Synopsis

 

Alene Baron is dealing with frustrated employees, closed schools, and a homeless man who harasses customers outside the door of her café.

Then, two dead bodies turn up in the burned remains of buildings owned by the husband of Alene’s best friend and pastry chef, Ruthie. Both bodies are wearing jackets that once belonged to Ruthie and crumbled in the pockets are the café’s distinctive wrappers. At the same time, Alene’s uncle, a convicted felon, has resurfaced after disappearing for 22 years. It’s all too much for the owner of the Whipped and Sipped Café.

 

 

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Praise

 

“Readers looking for mysteries well steeped in both culinary traditions and realistic conflicts between career and family will relish this multifaceted investigative piece, which draws readers in from the start with its realistic balance of intrigue and life challenges.-D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review

“If you are looking for a slightly different take on a culinary cozy mystery, this is the debut to read.”-Carstairs Considered

“Warm and cool, sassy and savvy, GP Gottlieb has written a murder mystery that is as interesting as the family dynamic itself — exploring its alliances, intrigues, and the possibility of how people can protect, surprise, and, quite literally — kill each other. A fun, delicious read!”- Marcy Heisler, theatrical lyricist

‘Gottlieb sets the stage beautifully for readers, and with providing the list of characters in the beginning, you have your own little cheat sheet of sorts.  And with all the twists and turns in Smothered, you will be grateful to have the list so that you can keep track of everyone and check off those you believe are innocent.  However, when the real killer is revealed, I’m sure you will be as shocked as I was because I’m certain they weren’t even on your radar.”- Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

‘Smothered’ won the silver medal in the mystery category from the CIPA Evvy Awards.

 

Review

 

I always enjoy going back to Chicago and the Whipped and Sipped Cafe. While not a vegan, I can appreciate all of the dishes that are created here by the talented pastry chef Ruth, who is also Alene’s best friend.

The book is set at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, so I’m sure you can imagine what that has done for Alene’s business and the mindset of everyone. The cafe is not bustling with customers. It is takeout only from online orders. Alene’s children are restless, and Blanca, who watches the children and takes care of Cal, caught Covid and was in the hospital for a short time. The book brings back the memory of what it was like and the regulations from the cities and government.

The mystery to be solved is who is burning buildings under construction. To top it off, a body was found in the rubble. Who is this person, and why were they there? Frank, Alene’s boyfriend, is helping to investigate with his partner Lee. Lee doesn’t seem to know how to communicate with people and turns a lot of them off with his brusque manner. He may be smart and notice small details, but you have to know how to talk to witnesses to get the results and information that you need to solve a case.

There is also the introduction of Alene’s Uncle, Finn. He disappeared many years ago and sporadically kept in touch with his brother Cal, Alene’s father. There are mixed emotions about a reunion based on events of the past from Cal’s perspective. I can’t blame him if he feels like Finn took the wrong path and didn’t honor his commitments over the years. But that is their issue to resolve.

A fun feature of the book is the discovery of a hidden basement in the cafe. Since the building was built in the 20s, it was most likely used as a speakeasy during prohibition. I loved watching that revelation unfold.

We can’t forget the relationship between Frank and Alene. There are hints of marriage down the road since, with young children, that is the only way they can live together in Alene’s eyes. One roadblock is Frank’s daughter, Rhona. She sounds like a handful at 21 and more than what Frank wants to deal with, but there aren’t really any other options other than kicking her out since her mother doesn’t want anything to do with her daughter either. But he is a caring father and doesn’t want to see anything happen to her.

While you don’t have to read the first two books in this series to understand the relationship of all of the characters, it might be beneficial to truly understand all of the nuances of the main characters.

This is a solid story in this series, and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

G.P. Gottlieb has been a musician, a teacher, and an administrator, but she’s happiest when she’s writing recipe-laced murder mysteries. GP Gottlieb has always experimented in the kitchen and created her own delicious vegan cookies and cakes. She is also an interviewer for the New Books in Literature podcast channel.

Gottlieb is the mother of three grown children and lives with her husband in Chicago.

 

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Synopsis

1944, Poland. Jacob Stein and Zalman Mendelson meet as boys under terrifying circumstances. They survive by miraculously escaping, but their shared past haunts and shapes their lives forever.

