcliff Mysteries
1st in Series
Setting - California
Independently Published
(August 15, 2024)

In the charming seaside town of Saltcliff on the Sea, Dahlia Vale's life is about to take a dramatic twist. Leaving behind her monotonous job as a defense contractor, Dahlia inherits her late sister Daisy’s cozy inn and a new role as guardian to her spirited niece, Diantha. But Saltcliff holds more than just new beginnings; it hides whispers of past loves, local feuds, and a string of suspicious deaths that soon draw Dahlia into their depths.

Navigating her new life with the loyal Taco, her service dog, at her side, Dahlia stumbles upon secrets that Daisy left behind. The quaint Saltcliff Bed & Breakfast becomes center stage for these mysteries as Dahlia uncovers links between a controversial local chef's death and her sister’s secretive gardening habits. As Dahlia delves deeper, aided by the astute Detective Owen Sanderson, she finds herself untangling a web of betrayal, blackmail, and hidden motives—all under the guise of serving the perfect morning scones to her guests.

With each chapter, Dahlia transitions from an outsider to a beloved figure in the community, piecing together clues with a charm only a true amateur sleuth could possess. Amidst the culinary delights and scenic walks on the beach, “Keeled Over at the Cliffside” crafts a tapestry of intrigue and murder, testing Dahlia's wit and pulling her further into the heart of Saltcliff's darkest secrets. Will Dahlia serve justice as adeptly as she serves her guests?

Step into the pages of this culinary cozy mystery, where every character has a story, and the truth is as layered as a well-baked pastry. Perfect for fans of a good puzzle and a great plate of food (or those who just love a loyal Labrador), this book promises to be a delicious read from start to finish.

Join Dahlia, Diantha, and Taco as they discover that even the most picturesque towns can hide the most sinister secrets.

Author Links
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Coming October 24, 2024
Bumped Off at the Bake Sale: A Delicious Seaside Culinary Mystery (Saltcliff Mysteries) by Nancy Stewart
Gilmore Girls meets Murder She Wrote in the mystery series you can't put down!

Dahlia Vale is finding her rhythm in small-town life, balancing inn management and unexpected guardianship with growing confidence. She's even volunteered to head the Saltcliff Festival's annual bake sale, turning her stress-baking hobby into a community asset. But just as Dahlia thinks she's got everything under control, the festival takes an unsavory turn.

Dorothy Withers, the cantankerous English teacher and festival organizer, goes missing on the day of the event. Even Dahlia's ever-observant service dog, Taco, senses something's amiss. When Dorothy is found dead, apparently outsmarted by her own apple pie, Dahlia's precise mind starts connecting dots others might miss.

As suspects pile up like day-old pastries, Dahlia finds herself assisting Detective Sanderson once again. Can her unique perspective and attention to detail help sift through the town's half-truths? And as they work closely together, will Dahlia realize that not all puzzles have clear-cut solutions—especially matters of the heart?

In Bumped Off, Dahlia discovers that the recipe for a happy life often requires improvisation. Between managing a sullen teenager, baking the perfect scone, and catching a killer, she'll learn that sometimes the most important ingredients are the ones that can't be measured.

Join Dahlia for another helping of mystery where the only thing sweeter than solving the crime is finding unexpected connections in a world that doesn't always make sense.

Click on the covers and links for more information or to order by Amazon.

11/15/2024

I loved this newest book in this wonderful cozy mystery series. I enjoyed the laughs and the romance and the mystery.
~Bigreadersite’s Blog

In the Event of Murder
(A Starlit Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - Colorado
Publisher ‏ : ‎
Crooked Lane Books
(August 20, 2024)

It’s the star-studded event of the season in Silvercrest, Colorado—but some of the guests might not make it to the last dance alive in the second charming installment of the Starlit Bookshop mysteries from Agatha Award-winning author Cynthia Kuhn.

