A Night to Remember An Adairsville Heritage Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in series
Setting – Georgia
CrossLink Publishing (September 14, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 209 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Riley Gordan is back in Adairsville, Georgia anticipating a leisurely vacation from the rigors of law school with her college friend, Trish. Then, as part of a political plot, one of her Sunday School girls is kidnapped. Stumbling upon the abduction, Riley and her friends are drawn headfirst into a search for the girl.

Their probe leads them into a fast paced and dangerous string of encounters that include a Neanderthal named Houston, searches in some of the most hazardous places in North Georgia, a green Kia Soul, an old man with a big gun, and ultimately murder.

It is an adventure that provides some unusual twists and turns and is highlighted by a beautiful relationship between an old baseball player entering politics and a spunky adolescent who are jointly known around town as “Nate and The Kid.”

 

 

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Character Guest Post

 

 

Nate Bannister character sketch by Wanda Pelfrey

 

 

Hello, I’m Nate Bannister, and I’m running for Bartow County Commissioner. Unfortunately, that may prove to be the worst decision I have ever made.

When I was a young man, I lived my dream as a professional baseball player. I did okay and invested my earnings in property here just outside of Adairsville. I married the love of my life, and we had a sweet baby girl. Sadly, I lost both of them too early. The baby when she was just two and her mother a few years later. That left two large holes in my heart, but the Lord provided some special friends to help fill that hole. The Boyntons and their little girl, Kaylene, have given me a lot of joy through the years. I guess you could say I’ve been an unofficial godfather to Kaylene.

Now, just because I got the notion to run for office in my golden years all that is threatened. No sir! I won’t let that happen. I wouldn’t trade that child for the office of President of these United States much less county commissioner. My only fear is that the monster who has her won’t keep his end of the bargain.

 

 

About the Authors

 

Danny and Wanda Pelfrey are graduates of Atlanta Christian College (now Point University). Danny earned a masters from Kentucky Christian University. He spent 45 years in the pastorate. Wanda served as a primary Montessori teacher for twenty-four years. They have two daughters and are blessed with five amazing grandchildren.

Wanda’s career as a writer took off shortly after college, when she started writing curriculum and educational aids for a variety of publishers. Her book, MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR CHILD’S TEACHABLE MOMENTS, published by Moody Press went through several printings and brought her a lot of attention and respect as a writer. However, she put her writing career on hold shortly thereafter to become a teacher.

Danny’s interest in writing was fostered by his wife’s love of the craft. He wrote articles for various publications, a newspaper column, and eventually three non-fiction books. Traditional publisher CrossLink released three of the four Davis Morgan Mysteries co-authored by the couple, as well as the first two books in the Adairsville Heritage Mystery series. A NIGHT TO REMEMBER is #2 in the Adairsville Heritage series.

The Pelfreys live in their little Cape Cod cottage in their small north Georgia hometown of Adairsville, Georgia, which serves as the setting for their mysteries with a message. They enjoy a life that is often centered around their five grandchildren and their love for putting words on paper.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

 

The world-class Port Huron-Mackinac sailboat race has just finished at Mackinac Island. As soon as the boats dock, the sailors head for the legendary Pink Pony. But the night takes a grisly turn, and Jimmy Lyons is found dead the next morning in the bar, strangled by a string of Christmas tree lights.

Murdo Halverson, a wealthy manufacturer from Detroit and Jimmy’s former partner, is arrested for the murder. It turns out that the free-spending Jimmy was broke. Each of his crew, including Murdo, had a reason to kill him. As did his wife, Jane.

Burr Lafayette, recently divorced and the deposed head of the litigation department of a major Detroit law firm, is recruited to defend Murdo. A man at loose ends, Burr is a brilliant litigator. But he’s not a criminal lawyer, and this looks like a losing case.

This is the first book in the Burr Lafayette mystery series.

