Mary Daheim – författare

Hillside Manor''s neighbors all adored proprietor Judith McMonigle Flynn''s festive suggestion to deck the halls and houses in their cul-de-sac with eye-catching Christmas finery -- except Enid Goodrich.The grumpy old humbug refused to cooperate.Then someone cooked her Christmas goose -- silencing Enid''s objections with a handy hatchet. Though Judith''s already got a lot under her tree -- what with holidy business booming and the anticipated unwanted arrival of hubby Joe''s soused ex-spouse -- she''s not about to let murder mess up what''s left of her seasonal spirit. With the help of irrepressible cousin Renie, Judith''s determined to wrap up this case for Christmas -- and expose the Scrooge-slayer who felt strongly that the only Goodrich is a Deadrich.

Bed-and-breakfast hostess Judith McMonigle Flynn isn''t exactly bellowing "Bravo!" over the news that obnoxious opera star Mario Pacetti and his entourage are coming to stay at the Hillside Manor. The world-class tenor is a renowned pain-in-the-neck—a bloated buffoon who could easily eat her out of house and home. So when the puffed-up, would-be Pavarotti inadvertently drinks poison and falls down dead on his tosca, accusing eyes turn to Judith and her amateur sleuthing partner, cousin Renie. Now it''s curtains unless the cousins can unmask the real culprit—before a killer''s final, fatal encore.

Fall has fallen upon Judith McMonigle Flynn, leaving her Hillside Manor nearly devoid of guests. And what better cure for the off-season blahs than a brief bout of B&B sifting for a friend amid the quiet rustic splendor of secluded Chavez Island? Judith and cousin Renie both are more than ready for some relaxation. But their peace goes to pieces when Renie conks an odious interloping blowhard on the noggin with a heavy china dish-and, moments later, the woozy lout takes a fatal tumble down an inconvenient staircase. Judith suspects that death by dinnerware was not the real cause of this fellow''s demise. But to prove her cantankerous cuz innocent, she''ll have to uncover the real killer from among the motley island crew. And that could pile a lot more nastiness on Judith''s plate than the harried bed-and-breakfast hostess can consume in one sitting!

While witches fly and ghosts go by on a Halloween weekend, a Hollywood cast and crew descend upon Hillside Manor. Judith McMonigle Flynn′s worst nightmare is realised when yet another guest, mega-producer Bruno Zepf, drowns in the kitchen sink. When is a murder not a murder, but an accident that could cost Judith her beloved B&B? The police are baffled, so Judith and cousin Renie try to find a killer - any killer will do - to fend off a five-star lawsuit.

The off-season blahs, a pyromaniacal mom, and a recently retired husband who is constantly underfoot have poor Judith McMonigle Flynn going stir crazy at Hillside Manor. So the harried R&B hostess leaps at cousin Renie''s suggestion that Judith accompany her to Creepers—the stately estate of kindly old Leota Burgess. The wealthy senior is certain that someone is determined to do her in for money—most likely one of her disreputable relatives—and Judith and Renie have agreed to look into her allegations. And when they stumble upon Leota''s bruised but still breathing body at the foot of the grand staircase, they realize the old lady''s fears may be well-founded. But the decidedly dead corpse lying on top of Leota—his head bashed flatter than the proverbial French pancake—suggests that there''s more to these homicidal doings than meets the eye. And now it''s up to the cousins to follow the clues to the creep who''s creeping around Creepers with murder on the mind.

Though they''d rather be boiled in oil, Judith McMonigle Flynn and her cantankerous cousin Renie have agreed to cater a seventy-fifth birthday bash for their batty old Uncle Boo Major, the billionaire breakfast mush magnate. Luckily their culinary obligations keep them busy in the kitchen of the sprawling Major manor and away from most of their contemptible kin -- until the septuagenarian birthday boy is discovered deceased behind his locked den door. Someone slew Uncle Boo...but who? A plethora of last wills popping up all over the place makes virtually everybody a suspect -- Judith and Renie included. And that''s forcing the cousins out on a limb, where they must attempt to pick the true culprit from among the many nuts on their twisted family tree.

Van Gogh-ing...going...gone!