Nestled on the banks of a breathtaking Rocky Mountain river and dotted with delightful boutiques and galleries, Silvercrest, Colorado, is a book lover’s paradise. Bookseller and literary event planner Emma Starrs is looking forward to attending the annual Silvercrest Library Gala, a glamorous evening with celebrities including the legendary Whitney Willton, currently on the hit crime show Chasers, and her niece, party-planner-to-the-stars Lyra Willton. Gala Week is full of exciting activities honoring both page and screen, and library board president Tabitha Baxter is basking in the glow of her successful launch—until Lyra is found dead.

With the gala only days away, the board asks Emma for help, despite Tabitha—her longstanding nemesis—bristling over the choice. Emma agrees, even though she is already in charge of a classic mystery panel at her family’s bookstore, Starlit Books, which turns out to have its own challenges. Meanwhile, Whitney, who is aware of Emma’s sleuthing skills, begs her to find the killer. The case grows more complex with the disappearance of several priceless objects, an attack on one of the attending celebrities, and other predicaments. Emma searches for clues while handling every unexpected twist and turn leading up to the extravagant affair. But when the guests step onto the red carpet, a killer still lurks in the shadows—and murder just might become the main event.

Author Links
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Book 1 in the Series

How to Book a Murder
(A Starlit Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - Colorado
Publisher ‏ :
‎ Crooked Lane Books
(December 7, 2021)

To help save her family’s floundering Colorado bookstore, Starlit Bookshop, newly minted Ph.D. Emma Starrs agrees to plan a mystery-themed dinner party for her wealthy, well-connected high school classmate Tabitha Baxter. It’s a delightful evening of cocktails and conjecture until Tabitha’s husband, Tip—hosting the affair in the guise of Edgar Allan Poe’s detective C. Auguste Dupin—winds up murdered.

In a heartbeat, Emma and her aunt Nora, a famous mystery writer, become suspects. Emma is sure the party’s over for Starlit events, until celebrated author Calliope Nightfall, whose gothic sensibilities are intrigued by the circumstances, implores the bookseller to create a Poe-themed launch event for her latest tome. Throwing a bash to die for while searching for additional clues is already enough to drive Emma stark raven mad, but another shocking crime soon reveals that Silvercrest has not yet reached the final chapter of the puzzling case.

Someone in this charming artistic community has murder on the mind, and if Emma cannot outwit the killer, she and her beloved aunt will land behind bars, to walk free nevermore.

Also written by Cynthia Kuhn

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

10/15/2024

Coming
October 22, 2024

Murder on the Page
(A Literary Dining Mystery)
Cozy Culinary Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington Cozies
(October 22, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CTDKHJ4G

Featuring twin hooks that cozy readers can’t get enough of—classic books and delicious food—this new series from the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling author of several much loved series, including the Fairy Garden Mysteries and the French Bistro Mysteries, is a delicious treat for mystery lovers, especially fans of Ellery Adams, Krista Davis, and Lauren Elliott.

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a genuinely top-notch party must be in want of a theme. Allie Catt, caterer and personal chef in the beautiful mountain community of Asheville, North Carolina, has devised a winning formula by using her clients’ favorite books as inspiration. Her first themed event is based on Pride and Prejudice (Allie’s cat, Darcy, approves), and it’s so popular that soon she has grand ideas for future parties based on Rebecca, The Great Gatsby, Babette’s Feast and more.

Business is booming, and a rival catering company is fuming. But there’s a sting in the tale when the aunt of one of Allie’s clients and best friends, Tegan, is murdered. Tegan is the victim’s sole heir, and quickly becomes the main suspect. Allie has no doubts about her friend’s innocence, but how to prove it?

Once again, her love of literature comes to the rescue, and with some guidance from her favorite fictional detectives, including Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Allie sifts through the clues. With a little luck—and the kind of pluck that would make Elizabeth Bennett proud—she may be able to stop a killer from serving up a second course of murder . . .

