The Baroness’ Choices of New Books Publishing This Week
2023, Week 43’s New Books
My choices for this week include Cozy Paranormal Mysteries, Sweet Holiday Romances, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Cozy Animal Mysteries, Thrillers, Romantic Suspense, Sweet Romance, Traditional Mystery, MG Fairy Tale Retelling, Cozy Paranormal Holiday Mystery, YA Fairy Tale and Folklore Adaptation, and Contemporary Romance.
We are officially a week away from Halloween, which means we are close to Thanksgiving! Do you guys go straight from Halloween to Christmas decorations? Here, we just take down the specific Halloween decorations and have our fall stuff. We don’t officially decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving day.
On the book front, I hope you find something to read from these wonderful selections to buy. Jen has read one of them already if you want to check out her review for it!
Here are my choices for New Books Publishing Week 43 of 2023!
Southern Secrets by Amy Boyles
Sweet Tea Witch Mysteries #27
Publication Date: October 22, 2023
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
Can Pepper get her dragon gift?
Pepper Reign is still reeling from the consequences of having her goodness stolen by Wells Morgan—and the results were so bad that cousin Amelia isn’t speaking to her. Determined to reclaim what was taken, Pepper, Axel, and Betty confront Wells about the theft.
But he’s dead—stone cold dead.
Not only did the man leave a menagerie of dragons, but he also left a house full of suspects—a trophy wife, an adult son, and two apprentices.
Turns out, not only does Pepper need to find her goodness before she spirals into darkness, but she and her family must also uncover Wells’s killer.
In fact, they’ve been charged with that job—and are supposed to stay at the mansion until the murderer is named.
But there are distractions—finding her goodness and acquiring a dragon’s gift. Wait. What? A gift from a dragon? Apparently her dragon Hugo can bestow her with a magical gift. But what is it? And can she receive it before the murderer strikes again?
Because she, Axel, and Betty are stuck in a house with a killer and there are no guarantees that murder is off the table. Can Pepper find the killer before he or she strikes again? Or will she lose not only her goodness, but the most valuable essence of all—her life?
Southern Secrets is book 27 in the ongoing Sweet Tea Witch Mysteries. If you love all things Southern including liberal use of the words y’all, and ma’am, along with sweet tea, you’ll adore binge reading about Pepper and her found family. In these books you’ll find a spunky heroine, hilarious old lady antics, warm family feels, and sweet romance. If you’re new to the series, start with Southern Magic.
A Family for Thanksgiving by M.K. Stelmack
Ranch to Call Home #2
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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They have nothing in common…
Except an orphaned girlWhen Natalia Garin’s brother dies suddenly, she vows to do what’s best for Sadie, her niece. Even if that means working with Sadie’s uncle, ranch hand Brock Holloway. Natalia wants to take Sadie home with her to the city, but the small town of Spirit Lake starts to grow on her…and so does Brock. Can Natalia and Brock find common ground to form a forever family?
A Medium Gift by Lynn Cahoon
Haunted Life Cozy Mystery #4
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
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n A MEDIUM GIFT, the fourth and final episode of Eddie Cayce’s return home to New Orleans, Eddie’s dealing with her murderous aunt along with trying to finish up Uncle Arthur’s love nest before Nic finds out due to a stray thought Eddie forgets to control. And there’s the Clayborne Estate to finish, not to mention figuring out all the college entrance hoops with Lilac.
When did Eddie’s life get so complicated? Eddie’s ready to tie up all the loose ends until someone else dies and she finds out she’s next on the killer’s list.
A Parfait Crime by Maya Corrigan
Five-Ingredient Mystery #4
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
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Set in a quaint Chesapeake Bay town, the latest novel in Maya Corrigan’s Five-Ingredient Mysteries brings back café manager Val Deniston and her recipe columnist grandfather – a sleuthing duo that shares a Victorian house, a love of the culinary arts, and a talent for catching killers.
