Cumberland Creek Mysteries
Having traded in her career as a successful investigative journalist for the life of a stay-at-home mom in picturesque Cumberland Creek, Virginia, Annie can’t help but feel that something’s missing. But she finds solace in a local “crop circle” of scrapbookers united by chore-shy husbands, demanding children, and occasional fantasies of their former single lives. And when the quiet idyll of their small town is shattered by a young mother’s suicide, they band together to find out what went wrong . . .
Annie resurrects her reporting skills and discovers that Maggie Rae was a closet scrapbooker who left behind more than a few secrets—and perhaps a few enemies. As they sift through Maggie Rae’s mysteriously discarded scrapbooks, Annie and her “crop” sisters begin to suspect that her suicide may have been murder. It seems that something sinister is lurking beneath the town’s beguilingly calm façade—like a killer with unfinished business . . .
Scrapbook of Secrets was nominated for an Agatha Award for the “Best First Novel of 2012.”
The ladies of the Cumberland Scrapbook Crop are welcoming an eccentric newbie into their fold. A self-proclaimed witch, Cookie Crandall can whip up a sumptuous vegan meal and rhapsodize about runes and moon phases with equal aplomb. She becomes fast friends with her fellow scrapbookers, including freelance reporter Annie, with whom she shares shallow roots in a community of established family trees. So when Cookie becomes the prime suspect in a series of bizarre murders, the croppers get scrappy and set out to clear her name. . .
Annie starts digging and discovers that the victims each had strange runic patterns carved on their bodies–a piece of evidence that points the police in Cookie’s direction. Even her friends begin to doubt her innocence when they find an ornate, spiritual scrapbook that an alleged beginner like Cookie could never have crafted. As Annie and the croppers search for answers, they’ll uncover a shockingly wicked side of their once quiet town–and a killer on the prowl for another victim. . .
Scrapped was nominated for a Library of Virginia People’s Choice Literary Award.
Spring is in the air, but the ladies of the Cumberland Creek Scrapbook Crop hardly have time to stop and smell the roses. Not when famed Irish dancer Emily McGlashen is found murdered in her studio just after the St. Patrick’s Day parade–and one of the Crop’s own members is the prime suspect. Vera’s dance studio may have suffered when Emily waltzed into town, but the croppers know she’s not a vengeful murderer. Lucky for her, co-scrapbooker Annie is a freelance reporter eager to vindicate her friend. What she discovers is a puzzling labyrinth of secrets that only add question marks to Emily’s murder. Just when it seems they’ve run out of clues, an antique scrapbook turns up and points the croppers in the right direction–and brings them face to face with a killer more twisted than a Celtic knot. . .
Includes tips and a glossary of terms for the modern scrapbooker!
Summer’s in full swing, and it’s time once again for the Cumberland Creek County Fair Pie Competition. DeeAnn Fields just knows this is her year to finally win with her brilliant apple green chili pie. But after the judges take one bite and spit it back out, ordering DeeAnn to leave at once, she’s baffled as to what went wrong. . .until she discovers someone sabotaged her pie.
Banding together to find out who hated DeeAnn enough to ruin her chances of winning, the ladies of the Cumberland Scrapbook Crop scrap their summer plans to get to the bottom of this mystery so that they can return to what they do best–cropping and crafting!
Christmas is just around the corner, and the ladies of the Cumberland Creek Scrapbook Crop are thrilled when Sheila wins the first place prize in a scrapbooking design contest: a ten-day scrapbook-themed cruise in the Caribbean. Vera and Paige decide to tag along, which should pose the perfect opportunity to learn some new techniques, mingle with fellow croppers, and get in some rest and relaxation before the chaos of Christmas. But when Sheila finds a famous crafter dead, and investigators determine she was poisoned, the luxury cruise veers toward disaster as Sheila becomes the number one suspect–or was she really the intended victim? Just as the croppers begin un-wrapping the truth, a storm strands them at sea, and they’ll find it’s harder than ever to survive the holidays with a killer on deck. . .
Springtime may be for lovers, but for one of the ladies of the Cumberland Creek Scrapbook Crop, it’s turning into a season of conflict. Still smarting from her divorce, Vera can’t decide whether to accept a marriage proposal. She doesn’t want to spoil a good thing by putting another ring on her finger. On the other hand, her mother Beatrice has flown off to France with the man of her dreams. But when folks claim to have seen Bea around town and Vera can’t reach her, she starts to search for her mother. Is Bea still in France? And if not, what has happened to her?
As Vera tries to solve the mystery of her missing mother, other problems crop up for the scrapbookers, including a health crisis in Sheila’s family and a surprise announcement from Paige’s son. If only life could be as neat and pretty as a scrapbook album! Some of the answers to their recent dilemmas will bring surprises that the croppers could never have predicted!
