Posted in 4 paws, Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Review on September 29, 2023

 

 

 

 

Joy to the Wool (Clear Creek Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Independently Published (October 5, 2023)
Number of Pages: 254

 

Synopsis

 

All dressed up for the holidays, Clear Creek looks like it’s right out of a storybook. But the decorations aren’t just for fun. The tiny Rocky Mountain town is hosting a Christmas Festival sure to be used as a pattern for years.

While Jemma is busy with the Cozy Tree — a place visitors can buy hand-knitted hats and scarves to donate to people in need — Granny is busy taking bets on which day of the event Jemma will find a body. But to everyone’s surprise, this time Granny’s the one who makes the discovery!

Choosing to put her relationship with Brandon first, Jemma agrees to steer clear of the investigation. But Granny’s determination to solve the crime lands Jemma the impossible job of keeping the spunky old lady out of trouble, and breaking and entering is just the beginning of their adventure.

When the Cozy Tree is vandalized, it becomes obvious the pair is making someone nervous. Can Jemma and Granny knit up the investigation before Santa climbs in his sleigh?

 

 

Amazon

 

This book releases 10/5, preorder today!

 

 

Review

 

This is a fun series! I like this small town setting in the mountainous area of Colorado. The characters are interesting, and Granny will keep you on her toes with her betting on every little thing and trying to solve this case before the sheriff.

In this installment, we get to meet Jemma’s mother, Daphne, or Daffy as she calls her. However, her mother has ulterior motives for her visit to this town; she is trying to set Jemma up with someone she thinks would be suitable for Jemma. What Daffy doesn’t realize is that her ideology and feelings are not the same as her daughter’s. She is not the loving mother who wants to spend time with her; she is more concerned with images and getting back to her life. I think by the end of the book, Daffy does start to realize that maybe Jemma is where she needs to be, and it is ok that she has a different mindset.

Regarding the mystery, I liked that Jemma really does try and stay out of it and not try and solve the case. She does get pulled in because she is really good at asking questions to the right people, but she is not aggressively trying to suss out the killer. That would be Granny, who is one hot mess. The clues are there to figure out the killer, but they are hidden. You will have to put on your thinking cap for this one.

I really liked the idea of the Cozy Tree at the festival and having people buy hats to donate to local charities. I thought it was ingenious that someone suggested raising money by having people pay for the privilege of knitting one of the hats. That was smart!

There is a surprise ending that I was not expecting. It made me very happy and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Rebecca McKinnon enjoys playing with her imaginary friends and introducing them to others through her writing. She dreams of living in the middle of nowhere but has been unable to find an acceptable location that wouldn’t require crossing an ocean.

 

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Guest Post, Historical, mystery on September 24, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Murder at the Elms (A Gilded Newport Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
11th in Series
Setting – Rhode Island
Kensington (August 22, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

 

 

Synopsis

 

As the nineteenth century comes to a close, the illustrious Vanderbilt family dominates Newport, Rhode Island, high society. But when murder arrives, reporter Emma Cross learns that sometimes the actions of the cream of society can curdle one’s blood in the latest installment of this bestselling cozy historical mystery series . . .

1901: Back from their honeymoon in Italy, Emma and Derrick are adapting to married life as they return to their duties at their jointly owned newspaper, the Newport Messenger. The Elms, coal baron Edward Berwind’s newly completed Bellevue Avenue estate, is newsworthy for two reasons: A modern mansion for the new century, it is one of the first homes in America to be wired for electricity with no backup power system, generated by coal from Berwind’s own mines. And their servants—with a single exception—have all gone on strike to protest their working conditions. Summarily dismissing and replacing his staff with cool and callous efficiency, Berwind throws a grand party to showcase the marvels of his new “cottage.”

Emma and Derrick are invited to the fete, which culminates not only in a fabulous musicale but an unforeseen tragedy—a chambermaid is found dead in the coal tunnel. In short order, it is also discovered that a guest’s diamond necklace is missing and a laborer has disappeared.

