Connie Shelton
AUTHOR

Connie Shelton

Having fun with my writing, and connecting with readers--that's what being a mystery writer means to me. And I LOVE what I do!

It began in 1985 when I started writing my first novel, without much clue how to go about it. Two years and 500 pages later, when I finally typed 'The End,' I felt a huge rush of excitement. That book took third place in the Southwest Writers competition and began making the rounds of publishers. I simply started writing my second, and then my third books.

After publishing ten of my Charlie Parker mysteries, I decided to branch out with a new cozy mystery series and I created the character of Samantha Sweet. One of the ways in which I earned a little extra pocket money during my high school years was to bake and decorate cakes--hence, a career for Samantha based on my own experiences.

In 2009 I switched publishers and was off on a new adventure, seeing all of my books made available for Kindle as e-books were just beginning to take off in the book world. It's been an exciting time in publishing--high points for me were reaching #1 on Amazon a few times and the Top 50 on the USA Today bestseller list. I'm loving the way e-books allow me to personally connect with readers all over the world via my newsletter and my website at connieshelton.com.


* * *

Besides writing the Charlie Parker and Samantha Sweet mysteries, Connie is an award-winning essayist. Her work has been published in both small and major anthologies, including Chicken Soup For the Writer's Soul, and her short stories have won several prizes. She has also been a commercial hot air balloon pilot and holds the women's world altitude record for size AX-4 balloons. She has been featured in Who's Who and The World Who's Who of Women.

She and her husband live in northern New Mexico with their two dogs, Daisy and Missy, who became stars of their own series of children's books.

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Best Sellers

    • Spooky Sweet

    • Samantha Sweet Series, Book 11
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Andrea Bates
    • Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 30
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 26
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 26

    Samantha Sweet’s Sweets bakery is taking on a whole new dimension. It’s almost Halloween, and her pastry shop is bursting at the seams. She needs extra employees, but there is no place to put them. Right before the witching day, she comes upon a large Victorian house....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Spooky Sweets

    • By John William Young on 10-16-18

    Regular price: $6.99

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Sweet Masterpiece

    • Samantha Sweet Series, Book 1
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Andrea Bates
    • Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4 out of 5 stars 261
    • Performance
      4 out of 5 stars 221
    • Story
      4 out of 5 stars 219

    Samantha Sweet breaks into houses for a living - all perfectly legal as a caretaker for the USDA. But her real dream is to open her own pastry shop, 'Sweet's Sweets'....

    • 4 out of 5 stars

    • Picky, I know I'm Picky.

    • By Judy King on 03-02-16

    Regular price: $17.49

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Sweets Forgotten

    • Samantha Sweet Series, Book 10
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Andrea Bates
    • Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 10
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 10
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 10

    When a woman walks into Samantha Sweet’s pastry shop, claiming to have amnesia, it’s a puzzle that seems to have nothing to do with Sam’s new commission for a fantastic one-of-a-kind order of chocolates....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • sweets forgotten<br /><br />

    • By John William Young on 10-15-18

    Regular price: $6.99

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Sweets Begorra

    • Samantha Sweet, 7
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Andrea Bates
    • Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 44
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 39
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 37

    Samantha Sweet learns that an Irish great-uncle left her an inheritance, so she and Beau change their honeymoon plans and go to the Emerald Isle....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • super mystery and excellent voice over talent char

    • By Col on 05-08-18

    Regular price: $20.29

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Sweet Holidays

    • Samantha Sweet Series, Book 3
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Andrea Bates
    • Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 80
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 70
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 71

    It's Christmas and a chocolatier shows up at Sweet's Sweets, offering to create a special line of hand-dipped chocolates for Sam's customers, offering to work for no pay....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • A Book for the Sweet Lovers

    • By Annie on 07-11-13

    Regular price: $20.29

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Holidays Can Be Murder

    • Charlie Parker Mystery Series Special Edition
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Rebecca Cook
    • Length: 2 hrs and 36 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4 out of 5 stars 29
    • Performance
      4 out of 5 stars 25
    • Story
      4 out of 5 stars 24

    It’s a New Mexico Christmas. The lights are strung, the luminarias are set along the sidewalks. Treats are abundant and Charlie Parker is getting ready for her mother-in-law’s holiday visit....

    • 2 out of 5 stars

    • Cloying and not really about Christmas

    • By NYNM on 01-03-13

    Regular price: $6.99

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Sweets Galore

    • Samantha Sweet Series, Book 6
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Andrea Bates
    • Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 52
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 47
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 48

    Samantha Sweet and Beau Cardwell are getting ready for their September wedding, with the whole Sweet clan about to show up for the celebration....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Wonderful Mystery

    • By Col on 04-21-18

    Regular price: $17.49

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Bitter Sweet

    • Samantha Sweet Series, Book 5
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Andrea Bates
    • Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4.5 out of 5 stars 58
    • Performance
      4.5 out of 5 stars 49
    • Story
      4.5 out of 5 stars 50

    Is there a serial killer in Taos? It’s the height of the wedding season at Sweet’s Sweets and Sam has all she can do to stay ahead of the rush of bakery orders....

    • 5 out of 5 stars

    • Good read

    • By Col on 04-06-18

    Regular price: $20.29

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Gossip Can Be Murder

    • A Charlie Parker Mystery, Book 11
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Rebecca Cook
    • Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4 out of 5 stars 14
    • Performance
      4 out of 5 stars 12
    • Story
      4 out of 5 stars 13

    Charlie is invited to a plush Santa Fe spa, a week-long spiritual/nutrition retreat with her friend Dr. Linda Casper....

    • 2 out of 5 stars

    • Interesting for Santa Fe, but must get names right

    • By NYNM on 01-10-13

    Regular price: $17.49

    Free with 30-day Trial

    • Deadly Gamble

    • Charlie Parker Mystery, Book 1
    • By: Connie Shelton
    • Narrated by: Lynda Evans
    • Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
    • Unabridged
    • Overall
      4 out of 5 stars 120
    • Performance
      3.5 out of 5 stars 101
    • Story
      4 out of 5 stars 100

    This series looks sharply at those who perceive themselves as the rich - the elite, and revolves around expensive cars, clothes and posh country clubs....

    • 3 out of 5 stars

    • Needs work

    • By beatrice on 07-23-12

    Regular price: $17.49

    Free with 30-day Trial

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