Books like 'Uncommon Grounds'
Readers who enjoyed Uncommon Grounds by Sandra Balzo also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery north-america wisconsin usa cozy crime whodunit western law-enforcement
-
A Private Investigation by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen fourteen-year-old Zoe Johnson doesn’t come home on a Monday night in early December, the alarm bells in Kings Lake Central police station do not ring straight away – after all, she’s from the Dockmills, one of the toughest estates in the town... -
![Poison Garden by L.J. Ross]()
Poison Garden by L.J. Ross
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe clock is ticking…For Detective Chief Inspector Ryan, the stakes have never been higher. Most of the world thinks he’s dead, killed by an assasin's rifle in his own home. But another man took the bullet intended for him, and now Ryan’s living on borrowed time... -
![Backrush by Jana Deleon]()
Backrush by Jana Deleon
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe sea heals all things.Tempest Island has weathered the worst of storms and still stands proud, providing its residents with the healing power of the sea and sun. When Alayna Scott’s life falls spectacularly apart, both professionally and personally, the executive chef’s only thought is getting back home to the island and her aunt Bea... -
![Vegetables and Vengeance by Agatha Frost]()
Vegetables and Vengeance by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJulia South-Brown is busy. Between trying for a baby, having her adopted daughter move out, renovating her beloved cafe, and training for the annual Peridale marathon, she doesn't have much time for anything, especially solving the recent murder of local farmer, Ted Coleman... -
-
![The Rags of Time by Peter Grainger]()
The Rags of Time by Peter Grainger
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsMark Randall lay dead in a field near Lowacre long before Smith had done what he had to do in Belfast. By the time he went back to work, the investigation was well underway. “It’s not my case” he says more than once, and he really doesn’t need it to be; he has enough to think about as it is... -
![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... -
![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... -
![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... -
![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... -
![Birthday Cake and Bodies by Agatha Frost]()
Birthday Cake and Bodies by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe 9th book in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series!When Julia gathered Barker's family at Peridale Manor for his surprise birthday party, she did not expect it to result in murder! Minutes before the celebration is scheduled to begin, Barker's nephew, Luke, is found strangled in his bed, putting an end to Julia's dream of a quiet family get together... -
![Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz]()
Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom global bestselling Anthony Horowitz, a brilliantly entertaining new mystery in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series.Richmond, London . Six attractive houses are tucked away in an exclusive and very upmarket gated Riverside Close. Surrounded by flowers and shrubbery, they're sealed off from the busy main road and the realities of urban life... -
![Luck and Judgement by Peter Grainger]()
Luck and Judgement by Peter Grainger
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWhen a worker goes missing from a North Sea gas platform, there seem to be just two possible explanations – it was a tragic accident or a suicide. It does not take Smith and his detectives long, however, to discover that James Bell led a double life back onshore in Kings Lake, a life complicated enough to make him at least one dangerous enemy... -
![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... -
![The Handyman Homicide by Libby Howard]()
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... -
-
![The Braque Connection by Estelle Ryan]()
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... -
![Too Many Clients by Rex Stout]()
Too Many Clients by Rex Stout
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA bidding war for his services interrupts Nero Wolfe's attempts to solve the case of the businessman who died in his love nest--a case in which the police seem oddly uninterested. Reissue... -
![Without Due Process by J.A. Jance]()
Without Due Process by J.A. Jance