Author Links
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Pre-Order Your Copy Now!
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Also by Daryl Wood Gerber
The Fairy Garden Mysteries

Find more books by Daryl Wood Gerber here.

Click on the covers for more information or to order by Amazon.

10/31/2024

Great characters and a cutting-edge story make MOVED TO MURDER a “reyt” good read.
~Cozy Up With Kathy

Moved to Murder:
A Vivien Brandt Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – South Yorkshire, England
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Troubador Publishing Ltd
(June 5, 2024)

Vivien Brandt (forty-something editor, librarian, and future interior designer extraordinaire) has spent decades dreaming about a life in England, and thanks to her marriage to second husband Geoffrey, her dreams are finally coming true. She and her cat Sydney (who is considerably less excited about leaving the warmth of California) are the newest inhabitants of a cosy South Yorkshire village.

But as Vivien meets the locals – including the vicar, a charismatic politician, and a pair of troubled teenagers – she finds she still has a lot to learn about her new home. Especially after she discovers a body in it.

Now she must work with her neighbor Hayley and a somewhat mistrustful police inspector to uncover the village’s secrets and find a killer. Preferably, before the killer finds her.

Because it seems when the chips (crisps?) are down, the only common language between America and Britain… is murder.

Author Links
Website – Facebook
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Purchase Links
US Link: Moved to Murder
UK link: Moved to Murder

Find More Books by Gianetta Murray Here.

Click on the cover and links for more information or to order from Amazon.

9/15/2024

New from Ellen Byron

French Quarter Fright Night
(Vintage Cookbook)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting -
The Garden District of New Orleans
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Severn House
(September 3, 2024)

The third in the fabulous cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron.

Welcome to the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear! Prepare for the spookiest night of your life . . .

It's Halloween in New Orleans, and the staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum is setting up a fantastic haunted house tour for their visitors. But when flashy movie star Blaine Taggart and his entourage move into the mansion next door, gift shop proprietor Ricki James-Diaz gets a fright of her own.

While Ricki is excited about the potential business the tours will bring to her vintage cookbook shop, she's less thrilled by former friend Blaine's arrival in town. Then Bon Vee's prop tomb becomes a real tomb for Blaine's nasty assistant, and suddenly everyone at Bon Vee is a murder suspect. There isn't a ghost of a chance one of them committed the crime, but with NOPD busy tackling the mischief and mayhem generated by the spooky holiday, it falls on Ricki and her friends to catch the killer.

As the Big Easy gears up for the Big Scary, it seems everyone has skeletons in their closets. Can Ricki reveal the shadowy killer before someone else becomes part of the Halloween horror show?

Purchase Links
Amazon - B&N - Bookshop.org

Author Links
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Newsletter

The Rest of the Series

Don't Miss

A Very Woodsy Murder
(A Golden Motel Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies
(July 23, 2024)

From Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron, a hilarious new series featuring a sitcom writer who has checked out of the familiar comforts in Studio City and checked in to the quaint village of Foundgold to run a motel. Running a rustic getaway in the woods sure beats LA traffic—until murder ruins the peace and quiet . . .

Down-on-her-luck sitcom writer Dee Stern is flipping the script. Twice divorced and wasting her talents on an obnoxious kids’ show, the lifelong Angeleno embraces the urge to jump in her car and keep driving. It's a road trip with no destination—until she pulls into a mid-century motel filled with cobwebs and retro charm. Nestled in the shadow of a national park, it’s a time capsule of a place that, like her, could use some work. So, in the most impulsive move of her life, Dee teams up with best friend, Jeff Cornetta—who happens to be her first ex-husband—to transform the aging ranch into the Golden Motel-of-the-Mountains, a hiker’s oasis on the edge of the wilderness . . .

