Books like 'Maximum Security'
Readers who enjoyed Maximum Security by C.A. Newsome also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery animals cozy female-mc crime amateur-sleuth
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Dogcatcher in the Rye by Ellen Riggs
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTurning a hobby farm into a quaint country inn is a piece of cake compared to solving a murder.Ivy Galloway may not know an alpaca from a llama, but nothing’s going to stop her from pursuing her dream of opening a farm-themed inn in her hometown of Clover Grove. Not after what she went through to rescue Keats, her brilliant border collie, and flee the big city... -
An Embarrassment of Itches by M.K. Dean
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt's Diagnosis Murder meets All Creatures Great and Small...As a house-call vet, Ginny Reese has seen her share of the weird and wacky. But nothing in her previous experience could have prepared her to find one of her clients floating in her own swimming pool.Local artist Amanda Kelly was extremely wealthy with her share of secrets... -
Handcuffs in the Heather by Dale Mayer
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRiches to rags. ... Everything is under control, ... until it isn’t. And Doreen’s in the middle of it!The four boxes of files Doreen inherited from journalist Bridgeman Solomon have already helped her solve one crime, and Doreen hopes they’ll continue to assist her as she sticks her nose into future cases... -
Just Different Devils by Jinx Schwartz
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHetta Coffey is a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht, and she's not afraid to use it—most of the time. She's an intrepid cruiser, but wild rumors of marauding gangs of flesh-shredding giant Humboldt squid on a rampage in the Sea of Cortez could keep even Hetta tied to an expensive dock... -
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Dagger in the Dahlias by Dale Mayer
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRiches to rags. … Chaos quiets. … Crime is circling. … And cold cases never cease …After almost a month in picturesque Kelowna, Doreen Montgomery still can’t keep her notoriety to a minimum or her nose out of other people’s business. Now those suffering from the loss of a loved one seek her out, wanting her help... -
Murder in the Family by Paula Bernstein
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHannah Kline is a successful Los Angeles obstetrician and the recently widowed mother of a young daughter. She is barely managing to hold it all together, when her life is shattered once again by the brutal murder of her beautiful, bright, zany and recently divorced sister-in-law Beth. Hannah is determined to do whatever she can to assist the police in finding the murderer... -
Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot by Sarah Osborne
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPediatrician Mabel Aphrodite Brown adores kids. So when a childhood friend asks Ditie to babysit her kids for a few days, she jumps at the chance. She never imagined she’d be solving a murder too . . . Despite growing up together, Ditie hasn’t seen Ellie Winston in two years, and she didn’t even know Ellie was living in Atlanta... -
Chicken Culprit by Vikki Walton
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCheck Out the First Book in the New Backyard Farming Mystery Series CHICKEN CULPRIT Finally healing after her heart-breaking divorce, Anne Freemont is ready to put the painful past behind her. Discovering an old Victorian for sale in the small mountain town of Carolan Springs may be just what she needs. The beauty of Colorado beckons, so Anne heads west to start her new life... -
The Vanishing Type by Ellery Adams
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEntertainment Weekly hails the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series by the beloved New York Times bestselling author as “a love letter to reading... -
Murder at the Pumpkin Patch by London Lovett
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSunni Taylor's sisters, through their power of sisterly persuasion, have convinced her to host a Halloween costume party at Cider Ridge Inn. She's a little reluctant about the whole event and rightly worried about the actual ghost, who will, no doubt, be in attendance, but she decides to just relax and enjoy it... -
A Crafty Killing by London Lovett
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSunni Taylor is looking forward to an easy and sweetheart filled month of February. After a few blissful months as lead reporter for the Junction Times, an unexpected shake-up at the newspaper leaves her reeling and frustrated. She finds herself once again having to cover mundane stories, like the Firefly Junction Craft Fair... -
Killer in the Kiwis by Dale Mayer
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRiches to rags. ... Chaos again. ... Winning is important, ... at least for some!Doreen is overwhelmed with joy when she sees all the volunteers who show up to help get her deck addition built. Most of the men are cops, friends of Corporal Mack Moreau’s, and are happy to help Mack’s special friend and the lady who has helped solve so many crimes for them with a spot of home renovation... -
In Trouble with the Claw by Eryn Scott
