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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Giveaway

 

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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.

 

 

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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.

 

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Giveaway

 

 

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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.

 

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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The Body in the Back Garden (A Crescent Cove Mystery)
Queer Cozy (“Quozy”) Mystery
1st in Series 
Setting – The fictional town of Crescent Cove on Vancouver Island, Canada
Crooked Lane Books (August 22, 2023)

 

Synopsis

 

In this queer cozy series debut perfect for fans of Ellen Byron and Ellery Adams, Luke Tremblay is about to discover that Crescent Cove has more than its fair share of secrets…and some might be deadlier than others.

Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt’s sudden death, he’s inherited her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and head back to Toronto as soon as he can…but Crescent Cove isn’t done with him just yet.

When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke’s aunt, Luke sends him packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he’s lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to prove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while coming to terms with his own painful past.

There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever.

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Penguin

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

A Brief Tour of Vancouver Island

 

 

In my debut cozy, The Body in the Back Garden, readers find themselves in the fictional town of Crescent Cove, a charming seaside hamlet on the east coast of Vancouver Island. It’s a small place, populated by a diverse bunch of residents who are as inclusive and welcoming as Canada itself—though of course, as in every cozy mystery, an assortment of shocking and scandalous secrets lurk just beneath the surface of their perfect little burg. I wrote the book shortly after moving to the Island myself, inspired by what I think is the perfect setting for a good mystery: quaint towns juxtaposed with dark forests and lonely beaches. What better place for murder?

The book follows the amateur sleuthing of Luke Tremblay, who returns to Crescent Cove after the untimely death of his aunt. He’s inherited her cottage, which looks out across the beautiful expanse of the Georgia Strait, as well as her antiques shop on Main Street. Planning to sell them off and return to his life in Toronto, Luke soon encounters a belligerent stranger who then winds up dead in the back garden. Cue various shenanigans, including the unexpected return of a childhood friend and more than one attempt on Luke’s life.

You’ll have to buy the book to find out whodunit, but I’m happy to offer a free introduction to the Island, which is truly one of the most gorgeous places in the world. Of course, I’m required to say that because I live here, but once you’ve spent a little time in Crescent Cove, I think you’ll agree.

A lot of people confuse Vancouver Island, which sits off Canada’s west coast, with the city of Vancouver, one of the country’s largest metropolitan areas. Both were named after Captain George Vancouver (1757-1798), an officer in the British Royal Navy who mapped North America’s coastline from Alaska to California, but they’re very different places. Vancouver is a bustling city with a population of more than 2.6 million people, while the population of the entire Island is less than 900,000. Running 285 miles in length, it’s actually the top of a submerged mountain range and ranks as the 43^rd-largest island in the world. Though discovered by Europeans in the 1770s, it’s been home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years, including the Kwakwaka’wakw, the Nuu-chah-nulth, and the Coast Salish peoples.

In The Body in the Back Garden, we learn that Luke used to spend his childhood summers in Crescent Cove, making him one of the hundreds of thousands of people who regularly flock to Vancouver Island in the warmer months. It’s easy to see why—much of the Island is covered in ancient, primeval rainforests that are home to some of the oldest spruce and cedar trees in the world, some of them more than 1,000 years old and towering over 300 feet tall. Pristine beaches dotted all the way around the coastline play host to seals, otters, and bald eagles, while orcas and humpback whales are spotted frequently in nearby waters. It’s also worth mentioning that Vancouver Island has the mildest climate in a country famous for its frigid weather, with temperatures just barely dipping below freezing in the winter and summers filled with warm sunshine and cool breezes. If it sounds like paradise, well, it is. There’s a reason why half of Canada retires here.

 

 

The antiques shop that Luke inherits from his aunt sits in the center of Crescent Cove, and in describing the store and the other buildings on Main Street, I drew inspiration from the old-world charm you’ll find all over the Island. Victoria, the largest city here, is filled with historical buildings that have been lovingly preserved. The city has Canada’s oldest Chinatown, which in turn has Canada’s narrowest street, Fan Tan Alley—in the summer, you can find long lines of tourists eager to squeeze themselves through its two-foot width. Victoria is also home to Rogers’ Chocolate, Canada’s oldest chocolatier, and Murchie’s Fine Tea and Coffee, Canada’s oldest tea company. The Fairmont Empress hotel, which sits on the Inner Harbor, is one of Canada’s iconic grand railway hotels that were built across the country in the late-19^th and early-20^th centuries. They’re remnants of a time when rail travel was glamorous and exciting, and today, the Empress leans hard into this history, offering visitors a pricey but authentic high tea service in elegant surroundings that harken back to a glittering past.

