K.J. Emrick - Darcy Sweet Mysteries (#1-14)

Death Comes to Town (Darcy Sweet Mystery #1)
Darcy Sweet would like to think that she is just an ordinary woman, happy in her life running the Sweet Read bookstore. But she isn't ordinary. She has a connection to the other side that seems to draw her into mysterious situations more often than not. Add to the mix the antics of a rather naughty, slightly psychic cat and the eccentric ghost of her great-aunt Millie, and you have a recipe for anything but the ordinary.

When Darcy's neighbour is murdered she is drawn into the mystery against her will when she finds the body. She tries to leave the investigation to the police, one of which is her sister, but an overheard conversation and a small nudge from the other side has her investigating the murder. The stakes are raised when the murderer strikes again. Who was killing the people in her life?

Things are complicated even more by her building attraction to her sister's new cop partner, who makes it clear he does not appreciate Darcy's interference in the investigation. Sparks fly between the two of them as they get further into the mystery surrounding the deaths.

With a town full of suspects how will Darcy work out who the murderer is? None of the pieces to the puzzle fit. Things become more complicated and dangerous as Darcy's own life is threatened. Will she survive to see justice served?

Mists of the Past (Darcy Sweet Mystery #2)
Darcy Sweet isn't what you would call a girly girl. She almost never wears makeup and loves nothing more than to wear a well worn pair of jeans, a t-shirt and her most comfortable pair of sneakers. So she felt a little strange as she prepared for her first official date with her new cop boyfriend. They were going to have a quiet romantic dinner in a nice restaurant. There was nothing to worry about, right?

Wrong!

Darcy should have known that even a date wasn't immune to the other side when she had a vision during the date. And worse still it was a vision about her new boyfriend. What did she really know about him anyway? He was a cop, yes, but that didn't mean he was squeaky clean if the vision was anything to go by.

Making a hasty exit out the rear of the restaurant she hurries home only to have him follow her. She lies about why she left, feigning sickness but she could tell he didn't believe her. Not able to ignore the vision, Darcy delves into it further as she tries to avoid him, hoping to find a reasonable explanation for what she saw. The more she finds out the more she worries that he may not be the nice guy everyone thinks that he is. Could he really be a killer?

From the Ashes (Darcy Sweet Mystery #3)
When Darcy Sweet's friend asks her for help in finding out more about a young woman's mother she thinks that it will just be a routine communication with the other side. But when she is unable to establish any contact with the woman she is confused. There seemed to be only one reason for it but it didn't make any sense.

Keeping her suspicions to herself she begins to investigate to see if she can come up with another reason for the lack of communication. Upon more investigation the mystery deepens and things may not be as they seem. What really happened to the woman?

And if that wasn't enough Darcy's very proper mother comes for a visit. Not having had the easiest relationship with her mother Darcy is disconcerted when she doesn't act at all like herself, showering unexpected attention on Darcy and her sister. As if the hugs weren't surprising enough there is also the issue of her mother acting mysteriously. It was just another mystery for Darcy to unravel. What was her mother up to?

The Ghost of Christmas (Darcy Sweet Mystery #4)
Darcy Sweet loves the Christmas season with its snow and Christmas trees and colorful decorations. She also loves the Christmas pageant that her town puts on every year. However this year things don't go as smoothly as hoped when an unexpected visitor shows up: The ghost of a murdered man who was a former pageant Santa. The ghost needs Darcy to find out who his killer is so he may finally rest in peace.

However, things are complicated further when there is an attempt on Darcy and her boyfriend's life, while he is wearing the ghost's Santa costume. Will they find the ghost's killer in time when every attempt Darcy makes is being impeded by forces unknown? Will they make it to Christmas in one piece or will the Santa suit claim another victim?

The Stolen Valentine (Darcy Sweet Mystery #5)
Love is in the air for the folks in Misty Hollow as they prepare for their annual Valentine's Day dance. Darcy Sweet thinks that she has nothing more to worry about than decorating the Sweet Read bookstore, and what to get her boyfriend on the most romantic day of the year.

She couldn't have been more wrong!

There is cause for worry when Aaron, her brother-in-law, fails to return home one night after receiving some exciting news. Things look even more dire when he doesn't turn up the next day either. His family begins to fear the worst.

What has happened to Aaron? Is he in danger? Will they find him before it's too late?

Hiding From Death (Darcy Sweet Mystery #6)
When Darcy Sweet returned home from a short vacation with her boyfriend she found, much to her dismay, that her deceased neighbour's house had been sold.

The new owner, a mysterious dark haired woman, set tongues wagging around Misty Hollow for being very aloof and unlikeable. The only thing the woman had going in her favour was her young son whom she was very protective of.

Darcy became intrigued with her new neighbour and even though the woman demanded that Darcy leave them alone, she couldn't. Darcy felt that there was more to it, that the woman had a secret. Especially after having a vision that reveals the danger that the woman is in.

Will Darcy be able to help the woman before her past catches up with her and someone gets hurt or worse...?

