Murder’s No Votive Confidence (Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (June 25, 2019)

Synopsis

Nantucket candle store owner Stella Wright specializes in creating unique candles for every occasion. But someone sets the stage for murder when a Memorial Day celebration becomes a wedding to die for . . .

Jessica Sterling’s candlelight-themed nuptials promises to be the perfect kick-off to the summer’s first official holiday weekend. Stella’s thrilled to have been chosen to provide the decorative centerpiece for the wedding ceremony: a two-foot-tall scented unity candle—a symbol of the happy couple’s love. But it looks like the bride-to-be’s uncle won’t be walking his niece down the aisle after he’s found dead. The murder weapon is Stella’s seemingly indestructible candle, now split in two.

When a beloved local bartender is arrested, Stella’s sure a visiting police captain running the case made a rush to justice. With superstitious brides-to-be canceling orders and sales waxing and waning at her store, the Wick & Flame owner decides to do some sleuthing of her own. Abetted by a charming reporter and challenged by the town’s sexiest cop, Stella’s determined to shine a light on the truth and uncover a killer who’s snuffing out her own flame.

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Review

Candles, an Island, and Murder – oh my!

I love reading cozies that have the protagonist in a career that is crafty and one that is intriguing.  Enter Stella and her candlemaking business.  She makes unique candles with handcrafted scents and seems to know what sort of scent would be best for various people.  I’d love to know what she would suggest for me.  She even teaches classes on candlemaking and I would have liked the book to have explored that just a little bit more, or added more details regarding the two classes that were taught in this book.

This mystery has a fair amount of characters but most of them are tied to a wedding that is taking place.  I think we meet about 7 characters that were townsfolk.  That helps when trying to figure out who might be the killer since it is most likely tied to the wedding and its guests.  Speaking of the murder – while I didn’t figure out the killer, I thought the author did a good job of throwing suspicion on various characters so that when the killer was revealed it was quite a surprise to me.  I might have suspected this character but didn’t know how deep the hatred ran and why.

There is also a potential love triangle between Stella, Andy, and Peter.  Andy has a girlfriend but I don’t think she is right for him.  Peter is the new journalist in town and seems interesting but you wonder how much is him or his career choice.  If I had to choose, I’m #TeamAndy because they just seem like they fit together plus they have been friends forever.  But we shall see how the author decides to work this out in future books.

I think this is going to be a good new series and we give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

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Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Murder (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in the Series
MYS ED LLC (June 21, 2019)
Print Length – 185 Pages

Synopsis

Financial fraud of elderly villagers in Leavensport, an urban sprawl threat to the community, disastrous dates, cross-sell marketing gone wrong, and another murder? Jolie Tucker is ready to try dating again. Well, she has no choice—since her family auctioned her off to the highest bidder. Her best friend, Ava, has agreed to a double date, but both friends find out hidden secrets about their partners as well as deception by one of the village’s own, who will soon be found dead. This plot is sure to be spicy!

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Review

Not everyone is as they seem.  Talk about some surprises at the end of the book that will shake your beliefs about some of the characters.

I love these shorter cozies, lots of action and mystery to keep you guessing.  But just because it is shorter don’t count the book out because a lot happens and it will keep you guessing as to who is the killer, why, and what other secrets will be revealed.

I do have a love/hate relationship with Jolie, the protagonist.  Yes, she has her issues and she admits them, but she also does some really stupid things…like when someone is breaking into her house (picking the lock), she yells that the police are on their way.  Ummm, why not just let the police arrive and catch them in the act and arrest them?  But she has a very caring side of her when it comes to Mirabelle, a young woman with sight issues, and others around town.

I was very surprised when it came time to reveal the killer.  I was not expecting this character in the slightest.  It made sense and there are a few clues that might point you this way, but not many.

Overall we enjoyed this book and give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Moving into her second decade of working in education, Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her seven cats.

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Strangled Eggs and Ham (A Country Store Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Kensington (June 25, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

Synopsis

Robbie Jordan’s rustic country store is growing in popularity. But when a dead body appears, it turns out that Robbie’s home-style cooking attracts hungry customers—and murder!

