Witty Mysteries

Solving crimes at a crusty old Florida inn was NOT in D.C. urbanite Lilly Livingston’s 5 yr plan. But when she discovers she is the executor of a forgotten stepfather’s will and is gifted Magnolia Manor, in little Drifter’s Cove, Florida, things get a little off track. The town coroner reports her stepfather died of natural causes, but Lilly is not convinced and joins a motley crew of locals to solve her first case. Leaving D.C. for good, Lilly’s excited to start her new small-town life and reopen the inn. But, a murder at the grand opening of her newly inherited inn wasn’t ...

The Art of Witty Banter examines the art, nuance, and mechanics of banter and charm to make you a witty comeback machine, the likes of which your friends have never seen. You’ll be able to handle, defend, disarm, and engage others in a way that makes you comfortable and confident with each growing day.

The doorbell rings, just days after my beloved husband’s sudden death. I don’t recognise the woman on our doorstep, with her blonde highlights, a diamond bracelet identical to my own and a bouncing baby boy in her arms. As I show her inside, I notice her eyes grow wide as she takes in our spacious hallway, and the big squashy sofas that we all used to pile on. She glances at the silver-framed family photos and my little daughter hiding behind my skirts. She looks at me, her blue eyes serious. ‘I’m sorry’ she says. ‘I am your husband’s girlfriend. And this is his son.'

Penny Wells, a witty features writer and architecture expert from New York, has always been enchanted by the opulent legacy of her Palm Beach upbringing and the iconic Pink Palazzo, her eccentric Grandmama’s ancestral home. But Grandmama's sudden death shatters Penny's gilded illusions, plunging her into a dizzying world of murky finances, unexpected debts, and a cryptic trust that names a mysterious "other party" as co-heir. The grand estate, once a symbol of her past, is now crumbling, threatening to drag Penny down with it. Adding fuel to the fire is William, the impossibly handsome "...

It's Mardi Gras season on the bayou, which means parades, pageantry, and gumbo galore. But when a flood upends life in the tiny town of Pelican, Louisiana - and deposits a body of a stranger behind the Crozat Plantation B&B - the celebration takes a decidedly dark turn. The citizens of Pelican are ready to laissez les bon temps rouler - but there's beaucoup bad blood on hand this Mardi Gras. Maggie Crozat is determined to give the stranger a name and find out why he was murdered.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity… Or, at least, that’s what Albert Einstein said. But I’m not sure I believe it because it seems everything in my life has gone to heck, but I have yet to find an opportunity in any of it. Things are going so bad, in fact, that I’m wondering if I’ve been cursed. Of course, I don’t really have any enemies, so who in the world would want to curse me? Not only that, but Wanda insists I’m not cursed so maybe this bad luck is just exactly that… bad luck? Well, one thing I do know is that life would be a whole heck of a lot easier if I ...

A brand-new library. A quiet village. One very inconvenient murder. Judith Spears expected the opening of Little Pickton’s new library to be blissfully uneventful. She was wrong. When a body turns up among the bookshelves, Judith finds herself pulled into yet another tangled mystery—this time with an enthusiastic (and thoroughly nosy) librarian determined to turn the case into her next true-crime obsession. As secrets begin to surface, it becomes clear that beneath the village’s polite smiles lies something far darker—something with roots deep enough to shake the town to its core. ...

The seal on the spell that’s been keeping my Fae side in check is due to break tonight at midnight… And I’m set to marry a man I don’t really know, and what I do know of him, I don’t particularly like. All because some stupid prophecy (from before I was even born) proclaimed as much. Talk about a crappy deal… With my Fae powers set to take over and the threat of becoming the Queen of the Winter Court becoming all too real, I find myself stuck at the bar of the Half-Moon Grill in a full-blown pity party. In walks Maverick, a bounty hunter who occasionally works for me and who’s...

You are cordially invited to a murder… Judith Spears was expecting a quiet retirement. Instead, she’s investigating a killing at a country estate. When a loud-mouthed media celebrity is accused of murder, he insists he’s been framed—and for reasons Judith would rather keep to herself, she’s inclined to believe him. So she agrees to help. As Judith begins to dig, it quickly becomes clear that nothing about the case is straightforward. Secrets lurk behind polite smiles. Alibis don’t quite hold. And someone is determined to keep the truth buried. Unfortunately for them— Judith ...

#1 New Release in Cozy Culinary Mystery A taco showdown. A dead chef. And two contestants who refuse to fold under pressure. In Dallas, Cinco de Mayo means sizzling grills and the city’s fiercest taco competition. When Kat Calloway’s boyfriend Bash and her Gramartha enter the cook-off, they’re ready to bring the heat and take home the trophy. Suddenly, the fiesta takes a deadly turn when a rival chef is found murdered after a day of insults and enough kitchen drama to curdle the crema. As a top head chef, Kat can handle kitchen chaos. Murder investigations? Definitely not on the menu....