Detective Jesse Whyte entreats Emma and Derrick to help with the investigation and determine whether the murdered maid and stolen necklace are connected. As the dark deeds cast a shadow over the blazing mansion, it’s up to Emma to shine a light on the culprit . . .

 

 

 

AmazonB&NKoboBookshop.org

 

Read an Excerpt Here

 

 

Guest Post

 

Murder at The Elms is my eleventh Gilded Newport Mystery and my nineteenth historical mystery (I write another series, A Lady & Lady’s Maid Mysteries). So you might wonder, how does an author keep each book fresh? How does she come up with new ideas and avoid being repetitive?

Let’s address that last bit first. In cozy mysteries or historical cozies, in this case, a certain amount of repetitiveness is a good thing. For a series in general, the author creates a world surrounding the sleuth, peopled with friends, family, and yes, even adversaries. In many cozies, the setting is itself a character, and this is especially true for the Gilded Newport Mysteries. Readers want these stories to take place in Newport—and nowhere else. It’s a place they wish to spend time and where they’re comfortable. If my sleuth, Emma Cross, does go “off island” as the locals say, it’s only for short periods of time. The same can be said about major secondary characters who recur from book to book. They become like a family the reader enjoys spending time with.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t introduce different places in Newport and different characters depending on the plot. In this series, each initial murder takes place in one of the grand mansions, or “cottages,” in the exclusive Bellevue Avenue neighborhood or along the Ocean Drive. This gives me an opportunity to explore the architecture of the Gilded Age, along with the families who owned these properties, each of whom were quite distinctive.

The mansions of Newport include Italian palazzos and Italianate villas, French chateaux, English Gothic manor houses, neo-colonial structures, and, in the case of the book I’ve just finished up, Murder at Vinland, the house includes design elements modeled after Norse mythology. There is quite a range, and each style lends the house an atmosphere, whether bright and airy or shadowy and mysterious, which I incorporate into the stories.

Some of the wealthy people I’ve written about include:

Mamie Fish, who owned the neo-colonial mansion called Crossways. She was functionally illiterate, a gregarious practical jokester, a society leader, and staunchly American in her tastes. James Van Alen, on the other hand, was an anglophile in the extreme and had his house, Wakehurst, modeled exactly like the Elizabethan manor house, Wakehurst Place, in England. And The Elms, owned by Edward and Herminie Berwind, was modeled after an eighteenth-century French chateau near Paris. But what made The Elms so distinctive was the Berwinds’ insistence that it be “modern.” That meant it was run on electricity without another power source, such as gas, as a backup. It was considered one of the most modern houses in America at the time.

Before plotting a book, I research each the family made their fortune, what their roots were, how their peers viewed them, and how they viewed the world around them. I take circumstances from the lives of these people and incorporate them into the plot of each story.

For instance, Edward Berwind was a self-made man. This differed from, say, the Astor family, whose wealth had been in the family for generations, beginning in the fur trade before they diversified into New York’s lucrative real estate market. The Vanderbilts, considered “new money” in the 1890s, still boasted three generations of wealth, beginning with the first Cornelius who made his money first in local shipping, then in railroads. But Edward Berwind was the son of middle-class German immigrants, had a distinguished career in the navy, but didn’t make his fortune until he went into the coal industry with his brother.

That set him apart from other society gentlemen in more than just wealth. He was rougher around the edges, more stubborn, and less inclined to compromise. He boasted about never negotiating with his coal workers. If they didn’t like the working conditions or pay, they could work elsewhere. It wasn’t surprising then that when the entire house staff of The Elms walked out on strike because they were never allowed time off, Edward Berwind fired all of them and hired new workers. From there, I built my plot around a fictional servant, a housemaid, who refused to strike and ended up dead a week later.

Along with the differences in architecture and family characteristics, there are also the murder weapons. I learned early on that these needn’t be what we typically think of. Not every murder is committed with a gun or dagger or poison, although those are certainly effective. Finding new and creative ways of doing someone in helps keep the story fresh. If you look around a room, you can probably find at least an item or two that might be used in a pinch: a heavy lamp or vase, a scarf, a fire poker, even a long staircase, or an open window.