While Robbie scrambles through breakfast orders for her expanding clientele at Pans ‘N Pancakes, tempers run as high as the sticky August heat in South Lick, Indiana. Real-estate developer Fiona Closs plans to build a towering luxury resort at one of the most scenic hilltops in Brown County, and not everyone can see the sunny side of the imposing proposition—including Robbie’s furious Aunt Adele, who doesn’t waste a minute concocting protests and road blockades. When tensions boil over and a vocal protester is silenced forever at the resort site, Robbie ditches the griddle to catch the killer. But if slashed tires are any indication, she’ll need to crack this case before her own aunt gets served something deadly next . . .

Includes Recipes for You to Try!

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Recipe

Indian Spiced Roasted Potatoes

Turner learned this recipe from his Indian grandmother and makes it for a breakfast special.

Ingredients

• 3½ tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 3 pounds small red potatoes, cut into inch
• cubes, or halved if very small (about 8 cups)
• 1¾ teaspoons dark mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• ½ cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a rimmed baking sheet.

Toss the potatoes with one tablespoon oil and set aside. (Note: Robbie cuts the potatoes smaller and parboils them the night before, so they won’t need as long to cook in the morning, but that step isn’t necessary.)

Heat remaining 2½ tablespoons oil, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook one and a half minutes or until seeds begin to pop. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add ginger and garlic to pan; cook one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, turmeric, and garam masala; cook one minute, stirring constantly. Add spice mixture to potatoes, tossing to coat. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Roast for thirty minutes, stirring every ten minutes, or until potatoes are browned and tender. Stir in cilantro, mint, and juice before serving. Serve the cilantro separately if some of your diners don’t like it.

About the Author

Maddie Day is a talented amateur chef and holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-nominated author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and three cats in Massachusetts.

As Edith Maxwell, she writes the Local Foods Mysteries (Kensington Publishing) and the Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Midnight Ink).

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Died in the Wool: A Whisky Business Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Alibi (June 18, 2019)
Print Length ~300 pages

Synopsis

No good deed goes unpunished in the Whisky Business cozy mystery series as distillery owner Abigail Logan uncovers dark secrets—and murder—at a local charity.

Photojournalist Abi Logan is finally ready to put her hectic career on hold and set down roots in the heart of the Scottish countryside. Studying the business and art of distilling whisky at Abbey Glen and volunteering at the Shepherd’s Rest women’s shelter in her spare time seem a surefire way to find the peace and stability she craves. It’s also the logical way to take her mind off her personal life. Abi’s business partner, Grant MacEwan, is facing a career-threatening disability, and as much as Abi longs to be there for him, he seems to prefer the company of a rival.

But as Abi becomes more involved with Shepherd’s Rest, she discovers that their refuge is elusive. When the shelter is rocked by a murder/suicide, Abi is outraged by the police’s lack of attention to these already marginalized women. Increasingly confident in her own skills as an investigator, Abi steps in to find out what the police will not: who left one young woman dead and another missing. But when more deadly deeds come to light, Abi must race to unravel the connections between the shelter’s benefactors and the women they have pledged to protect—and expose the killer before he strikes again.

Melinda Mullet’s delightful Whisky Business mysteries can be read together or separately. Enjoy responsibly:
SINGLE MALT MURDER | DEATH DISTILLED | DEADLY DRAM | DIED IN THE WOOL

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About the Author

Melinda Mullet was born in Dallas and attended school in Texas, Washington D.C., England, and Austria. She spent many years as a practicing attorney before pursuing a career as a writer. Author of the Whisky Business Mystery series, Mullet is a passionate supporter of childhood literacy. She works with numerous domestic and international charities striving to promote functional literacy for all children. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her family.

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Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass (An Exotic Pet-Sitter Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Lyrical Underground (June 25, 2019)
Paperback: 192 pages

Synopsis

When exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake moves into a carriage house in tony Greenwich, Connecticut, she’s hoping to find some new clients. Instead she discovers a corpse in the garden—and a knack for solving murders . . .

Pet-sitter Belinda Blake doesn’t rattle easily, but move-in day has been eventful, to say the least. The python in her care tried to slither to freedom—just as she met Stone Carrington V, her landlords’ disarmingly handsome son. With the constrictor back in its cage, she heads out to the garden, only to discover a designer shoe poking out of the boxwood hedge—attached to a woman’s dead body.

The victim, Margo Fenton, was a Carrington family friend, and no one in their circle seems above suspicion. Between client trips to Manhattan and visits to her family in upstate New York, Belinda begins to put the pieces together. But though she’s falling for Stone’s numerous charms, Belinda wonders if she’s cozying up to a killer. And soon, daily contact with a deadly reptile might be the least dangerous part of her life . . .

