The Wickeds have books coming out this summer — two are new series, two are continuations of beloved series, and one is the wide release of a first in a new series. I can’t wait to read all of them!
June 30
Witch Hunt by Cate Conte is the first book in the Full Moon mysteries set in the fictional town of North Harbor, Conneticut. Here’s a bit about the book: Murder isn’t always crystal-clear . . . especially when the prime suspect discovers she’s a witch.
Violet Mooney owns The Full Moon crystal shop in quaint North Harbor, Connecticut. Still grieving her beloved grandmother’s recent unexpected death, she takes comfort in her fat orange cat Monty and her work. Not everyone in town is thrilled with her business, however. When disagreeable town councilwoman Carla Fernandez picks a fight over Violet’s “voodoo shop,” the two have a very public confrontation. Of course, when Carla turns up dead, Violet gets little sympathy from the police as suspect #1.
But the shock of two policemen showing up at her door pales in comparison to the sudden appearance of her estranged mother Fiona and a surprise sister, Zoe. What Fiona reveals will rock her world and her sense of self—and reawaken her long-dormant mysterious power. Good thing. She’s gonna need it . . .
Nacho Average Murder by Maddie Day is the seventh country store mystery. Here’s a bit about the book: Robbie Jordan is temporarily leaving Pans ’N Pancakes, her country store in South Lick, Indiana, to visit Santa Barbara, California—where wildfire smoke tinges the air, but a more immediate danger may lie in wait . . .
While looking forward to her high school reunion back in California, Robbie’s anticipation is complicated by memories of her mother’s untimely death. At first, she has fun hanging out with her old classmates and reuniting with the local flavors—avocados, citrus, fish, and spicy Cali-Mex dishes. But then she gets wind of rumors that her mother, an environmental activist, may not have died of natural causes. With the help of friends, Robbie starts clearing the smoke surrounding the mystery—but what she finds could make it hard to get back to Indiana alive . . .
Includes Recipes for You to Try!
Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody by Barbara Ross is now in wide release in all formats. It was a Barnes and Noble exclusive. Here’s a bit about the book: Jane Darrowfield is a year into her retirement, and she’s already traveled and planted a garden. She’s organized her photos, her recipes, and her spices. The statistics suggest she has at least a few more decades ahead of her, so she better find something to do . . .
JANE DARROWFIELD, PROFESSIONAL BUSYBODY
After Jane helps a friend with a sticky personal problem, word starts to spread around her bridge club—and then around all of West Cambridge, Massachusetts—that she’s the go-to girl for situations that need discreet fixing. Soon she has her first paid assignment—the director of a 55-and-over condo community needs her to de-escalate hostilities among the residents. As Jane discovers after moving in for her undercover assignment, the mature set can be as immature as any high schoolers, and war is breaking out between cliques.
It seems she might make some progress—until one of the aging “popular kids” is bludgeoned to death with a golf club. And though the automatic sprinklers have washed away much of the evidence, Jane’s on course to find out whodunit . . .
July 28
From Beer to Eternity by Sherry Harris is the first book in the new Chloe Jackson Seaglass Saloon mystery series set in a beach bar in the fictional town of Emerald Cove in the panhandle of Florida. Here’s a bit about the book: A whip smart librarian’s fresh start comes with a tart twist in this perfect cocktail of murder and mystery—with a romance chaser.
MURDER ON TAP With Chicago winters in the rearview mirror, Chloe Jackson is making good on a promise: help her late friend’s grandmother run the Sea Glass Saloon in the Florida Panhandle. To Chloe’s surprise, feisty Vivi Slidell isn’t the frail retiree Chloe expects. Nor is Emerald Cove. It’s less a sleepy fishing village than a panhandle hotspot overrun with land developers and tourists. But it’s a Sea Glass regular who’s mysteriously crossed the cranky Vivi. When their bitter argument comes to a head and he’s found dead behind the bar, guess who’s the number one suspect?
In trying to clear Vivi’s name, Chloe discovers the old woman isn’t the only one in Emerald Cove with secrets. Under the laidback attitude, sparkling white beaches, and small town ways something terrible is brewing. And the sure way a killer can keep those secrets bottled up is to finish off one murder with a double shot: aimed at Chloe and Vivi.
Edith/Maddie: I’m jumping in here to include Speaking of Murder, which will also release in July. It first came out in 2012 under the name Tace Baker, and is being re-released with new edits and a new cover as an Edith Maxwell book by Beyond the Page! Its sequel, originally titled Bluffing is Murder, will similarly be out in August, except with a new title. Stay tuned for news.
August 25
Digging Up the Remains by Julia Henry is the third book in the Garden Squad mystery series. A festive fall is in full swing in Goosebush, Massachusetts, but when a snoopy reporter is felled by foul play, it’s up to Lilly and her Garden Squad to spook out a killer . . .
Between hosting a haunted house on her lawn, serving on the town’s 400th Anniversary Planning Committee, and prepping for the Fall Festival’s 10k fundraiser, Lilly’s hands are full. She doesn’t have time for prickly newspaper reporter Tyler Crane, who’s been creeping around town, looking for dirt on Goosebush’s most notable families . . . until he’s found dead on the race route moments before the start.
