Paint Me a Crime (A Rose Shore Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Okanagan Valley in BC, Canada
Touchpoint Press (June 13, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 252 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Art curator Jessamine Rhodes has left behind her gig at a prominent gallery in the city to open her own community art center in the small town of Rose Shore. She’s all set to host an extravagant opening watercolors class and has even booked a famous artist to teach it. Gabriella Everhart brings along her priceless painting Tranquil to showcase as the centerpiece of the event.

The opening class is just wrapping up when suddenly Tranquil disappears before Jessamine’s eyes. Next, the lights of the art center flicker out and leave the crowd in complete darkness as a scream pierces the air. To her horror, Jessamine’s flashlight reveals that prestigious art collector Victor Carlisle has been murdered, and now her dreams are as shattered as the champagne glass found near the scene.

Determined to save her now teetering reputation, Jessamine sets out to search for answers and the missing painting on her own. She has invested everything into her art center and is too anxious to step back and do nothing. Along the way, she teams up with a handsome paramedic who seems to have his own reasons for wanting justice for Victor’s tragedy.

 

 

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Character Guest Post

 

Mrs. Connors, Jessamine’s nosy neighbor, shares about the day Jessamine moved to Rose Shore.

 

Oh, hello. You obviously must be new to Rose Shore if you don’t know who I am. My name is Clara Connors, and I just have to tell you all about my new next-door neighbor. She is moving in right this minute! I’ve heard from the ladies in my book club that her name is Jessamine Rhodes, and she moved here from Vancouver. They say she was a fancy art curator at some fancy gallery or something like that. I have no idea what led her to Rose Shore, but you bet I’m going to find out. My best friend Beatrice thinks it must have been a broken heart, but I think Jessamine must have wanted to get out of the big city. I could never live anywhere so stuffy! Anyway, I’m usually right about these types of things. Intuition, you know. Beatrice is well-meaning, bless her heart, but she doesn’t have the same intuition as I do.

Jessamine looks to be about my son’s age, maybe in her early thirties, and there’s no ring on her finger, so I wonder if… or maybe Jackson Yeung who lives on the other side of Jessamine. Maybe I could encourage a little rendezvous between them—what is it that the kids say these days? Wink-wink? Yes, that’s it. A little rendezvous, wink-wink. I’m going to bustle over there right now and tell him to help Jessamine carry in her heavy boxes and furniture from the moving truck. Poor girl can’t do it by herself in this summer heat.

Oh, dear, was that a dog bark? Did that girl bring a dog with her? Yes, there it is, running around the front yard like it owns the place. I’m terribly afraid of those creatures. They bark and bite and knock people over. I might need to play match-maker, er I mean, friendly neighborly welcome wagon later when that animal is inside Jessamine’s cottage. I’ll go pick some flowers from my back garden as a welcome gift, and then I’ll update you later with what I’ve learned about her. Bye-bye, now.

 

 

About the Author

 

After having called many places around the world home, Holly Yew has settled in the Okanagan, BC with her husband, son, and two rescue dogs. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s playing the piano, watching Star Wars, or enjoying a Dole Whip in Disneyland.

Holly is a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers. She loves connecting with other writers and bookworms on social media.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

 

A devastating terrorist bomb blast at a spiritual retreat outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, sends journalist Kevin Pitcairn and his beloved Emmy on a quixotic quest to understand the roots of violence. Traveling across the country deep into the bowels of Southern Appalachia, their search takes them through a long-standing rift in the American consciousness to confrontations with remarkable and anomalous characters, some of them deeply spiritual, others well-grounded in research and psychology.

In this sequel to the much-acclaimed A Killer’s Grace, Pitcairn and Emmy return to the exploration of innocence while adding to it a deepening understanding of injury and ordeal―and its amazing corollary of Post-Traumatic Growth. As the quest and its dangers rip their lives apart, doors open that lure them back and forth across the country in search of tendrils tying together the events and anguish, as well as bringing the protagonists more deeply together.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Today we welcome Ron to StoreyBook Reviews as he shares his thoughts on:

 

Finding Emotional Sobriety – Even in Chaos?

 

In the past few years more and more people have discovered the idea of emotional sobriety. While the idea began as an advanced practice in twelve-step recovery driven by an article by Bill W., the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, the swirling and often damaging challenges of contemporary society seem to have increased interest beyond the rooms of recovery.

How in the world can we maintain balance amid challenges and difficulties?

First, we have to see that such balance, a psycho-spiritual state that can manage all kinds of disruption, is not free of emotions, does not deny reality, and is not static.

To use a great analogy, it’s as if our lives are lived on a high-wire. At any moment, there may be the movement of wind, distractions that are like birds, changes in our physiology, and the incessant chatter of our minds. What practices can we bring to such a reality that allow us to stay attuned and engaged?

Bill W. proposed that the root of our difficulties with our relationships with others and the world boils down to “faulty dependencies.” He saw that when any of us believe that someone or something else has the means to further or limit our well-being, we are at risk of emotional or psychological upset. If circumstances happen in a way that affirms our well-being, we unconsciously conclude that all is well. On the other hand, when circumstances seem to threaten our well-being, we can lose our balance.

But aren’t we dependent on people and the world?

