The Cultivated Corpse

 

A Cultivated Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery) by Debra Sennefelder

About A Cultivated Corpse

Cozy Mystery 9th in Series Setting - Connecticut Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beyond the Page Publishing Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 28, 2026 Print length ‏ : ‎ 238 pages Paperback ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1966322577 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322573 Digital Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2026 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322566 ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H2797BZQ

When the local garden club president is killed, food blogger Hope Early will have to dig through the clues to catch a killer . . .

The Jefferson Garden Club’s annual plant sale is just around the corner, but Hope Early and other members of the club are more focused on the garden restoration project at Ambrose House. The gorgeous landscaping promises to help return the stately old house to its former glory, but rumors are surfacing of unexplained delays and exorbitant costs. Then the club’s president is found dead amid signs of foul play, and Hope can’t ignore the uneasy feeling that the victim was silenced for something she knew about the renovations.

Certain that the solution to the murder is tied to the garden project and the club’s recent financial struggles, Hope begins to go through their books and uncovers more than mismatched numbers. A tangle of transactions points to an intricate embezzlement scheme, but before she can weed out who’s behind it, a local reporter chasing the same story is killed. It’s clear now that someone is dead-set on keeping the truth buried, and Hope will have to unearth a vital piece of evidence before the killer decides it’s time to bury her as well . . .

Includes mouthwatering recipes!

What I Thought: 

This is the 9th installment in the Food Blogger Mystery series. I have read a few in this series and they have all been good. I enjoy Ms. Sennefelder's writing style. This story flowed well and was an easy read. The plot kept my attention from the beginning till the end and the reveal of the killer. In this one, Hope has joined the garden club and they are doing a renovation of the garden of an historic home in Jefferson. When financial information for the project starts being questioned, Hope looks at the books. The President of the garden club has a lot of enemies and makes a lot of  people angry. When she is murdered, Hope wonders if it is connected to the garden club and investigates. There were a log of twists and turns in this one. There were a lot of possible suspects as well. The author dropped some hints here and there, but I was kept guessing till the end as even though there were hints, I still was not sure who the killer(s) was. I liked the setting of this book and there are many returning characters that are very likable. I will definitely be reading more in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

 

Debra Sennefelder lives and writes in Connecticut, where she lives with her family and slightly spoiled Shih Tzu. An avid reader across a range of genres, mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. She’s the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series. When she’s not writing, she’s either baking or reading. To learn more, visit her on the web at www.debrasennefelder.com

Food Blogger Mysteries

If you love cozy mysteries with a foodie twist, the Food Blogger Mysteries are for you. Follow food blogger Hope Early as she juggles baking, blogging, and uncovering secrets in the charming town of Jefferson, Connecticut. Each book delivers:

• Amateur sleuthing with humor and heart
• Recipes from Hope’s kitchen
• Small-town friendships (and rivalries!)
• Seasonal settings — from Halloween to Christmas

Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke, Jenn McKinlay, Ellie Alexander, and Peg Cochran, this series combines delicious food with puzzling whodunits.

Author Links Website: https://debrasennefelder.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebraSennefelderAuthor/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debrasennefelder/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17010346.Debra_Sennefelder Purchase Links – Amazon - B&N - Kobo

The Diva Hosts a Murderer

 

The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery) by Krista Davis

About The Diva Hosts a Murderer

The Diva Hosts a Murderer (A Domestic Diva Mystery) Cozy Mystery 19th in Series Setting - Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2026 Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages Hardcover ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496743482 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496743480 Digital ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496743503 ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FP7LXJ8C Audiobook ASIN B0FVW9XKRW

Old Town Virginia’s entertaining guru and occasional sleuth Sophie Winston – a young Martha Stewart in the making – juggles Fourth of July fireworks, a houseful of guests, and homicide in the latest Domestic Diva culinary mystery from New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis.

With a big crowd descending on her Northern Virginia home, it’s a good thing event planner Sophie Winston is an expert at entertaining. Whipping up patriotic pastries is as easy as pie for her, though meeting the man her widowed Aunt Melly just impulsively married in Las Vegas is a little more awkward. Especially when Melly’s longtime, now-heartbroken secret admirer is there too, which could lead to some fireworks.