Years later, Zalman plows a future on a Minnesota farm. In Brooklyn, Jacob has a new life with his wife, Esther. When Zalman travels to New York City to reconnect, Jacob’s hopes for the future are becoming a reality. With Zalman’s help, they build a house for Jacob’s family and for Zalman, who decides to stay. Modest and light filled, inviting and warm with acceptance―for all of them, it’s a castle to call home.

Then an unforeseeable tragedy―and the grief, betrayals, and revelations in its wake―threatens to destroy what was once an unbreakable bond, and Esther finds herself at a crossroads. A Castle in Brooklyn is a moving and heartfelt immigration story about finding love and building a home and family while being haunted by a traumatic past.

 

 

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Review

 

A story that spans decades of love and loss. It might just break your own heart.

There are multiple storylines, but it centers around a few main characters – Jacob, Esther, and Zalman. Jacob and Zalman escaped Poland during WWII and remained fast friends for most of their life. There is an incident that tears them apart, but you’ll have to read the book to find out what exactly. They went different ways once they reached America, but they stayed in touch the best they could. Once Jacob married Esther, Zalman moved to New York and remained with them for many years. It was an interesting dynamic to watch how they interacted with each other.

The story is also about a house. The house was built by Jacob for Esther, and Zalman designed it. It was where they lived and created many memories. It was also where they dealt with some harshness that life threw at them. The house knew love, joy, pain, and sadness. There were many memories that were fondly remembered and others that broke hearts. It was interesting when the house was rented in later years how it was appreciated and then not appreciated by the tenants.

This story spans approximately 70 years, and I enjoyed the jumps back and forth in time because it gave me more information to understand Jacob and Zalman’s past in Poland. It added layers to the characters that we couldn’t understand until they told their story. Each of the characters in this story had their own issues to deal with that many of us might experience in our own lives.

I enjoyed this book and give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Shirley Russak Wachtel is the author of the short story collection Three For A Dollar, the book of poetry, In The Mellow Light, and several books for children. Her short stories and poems have appeared in various literary journals.

A daughter of Holocaust survivors, Wachtel was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a doctor of letters degree from Drew University and, for the past thirty years, has taught English literature at Middlesex College in Edison, New Jersey. The mother of three grown sons and grandmother to two precocious granddaughters, she currently resides in East Brunswick, New Jersey, with her husband, Arthur.

 

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Synopsis

 

Indiana, January 2010.

It’s a hot summer’s day in 1984 when twelve-year-old Gilly and her friend Sally find a dead new-born in a shoebox in the cemetery of their tiny town. Deciding to keep their discovery a secret, they bury the body in Gilly’s yard.

The results are disastrous. Flowers are mysteriously left on strollers. Two local children disappear and end up dead. A suspect is arrested and confesses, blaming the deaths on the girls’ having taken the dead baby.

Gilly grows up but is haunted by what’s happened. As a young woman, she flees the town and its memories, going all the way to Japan.

Returning with her Japanese husband Toshi to attend her mother’s funeral, Gilly finds the past is not past. She’s threatened, and someone is putting flowers on strollers again.

When another child is abducted, Gilly knows she must discover the truth about what happened all those years ago before more lives are lost.

 

 

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Praise

 

“Both a drama and a thriller, full of twists and human insight.”-Thomas Waugh

“The immediate declaration of past events, the discovery and concealment of the dead baby, provides a gripping start to this book.
The story is simple yet powerful, immediately drawing the reader into a world that identifies the challenges of growing up in a small town in Indiana.
The book tackles the casual racism that is often overlooked, with great clarity. Although this is a crime novel it is also a powerful story about how a single childhood event can influence the future.
It compels you to share the history and become part of the small-town network. Through a nexus of characters, we see how relationships that are made in our formative years, affect our lives.
The story is more than a crime novel. It also serves to gives a fascinating insight into life in a small town in the USA, through the eyes of somebody who never really wanted to return.”-ReallyPoshScouser, Amazon

“Lea O’Harra offers us a whodunnit set in a Japan labouring under the weight of cultural imperialism, a country where the characters find that their friends and lovers are really strangers and imperfect ones at that…-Nick Sweet, author of the Inspector Velázquez series

’With her deep knowledge of Japanese culture, superb writing, and sensitivity to human foibles. O’Harra has crafted a cross-cultural whodunnit sure to please Japanophiles and mystery lovers alike.”-Suzanne Kamata, author of Losing Kei

 

Awards

 

Autumn 2017 “Lady First” was awarded ‘finalist’ status in the crime fiction section of the Beverly Hill Book Awards.

