Chutes and Ladder: A Silicon Valley Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
BGM Press (March 12, 2019)
Print Length: 195 pages

Synopsis

Dead friend. Free fall. Girl Scouts. Can Uncle Marty untangle the mystery before things really get out of control?

Juggling a budding relationship, demanding job, and mischievous nieces, Marty Golden struggled to keep his head above water — even before his friend’s death. Trying his best to be a good boyfriend and fun uncle, Marty had his own ideas for the weekend until his cunning sister tricked him again.

Convinced his friend’s death was no accident, Marty tries to summon superhero powers but merely manages to bumble along as an amateur sleuth. When Marty’s cousin shows up, she wreaks havoc with his plans and pulls him into yet another mystery.

As threats blossom, Marty doubles down now that his family’s involved. Besides, it’s poor manners to let your friend’s death go unsolved.

Can Marty figure out what happened before a killer, or his imagination, gets to him?

Chutes and Ladder is the second novel in a refreshingly modern mystery series set in Silicon Valley. If you like clever humor and wacky side characters, you’ll love this twisty mystery.

Review

Marty is back for more of his antics along with his two precious nieces and a co-worker that seems to be topping him when it comes to American sayings.

This is a good follow up to the first in this series, Uncles and Ants.  I still wonder about Marty and how he inserts himself into the cases and seems to think he is part of the investigative team.  I also wonder about his state of mind and as much as he jumps around and to conclusions, I still wonder if he is on the spectrum or leaning that way.  Despite that, I enjoy Marty’s quirkiness because it adds that little something that every story needs to make it stand out.

The mystery was engaging and while I had some suspicions as to the guilty party, I did not figure it out until it was revealed.  I think there were enough clues buried in the text but I enjoyed that it wasn’t obvious and it made me think about the potential motives of the suspected characters.

The book does leave you hanging on one fact – Marty’s sister’s car was totaled in the first book and in this one, she is waffling between what wacky color she is going to paint her new car….but it isn’t revealed which means I have to read the next book to find out!

Overall I have enjoyed this series and wonder what the author could come up with for the next book.  We give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

In my family, I was born first — a fact my sister never lets me forget, no matter what milestone age she hits.

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 the evolving, quirky sibling relationship in Uncle and Ants: A Silicon Valley Mystery.

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.

My family and friends would tell you that Marty’s character isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination for me, but I proudly resemble that remark.

Website * Facebook* LinkedIn * Goodreads * BookBub

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Murder in Tranquility Park (A Ferrara Family Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (March 26, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages

Synopsis

Alberta Scaglione and her twentysomething granddaughter, Jinx, love to spend time—and solve crime—together . . .

Ever since Alberta Scaglione inherited her spinster aunt’s Cape Cod cottage, she’s been enjoying the good life in Tranquility, New Jersey, with her black cat, Lola. But since things are mostly quiet in this town, she finds other things to do—like joining Jinx for morning jogs in Tranquility Park. She has to do something to stay healthy, as long as it doesn’t involve Jinx’s healthful tofu sausages and gluten-free pasta. But when they stumble across a treehouse hidden in the trees, and a dead body underneath it, they take a detour into solving a murder. Now the Ferrara ladies will have to exercise extreme caution to avoid a permanent decline in their health . . .

Includes Italian recipes from Alberta’s kitchen!

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound

About the Author

Italian by birth, Jersey by upbringing, J. D. Griffo is an award-winning playwright and author who has written ten novels, over twenty plays, and a handful of screenplays that have yet to see the light of day.

Griffo studied Journalism and Marketing at New York University, graduating magna cum laude many, many years ago, as well as Creative Writing at the New School and Gotham Writer’s Workshop.

And the J. D. stands for the author’s mother – Jean Dolores – who absolutely loved to read and tell stories.

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The Hidden Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (March 26, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

Synopsis

Former reality TV baking show contestant and recent divorcée Hope Early is trying to find her recipe for success as a food blogger—but murder keeps getting in the mix . . .