 

 

If this isn’t enough to tempt you, then perhaps you’ll want to see the world’s largest hockey stick in Duncan (truly the most Canadian of tourist attractions). Or you can hike to Canada’s tallest waterfall, Della Falls, while trying to avoid the densest concentrations of black bears and cougars in North America. Or, if you’d like something a little less dangerous, plan your visit for March and participate in the Greater Victoria Flower Count, where we count the number of blossoming plants and then share that number with the rest of Canada, which is usually digging out from under several feet of snow. (If you’re curious, the official count in 2022 was 27,875,292,158—yes, that’s almost 28 billion flowers.)

 

 

As Luke discovers in The Body in the Back Garden, there’s something for everyone here on the Island. Grab a copy and join him in Crescent Cove! You won’t regret it.

 

 

Excerpt

 

The drive back to the cottage took no more than five minutes, and when I got there, I found a Jeep Wrangler with RCMP markings waiting for me. My heart sank. I really didn’t want a third encounter with the police today.

With some reluctance, I trudged around the side of the cottage and found Jack Munro waiting for me, brawny arms folded across his tactical vest as he gazed out at the sea. My heart sank even further, but also fluttered a little as well. I had no idea how to behave around him now that I knew he was my old friend.

As I approached, shoes crunching on the stone path, he turned to face me. I paused. Jack looked mad. His square jaw was clenched and his eyebrows were drawn downwards in a fierce glower.

Uh oh.

“We need to talk,” he informed me, and I nodded jerkily after a moment’s hesitation.

“Sure. Okay. Do you want to come inside?”

With a shake of his head, Jack then advanced towards me until he was close enough that I had to look up into his face. “I want to know why you lied to me.”

I had to work moisture back into my mouth before I could reply. “What do you mean?”

“I spoke with Aleesha Perkins.” At my blank stare, he added, “Her mom runs the greengrocers in town. She delivered some groceries here yesterday.”

Oh yeah. I nodded again, mutely.

“Aleesha claims that she witnessed you assault Joel Mackenzie and then threaten him.” Jack’s resonant baritone was tight with anger. “Is that true?”

“I wouldn’t say assault, exactly,” I hedged. “I did push him, that’s true.”

“She says you pushed him off the front porch and that he landed on his back on the ground.”

“Uh. Yes.” Jack’s eyes narrowed and I added hurriedly, “But he provoked me. He called my aunt a thief and said she got what was coming to her. I…I got upset and pushed him harder than I intended.”

“And then threatened him.”

“No!” I protested. “No, I just told him that if he came back here he’d regret it.” I paused. “Okay. That sounds bad, I admit. But I didn’t mean anything by it. It wasn’t a threat.”

Jack said nothing. His features, familiar and yet not, were completely blank.

On a rising tide of panic, I reached out involuntarily and grasped his forearm. “Jack, please. Please believe me. I did not kill Joel Mackenzie. I didn’t see him again until I found his body this morning. I know how this looks, but…”

Jack stepped back from me, breaking my hold on his arm. “You assaulted and threatened a man who later turned up dead on your property, Luke.” His voice was cool now, dispassionate. “And you have no alibi for last night. How this looks is extremely bad for you.”

My feeling of panic increased as I stared up at him. “But you know me. You know I would never—”

He cut me off with brutal finality. “I used to know you. I’m not sure I do anymore.”

I had no response to that. There was nothing left to say. My panic slowly subsided, leaving hurt and fear in its wake.

A deep silence fell between us. Waves crashed in the distance and gulls screeched overhead. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” he finally asked. “Because if there is anything, you need to tell me now.”

I shook my head once. “There isn’t anything,” I said, barely able to speak through the tightness in my throat.