Even with recurring or repetitive story elements, there will always be new information to draw upon and new details to include, keeping each story original and presenting new challenges in crime solving while remaining true to the qualities that drew readers to the series in the first place.

 

 

About the Author

 

Alyssa Maxwell is the author of The Gilded Newport Mysteries and A Lady and Lady’s Maid Mysteries. She has worked in publishing as a reference book editor, ghostwriter, and fiction editor, but knew from an early age that she wanted to be a fiction author. Growing up in New England and traveling to Great Britain and Ireland fueled a passion for history, while a love of puzzles drew her to the mystery genre. She and her husband have made their home in South Florida. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the South Florida Fiction Writers.

 

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Guest Post, mystery on September 23, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Reading, Writing, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Wyatt, Arizona (fictitious setting)
Independently Published (September 19, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 273 pages

At the writers’ conference, murder tops the program.

Aspiring mystery author Emma Banefield and travel writer Nicole Earp are excited to attend a writers’ conference during their latest sisters’ getaway. Nic’s birthday should be all about relaxation, writing, and a chocolate martini to toast another trip around the sun, but the climate at the gathering rumbles like a sudden desert thunderstorm.

When sparks fly between the keynote speaker and her timid assistant over a handsome mystery author, the subtitle on this anticipated tranquil weekend spells drama. If a heated love triangle, bruised egos, and betrayal aren’t enough to upset the atmosphere, the conference banquet erupts into a drunken brawl and sends the place spinning. After a body is discovered, Nic and Em do what they do best—snoop—and become embroiled in a mystery that jumps off the pages of a true-crime bestseller.

With more than enough suspects and little time, the amateur sleuths have their hands full finding the killer. But can the competitive Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime before the prickly chief detective does, or will a murderer outwit them all?

 

 

 

Amazon * Amazon UK * Amazon Canada

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Character Guest Post

 

My name is Nicole Earp, but everyone calls me Nic. Twice a year, my sister, Emma and I spend a relaxing weekend at the storied Dulce Inn in Wyatt, Arizona celebrating our birthdays. We always treat ourselves to at least one chocolate martini in the Azul Saloon inside the inn. We’ve gotten to know most of the staff, and they nicknamed us The Chocolate Martini Sisters. Em’s birthday is in the fall, and I’m a spring lady. Reading, Writing, and Murder is the story of one such weekend when we celebrate my birthday. It’s more than a birthday this year—mayhem dwells while murder lurks giving us plenty of opportunities to use our knowledge of all things mystery to solve the crime.

I share the pages of the mysteries as the main character with my sister Em. Brenda, one of the authors of our series, came up with the idea while having a chocolate martini with her sister. They buy each other the delicious drink twice a year on their birthdays in a historical inn and saloon in a western town called Prescott, Arizona. When they jokingly called themselves The Chocolate Martini Sisters, it gave Brenda an idea for a cozy mystery series. She contacted her friend Joyce Proell, and they collaborated bringing Em and me to life.

I tend to jump to conclusions, but my intuitiveness hasn’t been wrong too many times. Em is the analytical sister so we complement each other. I have a scar on my forehead that tingles when I’m nervous, which can happen when I sense something amiss with our sleuthing. I enjoy reading mysteries in bed and often lose track of time. Em says I have a hat obsession. I’ll admit, I do own quite a few. I enjoy wearing arty clothes, soft and feminine. If I don’t have on a hat, my dark blonde hair—and yes there are streaks of silver—is probably twisted into a messy knot.

I’ve been married twice. My first husband, Ethan is the father of my daughter, Chloe. The marriage ended badly, thanks to him. He had trouble with his zipper. I get hot under the collar whenever we run into each other. Gah, yeah, I might still have some feelings for him. Luckily, I rarely see him. My second husband, Rodney Earp is a lawyer and a colorful, flamboyant lawyer. He claims to be a distant relative to the infamous Earp brothers. Our marriage lasted a year. We make better friends than mates. In Reading, Writing, and Murder, I call on Rodney to help the murder suspect.

That’s a little about me. I hope you’ll journey to Wyatt, step into the Dulce Inn, and get lost in an entertaining murder mystery with The Chocolate Martini Sisters.