Poor Judith McMonigle Flynn! All she wants is a much-needed break from the rigors of running Hillside Manor. But she and cousin Renie have barely set foot in their family''s backwoods vacation cottage...and already they''re having a brush with the local law. It appears someone has painted their neighbor, world-renowned artist Riley Tobias, permanently out of the picture. And the artful slayer has managed to frame luckless Judith for the crime! But the model amateur sleuth isn''t about to sit still for this , as she and her cuz canvas the countryside in search of a killer. Judith is certain the culprit can be found in the rogues'' gallery of oily agents, malicious mistresses, and crafty critics who inhabited the defunct da Vinci''s surrealistic world. But the cousins could be painting themselves into a dangerous corner with this unofficial investigation...and setting themselves up for another fatal art attack.Poor Judith McMonigle Flynn! All she wants is a much-needed break from the rigors of running Hillside Manor. But she and cousin Renie have barely set foot in their family''s backwoods vacation cottage...and already they''re having a brush with the local law. It appears someone has painted their neighbor, world-renowned artist Riley Tobias, permanently out of the picture. And the artful slayer has managed to frame luckless Judith for the crime! But the model amateur sleuth isn''t about to sit still for this, as she and her cuz canvas the countryside in search of a killer. Judith is certain the culprit can be found in the rogues'' gallery of oily agents, malicious mistresses, and crafty critics who inhabited the defunct da Vinci''s surrealistic world. But the cousins could be painting themselves into a dangerous corner with this unofficial investigation...and setting themselves up for another fatal art attack.Poor Judith McMonigle Flynn! All she wants is a much-needed break from the rigors of running Hillside Manor. But she and cousin Renie have barely set foot in their family''s backwoods vacation cottage...and already they''re having a brush with the local law. It appears someone has painted their neighbor, world-renowned artist Riley Tobias, permanently out of the picture. And the artful slayer has managed to frame luckless Judith for the crime! But the model amateur sleuth isn''t about to sit still for this, as she and her cuz canvas the countryside in search of a killer. Judith is certain the culprit can be found in the rogues'' gallery of oily agents, malicious mistresses, and crafty critics who inhabited the defunct da Vinci''s surrealistic world. But the cousins could be painting themselves into a dangerous corner with this unofficial investigation...and setting themselves up for another fatal art attack.

With major renovations going on at Seattle′s favourite B\′9126B, Mary Daheim moves Judith, Renie and the rest of the unforgettable clan to temporary lodgings at a casino resort. But when a magic show results in murder, Judith and Joe are on the job.

Mystery maven Mary Daheim serves up murder and mayhem in this tale of a vacation gone awry at the Stillasnowamish Resort Casino. After being forced out of the B\′9126B by post-fire renovations, Judith and Renie pack up the family and settle in for the duration. As if bickering from the two mothers wasn′t enough hassle, the group discovers Salome, the resort magician′s beautiful assistant they′d seen perform only hours earlier, dead from multiple stab wounds. While Judith can′t help but snoop around, her husband Joe is officially recruited to investigate by the casino manager. The chase is on as suspect after suspect emerges leaving Judith and Joe to answer the crucial, yet baffling question䶨o′s the real casino killer?

Gossip columnist Dagmar Delacroix Chatsworth and her yappy lapdog Rover''s recent stay at the Hillside manor left hostess Judith McMonigle Flynn''s nerves, and best bed linens, in tatters.So Judith joins cousin Renie for some well-earned off-season R&R at Canada''s famous Bugler Ski Resort -- only to discover with horror that the swanky getaway is the next stop on detestable Dagmar''s itinerary.But it seems the cousins aren''t the only guests with serious grudges against the dirt-disher and her malicious mutt. And when one of the despised lady''s entourage is murdered on the snowless slopes, Judith sets out to corner a killer -- before more hapless hangers-on discover that Dagner''s company can be even more poisonous than her pen.

A week of "mayhem-as-usual" at Hillside Manor kicks off with the arrival of a mysterious "Mr. Smith" and his floozie "Mrs." from New York City—and it accelerates into chaos when Mr. Smith himself kicks off, a victim of the foulest of plays. Hostess Judith McMonigle Flynn is shocked to learn that her now-defunct roomer was actually "Legs" Benedict—hit man for the notorious Ronzini Family—and that virtually every other guests at her B&B had good reason to want Legs broken. Judith''s policeman-hubby Joe is understandably peeved that homicide happened (again!) under his own roof. And when the FBI moves in—more interested in nabbing a Nazi nutcase than a malicious mobster murderer—the local cops clear out, leaving Judith, Joe and irrepressible cousin Renie to find out who whacked the wiseguy before the hits keep coming.

When the garishly grotesque clan of wealthy carpet-sweeper magnate Otto Broadie sweeps down upon Judith McMonigle''s Hillside Manor Inn, it looks like there''ll be a wild night of drinking, dining, and fortune-telling in the offing. But when their soothsayer-for-hire Madame Gushenka drops dead after someone douses her tea leaves with bug killer, harried hostess Judith and her irrepressible cousin Renie are left to clean up the mess. One of the Brodie bunch would dearly love to sweep the Madame''s murder under the rug, however, and that might mean eliminating the nosy Ms. McMonigle as well. But with the help of her one-time beau, policeman Joe Flynn, Judith is determined to rattle the dust off some closeted family skeletons, in order to coax a killer out of hiding before coffee is served.

