Cosy Mysteries

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders.But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case.Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?Endorsements"Smart, compassionate, warm, moving and so VERY funny" — Marian Keyes"So smart and funny. Deplorably good" — Ian Rankin"Thrilling, moving, laugh-out-loud funny" — Mark BillinghamThe Times — Crime Book of the MonthGuardian — Best Crime and Thrillers"A warm, wise and witty warning never to underestimate the elderly" — Val McDermid"I completely fell in love with it" — Shari Lapena"This is properly brilliant. The pages fly and I can't stop smiling" — Steve Cavanagh"Steeped in Agatha Christie joy" — Araminta Hall"Pure escapism" — Guardian"As gripping as it is funny" — Evening Standard"An exciting new talent in crime fiction" — Daily Mail"A witty and poignant tale" — Daily Telegraph"Funny and original" — Sun

When Dr. John Watson takes rooms in Baker Street with amateur detective Sherlock Holmes, he has no idea that he is about to enter a shadowy world of criminality and violence. Accompanying Holmes to an ill-omened house in south London, Watson is startled to find a dead man whose face is contorted in a rictus of horror. There is no mark of violence on the body, yet a single word is written on the wall in blood. Dr. Watson is as baffled as the police, but Holmes's brilliant analytical skills soon uncover a trail of murder, revenge and lost love...

When hero policeman Grant Cliveden dies from a poisoning in the Old Bailey, it threatens to shake the country to its core.The evidence points to one man. Jimmy Knight has been convicted of multiple offences before and defending him will be no easy task, not least because this is trainee barrister Adam Green's first case.But it will quickly become clear that Jimmy Knight is not the only person in Cliveden's past with an axe to grind.The only thing that's certain is that this is a trial which will push Adam — and the justice system itself — to the limit...An unputdownable murder mystery by Britain's best-loved criminal barrister Rob Rinder. One murder. One impossible case. Who is guilty?Endorsements'Hugely enjoyable' — Steve Cavanagh'Ridiculously entertaining' — Tom Hindle'I didn't want it to end' — Heidi Perks'Strong storytelling with a murder mystery at its heart makes it one to treasure' — Daily Mail'A pacy and gripping read!' — The Sun'An exciting start to what promises to be an excellent series, with an appealing central character' — The Guardian'Such fantastic characters and such a fun read. I loved it' — Phillipa Perry'This is a book that takes you to the dark heart of the criminal justice system. They are all here - the good, the bad, the innocent and the guilty. I haven't enjoyed a legal thriller this much since Grisham's The Firm' — Tony Parsons'A terrific, pacy read' — Susanna Reid'A brilliant rollercoaster of a read' — Louise Minchin'The Trial is in the best tradition of John Mortimer's Rumpole series. A hugely enjoyable British courtroom drama' — Steve Cavanagh'Rinder's personal experiences as a barrister shine through in a cracking courtroom drama packed with tension and sharp wit' — Sunday Express'A classic whodunnit with a sensational twist' — The Independent'Energetic, warm, laced with humour with a truly inventive mode of murder' — Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal'Brilliant courtroom drama, humorous as you would expect from Rob, and one that I had to read slowly because I did not want it to end' — Heidi Perks'This one will have you hooked' — Glamour'The Trial is whip-smart, stylish and gripping, both murder mystery and courtroom drama, shot through with tension, humour and a dark dissection of corruption, status and justice' — Gilly Macmillan'A ridiculously entertaining whodunit. The Trial is sharp, witty and has a huge amount of heart' — Tom Hindle'Rob Rinder has penned his first novel, a legal thriller, and it doesn't disappoint' — Jewish News'An engrossing read by someone who clearly knows their subject matter well. I didn't see the ending coming!' — Faith Martin'A powerful thriller' — Sussex Living'Really good. Nicely paced with characters that are fully formed, I hope there's more to come from Adam' — Press Association'A powerful thriller' — The Winchester Gazette

