ADDITIONAL WORKS AVAILABLE
Any Port in a Storm
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 4.
Someone is breaking into the houses Jolie appraises. When she realizes a new face in town is leading high school kids into trouble in those houses, Jolie's mad and lets him know it. Hayden offers to help her mind her own business, and a lot of people at the Talk Like a Pirate Day fundraiser for the food pantry hear her give him what for.
A hurricane's on the way to disrupt Talk Like a Pirate Day. When a corpse turns up under the pirate ship the next day, Jolie's looking like a suspect.
Soon she has less work. Who wants a possible murder suspect appraising their house? Scoobie's pirate limericks can't solve a crime, so Jolie and her sometimes buddy local reporter George Winters look for the murderer and try to figure out who's trying to frame Jolie. They need to stay ahead of whoever's mad at her and off the radar of the local police who tell Jolie -- for the hundredth time -- to butt out. All this and Jolie has to deal with Aunt Madge's blossoming love life. And what about her own?
For a cozy mystery with a dose of humor and a touch of romance, join Jolie and friends in Ocean Alley.
Published: Sept. 7, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-0881-9078-4
Appraisal for Murder
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 1.
Can a real estate appraiser in a New Jersey beach town get in this much trouble? If your name translates to "pretty nice" in French, you've probably gotten used to teasing. It doesn't prepare you to find out that your soon-to-be-ex-husband has a gambling problem, raided your assets, and embezzled from his bank.
Jolie Gentil moves to Great Aunt Madge’s bed and breakfast at the Jersey shore, taking her cat Jazz, and joining Madge's pair of prune-eating dogs. Jolie does not view this as a retreat, just a smart change. She had no idea her life at the Jersey shore was about to get even more complicated... Finding a body your first day on a new job will do that.
Published: Sept. 25, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-986338-00-7
Aunt Madge and the Civil Election
An Aunt Madge Story in the Jolie Gentil Series -- fits between books 11 and 12.
Remember when candidates were polite and talked about issues? Well in Ocean Alley at the Jersey Shore, they still do. Well, there was the issue with the fire at the garage...
If this is your first book in the Jolie Gentil series, it’s a bit different than the others. In fact, it’s called an Aunt Madge Story in the Jolie series. In terms of story chronology, it follows "Underground in Ocean Alley" (book 11). In that book, Jolie solves a murder while Aunt Madge happens to be running for mayor of Ocean Alley.
In "Aunt Madge and The Civil Election," events of the crime-solving are muted and the campaign is the focus. If that sounds boring, be assured there is plenty going on, with much of the usual dry humor. I wanted readers to have the story of Aunt Madge’s campaign. It’s told from her point of view rather than Jolie’s, without spoiling the mystery in "Underground in Ocean Alley," should you choose to read it.
Harry manages Aunt Madge’s campaign, and they are determined that Ocean Alley not be overtaken by a large resort development. Aunt Madge says she’s for sensible progress, but neither she nor her opponent will stoop to low blows.
You can read this 16,500 word story to find out who won the election!
Aunt Madge and the Civil Election has the same major characters – Jolie, her husband Scoobie, his brother Terry, and their three-year old twins, Aunt Madge, and her husband Harry. No book would be complete without Scoobie’s best friend, former reporter George Winters, the irascible Sergeant Morehouse, Megan of Java Jolt, and the ornery Lester Argrow. There are other familiar faces, too.
Published: Oct. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-948070-68-3
Behind the Walls
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 6.
There’s something hidden behind the walls of the hurricane damaged house Jolie bought in her New Jersey beach town. Something someone seems willing to kill for. After Jolie and Scoobie find a small sack of jewelry as they do a mold attack on her bungalow, Jolie is pursued by a purse thief and a burglar. But the guy she’s most worried about is the one who left an elderly auctioneer dead on her porch swing.
In between appraising houses and planning a fundraiser for the food pantry (can you say liquid string contest?), Jolie tries to figure out if there is more stolen bounty around town. Is the feared killer the same person who burned some vacant houses, or the as-yet unmasked Peeping Tom? And are they willing to kill again to get to the hidden riches? Her friends and local police warn her to butt out, but that’s just encouragement for a woman who likes to get to the bottom of things. Jolie wrestles with fear as she tries to get her cat, Jazz, to feel at home in the new house. Maybe an unexpected visitor can be a substitute for Aunt Madge’s golden retrievers.
