32-year-old Madeline Boucher’s Grandfather instilled a love in the Boston Red Sox into her from an early age and increased that love by purchasing a local Independent League Baseball team, the Abington Armadillos.
After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.
A few days later when walking the ballpark during her early morning hours, she finds the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat in the Visitor’s Dugout. It was the man her brother was arguing with at the party. Madeline is concerned that her brother would be considered a suspect. Through the local Detectives and Davis – the head of security for the ballpark she learns the victim is Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon.
When her brother is arrested and taken to the police station, she realizes she needs to figure out who the real culprit is, so her brother doesn’t take the fall for something she knows he didn’t do.
Guest Post
Happy baseball playoff season everyone!
Now that my family team, the Abington Armadillos are done for the season, I was hoping the Red Sox would be in the playoffs for some more baseball action. Alas, they didn’t quite get there this year. So, on to other fall sports! (Plus, as long as the Yankees don’t win, I’ll consider that a victory).
Hi, I’m Madeline Boucher and my family owns the Abington Armadillos on the South Shore of Massachusetts. I didn’t think I was going to like it working with my family day in and day out, but honestly? It hasn’t been that bad. At least the work hasn’t been bad. I get to watch baseball all summer? And have fun planning events and activities? Sign me up.
The murder on the other hand? Not great.
Of course, it would happen right before Opening Season. And OF COURSE, I would be the one to find the body. It was not the best way to start the season that’s for sure. And then my brother being arrested for the murder? Also not great. I had to try and clear his name and make sure the murder didn’t stain my family name. I’m glad that’s over with. The family and I can go back to living our life normally now. Baseball, family dinners, and hopefully an Independent League Championship. It’s only out of 5 other teams, but it’s still impressive!
About the Author
Nicole Asselin grew up a Navy Brat, and spent her formative high school years in the middle of Pennsylvania but always identified with her New England roots. Nicole’s family is originally from Connecticut, and her Grandpa Asselin introduced her into the Red Sox nation where she has been a member for her whole life and her Grandma Asselin introduced her to the world of mystery novels.
Nicole graduated from Curry College in Milton Mass with a degree in English/Creative Writing, minoring in Dance in 2004. She also attended George Mason University and received a Master’s in Arts Management… Now working just outside of Boston as a Technical Writer, she lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her three cats Julia, Jacques, and Madeline (no relation to the main character of her book).
Nicole is a current member of Sisters in Crime (National and New England) and the Mystery Writers of America. She sits on the Board of Directors for the NE branches of both groups as Social Media Liaison.
This Christmas, Sadie Hoffmiller Cunningham is making a list and checking it twice. For the first time since she and
Pete married five years ago, their combined families are gathering for the holidays in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a party that would make Santa and Mrs. Claus proud.
She just has to bake the famous Cunningham Candy Cane Cake, make sure the looming snowstorm doesn’t derail everyone’s travel plans, and oh, yes, solve one teensy-tiny mystery before the big day.
At ninety-four and nearly blind, Mary, Sadie’s friend and neighbor, knows this will be her last Christmas. When Sadie learns that someone has stolen antique Christmas ornaments from Mary’s tree, she vows to find the thief, no matter what. The ornaments had been appraised at more than
$40,000, but they were worth even more to Mary, who had intended to bequeath them to her great-granddaughter, Joy, as a final gift.
With Pete in Arizona wrapping up a case of his own, it’s up to Sadie to question the residents of Nicholas House, where Mary lives, and deduce who had the means and the motive to steal heirloom ornaments during what should be the most wonderful time of the year.
When stories of other thefts surface, Sadie feels like she’s creating a “naughty” list that could rival Santa’s. Identifying the thief, recovering the ornaments, and restoring them to Mary’s tree in time will take a Christmas miracle—and maybe a few extra-special cookies.
“Sadie Hoffmiller dishes up a fresh serving of Christmas cheer. An inspirational cozy whose feel-good vibe will be perfect for fans of Julie Hyzy’s and Nancy J. Parra. Readers with a sweet tooth will be sure to enjoy Sadie’s family recipes, sprinkled throughout the book.” -Booklist
“Kilpack represents a nice range of ages in this story, and the relationships feel both real and aspirational. The clues and solution are complex enough to keep readers guessing. Recipes are included, making this a fun choice for cookbook discussion groups as well as general readers. Twelve previous “Culinary Mystery” titles precede this entry, which can be read on its own.” -Library Journal
Review
Sadie is back! I thought this series was over a few years ago but was thrilled to see at least one more book in this series to give us a peek into what Sadie has been up to since she married Pete. They are enjoying life and she has hung up her investigating shoes until someone steals some of Mary’s priceless ornaments from the tree in her room at the local nursing home. With Pete out of town for work, she pulls out her sleuthing skills to determine who might have stolen the ornaments and why.