But Dee and Jeff soon realize there couldn’t be two people more unprepared for the hospitality business. There’s also the panic-inducing reality of prowling bears and a general store as the only shopping spot for miles. Living and working in the middle of nowhere takes some getting used to—especially when a disrespectful guest ends up murdered! Now, with the motel duo topping the suspect list, Dee must steer clear of a meddling park ranger, face her past in show biz, and determine if the killer is a local or tourist. Because as she quickly finds out, there are many things worse than a one-star review.

Also written by Ellen Byron

Written as Maria DiRico

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

9/30/2024

Peach Tea Smash left me feeling as happy as a clam at high tide.
~The Avid Reader

Peach Tea Smash
(A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
28th in Series
Setting - South Carolina
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley
(August 6, 2024)

Murder at an Alice in Wonderland–themed event threatens to send Theodosia Browning through the looking glass in the latest entry in this New York Times bestselling series.

During the Mad Hatter Masquerade, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Opera on the grounds of the old Pendleton Grist Mill, Harlan Sadler, husband of Cricket Sadler, the chairwoman, is killed. He’s been hit in the head with a croquet mallet, and his body hung on the chains and paddles of the grist mill. Nobody can figure out why since Harlan was much beloved by everyone. It’s only after Cricket and Delaine beg Theodosia to investigate that she realizes the killer might have mistaken Harlan for his crazy son, Duke. After all, Duke is a slum landlord and recently injured a woman in a boating accident.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

Laura’s Links
Website – Facebook

The Rest of the Series

The Scrapbooking Mysteries

The Cackleberry Club Series

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

Case of the Bayfront Murder is a nicely paced, cozy mystery with many clues to sift through while enjoying time with family and friends. Sit back with a glass of wine or a cool, refreshing gelato and try to figure out whodunit!
~Novel’s Alive

Case of the Bayfront Murder:
A Macaroni on Wheels Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - Little Italy, San Diego and San Diego Bay
Publisher ‏ : ‎
S.K. Derban (March 27, 2024)

Little Italy in San Diego, once a thriving fishing community, has blossomed into a prominent tourist destination. Nestled in the heart of this vibrant neighborhood, both travelers and residents find the Tiepolo Mercato a favorite spot to stop and shop. Ezio and Benedette Tiepolo are the proprietors of the Mercato, while their daughter owns Macaroni on Wheels, the catering company located directly next door.

There’s more than pasta cooking in the Macaroni on Wheels kitchen. Meet Terza Tiepolo, a feisty Italian caterer who fills her free time-solving crime. She belongs to a local murder mystery book club and leads the other participants in their monthly whodunnit contest.

Terza also works diligently to grow her catering business. But when a prominent doctor hires Terza’s company to cater a dinner party, she never expects murder to be on the menu. The prestigious bayfront event should enhance the Macaroni on Wheels portfolio, and Terza anticipates meeting many potential new clients. On the day of the party, Terza arrives early to prepare, only to discover her grand expectations are as dead as the body on the kitchen floor.

Fans of cozy mysteries will revel in solving the murder along with Terza and will appreciate her zest for life. Readers will also treasure the introduction to her vibrant Italian relatives. They will enjoy getting to know the Tiepolo family, and will smile at the special relationship Terza has with her mother and father. The fun never stops when the animated relatives join together each Sunday for dinner. Consider this your personal invitation!

Author Links
Facebook - Twitter/X Instagram - Goodreads BookBub - Website

Purchase Link
Amazon

Follow and find more books by S.K. Derban HERE.

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

10/6/2024

Political intrigue, greed, and a determined schoolteacher combine to make MURDER IN VANCOUVER 1886 a fascinating historical drama.
~Cozy Up With Kathy

Murder in Vancouver 1886
Historical Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher
‎ Epicenter Press (WA)
(May 14, 2024)

Vancouver, 1886, a bustling city with a growing population and tantalizing opportunities. Some of those opportunities are illegal. When Amy MacDonald, the school teacher at Hastings Mill, discovers new Winchester '86 rifles are being smuggled through the city, she tries to enlist the aid of the earnest but slow-witted provincial policeman. She involves a curious local newspaperman, a businessman, a knowledgeable woman of the street, and her irrepressible younger brother in her efforts to prevent the contraband from flowing to the Métis rebels in the North West.

