The Baroness’ Choices of New Books Publishing This Week
2024, Week 48’s New Books
My choices for this week include Cozy Holiday Mystery, Sweet Holiday Romances, Cozy Paranormal Mysteries, Cozy Culinary Mysteries, Cozy Animal Culinary Mystery, Cozy Mysteries, Historical Mysteries, International Mystery, and Culinary Holiday Mystery.
If you are in the US, Thanksgiving and Black Friday are coming up. I think this weekend we might start putting up Christmas. I have no clue, but I know it will be after Thanksgiving when we do.
Some of these books would make good gifts for upcoming Christmas presents. You can find a few of these books on Jen’s and my TBRs.
Here are my choices for New Books Publishing Week 48 of 2024!
Holly Homicide by Tonya Kappes
Holiday Cozy Mystery #11
Publication Date: November 24, 2024
Genre: Cozy Holiday Mystery
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CELEBRATE GOOD CRIMES!
Welcome to Holiday Junction—where the tinsel sparkles, the cocoa flows, and Christmas cheer is served with a side of murder.Violet Rhinehammer, journalist and Holiday Junction’s resident sleuth, thought she was covering this year’s festive happenings at the town’s beloved lodge. But when local artist is found dead, her cozy holiday plans melt away faster than snow on a warm sidewalk. With suspicious notes, family secrets, and a stolen ornament design at the heart of the mystery, everyone seems to have a motive.
With her trusty notebook in hand and the charming lawyer Darren Strickland by her side—whether he’s helping or distracting her, she’s still not sure.
Violet dives headfirst into the investigation. As they sift through suspects, dodge Southern Charm reporters, and uncover secrets hidden beneath the lodge’s tunnels, the snow-covered streets of Holiday Junction start to feel a little less jolly… and a whole lot more dangerous.
Can Violet solve the case in time to enjoy the tree lighting and her first romantic Christmas date? Or will the killer deliver one final, deadly holiday surprise?
Holly Homicide is a festive cozy mystery filled with holiday charm, mischievous twists, and just the right amount of romance to warm your heart. Perfect for readers who love small-town settings, quirky characters, and sleuths with a nose for trouble. Curl up with a cup of cocoa, turn on the twinkle lights, and settle in for a holiday mystery you won’t forget.
Will the Merry Maker’s magic solve the crime… or will this Christmas be Violet’s last?
Puppy Wishes and Candy Kisses by Jennifer Faye
Kringle Falls #1
Publication Date: November 25, 2024
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
Three homeless puppies…
Two lonely hearts…
One massive snowstorm.Coming November 2024, a new Christmas series by Jennifer Faye.
A Cowgirl’s Christmas Reunion by Cari Lynn Webb
Blackwell Belles #5
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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Everything is riding on Christmas…
Especially second chancesTen years ago, former trick rider Willow Blackwell gave up on Christmas miracles…along with the idea of family and even love. But this year, the ghosts of Christmas past have reared up. Willow has one chance to perform with her sisters—the Blackwell Belles—and prove she’s the riding star she was born to be. But coming face-to-face with her ex, champion bull rider Nolan Elliot, is one reunion she’s not prepared for. It’s the ultimate holiday do-over. But is Willow finally leaving the past behind…or finding the love she was always meant to have?
A Trinket for the Taking by Victoria Laurie
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
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Introducing the captivating Dovey Van Dalen, once the belle of 1840s Copenhagen, now charged with recovering magic property from mortals—whatever it takes. The first in a new magical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Victoria Laurie.
Dovey Van Dalen has a gorgeous day planned for her 200th birthday: driving her new Porsche, admiring the cherry blossoms abloom in her adopted city of Washington, D.C., and a little pampering. But her boss has other ideas. A powerful artifact has been stolen, and he fears it’s causing chaos in the unmagical world . . .
The rich and connected Ariti family has suffered a string of suspicious deaths, with no signs of foul play. Yet each member has died in the way they feared most. As the enchanting agent most skilled at blending in with mere mortals, Dovey must find answers and retrieve the dangerous trinket.