I have to say I did not expect the thief to be this character. I truly had my eyes peeled another way or two and never suspected this person. But beyond the mystery, this book was also about forgiveness and not letting those that you love stray too far from your life before it is too late.
There are many recipes in the book that made my mouth water and I’m going to have to try some of them out very soon.
We give this book 5 paws up. If you have never read of the books in this series, you might want to start at the beginning or at least part of the way through the series to learn about the characters.
About the Author
Josi S. Kilpack is an accomplished and prolific author of nearly two dozen novels including the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. She has won multiple Whitney Awards for Mystery/Suspense, Romance, and Novel of the Year as well as the Utah Best of State Fiction Winner. She lives with her family in Utah.
The Last Thing She Said (A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #3) by Lauren Carr
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 386 pages
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: July 22, 2019
Synopsis
“I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again.
For decades, the writer’s fate remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold case to uncover what had really happened that night Mercedes Livingston walked out of Hill House Hotel. Watch out! The clues are getting hot!
Guest Post
Meet Doris Matheson – Not Your Average Grandmother
By Lauren Carr
I’m a people watcher. I was really no fun back in my single days because instead of listening to my dates, I would be spying to the strangers at the next table in an effort to figure them out. After almost thirty years of marriage, my husband knows what’s happening when he sees that look in my eye, when I become more interested in a particularly juicy exchange happening at the next table. That’s when he’ll break out his cell phone to text our son, “She’s doing it again.”
My favorite part of being a writer is finding new characters and exploring their minds and backgrounds to figure out what makes them tick. I enjoy presenting the character to the readers as a whole, and then, through the story, I slowly peel back the layers to show the reader what is underneath—who that character really is.
Admittedly, I knew while writing Ice that some readers may think I was pushing the envelope with Doris Matheson, who is not your average grandmother. No, Doris is not a hipster, who dances to disco, rides around on a motorcycle, or chases men. Rather, she is a strong, compassionate woman whose tuna casserole can be considered a weapon.
While going through the edits for Ice, I felt a sense of recognition when reading the mother and son exchanges. It wasn’t until I was proofreading my latest mystery that it hit me.
Doris Matheson is my mother!
I had no idea while creating the character of Chris’s sixty-five-year-old mother, a spunky, take charge library director, that I had based her on my own mother, who had passed away the year before. To tell you the truth, I don’t know if it was by accident or my subconscious at work.
Like Doris, my mother was an avid reader, particularly of murder mysteries. Actually, to tell you the truth, if the book didn’t have a dead body in it, my mother wasn’t interested. She went to school in a one-room school house. Even though she didn’t attend college, she had common sense and wasn’t shy about sharing it with her children.
A beautiful blonde, my mother was also a farm girl, who was a regular at all of the libraries in our small town. One librarian told me that behind her back, everyone called her “that beautiful lady.” She was truly a lady, who conducted herself with class. A widow, she had more dates than I did when I was in high school.
But my mother was no push-over. Every time we have to buy a new vehicle, my husband recalls when we bought our first car together as a married couple. Since my mother worked for General Motors, she and her family had an employee discount. Finding the best deal in her area, Jack and I traveled to Ohio and sat in silence while Mom haggled with the salesman. Through each issue, the salesman would relent with a groan and “Oh, Beryl.” She even made sure we left that dealership with a full tank of gas.
That strength of character is evident in this scene from The Last Thing She Said in which Doris and Elliott, a fellow member of the Geezer Squad to a club to question the club owner, a suspect in the cold case they are investigating:
“Why can’t I be the bad cop?” Doris asked Elliott after they had parked his SUV in the parking lot of Kyle Billingsley’s night club.
“Because getting arrested for assault is not on my bucket list.” Elliott opened the driver’s door and slid out. He went around to the passenger side to open Doris’s door. “We promised Chris that we were only going to talk to him again to see if he can give us more information. Helen seems to think he knows more than he’s saying. Chris believes he’s a patsy. Our job is to find out which it is.”
“Chris believes in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt,” Doris said with a frown.
“Don’t you?”
“Not when they try to come between me and the love of my life.”
Elliott sighed. “Why do I have the feeling we’re not talking about Kyle Billingsley anymore?”
At lunchtime, it was too early for the night club to open. Finding the front doors locked, Elliott peered through the plate glass windows in search of someone to let them inside while Doris disappeared around the corner.
