Recommendations based on "Manslaughter Park"

A wildly charming and fast-paced mystery written with all the panache of the hardboiled classics, Fortune Favors the Dead introduces Pentecost and Parker, an audacious new detective duo for the ages.“Razor-sharp style, tons of flair, a snappy sense of humor, and all the most satisfying elements of a really good noir novel, plus plenty of original twists of its own.”—Tana French, bestselling author of The SearcherIt's 1942 and Willowjean "Will" Parker is a scrappy circus runaway whose knife-throwing skills have just saved the life of New York's best, and most unorthodox, private investigator, Lillian Pentecost. When the dapper detective summons Will a few days later, she doesn't expect to be offered a life-changing proposition: Lillian's multiple sclerosis means she can't keep up with her old case load alone, so she wants to hire Will to be her right-hand woman. In return, Will is to receive a salary, room and board, and training in Lillian's very particular art of investigation.Three years later, Will and Lillian are on the Collins case: Abigail Collins was found bludgeoned to death with a crystal ball following a big, boozy Halloween party at her home—her body slumped in the same chair where her steel magnate husband shot himself the year before. With rumors flying that Abigail was bumped off by the vengeful spirit of her husband (who else could have gotten inside the locked room?), the family has tasked the detectives with finding answers where the police have failed.But that's easier said than done in a case that involves messages from the dead, a seductive spiritualist, and Becca Collins—the beautiful daughter of the deceased, who Will quickly starts falling for. When Will and Becca's relationship dances beyond the professional, Will finds herself in dangerous territory, and discovers she may have become the murderer's next target.

In the latest in this New York Times bestselling series, matrimony and murder collide as San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright walks down the aisle... Brooklyn has it all covered. She's triple-checked her wedding to-do list, and everything is on track for the upcoming ceremony with the love of her life, security expert Derek Stone. Not everyone has been as lucky in love as Brooklyn. Her old library college roommates Heather and Sara lost touch twelve years ago when Sara stole Heather's boyfriend. Brooklyn was caught in the middle and hasn't seen her former besties since their falling-out. When they both arrive in town for the annual librarians' convention and then show up at her surprise bridal shower, Brooklyn is sure drama will ensue. But she's touched when the women seem willing to sort out their differences and gift her rare copies of The Three Musketeers and The Blue Fairy Book. Brooklyn's prewedding calm is shattered when one of her formerly feuding friends is found murdered and Brooklyn determines that one of the rare books is a forgery. She can't help but wonder if the victim played a part in this fraud, or if she was targeted because she discovered the scam. With a killer and con artist on the loose, Brooklyn and Derek—with the unsolicited help of their meddling mothers—must catch the culprit before their big day turns into a big mess.

‘Tis the season in Briar Creek, and this year festivities become fatalities in the newest Library Lover’s Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Fatal First Edition. During the most wonderful time of the year, famous author Helen Monroe arrives in Briar Creek to be the writer in residence, but her “bah humbug” attitude excludes her from the many local holiday celebrations. To try to spread some Christmas cheer, library director Lindsey Norris invites the new writer in town to join her crafternoon club. Helen politely refuses and when an altercation happens between Helen and another patron, Lindsey begins to suspect the author has been keeping to herself for a reason. Another newcomer, Jackie Lewis, reveals she’s visiting Briar Creek to be near Helen because she believes they are destined to meet. Having dealt with a stalker in the past, Lindsey feels compelled to tell Helen about Jackie, as she suspects that Helen is unaware her “number one” fan is in town. When Jackie’s body is later discovered in the town park beneath the holiday-light display with a copy of Helen’s latest manuscript in her hand, the reclusive novelist becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her self-proclaimed mega-fan. Helen’s frosty demeanor melts when Lindsey offers her help, and now the librarian and her crafternoon pals must prove the author innocent before "The End" becomes Helen's final sentence.

