Agatha Frost

The FIRST in a NEW COZY MYSTERY series!Soon to be divorced Julia South never expected to be caught up in solving a murder, until she discovered the body of her cafe's most awkward customer. With a new smug Detective Inspector in town who underestimates her every move, Julia makes it her mission to discover the real murderer, before her village friends are dragged into the frame, and more bodies are discovered.Book 1 in the Peridale Cafe Mystery series! A light, cozy mystery read with a cat loving and cafe owning female amateur sleuth, in a small village setting with quirky characters. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

A Cozy Murder Mystery

Pancakes and Corpses

Evelyn Amber

The FIRST book in a BRAND NEW seaside cozy mystery series! When Liz Jones retired as a detective at the age of forty-two and moved to the beautiful fishing town of Scarlet Cove to pursue her passion of opening an arts and crafts store, she did not expect the murder and lies of the big city to follow her. Only days after starting her new life, Liz finds herself tangled in a web of death and deception when she pulls the body of a fisherman from the sea, but what appears at first to be a drunken accident soon reveals itself to be something much worse: poison!While setting up her new store, getting to know the quirky townsfolk, and having the local men battle for her affection, Liz cannot resist the lure of an intriguing murder case. She falls back into old habits when she vows to discover the truth about the fisherman's death, but will she do it before the murderer strikes again? With her retirement and dream life on the line, Liz must battle against the clock to restore peace to the sleepy town of Scarlet Cove before all is washed away.Book 1 in the Scarlet Cove Seaside Cozy Mystery series! Can be read as a standalone but will be enjoyed more as the first book in a new series. A light, cozy mystery read with an art loving, craft store owning, retired female detective, in a small fishing town on the British South Coast. Packed with quirky neighbours, handsome love interests, and an adorable rescue dog! Written in British English. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes (but maybe includes a body or two)!

Dead in the Water

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.The last place she expected change to come from was the factory itself, but when the owner is shockingly pushed to her death, Claire's life is flipped upside down. She isn't the only person in the village depending on the factory, so when the murder plunges the business's future into uncertainty, Claire feels compelled to solve the crime.With the help of her retired-detective father and closest friends, Claire uncovers a tangled web of conspiracies, cover-ups, secrets, and lies, but can she uncover the truth before her candle shop dream slips through her fingers forever?

Vanilla Bean Vengeance

"A free holiday to a seaside B&B run by drag queens sounds like the perfect way to spend a relaxing week away from Peridale, or so Julia South thought. When she arrives at the quirky B&B with her family, she's determined to have a fun break, but she quickly finds herself in the middle of another puzzling mystery when a lighting rig falls on the star drag performer, Simone Phoenix. Was it an accident, or something more sinister? Julia quickly befriends the owner, Russell, and learns that the seemingly tight-knit drag family working at Sparkles are not without their problems. With secrets and lies revolving around love, money, and revenge, each of them appears to have a motive for wanting Simone out of the way. Can Julia resist the lure of cracking yet another case for the sake of having a peaceful family holiday by the sea, or will the urge to uncover the truth take over once again?"-- Page [4] of cover.

A Peridale Cafe Mystery

Ice Cream and Incidents

With Julia South-Brown enjoying her newborn daughter’s every milestone safe in her cosy cottage, and with maternity leave cutting her off from the rumour mill of her café, she doesn’t realise just how much local news and gossip she’s missed. Between a wave of break-ins and thefts, Peridale isn’t quite the safe little village she remembers. But when the leader of Peridale’s Eyes, the local neighbourhood watch group, meets her end on the same day Julia’s neighbour Leah’s house is broken into and robbed, Julia finds herself pulled back into the familiar world of clues, suspects, and motives – not to mention her gran’s rival neighbourhood watch group-- Dot South knows this is her moment to shine. For years, she’s been dreaming of starting a neighbourhood watch group of her own. Now, with a murder on her doorstep and a bunch of hapless amateurs bungling every attempt at solving it, who better to form and lead a newer, better version of Peridale’s Eyes? Or should she say ... Dot’s Detectives?