When Hope’s elderly neighbor perishes in a home fire, she can’t help but feel somewhat responsible. Only the day before, Peggy Olson had called her over, having burned a pot on the stove while she was sleeping and filling the house with smoke. In fact, she couldn’t even remember cooking. Clearly, it was dangerous for the woman to live alone.

But it turns out she wasn’t alone. When a second body is discovered in the basement of the burned house, suddenly what appeared to be a tragic accident is beginning to look like premeditated murder. As rumors spread like wildfire, Hope is determined to sort out the facts and smoke out a killer, but she might be jumping from the frying pan straight into the fire . . .

Includes Recipes from Hope’s Kitchen!

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound

Review

I do enjoy a good cozy mystery that revolves around food and blogging especially when the recipes are so enticing!

Hope has her hands full between competitive bloggers, the loss of a neighbor, and wondering if the romance part of her life will ever turn around.  She is cautious in the last part due to a bad marriage but I think it holds her back more than it should but this is a small part of the book.  The loss of her neighbor and the disappearance of someone from her town throws Hope smack dab in the middle of a mystery that she, of course, has to solve.

I felt like the mystery was well written because I did not suspect this character in the slightest.  I bumbled around with Hope trying to decipher the clues the author has peppered throughout the book, but alas the author was too smart for me!  There are several possibilities but the reveal might just surprise you as it did me.  It didn’t help that there were a few bloggers all participating in a photography class with Hope that have their own motives and don’t know how to place nice.

Mystery aside, the personal interactions are interesting to watch.  I feel like Hope lets her sister run roughshod over here and needs to stand up for herself.  Why would she let her sister talk her into doing a tea for someone just days away?  Hope is a pleaser but it throws her into some tight situations.  Then there is Ethan, the sheriff in town.  They are friends but I think they both want more but are afraid to move in that direction.

Overall we enjoyed this second book in the series and can’t wait to see what will be cooking in the next installment in this series.  We give this 4 paws up.

About the Author

Debra Sennefelder, the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series, is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.

Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companions are her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzus, Susie and Billy.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Romance Writers of America.

Website – Facebook – Goodreads – Twitter

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Deadly Deception (The Deadly Series)
Historical Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
JDP Press (March 22, 2019)
Paperback: 316 pages

Synopsis

Everyone hides secrets. Some provoke murder.

Olivia Denis discovers her father kneeling over the body of a man…a man who supposedly drowned in the Channel years before. Olivia wants to ring for help, her father wants to hide the body, but a mysterious phone call brings Scotland Yard to the murder scene.
Olivia can’t stand by and let her maddening, disapproving father hang. To prove his innocence – and learn his secrets – she must work with a master spy. The search for clues takes Olivia to the continent and the Kent countryside, Hastings and London, pushing her deeper into the world of danger and deception.

As war between Germany and Britain stalks closer, the hunt for a Nazi collaborator intensifies. With a mounting death toll, Olivia knows she must unmask the killer or be the next to die.

Guest Post

A note from a Reader

It all began with an email sent to my website. Marcia Wheeler wrote me to say, “A good tale let down by the supposedly mid-20^th Century English narrator using 21^st Century American English.” She then went on to point out where I had used words that marked me as an American rather than the upper-middle or upper-class English woman who’d grown up between the two World Wars. (I’m not that old, either!)

It was the most helpful email I’ve received on my website.

Among the common mistakes I make is that the English call it autumn, not fall. I need to go through my manuscripts and replace like with as if or as though. An elevator is a lift, my characters should tidy up, not wash up, and a closet is a wardrobe.

I always thought parlour was British. It’s not. The word is drawing room, sitting room, or living room, depending on the size and nature of the house or flat. And here I thought living room was very American. So much so that I use drawing room or sitting room, and give living room a pass in my stories. Home alone should be sitting at home by yourself.