There’s just one unexpected wrinkle: By the time Dovey arrives at the art gallery where the Ariti patriarch died, FBI agent Grant “Gib” Barlow has taken control of the scene. Dovey needs his cooperation to investigate—but she’ll have to hide her abilities, and her true objective, from a man who uncovers deceptions every day. And as they inch nearer a deadly truth, both will face danger even the spellbound would be lucky to survive . . .
Blame the Beignets by Ginger Bolton
Deputy Donut Mystery #9
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
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As the weather cools down, business heats up at Deputy Donut Café for owner Emily Westhill. But is a stubborn tabby cat, a mysterious new employee, and a murder case with a baker’s dozen worth of suspects too much to manage?
With mouthwatering treats selling fast in October, Emily is delighted to welcome her assistant’s younger sister, Hannah, to help at the donut shop while taking a semester off from college. But Hannah’s talent for dishing powdered pastries without dropping a crumb attracts some unusual customers, as two admirers with opposite personalities begin to show up during her shifts—much to her older sister’s disappointment . . .
Real trouble comes afterhours in the dark forest surrounding Emily’s lakeside house. Emily follows a trail of her freshly-made beignets—just like those purchased by the two admirers—to a dead body. And while the victim may have burned a few bridges, there’s no way to sugarcoat the discovery of Hannah’s hairclip at the crime scene. Now, as suspicions fall on her own employee and unsavory rumors swirl around town, it will take far more than a sprinkle of good luck for Emily to learn the truth and expose a killer with a very deadly craving . . .
Cowboy Santa by Melinda Curtis
Cowboy Academy #6
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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Can they help each other…
Make the season bright?A small-town Oklahoma Christmas would be charming if single dad Chandler Cochran wasn’t being called into the principal’s office to deal with his son’s antics. The instigator behind young Sam’s misbehavior? Little Della-Mae, Izzy Adams’s daughter. The same Izzy who has just taken a job decorating Chandler’s family ranch for the holidays! And even though she and Chandler are pulled together to deal with their children’s misadventures, the bubbly mom and her sweet daughter are adding light and warmth to the stoic cowboy’s world. Will trouble turn into an unexpected gift this Christmas?
Deadly Crush by Maddie Day
Cece Barton Mystery #2
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Cozy Animal Culinary Mystery
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It’s the beginning of a new year, and for widowed single mom and recent L.A. transplant to California wine country, Cece Barton, that means green hillsides, flowing streams from winter rains, pruned vineyards—and a murder to solve . . .
After a mostly stress-free Christmas with her college-age daughter, and despite enjoying a current budding romance with fellow newcomer, Benjamin Cohen, it’s time for Cece to focus on Vino y Vida, the Colinas wine bar she manages. Electrical work and an outdoor security camera are needed, and she’s hired local electrician Karl Meier to do the job, along with the help of his nephew Ian. But she regrets her choice when she witnesses Karl needlessy berating Ian in her presence. On top of that, Karl leers at her, then presents her with an inflated bill before the work is complete. Still, she’s shocked when she gets a call from Karl’s ex-wife, Josie, that she’s found Karl . . . crushed to death beneath the lift in her automotive shop.
Cece convinces Josie to call the police, even though Josie is terrified. After all, Karl was an abusive husband, was threatening her, and she has no alibi. With Josie’s future on the line, and maybe her own, Cece starts her own investigation. From the customers Karl cheated to the other women he harassed, she finds there’s no lack of suspects—other than the shelter kittens to whom he was an uncharacteristically sweet volunteer. With a bouquet of motives and unanswered questions, Cece is going to need the help of her twin, Allie, who owns a nearby B & B, as she dives into Karl’s past—before the killer catches up with her, and the lights go out for good . . .
Death by Caramel Macchiato by Alex Erickson
Bookstore Cafe Mystery #13
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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When Pine Hills, Ohio hosts an inter-town murder mystery game, bookstore-café owner and sometimes-sleuth Krissy Hancock assumes it’ll all be in good fun, but that’s before the competition claims its first real-life victim. . .
