Books like 'Birthdays Can be Murder'
Readers who enjoyed Birthdays Can be Murder by Joyce Cato also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery cozy crime law-enforcement family amateur-sleuth female-mc
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A Killing of Innocents by Deborah Crombie
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNew York Times bestseller Deborah Crombie returns with a new novel focusing on Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James as they must solve the stabbing death of a young woman before panic spreads across London.On a rainy November evening, a young woman hurries through the crowd in London’s historic Russell Square. Out of the darkness, someone jostles her, then brushes past... -
Mission: Possible by Camilla Chafer
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter PI Lexi Graves is approached to investigate an accident which has left the homeowner, Sophie Takahashi, in a coma, she quickly realizes the case isn't quite as clear cut as first appears. For one thing, Sophie's injuries are inconsistent with her supposed accident. Secondly, her husband is suspicious she might not be who she says she is...Categorized as:
cozy female-mc law-enforcement mystery romantic-love womens-fiction alpha-mc contemporary -
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... -
Center Stage by Denise Grover Swank
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFirst book in the Magnolia Steele Mystery series by the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Denise Grover Swank. Ten years ago, Magnolia Steele fled Franklin, Tennessee after an incident that left her with hazy memories and a horror of the place where she had been born and bred. Though her abrupt departure destroyed most of her treasured relationships, she vowed never to return . . -
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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... -
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... -
Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! by Donna Andrews
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratings'Tis the season for sleuthing in Donna Andrews' cheery new addition to the New York Times bestselling Meg Langslow series.Meg has been roped into participating in a weaponsmithing competition, a Forged in Fire wannabe organized by a blacksmith friend... -
Murder Boogies with Elvis by Anne George
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Southland's most mismatched set of siblings -- flamboyant Mary Alice and prim and proper Patricia Anne -- are back and ready to boogie in a King-sized story of hip-shaking mayhem and murder most tacky.At an age when most women are slowing down, oversized, over-the-top Mary Alice a.k.a. "Sister" -- is always on the lookout for the next good time...and the next husband... -
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... -
Murder Carries a Torch by Anne George
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTrue love never dies. Well…almost never.Though unalike as snowflakes, sisters Patricia Anne and Mary Alice share a sympathetic heart for their distraught cousin Luke—known affectionately in his boyhood as “Pukey Lukey,” because of his penchant for getting sick in moving vehicles... -
Murder Makes Waves by Anne George
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThose hilarious southern sisters, who prove that sibling rivalry never ends, are heading for a vacation at the beach... -
Gun in the Gardenias by Dale Mayer
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA new cozy mystery series from USA Today best-selling author Dale Mayer. Follow gardener and amateur sleuth Doreen Montgomery—and her amusing and mostly lovable cat, dog, and parrot—as they catch murderers and solve crimes in lovely Kelowna, British Columbia... -
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... -
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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... -
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... -
An Unholy Shame by Joyce Cato
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMonica Noble and her husband Graham, the local vicar, are invited to participate in a high-flying ecclesiastical conference being held at a swanky hotel in their village. During the Saturday night dinner, the ambitious female cleric Celia Gordon tragically dies, seemingly of a peanut allergy... -
Murder Shoots the Bull: A Southern Sisters Mystery by Anne George
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPatricia Anne would swear that either she or her sister Mary Alice were switched at birth, except they were both born at home.Flashy, flirtatious Mary Alice is one foot taller, twice the body weight of Patricia Anne, and three times as likely to do something completely off the wall... -
Round Up the Usual Peacocks by Donna Andrews
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNew York Times, bestselling author Donna Andrews first introduced us to Meg Langslow as a crime-solving bridesmaid. In her 31st mystery, Round Up the Usual Peacocks, Meg returns to her roots, juggling cold cases and wedding guests. Kevin, Meg's cyber-savvy nephew who lives in the basement, comes to her with a problem... -
Murder Undeniable by Anita Waller
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLooking for a gripping and addictive cozy mystery to enjoy this winter? Katerina Rowe, a Deacon at the church in the sleepy village of Eyam, has a fulfilled life. She is happily married to Leon and her work is rewarding. But everything changes when she discovers the body of a man and a badly beaten woman, Beth, in the alleyway behind her husband’s pharmacy... -
The Braque Connection by Estelle Ryan
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsForged masterpieces. Hidden messages. A desperate swan song.When world-renowned nonverbal communication expert Doctor Genevieve Lenard wakes up in an unknown location, drugged and kidnapped, it pushes the limits of her autism coping skills.For the last year, Russian philanthropist and psychopath Tomasz Kubanov has been studying Genevieve just as she and her team have been studying him... -
The Oxford Mystery by Joyce Cato, Faith Martin
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsDiscover a new series of whodunits by million-selling author Faith Martin. These charming mysteries will have you scratching your head to work out who the murderer is. Meet Jenny Starling: travelling cook and reluctant amateur detective. Please note this book was first published as “DEADLY STUFF” under Faith Martin’s pen name JOYCE CATO... -