 

 

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Review

 

This new mystery series is set on the historic Mackinac Island. It is famous for its fudge and the fact that there are no cars on the island – only bicycles and horse-drawn carriages. However, that doesn’t stop someone from killing Jimmy Lyons, and the answer might surprise you.

Burr Lafayette is on vacation but is roped into helping his aunt’s friend’s son stay out of jail for supposedly killing someone. The evidence is sparse, yet the D.A. decides to prosecute, and the judge lets him. That was just bizarre, but I suppose that is how Burr will unravel the truth while defending his client with assistance from his staff.

I found this an intriguing tale and loved Zeke, the dog. There is also Zeke, the son, but he has a very minor role in this novel. I didn’t realize that this book was set in the past but wondered why there were no cell phones or other modern technology. I think I read in another review that it is supposed to be set in the 1980s, which is very possible.

Burr bumbles along in trying to uncover the true murderer since the police don’t seem to know what they are doing and the judge doesn’t help when Burr wants to seek out other potential killers. Of course, Burr doesn’t even practice criminal law yet decides to stick with it for the money, which he desperately needs since his office was just shut down because of the non-working elevator.

Several scenes cover a sailboat race; you will appreciate the finer details if you understand things like tacking. If not, just enjoy those scenes. The story does flip back and forth in time, which threw me off, but it was flashing back to this race that might have something to do with the murder.

This wasn’t a bad first installment in this series (and I assume there will be more to follow). The characters were interesting, and I found myself engaged in the plot, wondering if Murdo did kill Jimmy or if it was someone else. There were just too many possibilities.

We give this book 3 1/2 paws.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Reviewers are calling Charles Cutter a master of the courtroom drama and the next Erle Stanley Gardner, author of the Perry Mason series. Although Mr. Cutter has years of legal experience, he is now a “recovering attorney” writing full-time. In addition to the Burr Lafayette series, he has written literary fiction, screenplays, short stories and a one-act play. He is currently working on the next book in the Burr Lafayette series. He lives in East Lansing, Michigan, with his wife, two dogs, and four cats. He has a leaky sailboat on Little Traverse Bay and a leakier duck boat on Saginaw Bay. His books are available on Amazon and at your local bookstore.

 

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Bear Witness (An Alaska Untamed Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Alaska
Crooked Lane Books (May 10, 2022)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Alaska tour boat guide Stacie Calder faces the deep freeze in this scenic cozy series debut perfect for fans of Paige Shelton.

 

No nine-to-five cubicle career will suit Stacie Calder—the naturalist much prefers working in the great outdoors. Specifically, the spacious and spectacular Alaskan wilderness, whose rugged charms she shares with sightseers on the top deck of the tour boat where she works. But one May afternoon, Stacie’s passengers see more than glittering glaciers, frolicking harbor seals, climbing bears and soaring seabirds…they also witness a man lying dead in the frigid Alaskan waters. And it seems likely that someone gave him a fatal push.

Stacie didn’t know the unfortunate victim, but he sure wanted to know a lot about her. He spent most of his final afternoon bombarding her with questions quite awkward to answer. And when he wasn’t in her hair, he was arguing incessantly with the boat’s beleaguered crew. Which makes for a suspect list about as long as the passenger manifest. Furthermore, as police helicopters relentlessly circle her boat in search of any clues, Stacie is shaken to find herself on that suspect list.

Before the tour boat reaches shore Stacie—accompanied by her beautiful blue-eyed husky, Sasha—must deduce just who sent the testy tourist tumbling into the turgid waters and have the authorities take custody. Because if she can’t, then the killer might aim a fatal ice-cold stare at Stacie.

 

 

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About the Author

 

Lark O. Jensen is the pseudonym of Linda O. Johnston, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer. Lark has written Bear Witness, the first Alaska Untamed mystery for Crooked Lane. Linda has written the Barkery & Biscuits Mystery series and the Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink and the Pet Rescue Mysteries and Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, and her stories often involve dogs.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

 

As San Francisco’s Chinatown prepares for the Lunar New Year festivities in the fogbound month of February, astrologer Julia Bonatti finds herself with three new clients, all in desperate straits who don’t seem to heed her advice. Tracy is the victim of a brutal husband with nowhere to run and Jeanette is worried sick about her son, whom she suspects has fallen in with a bad lot.

