Maggie faces her most confusing case yet when she finds a treasured beaded knife–in someone's back! Can she figure out what happened before anyone else ends up dead? And when her buddy, movie star Reese Stevens, tries to make a fresh start after falling off the wagon, can Maggie keep him from going off-track? Maggie McJasper is starting over in a little California beach town. She has a bead shop, a nice circle of friends, and a handsome movie star who keeps flirting with her. Life would be pretty great if she could just stop stumbling over dead bodies…. Do you like dogs, crafts, quirky friends, a slow-building romance between grownups who genuinely like each other, and a twisty little mystery with red herrings galore? Then this is for you. The Maggie & Jasper Capers are fun and flirty cozies, with no swearing or love scenes, and no gruesome violence to keep you up at night.

Social scientist, victim advocate, and the mother of a murder victim - Deborah Spungen is well acquainted with all facets of what she defines as "the blackest hell accompanied by a pain so intense that even breathing becomes an unendurable labor." In Homicide: The Hidden Victims, Spungen illustrates just how and why family members become co-victims when a loved one is murdered, and she poignantly addresses the emotional, physical, spiritual, and psychological effects of such traumatic events. The timely information and innovative modalities discussed in this book make it ideal for mental health and criminal justice professionals, pastoral counselors, social workers, and victim advocates.

In the immersive English murder mystery, "Hidden Murder," Zoe longs for the simple joys of friendship, but a haunting past has kept her locked in a world of loneliness. As a newfound confidence begins to emerge, she is faced with a relentless campaign of fear and intimidation that threatens not only her, but also the newly formed bonds of friendship she cherishes. Haunted by a malevolent force determined to drive her away, Zoe is left with a critical decision to make—should she flee from the sinister spectres that lurk in the shadows, or summon the courage to confront her fears and fight back? With each scare, the net closes around her, tightening its grip on her newfound sense of belonging. Tragedy strikes when a chilling incident culminates in a death that Zoe firmly believes is murder, though the police remain indifferent to her claims. The authorities don't trust her, and her friends begin to question their allegiance to her as the pressure mounts. As the walls close in on Zoe, she becomes determined to unearth the truth, no matter the cost. Turning to a recently released serial criminal for assistance, she embarks on a perilous journey to reveal the sinister forces at play and unravel the mysteries that threaten to consume her life. In "Hidden Murder," Zoe's quest for justice intertwines with the complexities of trust and deception. Will she manage to convince the police of the murder, or will her relentless pursuit of truth lead her into an even greater danger? Join Zoe as she navigates a labyrinth of secrets and lies, where friendships are tested, alliances are forged, and the truth remains hidden beneath layers of deception.

Heartwarming books with characters you'll love: have you been to Pajaro Bay? Teresa Soto is hiding from her fellow gang members in the perfect place: the tiny village of Pajaro Bay. But when she falls for the squeaky-clean director of the local youth center, things get complicated. She's one step ahead of the danger on her tail, and may be taking him along for the ride. Should she run, should she hide, or should she stay and fight for the new life she's building based on a big, fat lie?

When the movie star renting Maggie's house is accused of murder, she's the only one who believes he's innocent. Now all she has to do is prove it. Maggie McJasper is starting over in a little California beach town. She has a bead shop, a nice circle of friends, and a handsome movie star who keeps flirting with her. Life would be pretty great if she could just stop stumbling over dead bodies…. Do you like dogs, crafts, quirky friends, a slow-building romance between grownups who genuinely like each other, and a twisty little mystery with red herrings galore? Then this is for you. The Maggie & Jasper Capers are fun and flirty cozies, with no swearing or love scenes, and no gruesome violence to keep you up at night.

Heartwarming books with characters you'll love: have you been to Pajaro Bay? Camilla Stewart desperately needs to start over. Her ex-fiance ripped her off and disappeared, leaving behind his eight-year-old son. She soon finds herself out of gas in a tiny beach town with the lost boy in tow and the key to an abandoned cottage in her pocket. But there's more to the village of Pajaro Bay than meets the eye, including a handsome local cop poking into her business, a bunch of quirky neighbors determined to pull her out of her shell, and, oh yeah, a killer on the loose who is somehow linked to her, the young boy, and the darling little house known as the Honeymoon Cottage. Get away to the little California beach town where the cottages are cute, the neighbors are nosy, and it's always possible to find your personal Happily Ever After. The Pajaro Bay novels can be read in any order.

Heartwarming books with characters you'll love: have you been to Pajaro Bay? Sheltered heiress Lori York runs away to the isolated island lighthouse at Pajaro Bay. But when a mysterious man washes ashore during a winter storm, she has to figure out just what he's hiding before they both end up as shark bait. Matt DiPietro is the hometown boy gone bad. He's brought shame to his family, and his childhood friends know he can't be trusted. Now he's returned to Pajaro Bay, and as always, disaster follows in his wake. But when the new girl in town finds out the truth about him, will she give up on him like everyone else, or can she possibly help him find his way back home at last? Get away to the little California beach town where the cottages are cute, the neighbors are nosy, and it's always possible to find your personal Happily Ever After. The Pajaro Bay novels can be read in any order.

Heartwarming books with characters you'll love: have you been to Pajaro Bay? Robin Brenham has a great life. She came to Pajaro Bay several years ago, and quickly carved out a career as an expert on the village's famous eccentric cottages. She's got a great circle of friends, is well-respected in the community… but no one knows the real reason she moved to town. Her earliest memory is of sitting on the floor in a cottage in Pajaro Bay, while her mother stood over her, crying as if her soul had been shattered. Why was she crying? Does it have anything to do with why Robin ended up in foster care, abandoned by her family? Where is her biological family? And where is the cottage she remembers so vividly? Why can't she find it? A story of love and loss and starting over, Songbird Cottage is Robin's journey to find her childhood home—and to carve out a new home, and build a new life where she can be whole once again. Get away to the little California beach town where the cottages are cute, the neighbors are nosy, and it's always possible to find your personal Happily Ever After. The Pajaro Bay novels can be read in any order.

Heartwarming books with characters you'll love: have you been to Pajaro Bay? Hallie Reed has given up on fairy tale dreams. They only lead to pain. Now she has a new rule: stick to the safe path. But when her friend disappears from a summer job at a funky old amusement park, Hallie has to break out of her protective shell and take a chance on something bigger than herself. The Madrigal family was shattered when a fire swept through their oceanfront boardwalk a dozen years ago. When outsider Hallie comes to town, she learns the place is haunted by tragedy, and she's soon swept up in the decades-old mystery of the Madrigals. Is she the one who can help Kyle Madrigal finally make peace with his family's legacy? And could this be the key to unlocking her own lost dreams as well? Get away to the little California beach town where the cottages are cute, the neighbors are nosy, and it's always possible to find your personal Happily Ever After. The Pajaro Bay novels can be read in any order.

A handsome movie star in her kitchen, and a corpse in the swimming pool. Just your typical Monday morning…. Maggie McJasper is starting over in a little California beach town. She has a bead shop, a nice circle of friends, and a handsome movie star who keeps flirting with her. Life would be pretty great if she could just stop stumbling over dead bodies…. Do you like dogs, crafts, quirky friends, a slow-building romance between grown-ups who genuinely like each other, and a twisty little mystery with red herrings galore? Then this is for you. The Maggie & Jasper Capers are fun and flirty cozies, with no swearing or love scenes, and no gruesome violence to keep you up at night.