Well, yes and no. However, the incredible work of Viktor Frankl and the demonstrations of exceptional people, for example Nelson Mandela, suggest that meaning, purpose and self-direction are wholly within us. To paraphrase a mantra or affirmation provided to me by a long-time mentor and teacher:

Thank you that my well-being is not dependent on anyone or anything.

That is the profound perspective of emotional sobriety. Yet, it raises the question of how to internalize that idea, and how to practice in ways that can promote it.

This is the realm of practices such as “letting go,” “allowing,” and even “forgiveness.” Each of these begins by identifying that which somehow threatens us, i.e. a circumstance, a person, a situation, or even the world, then working with it to let go of an attachment, allow a reality to be, or forgive something.

To use yet another analogy, we are like Velcro™. We get stuck to something, or it gets stuck to us. When we identify and deconstruct the hooks that allow for stuckness, magically we are released. The result is emotional sobriety.

You may ask, “Is this realistic?”

I can only speak to my own practice and experience. Over many years the number of upsets that have arisen is quite large. The most disruptive were the points at which to begin, and successes have been significant. With refinement, many smaller challenges have dissipated as well.

The most amazing result has been in my willingness to engage challenges and upsets. Success creates a belief that difficulties are solvable. The benefits and experience only increase that clarity and commitment.

Today, I am surprisingly well much of the time. Today, I know that any upset is a sign that I have inner work to do. Today, I’m remarkably willing to do what is needed to experience emotional sobriety.

 

After Thought

 

This psycho-spiritual development is at the heart of the series of novels I have christened as The Chronicles of Grace. Most recently, The Dark Side of Grace was released, which follows on A Killer’s Grace, with several more to follow. Packaging valuable ideas as psycho-spiritual thrillers allows for good stories with compelling characters and action to be a fun and effective way to learn and grow.

 

 

About the Author

 

Ronald Chapman is an author, speaker, and facilitator of approaches that increase well-being-ness and produce breakthroughs when practiced deeply and in a sustained fashion. He is the creator of Seeing True™ and Progressive Recovery, resources dedicated to exploring concepts of engaging, releasing, and transcending blockages in our lives. At the heart of Seeing True and all of his work is the Greek notion of “metanoia,” which could translate as a profound change of heart. Ronald maintains two core businesses as well. Leading Public Health provides facilitation, strategy, and consultation to public health clientele, while Magnetic North delivers similar services to a broader array of clients.

Ron spent many years as a national award-winning radio commentator on KUNM radio in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is an elite Accredited Speaker through Toastmasters International and an accomplished leadership facilitator working with clients from all over the world, including the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Ron currently resides in Atlanta and spends much of his time immersed in art and beauty wherever his travels take him.

 

Website * Seeing True Blog * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murder at the Pontchartrain
Cozy Mystery (Humorous)
6th in Series
Setting – New Orleans, Louisiana
Anamcara Press LLC (June 15, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages

 

Synopsis

 

“My name is Sydney Lockhart. I solve murders, most of which I’m the primary suspect.

My boyfriend/partner, Ralph Dixon, and I came to the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans to get married. Instead, Dixon’s in jail for a double murder. I’m in a swamp, spying on the KKK. Helping me untangle this mess is my bubble-headed cousin Ruth who’s undercover as a chef at the Pontchartrain. My twelve-year-old charge, Lydia LaBeau, dressed as a voodoo queen, is looking for clues at Pat O’Brien’s in the French Quarter. Rip Thigbee, a ghost detective, is my only hope.

I’m not making any of this up. This is my life and this is what I deal with, like it or not.

So, mix yourself a Hurricane and join me in the Big Easy for another historic hotel murder case.”

 

 

Anamcara Press – Amazon

 

 

Guest Post

 

Sydney Lockhart’s World

 

By Kathleen Kaska

 

 

My big, sassy mouth landed me a job as a reporter. Being suspected of murder turned me into a private detective. One job is not that much different than the other. You snoop, you dig, you put yourself in danger. What makes my situation so unusual is that the year is 1952 and I’m a woman. My name is Sydney Lockhart.

The reason I was given the job at the newspaper went like this:

“I’m here to interview for the job, Mr. Turney.”

“You’re a woman,” he said.

“And you’re smarter than you look.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “With a name like Sydney, I thought you were a man. It is a man’s name, you know?”

“When spelled with a ‘i,’ not a ‘y. I would think an editor should know that.”

Turney picked up my application and studied it. He looked back at me. “But this is not a job a woman can handle.”

“I can think, I can write, and unlike some people I can put my biases aside and focus on the facts.”

“I see you have written for the Daily Texan. Writing for the University of Texas newspaper doesn’t compare to hard-core news reporting.”

“Martha Gellhorn was a reporter from Colliers covering the Spanish Civil War and later  became a war correspondent in WWII.”

“True, but she was also married to Ernest Hemingway.”

“I wouldn’t hold that against her.”

My pulse rose in anticipation. Then he tossed my application back on the desk. “Come in on Monday morning. I’ll see what I can do.” He ushered me out the door.