And then there’s her love life. Jolie also needs to decide if she really wants to get back with her former boyfriend, Ocean Alley Press reporter George Winters. Or are feelings for someone else trying to get her attention?
Published: Dec. 12, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-948070-94-2
Demise of a Devious Neighbor
River's Edge Mystery Book 2.
The reverberating bangs shook Melanie Perkins' nerves. Either someone's aiming at her truck, or they don't know fireworks are supposed to go upward. Could things get any worse? Yes. The next day she discovers a dead body in the barn on her late parents' farm, Sheriff's Deputy Granger's gun pointed at the chest of a primary suspect – someone she holds dear.
Illegal merchandise flooding the small Iowa town of River's Edge, upcoming Fourth of July activities, and a half-finished manuscript all hinder her determined efforts to solve the crime before an innocent person is convicted of murder. (1st edition published by Annie Acorn Publishing, LLC.)
Published: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-948070-51-5
Demise of a Devious Suspect
River's Edge Book 3.
Life for Melanie has returned to normal. She works as a gardener with friend Stooper, eats at Mason's Diner, and sits on her farmhouse porch with friends Syl and Sandi. Her biggest challenge is helping Mr. Tibbs get used to the still-unnamed black cat that sauntered into the household.
And then she finds a body in the coat closet at the Farm Bureau dinner. The local grain operator had angered farmers with increased prices, but who kills for an extra few cents per bushel of corn?
Tired of fingers pointing toward her and curious about why someone burned some of her late father's files, Mel does some poking on her own. The kidnapping of a local woman raises the stakes.
With pets who have a nose for trouble, Melanie seeks a devious suspect. (Originally published by Annie Acord Publishing, LLC.)
Published: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1948070522
Falling Into Place
Falling Into Place, a novella.
Haunted by memories, Everett was a stay-at-home dad before it was a choice. Only his wife Sue Ellen had a clue why he seemed to find it hard to cope. His four children, while respectful, wished he could do more than create gardens and fix breakfast.
Sue Ellen's illness meant he needed to be able to fend more for himself. It also brought his World War II secret to light. And from the sadness grew understanding and stronger bonds with his children and a loving grandchild. An important story, told with humor and grace.
Published: Dec. 16, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-986338-08-3
Final Cycle
Logland Mystery Book 2.
Marti and Nick have inherited The Bully Pulpit Diner in Logland, Illinois, and their first Christmas season has town grouch, Louella Belle Simpson, as a regular customer. She point out calorie content to other diners and lectures people on their weight. This doesn't encourage people to order pie. When Louella Belle turns up dead, there are plenty of people who were tired of listening to her, but murder seems like an extreme reaction.
Police Chief Elizabeth Friedman has few clues and little help from the alarmed Logland residents. No one at Man-Up Tattoos saw anything, and the Weed n' Feed Bar and Grill wasn't close enough for patrons to be helpful. Somebody had to have seen something, and when another senior citizen turns up dead, the chief figures someone must be trying to cover their tracks.
What do stolen bicycles, baggies with paint on them, and a brick through the chief's apartment have to do with the killings? And does Medical Examiner Skelly figure out something that makes him a target, too? Will he be around to have Christmas Eve dinner with the chief?
As Elizabeth and the small Logland police force wade through suspects and clues, they learn some poignant facts that serve as a reminder of why we need to reach out to people who aren't easy to help. Join the eclectic mix of Logland characters as they try to solve a murder and celebrate Christmas.
Published: Dec. 23, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-088203-14-9
Final Operation
Logland Mystery Book 3.
City Clerk Donald Dingle is a pest. He's a tightwad with the city budget and criticizes the police department to the point that Police Chief Elizabeth Friedman would love to see him retire. And she did mean retire, not expire. When he dies soon after having stents implanted, it's natural to wonder why he didn't recover. When the reason becomes apparent, people in town wonder if they're safe in the hospital.
Then some of the pointing fingers aim at Medical Examiner Skelly, a good friend of the police department Dingle wanted to abolish. Chief Elizabeth Friedman has her hands full. She has to tread on some important toes to find the answers. Even if her department survives, can the hospital and her friends there do the same? And how long does a small town survive without its hospital?