At the site of a fatal blaze, Val’s boyfriend, a firefighter trainee, is shocked to learn the victim is known to him, a woman named Jane who belonged to the local Agatha Christie book club—and was rehearsing alongside Val’s grandfather for an upcoming Christie play being staged for charity. Just as shocking are the skeletal remains of a man found in the freezer. Who is he and who put him on ice?
After Val is chosen to replace Jane in the play, the cast gathers at their house to get to work—and enjoy Grandad’s five-ingredient parfaits—but all anyone can focus on is the bizarre real-life mystery. When it’s revealed that Jane’s death was due to something other than smoke inhalation, Val and Grandad try to retrace her final days. As they dig into her past life, their inquiry leads them to a fancy new spa in town—where they discover that Jane wasn’t the only one who had a skeleton in the cooler . . .
Includes delicious five-ingredient recipes!
Dating Can Be Deadly by Amanda Flower
Amish Matchmaker Mysteries #5
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Cozy Animal Mystery
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Set in the fan-favorite Amish village of Harvest, Ohio, the latest novel in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s Amish Matchmaker Mysteries brings back the unlikely sleuthing duo of a widowed Amish matchmaker and her zany, four-times-divorced Englisch best friend as they must solve the murder of a quilting competition judge.
Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, small-town mysteries, wholesome romance, inspirational fiction, and readers of Jennifer Beckstrand, Charlotte Hubbard, Rachel J. Good, and other authors of Amish fiction.
It’s August in Holmes County, and that means it’s time for the Holmes County Fair. It’s the county’s biggest annual event, drawing tourists and locals alike to see livestock, eat too much fried food, and watch the rodeo and speed racing contests. This year, Millie has entered the quilting competition—while her very not Amish best friend, Lois Henry, is distracted by her new dating app and her search for husband number five. In a place where quilting is a way of life, the competition is fierce—especially this year, when an anonymous donor doubles the winning cash prize. Amish and English women are up against each other, and some will do anything to win—even murder . . .
When someone attacks the quilt barn by slashing the quilt display, it’s unsettling enough. But when a quilting judge is found murdered, Millie knows it’s time to for Lois to get off her app and help her hunt for a killer instead—before the competition is wiped out for good . . .
Deadly Ties by Mary Keliikoa
Misty Pines Mystery #2
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Thriller
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A missing surf legend. Waterlogged clues. Can he trust his gut instincts to end the wave of murder?
Sheriff Jax Turner is learning to live again. Holding tight to the hope of reconciling with his FBI agent ex-wife, the wary man is determined to keep his focus on his coastal Oregon community. And after a concerned brother requests a welfare check, Jax is troubled to find the absent surf shop owner’s tracks lead to a pool of blood.
Now investigating a potential homicide, Turner chases a tip from his former spouse about a severed foot found on the beach. But when a torrent of leads links the victim to a politician’s son, a jealous competitor, and a get-straight program for youth, the steadfast lawman fears layers of lies and secret agendas will keep him from stopping a vicious killer.
Can he unravel the fatal agenda before he’s the next corpse to wash ashore?
If you like flawed heroes, gritty crimes, and dark twists and turns, then you’ll love Deadly Tides, the chilling second book in Mary Keliikoa’sMisty Pines Mystery Series.
Her Secret Protector by Bonnie Vanak
SOS Agency #4
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Romantic Suspense
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To find her attacker
…he must stay in the shadows.Assigned to protect sea turtle biologist Peyton Bradley from a dangerous stalker, former SEAL Gray Wallace is determined to save his headstrong charge—even if she doesn’t want to be saved. Their attraction is powerful. But damning rumors around the handsome bodyguard’s past get him fired. Only when Peyton is kidnapped and loses her memory does Gray reveal his startling—possibly deadly—secret.
