Joanne Fluke

Leslie Meier

Laura Levine

A collection of three holiday mysteries includes stories by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, and Leslie Meyer, and features fourteen Christmas recipes.

Candy Cane Murder

When savvy scribe Jaine Austen is hired by nerdy Howard Murdoch to pen a love letter to gorgeous aerobics instructor Stacy Lawrence, she gets caught up in a murder investigation when Stacy is found beaten to death and Howard is accused of the crime. Reprint.

This Pen for Hire

Collects three gingerbread cookie-related mysteries, including a mysterious murder during a Christmas play, the disappearance of a young boy, and a brutal murder involving a bakery.

Gingerbread Cookie Murder

In her latest wickedly witty mystery, wisecracking pen-for-hire Jaine Austen is back on the scene with a ghostwriting gig that has her rubbing elbows with L.A.Us rich and ruthless and tracking down a clever killer.

Killer Blonde

When Cryptessa Muldoon, a Hollywood has-been who spends her days making enemies with everyone on the street, is found murdered on Halloween night, Jaine Austen, to prove her own innocence, must unmask a killer among a neighborhood filled with suspects.

Death of a Neighborhood Witch

Nightmare on Elf Street: "Aside from the mortifying costume, how bad can a gig as a mall Santa's elf be? Jaine Austen finds out when she's teamed up with the Santa from Hell. But things go from bad to worse when he's found murdered on the job--and Jaine is a suspect. Now all she wants for Christmas is to find the real killer..." -- Page [4] cover.

Christmas Sweets

When her abusive professional-matchmaker boss ends up dead, Jaine Austen is on the long list of suspects.

Killing Cupid

Looking forward to a vacation, a new job, and a budding relationship with a potential beau, freelance writer Jaine Austen is surprised by her finicky cat's selection to appear in a commercial before the creator of the cat food being advertised dies on set, placing Jaine under suspicion.

Murder Has Nine Lives

Freelance writer Jaine Austen thought working for a knock-off reality show in the tropics would be paradise. But when she and her kitty Prozac find themselves trapped between a dimwitted leading man, catty contestants, and a cold-blooded murderer, the splashy gig becomes one deadly nightmare... Jaine's life has been a royal pain since she started penning dialogue for Some Day My Prince Will Come--a cheesy dating show that features bachelorettes competing for the heart of Spencer Dalworth VII, a very distant heir to the British throne. As if fending off golf ball-sized bugs on a sweltering island wasn't tough enough, Jaine must test her patience against an irritable production crew and fierce contestants who will do anything to get their prince... But Jaine never expected murder to enter the script. When one of the finalists dies in a freak accident, it's clear someone wanted the woman out of the race for good--and the police won't allow a soul off the island until they seize the culprit. Terrified of existing another day without air conditioning and eager to return home, Jaine is throwing herself into the investigation. And she better pounce on clues quickly--or there won't be any survivors left... OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR LAURA LEVINE'S JAINE AUSTEN MYSTERIES MURDER HAS NINE LIVES "Enjoyable . . . This outing will keep cozy readers amused and wondering what absurdity will happen next." --Publishers Weekly "Jaine's flair for the well-turned phrase puts her in the top tier of do-it-yourself detectives." --Kirkus Reviews "Jaine pursues justice and sanity in her usual hilarious yet smart way, with Levine infusing wit into her heroine's every thought. A thoroughly fun read that will interest Evanovich fans." --Booklist "Another expertly conceived whodunit." --Fresh Fiction KILLING CUPID "Jaine is absolutely hysterical . . . this author continues to write the best cozies." --Suspense Magazine DEATH OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WITCH "Levine's latest finds her at her witty and wacky best." --Kirkus Reviews THIS PEN FOR HIRE "Laura Levine's hilarious debut mystery, This Pen for Hire, is a laugh a page (or two or three) as well as a crafty puzzle. Sleuth Jaine Austen's amused take on life, love, sex and L.A. will delight readers. Sheer fun!" --Carolyn Hart

Death of a Bachelorette

In this delightful new installment in the Jaine Austen mystery series, the wordsmith and sleuth dives into her most dangerous case yet.

Killer Cruise

When her new friend Pam, an aspiring actress, invites her to join the PMS Club, a woman's support group, Jaine Austen discovers that murder is on the agenda when Marybeth, an interior decorator who is having an affair with the husband of another PMS member, falls victim to a clever killer. Reprint.

The PMS Murder

Finding herself at her friend Lance's favorite boutique, freelance writer-turned-sleuth Jaine Austen gets a job writing the shop's new magazine ads, but when she arrives for work the next day, she finds one of the staff dead, stabbed in the neck by a stiletto. Reprint.

Shoes to Die for

Death of a Gigolo

Writer-for-hire Jaine Austen signs on to script vows for the ultimate Bridezilla, who wants her wedding to evoke "Romeo and Juliet"--without the downer ending. However, the bride's demise means a tale of woe for Jaine.