Join the quirky characters of Logland, Illinois in this police procedural with a cozy feel.
Published: June 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-0882-8637-1
From Newsprint to Footprints
River's Edge Mystery Book 1. What if you lived in a small town, lose your job, and don't see other employment options nearby? That was Melanie Perkins' predicament when grouchy news publisher Hal Morris fired her because she took too many photos of flowers when she was supposed to concentrate on the story at hand. She lands work as a landscaper, but there's an ugly surprise her first day at the new job. At first no one thinks Melanie could be a killer. But when her hoe turns up in the same mulch pile as a body, the local sheriff isn't so sure. Mel’s initially willing to let law enforcement clear her name, but the hoe and a nighttime assault convince Melanie she has to look out for herself. Life along the Des Moines River in Iowa can be peaceful, but the murderer has no problem disturbing Melanie’s tranquility. Humor and murder -- and a cute terrier -- feature in this first book in the River's Edge cozy mystery series. (1st edition published by Annie Acorn Publishing, LLC in 2014)
Published: Dec. 31, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-948070-49-2
Gilded Path to Nowhere
Family History Mystery Book 4.
When a Maple Grove resident discovers some old gold coins in the woods near town, it's an intriguing event -- but not one that seems dangerous. However, the article Digger's friend, Marty, wrote for the Maple Grove News, seems to have attracted unwarranted attention. Did the coins come from a long-ago bank robbery or burglary, or was someone passing through murdered in the early 20th century? No matter the source, it leads to a fresh murder today.
Sheriff Montgomery asks Digger for help in tracing descendants of possible owners of the stash of coins. But he didn't mean for her to delve deeply into the case. She and Marty -- with input from the late Uncle Benjamin -- can't resist. Their probe may uncover secrets others will do anything to conceal.
Published: July 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-948070-92-8
Ground to a Halt
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 8. When Jolie Gentil goes to buy a cup of coffee the morning after a storm knocks out power at her house in Ocean Alley, she finds Java Jolt unlocked and minus its owner. A bigger surprise is seeing proprietor Joe Regan a few minutes later, badly injured. It seems a potential killer thinks Jolie has something Joe was hiding. The normal routine of appraising houses and volunteering at the Harvest for All food pantry is interrupted by an SUV that nearly smashes Jolie, a break-in at the home Jolie and Scoobie share, and a terrifying kidnapping. Jolie needs to figure out who's telling the truth and how far the thugs will go to to find what they want. Only solving the puzzle will keep Jolie safe, protect a vulnerable Iraqi vet, and make sure everyone stays alive. But if Jolie keeps searching, her budding romance with Scoobie may grind to a halt.
Published: Dec. 27, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-948070-95-9
Holidays in Ocean Alley
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 9. Opening your apartment door to see a woman sliding down it is distressing. Especially when that woman has a knife in her chest. How could a murderer be roaming the halls in the middle of the night? After all the times she has encouraged Jolie to mind her own business, Aunt Madge has had a change of heart. It's Jolie's boyfriend Scoobie Madge turns to to help her figure out who the murderer is. Not that being temporarily in an assisted living apartment prevents Aunt Madge from investigating herself. No, a fall from a stool that results in a broken wrist and ankle can't hold down the owner of the Cozy Corner B&B. Could the murderer be a resident with a grudge, or a philandering neighbor who didn't want to get caught in someone else's bed? Aunt Madge's scooter rides take her to the laundry room where she thinks she spots a body in a bin, and into the cold to check exit doors to be sure they can't be entries for murder. All she gets is a reputation for being nosy. It's hard not to be when a dead woman's blood is on your carpet. Murder's not all Madge and friends juggle. What will happen to the Alzheimer's patient whose husband wants to keep her in their apartment? Will Scoobie find information about Melvin, his ornery former professor, that will explain his odd behavior? And how will Madge and her good friend Lance avoid the acid-tongued Elmira Washington, who has decided she wants an apartment in their building? Elmira has been a thorn in Jolie's side for years. Would she be willing to kill to eliminate a roadblock to her move? For a change, it's Madge whose persistence annoys Sergeant Morehouse of the Ocean Alley Police. He tells her she is moving up on his pain-in-the-ass list. Certainly the director of the Silver Times senior complex wants Aunt Madge to get well enough to leave. And she does miss her exuberant retrievers and husband Harry. He's busy burning muffins at the B&B instead of helping Jolie with the appraisal business. Good humor at the Jersey shore. Except for the poor dead woman. Add the Christmas and Hanukkah season and there's good fun mixed with the murder.