B&B hostess Judith McMonigle Flynn and her closer-than-a-sibling cousin Renie would be crazy to turn down a free, 1930s-themed South Pacific islands cruise aboard the magnificent San Rafael, the pride of the Cruz Cruises fleet. Unfortunately, the fabulous pre-launch party is as far out to sea as the passengers are likely to get, after the body of their VIP host, Magglio Cruz, is discovered stuffed in the piano and the cruise is cancelled.

Suddenly free to gad about San Francisco with their marooned shipmates -- at least one of whom is possibly homicidal -- the cousins decide to join glamorous, martini-quaffing Rick and Rhoda St. George and their wheezy white pooch, Asthma, for a bit of amateur sleuthing. But the route to Magglio''s murderer may not be such smooth sailing. And if Judith, Renie, and the St. Georges aren''t careful, they may all end up leaving their hearts in San Francisco . . . and the rest of their mortal remains as well!

There''s snow place like homicide

B&B hostess Judith McMonigle Flynn''s ready to hang up her oven mitts, but irrepressible Cousin Renie needs help catering the telephone company''s annual winter retreat at secluded Mountain Goat Lodge. The pay''s good, the scenery''s to die for -- but they never figured there''d be a killer cooking up mischief among this innocuous stew of corporate-climbing phone company ding-a-lings. Unfortunately, Judith and Renie''s discovery of the frozen garroted remains of the previous company caterer -- missing since last year''s shindig -- suggests no less, since the same cast of characters is present this time around. It''s Dial "M" for Mountain Goat Murder, and a storm''s blowing in to boot -- leaving Judith and Renie stranded with ten suspects and a corpses...and with nothing better to do than to reach out and touch a killer who''s like nothing better than to put two inquisitive cousins in the Deep Freeze.

For Sale: Luxury Condos, Corpse Included

Just a stone''s throw from Judith McMonigle Flynn''s thriving Hillside Manor, workmen are busy renovating the elegantly decrepit Alhambra Arms into pricey condominiums. But concerned contractor George Guthrie fears that well-heeled potential buyers may blanch when they learn about the four-decades-dead body that was stashed behind the crumbling walls of the moldy manse. And ever-inquisitive Judith''s discovery of some much more recent remains on the premises threatens to se property values through the floorboards--and Guthrie through the roof! Both her professional detective husband Joe and her partner-in-crime solving cousin Renie think Judith is bonkers to suspect that the two killings are connected. Nevertheless, Judith''s ready to build a strong case to that effect -- unless some homicidal someone decides to deconstruct her first!

When Judith and her cousin Renie go on vacation in a remote and possibly haunted Scottish castle owned by a rich whiskey distillery baron strange things start occurring. They meet Harry Gibbs, a dissolute young man who is estranged from his wife and is found smothered to death shortly after Judith and Renie arrive. His widow, Moira, is suspect No. 1, of course, but there are plenty to go around since Harry was a real jerk and wanted to run the petrol company Moira inherited from dear old dad. Suspects include Moira''s bastard half-brother, Blackwell Petroleum''s sleazy CEO, the wily comptroller, an even wilier corporate attorney, the whisky baron, Moira''s former mother-in-law who mixes delicious jams along with her not-so-delicious poisons, Moira''s apparent lover, and, last but not least, Chuckie, the dwarfish epileptic who runs around castle. There''s a ghost, some goofy villagers, and enough suspects to overwhelm any police force, but no challenge is too daunting for the cousins.

USA Today bestselling mystery maven Mary Daheim brings us another intriguing tale in her cherished Bed-and-Breakfast mystery series in which a trip down memory lane brings Judith and Renie back to their old neighbourhood, and they are drawn to a seemingly deserted house that is much more than meets the eye.

On a trip to Renie''s old neighbourhood, the cousins'' curiosity is piqued by a mysterious brick Tudor house that always looked deserted during Renie''s junior high school days. Surprised that the house still looks abandoned after all these years, Judith and Renie, of course, cannot resist an opportunity to snoop around. They discover that Mr. and Mrs. Bland have lived in the house since 1947, and after cornering the mailman and milkman, Judith and Renie also learn that the Blands receive regular mail and food deliveries, but no one has ever seen the occupants who simply pay the bills with cash they leave in the milk box. Although intrigued by these strange, but definitely not sinister, occurrences, Judith is ready to focus her attention once more on her neglected husband Joe and the busy B&B business. Until one day Judith finds a dead body in the trunk of her car. And it''s the Blands'' milkman...

A bum hip has bed-and-breakfast hostess Judith McMonigle Flynn limping off to Good Cheer Hospital -- a questionable "haven of healing" where two recent patients didn''t make the cut after routine surgery. Judith''s trepidation at undergoing the knife is eased only by sharing a room with cousin Renie, who''s in for rotator cuff repair. Though the cousins survive their surgeries, the ex-pro quarterback next door is permanently sacked after minor knee surgery. With the scoreboard showing Grim Reaper 3, post-op patients 0, Judith decides that she and Renie are obliged to get to the bottom of Good Cheer''s carnage. But in order to sew up the case, Judith and Renie must probe into the suspects'' psyches. And suddenly it looks as if the cousins'' own prognoses could take them out of the game...for good.

