Download or read book Measure Twice Murder Once written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2022-01-05 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It’s bad enough when your business partner buys a property without consulting you, but when she accidentally acquires a brothel, it’s enough to make Rowena Summerfield want to throw away her hammer. Still, the house is a bargain, and maybe it’s just what Ro and her daughter need to turn around their home renovation business. As Ro, a former homicide detective, comes to terms with the deal, she gets a shock when the former owner—and madam—turns up dead. Soon someone from Ro’s past shows up at the work site: her ex-partner, who needs a temporary sidekick to help him solve the case. Reviving their investigative team isn’t easy, especially when Herc gets jealous of the hunky deli owner who takes an interest in widow Rowena. Until now, she was fine with one man in her life—her cuddly cat, Jason. Ro and Herc discover the previous residents of the house, including the victim’s daughter, have less than fond memories of their former boss. The bordello’s old customers have a lot to lose if their secrets surface, and the unhappy neighbors still bear a grudge. As the sleuths dig deeper, they unearth a flimsy foundation of anger, greed and fear framing the walls the suspects have built around themselves. Can Ro and Herc find the culprit before someone plays another deadly trick?

Download or read book Curtains for the Condo Casanova written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2024-03-13 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dumped from the lead role on her detective show, snubbed by Hollywood and hurting for cash, TV star Marla Dane sees only one way out: running home to Minnesota. There she can lick her wounds, eat ice cream and check up on her seemingly capricious sister. Bonus: She’ll never again have to think about catching killers. But that’s before a resident in her sister’s condo building is found dead on the front lawn. There’s just something about Marla that makes the neighbors and overworked cops think she can help solve the case, no matter how many times she tells them she was just a pretend sleuth who never worked off-script. Trusting that Marla can get an insider’s take on the suspects, the police chief pairs her with Rex Alcorn, an ex-cop who lives in the same condo complex. Rex is less than enthusiastic about working with a lay person who’s also a celebrity, but he owes the chief from way back, and doing this favor should get the guy off his back. And even Marla has to admit he’s not bad to look at. But Marla’s scripted takedowns didn’t prepare her for murky clues, quirky condo residents and the cagey methods of her new partner. Can she and Rex solve the crime before an all-too-real killer puts them in danger, too?

Download or read book Murder on the Court written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2024-09-26 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No good deed goes unpunished, as television star Marla Dane learns the hard way. The recently fired TV detective, trying to figure out her next move at her sister’s Minnesota condo, reluctantly agrees to sub as Water Girl at a weekend pickleball match. Which makes her the first suspect of many when the team captain turns up dead. Eloise Wallace, owner of a local PR company, will never receive the title Boss of the Year. She’s dragged her staff, her old college roommate, and even her ex-husband and ex-employees onto her pickleball team. No wonder their success on the court is so sad. They all have reasons for wanting her dead, and Marla and former cop Rex Alcorn are enlisted to figure out who poisoned her. As Marla’s sister Kitty distracts them with a new obsession, pie baking, Marla and Rex find their suspects crusty and evasive. The victim excelled at making everyone around her miserable, so what did the killer have to gain by staying in her life — or ensuring her death? The answer may be more toxic than either of them bargained for.

Download or read book Wrenched at the Reindeer Run A Florida Holiday Murder Mystery written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2023-10-01 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interior designer Rowena Summerfield is ready to add her festive flair to the reception for her Florida town’s first marathon, even if a local Scrooge turns down her request for a donation. But when he’s found dead under the wreckage of the race’s reviewing stand, it’s clear someone’s reindeer game has turned deadly. Former homicide investigator Ro is once again recruited to help her former partner, Herc Morgan, find the killer. All of their suspects could be on Santa’s naughty list. And given that the victim dumped coal on every life he touched, any one of them could have decided to frost him. Ro and Herc are eager to wrap up the case so they can get back to their yuletide fun. Herc’s agonizing over picking the perfect gift for his new girlfriend. Ro’s boyfriend, Chuck, hints that he has a very special ornament in mind. While Ro sorts through clues to discover the murderer, she must also sort through her loyalty to her late husband and her growing love for this new man in her life. Will the twinkle of the tree lights in her living room be outdone on Christmas Day by the sparkle of a rock on her finger? Maybe, but only if a killer doesn’t murder their merriment first.