Who knew a Marilyn movie could kill you? When Oom Frik of Oom Frik's Fantastiques dies during a vintage movie screening in Ladismith, Tannie Maria and her policeman boyfriend Henk are on the scene.Ja, the old thrift-shop owner had a heart condition, but was there more to his demise? It's rumoured that among Frik's junk are valuable treasures, and the grumpy, paranoid old guy frequently altered his will.When a second body turns up, there's a clue: a letter addressed to Tannie Maria asking for advice — and a milk tart recipe. Fifty-plus agony aunt Maria and feisty young journalist Jessie conduct their own treasure hunt and murder investigation. The police are looking for the perpetrator too, but the amateur detectives have unique skills, and Tannie Maria's food is a powerful incentive to get people to talk.Maria and Jessie step into deep danger, but all is not doom and gloom. Spring has arrived in the Karoo, and Henk and Maria discuss moving in together, even though his home is still full of his late wife's stuff. Maria knows food has a way of filling the dark spaces, for the better or for the worse. Perhaps, once the Klein Karoo crime-buster's work is done, she might follow her own advice and try a healing recipe.

Meet Conrad the cat. You’ve never met a detective like him before.Neither has Lulu Lewis when he walks into her life one summer’s day. Mourning the recent death of her husband, the former police detective had expected a gentle retirement, quietly enjoying life on her new canal boat, The Lark, and visiting her mother-in-law Emily in a nearby care home.But when Emily dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, Lulu senses foul play and resolves to find out what really happened. And a remarkable cat named Conrad will be with her every step of the way . . .

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder is the first mouth-watering novel in the Hannah Swensen crime series from acclaimed author Joanne Fluke.Hannah Swensen already has her hands full running Minnesota's most popular bakery. But when Ron LaSalle, the delivery man from the nearby Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind the bakery with Hannah's famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, life couldn't get more complicated.Who would have the audacity — and motive — to kill the most punctual delivery man Hannah has ever had the pleasure of working with? This is one murder that's starting to leave a very bad taste in Hannah's mouth. And if she doesn't watch her back, her life could be burned to a crisp...Her gingersnaps are as tart as her comebacks. Packed full of delicious recipes and perfect for fans of M. C. Beaton and Leslie Meier.

When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline. It's the biggest job yet for the family wedding business—"Don't leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!"—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie's perfect buttercream flowers.But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy's great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family? You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue!

When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She’s tasked with saving her Tita Rosie’s failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.With the cops treating her like she’s the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes—one that might just be killer….

When editor Susan Ryeland is given the tattered manuscript of Alan Conway's latest novel, she has little idea it will change her life. She's worked with the revered crime writer for years and his detective, Atticus Pund, is renowned for solving crimes in the sleepy English villages of the 1950s. As Susan knows only too well, vintage crime sells handsomely. It's just a shame that it means dealing with an author like Alan Conway...But Conway's latest tale of murder at Pye Hall is not quite what it seems. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but hidden in the pages of the manuscript there lies another story: a tale written between the very words on the page, telling of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition and murder.

Queen Elizabeth II is having a royal nightmare. A referendum divides the nation, a tumultuous election grips the United States - and the body of a staff member is found dead beside Buckingham Palace swimming pool. Is it a tragic accident, as the police think? Or is something more sinister going on?As Her Majesty looks for answers, her trusted assistant, Rozie, is on the trail of a treasured painting that once hung outside the Queen's bedroom. But when Rozie receives a threatening anonymous letter, Elizabeth knows dark forces are at work - and far too close to home.After all, though the staff and public may not realise it, she is the keenest sleuth among them. Sometimes, it takes a Queen's eye to see connections where no one else can ...

The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival. But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy—or of the good intentions of those involved. As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head at the explosive dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material—emails, messages, letters—with a growing suspicion that the killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered.

High-powered businesswoman Lana Rubicon has a lot to be proud of: her keen intelligence, impeccable taste, and the L.A. real estate empire she’s built. But when she finds herself trapped 300 miles north of the city, convalescing in a sleepy coastal town with her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack, Lana is stuck counting otters instead of square footage—and hoping that boredom won’t kill her before the cancer does.Then Jack—tiny in stature but fiercely independent—happens upon a dead body while kayaking. She quickly becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation, and the Rubicon women are thrown into chaos.Beth thinks Lana should focus on recovery, but Lana has a better idea. She’ll pull on her wig, find the true murderer, protect her family, and prove she still has power. With Jack and Beth’s help, Lana uncovers a web of lies, family vendettas, and land disputes lurking beneath the surface of a community populated by folksy conservationists and wealthy ranchers.But as their amateur snooping advances into ever-more dangerous territory, the headstrong Rubicon women must learn to do the one thing they’ve always done: depend on each other.Nothing brings a family together like a murder next door. A lighthearted whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio of amateur sleuths. Gilmore Girls, but with murder.