I learned that instead of holding something funny, it would be awkwardly or oddly. English schools don’t end in graduation, only universities do. Courgettes (zucchini squash) and aubergines (eggplant) weren’t commonly found in English cooking before World War II. Food must have been pretty dreary and along the lines of potatoes, gravy, cabbage, and boiled carrots

I asked her about gazebo, which features in my current work in progress, the second in the Milliner Mysteries. I was trying to describe a small covered shelter in a park that looked like a small bandstand. Was I ever relieved to find out that was a good word to use in the story.

Marcia also told me about pantries and larders for Deadly Deception, the fourth in the Deadly Series. A larder is specifically for food. A pantry could be the Butler’s pantry or used for storage.  A scullery is a room off the kitchen used for laundry, which Americans would call a laundry room. This is helpful for me not only in my writing but in watching PBS and BritBox TV shows.

The men running the jail where Olivia’s father is kept are called warders, not guards. The warden in the US who is in charge of a prison is called the governor in Britain. What we call a yard, front or back, is called a garden in England. An American truckload would be a lorryload in England. A sedan isn’t a four-door car in England. They would either call it a car or a saloon.

These are just some of the differences between American and British England that Marcia taught me. As is obvious, I had a lot to learn to make certain Olivia sounded correct for her time and place in society.

Marcia kindly read through Deadly Deception and corrected places where I used the American term rather than the British one. I believe it’s made the experience of reading this book easier from the point of view of slipping inside Olivia’s head and seeing England in the 1930s all around her.

The Deadly Series, including the latest, Deadly Deception, can be found in e-books and paperbacks at your favorite online retailers, including:

Amazon * iBooks * B&N * Kobo

About the Author

Kate Parker grew up in Washington, DC, spent several years along the Carolina coast, and now finds herself in the Colorado front range. All the time, she has been busy plotting to spend more time in her favorite city, London, where her books are set. So far, she hasn’t been able to build a time machine, so she has to visit historical sites and books to immerse herself in the details of life in bygone days.

2019 will see the publication of her fourth Deadly Series book, Deadly Deception, as well as a novella, The Mystery at Chadwick House. Chadwick House will both be for sale at the usual retailers plus given away to the readers of her newsletter. It is her first contemporary mystery. Later in the year, Kate plans on publishing the second Milliner Mystery. Her daughter has informed her this year she will also become the servant of a large, exuberant dog.

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Like A Tree (A Davis Morgan Mystery)
Inspirational Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
CrossLink Publishing (March 26, 2019)
Paperback: 175 pages

Synopsis

The movie industry spreading across Georgia has finally made its way to the little foothill village of Adairsville. Bookseller and police chaplain, Davis Morgan along with a young female clerk discover the body of a member of the movie company on a historic site at the foot of a large oak tree. Davis, despite his promise to his wife, cannot resist investigating the mystery. He and his young pal, policeman Charley Nelson, quietly dig into the case even though it is officially under the jurisdiction of the county sheriff. There is no shortage of suspects: the mysterious red headed man, sister of the victim, the fiancée and others. During the investigation an already troubled Charley is framed for a drug crime, and Davis receives word that an old enemy is on his way to Georgia after escaping from prison to make good on a threat against him. Late one afternoon it all comes to an astonishing conclusion beneath the same sprawling oak where it started.

Amazon * Author Website

Character Guest Post

Small-town girl. That phrase has described me all my life, and I have, until recently, been content to be known as such. Born and reared in Adairsville, I spent my school years here. After graduation, it just seemed the logical thing to continue living at home with my widowed mom, Rita Edison, while taking classes at nearby Georgia Highlands College. When the clerk’s job at the 1902 Stock Exchange came along, it seemed perfect. I like walking down Main St. and knowing most of the people I meet and having them call me by name. I like telling visitors about Adairsville and its history. I love hearing the church bells on Sunday morning and knowing Miss Helen will be sitting next to the aisle on the same pew on which her parents sat for fifty years. I like helping with the Great Locomotive Chase Festival every October. I cannot imagine life without an October funnel cake. So, after high school, my life rocked along as usual for a couple of years.

That is, until Devan Rhodes rocked my world.