‘Lady First’ was also a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards in 2018.

 

 

Review

 

This was quite an interesting tale, split between the past and the present, with details slow to be released to explain what is going on in this tiny town.

This story is filled with unlikeable characters, dysfunctional families, and a secret that is trying to come out but not very successfully.

Gilly (aka Gillian, aka Mouse) has returned home for her mother’s funeral. She is living in Japan with her husband, who is quite obnoxious. I’m really not sure how she has stayed married to him for nine years. Once back in Bryon, the past comes rushing back, and Gilly has to face the truth.

A lot of this book seemed quite unbelievable. How could two young girls find a dead baby and then not tell anyone? That seemed very bizarre. Obviously, it is eating away at the girls, or at least it does Gilly. Even decades later, when she is back in town, it comes up. Since this is something she hasn’t told her husband, Toshi, he can’t understand anything about her past, her family or why it is a secret. While I get where he is coming from, don’t we all have secrets from our past? Why does everything have to be shared with a spouse if it doesn’t impact them?

There are so many secrets surrounding this little town, and Gilly seems to be in the middle of everything. This makes her look guilty when it is really just coincidental timing with her return to town. However, there are other secrets just dying to get out, and how they impact what is happening in the little town now.

It does take about 2/3 of the book before the past is revealed. Until that point, there are some references but no real explanation of what happened. I believe this is what is called a slow burn. I call it annoying! I wanted to understand how the past impacted the present, but there was no revelation of what happened or why.

However, once the details are revealed, it is a very fast-paced finish to the end of the book. There are some tense moments for Gilly in the last third of the book. Some of the actions of other characters might leave you dumbfounded.

Outside of the mystery, we also see the interactions between Gilly and her brothers. While they were supportive of each other as children, or as much as they could be at that young age, they have all changed, and not necessarily for the better. Nick is self-absorbed, Harry tends to put his head in the sand, and Gilly continues to be bullied. I wondered if there would be any change in that dynamic by the end of the book.

Despite my frustration at the slow pace (because I want to know everything now!), I found myself engaged in this story and wondering how it would turn out.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lea O’Harra has published three crime fiction novels set in rural modern-day Japan: Imperfect Strangers (2015); Progeny (2016); and Lady First (2017). These comprise the so-called ‘Inspector Inoue Murder Mystery’ series originally published by Endeavour Press (UK). She has also had a story included in Best Asian Crime Fiction published by Kitaab Press (Singapore) in 2020.

In the spring of 2022 Sharpe Books reissued the Inoue mystery series and, in September 2022, published Lea O’Harra’s fourth novel, Dead Reckoning, a stand-alone set in her tiny hometown in the American Midwest.

 

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Giveaway

 

This giveaway is for 3 book copies and is open worldwide.

This giveaway ends on February 1, 2023 midnight, pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Synopsis

 

Roxy Constantine is the jam queen of Shavano, Colorado. But her social life is a bust, and she’s still recovering from a bad experience as a line cook in Denver. Things improve when she meets tasty local chef Nate Robicheaux, but she’s also fending off the attentions of another local, Brett Holmes, who won’t take no for an answer. When Brett threatens to derail Roxy’s career, the two have a very public fight. A few days later, Brett is found murdered in his restaurant kitchen, and suddenly Roxy’s a prime suspect. Now Roxy must find the truth about Brett and his murderer before the town of Shavano decides her reign as jam queen is over for good.

 

 

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Review

 

I enjoy discovering new towns in cozies. The towns are usually small, filled with interesting characters, and a killer. And not just one killer, but many, especially if it is a longer series!

Shavano, Colorado, seems like a quaint and quiet town, and Roxy is back home and has become the jam queen. But what brought her back is an incident that shook her to her core and has her wary of men. That is until she meets Nate. Nate also had an incident in his past that brought him home too. What neither expects is to become potential suspects in the murder of Brett Holmes.