In England's birdwatching paradise, a new breed has been sighted — a murderer...Young Tom French was found dead, lying in a marsh on the Norfolk coast with his head bashed in and his binoculars still around his neck. One of the best birders in England, Tom had put the village of Rushy on the birdwatching map. Everyone liked him. Or did they?George Palmer-Jones, an elderly birdwatcher who decided quietly to look into the brutal crime, discovered mixed feelings aplenty. Still, he remained baffled by a deed that could have been motivated by thwarted love, pure envy, or something else altogether.But as he and his fellow "twitchers" flocked from Norfolk to Scotland to the Scilly Isles in response to rumours of rare sightings, George — with help from his lovely wife, Molly — gradually discerned the true markings of a killer. All he had to do was prove it... before the murderer struck again.

Dr Nell Ward is an ecologist, not a detective. But when she's the prime suspect in a murder, only her unique set of skills can help clear her name.In the sleepy village of Cookingdean, Dr Nell Ward is working in the grounds of a local manor house. While inspecting an old tunnel, she does not expect to overhear a murder. As the only person with any clues, Nell soon finds herself in the middle of the investigation. Desperate to clear her name, Nell and her colleague Adam set out to solve the murder, using their skills as ecologists to uncover details no one else would notice. But it soon becomes clear that playing Agatha Christie is much harder than it might at first appear.The start of an exciting new cosy crime series — perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Fiona Leitch, Faith Martin and The Appeal.

Still spinning from the hustle and bustle of city life, Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is glad to be back in the Cornish village she calls home. Having quit the Met Police in search of something less dangerous, the change of pace means she can finally start her dream catering company and raise her daughter, Daisy, somewhere safer. But there’s nothing quite like having your first job back at home be catering an ex-boyfriend’s wedding to remind you of just how small your village is. And when the bride vanishes, Jodie is drawn into the investigation, realising that life in the countryside might not be as quaint as she remembers.With a missing bride on their hands, murder and mayhem lurk around every corner. But surely saving the day will be a piece of cake for this not-so-amateur sleuth?Endorsements“A sparklingly delicious confection to satisfy the mystery reader’s appetite” — Helena Dixon, bestselling author of the Miss Underhay Mysteries

Outside, Rookery Barn glows in the mid-morning sunshine while fat bees flit lazily between the forget-me-nots. Inside, a body lies dead…Widowed Georgina Drake has no regrets about moving to beautiful, sleepy Little Wenborough in rural Norfolk—until she opens the door to her rental property and finds the dead body of her latest guest, irritable university professor Roland Garnett. And on top of that she’s suddenly hearing a woman’s voice through her hearing aids.Completely shaken by the discovery, Georgina can hardly believe it when the police conclude that Professor Garnett was poisoned, with a dinner delivered by Georgina herself. Is she about to be accused of murder? Georgina needs to pull herself together, try to ignore the distracting voice, and clear her name!Asking around, it seems Roland Garnett offended half the village during his three-week stay and made unwelcome advances to the rest. But who was provoked enough to poison him? Georgina’s best lead is the deadly oleander found in Roland’s system. Her gardener, Young Tom, had access to the plant, but before she can talk to him, Tom becomes the killer’s next victim.As the crimes mount up, so do the clues. But does Georgina have what it takes to follow them to their conclusion, even when her amateur sleuthing puts her next in the killer’s sights?An addictive and completely gripping cosy crime novel. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Midsomer Murders.

Putting all her eggs in one basket, Agatha Raisin gives up her successful PR firm, sells her London flat, and samples a taste of early retirement in the quiet village of Carsely. Bored, lonely and used to getting her way, she enters a local baking contest. Then her recipe for social advancement sours when Judge Cummings-Browne not only snubs her entry — but is found poisoned and dead!

