A Hard Bargain
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $13.22
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Marguerite Gavin
-
By:
-
Jane Tesh
About this listen
After solving her first big murder case in the small town of Celosia, North Carolina, Madeline Maclin hopes at last to be taken seriously as a private investigator. She has opened an office in the home of her best friend, Jerry Fairweather, a man haunted by his past who enjoys running harmless scams. Jerry doesn’t feel worthy of anyone’s love, which is bad news for Madeline.
Secretly, Madeline has questions about the accident that killed Jerry’s parents and suspects that Jerry’s sister Harriet knows more than she’s willing to admit. But for now, Madeline is occupied with finding Kirby Willet, an eccentric inventor who left behind boxes of his belongings, including one filled with money. Meanwhile, the town is hopping with “Pageantoids”, rabid fans from Madeline’s days as a beauty queen who have come to Celosia to produce more pageants. And then there’s Rick Rialto, one of Jerry’s shady con-artist friends.
Josh Gaskins, the director of Voltage Films, is also in town and thinks Jerry’s old house is the perfect setting for his horror film about Celosia’s mythical beast, Curse of the Mantis Man. When there is a murder on the set, Madeline uncovers several suspects and is forced to investigate some hard bargains - at least one of which is with Jerry.
About the author: Jane Tesh was a school library media specialist in North Carolina for 30 years. She retired to write and is the author of several plays and two mystery series.
©2007 Jane Tesh (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
A Most Curious Murder
- A Little Library Mystery, Book 1
- By: Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli
- Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jenny Weston moves home to Bear Falls, Michigan, to nurse her bruised ego back to health after a bitter divorce. But the idyllic vision of her charming hometown crumbles when her mother's little library is destroyed. The next-door neighbor, Zoe Zola, a little person and Lewis Carroll enthusiast, suspects local curmudgeon Adam Cane. But when he's suddenly found dead in Zoe's fairy garden, all roads lead back to her. Jenny, however, believes Zoe is innocent, so the two women team up to find the true culprit.
-
-
Easy read
- By Julie Smith on 05-06-21
-
A Murder in Helvetica Bold
- Thistlewood Star Mysteries
- By: C. Rysa Walker
- Narrated by: Kate Rudd
- Length: 4 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A teacup, a diary, and a body at the foot of the stairs.... When Ruth Townsend’s job and marriage both end abruptly, she heads home to the mountains for a fresh start. Nine months later, she has a new hobby, good friends, and a potential new romance - but only two dozen subscribers to the weekly newspaper she’s intent on reviving. What she needs is a good mystery...but nothing ever happens in sleepy little Thistlewood. Then Edith Morton is found dead at the bottom of her staircase.
-
-
Wonderful Performance of An Average Book
- By Jacqueline on 07-20-19
By: C. Rysa Walker
-
The Trouble with Witches
- Shadowvale, Book 1
- By: Kristen Painter
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shadowvale isn’t typical small-town America. The sun never shines, the gates decide who enters, magic abounds, and every resident bears some kind of curse. No one knows this as well as raven shifter Deacon Evermore, who, like everyone in his family, has a curse. While his position as Shadowvale’s peacekeeper lets him use that curse for good, he’d rather live anywhere else. He stays for his family but doubts he can last much longer.
-
-
A left at the door review of Trouble with Witches
- By Liadan on 06-18-19
By: Kristen Painter
-
Pride High, Book 1
- Red
- By: Jay Bell
- Narrated by: Talia Carver
- Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Perfect for mature teens and nostalgic adults, this LGBTQ+ series celebrates authentic intimacy, realistic relationships, and the beautiful chaos of growing up queer. Rewind to the nineties and join a group of teenagers as they try to figure out who they are, and who they want to love. Meet your new friends:
-
-
He did it again!