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Review

What a way to start a new series – red herrings galore, hidden killers, and mysterious motives.  All of these lead to an unexpected ending.

Exotic pet sitter – someone has to do it and Belinda is up to the task.  While we learn a little bit about her past, she seems quite happy not being stuck in a traditional type job and is building up a pet sitting business for those pets that traditional pet sitters may not want to take on, like a ball python snake.  I can’t even imagine taking care of  snake, but I suppose it helps that Belinda’s father is a veterinarian and she probably grew up around various types of animals.

Belinda has just moved into a cottage on a larger estate in Greenwich and she is barely there a day when she discovers a dead body.  Most people would probably move out faster than the Energizer Bunny, but she takes it all in stride and starts to investigate alongside Stone the Fifth, the son of the manor.  I was surprised at how quickly Stone and Belinda seemed to connect to start investigating the murder, it seemed like that part of the story was rushed.  That said, Stone and Belinda make a great team and play well off of each other around potential suspects and witnesses.

Speaking of suspects….I think I briefly suspected the killer but not long enough for this character to stay in the “guilty box”.  In fact, I strongly suspected another character and was taken by surprise when the ending came about and the killer was revealed.  The author does a great job of throwing multiple characters under the bus as suspects and hiding the true one.

There is a little bit of potential romance between Belinda and Stone, but there is also another character, Jonas, that might come into play as well.  However, Jonas lives by her parents in upstate New York so not sure how that might work out considering the distance…but guess we will find out in the next book!

Overall we enjoyed this book and look forward to the second in this series.  We give this 4 paws up.

About the Author

Heather Day Gilbert, an ECPA Christy award finalist and Grace award winner, writes contemporary mysteries and Viking historicals. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love. Like Belinda Blake, Heather plays video games, although so far she hasn’t done any exotic pet-sitting or hunted any murderers.

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Death by Dissertation (Cassandra Sato)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Nebraska
Emerald Prairie Press (April 17, 2019)
Paperback: 355 pages

Synopsis

Ambitious Cassandra Sato traded her life in Hawai’i for a dream position as Student Affairs VP at Morton College in tiny Carson, Nebraska. She expected the Midwestern church casseroles, land-locked cornfields, and face-freezing winters would be her biggest challenges, but it’s her job that’s rapidly becoming a nightmare.

A deaf student is dead and the investigation reveals a complicated trail of connections between campus food service, a local farmer’s beef, and the science lab’s cancer research. Together with her few allies, Cassandra must protect the students caught up in the entanglement.

Dealing with homesickness, vandalism, and a stalker, Cassandra is trapped in a public relations disaster that could cost her job, or more. No one said college was easy.

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Review

This was a good start to a new series about a woman from Hawaii that takes a job in Nebraska….now you have to be thinking like I was…are you kidding?  WHY?!  But later in the book, we learn why and the support she had to make the move to advance her career.  Of course, things aren’t going quite as she would have expected when a student is found dead on campus.  This book tells the journey of trying to solve the murder, keep her job, and stay alive.  Yes, you read that right, stay alive.  She has a stalker that means business.

This book is very detailed and I thought the author did a good job on character development and providing just enough information to keep the reader engaged but not so much detail that a reader might lose interest.  The mystery surprised me a little bit at the end but not too much.  There was something about this character that just stood out to me but I didn’t know this character was also the killer.  Just seemed like there was something off.

I felt for Cassandra and the prejudice she ran into in the smaller town of Carson, Nebraska.  Yes, she was different than the rest of the town but you would have hoped they would have embraced her and welcomed her diversity.  Perhaps in future books.

The book did seem to move at a slower pace until the end where it really picked up steam until the killer was revealed.  There are some comedic moments especially when she visits the farm to check on the cows wearing a suit and heels.  Someone should have told her to change clothes or at least shoes.

There are some potential love interests for Cassandra should she choose to let loose and live a little and not focus so much on her career.  Sure the career is important but so is living life.

The only strange thing I noted when reading this book was when Cassandra would slip into this Creole dialect.  I didn’t know that there was such a dialect as Hawaiian Creole but apparently so.  Some of the phrases were odd, especially when she mentioned getting “chicken skin”.  I can only assume she was referring to what most of us might call “goosebumps” but she did use goosebumps in the book so not really sure what she meant.  There is also 1 f* bomb in the book which surprised me as that is not a word commonly used in a cozy.

