It’s September. How? Where did the year go? The kids are in school. I’m preparing for Halloween. I’ve already started Christmas shopping. We are four months from 2023. I don’t like this. Not. One. Bit.
So of course I’m using fiction as a socially acceptable form of escapism.
And what better way than cozy mysteries. Good news, there are a few books that continue their series. One new series starting. And a stand alone.
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Murder on the Poet’s Walk (A Book Retreat Mystery 8)
Ellery Adams
Release date – September 27, 2022
Resort manager Jane Steward is on the hunt for the person who used literary license to kill as bodies bearing poetry start to appear around Storyton Hall.
When Jane’s best friend Eloise Alcott gets married, Storyton Hall fills up with poets who are in town to vie for a coveted contract to write poetry for greeting cards. They can be seen everywhere, scribbling poetry on cocktail napkins in the reading rooms or traversing the Poet’s Walk, a network of routes named after illustrious writers in search of motivation. A woman’s corpse floating in a rowboat on a lake with a crumpled copy of “The Lady of Shallot” in her lifeless fist is the grisly surprise that awaits travelers on the Tennyson Trail.
A recurrent MO becomes apparent when a second victim is found, this one again holding a page from a poetry book. Fortunately, Jane is an expert sleuth and won’t stop until she delivers poetic justice to the murderer.
Murder and an Irish Curse (A Book Magic Mystery 5)
Melissa Bourbon
Release date – September 6, 2022
The Book Enchantment Mysteries, praised by Midwest Book Review as “impressively creative,” highlight the magic in books. In this captivating new tale, Pippin Lane Hawthorne hopes that her ability of bibliomancy will be sufficient to break the family’s two-thousand-year curse. But for every issue Pippin resolves over the past, another one crops up.
Bibliomancer Pippin Lane Hawthorne is more determined than ever to end the 2000-year-old Irish curse on her family in light of fresh information about her family’s ties to Dagda and Morrighan obtained from the Tuatha dé Danann.
When reporter Moira Quinn begins to investigate—and later dies—Pippin learns a personal link that intensifies the personal nature of the search for the truth.
Pippin is determined to find the truth once and for all with the aid of her West Coast cousins, bookshop owner Jamie McAdams, and her twin brother, Grey. However, there are local manifestations of the curse, and more than one of the Lanes’ time is running out. If it’s too late, Pippin won’t be able to save her family.
Dewey Decimated (A Haunted Library Mystery Book 6)
Allison Brook
Release date – September 6, 2022
In the sixth volume of Allison Brook’s Haunted Library mysteries, which was nominated for an Agatha Award, librarian Carrie Singleton and library ghost Evelyn are back on the case.
Carrie Singleton has recently finished a hot run of murder investigations centered on the eerie neighborhood library in Clover Ridge, Connecticut. She desperately needs a break, but sadly, she is sucked into yet another intriguing whodunit along with the library’s ghost Evelyn, resident cat Smoky Joe, and Smoky Joe.
First, Carrie’s fiance’s uncle Alec, who Dylan hasn’t seen in years, is discovered dead in the basement of the building connected to the library. However, Alec has no real intention of leaving, and his ghost settles in the library, much to the annoyance of the users. Alec is kept hidden from view by Carrie and Evelyn, but why was he in Clover Ridge in the first place? Why was he killed, then?
Carrie is a member of the town council, which is engaged in a heated discussion about what will happen to the Seabrook Preserve, a beautiful and priceless piece of land that stretches along Long Island Sound. Make it into a posh park? Sell it to a developer of condos? Or maintain it as a protected area?
In the midst of the argument, a council member is murdered once more. The two murders might have been related. And may Carrie be the next victim?
A Vacation to Die For (A Tourist Trap Mystery Book 14)
Lynn Cahoon
Release date – September 6, 2022
The most recent book in Lynn Cahoon’s enduring Tourist Trap Mystery series will excite readers who enjoy female sleuth cozy mysteries.
Jill Gardner, the proprietor of Coffee, Books, and More in South Cove, California, learns that wedding planning can be murder.
Jill Gardner may not be able to plan her wedding to South Cove’s sought-after police detective without hustling her fiance to a nearby vacation destination. Greg, however, is hastily returning home to look into the death of a mysterious man, leaving Jill to finish the trip by herself.
Jill hardly has time to enjoy a spa day when a stingy hotel guest and shocking disclosures about Max Winter, the developer plotting to purchase her house outright, ruin her own relaxation. The store’s staffing shortages, the suspicious guys spied prowling the neighborhood, and a combative and rude family member bullying Jill’s cherished employee are all additional concerns. It’s enough to give the bride-to-be anxiety, especially when she finds herself in the killer’s sights.