Upon realizing she was gone, Elliott rushed into the alley just in time to see her slip through the employee entrance. “Doris! You get back here!” he ordered in a stage whisper to catch her attention while not alerting the workers unloading produce from a food delivery truck. As he drew closer to the door, he pressed his body against the wall to stay out of sight until they turned their backs long enough for him dash inside.
“Doris!” He searched the work area littered with sound equipment, furniture, and cases of alcohol. “Where are you?” He finally caught sight of her through an open doorway in which a case of Mexican beer acted as a door stop. “There you are.” He took her arm by the elbow. “What do you think you’re doing?”
She wrested out of his grasp. “I’m looking for Kyle Billingsley. We have to find him before we can talk to him.”
A muscle-bound man in a tank top stood up from where he had been working in a cupboard behind the bar. When Bart saw the couple standing before him, he almost jumped out of his boots. “How did you get in here?”
“Through the side door,” Doris said. “You really need to hire better help. There’s no telling what kind of riff-raff could walk in off the streets.”
Bart laid his huge hands flat on the bar.
“We’re looking for Kyle Billingsley,” Elliott said.
“Who’s lookin’?”
“Weren’t you listening?” Doris stepped forward. “We’re looking for him.”
“And who the hell are you?” Bart reached into his pocket.
Recognizing the outline of a gun, Elliott reached into his pocket for his concealed weapon.
“Get your hands out of your pockets and stand up straight!” Doris snapped.
His eyes wide, Bart yanked his hands out of his pockets and held them up for her to see.
“Do you seriously think that my asking to see Mr. Billingsley would be grounds enough for you to take out that pathetic little concealed weapon of yours and shoot me? What type of idiot are you? Are you suicidal or just plain stupid?” She jerked her thumb in Elliott’s direction. “Do you really think you could get the both of us before he took you out? And we haven’t even begun to talk about manners. Were you raised by wolves or what? Shooting complete strangers is just plain rude. You didn’t even have the courtesy to ask for our names before you went reaching for that sorry little gun in your pocket. If you’re going to shoot someone, at least get their names first.”
“I’m sorry. I—I was just—I just—I had an itch.”
“An itch my foot!” Doris pointed at the door behind the bar. “Now, go get Mr. Billingsley.”
“But—”
“No buts. Shoo!” She flapped both hands at him.
Like an obedient child, Bart hurried through the door leading to the inner offices.
“I have a feeling if we had more mothers out walking the streets, violent crime would drop significantly,” Elliott said.
“I know if we had more mothers out on the streets that violent crime would drop significantly,” Doris said. “Unfortunately, there would also be a proportionate rise in lawsuits for being rude to felons.”
Kyle Billingsley tottered out from his office. Upon seeing their good friend’s older brother, Doris and Elliott were taken aback. With effort, they concealed their surprise.
Maybe Shannon was adopted, Doris thought as she took in the loose flesh on Kyle’s bony arms and legs and the potbelly. The pink hair fin on top of his head and matching earplugs didn’t help.
The jewels on the rings that adorned his fingers glinted off the bright lights in the lounge when he reached up to take the cigar out of his mouth. “Bart said you wanted to see me. What’s this about?”
Doris regrouped to respond. “I’m here about your sister Shannon. I believe you spoke to my son on Sunday. We have more questions.”
“What gives? I’d answered all of his questions.” Kyle turned in Bart’s direction and shook his cane at him. “Did you water down the scotch I gave him, Bart?”
The bartender vigorously shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Then what’d I do that he felt like he had to send his mother after me?”
“I don’t know, boss, but I wouldn’t mess with her if I was you.”
“If I were you,” Doris said to correct his grammar.
“What if you were me?”
“It’s if—”
Elliott cut Doris off by ushering her across the lounge to a table where Kyle was taking a seat.
Readers will find that Doris’s power is not due to wealth or political position. After all, she is only the director of a small library. Rather, she has earned the respect of those around her through intelligence, compassion, and strength.
Yep, that’s my mom. I can’t wait for you to meet her. You’re gonna love her.
Trailer
About the Author
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Thorny Rose, Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries—over twenty titles across four fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Two and a half weeks ago magazine crafts editor Anastasia Pollack arrived home to find Ira Pollack, her half-brother-in-law, had blinged out her home with enough Christmas lights to rival Rockefeller Center. Now he’s crammed her small yard with enormous cavorting inflatable characters. She and photojournalist boyfriend (and possible spy) Zack Barnes pack up the unwanted lawn decorations to return to Ira. They arrive to find his yard the scene of an over-the-top Christmas extravaganza. His neighbors are not happy with the animatronics, laser light show, and blaring music creating traffic jams on their normally quiet street. One of them expresses his displeasure with his fists before running off.