 

 

 

About the Authors

 

Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.

 

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Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.

 

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Posted in 5 paws, Cozy, mystery, paranormal, Review on September 22, 2023

 

 

 

 

Secrets and Scallywags: Magical Mystery Book Club
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – A Small Oceanfront Community
Independently published (August 10, 2023)
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages

 

Synopsis

 

When this club selects a book, magic happens. They become the main characters in the story when the mystery comes to life.

This month’s book selection takes them to a charming island community that’s abuzz over a mysterious boat that washed ashore. Rumor has it that it’s the same pirate boat that sunk a year ago in the bay. The one that supposedly sank with treasure aboard.

When the club meets the ghosts of the men from the boat, they learn the astonishing secrets of the treasure. These ghosts can’t move on until it is found.

Can the motley group find the treasure and free the ghosts? They better, since it’s the only way they can exit the book and get back home.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This is such a fun series, and if you haven’t picked up any of the books, you need to do that, and soon! Make sure to start with the first book to understand how this all came to be for Glo and Paige.

The concept for this cozy series is unique and brings in paranormal aspects. I love how they get thrown into a book and have to solve the crime. The characters are all unique and blend well together. I have to laugh at how much these characters also love to eat. I swear they are eating all of the time!

This plot is a little different than some of the others as it brings in pirates, and the crime isn’t really a murder that they are trying to solve. I enjoyed the twists and turns and how this story came to its conclusion. I thought that one of the characters might stay behind in the book, and I was surprised when this one did not. You might come to the same conclusions, so I hope I haven’t spoiled anything for the reader.

One of these days, Frank and Zell are going to spill the beans on how long this book club has been meeting and how long they have been participants. I am very curious what their background is with this book club. I also like how the right new member always appears. It is definitely a merry band of book lovers and crime solvers.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Elizabeth Pantley is the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents, published in over twenty languages.

She simultaneously writes well-loved cozy mysteries: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous inspiration for the setting in many of her books.

 

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Instagram |  Website | Amazon

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Cozy, Monday, mystery, Spotlight on September 18, 2023

 

 

 

 

Killer Hooks: A Crochet Mystery
Cozy Mystery
15th in Series
Setting – California
Beyond the Page (September 18, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 230 pages

 

Synopsis

 

When a baby girl is dropped off on Molly Pink’s doorstep, her life is thrown into disarray as she is putting together a troublesome author event at the bookstore where she works.

The author is a demanding former Hollywood columnist whose book is filled with upbeat stories, but who wants to promote a true crime podcast she is about to launch based on the dark side of what she left out of her columns.

At the same time, Molly’s son has asked her to investigate a potential investor in his production company. The baby, who happens to be Molly’s estranged granddaughter offers her an opening into an elite mommy group, a member of which is the wife of the person Molly is to investigate.

When the columnist dies suddenly, Molly finds herself in the crosshairs of an unfamiliar detective who considers her the prime suspect. Molly recruits the help of the Tarzana Hookers to help with all.

 

 

Amazon * B&NKobo

 

This book will be released on 9/26, preorder today!

 

 

About the Author

 

Betty Hechtman is the national bestselling author of the Crochet Mysteries, the Yarn Retreat Mysteries, and the Writer for Hire Mysteries. Handicraft and writing are her passions and she is thrilled to be able to combine them in all of her series. Betty grew up on the South Side of Chicago and has a degree in Fine Art. Since College, she has studied everything from improv comedy to magic. She has had an assortment of professions, including volunteer farm worker picking fruit on a kibbutz tucked between Lebanon and Syria, nanny at a summer resort, waitress at a coffee house, telephone operator, office worker at the Writer’s Guild, public relations assistant at a firm with celebrity clients, and newsletter editor at a Waldorf school. She has written newspaper and magazine pieces, short stories, screenplays, and a middle-grade mystery, Stolen Treasure. She lives with her family and stash of yarn in Southern California. See BettyHechtman.com for more information, excerpts from all her books, and photos of all the projects of the patterns included in her books.