- By Stanley Craver on 11-28-22
By: Jay Bell
-
Scraps of Paper, Revised Author's Edition
- Spookie Town Murder Mysteries
- By: Kathryn Meyer Griffith
- Narrated by: Wendy Tremont King
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Abigail Sutton's beloved husband walks out one night, doesn't return, and two years later is found dead, a victim of a long ago crime. It's made her sympathetic to the missing and their families. Starting her new life, Abigail moves to small town and buys a fixer-upper house left empty when old Edna Summers died. Once it was also home to Edna's younger sister, Emily, and her two children, Jenny and Christopher, who, people believe, drove away one night, thirty years ago, and just never came back.
-
-
Scraps of paper
- By Deedra on 06-04-15
-
The Last of the Loudens
- By: Robin Alexander
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Taryn Louden has inherited her father's family home and more money than she ever thought she'd see in a lifetime. There are just a few problems with it all. The house is expensive to maintain, local kids entertain themselves by pulling pranks on her, and there might be a few departed Loudens still hanging around. The only real bonus is the sexy contractor Taryn's aunt hired to restore the Louden family home back to its former glory.
-
-
Such a wonderful book…
- By Lisa on 04-06-23
By: Robin Alexander
-
A Most Curious Murder
- A Little Library Mystery, Book 1
- By: Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli
- Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jenny Weston moves home to Bear Falls, Michigan, to nurse her bruised ego back to health after a bitter divorce. But the idyllic vision of her charming hometown crumbles when her mother's little library is destroyed. The next-door neighbor, Zoe Zola, a little person and Lewis Carroll enthusiast, suspects local curmudgeon Adam Cane. But when he's suddenly found dead in Zoe's fairy garden, all roads lead back to her. Jenny, however, believes Zoe is innocent, so the two women team up to find the true culprit.
-
-
Easy read
- By Julie Smith on 05-06-21
-
A Murder in Helvetica Bold
- Thistlewood Star Mysteries
- By: C. Rysa Walker
- Narrated by: Kate Rudd
- Length: 4 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A teacup, a diary, and a body at the foot of the stairs.... When Ruth Townsend’s job and marriage both end abruptly, she heads home to the mountains for a fresh start. Nine months later, she has a new hobby, good friends, and a potential new romance - but only two dozen subscribers to the weekly newspaper she’s intent on reviving. What she needs is a good mystery...but nothing ever happens in sleepy little Thistlewood. Then Edith Morton is found dead at the bottom of her staircase.
-
-
Wonderful Performance of An Average Book
- By Jacqueline on 07-20-19
By: C. Rysa Walker
-
The Trouble with Witches
- Shadowvale, Book 1
- By: Kristen Painter
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shadowvale isn’t typical small-town America. The sun never shines, the gates decide who enters, magic abounds, and every resident bears some kind of curse. No one knows this as well as raven shifter Deacon Evermore, who, like everyone in his family, has a curse. While his position as Shadowvale’s peacekeeper lets him use that curse for good, he’d rather live anywhere else. He stays for his family but doubts he can last much longer.
-
-
A left at the door review of Trouble with Witches
- By Liadan on 06-18-19
By: Kristen Painter
-
Pride High, Book 1
- Red
- By: Jay Bell
- Narrated by: Talia Carver
- Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Perfect for mature teens and nostalgic adults, this LGBTQ+ series celebrates authentic intimacy, realistic relationships, and the beautiful chaos of growing up queer. Rewind to the nineties and join a group of teenagers as they try to figure out who they are, and who they want to love. Meet your new friends:
-
-
He did it again!
- By Stanley Craver on 11-28-22
By: Jay Bell
-
Scraps of Paper, Revised Author's Edition
- Spookie Town Murder Mysteries
- By: Kathryn Meyer Griffith
- Narrated by: Wendy Tremont King
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Abigail Sutton's beloved husband walks out one night, doesn't return, and two years later is found dead, a victim of a long ago crime. It's made her sympathetic to the missing and their families. Starting her new life, Abigail moves to small town and buys a fixer-upper house left empty when old Edna Summers died. Once it was also home to Edna's younger sister, Emily, and her two children, Jenny and Christopher, who, people believe, drove away one night, thirty years ago, and just never came back.
