Lee Hollis – författare

A bowl of chowder is a Maine food writer’s last meal in this “delicious and satisfying” mystery (Carolyn Hart, New York Times-bestselling author of the Death on Demand series).   Single mom Hayley Powell is barely keeping her leaking roof over her head in Bar Harbor, Maine, when her boss at the Island Times gives her a new assignment—taking over the paper’s food column. Hayley’s not sure she has the chops—she’s an office manager, not a writer, even if her friends clamor for her mouth-watering potluck dishes. But the extra income is tempting, and Hayley’s chatty first column is suddenly on everyone's menu—with one exception.   When rival food writer Karen Appelbaum is found dead facedown in a bowl of Hayley’s creamy clam chowder, all signs point to Hayley. To clear her name, she’ll have to enlist some help, including her BFFs, a perpetually pregnant lobster woman, and a glamorous real estate agent. As she whips up a list of suspects, Hayley discovers a juicy secret about the victim—and finds herself in a dangerous mix with a cold-blooded killer.  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!   “What a delicious debut mystery!” —Laura Levine, author of Death of a Gigolo   “I ate up in one sitting.” —Isis Crawford, author of A Catered Book Club Murder   “Sleuth Hayley Powell slides down as easily as one of her Lemon Drop Martinis (recipe included) and readers will be calling for a second round from author Lee Hollis.” —Leslie Meier, New York Times-bestselling author of Christmas Card Murder

Hayley’s serving home cooking to a country star—and solving a roadie’s murder—in this tasty mystery: “Snappy pace, fun characters, and a clever plot.” —Library Journal  Local food and drink writer Hayley Powell thinks she’s done solving murders in scenic Bar Harbor, Maine. But when a taste of the South comes to New England, Haley’s following another recipe for disaster . . .   As a single mom, Hayley Powell already has a full plate—she’s got deadlines to make and a teenage daughter with eyes for an aspiring singer-songwriter. But when country music superstar Wade Springer rolls into town, Hayley spies an irresistible side gig: personal chef to her all-American idol. After he tries her home cooking, Wade’s so impressed that he hires her on the spot—and invites her to dine with him alone.   Hayley and Wade are hitting all the right notes . . . until a body turns up. Wade’s tour bus was torched overnight and a roadie named Mickey Pritchett came out well-done. But the real cause of death isn’t barbecue: Mickey was shot, his mouth stuffed with one of Hayley’s trademark chicken legs. An ornery drunk, Mickey had already made plenty of enemies in town, but Wade’s reputation is on the rocks. Hayley reckons it’s up to her to settle this mess—a charbroiled mystery with all the fixin’s.  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley's kitchen!  Praise for Death of a Kitchen Diva   “Delicious and satisfying. Another course, please.” —Carolyn Hart   “Readers will be calling for a second round from author Lee Hollis.” —Leslie Meier, author of Chocolate Covered Murder

In between hunting for bargains, she’s hunting for a killer . . . “This funny and quick-paced series keeps getting better.” —RT Book Reviews   Hayley Powell, food and cocktails columnist for Bar Harbor’s Island Times, is . . . well, kind of broke. So when she’s selected for that extreme coupon-clipping reality game show coming to town, she’s thrilled—especially when her competition is nasty nurse Candace Culpepper. But when Haley stumbles across a face-down-in-the-snow Candace—scissors gleaming between her shoulders—she knows the next thing she’ll be selected for will probably be a police line-up.   Meanwhile, though Hayley’s BFF Mona was only joking about “taking Candace out,” Bruce Linney, the Island Times crime reporter, definitely isn’t laughing. And what about the smarmy, cold-hearted host of the show, Drew Nickerson, who may have been having a steamy affair with the intentionally iced nurse? Hayley needs to cut to the chase and find the killer. Everything may hinge on a stray coupon, but Hayley better keep her eyes on the real grand prize: staying out of permanent cold storage!  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!  Praise for Death of a Kitchen Diva   “Delicious and satisfying. Another course, please.” —Carolyn Hart   “Readers will be calling for a second round from author Lee Hollis.” —Leslie Meier, New York Times–bestselling author of Chocolate Covered Murder