But the house party really gets explosive when Sophie’s favorite tour guide falls victim to a killer—and evidence points to Sophie’s own father. Will DNA really incriminate her dad? And what’s the real story with her new uncle-by-marriage and the mysterious pal he’s brought along with him? Some of the secrets Sophie’s discovering are raising flags—and while the police department casts suspicion on her father, she has to declare her independence as a detective to find the real culprit, and serve justice along with her red, white, and blue cupcakes . . .

Includes delicious recipes, fabulous decorating tips, and easy entertaining hacks!

What I Thought:

Krista Davis has done it again with the Diva Series. This is one of my favorite series. I love the characters, the setting, and most things about this series. This is the 19th installment of the series, but this series just keeps on keeping on. It is just as good as when the series was first started. It is the Fourth of July in Old Towne and Sophie's parents, her aunt and her new husband, her sister, and some other friends have come to town for the 4th. Sophie is suspicious of her Aunt's new husband for many reasons. When there is a dead body found in an alley behind a neighbors house, Sophie gets involved. As I said this series does not get old and Krista Davis does very well with coming up with interesting and realistic plots that keep a readers attention. I was invested in this book from the beginning till the end. There was so much going on it kept me turning the pages. I hope the Diva series keeps on for a long time and I look forward to reading more in this series. 

About Krista Davis

New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mystery series. Krista lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with two cats and a brood of dogs. Her friends and family complain about being guinea pigs for her recipes, but she notices they keep coming back.

Author Links Website www.KristaDavis.com Instagram www.instagram.com/kristadavisauthor Facebook www.facebook.com/KristaDavisAuthor GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1555579.Krista_Davis Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/KristaDavisAuthor/ BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/krista-davis Delicious Mysteries https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573601592919093 Purchase Links Amazon Apple Barnes & Noble Books A Million Bookshop Hudson Booksellers Indigo Rakuten Kobo Tantor Audio Target Walmart

Masher of Ceremonies

Masher of Ceremonies: A Vintage Kitchen Mystery

by Victoria Hamilton

About Masher of Ceremonies

Cozy Mystery
13th in Series
Setting - Michigan
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beyond the Page
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 19, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322535
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GXGQV1L4
More formats coming soon

A fundraiser for the local historical society nearly goes bust when someone fills the coffers with blackmail and murder . . .

The annual Tea With the Queen fundraiser always makes for a festive weekend in Queensville, drawing visitors from far and wide and giving local shops a welcome boost. This year, vintage kitchenware collector Jaymie Müller is running the event, and she’s got her hands full organizing old and new volunteers along with a surly catering crew. Then her master of ceremonies tells her he’s being blackmailed but can’t go to the police, and before Jaymie can sort that out she stumbles over a dead body at the tea.

Despite the demands of keeping the event up and running, Jaymie can’t help puzzling over the murder. There’s no concrete evidence linking the cretin behind the blackmail scheme to the dead body, so she begins questioning everyone connected to the blackmail, hoping to expose the killer. And just as she discovers a web of relationships that leads her to the culprit, she realizes that the Tea With the Queen may have been a royal pain, but outwitting a blackmailer and catching a killer may be the death of her . . .

Includes a vintage recipe!

What I Thought:

This is the 13th in the Vintage Kitchen Mystery Series. I have read some in this series, but not all. But I did not feel like I was lost, so this could be read as a standalone mystery. The plotline caught my interest from the very beginning and kept it through out. I thought the mystery was well plotted and flowed well. Jaymie is in charge of the Tea with the Queen event in her hometown of  Queensville. She enlists the help of Nigel Dudley who bought the home where the tea is always held. An old boyfriend of his comes to town to cause trouble and Nigel asks Jaymie to talk to him. When Nigel's assistant is found deceased right after the end of the tea with the Queen event, Jaymie of course gets embroiled in the investigation. I enjoyed this mystery. It had been some time since I visited with Jaymie and her friends in Queensville, and I had an enjoyable time revisiting them. Jaymie is a great protagonist. As I said this flowed well and it kept me guessing till the end. It was an easy and fast read. I like the setting and the old and some of the new characters. I look forward to more in this series. I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

About Victoria Hamilton

 Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym of nationally bestselling romance author Donna Lea Simpson. Victoria is the bestselling author of three mystery series, the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries, the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, and the Merry Muffin Mysteries. She also writes a Regency-set historical mystery series, starting with A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Murder. Visit her website at victoriahamiltonmysteries.com.

