It is the start of a new venture for Margaret and her son, Zach, setting up their dream candy store, Nichol’s Candy Store. With the business owners around her, there is never a dull moment – from Stacy Koontz the café owner, Mr. Stewart, the dog-groomer who needs a new personality, and Simone Peretti, who is as eccentric as the antiques she sells. It was nothing Margaret couldn’t handle, until their neighbor, Dorothy, was found murdered. A woman who was hated by everyone – making the entire neighborhood a suspect. On top of that long list is the new resident, Kyle, who’s kind-hearted beneath a gruff around the gills hard coating. Wanting justice for Dorothy and Kyle, Margaret decides to investigate this mystery herself. With an attractive detective by her side, it’ll lead to more connections than she ever anticipated. Is she sweet enough to solve this sour blooded mystery? This cozy mystery is a clean no graphic violence, sex, or strong language. It can be read in one to two hours. It is perfect for those moments when you are waiting at an appointment or want to enjoy a quick read.

An amateur sleuth, a handsome detective, and a dead body found in their cozy town… Can Margaret and David solve this mysterious murder? Margaret is living the dream running her sweet shop alongside her son, Zach and her good friend, Patti. Business is hurting though, due to new construction work going on around one of the vacant units, and other tenants are beginning to feel the tension. Usually, everyone treats each other with a degree of respect, but it seems everyone wants to be rid of the new coffee shop chain that has opened. It has damaged business for the tea shop, the bakery, and the small mobile coffee stop. To make matters worse, Scott Freeman, the owner of the coffee stop, is an arrogant sod who has managed to insult various customers in the short time he has opened the business. When Margaret decides to get a coffee one morning, she finds his dead body on the floor. David is assigned to investigate the suspicious death, warning Margaret to keep her distance after the injuries she'd sustained in the last case. Tensions rise in both her personal and business life and Margaret finds herself struggling to get this mystery out of her head. With a pinch of homemade sweetness (with or without the apron) Margaret intends to become close to Scott’s widow to get to the bottom of this bitter cup of coffee. Previously published as A Shot of Bitterness. This version has been completely rewritten. This cozy mystery is a clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language. It can be read in one to two hours. It is perfect for those moments when you are waiting at an appointment or want to enjoy a quick read.

The entire neighborhood is shaken when their friend and respected school teacher, Jose Santiago, is found dead by his teenage son, Michael. That’s not the only unnerving threat hitting the streets recently, Margaret has been getting wry letters taped to the door of her candy store. Her son, Zach, and Detective David Graham don’t think it’s a coincidence as an investigation to find the killer gets underway. Dark details of Jose’s murder come to light as the cause of death was cyanide poisoning, with markings of a local coven found around the crime scene. Suspicions fall on the local ‘witch’ coven, making them the primary suspects. Michael hires Margaret to try and track down his father’s murderer, with David begrudgingly accepting her help on the investigation to keep an eye on her. As more cryptic notes are left, along with lousy misfortune hitting the residents – this cozy town soon dissolves into a ghostly version of a frenzied Salem in 1962. Paranoia stands on every corner and the bad luck and backlash quickly turn a friend to foe – to a killer.

Join Margaret, an amateur sleuth and candy store owner, as she investigates another grisly mystery that is far from fun and games! Margaret is being taught new tricks of the trade – Zach is helping her build a website for Nichol’s Candy Store to help promote her tantalizing sweets. Especially when Mark Sheridan visits all shop owners with a briefcase and a proposition to demolish their premises to make way for a large strip mall. He is met with some harsh backlash. Margaret grows concerned when Mark doesn’t show up to collect his order and takes time to drop it off at his house as a good-will gesture, only to find him face down in his living-room, dead. This tragedy isn’t the only thing weighing on her mind. Her budding romance with Detective David Graham is slowly wilting before the bloom – and one sugar-coated lie threatens to end their relationship for good. The tension proves challenging when Margaret is invited to join the investigation as people come forward and report that Mark was not afraid to push his limits to get what he wanted. With evidence leading her astray and David blocking her input at every turn, Margaret will have to fight tooth and claw to hunt down the killer before they turn their attention on another victim. These are shaky foundations to walk across - and a safety net is not guaranteed. Previously published as Popcorn Treats and Deceit. This version has been completely rewritten. This cozy mystery is a clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language. It can be read in one to two hours. It is perfect for those moments when you are waiting at an appointment or want to enjoy a quick read.

Mysteries are swirling like the autumn wind. Is Margaret up to the challenge this time? As Thanksgiving approaches, Margaret finds herself hip-deep in another case. Mr. Stewart, the resident dog groomer, is found dead. He was a cranky old man, but who would use that as a reason for murder? Margaret must find the answer to this question and more: What is her son, Zach, up to? Should she rekindle her romance with Detective David Graham? Is she truly happy with who she is?