It’s a killer Christmas in more ways than one in the latest Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails mystery set in Bar Harbor, Maine. With the holiday season in full swing, food and cocktails columnist and restauranteur Hayley Powell has lots to check off her last-minute to-do list. Not included is the sudden arrival of her father, who hasn’t been in the picture since she believed in Santa Claus. Dwight Jordan’s presence in Bar Harbor might just be the unwanted gift that keeps on giving—especially after he becomes the top suspect in a case of yuletide murder . . . As Hayley plans a New Year’s Eve bash while handling a hefty helping of family drama, she must lean into her closest friends to unravel a twisted mystery. Because the countdown is on to find out who killed the sore loser at the gingerbread house contest before Dwight disappears again—this time behind bars. And the more Hayley learns about the possible culprits, the more she knows it’s either crack the case ASAP or watch everything crumble like a stale cookie . . .

Scottie Ramone’s new bakery is up and running, but she’s in desperate need of an assistant. Jack Lucas, a stranger with a troubled past, has moved to town. He also happens to bake cakes that are nothing short of sublime. His qualifications make him the perfect assistant, but Dalton Braddock, the town’s ranger and Scottie’s longtime crush, has advised against it. So, of course, she hires the man but with plenty of trepidation. In the meantime, Scottie has another problem to grapple with. Someone has killed the gingerbread man the town mayor hired for the annual Ripple Creek Holiday Fair. Ranger Braddock is busy up at the Miramont Resort, so Scottie is on the case. As she goes through her list of possible suspects, she finds a name that causes her plenty of angst. It’s her new assistant, Jack. Has Scottie just hired a cold-blooded killer to bake cupcakes? Book 3 of the Scottie Ramone Cozy Mystery series More in the series: Prequel: Banana Chiffon and Bad Deeds Book 1: Heads Will Cinnamon Roll Book 2: Better Off Shortbread Book 3: Dead Gingerbread Man Walking Book 4: Caught Bread Handed

A festive trio of tasty murder mysteries by three New York Times bestselling authors. Perfect for fans of M. C. Beaton and Ann Granger. Murder makes a surprise visit this festive season... An irresistible collection of Christmas stories featuring baking sleuth Hannah Swensen by the master of mouth-watering murder mysteries, Joanne Fluke, plus two more holiday whodunits by US bestselling authors Laura Levine and Leslie Meier. Full to the brim with gingerbread cookies, shocking murders and ten tantalising festive recipes - this is the perfect treat for crime fans and baking enthusiasts this Christmas.

Bar Harbor, Maine, is quieter in the off-season, but the population has just increased a bit with the arrival of Ted and Trudy Lancaster. Ted’s taking over for a retiring minister, and Trudy runs a food truck called Wicked ’Wiches. When she stops in at the Island Times office to place an ad, Hayley happily devours the sample sub Trudy offers—and the two become fast friends. When Trudy tragically dies in her truck while catering a Halloween party, suspicion falls on a cranky, competitive caterer who’d made veiled threats to Trudy. But the case becomes more complicated when Hayley’s husband admits he’d seen someone dressed as a witch hurrying away from the food truck—not very helpful when countless women at the party wore the same costume. Now Hayley finds herself sandwiched between witches and witnesses as she considers a smorgasbord of suspects. If she finds the killer, she’ll be a local hero . . . Includes delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!

When Santa is sleighed by a poison gingerbread cookie at a holiday party, Val Deniston's reputation is on the line . . . This holiday season Bayport, Maryland, is a dead ringer for Victorian London. Val and her grandfather are taking part in the Dickens of a Holiday festival. Val is hosting a private tea party serving the festival's costumed volunteers, who range from Dickens divas like Madame Defarge and Miss Havisham to Ebenezer Scrooge and old St. Nick himself. But one costumed reveler may have gotten the holidays mixed up. The winner of the creepiest outfit, robed in black with a gift bag covering the head—okay, Ghost of Christmas Present, Val gets it—hands out gingerbread men with white icing skeleton bones. This year's sour Santa has none of the big fellow's mirth but plenty of his appetite, and it's no secret Santa loves cookies. But when the man in red turns blue, Val and Granddad have a cookie-cutter killer to catch before the New Year . . . Includes delicious five-ingredient recipes! PRAISE FOR CRYPT SUZETTE “Grandad is a hoot and his jobs as a food reviewer and part-time detective provide endless possibilities for fun and murder . . . Charming.” —Kirkus Reviews

