Books like 'Tess's Tale'
Readers who enjoyed Tess's Tale by Donna Joy Usher also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery cozy whodunit humor organized-crime law-enforcement amateur-sleuth investigator female-mc
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Charmed Forces by Camilla Chafer
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPrivate Investigator Lexi Graves is pleased to clear up her latest assignment. It’s a simple case of misguided suspicion after all.Then her brother, Detective Daniel Graves, turns up on her doorstep, alone, blood-spattered, and almost entirely incoherent... -
![Cover Shot by LynDee Walker]()
Cover Shot by LynDee Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s been a slow news month in Richmond, and crime reporter Nichelle Clarke is enjoying the downtime when ominous messages and a dead body kick things into high gear. And that’s before the guy with the rifle takes a hospital full of people hostage... -
![Just A Happy Camper by Jinx Schwartz]()
Just A Happy Camper by Jinx Schwartz
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHetta Coffey is a sassy Texan with a snazzy yacht, and she's not afraid to use it. She's cruising Mexico's hauntingly beautiful Sea of Cortez when she gets a job offer she can't refuse. Not only is the project located in her old stomping grounds in Texas Hill Country, but comes with an RV for living quarters. She has no problem driving a forty-five foot yacht, but RVing is new to her... -
![COMEBACK GIRL: part 3 of 6 (Kindle Single) by Stephanie Bond]()
COMEBACK GIRL: part 3 of 6 (Kindle Single) by Stephanie Bond
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn Amazon exclusive! From the international bestselling author of STOP THE WEDDING! (now a Hallmark Channel movie) and the BODY MOVERS mystery series comes a new story of comedy, suspense, and romance. Home is where the hurt is... -
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![Ruby Roy and the Murder in the Falls by Rima Ray]()
Ruby Roy and the Murder in the Falls by Rima Ray
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmazon Bestseller. A quirky off-beat comedy wrapped up in a mystery with a relatable and reluctant amateur female sleuth of color you’ll fall in love with.Dr. Ruby Roy is a goofy, warm, and absent-minded professor in her third year at Baron University, located a few miles from the Falls... -
![Dark Side of the Moo by Ellen Riggs]()
Dark Side of the Moo by Ellen Riggs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSweet life on the farm turns sour when a guest mooves on to greener pastures. Permanently.Ivy was happy to put her old life at Flordale Corporation behind her, but with a recent murder tarnishing her new inn’s reputation she can’t afford to be choosy about paying guests. So when her former teammates from HR ask to hold their retreat at Runaway Farm and Inn, she throws down the welcome mat... -
![Cocktails and Cowardice by Agatha Frost]()
Cocktails and Cowardice by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJulia, Barker, Dot, and Percy are heading off on their luxurious joint honeymoon. What could possibly go wrong?Can be read as a standalone but will be enjoyed more as part of the series. A light, cozy mystery read with a cat loving and cafe-owning amateur female sleuth, in a small village setting with quirky characters. Written in British English... -
![Champagne and Catastrophes by Agatha Frost]()
Champagne and Catastrophes by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRead for FREE on KINDLE UNLIMITED! The 14th book in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery Series! "Love the way Agatha quietly draws you into the story and then, bam, changes the direction!" Julia and Barker have finally set a date for the wedding, but that doesn't mean Julia has jumped straight into the planning, even though it's only three months away... -
![Cheesecake and Confusion by Agatha Frost]()
Cheesecake and Confusion by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen Julia South-Brown agreed to babysit her little brother at Peridale Manor, she didn't expect to get caught up in the middle of a burglary, but that is precisely what happened. As horrifying an incident as it was, however, it soon becomes another problem to add to the ever-growing pile... -
![Red Velvet and Revenge by Agatha Frost]()
Red Velvet and Revenge by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen Julia South-Brown is asked to judge the first Peridale Bake Off competition alongside local radio DJ, Tony Bridges, she expects it to be some light village fun while her new husband, Barker Brown, finishes work on his second novel. However, it ends up being anything but when Tony shows he is nothing like his charming radio personality... -
![Dogcatcher in the Rye by Ellen Riggs]()
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... -
![Murder Al Dente by Nancy Skopin]()
Murder Al Dente by Nancy Skopin
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“An intuitive detective, a kidnapped child, and an assassin with a heart of gold …”In Murder Al Dente, PI Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter once again gets herself in hot water when she’s hired by a multimillionaire boat owner, (and sex toy manufacturer,) to find out who’s trying to kill him. Nikki has barely begun her investigation when he’s found dead aboard his mega yacht... -
![Just Different Devils by Jinx Schwartz]()
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]()
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... -
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![15 Minutes by Larissa Reinhart]()
15 Minutes by Larissa Reinhart
