Enjoy this fun amateur sleuth short story by best-selling cozy murder mystery blind author S.Y. Robins. After a long move, the drama of settling in, and the almost foreign world of New York after living her whole life in Tennessee, Jenny is having a hard time adjusting. When she takes a cooking class to get her out of the house and meet new people she never expects to be offered a place in a cooking competition, or that she’d become a murder suspect! When Jenny’s husband’s old flame turns up dead after a scene is made at the competition all eyes turn to Jenny. But all is not as it seems and maybe that old flame was more of a fling? And perhaps that fling wasn’t even that much? As Jenny struggles to introduce good old-fashioned southern cooking to the competition in the north she has to fight two battles; one for a trophy and the other for her freedom. Will her husband, Derrick, be enough to get her through one of the hardest battles of her life, or will duplicity and a whole lot of crazy be more than Jenny can defeat? If you enjoy a light-hearted, easy, and relaxing murder mystery book, then this is the book for you. Suitable for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Deany Ray.
Winner of the 2008 Agatha Award for Best First Novel From deep in the heart of his eighteenth century English manor, millionaire Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk writes mystery novels and torments his four spoiled children with threats of disinheritance. Tiring of this device, the portly patriarch decides to weave a malicious twist into his well-worn plot. Gathering them all together for a family dinner, he announces his latest blow—a secret elopement with the beautiful Violet...who was once suspected of murdering her husband. Within hours, eldest son and appointed heir Ruthven is found cleaved to death by a medieval mace. Since Ruthven is generally hated, no one seems too surprised or upset—least of all his cold-blooded wife Lillian. When Detective Chief Inspector St. Just is brought in to investigate, he meets with a deadly calm that goes beyond the usual English reserve. And soon Sir Adrian himself is found slumped over his writing desk—an ornate knife thrust into his heart. Trapped amid leering gargoyles and stone walls, every member of the family is a likely suspect. Using a little Cornish brusqueness and brawn, can St. Just find the killer before the next-in-line to the family fortune ends up dead? Death of a Cozy Writer was chosen by Kirkus Reviews as a Best Book of 2008, nominated for a Left Coast Crime award (the Hawaii Five-O for best police procedural), short-listed for the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery, nominated for the Anthony Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the David G. Sasher, Sr. Award for Best Mystery Novel. Praise: "Fans of English detective work will welcome Malliet's droll debut, the first in a new series."—Publishers Weekly "Malliet's debut combines devices from Christie and Clue to keep you guessing until the dramatic denouement."—Kirkus Reviews "Malliet's skillful debut demonstrates the sophistication one would expect of a much more established writer. I'm looking forward to her next genre-bender, Death and the Lit Chick."—Mystery Scene "Almost every sentence is a polished, malicious gem, reminiscent of Robert Barnard...the book is perfect for the lover of the classical detective story or the fan of great sentences."—Deadly Pleasures "In her series debut, Malliet, who won a Malice Domestic Grant to write this novel, lays the foundation for an Agatha Christie—like murder mystery."—Library Journal "An affectionate homage to the Golden Age of British crime fiction by a skilled writer rapidly attracting attention."—The Sherbrook Record "This tale cleverly adds modern touches to an Agatha Christie style classic house mystery."—Mystery Women Magazine "Wicked, witty and full of treats!"—Peter Lovesey, recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Crime Writer's Association and Malice Domestic "The traditional British cozy is alive and well. Delicious. I was hooked from the first paragraph."—Rhys Bowen, award-winning author of Her Royal Spyness "Death of a Cozy Writer is a romp, a classic tale of family dysfunction in a moody and often humourous English country house setting."—Louise Penny, author of the award-winning Armand Gamache series of murder mysteries "The connections made by St. Just are nothing short of Sherlock Holmes at his most coherent. A most excellent first mystery!"—Midwest Book Review
Agatha Christie's detailed plotting is what makes her books so compelling. Christie used poison to kill her characters more often than any other murder method, with the poison itself being a central part of the novel, and her choice of deadly substances was far from random; the chemical and physiological characteristics of each poison provide vital clues to discovery of the murderer. With gunshots or stabbings the cause of death is obvious, but not so with poisons. How is it that some compounds prove so deadly, and in such tiny amounts?Christie demonstrated her extensive chemical knowledge (much of it gleaned from her working in a chemists during both world wars) in many of her novels, but this is rarely appreciated by the reader. A is for Arsenic celebrates the use of science in Christie's work. Written by Christie fan and research chemist Kathryn Harkup, each chapter takes a different novel and investigates the poison (or poisons) the murderer used. A is for Arsenic looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with the body, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these poisons, both at the time the novel was written and today. This book is published as part of the 125th anniversary celebration of Christie's birth.Fourteen novels. Fourteen poisons. Just because its fiction doesn't mean its all made-up ...
Enjoy this fun amateur sleuth short story by best-selling cozy murder mystery blind author S.Y. Robins. Katy Gordon is having the time of her life. She is about to step on stage to accept the Bennet Award—the most prestigious award within the knitting community. She possesses a rare gift with the needle. Katy creates masterpieces, using skill and precision, of every kind of clothing imaginable, from patterns she’s created or adapted from antique patterns she owns. From Victorian and sensual to the Roaring 20s and beyond, Katy creates award winning pieces that have made her famous in the world of costume design as well as a variety of other arenas. She has never been more excited, that is, until a crazy woman rushes the stage and accuses Katy of stealing her designs and stealing her award. Katy is flabbergasted by the outburst and is stunned as the security guards drag the woman away. Katy chalks it up to some lunatic’s antics and tries not to let it spoil her evening. That is, until a few hours later when that same woman is found dead with one of Katie’s specially designed knitting needles found at the scene. Katie finds herself a suspect in a murder she did not commit. Can she discover the real killer before she is sent away for the crime? Or will this journey plunge her into a world of mystery and intrigue she has only ever read about? If you enjoy a light-hearted, easy, and relaxing murder mystery book, then this is the book for you. Suitable for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Deany Ray.