Food writer Hayley Powell isn’t looking for love this Valentine’s Day. But then she didn’t plan to look for a murderer either . . . “This series truly shine[s].” —RT Book Reviews   Fed up with dating after a disastrous setup, the only thing Hayley wants to snuggle up to is a box of made-to-order chocolates from plus-sized, plus-mouthed chocolatier Bessie Winthrop. But when Bessie is found dead in her kitchen, only Hayley suspects that Bessie's “heart attack” might actually be a candy-coated murder.   Turns out Bessie had more enemies than a boxful of chocolates, each one a suspicious flavor. It’s sticky business juggling a job and two teenagers while finding a killer, but it’s better than letting a killer find Hayley first . . .  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!  Praise for Death of a Country Fried Redneck   “Snappy pace, fun characters, and a clever plot. A tasty entrée for the culinary cozy crowd.” —Library Journal

Who better than food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell to book a caterer for the Island Times holiday party? But Hayley''s quest for a cook turns into the pursuit of a killer who caters to no one. . .Office Christmas parties can sometimes mean career suicide--but they rarely lead to murder. Hayley thought Garth Rawlings would be the perfect caterer for this year''s bash, but when the gourmet sees her budget, he goes galloping. Unfortunately his run is short-lived. Garth is found dead on the floor of his kitchen, with his delectable creations burning in the oven. Faced with a spread of suspects, Hayley is determined to discover who would want to take out the Christmas caterer, because--no matter what the season--justice must be served. . .Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley''s kitchen!Praise for Death of a Coupon Clipper"Hayley is a likable heroine that readers will cheer for as she manages to save the day and pay her bills." --Parkersburg News and Sentinel

The food and cocktails columnist at a local paper in Maine attends a lot of events—but her high school reunion will be murder . . .   On the eve of her high school reunion, Hayley Powell dreads seeing the trio of mean girls who used to torment her: Sabrina Merryweather, Nykki Temple, and former prom queen Ivy Foster. These days Ivy wears a different crown as the cupcake queen—and flaunting her success is just the icing on the cake.   But maybe the prom queen should have been voted Most Likely to Die. At the reunion, Ivy is found murdered, cupcakes scattered around her. Is a killer out to teach the mean girls a lesson? As Hayley tries to get the scoop, she’ll have to be careful . . . or someone may be writing this columnist’s obituary next.  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!   “This funny and quick-paced series keeps getting better.” —RT Book Reviews

Becoming a local culinary celebrity in Bar Harbor, Maine, opens lots of doors—but behind one of them, a killer is lurking . . . Includes recipes!   When food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell is invited to do a cooking demo on one of daytime’s most popular talk shows, it’s a welcome distraction from her empty nest blues. And the newfound fame certainly has its perks—especially when Olivia Redmond, the posh bacon heiress of Redmond Meats, offers Hayley a writing gig with a juicy paycheck.   But Hayley’s good fortune fizzles fast. The heiress is found dead with her pet pot-bellied pig, Pork Chop, squealing bloody murder beside her body, and clogged arteries aren’t to blame. It turns out Olivia’s inherited a wealth of enemies over the years, and as Hayley trims the fat off a mounting list of suspects, it’s clear that being rich and hot-tempered can be a recipe for disaster . . .  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley's kitchen! “[A] funny and quick-paced series.” —RT Book Reviews

A sleuthing food writer must cope with a visit from her ex-husband—and it gets even worse when he becomes a suspect in a homicide . . .  For Hayley Powell, food and cocktails columnist for the Island Times, Halloween is all about costumes and holiday treats—until a killer crashes the party . . .   This Halloween, Hayley can’t imagine a worse trick than her ex-husband Danny returning to Bar Harbor. Her kids may be happy to see their dad, but Hayley’s determined not to be taken in by his charms, and suspects he’s in financial trouble—again.   Still, the haunted holiday is about to get a whole lot scarier after Danny’s moonshine-making uncle is found lying dead next to a tombstone in a cemetery—and Danny quickly becomes the prime suspect. To prove her ex is innocent, Hayley will have to dig deep into her own bag of tricks to unmask the real culprit…before anyone else—including her—ends up in the graveyard . . .  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!  Praise for Death of aCupcake Queen   “The real treat is the author’s skill at writing witty, light-hearted humor, which makes this series truly shine.” —RT Book Reviews

