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I’ve been fascinated by paranormal stories for years. One of the first books I truly loved was A Wrinkle in Time. I loved the Dragons of Pern, as well. As a girl, I read more stories featuring witches and magical creatures than one ought. But I also loved mysteries—Nancy Drew,as well as all the Agatha Christie books. At present, I’m working on my fifth Fairy Garden Mystery, and I recently completed a mystery novella featuring an elf. To round out the experience, I have personally crafted over fifty fairy gardens. I’m pretty certain a fairy spirit had something to do with my obsession... or perhaps it all started when I kissed the Blarney Stone.
Lily Ivory, who owns a vintage clothing shop in San Francisco, wants to fit in somewhere and conceal her “witchiness”.
She is spiritual and stylish and has a charming sense of humor. Just when life seems normal, she stumbles onto a spooky murder.
This book ticks off all the boxes for a fun and mentally stimulating read. Lily’s familiar is an adorable, witty pig. There’s a sexy myth buster who is enticing. And there’s a powerful warlock who is her nemesis.
Lily Ivory feels that she can finally fit in somewhere and conceal her "witchiness" in San Francisco. It's there that she opens her vintage clothing shop, outfitting customers both spiritually and stylistically.
Just when things seem normal, a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area. Lily has a good idea that some bad phantoms are behind it. Can she keep her identity secret, or will her witchy ways be forced out of the closet as she attempts to stop the phantom?
I’ve been fascinated by paranormal stories for years. One of the first books I truly loved was A Wrinkle in Time. I loved the Dragons of Pern, as well. As a girl, I read more stories featuring witches and magical creatures than one ought. But I also loved mysteries—Nancy Drew,as well as all the Agatha Christie books. At present, I’m working on my fifth Fairy Garden Mystery, and I recently completed a mystery novella featuring an elf. To round out the experience, I have personally crafted over fifty fairy gardens. I’m pretty certain a fairy spirit had something to do with my obsession... or perhaps it all started when I kissed the Blarney Stone.
I was swept away by this story. The magic and mystery were entrancing.
Pippin and her twin brother, Grey, live on the Outer Banks island of Devil’s Cove. Pippin has a rare gift.
She is a bibliomancer, meaning she can “read” books. Can you imagine? I’d love to have that ability.
In this story, Pippin needs to break the curse that has haunted her family for two thousand years. The story is original and deftly crafted with a wonderful blend of books and magic.
#1 Amazon Bestseller! Perfect for fans of Ellery Adams, Carlene O'Connor, and Barbara Freethy.
“...a deftly crafted and impressively original novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality...certain to be an unusual, immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections…” ~Midwest Book Review
After twenty years, Pippin Lane Hawthorne and her twin brother, Grey, return to their birth place—the Outer Banks island of Devil’s Cove. But what was supposed to be a chance at a new life turns sinister when their father’s old fishing boat reveals a dark secret.
I’ve been fascinated by paranormal stories for years. One of the first books I truly loved was A Wrinkle in Time. I loved the Dragons of Pern, as well. As a girl, I read more stories featuring witches and magical creatures than one ought. But I also loved mysteries—Nancy Drew,as well as all the Agatha Christie books. At present, I’m working on my fifth Fairy Garden Mystery, and I recently completed a mystery novella featuring an elf. To round out the experience, I have personally crafted over fifty fairy gardens. I’m pretty certain a fairy spirit had something to do with my obsession... or perhaps it all started when I kissed the Blarney Stone.
I so enjoyed this story about water witches that I included it as the book club read in my 4th book.
(Yes, in my books there are teas on Saturday afternoons at Open Your Imagination, a fairy garden shop.)
Before diving into A Spell for Trouble, I had no idea what a water witch was. Like me, the protagonist Aleksandra Daniels didn’t know much about them, either.
To a normal person, they might be considered mermaids, but they are much, much more! Aleksandra visits her aunt and cousins, having only heard the rumors about water witches being magical healers.
When she gets enmeshed in their world, she learns who she is at her core, and she discovers her passion.
I love when a story not only enthralls me but educates me. Truly enjoyable.
Fans of Ellery Adams and Heather Blake will be charmed by this seaside cozy mystery series full of humor and heart, mermaids and magic
Aleksandra Daniels hasn’t set foot in the quiet seaside town of Bellamy Bay, North Carolina in over twenty years. Ever since her mother’s tragic death, her father has mysteriously forbidden her from visiting her aunt and cousins. But on a whim, Alex accepts an invitation to visit her estranged relatives and to help them in their family business: an herbal apothecary known for its remarkably potent teas, salves, and folk remedies.