Scones and Scandal

"Julia's memories of her great-aunt Minnie Harlow are vague at best. Despite annual birthday and Christmas cards throughout her childhood, Julia has never actually met the glamorous former model and actress, so she was more than a little surprised to find out her great-aunt was alive and well and living in the south of Spain. Her surprise only grew when her gran, Dot, informed her that Minnie's boutique hotel, La Casa, which she ran with her daughter, Lisa, would be the stunning location of their much anticipated joint honeymoon along with Barker and Percy. Halfway through her pregnancy, Julia was looking forward to the sun, sea, alcohol-free sangria, and hopefully no sleuthing, and she also couldn't wait to get to know her distant relatives. But their reunion and honeymoon quickly take a turn for the worse when they arrive in the gorgeous town of Savega nestled in the tree-covered mountains. Savega has secrets, and Julia can smell them. Why is Minnie terrified of leaving her hotel? Why is Lisa pressuring her mother to sell? A ransom note, a stabbing, and suspected gang activity set Julia, and her private investigator husband, Barker, on their hardest and most personal case yet. Will they ever get to have the honeymoon they deserve"--

Cocktails and Cowardice

"Dot South and Percy Cropper are finally getting married! With a secret theme up their sleeves, the octogenarians are intent on making the day the most spectacular wedding Peridale has ever seen. They planned everything to the last detail, but they didn't prepare for Percy's cruel older brother's murder in the middle of the wedding reception. The responsibility to solve Ian Cropper's murder falls on Julia South-Brown's shoulders, but her grandmother's ruined wedding isn't the only thing she has on her plate. Her bankrupt father, stepmother, and baby brother are living in her small cottage and wreaking havoc, her husband is heading down a surprising new career path, and to top it all off, she's ten-weeks pregnant and struggling with her mood and bladder. The local gossips all point their fingers at Percy, but with the whole Cropper family in the village for the event, Julia has more than enough suspects to prove her new grandfather's innocence, even if she isn't the only one on the case. Who is the mysterious and handsome American sniffing around the village in the wake of Ian's murder, and can he be trusted? Everyone in the Cropper family has a clear motive for wanting Ian dead, but can Julia pinpoint the culprit before her newly gained family falls apart beyond repair?"--

Brownies and Bloodshed

"When 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. With Julia's husband having book trouble, her adopted daughter having boy trouble, her father and stepmother having money trouble, and her own life-changing news, she has her hands full without a mystery to solve. It feels like everyone in Julia's family has received bad news, but despite all this, she can't stand by and watch her father struggle as a result of the robbery. She promises to help him, but are any of the people on the list of names he gives her connected or has she been sent on a fool's errand?''--Page [4] of cover.

Cheesecake and Confusion

Julia 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. Despite Peridale Farm only being just up the lane from Julia's cottage, she doesn't know much about the reclusive Coleman family, which is why she's happy to take a backseat. But, when Ted's young widow, Denise, turns up on Julia's doorstep begging for help, she finds it impossible to turn the fragile woman away. Ted's three sons and ex-wife are making Denise's life a living hell. Everyone thinks she murdered her husband to claim ownership of the farm, and she needs Julia's help to prove her innocence.With death bringing out the worst sides of everyone in the Coleman family, Julia soon finds herself in over her head. Who stabbed Ted Coleman in the back with a knife during a family party, and more importantly, why? Can Julia sift through the family lies to find out the truth, and can she trust the widow who begged for her help? With her own personal family problems stacking up, Julia finds it difficult to discover a balance, but does she have it in her to walk away from one of her most difficult cases?

