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Grab a warm blanket and pour a glass of spiced wine, then cuddle up with a book! |
***scroll down to find box sets***
new!
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Love me or Grieve Me is the tenth riveting Madison Night mystery. If you like smart sleuths, musical mysteries, or nods to the midcentury era, you'll love national bestselling author Diane Vallere's latest Madison Night mystery!
More details here. |
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Stark Raving Mod is the thirteenth killer fashion mystery featuring amateur sleuth Samantha Kidd. If you like mods, rockers, or bad guys galore, you'll love this wacky spy-themed mystery!
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preorder!
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Gilt Trip
Samantha Kidd Mystery #14 Mar 23, 2023 PB ISBN: 9781954579729 E ISBN: 9781954579507 All that glitters isn’t gold in Samantha Kidd’s latest mystery… |
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Please Don't Push Up the Daisies
Madison Night Mystery #11 June 28, 2023 HC ISBN: 9781954579767 PB ISBN: 9781954579750 e-ISBN: 9781954579743 Details and full description to come! |
fashion
(++plus junk food and a near obsession with self-improvement)
Meet Samantha Kidd.
Former fashion buyer turned amateur sleuth.
Long on determination. Short on common sense.
What she lacks in experience, she makes up for in style.
Former fashion buyer turned amateur sleuth.
Long on determination. Short on common sense.
What she lacks in experience, she makes up for in style.
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Designer Dirty Laundry
Samantha Kidd Mystery #1 2nd edition, 2021, orig publication June 05, 2012 P ISBN: 9781939197917 E ISBN: 9781939197924 She expected the fashion industry to be ruthless. She wasn’t prepared for it to turn deadly. Ready to redesign her life, style expert Samantha Kidd accepts a job in her Pennsylvania hometown as a trend specialist. But her first day goes completely A-line when she stumbles across her legendary boss dead in the elevator. And after the body disappears, she can’t help but pull on the mystery’s thread and unravel an entire wardrobe of suspects. Supervising her deceased employer’s vogue competition, Samantha tries to hem in a sexy shoe designer and countless ego-driven creatives to stitch together the clues. But when her own name appears on the police’s suspect list, the sleuthing fashionista’s days on the catwalk could be numbered. Can Samantha put a killer in the spotlight before she’s sewn up for a crime she didn’t commit? Designer Dirty Laundry is the first book in the feel-good Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like witty protagonists, clever dialogue, and fashion-forward drama, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s chic story. |
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Buyer, Beware Samantha Kidd Mystery #2 2nd edition 2021, orig publication Mar 05, 2013 P ISBN: 97819391970948 E ISBN: 9781939197931 She needs a paycheck. A murder creates the perfect job. Can she avoid becoming the next victim? Samantha Kidd recently added an unexpected skill to her fashion-heavy resume: solving a crime. But amateur sleuthing doesn’t pay the bills. A new retailer shows interest in hiring her as their handbag buyer, but there’s one big red flag: the last buyer was killed on the job. Moving back to her old hometown was about leaving that career path behind, but Samantha’s out of options. When another person at the store is murdered, the walls close in like a snug, satin lining. Can Samantha get a handle on an inside job without getting caught in the killer’s clutches? Buyer, Beware is the second mystery in the humorous Samantha Kidd series. If you like friendship fiction, fashionable drama, and mysteries that keep you guessing, you’ll love Diane Vallere’s humorous mystery. Buy Buyer, Beware for laugh-out-loud entertainment today! |
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The Brim Reaper
Samantha Kidd Mystery #3 2nd edition 2021, orig publication Dec 10, 2013 P ISBN: 9781939197962 E ISBN: 9781939197955 Amateur Sleuth Samantha Kidd is in over her head. With no job prospects on the horizon, former fashion buyer Samantha Kidd convinces boyfriend and shoe designer Nick Taylor to give her a job. But when close friend Eddie asks for help with an exhibit of vintage Hollywood costumes, she splits her time between romance and comedy--until a dead man claims all of her attention. Brimming with good intentions, she leave the investigation to the cops, but the killer keeps Eddie in the crosshairs. If Samantha can tear the lid off the investigation, it might mean a feather in her fedora. And if she can't? Her best friend might get capped. Can Samantha save her friends neck without losing her mind? The Brim Reaper is the third cozy mystery in the delightful Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like zany capers, feisty characters, and funny mysteries, you’ll love Diane Vallere’s humorous mystery. Buy The Brim Reaper for an escapist reading romp today! |