But most frightening of all to Julia is Frankie Chang’s dilemma. Frankie’s only eleven years old and he’s terrified. His mother is missing and no one will help him. Julia’s heart goes out to him but her hands are tied. Frankie won’t let her talk to the police and neither will his family.

Julia eventually discovers that the three worlds of her clients intertwine. Those lives inevitably collide exposing a dangerous smuggling cabal. Julia knows too much and becomes a victim of both a ruthless environmental group and criminals who will stop at nothing, including murder.

 

 

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This book releases on 4/26/22 and will be available to read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This series has always fascinated me surrounding Julia’s profession, astrology. I don’t know how it all works but I love reading the descriptions of the different houses and how charts intersect and more.

There are three separate storylines that are intriguing on their own but every more engaging once we discover how they intersect with one another. Frankie and his missing mother are probably the primary focus of this cozy. Frankie knows something has happened to his mom, but at 11, I think his father and grandfather think that they can placate him with false truths about where she has gone. Frankie is a spitfire and he is as bad as Julia for putting himself into the middle of dangerous situations. There is one part of the story where I expected something to happen regarding Frankie and I was right. I don’t want to spoil anything so you’ll have to read the book to see if you can figure it out for yourself.

The other two clients were dealing with some tough topics – spousal abuse and smuggling. You can never underestimate the love of a mother for her son and I liked Julia’s advice to her to stay strong and force the conversations. They almost came too late so there was a bit of action that will speed up the heart rate! It also brought the crux of the mystery to a close. I’m always amazed at what the protagonist will uncover on her own because I never seem to be that capable of putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I will say that Julia put herself in harm’s way too many times to count but she was lucky that nothing too bad happened to her.

Another storyline that was incorporated into this book is the death of Julia’s boyfriend, Michael. He was killed years ago but she just decided to read a journal he had sent to her based on a comment from a mutual college friend. The mystery isn’t solved yet, but it opens some doors and left me wondering what could possibly happen next in this journey. I think it was good for Julia to read the journal because it might be the path to closing that chapter in her life.

While you could read this book as a standalone, I think it is best to start at the beginning with Enter A Wizard, Stage Left (prequel), and then The Madness of Mercury.

On a side note, I see that all of the covers have been redone. They are gorgeous and give off the right vibe for this series.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

With the Zodiac Mysteries, featuring Julia Bonatti, a crime-solving San Francisco astrologer, Connie di Marco has combined her fascination with astrology and her love of writing mysteries.  Writing as Connie Archer, she’s the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime.  You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook.  She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.  She lives in Los Angeles but dreams constantly of the San Francisco fog.

 

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Tea & Talismans: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Prickly Pear Psychic Mysteries)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Arizona
Independently published (November 29, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 262 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Alara Beatty never thought her life would change so fast.

She’s only just begun to use her psychic abilities, and she’s already being met with a slew of truths and challenges. In a short span of time, she’s met her biological aunt, solved a murder, and discovered that she was given up for adoption due to a mysterious prophecy.

But that’s certainly not all that’s in store for Alara. Suddenly, her biological family members are flocking to her small town of Prickly Pear, Arizona to meet her…and evaluate her psychic strength.

As Alara begins to get used to her new situation, her cousin Todd receives a mysterious death threat…one that she knows to take seriously. Together, she and Todd must investigate the threats and try to determine who they’re coming from—before it’s far too late.

Not only must Alara learn to use her psychic abilities, she also needs to determine who she can trust. Her newfound family? And what about Rudi Rivera, her charming, handsome police officer friend who has no idea that Alara is psychic?

