Amateur-sleuth Stories

A monster is running down Main Street! An old mountain hermit, dressed as Death, drops dead at a Halloween festival in Hope Rock County. Nobody knows why. But mysterious forces are at work on the Appalachian ridges. Granny witches and the Ancients. Black witches and sin eaters. Most folks think the old ways and traditions are a thing of the past. But the past rears up its aged head, and there's more going on here than meets the eye. A lovely tract of land is threatened by developers. Will life in the sleepy little town be forever changed? Can Hadley Pell solve the murder and keep Paradise from being lost forever? The Hadley Pell Cozy Mystery Series: 1. Nobody's Sorry You're Dead 2. Nobody Knows Your Secret 3. Nobody Can Say It's You 4. Nobody's Fool Y'all 5. Nobody Says It's Easy

Fay Cunningham, publisher of a small-town Pennsylvania newspaper, is having a well deserved midlife crisis. Both nicotine-and calorie-deprived, she stays busy delivering the paper she publishes in order to get closer to her customer base, craving inspiration, a smoke, and a cheeseburger. But she discovers something odd going on behind the closed doors of her trusted friend Joe Wise. Like, where is he and who is the mysterious blonde rudely blocking Fay's entry to his house? Adding to the puzzle, Fay learns that Joe's brother and biggest rival, Thomas, has just died under strange circumstances. Joe was Fay's professional benefactor and her journalistic instincts kick into overdrive. But first, she has to get past Angel, Joe's hostile and secretive new companion. And when Fay's questions get too personal, a killer makes lethal plans to send Fay into permanent retirement....

In a realm where tradition binds women to domesticity, Laura dares to defy convention. Trained by her grandmother, Grandma Bailey, in the art of combat and manipulation, Laura seeks to become a legendary knight. What no female had dared to become. With unwavering determination, using her wit and charm to outmaneuver her opponents. As Laura navigates treacherous castle politics and battles against mysterious attacks, she faces unexpected competition from Prince Andreas, the Legion's finest. But as they join forces to uncover the truth, Andreas awakens a hidden vulnerability within Laura, challenging her to confront the scars of her past. Will Laura's unyielding ambition and cunning strategies secure her place among the knights, or will her thirst for power consume her? Dive into the world of Knightress, where tradition and innovation collide, and discover a heroine who will stop at nothing to forge her own destiny. Genre: Fiction, Adventure Key Themes: Empowerment, Self-Discovery, Redemption, Social Change ~ Weekly Updates ~

Broken and torn, fourteen-year-old Ace Wilder uncovers hidden fragments of truth that refuses to stay buried. Names, connections, and strange notes lead him on a dangerous trail, with an adversary determined to keep their secrets hidden. What begins as curiosity soon becomes a test of courage, as he is forced to confront shadows that will stop at nothing to silence him.

In early autumn 1884 (September), the young watchmaker's apprentice Emil disappears without a trace - and everyone assumes he has simply run away. But sixteen-year-old Fiona Holmes uncovers clues that point to something quite different: a secret network of corrupt master watchmakers and a truth that could prove deadly. With sharp wits, courage and an unshakeable sense of justice, Fiona throws herself into her first adventure - and risks more than she realises.

When recently retired schoolteacher Eleanor "Nell" Hartwell joins the Wren's Hollow quilting guild, she learns the circle's strange tradition: each member secretly stitches one square representing a private confession, to be sewn into a communal "memory quilt" no outsider ever decodes. Then the guild's matriarch dies mid-stitch-and her unfinished square, read against the others, becomes a coded confession that names her own killer.

A witch who is a chocolatier to the fairies As a chocolatier to the fairies Winifred is a beloved member of the magical communities in Wiltshire, the land of Stonehenge. It's a lot of work but walking through the countryside to deliver orders to grateful fairies is rewarding. There's just one problem, the sheriff suspects she might have followed in her Grandfather's footsteps by becoming a smuggler. And then...An old college flame named Larkin shows up, now working for the very sheriff who is always watching her like a hawk. Still, she might actually enjoy being under Larkin's watchful eye. Except, to add fuel to the fire a murder threatens to upend the peace between the fairy kingdoms and her Grandfather quickly becomes the top suspect. The paperback version of this book includes multiple pictures of the Wiltshire fairies for you to enjoy

Our lives are a loop, repeating the same cadence each birth-but what if history gets rewritten? What if the record skips, the needle strays, and weave a brand-new thread through ancient days? The cosmic clock rewinds, its gears unspun, to chase a dawn we've never, ever won. We break the wheel, we step outside the rhyme, and write our own names on the face of time. welcome to my first ever novel (18272th attempt) immortal x mortal morally grey mmc strong fmc 2nd chance slow burn (extreme)

Witches and humans have always existed peacefully in Sweetland Cove... until now. Someone is killing humans and drawing unwanted attention to the supernatural residents of Sweetland Cove. Ava Rose just turned twenty-one, and with her birthday came a few surprises. One: she's a witch. Two: she's part owner of a magical bakery she never knew existed. Three: Someone wants her dead. The day Ava arrives in Sweetland Cove, murders begin occurring... Witches and wizards are quick to blame her, but Ava's aunts won't let the town they love turn against her. But murders follow Ava everywhere. Soon, she finds herself on the receiving end of the killer's mad spree. With a crazy wizarding sheriff who wants to lock her up, and an even crazier wizarding detective who wants to lock her whole family up, Ava must solve this case alone. But as the days pass and the only clues point to her, Ava starts to wonder if maybe the sheriff is right. Maybe she really is the killer. The only thing Ava knows for sure is that the witches of Sweetland are not happy with her. Especially those witches who have something to hide. And they all have something to hide. Can Ava stop the killer before they strike again... even if that killer is her?