Download or read book Death by Drywall written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2022-03-03 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Renovating a restaurant is hard enough. Renovating it for your boyfriend who thinks his million-dollar smile will make up for his ever-changing whims is even harder. But running the job when a woman is murdered in a house your colleague is renovating? It’s almost more than Rowena Summerfield can handle—especially when she’s once again pulled into her old role of homicide detective to find the killer. Ro dives in to clear her friend so she can go back to her real job, especially since the rocky renovation threatens to wreck her relationship with charming Chuck. But this mystery is anything but straightforward. The victim wore drywall stilts. Her nearest relatives are either uncooperative or dead. And everybody’s lying to Ro and her old partner, Herc. With support from her daughter and her finicky cat, Jason, Ro puts her new love and young company on the line to crack the case—even when the only solution seems to be a dangerous plot to entrap the murderer before the devious killer eliminates them.

Download or read book Homicide by Hammer written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2022-08-30 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rowena Summerfield is so close to finishing the renovation of boyfriend Chuck’s wine bar, she can practically taste the champagne. But the project she’s doing with her daughter and partner in Nailed It Home Renos screeches to a halt when murder claims the brother of the wine consultant. Once again, the Shasta Police Department drafts Ro to return to her role as homicide detective and help her old partner Herc find the killer. But uncorking the mystery proves challenging given the small pool of suspects, most of them artists like the victim. Before Ro can sip success, she must also deal with a missing-persons case—her construction supervisor’s sister—and sort out her feelings for Chuck as their relationship warms up. Why would someone want to murder a loner whose career was just beginning to soar? And why would the benefactor who commissioned his new piece remain incognito? A palette of clues obscures the meaning of the murder, and Ro and her friends will have to strip away perplexing and dangerous layers to find the truth.

Download or read book Snared by the Snake written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2023-06-13 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nailed It Home Reno owners Rowena Summerfield and her daughter, Valerie, thought they’d seen it all, but the derelict Mehaffy House is a first. Rumor has it the place is haunted. Though the women scoff at the idea, there’s no denying weird things are happening. But the job gets even stranger when their plumber, Harper, becomes the chief suspect in the murder of her male-model boyfriend. Once again, Ro is called upon to work with her old homicide partner, Hercules Morgan, to help find the killer. The plumber’s snake might have been the murder weapon, but Ro isn’t convinced the woman was careless enough to leave her tool behind. Is she being framed? And who else wanted her boyfriend dead? They don’t have to look far for other suspects. The victim lived in a former motel turned modeling school and agency, and under the glitz and muscles they find dysfunctional relationships, drained finances, professional jealousy and suspicious behavior. And the victim might not have been so innocent either. Can Ro and Herc find the culprit before the case drives them plumb crazy?

Download or read book Seduction on Wheels written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2024-02-29 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When her ex-husband calls her frigid, Jenna DiFranco takes some incredible risks to prove her sexuality, including picking up men in bars. Realizing her behavior is unsafe and irrational and finding herself facing several days on the road alone with Gray McKenna, she makes him promise not to respond to her overtures. Years ago, Gray swore off serious relationships with women, but that hasn’t stopped him from casual hook-ups. From the moment he meets her, he recognizes Jenna as trouble, the kind of woman who wants permanence in a relationship. The kind of woman to avoid. But the promise and Gray’s resolve don’t stand a chance when close confinement, personal revelations and Jenna’s need to prove she still has it ignite their mutual attraction.

Download or read book Tough Enough to Tango written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2024-02-28 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When her father’s health falters, Shae Harriman leaps into action, taking the reins of his construction empire and spearheading Sullivan’s Creek, the company’s most ambitious project yet. Armed with knowledge but lacking in experience, she faces immediate pushback from her skeptical crews. Enter Ned Collier, the larger-than-life entertainer with a secret mission: to secure a safer home for his mother amid the chaos of his superstar lifestyle. Strapped for cash and determined to keep his struggles hidden, he insists on micromanaging the project, much to Shae’s frustration. As they navigate the challenges of construction and the complexities of their personal lives, their clashes fuel a magnetic attraction. Despite his penny-pinching and her construction crises, they find themselves drawn closer, the tension between them crackling with unspoken desire. But can their fiery chemistry withstand the pressures of the job and the weight of their secrets? Their only way forward may be the hardest—to open up to each other and unlock the sizzling connection that just might be the key to their hearts and future.