Everyone was excited when the movie company came to town to film a remake of The Great Locomotive Chase. The actual chase happened during the Civil War and passed right through Adairsville, so shooting it here makes a lot more sense than the Northeast Georgia location of the first make of the movie. Devon, being the site director, was one of the first members of the crew to arrive and ate lunch at the Maggie Mae Tea Room, here inside the Stock Exchange, a couple of times a week. I was flattered when he seemed to take an interest in me. He started coming in more often and staying to chat when I wasn’t busy with other customers. Of course, at first, I thought he was just a flirty Hollywood type. I couldn’t believe it when he asked me out on a date-me, Janie Edison, just a small-town girl. My mom was worried about me dating him, but he was a true gentleman, and we had so much fun. We talked and talked. We liked a lot of the same things, and Devon had been to so many wonderful places. We even attended a play in the theater upstairs here in the Stock Exchange. Mr. Hollywood complimented the director and the actors after the play. I could tell they were thrilled. He also invited my mom to come along and made great strides in winning her approval. For the first time in my life, I began to consider what life beyond Adairsville might be like. Those thoughts became dreams as we spent more and more time together. Those dreams grew until….

I think I will remain a small-town girl. I still know most of the people I meet. The church bells still ring, and Miss Helen still sits in her pew. The Festival will take place this October, but my dreams went away the afternoon Davis Morgan and I discovered Devon’s body under the big oak tree at Spring Bank.

About the Authors

Danny & Wanda Pelfrey are a husband/wife team who in the past wrote helpful non-fiction books and material. Recently they have turned to producing “mysteries with a message.” Their stories are usually set in a small southern town in Georgia called Adairsville. Danny grew up in a poverty situation where he was often without access to TV for entertainment so he found books. It was not unusual for him, in his high school years, to read three or four books a week. So his love affair with books developed early. Danny received a degree from Point University and a Master of Ministry from Kentucky Christian University. He spent many years serving pastorates with churches in several states. Danny is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Wanda started her writing career writing curriculum for various publishers. Among books she has authored is the popular, MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR CHILD’S TEACHABLE MOMENTS. She spent twenty-four years as a primary teacher in a Montessori school. She enjoys quilting and has never lost her love for reading. The Pelfreys have two daughters and five grandchildren. LIKE A TREE is the fourth Davis Morgan Mystery on which they have collaborated.

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Pinot Red or Dead? (The Wine Trail Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Lyrical Underground (March 26, 2019)
Paperback: 206 pages

Synopsis

There’s a lot of noir surrounding this rare pinot.

As the vineyards in Seneca Lake, New York, prepare for the seasonal “Deck the Halls Around the Lake” festivities, someone is determined to keep pinot noir off the wine list. Hijacked trucks and sabotaged ingredients have made it a hard-to-acquire vintage for the six local wineries—including Norrie Ellington’s Two Witches Winery.

The case of the stolen and spoiled wines gets stranger when Arnold Mowen, owner of the company distributing the wine, is found dead, the apparent victim of a hunting accident. As Norrie tries to find the connections between the pinot’s problems and Arnold’s death, she uncovers a conspiracy among many locals whose hatred for the wine distributor was bottled up for far too long . . .

Character Guest Post

Can Someone Explain My Dwindling, Disappearing Checkbook?

By Norrie Ellington, screenwriter and winery babysitter (The Wine Trail Mysteries)

It’s a mystery I’m still trying to solve and it’s worse than any horror movie or screenplay I’ve ever read or hope to write. And it’s happening right in front of me every time I open my checkbook or log into my online account. My money’s gone! Vanished! And quickly, too, I might add. When I think I should have a decent sum to get me through the month, I take a look and it’s indecent!!!