In the excitement, the deflated lawn ornaments are never returned to Ira. The next morning Anastasia once again heads to his house before work to drop them off. When she arrives, she discovers Ira’s attacker dead in Santa’s sleigh. Ira becomes the prime suspect in the man’s murder and begs Anastasia to help clear his name. But Anastasia has promised her sons she’ll keep her nose out of police business. What’s a reluctant amateur sleuth to do?
Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide, is the eighth book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series. I have always gotten ideas for my plots from actual events I’ve read about or seen on the news, and this time is no different. The plot is inspired by a murder that occurred in New Jersey last year. But as with most of my other “ripped from the headlines” stories, to say more would reveal a huge plot spoiler.
However, my series is about more than just having my amateur sleuth solve a murder in each book. Family drama and interactions play a huge role in my books, and the various supporting characters all have story arcs that move along from book to book.
Since I introduced Anastasia’s half-brother-in-law in Revenge of the Crafty Corpse, the third book in the series, readers have gotten to know Ira Pollack and his three extremely spoiled children, all of whom continue to try poor Anastasia’s patience. But for all her Jersey Girl attitude, Anastasia is a genuinely nice person. She may think nasty thoughts, but she never acts on them. The fact that she continues to allow her hateful communist mother-in-law to live with her speaks volumes to her character.
However, when Ira moves from across the state to across town and inserts himself and his kids deeper into her life, Anastasia’s patience begins to reach its limit—a fact that comes to a head in Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide.
About The Author
USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.
He’s afraid of losing his girlfriend. But maybe he should be more concerned about the dead body she’s crying over?
Marty Golden can barely string a voicemail message together, let alone keep up with his new love. This quirky uncle’s hectic Silicon Valley lifestyle needs a reboot when a youth league soccer game becomes a murder scene. And nothing can stop him from donning his amateur sleuth uniform when he discovers his sweetheart used to have quite a thing for the dead guy …
With a not-so-helpful paw from Buddy the Labrador, he does his best to sniff out a long list of possible suspects. But between gossipy soccer moms and the costume-clad members of a Renaissance Faire, Marty’s theories fall harder than a jousted knight.
Can Marty solve the case before the trail and his new flame grow cold?
Serf and Turf is the third book in the zany, Silicon Valley cozy mystery series. If you like laugh-out-loud comedy, dorky sleuths, and a festival of old-world fun, then you’ll love Marc Jedel’s humorous murder mystery.
Review
With all of the possibilities available for the who the killer might be, the answer came out of left field!
Marty is still a quirky engineer that helps design a driverless car for a company called Rover. I crack up every time he has the car “stay” especially when he is in an area that getting another car would be nearly impossible. He has two adorable nieces that are spitfires, a compassionate neighbor that helps him out especially when he doesn’t even know he needs help, a girlfriend that has many interests that confound Marty at times, and a sister that loves to drive a “loud” car when it comes to the paint color. And we can’t forget Buddy, his sister and niece’s dog, that Marty somehow gets roped into taking care of more than he expects.
I have to laugh at how Marty thinks he is a special investigator for the police, but it is his sleuthing that usually helps solve the case and this book is no different. Detective Mace has given Marty a code name so when they type Marty’s name into the computer it pops up and the police tend to treat Marty a little differently. I had to laugh when he learns what his codename is in the system. Normally he has his coworker Raj helping him, but Raj is out of the country and he has a new coworker assisting, Fernando. There are some tense situations that arise but everyone keeps their cool and escapes unscathed, at least somewhat.
I enjoy the witty banter between characters and trying to solve the mystery. The concept of the driverless car is always fascinating and what new features they are adding to the vehicle.
At the end of the second book, we were left hanging to the color of the new car for Laney and we finally learn the color about 2/3 of the way through the book. WOW is about all I’m going to say.
Overall we enjoyed the book and give it 4 paws up.
About the Author
For most of my life, I’ve been inventing stories. Some, especially when I was young, involved my sister as the villain. As my sister’s brother for her entire life, I’m highly qualified to tell the tale of this evolving, quirky sibling relationship.
My writing skills were honed in years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley. While my high tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, we called these marketing collateral, emails, and ads.
The publication of my first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave me permission to claim “author” as my job. And achieving Amazon Best Seller status gave me even better adjectives to use in front of “author.” This has led to way more interesting discussions than answering “marketing.”
My family would tell you that Marty’s character isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination for me, but I’m comfortable with that situation.
Like Marty, I live in Silicon Valley and can’t believe that otherwise normal people would willingly jump out of an airplane and call it fun. Unlike Marty, I have a wonderful wife and a neurotic but sweet, small dog, who is often the first to weigh in on the humor in my writing.
