Showing results by author "Patti Petrone Miller" in All Categories

She came home to heal. She didn’t expect to be accused of murder. After years of burnout in New York’s high-stakes culinary scene, Caroline Baker returns to the charming small town of Milburn, hoping to trade kitchen chaos for comfort. But when a prominent local drops dead during one of her catered events, Caroline’s dream quickly curdles into a murder investigation—with her as the prime suspect. With gossip spreading faster than butter on biscuits and her new life falling apart, Caroline must rely on more than just her baking skills. Armed with a spatula, a sharp wit, and the ...

Three sassy retirees. One dead developer. Zero patience for nonsense. Welcome to Conch Key, where the sun is hot, the gossip is hotter, and the local beach just coughed up a corpse in Gucci loafers. Daisy Picklesworth wanted nothing more than a quiet morning, a strong cup of tea, and to finish her mystery novel on the porch of The Barnacle. What she got instead was a bloated real estate mogul dead in the surf, a jellyfish charm that doesn’t belong, and the strong suspicion that someone in their sleepy seaside town just committed the most stylish murder Florida’s ever seen. With her ...

Knit One, Kill Two A Cozy Small-Town Mystery with a Twist of Murder A skein of silk. A strangled shopkeeper. A cozy town unraveling at the seams. When Ivy Green stops by her favorite yarn shop for a quiet afternoon of knitting and gossip, she never expects to find the owner dead—strangled with her own luxurious silk thread. But Ivy isn’t just a tea shop owner with a knack for comfort—she’s got a sharp eye and an instinct for secrets. As the police unravel slowly, Ivy dives into a mystery filled with jealous rivals, tangled relationships, and a killer who’s stitching lies with ...

"When a small-town yarn shop owner unravels a developer's sinister plans, she discovers that in Meadowgrove, the most dangerous patterns aren't found in her crochet books." In the heart of Meadowgrove, Julie Sommers thought she had finally stitched together the quiet life she always wanted. Running her cozy yarn shop, Yarn Haven, with her loyal dachshund and sassy cat by her side, she spends her days wrapped in the comforting rhythms of small-town life. But when a high-powered developer rolls into town with big-city plans and a hidden past, Meadowgrove’s peaceful charm starts to unravel. ...

Master the craft of fiction plotting with this comprehensive, hands-on guide designed for both beginner and experienced writers. Learn proven techniques to structure compelling plots, develop character-driven narratives, and finish your next bestselling novel. This practical workbook breaks down complex plotting concepts into simple, actionable exercises you can apply immediately to your manuscript. Discover how to escalate stakes, avoid common plot pitfalls, and adapt genre-specific plotting techniques across cozy mysteries, romance, fantasy, and thrillers. Includes quick reference guides,...

When environmental consultant Robert Murray dies mysteriously in her shop, quilting store owner Claire Whitcomb refuses to accept that his death was natural—and her investigation uncovers deadly secrets that someone is willing to kill to protect. Claire Whitcomb thought running The Cozy Quilt Corner in picturesque Hollowhill Cove, Vermont, would be all about helping customers create beautiful quilts and enjoying the peaceful rhythm of small-town life. But when Robert Murray, an environmental consultant assessing local development projects, is found dead in her shop under suspicious ...

Murder, Mystery, and a Hint of Mocha in Milburn's Coziest Culinary Mystery Series From the kitchen to crime scene—Caroline Baker is serving up justice with a side of pastry! When small-town baker Caroline Baker returned to Milburn to take over her grandmother's beloved café, she expected flour-dusted aprons and cherished family recipes—not murder, corporate intrigue, and a handsome coffee roaster with secrets as rich as his signature blend. Dive into the deliciously engaging world of the Milburn Culinary Mysteries, where the aroma of freshly baked pastries mingles with the scent of ...

When a mysterious manuscript arrives at her literary agency, Sally Baker recognizes details only a dead man could know. Jonathan Cole disappeared five years ago. His files were closed, his death never confirmed, and the manuscript he left behind was never found. Until now. As a literary agent in small-town Marlboro, Connecticut, Sally has spent her career finding the truth inside other people's stories. Now she must find it inside her own agency, where someone has been hiding a financial crime that reaches farther than anyone suspected, and where trusting the wrong person cost a writer his ...

A murdered man. A quiet crafter who notices everything. And a tiny chihuahua whose instincts might solve the case before the killer strikes again. When Rebecca Danes escaped to Mulberry Falls with nothing but a broken heart and her tiny rescued chihuahua, Penny, she wanted peace—not danger. But when the town's most powerful man is found dead and the sheriff rules it “suicide,” Rebecca's instincts—and Penny’s sharp little growls—tell her something is very, very wrong. Todd Abernathy made enemies everywhere. Rebecca just never expected the killer to be someone she knows. As ...

Harriet Whitmore has catered every kind of event imaginable—galas, weddings, charity balls, impossible dinners in impossible kitchens. She knows how to handle pressure. She knows how to stay calm when everything is falling apart. And she knows how to notice things that other people miss. So when she's hired to manage food service for opening night at the prestigious Riverside Theater, she expects the usual backstage chaos. A cramped kitchen. Too many people. Not enough time. She's handled worse. But opening night of "The Velvet Mask" doesn't go according to plan. When someone is found ...

