Most Popular Books by Susan M. Boyer

Private Investigator Liz Talbot is a modern Southern belle: she blesses hearts and takes names. She carries her Sig 9 in her Kate Spade handbag, and her golden retriever, Rhett, rides shotgun in her hybrid Escape. When her grandmother is murdered, Liz high-tails it back to her South Carolina island home to find the killer. She’s fit to be tied when her police-chief brother shuts her out of the investigation, so she opens her own. Then her long-dead best friend pops in and things really get complicated. When more folks start turning up dead in this small seaside town, Liz must use more than just her wits and charm to keep her family safe, chase down clues from the hereafter, and catch a psychopath before he catches her.

Private Investigator Liz Talbot thinks she''s seen another ghost when she meets Calista McQueen. She''s the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe. Born exactly fifty years after the iconic bombshell, Calista''s life is a déjà vu of Hollywood tragedy. And with the anniversary of Marilyn''s death looming, Calista fears she''s next in line for a tragic finale. As Liz investigates, suspicious characters swarm around Calista like mosquitoes on a sultry Lowcountry evening: her certifiable mother, a fake aunt, her manipulative psychoanalyst, her peculiar housekeeper, and an obsessed ex-husband. Liz digs in to find a motive for murder, but she''s besieged with distractions. Her ex has marriage and babies on his mind and her all-too-sexy partner engages in a campaign of repeat seduction. With the heat index approaching triple digits, Liz races to uncover a diabolical murder plot in time to save not only Calista''s life, but also her own.

Postcards From Stella Maris is a collection of five short stories for fans of the series who might be interested, for example, in Colleen’s backstory. I wrote the short story “Common Knowledge” for myself years ago, as a way to explore what happened to Colleen. As you might imagine, it’s not as light as the series in general. This story has never been published anywhere before. “Eviction” is the story of how Liz first met Rhett, her golden retriever, back when she was married to Scott the Scoundrel. This story is also not lighthearted, and it likewise has never been published before. “Hogwash” originally appeared in Spinetingler Magazine. This is a fun little case which introduces the character of Zeke Lyerly, who appears in Lowcountry Bonfire. “Highlights and Hot Lead” originally appeared in The Petigru Review. This is a Stella Maris slice of life story featuring Shannelle Johnson, a local judge’s wife, and it takes place entirely at Phoebe’s Day Spa. “Everything is Relative” is a peek inside a Talbot family Thanksgiving. A few of Mamma’s recipes are included at the end. If by chance you’ve stumbled on this collection of stories, but you’ve never read a Liz Talbot mystery, I would encourage you to start with Lowcountry Boil (A Liz Talbot Mystery, Book 1) and come back to these stories later. I so hope you enjoy these glimpses into Liz Talbot’s formative years, her unfortunate first marriage, and her life between major cases. Warmly, Susan M. Boyer

Where is Kent Heyward? The twenty-three-year-old heiress from one of Charleston’s oldest families vanished a month ago. When her father hires private investigator Liz Talbot, Liz suspects the most difficult part of her job will be convincing the patriarch his daughter tired of his overbearing nature and left town. That’s what the Charleston Police Department believes. But behind the garden walls South of Broad, family secrets pop up like weeds in the azaleas. The neighbors recollect violent arguments between Kent and her parents. Eccentric twin uncles and a gaggle of cousins covet the family fortune. And the lingering spirit of a Civil-War-era debutante may know something if Colleen, Liz’s dead best friend, can get her to talk. Liz juggles her case, the partner she’s in love with, and the family she adores. But the closer she gets to what has become of Kent, the closer Liz dances to her own grave.

From the author of the best-selling Liz Talbot Mystery Series comes a novel about family and secrets, and the lengths we’ll go to in order to protect both. Charleston, SC. Hadley Cooper has a big heart. So when the easygoing private investigator gets a request from a new friend to stake out her husband’s extramarital activities, she immediately begins surveillance. And when her client is discovered dead on her kitchen floor, the Southern spitfire is certain the cheater is the culprit … even though he has the perfect alibi: Hadley herself. Flustered since she observed the cad four hours away in Greenville at the time of the murder, the determined PI desperately searches for clues to tie him to the crime. But when her ex-boyfriend, who happens to be the lead detective on the case, arrests a handy suspect, Hadley fears a guilty man is about to walk free. Can this Palmetto State sleuth make an impossible connection to prevent a miscarriage of justice? With dry wit and delightful dialogue, Susan M. Boyer delivers an eccentric, vegan gumshoe sure to appeal to any fan of Southern women’s fiction. With her merry band of sassy friends, Hadley Cooper is a Lowcountry detective you won’t soon forget. Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island is the engaging first book in the Carolina Tales series. If you like strong heroines, quirky sisterhoods, and plenty of Southern charm, then you’ll love Susan M. Boyer’s wonderful whodunit. Read Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island and take a trip to the lush Lowcountry today!