Vancouver's life is complicated by the murder of a Métis man, the persecution of the Chinese people living in the city, and the intent of the mob to oust the Chinese onto boats and out of the new city. Amy manages to move between different levels of society but not without the risk of being dismissed from her teaching position. She tries to do what she believes is morally right without being discovered. All her plans and careful stratagems are disrupted suddenly and dramatically by the devastating, overwhelming fire.

Author Links
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Purchase Links
Amazon CA - Amazon US - Amazon UK

Find more books by Marion Crook here.

Marion also writes cozy mysteries as Emma Dakin.
Coming September 10, 2024

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

9/30/2024

Warning: Choose carefully your location before beginning What Grows From the Dead. It is known to cause audible chuckling, chortling, guffawing, and even hooting on occasion. Highly recommended.
~Jane Reads

What Grows From the Dead
Mystery
Stand-Alone
Setting - North Carolina
Independently Published
(March 9, 2024)

Morris Drummond is not at his best. Well, he hasn't been at his best for a while now. But having just suffered two crushing losses, he's almost at rock bottom, which for him means driving ride-share in his mom's beat up Chevy, drowning his sorrows in tacos and spray cheese, and avoiding anything related to ambition, self-care, or laundry.

Morris is about to learn that he didn't even know what rock bottom looked like, and it's all thanks to his mom. A secret she left behind comes to light, and that brings down a lot of unwanted attention on Morris, the kind that looks likely to send him either to prison or to the hereafter. Blood and treachery from long ago rise to the surface, and Morris has only his lawyer Annie, who's an old high school friend, and a few unexpected allies to call on as he tries to figure out what his mom was up to and why so many people want him out of the picture.

A humorous mystery with elements of suspense and thrillers, What Grows From the Dead is set in present-day small-town North Carolina, not far from the mysterious Uwharrie Forest.

Content warnings: Coarse language throughout; some gun violence (not graphic).

Author Links
Website Facebook
Facebook Author Page Instagram Twitter/X BlueSky Mastodon GoodReads Link

Purchase Link
Amazon

Click on the covers and links for more information or to order by Amazon.

8/31/2024

Lots of great details, wonderful characters, and a solid mystery make this a fun entry into a unique mystery series!
~Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books!

One of You
(Tower District Mysteries)
Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - The Tower District of Fresno, CA
Publisher ‏ : ‎
Mystery Rat's Books
(June 4, 2024)

With her life on the California Coast behind her, Roxi Carlucci is beginning to feel at home in the Tower District—the cultural oasis of Fresno, CA—where she now lives with her cousin P.I. Stephen Carlucci, her pet rat Merlin, a Pit Bull named Watson, and a black cat named Dan. She has a new entertainment podcast, works as a part-time P.I., and is helping local bookstore owner Clark Halliwell put on the first-ever Tower Halloween Mysteryfest! The brutal summer heat is gone and has been replaced by the dense tule fog—perfect for Halloween!

She just wishes everyone would stop calling her the “Jessica Fletcher” of the Tower District simply because she found a dead body when she first arrived. But when one of the Mysteryfest authors is found dead, she fears she jinxed herself! The Carlucci’s are hired to find the killer before they strike again. Will Mysteryfest turn into a murder fest? How is the local gossip website back, and what does it know about the death of Roxi’s parents?

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1st Book in this Series
One of Us:
A Tower District Mystery
Mystery
1st in Series Publisher ‏ : ‎
King's River Life
(August 1, 2021)

At 35, children’s book author Roxi Carlucci finds herself starting over again after her publisher drops her book series. With no income, she has to pack up her life on the California Coast, along with her pet rat Merlin, and move in with her cousin, P.I. Stephen Carlucci, who lives in Fresno, CA. The one redeeming factor is that Stephen lives in the Tower District—the cultural oasis of Fresno.

