Cozy Crime Fiction

Beloved author Mary Stewart's long-lost novella, now available again for the first time in 40 years. In 1879 a wealthy young woman elopes with an impoverished fisherman, leaving her family, who live on the volcanic island of Lanzarote, distraught. In 1968, 23-year-old Perdita West, secretary to the famous author Cora Gresham, visits Lanzarote, the strangest and wildest of the Canary Isles, on a research trip. They meet Cora's estranged son, Mike, and fall in love with the unusual, beautiful little island.

Jennifer was happy working as a baker at the Ravenwood Inn, but when fate comes calling in the form of Gable Landon, she’s ready to jump at the new career he offers. Soon she’s globetrotting from Oregon to Bruges, then on to Provence to assess a rundown property her boss might want to buy. The charm of southern France and its food and landscape is almost intoxicating, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s made a new friend, a French bulldog named Orly. What Jennifer hadn’t expected, though, was stone cold murder.

Lucien Comte de Chacarasse entstammt einem französischen Adelsgeschlecht, das seit Generationen eine hohe Kunst an die Nachkommen weitergibt: die Kunst des Tötens. Der Legende nach waren seine Vorfahren Auftragsmörder für die Bourbonen, Napoleon und den Vatikan. Zwar wurde Lucien für diese Aufgabe trainiert, aber als junger Mann steigt er aus und betreibt stattdessen ein Bistro in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Er liebt die Frauen, den Wein und die kulinarischen Genüsse der südfranzösischen Küche.

Melissa couldn’t be happier that summer has arrived. She’s delighted to have her mother back by her side, and she is extending her beloved Hawthorn Cottage so her new family can live together. Meanwhile, Melissa’s mother, Sylvia, is back in good health and enjoying a brief stay at a stately retirement home. She loves getting to know the residents, until first a dog and then his owner are both found dead in the dining room. Like mother, like daughter, Sylvia decides to do a little investigating of her own.

Die frisch geschiedene, 39 Jahre alte Lacey Doyle braucht eine drastische Veränderung. Sie muss ihren Job kündigen, ihren schrecklichen Chef und New York hinter sich lassen und den Ausstieg aus ihrem hektischen Leben schaffen. Sie beschließt, das Versprechen, das sie sich als junges Mädchen gegeben hat, wahrzumachen, und alles hinter sich zu lassen und in das ruhige englische Küstenstädtchen Wilfordshire, an das sie sich durch wunderschöne Familienurlaube erinnert, zurückzukehren.

While no-nonsense mother-to-be Cass Halloran tries downplaying her pregnancy and her frequent doctor's visits as an older mother-to-be, a softer side of the lobsterwoman emerges as she joins the Seaside Knitters in knitting an abundance of delicate hats and booties. But in contrast to the happy news, terrifying events unfold at the town's art series that puts a real chill in their New England fall...

Marty Wingate presents Book 7 in the Potting Shed Mysteries series.

Lacey Doyle, 39 ans et fraîchement divorcée, a opéré un changement drastique : elle a délaissé la vie trépidante de New York et s’est installée dans la pittoresque ville côtière anglaise de Wilfordshire. L’été est presque là, et Lacey est encore plus tombée amoureuse de la ville et de son petit-ami chef. Elle s’est même trouvé une meilleure amie : la nouvelle propriétaire d’un B&B local. Et quand celle-ci a besoin de ses services pour la décoration de son hôtel, achetant presque tout dans la brocante de Lacey, ses affaires se voient même dopées.

All Parker Hayes wanted was a fresh start, serving up frothy lattes and decadent desserts at her charming new cafe, Catch You Latte. But just as she's perfecting her caramel drizzle, her grand opening takes a bitter turn when a face from her past turns up dead… right behind the cafe. Suddenly, Parker's at the center of town gossip—and the prime suspect. Dodging murder accusations was definitely not part of her business plan. Then an ominous text turns everything upside down, and the clues start pointing to one of Magnolia Grove's most upstanding citizens.

Family secrets. A handsome crime reporter. Can a single mom solve the case before her feel-good column gets killed? Piper Harrington’s life is a blur. Between raising two kids alone and scrambling to keep up at work, she craves a chance to prove her own dreams are still valid. When she’s given her lucky break to take over a feature column at the local paper where she works, she jumps at it...even though it requires telling one teensy, tiny lie.

