Books like Sticks and bones by Carolyn Haines

Inheritance, mystery, and a bold librarian collide when Aurora "Roe" Teagarden learns she has been named heir to a sizeable estate—and a murder to solve.

"Local artist and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan has been spending her summer painting the exterior and views of the once-lovely Gwrych Castle, now in a heartbreaking state of disrepair. A privately owned castellated country house of jaw dropping scale, the gorgeous house located just outside of Penny's picturesque Welsh town has been sadly neglected for decades. Penny is thrilled when she hears local Mark Baker is leading a team of enthusiastic volunteers to restore the castle grounds and formal gardens to their former grandeur. But there are always disagreements about how everything should be done, and it's not long before they turn deadly. Penny is horrified to discover the body of an overbearing volunteer who had opposed Mark at every turn. Convinced that Mark is innocent, Penny enlists the help of keen gardener Gareth Davies, recently retired from the North Wales Police Service. She asks that he join the volunteer brigade, so Gareth dons a hi-vis jacket, picks up a spade and picks up a few clues, too. Asked to examine watercolor paintings of the estate gardens from the 1920s, Penny is surprised to find a few clues of her own. Could the 90-year-old paintings really hold the keys to a present-day murder? Murder is for Keeps is the latest book in this charming traditional mystery series from Elizabeth J. Duncan"--

Private investigator Sarah Booth Delaney tackles a high‑stakes case involving a rumored stolen necklace and a suspicious heiress, only to discover the client has vanished, forcing her to unravel family secrets and decide whom to trust.

When a reclusive artist is found dead, Southern PI Sarah Booth Delaney and partner Tinkie Bellcase investigate the motives of three Wiccan sisters seeking to open a school in Mississippi—uncovering a murky web of suspicion and intrigue.

Milo, a devoted woman sleuth, travels to Paris to uncover the sinister murder of famed perfume magnate Amory, whose imminent fragrance launch has attracted ruthless rivals and greedy heirs brashly fighting for his empire.

A Delta belle turned sleuth uncovers deadly secrets at a roulette‑laden dinner party when a murder, a missing biography, and a stubborn antebellum ghost collide.

Unwed, unemployed, and broke, Southern belle Sarah Booth Delaney turns to her detective instincts in the Mississippi town of Zinnia to solve a murder and protect her family plantation, all while a ghost from the past watches her every move.

Jeffery Deaver’s bestselling suspense novel featuring his renowned characters Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs.

In cozy Mississippi town of Zinnia, private investigator Sarah Booth Delaney balances holiday cheer with a tense ransom case when a kidnapped teen’s safety hinges on solving a family mystery before Christmas.