Unholy Matrimony

Ask not for whom the wedding bell tolls, it tolls for Judith McMonigle Flynn''s son Mike--and the Hillside Manor b&b is packed to the rafters with relatives. However, Mama Judith''s unrestrained joy is somewhat dampened when, during the rehearsal dinner downtown, she spies a tuxedo-clad gent tossing a bridal-gowned beauty off the roof of a nearby hotel. Always one to eagerly exclaim "I do!" when offered the opportunity to investigate nefarious deeds, Judith''s determination to unveil a killer could put undo stress on her own marital bliss with policeman-hubby Joe. But she remains wedded to her mission--and she''s not about to take a honeymoon from amateur sleuthing until she''s gotten to the bottom of the homicidal hanky-panky surrounding a match made in hell.

Life has hit some sour notes as of late for B&B hostess Judith McMonigle Flynn and her cousin Renie. Graphic design guru Renie''s up to her eyebrows in debt after some seriously overzealous spending sprees. Meanwhile, Judith''s got her hands full with her wacky new neighbor, Rudi, a virtuoso violinist whose daily—and usually unclothed—practices are unhinging her and other neighbors in the cul-de-sac.

But, though they''d all love to kill nude, rude Rudi, it''s his larger-than-life mentor, Dolph Kluger, who takes his final bow after ingesting some ruthlessly poisoned rhubarb. To add to the musical mayhem, Rudi''s priceless violin bow goes missing, Renie''s useless credit cards are stolen, and each murder suspect seems loopier than the last. Once again, the cousins are going to need some fancy fingering to make a cold-blooded killer sing—but if they''re not careful, the next music they hear will be their funeral march.

“Daheim writes with wit, wisdom, and a big heart. I love her books.”—Carolyn Hart

Another deft and daffy Bed-and-Breakfast mystery from the indomitable Mary Daheim—“The reigning Queen of the Cozies” (Portland Oregonian)—Loco Motive races full speed ahead with mystery and hilarity, as B&B hostess and amateur sleuth Judith McMonigal Flynn and her cousin Renie find their train ride to Boston has been derailed by murder most foul.

Four of mystery''s reigning matriarchs have joined together to concoct a delectable stew of clues, corpses, and felonious hijinks -- all spectacularly seasoned with a mother''s loving touch! In this witty and winning quartet of all-new mysteries, the incomparable Mary Daheim gives harried mom Cousin Renie from the bestselling "Bed-and-Breakfast" series a triple dose of the murderous wedding bell blues; the inimitable award-winner Carolyn Hart of "Death on Demand" fame lets madcap mother-in-law Laurel Darling take a turn at the investigative chores; the remarkable Jane Isenberg sets menopausal mother Bel Barrett loose to solve a dastardly case of nanny-cide; and the fabulous Shirley Rousseau Murphy -- whose "Joe Grey" mysteries are the cat''s meow -- enchants once again, as a delightful duo of feline mamas sinks their clawsinto a murder investigation.

So sit back and enjoy the Mother of All Mystery Collections!

Innkeeper and amateur sleuth Judith McMonigle Flynn''s worst nightmare comes true when Vivian Flynn—husband Joe''s first wife—moves back into the neighborhood. Vivian, who has become mysteriously wealthy, plans to build a big, bad condoon their idyllic cul-de-sac. Outraged, Judith and her neighbors vow to fight the project to the death.

Vivian isn''t the only newcomer to the area. Frankie Buss, son of another of Vivian''s ex-husbands, has arrived at Hillside Manor with his wife. Vivian was married to his father for what seemed like minutes before she inherited his vast wealth—and ran off with his other son. Now Frankie''s dying for his share of the pot of gold.

Vivian''s got more than one mortal enemy—but which one ended up dead in her back yard? If she wants her home sweet home to stay happy, Judith will have to find out.

SUGARPLUMS AND SCANDAL brings together the best of romance and mystery in one delightful collection of Christmas tales. In the expert hands of six of Avon''s best storytellers, the holiday season takes on an air of love and scandalous surprises! Filled with Christmas miracles, romance, and suspense, this will make the perfect gift for both romance and mystery fans. Each author brings their own unique voice and characters to the collection, as well as their fan followings.

All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth – Lori Avocato

The Lords of Misrule – Dana Cameron

The Ghost of Christmas Passed – Mary Daheim

Partners in Crime – Cait London

Holly Go Lightly – Suzanne Macpherson

A Very Vampy Christmas – Kerrelyn Sparks