The Baroness’ Choices of New Books Publishing This Week
2023, Week 39’s New Books
My choices for this week include Sweet Holiday Romances, Cozy Holiday Mysteries, Romantic Suspense, Cozy Holiday Culinary Mystery, Holiday Romantic Comedy, Cozy Crafts and Hobbies Mystery, Historical Mysteries, Cozy Mystery, Cozy Paranormal Mystery, YA Greek and Roman Mythology, YA Fairy Tale and Folklore Adaptation, Romantic Comedy, Cozy Animal Holiday Mystery, and Cozy Culinary Paranormal Mystery.
So, it’s officially autumn. Do you decorate for the fall season, or is it right into the spooky season? Hopefully, the coffee shops still have pumpkin spice. Oh, I am so excited, I love the end of the year with all the holidays and fall sports and events. What does your family do during this time of year?
There are some fantastic books this time. Do you see one that you like? We don’t have any on our immediate TBR, but there are some that I totally want to add.
Here are my choices for New Books Publishing Week 39 of 2023!
Christmas at the Lake by Anita Hughes
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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It’s the season for love, new dreams, and second chances.
On Christmas Eve, just hours before their wedding, Rebecca Huntley is left at the altar by Ben Cole, her college sweetheart and fellow co-founder of the hugely successful dating app, Dealbreakers.
Rebecca is shocked but a small part of her isn’t surprised. Dealbreakers matches potential couples by the things they hated, instead of what they had in common. Lately, she and Ben seem to have less and less in common. He craves the trappings of success, while Rebecca enjoys simple things.
Rebecca decides to go on their honeymoon to the cozy Christmas Cove Inn in the charming small town of Christmas Cove on the shores of Lake Tahoe. There, Rebecca runs into an old college friend, Zach Mason, who had always had a crush on Rebecca. Through a misunderstanding, Zach believes Rebecca is married to Ben, and Rebecca believes Zach is in a relationship with a sophisticated older woman, when really, he is a waiter at the hotel.
As Christmas week unfolds, will the two learn the truth about each other and then be open for a second chance at love? Or will they begin the new year with broken hearts? People are complicated. Everyone has positive attributes as well as faults – but none are deal breakers when you’re really in love.
Christmas Mittens Murder by Lynn Cahoon, Lee Hollis, and Maddie Day
Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery #16.5, Kitchen Witch Mysteries #4.5, and Cece Barton Mystery #0.5
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Cozy Holiday Mystery
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Lee Hollis headlines a new Christmas collection alongside New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon and Agatha Award-winning author Maddie Day, with three cozy mysteries featuring handknit mittens made for murder…
DEATH OF A CHRISTMAS MITTEN KNITTER by LEE HOLLIS
The church’s annual Christmas bazaar is an unqualified success until the local jeweler cries out that a valuable diamond ring has been stolen. Food writer Hayley Powell joins the search for it but discovers something decidedly more shocking—the dead body of a local knitter with a homemade mitten stuffed in her mouth. With only days to spare before the holiday, Hayley must unravel the mystery of Bar Harbor’s crafty killer before someone else receives a deadly gift.TWO CHRISTMAS MITTENS by LYNN CAHOON
Magic Springs, Idaho, is decked out in its sparkling best for the season, but Mia Malone is almost too busy to notice. Taking a second job at the Lodge to save Mia’s Morsels doesn’t leave her much time for festivities—until she finds a dead body near one red mitten in the snow outside the Lodge during the holiday party. Learning that an ancient curse is at play, Mia must find the missing mitten and solve the murder before someone she loves is the next victim.MURDEROUS MITTENS by MADDIE DAY
A quiet Christmas in Colinas, California, at her twin sister’s charming B&B is exactly what Cece Barton needs during the holiday hustle of Los Angeles. But the morning after a lovely evening at the local wine bar, Cece learns that the bar’s proprietor, who sells mittens in her spare time, has been found dead. With her horrified twin one of the main suspects, can Cece unmask the merry murderer before this becomes a holiday from hell?
Deadly Vegas Escapade by Anna J. Stewart
Honor Bound #7
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Romantic Suspense
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Gambling with their lives…
…all bets are off.On the lam from a murder charge, Riordan Malloy is saved from drowning by water rescuer Darcy Ford. On land, the mysterious man has no memory of his identity or his secret past. He only knows that he’s endangering Darcy. When all clues lead the unlikely pair to a posh Vegas casino, they must fight to stay alive—and fall in love—against all odds.
