Books like 'Killer Words'
Readers who enjoyed Killer Words by V.M. Burns also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance mystery cozy animals whodunit amateur-sleuth crime culinary female-mc
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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... -
Another One Bites the Crust by H.Y. Hanna
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsChampagne and ball gowns, fairy lights and music… Oxford summer balls are one of the highlights of the calendar and tearoom sleuth Gemma Rose is looking forward to taking a break and slipping into something gorgeous for the evening... -
Fruit Cake and Fear by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe 8th book in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series! A storm hits Peridale with disastrous effects. Barker's cottage is destroyed, forcing him to move in with Julia, but she has more to worry about than him leaving his socks around and not putting the toilet seat up... -
Espresso and Evil by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe 6th book in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series!When a coffee shop opens in the village, Julia is surprised when her customers flock to the new business, leaving her café almost empty... -
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Another Man's Treasure by S.W. Hubbard
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsOn a snowy Christmas Eve, a beautiful young mother goes out to buy a few last minute gifts and never returns…. ….thirty years later, her daughter picks up her trail. As the owner of an estate sale business, Audrey Nealon knows a lot about art, antiques, and the unlikely places old people hide their treasures... -
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... -
A Doggone Waterfront Shame by Rimmy London
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA new life. A clumsy stray. But when Megan decided to open a shop on the boardwalk of Seacrest... she never planned on murder.Start yourself off with USA Today bestselling author Rimmy London's all-new series. Tour the rugged northwest Pacific coastline from the very beginning, when Megan meets a gangly stray Great Dane, Fred... -
Ice Cream and Incidents by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJulia and her family head to the seaside town of Blackpool for a long weekend under the sun, but the trip is quickly disrupted when the B&B owner's son is found murdered! 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... -
Vanilla Bean Vengeance by Agatha Frost
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe FIRST BOOK in a BRAND NEW cozy mystery series!Claire Harris loves nothing more than crafting homemade candles. She has always dreamed of one day opening a quaint candle shop in her home village of Northash, but at thirty-five, she still can't afford to take the risk. Stuck in a dead-end job at the local candle factory, and back living with her parents, Claire knows her life needs a shakeup... -
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... -
Murder in the Cookbook Nook by Ellery Adams
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe witty new story from the bestselling author of The Secret Book & Scone Society series is perfect for bibliophiles who love a A Bookish Cook-Off with a little murder on the side… Six chefs are preparing to compete in an outdoor tent at Storyton Hall in Virginia for prizes that will boost their careers—but is there someone who can’t stand the heat? It looks that way when one of the... -
Against The Spread by Mara Jacobs
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsMy name is Anna Dawson, and I'm back.Unfortunately, so is JoJo.When the loan shark enforcer who beat me up years ago is found murdered, I'm thinking it's my lucky day. Until I'm questioned as a possible suspect. I have an alibi, but not one I can divulge. Helping college basketball star Raymond Joseph shave points is not exactly something I want to share with the cops... -
Big Bunny Bump Off by Kathi Daley
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSpring is in the air and with the warm weather comes an abundance of babies; human and otherwise. Things seem to be right on course until Jack Frost comes to town throwing the entire town of Ashton Falls into chaos. When Zoe sees the Easter Bunny running from a murder scene during a freak snowstorm she must track down the 'Cartoon Bandits' in order to catch a killer... -
Cupids Curse by Kathi Daley
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Cupid comes to town it seems everyone’s relationship is in for a challenge. Not only does Zoe suspect that her dad’s new girlfriend is really a killer, but Zoe is the only one who believes that her soon-to- be evil stepmom is guilty of such a dastardly deed... -
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Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe next shot from Cupid's bow may be fatal in USA Today bestselling, Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron's hearty and delightful seventh Cajun Country mystery.In Pelican, Louisiana, Valentine's Day has a way of warming the heart, despite the February chill. But the air at Crozat Plantation B&B turns decidedly frigid when celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson checks in... -
Premeditated Mortar by Kate Carlisle
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsContractor Shannon Hammer gets tangled up in murder at a spooky old asylum in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle. . . .Shannon Hammer is about to embark on one of the biggest projects of her career... -
Antiques, Artifacts & Alibis by Sally Bayless
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLibby Ballard’s got everything she needs to rebuild her life. A new job, a new friend, and a newly adopted golden retriever. Then there’s the dead body in her new office.Libby Ballard, director of the history museum in the small town of Dogwood Springs, Missouri, is eager to start a new chapter of her life... -