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhat kind of monster would break into a man's home at night, then slaughter him and his family? The fact that the dead man was a model cop who was loved and respected by all only intensifies the horror. But the killer missed someone: a five-year-old boy who was hiding in the closet. Now word is being leaked out that the victim was "dirty." But Seattle P.D. Homicide Detective J.P... -
![Whisper My Name by Maureen Smith]()
Whisper My Name by Maureen Smith
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen a beautiful professor joins forces with a sexy detective to find a serial killer, shes caught in a web of danger and desire as she becomes the murderers next target. Original... -
![ESCORT GIRL: part 3 of 6 by Stephanie Bond]()
ESCORT GIRL: part 3 of 6 by Stephanie Bond
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn Amazon exclusive!In this romantic mystery, a young woman who works for a PR firm is chaperone, babysitter, and therapist to VIPS who come to Atlanta to promote their movies, music, books, TV shows, politics, and products.. -
![Dead in the Water by Annelise Ryan]()
Dead in the Water by Annelise Ryan
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDeputy coroner Mattie Winston is starting to feel like she’s in way over her head . . .As the single mom of an energetic toddler and an investigator working for the medical examiner’s office in small-town Sorenson, Wisconsin, Mattie is used to her life being a juggling act... -
![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... -
![Dead Certain by Mariah Stewart]()
Dead Certain by Mariah Stewart
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes a novel of sexy romantic suspense for fans of Nora Roberts, Catherine Coulter, and Karen Robards. Three devious prisoners vow murderous revenge. Now the second is free. With her stalker captured, antiques dealer Amanda Crosby can finally sleep at night... -
![The Killing of Polly Carter by Robert Thorogood]()
The Killing of Polly Carter by Robert Thorogood
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratings‘I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ Peter JamesAn original story from the creator and writer of the hit BBC One TV series, Death in Paradise, featuring on-screen favourite detective, DI Richard Poole.Supermodel Polly Carter was famed for her looks and party-girl lifestyle. Now she's dead, apparently having thrown herself from the clifftop near her home on the island of Saint-Marie... -
![The Fallen Man by Tony Hillerman]()
The Fallen Man by Tony Hillerman
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Tony Hillerman comes another thrilling mystery featuring Leaphorn & Chee who must investigate a cold case that has far more personal consequences than expected.“Gripping.”—New York Times Book ReviewHuman bones lie on a ledge under the peak of Ship Rock mountain, the remains of a murder victim undisturbed for more than a decade... -
-
![Minor in Possession by J.A. Jance]()
Minor in Possession by J.A. Jance
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA gripping story of buried truths, deceit, and sudden, brutal death from the New York Times bestselling author of "Long Time Gone." All manner of sinners and sufferers come to the rehab ranch in Arizona when they hit rock bottom. For Seattle detective J.P. Beaumont, there is a deeper level of Hell here: being forced to room with teenage drug dealer Joey Rothman... -
![Failure to Appear by J.A. Jance, Gene Engene]()
Failure to Appear by J.A. Jance, Gene Engene
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA desperate father's search for his runaway daughter has led him to the last place he ever expected to find her: backstage at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. But the murders in this dazzling world of make-believe are no longer mere stagecraft, and the blood is all too real. The hunt for his child has plunged former Seattle Homicide Detective J.P... -
![Payment in Kind by J.A. Jance]()
Payment in Kind by J.A. Jance
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt looks like a classic crime of passion to Detective J.P Beaumont: two corpses found lovingly entwined in a broom closet of the Seattle School District building. The prime suspect, Pete Kelsey, admits his slain spouse was no novice at adultery, yet he swears he had nothing to do with the brutal deaths of the errant school official and her clergyman-turned-security guard companion... -
![Tess's Tale by Donna Joy Usher]()
Tess's Tale by Donna Joy Usher
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAnother book by the multi-award-winning author Donna Joy Usher. Please note - this is a light-hearted, humorous, chicklit, female sleuth novel. If you are looking for a literary masterpiece with a deep meaning this is probably not the book for you... -
![Murder on Milverton Square by G.B. Ralph]()
Murder on Milverton Square by G.B. Ralph