Published: Oct. 29, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-0882-9120-7
In the Shadow of Light
Corozón, her mother, and little brother Pico have left Honduras to seek asylum in the U.S. Grandfather Tito and her father Manuel saved the life of Colonel Bill, an American soldier, many years ago. It's probably part of the reason Corozón's father was murdered.
They believe they are fleeing to safety, but don't know about the family separation policy. While they flee northward, the daughter and friend of the DOJ employee who has become the face of the policy attend a birthday party. But they don't make it home. Someone wants young Kyra's father to feel the pain of the separated families. Thanks to a nighttime photo snapped by a freelancer, Corozón's terror at having her little brother pried from her resonates with many. A Washington Post reporter joins Colonel Bill to try to find the family. But the DOJ isn't helping nearly as much to get young Kyra released. Two families, different circumstances, scary options.
Published: June 21, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-948070-12-6
Least Trodden Ground
Family History Mystery Book 1.
Digger Browning looked forward to spending time with Uncle Benjamin after damaged pipes put her kitchen ceiling on the floor. She didn't expect to find his body at his Western Maryland home, the Ancestral Sanctuary. Who would kill the parsimonious octogenarian? Sure, some people were mad about him pushing the historical society to find a new abode, but they got over it, right? And then she finds out he had a new 'foxy lady,' and she's not his usual type.
Antsy before the funeral, Digger delves into family history, but makes an unexpected find. Between trying to figure out who keeps breaking into the Ancestral Sanctuary, avoiding an ex-boyfriend, putting up with cranky relatives, figuring out who busted her pipes, and losing her job, it's a rough week. If she doesn't watch out, Digger could end up next to Uncle Benjamin in the family plot. Spooky times in the Western Maryland mountains.
Published: Oct. 31, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-948070-88-1
Long Held Lake Secrets
Family History Mystery Book 5.
A dinner invitation for Digger, who is accompanied by the very pale Uncle Benjamin, gets her involved with a recently discovered relative of their elderly friend Thelma, whose brother died during World War II. DNA testing has led his until-now-unknown great-grandson, Peter, to Maple Grove in the Western Maryland Mountains. Thelma enlists Digger's help as she gets to know Peter.
But his presence is not the only surprise. Letters Thelma recently received from another brother’s estate raise questions about what happened to some of her parents’ prized possessions. Were they submerged with the family's old farm house, which became part of Deep Creek Lake when it was filled in the mid-1920s?
Digger and Uncle Benjamin see no way to learn more, but night visits to the lake by an unscrupulous duo may mean someone else is looking for valuables to plunder. But how would they know it exists, and what would convince them to dive for it? And what will happen to Digger or her friend Marty if they get in the way of the treasure seekers?
Published: Dec. 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-948070-97-3
Mountain Rails of Old
Family History Mystery Book 3.
Digger Browning never paid much attention to the abandoned cottage and its long-gone occupants until she accompanied her friend Marty, who wanted to photograph it for a news story. Everything changed when Uncle Benjamin made a huge discovery nearby. What really happened to Samantha and her eight-year old daughter twelve years ago? If it hadn’t been for a growling raccoon, Digger might not have badgered enough people to find out.
Her friend Holly doesn’t like the ancestors Digger found for her, and Marty thinks she’s distanced herself rather than level with him about how she feels. Digger doesn’t realize that her search for a station on the Underground Railroad will cross paths with efforts to find out what happened to Samantha. And that path doesn’t lead to a safe haven.
Join Digger, Marty, and Uncle Benjamin as they sometimes operate at cross-purposes to solve old mysteries and unlock the mountain’s secrets. Western Maryland at its elusive best.
Published: June 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-948070-91-1
New Lease on Death
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 13. (A Kirkus-reviewd book). Jolie always has her hands full appraising houses, running the food pantry, and enjoying her family. Enter Buck Brock — an annoying landlord who likes to skimp on amenities and wants Jolie to lowball appraisals on properties he’s buying. He makes Lester Argrow -- usually Ocean Alley's most annoying realtor -- look like a polite uncle.
