Bücher von Diane Vallere

Get ready for a laugh-out-loud adventure with Samantha Kidd, the most stylish sleuth in Ribbon, Pennsylvania! In this cozy mystery, Samantha finds herself trading high heels for cowboy boots as she heads to a dude ranch, hoping for some rest and relaxation. Little does she know a murder mystery is about to lasso her in...When fashionista Samantha Kidd's father-in-law arranges a week on the dude ranch he's aiming to buy, Samantha preps for blue skies and clean living. But all too soon she learns life on the ranch is anything but calm. When the owner is found dead inside one of the stables, all signs point to murder.As Samantha wrangles clue after clue, she smells something rotten-and it's not manure. In her quest for the truth, she encounters quirky cowhands, brazen barrel racers, and suspicious horseplay-not to mention a social paradigm straight from the eighteen hundreds. Can Samantha bring justice to the wild west of eastern New Jersey, or will a renegade ranch dweller get away with murder?Ranch Dressing is a hilarious western adventure that will have you laughing 'til the cows come home. Yeehaw!

Polyester Monroe, quirky amateur sleuth and proud owner of Material Girl, the most colorful fabric store in San Ladrón, California, unravels the threads of a new mystery in TULLE DEATH DO US PART... When the historic Waverly House is transformed into a wedding venue, the town buzzes with excitement. An out-of-town couple with the loosest of local ties has adopted them as their own. But amidst the celebration, tragedy strikes as a guest is found dead in the chapel before the wedding march plays. Suspicion quickly falls on the bride. Poly's ex-boyfriend, the groom-to-be, needles Poly for her help in solving the murder, but things take a complicated turn when the bride-to-be points the finger-at him. Poly dives headfirst into a web of secrets and hidden agendas. From the eccentric wedding planner to the envious bridesmaids, she must untangle the clues while navigating the chaos of wedding season at her fabric shop. As the investigation unfolds, Poly has a choice: her familiar past or a potential future with the town's most eligible bachelor. With puns as sharp as tailor's shears and her knack for finding trouble, Poly is determined to expose the real culprit before the bride's "I do" becomes doing life. TULLE DEATH DO US PART is a hilarious roller coaster ride filled with quirky characters, unexpected twists, and a patchwork of romantic notions. Grab a cup of tea, cozy up in your favorite chair, and enjoy this captivating fabric-filled adventure!

Samantha Kidd has gotten the swing of sleuthing, but she's an absolute beginner when it comes to being a spy...When Samantha Kidd places the winning bid on a mystery trunk from the estate of a sixties pop star, she's over the moon-until she opens it and discovers more than mod fashions: top secret papers that suggest something more menacing than miniskirts.Repeated attempts to steal the trunk motivate Samantha to sell it-but not until after she's removed the questionable items. But when the trunk's new owner is found dead with the singer's record in his hand, even Nancy Sinatra's boots can't make Samantha walk away. Turning the tables on mods, rockers, and bad guys galore may require a little help from her friends, but if they fail, there's no room for an encore.Can Samantha put a spin on the classic sixties spy story, or will the needle drop before she gets into her groove?

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 entry in the Samantha Kidd mystery 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.

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.

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 trending? ¿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 :)

Dive into a world of enchantment, danger, and the unexpected as you embark on extraordinary underwater adventures in DEAD IN THE WATER. Meet Zoe, Kyra, and Ava, three spirited mermaid sisters who call the vibrant underwater city of Sirenia their home. But life beneath the waves is about to take a thrilling turn as the sisters find themselves caught in a wave of treacherous mysteries.When a mysterious murder rocks the peaceful depths of their aquatic paradise, the mermaid sleuths refuse to let the secrets remain submerged. Utilizing their unique gifts of intuition, song, and curiosity, Zoe, Kyra, and Ava embark on individual quests to unravel the truth, enlisting the help of wise mermen, clever fish allies, and even a few humans along the way.As they navigate a labyrinth of deep-sea wonders and perilous encounters, the mermaid trio uncovers a hidden world of dark alliances, ancient prophecies, and a sinister plot that could shake Sirenia to its very core. With every clue they unravel, the sisters find themselves diving deeper into the heart of the mysteries, risking their lives to protect their cherished home and those they hold dear.For fans of mermaids, mysteries, and thrilling adventures alike, DEAD IN THE WATER is a trio of spellbinding stories that seamlessly weave together elements of fantasy, suspense, and captivating fiction. Immerse yourself in a richly imagined underwater realm, where the bonds of sisterhood, the allure of the sea, and the power of love collide in a race against time and will leave you longing for more tales from the deep.