Download or read book Keeping It Casual written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2024-02-29 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Talent manager Alex Appleby needs Geoff McKenna's help. Her vicious client is threatening the reputation of Alex's television-star father if Alex can't convince her stepsister to go along with the client's demand. Alex turns to Geoff to make the case to her sister. Geoff has his own proposition for Alex. Thus far, his case of multiple sclerosis has been mild, but he’s unsure of his future. When his girlfriend pushes for a stronger commitment, he enlists Alex as his new pretend love interest so his girlfriend will break things off. Discovering they actually are attracted to each other, they agree to keep things casual, since Alex is only in town briefly and Geoff isn’t interested in anything serious. But fate intervenes as their feelings deepen. Alex must decide whether to relocate to Iowa from LA, and Geoff must place faith in his future.

Download or read book Saved by the Salsa written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2024-02-06 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stuck in a rut at work, junior architect Lacey Rogers sees her new project as her ticket to the top, only to find herself shackled to the firm’s golden boy, Scott Dalton. Worse, he treats her assignment to work with him as an insult. Struggling with his own aspirations, Scott finds his confidence taking a nosedive when he’s assigned to work with Lacey on a secret project. Is this a subtle demotion, a sign that his star is waning? Despite his resistance to her unconventional methods, he can’t help but be drawn to her. As they reluctantly team up to teach a Salsa class for seniors as research for their project , the pulsating rhythm of the music and the sensuous dance moves ignite a passion between them they can’t deny. But can their connection survive beyond the dance floor? Is this just a workplace fling or the foundation for a future together?

Download or read book The Sleepover Clause written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2024-02-29 with total page 882 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aubrey Carpenter has been running away from problems all her life, fearful of her mother’s opinions. When her latest home reno project blows up in her face, she escapes LA and hides out in a small Iowa town where the motor coach for her sister’s concert tour is being customized. That doesn’t stop her from attempting to fix the dysfunctional lives of the three McKenna brothers who own the motor coach spa, particularly Mitch McKenna, the younger, hunky brother who has put his legal career on hold to help his brothers recoup their late father’s financial losses. The more involved she gets, the more attracted she is to the man. Though irritated by her interference, Mitch finds it increasingly more difficult to resist her. When Aubrey’s former client sues, Mitch can’t allow her to face the music on her own. But to defend her, he must reveal his dream of returning to the law to his brothers. Their growing relationship is put to the test when she must decide whether to stay and ask her judgmental mother for help or hit the road again, leaving Mitch behind.

Download or read book Not Your Mama s Mambo written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2024-03-06 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Billionaire Mike Woodley has always carved his own path, steering clear of his wealthy family’s influence. But when his parents swoop back into town, they treat him like he’s still a kid. His father belittles his business, and his mother drops not-so-subtle hints about settling down. Determined to prove himself, Mike impulsively invites the whole family to Christmas dinner at his new place in Sullivan’s Creek. There’s just one hitch: his home is as empty as his heart, and he's struggling to find an interior decorator who can handle his hands-on approach. The last thing local artist Darren Williams wants is a decorating job, but she has to take it to pay off her sister’s gambling debts—even if Mike keeps getting in the way. As Darren juggles her newfound career and her sister’s problems, she’s surprised to find a spark flare between her and the meddlesome billionaire. As they confront their respective families’ issues, these two independent people realize their partnership could be more than just a solution to their problems—it’s a force to be reckoned with, a bond forged in the heat of passion. Could it also be love?