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Some Like It Haute
Samantha Kidd Mystery #4 2nd edition 2021, orig publication, Jan 06, 2015 P ISBN: 9781939197986 E ISBN: 9781939197979 She agreed to work for her boyfriend’s ex. A break-up made her an ex, too. Can she trust the woman at the center of her love life crisis? Samantha Kidd’s love life is lukewarm. After agreeing to help her ex-boyfriend’s maybe-former girlfriend with a runway show, she hides her broken heart behind her reputation. But when she's assaulted outside the venue, accusations of attention-seeking make her lose her cool. Determined to find her attacker, she investigates the scene as an outsider. When a fire starts on the catwalk and destroys the designer’s collection, Samantha suspects her assailant was linked to the show. This is no longer about providing help to a disgruntled designer; if Samantha ever wants to feel safe again, she has to find the person behind the crimes. Can Samantha expose an angry arsonist before getting burned? Some Like It Haute is the fourth sizzling mystery in the Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like strong-willed characters, romantic entanglements, and feel-good fiction, you’ll love Diane Vallere’s funny, no-murder mystery. Buy Some Like it Haute and warm up to fashion drama today! |
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Grand Theft Retro Samantha Kidd Mystery #5 2nd edition 2021, orig publication May 17, 2016 P ISBN: 9781954579002 E ISBN: 9781939197993 Samantha Kidd is all about leaving the past behind. But sometimes the past won't let you go... With her birthday on the horizon, amateur sleuth and fashion expert Samantha Kidd is determined to get her life under control. Her steady job at Retrofit Magazine comes with a paycheck, medical benefits, a 401K, and an assignment to dive into seventies style. She's prepared to report on patchwork velvet and platform shoes, but she never expected to uncover the theft of a major collection of samples from the days before disco died. When the guilty party threatens Samantha's family and friends, her priorities shift into protection mode. The investigation heats up faster than fondue over sterno, and all too soon Samantha learns that while the beat goes on, there's no guarantee she'll go on with it. Can Samantha catch a criminal who's been living in plain sight, or will her fresh start turn into a dead end? Grand Theft Retro is the fifth hilarious caper in the Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like over-the-top situations, birthday drama, and a dash of romance, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s seventies-inspired mystery. Let the good times roll. Pick up Grand Theft Retro today! |
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Pearls Gone Wild
Samantha Kidd Mystery #6 2nd edition 2021, orig publication Dec 31, 2016 P ISBN: 9781954579026 E ISBN: 9781954579019 Nacre Bleu! Amateur sleuth Samantha Kidd's life is finally on track. It's her normally cultured friend Cat whose life has lost its luster: eight months pregnant and abandoned by her husband the week before Christmas. She ropes Samantha into helping at her boutique, but a string of jewelry thefts threatens her business. And when Cat's husband is found strangled with pearls inside the shop, the last thing she's concerned with is profit. Samantha tries to get a bead on the killer, but when the suspects all clam up, she's left tangled in knots. Add in an unexpected proposal, a flirtatious friend, and a brand new detective, and this is bound to be Samantha's wildest adventure yet. Can Samantha pry open the mystery or will she leave her friend hanging? Pearls Gone Wild is the sixth romcom novel in the Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like determined sleuths, romantic drama, and hilarious circumstances, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s zany mystery. The bead goes on in Pearls Gone Wild! |