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Are Dogs Good Cozy Mystery Companions?

 

By Elle Wren Burke

 

In the world of cozy mysteries, cats seem to reign supreme! Scrolling through any online bookstore, you’ll find cat after cat on cozy book covers. These adorable felines are usually companions to the main character and sometimes even help solve the mystery. In a few cases, the cats are the detectives!

Seeing all these cats can leave dog lovers wondering if there’s something about canines that makes them less than ideal costars alongside our beloved amateur sleuths. Do they require too many walks? Do their barks draw too much attention? Is their breath too awful? Or maybe they just don’t make good cover models for cozies?

So what’s the answer—are dogs good cozy companions? Yes, of course! Dogs are better than just good—they make wonderful pets for our amateur sleuths! They have amazing noses. They can protect their owners (even the smallest ones!). They give awesome snuggles. And they will always greet their owners at the door after a tough day of investigating (unlike cats, who are likely to be hiding in a cabinet or closet somewhere!).

I know a lot of readers are firmly Team Cat, so you might not believe me. I’m highly allergic to cats myself, so I tend to lean more towards dogs when I read cozies (mostly so I don’t get a phantom itchy nose thinking about all the cat fur). This means I’ve read lots of dog cozy mysteries and have lots of proof for you!

One of my favorite dogs so far is Oliver from the Cookie House Mysteries by Eve Calder. I recently read the first book—And then there were Crumbs. Oliver, possibly a Goldendoodle, is his own dog in this book. He goes where he wants with who he wants, but always seems to know exactly where he’s needed. From raising the alarm during a break in to laying on laps when bad news arrives, he’s there to help. The main character makes fast friends with Oliver and it sounds like they have many more adventures to come.

Another beloved dog for me is Coal from Heather Day Gilbert’s Barks & Beans Cafe series. In the first installment, Coal is actually wrapped up in the mystery, which I thought was great fun. Coal is a Great Dane and a sweetheart of a gentle giant. Not only does his size make him a wonderful protector, but his mellow nature is just what the main character needs after a hectic day of investigating.

I recently read An Embarrassment of Itches by M.K. Dean, the first in her Ginny Reese Mysteries series. The main character is a vet who travels to her customers’ homes, bringing her German Shepherd, Remy, along for the ride. Not only does Remy provide support and companionship to her each day, he plays a key role in protecting the veterinarian when someone involved in the investigation decides she’s getting too close.

If I had to pick a favorite dog, though, I would choose Lady from Amy Boyles’ Magical Renovation Mysteries series. Lady starts out as a normal Dachshund, but quickly gains the ability to talk. Not only does she help the main character throughout the series, such as alerting her to suspicious noises and smells, but she’s also snarky and hilarious. She has a mind of her own and knows exactly what she wants. She goes almost everywhere with her owner and demands food and cute outfits along the way. She knows her worth and isn’t afraid to ask for what she deserves.

Then there are the dogs in my own cozy mystery series—Prickly Pear Psychic Mysteries. My main character is lucky enough to own two dogs, Pretzel and Blueberry, a Pitbull and a Rottweiler. Though they might look scary, they’re both big softies. I gave them each distinct personalities which shine in the books, but the dogs are also involved in the mysteries. In the second book, Tea & Talismans, one of the dogs plays a very important role towards the end of the story. And they might both be involved in the mystery of the upcoming third book, Canines & Cacti.

There are so many other wonderful dogs in the world of cozy mysteries! These are just a few examples to help prove to you that dogs pull their weight in cozies. I’m not saying they’re cozier or better than cats, just different. Personally, I’d like to find some cozies that feature a cat and a dog working together! Know of any? Shoot them my way!

 

 

About the Author

 

Elle Wren Burke is a paranormal cozy mystery author who writes witty, fun books with strong females as protagonists.

Elle has Master’s degrees in Geography and Business. She lives in Arizona with her husband and fur baby. She enjoys puzzles, baking, and board games.