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratings#10days #findthewoman #getthejob #doNOTfallinlove When ex-teen star Maizie Albright returns to her Southern hometown of Black Pine, Georgia, she hoped to rid herself of Hollywood tabloid and reality show hell for a new career as a private investigator. Instead, Hollyweird follows her home. Maizie’s costar crushing, but now for her gumshoe boss. Her stage-monster mother still demands screen time... -
![Lowcountry Bookshop by Susan M. Boyer, Loretta Rawlins]()
Lowcountry Bookshop by Susan M. Boyer, Loretta Rawlins
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBetween an epic downpour and a King Tide, the historic streets of Charleston are flooded-and dangerous. A late night tragic accident along the Lower Battery leads Liz Talbot straight to her next case. Who's the client? Well, now, therein lies the first puzzle. When the police arrive at the scene of the accident, Poppy Oliver claims she's only trying to help... -
![Buried Leads by LynDee Walker]()
Buried Leads by LynDee Walker
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen an Armani-clad corpse turns up in the woods, crime reporter Nichelle Clarke smells a scoop. A little digging, and Nichelle uncovers a web of corruption that stretches all the way to Washington, D.C. Politics. Murder. And a dead lobbyist. It's everything Nichelle's ever dreamed of... -
![Knifed In Nice by Zara Keane]()
Knifed In Nice by Zara Keane
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“I hadn’t planned on a trip to the French Riviera, but then, I hadn’t planned on shooting a London crime lord in his well-padded derrière.”Meet Angel Doyle, a semi-reformed thief and accidental P.I.During an unfortunate incident at her first legit job in years, Angel fires a ketamine dart into one of London’s most notorious gangsters. Now she’s in disguise and on the run... -
![Poison Ivy by Helena Marchmont]()
Poison Ivy by Helena Marchmont
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt's party time in Bunburry! The deluxe Magnolia Inn is hosting surprise birthday celebrations for Bunburry's favourite senior citizens, Liz and Marge. But the party is not the only surprise. A glamorous widow, Francesca Fairfax Adams, is staying in the Magnolia Inn, and catches the eye of self-made man and amateur sleuth Alfie McAlister... -
![COMEBACK GIRL: part 4 of 6 by Stephanie Bond]()
COMEBACK GIRL: part 4 of 6 by Stephanie Bond
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn Amazon exclusive! From the international bestselling author of STOP THE WEDDING! (now a Hallmark Channel movie) and the BODY MOVERS mystery series comes a new story of comedy, suspense, and romance. Home is where the hurt is... -
![Two Time Loser by Kristi Rose]()
Two Time Loser by Kristi Rose
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA fake fiancée. An alive deceased husband. Samantha’s life just got more complicated.When Stella MacInerney asks Samantha to be her maid of honor, she's surprised. The woman has enough stepdaughters from her three previous marriages to ask one of them. Why didn’t she? Then Leo asks Samantha to be his plus one to the wedding, as his fake fiancée... -
![Murder Undeniable by Anita Waller]()
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... -
![Lost Kitten in Las Vegas by A.R. Winters, Erin Moon]()
Lost Kitten in Las Vegas by A.R. Winters, Erin Moon
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA Cupcakes-and-Crime CaperWhen cupcake-loving croupier and private investigator Tiffany Black meets an adorable lost kitten, she never imagines it will lead her straight to a murder investigation.But when she is asked to investigate the death of architect-turned-poker-addict Max Langton, she stumbles upon a group of unpleasant neighbors, who also happen to be potential murderers... -
![Dying for a Donut by Cindy Sample]()
Dying for a Donut by Cindy Sample
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTo Laurel McKay, there's nothing better than spending an autumn afternoon munching on caramel apples and cinnamon donuts. It's a good thing her daughter Jenna has landed a seasonal job at Apple Tree Farm and Bakery. Then Laurel stumbles over the bakery owner coated in powdered sugar. Axel Thorson was a well-respected member of the community... -
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![Two Weddings and a Fugitive by Donna Joy Usher]()
Two Weddings and a Fugitive by Donna Joy Usher
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAnother Novel by the Multi-Award-Winning Author, Donna Joy Usher. It’s been three months since Chanel returned from Las Vegas and she’s done everything in her power to forget about Billy. All that changes the day he shows up asking for her help. Boris Tolokonsky, head of the Las Vegas-Russian Mafia, has escaped, and Intel says he is heading for Australia…and for Matt King... -
![Murder on Tour by V.M. Burns]()
Murder on Tour by V.M. Burns
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBookstore owner and Michigander Samantha Washington is thrilled to see her debut historical mystery finally on the shelves, but a killer seems determined to steal away the spotlight . . . While Sam wraps up her first whirlwind book tour, Nana Jo has kept Market Street Mysteries running smoothly. The last stop is a prestigious book festival in Sam’s hometown of North Harbor, Michigan... -
![The Diva Goes Overboard by Krista Davis]()
The Diva Goes Overboard by Krista Davis
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFor once, event planner Sophie Winston finds herself a guest at a lavish engagement party, but things go horrifyingly awry when the groom-to-be is fatally poisoned . . -
![CSI: Cat Sleuth Investigation by Chris Abernathy]()
CSI: Cat Sleuth Investigation by Chris Abernathy
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA cat who thinks he's a detective. A group of amateur female sleuths in a quiet beach town. A dead man. It's a recipe for fun - unless you're the local police chief. There are worse ways to go than sitting on a beach chair in Paradise Cove with a refreshing drink in your hand... -