The following week, I was back at the Austin American, working in the Travel and Entertainment department, writing about who wore what to the Ladies Social Society annual banquet, and the best places to stay while traveling. It wasn’t the type of writing I was interested in. Then one day I came into the office and was told to report to Ernest Turney about an assignment regarding a musician.

“Why is he interested in entertainment news?” I asked the society editor.

“Something about the guy hating reporters and refusing interviews. He said he thought you could handle it. He wants the story bad. Just go see him.”

So I did. Now, I’m standing in front of my mirror for one final look at my disguise before heading out to the Crooked J, a seedy bar on the seedy side of town. Ernest assigned me to get an interview with the elusive Hound Dog Jackson who was performing right here in Austin. I was eager to show my stuff and hopefully move into an honest to goodness reporting job. I’d jumped at the chance to get the story even if the Crooked J was on the east side of town, even if few whites frequented the establishment, even if any woman going there alone was asking for trouble.

Trouble seemed to follow me, so what did it matter? Besides, knowing Ernest, I’m sure he didn’t care how I got the interview. I’d picked up a full suit of men’s clothes at Goodwill, complete with shiny wing tips. Confident my man clothes would disguise my gender, I glued on a mustache and stuffed my long red hair under a fedora. I got the story, but not without mishap. My male disguise worked so well, a woman tried to pick me up. The woman was the bouncer’s girlfriend. A brawl ensued, the club owner was impressed with my means of defending myself, and so was Hound Dog. Before the night was over I had my interview and five stitches in my forehead.

I stayed at the Austin American for less than a year. During that time, I’d been assigned to report on the historic Arlington Hotel and Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs, Arkansas. When I checked in to the hotel, I found a man in my room, his throat slit. I became a suspect to his murder. To save my own skin, I found the killer and got the attention of a Hot Spring Police Detective named Ralph Dixon.

My next assignment was the New Year’s Eve ball at the Luther Hotel in Palacios, Texas. Before I unpacked this time, I made sure the bathroom was free of dead bodies, donned my best outfit and went to the ball. On a crowded dance floor right before midnight, a murdered man fell into my arms. This time I wasn’t so lucky. The cards were stacked against me and I was arrested. A good lawyer bonded me out and I was on the trail of another killer. I was doing fairly well with the investigation when Dixon showed up. He claimed he was just passing through. Sure he was. Hot Springs is 600 miles away from the Texas coast. Once this case was solved, there was another murder at another hotel. Dixon was there. We decided we made a great team, joined forces and opened our detective agency in downtown Austin.

I occasionally do some freelance reporting for Ernest at the newspaper, but after Dixon and I solved a high profile murder of a Texas gubernatorial candidate, our phone has been ringing off the wall.

Things have developed quickly and we are now in New Orleans at the Pontchartrain Hotel. We just came for the courthouse where we filled out an application for a marriage license, which requires a twenty-four-hour waiting period. We need the extra time to convince the local police that we didn’t kill the dead woman in our room.

 

 

About the Author

 

Kathleen Kaska is the author of the awarding-winning mystery series: the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s and the Kate Caraway Animal-Rights Mystery Series. Her first two Lockhart mysteries, Murder at the Arlington and Murder at the Luther, were selected as bonus books for the Pulpwood Queen Book Group, the country’s largest book group. She also writes mystery trivia. The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book was published by Rowman & Littlefield. Her Holmes short story, “The Adventure at Old Basingstoke,” appears in Sherlock Holmes of Baking Street, a Belanger Books anthology. She is the founder of The Dogs in the Nighttime, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Anacortes, Washington, a scion of The Baker Street Irregulars. Watch for Murder at the Pontchartrain: the 6^th Sydney Lockhart Mystery in June 2023.

 

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Collecting Can Be Murder (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – France
Traveling Life Press (May 31, 2023)
Approximately 250 Pages

 

Synopsis

 

Coming out of retirement can be deadly…

After tragedy struck three years earlier, art sleuth Carmen De Luca vowed to never work in the field again. But fifty is too young to fill her days with water aerobics and bingo, so when her former partner calls and begs for her help, Carmen gladly agrees.

Yet after their first assignment – the recovery of a rare medieval prayer book from an eccentric collector living in rural France – goes horribly wrong, Carmen ends up in the crosshairs of both the local police and a murderer!

With her target dead and the stolen book missing, she and her partner will have to pull out all of the stops to sleuth out the true killer’s identity – before their stay in France becomes permanent.

Introducing Carmen De Luca, an art sleuth with a nose for mystery and the job of locating valuable artwork stolen from museums around the world. If you love strong and resourceful heroines, puzzling mysteries, and a dash of art history, pick up Collecting Can Be Murder now!

 

Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries:

Book One: Collecting Can Be Murder
Book Two: A Statue To Die For

More adventures coming soon!

These mysteries contain no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Guest Post

 

 

A Day in the Life of Carmen De Luca, Art Sleuth

 

 

Hello! I’m Carmen De Luca, an art sleuth for the Rosewood Agency. Or, I was until my husband was murdered and my world fell apart. My employer specialized in the kinds of art loss cases that no other organization was able to solve.