Stephen talks Roxi into helping out with a community theatre production, which is also a fundraiser for a local animal rescue. Little did she know that someone would be murdered during a rehearsal, and that she and Stephen would be hired to find the killer. The killer has to be one of Roxi’s new acquaintances since the theatre was locked at the time of the murder, but no one seems to have a motive. How can they solve a murder without a motive? Could the local gossip website hold any clues? Can they stop the killer before they strike again?

Click on the covers and links for more information or to order from Amazon.

9/15/2024

D. S. Lang is a wonderful storyteller who captured the time period and characters perfectly.
~Amazon Reviewer

The Catalogued Corpse:
Doro Banyon Cozy Historical Mysteries
by D.S. Lang
Historical Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - Ohio
Debra Sue Lang
(August 19, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 310 pages

College librarian Doro Banyon discovers the body of her nemesis, Professor Hemet Corlon, near the card catalogues when she arrives for work. Evidence points to a terrible accident, but the new school security officer disagrees. Because Doro and Corlon have been at odds over the status of women at the formerly all-male school, she falls under suspicion—and she isn’t alone. Most professors and students supported women’s suffrage and welcomed coeducation, so they stand steadfast against the old-fashioned ideas of Corlon and his handful of powerful cronies. More than one person wanted to see an end to the professor and his ilk. But who made his departure permanent? In seeking answers, Doro joins forces with her best friend to solve the mystery of the catalogued corpse.

The Rest of the Series

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Find more books by D.S. Lang here.

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7/31/2024

Now Available in Audiobook!

Murder and mayhem balanced perfectly with humor, a little romance, and the ice cream make this book a must-read for cozy mystery lovers and A Perfect Escape for me.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Murder A La Mode
(Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - New York
Gemma Halliday Publishing
(August 8, 2023)

From author, Lena Gregory comes a delicious new series that will warm your heart and leave you guessing until the very end...

When twenty-five-year-old Danika Delaney, black sheep of the Delaney clan, returns home to Long Island to take over Jimmie's, her eccentric uncle’s old-fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island, she’s not exactly thrilled. But things start to look up when her uncle tells her she can do whatever she’d like with the shop, and it seems she might realize her dream of a small trendy café. That is, until she discovers the body of her ex-boyfriend’s estranged wife in a melted puddle of rocky road in the malt shop basement. With her two sidekicks, her sister and a good childhood friend, in tow, Dani searches for–or stumbles upon—one clue after another. But as she narrows down the suspect list, she realizes if she’s not careful she may end up in a puddle of her own...

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Book 2
Grounds for Murder
(Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - New York
Gemma Halliday Publishing
(November 21, 2023)

From author Lena Gregory comes a tasty new mystery with a killer twist...

Danika Delaney is thrilled to have taken over her uncle Jimmie's old-fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and is working hard to make it her own. In an effort to increase business, Danika invites a mystery writer to the Coffee & Cream Café for a discussion and book signing. Things seem to be going well, until a guest shows up and confronts the author, accusing him of plagiarizing his work. Embarrassed by the incident, Danika goes to the inn where the writer is staying the following morning, hoping to apologize and offer him another chance to return. What she finds instead is his dead body—beside a cup of poisoned coffee! Now it's up to Danika to find out who wanted to silence the author... before the killer decides to write Danika a not-so-happy ending!

Book 3
Double Scoop of Murder
(Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting - New York
Gemma Halliday Publishing
(February 27, 2024)

From author, Lena Gregory comes a hunt for more than just treasure...