From Harlequin Romantic Suspense: Danger. Passion. Drama.
Death By Eggnog by Lee Hollis
Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery #8.5
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Cozy Holiday Culinary Mystery
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Hayley Powell, a small-town Maine food-and-wine columnist turned sleuth finds herself caught in another murderous mystery, this time at Christmastime.
Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell has never cared much for Bar Harbor’s grouchy town librarian, Agatha Farnsworth. But that doesn’t mean she wishes this Christmas would be her last!
Unfortunately, after the Scroogy senior has a fatal—and suspicious—allergic reaction to supposedly non-dairy eggnog. And now it’s up to Hayley to put her sleuthing skills to work and ladle out some justice . . .
[*Previously published in Eggnog Murder]
Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Holiday Romantic Comedy
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Laurel Grant is playing house for the holidays—complete with a fake husband and kids—in this delightful, charming rom-com by Kerry Winfrey.
Laurel Grant works as the social media manager for Buckeye State of Mind, an Ohio tourism magazine and website. She most definitely does not run a farm . . . but one tiny misunderstanding leads her boss, Gilbert, to think she owns her twin sister Holly’s farm just outside of Columbus. Laurel only handles the social media for the farm, but she’s happy to keep her little white lie going if it means not getting fired—she cannot be jobless again.
And keep it going she must when Gilbert, recently dumped by his wife, invites himself over for the farm’s big Christmas Eve Eve dinner (as advertised on Meadow Rise Farm’s Instagram, thanks to Laurel herself). Laurel immediately goes into panic mode to figure out how she can trick Gilbert into thinking she’s basically the Martha Stewart of rural Ohio and keep her job in the process.
Laurel and Holly come up with the perfect plan—all Laurel has to do is pretend to own the farm for one dinner. But Laurel shows up at the farm to find an unwelcome guest is waiting: Max Beckett, her nemesis since Holly’s wedding. The annoyingly attractive man she hates will be posing as Laurel’s husband just for the evening, but when a snowstorm traps them all for the entire weekend, Laurel is going to have to figure out how to survive with her job and dignity intact. Whatever the case, this promises to be the most eventful Christmas in ages. . . .
Hanging by a Thread by Dorothy Howell
Sewing Studio Mysteries #2
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Cozy Crafts and Hobbies Mystery
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From USA Today bestselling author Dorothy Howell, the charming new cozy mystery featuring twenty-something Abbey Chandler and her fellow sewing circle members in the quaint, touristy town of Hideaway Cove, California.
After setting up a small sewing studio in quaint Hideaway Grove, Abbey Chandler is focused on finding crafty, creative ideas to build up her clientele. But murder can be bad for business . . .
Some of the independent shops in this sleepy town are barely hanging on financially—and that includes Sarah’s Sweets, Abbey’s aunt’s bakery. The shop’s advantage—aside from the deliciousness of its products—is the fact that it’s the only bakery in the area. But it looks like that’s about to change. The second wife of a wealthy businessman wants her own bakery—and money is no object.
When murder unravels the plans for the competing shop, Aunt Sarah is an immediate suspect—and Hideaway Grove’s merchants are on pins and needles about a big upcoming women’s conference, fearing the organization will cancel their booking because of the crime. Abbey’s doing her best to stay optimistic and stitch some custom tote bags for the attendees, but she’s also concerned with patching up Aunt Sarah’s good reputation. And when it comes to sorting through the possible motives of the victim’s family members and associates, she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve . . .
Mrs. Claus and the Trouble with Turkeys by Liz Ireland
Mrs. Claus Mysteries #4
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Cozy Holiday Mystery
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It’s year-round Christmas cheer in this creative and witty mystery series featuring a unique heroine who’s married to the real-life Santa Claus and living in the North Pole. In Santaland, it’s beginning to look a lot like…Thanksgiving…and in between the festivities, April Claus must track down a killer hiding amid a parade of suspects…
At Castle Kringle, the elves are excitedly arranging their first ever Thanksgiving day feast. April’s husband, Nick—the real Santa—has some misgivings, since it’s tough to get ready for Christmas when everyone is obsessed with helium balloons and pie recipes. Chaos erupts when Gobbles, the live turkey imported for the castle feast, is bird-napped. That crime is quickly overshadowed at a pre-Thanksgiving potluck when Nick’s cousin, Elspeth, face-plants into her mashed potatoes—dead.