A Murder of Crows (Darcy Sweet Mystery #7)
A trip out of town to take in a seminar should have been an enjoyable week away for Darcy Sweet. But like so many times before in her life it's not to be...

Things get a bit weird when she starts seeing her deceased ex-husband's ghost who gives her a cryptic message.

"Beware the Crow." What does it mean?

And if that isn't unsettling enough, her travelling companion is murdered the first night they are away. Is it just a random murder or is there more to it? And what has Jeff, and his message, got to do with it all?

Family Secrets (Darcy Sweet Mystery #8)
When the Misty Hollow town treasurer is murdered in her own home for once it looks like it is an open and shut case. The alleged murderer is caught red handed near the body but is it that straight forward?

Darcy Sweet knows that nothing is ever that easy where murder is concerned when she sees the ghost of the murder victim. Things are complicated even further by the relationship that the alleged murderer has with Darcy's cop boyfriend. Darcy finds out things that she never knew about Jon, and not all of it is good.

The Language of Death (Darcy Sweet Mystery #9)
You could say that Darcy Sweet's life is definitely not ordinary or boring. In fact, things have become quite complicated for her. She thought that her life was going one way only to have it go another way entirely.

While trying to adjust to life without Jon, and at the same time helping to plan her mother's wedding, she receives a ghostly message that leaves her reeling.

Her best friend is dead and is asking Darcy for help. What happened? Was it a suicide like everyone thinks or is there more to it? Darcy certainly thinks so. While everyone else seems to have accepted it as a suicide it's up to Darcy to uncover the truth and give her friend the peace she needs to move on.

The Greatest Gift (Darcy Sweet Mystery #10)
While helping her mother with last minute preparations for her wedding, Darcy Sweet gets an urgent call from a good friend of her Great Aunt Millie.

Someone has been rearranging the furniture inside Belinda Franco's home and Belinda believes that it is the ghost of her dead husband, Dominic. She asks Darcy to communicate with him to find out why he is suddenly causing mischief.

Darcy isn't convinced that it is Dominic. Is it just a case of a naughty ghost causing havoc or is there more to it?With the unexpected help of her estranged boyfriend Jon she plans to get to the bottom of the mystery. Is there a chance that they can solve their own problems while also solving Belinda's problem at the same time?

Resorting to Murder (Darcy Sweet Mystery #11)
Three days alone in a cabin in the mountains with her on-again, off-again—and now on-again—boyfriend Jon Tinker should have been perfect for Darcy Sweet.

What could possibly go wrong?

But as was so often the way with her life things didn't go exactly according to plan. Their romantic mini vacation was thrown into turmoil when a stranger knocked on the door of their getaway cabin. Darcy was catapulted into a vision that indicated the person may not be quite who they were pretending to be.

Once again Darcy found herself caught up in a mystery. Would she be able to solve it before she became the next victim of a serial killer?

Death at the Wheel (Darcy Sweet Mystery #12)'
The Mysterious is all Around Us' could be the catchphrase for Darcy Sweet's life with the way she always seems to end up in mysterious situations.

And it was very mysterious indeed when a car accident that crashes its way into town results in a missing driver and a dead body.

What happened? Where did the driver of the death car go? Could it have been a ghost driving?

Anything was possible in the town of Misty Hollow. As Darcy gets deeper into the mystery she uncovers evidence that seems to point in an entirely unexpected direction.

Once again the mysterious has landed her into danger. Can she work out what really happened before it's too late?

Ghost Story (Darcy Sweet Mystery #13)
It's almost Halloween in Misty Hollow... but Darcy Sweet won't be having a fun time trick or treating this year.

The mists are gathering, rolling in heavy and thick, feeding off the trouble that is coming to town. The trouble her Great Aunt Millie had warned her about. Trouble with a capital T.

With a psychopathic ghost that is running rampant through town causing dark mischief wherever he goes and a dead body that is dumped on the Mayor's front lawn Darcy is going to have her hands full trying to sort it all out.

Can she work out what is happening before anyone else ends up dead? Will she be able to triumph against the malevolent spirit that is intent on destroying the residents of Misty Hollow?

Christmas Spirit (Darcy Sweet Mystery #14)
It's the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is almost here and Misty Hollow is unusually quiet and peaceful. Darcy Sweet is finally getting a taste of what it's like to live an ordinary life. And, quite frankly, it's...Boring!

Darcy knows she shouldn't complain but she has actually gotten used to her life being extraordinary. She enjoys the excitement of untangling the mysteries that she so often finds herself mixed up in.

So the last thing she is expecting while watching her all time favourite movie is to be suddenly thrown into another mystery. Someone is in the movie who shouldn't be there.

Is it a ghost?

Darcy is sure it is. A very desperate ghost who begs Darcy to find her. Darcy isn't sure what that means but she intends to work it out even if it puts her life in danger once again. Can Darcy, with the help of Jon, work out what the ghost means so that the it's restless spirit can pass over to the other side? And who is trying to kill her and Jon if it is actually a ghost?

Can they stay alive long enough to solve this mystery and enjoy Christmas with their family?