-
-
Scraps of paper
- By Deedra on 06-04-15
-
The Last of the Loudens
- By: Robin Alexander
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Taryn Louden has inherited her father's family home and more money than she ever thought she'd see in a lifetime. There are just a few problems with it all. The house is expensive to maintain, local kids entertain themselves by pulling pranks on her, and there might be a few departed Loudens still hanging around. The only real bonus is the sexy contractor Taryn's aunt hired to restore the Louden family home back to its former glory.
-
-
Such a wonderful book…
- By Lisa on 04-06-23
By: Robin Alexander
-
Case of the One-Eyed Tiger
- Corgi Case Files, Volume 1
- By: Jeffrey Poole
- Narrated by: Bob Johnson
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a shocking murder shatters the tranquility of a sleepy Oregon town, and a priceless sculpture turns up missing, all fingers soon start pointing at new resident Zack Anderson. Armed with a determination to clear his name, Zack sets out to solve the case with the help of a feisty canine companion that has an uncanny ability to sniff out clues. With evidence mounting against him, can Zack identify the killer and locate the missing sculpture before he ends up in the doghouse?
-
-
A Really Enjoyable Cozy Mystery Series
- By Laura on 11-12-18
By: Jeffrey Poole
-
Glock Grannies Cozy Mystery Omnibus
- Glock Grannies Cozy Mysteries, Books 1-3
- By: Shannon VanBergen
- Narrated by: Lauri Jo Daniels
- Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nikki is a flirtatious six-time divorcee. Geraldine is her quirky grandmother. Mix in a bunch of gun-toting grannies, an outrageous retirement home, and unsolved mysteries, and there's definitely going to be some excitement. Follow along as Nikki and the cast of retirement home vigilantes work to solve the mystery before everything goes up in smoke.
-
-
Grannies with Gumption 😊
- By Debbie on 09-26-19
-
The Chicken Sisters
- By: KJ Dell'Antonia
- Narrated by: Xe Sands, Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Merinac, Kansas, Chicken Mimi's and Chicken Frannie's have spent a century vying to serve up the best fried chicken in the state - and the legendary feud between their respective owners, the Moores and the Pogociellos, has lasted just as long. No one feels the impact more than 35-year-old widow Amanda Moore, who grew up working for her mom at Mimi's before scandalously marrying Frank Pogociello and changing sides to work at Frannie's. Tired of being caught in the middle, Amanda sends an SOS to Food Wars, the reality TV restaurant competition.
-
-
Headache
- By Megan M. on 12-08-20
By: KJ Dell'Antonia
-
Sorry I Missed You
- A Novel
- By: Suzy Krause
- Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Mackenzie, Sunna, and Maude move into a converted rental house, they are strangers with only one thing in common - important people in their lives have “ghosted” them. Mackenzie’s sister, Sunna’s best friend, and Maude’s fiancé - all gone with no explanation. So when a mangled, near-indecipherable letter arrives in their shared mailbox - hinting at long-awaited answers - each tenant assumes it’s for her.
-
-
Enjoyable story
- By Ginny Meier on 06-22-20
By: Suzy Krause
-
Absence of Alice
- By: Sherry Harris
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sarah’s latest client, Alice Krandle, is sure she has a fortune in antiques on her hands. She’s already gotten a generous offer for the whole lot before her garage sale has even begun, but she thinks she can earn more with Sarah’s expert help. The problem is that while Sarah’s sorting through items from decades past, her landlady, Stella, faces a clear and present danger. Stella’s kidnapper has contacted Sarah with a set of instructions, and “Don’t call the police” is at the top of the list.
-
-
5 stars
- By Beatrice on 12-31-20
By: Sherry Harris
-
Plantation Shudders
- A Cajun Country Mystery, Book 1
- By: Ellen Byron
- Narrated by: Meredith Mitchell
- Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's the end of the summer and prodigal daughter Maggie Crozat has returned home to her family's plantation-turned-bed-and-breakfast in Louisiana. The Crozats have an inn full of guests for the local food festival. But when the elderly couple keels over dead within minutes of each other - one from very unnatural causes - Maggie and her family suddenly become suspects in a murder.