Someone poisoned Elspeth, and April believes Constable Crinkle is hauling the wrong suspect off to jail. An ominous message, written in what seems to be blood and urging April to stop investigating, only convinces her more. But who’s really to blame? Where is Gobbles the turkey? And can April solve a double helping of mystery in time for everyone to sit down to a non-deadly dinner together?
Murder at the Merton Library by Andrea Penrose
Wrexford and Sloane Mysteries #7
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Historical Mystery
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A perplexing murder in a renowned Oxford University library and a suspicious fire at a famous inventor’s London laboratory set Wrexford and Lady Charlotte on two separate investigations in this masterfully plotted, atmospheric Regency-set mystery from USA Today bestselling author Andrea Penrose.
Responding to an urgent plea from a troubled family friend, the Earl of Wrexford journeys to Oxford only to find the reclusive university librarian has been murdered and a rare manuscript has gone missing. The only clue is that someone overheard an argument in which Wrexford’s name was mentioned.
At the same time, Charlotte—working under her pen name, A. J. Quill—must determine whether a laboratory fire was arson and if it’s connected to the race between competing consortiums to build a new type of ship—one that can cross the ocean powered by steam rather than sails—with the potential to revolutionize military power and world commerce. That the race involves new innovations in finance and entrepreneurship only adds to the high stakes—especially as their good friend Kit Sheffield may be an investor in one of the competitors.
As they delve deeper into the baffling clues, Wrexford and Charlotte begin to realize that things are not what they seem. An evil conspiracy is lurking in the shadows and threatens all they hold dear—unless they can tie the loose threads together before it’s too late . . .
Murder by Invitation Only by Colleen Cambridge
Phyllida Bright Mystery #3
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Historical Mystery
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In this engaging historical mystery, Agatha Christie’s ever-capable housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, not only keeps the celebrated author’s English country home in tip-top shape, she excels as an amateur sleuth. But when a murder-themed game goes awry, can she outfox the guilty party?
“A murder will occur tonight at Beecham House . . .” Who could resist such a compelling invitation? Of course, the murder in question purports to be a party game, and Phyllida looks forward to using some of the deductive skills she has acquired thanks to her employer, Mrs. Agatha, who is unable to attend in person.
The hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Wokesley, are new to the area, and Phyllida gladly offers their own overwhelmed housekeeper some guidance while events get underway. Family friends have been enlisted to play the suspects, and Mr. Wokesley excels in his role of dead body. Unfortunately, when the game’s solution is about to be unveiled, the participants discover that life has imitated art. Mr. Wokesley really is dead!
In the absence of Inspector Cork, Phyllida takes temporary charge of the investigation, guiding the local constable through interviews with the Murder Game actors. At first, there seems no motive to want Mr. Wokesley dead . . . but then Phyllida begins to connect each of the suspects with the roles they played and the motives assigned to them. It soon becomes clear that everyone had a reason to murder their host—both in the game and in real life. Before long, Phyllida is embroiled in a fiendishly puzzling case, with a killer who refuses to play by the rules . . .
Murder in an Italian Village by Michael Falco
Bria Bartolucci Mystery #1
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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The first in a transporting new cozy mystery series set in beautiful Positano, Italy, as a widowed B&B owner discovers a body in one of her bedrooms before opening day… Perfect for fans of Mario Giordano and Lorenzo Carcaterra!
For young widow Bria Bartolucci, running a B&B in the sun-soaked village of Positano, Italy, was supposed to be like going on a permanent vacation. But it’s hardly la bella vita when her first guest is a dead body . . .
On the surface, Bria’s Mediterranean life radiates beauty—the kind her late husband, Carlo, dreamed about when he concocted the romantic idea to start a bed and breakfast on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. With the grand opening of Bella Bella approaching six months after Carlo’s tragic death, Bria and her eight-year-old son Marco brace for a bittersweet new beginning by the sea . . .
Before celebratory vino flows on opening day, a stranger appears in an otherwise pristine guest room, lifeless and covered in blood. Bria can’t understand why murder would check into Bella Bella. And police are just as puzzled. As suspicions fall on a B&B employee, what’s certain is that saving her reputation—and surviving—depend on catching the real killer before it’s too late.
Flanked by her feisty best friend, Rosalie, and well-traveled sister, Lorenza, Bria vows to prove to everyone in Positano that no one at Bella Bella was involved with the crime. But as the women expose a scandal that stretches across their dazzling tourist village, it will take everything they’ve got to name the murderer and avoid becoming the next target of someone’s deadly vendetta . . .