No stranger to fear since meeting the unhuman Inspector Hobbes, Andy Caplet fears getting fired from his reporting job (again). His main concern, though, is a shady property developer who has designs on Sorenchester Common, and more annoyingly on his wife. Perhaps a trip to the mountains will help him relax, but this proves even more perilous with foul weather, inedible food, brigands, and a terrifying cruise. Fortunately, mountain leopards, Yetis and Flossy, the yak, take a shine to Andy.

When a human skull gatecrashes her friends’ big day, it officially becomes the worst wedding Ginny Cole has ever been to. But as the assembled guests await the police, the two families staring daggers at each other across the aisle, Ginny starts to suspect that these nuptials were deliberately sabotaged. Together with her fellow widows in crime-solving, JM, Tuppence and Hen, she decides to uncover who wanted this marriage dead on arrival.

"Nur weil ein Lied nicht gefällt, bringt man doch nicht gleich den Sänger um!" Ausgelassene Stimmung herrscht am Eröffnungsabend des Brunngrieser Volksfestes im Bierzelt. Ron Goldinger, Volksmusiksänger und Frauenschwarm, bringt das Festzelt zum Kochen und die Frauenherzen zum Schmelzen. Ganz besondere Aufmerksamkeit wird dem Stargast jedoch zuteil, als er nach seinem Auftritt hinter dem Bierzelt tot aufgefunden wird. Der Pfeil einer Armbrust in seinem Hals deutet unmissverständlich auf einen Mord hin.

Sukey Reynolds is invited to an evening at her local library to hear Jennifer Cottrell, a noted novelist, speak about her latest book. But instead of an interesting event attended by the author’s fans, a woman in the audience, Wendy Downie, accuses Jennifer of killing her lover. Before a shocked Sukey can go after her, she flees into the night. The very next day, Jennifer is found dead.... The police chase after Wendy, convinced she must have attacked Jennifer. But they find that she too has been killed - in the grounds of Jennifer’s beautiful manor.

When Lady Anderson invites five guests to her apartment in Bruton Square, Mayfair, none of the guests know why they have been summoned. And it isn't long before dinner turns deadly. The mystery of Bruton Square has never been solved. On that infamous night in 1977, six strangers were invited for dinner at Lady Sybil Anderson's Mayfair apartment. Only five made it out alive. Welcome to Supper for Six, the true crime podcast. I'm your host, Felix. Together, we'll uncover what really happened that night... Let's dig in.

Thea and Drew have been married for a year and are settled in the village of Broad Campden, but Thea is chafing at the domestic routines she is expected to devote herself to, missing the novelty and adventure that house-sitting used to bring. When a routine burial exposes the secrets of the deceased, Drew finds himself caught in the middle of a family feud, in which he feels he is on the wrong side, and Thea's inquisitiveness and penchant for solving crimes draws her in, too.

Winery-owner Olivier Bonnard is devastated when he discovers a priceless cache of rare vintages has been stolen from his private cellar. Soon after, Monsieur Gilles d'Arras arrives to report another mysterious disappearance: His wife, Pauline, has vanished from their apartment. Madame has always been as tough as nails, but in recent weeks, she's been wandering around town in her slippers, crying for no reason. As the mistral arrives to temper the region's late-summer heat, Commissioner Paulik receives an urgent call from Bonnard: He's just found Pauline d'Arras - dead in his vineyard.

Detective Roger LeCarre. Scourge of crime. Guardian of Exeter. Amateur squash player. And now, party guest at Powderham, the manor house owned by mysterious billionaire tech genius Eli Quartz. It is a small and unconventional gathering: the Bishop, a fading radio star, a desperate aristocrat, the ageing butler and his absurdly beautiful daughter—and Detective Roger LeCarre. Then a snowstorm blows in and the group realise they are trapped. And when, completely against expectations for this kind of situation, someone winds up dead, it's obvious who must solve the crime.

The sudden death of an elderly volunteer at Dunster Castle rocks the Castle’s ancient calm to its core, leaving members of the local History Society devastated. When the finger is pointed at a fellow volunteer, his wife, Margery, fears her husband of 40 years may be the killer. Libby Forest, in partnership with Max Ramshore and their two much-loved dogs, Bear and Shipley, is determined to find the castle killer - no matter who it may be.

Sukey Reynolds is delighted that summer has arrived. Her garden is in glorious form, and the long, warm days give her a chance to enjoy the countryside, and even play a bit of tennis. The only digging she plans to do is in her flowerbeds. But then Sukey is called to photograph the scene of what appears to be a tragic accident. Arthur Soames, a retired school teacher, fell to his death from the ornate iron staircase above his perfectly manicured lawn. But when the police notify his family, they are adamant that this is no accident.