Overall we enjoyed the book and we give it 3 1/2 paws.

About the Author

Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. As an American Sign Language Interpreter with more than twenty years of experience, Kelly’s worked in college classrooms for fifteen different majors. From traipsing across muddy farm fields to stomach-churning medical procedures, and stage interpreting for famous figures, Kelly’s community interpreting interactions number in the thousands. Unfortunately, once she’s stepped away from the job, she usually forgets 90% of what happened. Which helps her keep confidential information safe, but also makes it really hard to grocery shop for more than 5 items without a written list.

Kelly wants to live in a world filled with peace, love, and joy, where people who can hear learn enough sign language to include deaf people in everyday conversations and work. Where every deaf child has early access to language and books with characters like them, and dark chocolate is cheap and plentiful.

When she’s not interpreting or writing, you can find Kelly cheering for her favorite Husker teams or training for half-marathons because she really likes dessert.

Her first mystery, Death by Dissertation, released April 22, 2019.

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Spirited Away (A Bay Island Psychic Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Beyond the Page Publishing (May 16, 2019)
Paperback: 218 pages

Synopsis

In the new Bay Island Psychic Mystery, psychic Cass Donovan is thrown into the middle of a macabre murder she never saw coming . . .

With the summer tourist season on Bay Island in full swing, shop owner Cass Donovan barely has a minute to breathe, and things at Mystical Musings become even more hectic when a fight breaks out at one of her psychic readings. Shaken by the fracas and discouraged that her sixth sense seems to be on the blink, Cass is even more dispirited to learn that one of the men involved in the altercation was later found dead—and that a close friend of hers is the main suspect.

Desperate to help her friend prove his innocence and consumed by haunting visions, Cass follows the clues from one possible culprit to the next, including some very mysterious tourists and not a few questionable locals. And when the police turn to Cass to help them find out who committed the ghoulish deed, she knows she’ll have to tread carefully, because her next grim premonition may be her last .

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Bay Island

The Bay Island Psychic Mystery series takes place on a small island nestled between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York. Although Bay Island is a fictional setting, it shares many characteristics with Long Island. The small farms Cass passes, the actual town of Bay Island, the beaches, and the lighthouses can be found throughout many small towns all over Long Island. Even the old, abandoned Madison Estate, a haunted mansion that makes an appearance in Death at First Sight but becomes the main focus of book two, Occult and Battery, is reminiscent of several old abandoned houses scattered across Long Island.

Like Long Island, Bay Island depends heavily on the tourist trade and the weekend visitors who fill the Long Island Rail Road cars and the Long Island Expressway every weekend all summer long. Unfortunately, come winter, tourists and weekend residents don’t visit as frequently, making the winter months more difficult for local business owners.

Because of its dependence on tourism, Bay Island is more impacted by the seasons than many areas, and each book in the series takes place during a different season. Each season brings its own, unique circumstances, which have a tremendous impact on the characters and the plot.

Book one, Death at First Sight, takes place during the fall, while tourists still visit and strangers in town are not uncommon. Traditions that are common to Long Island are mentioned throughout the story, such as driving out east on the north shore and visiting local farm stands for roasted corn and apple cider, apple picking, and pumpkin picking. The crunch of dead leaves beneath Cass’s feet becomes a major obstacle to overcome.

Book two, Occult and Battery, takes place during the winter. In an effort to increase her income when the tourist trade dies off, Cass sets up a psychic weekend, complete with séance, in the old, abandoned Madison Estate. Then a blizzard blows in, stopping ferry service to Bay Island, knocking out the electricity, and trapping Cass and her guests in the supposedly haunted mansion with a killer. The storm plays a major role in the plot, leaving behind deep snow, icy roads, and cutting Bay Island off from the rest of the world until ferry service can be restored. Even Cass’s dog, Beast, is affected by the snow, as Cass has to put off his much needed training until spring.

The third book in the series takes place in the spring, when tourists start to return to Bay Island and business finally starts to pick up. Shop owners begin to prepare for the mad rush of summer, and a new art gallery opens on the boardwalk. But the beaches are not yet crowded, as they will be during the summer months, so when strange things start happening while Cass is walking down the beach to Mystical Musings, no one is around to help. And when she and Beast stumble across a body in the dunes, Cass is on her own.