Social Details:

Website: http://www.VictoriaHamiltonMysteries.com (Sign up for her newsletter for all the latest!)

On Substack (Sign up for newsletter… always FREE!): Go to: https://substack.com/@victoriahamiltonmysteries and ‘Subscribe’ for the FREE Victoria Hamilton Mysteries newsletter!

On  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaHamiltonMysteryAutho

Murder and Maggie Macgill

 

A Murder and Maggie MacGill by Rebecca Lee Smith

About A Murder and Maggie MacGill

A Murder and Maggie MacGill Cozy Mystery Stand Alone Setting - A small southern mountain town called Wrenhaven, Tennessee. Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wild Rose Press Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 27, 2025 Print length ‏ : ‎ 296 pages Paperback ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509262296 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509262298 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FC238LWX

When elementary art teacher Maggie MacGill finds the richest, most despised woman in town dead, then inherits her estate, life in the sweet mountain town of Wrenhaven, Tennessee, takes a greased ride downhill. No one knows why Mrs. Grayson left her fortune to Maggie, but once her death begins to look like murder, and a series of unexplained pranks directed at the MacGill family turn nasty, Maggie must untangle a web of secrets and discover who has it in for her before it’s too late. Even if it means accepting help from the victim’s grandson, a man she’s loathed since high school but whose devastating grin and quick wit can still make her heart race.

What I Thought:

Murder and Maggie MacGill is a stand alone by Rebecca Lee Smith. The setting is a small town in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee. Maggie is an elementary Art teacher and she and her father befriended the town curmudgeon, Mrs. Grayson. Maggie by working on her garden and Maggie's father by doing handy man tasks. When Maggie and Mrs. Grayson's grandson find her passed away, right around the time Maggie is told she has lost her Art teacher job. When Mrs. Grayson's will is read and she has left the bulk of her estate to Maggie, things start to look suspicious. Then accidents start happening to Maggie. She has to get to the bottom of what has really happened to Mrs. Grayson. I enjoyed the setting of this book. Maggie was a great protagonist and was very likable. The plot was well thought out and the story flowed well. It kept my attention from the very beginning. I also enjoyed the romantic element of this one as well. I hope to read more by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

 

Rebecca lives with her husband and a dog named Wilbur in the beautiful, misty mountains of East Tennessee, where the people are charming, soulful, and just a little bit crazy. She’s been everything from a tax collector to a stay-at-home-mom to a professional actor and director. She loves to travel the world but her Southern roots and the affectionate appreciation she has for the rural towns she lives near inspire the settings and characters she writes about.

Author Links

Website http://www.rebeccaleesmith.com Facebook: (Rebecca Lee Smith): http://bit.ly/4lykxcF Twitter/X: (Rebecca Lee Smith): https://x.com/rbeccaleesmith Bluesky: http://bit.ly/467y7ih Author Central on Amazon: https://bit.ly/4lapGr3 Purchase Links - Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo

Deck the Halls with Homicide

 

Deck the Halls With Homicide: Killer Chocolate Mysteries by Christina Romeril

About Deck the Halls With Homicide

Deck the Halls With Homicide: Killer Chocolate Mysteries Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series Setting - Harriston, Montana (fictional) Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently Published Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 28, 2025 Print length ‏ : ‎ 326 pages Paperback ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1069554103 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1069554109 Digital ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1069554116 ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FKMD2SMX

Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Frost and Vicki Delany, when a holiday decorating contest turns deadly, twin sisters Alex and Hanna trade tinsel and twinkle lights for tracking the twists and turns of a cunning killer.

Alex and Hanna, owners of Murder and Mayhem book and chocolate shop, are hoping for a quiet holiday. That is, after Alex is finished judging the Deck the Halls contest organized by Vanessa, nicknamed “The Dragon.” The whole experience has turned Alex’s usual festive spirit a little grinchy. Instead of inspiring holiday cheer with fun lawn displays, the contest has turned cutthroat and decorations have started disappearing. After Alex’s beau, Tom, is seen in a heated argument with the Dragon about his stolen trimmings, Alex finds him dressed as Santa, kneeling over Vanessa’s dead body…with one of his missing candy cane decorations buried in her chest. It’s no surprise he becomes the sheriff’s top suspect.