 

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Posted in 5 paws, Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Review, Texas on September 13, 2023

 

 

 

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING 90% DARK

 

Bean to Bar Mysteries, #6

 

by

 

Amber Royer

 

Cozy Culinary Mystery

Publisher: Golden Tip Press

Date of Publication: September 12, 2023

Number of Pages: 288 pages

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Felicity Koerber’s bean to bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic Strand is hosting the friends and family coming into town for her best friend Autumn’s wedding. As matron of honor, Felicity has a ton of tasks to complete – including making chocolates for the gift bags. She doesn’t have time to solve another murder. But when one of the bridesmaids becomes a prime suspect in the death of a visiting real estate agent, Felicity has to put her detecting skills to use again to keep the wedding plans from getting derailed.

She’s already nervous about the impending deadline she’s given herself to finally choose between her two love interests – and figuring out where life goes once she makes her choice. But add in a missing Pygmy goat and a new coffee shop that wants to partner with her, and she’s frazzled.

She begins to discover that not everything is as it seems among the wedding guests. Can she handle the wedding preparations, pull off turning her shop into a concert venue, and unmask the killer before anyone else dies?

 

 

Amazon

 

 

 

 

Chocolate, a goat, and murder…a trifecta! The icing on the cake? Felicity chooses between Arlo and Logan!

This series has always intrigued me, from the Bean to Bar concept, the characters, and the setting, Galveston, Texas. I do think I gain at least 5 lbs every time I read one of these books and all of the delicious food and treats that are described. I also enjoy reading about how cacao is processed to become chocolate and the different flavor notes based on where it is grown.

The series has been leading up to Autumn’s wedding, and Felicity is the maid of honor. As is with most weddings, something is bound to go wrong. Actually, in this case, several things go wrong, but Felicity is there to help resolve the issues. It is nice to have small towns where neighbors are happy to help out when plans go awry.

There are a few mysteries/cases in the book to be solved. However, do they tie together? Possibly. I laughed when Arlo and Logan made a bet over who would solve their case first. Only dinner, but what an incentive to find the answers in record time. I have to admit, I had some suspicions about a certain character, and it was nice to see I was right to suspect them because they were up to no good. I just wasn’t 100% sure about all of the details of why they did what they did.

I loved the goat that made an appearance in the book Princess Buttercup. Was this a nod to The Princess Bride movie? Indubitably. Ok, maybe or maybe not, but I couldn’t resist. While a goat might be a fun pet, it can also be a menace, so for now, I’ll admire someone else’s goat.

I was glad to see that the love triangle was put to rest at the end of this book. It is never clear who she will choose, but I was very happy with the choice, and she received some excellent advice from her friends about what to look for in her future. There was even a surprise twist that I didn’t expect once she made her choice. I can only imagine what that means for the next book in this series. You’ll have to read the book, no spoilers here.

Overall, I really enjoy this series. If you haven’t read any of the books, I recommend starting at the beginning to understand the characters and what they mean to each other.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amber Royer writes the Chocoverse comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series and the Bean to Bar Mysteries. She is also the author of Story Like a Journalist: a Workbook for Novelists, which boils down her writing knowledge into an actionable plan involving over 100 worksheets to build a comprehensive story plan for your novel. She also teaches creative writing and is an author coach.

Amber and her husband live in the DFW area, where you can often find them hiking or taking landscape/architecture/wildlife photographs.  If you are very nice to Amber, she might make you cupcakes.  Chocolate cupcakes, of course! Amber blogs about creative writing techniques and all things chocolate.

 

Website  ◆  Blog ◆  Facebook  ◆  Twitter

 

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Each receives an autographed paperback copy.

