Celebrate Pride Month in June |
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Board to Death
by C. J. Connor
Roll the die: When a man who offered to sell a rare edition of the game that inspired Monopoly at a suspiciously low cost turns up dead, board game shop and café owner Ben Rosencrantz becomes the top suspect.
Series alert: This is the first title in the new Board game shop mystery series.
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A Long Time Gone
by Joshua Moehling
Embarking on a dangerous quest to uncover the truth about his brother's mysterious disappearance decades earlier, Deputy Ben Packard uncovers a chilling link to a recent suspicious death, in the third novel of the series following Where the Dead Sleep.
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The Case of the Missing Maid
by Rob Osler
In 1898 Chicago, bicycle-riding 21-year-old Harriet Morrow wants different opportunities than women traditionally have and is determined to make it as the prestigious Prescott Agency's first woman detective. But to do so, she must find a missing a maid within a week. Fans of Stephen Spotswood's Pentecost and Parker novels or Nekesa Afia's Harlem Renaissance mysteries will like this fun, atmospheric series starter.
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Dead in the Frame
by Stephen Spotswood
After the evidence points her way, famed detective Lillian Pentecost is arrested for murder in 1947 New York. While Lillian, who has multiple sclerosis and lots of enemies, tries to survive jail, her determined assistant, Willowjean "Will" Parker, searches for the real killer in this suspenseful 5th series entry. Read-alikes: Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher mysteries; Lev AC Rosen's Evander Mills novels.
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Murder in the Dressing Room
by Holly Stars
In London's Soho neighborhood, Misty Divine's drag mother, Lady Lady, is found murdered in a stolen dress in her dressing room. When the cops assume the performers are guilty, Misty steps up to solve the crimes. Fans of RuPaul's Drag Race will want to pick up this debut that has "lovable characters, lively dialogue, and dry humor" (Publishers Weekly).
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| Galway's Edge by Ken BruenAmidst his other cases in 2022 Galway, Irish PI Jack Taylor helps the Vatican when a priest connected to a secretive vigilante group is killed. As Jack investigates, he finds a link to a multi-millionaire maneuvering for power in this gritty 18th in an acclaimed series. Read-alikes: Dervla McTiernan's The Ruin; Tana French's Cal Hooper novels. |
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| A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen CambridgeIn 1950 Paris, American expat Tabitha Knight and her friend Julia Child, who's a whiz in the kitchen, become involved in a murder case after visiting a fashion house in their evocative 3rd outing. Also investigating? Handsome Inspector Merveille. For a second helping of crime with a French food focus, try Martin Walker's Bruno Courreges mysteries. |
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| The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne by Ron CurrieThings go seriously sideways for Babs Dionne, a grandmother and crime boss in small-town Maine, due to a death, a stranger's arrival, and power plays from rivals. So she unleashes her fierce determination to protect those she loves in this compelling, character-driven crime novel. For fans of: Dennis Lehane; Liz Moore's Long Bright River. |
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| The Case of the Elusive Bombay Duck by Tarquin HallNew Delhi PI Vish Puri heads to London for a detective awards gala with his wife and demanding mother. Balancing a secret investigation into a fugitive ex-pharmaceutical CEO with abundant sightseeing and eye-opening visits with his British family, Puri shines in his "jolly good" (Kirkus Reviews) 6th outing. For fans of: Alexander McCall Smith; Vaseem Khan. |
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| The Antique Hunter's Death on the Red Sea by C.L. MillerIn their fun, fast-paced 2nd outing, English antique store owners Freya Lockwood and her aunt Carole board an antiques-focused cruise ship in Cyprus, where Freya acts a resident expert. The two are also trying to find a stolen painting, but with a multitude of sketchy passengers, it's just a matter of time before they also investigate a murder. Try this next: Janie Hallett's The Examiner. |
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| The Railway Conspiracy by John Shen Yen Nee and S.J. RozanIn 1924 London, Judge Dee and his friend professor Lao She use deductive reasoning and martial arts as they investigate theft, murder, and a sinister international conspiracy involving Russia, Japan, and China. This 2nd series entry after The Murder of Mr. Ma is "fiendishly clever" (Publishers Weekly) and "a rollicking good tale" (Booklist). |
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| The Library Game by Gigi PandianEx-Las Vegas stage magician Tempest Raj now helps plan secret architectural elements as part of her family's construction business. At a dinner held at a mystery library they're still working on, a body is found and then disappears, leading Tempest and friends to suss out what's happening. Though this is Tempest's 4th outing, newcomers who enjoy magic, classic mystery references, and likable characters will have fun. |
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| Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. SutantoAt her tea shop in San Francisco's Chinatown, 60-something Vera Wong looks into the death of an enigmatic young influencer, a case her son's cop girlfriend is also working. Investigating the dead man's associates, Vera finds the situation more disturbing than she imagined. Following her Edgar Award-winning 1st outing, this 2nd Vera Wong novel works for fans of Mia P. Manansala's Tita Rosie's Kitchen mysteries. |