When you read this book, you will quickly realize that Brett is not someone you would want to know or associate with. He is sleazy, conceited, and a bully. Maybe he doesn’t deserve to be killed, but sometimes some characters just need to go away in one way or another. There are a few suspects, but it takes some sleuthing by Roxy and her bestie Susa to uncover the truth.

We see Roxy talking to various potential suspects, but the clues are few and far between. Once the killer was revealed, it probably should have been an obvious answer based on other factors, but I just didn’t see it. I don’t think that the book really points the reader in any specific direction in regard to the killer. I would have liked to have seen a few more clues or even some red herrings. However, very little of the information pointed in any specific direction.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Roxy and Nate progress. However, I wonder if there is a potential triangle coming with Chief Fowler. Only future books will tell.

I loved reading about all the jam flavors. While I’m not a jam maker, I would have loved to have seen a few recipes included in the book.

This is a good start to a new series, and I look forward to future books and visiting Shavano again. We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance. Her newest series, the Folk, is a paranormal series from Soul Mate Publishing set in Colorado. Meg’s Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing). Along with contemporary romance, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers.

 

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Rivalry Gone Wrong: A Cheer Moms Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Seris
Setting – Southern Illinois
Independently Published (January 10, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 105 pages

Synopsis

 

These cheer moms are not content to sit on the sidelines.

 

Abby Winters is not your typical cheer mom. She doesn’t have time to micromanage her daughter’s competitive cheer group. She’s got her business, Scoops Ice Cream Shop, to run.

But when a rival team’s coach turns up dead and all signs point to murder, Abby wants to make sure her daughter is safe.

Can she catch the killer before they strike again or is the culprit going to murder the competition?

 

 

Amazon

 

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Review

 

This was a fun short read filled with mystery that I certainly didn’t figure out until the end.

I live in Texas, and cheer is a big thing here, including the moms that might go a little crazy with all that is involved. I definitely saw that to a minor degree in this book. I was actually more fascinated with Abby’s ice cream shop, The Scoop, and the various ice cream flavors she created. I hope to see more of that in future books.

While Abby doesn’t intentionally set out to solve the murder of a cheer coach, she does manage to ferret out information from the other moms, and it isn’t until one final clue is revealed near the end do all of the pieces fall into place.

There is even a potential budding relationship between Abby and Detective Barrett, if not romantically, then definitely a friendship. Future books will reveal all.

I am looking forward to future installments in this new series, and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

As a child, L.C. thought she would either be a truck driver (thanks to Jerry Reed in Smokey and the Bandit) or work at Taco Bell (her favorite restaurant as a child). As she grew older, she realized her talents lay in other areas, and for the last several years has been a college professor teaching business and English.

Through all her career choices, she has continued to have a passion for writing stemming from childhood, where, as an only child, she developed a vivid imagination.

She is proud of her vast experiences in life, from barrel racing to being on the dance team for a semi-pro basketball team, to being a mom of 2 amazing kids.

She decided to follow her dream as an author in 2009 and has worked her way up to having 5 fans (maybe 6 now). She often tells her family and friends that no one is safe from his or her ventures slipping into her books. She lives in Indiana with her husband, kids, and two very spoiled dogs.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Synopsis

 

Now a Hello Sunshine/Prime feature film from international bestselling author Melissa Hill comes an adorable holiday romance about taking chances, falling in love, and trusting destiny.

New York City at Christmas and a visit to Tiffany’s is a recipe to sweep a girl off her feet. Unless fate has other plans . . .

When Ethan Greene lost his wife, he never thought he would be able to replace her until one woman stepped in and showed him how to be happy again. Now, on a romantic Christmas trip to New York City, he has a plan to show Vanessa just how important she is to him and maybe even to give his daughter, Daisy, a complete family again. He’s going to propose with a perfect ring from Tiffany’s.

Gary Knowles and his girlfriend, Rachel, are on the trip of a lifetime in New York at the most magical time of year. The only thing missing is Gary’s gift for Rachel since, as usual, he’s left his shopping far too late. On a last-minute Christmas Eve visit to Tiffany’s, he quickly picks out a charm bracelet for her and heads back to their hotel. But, in a moment, one small mistake changes everything…

 

 

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Review

 

I happened to watch the movie first, so I thought I knew what would happen in this book. I was wrong because while the basic premise is the same, the details are different.

