Showing results by author "Christa Nardi" in All Categories

What begins as a blissful ladies’ spa day meant for rest and renewal turns deadly when a striking young model is found murdered in the parking lot. Amateur sleuth Stacie Maroni is the one who discovers the body, notifies the police, and studies the woman and her jewelry. A bit obsessive about things matching, Stacie wonders at the silver earring mixed with everything else gold. Little does she know someone nearby is filming her.

Only, asking questions can be hazardous to her health. The closer she gets to finding the truth, the more her own life might be in danger. Sheridan’s self-defense classes are put to good use as she eliminates suspects. But her involvement strains her increasingly serious relationship with Detective Brett McMann. Are some secrets better left untold? Join Sheridan and her friends as they search to prove Zoe’s innocence and identify the killer, who is determined to stop them.

Hannah and Tamar are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving break with their grandparents. On the long ride to Vermont, the sisters are quick to offer assistance when a fellow passenger - a girl in her late teens - is hassled by a rough-looking young man. Grateful as she may be for their help, Gwen is in no hurry to make friends, not even as she thrusts a mysterious package into Tamar’s hand and disappears in the Rutland train station. Puzzled by her behavior, Hannah and Tamar set out to locate Gwen and unravel the secret of the mysterious package.

Another murder in small town Cold Creek has tensions rising. Clive Johnson, the groundskeeper at Cold Creek College, is a convenient scapegoat for a police chief when he has the bad luck of finding the body. Although Clive helps the students on scholarship and claims innocence, he’s not helping himself. Convinced Chief Barney Pfeiffe has it all wrong, Sheridan Hendley sets out to help prove Clive's innocence. Her curiosity and questions place her in danger.

A dead colleague isn't the best way to start a semester, or a romance. Although Sheridan Hendley is not a sleuth, when her colleague is murdered, she assists the detective in gathering information.

Solving a murder wasn't on the wedding planner's checklist. With so many changes in her life, sleuthing is the last thing on the mind of Cold Creek College’s amateur sleuth, Sheridan Hendley. The morning run with Brett and his teen-aged daughter, Maddie, comes to a halt when the miniature Sheltie, Charlie, finds a dead body. Unfortunately, the victim was the manager of Hidden Oaks, a picturesque wedding venue and the precise location the teen wedding planner suggested for the upcoming nuptials. When Sheridan visits Hidden Oaks, she senses there is more underfoot than meets the eye.

The Dickens script did not include the dead body on the stage. When a student at Cold Creek College is arrested for the crime, Professor Sheridan Hendley is cast in the role of amateur sleuth. Only the student is Marty’s nephew and the detective on the case is Brett. Tensions run high, friendships are strained, and the college administration is beginning to panic.

A small town, a murder, a fraternity, and a tangled web of people, politics, and lies. When Senator Marcus Thornton is killed at an engagement party in his hometown, amateur sleuth Sheridan Hendley is drawn into the investigation alongside her detective husband. With a reputation for flip-flopping on political issues, Thornton's death sparks suspicion. Broken promises and hidden agendas lead to dangerous undercurrents. As Sheridan delves deeper into the case, she uncovers a network of social connections and a history of infidelity that may have played a role in Thornton’s murder.

A simple request opens up a savory mystery. Hannah never imagined her high-school service project with the elderly would draw her into another mystery. Mrs. Tedesco, a lonely widow who loves to bake, has just one request - that the teen retrieve her cookbook from her old house. Easier said than done. The house has been ransacked and the coveted cookbook is nowhere to be found. But the teens aren’t the only ones seeking the cookbook’s hidden treasures, and the other side is playing for keeps.

When a former colleague is implicated in his neighbor’s demise, Sheridan Hendley returns to Cold Creek to prove his innocence. Annoying as Max can be, she can’t imagine the quirky professor is capable of murder. Unfortunately, not everyone shares her opinion. Of course, it doesn’t help that Max threatened his neighbor in a public place soon before the man was murdered. Or that the victim’s drug shipments had a habit of turning up on Max’s doorstep. Only as Sheridan asks more questions, she again puts a target on her back.

Sheridan Hendley’s volunteer position at Pets and Paws takes a new turn when more than 20 malnourished dogs are found at a run-down house on the outskirts of town. When the body of an elderly woman is found amid mountains of clutter in the house, a search of the property leads to startling revelations. And another body.

Sheridan Hendley is starting her new life as wife and step-mom, but is not employed, and has too much time on her hands. That is, until her step-daughter and friend are framed for theft and murder. Sheridan discovers the powerful family in her small town. Only she asks too many questions, and now is a target.

Known for his immense wealth and his impact on private healthcare services, Carson J. Keltce’s murder had ripple effects from the small town of Blanton to Baltimore and beyond. Izzie Di Sante, a restaurant owner with a passion for investigative reporting, is pulled into the investigation when her best friend calls sobbing. Nicole was living with CJ and the police have her pegged as a person of interest. The police question Nicole's involvement, given the strained relationships CJ had with his family and the secrecy surrounding his personal life.

Social media, smoke bombs, and a secret society. When a popular jock senses something’s up with his younger sister, he turns to local teen sleuths, Hannah and Tamar, for help. At the same time, a rash of smoke bombs attacks across Rosedale has the community on edge. Are these events connected and could someone at Rosedale High be involved? Join Hannah and Tamar as they uncover malicious mischief and forge new friendships in this mystery for teens and young adults.

A dark cloud hangs over baseball season in small town Rosedale when star pitcher Randy Kampton is taken out of the game for good. The DA is determined to pin the crime on Cole Rigley, a friend's brother and fellow pitcher, citing the fierce competition for a major league trade as his motive for murder. Rigley's brother, asks Henry and reluctant restaurant owner Izzie Di Sante to help prove his innocence. Adding fuel to the fire, Kampton stole Rigley’s girlfriend months earlier.

Dinner, dancing, dogs, and murder. A festive fundraiser to help the dog rescue turns sinister when somebody salts the tempting spread with something toxic. Food poisoning used to mask a murder, Sheridan agrees to help the victim’s daughter find the killer. As Sheridan and Rachel investigate the prominent accountant’s records, a possible motive emerges and the game is on – with a happy ending for all, except the killer. Join Sheridan and her family and friends for this holiday cozy mystery novella with a dose of holiday cheer and a favorite biscotti recipe.

Love is in the air on what should have been the perfect day for a wedding, until someone offs the wedding planner.

Attempts to get Stacie in the holiday spirit fall flat when Santa’s elf finds herself in a shooter’s crosshairs. With another shooting, initial theories go up in smoke and the search is on for the true motive. Stacie avoids her own stressors following up on the shooting and murder. Faced with relationship turmoil and a killer on the loose, Stacie embraces her "bah humbug" perspective as she seeks to identify the culprit.

When Donald Woodlawn, an investment advisor from Lynchburg, is shot dead in their quiet town, Sheridan Hendley can’t help but wonder why. As the secrets of his questionable financial dealings with investment clients unravel, she discovers that a dangerous combination of gambling debts and alcohol drove him to target rich and powerful men.

A divorce decree is made null and void by murder. Stacie Maroni, HR specialist and trauma counselor, isn't prepared for the murder of her estranged husband. His death and custody of their Maltese, Jasper, barely sink in and someone is after her. Her in-laws and her husband’s law firm strive to keep up the pretense that all is above reproach and idyllic. As she goes through her husband’s effects, Stacie discovers possible motives for his murder. Unfortunately, neither she nor the police know why someone is after her.