My job at the Rosewood Agency could best be described as surveillance and reconnaissance. Our leads were often virtual in nature, and not always one-hundred percent that it was indeed the stolen work of art we were searching for. That’s where operatives such as myself came in. Before my retirement, I had specialized in verifying the more urgent cases—paintings and sculptures that, for one reason or another, Rosewood’s researchers suspected were probably going to disappear quite soon. I was quite adept and getting into a suspect’s home, finding and verifying the object in question, and vanishing again, without raising any alarms.

Once I’d located the possibly stolen object and could verify whether it was the one we sought or not, I passed the information back to my employer, who sicced the company lawyers on the thief-in-question. However, our priority is not to catch the thief, but recover the artwork – by (almost) any means necessary.

I was considered one of the agency’s best, that is until my husband Carlos was killed on the job. He was a fellow recovery specialist assigned to verify statues in the hands of a rich Italian collector, a man who later turned out to be a high-ranking member of the mafia. Or at least, my employer and I assumed that was what had happened. My husband’s body had never been found, meaning I had to bury a box of rocks, instead.

His death threw my life into a tailspin, one that took me three years to get out of. But fifty-two is too young to retire. I have a lot of life and spunk left in me yet, and want to use it doing what I love most – recovering stolen artwork.

Admittedly, being an art sleuth on retainer was not a particularly well-paid job, when one considered the value of the works I was helping to recover, but it did come with lots of cushy benefits that more than made up for the salary. I was particularly fond of traveling first class, and I know my former partner, Lady Sophie, loved the luxurious hotels they usually put us up in.

I was searching for a way back, when Lady Sophie called and begged for my help with a series of recovery assignments in Europe. So here I am, in rural France, hoping to verify and possibly recover a stolen manuscript from a rich American expat.

My skills may be a bit rusty, but I’m enjoying being back in the middle of the action again. Which is good, considering I’ve landed in the middle of a murder investigation!

If only my target hadn’t of been killed, this would have been the easiest recover job of my career. Yet instead of celebrating with a shopping spree in Paris, I have to figure out who really killed the collector before the cops find a reason to pin the crimes on me. My being the last person to be seen with him isn’t helping matters!

I hope you’ll join me on my current investigation. Who knows? You might be able to figure out who killed my target before I do! I sure hope so, there’s a pair of Prada heels calling my name…

 

 

About the Author

 

Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, grew up in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she lived in Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands.

Jennifer’s love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, her Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and her Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels.

When not writing, she can be found perusing a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Muddled Matrimonial Murder (Cupcake Catering Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – California
Cinnamon & Sugar Press (June 13, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 310 pages

 

Synopsis

 

With only two weeks left to finalize the nuptial ceremony and reception for her best friend, Brad, and a Thanksgiving feast to plan, Emory Martinez has enough to keep her busy. But when Emory and Brad stumble across the body of his former stalker, with a wedding gift marble muddler lying next to the body, it soon becomes apparent someone is intent on framing the groom before vows can be exchanged.

How did the victim locate Brad and how did she end up murdered at the scene of the impending nuptials? Was someone so desperate to stop the wedding that they’d resort to murder? Or was she killed for revenge? As the countdown to the wedding speeds by, it’ll take Emory and her family and friends to pull together to pick through the muddled clues to clear the groom’s name.

Includes recipes.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

Why do I love this series? It has to be the scrumptious cupcakes. Now, if I could only figure out how to enjoy one while reading the book!

This has been a fun series to watch develop. The characters are solid and well-developed. The interpersonal actions are engaging, and the mysteries are just hard enough to leave one guessing throughout the book.

I really like Emory. She is a no-nonsense gal that finds herself in the middle of murder scenes. She doesn’t do this on purpose, but then what protagonist in a cozy does? However, she just seems to attract crazy killers no matter what she does.

In this book, we find her helping plan a wedding for her best friend Brad and his intended Gabe. What she doesn’t expect is to stumble across the body of Brad’s stalker in the house where he plans to marry. This sets in motion a series of events that puts her and others in danger. There are some suspicious events that occur, so you might be able to uncover who the murderer is, but the why might leave you guessing until closer to the end. While I was surprised at the whole reveal, the who was someone on my radar just for this character’s actions.

I really enjoy family interactions, whether it is blood family or adopted family. I always enjoy seeing happy relationships. That isn’t to say that there isn’t a bit of strife from one person, but you’ll have to read the book to find out who I’m talking about. I also enjoy watching Emory and Brian’s relationship continue to develop. Are there wedding bells for them in the future? Only time will tell.

While this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend starting at the beginning to watch the personal storylines develop.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kim Davis lives in Southern California with her husband. When she’s not chasing her puppy or spending time with her granddaughters, she can be found either writing stories or working on her blog, Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder, or in the kitchen baking up yummy treats.  She has published the suspense novel, A GAME OF DECEIT, the Cupcake Catering Mystery series, and the Aromatherapy Mystery series. She also has had several children’s articles published in Cricket, Nature Friend, Skipping Stones, and the Seed of Truth magazines. Kim Davis is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

 

Webpage * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Pinterest

 

 

Giveaway

 

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Death of a Soprano: A Joseph Haydn Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Eighteenth-century Royal Hungary, Habsburg Empire
Foiled Plots Press (May 27, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 319 pages

 

Synopsis

 

When murder invades Haydn’s opera stage, scandal isn’t far behind . . .