Enjoy this fun amateur sleuth short story by best-selling cozy murder mystery blind author S.Y. Robins. Annika Weiss runs a very successful spa in New York City. Well, that is to say, she did before some rogue reviewer started leaving terrible feedback for her business on several online review sites. Now her business is tanking and she can’t seem to stop the reviewer. She’s even contacted the sites to let them know the reviews are fake but more just pop up every day. Then a freak accident leaves a customer dead and when the police find out who the victim is and what she’s been doing Annika becomes the suspect. Things go from bad to worse for Annika and as she struggles to cope with the health department shutting her business down, she has to fight to keep her freedom. Will a little help from a very cute IT guy be enough to keep Annika out of prison? And is all as it appears to be with the death of the rogue reviewer? Only time, and investigation will tell. If you enjoy a light-hearted, easy, and relaxing murder mystery book, then this is the book for you. Suitable for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Deany Ray.
Molly Pink is about to discover the joys of crochet. It’s a relaxing escape from her hectic life as a bookstore event manager . . . and from the stress of being Tarzana, California’s latest murder suspect. For Molly, the weekly crochet group at Shedd & Royal Books and More was just another event to manage. Then she stumbled across the body of group leader Ellen Sheridan. Her complicated past with Ellen has made her a prime suspect, and after being cuffed and questioned, she could use a little diversion. Never mind that she doesn’t know how to crochet. Granny squares don’t look that hard to make. But while Molly’s fending off a detective with a grudge and navigating crochet group politics, the real killer is at large. And it’s up to Molly to catch the culprit—before she winds up in a tight knot. Delicious recipe and crochet pattern included! “A gentle and charming novel. . . . Its quirky and likable characters are appealing and real.”—Earlene Fowler, author of Tumbling Blocks
Enjoy this fun amateur sleuth short story by best-selling cozy murder mystery blind author S.Y. Robins. When my brother and I agreed to help the police solve a murder in a burned down hotel, the last thing we expected was for it to get complicated. Well, more complicated than usual. Now, suddenly, we've got the victim's dog snoozing in our office corner while we search for clues, and a potential link to a jewelry heist from a theatre almost thirty years ago. This case was already complicated enough to begin with. Then, the corpse woke up. If you enjoy a light-hearted, easy, and relaxing murder mystery book, then this is the book for you. Suitable for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Deany Ray.
The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is normally an idyllic place. Until death arrives on recently widowed bookstore owner Clark Thomas' doorstep. When the body of a local businesswoman and environmentalist gets dumped by the back door of his shop, Clark finds himself in a unique position to investigate the crime. But should he? When it comes to murder, something else drives him he doesn't want to admit. As he launches his own search for the killer, Clark comes across a variety of colorful Boardwalk inhabitants who might have had reason to kill an otherwise beloved person. Can he do it and start putting his wife's death behind him in the process, or will it open up a fresh wound?
A “fast, fun” cozy mystery series “full of Sherlockian lore”—set at a Cape Cod bookshop run by a “charming, intelligent heroine as observant as the Great Detective himself” (Carolyn Hart, New York Times–bestselling author) When murder pays a visit to Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma Doyle must use the powers of deduction to find the killer—and clear her own name. Gemma Doyle, a transplanted Englishwoman, has returned to the quaint town of West London on Cape Cod to manage her Great Uncle Arthur’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. The shop—located at 222 Baker Street—specializes in the Holmes canon and pastiche, and is also home to Moriarty the cat. When Gemma finds a rare and potentially valuable magazine containing the first Sherlock Homes story hidden in the bookshop, she and her friend Jayne (who runs the adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room) set off to find the owner, only to stumble upon a dead body. Gemma is the police’s first suspect, so she puts her consummate powers of deduction to work to clear her name, investigating a handsome rare books expert, the dead woman’s suspiciously unmoved son, and a whole family of greedy characters desperate to cash in on their inheritance. But when Gemma and Jayne accidentally place themselves at a second murder scene, it’s a race to uncover the truth before the detectives lock them up for good.
Enjoy this fun amateur sleuth short story by best-selling cozy murder mystery blind author S.Y. Robins. Lorna Grindstaff lived an ordinary life in an ordinary village in Derbyshire. Running from the city to her refuge in the country after a bad breakup Lorna expected to live out her days in an ordinary fashion as an ordinary woman. Lorna craved ordinary but fate had different plans for the young woman. Shortly after the beginning of October Lorna meets a young couple on her nightly walk home from work. First the young man, and then the young woman. An odd pair they’re well-mannered if dressed oddly, and obviously in love. But are they what they seem or is there more to their story than even Lorna can imagine? Soon Lorna is tangled in a web that she can’t get out of and must find the answers that will give the young couple the freedom they need. But first Lorna has to learn the truth, are the pair ghostly spectres from the past or are they modern people simply living a lifestyle that's from 70 years ago? If you enjoy a light-hearted, easy, and relaxing murder mystery book, then this is the book for you. Suitable for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Deany Ray.
