When real life starts mimicking the plot of one of the romance books that line the shelves in her bookstore, it's up to Lizzie Hale to catch the killer, in this riveting new Love is Murder mystery. Lizzie Hale thought mail-order brides existed only between the pages of the historical romances she stocks in her bookstore, Love Under the Covers. But when not one, but two local men introduce her to their respective new wives, she's forced to reevaluate that notion. Lizzie is surprised when Al Little, the owner of the local hardware store, asks Lizzie and her aunt Charmaine to help Svetlana, his new bride straight from Russia, to settle into Tinker's Creek, but they agree. Everything is going swimmingly—until a wrench gets thrown into their plans when Svetlana is found drowned in the creek. With Al's suspicious best friend—who has his own mysterious mail-order bride—and the secretive matchmaker who put them together, Lizzie's got more suspects than she knows what to do with. But she'll have to nail down who the killer is fast, before someone else winds up dead. Praise for Murder of a Mail-Order Bride "Plenty of suspects and a slow-burn romance make for an entertaining cozy." — Kirkus Reviews " Murder of a Mail-Order Bride was another winner...offers another twist on familiar cozy mystery set ups. If you are looking for something just a little different, this is a series you will love." — Carstairs Considers Praise for the Love is Murder Mystery Series "Lizzie Hale is a bookstore owner whose two areas of expertise are baseball and romance novels and she finds herself using that knowledge as she tries to figure out who killed former actor—and local celebrity—turned rancher, Brody Pierce. Add in one hunky park ranger who happens to be a former major league player, one over-sized dog of questionable parentage that always seems to be shedding, plus some small-town secrets and you end up with a charming and funny mystery. Cozy fans will definitely enjoy this series debut—I did!" — Sofie Ryan , New York Times bestselling author of Undercover Kitty "What’s not to like? Mimi Granger gives us a romance-themed bookstore, intrigue, and a cast of delightful characters to make Death of a Red-Hot Rancher a winner of a cozy mystery. Lizzy Hale, owner of her bookstore, Love Under Covers, is both smart and vulnerable as she figures out who in town killed off their most eligible bachelor. It’s a superb start to a series that will thrill readers for years to come!" — Dorothy St. James , author of The Broken Spine "Granger’s first mystery features a small, gossipy town; an animal sidekick;, and a hint of romance that will delight cozy readers." — Booklist "Granger’s debut mystery combines murder with all things amatory....A cozy combination of mystery and romance featuring an expert on romance novels who needs some practical lessons in love." — Kirkus Reviews Mimi Granger began her publishing career writing historical romance. Many years later, there’s still nothing she likes better than a happily-ever-after . . . as long as there’s a little murder and mayhem thrown in. Her Love Is Murder Mysteries provide the perfect opportunity to salute the two genres she loves most—romance and mystery—and to play out every reader’s dream of owning a fabulous bookstore. Mimi lives outside of Cleveland with her own personal romance hero and two dogs: Eliot, an enthusiastic Airedale, and Lucy, who is the inspiration for Violet in Mimi’s stories (including the incredible amount of shed fur). Chapter 1 Saturday afternoon Svetlana floated facedown in the water. Her arms drifted out from her body and over her head. Her hands bobbed up and down on the current like she was waving a final goodbye. Her long white gown was stained with the muck that gathered along the sides of the canal. A brown blotch traveled waist to hemline, a Rorschach stain that looked like a bat, its wings flapping when the water moved. There was a green blob of algae on her left sleeve. Her right shoe was missing. Her gossamer veil trailed in the water behind her, leaves and twigs already caught in the dainty lace. Someone screamed. It wasn't me. That would have been just about impossible, what with all the air being pushed from my lungs by the surprise. Not to mention the horror. Besides, I was too busy to do any screaming. I kicked off my cute peep-toe sling-backs and scrambled down the embankment. It was September, and the water in the Ohio and Erie Canal had already lost the summer warmth that attracted flocks of ducks and the gray herons that used the canal as their own private fishing hole. When I took the plunge that was both literal and figurative, the chilly brown water slapped my knees and soaked my fuchsia chiffon dress. (For the record, I am so not a chiffon person, but let's face it, when a girl has twenty-four hours to find a maid of honor dress and orders from the bride that it must be pink, there aren't a lot of cho