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAddison Harper is abruptly summoned to Milverton at the behest of an abrasive lawyer. He plans to be in and out, back to the city lickety-split. Instead, he finds himself charmed by the small town with its delightful and eccentric residents, not to mention the rather easy-on-the-eye Sergeant Jake Murphy.Despite the rocky start, Addison admits he’s had a pleasant day out... -
![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...Categorized as:
cozy crime law-enforcement mystery fiction contemporary literary-fiction amateur-sleuth -
![All Hat by Brad Smith]()
All Hat by Brad Smith
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratings“All Hat is a winner all the way.” — The Globe and Mail Ray Dokes is fresh out of prison and fresh out of options… He’s determined to turn his life around and stay out of trouble, but that means avoiding Sonny Stanton – the rich and violent heir of a thoroughbred dynasty Two horses – one an arrogant creature that’ll bite you as soon as you look away, the other gentle and friendly... -
![The Murderous Affair At Stone Manor by Laura Stewart]()
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... -
![Killer Apple Pie by Carolyn Q. Hunter]()
Killer Apple Pie by Carolyn Q. Hunter
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA BRAND NEW SERIES FROM POPULAR COZY AUTHOR CAROLYN Q. HUNTER!!!Bertha Hannah’s two passions in life are books and piping hot homemade pies, and when an opportunity arises for her to open her own pie and book shop, she jumps in headfirst, only to find that preparing to open her own shop isn’t exactly a piece of cake... -
![The Pursuit of Lies by Debra Burroughs]()
The Pursuit of Lies by Debra Burroughs
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe 4th book in the Paradise Valley Mystery series, small town private eye Emily Parker's world is flipped upside down when the man she loves is accused of murdering a female Assistant District Attorney. The police believe he was having an affair with the ADA and murdered her to keep her quiet when she threatened to go public with their relationship... -
-
![Murder at the Mansion by Janet Finsilver]()
Murder at the Mansion by Janet Finsilver
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFortunes, fineries, and foul play . . . It’s whale-watching season in Redwood Cove, and B&B manager Kelly Jackson’s battening down the hatches for the tourist rush at Redwood Heights—a Victorian-style estate owned by her boss. And due to recent jewelry thefts, her duties include keeping track of the many dust-covered artifacts spread throughout the property... -
![A Book to Kill For by Harper Lin]()
A Book to Kill For by Harper Lin
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA quiet book lover falls for a rugged carpenter... who doesn't even like to read?!?Maggie Bell loves working at a bookshop in the charming town of Fair Haven, Connecticut. After her beloved boss passes away, his son, Joshua Whitfield, comes into town and turns Maggie’s world upside down. He wants to turn part of the store into a cafe and sell books about vampires and silly romances... -
![Dead Upon Arrival by Kat Bellemore]()
Dead Upon Arrival by Kat Bellemore
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFlying high in the New Mexican sky has never been more lethal.The biggest hot air balloon festival would have been a vacation if Maddie didn’t have to balance her apathetic teenagers, a meddling mother, and act as therapist for a desperate patient. Let alone solve a murder case!When Maddie witnesses someone fall from a hot air balloon, it seems like a tragic accident... -
![Mr. Monk Gets Even by Lee Goldberg]()
Mr. Monk Gets Even by Lee Goldberg
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn all-new original mystery starring Adrian Monk, the brilliant investigator who always knows when something’s out of place.... It may be a foggy San Francisco summer, but for Adrian Monk the future is looking bright... -
![Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins]()
Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAmaryllis, Mississippi is a scrappy little town of strong backbone and southern hospitality. A brick-paved Main Street, a park, and a legendary ghost in the local cemetery are all part of its heritage. Everybody knows everybody in Amaryllis, and gossip wafts on the breeze. Its people are friendly, its families tight... -
![Murder in Merino by Sally Goldenbaum]()
Murder in Merino by Sally Goldenbaum