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... -
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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... -
Death at Beresford Hall by Emma Davies
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrancesca Eve, chef, caterer, and baker extraordinaire, has never desired the limelight... -
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... -
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... -
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... -
Dead Even by Annelise Ryan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn Sorenson, Wisconsin, a local bigshot is found with a pool cue through the heart—and Mattie Winston must untangle a web of lies to sink a killer . . . In her previous career as a nurse, Mattie Winston’s job was to keep death at bay. Now, as a medicolegal investigator, she’s required to study death intimately—to figure out causes and timing, and help deduce whether it was natural or suspicious... -
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... -
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... -
Blanche Passes Go by Barbara Neely
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPraise the Ancestors! After three years of housekeeping for Boston's haughty elite, Blanche White is finally coming home to North Carolina for an entire summer. And like a sign from above that she's headed in the right direction, Blanche has already lined up a date with the handsome train conductor she met somewhere between Boston and Baltimore... -
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... -
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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... -
Just Deserts by Jinx Schwartz
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHetta Coffey is a woman with a yacht, and she's not afraid to use it. As a self employed engineering consultant with a penchant of oddball-read: shady- projects, she has a way of attracting trouble. With her floating home drydocked for repairs in Mexico, Hetta needs a place to live and a job to pay the boatyard... -
A Field of Poppies by Sharon Sala
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTwo families. One secret. Separated by a river and twenty years of lies. Five minutes changed Poppy Sadler’s life forever. Tick. The hospital called. Her mother’s battle with cancer was finally over. Tock. The police showed up at her door. Her father’s body has just been pulled from the River. Tick. Murdered. Tick, Tock. Five minutes and a secret is coming undone... -
Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCharlie and Diesel must catch a killer before he strikes another deadly note in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Cat in the Stacks Mysteries.Charlie Harris remembers Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill as one of the outsiders during high school in Athena... -
Herbs and Homicide by Carly Winter
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom Hollywood, California, to Heywood, Arizona, trouble follows her… After her husband’s brutal killing and her fall from the Hollywood elite, the disgraced Samantha Rathbone moves to Heywood hoping to forget her past and live a quiet life of anonymity as Sam Jones...Categorized as:
cozy law-enforcement amateur-sleuth female-mc mystery fiction contemporary audiobook -
The Eleventh Hour by Anina Collins
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe first book in the Poppy McGuire Mystery Series! Poppy McGuire has always been a curious soul, but it's her life that's usually the topic of conversation in the small town of Sunset Ridge. But now one of the town's most important citizens has been found murdered, and everyone's life is suspect... -
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... -
The Dead Girl's Stilettos by Quinn Avery
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter a Jane Doe is murdered in journalist Bexley Squires's hometown, she's hired by one of Hollywood’s brightest stars to clear his name as a suspect. But her skills as an amateur sleuth weren’t enough to find her missing sister... -
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... -
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... -
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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... -
Agnes Hopper Shakes Up Sweetbriar by Carol Guthrie Heilman
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSummer's steamy haze coats North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, but feisty Agnes Marie Hopper discovers the heat isn't the only thing causing her blood to boil. After a kitchen fire destroys her home, Agnes moves in with her daughter, Betty Jo. Three months later they come to an understanding: neither can tolerate living with the other... -
Murder in Paris by Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe City of Light is anything but when a killer stalks the cobblestone streets… For a woman who loves fashion, there is no place on earth more exciting than Paris where the clothes are to die for and everyone you meet is dressed to kill. Maggie’s visit to the City of Light in the midst of Paris Fashion Week turns into a nightmare when she witnesses a murder within her own family... -
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... -
War and Peach by Susan Furlong
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe author of Rest in Peach serves up another bite of Southern charm in the latest Georgia Peach mystery. Nola Mae Harper is too busy restocking the jars of preserves and chutney flying off the shelves of her shop, Peachy Keen, to keep up with all the gossip about the upcoming mayoral election, but she does know the debate is sure to be a real barn burner... -
The Murderous Affair At Stone Manor by Laura Stewart
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMystery fiction fanatic Amelia Adams is stunned when she inherits a dilapidated mansion, complete with secret passages, hidden compartments and its very own legend. Helped by her brother, her best friend and a documentary maker, who is determined to turn Amelia's new life into a hit tv show, Amelia throws herself into renovating the house and unravelling old secrets...
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