So where is it all going?  I finally decided that even Adrian Monk and Agatha Christie combined would have a hard time. But I’ve come to the following realizations if I want this nightmare to cease. Here goes:

• I’ve gotten too used to creature comforts. And so has my sister’s dog for that matter. We’re sharing her house in upstate New York so she and her husband can chase down some elusive insect in balmy Costa Rica. Anyway, I like warmth. So I keep the thermostat set at 75 degrees. My sister said to keep it at 69 but even medieval monasteries were warmer than that. Granted, each additional degree probably costs us twenty or thirty dollars a month, but who’s counting? And please don’t tell me to put on an extra sweater. I’m already walking around like an overstuffed goose.
• I’ve gotten used to good food. Flavorful food. I tried to vary my diet with cheaper alternatives but the result was a garbage can full of half-eaten meals and a very grumpy disposition. I didn’t dare change the dog’s food because I already knew what would happen. Trust me, I do enough cleaning up around here.
• Paper products. I use them abundantly. But I was willing to try less expensive versions. But here’s the caveat – I needed more of them to accomplish what the other brands did in the first place. Without the cursing.
• I thought dressing in style was costly when I lived in Manhattan but the attire for managing a winery is mind blowing. Forget gorgeous pashminas. Seems like I spend a fortune on L.L. Bean outdoor wear including fleece lined jeans! Not to mention the myriad of chambray shirts for the tasting room. Who knew cotton could be so expensive?
• The car. My trustworthy but old Toyota is a regular money pit. And upstate winters don’t help. I got by with one set of tires in the city, but here in little Siberia, I need snow tires, studs, and possibly chains!
• Coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos. Okay. I admit it. This is probably my biggest culprit. I thrive on coffee and its relatives. And please don’t suggest I brew weak tea or worse yet, drink warm milk. Without a daily burst of a wonderful and warm caffeinated product, my mind would go to mush. And I need that mind for my real job. I write romance screenplays for a Canadian film company when I’m not suckered into solving murders around here.

So, it looks as if this is one conundrum I’m not about to tackle. Because I really don’t want to know the answer.  I’ll just open the checkbook slowly and hold my breath…

About the Author

Ann I. Goldfarb

New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, she has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington) set for release in June 2017. In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name.

James E. Clapp

When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. His first novel, Booked 4 Murder (Kensington) is set for release in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.

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Designs On Murder: A Ghostly Fashionista Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Grace Abraham Publishing (March 26, 2019)
Print Length: 229 pages

Synopsis

What if you discovered your lively new friend wasn’t really…alive?

Amanda Tucker is excited about opening her fashion design studio in Shops On Main, a charming old building in historic Abingdon, Virginia. She didn’t realize a ghost came with the property! But soon Maxine “Max” Englebright, a young woman who died in 1930, isn’t the only dead person at the retail complex. Mark Tinsley, a web designer with a know-it-all attitude who also rented space at Shops On Main, is shot in his office.

Amanda is afraid that one of her new “friends” and fellow small business owners is his killer, and Max is encouraging her to solve Mark’s murder a la Nancy Drew. Easy for Max to want to investigate–the ghostly fashionista can’t end up the killer’s next victim!

Review

This delightful new series by Gayle Leeson combines the paranormal world with Max, a ghost from the 1920s; fashion through Amanda’s designs; a touch of romance, and a murder that throws everything together despite the wishes of the characters.  If nothing else, you will want to read the story for Max and her quirky phrases, which weren’t quirky for her time period, as they will give you a chuckle.

The cast of characters is not large and the author does a great job of pushing several characters to the forefront as potential suspects. While these characters may not have committed the act, they are not totally innocent as there are several other sub-stories that tie everything together.  As I was reading the book I kept coming back to one character that just seemed suspicious for some reason.  Turns out I pinned it on the right character!  And there is some resolution tied to other characters that seemed shady.

You will probably fall in love with Grandpa Dave.  He is the sort of family member everyone should have because he looks out for Amanda and supports her hopes and dreams, unlike her mother.  We only get a small glimpse of her mother but let me tell you she is a piece of work!  Thankfully her father is down to earth and helps manage her mother’s outbursts.

There is the start of a romance between Amanda and Jason.  Jason is a new tenant to the building where Amanda has just opened her shop, so they are getting to know everyone together.  They also have complimentary businesses – she designs clothing and he is a photographer.  I like that they take their relationship slowly and aren’t rushing into anything too crazy too soon.