Vegetables and Vengeance

"When 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. When someone takes advantage of his severe and well-publicised peanut allergy with a contaminated red velvet cake in the middle of the competition, Julia isn't surprised to find herself with another murder mystery to solve! With Tony having mistreated everyone from his wife, ex-wife, assistant, and most people unlucky enough to have crossed his path, Julia isn't short of suspects. But, what should be a cut and dry investigation turns into something wholly more complicated thanks to Julia suddenly being responsible for her baby brother when her father and step-mother find themselves indefinitely stranded in Ibiza thanks to a banana boat and a broken leg. While juggling a baby, a complicated case, and a slew of other personal dilemmas, Julia is forced to face tough decisions that will impact the rest of her life. Family proves more important than ever, but can Julia hold hers together? With her sleuthing putting her in increasingly more treacherous situations with each passing day, can Julia stay safe, or will this prove one case too far?"-- Provided by publisher.

Red Velvet and Revenge

Julia and Barker's wedding day is finally here, but will everything go to plan? There's murder afoot once again in Peridale, and this time all fingers seem to be pointing to members of the church choir!

Wedding Cake and Woes

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. With their daughter, Jessie, backpacking around Australia for the month, Julia has no excuse not to start the preparations, but she can't bring herself to dive into the huge task. An old school friend of Julia's moves into the cottage across the lane, and she is over the moon when she finds out that Leah happens to be a wedding planner. Julia feels like fate has delivered Leah to her, but things soon turn sour when it seems not everyone in the village is happy to have Leah back after two decades away. When Leah vanishes under suspicious circumstances days into the wedding planning, Julia quickly learns that her old friend isn't quite what she thought.With Julia's other best friends, Roxy and Johnny, in the frame for Leah's disappearance, Julia must get to the bottom of the case. Where has Leah gone, why are Roxy and Johnny so involved, and what did Leah do that was so terrible twenty years ago?

Champagne and Catastrophes

When Barker's book launch is ruined by the sudden appearance of a decade-old skeleton, Julia finds herself with another cold case on her hands. It quickly becomes evident that the skeleton belongs to Mabel Crump, the former manager of the library, but with Mabel supposedly having fled Peridale for a new life in Spain ten years previously, how did she end up there, and more importantly, why? With Mabel's family gathered in Peridale for the ninetieth birthday of her husband, Julia soon realises the Crump family are not all they seem. Did one of the Crumps kill Mabel, or did someone in Julia's family murder the former librarian? Between the skeleton, Barker's sudden rise to author fame, and an unexpected love rival, Julia must juggle the different sides of her life to piece together her most challenging case yet. With secrets and lies spanning back ten long years, can Julia crack the case before everything crumbles around her?

Blueberry Muffins and Misfortune

The 10th book in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series! Christmas falls on Peridale, but that does not mean caf�-owner and part-time sleuth, Julia South, can sit back and enjoy the festivities. When the opening night of the annual Christmas play ends with Julia's elderly gran, Dot, fatally shooting a man in front of the whole village, Julia's world is turned upside down. Did Dot plan to murder the man she has a secret past with or was she framed?While juggling the slow process of adopting her foster daughter, her heavily pregnant sister's looming delivery date, and her detective inspector boyfriend seemingly keeping secrets, Julia must wade through the tangled history of the Peridale Amateur Dramatics Society if she wants to free Dot from prison before Christmas Day. With the walls of Julia's personal life closing in around her, and the cast and crew of the play not being all they seem, can she figure out the truth in time, or is it one case too many? The only thing guaranteed is that it promises to be a holiday season to remember...Book 10 in the Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series! 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. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!Other books in the series:1. Pancakes and Corpses2. Lemonade and Lies3. Doughnuts and Deception4. Chocolate Cake and Chaos5. Shortbread and Sorrow6. Espresso and Evil7. Macarons and Mayhem8. Fruit Cake and Fear9. Birthday Cake and Bodies10. Gingerbread and Ghosts

Gingerbread and Ghosts

The 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. Only one of Barker's family could have murdered the young man, but which one?Thanks to a botched burglary in the village, the police station is clogged up, forcing Barker to go rogue with Julia. He shuts down the manor, vowing to solve the murder before sunrise, but will he be able to pin the murder on one of his brothers or their wives? Julia quickly discovers that each member of his family has a secret, but which one led to Luke's death? In a race against the clock, Julia must dig up the past, but can she uncover the truth without tearing Barker's family apart forever?Book 9 in the Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series! 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. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