Reason for Concern: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina
Publisher: Brandt Street Press (August, 2019)
Category: Cozy Mystery, Women Sleuths
Available in Print and ebook, 240 pages
Synopsis
Mrs. B is back on the case with a new mystery to solve!
People don’t vanish into thin air. Yet no one has seen Alice since St. Mary’s Senior Center had their Supper Club outing on Sunday. As Mrs. B learns more about her friend, the disappearance seems to involve a burglary, an emerald necklace and maybe even a motorcycle gang.
Downtown Hopewell appeared to consist of three establishments. The first looked like an old-fashioned corner store. White plastic tables and chairs sat outside, apparently to allow patrons to drink the “Ice Tea” offered prominently in their signage. A large, stately oak tree shaded the building. On a telephone pole near the doorway, a poster advertised the county fair. Up above the poster sat a metal Greyhound Bus sign. The other two buildings were a doctor’s office and a bait shop.
Anne pulled up along the curb outside the store. Mrs. B pulled her purse out from under the seat. As they got out of their car, the roar of two enormous black motorcycles made them turn and look behind them.
Two young men in leather vests parked at the curb. The shorter one, sporting a big grin and a mass of blond curls, gave a long whistle as he walked toward them. “Nine-teen sixty eight! This your car?”
“My grandson’s. He’s in the service. Afghanistan.” Anne smiled back. “I told him I’d keep it in my garage, but you have to take them out once in a while, don’t you?”
“Sure. Blow the carbon out.” He ran his hand along the fender as he circled it slowly. “Baby blue. Bay-bee blue. This is one fine car. Original upholstery?”
Anne tilted her head to consider. “I think so.”
He nodded toward Mrs. B, then held out his hand. “Haven’t seen you ladies out this way before. I’m Boom.” They both shook his hand while a large, dark man hovered over them. “This here’s Tiny.” Tiny looked at Boom, then nodded toward the ladies.
Boom said, “You ever need that Mustang serviced, you come out our way. I promise not to sneak it out for a drive. Or two.”
Anne and Mrs. B both laughed.
As the men disappeared into the store, Boom said in a loud whisper, “Matches her eyes, don’t it, Tiny? That baby blue.” Then he gave Anne a wink as the door closed.
When the bikers were out of sight, Anne whispered to Mrs. B, “What’s that say on the back of their vests?”
“M.C., it said. I’d guess it’s an insignia for a motorcycle club,” Mrs. B said. She was looking at the poster on the telephone pole. “The county fair’s today.”
“Oh, yeah. The fairground’s just over that rise.” Anne pointed. “Always had to take the kids to the county fair when they were little.”
“Me, too. Wasn’t that a long day,” Mrs. B said.
“The kids used to love it,” Anne said. “Not me, so much. All those stinky cows.”
“They did have funnel cakes.”
“Oooh, good point.”
Anne peered over Mrs. B’s shoulder at the brightly colored poster. “When I was little, I always wanted to run away to the circus, like Toby Tyler. Didn’t you?”
Before Mrs. B had a chance to answer, Boom and Tiny came back outside, each lighting a cigarette. When they got to the bottom of the steps, a woman in a white t-shirt and jeans opened the door and said, “Hey, Boom.”
He turned around.
“You going down over the hill?”
“We can,” Boom said. “Why? What do you need?”
“Tell the professor I got those solar batteries in?”
“Sure,” Boom said.
He and Tiny walked by the ladies on the way back to their bikes. Tiny was even bigger close up. Mrs. B felt like a mouse next to an elephant. As the men drove away, they both nodded toward Anne and Mrs. B. The ladies waved.
Anne said, “I can’t remember the last time I was winked at. They were good-looking young fellows, too.” She walked toward the door of the little store, then looked back at Mrs. B. “So what exactly is a motorcycle club, I wonder. Like the Kiwanis? Or do they hold races and things like that?”
“Sometimes it can be a criminals club,” Mrs. B said.
“Well, I thought those young men were nice,” Anne said.
Mrs. B had to agree. “They were very polite.”
“They were charming.” Anne wouldn’t be dissuaded. “You know, people aren’t always bad just because they’re criminals.” She opened the door and they were hit with a blast of cold air. “Remember how nice New Cannington used to be when the Mafia ran it? You never saw drug dealings or muggings or anything like that. My cousins who lived out there didn’t even lock their doors.”
Guest Review
Reason for Concern: Mrs. B Mystery by Anita Kulina
Review by Betty B.
When I tell you to picture a detective or a sleuth, what do you see? Probably a grizzled old, cigar-chomping, trench coat-wearing man right? The kinda guy who never sleeps, only drinks black coffee, and solves crimes by frowning at them. You probably don’t picture a little old lady who investigates mysteries in between knitting scarves for her daughter and games of pinochle at a senior center. Enter Mrs. B.
Mrs. B is just the kind of sweet old woman that you appreciate having as a neighbor. She’s friendly, thoughtful, kind and conscientious. She loves her town and her friends and doesn’t intend to give either of them up until the day she dies. This, of course, explains why she immediately feels the need to investigate when her friend goes missing. T
he story opens with Mrs. B waiting for her friend, Alice, expecting to give her a ride home. When Alice never emerges from the senior center, Mrs. B goes looking for her, only to find that no one knows where she went. Of course, Mrs. B feels compelled to find her friend, and what ensues is the main mystery of the book. Where has Alice gone? Why has no one seen her?
This novel was right up my alley in terms of a nice mystery with a good resolution and well-written, fleshed out characters. Anita Kulina’s writing is witty, interesting and the characters just feel very alive while you’re reading them. I adored Mrs. B and her inner world. So little attention is paid to older women in our society and it’s revolutionary to see one as the main character of a novel at all, let alone a mystery. It was so nice to read a story like this from the perspective of such a unique character. I can’t wait to read more by this author!
About the Author
Anita Kulina has been writing since she was nine years old and kneeling, pencil in hand, at the coffee table in a house very much like Mrs. B’s. Nowadays, she writes mystery books. When she’s not writing, she helps people tell their family stories. Anita’s other books are Millhunks and Renegades and A Question of Devotion: A Mrs. B Mystery.
Librarian Lucy Richardson unearths a mysterious map dating back to the Civil War. But if she can’t crack its code, she may end up read and buried.
The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Book Club is reading Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne while workers dig into the earth to repair the Lighthouse Library’s foundations. The digging halts when Lucy pulls a battered tin box containing a Civil War-era diary from the pit. Tucked inside is a hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks accompanied by a page written in an indecipherable code.
The library is overrun by people clamoring to see the artifact. Later that night, Lucy and Connor McNeil find the body of historical society member Jeremy Hughes inside the library. Clearly Jeremy was not the only one who broke into the library–the map and the coded page are missing.
Lucy’s nemesis, Louise Jane McKaughnan, confesses to entering the library after closing to sneak a peek but denies seeing Jeremy–or his killer. When Lucy discovers that fellow-librarian Charlene had a past with Jeremy, she’s forced to do what she vowed not to do–get involved in the case. Meanwhile, the entire library staff and community become obsessed with trying to decode the page. But when the library has a second break in, it becomes clear that someone is determined to solve that code.
I practically know Jake’s menu by heart. I didn’t have to think hard about what to order. “Shrimp and grits please.”
“You’re becoming a true Southern woman,” Connor said.
“If Southern means shrimp and grits, then I’m in. And a couple of hush puppies too, please.”
Reading Up A Storm by Eva Gates
I hadn’t even checked the menu. I didn’t need to: I know it by heart. I asked for the shrimp and grits, as I usually did. Jake’s were the best in Nags Head, if not the entire Outer Banks. Maybe all of North Carolina. Connor ordered a steak, rare, with a baked potato and Caesar salad, and we handed our unopened menus to the waiter.
“I never understand why you come to a seafood place as special as Jake’s and have steak and potatoes,” I said.
Connor just grinned at me and took a sip of his beer.
Read and Buried by Eva Gates
My dedication to accuracy in my novels is impressive if I do say so myself.
The Lighthouse Library Mystery series from Crooked Lane Books is set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Like my protagonist, Lucy Richardson who hails from Boston, I am not a southerner. But, like Lucy, I am keen to experience all that the Outer Banks has to offer.
Case in point: Shrimp and Grits
In a recent visit to the area, I was there for three nights. I had shrimp and grits three times.
The first night I went to Owens in Nags Head, which is something of an institution, having been in the same family for almost seventy years. That’s pretty impressive by North American standards. (In 2014 I went to the worlds’ oldest continuously operating restaurant, Botin’s in Madrid, which has been a restaurant since 1725. But I digress.) Owen’s is a beautiful restaurant, with cosy alcoves and large main rooms, beautiful furniture, and rich dark walls. The tables are set with white tablecloths, shining silver, and sparkling stemware. When I travel I like to eat locally, so I ordered the shrimp and grits.
Oh. Oh again. It was marvellous. Rich and spicy and delicious. And, I must say, not cheap.
The next night, I went to Pamlico Jacks. This is a more casual place than Owens, with a lovely outdoor dining area overlooking Roanoke Sound. I ordered shrimp and grits again. They were cheaper than at Owens and very good, if not exactly marvellous.
