Showing results by publisher "Recorded Books" in Amateur Sleuths

Juliet Reid wasn't able to save her murdered brother almost 10 years ago. Can she stop an ice-cold killer in their tracks a decade later? Nine and a half years ago, Juliet's talented brother, Fin, should have returned home. He didn't make it. When Juliet set out to find him that snowy winter evening, she made a devastating discovery.

Graduate student Wendy Zemansky was hoping for a normal semester at an isolated university in upstate New York. Since coming off disability and starting medication for bipolar disorder, Wendy longs to feel like a “real” functioning adult, a respected colleague in her writing program. But when her roommate goes missing, Wendy plunges into an investigation that is roadblocked by vainglorious professors, specious doctors, and dubious friends.

Nora Best is done running. She’s heading to her hometown of Chateau, to the grand Quail House, to stay with her mother and claim the great American privilege of starting over. But she might find it is hard to start over when the past is catching up.... The night Nora arrives in Chateau, a White police officer shoots and kills Robert Evans, a young Black man. The officer in question is Nora’s school sweetheart, Alden Tydings. What really happened that night? Did Alden act in self-defense as he claims?

Delta Douglas is settling into small-town life in Tundish, Montana, and her stationery shop is thriving. But when Delta asks well-known Montana artist Tilly Tay to display a miniature version of a mining town in her shop, Wanted, trouble soon comes into the fold. Tilly is obsessed with getting everything just right before the unveiling, but when her grand reveal showcases a tiny murder, an element Tilly swears she did not add, confusion sweeps the crowd. That's when a body is discovered perfectly mirroring Tilly's display.

When Courtney's friend Wanda gets into a ponytail-pulling wrestling match in public with a nasty local art critic, Courtney stops the fight with the help of a garden hose. But Lana Lamar has a talent for escalating things and creating tension, which she succeeds in doing by threatening a lawsuit, getting into yet another scuffle - in the midst of an elegant fundraiser, no less - and lobbing insults around like pickleballs.

When an "accident" puts beloved bishop's wife Alma Ebersol in a coma, many in Blue Sky are quick to blame struggling widow Frannie Lehman. Both women are the best bakers around, but for years, Alma's boysenberry pies have been more award-winning - and profitable - than Frannie's. And with Alma out of this fall's county festival, Frannie's pie finally wins first prize. But when Alma dies and Frannie's children fall victim to gossip and bullying, Kappy is determined to uncover the real truth.

It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand is excited to be attending the Pluvius Parade along with her best friend, Ava. Carmela's ex-husband, Shamus, rides by the duo on his float at the head of the parade, when suddenly the revelry turns to disaster. Shamus' float crashes and explodes, and although Shamus escapes unhurt, a member of his krewe is killed. Carmela and Ava plunge into an investigation of the krewe member's death, but as they dig deeper, it starts to look less like an accident and more like a murder...and Shamus seems like a suspect.

Content to be unmarried and plainspoken, Kathryn "Kappy" King is an odd woman out in the Amish community of Blue Sky, Pennsylvania. But she's skilled at making the special kapps local women need to cover their hair. And she might be the only one who can unearth the danger hiding in this peaceful valley....

While viewing the harbor's Gaslights and Galleons Parade from the widow's walk of Timothy Neville's Charleston mansion, local banker Carson Lanier seemingly tumbles over a narrow railing, then plunges three stories to his death. But a tragic accident becomes something much more sinister when it's discovered that the victim was first shot with a bolt from a crossbow.

In early 1900s New York, the formidable crime syndicate known as the Black Hand has been terrorizing the city's Italian community with bombings and kidnappings. When a young Italian girl is found drowned and sexually defiled, Dr. Genevieve Summerford suspects the organization has expanded into forced prostitution, and she won't rest until the trafficking ring is brought to justice.

When Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is invited by Doreen Briggs, one of Charleston's most prominent hostesses, to a "Rat Tea", she is understandably intrigued. As servers dressed in rodent costumes and wearing white gloves offer elegant finger sandwiches and fine teas, Theo learns these parties date back to early 20th-century Charleston. But this party goes from odd to chaotic when a fire starts at one of the tables and Doreen's entrepreneur husband suddenly drops dead.

In Taiwan, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for prioritizing family. When 25-year-old Jing-nan's gangster uncle, Big Eye, asks a favor, Jing-nan can't exactly say no, especially because two goons are going to follow him around to make sure he gets it done right. The favor is this: Big Eye's 16-year-old daughter, Mei-ling, has a biker boyfriend from the wrong side of the tracks and Big Eye wants Jing-nan to bring her to Taipei, away from the bad influences, and straighten her out.

After a past family tragedy for which she holds herself to blame, Dr. Genevieve Summerford wants nothing more than to succeed in her new career as a psychiatrist, and win back the respect of her family and peers. That goal is thrown into jeopardy, however, when one of her patients is arrested for murder - a murder Genevieve fears she may have unwittingly provoked. Desperate to prove to herself and the authorities that her patient is innocent, she is forced to enlist the aid of an influential Tammany captain.

When he was eight years old, Cal's mother killed his father and his two brothers in a murder suicide. As the 25th anniversary of the event coincides with the arrival of a strange new patient and a drastic increase in Cal's previously controlled psychological symptoms, Cal feels compelled to trace his mother's last days.

Carmela Bertrand knows that Halloween in New Orleans means a week of rabble-rousing, costumed craziness - and she can't wait to get the party started. But when a local antiques dealer turns up dead, Carmela suddenly finds herself in a real-life danse macabre.

Private investigator Abby Rose returns for her fourth Yellow Rose mystery in Shoot from the Lip. Word has gotten out about Abby, and a reality show has enlisted her to help pair up birth families with adoptees. But the show may be more interested in ratings than reality, and Abby's got to figure out the truth beneath multiple layers of deception.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Laura Childs’ Tea Shop mysteries deliver delicious tales steeped in intrigue. In this 13th series entry, Theodosia Browning is happily catering the opening of Charleston’s Neptune Museum when she discovers the drowned body of ex-boyfriend Parker Scully. The police don’t buy her theory that Parker was murdered, forcing Theodosia to undertake her own investigation to discover the truth.

As the owner of Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, Halia Watkins is famous in Maryland’s Prince George’s County for her down-home cuisine. But when she has the chance to showcase her talents on national TV, she becomes the star of a murder mystery that’s too hot to handle!

The award-winning, laugh-out-loud adventures of antiques dealers Brandy Borne and her drama-queen mom Vivian have made Trash 'n' Treasures "one of the funniest cozy series going" (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine). In the latest installment, after flames consume a historic mansion full of priceless treasures, along with its occupant, the question arises: who charred the corpse? Brandy and Vivian are on the case in their 14th Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery!

From the moment Kate arrives at the imposing Mohawk Mountain Resort, not even luggage brimming with hot fudge can sweeten her stay. Instead of savoring alone time with her on-again boyfriend Jake and leading workshops on whipping together delectable frosty treats, she finds herself stranded at the isolated hotel with a small group of nutty characters - and a dead body.