Showing posts with label cozy crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cozy crime. Show all posts

Thursday, March 5, 2026

Ebook Review: The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives by Elizabeth Arnott

 

Blurb

A remarkable trio whose lives have been cracked wide open by their husbands’ crimes unite to catch a serial killer in this dazzlingly captivating novel.

Beverley, Elsie, and Margot are not your average housewives. They are all wives of convicted killers. During the sun-drenched summer of 1966, the three women form an unlikely friendship after the discoveries of their husbands’ brutal crimes. With their exes—some of California’s most infamous murderers—dead or behind bars, they are attempting to forge a new future for themselves.

Headstrong Beverley tries compulsively to maintain control of everything around her, all while raising two children. Bookish Elsie fights to make a name for herself in the newsroom, working among men who sneer at her career goals. Glamorous Margot prefers partying to homemaking and devotes all her energy to upholding the appearance that everything is fine—anything to quell the shame from her husband’s deceit.

They know people look at them and think only one thing: How could they 
not have known what their husbands were doing? How much are they to blame? And yet when a string of local killings hits the news, the three women—underestimated, overlooked, shrewd—decide to get to work. After all, who better to catch a killer than those who have shared their lives and homes with one?

At once a riveting portrayal of shattered trust and a story of gripping suspense, 
The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives is a testament to the intricacies of women’s lives and how the deep bonds of female friendship can empower, uplift, and lead us to endure.

Amazon: The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives: A GMA Book Club Pick - Kindle edition by Arnott, Elizabeth. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

B&N: The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives (GMA Book Club Pick) by Elizabeth Arnott | eBook | Barnes & Noble®

Kobo: The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives: A GMA Book Club Pick eBook by Elizabeth Arnott - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States

Google: The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives: A GMA Book Club Pick by Elizabeth Arnott - Books on Google Play

Bookbub: The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives by Elizabeth Arnott - BookBub

Goodreads: The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives by Elizabeth Arnott | Goodreads





My Review - 4 1/2 of 5 stars - 

4 1/2 stars. I enjoyed the trip into the 60's, the references, etc. as well as a look at what the lives of those who were married to killers were living. Beverley, Elsie, and Margot did their own investigations, found clues, and tried to help others. I had an inkling as to who was doing the killing, but it did take me until about 2/3 of the way through the story. Some parts were slow due to the in-depth descriptions of the three friends and their pasts, but it was definitely an interesting story.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.



Thursday, November 13, 2025

Release: All or None (A Detective Ryan Mystery #2) by Clive Fleury with a giveaway

 

All or None

by Clive Fleury

Cozy Murder Mystery

Date Published: 11-11-2025

Publisher: Epicenter Press



Returning to Sydney, Detective Ramesh Ryan is promoted to the Homicide Squad. Zoe Yang joins him there. Now a detective herself, she is assigned as his junior partner. Straight up, the cops are off and running—investigating the discovery of a murdered company director. Following the clues, Detective Ryan finds that this and a second murder may be linked to past events.

As the pressure mounts for a quick solution to the case, the detective finds that he too, is in the killer’s crosshairs. But Ryan is distracted from the investigation by a romantic encounter with an old university friend. He also worries about his mother, Mumta, and her new obsessive desire for grandchildren from her only son. Could this be linked to her recent medical tests? And there’s another pressing problem—the plague of rats in his apartment block.

Detective Ryan’s hands are well and truly full.

 

About the Author


Clive Fleury is an award-winning writer of books and screenplays and has worked all over the world as a Film/TV director, writer and producer. He has written six books, most recently 'All Or None', the second novel in the Detective Ryan Murder Mystery series.

'All Or None' sees Detective Ryan back in the thick of things. His latest investigation into a mysterious death couldn’t come at a worse time. He discovers his mother is hiding a troubling secret and is further sidetracked by a new romance. Fans of who dunnit's, crime thrillers, and cop and detective stories will love this novel.

Clive's other books include 'Off Season' - book one in the Detective Ryan Murder Mystery series; 'Kill Code' - a dystopian science fiction novel set in a world facing climate change; ‘Scary Lizzy’ - a novel about an eight year old girl, who befriends an African child ghost – and the teen action adventure book; ‘The Boy Next Door ‘ - a story of what happens when a teenage girl has a crush on her next door neighbor, who isn’t all he seems. He also co-wrote ‘Art Pengriffin and The Curse of The Four’ - a young adult fantasy adventure about a teenage boy who discovers his father was Merlin the Magician.


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Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Blitz: The Sweetest Getaway by Sasha Preston with an excerpt and a giveaway



The Sweetest Getaway

by Sasha Preston

Women's Fiction, Crime Caper, Cozy Heist

Date Published: 07-21-2025

Publisher: Heart & Horizon



They’ll need the sweetest getaway ever to escape this mess…


Jennifer used to be a wholesome daydreamer who’d never broken a law in her life.


