Pumpkin-spiced books

Now that it's October, it's officially acceptable to get pumpkin-spiced everything! Books are no exception. Here are some "pumpkin-spiced" reads to get you in the mood for those crisp fall days.

The Pumpkin Muffin Murder: a Fresh-baked Mystery by L.J. Washburn

Phyllis loves to spend quality time with her grandson. She'll be taking him to a festival with hopes of winning the baking contest-now that her friendly competitor, Carolyn, is judging and not competing. But when a decorative scarecrow is actually a deadbody in disguise, it's Phyllis's sleuthing skills that are needed. The dead body is that of the festival's organizer- and his wife, Carolyn's friend, falls under suspicion. Carolyn turns to Phyllis for help, because who's better at dishing out some justice than a baker extraordinaire who can handle the heat.

Autumn by Ali Smith
Autumn. Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. Two old friends - Daniel, a centenarian, and Elisabeth, born in 1984 - look to both the future and the past as the United Kingdom stands divided by a historic, once-in-a-generation summer. Love is won, love is lost. Hope is hand in hand with hopelessness. The season roll around, as ever. A luminous meditation on the meaning of richness and harvest and worth, Autumn is the first installment of Ali Smith's Seasonal quartet, and it casts an eye over our own time.

When Autumn Leaves by Amy Foster
In the picturesque Pacific coast town of Avening, it's hard not to believe in magic. This is a town where the shoes in the window always fit, where you can buy a love potion at the corner shop, and where local lore seamlessly mixes with the supernatural.And then there's Autumn, Avening's most beloved resident, shopkeeper, and guardian of the Jaen sisterhood. When she receives word she's been promoted within the order, Autumn must undertake the task of selecting her own replacement. But who in Avening is magical enough to take Autumn's place?

Cat Among the Pumpkins by Mandy Morton

Feline detective Hettie Bagshot and her sidekick, Tilly, investigate a murder and look for their clues in Mavis Spitforce dressing as a pumpkin, Irene Peggledrip talking to cat spirits, and Mike Myers's murder of his family on Halloween.

Death by Pumpkin Spice by Alex Erickson

When a woman is found strangled to death during a Halloween party at Yarborough mansion, bookstore owner Krissy Hancock, with the estate on lockdown and a killer roaming the halls, must help Officer Paul Dalton find the truth, while confronting some terrifying truths of her own.

The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine by Kate Angell

Three unsuspecting guests ready for some spooky fun at an annual Halloween costume party at a picturesque bed and breakfast in Moonbright, Maine, discover why the locals believe the inn is an enchanted place where wishes actually do come true.