In a Maine fishing village, she’s tailing a killer . . . “This funny and quick-paced series keeps getting better.” —RT Book Reviews  Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell is off on a girls’ getaway with her two best friends. But soon they’ll have to get away from a killer . . .   The quaint fishing village of Salmon Cove, Maine, seems like the ideal location for a girls’ weekend with Hayley’s gal pals, Liddy and Mona. Liddy’s on the rebound from a breakup, but when she meets a handsome tourist, it looks like a little romance might liven things up.   Unfortunately, Liddy’s new sweetheart is found dead on the beach the next morning at the town’s Lobster Bake, next to an overturned cooking pot. The liberated lobsters may be scrambling back to the sea, but Hayley’s not about to let a murderer escape so easily. To crack the case, she’ll need to blow the lid off some serious undercover activity—or risk becoming ensnared in a killer’s trap . . .  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!  Praise for Death of aBacon Heiress   “[A] fun mystery that will have readers enraptured.” —Kings River Life magazine

With the fireplace crackling, the tree twinkling, and the carols humming, few things in life are as picture perfect as Christmas in Maine—until murder dampens the holiday spirit. It must be something in the eggnog . . .   EGGNOG MURDER by LESLIE MEIER When a gift-wrapped bottle of eggnog—allegedly from the Real Beard Santa Club—proves to be a killer concoction for a Tinker’s Cove local, all Lucy Stone wants for Christmas is to find the murdering mixologist who’s stirring up trouble.   DEATH BY EGGNOG by LEE HOLLIS Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell has never cared much for Bar Harbor’s grouchy town librarian, Agatha Farnsworth. But after the Scroogy senior has a fatal—and suspicious—allergic reaction to supposedly non-dairy eggnog, it’s up to Hayley to ladle out some justice.   NOGGED OFF by BARBARA ROSS Julia Snowden’s tenant Imogen Geinkes seems to be jinxed. First, her poorly named “Killer Eggnog” gives all her co-workers food poisoning at the holiday party, then her boyfriend’s body shows up in Julia’s moving truck as she’s headed back to Busman’s Harbor. Now Julia has to get moving to catch the cold-hearted culprit.   Cozy up with a glass of eggnog and enjoy the spirit of murder and mystery in a Yuletide treat perfect for those winter holidays . . .

At a celebrity cook-off in Maine, murder is spoiling everyone’s appetite . . . “This funny and quick-paced series keeps getting better.” —RT Book Reviews  Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell will be cooking alongside top chefs at a cookbook author's party. But a killer plans to ruin her appetite . . .   When Hayley Powell’s idol, cookbook author and TV personality Penelope Janice, invites her to participate in a Fourth of July celebrity cook-off at her seaside estate in Seal Harbor, Maine, Hayley couldn’t be more flattered. She just hopes she can measure up. With a who’s who of famous chefs whipping up their signature dishes, this holiday weekend has all the ingredients for a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience.   Instead, Hayley gets food poisoning her first night and thinks she overhears two people cooking up a murder plot. The next morning, a body is found at the bottom of a cliff. Tragic accident or foul play? To solve a real cliffhanger, Hayley will need to uncover some simmering secrets—before a killer boils over again . . .  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!  Praise for Death of a Pumpkin Carver   “Well-written . . . the story will keep any reader’s attention. After reading just one and meeting these hysterical characters there is no doubt that you’ll go back.” —Suspense Magazine