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsReaders can't help but get entangled in this USA Today bestselling series.It’s autumn in Sea Harbor, and as the tourists leave, a mysterious guest arrives. When she’s implicated in a crime, the Seaside Knitters must quickly table their knitting project and search out a motif for murder. Fall is usually a relaxing time in Sea Harbor, but it’s turning out to be a busy season for Izzy Chambers Perry... -
![Thorns of Rosewood by Gina Marie Barlean]()
Thorns of Rosewood by Gina Marie Barlean
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsGloria Larson is happy to take a job as editor of a weekly newspaper in the small town of Rosewood, Nebraska, even though her parents don’t like the idea one bit. The town holds a secret—her birth mother’s identity. Gloria’s parents worry she won’t like what she finds, but once Gloria starts unraveling the story, she can’t be dissuaded... -
![Murder Over Easy by Rosie A. Point]()
Murder Over Easy by Rosie A. Point
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMurder has never been this easy…When Sunny Charles arrives in small-town Parfait, Florida, the last thing she expects is a note from her aunt instructing her to take control of the famous Sunny Side Up Café... -
![Gluten-Free Murder by P.D. Workman]()
Gluten-Free Murder by P.D. Workman
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMurder by muffinErin Price moves to Bald Eagle Falls, a place where everyone knows everyone as well as everyone else’s business, taking over the store left to her by her aunt to start up a gluten-free bakery. The grand opening is marred by just one thing, the death of her business rival, Angela Plaint. It appears that Angela was poisoned by one of Erin’s cupcakes, making her a prime suspect... -
![Mr. Monk in Trouble by Lee Goldberg]()
Mr. Monk in Trouble by Lee Goldberg
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAmerica's favorite obsessive-compulsive detective is back in a new original tale in the series based on the popular TV show, in a book by the author of Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop. TV tie-in... -
-
![Dead By Morning by Beverly Barton]()
Dead By Morning by Beverly Barton
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratings' THE DARKEST SINS He begins his work just before dawn, wielding a knife with the precision of a surgeon. Cunning and meticulous, he’s always in control. Mercy is not an option… WILL ALWAYS Maleah Purdue is touch, outspoken, and completely dedicated to her work at the Powell Security Agency... -
![Publishable By Death by A.C.F. Bookens]()
Publishable By Death by A.C.F. Bookens
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA bookstore, a grumpy newspaper woman, and a murder. Quiet St. Marin’s has just gotten a little more lively . . . and a little less alive.All Harvey Beckett wants to do is read books, help the residents of St. Marin’s find the perfect book for that moment, and snuggle with her hound dog Mayhem... -
![Partner in Crime by J.A. Jance, Debra Monk]()
Partner in Crime by J.A. Jance, Debra Monk
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratings* Duration: 5 hours and 32 minutes *For the first time, critically acclaimed, 'New York Times' best-selling suspense master J.A. Jance brings together her two most beloved creations: Arizona sheriff Joanna Brady and Seattle investigator, J.P. Beaumont.The dead woman was an artist recently arrived from Washington State, cruelly cut down in the early stages of a promising career... -
![Rattlesnake Crossing by J.A. Jance]()
Rattlesnake Crossing by J.A. Jance
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSheriff Joanna Brady is the law in Cochise County, and she will never allow her personal trials to interfere with the job she was elected to do—especially now that death has invaded Bisbee, Arizona, and has shattered the small desert town's fragile peace.A gun dealer has died violently, and his stock of high-powered weapons has been cleaned out... -
![Dead To Rights by J.A. Jance]()
Dead To Rights by J.A. Jance
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA woman is cruelly cut down in a remote corner of Arizona, killed on her nineteenth wedding anniversary by a drunk motorist. A year later, the driver himself dies badly, and all suspicions point to the slain woman's still grieving husband as his murderer... -
![Skeleton Canyon by J.A. Jance]()
Skeleton Canyon by J.A. Jance
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTop ten New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance brings us another mesmerizing thriller featuring Arizona Sheriff Joanna Brady as she searches for the brutal killer of a young girl.Brianna "Bree" O'Brien never returned from Skeleton Canyon. Someone brutally murdered the pretty, popular teenager who had stolen away under cover of darkness to rendezvous with her boyfriend...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
