Books published by publisher Zazzy Ideas, Inc.

Best Seller in Eight Mystery & Humor Categories! Rednecks, Romance, and a Last Shot at Redemption. Solve this Twisty Mystery Before You Die Laughing!After being duped out of her life savings in Germany, Val Fremden retreats home to Florida with more than just her pride in tatters. Broke, jobless, divorced, and forty-five, she knows starting over won’t be easy. But when her only friend suddenly turns up dead, Val begins to wonder if the world is out to get her.Maybe it is ….The sugar-white sands of Sunset Beach attract weirdos like mosquitoes to a bug zapper. So when the will of Val’s friend makes the local newspaper, lunatics and con artists stumble from their beach shacks scuffling for a piece of the leftover pie. Determined to find her friend’s true heir, Val reluctantly turns to three crackpots for help—a drunk, a redneck, and a snarky beach bum. Working at odds with each other, their bumbling investigation attracts the attention of a hot cop. He quickly gets into the fray and under Val’s skin. Whether it’s in a good way or bad only time will tell ….Love your mysteries with a side of snide? Get set for a heaping helping of Southern-fried screwball action in this hilarious accidental thriller! Grab your copy now!If you love funny, hard-to-solve mysteries that put gaffs over gore and laughs over legalese, the Val Fremden Mystery Series is for you! Part Bridget Jones, part My Name is Earl, each book in the series is packed with crazy characters, zingy dialogue, hilarious similes and rip-roaring situational humor, making them a laugh a minute! Like many readers, if you love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum or Jana Deleon's Fortune Redding, you'll probably find yourself resonating with Val Fremden, too. She's a lovable, hot mess who's a bit older, a tad more jaded, and a ton more experienced in big-time failure. Life’s been tough for Val. Still, she always manages to find her way with sardonic humor and an intrepid spirit. A gin and tonic now and then helps, too.Life’s a beach and then you die. If you’re ready for a good laugh and a great mystery, check out Glad One and its crazy cast of characters today. Funny Florida mysteries don't get any wackier!Amazon #1 Best Seller in Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mystery, Humor & Satire, Women's Detective Fiction, Comedy, Humorous Dark Comedy, Men, Women & Relationships Humor, and Love, Sex & Marriage Humor!P.S. If you love humorous, page-turning mysteries like those by Deborah Brown, Lucy Quinn, Tricia O'Malley, Gemma Halliday, Karen Cantwell, Tara Sivec, Liliana Hart, Libby Howard, Chelsea Field, Jana Deleon, Gina LaManna, Janet Evanovich, Denise Grover Swank, Amy Vansant, and Stephanie Bond, you just might love Glad One, too! Praise for Glad One: "A funny, frenetic, fantastic read! Every bit as entertaining and maybe more so that Stephanie Plum at her best.""Margaret Lashley has a great imagination for weird.""Hooked like a fish. OMG Margaret Lashley is the best! Val could be Stephanie Plum's double!! Phenomenal writing.""Fans of Evanovich have a new author to fall in love with.""Her characters are real and full, her situations believable, and her dialogue marvelous." "There’s a mystery at the heart of this book – a few of them – that will hook fans of Janet Evanovich and other comic mystery writers.""Margaret writes with a "smirk" of a Cheshire cat. Fantastic read.” "Full of twists and turns as only Margaret Lashley can write!""If you like Anne George's 'Southern Sisters' don't miss Margaret Lashley!"“The characters are great – so many laugh out loud moments…”“Glad One is a funny, witty and entertaining book.”