Alex and Hanna quickly amass a cast of suspects deeper than Santa’s reindeer roster, including an old family friend tasked by their mother with romantic interference; a nosy reporter eager to reveal Alex’s previous murder-y exploits; and the victim’s psychologist-to-the-stars husband with a spicy secret. But as they try to catch a crafty killer, Alex also grapples with the escalating wrath of Tom’s daughter, and a mysterious psychic dropping cryptic clues, while Hanna deals with her own Christmas crisis.

Murder puts a bitter spin on the twins’ sweet confections and they must find the killer and wrap up the case to keep Santa off the naughty list.

What I Thought:

This is the third installment in the Killer Chocolate Mystery Series. It is Christmas time again in Harriston, MT and Alex and Hanna are busy in their shop making yummy chocolates with killer poison names. Alex is taped to help judge the town's holiday decoration display for the year and is continuing her relationship with Pastor Tom. Vanessa Lindstrom has organized the holiday display contest and she has also taken it upon herself to speak to Tom and his daughter about Tom and Alex's relationship, much to the chagrin of Alex and Tom. Alex is musing that their hasn't been a murder yet this Christmas, but she shouldn't have spoken so soon. When Tom is found kneeling over the body of Vanessa, Alex has her Christmas murder to solve. 

I enjoy visiting Harriston during the holidays. Christina Romeril does such a good job of describing the town, the residents and the decorations, I feel like I am there. This story flowed well and kept my attention. There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I cannot wait for another visit to Harriston at Christmastime. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. 

About Christina Romeril

Christina Romeril grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and has been devouring stacks of books since third grade when the Trixie Belden series sparked a love of mysteries. She has lived on both coasts of Canada as a former member of the Canadian military. As an Alberta transplant, she is fascinated by mountains and loves to spend time with her husband and two Chihuahuas, Nacho and Paco, exploring Waterton National Park in the Canadian Rockies.

Author Links Facebook https://www.facebook.com/christinaromerilwriter Website https://christinaromeril.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/christinaromerilwriter Purchase Links - Amazon Bookshop.org B&N Kobo Apple Books

Death on Dickens Island

 

Death on Dickens Island: A Books on the Beach Mystery by Allison Brook

About Death on Dickens Island

Death on Dickens Island: A Books on the Beach Mystery Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - On Dickens Island, a fictional island in the Long Island Sound between Long Island and CT. Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2025 Hardcover Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892420488 Paperback ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892422536 Digital ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892420495 ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DTNMGQTK Audiobook ASIN: B0DT4WXPWL

A divorced sleuth in her thirties must bring peace back to her small town after a murder tears neighbors and family members apart in this series debut from Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook, perfect for fans of Cynthia Riggs and Eva Gates.

Delia Dickens has come home to Dickens Island, a small island in the Long Island Sound, after a twelve-year stint in Manhattan. She’s looking forward to helping her father revitalize the general store that the family owns as well as curating a small book nook. Most importantly, she wants to reunite with her fifteen-year-old son. But Dickens Island isn’t the peaceful town Delia remembers–and she might be in more danger here than she ever was in the big city.

Delia’s Aunt Reenie and Uncle Brad, both prominent community leaders, are at odds over the sale of a farm and its future use. This has created friction, not only in their marriage, but amongst the citizens of the town. When a young woman, new to the town council and friendly with Brad, is found murdered, everything escalates and reaches a new boiling point.

With Reenie and Brad both suspects in the case and at each other’s throats, the townspeople start to take sides. When the ghost of her grandmother visits her, Delia learns how past events have impacted the present, and it is up to her to expose the farm’s sordid secrets in order to catch a murderer and restore peace to her beloved island.

What I Thought:

This is a new series by Allison Brook, Books on the Beach Mysteries. Once I started this book I almost could not put it down it was that enthralling. Delia has moved back home to the Island named after her family, the Dickens, and gets embroiled in murder mystery, plus a search for possible pirate treasure, and ultimately a murder mystery from decades ago. I loved the setting of this book which is an island off the coast of Long Island and Connecticut. Delia was a great protagonist and very likable. As were other supporting characters in this book. The plot was well thought out and believable and the story flowed very well. Of course it kept my attention from the very beginning until the reveal at the end. There were twists and turns and side mysteries and a little romance that kept this very interesting. I will definitely be reading more in this series and am anxiously awaiting the next installment. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  

About Allison Brook

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, novels of suspense, and books for kids. Her books have received many accolades. As Allison Brook she writes the Haunted Library series. Death Overdue, the first in the series, was an Agatha nominee for Best Contemporary Novel in 2018. Other mysteries include the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club series, the Twin Lakes series, and Giving Up the Ghost. Her suspense, Come Home to Death, was released in April 2024, and her suspense, Dangerous Relations, will be republished in 2025. Death on Dickens Island is the first book in her Books on the Beach series.