His Christmas Cowgirl by Cari Lynn Webb
Three Springs, Texas #5
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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Can she win the rodeo…
And his heart?Cowgirl Vivian Bryant needs a winning horse to fulfill her rodeo champion dream, and equestrian trainer Josh Sloan agrees to help. But when Vivian fibs to her family that Josh is her boyfriend, their pretend relationship slowly evolves–while planning a Three Springs, Texas, gala together. She’s competing for a trophy that will secure their separate futures, but the real prize just might be finding love…at Christmas.
Mountain Storm Survival by Cathy McDavid
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Romantic Suspense
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A brutal storm. Relentless pursuers.
And more than their lives are on the line…Helping with youth wrangler camp is how Kate Spencer is atoning for her past. But now she and ranch manager Rand Walkins are trapped in the Superstition Mountains with two girls as illegal miners hunt them down. Rand has every reason not to trust Kate, much less forgive her. But working together is the only way they’ll escape from the danger that threatens them all…
Murder Uncorked by Maddie Day
Cece Barton Mystery #1
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Cozy Animal Mystery
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Raise a glass to Cece Barton, a widowed single mom and recent L.A.-to-California-wine-country transplant who suddenly finds herself at the center of a murder investigation in this sparkling new mystery series from Agatha Award-winning author Maddie Day.
As the manager of Vino y Vida Wine Bar in Colinas, Cecelia “Cece” Barton’s first Alexander Valley harvest is a whirlwind of activity. Her twin sister, Allie Halstead, who owns a nearby Victorian bed & breakfast, is accustomed to the hustle and bustle of peak tourist season. But Cece barely has a moment to enjoy her new home in between worrying about her estranged college-age daughter, juggling her responsibilities at the bar, and navigating the sticky politics of the local wine association. Just when it seems things can’t grow any more intense, Colinas is rocked by a murder within the wine community . . . and Cece is identified as a possible suspect!
With her reputation and her livelihood on the line—and the Sonoma County deputy sheriff breathing down her neck—Cece has no choice but to open up her own murder investigation. Tensions are already high in the valley, as a massive wildfire creeps toward Colinas, threatening homes, vineyards, and the vital tourist trade. And now, with a murderer on the loose, and Cece’s sleuthing exposing the valley’s bitterest old rivalries and secret new alliances, Colinas feels ready to pop! But with Allie’s help, Cece is determined to catch the killer and clear her name before everything she’s worked so hard for goes up in flames . . .
Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly
Mountain Lodge Mysteries #3
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Cozy Animal Mystery
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The third in the charming and engrossing Mountain Lodge mystery series by Diane Kelly, in Snow Place for Murder, the weather at the Mountaintop Lodge is truly frightful…
International resort developer Nigel Goodwin has traveled all the way from London, England to Misty Murphy’s little corner of North Carolina and bought out the Mountaintop Lodge for the week prior to Christmas. Their intention? To pitch an exclusive new resort concept to wealthy American investors.
But locals are at odds over the idea, and when a group comes to the lodge to express their worries to Mr. Goodwin and the potential investors, a blizzard hits Beech Mountain. Like the weather outside, things quickly get frosty, and Misty has to call local police to intervene. Handyman Rocky Crowder plows the lodge’s drive and, in an attempt to regain a jovial holiday atmosphere, smooths the snow pile into a makeshift sledding hill for the guests to enjoy.
Misty’s boys have finished their exams and are “home” from college for the winter break, planning to spend most of their time snowboarding at the ski resort. While taking a few runs down Rocky’s sledding hill, they discover a funny-looking, nose-shaped rock. Only it’s not a rock. It’s the frozen nose of Nigel Goodwin, who’s found dead and buried under the mound of snow.
Who put the developer on ice and why?