Brewed Awakening by Cleo Coyle
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom Cleo Coyle, the New York Times bestselling author of Shot in the Dark and Dead Cold Brew, comes a delicious new entry in the "fun and gripping" (Huffington Post) Coffeehouse Mysteries.When coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi awakens on a bench in Washington Square Park, she has no idea she's been missing for days, or that her friends and family have been frantic with worry... -
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... -
Deal Gone Dead by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMeet Lily Sprayberry.Selling homes is her career.Solving crimes, her calling.There's money buried somewhere on Myrtle Redbecker's property, and people are dying to find it.Literally... -
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... -
Mug Shot: A Java Jive Mystery by Caroline Fardig
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFull of humor and suspense, the bestselling Java Jive series heats up as the irrepressible heroine of Death Before Decaf faces off against Nashville’s upper crust to solve a shocking murder. Former musician Juliet Langley has barely had a day off since taking over management of the coffeehouse owned by her best friend, Pete Bennett... -
Wed, Read & Dead by V.M. Burns
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBookstore owner Samantha Washington sells and solves mysteries in North Harbor, Michigan--including the murder of her mother's wedding planner... Sam's mother can't wait to wed her wealthy beau, Harold Robertson. The big mystery is how they're going to pull off a lavish wedding in three weeks. Harold's snobby sister-in-law proposes a solution: engage flamboyant wedding planner Lydia Lighthouse... -
Demise in Denim by Duffy Brown
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s springtime in Savannah, Georgia, in the newest Consignment Shop Mystery from the national bestselling author of Pearls and Poison . The azaleas and magnolias are in bloom—and Walker Boone is on the run. . .When Reagan Summerside turned the first floor of her old Victorian home into a consignment shop, she never imagined she’d be harboring a fugitive in her attic... -
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Dead Calm by Annelise Ryan
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe honeymoon will have to wait for newlyweds Mattie Winston and Steve Hurley . . . As deputy medical examiner and homicide detective respectively, the couple are dispatched to a grisly crime scene at the Grizzly Motel, a seedy joint for illicit liaisons on the outskirts of Sorenson, Wisconsin... -
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... -
The Sweet Smell of Murder by Cindy Bell
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAlly Sweet is happy to be returning for a short break to the small town where she grew up. She is planning on using the time off to get over her messy divorce and she is looking forward to spending time with her much-loved grandmother and relaxing making chocolates and anything chocolaty.But then… the delivery driver for her grandmother’s chocolate shop is found murdered... -
Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhite House chef Olivia Paras and her arch nemesis, White House Sensitivity Director Peter Everett Sargeant, must work together to solve the double murder of one of the First Lady's assistants and the Chief of Staff-before they become the next victims of a merciless assassin with a secret agenda... -
The Diva Cooks up a Storm by Krista Davis
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Domestic Diva investigates a secret dinner club that leaves some guests six feet under the table in this New York Times bestselling mystery series. Sophie Winston can whip up an elaborate event in her sleep, but she rarely gets to enjoy the pampered guest treatment. Luckily, her best friend just looped her into the latest culinary a pop-up gourmet dinner party... -
Strawberried Alive by Jenn McKinlay
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe crew from the Fairy Tale Cupcakes shop risks getting burned when they set out to find a murderer who is terrorizing their townLife is smooth as buttercream at the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery, and newlyweds Mel and Joe are stopping to smell the flours. But things start to crumble one night when an unknown gunman takes a shot at Mel... -
The Honeymoon Cottage by Barbara Cool Lee
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsLooking for a light and breezy, feel-good beach read? You've found it in Pajaro Bay. Camilla Stewart desperately needs to make a fresh start: her despicable ex-fiancé stole her life savings, embezzled from her job, and then disappeared without a trace—leaving behind nothing but his eight-year-old son, Oliver... -
A Crime of Poison by Nancy Haddock
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Silver Six are known for their arts and crafts—but they’re about to be tested in the art of catching a crafty killer.It’s early October, time for the Fall Folk Art Festival and Bake Sale in Lilyvale, Arkansas. Every business along the town square will benefit from the event, including the craft store run by Leslee Stanton Nix—aka Nixy—and the Silver Six, a group of retirees... -
Diner Impossible by Terri L. Austin
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter shunning her overbearing parents' wealthy lifestyle, waitress and part-time college student, Rose Strickland, is drawn back into their world when she tries to prove the impossible: the innocence of the town's crooked police chief. He's suspected in the gruesome death of Delia Cummings, his secretary and mistress, and all the evidence points to him... -