Charged with ensuring that an imperial wedding transpires without mishap, composer Joseph Haydn has his hands full. Barely seventeen, Archduke Ferdinand Karl, the imperial bridegroom, is reluctant to marry. And the bride, Maria Beatrice, has her reservations as well.

But when an extortion note surfaces—an unpleasant reminder of the bridegroom’s shameful past—the wedding seems truly doomed. Worse still, all the evidence points to Haydn’s prima donna, Lucia Pacelli, being the blackmailer.

Before Haydn can confront her, however, Lucia is fatally poisoned. And Haydn is left to wonder whether his imperial charge had a hand in her death.

Troubled by the dark secrets he might uncover, Haydn is nevertheless compelled to investigate. Will the young Archduke be found innocent? Or must Haydn lead His Imperial Highness to the gallows?

 

 

Amazon * Nook * Apple * Kobo * Author’s Website

 

 

Excerpt

 

With his prima donna, a possible blackmailer, dead, Haydn’s suspicions immediately veer toward Archduke Ferdinand. But there are other people who wanted to rid the world of Lucia as well.

Luigi was in the midst of playing an extended cadenza when Haydn returned to the orchestra pit. The Konzertmeister must have seen him out of the corner of his eyes, for he immediately turned to face Haydn, his eyebrows raised expectantly.

Anxious to share the awful news, Haydn approached him just as Luigi gracefully transitioned from the cadenza to the sinfonia that would open the next act.

Bending down, he quickly conveyed the news.

“Dead!” Luigi hissed, gripping his bow tightly. “How can that be? A young woman, untroubled by any serious maladies?”

Haydn shrugged, expressing his own doubts on the subject.

“Worse still, Narcissa insisted on being given her part, adamant that Lucia had brought her predicament upon herself.”

Luigi’s lips pursed, but he fortunately stopped himself mid-whistle. “You don’t think she had . . .?” His voice trailed off as his hazel eyes searched Haydn’s features.

“I know not what to think,” Haydn responded grimly.

Although suspecting Narcissa of having a hand in Lucia’s unfortunate demise was far preferable to entertaining suspicions of the only other culprit that came to mind.

He returned to his place, his gaze traveling toward the audience where the Archduke sat next to his bride.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

A former journalist, Nupur Tustin relies upon a Ph.D. in Communication and an M.A. in English to orchestrate fictional mayhem.  The Haydn mysteries are a result of her life-long passion for classical music and its history. Childhood piano lessons and a 1903 Weber Upright share equal blame for her original compositions, available on ntustin.musicaneo.com.

 

 

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Giveaway

 

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Fungi Foul Play: A Small Town Colorado Cozy Mystery (Backyard Farming Series)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting – Colorado
Morewellson, Ltd. (May 7, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 260 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Can Anne help her friend from being charged as a murder suspect?

Newlywed Anne is dismayed at the idea of closing the Inn and tensions run high as Hope leads a mushroom workshop. When fingers point toward Hope for causing a death, Anne must help her friend before she loses everything. Was the death a tragic accident or is someone out to destroy Hope? Or is there an even more sinister plot at hand?

 

 

Amazon * Other Retailers

 

Fungi Foul Play is Book Seven in the Backyard Farming series. Each book can be read as a standalone. However, if you enjoy getting to know the quirky characters who live in the town, here are the books in the series.

 

Chicken Culprit
Cordial Killing
Honey Homicide
Christmas Capers
Potager Plot
Duck Disaster
Fungi Foul Play

 

 

Character Guest Post

 

Meow. My name is Mouser. Actually, it’s not. Humans do not possess the wisdom to know better, so they call me that. I am Winston Marshall, the Third, and that is my name, in full. If it brings them pleasure, who am I to interfere and stand in their way? They provide me with food and buy me toys, so I’m willing to indulge them. You could possibly be interested in learning where I live. It is a place within another place. What do I mean by that? Allow me to elaborate on the matter.

First, I “live” or exist in the writer’s imagination, Vikki Walton. But primarily, you’ll find me on the pages of her cozy mystery series. In the first book, Chicken Culprit, I was rescued from a shelter by Kandi. She then introduced me to Anne. I was still a kitten then, but I already knew that there were some occupants in that house that shouldn’t be there. I took care of them swiftly, so that’s how I acquired my name. I have taken the steps to ensure that no mouse would be brave enough to even think about entering my house.

So, Anne grew to enjoy having me around. She is in her forties, however; it is tricky to determine how many years that is in cat years. Ever since she set foot in the town of Carolan Springs, she has been involved in one mysterious situation after another. I often figure them out before she does, but I like the way her mind works. Whenever she’s focused on another mystery, it’s pretty obvious that she’ll pull out the post-it notes. Then she and start jotting down things about means, motive, and opportunity.

Now here comes the exciting part. One particular holiday season, Anne was feeling downcast. She experiences days where her mood is not the best. This is something I have observed in some humans. But she’s better now that she’s drinking some herbal tea her friend gives her. I could tell from her expression that she was bored. She finally brought down some boxes that were red and green. Now, when she opened them, I was powerless to resist the temptation. Those Christmas items were so pretty. There was all this shiny stuff and glass balls to bat at with my paw. What’s a cat to do? If you don’t want me messing with it, don’t put it out for me to play with. But get this, I helped solve a mystery! Yes, me. Winston Marshall the Third. So that was fun. If you want to know more about that mystery, you can check out Christmas Capers. I even got my picture on the book cover! It was about time.