In the newest Bay Island Psychic Mystery, Spirited Away, summer has arrived on Bay Island, bringing throngs of tourists and a heat wave just as Cass’s air conditioning unit goes on the fritz. With everyone on edge because of the heat, Cass’s group reading goes drastically wrong, and one of her good friends ends up accused of murder.

The Bay Island Mystery series relies heavily on the seasons and the unique situations brought about by being set on an island that is close to civilization, relies heavily on the tourist trade, and yet is only accessible by ferry.

About the Author

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, and the Puzzle Solvers Mysteries, which take place in a small town on eastern Long Island.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, where she still lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and five dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

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Chicken Scratch

by

Becki Willis

Genre: Cozy Mystery / Romance / Women Sleuths
Publisher: Clear Creek Publishing
Date of Publication: March 13, 2015

Number of Pages: 314

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Named 2016 Best Mystery Series by Texas Association of Authors.

When Madison Reynolds finds herself widowed and penniless before forty, she does the only thing she knows to do – she packs up her teenage twins and moves back home with her eighty-year-old grandmother. Life in The Sisters, Texas has not changed much since she’s been gone, but at least her best friend Genesis is there to soften the transition back into small-town life.

To make ends meet, Madison opens In a Pinch Temporary Services. Her first real client is Ronny Gleason, but when she shows up for the first day of work at the Gleason Poultry Farm, Madison makes a gruesome discovery. The dead body she finds belongs to Mr. Gleason. When a local man is arrested for murder, Madison takes on the job of proving his innocence. Even though she is not a private investigator, both mothers are desperate: Lucy Ngyen to clear her son’s name, and Madison to pay her bills. But as she begins asking questions around town, her interference is not welcome.

With a daughter determined to go back to Dallas, a son settling into small town life, a feisty grandmother who knows all the town gossip, bill collectors calling, and now someone trying to keep her silent, Madison has no time for re-kindling her high school crush with police chief Brash deCordova. She has her hands full just trying to stay alive.

If she survives her amateur investigation, Maddy has a decision to make. Will she go back to her life in Dallas, or will she build a new life here in The Sisters?

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You know a book is going to be good when it starts off:

“Finding a dead body was never good.  Finding the dead body of your newest client – particularly on the first day of the job – was decidedly worse.”

Welcome to The Sisters, Texas.  Where rumors run rampant, small town bias is still alive, but where you will find some of the nicest people…well most of them anyway unless they are a killer!   Madison’s daughter, Bethanie, sums it up quite nicely:

“This is Juliet, the most boring town in the state of Texas.  Of course, there were more rumors. It is, after all, the favorite pastime of rednecks near and far.”

This story has so much going for it – small Texas town, dysfunctional/quirky characters, a killer on the loose, old loves, close friends, and family.  I quickly grew to like Madison and her best friend Genesis. They have the kind of relationship that everyone should have, a best friend that will go to the ends of the earth for you…and maybe even jail should you get caught doing something a little crazy!  Considering everything Madison has gone through, that friendship is one of the things that holds her together as she puts her life back together with her children.  Madison has flaws but I see great potential for growth in her character over the rest of the series.

The mystery was well written and I was quite surprised when the killer was revealed because I don’t think there were any (or very few) clues to point us in this character’s direction.   I have to say I will never look at a chicken quite the same way and learned things about raising chickens that I never knew.  Considering Madison’s job is running a sort of temp agency, I think she realizes that perhaps this isn’t the sort of career she wants to pursue full time.

There is the beginning of a potential relationship between Maddy and her crush from high school, Brash.  There are some assumptions on Maddy’s part regarding Brash which throw her for a loop until correct information is provided to her.

I also appreciated the history regarding the two towns and how they came to be in existence.  There was enough history to visualize and understand, but not so much that it detracted from the basic plot line.

There are a few things that I am predicting for the next book and eagerly await finding out if I am right or wrong.  We give this book 4 paws up and if you are looking for a cozy series, definitely check this one out.

Becki Willis, best known for her popular The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series and Forgotten Boxes, always dreamed of being an author. In November of ’13, that dream became a reality.

Since that time, she has published numerous books, won first place honors for Best Mystery Series, Best Suspense Fiction, Best Women’s Detective Fiction, and Best Audio Book, won the 2018 RONE Award for Paranormal Fiction, and has introduced her imaginary friends to readers around the world.