She and Scoobie also decide to let a troubled Iraq War vet back into their lives, and Jolie finds him work cleaning units for Buck. Will Josh’s presence help or hurt her family — especially Scoobie?
Jolie’s in the Java Jolt Coffee Shop when Buck’s weekend tenant (a friend of Jolie’s sister) collapses. No one expects her to die so quickly. It’s hard to identify suspects, but Buck's new employee pops up on the police radar. Or could some evil person have put poison in a Java Jolt product just to cause trouble?
Jolie, Scoobie, and friends are pondering this when an annoyed Buck asks Jolie to meet him at a house she just appraised. She’s peeved, but he’s a steady client. What she finds in the house does not encourage tourist traffic in Ocean Alley.
As a mom of four-year-old twins, Jolie doesn’t jump into crime solving casually. But figuring out two murders may be a leap she has to take.
Join the Ocean Alley crew at they blend friendship and murder.
Published: May 19, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-948070-93-5
Phoning in a Murder
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 14. More than most faculty, the band director at Ocean Alley High School doesn't want students to have phones in class, and he especially doesn't want the band distracted by them when they march on the football field. Imagine his reaction when one goes off during the National Anthem. When no student will apologize, Mr. O'Halloran cancels band practice the week before a big competition. Talk about a good way to tick off students, parents, and band boosters. With Scoobie's brother Terry as one of the bass drummers, Jolie and family have strong opinions. But someone is a lot more upset. At least the knitting needle in the band director's neck seems to say so.
If Jolie hadn’t been the first to find the man, she would be less insistent to know what happened to him. What really gets the Ocean Alley crew invested is the last two people the school security system shows talking to Mr. O'Halloran – Scoobie’s brother and his best friend. Rumors abound.
With appraising houses, running the food pantry, and keeping four-year old twins in line, Jolie has her hands full. Scoobie’s best friend George is always willing to butt into a mystery. Sometimes that’s helpful. Other times, not so much.
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Published: June 28, 2024
ISBN: 978-1-948070-99-7
Rekindling Motives
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 2.
It's Thanksgiving weekend in Ocean Alley and Jolie Gentil is attending her 10th high school reunion and appraising the vacant Tillotson-Fisher house. She is surprised by the skeleton of Richard Tillotson hidden in an antique attic wardrobe. He vanished just after his sister married his business partner in 1929.
Jolie sees a link to the Fisher family's Prohibition era business and works with friends Scoobie and Ramona to gather clues from old photo albums and ledgers. The present day murder of Richard's former girlfriend, Mary Doris, tells them someone feels threatened by having Jolie dig into Richard's former family business, the bakery at the shore. What else went on in that abandoned bakery? Did the secret Mary Doris kept all these years finally kill her? Between running the food pantry at Christmas time and escaping a burning building, they hope to figure out who the modern killer is before someone else gets hurt.
Published: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-948070-87-4
Sticky Fingered Books
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 12.
It isn't every day that you find a body at your kids' school. Unless you're Jolie Gentil. Then it's more of an option.
Someone broke into Sand and Sea Daycare, leaving a broken window and plenty of rain in the director's office. When Jolie hears an angry man say the intruder must have been looking for some books, she wonders what's up.
But that's not her business. Her job at the co-op center is to place orders for the food the kids gobble. Scoobie's contribution, as a poet, is to lead a rhyming session with the kids. It's bedlam and they love it.
But when Jolie goes into the center for an evening board meeting, she finds a body at the desk of the Sand and Sea director. With help from Mayor Madge, Jolie learns that the daycare center building has been caught up in plans for a boutque hotel and could have to close. Some liked the idea of a sale and others strongly objected.
Neither Jolie or Scoobie think it's a good idea for the twins to head back to school until they know what really happened. And when four-year olds clamor to be with friends, it's a good idea to figure it out.
Who kills for an old building? Someone does, and they don't like the idea of Jolie learning who they are.
