A Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page

Lou returned to Frome to care for her ill mother.  Now she has died Lou is using the money left to her to open up a vintage clothes shop.  Vintage clothes have always been her love.  There is just one thing in the shop which is not for sale, this is her mum's yellow dress.  

70 year old Maggy is drawn into the shop when she sees the yellow dress. 

In New York Donna has just found out that she was adopted and the only thing she has of her birth mother is a photograph of her twirling in a yellow dress. A search on the internet shows the picture and the dress on display in a vintage shop in Somerset.  

The three women become friends and together search for answers about the adoption and the dress.  

A Winter's Dream by Sophie Claire

For the last few years, on her birthday, Liberty has received anonymous flowers.  This year she chases the florist to try to find out who they are from.  This is something she would not usually do.  She then decides to challenge herself to do other things each day during the month of December and to not say no to anything offered.  

Liberty needs help with paying the regular bills so decides to take in a lodger.  A friend of a friend is due to visit from France and needs somewhere to stay and it is agreed that he will move in with Liberty for a month.  Alex is recovering from a motorcycle accident and is trying to find a half sister he didn't know he had.  Liberty and Alex do not get off to a good start but then have to spend a few days together when they get snowed in.  Alex helps Liberty with her challenges and takes her out for a motorcycle ride.  She is terrified of getting on the bike but really can't say no to the challenge.  

My Kind of Happy by Cathy Bramley

After the sudden death of her brother in a road accident, Fearne has been struggling to move on.  Her elderly neighbour has fallen and broken her hip so Fearne is looking after Scamp her small dog.  

Fearne gives up her job and enrolls on an floristry course.  She has always liked flowers and used to help her grandmother to arrange flowers when she was young.  Whilst out walking with Scamp in a local Derbyshire village, Fearne stumbles across Nina, a distraught florist who is struggling to get the flowers ready for a wedding.  She steps in and helps and then ends up agreeing to go into business with Nina. 

As with many Cathy Bramley books, there are links with other stories.  The florist shop is across the road from the The Lemon Tree Cafe and some of the same characters appear in this story too.  

Fever of the Bone by Val McDermid

A teenager goes missing and their murdered and mutilated body is found.  Then another teenager goes missing.  Tony Hill is not being asked to help with a criminal profiling.  The unit are training up their own officers.  DCI Carol Jordan and her team are looking into the last movements of the teenagers and checking out their social media activity.  They seem to have been using the same platform to meet other people.  They could have been chatting to the murderer on line before arranging to meet up in person.  This could be a serial killer.  

Whilst investigating the murders and also looking into some cold cases, Carol is trying to find out more about Tony's father.  He has died and left a house, a boat and other assets to Tony.  Tony is not sure that he wants any of these things from a men he did not know and who did not want to know him. 

Growing Up for Beginners by Claire Calman

After her daughter heads off for a gap year Eleanor is on her own with husband Roger for the first time in over 20 years.  Roger has always been very controlling, likes his own way and gets moody if anyone disagrees with him.  He expects his dinner on the table when he gets home and for Eleanor to do exactly what he says.  Eleanor has learnt ways of asking questions and providing information in such a way that he is not riled.  She starts to rebel again Roger's domineering ways.   

Andrew works at the British Museum where Eleanor's father Conrad used to work.  Conrad still visits the museum regularly as he is writing a book.  One day Andrew gets home to find that his girlfriend Vicky has packed up all his belongings and he has to move out.  He ends up staying with his parents.  

Cecilia, an artist, lives in a house where the garden backs onto that of Andrew's parents. Andrew's mum is upset by a large apple tree which is blocking her view.  Andrew goes round to speak to her and bumps into one of Cecilia's daughters.  They find they have a lot in common and start to see each other. 

Stranger in the Woods by Anni Taylor

Photographer Isla Wilson applied for a one month assignment to take photographs of the Architect Alban McGregor, his wife and their home.  She heads off from Australia to the Scottish Highlands.  

Two years ago the McGregor's daughter Elodie has been abducted and held in a playhouse on their land, she had then died in hospital. All the locals believe that she was taken by a stranger, it couldn't have been one of their own townspeople.  Alban keeps a strange linear picture on his office wall and he refuses to knock down the playhouse.  At night be often walks around the land and visits the playhouse when he can't sleep.  