Once I got past that part, I enjoyed the story. Ethan is too nice, not wanting to hurt Rachel’s feelings, Rachel is in a relationship with a self-absorbed jerk (aka Gary), Teri is a well-meaning friend, and Daisy is the bright spot in the stories.

The book was a quick read, filled with deceit on multiple fronts and the desire to find true love. There is a HEA for some of the characters, but not all.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

Movie Trailer

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Melissa Hill is a USA Today bestselling author living in Ireland’s beautiful County Wicklow. Her page-turning contemporary novels of family, friendship, and romance are published worldwide and have been translated into twenty-six languages.

A Hollywood adaptation of her international bestseller Something from Tiffany’s, by Reese Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine and Amazon Studios, will be released worldwide in Dec 2022.

Other novels, including A Gift to Remember and The Charm Bracelet, have been adapted for the screen by Hallmark Channel USA, with multiple other titles currently also in development for film and TV.

 

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Synopsis

 

A modern twist on A Christmas Carol, A MARRIAGE FABLE is a novella, another tall tale of the powerful genie Finnegus Boggs, and his lessons on Love that inspires Andrew Wyman, a typical modern-day husband nearing his 25th wedding anniversary, to become a better man.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Praise

 

“A Marriage Fable does for Valentine’s Day what A Christmas Carol did for Christmas Day. A Must Read romantic fantasy!” —BJ Fera, Goodreads

A Quick, Well-Written Read, 5.0 out of 5 stars!
If you’re a fan of magical realism like I am, you will enjoy reading this mystical story. A quick read with plenty of drama kept me engaged. It’s a story filled with equal parts regret and redemption. It always feels good when a narcissist gets a taste of his own medicine, and feels even better when this self-absorbed “family man” gets a chance to be a better person. Will he accept this new choice? I’ll never tell. Ask the genie. Do yourself a favor and read this to find out if there is hope for “this day and every day forward.” —Divine Daytripper Reviews

 

 

Review

 

This retelling of the classic A Christmas Carol is told with a slightly different spin. This focuses on a man that has taken his wife and children for granted and is in danger of losing them. It takes a lot for the three apparitions to convince him, and it isn’t until the last visit that he realizes how dire his situation really is at that moment.

Andrew is someone most of us would despise. Belittling his wife and children, believing that providing for them only means bringing home a paycheck, and his over-inflated ego that could very well be his downfall.

The apparition is Andrew’s wife’s therapist, or so he thinks. Finnegus Boggs is a genie, but he doesn’t control the entire vision; but brings in help from his fellow genies to show Andrew the light and perhaps turn him around before his life crumbles.

While fiction, this story could be anyone’s, and perhaps a reader might glean some useful thoughts for their own lives.

I enjoyed the story, and while I cringed at times from Andrew’s actions, I was glad to see that he pulled himself together in the end. Perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jeri Cafesin is a bestselling author of modern, ‘genre-diverse’ fiction filled with complex, compelling characters so real they’ll linger long after the read. Her debut novel, REVERB, hit #1 in KDP Contemporary Romance, and #4 in Amazon’s Best Sellers Rank. Other works include the ‘novel memoir’ DISCONNECTED, an “exquisitely honest view” of women’s societal roles in 1992 L.A., and today. Fractured Fairy Tales of the Twilight Zone, Volume 1, is a collection of fantastical, edgy short stories with lessons that’ll stick for life. More of Jeri Cafesin’s books, including new releases, are available on Amazon. Many of the CNF essays from her ongoing blog have been translated into multiple languages and distributed globally: jcafesin.com/cafe-42

A Stanford entrepreneurship educator, and recent empty-nester of two gorgeous, talented, spectacular kids, Jeri lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, on the eastern slope of the Oakland hills, with her husband/BFF, and a loudmouthed, big-eared Shepherd pound-hound.