An avid history buff, Becki likes to poke around in old places and learn about the past. Other addictions include reading, writing, junking, unraveling a good mystery, and coffee. She loves to travel but believes coming home to her family and her Texas ranch is the best part of any trip. Becki is a member of the Association of Texas Authors, Writer’s League of Texas, Sisters in Crime, the National Association of Professional Women, and the Brazos Writers organization. She attended Texas A&M University and majored in Journalism.

Connect with Becki below. She loves to hear from readers and encourages feedback!

Website ║ Twitter ║ Goodreads  ║ Email

Facebook ║ Instagram║ Pinterest ║  YouTube

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June 20-30, 2019

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Deco Dames, Demon Rum and Death (Jazz Age Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Decodame Press (December 28, 2018)
Paperback: 249 pages

Synopsis

When young Galveston Gazette society reporter Jazz Cross hears rumors of grave robbers at the Broadway Cemetery, she and photographer Nathan Blaine investigate, hoping to land a scoop. The newshawks witness meetings held by clandestine gangs and enlist the help of her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, who attempts to catch the elusive culprits red-handed.

Meanwhile, the supernatural craze takes Galveston by storm, and Jazz is assigned to profile the society set’s favorite fortune teller, Madame Farushka. Sightings of a ghost bride haunting the Hotel Galvez intrigue Jazz, who sets up a Ouija board reading and séance with the spiritualist. Did the bride-to-be drown herself—or was she murdered?

Luckily, Sammy Cook, her black-sheep half-brother, has escaped the Downtown Gang and now acts as the maître d’ for the Hollywood Dinner Club, owned by rival Beach Gang leaders. During a booze bust, the Downtown Gang’s mob boss, Johnny Jack Nounes, is caught and Jazz worries: will Sammy be forced to testify against his former boss? Worse, when a mystery man turns up dead, Sammy is framed for murder and Jazz must solve both murders and help clear Sammy’s name.

As the turf war between rival gangs rages on, Jazz relies on her wits and moxie to rescue her brother and her friends before the Downtown Gang exacts its revenge.

Excerpt

Nathan and I arrived a few minutes early, to allow him time to set up his camera equipment. Madame Farushka, dressed like a Cleopatra clone with flowing scarves and arms of jangly bracelets and huge hoop earrings—probably real gold, with her fees—seemed to enjoy playing dress-up. With a dramatic flourish, she flung open the double stained-glass doors and led us down the dark hall past a beaded curtain entrance into her parlor, filled with massive carved Victorian furniture and ugly gargoyle bronzes.

A new Ouija board sat in the middle of a round oak table, with four chairs evenly spaced apart, a candelabra in the center. Madame rose to untie the thick silk cords and closed the heavy burgundy velvet curtains trimmed with long fringe, blocking out any twilight in the already-dark room.

Nervously I eyed the flickering candles. Sure, they helped set the supernatural mood, but to me they represented a fire hazard.

The flames cast an eerie glow: shadows and misshapen faces and figures of statues and religious icons seemed to magnify and flash like images in a fun-house mirror.

I got the shakes, feeling as if I’d stepped onto the set of The Phantom of the Opera. All we needed was an enormous swaying crystal chandelier to complete the Gothic scene….

Lily briefly described her encounters with the ghost bride, Marilyn, but didn’t mention murder. She glanced at the Ouija board, exclaiming, “I’m so excited. How exactly do these work?”

After Madame explained the rules—we must remain silent during the reading while she asked the questions—we solemnly took our seats, scooted our chairs closer and placed our fingers on the celluloid triangular-shaped planchette, or pointer. Then she chanted in low tones: “Oh, dear spirit, why do you haunt the Hotel Galvez? What unfinished business must you resolve?”

The planchette was still. No vibration, no movement. I stole a peek at Nathan, who tried not to laugh. The women seemed so intent on the Ouija board’s powers that I felt guilty, and obediently shut my eyes. Madame again attempted to summon the bride. “Tell us, spirit, why did you seek out Lily? Do you have a message for her, for all of us? Why is your soul so troubled?”….

Madame Farushka’s eyes were closed and she swayed back and forth to a silent rhythm. Tilting my head, I signaled Nathan to start taking photos. No one paid attention as he quietly moved around the dark room and took a few shots. His flash added to the atmosphere, the puffs of smoke creating a cloudy haze.