Now You See It by Carol J. Perry
Witch City Mysteries #13
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
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Bestselling author Carol J. Perry returns with the latest installment of her Witch City Mysteries!
Marriage isn’t the only thing new in Lee Barrett’s life when she’s tasked with a hauntingly dangerous assignment in her job as program director for Salem, Massachusetts’s local station, WICH-TV . . .
Just married, Lee and her husband, Detective Sergeant Pete Mondello, are settling into their new home when Lee is dubbed WICH-TV’s new “Historical Documentary Chief Executive.” Her first subject is the brand-newSalem International Museum, slated to be a location for traveling blockbuster exhibits, starting with “Seafaring New England.” From research to collecting artifacts of Salem’s long-ago days as a shipping capital, the project is a challenge—but when the driver of a truckload of antiquities turns up dead under a pile of fall leaves, it’s not quite the kind of challenge Lee expected . . .
Soon, Lee and Pete are dredging up clues along with a hardy crew of helpers, including Lee’s librarian aunt, Ibby, Lee’s best friend and practicing witch, River North—and of course the clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan. But when a ship model in the exhibit’s collection appears to be haunted, Lee will have to dive into her own treasure trove of psychic gifts before a killer comes to the surface to strike again . . .
The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians #6
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: YA Greek and Roman Mythology
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The original heroes from The Lightning Thief are reunited for their biggest challenge yet: getting Percy to college when the gods are standing in his way.
After saving the world multiple times, Percy Jackson is hoping to have a normal senior year. Unfortunately, the gods aren’t quite done with him. Percy will have to fulfill three quests in order to get the necessary three letters of recommendation from Mount Olympus for college.
The first quest is to help Zeus’s cup-bearer retrieve his goblet before it falls into the wrong hands. Can Percy, Grover, and Annabeth find it in time?
Readers new to Percy Jackson (this book can be enjoyed as a standalone) and fans who have been awaiting this reunion for more than a decade will delight equally in this latest hilarious take on Greek mythology.
The Sound of Sleighbells by Janet Dailey
Christmas Tree Ranch #6
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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A cozy ranch setting, small-town neighbors, the uplifting magic of the holidays, and a Texas-sized love story make this brand new Christmas Tree Ranch novel from America’s First Lady of Romance, New York Times bestselling author Janet Dailey, the perfect read for fans of Diana Palmer, Robyn Carr, RaeAnne Thayne, and anyone who can’t get enough Hallmark Christmas Movies.
A BRAND NEW CHRISTMAS TREE RANCH NOVEL, PUBLISHED IN TRADE PAPERBACK FOR THE FIRST TIME!
After her divorce, Ruth McCoy is eager to trade her children’s painful memories for new holiday traditions. But Ruth has a whole new set of distractions when fate brings the man she once loved together with the son he never knew he had…
Life has thrown Judd Rankin some tough turns, and he’s startled by the feelings he still has for Ruth. Though the successful rancher knows better than to chase old dreams, he doesn’t mind lending the struggling single mom a hand. And when Judd sees Ruth’s teenaged son’s interest in his custom saddle business, he’s happy to let the boy help him build the harness for Branding Iron’s Christmas sleigh. Besides, the kid reminds Judd of the young man he once was. A man who believed anything was possible…
Powerless to deny the growing bond between her son and Judd, Ruth knows it’s only a matter of time before her secret is discovered. But will the revelation shatter the tender feelings between her and Judd—or turn out to be her family’s greatest gift?
Their Surprise Island Wedding by Anna J. Stewart
Hawaiian Reunions #2
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Sweet Romance
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Could her fake boyfriend
Be her true love?Her sister’s Hawaiian dream wedding is a nightmare for water-phobic, workaholic Marella Benoit—especially when a breakup leaves her without a plus-one. Laid-back surfer Keane Harper is a sun-bronzed distraction. From stargazing to zip-lining to snorkeling with manta rays, Keane is showing the big-city girl how to have fun. And posing as her boyfriend for the wedding may be the adventure of a lifetime—together!
To Shatter A Slipper by Abigail Manning
Shattered Tales #1
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: YA Fairy Tale and Folklore Adaptation
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What if the glass slipper fit the wrong girl?
Kirsi Allerednic was never one to enjoy balls, corsets, or fake smiles. She would much rather chat with the charming servant, Caden, than catch the eye of a prince who is already far more interested in a girl with glass slippers. However, her father insists Kirsi takes every opportunity to elevate her status, even when that opportunity comes in the form of a conveniently sized shoe.