Isla gets to know some of the locals in the area.  She is sure some of them are keeping secrets. She herself is targeted in the gatehouse where she is staying.  The closer she comes to finding out the truth the more danger she is in. 

The Clockmaker's Secret by Jack Benton

Former soldier, now private detective, Slim Hardy has booked an out of season holiday near Bodmin Moor.  He needs time on his own to walk in the moors and to avoid alcohol as he has an addiction.  

Whilst out walking he trips and then finds an old and unfinished cuckoo clock which had been buried in the ground.  The clock is still ticking.  Slim takes the clock to the local town to get a valuation.  He is told it was made by Amos Birch who lived in Penleven and disappeared over 20 years ago.  

Slim is determined to find out why Amos disappeared.  He asks lots of questions in the local villages and hears lots of rumours, secrets and lies.  Many people encourage him to leave this investigation, but he needs to find answers. 

The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday by Kiley Dunbar

At her graduation ceremony mature student Jude sees her boyfriend, the Philosophy Professor Mack, kissing another student. She world crumbles.  

Jude had applied for her and Mack to have a 2 week holiday at the 'borrow-a-bookshop cafe'.  There is a long waiting list and the money is not refundable.  Their names come to the top of the list and Mack lets Jude know.  Jude decides that she will go on her own and she heads off to Devon.  

Jude's parents own and run a bakery so they send her off with lots of supplies so that she can bake the cakes for the cafe.  The bookshop is usually run by two people, one will be in the shop and the other in the cafe.  Jude is surprised when Elliott turns up.  He has also applied for the holiday but just on his own and so had been asked if he wanted to join Jude.  But Jude hadn't known and had expected to be on her own.  

Initially Jude and Elliott don't get along too well.  There is something that Elliott is keeping secret from Jude.  

The Perfect Tenant by AJ Carter

There is a lot happening all on the the one street in Bristol.  Single mother Alice owns two houses on the street, one she lives in with her young son Cody, and another that is empty and available to rent.  A young woman helps Alice in the supermarket when she drops her shopping, they talk for a while and Alice offers her the house to rent at a very reasonable, below market rate, as she is in need of a place to stay.  Ellie moves in straight away and babysits for Alice so that she can have a night out with her boyfriend Max, who is a mechanic and lives further down the street.  Alice finds a bruise on Cody's arm which has been caused by Ellie.  Then there are a lot of other issues on the street.  Alice's front garden is vandalised and someone is murdered.  All the evidence points to Ellie.  

On top of all these problems there is a serial kidnapper who is believed to be heading towards Bristol.  Alice must keep Cody safe as she suspects that Ellie may be the kidnapper.  

Coming Home to the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

After the death of her best friend Kate, Zoe takes on the care of her 16 year old daughter Martha.  As Martha is sneaking out of the house and going to clubs drinking, Zoe decides that they need to move away from Bristol for a while and to have a fresh start in the country.  

Zoe takes on a house as a 6 months rental in Budbury, a little village in Dorset.  Martha is not happy but goes along with Zoe's plans.  The community in Budbury are really welcoming and easily befriend Zoe, they even try to make friends with Martha who initially turns her back on them.  

Most days Zoe will go out for a walk and head to the local cafe for a drink and a chat whilst Martha is out at college.  All the locals head to the cafe as their safe haven. One day Martha's absent father, who lives in Australia, turns up in Budbury too.  

The Secrets of Primrose Square by Claudia Carroll

There is a lot happening in the lives of the people who live in Primrose Square in Dublin.  

Melissa's older sister has died.  Susan, her mum, is struggling to deal with the death and blames a teenage boy who was a friend of her daughter.  In her grief Susan is neglecting Melissa.  

Widowed Jayne takes in Melissa for a while when Susan requires medical care.  Jayne is being pressured by her son and daughter in law to sell her house, move in with them and give them the money.  She does not want to do this.  

Nancy, a theatre director from London, has the opportunity to rent a house on Primrose Square for a very reasonable price.  No-one seems to know who the owner of the house is, it has been empty or being refurbished for years.  Something about it doesn't feel right.  

The Killing in the Cafe by Simon Brett

The residents of Fethering want to save Polly's Cake Shop so propose that it becomes a community project to be run and managed by local volunteers.  An action committee is set up.  