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Cement Stilettos Samantha Kidd Mystery #7 2nd edition 2021, orig publication, Jun 13, 2017 P ISBN: 9781954579040 E ISBN: 9781954579033 Leave the cannoli. Take the shoes! When newly engaged amateur sleuth Samantha Kidd discovers the body of a mafia princess dead in fiancé and shoe designer Nick Taylor's showroom, her questions are so numerous she'd need a bookie to keep track. The victim's ties to local organized crime are unexpected. Nick's apparent vow of silence makes Samantha question the vows in their future, and despite past promises, all bets are off. Wise guys and leopard ladies keep her busier than a consigliere during tax season, and if she can't keep her head above water, she'll end up sleeping with the fishes. Can Samantha's offer to help outweigh the offers Nick supposedly can't refuse? Cement Stilettos is the seventh installment in the Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like mafia mayhem, surprising secrets, and a makeover to end all makeovers, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s hilarious mystery. Looking for your next great read? Fuggedaboudit! Read Cement Stilettos today! |
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Panty Raid
Samantha Kidd Mystery #8 2nd edition 2021, orig publication, Jun 05, 2018 P ISBN: 9781954579064 E ISBN: 9781954579057 Risque Business! When amateur sleuth Samantha Kidd is assigned to cover the lingerie shows in Las Vegas, her excitement is more visible than panty lines. Events in her hometown have made her a celebrity, and a romantic getaway with fiancé Nick Taylor is timely. But when a lingerie model is found dead outside their hotel room, their escape turns brief. Cheeky designers, high class hookers, and tabloid trouble make this gamble her most dangerous one yet, but when push-up comes to shove, Samantha bares everything in order to save her future. Can Samantha keep her cool or will this gamble leave her royally flushed? Panty Raid is the eighth feel-good mystery in the Samantha Kidd series. If you like funny situations, determined sleuths, and surprising endings, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s out-of-town mystery. Don't get caught with your panties down. Snatch Panty Raid today! |
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Union Jacked Samantha Kidd Mystery #9 2nd edition 2021, orig publication Apr 09, 2019 P ISBN: 9781954579088 E ISBN: 9781939197071 Royally Screwed! When a British investment company buys Samantha Kidd's troubled retail employer, she finds herself torn between her role as management and the unionized employees picketing for better pay. Her only distraction is the retirement party she's planning for Detective Loncar on the side. But when a shooter fires into the crowd outside the store and injures two men, Samantha's priorities shift. One victim is the head of the union. The other is Detective Loncar. The detective warns Samantha to stay out of the investigation . . . and then slips into a coma. With two possible victims, Samantha doesn't know which was the target. Was the strike captain playing dirty with his negotiations? Are those rumors about Loncar's personal life true? Between a cop bar, a life coach, and a blue line that's anything but thin, Samantha's teacup runneth over. One thing's for sure: after this case, nothing will be the same. Can Samantha keep calm and carry on? Union Jacked is the ninth funny cozy in the Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like loyal characters, questionable cops, and stylish drama, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s chic mystery. Get gobsmacked with Samantha Kidd. Buy Union Jacked today! |
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Slay Ride Samantha Kidd Mystery #10 2nd edition 2021, orig publication Dec 25, 2019 P ISBN: 9781954579101 E ISBN: 978154579095 Bah, Hashtag! When fashion insider Samantha Kidd lands a temporary assignment as a social media influencer two weeks before Christmas, she dives into the world of lifestyle goals. The job provides props to encourage drool-worthy posts, but when a colleague goes missing, the illusion of the perfect life fades like an out-of-date filter. The only clues are found on his Instagram timeline, which Samantha knows has been staged. Maintaining appearances takes a back seat to finding the missing man, but when the lines between authenticity and hype are blurred, she’ll either find the truth … or drown in a sea of hashtags. Can Samantha keep murder from becoming a trending topic? Slay Ride is the tenth charming cozy in the Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like holiday mysteries, fashionable settings, and friendship fiction, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s influencer mystery. Get slayed! #SamanthaKidd #Totallyfunny #HolidayMystery #YouKnowYouWantTo :) |