Danika Delany is loving running her uncle's old-fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and putting her own modern spin on the treats they serve. Life is finally looking up for her! That is, until local billionaire Maxwell Crumbholtz dies and leaves his fortune in the form of a treasure hunt. Chaos descends on Watchogue, and Dani and the rest of the gang from the Coffee & Cream Café join the melee when they enter the contest, try to decipher the clues, and go in search of the treasure. But Dani digs up more than she expected when she discovers a dead body buried instead of a treasure! To make matters worse, a witness claims to have seen Dani at the scene of the murder. Now, instead of a four-billion-dollar payday, Dani is on the hunt for a killer.

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Also Written By Lena Gregory

Find More Books By Lena Gregory Here.

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6/30/2024

Congratulations to Julie W. (Michigan). She has won an ARC Copy of Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket by Laura Levine.

Congratulations to Yvonne H. (Florida). She has won an ARC copy of Murder at the Pumpkin Pageant by Darci Hannah.

Congratulations to Jill Y. (Oregon). She has won a hardcover copy of The Grim Steeper by Gretchen Rue.

Congratulations to Janet M. (Maryland). She has won a Kindle copy of Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon.

Congratulations to Sandy K. (Kentucky). She has won a Kindle copy of The Body in the Annex by Dianna Xarissa.

Congratulations to Debbie S. (Tennessee). She has won a copy of The Jig Is Up by Lisa Q. Mathews.

Congratulations to Jane C. (Michigan). She has won a paperback copy of A Ghoul’s Gotta Do by Victoria Laurie.

Congratulations to Eva S. (Pennsylvania). She has won a hardcover copy of Death at the Manor by Katharine Schellman.

Congratulations to Katherine H. (Wisconsin). She has won a hardcover copy of Dear Little Corpses by Nicola Upson.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
September 30 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
September 30 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
October 1 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
October 1 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 2 – Review Thick and Thin – REVIEW
October 3 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
October 3 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
October 4 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 4 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 5 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
October 6 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 7 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 8 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 9 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 10 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 11 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 13 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
October 7 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
October 7 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
October 8 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 9 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT
October 9 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
October 10 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
October 10 – Diane Reviews Books – REVIEW
October 11 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
October 13 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 14 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
October 15 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
October 15 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
October 16 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT
October 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
October 17 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
October 18 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
October 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
October 20 – Deal Sharing Aunt – SPOTLIGHT

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
October 8 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 9 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
October 10 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 11 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
October 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 14 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 15 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 17 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
October 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 20 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 21 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
October 10 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 10 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 11 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 13 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
October 14 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
October 14 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 16 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 18 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 18 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
October 19 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
October 2 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
October 2 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
October 3 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
October 3 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 4 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 4 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW
October 5 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 6 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
October 6 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 7 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 7 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
October 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 8 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
October 9 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 9 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

I anxiously await each new book in this series and devour the whole thing in one sitting.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Muddled Matrimonial Murder
(Cupcake Catering Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – California
Cinnamon & Sugar Press
(June 13, 2023)

With only two weeks left to finalize the arrangements for the nuptial ceremony and reception for Emory Martinez’s best friend, Brad, and a Thanksgiving feast to plan, she has enough to keep her busy. But when Emory and Brad stumble across the body of his former stalker, with a wedding gift marble muddler lying next to the body, it soon becomes apparent someone is intent on framing the groom before vows can be exchanged.

How did the victim locate Brad, and how did she end up being murdered at the scene of the impending nuptials? Was someone so desperate to stop the wedding that they’d resort to murder? Or was she killed for revenge? As the countdown to the wedding speeds by, it’ll take Emory and her family and friends pulling together to pick through the muddled clues to clear the groom’s name.

