Cozy Mysteries California

The only thing Aristotle McCreadie wants to do is sit on the beach and drink mai tais. Since Aristotle inherited a bunch of money, he moved to a houseboat in a quaint California beach town and he spends his nights at the best tiki bar in the world, Pirate's Cove. All is right with the world. But Aristotle's plans are about to go off the rails. Something weird is happening in this idyllic town. A wealthy old real estate mogul, and patron saint of Pirate's Cove, has just been murdered in his sprawling mansion. And whoever did it knew exactly how to dismantle the alarm system, where his cash ...

Discover how Meghan Truman, Sandy Bay's latest resident and new bakery owner, navigates her way through three murder mysteries as she gets to know the quirky characters in her adopted hometown after failing to make a career as an actress in Hollywood. The town's local detective, Jack Irvin, has an eye for Meghan, but will she find time to build a romance while she tries to clear her name?

College Girl Murder Shocks Beach Town 5 stars - 'A Great New Series.' A heartwarming cozy mystery series about family, friendship and a crusade for justice. After suffering back to back personal tragedies, Anna Butler has resolved to pull herself up by the bootstraps and take a second chance at life. Her dream of expanding her bookstore into a cafe is shattered when the local mayor starts a vendetta against her. Anna is accused of murdering her husband! People she has known all her life refuse to give her the time of day. When an estranged friend calls for help, Anna sets her own troubles ...

When art conservator Chloe Harper receives an anonymous donation at the Seabrook Museum—complete with a mysterious 1930s journal and a coded map—she uncovers a decades-old secret buried deep in the town’s past. The journal belonged to Margaret Wheeler, a pioneering lighthouse assistant who vanished during a storm in 1935. But her haunting final entry suggests she didn’t disappear by accident. As Chloe, Detective Ethan Callahan, and loyal Bernese Mountain Dog Apollo investigate, they uncover a chilling conspiracy involving stolen colonial artifacts, a powerful founding family, and a ...

A reclusive innkeeper. A murder in wine country. Can his nitpicky eye for detail uncork the truth before it’s too late? Andy Shirley just wants peace and quiet. But owning a quaint B&B means he encounters needy guests, nonstop small talk, and the occasional corpse that piques Andy’s sense of justice. When his plumber-turned-sidekick tempts him with discounted work to help her accused friend, he reluctantly digs into the case. Combing through clues and suspects reveals more motives, more lies, and more danger than Andy ever bargained for. Though the Agatha Christie-loving sleuth longs to...

Dolphin Bay Philanthropist Strangled in Bed! 5 stars - 'Expect chilling danger, unexpected surprises, gripping thrills, romance, laughter, heart touching moments and murder. ' Christmas is around the corner and cafe owner Anna Butler has big plans for the holiday season. When a beloved local philanthropist is murdered in his sleep, Anna is shocked and sad but decides she is too busy to go sleuthing this time. Then an odious stranger turns up at the café and makes her an offer she cannot ignore. Anna plunges into the investigation against the wishes of her family. Interviews with the ...

A new series for those of us who loved Nancy Drew! When renowned art conservator Chloe Harper is hired with restoring a mysterious stained-glass masterpiece known as The Glass Mermaid, she never expects it to entangle her in the decades-old disappearance of its creator, Lydia Mariner. But when a wealthy art collector with a suspicious interest in the piece turns up dead, Chloe begins to suspect that the secrets hidden within the glass go far deeper than mere artistry. With the help of her fiercely loyal best friend, Fi Delaney, enigmatic antique dealer Oliver Campbell, and the ever-watchful...

If you're a fan of Pretty Little Liars or The Lying Game by Sara Shepard or any of the RL Stine thrillers then check out this book! Chloe is excited about spending her senior year of high school in California with her friend Jake's family. Even the usual dread of being the new girl can't bring her down. That is, until she stumbles across the dead body of the most popular girl in school, Lora Kelly. Now she's receiving threatening notes...will she be next? Everyone is a suspect. There's her childhood friend Jake, who she's known forever and there's his girlfriend, Kate, who is insanely ...

City Developer Murdered at Historic Castle Anna's Cafe is flourishing. But the town of Dolphin Bay is in uproar as a city developer proposes new construction on the scenic Coastal Walk. Locals flock to the town meeting to protest. Hours later, the man is dead, stabbed to death in a room full of people. The police face a big challenge since everyone present had a motive to kill. When Anna’s friend and local resort owner Charlie Robinson becomes the top suspect, she reluctantly steps in to help. Can she ignore his sordid reputation and trust he is innocent? New secrets are revealed and ...