When a ruthless food critic drops dead after sipping her café's signature brew, struggling owner Lily Carter becomes the prime suspect. With her chaotic best friend Mia by her side, she sets out to clear her name except their detective skills are as bad as their life choices. As they bumble through break-ins, stakeouts, and very questionable disguises, the real killer lurks closer than they think. Caffeine, crime, and complete disaster because murder is definitely bad for business. ***New update on every Saturday*** Disclaimer: "This story is a work of fiction. Any references to real-life brands, celebrities, or media are purely for creative purposes and do not imply any affiliation, endorsement, or factual accuracy. All characters and events are fictional, and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended."

Meet Agatha and Conan. She is named after her grandma's favourite author and has a dark past she's trying to make up for. He is the son of troubled novelist and has a dreary present he is trying to escape. Forced to spend their summer at the same rundown lakeside resort, Agatha and Conan end up in the middle of a mystery... and each other's business.

After encountering a brief power outage at work, college student Sara Donovan might be allowing her imagination to run wild. The main vault in the Carlton Museum holds the Fire and Ice Exhibit, a collection of rare gems, including the Star of Midnight, a 175-carat diamond. Although all the stones are accounted for, Sara suspects the Star of Midnight was stolen and replaced with a fake. While conducting her own investigation, what Sara uncovers is beyond even her wildest imagination: a coded message, papers with strange characters, and a mysterious set of numbers carved into an office wall. Despite dismissive historians and other experts, she is certain these clues point to a mysterious centuries-old legend. Unfortunately, her colorful history of usually being right, but always being wrong, means she must solve the mystery to prove her theory.

Novalee wanders roughly through a forest without recollection of her human life. Bruised and bleeding, she doesn't know how to continue until a mystical walking tree offers her a choice: become a spirit guardian. She accepts, and her young adult body becomes unblemished as a golden wolf. As she embraces her new identity, Novalee must uncover nature's camouflages and face the new limits of being a guardian-because not every spirit sees eye to eye. Who can she help in return? Novalee Price struggles to protect the ones she loves. When light and darkness collide, a bubbly friend loses their sparkle, a feisty friend shows a soft side, and the most reasonable friend becomes unreasonable. She stays true to her roots-only changing for the better-even as obstacles separate her from everyone and a portion of herself. Life presses on. She honors the spirit guardian who gave her a new start in her young adult life. Every new story is a retelling. She finds herself practically frozen. In love, maybe? Only time will tell. ⎯ 🎨 Features official graphic novel panels and illustrations inside the chapters! Highest rank: #185 in paranormal

Divya Borthakur is dead. Murdered by an unknown assailant six months ago, her spirit continues to roam the earth, or rather the small town that she called home. She witnesses the grief of her family, the heartbreak of her friends and continues to exist in her home, wanting to stay close to her loved ones. But that alone could not be the reason why she still roams this world. And as a spirit, she cannot help in the investigation regarding her own murder. So why is she here? Let's find out.

Welcome to Ashton Point. One sweet taste could be her last. Charlotte McCorrson has spent her entire life building her business, CC's Simply Cupcakes. The town of Ashton Point is her home and she's garnered a reputation of stellar service and delightful pastries, one nibble at a time. But everything isn't as sweet in the sleepy, coastal town as Charlotte would like to think. She is in for a rude awakening and no amount of sugar will make this medicine go down any smoother. After a catering a large town-wide event, Ashton Point's morning newspaper fills Charlotte McCorrson with an icy sense of dread. The headlines scream Cupcake Killer! and put the blame squarely on CC's Simply Cupcakes. When bodies begin to pile up behind her confectionary goodies, Charlotte must prove that while her cupcakes are delicious, they aren't literally to die for-before she ends up in jail for a crime she didn't commit. This is Book 1 in The Cupcake Capers Series and may contain elements of humour, drama and danger. However, it will definitely not contain any of the following potentially lethal substances: Swearing or profanity. Gore or graphic scenes. Cliff-hangers or unsolved endings.

classic set-up where a crime, usually murder, occurs in a seemingly impossible situation, such as a sealed room or isolated location, and there's no clear explanation of how the perpetrator managed it.

Oregon 1887 Anna goes on a journey of discovery as she sets off to find her missing brother. She wants to be more than a housewife and dreams of working as a ranch hand. She finds a job at Belle's ranch and meets Duke, the ranch hand at the neighboring ranch. Follow her adventures as she learns more about ranching and clues to track her missing brother, and accidentally gets to know Duke, a solid man with an unfortunate past. Adventures ensue, including rustlers and the mystery of Belle's ranch as she discovers herself and more. A great read with sweet romance, personal growth, and mystery.

February 8th, 2018 is yet another ordinary day in the isolated residence of Pearl Manor. Everything's been sailing smoothly in the supernatural household...well, until a wounded stranger comes knocking on the front door. Set in the fictional country of Henwrich, Into The World is a SFF mystery-thriller, mainly following twenty-two-year-old Elizabeth Banks, owner of Pearl Manor, as she's tossed into a world that ultimately questions her existence. Featured on WattpadUrbanFantasy - Futuristic Magical Worlds