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCould Lou be falling right into the killer’s trap?Louisa’s first fall in Button is everything she hoped it would be: corn mazes, pumpkin patches, quirky town traditions, and beautiful foliage. The only unexpected thing: a dead body found in a pile of fall leaves.When Lou starts getting clues about the murder, she’s wary, to say the least... -
Death and Wedding Cake by Nova Walsh
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA small town with big secrets. A caterer turned amateur detective. A wedding weekend plagued by murder and mystery. Home is where the heart is for Abby Hirsch, a chef returning to her small Texas hometown to cater a wedding at her aunt's charming bed and breakfast. But homecoming turns deadly when Abby finds the body of the bride's rival dumped on the grounds... -
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The Handyman Homicide by Libby Howard
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe new campground comes with a body. Sassy Letouroux is not normally an impulsive woman, but when the campground that held so many childhood memories comes up for sale, she throws caution to the wind and buys it—sight unseen.Arriving with her 85 year old mother and her bloodhound, Elvis, Sassy realizes there’s a lot to do before the campground will be ready for the spring rush of guests... -
Picture Perfect Murder by Jenna St. James
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRyli Sinclair had no idea moonlighting as the forensic photographer for the Granville Police Department would put her in the direct path of a crazed killer. Determined to capture the murderer before she's next in line, Ryli enlists the help of her best friend, Paige, and her elderly great-aunt Shirley, a former private investigator... -
The Fast and the Furriest by Sofie Ryan
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSarah Grayson and her trusty companion, Elvis, race to tail the right suspects in the fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat Mysteries.Sarah Grayson owns Second Chance, a shop that sells lovingly refurbished items, in the charming town of North Harbor, Maine. But she couldn't run the store without the help of her right-hand man, Mac--or her dashing rescue cat, Elvis... -
The Diva Sweetens the Pie by Krista Davis
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis's new Domestic Diva mystery, Old Town's annual Pie Festival crumbles into chaos after a celebrity judge is murdered, leaving it up to entertaining maven and sometime-sleuth Sophie Winston to dole out justice . . -
Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing by Heather Day Gilbert
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsExotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake is nervous about her new job at the White Pine Wolf Preserve, but it turns out that the care and feeding of wild carnivores may be the least dangerous part of the gig . . . Pet-sitter Belinda Blake is no stranger to dealing with wild animals, but she’s wary when the owner of the Greenwich, Connecticut, preserve asks her to help out with her “fluffy darlings... -
Trick or Trouble by London Lovett
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSunni Taylor is moving forward on the remodel of the Cider Ridge Inn. She is anxious to start her bed and breakfast business. Unfortunately, the inn is not cooperating. It seems she is hit with one catastrophe after another. This time it's the plumbing... -
Te-Kill-Ya Sunrise by Patti Larsen
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTequila is a terrible way to go…The young woman who’d ordered the double shot margarita took it with wide eyes and a thumbs up as she sampled it through the straw, walking back toward her table in the sand on wobbling platform sandals unsuited to the footing... -
Artistic License to Kill by Paula Darnell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn this cozy mystery, artist Amanda Trent, accompanied by her beloved golden retriever Laddie and her persnickety calico cat Mona Lisa, is determined to start a new life after her husband divorces her to marry a younger woman, but it isn't easy... -
A Dealer Dead Ahead by Scarlett Moss
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAll she can see is grief until a friend offers her a coastal view. But this seaside adventure could have her drowning in danger.Carter Cash struggles with starting over. Widowed for a year and looking for direction, the mystery-TV-show fanatic agrees to assist a pal refurbishing an old yacht… and makes fast friends with a retired police dog... -
Accidental Lawyer: A humorous peek into Baltimore's legal Community by Kim Hamilton
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSet in the brilliant and diverse city of Baltimore, Accidental Lawyer, is a humorous, often irreverent portrayal of the dubious practice of personal injury law.Jessica Snow has a crisp new law degree, a grinding ambition, and a pesky moral compass that is often at odds with her new job as an ambulance chaser... -
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The Harbor of Lies, a Romantic Suspense Novel by Debra Burroughs
