Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/04/2012
ISBN-13: 9780425247761
ISBN-10: 0425247767

Historical Cozy. Times are tough during the Great Depression, but the ladies of the Darling Dahlias garden club in Darling, Alabama plant vegetables and make do, even making plans to plant Confederate roses at the town cemetery to honor the dead. But the ladies have to bunch together even more and solve a few mysteries when one of their group is accused of stealing $15,000 from the bank she works for, one acts strangely, and another discovers a coded message referring to the family she never knew. Featuring "plenty of charm and period detail" (Kirkus Reviews), this 3rd in a series provides a lighthearted look at small-town life.

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Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 08/21/2012
ISBN-13: 9780312569143
ISBN-10: 0312569149

Police Procedural. When gorgeous young paralegal Cassie Price is found murdered, the police quickly arrest her neighbor and handyman, Cal Hathaway. Confused Cal, who suffers from blackouts resulting from a childhood beating, doesn't recall what exactly happened that night. But when Pittsburgh Detective Richard Christie returns from vacation, he senses Cal's innocence, reopens the case, and begins to investigate Cassie's ambitious boss, a golden-boy gubernatorial candidate. This is the 6th book in a fine series by Edgar Award-nominated Kathleen George. Fans of Louise Penny who don't mind an urban American setting might enjoy these books, as both series are well-written, nicely plotted, and peopled with well-developed characters.

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Publisher: Permanent Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/01/2012
ISBN-13: 9781579622831
ISBN-10: 1579622836

Mystery. What would you do if someone killed your wife (after having her pen the answers to five questions) and left you for dead? Though dealing with his own injuries, both mental and physical, 42-year-old Arthur Cathcart has his doctor sister declare him dead so that he can assume a new identity and track down his wife's killer. Using well-honed skills from his work as a freelance researcher, where he was sometimes called upon to find missing people, Arthur deals with everyone from gangsters to high-society types in his all-consuming quest. The critics love this lean, fast-paced book; it's earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist.

Publisher: SilverOak
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/02/2012
ISBN-13: 9781454901273
ISBN-10: 1454901276

Mystery. Reluctantly returning home to the Outer Hebrides' Island of Lewis, Gaelic-speaking Edinburgh detective Fin Macleod investigates a local hanging that might be related to one on the mainland. But while he searches for a killer, he must also confront his own past if he is ever going to discover the truth. Though it was published earlier in parts of Europe, American readers finally get a chance to read this "brilliant" (Publishers Weekly) 1st in a trilogy (the 2nd of which, The Lewis Man, is already out across the pond). For more mysteries set in remote northern U.K. islands, try Ann Cleeves' Jimmy Perez novels, set in the Shetland Islands.

Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/04/2012
ISBN-13: 9780802120359
ISBN-10: 0802120350

Crime Novel. Cape Town, South Africa police receive anonymous emails threatening to harm a cop a day unless they reopen and solve the murder case of beautiful lawyer Hanneke Sloet, who was stabbed to death in her new luxury apartment. Making good on his threats, the emailer starts shooting police officers, leaving recovering alcoholic inspector Benny Griessel racing against time to find answers in spite of no apparent motive or leads. Meanwhile, stress and insecurity have divorced Benny's new love interest hitting the bottle too hard. Booklist calls Seven Days "sleekly done crime fiction layered with...cultural complexities." Looking for more South Africa-set mysteries? Try Malla Nunn's books featuring Emmanuel Cooper and set in the 1950s.

Publisher: Minotaur Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/18/2012
ISBN-13: 9780312658533
ISBN-10: 0312658532

Historical Mystery. On December 31, 1703, a giant earthquake shakes the Japanese area around Edo, flattening towns, causing a tsunami, destroying almost every home, and killing thousands. With the fragile shogun's carefully regulated court thrown into chaos by the devastation, middle-aged Sano Ichiro, the chamberlain and second-in-command, leads the massive rescue and clean-up effort. His wife helps feed the hungry and nurse the sick, while his young children try to stay out of trouble. But when three women are found dead in the rubble -- not from the quake, but from poisoned incense -- Sano investigates, possibly endangering his family. Laura Joh Rowland once again easily blends historical facts with a fascinating story in her 16th novel in an acclaimed series.

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Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/02/2010
ISBN-13: 9780425237885
ISBN-10: 0425237885

Cozy Mystery. To celebrate Christmas and Chanukah, Greenwich Village coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi and her crew are taste-testing various "fa-la-la-la lattes." But when Clare goes in search of her friend Alf, a charity Santa, to come to the tasting party, she finds him shot dead in an alley. Who would kill Santa? That's what Clare aims to discover, even if her NYPD detective boyfriend is too busy with a cold case to help. What at first seems like a mugging gone bad soon appears to be something more, and Clare may be in serious danger. If you want your holiday read served up with charm and recipes, this 8th in a series should hit the spot. If you can handle two cups, er, books, pick up the 12th Clare novel, Holiday Buzz, out this December.

Publisher: Minotaur Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 07/20/2010
ISBN-13: 9780312650278
ISBN-10: 0312650272

Historical Mystery. In 1866 London, Christmas night finds two well-known journalists, who live on opposite sides of town, killed in their homes within minutes of each other. Though he should be focused on running for Parliament (a lifelong dream), Charles Lenox, who, despite his high social standing, is something of a private detective, can't help but investigate the interestingly timed murders. Unfortunately, he also has unexpected and unpleasant news from his fiancée. Will Charles earn a seat in Parliament? Will he solve the crimes? Will he still get married? Read this evocative, deftly plotted 3rd Victorian mystery featuring a charming gentleman detective to find out. Newcomers who want to start at the beginning should pick up A Beautiful Blue Death.

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Publisher: Holt
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/15/1988
ISBN-13: 9780805004595
ISBN-10: 0805004599

Mystery. When PI Kinsey Millhone's friend and landlord goes on vacation at Christmas time, she plans on celebrating (if you can call it that) alone. But it turns out not to be all silent nights for her as an arson case soon heats up her holidays. When incriminating evidence planted by an unknown party indicates that she is on the take, Kinsey desperately tries to exonerate herself and figure out who's out to get her before she loses everything she cares about. Twice-divorced, 32-year-old Kinsey also has an ex-husband show up unexpectedly -- so, what's she going to do about that? Readers who haven't had to pleasure of meeting tough but likeable Kinsey can easily start with this 5th in this bestselling series with a hard edge.

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Publisher: Avon
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/26/2010
ISBN-13: 9780061474279
ISBN-10: 0061474274

Mystery. Christmas is coming, but instead of celebrating at home outside of Boston, Faith Fairchild and her family have retreated to their small cabin on a Maine island (Faith's pastor husband, Thomas, is recuperating from surgery and needs a break). But, trouble interrupts their visit when Faith finds the body of a teenage drug addict in an antique sleigh. Also, spinster Mary Bethany, who lives in a remote part of the island, discovers a newborn baby boy in the manger of her barn on Christmas Eve...along with a pile of cash. When she asks Faith for help finding the babe's mother, Faith suddenly has two mysteries to solve -- not to mention her own family to attend to. This "delightful" (Publishers Weekly) 18th in a series may address dark themes, but its charm and recipes will please those looking for lighter fare this holiday season.