All that glitters isn't gold in Samantha Kidd's latest mystery...When Samantha Kidd's jewel of a husband, shoe designer Nick Taylor, is named a finalist for Designer of the Year at an industry function, Samantha sponsors a banquet table and invites close friends and family to the celebration. But by the time the night arrives, most of them aren't on speaking terms. Even romance with Nick suffers thanks to his dad's move into the couple's spare bedroom.¿Before the cash bar closes, the toastmaster's body is found with a gilded knife in her chest. What should have been a golden evening becomes a 24-karat disaster, and brutal weather conditions keep the cops at bay. Locked in a ballroom with two hundred suspects and seven angry tablemates, Samantha's got just four hours to take a stab at solving the murder...before the murderer stabs again.

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.¿

*AGATHA AWARD WINNER FOR BEST NON-FICTION!**ANTHONY AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST NON-FICTION!* AUTHOR OVERBOARDPublishing a book can be scary. Figuring out how to promote it can be straight-up frightening. When the seas of book promo make you feel adrift in unfriendly tides, keeping your head above water can be difficult. Enter PROMOPHOBIA, a collection of essays that just might save the life of your book.SINK OR SWIMDivided into categories: Identifying Your Niche, Book Community, Social Media, Online Promo, Publicity, Connecting with Readers, Going On Your Own or Participating with a Group, Events, and Thinking Outside the Box, PROMOPHOBIA will open your eyes to the opportunities around you. The contributing authors share their personal experiences about what's worked for them (and in a few humorous cases, what didn't) to provide a beacon. You're no longer in the dark. You're not swimming alone.If you've ever wondered if you could have done more for your latest book launch, then this book is for you. If you're tired of relying on the same old strategies release after release, then this book is for you. If you want to readjust your sails and angle for a fresh gust of wind to carry you farther on your writing journey, then this book is for you.A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATSThis is not a how-to book. It's an anecdotal anthology of essays about seeing possibilities, building connections, believing in our work, making mistakes, totally f*ing up, and trying something new. It is a collection of stories told over smoothies at the gym or drinks at the bar, shared with the same spirit of community that infuses Sisters in Crime.The next time you find yourself swimming in dark promotional waters, read an essay or two from PROMOPHOBIA. Instead of drowning in fear, you'll find yourself saying, "I'm going to need a bigger book."--ABOUT SISTERS IN CRIMESisters in Crime is the premier crime writing association focused on equity and inclusion in our community and in publishing. Founded in 1986 to represent and advocate for women crime writers, we celebrate and honor this history with our name while we continue to work for all who share our commitment to and love for a vibrant, inclusive community. Our 4,500+ members enjoy access to tools to help them learn, grow, improve, thrive, and reinvent if necessary. They also gain a community of supportive fellow writers and readers, both peers to share the peaks and valleys of writing, and mentors to model the way forward.

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.

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.¿

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.

Fabric shop owner Polyester Monroe can get tangled up in textiles, but it's murder that really throws her for a loop in the third Material Witness mystery...The time has come for the annual Miss Tangorli beauty pageant, and Polyester Monroe has agreed to use her fabric store's inventory of shimmery silks to create gowns fit for a crown. But when the man who revived the city's citrus trade with his imported Tangorli tree is found dead days before the pageant contestants are announced, something sour takes over the town.¿To make matters worse, Poly's closest friend is caught up in the crime, having been seen in the company of the case's prime suspect. Juicy secrets come to light, creating tension in the small California town. Now while Poly juggles seamstresses and a gaggle of pageant contestants, the killer seems intent to put the squeeze someone she loves.

Fabric shop owner Polyester Monroe is back in business--this time getting wrapped up in a diabolical but crafty case of murder. With the reopening of her fabric shop rapidly approaching, Polyester Monroe is stocking up on lush fabrics, colorful notions, and best of all, a proprietary weave of velvet. But upon delivery, it's not quite the blend she expected, being ninety-percent silk - and ten-percent corpse. Crushed under a dozen bolts of fabric is local business owner Phil Girard. His wife, Genevieve, local tea shop owner and close friend of Poly, is the prime suspect. Granted, Phil may not have been the perfect husband, but surely Genevieve had no reason to kill him! There's just the small matter of Genevieve's own incriminating confession: I'm afraid I killed my husband. Now, as the grand opening looms, Poly is torn between a friendship pulling apart at the seams-and finding a smooth killer with a velvet touch...

Unraveling family secrets can be murder... When Polyester Monroe was young, she loved playing in her family's textile store. But after a fatal tragedy, Land of A Thousand Fabrics was boarded up and Poly never expected to see the inside again. These days her time is spent designing prom dresses from cheap fabrics and covering the flaws with a glue gun. When her great uncle passes away and leaves her the fabric store, she sees it as a sign to change her life. But when a man connected to her family's tragedy is found dead in the parking lot behind the store the day after she moves in, her illusions of reopening the glamorous fabric store are shredded. Poly pulls at threads to unravels the truth, but can she keep herself out of the fray?¿Suede to Rest is the first charming Material Witness cozy mystery. If you like small town settings, killer textiles, and crafty killers, then you'll love Diane Vallere's fun, fabric-themed series.