Margins
Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries book cover 1
Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries book cover 2
Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries book cover 3
Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries
Series · 8 books · 2016-2021

Books in series

The Corpse in the Cabana book cover
#1

The Corpse in the Cabana

2016

Sassy, snarky Viola Roberts quit her boring accountant job to pursue her dream of writing novels, even if it meant eating ramen noodles every day. Now that her career has taken off, she’s headed to a writers’ conference at an exotic Florida resort complete with white sand beaches and swaying palm trees where she plans to lounge in the shade drinking frosty beverages with little umbrellas. And, of course, no sojourn to tropical climes would be complete without her boozy, wise-cracking best friend, Cheryl. When Viola discovers the diva of the author world dead (as a doornail) of unnatural causes, the police immediately consider Viola their prime suspect. But when the head detective turns a gimlet eye on Viola’s best friend, the author has had enough! Along with help from hunky fellow writer, Lucas Salvatore, Viola is determined to ascertain who killed the corpse in the cabana before she, or Cheryl, wind up in jail. Or worse.
The Stiff in the Study book cover
#2

The Stiff in the Study

2016

Viola Roberts is at it again with another bookish mystery! The sleepy seaside town of Astoria, Oregon is the last place you’d expect to find a dead body. That is until the director of the local museum turns up dead in the study and Viola’s friend, Portia, is accused of the crime. Author Viola ignores her looming deadline and bout of writer’s block and sets out with her best friend, Cheryl, to solve the murder. From starting riots at local dive bars to breaking into crime scenes, Viola will stop at nothing to prove Portia innocent even if it means putting herself in the cross-hairs of the killer. "Fun and fresh, with a twisty, clever plot that will have you turning pages right to the end." -Cheryl Bradshaw, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sloane Monroe mysteries.
The Poison in the Pudding book cover
#3

The Poison in the Pudding

2016

With a book deadline and Christmas fast approaching, the last thing Viola Roberts has time for is a party. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what she gets roped into by the Mayor of Astoria. Party planning it is. Complete with Christmas puddings. Everything is humming along just fine when suddenly the guests begin to drop like flies! With both her reputation and her favorite Christmas cookies threatened, Viola has no time to waste. She’s got to find the poisoner before somebody ends up dead. Viola Roberts Cozy 1 - The Corpse in the Cabana 2 - The Stiff in the Study 3 - The Poison in the Pudding 4 - The Body in the Bathtub 5 - The Venom in the Valentine 6 - The Remains in the Rectory 7 - The Death in the Drink
The Body in the Bathtub book cover
#4

The Body in the Bathtub

2016

Bunco night seems like a safe bet until someone finds a dead body in the bathtub. With her friends in shock and topping the local detective’s suspect list, Viola Roberts decides it’s time once again to take matters into her own hands. With her usual snark and disregard for the rules, Viola investigates everything from a cupcake eating contest to the sordid affairs of the deceased’s husband. All while fending off her mother’s matchmaking attempts. She’s pretty sure she knows whodunit, but with her bunco ladies being targeted by a killer, Viola may have to decide between being right, or ending up dead. Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries: Book 1 - The Corpse in the Cabana Book 2 - The Stiff in the Study Book 3 - The Poison in the Pudding Book 4 - The Body in the Bathtub Book 5 - The Remains in the Rectory (Coming Winter 2017)
The Venom in the Valentine book cover
#5

The Venom in the Valentine

2017

Viola Roberts is down in the dumps after discovering her boyfriend, Lucas, is snowed in back east. Her best friend, Cheryl, agrees to substitute a girl’s weekend for the romantic Valentine’s Day he had planned. Massages and mani-pedis for the win! That is, until the hotel guests start receiving venomous Valentines, and one of them ends up dead. In a remote resort on the wild Oregon coast, it’s up to Viola to get to the bottom of things before any more guests fall to the killer’s poison pen. Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries: 1. The Corpse in the Cabana 2. The Stiff in the Study 3. The Poison in the Pudding 4. The Body in the Bathtub 5. The Venom in the Valentine 6. The Remains in the Rectory (available Feb. 2017)
The Remains in the Rectory book cover
#6

The Remains in the Rectory

2017

Viola is at it again! While touring the Cotswolds of England, Viola Roberts and her boyfriend, Lucas Salvatore, get stranded by a downpour of epic proportions. The quaint village of Chipping Poggs has only one inn, and just their luck, it’s a haunted mansion. Viola tries to make the best of her rainy vacation by “ghost hunting” and poking her nose where it doesn’t belong. Until she pokes it right into the middle of a murder. With the village cut off by flooding from the violent storm, Viola naturally starts sleuthing. But when a second guest is found dead, and then a third body shows up, Viola’s own ghosts might be telling her it’s time to turn in her gumshoes.
The Death in the Drink book cover
#7

The Death in the Drink

2018

A local costuming guild has arrived in Astoria for a long weekend of recreating their favorite time period–the Regency. Think Jane Austen, sailing ships, high tea, a costume ball, and…a dead body. When the guild’s nastiest member winds up dead in the drink, Viola is convinced it’s no accident. And after the husband of the deceased gets into a brawl on the front lawn of the town’s most well-known landmark, she knows something’s up. Armed with nothing more than a folding fan and her wits, she sets out to unveil the killer before somebody else winds up in Davy Jones’s locker. Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries: 1. The Corpse in the Cabana 2. The Stiff in the Study 3. The Poison in the Pudding 4. The Body in the Bathtub 5. The Venom in the Valentine 6. The Remains in the Rectory 7. The Death in the Drink
The Larceny in the Luau book cover
#9.5

The Larceny in the Luau

2021

Romance author Viola and her best friend Cheryl are enjoying a much-needed vacation in paradise. Unfortunately, the fun ends abruptly when a priceless jewel is stolen during a luau. With several suspects to choose from and an entire Hawaiian beach to search, can Viola find the culprit before the police arrest the wrong person? Note: This short crime caper first appeared in the cozy mystery anthology Passport to Murder.

Author

Shea MacLeod
Shea MacLeod
Author · 49 books

Shéa MacLeod has dreamed of writing novels since before she could hold a crayon. She totally blames her mother. Her favorite poem as a child was ‘Jabberwocky’, and Her favorite authors were Agatha Christie and Edgar Allan Poe. Which probably explains a lot. After a six year sojourn in London, England, a dearth of good donuts has driven her back to her hometown. She now resides in the leafy green hills outside Portland, Oregon where she indulges in her fondness for strong coffee, Ancient Aliens reruns, lemon curd, and dragons. Because everything's better with dragons. Shéa is the author of the SUNWALKER SAGA (a fast paced urban fantasy series with a kick-ass heroine published by Montlake) and DRAGON WARS (a post-apocalyptic series with dragons)as well as the Cupcake Goddess novelettes.

548 Market St PMB 65688, San Francisco California 94104-5401 USA
© 2025 Paratext Inc. All rights reserved
Viola Roberts Cozy Mysteries