Lately, I’ve noticed that man hanging around more. I think his name is Carson. He seems okay, but when he built me a ledge where I can watch the birds, I decided he could stay. Sometimes at night, I’ll see animals skulking along the tree line of the backyard. It’s at those times that I wish I had more access to the outdoors. Or a friend. But then that would mean sharing. Not sure about that. We’ll see what happens in Fungi Foul Play. I can tell that there’s another mystery scheduled as Anne’s back in sleuthing mode.

Now another thing you might want to know is, does the author have a cat? Sadly, the answer is no. She has a sweet dog, but that doesn’t count in my book. They don’t care when their humans give them silly names and they can’t wait for them to come home. The name Mouser at least has some street creed. But Vikki loves animals. Some years back, she decided to become a global house and pet sitter. Thus far, she has sat across the United States, in the United Kingdom, and in Mexico. Things got a bit crazy for a while, so that put off her travels, but she’s back at them again. She has sat for birds, cats, dogs, and fish. She hasn’t sat with horses or goats, but she’s helped with them as well. That’s one reason you’ll often find animals in her books. Each of us has our own personality as well. In her Backyard Farming series, she’s got me, and some chickens, but those are silly birds. In my humble opinion. There are also some other critters, but, well, let’s be honest. I’m the most important. In her Taylor Texas mystery series, she’s got dogs but mainly lots of horses. And in her Viviane’s adventures, that character is also a global house-sitter, so you’ll find all kinds of animals.

I think that’s enough for now. I hear some birds chirping outside and I need to go check on them. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in Fungi Foul Play. Maybe I’ll get to help solve another mystery again.

 

 

About the Author

 

Vikki Walton writes sassy sleuths and clever clues. Her mysteries are clean so no blushes. She has three cozy series: one set in a fictional town in Colorado, one set in a real town in Texas, and one that takes place at various places around the globe. When not out hiking the beautiful Colorado trails, you can find her pursuing her passions of gardening, traveling, and of course, reading great cozies!

 

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Hot Pot Murder (L.A. Night Market)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (June 6, 2023)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Trouble is brewing for cousins Yale and Celine Yee after a hot pot dinner gets overheated and ends in murder in this second novel of the L.A. Night Market series by Jennifer J. Chow.

Yale and Celine Yee’s food stall business is going so well that they’ve been invited to join an exclusive dinner with the local restaurant owners association. The members gather together for a relaxing hot pot feast…until Jeffery Vue, president of the group, receives a literal shock to his system and dies.

Everyone at the meal is a suspect, but the authorities are homing in on family friend Ai Ho, owner of the restaurant where Jeffery was killed—and Yale’s dad is a close second on their list. Yale and Celine step up to the plate and investigate the dinner attendees: the association’s ambitious VP, a familiar frenemy, a ramen king, a snacks shopkeeper, and a second-generation restaurateur. It’s up to the detecting duo to figure out what really happened before their friends and family have to close their businesses for good.

 

 

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About the Author

 

Jennifer J. Chow writes cozies with heart, humor, and heritage. Her newest series is the L.A. Night Market Mysteries. The first book, Death By Bubble Tea, was nominated for both an Agatha Award (Best Contemporary Novel) and a Lefty Award (Best Humorous Mystery). It hit the SoCal Indie Bestseller List multiple times and was one Aunt Agatha’s Best of Cozies 2022, Kings River Life Staff Favorites of 2022, and one of the 2022 Bestsellers at Bel Canto Books. It’s been featured in Book Riot, BookBub, Bustle, CrimeReads, Goodreads, and Mystery Scene Magazine. The New York Times Book Review said of the novel: “Yale and Celine’s growing loyalty to each other, coupled with the warmth of Chow’s prose, adds extra depth, just like the tapioca balls nestled in a glass of bubble tea.” Jennifer currently serves as President on the board of Sisters in Crime and regularly blogs at chicksonthecase.com. She is also an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America.

 

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Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings: A WWII tale (Mrs. Odboddy Mysteries)
Historical Cozy Mystery
4th in Series 
Setting – California
Elk Grove Publications (April 30, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 264 pages

 

Synopsis

 

After falling from a tree, Agnes’s behavior and delusions escalate from ‘merely eccentric,’ to ‘near mayhem ’ Still seeking a permanent home for a displaced carnival tiger, she goes to unthinkable extremes in an effort to prevent city hall from destroying the big cat. When Agnes witnesses a well-known citizen commit burglary, and the church’s beloved Good Shepherd painting goes missing, she becomes obsessed with exposing the art thief. But, questions arise whether the extent of her bizarre behavior is due to a ‘brain bleed’ from her head injury, or is something amiss in her medical treatment?

As WWII rages across the Pacific, dealing with victory gardens and rationing at home doesn’t stop Agnes from fighting the war from the home front. From city hall, to the hot seat at Newbury’s Police Department, and finally to a San Francisco mansion, Agnes pursues injustice to save a tiger and expose a shocking conspiracy at the highest levels of Newbury’s elite society.

Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings is a hilarious WWII mystery-adventure you’ll not soon forget.

 

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Rationing During WWII

 

Due to the need to feed and supply the troops, the federal government established a rationing system to conserve crucial food and supplies which required Katherine and me to reimagine how we could shop using our ration book and still cook delicious meals. The system wasn’t perfect. Whenever the government announced an item would soon be rationed, citizens stood in line in front in front of Wilkey’s Market, with intentions of buying up as much as possible, and maybe there would be none left for me. Many of us planted a Victory gardens to supplement our vegetables and canned any overflow to use this winter.

The rationing program involved giving a number of “points,” which came in the form of stamps printed inside a ration coupon book. These were distributed throughout the war to each of us, including one for our ward, Maddie, whom we met in Washington last year when I carried a package to President Roosevelt. (Mrs. Odboddy Undercover Courier). Restricted items required a certain number of points, along with money, to purchase.

Tires were rationed first, starting in January 1942, just weeks after Pearl Harbor. Fortunately, Ole’ Betsy, my Model A Ford has four good tires. Consumers could no longer buy new tires; and were required to patch or have the treads replaced on existing tires. Healthcare professionals, fire, and police could purchase new tires, also buses, and certain delivery trucks, with specific approval.

Black market trading in everything from tires to meat plagued the nation, including the black market purchase of ration books. Certain foods were rationed, starting with sugar in May 1942. Coffee was restricted to one pound per adult every six weeks for a period of time, followed by meats, fats, canned fish, cheese, and canned milk. Cuts of meat were rationed, often leaving only the internal organs to include liver, heart, neck bones, and ox tail available for purchase.

In my first novel, Mrs. Odboddy Hometown Patriot, I recognized the issue of stolen ration books and set about to expose the criminals involved. In Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings, we have become accustomed to working with ration books, cooking with limited supplies, and relying on our Victory garden to supplement our diet. One of my favorite recipes is Oxtail Stew. I’ll share the recipe with you below.

 

OXTAIL STEW

 

Dredge three large oxtails in flour and brown with an onion in butter or shortening. Add two tablespoons of bacon grease. Toss the floured meat into the frying pan with a diced onion and brown on all sides. To a large kettle, add two cups of canned beef broth, two cups of water and two cups of canned tomatoes. Add a bay leaf, a teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper. When the meat and onion are nicely browned, add to the kettle liquid, turn down the burner to simmer, and cook for three hours. During the last hour, add half a cup of carrots, half a cup of chopped celery, a tablespoon of parsley and six potatoes from the Victory garden. Just before ready to eat, thicken the gravy with flour or cornstarch.

The stew is delicious, hearty with vegetables and fairly inexpensive and can be cooked during the day, while pursuing other activities such as plotting how to expose our thieving doctor, or writing letters and making phone calls in an attempt to find a home for our displaced tiger, Shere Khan.

 

 

About the Author

 

Elaine Faber lives in Elk Grove, CA, with her husband and two feline companions. She is a member of Sisters in Crime (SIC), Elk Grove Writer’s Guild (EGWG), and Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA). Elaine volunteers with the American Cancer Society. She has published nine cozy mystery novels, and an anthology of cat stories. Her short stories are also published in 22 independent anthologies.

 

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Dying Declaration: A Legal Thriller
3rd in Series
Setting – Florida
Stony Hill Publishers (November 30, 2019)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 248 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Dr. Catherine “Cat” Powers is FBI Forensic pathologist and special agent with an uncanny sixth sense for bringing murders to justice.

During a vacation in Belize with her young son, Joey, Cat gets a phone call from her boss. Young prostitutes are being picked up, murdered and left for dead in the Florida Everglades. The first victim does not fit the killer’s modus operandi. She was a legal secretary working for the Fort Lauderdale based international law firm, Black and Knight.

As Cat investigates this and other deaths, they lead back to the firm’s henchmen and to its partners. With the help of another firm employee, Cat discovers a secret web of murder, illicit drugs, prostitution, sex trafficking, corruption and more. The firm’s partners intend to kill anyone who can lead the law back to them, including Cat.

As the body count grows, powerful people will make decisions that will change lives. Decisions that will destroy families. As Cat uncovers the conspiracy, only one partner, the mastermind, will become Cat’s ally. She will walk away, after seeing that the others are brought to justice.

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Good afternoon. My name is Thomas Pierce. I am an attorney and partner of the international Law Firm, Black and Knight. Our main offices are located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but we have office throughout the world, in locations are far-fetched as Paris, Singapore and Moscow.

So how am I involved in the cases in the novel, Dying Declaration, by Solange Ritchie, you ask? Well, the first victim of the killer, whoever he is, was a legal secretary who worked with my firm for a few months before her untimely death. She was a very lovely young lady, average work product, she enjoyed showing off her assets, if you know what I mean, especially to the young male associates that the firm employs. She was quite frankly a bit of a flirt. Anyway, her body turned up floating in South Florida waterways. The funny thing is, according to FBI special agent, Dr. Catherine (Cat) Powers, who recently interviewed me, she does not fit the m.o. of the other victims. None of them held a proper job. They were all prostitutes and streetwalkers. So according to Dr. Powers, she does not fit the profile of the other victims. Odd, if you ask me.