Jude and Carole, the local amateur sleuths, come across a dead body on the beach.  One of the cafe waitresses had told Jude that she had seen a dead body in the storeroom of the cafe, but then the body had disappeared.  Both bodies has been shot through the temple so are probably the same man.  Jude and Carole start their own investigation into who the man is and why he has been shot.  There is a definite link between the man and the cake shop. 

Can the cake shop survive with volunteers being relied upon to keep it open?  

A Body in the Borderlands by Helen Cox

After the death of his wife Joe Golding has joined Kitt Hartley in her investigation team as he wants a different experience to his former banking career. 

The team are approached by a young women, Carly Lewis, who is looking for her uncle who has gone missing.  The police are not interested in investigating as Ralph Holmes seems to voluntarily disappeared.  

Kitt, Grace and Joe set off to Carlisle to track the most recent known movements of Ralph.  They get caught up in conspiracies, possible murder and could become targets themselves.  

Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman

After the sudden death of their mother Abby Spencer sacrificed her career opportunities to look after her younger siblings.  Now at last Abby has a chance to do a job that she wants.  She becomes the personal assistant to Douglas Faulkner the MD of Crumbs, a company that make biscuits.  

Douglas isn't happy in his job, but has to continue under the thumb of his father.  There are secrets he is keeping and he is not the man people think he is.  

Abby seems a bit hair-brained from time to time, dashes in late looking crumpled after dealing with her young nephew before setting off for work, but she has a great head for the business and comes up with some interesting ideas.  

Double Crossed by Roberta Kray

Liv Anderson has been working as part of a team entrapping men to extort money from them.  Unfortunately the latest person they targeted has links to a notorious gangster and they want her to give him his money back.  Liv doesn't have the cash and so to repay the debt is forced to pose as a secretary to a property developer and report back on his business dealings.  

A local prostitute is murdered and then one of Liv's friends goes missing.  She is starting to become scared and wants to repay the debt and get away.  

Liv approaches a local newspaper journalist who may know some information about her father.  She wants to know the truth about him.  Another journalist is convinced there is a story he is missing out on and finds out who Liv really is, who her father was and follows her around trying to find out more.  She is being hounded by both gangsters and the journalist.

The Village of Happy Ever Afters by Alison Sherlock

With much encouragement from her friends Molly, who loves baking, finally follows her dream to open a tea garden.  She takes over the garden of an empty shop at the end of a small row.  The shop next door has just been rented by Logan who has come to Cranbridge to be near his grandfather whilst he gets over the very public ending of his marriage.  

Molly and many of the villagers are trying to improve the area as the owner of the shops has left them to deteriorate and the garden has become very overgrown.  Along with the tea garden some of the locals have taken on an area as a community garden.  

Logan's grandfather owns the local watermill and with Logan's help wants to rebuild the waterwheel so that the mill can re-open.  

The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew by Milly Johnson

Being the wife of the up and coming political star John F Mayhew, Sophie is expected to be the perfect wife, always look glamourous and say exactly the right thing.  When she finds out that her husband has been having an affair and she is expected to toe the line and read out a pre-prepared statement about standing by him Sophie suddenly rebels and says what she really thinks.  She then escapes from the confines of her home and with the help of a unexpected friend heads off to a Yorkshire village where she has happy memories from her childhood.  

Sophie, going under an assumed name and with a different haircut to disguise herself, is welcomed to the local community and finds some new and caring friends.  At last she can be herself and do the things she loves to do.  

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane

Wedding photographer Harriett has been very clear that she does not wish to get married.  Her boyfriend Jon proposes to her in front of his whole family whilst out celebrating his parents wedding anniversary.  She is pressurised into accepting due to the situation but quickly lets him know that this is not what she wants.  As they are living together and the relationship has ended Harriett needs to find somewhere else to live.  

A room becomes available to rent with the home owner and Harriett ends up sharing with Cal.  The arrangements were made over the phone and so Harriett meets Cal for the first time as she moves in. When one of Cal's friends turns up Harriett recognises him as the best man from a wedding she was photographing and she realises that Cal was the groom who ran off on the wedding day leaving behind the bride.  As they start to make friends Harriet realises that her assumptions about Cal and his actions are not all as she expected.