 

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Giveaway

 

 

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French Ghost (Paris Ghost Writer Series)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Paris
Wild Rose Press (January 10, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Ghost-writer Melody Layne is stranded in Paris when the over-sexed but unloved French movie star who hired her to produce his memoir accidentally drowns before the interviews begin. It’s a major financial relief when his enigmatic Spanish son re-hires her, but the seductive Carlos Ortega is strangely silent about his reasons for funding a feel-good bio about a father that he clearly despised. There’s enough amour in the air for Melody to ignore this apparent paradox… at least until she uncovers a hidden cache of death threats addressed to the actor. For the French police, the sexy, secretive Spaniard – and sole heir to the actor’s immense fortune – is suddenly a prime murder suspect. Can Melody’s research into the Ghosts of Carlos-Past be enough to save her lover from prison?

 

 

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Excerpt

 

At the Cannes Film Festival:

 

“Tick tock, tick tock.” Taneesha tapped her watch. “Speeches next, then the movie, so the time for bathroom breaks is now or forever hold your pee.”

“I’m gonna snag us a bottle or two,” said Jason, moving toward the bar. “We’re gonna need it.”

“Isn’t that Ben Affleck over there?” asked Charlene. “He’s so much fun. Let’s sit with him.”

“Don’t laugh too loud at his jokes,” warned Taneesha as they started to shimmy their way through the crowd. “Remember that you’re playing the brave, bereaved bimbo tonight.”

Carlos and I looked at each other. “I think we’re supposed to follow them,” I said.

“I suppose we could do worse,” said Carlos gamely. “I quite liked Argo.”

But before we could make our move, a large wall of shimmering green sequins blocked our way.

“You stinking piece of Spanish shit,” intoned the sweet, husky voice that launched thirty top-ten singles on the French charts. “How does it feel to have ruined my life?”

 

 

About the Author

 

My first jobs after college (incredibly useful art history degree) were in the New York fashion industry (modeling, working for designers). When I gave up on my Greenwich Village walk-up (after realizing that I couldn’t bear to smoosh the cockroaches in my shower because they were a ‘family’), I cut out to Paris where I became Fashion Editor for the English language magazine PASSION.

I subsequently wrote and edited the gourmet destination guide LA BELLE FRANCE for fifteen years while freelancing for the NEW YORK TIMES Travel section, various in-flight magazines, and guide books (GAULT MILLAU, VIRGIN, ZAGAT). From 2011 – 2012, I wrote screenplays for the PBS travel series CUISINE CULTURE.

The cinema figures in FRENCH GHOST are loosely based on stars I’ve interviewed (and been groped by); the restaurateurs in Book 2 (FRENCH TOAST) are drawn from the lovely, often impractical, chefs I met through LA BELLE FRANCE.

I suspect that Book 3 will toss Melody Layne into the cut-throat Paris fashion scene. May the Gods of Ghosting have mercy on her soul…

 

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Perils in Yorkshire (British Book Tour Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Camel Press (October 12, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 294 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Claire Barclays tourists are exploring the cobbled streets of York. Her American ladies from Tucson, the couple from Bristol, and the couple from London appear fascinated by Claire’s explanations of the unique architecture. All except Philip, a younger, single man who disappears—again. Claire spots him entering the chocolate Factory and races down the stairs, suspecting Phillip has headed for the kitchens and trips over the body of a security guard. She doesn’t see any connection between the body and tourists until Mark, her loving partner, and a detective inspector with the Major Crimes Investigation Team tells her Philip is an undercover Scotland Yard detective and on a job. Claire removes the group from the city of York quickly and drives them north to the Yorkshire Moors, a vast land of almost bleak wilderness and the setting of many mystery novels. She stops for a picnic at the famous Ralph’s Cross where moorland, green with springtime heather, stretches for miles. Her bucolic plans are interrupted when her American ladies report the sudden death of Philip in the surrounding bog. Mark tells her Philip was on the trail of a drug distribution team. But will Claire be able to keep these ladies who are intelligent, determined, and expert mystery readers out of a messy situation with a murderer? Claire has high hopes that she will be able to do so without endangering them all.

 

 

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Character Guest Post

 

Today we welcome Evelyn Roberts to StoreyBook Reviews and she gives us some insight into herself and her friends. Welcome!

 

Character Evelyn Roberts

 

I am a realtor from Tucson Arizona, not retired yet, although my son who works for me probably wishes I would. I came with my two friends Norma and Geraldine to join Claire Barclay’s Mystery Book Tour of Britain. We chose the Yorkshire area so we could see the moors and the dales. So far, it has been both interesting in terms of tour guiding and fascinating in terms of mystery. We didn’t expect to stumble across a body on our tour. At first, when I saw the body, I thought that it was a staged event but when the emergency vehicles and police came it was all too evident that this was a crime—well, murder, actually. I’d rather read about it than have it quite so close to me. But since it was in our purview, Geraldine, Norma, and I thought we could put our minds to it and see if we could help the police solve the murder. We are intelligent women of great collective experience and vast knowledge of mystery plots, after all.

You wouldn’t think Norma would be much help. She’s been my friend for almost fifty years—all of us are getting on a bit. She’s flaky and appears to be distracted most of the time. She’s is a retired kindergarten teacher but she’s intuitive about people’s feelings—something that goes past me without recognition. I depend on Norma to tell me how others are feeling. She’s also entertaining. Geraldine is a retired high school teacher and there isn’t much she doesn’t know about people. She’s more reliable than Norma. We constantly lose Norma who couldn’t find her way down a city block without help.

All of us like Claire and her detective inspector friend. They’re lovely pair and deserve to have some time alone and away from troubles. They both seem the type that is committed to a higher ideal justice which is very inconvenient for a relaxed life. I haven’t been troubled by that very much, but I find myself being pulled by Geraldine and Norma into trying to help Claire and Mark. I was willing to report what I observed, to talk things over with Geraldine and Norma in order to find out who was behind the murder, and to let Claire and Mark know everything we found out. I didn’t anticipate I’d put myself in danger.

 

I quite like Evelyn and her biting observations. Her friends are intelligent and intrepid and they kept me entertained through the writing of Perils in Yorkshire.

If you would like to know more about this series, go to my website and click on the Join My Newsletter button. I send out information once a month. If everything is working properly, and the gremlins that haunt computers are latent, you should get a free chapter of a book when you join.

 

 

About the Author

 

Emma Dakin lives in Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. She has over twenty-five trade published books of mystery and adventure for teens and middle-grade children and non-fiction for teens and adults. Her love of the British countryside and villages and her addiction to cozy mysteries now keep her writing about characters who live and work in those villages. She introduces readers to the problems that disturb that idyllic setting.

 

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Synopsis

 

Death by Sample Size is a humorous cozy mystery that takes place in the Los Angeles garment center. The last thing Ditzy Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik expected was to discover ruthless buying office big wig Bunny Frank’s corpse trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey with a bikini stuffed down her throat. When Holly’s colleague is arrested for Bunny’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to find the real murderer. Nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she matches wits with a wily killer hellbent on revenge.

 

 

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Review

 

This is quite a fascinating new cozy series set in LA where it takes hours to get anywhere, even down the street, and is home to the swimsuit fashion industry portrayed in this book. The book is filled with wise-cracking characters who cracked me up at the craziest times and lost of humorous descriptions that will have you shaking your head in disbelief.

Holly discovers a dead body in the elevator and how does she react when confronted? She laughs. It is her defense mechanism and thankfully her friend, the coroner, can confirm that tidbit so they don’t think she is too crazy laughing at death. But from there it is a race for Holly to figure out who killed Bunny and why. It is a huge cast of characters because no one really likes Bunny, she is manipulative and devious, a good way to end up murdered.