-
-
Unimpressed.
- By shannon on 10-04-16
By: Ellen Byron
-
Bring on the Blessings
- A Novel
- By: Beverly Jenkins
- Narrated by: Lynnette R. Freeman
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bernadine Brown is a woman with money to spend. Henry Adams is a town in desperate need of cash. But after Bernadine puts up the money, she has some ideas about how the town should be run. Will the townspeople be willing to shake up their comfortable lives to share the gift they’ve been given with others who really need it?
-
-
Not my idea of a Christian story
- By DJ Stevenson on 04-12-21
By: Beverly Jenkins
-
Seen It All and Done the Rest
- By: Pearl Cleage
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The toast of Europe, Josephine Evans had spent 30 years abroad establishing her reputation as one of the finest actresses of her generation. In Amsterdam, she redefined who and what an African American diva could be, and her legions of loyal fans loved her for it. But when a war she didn't even understand suddenly makes her the target of angry anti-American protests, Josephine is forced to return to America to see if she can find a new definition of home.
-
-
as good as it gets
- By Ladonna on 04-25-08
By: Pearl Cleage
-
Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar
- By: Pamela Morsi
- Narrated by: Savannah Richards
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Unruly Red knows she’s no one’s idea of a sweet old granny. But with one long-distance phone call, the fortysomething bar owner with the tattoos and tight jeans is suddenly responsible for two young grandchildren she hardly knows.
-
-
What a surprise
- By Donna on 02-07-18
By: Pamela Morsi
-
Night Drop
- The Pinx Video Mysteries
- By: Marshall Thornton
- Narrated by: Jack Meloche
- Length: 5 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Noah Valentine, the owner of Pinx Video in Silver Lake, notices the fires have taken their toll on fellow shopkeeper Guy Peterson's camera shop. After the riots end, he decides to stop by Guy’s to pick up his overdue videos, only to find Guy’s family dividing up his belongings. He died in the camera store fire, or did he?
-
-
Loved it. Great early 90s mystery.
- By Grace on 10-11-20
-
A Wicked Yarn
- A Craft Fair Knitters Mystery
- By: Emmie Caldwell
- Narrated by: Janet Metzger
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mother’s Day should be a cinch for the good folks of the Crandalsburg Craft Fair, and knitting enthusiast Lia Geiger has a good feeling about this year’s yield. But things quickly get knotty when Lia’s daughter announces she’s quit her job and Lia finds herself tangled up in the murder of her best friend’s ex-husband. While Belinda’s alibi quickly gets her off the hook, nasty rumors spread throughout Crandalsburg that shroud the entire fair in suspicion.
-
-
meh...
- By Beatrice on 01-09-21
By: Emmie Caldwell
-
Pretty Is as Pretty Dies
- A Myrtle Clover Mystery, Book 1
- By: Elizabeth Spann Craig
- Narrated by: Judy Blue
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one in Bradley, North Carolina, is exactly crying into their sweet tea over the murder of Parke Stockard. Certainly not retired schoolteacher Myrtle Clover. Upon discovering the corpse, Myrtle is struck - not with grief, but a brilliant idea! Solving the murder would prove to everyone - especially her son Red, the police chief - that this 80-something-year-old is still as sharp as a tack. Heck, going from crosswords to crime investigations isn't such a stretch.
-
-
Fun and entertaining
- By Beatrice on 12-06-20
Critic reviews
Related to this topic
-
The Ghost and Mrs. McClure
- The Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Cleo Coyle
- Narrated by: Caroline Shaffer, Traber Burns
- Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Young widow Penelope Thornton-McClure and her old Aunt Sadie are making ends meet by managing a mystery book shop - a quaint Rhode Island landmark rumored to be haunted. Pen may not believe in ghosts, but she does believe in good publicity - like nabbing Timothy Brennan for a book signing. But soon after the bestselling thriller writer reveals a secret about the store's link to a 1940s murder, he keels over dead - and right in the middle of the store's new community events space. Who gives Mrs. McClure the first clue that it was murder?