Marilyn's juvenile novel, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, was an International Reading Association-Children's Book Council Children's Choice and has recently come out in a new edition. Rufus and the Witch's Drudge, the second book in the series, has been released, and the third, Rufus and the Dark Side of Magic, will be out later this year. And Don't Bring Jeremy was a nominee for six state awards. Her YA horror, The Devil's Pawn, came out in a new edition in January 2024.

Marilyn lives on Long Island, where many of her books take place. She loves traveling, reading, doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku, chatting on FaceTime with her grandkids, and playing with her kittens, Romeo and Juliet.

Author Links Website/Newsletter Sign Up: http://www.marilynlevinson.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/161602.Marilyn_Levinson X: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marilyn-levinson BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/allison-brook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marilynlevinsonauthor/ Purchase Links: Amazon B&N Bookshop.org PenguinRandomHouse

Grave Words

Grave Words: A Deadly Deadlines Mystery

by Gerri Lewis

About Grave Words

Grave Words: A Deadly Deadlines Mystery

Cozy Mystery

2nd in Series

Setting - Connecticut

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 10, 2025

Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

Hardcover ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892421133

Paperback  ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892422482

Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DGPF9R8P

Audiobook ASIN B0F97G3PP3

Winter Snow has had it! With her business in a death drought, her best friend Scoop implicated

in a string of arsons, and an obituary listing Winter herself as deceased, her life is heating up. But

just as she’s trying to cool things down, she receives her newest assignment: an obituary for

Chester, a homeless man found in a burning building.

Promising the local funeral home manager that she will have the obituary by the deadline, Winter

is stonewalled at every turn, failing to discover Chester’s last name, or where he came from.

When it is discovered that Chester was murdered and that the fire was set to cover it up, all

fingers immediately point to Scoop. Not only is Scoop a person of interest in the arsons, he was

also the last person to see Chester alive.

As more nails are pounded into Scoop’s coffin, Winter’s uncle Richard hopes to help by inviting

the notorious town gossips, The Nosy Parkers, to a neighborhood food fest. Unfortunately, the

breadcrumbs they toss set murder in motion.

More determined than ever, Winter must figure out the twists and turns of the case to clear

Scoop’s name, putting her on a deadly deadline to solve the murder and avoid meeting the same

grave consequences.

What I Thought:

This is the first book in the Deadly Deadlines Series that I have read. I thought a series about a professional obituary writer would be interesting, and I was not wrong. In this one, it starts out with Winter finding out her client submitted an obituary she wrote but with her name and picture in it. This progress into and arson and murder investigation in which Winter's best friend, and reporter. Scoop is the main suspect. Winter is dating a local police officer and he warns her not to get involved. Her uncle and neighbor also try to keep Winter out of trouble, but it does not always work.

I enjoyed the setting of this book and as I said, I thought the premise of a professional obituary writer was unique. I did not really know that was a career choice. The plot was well thought out and believable and the story flowed well and kept my attention from the very beginning. There were several twist that kept me guessing. I will definitely be reading more in this series. 

About Gerri Lewis

GERRI LEWIS is the author of The Last Word (2024) and Grave Words (June 10, 2025), the

first two books in her Deadly Deadlines Mystery series published by Crooked Lane Books.  Set

in her Hallmark-worthy hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut, this cozy mystery is about

obituary writer Winter Snow, who solves murders along with a cast of lovable

characters.  During her career as an award-winning reporter, columnist, and feature writer, Gerri

has become a go-to person in her community for obituaries. When she is not helping her

protagonist solve mysteries, she writes magazine features and is the Public Information Officer

for the Ridgefield Office of Emergency Management.  She lives with her husband in Ridgefield,

Connecticut, the picture-perfect setting for her books.