This town is going to be the death of me… For a small town, you’d think being the Chief of Police would be a fairly easy gig, right? Not on your life. Haven Hollow is proving to be the hardest job I’ve ever had. If I’m not dealing with bitchy faeries trying to usurp a court I have no interest in ruling, I’m dealing with a curse that’s got the whole town unable to sleep. Right—Nyquil on Aisle 9 and stat. If only it could be that easy. Instead, I’m going on little to no sleep, myself, while the town is basically falling apart. I’ve got to figure out who’s responsible for ...

Someone has added murder to the menu… Judith Spears never expected a humble burger van to serve up anything more dangerous than questionable ketchup. She was wrong. When a local fast-food entrepreneur is found dead, Judith is drawn into a surprisingly cutthroat world of rival traders, simmering grudges, and secrets best left buried. With the ever-hungry DS Raymond Collins and the sharp-eyed DC Sarah Eastly on the case, it quickly becomes clear that country lay-bys hide more than passing trade. Because someone is willing to kill to protect their patch. And this time… the danger is closer...

Adapted from the major television series created by Mark Gatiss - out now! 'A delicious read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ READER REVIEW London, 1946. Gabriel Book is an erudite and unconventional London bookseller married to Trottie, the owner of the wallpaper shop next door. He is also a sleuth who uses...

Meg Butler sets sail on the Grand Voyager on a luxury world cruise, eager to visit 30 countries before she's 30. But she hasn't planned on running into murder! The ship is hosting a Bingo tournament for the length of the cruise. Several passengers are competing for the grand prize which is rumored to be in six figures. Meg runs into a friendly older man who boasts of being a skilled player. He has developed a fool proof strategy that is guaranteed to win him big money. Meg is warmed by his affectionate manner toward her and feels he is the father figure she has always yearned for. Disaster ...

Someone has captured the perfect shot… of a murder. In the sleepy village of Little Pickton, where the biggest scandal is usually an overbaked Victoria sponge at the church fête, death is most dreadfully inconvenient. When a local photographer is found dead, DS Raymond Collins and DC Sarah Eastly are called in to investigate—but as ever, nothing is quite as it seems. Because behind every photograph lies a story. And some stories are better left hidden. As secrets begin to surface, Judith Spears is drawn into the case, using her unconventional instincts to uncover what others have ...

A nervous gunman. A terrified hostage. Can Dan succeed, or is death the inevitable conclusion? Unleash your adrenaline in this heart-pounding prequel to the Austin and Archer Mystery Series where danger lurks around every corner and the fate of a terrified hostage hangs in the balance. Meet Dan Archer, the hard-hitting, no-nonsense Texas lawman who later becomes an indomitable partner in the esteemed Austin and Archer Detective Agency. After a grueling day on the job, Dan seeks solace in a simple drink. But his plans are abruptly derailed when a robbery takes a deadly turn, plunging him ...

Murder has arrived on the rails… When a body is discovered on a picturesque heritage steam railway, Judith Spears finds herself drawn into another deadly mystery. Alongside DS Raymond Collins and DC Sarah Eastly, she must navigate a tight-knit world of rivalries, secrets, and simmering grudges—where every enthusiast has something to hide. Because behind the charm of polished engines and nostalgic journeys lies something far more dangerous. Someone is willing to kill. And when an attempt is made on Judith’s life, the stakes become all too real. As suspicion falls on everyone involved, ...

She files the past for a living—but today the past files a murder. City Hall archivist Keira James has a knack for spotting what doesn’t belong. When a dead body turns up behind the café, a strange broken-circle symbol starts surfacing on permits and maps. With Whisper, her imperious gray tabby, Keira uncovers doctored files, buried projects, and secrets painted over with civic pride. Suspects crowd the margins: Councilman Hayden, burying scandal to save his career; Mira Surratt, the ex-wife with motive and money at stake; and Oliver Leighton, the city’s polite fixer guarding ...

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s. Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

Paranormal Women’s Fiction from #1 Amazon bestseller, J.R. Rain, and New York Times bestseller, H.P. Mallory! When my son, Finn, freaks out after seeing a stranger peering in through his window, I have a feeling something wicked this way comes. Unfortunately, it’s not long before reports of the same peeping tom come pouring in from all around Haven Hollow, but no one knows who this guy is or what he wants. And, when my good friend Henner reports a disturbance in his home, the Tayir Mansion, that culminates with the disappearance of his housekeeper and a room full of bloody handprints, I...