-
-
Creative take of a ghost detective
- By Victoria J. Mejia-Gewe on 12-05-18
By: Cleo Coyle
-
Hooked on Murder
- Crochet Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Betty Hechtman
- Narrated by: Margaret Strom
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When bookstore event coordinator Molly Pink stumbles across the dead body of a crochet group's leader, her complicated past with the woman makes her a prime suspect. But while Molly's fending off a detective with a personal grudge and navigating the pitfalls of crochet group politics, the real killer remains at large. And it's up to her to catch the culprit - before she winds up in a tight knot....
-
-
Good Book, Clean content for the most part.
- By Kryst on 11-04-16
By: Betty Hechtman
-
The Gun Also Rises
- A Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery
- By: Sherry Harris
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A wealthy widow has asked Sarah Winston to sell her massive collection of mysteries through her garage-sale business. While sorting through piles of books stashed in the woman's attic, Sarah is amazed to discover a case of lost Hemingway stories, stolen from a train in Paris back in 1922. How did they end up in Belle Winthrop Granville's attic in Ellington, Massachusetts, almost 100 years later? Before Sarah can get any answers, Belle is assaulted, the case is stolen, a maid is killed, and Sarah herself is dodging bullets.
-
-
Doesn't disappoint!
- By ConawayMom on 04-09-21
By: Sherry Harris
-
If Walls Could Talk
- Haunted Home Renovation, Book 1
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line. At her newest project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by nailing the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man - and not end up a construction casualty herself....
-
-
A Nice Change
- By Carole T. on 06-15-15
By: Juliet Blackwell
-
Down Home Murder
- Laura Fleming, Book 1
- By: Toni L. P. Kelner
- Narrated by: Gayle Hendrix
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a tragic family accident brings Laura Fleming back home to Byerly, North Carolina, the sleuth discovers that her beloved grampaw's fatal fall from a ladder in the old mill was not an accident.
-
-
ATROCIOUS!!
- By Reza on 03-18-14
-
Better Than Chocolate
- By: Sheila Roberts
- Narrated by: Gayle Hendrix
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank - and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it? After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes.
-
-
No consent!
- By R. Hernandez on 10-01-19
By: Sheila Roberts
-
The Ghost and Mrs. McClure
- The Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Cleo Coyle
- Narrated by: Caroline Shaffer, Traber Burns
- Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Young widow Penelope Thornton-McClure and her old Aunt Sadie are making ends meet by managing a mystery book shop - a quaint Rhode Island landmark rumored to be haunted. Pen may not believe in ghosts, but she does believe in good publicity - like nabbing Timothy Brennan for a book signing. But soon after the bestselling thriller writer reveals a secret about the store's link to a 1940s murder, he keels over dead - and right in the middle of the store's new community events space. Who gives Mrs. McClure the first clue that it was murder?
-
-
Creative take of a ghost detective
- By Victoria J. Mejia-Gewe on 12-05-18
By: Cleo Coyle
-
Hooked on Murder
- Crochet Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Betty Hechtman
- Narrated by: Margaret Strom
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When bookstore event coordinator Molly Pink stumbles across the dead body of a crochet group's leader, her complicated past with the woman makes her a prime suspect. But while Molly's fending off a detective with a personal grudge and navigating the pitfalls of crochet group politics, the real killer remains at large. And it's up to her to catch the culprit - before she winds up in a tight knot....
-
-
Good Book, Clean content for the most part.
- By Kryst on 11-04-16
By: Betty Hechtman
-
The Gun Also Rises
- A Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery
- By: Sherry Harris
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A wealthy widow has asked Sarah Winston to sell her massive collection of mysteries through her garage-sale business. While sorting through piles of books stashed in the woman's attic, Sarah is amazed to discover a case of lost Hemingway stories, stolen from a train in Paris back in 1922. How did they end up in Belle Winthrop Granville's attic in Ellington, Massachusetts, almost 100 years later? Before Sarah can get any answers, Belle is assaulted, the case is stolen, a maid is killed, and Sarah herself is dodging bullets.