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Tough Luxe
Samantha Kidd Mystery #11 publication Feb 22, 2021 P ISBN: 9781939197900 E ISBN: 9781939197894 She wanted to visit an old friend. The “friend” is in jail for murder. Can Samantha find new evidence to clear a convicted killer? Fashionista Samantha Kidd’s new role as style columnist for the local paper encourages her to attend events and discover new trends. But when an out-of-the-blue invitation to visit an acquaintance arrives, standing out is the last thing she wants. The acquaintance is the heiress to a pretzel fortune—or she would be if she were free. Instead, she’s quietly serving a double life sentence after being convicted of killing her media mogul husband. When new evidence surfaces, the heiress is ready to break her silence. But while the press lines up to get the scoop (and the ratings!), Samantha can’t help wondering who the victim is in this scenario. And after hearing the heiress’s story firsthand, Sam suspects the wrong person was locked up. If she’s right, a killer's on the loose and will stop at nothing to silence Samantha too. Can Samantha infiltrate the high life to expose a down and dirty crime? Tough Luxe is the eleventh fashionable mystery in the Samantha Kidd series. If you like manipulative characters, stylish crimes, and Orange-Is-the-New-Black drama, then you’ll love Diane Vallere’s high-stakes mystery. |
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Fahrenheit 501
Samantha Kidd Mystery #12 publication Oct 2021 HC ISBN: 9781954579354 PB ISBN: 9781939197309 E ISBN: 9781954579262 Is it better to burn out...or fade away? When Samantha Kidd is invited to fill a vacated spot in a secret society, she jumps at the chance. The group’s mission is to preserve famous fashion patterns through memorization and pass them down to future generations, but Samantha’s dreams of Chanel jackets and Halston dresses are dashed when she’s assigned the 501 jean. And when the retiring denim expert turns up dead, she fears there’s more than fashion history at stake. Garments from the deceased member’s estate are linked to a series of deadly jean jackings, and Samantha questions everything. Was the member’s death an admission of guilt or vigilante justice? As she pulls at the threads of the investigation, she finds the fabric of her secret society fraying at the seams. Can Samantha unzip the facts or will the truth stay buttoned up forever? Fahrenheit 501 is the twelfth humorous installment in the Samantha Kidd mystery series. If you like fashion history, fun puzzles, and unusual crimes, or read favorites Cleo Coyle or Joanne Fluke, you'll love Diane Vallere's latest Samantha Kidd mystery. |
outer space
(plus a cozy mystery, adventure, and a robot cat)
Outer space cozy mysteries.
Perfect for blasting off, or just getting away from it all.
You'll adore these outer space mysteries for their humor and whimsy, and because everyone understands the universal desire to fit in.
Perfect for blasting off, or just getting away from it all.
You'll adore these outer space mysteries for their humor and whimsy, and because everyone understands the universal desire to fit in.
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MURDER ON A MOON TREK
Outer Space Mystery #1 August 01, 2018 P ISBN: 9781939197542 E ISBN: 9781939197535 Set phasers to cozy! Sylvia Stryker has no business being on the next Moon Unit Cruise Line, unless you count aspirations and dreams. The career that once felt within her reach—Intergalactic Cruise Ship Security—disappeared the day her dad was arrested for collusion with space pirates. Since then she’s begrudgingly been running the ice mine for her aging mother, the two of them social pariahs amongst their fellow Plunians. Everything changes when the uniform lieutenant position on Moon Unit 6 opens up days before departure. Sylvia immediately puts her hacking skills to use, uploading bogus credentials onto the crew manifest. Now to just lay low, do her job, and impress the new boss. Her plan goes off without a hitch until a non-celestial body falls from the uniform inventory closet after departure. Reporting it means drawing attention, the very opposite of laying low. When the head of security shows up to investigate and throws her into the spaceship holding cell, her onboard status shifts from staff to prisoner. If Sylvia can’t expose the killer herself, she’ll be bunking with her dad at the local space prison. *Previously published as FLY ME TO THE MOON. |