The unique weekend-long event—a combination of a live-action role playing game and a theatrical production—draws competitors from all the neighboring towns, including Pine Hills’ own Krissy and Rita. Although the actors, clues, and performances are spread across the community, somehow Krissy’s team lands at the one location with an actual body. . .
Police immediately call-off the competition while they conduct a real murder investigation, but soon it’s clear some folks are playing by their own set of rules. So it’s up to Krissy and her pals to shuffle through the suspects and draw out the real killer before another player takes their final turn.
Death Takes the Lead by Rosemary Simpson
Gilded Age Mystery #9
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Historical Mystery
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When a series of mysterious deaths plagues a new Scottish play, heiress and lawyer Prudence MacKenzie and her partner ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter are called in to perform an investigation at one of Broadway’s most stunning theatres . . .
APRIL 1891: Prudence MacKenzie is delighted to attend a riveting rehearsal of Waif of the Highlands with her dear friend, Lydia Truitt, whose cousin, Septimus Ward, stars in the play. But the drama continues after the curtain falls, as the women overhear a ferocious argument between Septimus and the play’s famous playwright-director, Barrett Hughes.
When confronted about the dispute, Septimus reveals that he actually wrote the script, but allowed Hughes to claim authorship in return for casting Septimus’s paramour, Flora Campbell, in the lead. Septimus has come to regret the agreement and vows to reclaim authorship, even if it means the play never opens. But, days later, Prudence and Geoffrey are urgently summoned to Septimus’s boarding house, where the thespian lays dying in Lydia’s arms.
Lydia believes her cousin’s death is no accident and wants Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law to look into the matter, going so far as to help Prudence and Flora secure employment undercover in the play’s wardrobe department. At first, Hughes’s determination to keep the production running seems admirable, but his motives are soon called into question as Prudence hears whispers backstage about his notorious predatory behavior with young women. And when another body turns up at the theatre, it’s clear that someone is targeting the play and its company—but why?
Prudence and Geoffrey must improvise as they tread into an unfamiliar world where deceit is cultivated for entertainment and deception is celebrated as talent, to expose a darkness lurking behind the glittering stage lights. . .
Lydia believes her cousin’s death is no accident and wants Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law to look into the matter, going so far as to help Prudence and Flora secure employment undercover in the play’s wardrobe department. At first, Hughes’s determination to keep the production running seems admirable, but his motives are soon called into question as Prudence hears whispers backstage about his notorious predatory behavior with young women. And when another body turns up at the theatre, it’s clear that someone is targeting the play and its company—but why?
Prudence and Geoffrey must improvise as they tread into an unfamiliar world where deceit is cultivated for entertainment and deception is celebrated as talent, to expose a darkness lurking behind the glittering stage lights. . .
Madrigals and Mayhem by Elizabeth Penney
Cambridge Bookshop #4
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: International Mystery
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In Madrigals and Mayhem, the fourth in Elizabeth Penney’s charming Cambridge Bookshop series, Molly Kimball finds that even the holidays can come with a healthy dose of mystery.
Molly is eager to experience her first English Christmas with family and friends now that she’s adjusted to her move to Cambridge and her restoration of her family’s ancestral bookshop, Thomas Marlowe―Manuscripts and Folios. When local toyshop Pemberly’s Emporium reopens, Molly is excited to meet the new owner, Charlotte Pemberly, who is determined to make the toy store a success after unexpectedly becoming her grandfather Arthur’s sole heir.Arthur’s new wife Althea Winters and her unpleasant family loathe Charlotte for inheriting what they believe was theirs and have set their sights on a valuable Madame Alexander doll that’s gone missing. When Althea’s grandson is poisoned by cakes from Tea & Crumpets, Charlotte becomes the top suspect. Molly believes Charlotte was the intended victim and investigates the Pemberly’s home, only to discover that Arthur had been murdered.