Killing Bridezilla

Agreeing to write jokes for Dorcas, a struggling stand-up comic, Jaine Austen discovers that murder is the punchline when Dorcas's rival, a heckler named Vic, is strangled with one of her props--a pair of pantyhose.

Death by Panty Hose

While being tortured at a weight loss health spa, Jaine Austen has one week to solve the murder of B-movie star and Paparazzi Princess, Mallory Francis, who was found strangled with a piece of kelp after a seaweed wrap.

Pampered to Death

When Marv Cooper's trophy wife Bunny is murdered during a lavish party, Jaine's friend Lance becomes the prime suspect. But Jaine knows he just couldn't have done it and sets out to find the real killer.

Death of a Trophy Wife

Wisecracking pen-for-hire Jaine Austen is back--and she's about to discover that working on the set of a Hollywood sitcom is no laughing matter. . . Jaine still hasn't found a good man--or a way to keep all those sugary snacks from going straight to her hips. But--with a little help from her best friend Kandi--she's finally landed a gig as a sitcom writer! True, Muffy 'n Me (aka "Bewitched with Tits") isn't going to win any Emmys. And her office at Miracle Studios needs a little sprucing up, and a few dozen rat traps. But it sure beats writing boring brochures and bad resumes, so Jaine's not complaining. Until the plot thickens--with murder. . . Jaine figures the trouble all started when Muffy 'n Me's hottest star, gorgeous Quinn Kirkland, seduced the head writer--whose husband also works on the show. But when Quinn's caught in bed with the barely-legal actress who plays his niece, things really heat up--and his many jealous girlfriends start to figure things out. . . So when the no-good heartthrob drops dead after nibbling a poisoned doughnut, Jaine isn't terribly surprised. But who could have done it? A competitive co-star and a couple of scorned lovers top Jaine's list of suspects, but the police have zeroed in on her man-crazy pal Kandi. She fell hard for Quinn--and nearly fell apart when she learned of all his other women. Now Jaine has to figure out who finally stopped Quinn's cheatin' heart--before her best friend ends up behind bars. . .

Last Writes

It's the funny side of homicide in acclaimed TV comedy writer and novelist Laura Levine's newest mystery featuring Jaine Austen and her snarky cat, Prozac, as a murder from the past comes back to haunt the Hollywood writer-for-hire! Freelance writer Jaine Austen is all too familiar with the short-lived sitcom I Married a Zombie--she once solved the murder of its star, Cryptessa Muldoon. But in true zombie fashion, Cryptessa is back from the grave--sort of--courtesy of a new theatrical production, and murder is on the bill once more... The Bewitched knockoff I Married a Zombie may have flopped in its day, but it's got a devoted cult following. Jaine is delighted when one of those rabid fans hires her as script doctor for his new play based on the show--until she reads the awful script and meets Misty, the actress who'll be playing Cryptessa's role. Misty has Audrey Hepburn's doe eyes but not a smidgen of her ability. Yet she can certainly act the diva, demanding a special smoothie every day at 3pm. Meanwhile, Jaine is grappling with another spoiled female--her uncooperative cat, Prozac, who's refusing to be wrangled into a kitty harness for outside walks. When someone spikes Misty's signature drink with a fatal shot of rat poison, the cast of suspects extends far beyond the theater. What Misty lacked in talent she made up for in enemies. Everyone Jaine talks to maintains their innocence, but one of them is clearly only playing the part. And it's up to Jaine to figure out who, before a killer schedules an encore performance . . .

Death by Smoothie

Writer-for-hire Jaine Austen, living in L.A. with her cat, Prozac, appreciates one of the perks of working freelance—a wardrobe that’s heavy on elastic waists. But her BFF, Lance, has a makeover in mind, and it’s about to lead to murder . . . Uber-stylist Bebe Braddock plans to juice up her Instagram feed, and thinks Jaine would make a perfect “Before & After” model. At Lance’s insistence Jaine is ushered into Bebe’s sprawling Brentwood spread to await her transformation. Yet, while the surroundings are glamorous, the atmosphere is toxic as Bebe bullies her team of assistants, and even her husband, into obeying her every whim. Having earned the wrath of everyone in her orbit, few are shocked when Bebe is found strangled with one of her detested wire hangers. But Jaine’s prints are all over the murder weapon, making her a prime suspect. The police, however, aren’t the only ones showing interest in her—so is Justin, Bebe’s very cute, very young personal assistant. While Jaine navigates a cougar-style romance, Prozac is mistakenly hailed as a feline hero and catapults into internet fame. Still, there are more urgent matters at hand than Prozac’s swelling ego. Because unless Jaine can track down Bebe’s killer and clear her own name, the only new outfit she’ll be modeling is an orange prison jumpsuit. . .

Laura Levine

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