For Matron of Honor Hayley Powell, catching a half-baked poisoner before her friend''s wedding will be icing on the cake . . .  Liddy Crawford, best friend of food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell, is getting married. The wedding is the talk of the town in Bar Harbor, Maine, including snide gossip about the age gap between the bride and her groom, local lawyer Sonny Lipton. But the cruelty of the comments is nothing compared to the nasty wedding cake baker, Liddy''s quarrelsome cousin Lisa. So when the belligerent baker is found facedown in a three-tier cake, the victim of a poisoned slice, there are more suspects in town than names on the guest list. With Sonny getting cold feet, Liddy getting hot under the frilly collar of her wedding gown, and a killer possibly crashing the ceremony, Hayley vows to solve the crime before her best friend walks down the aisle . . . Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!

Lee Hollis begins a delightful new series in which Poppy Harmon and her friends find that life after retirement can be much busier—and deadlier—than any of them ever anticipated . . .   When Poppy goes from complacent retiree to penniless widow in a matter of weeks, the idea of spending her golden years as the biggest charity case in Palm Springs renders her speechless. With no real skills and nothing left to lose, Poppy uses her obsession with true crime shows to start a career as a private eye . . . But after opening the Desert Flowers Detective Agency with help from her two best friends, Violet and Iris, Poppy realizes that age brings wisdom, not business—until she convinces her daughter''s handsome boyfriend, Matt, to pose as the face of the agency. It’s not long before Matt’s irresistible act snags a client desperate to retrieve priceless jewelry burglarized from an aging actress at the Palm Leaf Retirement Village. Or before Poppy stumbles upon the bloodied body of the victim’s arch rival . . . In a flash, Poppy’s innocent detective gig is upstaged by a dangerous murder investigation riddled with slimy suspects and unspeakable scandal. As she and her team uncover the truth, Poppy must confront the secrets about her late husband’s past and swiftly catch a killer lurking around the retirement community—even if it means turning her world upside down all over again.

For retiree-turned-PI Poppy Harmon, spending her golden years running the Desert Flowers Detective Agency is far from the glamorous life she once knew. But becoming ensnared in two twisted Palm Springs crimes might be her worst look yet . . .   If Poppy didn't believe she was in too deep as the only female juror in a high-profile assault case involving an infamously hot-tempered crooner, she’s sure of it upon meeting blast-from-her-past Rod Harper. A former TV co-star from her short-lived acting days, Rod is as dashing as ever, and now he wants to partner again—this time to locate his missing daughter . . .   Returning a pampered songstress with a penchant for running away back home unscathed shouldn’t be too challenging. But dodging Rod’s charms while on the job is another story—and so is finding a dead body! When Poppy discovers a fellow juror face down in a swimming pool, she and the Desert Flowers Agency must outsmart a ruthless killer who will do anything to keep hideous secrets hidden away . . .

Fresh-baked desserts can warm even the frostiest Christmas in coastal Maine. But there’s little room for holiday cheer when murder is the new seasonal tradition . . . YULE LOG MURDER by LESLIE MEIER Lucy Stone is thrilled to be cast as an extra in a festive period film—until the set becomes a murder scene. Returning to her role as sleuth, Lucy dashes to restore peace to Tinker’s Cove, unwrap a cold-hearted criminal’s MO—and reveal how one ornate Yule log cake could possibly cause so much drama. DEATH BY YULE LOG by LEE HOLLIS Hayley Powell’s holidays aren’t off to a very merry start. Not only has her daughter brought Conner—an infuriatingly perfect new beau—home to Bar Harbor, but a local troublemaker has been found dead with traces of Hayley’s signature Yule log cake on his body. . . . And Conner is the prime murder suspect.  LOGGED ON by BARBARA ROSS Julia Snowden can’t make a decent Bûche de Noël to save her life, so she enlists the help of her eccentric neighbor, Mrs. St. Onge, in hopes of mastering the dessert for Christmas. But with everyone in the older woman’s circle missing or deceased, it’s up to Julia to stop the deadly tidings before she’s the next Busman’s Harbor resident to meet a not-so-jolly fate.

