As an Amazon Associate we earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
You Had Me at Halo (affiliate link)
When Holly Evans wakes up dead at the tender age of twenty-two, she’s pretty sure things can’t get any worse (especially since her boyfriend was about to propose to her with a diamond ring the size of her knuckle). But Holly’s wrong and it turns out that she’s still got some mortal baggage to unload before she can walk through the pearly gates, which is why she’s being sent back to earth to get things sorted out.
Problem is that when she lands in the body of computer geek, Vince Murphy, she discovers that instead of having left the building, Vince is still very much alive (and remarkably unimpressed at the idea of sharing with a dead girl). So now Holly has to sort out her unresolved baggage in the next forty-eight hours while stuck in the body of a guy she barely noticed while she was alive. And if she doesn’t? Well, let’s just say that she’s probably not going to like the alternative.
Killing in the Caribbean: a romantic beach read mystery (affiliate link)
Welcome to Voyage Cruise Line: where a sunny day is always just a trip away!
At least, that’s the official motto Zibby Foster learned when she was hired as the ship’s dance instructor. And she’s starting to believe it—sailing to tropical ports all over the world that have almost been enough to leave the cares of her former life behind. So, when the ship docks in Barbados, Zibby and her new best friend, Cady Hart, plan to soak up the sun, see the sights, and sip the island’s infamous rum at Cady’s boyfriend Aiden’s local bar.
Only their plans go terribly awry when a group of American tourists enter the scene, and one of them dies right in front of Zibby after sipping one of Aiden’s cocktails! With the police suspecting foul play, suddenly Aiden’s livelihood is on the line, a murderer is on the loose, and it’s up to Zibby and Cady to figure out just what killed the vacationing victim.
The Florida Panhandle Mystery Series (affiliate link)
WHAT HAPPENS IN FLORIDA…
…could only happen in Florida. St. Elmo, specifically. Just like in the 50s, it’s still the kind of place where a date might be a picnic of tuna sandwiches, and the sheriff the son of an old friend. In the hands of mystery author Michaela Thompson, St. Elmo comes alive with a smattering of “only in Florida” puzzlers: a bootleg war in a hurricane, sunken treasure by a trailer park, a handful of illicit love affairs fraught with seaside small town gossip. As vibrant as their Florida Panhandle backdrop, this series is made up of traditional mysteries notable for the kind of delicately-crafted writing that’ll remind you of Golden Age British yarns, now bundled in a single box set.
South From Corregidor (affiliate link)
Comfort Food (affiliate link)
HER:
The first day of my captivity was like being born… or dying. They’re both kind of the same thing with the long tunnel and the bright light at the end. Maybe it wasn’t like either, actually. Maybe I’m remembering it wrong because for me that day all there was was darkness.
HIM:
Today I found something beautiful and decided to break it. I wanted to see it shatter in my hand and crumble at my feet. Her name is Emily Vargas.She’s bright and educated and stunning. Articulate. She’ll want someone to talk to her.
REVIEWS: ” . . . beautifully written and exquisitely detailed . . . a brilliantly written book and I highly suggest it, if you’re up for the challenge.” -mamakittyreviews.com
Love in the Bargain (Women of Worth Book 1) (affiliate link)
Growing up under the ruling thumbs of autocratic and absentee fathers, Elsie and her two best friends made a childhood vow to never marry. But when Elsie begins her first Season in London, her mother presents her with an irresistible bargain: if she says yes to each and every man’s invitations and still remains unattached by the end of the Season, she will receive her inheritance and become a free woman.
She is thrown into the spotlight by increasing attention in the newspaper gossip articles, and keeping her end of the bargain seems impossible—especially when her best friend’s tyrant of a brother, Lord Cameron, begins to make advances that Elsie literally cannot refuse.
The gossip grows increasingly malicious, leaving destroyed reputations and broken homes in its wake, and Elsie can’t seem to escape its focus. But it’s her own blossoming feelings for Lord Cameron that pose the greater threat.