"New York, 1946: The last time Will Parker let a case get personal, she walked away with a broken face, a bruised ego, and the solemn promise never again to let her heart get in the way of her job. But she called Hart and Halloway's Travelling Circus and Sideshow home for five years, and Ruby Donner, the circus's tattooed ingenue, was her friend. To make matters worse the prime suspect is Valentin Kalishenko, the man who taught Will everything she knows about putting a knife where it needs to go. To uncover the real killer and keep Kalishenko from a date with the electric chair, Will and Ms. Pentecost join the circus in sleepy Stoppard, Virginia, where the locals like their cocktails mild, the past buried, and big-city detectives not at all. The two swiftly find themselves lost in a funhouse of lies as Will begins to realize that her former circus compatriots aren't playing it straight, and that her murdered friend might have been hiding a lot of secrets beneath all that ink. Dodging fistfights, firebombs, and flying lead, Will puts a lot more than her heart on the line in the search of the truth. Can she find it before someone stops her ticker for good?"--

Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is back to solve another Cornish murder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club... 'Leitch crafts a Cornwall that I want to live in – vibrant, funny and dripping with mystery and mayhem. Brilliant’ Jonathan Whitelaw, author of The Bingo Hall Detectives ‘A terrific summer read... a thumping good whodunnit; this is a murder mystery that wears a flower in its hair and invites us to kick off our shoes’ J.M. Hall ‘The book equivalent of catching up with your favourite old friends over a glass of wine or three... the observational humour is spot on’ Jo Middleton ‘[A] fun, feel-good factor and an intriguing mystery to be solved. And pies. I loved it’ Stephanie Austin, author of the Devon Mysteries series *** Just along the coast from Penstowan, the local festival has filled the area. Former Met police officer Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker has agreed to step in and help run the Pie Hard food truck, along with her rather reluctant fiancé, DCI Nathan Withers. As they prepare for a weekend of camping and being elbow deep in shortcrust pastry, Jodie hadn’t bargained on witnessing a fight between members of the lead band. But when the body of one of the band members is found not far from the campsite, Jodie finds it hard to believe it was an accident. Especially when the other members had so much to gain... Readers love Fiona Leitch: ‘This was a great cosy crime that kept me turning the pages. I can’t wait to see what Jodie and friends get up to next!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Love the characters and the plots. Such an easy cosy read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fiona is a great writer. No cheese, realistic dialogue, and great character development.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another brilliant Cornwall visit.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Law-enforcement, verbal-humor, situational-humor, Cornwall, cozy-mystery, series, foodie, punny, relationships, relatives, murder, murder-investigation, small-business, small-town, caterer, family...’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Oozing with mystery, style and unforgettable characters – I'm transported into a world of delightful intrigue and murderous mystery, and all home in time for tea. Absolutely fantastic.' Jonathan Whitelaw, author of The Bingo Hall Detectives The perfect Cornish cozy mystery for fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club 'Leitchs’s writing had me snorting with laughter and whizzing through the pages!' Clare Chase, author of the Eve Mallow mysteries – The time has finally come for former Met police officer Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker to wed her fiancé DCI Nathan Withers, But their long-anticipated wedding doesn’t quite go to plan... As their guests descend on a luxurious Cornish castle for a weekend of pre-wedding activities, the happy couple look forward to spending time with friends and family. But celebrations grind to a halt when an arrow flies off-course during the archery session, and they find the body of a young woman floating face down in an ornamental pond. With the champagne chilling and canapes assembled, and an old London adversary brought in to investigate, it’s up to Jodie and Nathan to uncover the killer, before they strike again. Could the murderer be on the guest list? – Readers LOVE The Cornish Castle Murder... 'Absolutely fantastic. My absolute favourite series and I love the characters' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I've devoured the previous books in this series and this was no different!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I loved the latest instalment in one of my favourite mystery series' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A massive five shiny stars from me' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I was convinced I had the mystery solved on more than one occasion when in reality I didn't have a clue!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I cannot get enough of this series, if you love mysteries set in England this is for you! I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A great book full of humour, it's the 8th in the series and the best yet' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The series has a wonderful cast of quirky characters that would be great fun to hang out with' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A fast-paced story with twists and turns, very likeable characters, and an unusual background' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Don't miss Faith Martin's fiendishly clever new novel, Murder by Candlelight, set in the 1920s and described as 'the perfect village mystery' by J.M. Hall 'A beautifully crafted crime mystery I could not put down.' Anita Davison, author of the Flora Maguire series Oxford, 1960. As excitement builds for the inaugural beauty pageant, the city is abuzz with anticipation. But the celebration is cut short when one of the leading contestants is found dead. At first, her death is ruled a suicide. But as a string of sinister pranks and blackmail attempts comes to light, WPC Trudy Loveday and Coroner Clement Ryder are drawn into a complex investigation. In a world of fierce rivalries and hidden agendas, the list of suspects grows longer by the day. What began as light-hearted competition may have turned into a deadly game. With time running out, Loveday and Ryder must uncover the truth - before the killer strikes again. A gripping, twisty cosy crime novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman and M.C. Beaton. 'Absolutely loved it... The characters were some of the best I've read in a long time.' Angela Marsons, no. 1 bestselling author of the Kim Stone series The Ryder and Loveday Series Book 1: A FATAL OBSESSION Book 2: A FATAL MISTAKE Book 3: A FATAL FLAW Book 4: A FATAL SECRET Book 5: A FATAL TRUTH Book 6: A FATAL AFFAIR Book 7: A FATAL NIGHT Book 8: A FATAL END Readers LOVE Faith Martin's Ryder & Loveday series! 'Absolutely perfect! This is the book I have been craving since I last read the Thursday Murder Club series!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Very entertaining... Full of red herrings, plot twists and turns. I thought I knew who was the killer but I was wrong.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Have become an addict of Faith Martin - love her novels.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This author's books are soothing to the soul. Her characters are likable, and the plots always keep me guessing. Excellent fun.'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