So, a little about me. Well, I am very good at what I do. Gone for me are the days of the billable hour. I am much more valuable to the firm as a rainmaker. In Fort Lauderdale and Miami, it is all about your connections – who you know and who they know. Let’s say I am well connected to a host of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami celebrities from sports stars to people in the world of entertainment. Many of my client live on Star Island in Miami were folks such as Gloria Estefan and Julio Iglesias have multi-million-dollar homes. I am good friends with The Rock, Dwayne Johnson. Have been for many years now.

I, and my beautiful mistress, Isabella, live in the exclusive Seven Isle community of Fort Lauderdale, on a street called Pelican Isle. Only 1,200 residents call Seven Isle home. The most expensive properties go for over $25 million. I and Isabella live in a modest $20 million dollar estate done in the Italian Rococo style. Lots of imported Italian marble and vaulted ceilings. The kind of house that lets the outside in at the mere opening of floor to ceiling French doors to the back yard. Behind the house, I house an 80-foot luxury yacht called “My Sweet Sublime.” Our home is a short distance from fine dining, sunbathing and entertainment. Ideal for when Isabella is not in the mood to cook, which is quite often. Our closest beaches are Las Olas Beach and Sebastian Street Beach, both ideal for being seen and people watching. We like spending Sundays out for lunch and then walking on the beach before retiring for a little fun and games in the bedroom. Isabella loves those afternoon trysts.

I and Isabella lead a glamourous life, as we have no children of our own and my kids from my first marriage are all grown adults now. This gives us the freedom to spend weekends out on the yacht, hosting lavish parties or just living the good life. Isabella, who is quite a few years younger than I am, knows how to keep things purring in the bedroom. She is quite an enchanting creature, and one of the smartest women I have even met. She was born in Russia and immigrated to the US. She speaks multiple languages and is able to mingle in almost every situation. And it doesn’t hurt that she is stunningly beautiful, with perfect ivory skin, a thick mane of thick red hair and eyes the color of emeralds. I am very lucky to have her in my life.

I grew up in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. My father, who is also a partner with the firm, was an international diplomate, who is now retired from that work. His connections in Russia is how I came to meet and fall in love with Isabella. Isabella and I travel quite often oversees to the Caribbean, Europe, Russia, and other countries for business. Many of the companies we represent handle exclusive rights to shipping lines, import/export and the like. It is extremely important that we maintain close and constant contact with our international clients and handle any issue that they might have.

As for this investigation into the legal secretary that was murdered, I have no idea where that will lead. I can tell you that I have no idea why the woman was abducted and murdered. Despite Dr. Powers persistent interview skills, her disappearance and death had absolutely nothing to do with this firm. As far as I know, she didn’t know anyone who would harm her. She never raised any alarms or red flags with me or anyone else who worked here regarding her safety or feeling like she was being watched or being followed. So ultimately, I have no idea where Dr. Power’s investigation will lead. I only know it won’t lead back to me or this firm.

Well, I hope that wets your whistle, so to speak, to read Dying Declaration and learn more about the story.  Have a fantastic rest of your day.

 

 

About the Author

 

BORN ON THE BEAUTIFUL TROPICAL ISLAND of Jamaica to a Jamaican father and a French mother, Solange Ritchie (then Solange Levy) immigrated to the United States at age eleven. Since then, she has become a dynamic force for change. Fed up with thrillers that start with a fizzle and longing to see more powerful women as lead characters, Solange decided to create her own characters. Despite the demands of a busy legal career, she accomplished her ambitious goal by rising each morning to write before work, dedicating her weekends to writing, and even spending her vacation time writing. Solange is fortunate to have traveled to over 19 countries in her lifetime.

Words have always been Solange’s passion – now so more than ever.

Solange achieved a successful writing career while doing “last minute trial,” mostly in Southern California. Dubbed “the Case Saver,” Solange handled intense legal motions that either make or break a case, especially in the areas of business, labor, and employment law. In 2014, she received the State Bar of California’s Solo and Small Firm’s Section’s highest award, the Myer J. Sankary Attorney of the Year Award. It is given to only one attorney each year in California.

When Solange was just thirty-seven years old, her first husband, John, died due to gross medical negligence at a leading Southern California hospital. This life-altering experience helped shape her into the person she is today. She began writing creatively to deal with the stress of his hospitalization and his death.

Solange’s first psychological thriller, The Burning Man, featuring FBI forensic pathologist Dr. Catherine “Cat” Powers was published in 2015. Her second novel in the series, Firestorm, was released to critical acclaim, on May 15, 2018. Dying Declaration is the third novel in the Dr. Catherine “Cat” Powers series. Bomb Blast is Solange’s fourth novel in the series. Solange plans at least two more books in the Dr. Catherine Powers series. A fan of things that go bump in the night, Solange has also penned a Southern Gothic novel called Fiona’s Box, which will be released shortly.

Solange lives in Southern Florida. She enjoys traveling, writing, gardening, time with her family, as well as good food and conversation. Solange is available for speaking engagements. She especially enjoys talking with book clubs.

 

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