Most Definitely Contains Nuts. All Val wants is a quiet holiday away from her oddball family. But that just ain't gonna happen. After a close brush with a crazy cousin in St. Pete, Val and her boyfriend Tom travel to Hicksville to find the annual "Family Fruitcake" competition already well underway. And there’s more than a few fruits and nuts in the running....But the biggest contest is between Val and her mom. As their battle of wills heats up, unexpected ingredients get thrown into both women’s batter. It may be time to call in a game warden….Who'll win? Who'll get their just desserts? And will Val’s half-baked family finally prove too much for Tom to handle, or will he rise to the occasion?What Four: Family Fruitcake Frenzy is a satirical look at something we've all come to love and dread -- spending time with our nutcase relatives during the holidays. It's told through the eyes of Val, a middle-aged woman who can't escape her redneck roots, no matter how far out on a limb she climbs. If you like deeply flawed characters and laugh-out-loud situations, you’ll love What Four. It’s the fourth book in Margaret Lashley’s hilarious Val Fremdens Mystery Series. Give yourself the gift of laughter. Buy a copy and head down the road to Crazyville today!Praise for What Four:"I have NEVER related to a character more than I related to Val in this story. I laughed, and cried, until tears ran down my cheeks.""This book did not disappoint! In a style much like Janet Evanovich, her characters leave you laughing out loud and find you wishing to meet them.""I haven't laughed this hard in awhile. Val's mother and aunts are hoots. People, you've got to read this book! What a great way to end the year, with laughter.""This author has a zany and wonderful way with words. Very cleverly written but thoughtful as well. Her characters were amazing.""From nutty cuz’s to old friends and family, the ride is great fun.""It doesn't get much better than this. Another crazy romp through Val land.""It is so funny I could not put it down." "Laughed out loud through so much of the story...because the crazy things that happen to Val and her pals are just too fantastic!"

Ever Notice How a Wedding Ring and a Noose are the Same Shape?Val’s always been unlucky at love – and a whole bunch of other things. But she’s never actually felt cursed. Until now.When fiancé Tom plans a romantic getaway and can’t go, one of Val’s pals goes instead. On the first day, her friend entangles Val in a prank that ticks off the wrong tourist. On the second day, she gets Val charged with murder.To clear her name, Val must go fishing for the real culprit. But what kind of bait do you use when you don’t want to get caught yourself? With both marriage and jail pressing down on her like potential life sentences, Val’s going to have to do some pretty fancy angling to get herself off the hook this time….If you like deeply flawed characters and laugh-out-loud situations, you’ll love Five Oh. It’s the fifth book in Margaret Lashley’s hilarious Val Fremden Mystery Series. Get your copy now and join in on the fun!Praise for Five Oh"Wonderful, zany, pure Val!""Margaret Lashley never disappoints. Awesome!""The plot is imaginatively twisty, the situations are wacky, the characters are lovable, and there is a surprise ending that I never saw coming.""Ms Lashley’s writing style is brilliant and hilarious.""I wish the author could write as fast as I can read!""The series is warm, funny, well-written and had me laughing ruefully the whole read.""Hilarious and serious all in one book, great as usual.""The usual cast of characters provides for a side-splitting adventure!"

La Dolce Vita or Bust.We’ve all dreamed of ditching everything and running off to another country. But almost no one actually does. Well, Val feels like she's almost no one. Invisible to her husband and dissatisfied with her life, deep in her soul Val yearns to be someone else. Someone sexy. Someone happy.With only her favorite romance novel to guide her, Val decides Italy is the perfect place for some relaxation, romance and reinvention. But she soon finds out that handsome men, like life, have plans of their own.In the race to rediscover herself, what awaits Val at the finish line may be a completely unexpected type of victory.... Will Val score a home run? Or will she just want to run home? If you've ever dreamed of ditching your life and running off to Europe, now’s your chance! Join Val on a roller-coaster ride through Europe that will leave you gasping! From gut-busting hilarity to gut–wrenching gaffs, finding yourself again is always worth the price of admission. Get your ticket now!Absolute Zero is a full-length, stand-alone novel. It's also the funny, yet often heart-wrenching prequel to the hilarious Val Fremden Mystery Series. Absolute Zero is not itself a mystery, per se. (Unless you count the mystery of why in the world we do the crazy things we do!) This novel is a satirical look at starting over after forty. Just like life, it's full of ups and downs. It's told through the eyes of a sharp-witted, reluctantly redneck woman who’s always played it safe – until now. Freedom comes at a great price for Val. Will it be worth it? Well, that's up to you....Pick up a copy and come along for a tour of Italy, Germany and the human heart. Praise for Absolute Zero:"With quick wit, pages of adventures, dialogue that sucked me into the scenes, and descriptions that created the most hilarious visuals, Absolute Zero is an every woman's tale of rediscovery." USA Today Bestselling author Pamela Crane"I have long been an Evanovich fan and she is my go to author when someone asks for a book recommendation without telling me what genre they prefer. Now, I can add Margaret Lashley to that very short list."“Loved it. Couldn’t stop, had to see what happened next.”“This character makes you proud to be a woman.”“Want a good laugh and a new friend? Grab this.”“Her characters are lovable and believable and you cheer, and cry, along with them.”“Wonderful book. Had me at the first paragraph.”"If you like Marie Force, you'll like this author."