 

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 9/21/23)

 

 

 

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

 

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

 

or visit the blogs directly:

 

09/11/23 Boys’ Mom Reads Playlist
09/11/23 Carpe Diem Chronicles Review
09/11/23 Hall Ways Blog BONUS Stop
09/12/23 Shelf Life Blog Guest Post
09/12/23 Forgotten Winds Review
09/12/23 LSBBT Blog BONUS Stop
09/13/23 Sybrina’s Book Blog Top Ten List
09/13/23 StoreyBook Reviews Review
09/14/23 Chapter Break Book Blog Scrapbook Page
09/14/23 The Real World According to Sam Review
09/15/23 The Plain-Spoken Pen Review
09/15/23 Rox Burkey Blog Review

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Guest Post, mystery on September 9, 2023

 

 

 

 

Toes in the Tulips: (Adventures of Gladys) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Seashell Bay, Alabama
Independently Published (September 5, 2023)
Number of Pages: 74 (word doc pages / 30k words)

 

Synopsis

 

Another who-dunnit featuring one of your favorite Senior sleuths as well as an exciting new installment of The Mystery Book Nook Shared World.

Gladys is head over heels excited for the new community garden project. In fact, she’s created a whole new event: the Community Garden Plant Potluck. The plant potluck is more popular than even she imagined until one of the community garden members is found toes up in the tulips, dead as can be.

Gladys won’t rest until the killer is planted in a jail cell and the Community Garden project is free to grow again. But when clues don’t make sense, she might have to do a little out-of-the-box research using an interesting new resource, The Mystery Book Nook Forum, online.

Don’t miss this fun new adventure with some favorite characters!

 

 

The Mystery Book Nook Shared World (3 books)

No Good Deed Unpunished: (A Vangie Guillory Mystery) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)
Estate in Peril: A Maude and Mabel Cozy Mystery (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)
Toes in the Tulips: (Adventures of Gladys) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)

 

Adventures of Gladys

 

Bonbon Voyage: Adventures of Gladys Humorous Senior Cozy Mystery Series
Half-Baked Homecoming: Adventures of Gladys Humorous Senior Cozy Mystery Series

 

 

Guest Post

 

Good morning or afternoon lovely readers!

I am ecstatic to meet you all today on the blog tour for Toes in the Tulips. I must say, I’m overwhelmed with the excitement and positive responses that this little book of mine has been getting. It is shaping up to be my largest release.

But what does that mean, largest release? Many readers aspire to write and want to know more and because of this, I’ll break it down a little for you.

I’ve written four mystery series (three cozy and one steampunk) and of each of those books, when I did pre-orders I had only a maximum 11 pre-orders two different times.

So, why am I so excited and blown away about the Toes in the Tulips release?

At the time of writing this post, Toes in the Tulips had 42 pre-orders! For me, a small-time self-published author who’s only ever had 11 pre-orders before, this is BIG. This is encouraging and exciting and gives me warm fuzzies all over.

But your next question might be WHY is this book doing so much ‘better’ than my other books?

Let me tell you: community.

You see, as an author, it is a lot of work on our own to get the book written but the rest of it, the polishing the book, sharing the book, and finding readers? That part we do together!

This might be the only profession I’ve ever seen where people don’t view each other as competition but instead actively look for ways to help each other.

I fully and completely believe my Gladys book Toes in the Tulips is having such a successful release because it is part of a SHARED WORLD.

A what, you may ask…. A shared world where several authors write our own books but they interact with each other. In this Mystery Book Nook Shared World, there is a character named Erin who runs The Mystery Book Nook Forum online from a bookstore in Texas. Each author with a book in the shared world can have our characters talk to Erin or use the online forum for our mystery-solving fun. We have created a community for our characters but also a community of authors who help share and promote, read and encourage each other for all of our releases.

It has been SO MUCH FUN. I know, I know-I’m using a lot of caps lock letters but it is that cool. Authors love to support each other and because authors are also readers, we get to enjoy books written by so many talented people and then share them with our own readers just for fun.

That doesn’t take away from the hard work and the slow sale days or months but all in all I just wanted to give you a brief insight into the business end of things because the camaraderie, support, and encouragement is unparalleled.