He nodded without taking his eyes off me. “I strongly advise you to stay put here at the cottage while we continue our investigation.”

I said nothing, and after a long pause Jack brushed past me as he headed back to his Jeep. I watched him go with something close to despair.

I was now the only suspect in a murder, and the person in charge of investigating that murder clearly disliked me. I wanted to trust that Jack would figure out who the killer was rather than pin this on me, but given our recent interactions, that seemed far from certain. If I didn’t want to end up in prison, there was only one option left.

I needed to solve this myself.

 

 

About the Author

 

Mark is originally from Calgary, Alberta, and grew up on the cold, windswept Prairies of western Canada. Fleeing southward, he earned a Ph.D. in the history of science, medicine, and technology from the Johns Hopkins University and then worked as a professor at Michigan State University for fifteen years. Finally, he persuaded his amazing husband to move to Vancouver Island, where they now live.

When he’s not writing stories about murderous Canadians, he plays the viola in the Civic Orchestra of Victoria, walks his dogs along the seashore, and thinks up interesting ways to kill people.

 

 

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Giveaway

 

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Weeding Out Lies: A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Texas
Level Best Books (July 11, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 302 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Flower farmer Emma Justice’s life is firmly rooted in Lutz, Texas where she has recently begun her new business. One morning while delivering flowers, she stumbles upon a prominent citizen. Dead. When a friend is accused of murder, Emma launches her own investigation. She’s used to separating weeds from flowers. Emma will dig for clues, weed out red herrings and cultivate a plan to find the killer.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Review

 

Since I live in Texas, I am always up for reading a book that is set here. I loved the small town of Lutz, the various residents of the town, the mystery of who killed Willow, and a puppy named Cowboy.

This is a new series, so we are meeting a new cast of characters. Emma is a flower farmer. I find that fascinating since I do not have a green thumb. However, she is able to grow beautiful flowers for the town, and you can never have too many beautiful blooms. There are a few new faces in the town, including Jake and his sister Celia. They are friends of Brett, who runs the coffee shop. Jake is former military, and it seems like he might be dealing with a case of PTSD. It may be mild, but I like that the author addresses it in the book.

I will admit that I wasn’t wild about Emma in the beginning. It felt forced, and she was jumping into trying to solve the murder before being asked to by her friend that was a suspect. Emma eventually grew on me, but she did make a few choices that were perhaps not so smart. But at the same time, when under pressure near the end when being confronted by the killer, she was ingenious in how she got out of the situation.

I did suss out the killer before the reveal, not by any hint, but just a gut feeling about a certain character. I think by the time I narrowed down all of the possibilities, this was the only one that seemed logical.

This series has a lot of potential, and I look forward to reading the next book to see what Emma is up to next. We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jackie Layton is the author of cozy mysteries with Spunky Southern Sleuths. Her stories are set in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina. She lives on the coast of South Carolina, where she enjoys walks on the beach and golf cart rides around the marsh. Reading, gardening, and traveling are some of her favorite hobbies. She always keeps a notebook handy to write down ideas for future stories. Be careful what you say around her because it might end up in a book.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

 

Someone in Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean neighborhood has an appetite for murder in Olivia Matthews’ Hard Dough Homicide.

Spice Isle Bakery owner Lyndsay Murray is always looking for new ways to grow her family’s business. But she already regrets agreeing to host the retirement dinner for local high school principal Emily Smith. The tyrant used to be her mother’s boss and they did not get along. Six guests arrive for the celebration, but only five survive. Emily starts convulsing—right after eating the curry chicken—and dies soon after. It’s not long before the police are knocking on Spice Isle’s door, bringing the Murray family back into the heart of another murder investigation—driving away customers in the process. Lyndsay can’t help but wonder if this is the end of the bakery, even though it’s just begun. She must put aside her reservations about investigating another crime, because the Murrays refuse to go down without a fight.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop

 

 

Review

 

We are back at the hip new Caribbean bakery in Brooklyn. It has been a rocky start for this little bakery, but they are making strides and filling a need for many in this neighborhood. However, this time around, Lyndsay’s mom is the suspected killer when her former principal ends up dead. Of course, Lyndsay can’t have that and sets out to investigate and clear her mother’s name.

There are many things to like about this series – the food, the location, and the strong family ties. This is evident in both books when the whole family comes out to help clear their family of any wrongdoing. I mean aunts, uncles, cousins, and more. This is a close-knit family, which is a blessing and a curse.

There are just enough clues provided, if you catch them, to suss out the killer. I think I was a little surprised since many red herrings are thrown into the mix for good measure.

There is a potential romance between Lyndsay and her high school crush, but only if he stops investigating her family. I’m sure she doesn’t stop to think they must investigate everyone to clear the family and those not involved. Hopefully, she will move past this and allow love to blossom.

This series is still working on its place, which means some of the characters may be annoying, or there is a lot of repetition. I think that is somewhat needed at the beginning of a series to the reader can get a feel for the scene, characters, and more.

The food descriptions make my mouth water, and I might have gained a few pounds just reading this book!

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

OLIVIA MATTHEWS, pen name for romance author Patricia Sargeant, is a national bestselling and award-winning author. The Spice Isle Bakery mysteries are inspired by the author’s family history and the history of her birth place. As Olivia Matthews she is also the author of the Sister Lou mysteries and Peach Coast Library mysteries, and writes romance as Patricia Sargeant and Regina Hart.

 

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The Case of the Llama Raising Librarian (A Buttercup Bend Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – New York
Next Chapter (July 5, 2023)
Number of Pages 275

 

Synopsis

 

After solving two murders in the “peaceful” town of Buttercup Bend, Cathy Carter needs a rest. She also needs time to consider the marriage proposals she received over the holidays. But when the town’s librarian asks her to go undercover to solve the suspected murder of a co-worker who retired to a llama farm, Cathy leaves her kittens with her grandmother and her friends without an explanation.

The only person at Oaks Landing Farm who knows the true reason Cathy and Mildred have come there is Danielle, the murder victim’s daughter, who is having trouble convincing relatives and the police that her mother Doris was killed and didn’t suffer the heart attack that was termed her cause of death.

When it’s proved that Danielle’s suspicions are correct, the guests who attended the dinner at which Doris died are invited back for a reenactment of that night. These included the gardener, veterinarian, and farmhand who all had motives to murder Doris, as well as Doris’ sister and her ex-husband. When the dinner is staged, the only clue Cathy receives is given by Danielle’s grandmother who has dementia. Will this unreliable tip help Cathy deduce who murdered the llama raising librarian?

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

How My Trip to a Farm Made My Book’s Llama Pregnant

 

By Debbie De Louise

 

 

I’d already finished writing The Case of the Llama Raising Librarian, my third Buttercup Bend cozy mystery, and was on the final edits when I took a trip out East with a friend to the Long Island Yarn and Farm in Yaphank.

I visited the farm so that I could see llamas in person and research more about them for my book. I’d spoken previously to Andrea Parent-Tibbets, the owner of a similar farm upstate, the Clover Brooke Farm, after which I modeled my fictional Oaks Landing Farm. I’d also included the three barn cats that reside there.

While speaking with Andrea, she mentioned that I might consider visiting the Long Island Yarn and Farm that was closer to me. I contacted Tabbeitha Haubold, the owner, and arranged a visit. I had hoped to get there while I was writing the book, but various issues prevented that.

It wasn’t until after I’d submitted the completed manuscript to my publisher and received the edits to review that I made it to the farm. I loved viewing the llamas and taking photos of and with them. When speaking to our tour guide I found it interesting that they kept their pregnant llamas in a separate area. Since the main llama in my book was female, my friend suggested that I consider making her pregnant. Because I had a scene where Lulu was acting under the weather and a human character in the book was also pregnant, I thought this was a great idea and one that would be easy to add to the storyline.

I learned another interesting fact after asking how a female llama’s pregnancy is confirmed. I was told that it’s through a “spit test,” where the female llama is put back in the pen with the male llama with whom they were trying to breed her, and if she spits at him, she’s expecting. I also added this information to my novel and, after meeting Stewie, a male llama, I featured him as the father of Lulu’s baby.