In the lush vineyards of Napa, California, Dani's latest catering gig for a political fundraiser promises to be a lucrative opportunity. However, the decadence of the event hides a deadly secret: four previous hosts of fundraisers for the same political candidate met untimely deaths. Teaming up with her sous-chef Arthur, who also helms an international private investigation firm, and his savvy sidekick Matt, the trio traverses the Golden State, seeking answers to the eerie coincidences. But with each clue they uncover, danger seems to be shadowing their every move. Amidst the suspense, Dani...

Asher Reed is about to have the worst day since he started working at Coastal Haven, the oldest hotel in Marlowe Bay, Georgia. A flu outbreak has sent most of the staff home, leaving only a skeleton crew to keep the current guests happy.

It’s the middle of summer, so get your bathing suit and beach towel. Everyone in Rancho Niguel has gone to Lake Santa Arianna to lie in the sun on the sandy beach, and cruise by on their motor boats. The temperature at the lake is cool and brisk when Matt and Nikki discover the body of Hawk McGuire stabbed under the boardwalk! A greedy real estate mogul who was set to tear down a historic mansion! Soon Roxy becomes the number one suspect as the leader of the community group fighting for the preservation of the Rancho Santa Arianna Mansion and Estate. Paul and Craig have their hands full ...

The #1 New York Times bestselling author and Queen of Suspense launched her career with this “indescribably suspenseful” (San Francisco Chronicle) classic thriller following a woman whose past holds a terrible secret. Nancy Harmon long ago fled the heartbreak of her first marriage, the...

When murder crashes his vacation, can a techie in paradise still catch some waves while snaring a killer? Marty Golden is ready to kick back at the beach. When his neighbor offers free rooms in Hawaii, the software engineer is quick to round up his girlfriend, sister, and nieces for the luau of a lifetime. But his arrival at the resort turns his sun-filled hopes into hunches about homicide after he encounters a very deceased and inconvenient body. Pressured into helping, a grudging Marty uses his sharp attention to detail to hone in on a crucial clue missed by the police. But his half-...

First there were roses and the notes in her mailbox signed simply, "Admirer." Then, the accident. One minute Chris Callaway was one of Hollywood's brightest rising stars, starting a new picture that could send her career skyrocketing; the next, she was falling from the unfinished deck of her...

The legacy of the “Queen of Suspense” continues with the highly anticipated follow-up to Mary Higgins Clark’s iconic novel Where Are The Children?, featuring the children of Nancy Harmon, facing peril once again as adults. Of the fifty-six bestsellers the “Queen of Suspense” Mary...

"Narrators [Meg] Price and [Jim] Meskimen's increasing playfulness with the characters and the twists and turns of the plot make this an enjoyable listening experience." — AudioFile The perfect summer listen, full of charm and heart, in the vein of The Thursday Murder Club or Only Murders in...

After a few months of living with her boyfriend, Greg, Jill Gardner is still getting used to sharing such close quarters, but she's got no hesitation about joining him for a weekend at South Cove's most luxurious resort. While Greg and his college pals celebrate their buddy's upcoming wedding, Jill intends to pamper herself in style. But when the groom is found floating facedown in the pool, Jill must find the killer fast, or she might not have a boyfriend to come home to anymore....

Mystery author Nathan Pike checked into South Cove Bed & Breakfast to compose a compelling novel, not commit murder. But things get real when a rival B & B owner ends up exactly like the victim in his draft - undeniably dead. As Nathan prepares to complete his magnum opus behind bars, Jill's the only one who can prove his innocence and deconstruct the plot of a twisted killer.

Man Found Dead On Park Bench The Butler women are thriving. Anna's Cafe is a big success and her friendship with ex police chief Gino Mancini is progressing slowly but steadily. Now she wants to focus on finding her husband John's killer. When a man is found dead in the botanical garden, Anna feels obliged to help Gino investigate. The police suspect the old man's son, a hostile young man with a clear motive. For the first time, Anna is inclined to agree with them. As details of the crime emerge, Anna realizes the dead man was hated by many. False alibis, feuding neighbors and estranged ...