Best Seller in Eight Amazon Mystery and Humor Categories!One crazy old lady. Two gin and tonics. Three derelict beach-bum friends. Will Val’s fourth stab at starting over add up to a big fat zero?Come along for the ride as Florida's crazy-ometer spins off the charts! St. Pete Beach attracts weirdos like mosquitoes to a bug zapper. After being raked over the coals in Europe, Val Fremden flies back to her old stomping grounds to find everyone and everything she knew squashed under the heels of change. Seven years abroad has done a number on her bank account and social life. Divorced, broke, and staring 45 in its haggard face, Val's got nothing left to go on but her own dry sense of humor and a pair of wobbly thighs. Will the life coach advice of a beer-guzzling old lady she meets on the beach help Val find her way -- or will it lead her even further astray? Perpetually primed for disaster, starting over again won't be easy for Val. But she soon discovers that in the world of the down and out, friends (and enemies) can come from very unexpected places.... If you like wacky, deeply flawed characters and laugh-out-loud situations, you'll love Glad One! It's the first book in Margaret Lashley's hilarious Val Fremden Mystery Series. Grab a copy and a life jacket and board the boat bound for crazytown today!Often compared by readers to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, Margaret Lashley’s character, Val Fremden, is a bit older, a tad more jaded, and a ton more experienced in big-time failure. Life’s been tough for Val. Still, she always manages to find her way with sardonic humor and an intrepid spirit. A gin and tonic now and then helps, too.Life’s a beach and then you die. If you’re ready for a good laugh and a great mystery, check out Glad One and its crazy cast of characters today! Praise for Glad One: "Hooked like a fish. OMG Margaret Lashley is the best! Val could be Stephanie Plum's double!! Phenomenal writing.""If you enjoy Janet Evanovich you will love Margaret Lashley!""Her characters are real and full, her situations believable, and her dialogue marvelous." "There’s a mystery at the heart of this book – a few of them – that will hook fans of Janet Evanovich and other comic mystery writers.""Margaret writes with a "smirk" of a Cheshire cat. Fantastic read.” "Full of twists and turns as only Margaret Lashley can write!""If you like Anne George's 'Southern Sisters' don't miss Margaret Lashley!"“The characters are great – so many laugh out loud moments…”“Glad One is a funny, witty and entertaining book.”

A Midlife Meltdown...with a Side of Fries.Val’s long-suffering life as a patient daughter, dutiful wife and reliable workhorse has turned her into a snarky, miserable nag. She has the house, the husband and the career. The only thing missing is the happy. Before she’s set out to pasture, Val wants one more go around the track. Unbridled. In Italy. La dolce vita or bust. Will Val find her happy ending abroad? Or someplace she never thought to look? And will she get there before her money (and her sense of humor) run out...Absolute Zero is a satirical look at starting life over through the eyes of a sharp-witted, reluctantly redneck woman who’s always played it safe – until now. Freedom comes at a price. Will it be worth it in the end?If you like deeply flawed characters and laugh-out-loud situations, you’ll love Absolute Zero. It's the prequel to Margaret Lashley’s hilarious Val Fremden Mystery Series. Praise for Absolute Zero:"With quick wit, pages of adventures, dialogue that sucked me into the scenes, and descriptions that created the most hilarious visuals, Absolute Zero is an every woman's tale of rediscovery." USA Today Bestselling author Pamela Crane"I have long been an Evanovich fan and she is my go to author when someone asks for a book recommendation without telling me what genre they prefer. Now, I can add Margaret Lashley to that very short list."“Loved it. Couldn’t stop, had to see what happened next.”“This character makes you proud to be a woman.”“Want a good laugh and a new friend? Grab this.”“Her characters are lovable and believable and you cheer, and cry, along with them.”“Wonderful book. Had me at the first paragraph.”"If you like Marie Force, you'll like this author."