If you don’t mind a teaser, check out this excerpt to see how I made Lulu a mommy llama-to-be. In this scene, two veterinarians check her out because she’s been sleeping more than usual.

 

Both vets were standing by Lulu who still seemed to be sleeping. She was curled up on her stomach, legs apart on both sides of her.

Stacy knelt down and began examining Lulu. When she touched her, Lulu rolled over and opened her eyes. “Hey, girl. You okay?” After using the stethoscope that hung around her neck to listen to the llama’s heart, Stacy got up, wiped the dirt from her pant legs, and said, “I don’t think there’s anything seriously wrong with her. Why don’t you check her now, Dr. Graham?”

“Michael, please. May I call you Stacy? We’re colleagues.”

Stacy smiled. “That would be fine, Michael.”

Michael got down on his knees and performed his own exam of Lulu. When she stood up after he was done, he patted her on the head. “You’re fine, Lulu.” He addressed Mavis. “I concur with Stacy’s findings. There’s nothing wrong with your llama. If I may hazard a guess, she might be a bit under the weather, lonely, or depressed. Animals get that way, too.”

Mavis shrugged. “She gets plenty of attention. My niece Sheri is wild about her.”

“I don’t doubt that, but you mentioned that your sister was also very close to Lulu.”

“Yes, but she’s been gone a month already.”

“It doesn’t matter. Grief can hit someone at any time after a loss. You just haven’t noticed her apathy.”

Stacy said, “While I agree with Michael, I think there’s another factor at play here.” She turned to Mavis. “Have you been trying to breed her?”

Mavis said, “Last week, I put her in a separate pen with Stewie for a few hours. I didn’t tell anyone because we’ve had problems breeding her in the past. We never tried with Stewie, so I thought we’d give it another go. It’s been so crazy here lately that it skipped my mind. Do you think she’s expecting?”

Stacy nodded. “I’d say there’s a good chance that’s part of the reason she’s acting this way.”

“How do you test her to find out?”

Michael answered her question. “It’s a behavior test. They put her back in with Stewie and, if she spits at him and wants nothing to do with him, there’ll be a baby llama, cria, in about a year.”

Cathy laughed. “I never heard of that. With female cats, you simply notice changes like weight gain, increased appetite, and many seem more affectionate.”

Mavis smiled. “I’ll set up a spit test soon, but I don’t want to say anything until we know for sure. If it’s true, Sheri will be thrilled.”

So that’s how I worked in the research from my farm visit and made a llama pregnant in The Case of the Llama Raising Librarian.

 

 

About the Author

 

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a retired reference librarian. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Cat Writers’ Association. She writes two cozy mystery series, the Cobble Cove Mysteries and Buttercup Bend Mysteries. She’s also written a paranormal romance, three standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in over a dozen anthologies. Debbie also writes articles for cat magazines. She lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

 

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Dame Alice Hits Hollywood (Dame Alice Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Old Hollywood and Beverly Hills, circa 1937.
‎Wrenfield Books (May 23, 2023)
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 139 pages

 

Synopsis

 

April 1937: When Penelope Greenleigh, assistant at Ten Spot Press, learns she’ll be heading to Hollywood to supervise script changes on the set of Lady Irwin’s Diamonds, she should be thrilled. Who wouldn’t want to mingle with movie stars in sunny California?

But there’s a catch: Penelope, 29 and from Cape May, New Jersey, has been asked to impersonate Dame Alice Cartwright, the world’s bestselling mystery author, who’s 47 and lives in Copley-on-the-Wold, England.

On the night Penelope arrives in L.A., Lady Irwin‘s lead actress disappears and a Harry Winston necklace goes missing. Soon, gossip columnist Hattie Holiday threatens to expose Penelope’s deception, mobsters are coming after the film’s boozy director, and worst of all, Dame Alice’s script has gone from murder mystery to Fred and Ginger-style musical!

The action unfolds at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Trocadero, and hotspot Chasen’s as Penelope works to solve the crimes alongside a handsome detective and a hapless studio flunky. Can she find the diamonds, the actress, and survive a wild week in Hollywood?