-
-
Doesn't disappoint!
- By ConawayMom on 04-09-21
By: Sherry Harris
-
If Walls Could Talk
- Haunted Home Renovation, Book 1
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line. At her newest project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by nailing the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man - and not end up a construction casualty herself....
-
-
A Nice Change
- By Carole T. on 06-15-15
By: Juliet Blackwell
-
Down Home Murder
- Laura Fleming, Book 1
- By: Toni L. P. Kelner
- Narrated by: Gayle Hendrix
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a tragic family accident brings Laura Fleming back home to Byerly, North Carolina, the sleuth discovers that her beloved grampaw's fatal fall from a ladder in the old mill was not an accident.
-
-
ATROCIOUS!!
- By Reza on 03-18-14
-
Better Than Chocolate
- By: Sheila Roberts
- Narrated by: Gayle Hendrix
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank - and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it? After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes.
-
-
No consent!
- By R. Hernandez on 10-01-19
By: Sheila Roberts
-
Secondhand Spirits
- A Witchcraft Mystery, Book 1
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lily Ivory hopes for a normal life when she opens Aunt Cora's Closet. With her magical knack for vintage fashion - she can sense vibrations of the past from clothing and jewelry - her store becomes a big hit. But when a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area, Lily may be the only one who can unravel the crime.
-
-
Needs a different narrator
- By A on 10-15-12
By: Juliet Blackwell
-
Death in a Budapest Butterfly
- By: Julia Buckley
- Narrated by: Laura Jennings
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hana Keller and her family run Maggie's Tea House, an establishment heavily influenced by the family's Hungarian heritage and specializing in a European-style traditional tea service. But one of the shop's largest draws is Hana's eccentric grandmother, Juliana, renowned for her ability to read the future in the leaves at the bottom of customers' cups. Lately, however, her readings have become alarmingly ominous and seemingly related to old Hungarian legends.... When a guest is poisoned at a tea event, Juliana’s dire predictions appear to have come true.
-
-
GREAT READ WITH A UNIQUE SETTING
- By Debbie Lacey on 09-10-19
By: Julia Buckley
-
Twisted Fate
- By: Traci Hunter Abramson, Stephanie Black, Gregg Luke
- Narrated by: Luone Ingram, Jason Tatom, Kymberly Mellen
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Prepare for thrills and chills as three acclaimed authors unite in Twisted Fate, a spine-tingling collection of stories: Hunted by Traci Hunter Abramson; Death House by Gregg Luke; and Haunting Reminders by Stephanie Black.
-
-
I was looking for clean thriller. This was beyond juvenile.
- By tara davis on 10-17-22
By: Traci Hunter Abramson, and others
-
Homicide in Hardcover
- A Bibliophile Mystery
- By: Kate Carlisle
- Narrated by: Eileen Stevens
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The streets of San Francisco would be lined with hardcovers if rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright had her way. And her mentor wouldn't be lying in a pool of his own blood on the eve of a celebration for his latest book restoration. With his final breath he leaves Brooklyn a cryptic message, and gives her a priceless - and supposedly cursed - copy of Goethe's Faust for safekeeping.
-
-
NICE TYPICAL COZY mystery
- By CarmelaC on 02-06-17
By: Kate Carlisle
-
Tagged for Death
- A Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery
- By: Sherry Harris
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Starting your life over at age 38 isn't easy, but that's what Sarah Winston finds herself facing when her husband CJ runs off with a 19-year-old temptress named Tiffany. Sarah's self-prescribed therapy happily involves hitting all the garage and tag sales in and around her small town in Massachusetts. But after returning from a particularly successful day searching for yard-sale treasures, Sarah finds a grisly surprise in one of her bags: a freshly bloodied shirt...that undoubtedly belongs to her ex, CJ, who now happens to be Ellington's chief of police. And Tiffany has gone missing.