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SCANDAL ON A MOON TREK
Outer Space Mystery #2 August 21, 2018 P ISBN: 9781939197504 E ISBN: 9781939197498 Sleuth long and prosper... When Sylvia Stryker boards her space cruise as a lowly uniform lieutenant, it’s with an eye toward the future. After space pirates destroyed the life she knew, she’s counting on the trek to Venus to give her a fresh start. Even her side gig working for security stud Neptune feels full of possibilities. But when she finds a body outside her ward after the departure point, her fresh start is as sullied as a worn uniform. The victim is the winner of a contest designed to hype the voyage, and if other VIPs on board get wind of the crime, the certain scandal will jettison Sylvia’s dreams. Soon the amorous pull of Venus causes romantic chaos on board, threatening to compromise Sylvia’s investigation—especially after she learns the murder victim’s secret relationship to her boss. Even worse, she discovers what’s waiting for the passengers when they reach the Love Planet and it’s not a Valentine. A dangerous threat lurks aboard the space cruise, and if Sylvia can’t expose it, she’ll be laundering uniforms in the intergalactic afterlife. Previously published as I'M YOUR VENUS. |
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HIJACKED ON A MOON TREK
Outer Space Mystery #3 Sept 18, 2018 P ISBN: 9781939197528 E ISBN: 9781939197511 Murder...the final frontier Space sleuth Sylvia Stryker has had enough recent success with matters beyond uniform management to go all in on her continuing education. Picking up where Space Academy left off, she turns to hunky hero Neptune (while wear-testing a new, prototype uniform!) for one-on-one lessons. But when an empty space pod lands by their training site and the body of an intergalactic courier is discovered inside, her newly-acquired skills are put to the test. The courier was a friend who shared her interest in back channel business, and his death seems like a message—or worse, a warning. Determined to seek justice, Sylvia and Neptune hijack a spaceship and assemble a team. But there’s more to this trek through the stars than expected, including fifty rambunctious aliens accidentally beamed aboard the ship, some very nasty space pirates, and one suspicious member of the spaceship staff who thought their recruitment message was a call for duty. Now Sylvia’s on a quest to catch a killer, but if she fails, she could wipe out an entire alien race in the process. Previously published as SATURN NIGHT FEVER. |
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FRAMED ON A MOON TREK
Outer Space Mystery #4 May 5, 2020 P ISBN: 9781939197818 E ISBN: 9781939197825 Boldly go where no cozy has gone before… Uniform Lieutenant Sylvia Stryker is about to depart on her fourth Moon Trek, this time while mentor-and-more, Neptune, serves time in a Federation Council prison for a crime he didn’t commit. But when a space pirate is murdered inside the prison and Neptune assumed guilty, Sylvia stands to lose him for more than the duration of his sentence. Forget the stability of her job or her side gig selling uniforms. Her new priority? Prove Neptune’s innocence. Faced with a corrupt galactic government, a team of questionable freelancers, and the limits of her physical capabilities, she goes all-in to get him out. Success will restore her status quo, but failure is an all too possible conclusion. Previously published as SPIDERS FROM MARS. |
midcentury decorating (and a puppy)
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MIDNIGHT ICE
Madison Night Mad for Mod Mysteries Prequel Jan 5, 2018 $2.99 ebook | $10 print Ice, ice, baby! When Doris Day-loving, mid-century modern interior decorator Madison Night crosses the country to Carmel-by-the-Sea to distance herself from a recent breakup, she learns it's harder to escape her past than she thought. FBI agents, threatening thugs, a luggage mix-up, and Southwest design come together in an unexpected intersection involving a shipment of rare diamonds. Now it's not only who she knows but what she knows that either gives Madison an edge . . . or leaves her on ice. |
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APPREHEND ME NO FLOWERS