As if baking holiday cookies, knitting a sweater for her husband's gift, and making her daughter's angel costume for the church pageant weren't enough things for Lucy Stone's busy Christmas schedule, she's also working nights at the famous mail-order company Country Cousins. But when she discovers Sam Miller, its very wealthy founder, dead in his car from an apparent suicide, the sleuth in her knows something just doesn't smell right.Taking time out from her hectic holiday life to find out what really happened, her investigation leads to a backlog of secrets as long as Santa's Christmas Eve route. Lucy is convinced that someone murdered Sam Miller. But who and why? With each harrowing twist she uncovers in this bizarre case, another shocking revelation is exposed. Now, as Christmas draws near and Lucy gets dangerously closer to the truth, she's about to receive a present from Santa she didn't ask for—a killer who won't be satisfied until everyone on his shopping list is dead, including Lucy herself...Endorsements"Lucy Stone is an endearing sleuth." — Dorothy Cannell

June 1933. Independent young Kitty Underhay has been left in charge of her family’s hotel, The Dolphin, on the tranquil English coast. She’s expecting her days at the bustling resort to be filled with comfortable chatter with chambermaids as they polish the mahogany desks and glittering candelabras of the elegant foyer.But when several rooms are broken into and searched, including Kitty’s own, she quickly realises that something out of the ordinary is afoot at the hotel. Soon rumours are flying in the cozy town that someone is on the hunt for a stolen ruby, a ruby that Kitty’s mother may well have possessed when she herself went missing during the Great War. And when the break-ins are followed by a series of attacks and murders, including of the town’s former mayoress, it seems the perpetrator will stop at nothing to find it.Aided by ex-army captain Matthew Bryant, the Dolphin’s new security officer, Kitty is determined to decipher this mystery and preserve not only the reputation of her hotel, but also the lives of her guests. Is there a cold-blooded killer under her own roof? And what connects the missing jewel to the mystery from Kitty’s own past?A room with a view… to murder A classic page-turning murder mystery! Fans of Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Edmondson and T.E. Kinsey will love this unputdownable whodunnit.

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the famous Orient Express in its tracks as it travels through the mountainous Balkans. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of year but, by the morning, it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.One of the passengers is none other than detective Hercule Poirot. On vacation.Isolated and with a killer on board, Poirot must identify the murderer—in case he or she decides to strike again.

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency - Book 1Meet Mma Ramotswe, the endearing, engaging, simply irresistible proprietress of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, the first and only detective agency in Botswana.With persistent observation, gentle intuition, and a keen desire to help people with the problems of their lives, she solves mysteries great and small for friends and strangers alike.In this charming series, Mma Ramotswe navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom and good humor — not to mention help from her loyal assistant, Grace Makutsi, and the occasional cup of tea.

Mavis Miller is not a PTA mom. She has enough on her plate with her feisty seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, an exhausting job at a nonprofit, and the complexities of a multigenerational household. So no one is more surprised than Mavis when she caves to Trisha Holbrook, the long-reigning, slightly terrifying PTA president, and finds herself in charge of the school’s brand-new DEI committee.As one of the few Black parents at this California elementary school, Mavis tries to convince herself this is an opportunity for real change. But things go off the rails at the very first meeting, when the new principal's plans leave Trisha absolutely furious. Later that night, when Mavis spies Trisha in yellow rubber gloves and booties, lugging cleaning supplies and giant black trash bags to her waiting minivan, it’s only natural that her mind jumps to somewhere it surely wouldn’t in the light of day.Except Principal Smith fails to show up for work the next morning, and has been MIA since the meeting. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Mavis, along with the school psychologist with the great forearms (look, it’s worth noting), launches an investigation that will challenge her views on parenting, friendship, and elementary school politics.Brilliantly written, It's Elementary is a quick-witted, escapist romp that perfectly captures just how far parents will go to give their kids the very best, all wrapped in a mystery that will leave you guessing to the very end.A fast-paced, completely delightful new mystery about what happens when parents get a little too involved in their kids' schools.EndorsementsNAACP Image Award nominee — Elise Bryant