Published: Nov. 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-0882-5961-0
The Twain Does Meet
"The Twain Does Meet" is a between-the-numbers book in the Jolie Gentil series, and while there are joys and problems to discover it's not a traditional cozy mystery. In book 10 (The Unexpected Resolution) Jolie solves a murder, she and Scoobie get married, and they gain a new family member--Scoobie's much-younger half-brother. Book 11 (Underground in Ocean Alley) takes place a few years later, and mystery solving is accompanied by their three-year old twins.
I promised readers they would have the story of the twins' birth an anything-but-calm event -- but it didn't seem right to mix it with a murder. So, we have a nearly 33,000 word novella that features laughs and angst with the Ocean Alley crew and more than a few surprises. A fun read with familiar characters.
Jolie and Scoobie have added 11-year-old Terry to the family mix. A pregnant Jolie is appraising houses preceded by what she calls her beach ball, and Scoobie's learned the hospital where he works may be cutting staff. Just as they are about to buy a bigger house.
But something's off at Ocean Alley Middle School. Terry's classmate, Eddie, accuses him of taking some cash from their shared locker, and Jolie tries to heed Scoobie's advice that Terry be allowed to handle some things himself. For Ms. "I need to solve that," it's a challenge. Plus, she's picking up signals that there might be problems in Eddie's home. Can she wak the difficult path between helping and meddling?
Jolie tries to balance running the Harvest for All Food Pantry, her work, helping Terry feel at home in Ocean Alley, worrying about Scoobie losing his job, and planning to be a mom. That's supposed to be a fun time, right? And lots of people have advice. Oh, joy.
Join Jolie, Scoobie, and their extended family and friends for a heartwarming time.
Published: Dec. 20, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-948070-41-6
The Unexpected Resolution
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 10. A midnight wedding, Army veterans who face repercussions of two different wars, and a very startling wedding guest. Publisher's Weekly says The Unexpected Resolution is a "story about unexpected life events and the honest love that binds no matter what."
Wedding days are special, but they don't usually pack as big a surprise as Jolie and Scoobie's New Year's Eve nuptials. Scoobie never knew much about his family -- and after the way he grew up, who could blame him for liking it that way? A 9-1-1 call during the wedding changes everything.
Suddenly, Jolie has to help Scoobie figure out what he wants to know, and determine who seems to want someone in his family dead. Knowing more about Scoobie's past could change their future together. But a special wedding arrival may cause even more complications.
Book 10 in the Jolie Gentil cozy mystery series brings together the close-knit group of friends and zany Ocean Alley townspeople for a very special event. You don't want to miss it!
Published: July 25, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-0882-6576-5
Tip a Hat to Murder
Logland Mystery Series Book 1.
First in the Logland Mystery Series
When the owner of the Bully Pulpit Diner decided to stop letting servers accept tips, he figured the raise he gave them would keep them happy. Apparently not. Or was a side-hustle what got Ben Addison killed?
Police Chief Elizabeth Friedman’s investigation collides with frat brothers at the local college who keep goats in the dining room and throw rowdy Halloween parties. Marti and Nick try to keep the diner operating, while local small business owners offer varying degrees of help – mostly not much.
Medical Examiner Skelly wants to help the chief with more than the investigation, and a thief wants something Ben hid. And maybe the killer is willing to take another stab at it.
A police procedural with a cozy feel. Join the people of Logland, Illinois who will tickle your funny bone while the police hunt for a suspect.
Published: Nov. 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-0882-9443-7
Trouble on the Doorstep
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 5.
From Hurricane Sandy to Cozy Corner B&B repairs to Aunt Madge's wedding in three weeks. If Jolie can handle that surely she can deal with a sobbing woman who shows up at midnight playing a scary message on a cell phone. Pooki is frantic about her husband's whereabouts and more than a little 'ditzy,' according to Jolie's best friend, Scoobie. After taking Pooki to the police station the next morning, Jolie figures she is problem-free. Not really.
A shady deal for storm repairs at the Ocean Alley Senior Complex seems to be at the root of Steve Oliver's hit-and-run death and missing business partner (Pooki's husband, Eric). When Eric ends up dead at the B&B, Jolie is digging for clues in between burning muffins and appraising houses. But when she doesn't share all that she learns with her sometimes-boyfriend, reporter George Winters, he's grouchy.
Jolie is convinced she needs to find the murderer (or is it murderers?) and expose fraudulent repair bids. Not everyone shares her views--not the police, her friend Scoobie, and certainly not the murderer.