Birthday Cake and Bodies

The 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. Julia is shocked when the storm also uncovers a secret basement underneath her cafe and even more shocked when she finds the body of a teenage girl who has been missing for twenty years.The cold case team rushes in, pushing Julia out of her cafe and leaving her to unravel the truth of the past one thread at a time. When she realises the girl, Astrid, was the daughter of Evelyn, the eccentric B&B owner, Julia vows to piece together the events that led to Astrid being trapped in a basement for decades. How did the girl die, and more importantly who killed her? Julia hunts for clues to a case the village had almost forgotten about so she can bring Evelyn the peace she deserves, but will she be able to do it in time before somebody she loves suffers a similar fate?Book 8 in the Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series! 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. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

Fruit Cake and Fear

The 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 caf� almost empty. A failed protest against the corporate chain store leaves Julia wondering if her cafe can survive, but she suddenly has bigger fish to fry when the owner of the coffee shop is poisoned, and she is framed for his murder.As Julia attempts to clear her name, she is stopped in her tracks when an unwanted familiar face arrives in Peridale. Her past and present crash together, threatening to jeopardise her blossoming relationship with Barker. Julia's history is back to haunt her, and she is forced to deal with the consequences of her actions before its too late. Somebody is trying to frame Julia for her rival's murder, but can she juggle her most challenging case yet with her complicated love life before she loses more than just her caf�?Book 6 in the Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series! 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 and 48,000 words long. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

Espresso and Evil

The 5th book in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series!When Julia's gran, Dot, wins an all-inclusive spa trip to Scotland, Julia finds it difficult to refuse the offer of a relaxing week away from her caf�. Along with her sister, Sue, they pack up her tiny vintage car and drive all the way from Peridale to Seirbigh Castle, ready to be pampered. The last thing Julia expected was to be caught up in another murder investigation, but when the cruel owner of the family-run spa, Henry McLaughlin, is shot dead, she can't resist ditching the facemasks and massages in favour of cracking the case.Julia quickly befriends the young cook and talented-baker, Blair, and acquires a job in the kitchen so she can observe the strange family in the wake of the murder. Henry's wife and children are acting suspicious, and with an incompetent young Detective Inspector on the case, Julia makes it her mission to discover the secrets held within the ancient walls before Seirbigh Castle claims another victim.Book 5 in the Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series! 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 and 43,000 words long. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

Shortbread and Sorrow

Book 4 in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series!A funeral wreath is delivered to Barker's cottage. Is it a prank, or a grim warning? Julia's fears that somebody is trying to kill Barker are confirmed when a dead body with a striking resemblance to him is found on his doorstep the very next day, just as their romance is deepening. Barker might be on temporary suspension from his role as Detective Inspector at the village police station, but that doesn't mean he's short of enemies in Peridale, especially when a dark face from his past arrives in the small village to stir up painful memories. With an unclear list of suspects and motives, Julia vows to keep Barker safe, but can they figure out the puzzle as they work outside of the law in a race against time to stop Barker paying the ultimate price?Book 4 in the Peridale Cafe Mystery series! Can be read as a standalone but will be enjoyed more as part of the series. A light, romantic, cozy mystery read with a cat loving and cafe-owning female amateur sleuth, in a small village setting with quirky characters. Written in British English and 37,000 words long. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

Chocolate Cake and Chaos

The 3rd book in the BESTSELLING Peridale Cafe Cozy Mystery series!Julia never expected to be caught up in another murder investigation, but when she discovers that homeless people are dying suspiciously and the police aren't investigating, she can't sit back and do nothing. After promising her young lodger, Jessie, that she will do everything she can to help, Julia finds herself diving headfirst into the case, aided by her new Detective Inspector boyfriend, Barker. Sure there is a serial killer preying on the vulnerable residents of an old burnout warehouse, Julia must act quickly to get to the bottom of the mystery, but can she crack the case before more bodies turn up?Book 3 in the Peridale Cafe Mystery series! 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 female amateur sleuth, in a small village setting with quirky characters. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

Agatha Frost

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