In a moment of weakness, she lets her roommate, Nari, rope her into a money-making scheme that isn’t exactly…legal.


How could she have known that stealing from bad guys would be so much fun?


Soon, Jennifer is so busy leading a double life that she barely has time to fantasize about the hot, dimpled stranger she met at one of Nari’s parties.


Everything is going smoothly, until someone rats them out to the cops.


Now, Jennifer and Nari need help from a team of seasoned criminals to pull off a heist that’ll either set them up for life…or get them locked up for a very long time.


Can Jennifer find a path to happily ever after that doesn’t include an ugly prison jumpsuit? 
There’s only one way to find out…

The Sweetest Getaway is a no spice, cozy heist novel with laughs, a diverse cast, and the smartest heroines since Ocean’s 8. Perfect for fans of women’s fiction and crime capers. Get it today for a criminally good time.


Excerpt

“All we have to do is confidently walk to the door like we’re supposed to be here,” Nari said under her breath.                                     
She and Jennifer argued in the parking lot of Omaha’s largest mansion as glamorously dressed revelers approached the entrance, arm in arm.                     
“I’ll enter five minutes before you. When they ask for our names, remember that I’m Doris and you’re Béatrice. After that, everything will be easy. No big deal,” Nari explained.           
Right. It was no big deal to Nari because she was endlessly charming, constantly meeting new people, and making loads of cash from random schemes that took her all over the world. Jennifer, on the other hand, was great at petting her neighbors’ dogs and getting lost mid-conversation in daydreams about faraway lands she’d never visited.
Doris Huang and Béatrice Boivin were wealthy business-women who were actually invited to the gala. Jennifer had helped Nari find an Asian and black woman on the guest list that they could impersonate. Doris and Béatrice looked enough like them, although Doris was in her fifties. Luckily, Doris wore glasses, so Nari could hide her youth behind a pair of round black frames that complemented her off-the-shoulder, gold metallic gown.
“Honestly, Nari, I don’t think it’s going to be that easy.” Jennifer tapped her fingers nervously on her arm. “What if Doris and Béatrice are inside already? Why don’t we look for a back entrance to sneak into instead?”
At least there would be fewer witnesses if they got caught at the back entrance. Maybe they could even pretend they were lost, ask for directions, and then decide to scrap the whole mission and return to their cozy apartment. “Oh well, that didn’t work. At least we tried!” Jennifer would say peppily. Nari would shrug. They’d end the night bingeing on popcorn and singing nineties hits into their TV’s karaoke app.                                       
But Nari would never give up that easily. “Nah, we’re early. We’ll have at least an hour before these two fabulous women show up. They’re always late for events like this. Besides, our target is already inside.”
Jennifer groaned. “This is nuts. I’ve got to pretend to be French like Béatrice.” She shook her head. “I can’t even tell the difference between a good macaron and a bad one. They’re all delicious to me. I don’t know why I let you talk me into this.”
“I know why you said yes, mon amie,” Nari said, grinning. “Remember, you’ll be getting twenty-five percent of whatever deal we pull off after today. If I can close this deal, it could be worth half a million dollars.”                             
Jennifer had almost forgotten about the payout. Normally, Nari compensated her for these wild rides with chili cheese fries. She sucked in air through her teeth. “I... I can’t really say no to that,” she said, goosebumps covering her arms.
With that kind of money, maybe she could travel far beyond Omaha’s borders. She’d meet wonderful, surprising people. People who spoke five languages, painted in their spare time, and effortlessly rode their electric scooters through crowded street markets before arriving at home to make love to their beautiful spouses. Maybe she could even quit her job as a marketing analyst.
Nari swept her arm out in front of her, as if she were showing off her kingdom. “Welcome to the business world. There’s tons of cash just waiting for you.”                         
Money came easily to Nari, even though she had the attention span of a gnat. She could have her own massive condo if she wanted to, but she chose to live with Jennifer to feel a sense of home so far away from her family. Jennifer, however, was thirty-six years old and broke. If she didn’t live with Nari, she would have to start a window washing side hustle to be able to afford her student loan payments.              “It’s my favorite business world, the one where we have to sneak into galas to close deals,” Jennifer snorted.
 

About the Author

 

 Sasha Preston writes women’s fiction crime capers that help you to escape your daily reality, feel a sense of excitement, and plan your next adventure – all with some humor and close friendship thrown into the mix.

They say you should write about what you know. While she still hasn’t officially committed a heist, there’s nothing she loves more than going on adventures with girlfriends. You can find her waking up while it’s still dark outside to write, exercise, and explore.

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Cover Reveal and Preorder: Cowboy's Christmas Baker (Trinity Falls Sweet Romance - Village Christmas #1) by Clara Pines

Cowboy's Christmas Baker   by Clara Pines   Releases on September 1st ! https://geni.us/CowboysChristmasBaker Read With Kindle Unlimited...