A Good Dog’s Guide to Murder (A Paws & Claws Mystery Book 8)
Krista Davis
Release date – September 6, 2022
In Krista Davis’ #1 New York Times bestselling Paws & Claws series, Holly and her super-smart Jack Russell terrier Trixie have another murder to solve in Wagtail in addition to the Great Gingerbread Dog & Cat House Competition!
To spend Thanksgiving in the mountains of pet-friendly Wagtail, Virginia, visitors are pouring in in droves. To enter the competition that will be hosted in the new convention center, many of them are bringing gingerbread houses decorated with dogs and cats. Orly Biffle, a Wagtail citizen, left the property to the town in his will on the condition that they preserve the large old oak tree there. The fact that Orly’s children did not get the desirable property with a lake view has angered them much.
Holly notes that both Trixie and her calico cat Twinkletoes are transfixed on the large oak tree. Trixie growls at it as if she believes it to be dead. Competition participants are seasoning their lovely gingerbread masterpieces when a huge limb falls from the beautiful tree. The tree must be removed, the mayor argues, because it is harmful. The tree spontaneously topples over after some roots are disturbed by a bulldozer, exposing a person inside the trunk! Everyone initially believes Orly was the one who pulled off this nefarious ruse. But it soon becomes obvious that someone is attempting to conceal the truth. Trixie and Twinkletoes must now work with Holly to find potential suspects and subdue a cunning murderer.
Murder in a Cape Cottage (A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery 4)
Maddie Day
Release date – September 27, 2022
The most recent book in Maddie Day’s Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery series is set in a picturesque Cape Cod town and features resourceful bike-shop owner Mackenzie “Mac” Almeida working with her fellow book club sleuths to solve a cold case. This book is a treat for fans of new, clever, cozy mysteries and those who adore Lorna Barrett’s Booktown series.
It is the day after Christmas, capping off a very busy season for Mac’s bike business. It’s fortunate that the Cozy Capers Book Group’s next selection is a calming coloring book mystery, given that she has last-minute wedding preparations to complete. All of Mac’s anxiety about the wedding is put to rest, however, when she and her fiancé, Tim, start renovating their cottage and discover a skeleton inside, sitting on a stool and wearing an outdated bridal gown.
With the aid of librarian Flo and her book club, Mac delves into the old mystery and unearths a tale of star-crossed lovers and quarreling families fit for the bard. However, a contemporary antagonist is still present in Mac’s sleepy coastal hamlet, waiting to turn this New Year’s Eve into a bloody one.
Includes recipes!
Because I Could Not Stop for Death (An Emily Dickinson Mystery Book 1)
Amanda Flower
Release date – September 20, 2022
In the first book of a brand-new series written by USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Amanda Flower, Emily Dickinson and her housekeeper Willa Noble come to the realization that there is nothing poetry about murder.
January 1855 Willa Noble recognized it as terrible karma when it poured down rain the day of her crucial job interview at the Amherst, Massachusetts, home of Emily Dickinson. She had given up all chance of getting the job when she showed up late, untidy, and wearing dirty, soggy skirts. Willa moved toward the majestic home’s door as the housekeeper formally informed her that they will be in touch only to be stopped by the quiet but powerful voice of Emily Dickinson. When the reclusive poet takes Willa under her wing, what starts out as a precarious job develops into a friendship.
Soon after, tragedy comes when Henry, Willa’s adored brother, perishes in a sad accident at the local stables. Willa informs Emily about her brother’s passing and why she thinks it was not an accident because she has no other relatives and nowhere else to turn. Willa believes it to have been murder. Henry had been keeping things very quiet lately, only letting Willa know that he had managed to find a means to make enough money to support them both. Emily offers to help at first, thinking of it as a problem to be solved, but soon discovers that she and Willa are caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse that exposes generations of corruption in Amherst. Some extremely powerful people would do anything to protect their lucrative secrets, even if it means keeping Willa and her new mistress silent forever.
A Dark and Snowy Night (Seaside Knitters Society Book 5)
Sally Goldenbaum
Release date – September 27, 2022
The renowned Seaside Knitters Society mysteries by USA Today bestselling author Sally Goldenbaum continue to be set in the “idyllic environment” (Publishers Weekly) of a small Massachusetts seaside town that is “full of intrigue and genuine warmth” (The Washington Book Review)
- Comes with a knitting pattern
The Seaside Knitters have their Christmas trees up, friends and families are assembling in scenic Sea Harbor, Massachusetts—a location where traditions run deep, but so do some treacherous family secrets—and the Seaside Knitters are knitting warm and lovely gifts for the holidays.
A feast for the senses, winter in Sea Harbor has blazing bonfires, the aroma of fresh snow in the saline air, and carols playing on the village green. In addition to their customary Christmas preparations, the Seaside Knitters have a sackful of commitments this year. Izzy employs a second salesman since she is so overburdened with knitting lessons, but the new worker finds it difficult to get into the festive spirit at the yarn store. Cass has finally found a nanny for her busy toddler while juggling the demands of managing her lobster business. When Molly Flanigan abruptly vanishes and takes Cass’ cherished rescue dog with her, she appears to be virtually flawless in every aspect.