Hit List (A Stone Barrington Novel Book 53) (affiliate link)
When Stone Barrington finds his name on a hit list, he plans to lie low until the culprit is caught. But when this foe shows no signs of stopping until his deadly objective is realized in full, Stone is left with no choice but to face the problem head-on.
Armed and alert, Stone joins forces with his most savvy connections to catch the perpetrator before the next strike. But it turns out this scum is an expert at evasion in more ways than one, and the international cat-and-mouse hunt that ensues has Stone questioning if he has become the predator or the prey. . .
Legacy of Lies (Bocephus Haynes Book 1) (affiliate link)
A small-town attorney takes on prejudice and corruption in this powerful legal thriller.
Small-town lawyer Bocephus Haynes comes home late one night to find District Attorney General Helen Lewis waiting for him. Her ex-husband has just been killed. She’s about to be arrested for his murder. And she wants Bo to represent her.
There’s a lot working against them. Just before his death, Helen’s ex-husband threatened to reveal a dark secret from her past. Bo has been in a tailspin since his wife’s death. What’s more, his whole life has been defined by a crime committed against his family, and he continues to face prejudice as the only African American litigator in Pulaski, Tennessee.
Bo’s back is against the wall, and Helen resigns herself to a dismal fate—but a stunning discovery throws everything into chaos.
Dying Scream (affiliate link)
An aspiring artist. A high-school senior. A stripper. Three missing women with only one thing in common—wealthy Craig Thornton knew them all. For that, they paid the ultimate price. Then Craig comes to his own untimely end, and his wife Adrianna is left to face the shocking truth of his life . . .
When Adrianna starts receiving cards and flowers from her late husband, she assumes it’s someone’s cruel joke. Then grisly remains are found on the Thornton estate. Detective Gage Hudson believes the bodies are linked to Craig. But the biggest shocks are yet to come. A psychopath has resumed his work, each death a prelude to his most cherished target. The only way to stop him is to uncover a family’s dark past—and a twisted love someone will kill for, again and again . . .
The Duchess Of Windsor (affiliate link)
A woman’s life can really be a succession of lives, each revolving around some emotionally compelling situation or challenge, and each marked off by some intense experience.
It was the love story of the century—the king and the commoner. In December 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry “the woman I love,” Wallis Warfield Simpson, a twice-divorced American who quickly became one of the twentieth century’s most famous personalities, a figure of intrigue and mystery, both admired and reviled.
Wedding Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen Book 19) (affiliate link)
Folks in Lake Eden, Minnesota, may have had their doubts, but at long last, Hannah Swensen is getting married! And her excitement only grows when she learns the man of her dreams will be able to join her on her trip to New York City for the Food Channel’s dessert chef contest. They get a taste of the Big Apple before Hannah wins the Hometown Challenge—and the producers bring all the contestants to Lake Eden to tape the remainder of the show.
It’s nerve-wracking enough being judged by Alain Duquesne, a celebrity chef with a nasty reputation. But it’s even more chilling to find him stabbed to death in the Lake Eden Inn’s walk-in cooler—before he’s even had a chance to taste Hannah’s Butterscotch Sugar Cookies! Now Hannah has not only lost her advantage, she’ll have to solve a mystery with more layers than a five-tiered wedding cake…
Love on Beach Avenue (The Sunshine Sisters Book 1) (affiliate link)
Avery Sunshine might not have a soul mate of her own, but she still believes in happily ever after—for her clients. Making dreams come true is her business at Sunshine Bridal, which she runs with her two sisters. When her best friend announces her engagement, Avery is thrilled to take charge of the giddy bride-to-be’s big day. Less thrilling? Her best friend’s arrogant and demanding brother, who just so happens to be the man of honor.
Carter Ross’s first instinct: call 911. He promised to always take care of his impulsive little sister, and he honors that vow. Even if it means taking over her wedding, where he is sure Avery will fail. At best, Avery is unpredictable. At worst, if she’s anything like the spitfire of a college girl he remembers, the main event could run wild.
… See the rest of today ‘s Book Picks here on page 2Page 2