-
-
frustrating book
- By Anonymous User on 01-08-23
By: Sherry Harris
-
Cat About Town
- Cat Cafe Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Cate Conte
- Narrated by: Amy Melissa Bentley
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maddie James has arrived in Daybreak Island, just off the coast of Massachusetts, eager to settle down and start her own business - and maybe even fall in love. When a stray orange tabby pounces into her life, she's inspired to open a cat cafe. But little does Maddie know that she's in for something a lot more catastrophic when her new furry companion finds the dead body of the town bully. Now all eyes are on Maddie: Who is this crazy cat-whisperer lady who's come to town?
-
-
For once, I prefer to listen to the voices in my head
- By Ann Mi on 01-16-20
By: Cate Conte
-
By Book or by Crook
- Lighthouse Library Mystery Series # 1
- By: Eva Gates
- Narrated by: Elise Arsenault
- Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 10 years Lucy has enjoyed her job poring over rare tomes of literature for the Harvard Library, but she has not enjoyed the demands of her family's social whorl or her sort-of engagement to the staid son of her father's law partner. But when her 10-year relationship implodes, Lucy realizes that the plot of her life is in need of a serious rewrite.
-
-
A fun cozy with unfortunately bad narration
- By JJ on 01-14-16
By: Eva Gates
-
Secrets and Stilettos
- Murder in Style, Book 1
- By: Gina LaManna
- Narrated by: Kelsey Navarro Foster
- Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jenna McGovern’s strappy shoes and sundresses are not going to cut it when she makes the move from Hollywood Hills to Blueberry Lake, Minnesota in the stone-cold dead of winter. A former stylist to the stars, Jenna’s determined to bring the latest red-carpet fashions back to the Midwest in an effort to revive her mother’s floundering thrift shop. But when a difficult client is found dead hours after visiting the store from a high heel to the throat, she becomes the chief of police’s number-one suspect.
-
-
Cute. Easy Listening.
- By nichole egan on 02-03-21
By: Gina LaManna
-
A Skeleton in the Family
- Family Skeleton Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Leigh Perry
- Narrated by: Katina Kalin
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moving back into her parents’ house with her teenage daughter had not been Georgia Thackery’s “Plan A”. But when she got a job at the local college, it seemed the sensible thing to do. So she settled in and began reconnecting with old friends. Including Sid. Sid is the Thackery family’s skeleton. He’s lived in the house as long as Georgia can remember, although no one, including Sid, knows exactly where he came from and how he came to be a skeleton.
-
-
Did
- By springfield40 on 07-10-24
By: Leigh Perry
-
Under the Midnight Sun
- A Novel
- By: Keigo Higashino, Alexander O. Smith - translator, Joseph Reeder
- Narrated by: David Shih
- Length: 19 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Osaka in 1973, the body of a murdered man is found in an abandoned building. Investigating the crime, Detective Sasagaki is unable to find the killer. Over the next 20 years, through the lens of a succession of characters, Higashino tells the story of two teens, Ryo and Yukiho, whose lives are most affected by the crime, and the obsessed detective, Sasagaki, who continues to investigate the murder, looking for the elusive truth.
-
-
So many subplots and twists
- By Janani Vasudevan on 07-03-20
By: Keigo Higashino, and others
-
Brownies and Broomsticks
- A Magical Bakery Mystery, Book 1
- By: Bailey Cates
- Narrated by: Johanna Parker
- Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Katie Lightfoot's tired of loafing around as the assistant manager of an Ohio bakery. So when her aunt Lucy and uncle Ben open a bakery in Savannah's quaint downtown district and ask Katie to join them, she enthusiastically agrees. While working at the Honeybee Bakery - named after Lucy's cat - Katie notices that her aunt is adding mysterious herbs to her recipes. Turns out these herbal enhancements aren't just tasty - Aunt Lucy is a witch and her recipes are actually spells!
-
-
A Little Mystery with your Magic
- By Kathryn on 03-28-13
By: Bailey Cates
-
Serious Moonlight
- By: Jenn Bennett
- Narrated by: Devon Sorvari
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she's cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel. In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide.
-
-
Great characters wrapped in a mystery inside a romance
- By cheryl anderson on 07-11-19
By: Jenn Bennett