A storm. A secret. A throne with a body in it. Welcome to Harrowgate Manor — you’re going to die laughing. Vivian Sinclair thought her scandals were buried beneath old headlines and designer fur. But when she’s lured to a crumbling castle with a cast of suspicious strangers and one truly cursed chair, she realizes she’s walked into a murder mystery more twisted than her last tabloid spread. By dessert, someone’s dead. By midnight, everyone’s a suspect. There’s a war hero with something to hide, a socialite with a taste for arsenic, a reverend with blood on his hands, and an ...

When a drunk text summons the Devil himself, small-town marketing manager Maggie Sullivan accidentally sells her soul to get over her cheating ex. The catch? Her new demonic life coach has to live with her for 30 days—and he's annoyingly perfect. After being dumped at Rosie's Diner in front of half of Willow Creek, Maggie does what any heartbroken woman would do: she gets spectacularly drunk and texts "I'd sell my soul to get over you" into the void. She wasn't expecting an answer. Meet Kevin—yes, the Devil's name is Kevin—a six-thousand-year-old former angel in a three-piece suit who...

When Chloe Mayweather escapes her mother’s overbearing coven and opens The Enchanted Spoon in the picturesque town of Belmont Falls, she’s determined to keep her magic under wraps. A fresh start. A quiet life. Zero spells. But on opening day, her powers spiral out of control—and her secret literally explodes into the arms of a rugged local carpenter with secrets of his own. Brad Burop didn’t expect to rescue a red-haired beauty from a falling ladder, flying teacups, and a magical meltdown. But once he sees the woman behind the whirlwind, he can’t walk away—even when Chloe’s ...

The Frosted Felony A Cozy Culinary Mystery with Recipes Joanne Fluke and Hallmark style cozy mystery Welcome to Bayside Cove, where the ocean breeze is sweet, the secrets are sticky—and murder is always on the menu. When Olivia Pierce’s award-winning lemon meringue pie becomes the weapon in a chilling crime, the small-town baker finds herself in the center of a mystery she didn’t cook up. With the mayor dead, her bakery’s reputation crumbling, and a brooding new detective watching her every move, Olivia must roll up her sleeves and solve the case before she’s served up as the main...

This book is for you if… You devour thrillers and think, I could write one like this… if I only knew how. You have story ideas that won’t leave you alone, but every time you sit down to write, the tension fizzles. You want your readers to stay up past midnight, whispering just one more chapter. You’re an aspiring or working author who loves: Page-turning suspense Twists that punch readers in the chest Characters who feel real under fire Stories that grip the nervous system and refuse to let go You don’t want vague advice. You don’t want literary theory. You want a clear, ...

After a truly spectacular engagement disaster (the kind that makes strangers whisper and bartenders pour doubles), veterinarian Tori Martin does what any sensible woman would do: she runs. Specifically, to a quiet Texas ranch where the only drama should involve stubborn goats and emotionally unavailable chickens. Fresh start. New job. Zero romance. Flawless plan. It explodes immediately. Because her new boss is tall, broody, annoyingly competent… and has the emotional availability of a locked barn door. Naturally, this makes him irresistible. Now Tori’s days are filled with questionable...

🩸 Betrayed. Hunted. Reborn in Blood. Once a fierce warrior of the Red Fang werewolf pack, Scarlett lived and bled by loyalty—until the night everything shattered. Framed for treason and left to die by the very wolves she once called family, she crawls from her grave with nothing but claws, scars... and vengeance. On the run through forbidden shifter territory, Scarlett stumbles into the treacherous lands of the Shadow Paws pack, where ancient magic, ruthless alphas, and deadly secrets rule. Trust is dangerous. Survival is earned. And freedom? Comes at a price no wolf walks away from ...

Romance isn’t about surprise. It’s about emotional promise. Every successful romance novel makes an unspoken agreement with its reader: this is the emotional journey you’re about to experience. Romance tropes are how that promise is made and kept. Hearts & Hinges: How Romance Tropes Work Across Every Genre is a deep-dive craft guide for romance writers who want to understand why tropes work, not just how to copy them. This book goes beyond trope lists and beat sheets to reveal the emotional architecture beneath the most beloved romance tropes including enemies to lovers, fake dating, ...

Whispers in the Garden is a spellbinding cozy fantasy mystery bursting with secrets, magic, and swoon-worthy romance that fans of witchy mysteries, small-town secrets, and Hallmark-style love stories won’t be able to resist. When Grace Thornhall arrives in Thornwick, all she has is her late grandmother’s cryptic address, a temperamental broomstick, and magic that works only half the time. But the ramshackle cottage on Broomstick Lane hides more than dust and cobwebs—it conceals an enchanted garden whose plants whisper dire warnings of danger…and hints that Grandma Violet’s death ...

When a mysterious quilt appraiser arrives in the charming coastal town of Hollowhill Cove, shop owner Claire Whitcomb suspects there's more to the woman's interest than historical preservation. Claire's instincts prove deadly accurate when their trusted community leader vanishes and a sophisticated art theft ring targets their annual quilt show. With precious family heirlooms at stake and a killer using quilting techniques as murder weapons, Claire must unravel decades of betrayal that reach back to her town's darkest secrets. As bodies pile up and long-buried crimes surface, Claire ...