To get closer to this treacherous family, Molly and her boyfriend Kieran go undercover by volunteering to act and sing for a madrigal dinner directed by Althea and her daughter at St. Hildegard’s College. Molly must help her new friend clear her name while searching for the missing doll and wrangling her own family during the chaotic holiday festivities at the bookshop.
Mistletoe at Jameson Ranch by Anna Grace
Teacher Project #3
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
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Will Christmas with a cowboy…
Lead her back to the ranch?Growing up in Pronghorn, Oregon, Harlow Jameson never fit in—she always was a rule breaker. Now a lawyer in Nashville, Harlow only travels home to recharge at her ranch outside town. But this Christmas, Pronghorn has changed… There are lights, holiday decorations and new faces—including Vander Tourn, a gorgeous teacher and cowboy-in-training. Now Harlow’s helping with the school holiday pageant and Vander’s showing her a whole new side of Pronghorn and herself. But is a picture-perfect Christmas season enough to bridge the gap between the city girl and her sweet cowboy?
Murder at Glenloch Hill by Clara McKenna
Stella and Lyndy Mysteries #6
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Historical Mystery
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Set in Edwardian Britain, American transplant Stella, and British aristocrat, Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst take a weekend trip to the Scottish countryside and learn how sinister bad sportsmanship can be when a prestigious golf tournament becomes a deadly game of murder . . .
Along with cheering on her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Freddie Kentfield, at The British Open in Scotland, Stella embraces the chance to connect with her distant cousins, the McEwens, at their grand estate, Glenloch Hill. But she and Lyndy don’t receive the warm welcome they expect when their arrival is marred by missing luggage, evasive hosts, and the perceived mistreatment of a young laundry maid. Adding to the tense atmosphere, Freddie’s roguish father, Sir Edwin, appears at the manor uninvited, his presence casting a shadow over the events—and stirring up more unanswered questions . . .
As golf clubs swing on the green, so do Lyndy’s fists in an uncharacteristic outburst. Chaotic circumstances take a dark turn when Sir Edwin is found bludgeoned outside the laundry house—the maid waiting beside the body, no murder weapon in sight—and all eyes on Lyndy . . .
Suddenly caught in a whirlwind of kilts, elite golfers, and deadly rumors, Stella rushes to protect Lyndy’s innocence and save herself from real danger. But can she both navigate the unspoken rules at Glenloch Hill and survive a cutthroat competition against a killer who will stop at nothing to win?
Murder at the Lemonberry Tea by Darci Hannah
Beacon Bakeshop Mystery #6
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Cozy Culinary Mystery
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Lindsey Bakewell’s iconic lighthouse bakeshop in beautiful Beacon Harbor, Michigan, is hosting a celebrity cookbook author from the UK—but the notorious diva is now DOA . . .
Lindsey’s patrons have a new outdoor patio where they can eat their treats in the glorious summer weather. But even more exciting is that the Beacon Bakeshop is going to host British celebrity chef Vivi Lemonberry—and what could be a more appropriate event than a tea party?
What Lindsey didn’t realize is that Vivi is here to put some distance between herself and her recent professional and personal scandals. Despite assurances that Vivi is as sweet as a chocolate-dipped strawberry, Lindsey is cooling rapidly toward the culinary icon . . . especially after she banishes Lindsey’s beloved dog, Wellington, from the bakeshop and then flirts outrageously with Lindsey’s boyfriend.
She’s not the only one feeling hostile, though. While Vivi’s in the middle of making a tart in front of the cameras, a woman runs up and slaps her. Soon, Vivi’s nowhere to be found, and folks are speculating on whether she’s run off with her secret lover or just laying low due to embarrassment. That is, until Lindsey finds a body bobbing near the surface of Lake Michigan. It’s a sour ending for the diva, but Lindsey is determined to squeeze the truth out of every clue until she finds the killer . .
Planes, Candy Canes, and Hearses by Catherine Bruns
Cookies and Chance Mysteries #14.5
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Cozy Culinary Holiday Mystery
From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a tasty holiday treat….