Published: Oct. 21, 2024
ISBN: 978-1-088244-00-5
Underground in Ocean Alley
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 11. Jolie Gentil has sworn off butting into other people’s business. To those who know her, it sounds as far-fetched as finding used bubble gum on Mars. Her life revolves around her husband Scoobie, her twins, appraising the occasional house, and helping run the Cozy Corner B&B. Nothing could drag Jolie into solving crimes. Really.
Except maybe a request from the most unlikely source. Sergeant Morehouse is convinced his nephew is not a runaway. Something had terrified the teenager, but before Morehouse could figure it out, Kevin was gone.
Jolie has a soft spot for Kevin, who helped Scoobie’s young brother Terry adjust to life in Ocean Alley. Plus, she has a feeling that Kevin saw something he wasn’t supposed to see at the hospital, when he had his appendix removed. She has to make the time to follow her hunch. Kind of hard to balance family, the B&B, and the upcoming Cinco de Mayo-themed food pantry fundraiser. And what about the murder of the hospital's head nurse? Could it be connected to Kevin's disappearance?
Adding to the mix is Aunt Madge's decision to enlighten the Jersey shore by running for mayor of Ocean Alley. She's convinced a proposed resort will change the character of the town. With her husband Harry as campaign manager, she intends to convince voters progress doesn't have to mean lots more concrete.
Jolie has faith in her hunches. Scoobie isn't so sure and Aunt Madge believes Jolie needs a remedial course in minding her own business. But Kevin’s life may depend on Jolie’s certainty and her efforts to find him before a killer does. Follow the crime -- and fun -- in the eleventh Jolie Gentil cozy mystery.
Published: June 9, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-08-825850-7
Unscheduled Murder Trip
Family History Mystery Book 2.
Digger is bouncing back from a tough year. With the new graphic design firm she and her friend Holly started, things are looking up. But then life throws her a curve when she trips over a body while she and her friend Marty are taking photos at an abandoned train depot.
As she tries to piece things together, Digger begins to think the body she found is linked to a long-ago disappearance in her town of Maple Grove. Did Daniel Stevens abandon his family in 1963, or is there a more sinister explanation?
When she tries to learn more about Daniel’s life, Digger ends up raising more questions than answers, and she alienates her biggest client. Marty wonders if her odd mutterings mean she’s losing it. He gets more convinced when Digger seems to call to her uncle as someone takes pot shots at the two of them near an abandoned mine.
What happens when an apparition’s medium tells others about the ghost that she alone sees? Will Digger have to lose Uncle Benjamin to get close to anyone else?
Intriguing times in the Western Maryland mountains.
Published: Jan. 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-948070-89-8
Vague Images
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 7. Bad enough that Jolie ends up in the emergency room because she tried to avoid hitting a deer. Worse to find a dead woman in the hospital restroom after Jolie gets patched up. As the chief budget cutter at the hospital, Tanya Weiss was unpopular, especially in the Radiology Department, where Scoobie works. In between appraising houses and feeding her pet skunk, Jolie’s on the lookout for a runaway teenager and whoever planted the dead woman in her path. Thanks to Scoobie, she’s also planning another crazy fundraiser for the food pantry—this one a Corn Hole Contest. It’s sort of a bean bag game for grown-ups, and the polite term is Corn Toss Contest. So of course, Scoobie prepares to name winners in the Harvest for All Corn Hole Contest. Just when Jolie’s ready to leave the murder investigation to the police, she gets a surprise—and it’s not a good one. Will her need to know see her hurt—or worse?
Published: June 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-0882-6978-7
When the Carny Comes to Town
Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Book 3.
Though she never liked the idea of sitting on the plank above the dunk tank for the food pantry's fundraiser at the carnival, Jolie never dreamed what Scoobie saw that day would leave him battling for his life. Scoobie's ex-con mother shows up and there's a murder to add to the mix. Soon Jolie is doing a lot more than appraising real estate, though even that is complicated by home burglars. Jolie grudgingly seeks help from her nemesis--reporter George Winters--and tries to stay a step ahead of a kidnapper and murderer so she can take charge of her world again. Can she keep her friends safe, and will Scoobie recover enough to plan another silly fundraiser?
Published: Feb. 15, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-948070-68-3
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