Snowbound with the Rodeo Star by Tanya Agler
Rodeo Stars of Violet Ridge #2
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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Will a surprising reunion…
Warm their hearts?National Rodeo Champion Ty Darling is stunned when he runs into his ex, Sabrina MacGrath, in Violet Ridge, especially when he learns she’s pregnant—with his baby! Now this commitment-wary rodeo cowboy has twelve days of Christmas to prove he’s ready for a second chance at love. But being stranded together during a winter storm might just show them both the difference between being parents…and being a family.
Some of Us Are Looking by Carlene O’Connor
County Kerry Mystery #2
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Traditional Mystery
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In late summer, the Dingle peninsula is thronged with tourists drawn to County Kerry’s dark mountains and deep, lush valleys. For Irish vet Dimpna Wilde, who has returned to run her family’s practice after years away, home is a beautiful but complicated place—especially when it becomes the setting for a brutal murder . . .
In Dimpna Wilde’s veterinary practice, an imminent meteor shower has elevated the usual gossip to include talk of shooting stars and the watch parties that are planned all over Dingle. But there are also matters nearer at hand to discuss—including the ragtag caravan of young people selling wares by the roadside, and the shocking death of Chris Henderson, an elderly local, in a hit-and-run.
Just hours before his death, Henderson had stormed into the Garda Station, complaining loudly about the caravan’s occupants causing noise and disruption. One of their members is a beautiful young woman named Brigid Sweeney, and Dimpna is shocked when Brigid later turns up at her practice, her clothing splattered in blood and an injured hare tucked into her shirt.
Brigid claims that a mysterious stranger has been trying to obtain a lucky rabbit’s foot. Dimpna is incensed at the thought of anyone mutilating animals, but there is far worse in store. On the night of the meteor shower, Dimpna finds Brigid’s body tied to a tree, her left hand severed. She has bled to death. Wrapped around her wrist is a rabbit’s foot.
Brigid had amassed plenty of admirers, and there were tangled relationships within the group. But perhaps there is something more complex than jealousy at play. The rabbit’s foot, the severed hand, the coinciding meteor shower—the deeper Dimpna and Detective Sargeant Cormac O’Brien investigate, the more ominous the signs seem to be, laced with a warning that Dimpna fears it will prove fatal to overlook.
The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma by Danielle Thorne
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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Home for the holidays…
Or home for good?Once upon a time, Ben Cooper left his hometown to follow his dreams of becoming a big-city doctor. Now he’s back to run his father’s clinic and spend Christmas with his daughter, not to fall for McKenzie Price, the woman who broke his heart. But when McKenzie steps in to help Ben reconnect with his little girl, and old sparks begin to ignite, will Ben give up city life for a second chance at love?
The Last Applicant by Rebecca Hanover
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Psychological Thriller
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From award-winning author Rebecca Hanover comes an emotional thrill ride about two women whose lives take a dangerous turn in the high-stakes arena of private school admissions.
Audrey Singer revels in her position as the admissions director of an exclusive Manhattan private school. Parents cater to her whims and desires, desperate to give their children an edge. Audrey’s power is undeniable; privilege comes with the territory. Her perfect marriage completes the glossy picture of her life.
Until the arrival of the neurotic, vulnerable Sarah Price. Determined to get her son into the city’s most coveted kindergarten class, Sarah inserts herself into Audrey’s world, testing boundaries at every turn. For Sarah, everything Audrey has is a potential target: her job, her friends…even her marriage.
But what seems to be another ploy by an overachieving mother takes a dark and ominous turn. Sarah seems to be hiding secrets of her own. Are her designs on Audrey’s life purely about getting what she wants for her son?
Or is there something more sinister at play in this cutthroat game?
The Song of the Swan by Karah Sutton
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: MG Fairy Tale Retelling
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A magical retelling of Swan Lake, featuring a clever orphan, a castle filled with enchanted swans, and a quest to unearth the secrets of the past.
Olga is an orphan and a thief, relying on trickery and sleight of hand to make her way in the world. But it’s magic, not thievery, that could get her into trouble.
