Cozy debuts of 2020: Part 1

Parker Valentine has always dreamed of opening her own winery in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. A food and wine critic arrives unexpectedly at Vino Valentine on opening day and Parker doesn’t want a negative review. Things go awry when the food and wine critic collapses and dies shortly after drinking her chardonnay.

Iris Buckley returns to her hometown to help her widowed grandmother in running the apron shop. They find a skeleton in the basement. Iris’ grandmother recognizes the remains as that of an old friend. A second body shows up in the shop – this time it is the corrupt landlord. Iris’ grandmother is now a prime suspect.

Bronwyn Crewse has taken over her family ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. She finds a body in the snow and the dead man had a feud with the Crewses. Bronwyn’s dad is the main suspect.

After a divorce, Mia Carina is back in Astoria to work at Belle View, her father’s catering hall. A bachelor party is set-up for a less-than-gentlemanly groom. Things go awry when the giant cake is wheeled in and the woman inside fails to jump out – she’s dead.

Alexandria Daniels hasn’t set foot in the quiet seaside town of Bellamy Bay after her mother’s tragic death. On a whim, Alexandra accepts an invitation to visit her estranged relatives and help them in their family business: a herbal apothecary known for its herbal teas, salves and folk remedies. The town gossip is that Alexandra’s relatives are magical healers. Alexandra pooh-poohs this gossip until a local is poisoned and her aunt Lidia is framed for the murder.

Mystery author Lady Amy Lovell receives an anonymous letter stating her fiancé has been dabbling in something illegal. Two days later, her fiancé arrives at her house unexpectedly and is sent to the library. When Amy goes to the library a few minutes later, she finds her fiancé dead.

Athena Spencer comes back home to work with her crazy Greek family at their garden center. Working alone one night, she is startled by a handsome stranger who claims to be the rightful owner of a statue her grandfather recently purchased. The people from whom the statue was bought are threatening to raze shops to make way for a condo. A recent death in the family looks suspicious and there might be a murderer in their midst.

At Open Your Imagination, Courtney teaches garden design and sells everything from fairy figurines to tinkling wind chimes to trickling fountains. One night, she discovers neighbouring dog-grooming business owner Mick Watkins dead beside a fountain. To make matters worse, the police suspect Courtney of the crime.

App developer Mabel Skinner knows nothing about garlic farming. Her aunt Peggy dies suddenly and Mabel inherits the Stinkin’ Stuff Farm in Western Massachusetts. She arrives during the peak harvest time and has three days before the crops get destroyed by rains. Mabel suspects her aunt’s death to be murder.