Another reason Toes in the Tulips might be having such a great launch? Well, Gladys the main character is hilarious and a real spitfire plus very popular with readers. I let her series lapse a little too long while I worked on other projects but it looks like fans are extra happy to have her coming back for more small-town mystery and intrigue.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Katherine Brown is a wife, mom, Texas author, and unreformed bookaholic. From childhood, Katherine has devoured books for fun, for escape, for inspiration. As an author, it is Katherine’s goal to provide that same fun escape for others and encourage a love of reading in any age group. Clean cozy mysteries with sass and good Southern manners are her specialty, though recently Katherine has taken the jump into the steampunk world with a fun twist on Mary Poppins inspired characters. When not writing, Katherine enjoys weekly trips to the library with her toddler, teaching yoga workouts, and spending time with family.

 

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Comments Off on Guest Post & #Giveaway – Toes in the Tulips by Katherine H. Brown #TexasAuthor #cozy #mystery
Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Spotlight on September 2, 2023

 

 

 

 

Wedding Bells Brew Murder (Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – New York
Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. (August 29, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 244 pages

 

Synopsis

 

With all the guests at Sara and Sean’s wedding suspected of murder, her walk down the aisle will need to wait…

Everything is going perfectly on the big day until Sara opens the door of her bridal suite. Darlene Day, who made the wedding cake, falls into the room, a serving knife plunged into her back.

As the organists start to play “Here Comes the Bride,” Sara calls a pause to the proceedings. There’s a murder to solve, and the motive may be in the icing.

Darlene wasn’t the most loved person in the small town of Cotton Spring Falls, but rumor has it that she refused the offer of a big franchise to buy her bakery. Did they go so far as murder to put her out of business?

But when it’s discovered their wedding cake was poisoned, Sara and Sean could have been the intended victims all along. Did Darlene stumble upon the killer’s conspiracy and they silenced her before she could reveal their secret? Is it someone on the invitation list or the mysterious wedding crasher?

As long as the coffee is hot, and Sara has Sean and her beagle, Magnum, at her side, she isn’t going down in a heap of tulle and lace.

Wedding Bells Brew Murder is a closed-room mystery in the fashion of the great Agatha Christie that fans of Emma Davies, Verity Bright, and Helena Dixon will enjoy reading.

 

 

Amazon * iTunesB&NKoboGoogle

 

 

 

About the Author

 

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers readers police procedurals, hard-boiled and cozy mysteries, thrillers, and action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada, with her husband and two beagles.

 

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, mystery, Recipe on August 27, 2023

 

 

 

 

Murder in Trastevere: A Roman Holiday Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Rome, Italy
Level Best Books (May 18, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 286 pages

 

Synopsis

 

After a decade dominating the expat scene in Rome, Faye Masters has had enough beautiful art, delicious food, and bureaucratic nonsense to last a lifetime. She’s just about decided to pack up and head home when a rival drops dead at one of Faye’s famous cocktail parties. Rumors fly that Faye was the intended target, but the police think Faye might just be an attention-seeking poisoner.

Faye refuses to let the cloud of suspicion stop her from completing a self-imposed 25-picture Caravaggio Challenge. Or keep her from assisting friends Maggie White and Thomas Evans on their painting tours of Rome. But when the leads fizzle out and a series of accidents hit close to home, Faye accepts her own life is on the line. She must search for a killer while keeping up appearances at some of Rome’s most iconic sights.

 

 

Amazon * B&N

 

 

Recipe

 

Faye Masters’ Zabaglione Cream with Fresh Strawberries

 

By Jen Collins Moore

 

 

I love Italian food, especially the desserts. One of the simplest and most delicious is Zabaglione cream. It’s a sweet, foamy custard whipped up from egg yolks, sugar, marsala wine, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. It’s light and rich and totally delicious. In Murder in Trastevere, my detective, Faye Masters, whips up a batch while talking with a suspect, and editing that section always makes me hungry! My readers, too. It’s the recipe they ask for the most. It’s so simple everyone should give it a try.

