Lella York

Series · 4 books · 2013-2016

By Connie Shelton, Ritter Ames, LynDee Walker, and more

Books in series

Gemini Moon

2013

Italian-born Lella York leads a very predictable life as an average housewife in Southern California... until a strange encounter on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy predicts a very different future. Upon returning from her vacation, Lella is shocked to find that her best friend, Ruby, has not only accidentally shot her own husband, but also mysteriously disappeared. To Lella's horror, her son Kyle is accused of kidnapping the missing woman. And the fact that he is driving around in the dead husband's Ferrari Testarossa is not helping his case. With her son in jail, her best friend vanished, and her life turning into a soap opera, the last thing Lella expects to encounter is a police lieutenant who gets her heart racing in more ways than one. Homicide Lieutenant Devin stirs feelings in Lella that she hasn't felt since becoming a widow four years ago. But can she trust his agenda? Lust, guilt, and confusion mix together in a dangerous game of cat and mouse as Lella tries to untangle the web of lies and deceit that's quickly closing in around her.

Venetian Moon

2014

When she felt her new life falling apart, she fled to Venice, and watched her life go to pieces... An Italian in California, Lella York proves that you can take the woman out of Italy, but you can't take Italy out of the woman. Convinced her lover is cheating on her with his ex-wife, Lella is hiding out in Venice, Italy, where her son Kyle is wrapping up a film. Passionate, impulsive, and menopausal, she sees her romance hiatus cut short when the papers name her the femme fatale lover of an iconic Italian actor who disappears without a trace. Lella and Kyle criss-cross European borders to escape the rabid Italian paparazzi, but her complications grow thanks to her son's seemingly serious relationship with a spicy little Italian dish, and the hurt feelings of her lover who's shown up half way around the world facing his own crisis as well as Lella's rejection. Never one to lose her sense of humor despite the flare up of danger and hot flashes, Lella must once again face down evil with her illimitable Italian flair.

Desert Moon

2015

When her cat hitched a ride without her, she had no choice but to tail the furry creature... From award winning author Maria Grazia Swan comes a story of suspense, romance, and one mischievous cat... How does a domestic black cat from Southern California become a stowaway and end up in Phoenix Arizona? That’s what Lella York wants to know as she crosses the desert, pedal to the metal, to bring her cat, Flash, back home. But something about a full desert moon bewitches Lella into staying in Arizona longer than she planned and playing house with the sexy Detective Lawrence Devin who is in Arizona as a special witness for an old murder case. The desert is a land of extremes so it’s no surprise that Lella and Larry brave the heat to chase after a cold case. Throw in a hint of Russian mafia, some attractive flight attendants, and a ferret named Lucy, and Lella realizes what a dangerous place the desert can be under a full moon.

