Karen C. Whalen
Karen C. Whalen

is the award-winning author of three cozy mystery series. The Dinner Club Mysteries features Jane Marsh, an empty nester who hosts a gourmet dinner club. The Tow Truck Mysteries stars Delaney Morran, a super feminine shoe-a-holic who drives a tow truck. Both are about strong friendships and family ties set in Colorado. The Sea Oats Beach series is a cozy mystery – beach read set in Coastal Carolina. Her books are similar to those written by authors Jessica Beck, Joanne Fluke, Leslie Meier, Cindy Bell, and Laura Childs. 

The first in the Dinner Club series, Everything Bundt the Truth, tied for FIRST PLACE in the Suspense Novel category of the 2017 IDA Contest. The third in the Tow Truck series, Eyes on the Road, was a SECOND PLACE winner of the 2023 Firebird Book Awards in the Cozy Mystery category. The first in the Sea Oats Beach Mysteries, Murder at Sea Oats Beach, won the 2024 Firebird Book Awards in the Summer Beach Read category. 

She worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver and had been a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. She loves to host dinner clubs, ride bicycles, hike in the mountains, walk on the beach, and read cozy murder mysteries.

Books

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Murder at Sea Oats Beach

A cozy mystery beach read
Book #1 from the series: Sea Oats Beach series

Free on Kindle Unlimited

Breanna Hart is volunteering at the animal shelter and living her best life in a North Carolina beach town, but that changes when the police chief is found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the cage of her favorite dog. Everyone has the dog tagged as the murderer, even the handsome police officer in charge of the...

Washed Up at Sea Oats Beach

A cozy mystery beach read
Book #2 from the series: Sea Oats Beach series

Free on Kindle Unlimited

One sun-drenched morning at Sea Oats Beach, Breanna Hart stumbles on the dead body of a surfer washed ashore. As the reality of her grim find sinks in, a movement in the water catches her eye—a chocolate Lab perched on a surfboard. Did the dog belong to the surfer or someone else? With no answer to that question, Breanna...

Everything Bundt the Truth

Book #1 from the series: The Dinner Club Murder Mysteries

Getting accepted into the dinner club can be murder...

“Take one feisty widow and her appealing friends, add a gourmet dinner club, sprinkle with murder and you have a recipe for a delightful read!” ~Laura DiSilverio, author of the Readaholics Book Club mysteries

“EVERYTHING BUNDT THE TRUTH is a culinary cozy mystery that dishes up a serving of...

Blog

Review of...Women and Adversity – Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers by Jo Ann

Prepare to be inspired by this compilation of stories celebrating the extraordinary strength and unwavering love of mothers. From well-known figures to unsung heroes, these articles paint a vivid portrait of maternal courage, resilience, and devotion. Whether you're a mother, a daughter, or simply someone who appreciates the profound impact of a mother's love, this collection promises to uplift your spirit and serve as a cherished addition to any bookshelf.

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Review of...Will O’ the Wisp by Lucy Naylor Kubash  Widow and horse rescuer

Widow and horse rescuer Allison Delaney finds her peaceful existence threatened by predators of both the human and animal kind. Her world is further complicated when Shane McBride, a man from her past, returns to take over the local veterinarian practice. As Allison worries for the safety of her beloved horses and her daughter, Lizzie, the rekindling of her connection with Shane brings long-buried secrets to the surface. But their shared history is fraught with obstacles, including those...

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Review of...I Have a Story by Colleen Donnelly Step back in time to the

Step back in time to the WWII-era in Colleen Donnelly's "I Have A Story," a zany crime noir that blends wartime intrigue with romance and murder. Our protagonist, a journalist by day and crime novelist by night, finds himself caught between a gritty war story and a complicated love triangle. Get ready for a funny, fast-paced ride as three men and the women they adore navigate a web of mystery, mayhem, and murder.

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Events

Additional dates: July 10 and 24 and August 7 and 21, 2025. Enjoy the markets and get your books signed!