 

Website

 

 

Southern Living graciously invites you to enjoy the latest annual compilation of top-rated recipes from the editors of Southern Living magazine—now in full colorFor decades, Southern Living Annual Recipes has collected every recipe from an entire year’s worth of Southern Living magazine in a single complete volume, creating an indispensable companion for devoted readers and an inspiring discovery for all who know and trust the authority that Southern Living magazine brings to great Southern cooking. Inside, the editors at Southern Living magazine share beautifully photographed, step-by-step recipes for regionally inspired dishes, from quick and easy meals to family favorites, as well as special-occasion treats. Along with the go-to Southern recipes cooks crave—delicious Sunday suppers, mouthwatering desserts, regional favorites, and traditional holiday meals—readers will find helpful tips and creative menus from the legendary Southern Living Test Kitchen. A special bonus section presents a surprise selection of reader-favorite recipes that cannot be found anywhere else.

 

 

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My Thoughts

 

Since joining Abrams Dinner Party, I have been exposed to many new recipes spanning a range of cuisine types. I also love to stretch my skills, so I never oppose to these opportunities.

I have received the Southern Living Annual Recipe book for several years now, and I am always amazed at the number of dishes available in the book. And the photos help me visualize the dishes and what they should look like. I might not always follow a recipe to the letter, but knowing what the finished product should look like always helps.

While I haven’t had time to dive into every single page of this book, my mouth is already watering at the photos of the various dishes that I have perused. I have a feeling I will be bookmarking a lot of these recipes to try over the coming year.

The contents are divided by month and pull in ingredients that are in season or fit with the season. There is everything from salads to main courses to desserts.

My goal is try at least 1 recipe per month starting in 2023. Here is my initial thoughts:

January – Creamy Chicken Sausage and Kale Soup
February – Sesame Crusted Chicken Breasts with Sugar Snap Pea Salad or Chipotle Maple Chicken Thighs with Candied Acorn Squash (or both!)
March – Fire roasted Tomato and Beef Ragu or Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry
April – Garlic Oregano Chicken with Grilled Leeks and Lemon
May – Creamy Baked Eggs with Leeks and Spinach or Bacon and Egg Tarts with Goat Cheese
June – Blistered Cherry Tomatoes with Red Pepper Feta Spread
July – Peach Cream Kuchen (a Texas favorite in the Hill Country!)
August – Chipotle Chicken Tacos & Chipotle Shrimp Tacos (2 separate recipes)
September – Applesauce Snack Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
October – Smothered Pork Chops with Rice and Sweet Potato Topped Southwestern Cottage Pie
November – Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Pie Squares
December – Cheesy Chorizo Stuffed Chilies and many options for my annual sweet treat exchange!

As you can see, this barely scratches the surface of all the included goodness in this book.  I can see this as a book I will use over and over.

If you like trying new recipes, pick up a copy for yourself and try your hand the deliciousness inside.

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Andi’s step-mother is a real piece of work!

But is Ruby a murderer?

Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent/amateur sleuth, puts aside her resentment of her father’s widow and books a 60th birthday cruise to Cancun for Ruby and three friends. Never does Andi imagine the cruise will lead to the murder of a has-been lounge singer—or that Ruby will be the main suspect.

Flirting with more than danger after arriving in Mexico, Andi connects with the charming local sheriff, Manual Rodriquez. After an embarrassing night involving the sheriff, too many margaritas, and a Mariachi band, a chance to check out an eyewitness to the murder leads her to Las Vegas.

In Vegas, a mysterious meeting in the Bodies Exhibition, a body preserving in the prep-room, and an evasive owner of a dance studio, give Andi clues to help Ruby. But when Andi is mercilessly drugged and locked in a storage room, she realizes dear old step-mom isn’t the only one in jeopardy.

 

 

 

 

Review

 

This was a fun new cozy series for me to start recently…especially since it is set in warmer weather (FL, Mexico, and Las Vegas) while I am freezing here in Texas right now.

Andi Anna has quite an unusual name, and if you say it fast, you might think of a certain film series starring Harrison Ford. The funny thing is that she was really named after her father, just a more feminine name. Andi and her sister have an ex-stepmother, Ruby, that has found herself in a bit of a pickle and has landed in a Mexican jail. Andi seems to be the only one that can go down and help her, and she discovers that maybe she likes investigating things. It doesn’t hurt that there is a handsome Mexican police detective named Manny that has taken an interest in Andi, and Andi in him.

I really enjoyed the multiple locations, trying to solve the mystery, and watching sparks fly between Andi and Manny. There are some red herrings, but a few clues are fairly obvious. However, the main clue eluded me until the end. What a surprise as the killer was revealed.