Christmas in the Islands…Nate Andrews whisked the entire Talbot clan off for a holiday adventure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. As they relax on the beach of sunny St. John, Liz Talbot grapples with the secret her husband has kept since the day she met him—he’s a very wealthy man. Will all that money change everything? Meanwhile, the wild donkeys on the island follow Daddy around like he’s their leader, and Mamma has made new friends. Beverly Baker and Frankie Summey are conducting a do-it-yourself investigation. They’re hot on the trail of Beverly’s husband, Melvin, and his mistress, the tantrum yoga instructor. When Mamma is caught masterminding an undercover operation, naturally, Liz and Nate step in. As the family gathers around the Christmas tree, Beverly and Frankie stumble into the crosshairs of a dangerous criminal organization. Liz and Nate scramble to find a killer before three sweet Southern belles wind up in a tropical prison.

Welcome to Sullivan’s Island, an idyllic beachside town just outside Charleston, South Carolina. This serene, unspoiled sanctuary offers tourists a picturesque taste of the lush Lowcountry while the locals enjoy a laid-back, small-town lifestyle. Amidst an eclectic mix of newcomers and natives, lifelong resident and social maven Tallulah Wentworth’s legendary monthly dinners have united an unlikely group of women into the very best of friends. To outsiders, this sunny, seaside haven is nothing short of paradise, but the residents of this beachside hamlet know that it harbors its share of troubles. Everyone has an opinion about the most hotly contested local issue—how to manage the maritime forest that’s sprung up on accreted land—and civility is quickly running out at both town council meetings and in online forums. When a neighborhood meet-and-greet devolves into violence, several pillars of the community are led away in handcuffs. By the next morning, a very real, very dead body is the newest addition to Sarabeth Boone’s spooky Halloween graveyard display. But who could possibly be responsible for such a heinous act? Did someone finally snap over the mounting tension between conservationists and cutters? Or was this a premeditated act perpetrated by an opportunistic killer masquerading as a trustworthy friend and neighbor? The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club weaves a tale of mystery, friendship, and love—new love, old love, and second-chance love. Discover the lengths these women will go to protect each other and uncover the truth, even when it shatters the delicate balance of their seemingly perfect lives. With her uniquely Southern voice, Susan M. Boyer delivers a fast-paced follow-up to the reader-favorite Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island. Perfect for fans of strong Southern women, twisting tales, and the breathtaking Carolina coast, this charming whodunnit mystery marries scandal and sisterhood for the ultimate reading treat. Be sure to make your reservation at The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club today!

Beginnings - The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club is a collection of scenes that explore how Tallulah Wentworth and Eugenia Ladson met Quinn Poinsett, Libba Graham, and Sarabeth Boone, and how the ladies, along with Birdie Markley and Camille Houston became The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club. These are scenes cut from the novel, The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club, and offered for readers who would like more background on the characters who appear in the Carolina Tales. If you’ve never read one of the Carolina Tales, I would encourage you to start with either The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club or Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island and come back to these additional scenes later. I believe these will be most enjoyed by readers who are familiar with the characters and setting. I so hope you enjoy these glimpses into the formation of the supper club!

Somebody pushed Shelby Poinsett out her second-floor library window and it wasn''t her husband. At least that''s what Charleston''s most prestigious law firm wants Liz Talbot to prove. Liz must run the spectrum of Southern society, from the local homeless shelter where Shelby volunteered to the one-hundred-year-old book club where Charleston''s genteel ladies are dying to join, to bring a killer to justice.

Lowcountry PI Liz Talbot returns to the streets of Charleston in the seventh installment of Susan M. Boyer''s USA TODAY bestselling mystery series. Between an epic downpour and a King Tide, those historic streets are flooded--and dangerous. A late night tragic accident along the Lower Battery leads Liz Talbot straight to her next case. Who''s the client? Well, now, therein lies the first puzzle. When the police arrive at the scene of the accident, Poppy Oliver claims she''s only trying to help. But the dent on the front of her Subaru and the victim''s injuries provoke a certain Charleston police detective''s suspicious nature. A wealthy, anonymous benefactor hires Liz and her partner Nate Andrews to prove Poppy Oliver''s innocence. What exactly was Poppy Oliver up to? Is she a random good Samaritan who happens upon the accident scene? Or perhaps this tragedy wasn''t an accident. She just might be his abused wife''s accomplice. Why does everyone involved in this case have a sudden burning urge for reading material, leading them to the same charming bookshop along the waterfront? From a risqu , exclusive club in an old plantation to an upscale resale shop in the historic King Street shopping district to a downtown graveyard crawling with ghosts, Liz tracks a group of women who band together to help victims of domestic violence. In her most challenging case yet, Liz fears she may find a killer, but justice may prove elusive. - - - - - - - - - - - - - LOWCOUNTRY BOOKSHOP by Susan M. Boyer A Henery Press Mystery. If you like one, you''ll probably like them all.