Someone is trying to turn Portland High into a school for scandal with a gossipy website called Dirty Laundry. The latest target of ruinous rumors is newly elected PTA president Sandra Wallage. After a heated meeting with outraged parents, Sandra runs into fellow school mom and private investigator Maya Kendrick, who's discovered the person behind the website. But when the women storm into the venomous gossip columnist’s office they find a lifeless body—along with a confession.   Although the police rule the death a suicide, Maya suspects an injured party hung the Dirty Laundry creator out to dry. Maya already has a PI partner—but she's pregnant, and sonograms and stakeouts tend to conflict. So when Sandra volunteers for a crash course in sleuthing, Maya accepts the help. But as these unlikely partners study the clues, a killer plans to teach them a lesson . . .   Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com 

Tricks and treats keep the Halloween spirit alive in coastal Maine. But this year the haunted house theme is getting carried a little too far . . . HAUNTED HOUSE MURDER by LESLIE MEIER Newcomers to Tinker’s Cove, Ty and Heather Moon have moved into a dilapidated house reputed to be a haven for ghosts. Now strange noises and flickering lights erupt from the house at all hours and neighborly relations are on edge. And when a local boy goes missing near the house, it’s up to Lucy Stone to unravel the mystery of the eccentric couple and their increasingly frightful behavior.  DEATH BY HAUNTED HOUSE by LEE HOLLIS For the past two years, the house next door to Hayley Powell has sat abandoned after the owner died under mysterious circumstances. The Salinger family has recently taken possession of the property, but the realtor behind the deal has vanished—after a very public and angry argument with Damien Salinger. If Bar Harbor’s newest neighbors are murderers, Hayley will haunt them until they confess.  HALLOWED OUT by BARBARA ROSS With its history of hauntings and ghost sightings, Busman’s Harbor is the perfect setting for Halloween festivities. But when a reenactment of a Prohibition-era gangster’s murder ends with a literal bang and a dead actor from New Jersey, Julia Snowden must identify a killer before she ends up sleeping with the fishes.  PRAISE FOR HAUNTED HOUSE MURDER “Haunted houses, a holiday staple, are an especially good fit for the authors’ folksy Down East setting. All three tales offer a dash of detection, but their strong suit is hometown charm.”—Kirkus Reviews “Enjoyable. . . . The well-drawn main characters, not the spooky goings-on, are the main attraction. Cozy fans are in for a Halloween treat.”—Publishers Weekly

It may not be front page news, but Island Times food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell is now happily married. Before she can set sail on her honeymoon cruise, however, Hayley's mom, Sheila, pays an impromptu visit—and promptly becomes the prime suspect in a murder.   The victim is Sheila's old high school rival, Caskie Lemon-Hogg, known for her homemade blueberry pies and her home-wrecking flirtations. As Hayley teams up with her BFFs Liddy and Mona to clear her mother's name, Sheila reunites with Liddy's mom Celeste and Mona's mom Jane for their own amateur sleuthing. The race is on between the moms and the daughters to find out who served this blueberry tart her just desserts . . .  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!

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!

The charming coastal town of Bar Harbor, Maine, has a fancy new Italian restaurant—and a nasty new murder . . .   As the food and cocktails columnist for the Island Times, it’s Hayley Powell’s job to stay on top of the latest eateries in town. Just in time for the summer tourist season, Chef Romeo, a successful restaurateur from New York City, has opened an establishment called—naturally—Romeo’s. But between his over-the-top temperament and his no-holds-barred diet, Chef Romeo may not live through the grand opening.   When the chef actually does suffer a mild heart attack, he ends up sharing a hospital room with Hayley’s brother Randy, who’s there for gall bladder surgery. Chef Romeo has tasted Hayley’s cooking and asks her to take over his restaurant while he’s laid up. But this temporary gig may turn permanent, after the chef dies from complications. Only thing is, Randy tells a different story. He might have been sedated, but Hayley’s bro swears he saw someone come into their room and put Romeo out of his misery. Now it’s up to Hayley to find the person who had no reservations about killing the chef . . .  Includes delectable recipes from Hayley’s kitchen!