Tis the season for No. 2 pencils, notebooks, crayons, and glue sticks, hopefully all at great prices as you raid the big box stores for deals. But why do students get all the fun? Those of us who have long left school buses in our dust still deserve a back-to-the-routine treat. So throw these titles into your cart (they cost less a pack of topper erasers, so your budget won’t notice) and study up on these whodunnits:
#1. Have You Seen Sarah Baker?, TA Cruz
High school English teacher Sarah Baker is at the center of a large manhunt after her husband reports her as missing. But is she in trouble or did she run from the events stacking up in her classroom? The twists in this psych thriller will leave everyone guessing. An A rating with Amazon reviewers:
“I have never wanted to hunt down an author before I read this! TA Cruz, how could you? We’ve been warned, but still unprepared for the roller coaster ride!”
“It has been a while since I last enjoyed a mystery thriller book, and this one will make it to my top favorites of 2024. The book has so many unexpected twists and turns that it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Every chapter keeps you guessing, and just when you think you’ve figured out who did it, TA Cruz throws in another clue that makes you doubt everything you know.”
#2. A Corgi Conundrum, M. Alfano
Leslie Winters is back in the fourth book in this Pecan, Texas Pet Groomer cozy series, with a loyal corgi who helps her sniff out the villain that murdered the middle-school secretary and left her body in the ag barn. Leslie moonlights as a substitute agriculture teacher herself, so she’s not just in the wrong place at the right time. This time, her involvement is personal.
Releasing October 23, 2024—preorder your copy now!
#3. Tangle of Lies, CJ Carmichael
Once a teacher, always a teacher. Bobbie Galloway may have retired as the high school science teacher, but when one of her former students is murdered and another is the prime suspect, she’s not one to take a recess. She’s suspicious of everyone and she won’t stop until she gets justice. An A rating with Amazon reviewers:
“A strong, diverse cast drew me into this interesting and unique setting of a Canadian border town. I appreciated the realistic mix of characters—strong & weak, resilient & flawed, clever & dangerous. Add a lovely plot twist or three and you have a rock solid whodunnit.”
#4. Homecoming and Homicide, Jody Holford
How do you make friends in a new community? Volunteer to help with the local high school drama club’s fundraising event! It’s all fun and games until a crusty teacher turns up dead after the carnival event—and newcomer Annie Abbott and her boyfriend look guilty. Now her homework is to clear her name. An A rating with Amazon reviewers:
“This series is a new favorite … Holford did a fantastic job of tying everything up in a nice bow at the end. I was blown away by the murderer. I’m still shocked I missed the clues.”
Weddings and summer go together like peanut butter and jelly, although most brides save that favorite for after the dress is safely packed away.
But mystery readers have no restrictions on when, where, or how they walk down the aisle with these unforgettable ceremonies. Say yes to the distress:
Maid of Dishonor, Nancy Robards Thompson (coming July 18, 2024)
Maddie Bell’s life and career are icing on her cake. She’s sold her cozy mystery series and is contracted for two more books; she’s engaged to Hemlock’s chief of police; and her mother has purchased and restored the beautiful historic mansion, Gracewood Hall, in their hometown of Hemlock, North Carolina. Three generations—Gigi, Maddie, and Jenna–are now happily immersed in the wedding and special event business.
But their highly scrutinized inaugural event—the wedding of an A-List social media influencer—becomes a murder scene before the rehearsal dinner. Even as the police warn Maddie not to interfere with the investigation, this mother and daughter set out to discover who killed Kate and dispel the growing rumors that Gracewood Hall is cursed.
Optioned for television by Candy Rock Entertainment.
Until Depths Do Us Part, by K.B Jackson
Congratulations on booking your first cruise on the luxury private residential cruise ship, Thalassophile of the Seas! We want to ensure your sailing adventure is everything you have dreamed.
But newly widowed Charlotte McLauglin didn’t dream her husband was cheating on her with another family or hiding millions in his bank account. She’s using her new windfall to treat her nephew to the perfect wedding venue aboard her luxury cruise home bound for Alaska. Then things get even frostier when the bride is found dead less than twenty-four hours after they set sail, and evidence points to the groom as the murderer.
Now Charlotte is making a new vow: to protect her family’s happiness.
Murder Below the Mistletoe, by Kaz Delaney
What could go wrong when baker Rosie Hart heads to a snowy Colorado mountain lodge for a week of elaborate pre-wedding festivities at her friend’s wedding? Well, for starters, one of the wedding guests turns up dead, the groom appears to be the target, and she’s stuck in a blizzard with the wedding party being picked off one by one.
The only suspect she can rule out is Santa.
Rosie’s investigative instincts kick in—only this time she’s on her own. That is, until her four irrepressible card-shark mentors from Riverbend Retirement Village unexpectedly turn up to rescue her.
It’s the perfect read to cool you off on a hot, humid day.
A Case for the Candlemaker, by Candace Havens
Ainsley McGregor has her hands full preparing for Sweet River’s Valentine’s Day celebration and her bestie’s wedding. But then Ainsley and her Great Dane, George Clooney, discover that a candlemaker passing through town is dead—in a room that was locked from the inside.
Nuptials have to take a back seat as Ainsley drops into sleuth mode, discovering some surprising truths about the mystery woman. But has she just put herself in the killer’s crosshairs? It’s time to speak now or she may forever hold her peace.
Look for The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker starring Candace Cameron Bure as the Great American Mysteries channel’s inaugural launch!