Night three, I realized I had to cut back a bit on my dinner expenditure so I went to a very casual place in Nags Head. The shrimp and grits were much cheaper than the other two places, and it showed. In fact, I didn’t even finish them. Once I’d picked off the few shrimp and sausages and the small amount of grits that were coated in the sauce, I realized that unadorned grits aren’t particularly tasty.
So, in shrimp and grits, as in life, quality shows. And sometimes it costs money too.
The location of Pamlico Jacks (if perhaps not the pirate theme) is the inspiration for Jake’s Seafood Bar in the Lighthouse Library books. Like me, Lucy Richardson will be regularly ordering the shrimp and grits. With a side order of hush puppies. Lucy and I have both decided we love North Carolina cooking!
About the Author
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. She has written more than thirty books: clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals, to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. She is currently writing four cozy mystery series: the Tea By The Sea mysteries for Kensington, the Year Round Christmas mysteries for Penguin Random House, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series and, as Eva Gates, the Lighthouse Library books for Crooked Lane.
Vicki is a past president of the Crime Writers of Canada and co-founder and organizer of the Women Killing It crime writing festival. She lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.
It’s Halloween, and excitement is brewing in Braxton to carve jack-o’-lanterns, go on haunted hayrides, and race through the spooky corn maze at the Fall Festival.
Despite the former occupant’s warnings, Kellan renovates and moves into a mysterious old house. When a ruthless ghost promises retribution, our fearless professor turns to the eccentric town historian and an eerie psychic to communicate with the apparition. Meanwhile, construction workers discover a fifty-year-old skeleton after breaking ground on the new Memorial Library wing.
While Kellan and April dance around the chemistry sparking between them, a suspicious accident occurs at the Fall Festival. Soon, Kellan discovers the true history and dastardly connections of the Grey family. But can he capture the elusive killer – and placate the revenge-seeking ghost.
About the Author
James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island and currently live in New York City, but I’ve traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). After college, I spent 15 years working in technology and business operations in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Although I enjoyed my job, I left in 2016 to focus on my passion: telling stories and connecting people through words. My debut novel is ‘Watching Glass Shatter,’ a contemporary fiction family drama with elements of mystery, suspense, humor and romance.
What do I do outside of writing: I’m an avid genealogist (discovered 2K family members going back about 250 years) and cook (I find it so hard to follow a recipe). I love to read; between Goodreads and my Blog, I have over 900 book reviews which will give you a full flavor for my voice and style. On my blog, there is humor, tears, love, friendship, advice and bloopers. Lots of bloopers where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dogs have segments where they complain about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real and show how I live every day.
Happily settled in her cozy cottage with its resident ghost, Cass Peake looks forward to Halloween. Then another corpse is found on her beachfront. With the support of family and her ghostly roommate, Cass investigates. To her dismay, she finds the murder victim handled her goofy neighbor’s trust fund and he was in dire need of money. The suspect list grows with a former husband, another needy relative, and a maybe shady accountant who suddenly disappears. To top it all off, rumors circulate about treasure hidden in Cass’s cottage.
Detective George Ho doesn’t like his ex-girlfriend snooping around. Despite that, sparks still fly between him and Cass. But superstitious George has no idea Cass’s home is haunted. Can Cass solve the mystery and renew the romance with her ghost-adverse ex?
Guest Post
George’s Musings on Seeing Cass After Years Apart
What a shock to see Cass at a murder scene! It had been years. She did not look happy to see me, and the first words out of her mouth were: “George Ho, what are you doing here?” I told her then I was with the police as if I had to justify my presence. To me she looked just the same. She seemed distracted, and I felt a flash of anger that quickly devolved into annoyance. What right had she to intrude on my new life? I was just getting established in the Las Lunas PD. Was she following me? But logic told me that wasn’t true. And wasn’t she married to that guy? What’s his name? The stable one who didn’t want to be a cop? Then I felt a lurch of guilt. Wasn’t it partially my fault? Maybe all my fault. I wouldn’t … I shouldn’t dwell on the past. Phil. That was his name. He must be around here somewhere. I pulled myself together and realized she was telling me that she’d bought the house behind her. My heart double-tapped, so I started questioning her. I handed her my card and told her to call me if she thought of anything else. She shoved my card in her pocket, barely glancing at it. Okay. I could play it cool, too. I winked at her, turned, and walked away without looking back.
I tried to put her out of my mind, but I couldn’t control my reaction the next time I saw her. I’d told Rusty about Cass and my feelings. Rusty’s a good friend and a terrific actress. She played it to the hilt, practically wrapping herself around me and gazing up at me adoringly. I took her to dinner for that performance. But I did feel bad for Cass when I found out she was divorced. I know how important the right sort of marriage is to her.