The book does start off with Holly finding the body and then it goes back in time leading up to the murder so we can get a better picture of who Bunny is and why no one likes her. There are many suspicious characters and the author does a great job of throwing in red herrings to keep us guessing who the real killer is. I think I had narrowed it down to this character because none of the others seemed to fit in just right. I was quite surprised at the ending and the confrontation with the killer. Definitely not a traditional ending.

This is definitely a book worth picking up and I’ll be interested to see what shenanigans that Holly will be up to in the next book. We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

When the elevator doors opened, I had to stop myself short not to step on her. There was Bunny Frank-the buying office big shot-lying diagonally across the car. Her legs were splayed out and her back was propped against the corner. Her sightless eyes were wide open and her arms reached out in a come-to-me baby pose. She was trussed up with shipping tape like a dressed Thanksgiving turkey ready for the oven with a bikini stuffed in her mouth. A Gotham Swimwear hangtag drooped off her lower lip like a toe tag gone lost. Naturally, I burst out laughing.

Before you label me incredibly weird or stone-cold, let me say genetics aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. If you’re lucky you inherit your Aunt Bertha’s sexy long legs or your father’s ability to add a bazillion dollar order in his head and get the total correct to the last penny. Without even breaking into a sweat, it’s easy to spout at least a million fabulous traits inheritable by the luck of the draw. Did I get those sexy long legs or the ability to add more than two plus two without a calculator? Noooooooooo. Lucky me. I inherited my Nana’s fear of death we overcompensated for with the nervous habit of laughing. A hysterical reaction? Think Bozo the clown eulogizing your favorite aunt.

I craned my neck like a tortoise and checked around. Then I clamped a fist over my mouth. Cripes, how could I possibly explain my guffaws with Bunny lying there? The disappointment was simultaneously mixed with relief when there was no one else in the parking lot. Where was security when you needed them?

I toed the elevator door open and bent over Bunny. I’d seen enough CSI episodes to know not to touch her. She was stiff as a board and I attributed the bluish tinge of her skin to the bikini crammed down her throat. I was no doctor, but I didn’t need an MD after my name to make this diagnosis. Bunny Frank was dead as the proverbial doorknob.

It was no surprise Bunny Frank had finally pushed someone beyond their limits. The only surprise was it had taken so long. The question wasn’t who wanted Bunny Frank dead. The question was who didn’t?

 

 

About the Author

 

Born in the Big Apple, Susie Black now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

 

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Cajun Kiss of Death: A Cajun Country Mystery
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books (August 10, 2021)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages

 

Synopsis

 

The next shot from Cupid’s bow may be fatal in USA Today bestselling, Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron’s hearty and delightful seventh Cajun Country mystery.

 

In Pelican, Louisiana, Valentine’s Day has a way of warming the heart, despite the February chill. But the air at Crozat Plantation B&B turns decidedly frigid when celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson checks in. And when the arrogant Phillippe–in town to open his newest Cajun-themed restaurant–perishes in a fiery boat crash, Maggie Crozat’s dear friend JJ lands in very cold water.

Did JJ, proprietor of Junie’s Oyster Bar and Dance Hall, murder Phillippe because he feared the competition? Might Maggie’s mother, Ninette, have bumped off the chef for stealing one of her cherished recipes? Or was the culprit a local seafood vendor, miffed because Phillippe was somehow able to sell oysters for a remarkably reasonable price, despite an oyster shortage?

Maggie had planned to devote her February to art lessons in New Orleans, a present from her sweetheart, Bo. But now she has to focus on helping her friend and her mother cross a murder charge off the menu. Meanwhile, Maggie receives a series of anonymous gifts that begin as charming but grow increasingly disturbing. Does Maggie have an admirer–or a stalker? And are these mysterious gifts somehow related to Phillippe’s murder?