Madison Night Mad for Mod Mysteries #7 Oct 20, 2020 $25 | $15.95 | $6.99 H-Print ISBN: 9781939197887 P-Print ISBN: 9781939197870 e-ISBN: 9781939197863 Two abandoned bodies lead to a polarized community. Can an amateur sleuth bridge the divide and help catch a killer? After a lawsuit puts interior decorator Madison Night’s business on indefinite hold, she needs a diversion. A walk in the park with police captain Tex Allen is anything but: they discover two corpses on the property. The bodies are unidentifiable, and inconvenient weather conditions have rendered the crime scene obsolete. With no leads, the case seems unsolvable. With time on her hands, Madison joins a community volunteer group and discovers a clue that ties the victims to a local florist. A surprise court date catches her off guard, and her continuing involvement in the case may cost her more than she can afford to lose. Can Madison dig up the evidence needed to catch a killer before the bloom fades on her business? APPREHEND ME NO FLOWERS is the seventh thrilling cozy mystery in the humorous Mad for Mod series. If you like vintage fashion, edgy cozies, and police investigations, then you’ll love Madison Night’s latest adventure. Buy APPREHEND ME NO FLOWERS for a fun, petal-pushing mystery today! |
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TEACHER'S THREAT
Madison Night Mad for Mod Mysteries #8 Jun 22,2021 $25 | $15.95 | $6.99 H-Print ISBN: to come P-Print ISBN: 9781954579149 e-ISBN: 9781954579132 A professor murdered during office hours. A decorator enrolled in his course. Can she outsmart the killer who designed the perfect crime? Madison Night is about to learn that business isn’t sexy. She modeled her decorating career on a Doris Day movie, but after losing her company in a legal battle, the local banks are unimpressed with her unique sales angle. Determined to get her MBA, she attends night school – until her professor is found dead in his office after an intensely-heated lecture. Now the only degree she can think about is murder in the first. While the college recovers, Madison’s last hope for a loan is denied. The dean resumes the coursework himself, and Madison can’t help wondering if the curriculum holds the clues to the murder. Continuing her education is not without risk; pursuing her MBA may leave her DOA. Can Madison’s sleuthing make the grade or will failure be a fatal lesson? Teacher's Threat is the eighth captivating mystery in the Madison Night series. If you like smart protagonists, classroom controversies, and Cabot Cove syndrome, you’ll love Diane Vallere’s enjoyable book. Preorder Teacher's Threat today! |
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The Kill of It All is the eleventh addictive installment in the delightful Madison Night mystery series. If you like Doris Day movies, smart mysteries, or mid-century modern style, or love cozy favorites Cleo Coyle or Kate Carlisle, you'll love Diane Vallere's latest Madison Night mystery.
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box sets
(Images are graphic representations. Print books are bound in one paperback volume.)
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MESSIN' WITH THE KIDD: The 1st three Samantha Kidd Mysteries
Includes: Designer Dirty Laundry Buyer, Beware The Brim Reaper |
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THE KIDD STAYS IN THE PICTURE: The 2nd three Samantha Kidd Mysteries
Includes: Some Like It Haute Grand Theft Retro Pearls Gone Wild |
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HERE'S LOOKIN' AT YOU, KIDD: The 3rd three Samantha Kidd Mysteries
Includes: Cement Stilettos Panty Raid Union Jacked |
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THE KIDD IS ALRIGHT: The 4th three Samantha Kidd Mysteries
Includes: Slay Ride Tough Luxe Fahrenheit 501 |
non-fiction
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Bonbons for your Brain
A Collection of Essays April 2019 HC ISBN: 9781939197641 PB ISBN: 9781939197603 E ISBN: 9781939197344 Are you craving something sweet? Something satisfying? Something that will make you laugh and think and feel like you made a new friend? National Bestselling author Diane Vallere brings you a collection of insightful essays designed to entertain. BONBONS FOR YOUR BRAIN is filled with short, standing-in-line-length essays divvied into categories for fashion & beauty (truffles), goal setting (dark chocolate), creative aspirations (artisan), health (70% pure cacao), things to think about (nougat), and just plain nutty (pistachio). Diane shares the positive outlook and unique way of looking at life that informs her five humorous mystery series and ongoing quest for personal growth. Nibble on this content one essay a day or binge on the whole book. With zero-calories, it's the perfect indulgence to satisfy your inner hunger. Grab your copy of BONBONS FOR YOUR BRAIN and start snacking! |