No detection team was ever more mismatched: Julian Kestrel, the debonair and elegant Regency dandy, and Sally Stokes, a bold and bewitching Cockney prostitute and thief. But one night Fate throws them together, giving them the only clue that can unmask a diabolical killer. It all starts in London's notorious Haymarket district, where Sally picks up three men one after the other and nicknames them Bristles, Blue Eyes, and Blinkers. From each of them Sally steals a handkerchief - and from one she mistakenly steals a letter that contains an urgent appeal for help as well. But which man did she get the letter from? Who is the distraught young woman who wrote it? And where is she being held against her will? These questions take on a new urgency when Sally finds the writer of the letter - dead. Luckily, Sally's brother is none other than Dipper, reformed pickpocket and now valet to gifted amateur sleuth Julian Kestrel. The authorities dismiss the girl's death as suicide, but to Kestrel it looks more like murder. To prove it, he must track down Bristles, Blue Eyes, and Blinkers, and find out which of them had the dead girl's letter. Sally uses all her ingenuity and daring to help Kestrel solve this case. But she is out to solve another mystery as well: Is there a man of flesh and blood under Kestrel's impeccable clothes?

Mrs. Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon should be checking off their Christmas present list but instead they're listing murder suspects in this latest entry of the beloved Victorian Mystery series, now in paperback.Harriet Andover had no intention of dying young like her silly siblings had. She intended to outlive them and outdo them as she always had. But Harriet discovers that the best intentions can lead to murder when she is strangled inside her mansion with a house full of holiday guests.As much as Inspector Witherspoon enjoys his job delivering justice, the last thing he wanted was a complicated murder case just a week before Christmas. He soon discovers that Harriet's own husband and grown stepchildren are not overcome with grief and neither are most of her friends. And to put the icing on the Christmas cookies, the room where Harriet's body was found was locked from the inside and she had the only key in her pocket.Mrs. Jeffries and the household have no intention of letting their inspector down and learn that Harriet's sister may have died from foul play as well. As the clues mount, this dedicated band of merry sleuths will not rest until they've delivered a stocking full of coal to a crafty killer.

She's got an eye for fashion. He's got a knack for solving crimes. Can two total strangers solve the perfect murder? Gillianne "Gilly" Wilder has an eye for design and big dreams of taking on the fashion industry. After years of scrimping and saving, she's a few paychecks away from her first semester at Seattle's prestigious school of design. But before her first class begins, her small Washington hometown takes a bloody turn when a dead body washes ashore. And Gilly can't help but get distracted by the handsome reporter who comes to investigate. Skip Hunter dreams of trading in beat reporting for writing bestselling thrillers. When a murderer strikes a sleepy Washington town, he thinks solving the case could be the perfect material for his debut novel. But he soon finds his hands full when a gold heist hits the same sleepy town. As he tries to connect the crimes, he meets a beautiful wanna-be designer who's standing a bit too close to the line of fire. After they start working together to crack the case, they can't help the sparks flying between them. When the killer stands between them and their future, can Gilly and Skip find the courage to follow their heart before they become the next victims? Murder by Design: Dreams of Haute Couture is the first novel in a stunning mystery thriller trilogy. If you like high-end fashion, headstrong heroines, and twisty mysteries, then you'll love Mary Jane Forbes' stylish whodunit. Buy Murder by Design to step up to the catwalk for an expertly-tailored murder mystery today!