Download or read book Connect the Dots written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2019-02-01 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How could a thirty-something man fall to his death from a fourth-floor balcony he knows is defective? That’s the question freelance writer Micki Demetrius is asked to answer by the man’s grieving mother, Clarissa White, who refuses to believe his death was an unfortunate accident. But when the authorities determine it was homicide, Micki is shut out of her investigative efforts. Giving up is easier said than done for Micki. She can’t resist a mystery, and suspicious characters won’t leave Clarissa alone, from the woman claiming a stake in the victim’s life to a cagey character who wants his business. As the threat to Clarissa grows, Micki feels compelled to help her in spite of the danger. Micki’s three mah jongg pals—Sydney, Marianne and Kat—are drawn into the mystery, but the retirees have their own challenges. Syd and husband Trip do grandparent duty while their daughter deals with marital issues. Marianne “finds herself” by writing a one-act play. And Kat must decide how public to go with her growing friendship with the sheriff. Together, they must connect the dots in a nefarious web of greed, neglect, secrecy and murder.

Download or read book Beware the East Wind written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2019-08-15 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beware the east wind! It’s hurricane season in Florida, and everyone’s attention is focused on preparing for the latest tempest. But in Serendipity Springs, mah jongg pals Marianne, Sydney, Micki and Kat are caught in a different kind of whirlwind—a mesmerizing murder case involving a slain hypnotist/chef and the woman police suspect of doing her in, her embittered catering partner, Portia. Tasked by Portia to help clear her name, and at the risk of infuriating Kat’s sheriff boyfriend, Marianne and her friends discover there are more than enough suspects—and secrets—to go around. Wary of getting themselves into more dangerous situations, Marianne and Syd agree to let their protective spouses join the hunt, even if their scheming husbands are really in it for the action, not bodyguard duty. As they dig into the hypnotist’s explosive files, more and more questions arise. Was she blackmailing her clients? Did her husband knock her off to gain access to those secrets? And is Portia telling them everything she knows? The sleuths pile their own deceptions on top of the suspects’ lies as a dangerous storm gathers steam offshore. When will the east wind strike, and will the hurricane’s merciless eye reveal a killer?

Download or read book Courtesy Call written by Barbara Barrett and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2021-08-31 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Katrina Faulkner hurts almost as much as the man in her life when he loses his bid to be reelected sheriff. But for the first time since she met Rick Formero, she’s not worried about him being in peril—until he’s drafted to help solve the fiery murder of the man who beat him at the polls. While the Serendipity Springs police department is in chaos, it’s up to Kat and her mah jongg pals to step in as Rick’s unofficial staff to unravel the crime. As the tips roll in and suspects multiply, it appears the late sheriff led a complicated life, with ties to the same sketchy gambling toughs he was supposed to be arresting. But no one’s taking bets on who’s to blame for his death. Syd is planning a mah jongg tournament, Marianne is writing a play and journalist Micki can’t wait to get her hands on the juicy story. But when the chips are down, they and the men in their lives are up to the task of helping Kat and Rick delve into the world of high-stakes gambling in pursuit of an elusive killer—even if they’re rolling the dice on danger.

Download or read book Nuts and Bolts written by Barbara and published by Barbara Barrett. This book was released on 2023-02-04 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ex-cop Rowena Summerfield would do just about anything for longtime friend Ryder Tompkins. When he discovers he has a half sister he never knew about and pressures Ro to use her investigative talents to help him find her, she can’t say no. But boyfriend Chuck Dawson’s offer to accompany her to Atlanta might complicate the search. Is she ready for so much togetherness? What begins as a simple missing-person case escalates to a danger-filled odyssey when they learn the woman has fled town, taking all her worldly goods except a bloodstained cocktail dress. The hunt is on as they follow clues cross-country from one town to another. But they’ve left a trail of their own, and the missing woman’s enemies now threaten Ro and Chuck—not to mention their friends and family back home in Florida. Ro is torn. If they go home to protect their loved ones, they’ll leave Ryder’s sister in danger, but without the backup of Ro’s police colleagues, they don’t have the resources to face a killer. As Ro and Chuck work their way through a labyrinth of challenges, their partnership evolves beyond attraction. Is it strong enough to withstand Ro’s sneaky moves to solve the case while keeping him out of danger?