The planchette vibrated and kept sliding across the board. Wary, I watched Lily and Madame for any evidence of trickery or manipulation, but everything appeared above board, so to speak. Slowly the planchette picked up speed and floated across the Ouija’s surface, spelling out a familiar, frightening word: M-U-R-D-E-R.

About the Author

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer and editor whose articles and essays have been published in a variety of national magazines. Several of her short stories have appeared in Woman’s World. During college summers, she worked as a reporter for a Houston community newspaper and as a cocktail waitress, both jobs providing background experience for her Jazz Age mysteries.

A flapper at heart, she’s worked as a magazine editor/writer, and in advertising and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism and served on UTmost, the college magazine and as president of WICI (Women in Communications).

She lives in Houston with her husband and Chow mutts and visits Galveston whenever possible.

“When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past until I began doing research, and became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s. Finally, I had to stop researching and start writing, trying to imagine a flapper’s life in Galveston during Prohibition.”

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The Corpse Wore Stilettos
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Red Adept Publishing, LLC (April 30, 2019)
Print Length: 246 pages

Synopsis

SHE WORE A DONNA KARAN MARKED FOR REPOSSESSION

Since Kat Waters’s father took a trip to the slammer on what she’s sure are trumped-up racketeering charges, life’s been tough. All their assets are frozen, and she’s down to the last few pairs of Jimmy Choos she can swap for rent. To keep her family out of the homeless shelter, the former socialite took a job at the local morgue—a job she’s about to lose when the body of a murder victim goes missing on her watch.

HE WORE A CAPTIVATING SMILE

While Kat’s processing the latest victim in the prostitute serial killings, ex-Special Forces soldier Burns McPhee strolls in with an air of confidence, expecting access to the Jane Doe. While Burns tries to flirt his way into examining the latest victim, whom he thinks is connected to the death of his best friend, someone else steals the body right out from under them.

THE CORPSE WORE STILETTOS

Dodging questions from the cops and kidnapping attempts from a body-snatching psycho, Kat and Burns forge a deal. He’ll clear her name and keep her safe if she gets him information on her peculiar coworkers, one of whom he’s certain is involved with the body heist. But digging up secrets can lead to a lower life expectancy. The unlikely team will need all their talents not to end up as the morgue’s next clients while they hunt for a murderer, the missing corpse, and a pair of diamond-studded stilettos.

Review

This new cozy series kept me guessing and laughing until the end.  The characters are quirky, hunky, and a bit frightening, but all of these just add to the story and will keep you riveted to your seat.  I know I didn’t want to put the book down even when my eyes were drooping at night.

This was one of my favorite lines in the book and really sets the book up for the rest of the characters and what might possibly happen next.

“Damn, you’re like a moron crime magnet.”

I’m not sure who my favorite character is in the book because they all contribute to the wackiness of the book.  DC is Kat’s best friend (or at least my interpretation) and he is a mess and a half and he sometimes steals the spotlight from Kat.  Grand reminds me of Grandmother Mazur in the Janet Evanovich books – she is old and will do what she wants and she is probably more together than the rest of us.  I had to chuckle every time she went “shopping” at their family home.  Oh and the drag queen that buys Kat’s shoes when she needs money, now there is a story I’m sure!

There is a potential romance between Kat and Burns McPhee so hopefully, there are more books to come that pursue this storyline.  Kat deserves a break after her fiance dumped her once her father was arrested for racketeering.

I was totally gobsmacked when the killer was revealed and the whole reasoning behind it all.  I never saw that coming but looking back there were a few subtle clues that might have clued someone in that something wasn’t quite right with this character.  There is a cliffhanger on several fronts so I am hoping that the author doesn’t leave us hanging too long with the next installment.

We give this book 5 paws up and suggest you rush out and pick up your own copy (or enter the giveaway below).

About the Author

As the owner of a boutique chocolate factory in Atlanta, MJ O’Neill loves to write lighthearted, romantic mysteries with a sweet twist. She has a degree in business communications from North Carolina State University. When she’s not spinning a sweet yarn or creating delicious confections, she spends time with her husband, their kids, a hyperactive cocker spaniel named Devo (after the band), a princess tabby cat named Twilight (before the book stole her name) and a collection of stray fish. The whole gang can be found tooling around the back roads of the South in their RV where MJ uses the downtime to hatch her next sweet plot.

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