At Mayor Beatrice Scaglia’s holiday dinner, the season is ushered in with style as an elegant audience gawks at the mayor’s opulent new mansion and the celebrity chef providing the meal. Ben and Nell Endicott will also enjoy catching up with their close friend Oliver Bishop at the celebration. But there are more things to love than just the get-togethers and the appetizers. Before revelers can raise a glass to the start of Sea Harbor’s holiday season, the chef—who also happened to be the young wife of the Endicott’s longtime Harvard friend—is discovered dead beneath the mistletoe.
To clear their loved ones’ names, catch the murderer, and prevent Sea Harbor’s holiday charm from fading into the chilly winter air, Izzy, Birdie, Nell, and Cass must figure out the pattern to these mysteries.
Whiskers and Lies (Magical Cats Book 14)
Sofie Kelly
Release date – September 13, 2022
In the most recent installment of this New York Times bestseller series, librarian Kathleen Paulson, who is always willing to assist a friend, will require the magical assistance of her loving cats in order to prevent one from being wrongfully arrested.
For the Reading Buddies Halloween Party at the library, cupcake maker Georgia Tepper has been hired, and she and Kathleen are meeting to discuss the menu of frightening treats. Unfortunately, the enjoyable afternoon is ruined when Georgia’s ex-mom-in-law surprises her at the library and threatens Georgia with legal action.
Kathleen is ready to assist in establishing the nice baker’s innocence when Georgia’s litigious in-law is later discovered dead and she is accused. Fortunately, Kathleen and her adventurous magical cats, Hercules and Owen, have cracked a few cases. She understands that everything is relative in life and in solving crimes, but with effort, she can ensure that the appropriate culprit gets booked.
Mother Daughter Traitor Spy: A Novel
Susan Elia MacNeal
Release date – September 20, 2022
In this intriguing story from the New York Times bestselling author of the Maggie Hope series, a mother and daughter who stumble upon a Nazi cell in Los Angeles during the early years of World War II have the fortitude to go underground.
The page-turning prose of Susan Elia MacNeal is as as enjoyable as ever in this gripping standalone thriller; I was engrossed from start to finish.
The Alice Network author Kate Quinn
June 1940. Britain may follow France in falling to the Nazis, but for many Americans, the conflict is only taking place “over there.” After recently receiving her college diploma, Veronica Grace and her mother Violet are seeking a new beginning in Los Angeles. Veronica is relieved to accept a typing job in Los Angeles after an error denied her a great career chance in New York, only to learn that she is working for one of the city’s most ruthless propagandists.
The evil side of her new home, where German Nazis are enlisting Americans for their destructive crusade, is revealed to Veronica over night. Veronica and Violet decide to contact an old friend, who introduces them to L.A.’s anti-Nazi spymaster, after the FBI ignores the Graces’ worries.
The women immediately go undercover in order to acquire enough data about the California Reich to present to the authorities. However, as word of Pearl Harbor spreads around the country and President Roosevelt declares war, the Grace women come to understand that the conspiracies they are looking into are much more sinister than they initially thought and that even one slip-up may cost them everything.
Mother Daughter Traitor Espionage is a dramatic depiction of family, devotion, and deception that raises timeless themes about America—and what it means to have courage in the face of danger. It was inspired by the genuine mother-daughter spy team who thwarted Nazi plots in Los Angeles during WWII.
A Truth to Lie For: An Elena Standish Novel
Anne Perry
Release date – September 20, 2022
In this suspenseful thriller by New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry, a deadly new weapon threatens all of Europe unless Elena Standish can free an inventive scientist from Hitler’s grasp.
Hitler is on the verge of assuming absolute power in Germany in the summer of 1934, with his sights set on hegemony over Europe. When the British intelligence agency MI6 learns that two German scientists have achieved advances in germ warfare, they sent Elena Standish on a perilous mission to remove one of them from Germany before he is compelled to impart his expertise and its lethal potential to Hitler’s ruling class.
But the British quickly discover that Elena is battling more than simply the passage of time. Elena’s grandfather Lucas, the former head of MI6, has an old rival who is now in charge of Germany’s germ warfare section. He is also determined to exact revenge on Lucas for the loss he suffered at his hands twenty years ago.
What begins as a quest to prevent sickness from destroying Europe quickly turns into a highly personal struggle. Elena and the scientist encounter not just the Gestapo but also a motley crew of erratic Nazi sympathizers as they travel across Germany, from Berlin to Bavaria and beyond. In this gripping thriller that examines what it means to do what is good in a world plagued with so much evil, Elena finds that every choice she makes is challenged.
So many new books. It’s going to be hard to know which one to read first. What will you choose? Let me know in the comments below.
The Glorious Train Wreck Mom 
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