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom NY Times bestselling author Debra Burroughs comes Book 6 in the wildly popular Paradise Valley Mystery series. The captivating romance between sassy private-eye Emily Parker and sexy police detective Colin Andrews has been filled with mystery, danger, and intrigue. He’s finally convinced her to marry him—if only they can make it to the altar unscathed... -
Burden of Poof by Julie Anne Lindsey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn amateur sleuth named Bonnie and her kitty companion Clyde, with names like those, what could possibly go wrong?Life hasn't sparkled too brightly for Bonnie Balfour over the past few years, but a heart-breaking divorce has brought her back to her small rural hometown of Bliss, Georgia, and things are starting to shape up... -
Wine Tastings Are Murder by Libby Klein
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt's vintage Poppy McAllister when the gluten-free baker and B&B owner tries to solve a murder at a Cape May winery . . . When Poppy and Aunt Ginny agreed to host a Wine and Cheese Happy Hour for a tour group at their Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast on the Jersey Shore, they never anticipated such a sour bunch... -
Death in Darkness by Nell Goddin
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA disturbed wife. A nanny. And a pack of cowardly, lying friends.Simon Valette, a cultured and successful Parisian, moves his family to Castillac looking for peace and quiet. Before they've had a chance to settle in, someone is found murdered in their library. Molly and Ben work double-time to disentangle all the lies--including those told by their own friends... -
Banana Chiffon and Bad Deeds by London Lovett
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMeet London's newest amateur sleuth, Scottie Ramone, in Banana Chiffon and Bad Deeds—A prequel novella to the Scottie Ramone Cozy Mystery series.A missing grandmother, a murdered neighbor and a crush from the past are just a few of the surprises waiting for Scottie in the heart of the Rocky Mountains... -
Sadie Kramer Flair Mysteries - Box Set 1-3 by Deborah Garner
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA Flair for Chardonnay: When flamboyant senior sleuth Sadie Kramer learns the owner of Cioccolato, her favorite chocolate shop, is in trouble, she heads for the California wine country with a tote-bagged Yorkie and a slew of questions. The fourth generation Tremiato Winery promises answers, but not before a dead body turns up at the vintners’ scheduled Harvest Festival... -
Murder à la Mode by Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWith the wine harvest behind them, things had just started to calm down for Maggie and Laurent in their French village of Saint-Buvard when a team of food industry entrepreneurs and celebrity judges arrives to put on a contest to decide in a blind taste test which country makes the best chocolate éclairs—the Brits, the Americans, the Germans or the French... -
Ruff Justice by Laurien Berenson
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAs owner of prize-winning Poodles, Melanie Travis knows how to handle fierce competition. But when a conformation show turns deadly, it’ll take every trick in the book to outsmart a murderer who refuses to lose . . . With the excitement of the spring dog show season sweeping Connecticut, Melanie is determined to help her son finally lead his Standard Poodle toward a championship title... -
I Know What You Bid Last Summer by Sherry Harris
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSherry Harris presents the fifth installment of this charming, bestselling cozy mystery series! One man's junk is another man's treasure. But finding that treasure can be murder. As Sarah Winston discovers, someone is always ready to kill someone else for seemingly worthless pieces of junk... -
Cat Got Your Cash by Julie Chase
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWith a killer prowling New Orleans’ Garden District, pet boutique owner Lucy Marie Crocker must protect two endangered Siamese before another cat-astrophe strikes Lacy Marie Crocker’s whimsical pet couture has gained a following in New Orleans’ cozy Garden District, and word of mouth has traveled all the way to her favorite fashion designer, Annie Lane... -
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Heads Will Cinnamon Roll by London Lovett
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor amateur sleuth Scottie Ramone, the only thing better than a hot, fresh cinnamon roll is an intriguing new mystery to solve!Scottie recently made some life-changing decisions. (One might even call them rash.) She’s turned her whole world upside down and desperately wants to set it upright... -
Cream Caramel and Murder by K.E. O'Connor
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSweet treats, revenge, and murder. ‘I truly loved the characters in this book, they were so vivid and fun!’ Amazon review. Holly Holmes loves her new job working in the kitchen at Audley Castle, home to the eccentric and wealthy Audley family... -
Brutal Brûlée by Leighann Dobbs
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA creepy haunted mansion that has been abandoned for decades, a cat that appears out of nowhere, and a murder in a locked room are just par for the course for bakery owner Lexy Baker and her posse of amateur-sleuth grandmas.Lexy takes a working vacation to help her grandmother's friend launch her new bed-and-breakfast, and she ends up in the middle of a mysterious murder investigation... -