Private investigators Liz Talbot and Nate Andrews are all set to enjoy some quality time on the beach. That''s until they get the news about Darius. Darius DeAndre Baker, star of the hit TV show, Main Street USA, has had enough of the Hollywood highlife. After ten years of visiting everyone else''s hometown, he returns to his own--Stella Maris, South Carolina. But the moving trucks have barely unloaded when Trina Lynn Causby, Darius''s high school girlfriend, turns up dead, and the entire town reels as Darius is arrested. Despite the mounting evidence against him, Liz and Nate believe Darius is innocent. They dig through a scandalously long list of suspects, including Darius''s three ex-wives--who have all arrived in Stella Maris--and his love child with Trina Lynn. But Trina Lynn led a complicated life. She had at least one stalker and two suitors--one with a jealous wife who recently made a deliciously outrageous scene when Trina Lynn turned up at a charity ball. As the danger mounts, Liz and Nate race to find a killer and clear Darius''s name--and keep him alive. - - - - - - - - - - - - - LOWCOUNTRY BOOMERANG by Susan M. Boyer - A Henery Press Mystery. If you like one, you''ll probably like them all.

Private investigators Liz Talbot and Nate Andrews thought they''d put Darius Baker''s troubles to rest-then his recently discovered son ropes him into a hemp farm investment with his college buddies. When a beloved Charleston professor-and potential investor-is murdered, Liz and Nate discover Darius keeps the PIs on speed dial. A shocking number of people had reasons to want the genteel, bowtie wearing, tea-drinking professor dead. Was it one of his many girlfriends or a disgruntled student? Or perhaps Murray was killed because his failure to invest meant the hemp farm trio''s dreams were going up in smoke?Though Liz''s long-dead best friend, Colleen, warns her the stakes are far higher than Liz imagines, she is hellbent on finding the no-good killer among the bevy of suspects. But will the price of justice be more than Liz can bear?Take a virtual vacation to Charleston in Susan M. Boyer''s latest Southern charmer, Lowcountry Boondoggle. It''s a trip you don''t want to miss.- - - - - - - - - - - - -LOWCOUNTRY BOONDOGGLE by Susan M. Boyer | A Henery Press Mystery. If you like one, you''ll probably like them all.

It''s the most wonderful time of the year, but Private Investigator Liz Talbot is struggling to feel festive. She hasn''t seen her best friend, Colleen, in weeks and fears she may never see her again in this life. Meanwhile Nate, Liz''s husband and partner, is spending money like he prints it in the attic on a mysterious family Christmas celebration. Liz''s nerves are shot, and she hasn''t even decked a single hall. But there''s simply no time to fret. On a morning beach run, Liz spots a wooden rowboat run aground with Santa inside. Did Old Saint Nick have too much eggnog at the boat parade? No indeedy-Santa''s been shot. And he''s none other than C.C. Bounetheau, patriarch of one of Charleston''s wealthiest families. Liz and Nate already unwrapped quite a few family secrets while searching for the Bounetheau''s missing granddaughter last year-enough to make them swear to steer forever clear of the entire clan. But as Mr. Bounetheau''s body is found in Stella Maris, and Liz and Nate are the police chief''s on-call detectives, they''re on the case. With no shortage of suspects, Liz and Nate dash to find a killer who may be working his or her way down a naughty list. Spend Christmas in the Lowcountry with the Talbot family and their friends in Susan M. Boyer''s latest Southern charmer, Lowcountry Boughs of Holly. Tis the season for merry mayhem! - - - - - - - - - - - - - LOWCOUNTRY BOUGHS OF HOLLY by Susan M. Boyer - A Henery Press Mystery. If you like one, you''ll probably like them all.

Private investigators Liz Talbot and Nate Andrews have worked their share of domesic cases. So when Tammy Sue Lyerly hires them to find out what her husband is hiding, they expect to find something looney but harmless. After all, this is the guy who claims to have been a DEA agent, a champion bull rider, and a NASCAR driver. But when he turns up dead the morning after Liz and Nate deliver incriminating photos, Tammy Sue becomes the prime suspect. Questioning the truth of Zeke Lyerly''s tall-tales, Liza and Nate race to uncover small town scandals, long buried secrets, and the victim''s tumultuous past to keep Tammy Sue out of jail and that case from going up in flames.

Join South Carolina sleuth Hadley Cooper on a thrilling Lowcountry adventure as she tackles her next case with strength, grace, and a little help from her girlfriends.

The Charleston streets are dressed for the holidays in sophisticated Southern style: topiaries adorned with red ribbons, garland entwined with white lights, and poinsettias potted in gold planters. The high class bordello in a stately historic home is certainly no exception. When Private Investigator Liz Talbot''s dear friend Olivia swears she saw a dead body in the parlor of this bordello, one Olivia accidentally co-owns, Liz promptly comes to her aid. With her wedding back home on Stella Maris less than a week away, Liz must juggle one elderly madam, two ex and future in-laws, three ghosts in the bordello, four giddy bridesmaids, five lovely courtesans, six suspicious patrons¿and a partridge in a pear tree as she tries to keep her bridesmaid out of jail and live to walk down the aisle.