Includes recipes.
Author Links
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Pinterest – – Bookbub
Be sure to check out Kim’s Blog for all kinds of recipes and cozy reads!
The Rest of the Series
GET THE WHOLE SERIES FOR UNDER $13.00!!
Also by Kim Davis

Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

10/31/2023

"Scads of red herrings, peeks behind the show-biz curtain, and bountiful appended recipes will leave fans smiling contentedly."
~Kirkus Reviews on BULLETPROOF BARISTA

Bulletproof Barista
(A Coffeehouse Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
20th in Series
Setting - New York
Berkley
(November 14, 2023)

When a film crew’s location shoot delivers an actual shooting, Clare Cosi finds herself at the scene of a true crime in this showstopping entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Only Murders in Gotham, the smash-hit streaming program, is famous for filming in authentic New York locations and using real New Yorkers as extras. For its second season, they’ve chosen to spotlight the century-old Village Blend and its quirky crew of baristas. Shop manager and master roaster Clare Cosi is beyond thrilled, especially when her superb bulletproof coffee lands her a craft services contract for the production.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the landmark shop, reveals an old kinship with the star of the show, comedian Jerry Sullivan. Now a Hollywood legend, Jerry frequented the Blend during his early years performing in Greenwich Village comedy clubs. But the past may hold more than nostalgia for Jerry. Suspicious accidents begin plaguing his shoot. Then a real bullet is fired from a stage gun, and Clare becomes convinced something sinister is afoot.

While Jerry’s production moves to exciting new locations, Clare keeps the coffee flowing—and her investigation going—even as a murderer lurks in the wings. But can she root out the rotten player in this Big Apple production before the lights go out on her?

Includes a stellar menu of surefire recipes!

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The Rest of the Series

Also written by Cleo Coyle

Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

Recurring

New from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

The Ghost Goes to the Dogs
(Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting - Rhode Island
Berkley (May 2, 2023)

A stray dog leads bookseller Penelope McClure and her gumshoe ghost on a chase for a cunning criminal in this brand-new entry in the "UTTERLY CHARMING" (Mystery Scene) Haunted Bookshop Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Pet Mystery Week brings brisk business to Penelope's Rhode Island bookshop, but a real mystery comes barking at her door when a lost dog turns up in a panic. Pen and her son Spencer follow the furry fugitive to a wooded area where the dog's owner lies unconscious. Mrs. Cunningham is a warm-hearted widow who volunteers at the animal shelter and runs Buy the Book's pet lovers book club. Why would anyone shoot such a sweet soul?

The police believe it's an accident, a shot by a careless deer hunter, but Pen remains skeptical. To straighten out this doggone mess, she whistles for the ghost of PI Jack Shepard, an expert in hounding as well as haunting. Jack has a dog story of his own, a case from the 1940s that may help Pen sniff out clues to her present predicament. Yet even with Jack's hard-boiled help, Pen may not be able to stop the killer from striking again or letting this whole case go to the dogs...

Author Links
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The Rest of the Series!

Also by Cleo Coyle

Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

Recurring

5 Stars!
I love returning to Jessica’s world and solving a mystery with her with each new installment of this series.
~Baroness' Book Trove

Murder, She Wrote:
Murder Backstage
Cozy Mystery
58th in Series Setting - Edmonton in Alberta, Canada
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley
(April 2, 2024)

The newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series.

Jessica Fletcher’s British cousin, Emma MacGill, will be traveling to Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, to perform with internationally famous star of stage, screen, and television Derek Braverman in an old-fashioned musical review. Emma would love for Jessica to join her there and suggests she bring along some friends. Having just finished her latest book, Jessica is ready for a vacation and is delighted to agree. Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger are huge fans of Braverman, so they are eager to tag along, and their fanboy behavior gives Jessica and Mort’s wife, Maureen, more than occasional cause to roll their eyes.

Upon arrival in Edmonton, Jessica is quickly outed as mystery writer J. B. Fletcher, and despite numerous protests, a hotel staffer arranges a book signing for her. This and touristy adventures arranged for the group make for a much busier trip than Jessica was expecting. When a hotel bartender, who also happens to be a stagehand for Emma’s play, turns up dead backstage at the theater, Jessica’s fun and relaxing vacation quickly becomes anything but.

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PenguinRandomHouse

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Coming October 4, 2024
Also by Terrie Farley Moran