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for Sally Muccio. The part-time sleuth and full-time baker is up to her elbows in sugar and a puzzling mystery that threatens to ruin her jolly holiday…
As Sal and her good friend Josie prepare to close their bakery to enjoy Christmas Eve, as well as Sal’s daughter’s birthday, a last-minute sojourn to the airport interferes. Sal mistakenly thinks this will be a quick outing to pick up her father from a business trip. But with the weather outside frightful, and her delightful father nowhere to be found, her fears quickly begin to escalate.
Where is Domenic Muccio, and why isn’t he answering his phone? And who is the mysterious companion he was seen leaving the airport with? If Sal doesn’t find her father soon, no one will be rocking around the Christmas tree.
Includes a delicious recipe for candy cane cookies!
Rescued at Christmas by Janice Carter
Home to Maple Glen #2
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
Rescuing her was his Christmas miracle…
But will she be gone again by New Year’s?Devon Fairchild arrives in the small town of Maple Glen just weeks before Christmas to honor a promise she made to her late brother. Then she’ll get back to her life in the city. But when she’s injured, firefighter Finn McAllister rescues her and takes her home to his family, who shower her with compassion and holiday cheer. For the first time, Devon starts to feel like she belongs. But the walls she’s built around her heart have always kept her safe. If she lets them fall, will she truly be rescued…or will it only lead to more heartbreak?
The Herringbone Harbor Mystery by Sally Goldenbaum
Seaside Knitters Society #7
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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It’s beginning to feel a lot like tourist season in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, and beachside shopkeepers are getting ready for the annual wave of visitors. But even before the season starts, the heat is on to find a killer . . .
The Yarn Studio’s Seaside Knitters have their hands full designing new classes for vacationers, as well as testing each other’s originality by creating a single blanket together. Birdie’s teenage granddaughter is also visiting for the season and has started a dog-walking business with her friend, Daisy. Meanwhile, the Lazy Lobster and Soup Café’s local fare is gaining newfound attention with the addition of a well-known chef. It’s sure to be another beautiful, busy time in their tight-knit town . . .
Until Birdie spots a huge blaze from her balcony one evening, frighteningly close to knitter Cass’s lobster business. But the morning brings news that it was a house in Fishermen’s Village, and a popular businessman, and mayoral candidate, is found dead inside. Not only did the teenagers walk his beloved sheepdog, Squid, they may have been the last people to see him alive.
When questions surface about the actual timing of the man’s death, it turns out something is more than fishy. As suspicion rocks usually placid Sea Harbor, knitters Izzy, Birdie, Cass, and Nell must pick apart tangled secrets and wrap up false accusations—before the killer hooks another victim . . .
The Witch Is Back by Angela M. Sanders
Witch Way Librarian Mysteries #6
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Genre: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
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Just when residents thought life was settling down in small-town Wilfred, Oregon, poison pen letters begin to arrive. Who can celebrate the retreat’s success or the opening of The Wallingford Guesthouse when secrets and less than neighborly transgressions are aired? Librarian Josie Way is lucky to be a witch, since the spellbound books know plenty about murders . . .
Surprised by an unexpected visit from her oddly pensive mother, Josie hopes to distract her with a visit to the Aerie, the clifftop manor where the recently passed Reverend Clarence Duffy lived. Inside, however, Josie hears hissed warnings from boxes of the preacher’s old books—and once home, from the library’s detective novels. When Wilfred residents start to receive threatening letters the next day, the witch-in-training is determined to uncover the missives’ author . . .
But not before the dead body of one of the reverend’s sons is discovered at the bottom of the cliff. Unsettled by the Wilfred residents’ crumbling friendships—and by her mother’s reason for her visit—Josie has her hands full of dilemmas. Sheriff Sam is no help—he laughs off the letter he receives. Then Josie finds one addressed to her, stating that the author “knows her secret.” Josie must trust her fledgling sorcery—as well as a bit of magic from a surprising source—to uncover the poison pen before anyone else receives a deadly delivery . . .
Well, that’s it for the New Books Releasing Week 48 of 2024
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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