I didn’t see her again until we brought her in for questioning. I couldn’t look her in the eyes. She seemed so subdued. Then she left me a message. That surprised me. I called the number, left her some info about her friend, and told her she should have left her cell number. Surprised me when she texted it. But then we executed a search warrant on a bookstore owner, and Cass was there, having dinner at his house. I was relieved when I was called away. My job was still putting me at odds with Cass. I had to do something. I needed to find out if she was okay. From my perspective, the past few days had been brutal for her. Then her brother Jack called me to go to her house and keep an eye on her while they took her cat to the vet. That surprised me, but Jack and I had always gotten on well. He told me about the graffiti and the damage to her house. Then I felt fear and knew I hadn’t stopped loving her.
About the Author
I currently live in Cape May County in New Jersey after spending years in the San Francisco Bay Area with my Maine Coon cats Sierra and Ginger. I attended Clarion Writers Workshop for Science Fiction and Fantasy at Michigan State University and sold a story I wrote there to Damon Knight for The Clarion Awards anthology. I wrote technical manuals in Silicon Valley and also published several poems and science articles as well as a couple of chapters in Research & Professional Resources in Children’s Literature: “Piecing a Patchwork Quilt.” I’ve also taught English in high school and community colleges.
Exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake is nervous about her new job at the White Pine Wolf Preserve, but it turns out that the care and feeding of wild carnivores may be the least dangerous part of the gig . . .
Pet-sitter Belinda Blake is no stranger to dealing with wild animals, but she’s wary when the owner of the Greenwich, Connecticut, preserve asks her to help out with her “fluffy darlings.” Her caution seems justified on her very first day, when she discovers a tour guide—dead, bloodied, and surrounded by wolves in the enclosure.
Was it death by predator or something more sinister? The body count rises, but something’s not adding up. As she gets to know the rescued wolves and wolf-dog hybrids better, Belinda realizes that her human colleagues are not above suspicion. With help from her own “pack”—her pregnant sister, Red the chauffeur/bodyguard, and hunky farmer Jonas—Belinda is hot on the killer’s tail, but if she doesn’t find him soon, he’ll do more than muzzle her to keep the truth from escaping.
What a wonderful followup book in this series. I’ve really grown to like Belinda and her investigative skills, even if she ends up in the hot seat more than she expected.
The story is engaging and I like that Belinda seeks out petsitting for exotic pets. The first book was a snake and in this book, it is helping at a wolf preserve. All is going well until an employee turns up dead in what appears to be a wolf attack. There are other unfortunate incidents at the preserve and there are multiple suspects to consider and motives. I was surprised when the killer was revealed as I didn’t really suspect this character as a killer. Yes, something unusual was happening but we don’t really know what. There are several possibilities but no character stood out to me until the end when Belinda finds herself in the crosshairs of the killer.
Outside of the mystery, I really enjoy Belinda’s character and her multiple talents. Who else could review video games and be an exotic pet sitter at the same time?! A potential career change is suggested to her at the end of the book and she is seriously considering the change. I’m not going to tell you what, you’ll have to read the book and find out. Belinda also has some love interests…although I am perplexed at the potential relationship with Jonas because I thought in the first book he was in a relationship with someone else. Perhaps he broke up with that woman and I just don’t remember…that is very possible as many books as I read!
Overall we give this book 5 paws up and await the next book in this series.
About the Author
Heather Day Gilbert, an ECPA Christy award finalist and Grace award winner, writes contemporary mysteries and Viking historicals. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love. Like Belinda Blake, Heather plays video games, although so far she hasn’t done any exotic pet-sitting or hunted any murderers.
Nicole Asselin grew up a Navy Brat, and spent her formative high school years in the middle of Pennsylvania but always identified with her New England roots. Nicole’s family is originally from Connecticut, and her Grandpa Asselin introduced her into the Red Sox nation where she has been a member for her whole life and her Grandma Asselin introduced her to the world of mystery novels.
Josi S. Kilpack is an accomplished and prolific author of nearly two dozen novels including the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. She has won multiple Whitney Awards for Mystery/Suspense, Romance, and Novel of the Year as well as the Utah Best of State Fiction Winner. She lives with her family in Utah.
About the Author
About The Author
About the Author
James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island and currently live in New York City, but I’ve traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). After college, I spent 15 years working in technology and business operations in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Although I enjoyed my job, I left in 2016 to focus on my passion: telling stories and connecting people through words. My debut novel is ‘Watching Glass Shatter,’ a contemporary fiction family drama with elements of mystery, suspense, humor and romance.
About the Author
About the Author