When Olga and her partner-in-crime Pavel learn of a valuable jewel kept in a secluded castle, Olga sees an opportunity to change their lives: a prize so big, they’d never have to steal again. But the castle is not as it seems, ruled by an enchanter who hosts grand balls every night, only for the guests to disappear each morning, replaced by swans. Guided by cryptic clues from the palace spiders, Olga soon realizes she’s in over her head—torn between a bargain with the enchanter, loyalty to Pavel, and determination to understand how the enchanted swans are linked to her own fate.
One thing is certain: there is dark magic behind the castle’s mysteries, and Olga will stop at nothing to unmask it.
The Twelve Books of Christmas by Kate Carlisle
Bibliophile Mystery #17
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Holiday Mystery
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The first ever Christmas mystery in the beloved New York Times bestselling Bibliophile Mystery series!
San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright and her hunky security-expert husband, Derek Stone, face a locked-room murder mystery during the holidays in Scotland.
In the middle of a wonderful Christmas holiday in Dharma, Brooklyn and Derek receive a frantic phone call from their dear friend Claire in Loch Ness, Scotland. The laird of the castle, Cameron MacKinnon, has just proposed to her! They plan to be married on New Year’s Day, and they want Derek and Brooklyn to be their witnesses. And while they’re visiting, Claire hopes that Brooklyn will be able to solve a little mystery that’s occurred in the castle library—twelve very rare, very important books have gone missing.
Once in Scotland, Brooklyn starts working on the mystery of the missing books but is soon distracted by all of the thumping and bumping noises she’s been hearing in the middle of the night. You’d think the Ghost of Christmas Past had taken up residence. But when one of the guests is poisoned and another is killed by an arrow through the heart, Brooklyn and Derek know this is not the work of any ghost. Now they must race to find a killer and a book thief before another murder occurs and their friends’ bright and happy future turns dark and deadly.
To Break a Silence by Lydia Mae
Shattered Tales #5
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Genre: YA Fairy Tale and Folklore Adaptation
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A siren’s song holds power over skies and men.
Stella has never seen the sky until the day she speaks her oaths and is brought above the surface. After her first encounter with a land-walker’s ship forces her to sing up a storm that pulls a prince into the water, she chooses to rescue him.
When Stella’s blossoming affection for the prince is threatened by another, she makes a choice to trade her fins for legs. The price: phantom glass in her throat if she dares to use her voice and in her feet when she walks.
Captain Dillon Carvy is determined to have his revenge after a siren’s song costs him his ship and his favored position as the prince’s captain. While searching for signs of the siren, Dillon discovers a struggling maiden instead. Pulling a silent girl from the sea, he sees the perfect opportunity to gain his position back.
A case of mistaken identity puts Stella right where she wants to be in the prince’s palace. But unless she breaks her silence, continuing her charade may cost her the happiness she hopes for, and quite possibly her life.
To Break a Silence is a retelling of A Little Mermaid. 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!
Nanny for the Billionaire by Eve Madison
Seattle CEO #3
Publication Date: October 27, 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Warning Adult Content
He’s a billionaire with a no-complications policy. She’s his charming intern-turned-unqualified nanny. Will chaos or love merge as their worlds collide?
—– Alton Anderson —–
Life and business thrive on simplicity, but everything changes when my own intern Lena Cho bursts into my office, offering to be my daughter’s nanny. She’s a ray of sunshine, but I don’t need complications. Yet, her dark eyes and contagious laugh leave me questioning if she’s exactly what I’ve been missing.—– Lena Cho —–
I’m no nanny, but I saw an opportunity to impress my devilishly handsome boss. Now, I want something absurd—him. Alton’s not the sensible choice, but who cares? Maybe he’s the man I never knew I needed.Get ready for steamy love scenes, sassy banter, and heartwarming moments in Nanny for the Billionaire.
Get your copy now and dive into their drama and passion.
Well, that’s it for the New Books Releasing Week 43 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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