I’ve been fascinated by paranormal stories for years. One of the first books I truly loved was A Wrinkle in Time. I loved the Dragons of Pern, as well. As a girl, I read more stories featuring witches and magical creatures than one ought. But I also loved mysteries—Nancy Drew,as well as all the Agatha Christie books. At present, I’m working on my fifth Fairy Garden Mystery, and I recently completed a mystery novella featuring an elf. To round out the experience, I have personally crafted over fifty fairy gardens. I’m pretty certain a fairy spirit had something to do with my obsession... or perhaps it all started when I kissed the Blarney Stone.
Years ago, I met Gigi Pandian at a mystery conference. She is a gifted and spiritual woman. I adore her writing.
In this book, Zoe Faust, an alchemist, moves to the Northwest and discovers a stowaway in her luggage—a live gargoyle named Dorian who can cook French cuisine! Oh, man, wouldn’t you love to have a “familiar” that cooks?
Zoe moved, hoping to put her old life behind her, but she can’t when she discovers her new friend Dorian is turning to stone and only she can save him.
This story is clever beyond words. FYI, Gigi is a gargoyle expert! If you meet her, ask to see her collection of photographs.
"Filled with magic, intrigue, and humor, this series is sure to delight fans of cozy mysteries and urban fantasy."―Bookriot
A chance for a new beginning in Portland, Oregon. A stowaway from Paris. Can alchemist Zoe Faust solve the mystery of an ancient book in time to save her new friend? Don't miss the first novel in the award-winning series from USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian!
Unpacking her belongings in her new fixer-upper house, alchemist Zoe Faust can't help but notice she's picked up a stowaway. Dorian Robert-Houdin is a living, breathing gargoyle―not to mention a master of French cuisine―and…
My love affair with reading began in kindergarten with The Three Little Pigs. Trips to the library introduced me to Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, and Agatha Christie. It didn’t take long for me to realize how much I love reading mysteries. I’ve read thousands of them over the years, mainly traditional and cozy. When I decided to try my hand at writing, I knew right away that I’d be creating stories on the cozy end of the mystery spectrum. I particularly like mysteries set around Halloween. I’m not a horror fan. I prefer less gruesome Halloween tales, especially ones involving old legends and ghosts. These gentler Halloween mysteries are the perfect fit for me.
I’ve always been fascinated by lighthouses and I love libraries. Put a library in a lighthouse like this book does and it’s a dream come true for me. Every page reminds me of all the happy hours I spent at my local library growing up, minus the murder, of course. All of the characters felt real to me from those who appear in scene after scene to those who only come into the story once or twice. I enjoyed spending time with them all including Charles, the library cat. This book does a great job of weaving Halloween activities, spooky moments and ghost stories into the mystery.
Halloween in North Carolina’s Outer Banks becomes seriously tricky when librarian Lucy Richardson stumbles across something extra unusual in the rare books section: a dead body.
Wealthy businessman Jay Ruddle is considering donating his extensive collection of North Carolina historical documents to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, but the competition for the collection is fierce. Unfortunately, while the library is hosting a lecture on ghostly legends, Jay becomes one of the dearly departed in the rare books section. Now, it’s up to Lucy Richardson and her fellow librarians to bone up on their detective skills and discover who is responsible…
The sound of waves rolling to shore. The scent of beach roses and salty air, mixed with suntan lotion. Breezy summer days with no agenda. This is the promised escape when I discover a cozy mystery with a waterfront cover. I’m immediately transported to a journey of respite with a sprinkle of intrigue tucked deep within the pages. The waterfront setting is one that I desire in both to read and to write, and I know I’m not alone. I’ve compiled a list of favorites for you when choosing a book that revolves around seaworthy things.
A sea of suspects intertwines in this oceanfront turbulent mystery.
Lucy, the protagonist, lives in an apartment on the 4th floor of the Lighthouse Library. Due to the pouring rain and crashing waves she notices lights that appear to be coming from the beach and a boat in trouble not far from shore. When one of these members of the boat shows up at her book group and then not long after is found washed up on shore, a mystery ensues.
The national bestselling author of The Spook in the Stacks returns with another charming mystery set in the most literary lighthouse in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Misfortune blows into North Carolina’s Outer Banks when a dead body in a boat on the shore leaves local librarian Lucy Richardson racing to solve a strange new mystery....
After a successful party at Bodie Island’s Lighthouse Library, librarian Lucy Richardson is ready to curl up with her cat, Charles, and a good book. But her R and R is cut short when she notices some mysterious lights leading a small boat to crash…
I’m a former reporter turned mystery novelist with a fondness for classic cocktails. I’ve always been fascinated by the art of cocktail making, and how a great mixologist knows exactly what ingredients pair well with others to create new and surprising flavors. As a reader, I like a book that engages all of my senses. In the same way that a great description can draw a reader into a scene, the mention of a certain cocktail can evoke specific moods or memories. In each of these books, cocktails contribute to the atmosphere, offering readers something to savor, like a perfectly made Sazerac.