When you read this book (notice I didn’t say “if”!) you will want to read the author’s notes because she provides detail for Max’s actions and reactions based on when she lived in the 20s.  I appreciated the research she did for this book and I am sure you will too.

We give this book 5 paws up and can’t wait for the next book in this series.

About the Author

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. Gayle has also written as Amanda Lee and Gayle Trent. As Amanda Lee, she wrote the Embroidery Mystery series, and as Gayle Trent, she writes the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. Going forward, Gayle intends to keep her writing until the Gayle Leeson name. She has a series of women’s fiction novellas set in a shopping mall that has been converted to include micro-apartments (the Kinsey Falls series) and has just begun this new cozy series, the Ghostly Fashionista Mystery series. Another Down South Cafe novel is slated for release in August with book two in the Ghostly Fashionista series scheduled for October.

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An Au Pair to Remember: A Male Housekeeper Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Cozy Cat Press (January 27, 2019)
Paperback: 260 pages

Synopsis

From the author of the award-winning Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective series comes the Male Housekeeper Mysteries, focusing on charming characters, snappy dialogue, eclectic murders, and cunning confidence schemes. To his mind, Cam Reddick has failed—as a husband, as a father, and as a professional. After recognizing that his vanilla credentials didn’t stack up in a big city brimming with overachievers and toiling in drudgery for half of a decade, an emotionally raw Cam returns to his childhood hometown—the quaint and quirky village of Rusted Bonnet, Michigan. He’s determined to resuscitate relationships marred by youthful immaturity, most importantly those with his ex-wife Kacey Gingerfield (who doubles as the village’s Deputy Chief of Police) and their first grader, Emma. Armed with striking looks and an endearing proclivity for mixing metaphors, but saddled by “momma’s boy” tendencies, Cam takes the helm of his mother’s housekeeping business—Peachy Kleen. Access to homes across the village facilitates Cam’s penchant for amateur sleuthing as Kacey’s aide-de-camp. Surrounded by Kacey, his sophisticated mother Darby, garrulous senior housekeeper Samantha, and recuse fish cum confidant Bait, Cam’s circuitous journeys to solving murders and unravelling complex cons hasten his struggle down the path of self-healing to self-respect. And there’s hope that—just maybe—he can rekindle the romance he once had with Kacey.

In An Au Pair to Remember, Cam’s plan for a quiet return to Rusted Bonnet is dashed when a beautiful German au pair, Greta Astor, is found dead in Dutch McRae’s foyer with all signs pointing to a hastily disassembled trip wire at the top of the stairs. When Kacey learns that Cam was cleaning the McRae home the previous afternoon, she confides to him that Chief Bernie Leftwich is set on arresting Dutch for the murder—either alone or in tandem with Greta’s bartender boyfriend. But she worries that Bernie’s been duped. And later, when his mother Darby becomes a suspect, Cam inserts himself into the investigation and stumbles through a series of ostensible incongruities—a thief swallowing a cache of stolen diamonds, a snack food distributor laundering money, and a Cash-for-Gold scam. Meanwhile, Peachy Kleen’s young African housekeeper has disappeared with one of the company vans. All the while, Cam finds himself flirting with his new neighbor and struggling with his complicated feelings for Kacey.

Review

This new series starter takes the cozy “norm” and turns it upside down.

Cam is an interesting protagonist to start this series.  He is divorced but on decent terms with his ex (after many years of earning that trust back) and runs a cleaning company with no qualms about getting in there and doing the work alongside his employees.  He also has Celiac Disease so that means no gluten in his diet.  There is a somewhat small cast of characters, at least ones that I believe we will see in future books: Cam’s mother Dabney, his ex-wife Kasey, his daughter Emma, a police chief, several employees, and a few citizens of the town.  I am willing to bet we will meet more citizens of Rusted Bonnet in future books and with new mysteries.  Oh, and we can’t forget Bait, the fish that is a good listener for Cam while he deciphers the clues to discover the killer.