Death Over Easy by Maddie Day
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRestaurateur Robbie Jordan is ready for the boost in business a local music festival brings to South Lick, Indiana, but the beloved event strikes a sour note when one of the musicians is murdered . . . June’s annual Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival in neighboring Beanblossom is always a hit for Robbie’s country store and café, Pans ‘N Pancakes... -
Mind Your Manors by CeeCee James
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMeet Stella O'Neil, retired FBI agent Oscar O'Neil's granddaughter. She's got a lot on her plate, trying to figure out her crazy, stubborn family, the hidden secrets that caused her grandfather's estrangement from her dad, and starting out as a real estate agent. Throw in a dead body found in what used to be the town's "royalty" family manor, and she's neck deep in a mystery... -
Chaos in Little Leaf Creek by Cindy Bell
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHer new home in the country comes with an antiquated historical society, a sour-faced next-door neighbor, and a murder victim on her front lawn…Cassie Alberta needs a fresh start... -
From Garden To Grave by Rickie Blair
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMurder. It’s a perennial problem. Verity Hawkes is a shut-in. After two years bunkered in her apartment, the only thing that gets her out is the disappearance of her beloved but eccentric aunt. As she takes over her aunt’s landscaping shop, she’ll need to go from hoarder to horticulturist in a hurry…Her new home of Leafy Hollow is quaint, except for her most obnoxious client... -
Tall Tails Secret Book Club by CeeCee James
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA mysterious mansion, a suspicious death, and a cat too smart for its own good…When Laura Lee took the summer job as a housekeeper at the old Thornberry Estate, she knew it was a creepy place, but she had no idea how creepy. Mrs... -
A Wedding to Die For by Heather Haven
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA wedding without a groom leaves a lot to be desired. So when the wedding of Lee’s best friend is threatened by the arrest of the groom for murder, thirty-four-year old Lee Alvarez -- a combination of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone and Janet Evanovitch’s Stephanie Plum - heads south of the border in search of the real killer... -
Death by the Finish Line by Alexis Morgan
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen a dead body turns up on a race route, Abby McCree hits the ground running to catch a killer... Overcommitted Abby has once again been drafted to use her organizing superpowers--this time for a 5k charity run that's part of the Founder's Day Celebration in Snowberry Creek, Washington... -
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Too Far to Fall by Shane Sawyer
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA pretty little townAn inheritanceA break-inA bodyEdie Doyle may be new in town, but she’s about to uncover long-held secrets. Secrets someone will do anything to protect.When her Great Aunt Jane dies, Edie inherits her house—and a load of trouble. The frozen corpse is just the beginning... -
Sprinkles of Suspicion by Kim Davis
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne glass of cheap California chardonnay cost Emory Gosser Martinez her husband, her job, and her best friend. Unfortunately, that was only the beginning of her troubles.Distraught after discovering the betrayal by her husband and best friend, Tori, cupcake caterer Emory Martinez allows her temper to flare. Several people witness her very public altercation with her ex-friend... -
Pranks and Poison by Julia Koty
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMira’s dream of fixing up the new house is put on hold while she works at the diner to make some much-needed cash. So, when a patron of the Soup and Scoop is poisoned and Mira’s famed mushroom soup is called into question, she'll stop at nothing to find the real killer... -
Bought The Farm by Jeff Shelby
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRainy Day is headed to greener pastures. Divorced, and with kids out on their own, she uses a recent inheritance to make big changes to her life. She quits her job and, on a whim, buys a hobby farm in rural Virginia, a hundred miles from her long-time home near Washington, DC... -
The Burning Pages by Paige Shelton
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDelaney Nichols faces off against an elusive arsonist in the seventh Scottish Bookshop Mystery, The Burning Pages, from beloved author Paige Shelton....One winter's night, bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She's perplexed by the invitation, but intrigued... -
A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmerican antique dealer Kate Hamilton's Christmastime jaunt to a charming English village leads to an investigation of a missing ruby...and a chain of murders.It's Christmastime and antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is off to visit her daughter, Christine, in the quaint English village of Long Barston. Christine and her boyfriend, Tristan, work at stately-but-crumbling Finchley Hall...
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