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| Murder by Memory by Olivia WaiteOn a generation spaceship, human minds can be stored in the Library, allowing bodies to be replaced. After a murder, the ship awakens detective Dorothy Gentleman, placing her in an emergency body that has a connection to the victim. With help from her nephew and others, witty Dorothy narrates and investigates. For fans of: short novels; the Mossa and Pleiti Science Fiction mysteries by Malka Older. |
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| The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren WilligAfter Elma Sands's body is found just after Christmas 1799, the police arrest her beau, who claims he's innocent. His wealthy brother hires Aaron Burr to defend him, who's quickly joined by Alexander Hamilton. The rivals work non-stop to save their client in this well-researched novel about the first recorded murder trial in American history. For fans of: Hamilton; Mollie Ann Cox's The Lace Widow. |
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Recent Cozy Mystery Releases
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Hounding a Killer
by Kallie E. Benjamin
"It's chaos in Crosbyville when a large inheritance is stolen, but as Pris and Bailey start digging for the missing money, they'll uncover the wrong kind of bones.... Finally finished with the renovations on her new house, bestselling children's book author Pris and her trusty bloodhound, Bailey, are finding more opportunities to join the community. But their progress is paw-sed when David Thompson, the volatile grandson of the late resident Edward Thompson, comes to claim his inheritance. After the new arrival riles up several other locals with petty arguments, the once sleepy town goes barking mad. Before long, the wealthy bachelor disappears without a trace, and the police suspect foul play. Bailey's tracking instincts helped them collar the last criminal in Crosbyville, so the cops turn to Pris and her sweet hound to track down David. But on their search-and-rescue mission, Pris and Bailey sniff out fraud, theft, and a body. Before they know it, both are hackles-deep inside another homicide investigation. Can the unlikely duo chase down the killer, or will they be left chasing their own tails?"
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Fatal Brouhaha
by Emmeline Duncan
Ground Rules Coffee, owned by Sage Caplin and her business partner, Harley, has teamed up with Doyle's Oregon Whiskey to introduce canned Irish coffee at a festival being held at the distillery. Mark Jeffries, the owner of rival coffee company Left Coast Grinds, has long been a thorn in Sage's side. Mark was turned down for the festival, but he manages to sneak in one product by sharing the booth of Dulcinea Chocolates & Gourmet Candies. The festival seems to go well, as Sage's baristas easily handle their coffee cart. But that all ends when she and her team find Mark dead in the parking lot next to the Ground Rules car. Given the number of murders she's solved and a brother who's an attorney, Sage has no trouble slipping into investigative mode. Plenty of red herrings, loads of interesting information on all aspects of coffee, and, of course, recipes.
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Death by Chocolate Pumpkin Muffin
by Sarah Graves
Decorations of cobwebs and creatures are just being taken down across Eastport's picturesque houses as the community says farewell to Halloween and ushers in winter with the unique confectionaries found only at the Chocolate Moose. Revelers have gathered on the waterfront for a party at local celebrity Hank Rafferty's ramshackle mansion, known as Stone House. The home repair TV show star and his guests await a devilish dessert delivery from Jake and Ellie--who arrive just after Hank's body falls to his death from the house's turret's balcony. Despite his show's popularity, Hank was not exactly beloved in Eastport, prompting the police to conduct a homicide investigation. Plenty of people had motive to want Hank dead--a disillusioned admirer, a school bully, and a discontented wife among them. Did any of them take the murderous plunge, or is there another ghost in Hank's shady past yet to be revealed?
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Detective Aunty
by Uzma Jalaluddin
After her husband's unexpected death eighteen months ago, Kausar Khan never thought she'd receive another phone call as heartbreaking--until her thirty-something daughter, Sana, phones to say that she's been arrested for killing the unpopular landlord of her clothing boutique. Determined to help her child, Kausar heads to Toronto for the first time in nearly twenty years. Returning to the Golden Crescent suburb where she raised her children and where her daughter still lives, Kausar finds that the thriving neighborhood she remembered has changed. The murder of Sana's landlord is only the latest in a wave of local crimes which have gone unsolved. And the facts of the case are troubling: Sana found the man dead in her shop at a suspiciously early hour, with a dagger from her windowfront display plunged in his chest. And Kausar--a woman with a keen sense of observation and deep wisdom honed by her years--senses there's more to the story than her daughter is telling. With the help of some old friends and her plucky teenage granddaughter, Kausar digs into the investigation to uncover the truth. Because who better to pry answers from unwilling suspects than a meddlesome aunty? But even Kausar can't predict the secrets, lies, and betrayals she finds along the way"
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Bait and Swiss
by Korina Moss
Cheesemonger Willa Bauer faces a murder mystery in Sonoma Valley when a reporter is found dead at her ex-fiancé's chocolate pop-up, forcing her and her team to investigate while balancing personal grudges and the town's ongoing tourism crisis.
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Booked for Revenge
by Karen Rose Smith
When a local bake-off turns deadly and a photographer is found bludgeoned by his prizewinning cake, bookshop owner Jazzi must catch a killer before they strike again in the second novel of the series following Murder Marks the Page.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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