When Kirsi discovers she fits the slipper of the prince’s proclaimed love, her father doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of the mistake. Kirsi could always confess that she never met the prince, but her father has threatened to destroy Caden’s life if she dares speak the truth. To protect the ones she loves, Kirsi must steal the life of a nameless girl. It shouldn’t be too difficult to mirror a girl the prince barely knows… unless a mysterious godmother has something to say about it.
Will Kirsi be able to escape what her sole has bound her to? Or will she be forced to steal another’s happily ever after?
To Shatter A Slipper is a retelling of Cinderella. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!
Trading Places by Emily Duvall
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Romantic Comedy
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From the outside looking in, socialite Lexi North’s life looks decadently perfect, right down to her diamond-dusted nails. But you know what they say about glass houses… When one night goes horribly wrong―with the whole world watching―she’s challenged to swap lives with the salty, albeit gorgeous, man she rear-ends with her car.
For mechanic Evan Bailey, life is definitely not a party. There’s no “daddy’s credit card” for fixing up his family’s auto shop, raising his too-precocious-for-anyone’s-good niece, and getting his accounts from deep in the red to black. Which is precisely when opportunity―and celebutante Lexi North―smashes into his life.
But what should have been an easy bet gets a whole lot harder with the inexplicably hot chemistry between them. Now the only way for either of them to get what they want is to go for broke…
Macchiato Murder by Tonya Kappes
Killer Coffee Mystery #13
Publication Date: September 28, 2023
Genre: Cozy Animal Holiday Mystery
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Welcome to the Bean Hive Coffee Shop where the coffee and gossip is hot!
Get ready for a hauntingly delightful addition to the Killer Coffee Cozy Mystery series!
Roxanne Bloom, the tenacious owner of the Bean Hive Coffeehouse, finds herself in the midst of a Halloween mystery that will keep cozy mystery lovers on the edge of their seats.
As the leaves turn crimson and the autumn air grows crisp, Honey Springs embraces the Halloween spirit. Eleanor Blackthorn, the passionate historian, secures approval to add a long-abandoned mansion to the historic registry. To raise funds for its restoration, she plans an intriguing corn maze and ghost tour, partnering with an eccentric and renowned ghost hunter.
But when Eleanor’s lifeless body is discovered in the mansion’s infamous “Room of Shadows,” the captivating mystery unfolds. Enter Roxanne Bloom, armed with her wit and determination, as she unravels a web of secrets within the chilling Halloween backdrop.
With each twist and turn, Roxanne dives deeper into the eccentric lives of Honey Springs’ residents, guided by the enthusiastic ghost hunter who inadvertently stumbled upon the chilling crime scene. Will Roxanne expose the killer’s wicked plot before Halloween’s moon sets, or will the secrets of the haunted mansion remain forever shrouded in darkness?
“Macchiato Murder” is a spellbinding addition to the Killer Coffee Cozy Mystery series, blending Halloween thrills, a touch of the supernatural, and a tantalizing whodunit that will have cozy mystery fans bewitched until the final page. Don’t miss this spine-tingling journey through a corn maze of secrets and suspense!
Revenge of the Ziti by Kirsten Weiss
Wits End Cozy Mystery #9
Publication Date: September 30, 2023
Genre: Cozy Culinary Paranormal Mystery
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Murder, Mayhem, and Meatballs.
It’s been an idyllic Italian honeymoon for lovebirds Susan and Arsen, as they explore the winding streets of romantic Sicily. B&B-owner Susan is enjoying staying in someone else’s bed and breakfast, even if that someone else is a tightly wound innkeeper who reminds her a little too much of herself.
But sunny Sicily takes a dark turn when the newlyweds discover a body on the inn’s private grounds. In this Italian-garden mystery, any of the quirky guests could be the killer. Danger lurks around every corner as Susan and Arsen navigate newlywed bliss, Sicily’s historic hilltop towns, and the twists and turns of murder. But will they be able to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again?
If you love quirky heroines, twisty mysteries, and laugh-out-loud humor, you’ll love this short mystery, book nine in the Wits’ End mystery novels. Get cozy with Revenge of the Ziti and start this hilarious whodunit today! (A book written entirely by a natural, semi-intelligent human and not by AI).
Recipes in the back of the book!
Well, that’s it for the New Books Releasing Week 39 of 2023
Drop a comment if you like one of the books above or if you have one to recommend.
Thank you for stopping by,
Happy Reading!
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