This book may be on the shorter side, but it is filled with nonstop action, and the race is on to discover the killer before more people die.

The 2nd book is due out at the end of February 2023, and I can’t wait to see what Andi is up to next. I think we haven’t seen the last of Ruby quite yet.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Author, Mary Cunningham, grew up on the northern side of the Ohio River in Corydon, Indiana. Her first memories are of her dad’s original bedtime stories that no doubt inspired her imagination and love of a well-spun “yarn.”

Through the author’s horrifying stint as a travel agent, The Andi Anna Jones mysteries sprang to life. The adult/mystery series gives extra meaning to the phrase, “Write what you know.” Cunningham has several published books, including a five-book middle-grade fantasy, women’s lifestyle/humor book, and a sports/military brat biography about a UConn/WNBA basketball player.

She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Sisters In Crime, Atlanta Chapter, International Thriller Writers, Inc., and the Carrollton Writers Guild.

When she gives her fingers a break from the keyboard, she enjoys golf, swimming, and exploring the mountains of West Georgia, where she makes her home with her husband.
 

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A delicious and delightful narrative history of pie in America, from the colonial era through the civil rights movement and beyond

From the pumpkin pie gracing the Thanksgiving table to the apple pie at the Fourth of July picnic, nearly every American shares a certain nostalgia for a simple circle of crust and filling. But America’s history with pie has not always been so sweet. After all, it was a slice of cherry pie at the Woolworth’s lunch counter on a cool February afternoon that helped to spark the Greensboro sit-ins and ignited a wave of anti-segregation protests across the South during the civil rights movement. Molasses pie, meanwhile, captures the legacies of racial trauma and oppression passed down from America’s history of slavery, and Jell-O pie exemplifies the pressures and contradictions of gender roles in an evolving modern society. We all know the warm comfort of the so-called “All-American” apple pie . . . but just how did pie become the symbol of a nation?

In Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies, food writer Rossi Anastopoulo cracks open our relationship to pie with wit and good humor. For centuries, pie has been a malleable icon, co-opted for new social and political purposes. Here, Anastopoulo traces the pies woven into our history, following the evolution of our country across centuries of innovation and change. With corresponding recipes for each chapter and sidebars of quirky facts throughout, Sweet Land of Liberty is an entertaining, informative, and utterly charming food history for bakers, dessert lovers, and history aficionados alike. Ultimately, the story of pie is the story of America itself, and it’s time to dig in.

 

 

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Review

 

Pies? History? Where does one even start with that fantastic combination?

Anyone that knows me knows I love a good pie. I may not be able to bake them (or not well), but I do enjoy eating most pies. So when I was offered this book, I couldn’t wait to dive in and learn the history of how some pies came about and the part that they play in our country’s history.

There are 11 pies featured in this book: apple, pumpkin, molasses, sweet potato, pecan, chiffon, mock apple pie, Jell-o pie, bean pie, quiche, and tofu cream pie. Now, I’m sure you are looking at that list and recognize some but not all. That was me too. But as I dove into each chapter, I learned so much about how these pies came into existence. Some are more recent additions, like the Jell-o pie, and others have ties to events that divided us as a country, from racism to gender barriers.

While most of this book is the history of pies, never fear; there are recipes included. There is an all-butter pie crust recipe and at least one recipe from each of the 11 categories. I even know a blogger that made one of the pies crustless, and it looked divine.

While I am still making my way through each of the chapters, I am picking up nuggets of history that are fascinating and might make one think about pie in a whole new light.

Our past may not be perfect when it comes to what was represented regarding pie, but we can’t change history. We can only learn from it and endeavor to do better. I do feel like the author blames us today for what happened in the past when it came to how sugar was cultivated, what recipes were or weren’t included in cookbooks, and so forth. While it may not be right how certain people were treated 100+ years ago, we cannot change the past. Because of this perceived slant to the book, I deducted a paw and give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Rossi Anastopoulo is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in TASTE, Saveur, Food52, Bon Appetit, and Eaten Magazine. In 2019 she was the recipient of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Award for Narrative Food Writing for her piece on the bean pie and the Nation of Islam. She works as the blog editor for King Arthur Baking Company, and is based in Los Angeles.

 

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