![Murder Flambé by Susan Kiernan-Lewis]()
Murder Flambé by Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA charming Parisian brasserie, a buried secret and a winding labyrinth of clues come together to form a terrifying triumvirate of mystery and shocking desire in the seventh An American in Paris Mystery . The American owner of a popular Left Bank eatery is arrested for his wife’s murder... -
![Accidental Lawyer: A humorous peek into Baltimore's legal Community by Kim Hamilton]()
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... -
![Dead Even by Annelise Ryan]()
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]()
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]()
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... -
![Enchanted Bones by Carolyn Haines]()
Enchanted Bones by Carolyn Haines
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn Carolyn Haines's Enchanted Bones, PI Sarah Booth Delaney comes to the rescue in a short mystery set in Zinnia, Mississippi, that will delight fans and new readers alike... -
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![Building Blocks of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal]()
Building Blocks of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSomehow Lacy Steele has bought a building. And not just any building, but the historic Stakely Building, the pinnacle of her small downtown. In an effort to save the behemoth, she must now confront not only the displeasure of the mayor and the developers who wanted to tear it down, but her own uncertainty over how to deal with such a vast project... -
![Family Case of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal, Rebecca Tocheff]()
Family Case of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal, Rebecca Tocheff
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLacy Steele has been dispatched to the Hamptons with the tall order to make amends with her estranged sister, Riley, and her ex-fiancé, Robert. The time has come to decide which of her friends to take as her date: Tosh or Jason. As if to add to her already high stress level, she'll be spending the weekend with Robert's certifiable family, and his aunt has declared a ban on dessert... -
![A Time to Swill by Sherry Harris]()
A Time to Swill by Sherry Harris
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSaloon owner Chloe Jackson is after a murderer with skeletons in the closet--and one on a boat. BAD TO THE BONEChloe loves her new life pouring beers and mixing cocktails at the Sea Glass Saloon in the Florida Panhandle town of Emerald Cove. But on the job, the only exercise she gets is walking from one end of the bar to the other, so in the mornings she loves to run on the beach... -
![Just Deserts by Jinx Schwartz]()
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... -
![Herbs and Homicide by Carly Winter]()
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 -
![Pesky Politicians in Las Vegas by A.R. Winters, Erin Moon]()
Pesky Politicians in Las Vegas by A.R. Winters, Erin Moon
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA Cupcakes-and-Crime CaperWhen a much-despised politician is murdered, Tiffany Black and her friend, Ian, must uncover the truth about his death.But when the investigation keeps turning up dead ends, Nanna, who's visiting Las Vegas for a few days, insists on "helping" Tiffany and Ian, with surprising results... -
![Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy]()
Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWith a new First Family, White House executive chef Olivia Paras can't afford to make any mistakes. But when a box of take-out chicken mysteriously shows up for the First Kids, she soon finds herself in a "no-wing" situation. After Olivia refuses to serve the chicken, the First Lady gives her the cold shoulder... -
![Pork Pie Pandemonium by Steve Higgs]()
Pork Pie Pandemonium by Steve Higgs
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBaking. It can get a guy killed.‘When Steve Higgs writes, he hits it out of the park. I find myself laughing out loud and often.’When a retired detective superintendent chooses to take a culinary tour of the British Isles, he hopes to find tasty treats and delicious bakes …… what he finds is a clue to a crime in the ingredients for his pork pie... -
![The Eleventh Hour by Anina Collins]()
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]()
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... -
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![The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith, Lisette Lecat]()
The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith, Lisette Lecat
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsPrecious Ramotswe dips her toe into the world of politics in the newest addition to the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on the City Council, Mma Ramotswe is at first unsure... -
![The Dead Girl's Stilettos by Quinn Avery]()
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]()
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...Categorized as:
amateur-sleuth cozy female-mc humor investigator law-enforcement animals contemporary -
![Scandal, Temptation & a Taste of Flan by Allison Janda]()
Scandal, Temptation & a Taste of Flan by Allison Janda
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBook 3 in the Marian Moyer series! Kidnapped. Nearly murdered – twice. Marian Moyer has spent the last few months avoiding any and all drama. Save for that time she decided whether she’d turn up the heat with smoldering James Holden or heart-stopping Mika Andrushkiv. Unfortunately, Marian’s drama-free days are over with the arrival of Hollywood starlet Carmen Suarez... -
![Too Far to Fall by Shane Sawyer]()
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]()
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...
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