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Death, Taxes, and a Chocolate Cannoli by Diane Kelly
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTRUE CRIME DOESN'T PAY...TAXES. IRS Special Agent Tara Holloway has risked her life to take down drug cartels and other dangerous tax frauds. But going after the mob is one offer she can't refuse... He's no Tony Soprano. Still, local crime boss Giustino "Tino" Fabrizio is one shady character that Tara would love to see behind bars... -
Murder Most Finicky by Liz Mugavero
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe dog days of summer have arrived in the small town of Frog Ledge, Connecticut, and business is booming for Kristan "Stan" Connor. Her Pawsitively Organic pet food has even caught the attention of celebrity pastry chef Sheldon Allyn, who helps Stan open a fancy pet pastry shop in Frog Ledge... -
Fleur De Kill by Carol Durand, Summer Prescott
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratings***Book 2 in The Frosted Love Cozy Mystery Series*** With $50,000 up for grabs in a cupcake competition, Missy Gladstone has to be on her A-game, if she plans on expanding her business, but that doesn't prevent her from deciding to use the competition as an excuse to unwind in Las Vegas while she's there... -
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... -
The Novel Art of Murder by V.M. Burns
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMystery bookstore owner Samantha Washington is trying to keep her grandmother from spending her golden years in an orange jumpsuit . . . The small town of North Harbor, Michigan, is just not big enough for the two of them: flamboyant phony Maria Romanov and feisty Nana Jo. The insufferable Maria claims she's descended from Russian royalty and even had a fling with King Edward VIII back in the day... -
Bookmarked for Murder by V.M. Burns
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmateur sleuth Samantha Washington’s shopping trip to Chicago takes a deadly detour when a man is murdered on her bus . . .After some post-Christmas retail therapy in the Windy City, mystery bookshop owner and historical whodunit novelist Sam Washington is returning home to North Harbor, Michigan, on a chartered bus... -
Scone Cold Killer by Lena Gregory
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor Florida diner owner Gia Morelli, there’s no such thing as too much breakfast—unless it kills you . . .When Gia Morelli’s marriage falls apart, she knows it’s time to get out of New York. Her husband was a scam artist who swindled half the millionaires in town, and she doesn’t want to be there when they decide to take revenge... -
Coached to Death by Victoria Laurie
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen Catherine Cooper settles in the Hamptons on the heels of a nasty split from her long-time husband, the luxurious coastal community seems like the perfect place to get back on track in style. But as Cat soon discovers, starting fresh on the East End can be deadly . . -
Murder at the Snowed Inn by Imogen Plimp
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMurder in the cozy snow-capped mountainsAnd heart-warming romance to boot!Heartbroken after her beloved husband’s death, Claire Andersen—proud foster mom, dog mom, and culinary artisan—decides to try her hand at a new beginning, renovating an old B&B in idyllic Galway, Maryland on the edge of the enchanted Appalachian Mountains... -
Apple Pie and Arsenic by C.A. Phipps
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMadeline Flynn thought that opening her bakery and winning the top prize for her apple pie at the Spring Festival would be the most excitement in her day. She wasn’t expecting to find the dead body of her good friend beside her car or to be accused of murder. Things like that just don’t happen in small towns like Maple Falls... -
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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... -
Mariner's Compass by Earlene Fowler
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTo claim an inheritance that a mysterious stranger left her, Benni must delve into the secrets of her own past--and a place she once called home... -
Murder Melts in Your Mouth by Nancy Martin
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe new Blackbird Sisters mystery from the bestselling author of A Crazy Little Thing Called Death . Down-to-earth debutante Nora Blackbird is having a meltdown-and it isn't because of Philadelphia's heat wave, or an overdose at the city's Chocolate Festival. A noted Philly philanthropist has taken a swan dive from an office balcony-and Nora's friend Lexie stands accused of the murder... -
Fonduing Fathers by Julie Hyzy
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhite House executive chef Olivia Paras has enough on her plate. But after gaining new information about her father’s death, the First Family isn’t the only family Olivia is concerned about…Olivia has always believed that her father was an honorable man—until a trip to visit her mother reveals that he was dishonorably discharged from the army... -
Buried to the Brim by Jenn McKinlay
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLondon's most refined canines and their humans are gearing up for the Pets and Wellness Society's annual dog show--and Betty Wentworth, favorite aunt to Scarlett's fiancé Harrison and proud owner of corgi front-runner Freddy, knows that this could be their year with the right edge... -
Killer Party by Lynn Cahoon
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFor a gang of old college buddies, the quaint resort town of South Cove, California, is the perfect spot for a no-holds-barred bachelor party. But for Jill Gardner—owner of Coffee, Books and More—this stag party is going to be murder . .
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