 

 

 

Ingredients for Four Servings

 

  • 16 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced*
  • 4 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 3 Tbsp to 5 Tbsp Marsala wine
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

 

Instructions

 

  1. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
  2. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a large heatproof bowl. (Choose one that’s large enough to sit comfortably over the saucepan of water without actually touching the water.) Whisk everything off the heat for four to five minutes until the mixture turns a pale yellow. Faye uses a whisk and lots of arm power. I use a hand mixer on high speed.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients, using a smaller amount of wine if you don’t love the flavor of alcohol and larger if you prefer a boozier flavor, and whisk. Put the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly (or use a hand blender) until the mixture turns into a thick, frothy custard, about four to six minutes. Check to see that it’s reached 140 degrees, then remove from the heat.
  4. Transfer most of the strawberries to a serving bowl or individual dishes and pour the Zabaglione over top. Arrange the few remaining strawberries over top.
  5. Enjoy warm or serve chilled. It’s delicious either way.

 

* In the winter, Italians enjoy this cream with cookies or over panettone. It’s versatile, so let your creative juices flow!

 

 

 

Photos by Jen Collins Moore

 

 

About the Author

 

Jen Collins Moore transports readers to Rome in the Roman Holiday Mysteries. Her short fiction has appeared in Mystery Weekly and Masthead: The Best New England Crime Stories. She is president of Sisters in Crime Chicagoland and a founding member of Sleuths and Sidekicks. A transplanted New Englander, she lives in Chicago with her husband and two boys.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

Win a Taste of Italy Gift Basket.

Review my newest book, Murder in Trastevere, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads for a chance to win a Taste of Italy gift basket.

Just click “I Reviewed It!” at https://www.jennifercollinsmoore.com/.

Want to enter the contest and not write a review?

No problem. Just email me here.

US Only.

 

 

 

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Comments Off on Recipe & #Giveaway – Murder in Trastevere by Jen Collins Moore #cozy #mystery
Posted in 5 paws, Cozy, Monday, mystery, Review on August 21, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murder A La Mode (Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New York
Gemma Halliday Publishing (August 8, 2023)
Digital – Number of Pages 230

 

Synopsis

 

From author Lena Gregory comes a delicious new series that will warm your heart and leave you guessing until the very end…

When twenty-five-year-old Danika Delaney, black sheep of the Delaney clan, returns home to Long Island to take over Jimmie’s, her eccentric uncle’s old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island, she’s not exactly thrilled. But things start to look up when her uncle tells her she can do whatever she’d like with the shop, and it seems she might realize her dream of a small trendy café. That is, until she discovers the body of her ex-boyfriend’s estranged wife in a melted puddle of rocky road in the malt shop basement. With her two sidekicks, her sister and a good childhood friend, in tow, Dani searches for–or stumbles upon—one clue after another. But as she narrows down the suspect list, she realizes if she’s not careful she may end up in a puddle of her own…

 

 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

 

 

Review

 

This first book in a new series makes a big splash…or perhaps a dip into the cozy realm. Lena Gregory has written many series, and all have been quite enjoyable.

This new series features an ice cream shop (yum!) in New York. While this book doesn’t focus a lot on the ice cream portion of the business, I think that might come in future books.

Danika returns home after being told she is taking over her uncle’s shop. Could she have turned it down? Maybe, but she didn’t have much else going on in her life, so why not go back to your roots and try something new? What she doesn’t expect is to find her first boyfriend’s wife dead in the shop. While she never really intended to become a sleuth, she is thrown into it and actually does a remarkable job uncovering the clues and the killer. Well, almost. She nearly becomes a victim, but a special character saves the day. Read the book to find out who!

I really enjoyed Gwen, Danika’s friend. These two are quite a pair. I do have to question their judgment sometimes, but that is what good friends do, crazy things for one another.

I don’t know if I suspected this character was the killer. I don’t think I had any specific character in mind, but there were several I wish it would have been just because they are not nice characters. But you need that tension to make a story successful.

There could be a potential love triangle in future books. There is Danika’s first boyfriend, Luca, and the police detective, Jake Barlow. There were misunderstandings in the past between her and Luca, but does that mean she wants to restart a new relationship with him? Especially now that his wife is dead? Only time will tell if they will rekindle their relationship or just be friends.

I really enjoyed this start to a new series, and I can’t wait to see what she has planned for the makeover of the ice cream shop. I am hoping for more ice cream flavors and dishes to whet my appetite.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of Central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, 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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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway