Murder by Month Romcom Mystery Series by Jess Lourey, J.H. Lourey, Jessica Lourey

Big fish. Little pond. Dead body?!? Yeah, don't worry about me. I'll be fine...The not-so-proud owner of a dead-end job and a cheating boyfriend, cosmopolitan Mira James jumps at the chance for a fresh start in rural Battle Lake, Minnesota. She immediately regrets her move. That is, until she crosses paths with Jeff, the ultimate sexy nerd. When their romance heats up, she thinks she has it made.And she does, right up until Jeff turns up dead... moreBig fish. Little pond. Dead body?!? Yeah, don't worry about me. I'll be fine...The not-so-proud owner of a dead-end job and a cheating boyfriend, cosmopolitan Mira James jumps at the chance for a fresh start in rural Battle Lake, Minnesota. She immediately regrets her move. That is, until she crosses paths with Jeff, the ultimate sexy nerd. When their romance heats up, she thinks she has it made.And she does, right up until Jeff turns up dead.Anxious to learn more about the man who briefly stole her heart, Mira delves into Battle Lake's mysteries, including an old land deed obscuring ancient Ojibwe secrets, an octogenarian crowd with freaky social lives, and a handful of thirty-something high school buddies who hold bitter, decades-old grudges.Mira soon discovers that unknown dangers are concealed under the polite exterior of this quirky town, and revenge is a tator tot hotdish best served cold.May Day is a laugh-out-loud romantic comic caper mystery, perfect for readers who enjoy the humorous mysteries of Liliana Hart, Chelsea Field, Gina LaManna, Janet Evanovich, Denise Grover Swank, Amy Vansant, and Stephanie Bond. If you love to laugh while reading a page-turning mystery, this series is for you!May Day is the first in an ongoing series featuring Mira James, an urban woman with rural Minnesota roots. The books can be read in any order; each novel stands alone. less

Mira James never imagined life after college would be a doublewide trailer outside Battle Lake, Minnesota. Then again, maybe the North Country has more to offer than mosquitoes and broasted chicken. Local legend claims that a diamond necklace was lost nearly a century ago in Whiskey Lake, not far from the present day Shangri-La resort. Mira, a part-time reporter, goes fishing for the story behind the legend, but her dives turn up more than missing jewelry... moreMira James never imagined life after college would be a doublewide trailer outside Battle Lake, Minnesota. Then again, maybe the North Country has more to offer than mosquitoes and broasted chicken. Local legend claims that a diamond necklace was lost nearly a century ago in Whiskey Lake, not far from the present day Shangri-La resort. Mira, a part-time reporter, goes fishing for the story behind the legend, but her dives turn up more than missing jewelry. Buoyed by frozen Nut Goodies and a diminutive circus performer, the exhilarating search leads to a new mystery to unravel, and puts her face to face with the surfacing of a menacing foe from her past. less

What's October without a festive mood, a chill in the air, and a dead body? There's big trouble brewing in little Battle Lake in this Lefty-nominated mystery from Amazon Charts bestselling author Jess Lourey.Cue the accordions: Battle Lake, Minnesota, is kicking off October Fest with polka, sausage, and cold suds. The big inaugural event? A debate between two congressional hopefuls. One, stultifyingly sincere. The other, a foot-in-mouth tippler... moreWhat's October without a festive mood, a chill in the air, and a dead body? There's big trouble brewing in little Battle Lake in this Lefty-nominated mystery from Amazon Charts bestselling author Jess Lourey.Cue the accordions: Battle Lake, Minnesota, is kicking off October Fest with polka, sausage, and cold suds. The big inaugural event? A debate between two congressional hopefuls. One, stultifyingly sincere. The other, a foot-in-mouth tippler.Reporter Mira James is roped into covering their fighting words...and then a murder, when a relentless pit bull of a blogger is found dead at a motor lodge filled to capacity with fellow pundits, campaign entourages, and tourists—all of whom have just become suspects.Mired to her neck in deadly mudslinging, it's up to Mira to sort through a pile of the candidates' dirty laundry and expose a killer who's giving her the pre-Halloween jitters, all while managing mixed messages from local hottie Johnny Leeson. Who knew the political season could be so scary?Revised edition: This edition of October Fest includes editorial revisions. less

November in Battle Lake, Minnesota, is cold enough to freeze the balls off a pool table. lt's also deer hunting season. When Tom Kicker is killed in a hunting accident, Mira James is hired to investigate--a job that brings her closer to a P.I. license. Braving subzero temps and shrieking blizzards, Mira uncovers a decades-old scandal that has never quite died, unlike the cold stiffs who are piling up in the town morgue... moreNovember in Battle Lake, Minnesota, is cold enough to freeze the balls off a pool table. lt's also deer hunting season. When Tom Kicker is killed in a hunting accident, Mira James is hired to investigate--a job that brings her closer to a P.I. license. Braving subzero temps and shrieking blizzards, Mira uncovers a decades-old scandal that has never quite died, unlike the cold stiffs who are piling up in the town morgue. As she pieces together the clues, Mira discovers that Battle Lake's good-old boys have been up to some bad business. But with threats and enemies around every icy corner, she may not live long enough to expose the truth. less

All Aboard the Murder Express Mira James's hot and heavy relationship with boyfriend Johnny Leeson is definitely warming up her winter. But when Johnny has to go to Portland, Oregon, for a month-longth internship, airplane-averse Mira lets her septuagenarian friend Mrs. Berns talk her into a visit. On the plus side, Mira can make the trip a tax write-off by attending the International Private Investigator Conference. On the down side, Mrs... moreAll Aboard the Murder Express Mira James's hot and heavy relationship with boyfriend Johnny Leeson is definitely warming up her winter. But when Johnny has to go to Portland, Oregon, for a month-longth internship, airplane-averse Mira lets her septuagenarian friend Mrs. Berns talk her into a visit. On the plus side, Mira can make the trip a tax write-off by attending the International Private Investigator Conference. On the down side, Mrs. Berns books them--much to Mira's dismay--on the Valentine Train, a place for singles to meet and mingle.After a few glasses of champagne and Mrs. Berns' encouragement, Mira begins to relax and enjoy herself . . . until a fellow passenger is murdered and a snowstorm traps the train in the Rockies. If Mira can't track down the killer, she may end up derailed--permanently. less

A doll walks into a bar...Ida Gilbertson of the Battle Lake Senior Sunset nursing home has a new hobby: crafting life-sized dolls and displaying them around town. Budding PI Mira James finds the homemade mannequins creepy enough on their own, but when she's forced to sit next to one and discovers a human corpse under the hat and wig, it becomes personal. Police Chief Gary Wohnt is all too eager to pin the blame on Mira... moreA doll walks into a bar...Ida Gilbertson of the Battle Lake Senior Sunset nursing home has a new hobby: crafting life-sized dolls and displaying them around town. Budding PI Mira James finds the homemade mannequins creepy enough on their own, but when she's forced to sit next to one and discovers a human corpse under the hat and wig, it becomes personal. Police Chief Gary Wohnt is all too eager to pin the blame on Mira. When her sleuthing gives him the perfect excuse to lock her up, it's up to Mayor Kennie Rogers and Mrs. Berns to help her out. Racing against the clock, Mira must unmask the murderer before she either becomes a jailbird or the next dolled up victim. less

An alternative cover edition for this ASIN B07MLT8PV9 can be found here.Librarian and aspiring PI Mira James has discovered one corpse a month for each of the eleven months she's lived in Battle Lake, Minnesota. She'd give her left foot to break that streak this April.But when she stumbles across a disturbing note, and a Battle Lake girl vanishes, she has no choice except to get involved... moreAn alternative cover edition for this ASIN B07MLT8PV9 can be found here.Librarian and aspiring PI Mira James has discovered one corpse a month for each of the eleven months she's lived in Battle Lake, Minnesota. She'd give her left foot to break that streak this April.But when she stumbles across a disturbing note, and a Battle Lake girl vanishes, she has no choice except to get involved.She follows the note's trail and is horrified to discover that it leads to her father, who died 13 years earlier. It's a race against the clock to crack the secret he carried to his grave in time to save the girl. Meanwhile, chiseled police chief Gary Wohnt is scrutinizing her every move, aching to finally put her behind bars, and Johnny, her sexy boyfriend, is planning a surprise for her. Problem is, she doesn't know if it's a marriage proposal or an intervention.As Mrs. Berns and Mira take on their final case together, Mira discovers it's more personal than she could have imagined, and that she holds not only the life of the vanished girl but the fate of all Battle Lake in her hands.April Fools is the twelfth in an ongoing series featuring Mira James, an urban woman with rural Minnesota roots. The books can be read in any order; each novel stands alone. less

✨ How much can go wrong in a single Monday? PI-in-training Mira James is about to find out. ✨Big city gal Mira James is finally settling into itty bitty Battle Lake. Sure, there’s that pesky dead-body-a-month hitch, and her hunky musician boyfriend has begun receiving mysterious late-night texts. The fact that her problematic ex-boyfriend seems to be tailing her doesn’t help, either... more✨ How much can go wrong in a single Monday? PI-in-training Mira James is about to find out. ✨Big city gal Mira James is finally settling into itty bitty Battle Lake. Sure, there’s that pesky dead-body-a-month hitch, and her hunky musician boyfriend has begun receiving mysterious late-night texts. The fact that her problematic ex-boyfriend seems to be tailing her doesn’t help, either.But Mira is determined to ignore all that for one day so she can focus on the December wedding of two dear friends. She's succeeding, too, until Kennie Rogers, Battle Lake mayor and frenemy extraordinaire, is kidnapped right in front of her eyes by a murderous Santa Claus.Ho-ho-ho-oh-no! Can Mira save Kennie (and her relationship) before the slay bells ring…for good? Find out in this 124-page Murder by Month romcom novella featuring all your Battle Lake favorites.PRAISE FOR THE MIRA JAMES ROMCOM MYSTERIES:★ "Lourey skillfully mixes humor and suspense . . . the characters are wonderful and wacky, and the mile-a-minute pace never falters." ―Booklist (starred review)★ "Get started on this Lefty-nominated series if you've previously missed it!" ―Library Journal (starred review) less