From Beer To Eternity, the first in Sherry Harris’ Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon Mysteries, is the first book in a delightful cozy series.
In the book, the reader learns all about the colorful inhabitants of Emerald Cove, Florida, while Chloe Jackson, who has taken up bartending at the Sea Glass Saloon as a favor to a dead friend, learns the fine art of cocktail making while investigating a murder.
The mystery is engaging, the setting is picturesque, the characters are charming, and the book is the perfect read for a relaxing few hours on the beach, preferably with a piña coladamade with fresh ingredients and blended to perfection.
A whip smart librarian’s fresh start comes with a tart twist in this perfect cocktail of murder and mystery—with a romance chaser.
MURDER ON TAP
With Chicago winters in the rearview mirror, Chloe Jackson is making good on a promise: help her late friend’s grandmother run the Sea Glass Saloon in the Florida Panhandle. To Chloe’s surprise, feisty Vivi Slidell isn’t the frail retiree Chloe expects. Nor is Emerald Cove. It’s less a sleepy fishing village than a panhandle hotspot overrun with land developers and tourists. But it’s a Sea Glass…
I love escaping into a story I know will have a dependably happy ending. I’m an avid reader of cozy mysteries because life is hard. I don’t need my fiction to be a mirror image of the horrors of the daily news. I like puzzling through the clues, trying to solve the mysteries before the characters reach the solution. Series are fun because you really get to know the protagonist and the people in his or her world. They become old friends. The best cozy mystery authors rise above the formula and create unique characters, plots, and settings.
This cozy series breaks the mold of the female amateur sleuth with Charlie Harris, the male university librarian. The rest of my expectations are intact, although the cat character Diesel behaves more cat-like than many felines in cozy mysteries.
This series is set in the South, in usually sleepy Athena, Georgia–sleepy until a murder stirs things up. I feel right at home in Charlie’s home/boarding house and getting to know his southern-flavored coworkers, friends, and family.
FIRST IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING CAT IN THE STACKS MYSTERY SERIES!
Everyone in Athena, Mississippi, knows Charlie Harris, the good-natured librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat named Diesel that he walks on a leash. He’s returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but soon enough he’s entangled in a real-life thriller...
A famous author of gory bestsellers and a former classmate of Charlie’s, Godfrey Priest may be the pride of Athena, but Charlie remembers him as an arrogant, manipulative jerk—and he’s not the only one. Godfrey’s homecoming as a distinguished alumnus couldn’t possibly go worse:…
I love escaping into a story I know will have a dependably happy ending. I’m an avid reader of cozy mysteries because life is hard. I don’t need my fiction to be a mirror image of the horrors of the daily news. I like puzzling through the clues, trying to solve the mysteries before the characters reach the solution. Series are fun because you really get to know the protagonist and the people in his or her world. They become old friends. The best cozy mystery authors rise above the formula and create unique characters, plots, and settings.
I love my local library and its bookmobile. This cozy mystery series has both. Even better, it has a clever cat. I enjoy getting a behind-the-scenes look at library operations.
Eddie, the cat, begins as a stowaway on the Michigan bookmobile and quickly becomes a huge attraction for library patrons. Minnie Hamilton and Eddie are in a unique position to discover bodies on their rural bookmobile route. There is a long romance arc in the series that slowly builds to a sweet conclusion. In a unique living situation, Minnie lives on a houseboat during the summer and in her aunt’s B&B during the winter.
I like how Eddie is involved with uncovering the mysteries in a perfectly logical way, considering he is a cat.
As a former school psychologist and author of over 45 books, I love reading about characters that are likable, plots that are believable, and settings that I want to visit. My years as a psychologist make it easy to spot poorly written characters that don’t ring true. It is also my years as a psychologist that makes me enjoy a light, humorous read with a guaranteed happy ending.
Holly Danver’s first book in the Lakeside Library series is fast-paced and an easy read that skillfully evokes both the charm and the quirks of a small town. The setting is fun and the characters are likable. It has delightful touches and twists with a nimble plot that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. It provides a fictional vacation at a rustic Wisconsin cabin that includes a private lending library
In this series debut perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Miranda James, Rain Wilmot must discover the killer, before the book closes on her life.
Rain Wilmot has just returned to her family's waterfront log cabin in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin after the untimely death of her husband. The cabin is peaceful compared to Rain's corporate job and comes with an informal library that Rain's mother, Willow, used to run. But as Rain prepares for the re-opening of the library, all hopes for a peaceful life are shattered when she discovers the body of Thornton Hughes, a real estate buyer,…