#3.5

Midnight Mysteries

2016

Nine Cozy Tales by Nine Bestselling Authors Ritter Ames – “Organized for Masked Motives” (Organized Mysteries series) Kate McKenzie never dreamed when she started her business, Stacked in Your Favor, she’d spend nearly as much time crime solving as organizing. But with Halloween approaching and too many items on the to-do list, she and Meg Berman find themselves in another puzzling dilemma—where every answer leads to another question. Morgana Best – “No Time to Witch” (The Kitchen Witch mystery series) In a historical mystery prequel to the novel MISS SPELLED, Thelma Spelled must discover the mystery around a murder that entangles her and her husband. The paranormal tale reveals more about the magic of the house and early 20th century Australia. Karen Cantwell – “It Takes a Ghost” (tie-in to the Sophie Rhodes mystery series) New detective Brenna Sage can’t solve a series of robberies—until she gains a partner in the guise of Marmaduke Dodsworth. While Marmaduke is better versed in decorum and refinement than forensics and interrogation, he has one decidedly clear advantage: He can walk through walls. Carolyn Haines – “Clacking Bones” (Sarah Booth Delaney series) When Jitty’s husband, Coker, goes missing from the Great Beyond, Sarah Booth Delaney, Tinkie, and all the animals sign on to find out why the spirit is AWOL. Sarah Booth has to dig deep into the past to find the answer to this puzzling mystery. Eleanor Cawood Jones – “Salad Days, Halloween Nights” (author of A Baker’s Dozen) A vegetable-loving chef has cooked his way into trouble when a Halloween treat leads to murder. If he wants a happy future, he must first make sure the police don’t have him down as the main ingredient in a recipe for a prison sentence. Larissa Reinhart – “The Vigilante Vignette” (Cherry Tucker Mystery series) When Cherry pays a mercy call on a neighbor, she’s roped into a quid pro quo deal—if she recovers a stolen family heirloom both somewhat embarrassing and due to be discovered missing very shortly, the neighbor will use family clout to help her with zoning issues. But if she fails, the expression “someone’s got her goat” takes on a whole new meaning. And when she discovers a thievery ring, illegal auctions, and green-eyed emotions after spotting Luke where he’s not expected—it’s another hilarious day in Halo, Georgia. Connie Shelton – “Spellbound Sweets” (Samantha Sweets Magical Cozy Mysteries) It’s Halloween, one of the busiest times of the year for Samantha Sweet and the crew at her pastry shop, Sweet’s Sweets. The gang looks forward to a gala costume party at the neighborhood bookstore, but the evening takes a different turn when a guest is murdered, a rare book vanishes, and Sam finds herself in the midst of another mystery. Maria Grazia Swan – “Weeping Moon” (Lella York Mysteries series) Lella York has a way of getting herself into trouble, even when she’s doing volunteer work. Who's the mysterious storyteller, and what's going on at the senior living center? Will Lella find out before it’s too late? LynDee Walker – “Frightening Features” (Nichelle Clarke Mystery series) Not a patient recovery patient, while Nichelle Clarke waits for an injury to heal all she really wants is a story to write and research—hard news to get her mind occupied. Instead, her boss gives her a fluff piece. Not her idea of fun. But with Nichelle snooping around, it’s not surprising her soft story takes a decidedly hard turn.

Authors

Connie Shelton

Author · 43 books

My love of books started with weekly trips to the library as a child and from the moment I learned to read I can't remember a time that I didn't have at least one book going. For the past 25 years, that list has grown to include what I'm reading and what I'm writing at any given time. I began writing my Charlie Parker series when my husband and I lived on Kauai, then continued them in my home state of New Mexico. Charlie lives in Albuquerque and manages to travel to a variety of locations, wherever her investigation business and her husband's helicopter business take them. My second series featuring Samantha Sweet, the 50-ish woman who breaks into houses for a living, is set in Taos, New Mexico. In addition to reading and writing, I've traveled quite a lot, taught writing courses, and been a speaker at a whole lot of mystery conventions and writing conferences. In my spare time I also love to paint, draw, cook and spend time at the beach. Series: * Charlie Parker Mystery

Ritter Ames

Author · 14 books

Ritter Ames is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Organized Mysteries series and the Bodies of Art Mysteries series. When she's not writing or brainstorming new mysteries Ritter is usually trying to get her favorite yellow Lab to stay out of the pond, or keep her grouchy black cat from trying to give the dog away on Freecycle. Ritter would love to live on a boat and write from far flung locations around the globe, but the dog would constantly have to be fished from the water, and her husband and cat would just complain endlessly about the dog's smell, so staying on land seems to be the only good option to keep her sanity and not get sidetracked from writing. Ritter tries to blog regularly at http://ritterames.com/ and subscribe there to get the latest news about upcoming releases, and inside scoops on her characters and series. She uses her Pinterest boards at http://www.pinterest.com/ritterames/ to capture great places and ideas she wants to use in both series. Go to her website to subscribe to her newsletter and get the first alert about new books in her series.

LynDee Walker

Author · 19 books

LynDee Walker is the Amazon Charts bestselling author of two crime fiction series featuring strong heroines and "twisty, absorbing" mysteries. Her first Nichelle Clarke crime thriller, FRONT PAGE FATALITY, was nominated for the Agatha Award for best first novel, and her second Faith McClellan novel, LEAVE NO STONE, was named a 2020 Thriller Award finalist. Reviews have praised her work as "well-crafted, compelling, and fast-paced," and "an edge-of-your-seat ride" with "a spider web of twists and turns that will keep you reading until the end." Before she started writing fiction, LynDee was an award-winning journalist who covered everything from ribbon cuttings to high level police corruption, and worked closely with the various law enforcement agencies that she reported on. Her work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the U.S. Aside from books, LynDee loves her family, her readers, travel, and coffee. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she is working on her next novel when she's not juggling laundry and children's sports schedules. You can find her online at www.lyndeewalker.com, and connect with her on Facebook at lyndeewalkerbooks or Twitter @LynDeeWalker.

Maria Grazia Swan

Author · 16 books

Maria Grazia Swan was born in Italy, but this rolling stone has definitely gathered no moss. She lived in Belgium, France, Germany, in beautiful Orange County, California where she raised her family, and is currently at home in Phoenix, Arizona—but stay tuned for weekly updates of Where in the World is Maria Grazia Swan? As a young girl, her vivid imagination predestined her to be a writer. She won her first literary award at the age of fourteen while living in Belgium. As a young woman Maria returned to Italy to design for—ooh-la-la—haute couture. Once in the U.S. and after years of concentrating on family, she tackled real estate. These days her time is devoted to her deepest passions: writing and helping people find happiness. Maria loves travel, opera, good books, hiking, and intelligent movies (if she can find one, that is). When asked about her idea of a perfect evening, she favors stimulating conversation, spicy Italian food and perfectly chilled Prosecco—but then, who doesn’t? Maria has written short stories for anthologies, articles for high profile magazines and numerous blogs tackling love and life. She engaged her editorial and non-fiction skills for Mating Dance Rituals for Singles Who Weren't born yesterday. Her romantic suspense novels Love Thy Sister,Bosom Bodies and Italian Summer are available at Amazon.com. Her new series, published by Gemma Halliday is also available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, the first book is title Gemini Moon Website: http://www.mariagraziaswan.com Contact Maria: mariagswan@gmail.com -or- touch base with her on Facebook.

Morgana Best

Author · 63 books

USA Today best-selling author Morgana Best survived a childhood of deadly spiders and venomous snakes in the Australian outback. Morgana Best writes cozy mysteries and enjoys thinking of delightful new ways to murder her victims.

Larissa Reinhart

Author · 18 books

A Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Larissa loves to tell funny, sweet stories about sassy Southern women looking for love (and sometimes dead bodies) in all the wrong places, like in her award-winning Cherry Tucker Mystery, Maizie Albright Star Detective, and/or Finley Goodhart Crime Caper series. You might have seen Larissa and her family with their little dog, Biscuit, on HGTV's House Hunters International "Living for the Weekend in Nagoya" episode. They’re back in Georgia where Biscuit has a bigger yard but now has to live with thunderstorms. Check out LarissaReinhart.com to learn more and get a free story while you're visiting. Her books have been chosen as book club picks by Woman's World Magazine and Hot Mystery Reviews. They've also been finalists for Georgia Author of the Year, the Silver Falchion, the Daphne du Maurier Award, The Emily Award, and Dixie Kane Memorial. Her work also appeared in the 2017 Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice winner, Eight Mystery Writers You Should Be Reading Now. Cherry Tucker Mysteries (in order): A CHRISTMAS QUICK SKETCH (prequel) PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW HIJACK IN ABSTRACT DEATH IN PERSPECTIVE THE VIGILANTE VIGNETTE THE BODY IN THE LANDSCAPE A COMPOSITION IN MURDER A VIEW TO A CHILL A MOTHERLODE OF TROUBLE Maizie Albright Star Detective series in order: 15 MINUTES 16 MILLIMETERS NC-17 A VIEW TO A CHILL 17.5 CARTRIDGES IN A PEAR TREE 18 CALIBER 18 1/2 DISGUISES 19 CRIMINALS (coming soon!) 20 CARATS Finley Goodhart Crime Capers in order: PIG’N A POKE (prequel short story for Larissa's subscribers) THE CUPID CAPER

Carolyn Haines

Author · 55 books

Carolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of over 70 books. In 2020, she was inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alabama Library Association, the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing, the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, as well as the "Best Amateur Sleuth" award by Romantic Times. Born and raised in Mississippi, she now lives in Alabama on a farm with more dogs, cats, and horses than she can possibly keep track of.

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)