Blood may be thicker than water, but this case is thicker than gumbo. And solving it will determine whether Maggie gets hearts and roses–or hearse and lilies–this Valentine’s Day.

 

 

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Review

 

All good things must come to an end as they say but I’m not ready to let Maggie, Bo, and the gang go quite yet!

I didn’t realize this book was the last for this series until I got to the end where the book jumps 20 years into the future and the author wraps up the characters and what has happened over that time frame. I appreciated the closure considering some interesting tidbits that were dropped near the end of the book regarding the family.

Ok, now that I am over my sadness that the series is over (well sort of over it anyway), this has been one of my favorite series due to the location. I have family that are Cajuns in Louisiana, so many times I felt like this was a glimpse into their lives, well sort of since I don’t think they are going around solving murders! But I loved all of the references to cajun/creole food, music, and the history that surrounds that area.

Maggie and Bo finally tie the knot in a triple wedding with Grandma and Vanessa. It was cool to see how it all came together since we saw a few snippets in the last book. Grandma is just as crazy as always but manages to dispense timely advice when the situation warrants her insight.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a cozy without someone dying/murdered. In this case, it is a no-good, recipe stealing chef for a new restaurant in town. To top everything else, he and his crew don’t seem to fight fair and are out to decimate the little competition there is in town which includes JJ’s restaurant Junie’s. Maggie is not ok with this and does her best to poke her nose into the situation and uncover the killer but not without putting herself in harm’s way in the process. There is even a stalker and there is no way to know who it could possibly be, but Bo and the police force are on the case. The answer will surprise you, at least it did me!

There are several moving parts outside of solving the murder including a Gala for the Doucet museum, art lessons, and a ferry brought back into service for a short period of time which is an adventure unto itself. All of these minor storylines just add to an already robust book.

While this book can be read on its own, it is highly suggested that you read the series in order to watch the characters grow and come to know them and their quirks.

We give this book 5 paws up and while we don’t expect another book, we can always hope!

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Ellen’s Cajun Country Mysteries have won the Agatha award for Best Contemporary Novel and multiple Lefty awards for Best Humorous Mystery. She writes the Catering Hall Mystery series, which are inspired by her real-life, under the name Maria DiRico. Ellen is an award-winning playwright, and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and FAIRLY ODD PARENTS. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines but considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart.

 

 

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Giveaway

 

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Much Ado about Nauticaling (A Whit and Whiskers Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Kensington (July 27, 2021)
Paperback: 256 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Whitney Dagner is your tour guide to a Pacific paradise that’s to die for—only to find it’s a place people are also willing to kill for—in Gabby Allan’s Much Ado About Nauticaling, first in the Whit and Whiskers Mystery series.

 

After far too many years in the Los Angeles corporate world, Whitney Dagner has come home to Santa Catalina Island off the California coast to help her brother Nick run Nautically Yours, the family tourism business. Between gift shop shifts selling all manner of T-shirts and tchotchkes and keeping her feline Whiskers in fine fettle, she pilots the Sea Bounder, a glass bottom boat showing tourists the underwater sights of aquatic plants, marine life—and a murder victim?

The self-proclaimed “Master of the Island,” Jules Tisdale was a wealthy man with business interests throughout Catalina who was about to be honored as Person of the Year before someone strangled him with his own tie and tossed his body into the water. That someone appears to be Nick, who had a raw deal from Jules and no alibi the night of his murder. To clear her brother’s name, Whit will have to investigate Jules’ shady associates and not exactly grief-stricken family members—with the unwelcome help of Felix Ramirez, police diver and Whit’s ex-boyfriend who’s looking to rekindle their relationship.

 

 

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About the Author

 

After writing plays for her friends to act out as a kid, bad poetry in high school, and her high school Alma Mater song, GABBY ALLAN finally found her true passion—cozy mysteries. Being able to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time, and touch people’s hearts with her down-to-earth characters makes for the best job ever. This California girl now lives with her husband, daughter, and two insane dogs in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel.

 

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