Halloween means spooky scrapbooks for the Cumberland Creek Scrapbook Crop, but what’s been happening around town is truly frightening. First a dead woman is found in the freezer at Pamela’s Pie Palace, and the next day a second woman is found murdered by the river. Reporter Annie Chamovitz learns the victims were sisters and is certain their deaths are linked. Most bizarre of all, both women were found clutching scrapbook pages.
As their Saturday night crop quickly becomes an opportunity to puzzle out the murders, the ladies begin to wonder if Pamela is hiding more than her secret recipes for delicious pies–or if the crimes are related to the startling discovery that there are gangs in Cumberland Creek. As All Hallows Eve approaches, the crafty croppers must cut and paste the clues to unmask a deadly killer.
Jeanette says
how perfect….scrapbooking and reading and mysteries….is there chocolate and a touch of knitting to make it totally perfect!!!!????
Deb Meisinger says
I really enjoyed your book “Scrapbook of Secrets in Cumberland Creek. When is your next book due to come out-Scrapbook of Shadows?? Looking forward to your reply.
I am an avid scrapbooker…
Smiles!
Deb scrapnks
Sonja says
Oh yes! A new one coming! Can’t wait!
Mollie Bryan says
Thank you!
Patti says
I love your books but I don’t have a kindle and don’t intend to buy one. Is there any way to get the e-novellas in print?
Mollie Bryan says
I’m so sorry, Patti. They are only available as e-books. But, you can download an app for your computer that will let you read the books on your computer–not kindle. They are very short novellas, so you’d not be sitting there long to read them.
Donna says
Just finished the series. Loved them. Hope there will be more???
Mollie Bryan says
Hi Donna! I’m not sure if there will be more. The series has NOT been cancelled, not has it “ended.” I just wanted to take a little break from it. In the mean time, I have a new series–the first book is DEATH AMONG THE DOILIES. Check it out.
Donna says
Just finished death among doilies. Loved it. Looking forward to more crafty mysteries
Mollie Bryan says
Thanks so much!
Chian Kuntz says
Avid scrapper & mystery lover…this series is so much fun!! I was able to purchase and listen to 4 books through Audible however I cannot seem to find “Scrappy Summer”, “Scrappily Ever After”, and “Scrapbook of the Dead” in audio book format. Will Audible have these books available to purchase soon?
Mollie Bryan says
So glad you enjoyed them!
John Achor says
Dear Molly,
I think the setting of your new series (crafts) is outstanding. You can put your character is almost any location.
Yeats back, as I was developing my female protagonist, I was casting around for something similar for her. I decided she would fill gaps in income — late alimony — by taking temp jobs. So far, I’ve dropped her into a computer firm, an attorneys office and a hospital.
John Achor
Mollie Bryan says
Thanks John! I’ve just finished the third book in the series–MACRAME MURDER–it it’s set at a beach retreat. So, I do think the series has legs. 😉
Gil says
I started because the second one was free. Then I went back and read the first and plowed on through 3 and 3.5. Now in four, I’m miserable to see that it’s effectively over at 5.5/6 books.
My only complaint? Vera and Tony’s NY. Totally threw me out of the story with how Vera’s train from Virginia seems to go directly into Brooklyn.
Mollie Bryan says
Hi Gil,
Thanks for the taking the time to write. The series is not really over. It’s not been cancelled. I just needed a break from it. Thanks so much!
Mollie
Gab says
I’m glad the series will continue – I feel like the ladies are my friends!
Jan Anderson says
Is Scrapbook of the Dead available in audible version or cd’s? I normally listen to all of my books and have the other four Cumberland Creek books on audible.com, but can’t find Scrapbook of the Dead anywhere in audible version
Mollie Bryan says
Hi Jan,
I’m sorry. At this point Scrapbook of the Dead is not available as audio.
Thanks for asking!
Mollie
Mary Ann says
I wonder if you would add a page to your books to address who is who. Sometimes I try to remember who is who or how they are related . I lhave seen it other boooks. Very helpful if you started out of sequence
Mollie Bryan says
Hi Mary Ann,
Thanks so much for writing to me! That is a great idea. I’ll mention it to the publisher. Maybe they can address this in reprints. In the mean time, maybe I’ll place a list on my website.
All Best,
Mollie
Mary Ann says
I read all your books , wish there was another scrap book one coming.
Mollie Bryan says
Thanks so much! That series has not been “officially” cancelled–so you never know!
Denise Tucceri says
I’m confused! I just found the first book in the Cumberland Creek Mysteries and in the back of the book, it said that the next book was to be Scrapbook Of Shadows. Then I see that the second book in the series is titled Scrapped. Was there a change in the title of the second book before it was published?
Mollie Bryan says
Yes! Thanks for asking!
Margaret Efron says
Love the Cumberland Creek Mysteries! Finished Scrapbook of Secrets and am now reading Scrapped. I can’t wait to see what happens to the characters. They are so fun.
Mollie Bryan says
Thank you!