Barbara Marr Murder Mystery

Series · 7 books · 2010-2017

By Karen Cantwell

Books in series

Take the Monkeys and Run

2010

Film lover Barbara Marr is a typical suburban mom living the typical suburban life in her sleepy little town of Rustic Woods, Virginia. Typical, that is until she sets out to find the missing link between a bizarre monkey sighting in her yard and the bone chilling middle-of-the-night fright fest at the strangely vacant house next door. When Barb talks her two friends into some seemingly innocent Charlie’s Angels-like sleuthing, they stumble upon way more than they bargained for and uncover a piece of neighborhood history that certain people would kill to keep on the cutting room floor. Enter sexy PI Colt Baron, Barb’s ex-boyfriend who would love to be cast as new leading man, filling the role just vacated by her recently estranged husband, Howard. When Colt flies in from out of town to help Barb, events careen out of control and suddenly this mini-van driving mother of three becomes a major player in a treacherous and potentially deadly FBI undercover operation. It’s up to her now. With little time to spare, she and she alone, must summon the inner strength necessary to become a true action heroine and save the lives of those she loves. The question is can she get them out alive before the credits roll?

Citizen Insane

2011

If you think PTA meetings are boring, then you haven’t attended one in Barbara Marr’s neighborhood, where MURDER is on the agenda. Always one to stumble into trouble, Barb learns the hard way that a seemingly innocent yearbook scandal is actually part of a more sinister and deadly plot. Join soccer mom and movie lover Barbara Marr in this second laugh-out-loud, chaotic mystery, where high-profile crime and suburban living collide in an unexpected fashion.

Silenced by the Yams

2012

Soccer mom, Barbara Marr attracts trouble the way the North Pole attracts short men with odd wardrobe choices. So it’s no surprise when she finds herself in deep doo-doo while attempting to prove the innocence of friend and ex-Mafia goon, Frankie Romano, after he’s arrested for the murder of a famous action movie director. This third book in the popular Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series brings Barb out of the suburbs and into the slimy, urban world of bright lights, nightly news, and drive-by shootings. Luckily, she never loses her sense of humor or her ability to befriend some decidedly quirky characters.

Saturday Night Cleaver

2012

Poor Barb. She just can't stay out of trouble, no matter how hard she tries. But this time she has a good reason: family friend Colt Baron has gone missing. When soccer mom, Barbara Marr, and her ex-FBI husband, Howard, begin following clues in a search for their treasured pal, they find themselves crashing a rather racy sort of party – a soiree for swinging couples. Awkward. What they learn there is...interesting. But the question is, does the information lead them to Colt? This fourth book in the Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series teams Barb with her handsome husband Howard in yet another rollicking and hilarious suburban fiasco.. Show More Show Less

Dead Man Stalking

2014

SPECIAL RELEASE RATE OF .99 CENTS ENDS MIDNIGHT SEPT 1 When Howard and the girls leave town, Barb thinks she'll have some quiet, peaceful alone time. Of course, this is calamity-prone Barbara Marr. Her life doesn't know quiet or peaceful. And forget alone. With her air conditioning on the fritz, Barb accepts an invitation from a famous thriller writer to spend a few days in a cool and comfortable lakeside house. There is just one problem: the house has a few odd characters lurking about. They aren't after Barb, but that doesn't stop her from becoming outrageously tangled in the lunacy and danger than ensues. In this fifth installment of the Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series, Barb finds herself fumbling through another laugh-out-loud caper while making some new and interesting friends along the way

Dial Marr for Murder

2017

6th book in the bestselling Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series; Book #1, Take the Monkeys and Run is Free on Amazon (Kindle) A flu epidemic seems to have wiped out the volunteer force at the Rustic Woods Nature Center. Never fear, Barbara Marr to the rescue! When Nature Center activities director, Bunny Bergen finds herself without a crew to decorate for the annual Halloween Nature Walk, she dials Barb for assistance. Always the helpful friend, Barb rises to the occasion. Of course, this is Barbara Marr we are talking about. Five minutes into her task, and she discovers a dead body by the frog pond. Five hours later, she’s a trending hash tag. How does Barb do it? Read this sixth book in the Barbara Marr Murder Mystery series, and find out! #ThatBarbaraMarr

The Chronicles of Marr-nia

2010

From USA Today bestselling author, Karen Cantwell Four funny and touching short stories featuring soccer mom and movie lover, Barbara Marr, who made her debut appearance in the hilarious murder mystery, Take the Monkeys and Run. Includes the laugh-out-loud mystery short story, "Missing Impossible." When Barb decides to tag along on a PI job with Colt, things don't go quite as planned, and she finds herself in yet another sticky situation. (A between-the-novels short) Other short "Taming the Hulk," "Top Lawn," and "The Road to Shangri-La." Also, just for fun, the author has added two BONUS shorts with different themes. All-in-all - a collection sure to entertain.

Author

Karen Cantwell

Author · 17 books

Karen's novel, Take the Monkeys and Run was a semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest (under the original title of Monkeys in My Trees)and has gone on to be a Kindle bestseller on Amazon. She has written three more books in the Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series: Citizen Insane, Silenced by the Yams, and Saturday Night Cleaver. When she's not writing, Karen loves gardening and spending time with her family. She is currently working on the release of Keep Me Ghosted, the first book in the new Sophie Rhodes Ghostly Romance Series, as well as beginning the draft of Kiss Me, Tate, part of the upcoming Barbara Marr spin-off, Love in Rustic Woods Series. Karen loves to hear from readers, so feel free to drop her a line at karen.cantwell@yahoo.com. You can also stay in touch by liking her Facebook Page, Karen Cantwell Author Karen's website: Karen's Website Karen's books and short stories: Take the Monkeys and Run (Barbara Marr Murder Mystery #1) Citizen Insane (Barbara Marr MM #2) Silenced by the Yams (Barbara Marr MM #3) Saturday Night Cleaver (Barbara Marr MM #4) The Chronicles of Marr-nia, Short Stories Starring Barbara Marr It's a Dunder-Bull Wife, A Barbara Marr Holiday Tale A Spirited Season, Holiday Tales with a Paranormal Flair Books to be released in 2013: Keep Me Ghosted (Sophie Rhodes Ghostly Romance #1) Kiss Me, Tate (Love in Rustic Woods #1) Piper Nash and the Power Police (YA Fantasy) Dead Man Stalking (Barbara Marr MM #5)