There are two mysteries to solve in this book – who killed Greta and where did Becka disappear to with one of the work trucks.  The majority of the book focuses on discovering Greta’s killer, but there is a fair amount of time devoted to Becka’s disappearance.  Two women have Cam captivated – his ex Kacey and his new neighbor Elena.  Will one of them come out ahead?

The mystery is well written and I have to say that while I didn’t guess the killer, I suspected this person of something…what I’m not quite sure but I knew something wasn’t quite right.  The pieces fell into place and Cam did do what most protagonists in cozies do, go after the bad guy on their own without telling someone where or what they were doing.  Not smart Cam so hope you learned something in this first book!  I enjoyed the bantering between Kacey and Cam, they have a history together and while she shouldn’t be telling him some of the details of the case, they are able to work together to help break the case wide open.

This is a promising new series and we give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Stephen Kaminski is the author of An Au Pair to Remember, the first installment of the Male Housekeeper Mystery series.  He also writes the award-winning Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective books.  Stephen is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Law School and serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the trade association representing the United States’ poison control system and its fifty-five centers.  He lives with his daughter and rescue kitty in the Washington, DC area.

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Synopsis

The Phrase “Dying On Stage” Takes on a Whole New Meaning

After fleeing a failed relationship in New York, actress Leah Sexton finds herself as the new Executive Director of the Como Lake Players–a small community theater nestled in a sleepy St. Paul neighborhood. The initial calm of this new position is shattered immediately when a local critic–who had just panned the theater’s latest production–is found murdered on the show’s set.

On the heels of this grisly discovery, the show’s lead actress tumbles down a flight of stairs–or was she pushed? In order to keep the show running and the theater afloat, Leah offers to step into the leading role. The arrival of her ex-boyfriend amid anonymous threats against her and the show requires Leah to act as if her life depends on it. Because it does.

Review

This new cozy series will keep you guessing until the very end.

I always enjoy reading a new series with fresh new characters and settings. The setting is a small theater run out of an old church with limited paid staff but that doesn’t limit Leah and her vision for this theater. Granted she is just a few weeks into this new job when a dead body appears on the stage. This is good and bad, bad because someone has died but good because the theater is packed for the shows by those curious to see where someone died.

Leah is a strong protagonist and has a myriad of talents when it comes to the theater. She is an actress and helped start a theater with her (now ex) boyfriend, Dylan, so she knows how to run a theater and wrangle the actors when they run amok. Leah does not stick her nose into the investigation like many protagonists. It isn’t that she isn’t keeping her eyes open or looking for clues to provide to the police, she just has so much on her plate that she really doesn’t have the time to run a full force investigation on her own. I really like that she is not putting herself in harms way as could happen.

The mystery is two-fold. There is the murder and then there is an accident with one of the actresses that may not be an accident. The list of potential candidates is not large but the killer may be a huge surprise to you as it was to me. I did not suspect this character at all and looking back there are some small clues, but nothing that screams “look at me, I’m a clue!”.

I really like the character, Gloria. She is the Board President/Chair of Leah’s theater and longtime friend. She is a strong supporting character with her own quirks.

There are some potential love interests for Leah. There is Alex, an accountant by day and actor by night. Detective Albertson also shows interest in Leah, but perhaps he wants her insight into the murder. Then, of course, there is Dylan. He may be an ex-boyfriend but that doesn’t prevent him from showing up trying to worm his way back into Leah’s life.

I look forward to seeing what this author has in store for a follow-up book. So many possibilities!  We give this 5 paws up.

About the Author

Prussian Counterpoint: A Joseph Haydn Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Foiled Plots Press (March 1, 2019
Paperback: 270 pages

Synopsis

When an enemy makes overtures of friendship, is anyone safe?

An unexpected invitation from wily King Frederick causes composer Joseph Haydn to fear he’s walking into a trap. After all, the Prussian King has never had any use for Haydn’s music. His Majesty seems more intrigued at Haydn’s being the son of a market-judge.

Worse still, the invitation appears to stir up suspicion in the highest quarters in Vienna. So much so that a mysterious, cloaked lady visits Haydn’s Music Room and issues a thinly veiled threat.