An unfortunate accident? Or did Tyler unearth a secret that someone in Goosebush is willing to kill to keep? By planting nasty rumors and cultivating fear, Tyler sowed a fair share of ill will during his brief time in town. Weeding through the suspects will be thorny, but Lilly and her Garden Squad are determined to root out the autumnal assassin before the Fall Festival flops . . .
Stayed tuned for our fall releases!
Readers: What books are you looking forward to this summer — it doesn’t have to be one of the above!
All of your books sound wonderful! I’m looking forward to them all.
Thanks, Marla!
Just downloaded Wicked for Hire to the Kindle Fire. I know it is an old one, but I am looking forward to it once I get the ARCs out of the way.
That sounds fun!
It’s not one of your books. It’s all of them!
Oh, thank you!
Several books. I did get a chance to read Witch Hunt and enjoyed it. Sherry’s book is in my queue. And the others are on my list. Congrats to all on your upcoming book releases.
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All of the above. I already read Witch Hunt and Nacho Average Murder (and LOVED them) and have the others lined up on my TBR shelf. Just hoping with all the craziness of moving, I’ll still have time to sneak in a little reading.
I hope you do too!
Thank you, Kristin! Good luck with your move.
So many great books to read this summer, including those by the Wickeds.
Hard to single out a few but I will mention four books that I have Netgalley ARCs. THE MOUNTAINS WILD by Sarah Stewart Taylor. She has not written a mystery in over a decade and this is the start of a new series that is getting positive reviews. I love culinary mysteries so the next books by a few favourite authors include THE KEY LIME CRIME by Lucy Burdette and QUICHE OF DEATH by Mary Lee Ashford. Shannon Baker is another pal. She has the next book in a new gritty series, THE DESERT’S SHARE, coming out late June.
Those sound good!
Sherry and Edith, I also have ARCs of From Beer to Eternity & Nacho Average Murder to read next month.
Most of these are on my list as well. Really happy to see Sarah writing another book.
I haven’t read Sarah’s books. I’ll have to look her up!
Sherry, I enjoyed Sarah’s Sweeney St. George mystery series which had a young art historian as the protagonist. The books were set in VT and MA.
I’m looking forward to all of them! I’ve already read an ARC of Nacho Average Murder and Jane Darrowfield…loves them both!
Both are great books!
I’m delighted to hear that, Christi!
I’m looking forward to reading all of these. Thank goodness for audiobooks or I’d never have time to “read”. It’s hard to want to read #allthebooks while also writing on deadline. #sigh
It is hard to balance writing and reading!
Congrats to all on new series, new releases, and re-releases!!
Thank you!
Good morning ladies!
Looking forward to all your books!
I’m also looking forward to Linda Castillo and Laura Bradford books coming out soon.
So So many books on my to get list!!!!
Thank you for sharing your new books!!!
Thank you! The Linda’s rock!
Those books sound great and I am looking forward to reading them and several others. But what I am most looking forward to is our library reopening!
I’m excited because our library opens today for curbside pickup!
Lots of great reading on my list from the Wickeds!
I’ve also got some books on my list that were mentioned earlier: THE MOUNTAINS WILD, THE QUICHE OF DEATH, and THE KEY LIME CRIME are all on my list.
And, I’m hoping to find some time to snag some books from my overflowing TBR pile. But my job may start to overwork me, so that may cut into my reading time. We’ll see.
Work is good but not when it cuts into reading time!
My top reading desire for the summer will be Edith’s NACHO AVERAGE MURDER! I’m also looking forward to the republished editions of her Tace Baker books too. I just recently bought copies on eBay of those books but I’ll get the new “Edith Maxwell” editions too.
I really want to read Sherry’s FROM BEER TO ETERNITY because I love the notion of a bar set cozy series.
I’m not sure what time period is considered summer anymore but I did just buy the new Michael Connelly novel FAIR WARNING which published May 26th. Given my fandom for the author, whenever he publishes a new book, it goes to the top of my read list.
I’m also looking forward to the Colin Conway / Frank Zafiro novel NEVER THE CRIME, the second in the Tyler Garrett series. I LOVED the first book a lot and want to read the next one.
I know that September might be considered “Fall” for some but stretching a bit, I’m looking forward to the new Kyle Mills / Vince Flynn thriller TOTAL POWER as well.
There are other books as well, but I think these are the highlights.
Thanks, Jay!
I’m looking forward to Fair Warning too. I love Connelly’s books and am interested to see him returning to Jack. The Poet was one chilling book! I hope you enjoy From Beer to Eternity!
I’m looking forward to the 10th Zoe Chambers, TIL DEATH. Even though I’ve already read it (because Annette is a critique pal), I always enjoy the finished product!
And I’m looking forward to seeing my third Laurel Highlands Mystery, BROKEN TRUST, out in the wild. (I know, shameless plug – forgive me!)
I can’t wait for both those books, Liz!
Never apologize for a shameless plug!
What a stellar line up. Time to go book shopping. Congrats, ladies!
Thank you!
I read Witch Hunt and throughly enjoyed it and have all the rest of the books in my queue to order. I will admit that Julie’s newest Garden Squad Mystery is one I am excited to read as I feel like they are all dear friends!
I’m jealous you’ve already read Witch Hunt! And I love the characters in the Garden Squad too!