 

 

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Guest Post

 

 

Movie people. I rarely venture from my village of Copley-on-the-Wold, England, to steer clear of such attention-hungry types. But here I am at a party in Beverly Hills, California, and it seems murder and missing diamonds are on the menu.

Let me catch you up: It’s 1937, and as the world’s bestselling authoress of mysteries, filmmakers are constantly asking to turn my books into dubious gems of the silver screen. Even worse, they try to add song and dance numbers in between the murders! I finally agreed to Lady Irwin’s Diamonds getting the Hollywood treatment, and my New York publisher demanded that I travel to Los Angeles to oversee script changes.

I’d initially refused to go, but then reconsidered: I stood to lose $25,000 if Lady Irwin shut down production, so I packed my tweeds, sailed, and flew west. When I arrived at the Beverly Hills Hotel, however, I found a young woman in a wig and wool skirt impersonating me. Bloody cheek, if you ask me!

To my surprise, though, it turns out that there’s a drink out here named the daiquiri that’s made this visit rather delightful. There’s also sunshine, a balmy breeze, roses, and hibiscus everywhere you turn.

The fake Dame Alice, a girl named Penelope, has quickly apologized, explaining that she works for my American publisher and he insisted she come here in my stead.

Unfortunately,  Penelope has been in Los Angeles for less than 48 hours, and already the film’s star has disappeared. A Harry Winston necklace has been stolen. A local mobster, Louie Malone, wants to kill the director, an idiotic young man named Skipper Farley.

As usual, people expect me to solve the crimes, and I suppose I’ll have to. All of this is happening under the menacing glare of a horrid gossip columnist, Hattie Holiday, who I know from my younger days in London, and everyone I meet keeps suggesting I visit the hair salon, buy new dresses, and swipe on some lipstick.

On the plus side, I do enjoy a nice hotel. And the Brown Derby is rather fun, if silly. And then there’s the Paramount party later tonight—if I can stop a murder, get the film back on track, and find those diamonds. Who knows? Maybe this British dame will set her next book right here in glamorous Hollywood. Watch out, Philip Marlowe!

 

 

About the Author

 

A longtime magazine journalist, Allie Mahoney has written for Town & Country, Time Out New York, and Cosmo. A lifelong Agatha Christie fan, her shelves are also filled with the books of P.G. Wodehouse, Dave Barry, Sophie Kinsella, and Carl Hiaasen. Additional guilty pleasures: Classic Hollywood movies, fashion, dogs, Bravo tv, BritBox, Phillies baseball, and the beach.

 

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A Sour Note (A Music Box Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Hampton Beach, NH
Wild Rose Press (June 26, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 250 pages

 

Synopsis

 

On the heels of a public, broken engagement, Maeve Cleary returns to her childhood home in Hampton Beach, NH. When a dead body turns up behind her mother’s music school, three old friends land on the suspect list. Licking her wounds soon takes a back seat to outrunning the paparazzi who spin into a frenzy, casting her in a cloud of suspicion. Maeve juggles her high school sweetheart, a cousin with a touch of clairvoyance, a no-nonsense detective, and an apologetic, two-timing ex-fiancé. Will the negative publicity impact business at the Music Box— the very place she’d hoped to make a fresh start?

 

 

 

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Recipe

 

I’m a sucker for banana bread and even more in love if chocolate is involved. This recipe from the author combines two of my favorite things into one.

 

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

 

 

Ingredients:

3-4 Ripe, Mashed Bananas

1 Stick Softened Butter

2 Large Eggs

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

½ Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 ½ Tsp Baking Powder

2 Tsp Vanilla

1 Cup Semi-Sweetened Chocolate Chips

 

Steps:

 

Mix all ingredients together (except chocolate chips)

Stir in chocolate chips

Bake uncovered for 1 hour in loaf pan

Toothpick should come out almost clean when finished

Cool 10 minutes and move to wire rack for further cooling

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jill Piscitello is a teacher, author, and an avid fan of multiple literary genres. Although she divides her reading hours among several books at a time, a lighthearted story offering an escape from the real world can always be found on her nightstand.

A native of New England, Jill lives with her family and three well-loved cats. When not planning lessons or reading and writing, she can be found spending time with her family, trying out new restaurants, traveling, and going on light hikes.

 

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