Now Haydn is convinced there’s mischief afoot. But not even he can foresee that he will stumble upon the corpse of the imperial ambassador a day after his arrival in Frederick’s Prussia, along with evidence that His Lordship may have been a common thief.

Can Haydn salvage the imperial ambassador’s reputation—and find his killer?

Praise for the Joseph Haydn Mysteries

“A standout in the genre of historical mysteries. An encore is requested!”
Midwest Book Review

“Tustin occupies a unique niche in the historical mystery world.”
Edith Maxwell, Agatha-nominated Author, Quaker Midwife Mysteries

“Wonderful read for fans of historical cozy mysteries. . .The characters are strong and the writing is smooth. . .”
Books a Plenty Book Reviews

“An interesting journey and Haydn is a likable main character.”
Christa Reads and Writes

“Vivid historical descriptions, intricate details, and a fascinating central character kept me turning the pages. Bravo!”
Amanda Carmack, award-winning author of The Elizabethan Mystery Series

Special Feature

Introduction: I’ve longed admired Empress Maria Theresa, so when the opportunity to give her a larger story role presented itself, I naturally seized upon it. Prussia had in Frederick William’s time always considered itself an ally of Austria—a resentful ally, but an ally nevertheless. That changed in 1740 when Frederick William’s son, Frederick II, challenged Maria Theresa’s succession, reneging upon a promise Prussia had made to her father, Emperor Charles VI. She was only twenty-three at the time, a woman so cowed, Frederick believed, she would easily capitulate. Much to his surprise, she did not. She was heavily pregnant, her coffers drained, her advisors old and afraid, but she had no intention of giving in without a fight.

Maria Theresa never met Frederick the Great in person. Their encounter in Prussian Counterpoint is entirely imaginary.

Excerpt

“You had a pleasant journey, I hope, Your Majesty.” Frederick of Prussia bent his head graciously toward the Empress as he made the enquiry. His smile—benign, friendly—should have put her at ease. A long time ago, it had won her Francis over.

But there was nothing benign about the pale blue eyes that held hers in an unflinching stare.

“It was pleasant enough.” Her response was deliberately curt. She turned her gaze toward the dark, desolate streets of Potsdam. The steady clip-clop of the horses’ hooves beat a relentless rhythm in her brain. Her chest heaved, feeling more constricted than usual.

A friendlier man would have allowed her the courtesy of resting a day after an arduous journey through wintry roads. Instead, the King had barged into Seckendorff’s courtyard, demanding her presence at a supper that her ambassador had clearly known nothing about.

Seckendorff’s eyes had visibly widened and he had started as violently as a gun-shy horse at the unexpected sound of the King’s voice.

“The entire court is so desirous to make Your Majesty’s acquaintance, I had not the heart to keep them waiting a moment longer. I trust Your Majesty is not put out at the inconvenience.”

The air in the carriage was close, suffocating. The Empress pursed her lips, determined not to give her host the satisfaction of knowing how she felt. As always, Frederick had taken her by surprise. There had barely been time for any of her retinue to change out of their travel garb.

“The men and women who accompany me are more inconvenienced than I am.” She turned to face her longtime adversary. “That is my only regret.”

Frederick inclined his head. “Your concern becomes you, Your Majesty. But this is a small affair. A gathering of a few likeminded individuals. No one need stand on ceremony.”

The carriage climbed up the hill and swept into a semi-circular court of honor flanked by Corinthian columns. Snow glistened on the boughs of the trees, but the cobblestones had been swept clean.

“Here we are, Your Majesty. Sanssouci, my private abode, where we may be without care.”

“I pray that we may indeed be that,” the Empress replied as she stepped out of the carriage. Not that prayers could achieve any such thing. Not until they were out of Potsdam, at any event. Nothing but constant vigilance could prevent them from being caught off guard again.

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.

Her writing includes work for Reuters and CNBC, short stories and freelance articles, and research published in peer-reviewed academic journals. She lives in Southern California with her husband, three rambunctious children, and a pit bull.

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