When the Gingerbread Man runs away from the old lady's oven, the whole village is soon chasing after him. Simply written in lively, flowing text Usborne First Reading books are designed to capture the imagination and build the confidence of beginner readers. This book includes audio and links to downloadable worksheets and teacher's notes. "Irresistible for children learning to read. " - Child Education Plus

A lyrically told, beautifully illustrated book that brings comfort to children--and adults--who have lost someone they love After Old Turtle swims his last swim and breathes his last breath, and the waves gently take him away, his friends lovingly remember how he impacted each and every one of them. As the sea animals think back on how much better Old Turtle made their lives and their world, they realize that he is not truly gone, because his memory and legacy will last forever. Jago's gorgeous illustrations accompany Cece Meng's serene text in a book that will help chidren understand and cope with the death of a loved one. Praise for Always Remember: "Without mentioning a deity or religion, the text discusses how people remember those who have died and how their lives live on beyond them. Understated, unsentimental, and gently done."--Kirkus Reviews "A sweet and poignant story with multiple layers for delving deeper."--School Library Journal "This makes a comforting choice for families dealing with loss."--Booklist

This is a warm and engaging Christmas story set during the Great Depression. Rebecca is nine years old when her large, close-knit family moves into a tarpaper farm house in Wisconsin. Because times are hard, she does not find the porcelain doll she had hoped for under the Christmas tree. Instead, her mother surprises her with a thick gingerbread doll named Button Marie, which she loves 'in a way you could never love anything from a store.' . . . These paintings (which are reminiscent of the work of Andrew Wyeth) convey a strong sense of the affection that pervades the family over the generations. The emphasis on such familiar things as family storytelling and rituals makes this a slice of Americana that the picture book crowd can savor.--ALA Booklist Lloyd's sharply observed realistic watercolors--in a palette somewhat grayed as if to recall old b&w photos--beautifully reflect this well-told story's warmth and focus on essential values.--Kirkus Reviews

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a hilarious holiday whodunit! It’s the most wonderful time of the year…Unless you’re Sally Muccio. The full-time baker and sometime sleuth is ready to burst into song. She and her husband are expecting a bundle of joy, her sister’s wedding is just around the corner, and it’s Christmas, her favorite time of year. But when Sal’s the victim of a carjacking by Santa himself and a forgotten item links her to a murder, she doesn’t feel like ho-ho-hoing anymore. Damian Ruger was a drug user, womanizer and first-class jerk. And unfortunately for Sal, she once had a connection to him in high school. The dough really hits the fan when her bakery's gingerbread cookies are found next to his dead body, and Sal's cake server is used as a murder weapon. Someone is trying to frame the expectant mother, but why? Sal has no choice but to try to clear her name...before she and the baby are singing Christmas carols in prison! *Recipes Included!* The Cookies & Chance Mysteries: Tastes Like Murder (book #1) A Spot of Murder (short story in the "Killer Beach Reads" collection) Baked to Death (book #2) Burned to a Crisp (book #3) Frosted With Revenge (book #4) Silenced by Sugar (book #5) A Drizzle Before Dying (short story in the "Pushing Up Daisies" collection) Crumbled to Pieces (book #6) Sprinkled in Malice (book #7) Ginger Snapped to Death (book #8) What critics are saying: "A fantastic cozy mystery!" —InD'Tale Magazine "I want to visit more with all of the quirky characters just to see what crazy and outrageous things they will do next!" —Fresh Fiction "The Cookies and Chance Mystery series is more than just a series....it's a family !! Once you read the first book, you are hooked and feel like a member of the crazy Muccio family." —Cozy Mystery Book Reviews