Most Definitely Contains Nuts. All Val wants is a quiet holiday away from her oddball family. But that just ain't gonna happen. After a close brush with a crazy cousin in St. Pete, Val and her boyfriend Tom arrive at her mom’s house in Hicksville to find the annual Family Fruitcake Frenzy competition is already well underway. And there’s more than a few fruits and nuts in the running....But the biggest contest is between Val and her mom. As their battle of wills heats up, unexpected ingredients get thrown into both women’s batter. It may be time to call in a game warden….Who'll win? Who'll get their just desserts? And will Val’s half-baked family finally prove too much for Tom to handle, or will he rise to the occasion?What Four: Family Fruitcake Frenzy is a satirical look at something we've all come to love and dread -- spending time with our nutzo relatives during the holidays. It's told through the eyes of a reluctant, middle-aged woman who can't escape her redneck roots, no matter how far out on a limb she climbs. If you like deeply flawed characters and laugh-out-loud situations, you’ll love What Four. It’s the fourth book in Margaret Lashley’s hilarious Val Fremdens Mystery Series. Give yourself the gift of laughter. Buy a copy and start reading today!Praise for What Four:"This book did not disappoint! In a style much like Janet Evanovich, her characters leave you laughing out loud and find you wishing to meet them.""From nutty cuz’s to old friends and family the ride is great fun.""It doesn't get much better than this. Another crazy romp through Val land.""It is so funny I could not put it down." "Laughed out loud through so much of the story...because the crazy things that happen to Val and her pals are just too fantastic!" "I have NEVER related to a character more than I related to Val in this story. I laughed, and cried, until tears ran down my cheeks."

What do the Super Happy know that you don’t? Rich or poor, sick or healthy, hard knocks or easy street – for some people, life just never gets them down. What makes some people so resilient? So Super Happy? After decades of traveling the world and interviewing happy people along the way, I’ve unlocked some of their surprising secrets. They changed my life. Perhaps they’ll change yours, too! How to be Happy When Life Treats You Crappy explores 14 Secrets of the Super Happy. This easy-to-follow guidebook is packed with real-life examples of super-happy secrets in action, along with personal exercises you can do to fast track them into your own life! Why postpone happiness for another day? It’s your life. Start living it like the Super Happy! Pick up a copy of How to be Happy When Life Treats You Crappy today!“If you are looking for a short and easy read that alters the nature of your life, you’ll appreciate the peace this book offers. You could say this book gives us the keys to the kingdom without years and years of therapy sessions and self-awareness classes! Hooray!”Suzanne Muller-Heinz, Dating & Love Life Coach & Speaker, CEO of Loveablize You“This is the path! Follow it to your dreams! We all want “HAPPINESS” and here it is presented beautifully and concisely. Clearly written, practical, with examples and the exact steps needed to get results. Consider this your gilt-edged invitation to the inside track on how to achieve and maintain your “Happiness!”Miles Blount, Inspirational Leading Edge Speaker

Ever Notice How a Wedding Ring and a Noose are the Same Shape?Val’s always been unlucky at love – and a whole bunch of other things. But she’s never actually felt cursed. Until now.When fiancé Tom plans a romantic getaway and can’t go, one of Val’s pals goes instead. On the first day, her friend entangles Val in a prank that ticks off the wrong tourist. On the second day, she gets Val charged with murder.To clear her name, Val must go fishing for the real culprit. But what kind of bait do you use when you don’t want to get caught yourself? With both marriage and jail pressing down on her like potential life sentences, Val’s going to have to do some pretty fancy angling to get herself off the hook this time….If you like deeply flawed characters and laugh-out-loud situations, you’ll love Five Oh. It’s the fifth book in Margaret Lashley’s hilarious Val Fremden Mystery Series. Get your copy now and join in on the fun!Praise for Five Oh"Wonderful, zany, pure Val!""Margaret Lashley never disappoints. Awesome!""The plot is imaginatively twisty, the situations are wacky, the characters are lovable, and there is a surprise ending that I never saw coming.""Ms Lashley’s writing style is brilliant and hilarious.""I wish the author could write as fast as I can read!""The series is warm, funny, well-written and had me laughing ruefully the whole read.""Hilarious and serious all in one book, great as usual.""The usual cast of characters provides for a side-splitting adventure!"