Due East, Beasts & Campfire Feasts: A Cozy Witch Mystery (Spells & Caramels)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Self Published
Paperback: 278 pages

Synopsis

A hostile town. A mountaintop mission. Will their magic save the day or spoil the pudding?

Imogen thought escaping the king’s wrath would give her everything she wanted. But her relationship with Prince Hank is tougher than an overcooked flan and the welcome they get on Badlands Island is far less than friendly. Accused of kidnapping, Imogen proposes they prove their worth by traveling through a deadly forest to retrieve a magical herb at the top of a mountain…

Forced to take her baking skills on the road, Imogen and her friends must navigate monsters, secrets, and a possible traitor. And the little matter of the impending typhoon is seriously compressing their timeline…

With the storm and creatures closing in, can Imogen complete the quest or will her next meal be her last?

Due East, Beasts & Campfire Feasts in the seventh book in the Spells & Caramels series of paranormal cozy mysteries. If you like amateur witch sleuths, unbreakable friendships, and fascinating magical creatures, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s page-turning adventure.

Buy Due East, Beasts & Campfire Feasts to battle a mountain of monsters today!

Review

There is something about this series that has drawn me into its fantasy world.  From vampires to witches, to beasts, all have captured my attention and won’t let go!

This book is a little more serious than some of the previous books.  Or at least it seems that way to me.  But not serious in a bad way, perhaps the situation just seems more intense than past events.  However, that didn’t deter me from being caught up in the characters, the mystery, and even the romance between various characters.  I am always amazed at authors that can create these fantasy worlds and continue to expand upon them and create new situations that don’t repeat.

This book picks right up where #6 left off and we get a peek into the Badlands which maybe aren’t so bad after all considering what we have learned about Hank’s father and what he has done in the past.  Imogen and the gang have to prove they are not like all the others but without their magic.  This is not necessarily a good thing because they cannot protect themselves.  There are some tense moments for everyone but also many comical moments.  I laugh when Imogen references things from the human world and no one has any idea what she is talking about.  I like that all of the characters have their flaws and no one is perfect.  This allows the reader to relate to them, even if their world is magical.

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

A native of Tempe, Arizona, Erin spends her time crafting mysterious, magical, romance-filled stories that’ll hopefully make you laugh.

In between, she’s traveling, napping with her dogs, eating with her friends and family, and teaching Pilates (to allow her to eat more).

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Death, Diamonds, and Freezer Burn (Grime Pays Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Soul Mate Publishing, Inc.
Release Date – October 24, 2018

Synopsis

An unwelcome visitor, an unrequited love, and a dead body create chaos in a middle-aged woman’s plan for a productive summer.

Despite a looming divorce, an empty checkbook, and a struggling cleaning business, Cece Cavanaugh is determined to land on her own two feet. Adamant about staying a safe distance from the handsome detective who has her fantasizing about violating the morals clause in her prenuptial agreement, Cece dives headlong into her work.

Even though she has no free time to spare, Cece finds herself guilted into cleaning a hoarder’s home. Her discoveries in the condemned house are too shocking to ignore. Diamond-laden pachyderms, a secret cache of money, and a dead body lure Cece into launching an investigation that places her in direct contact with the one person she’s desperate to avoid–hunky Detective Case Alder.

With clues in hand, Cece runs down leads and eliminates suspects one by one. Her conclusion and brave accusation put a friend’s life in peril forcing Cece to hatch a plan to outsmart the killer. A daring move could either save Cece and her friend or lead to their demise.

Review

Entertaining with laugh out loud moments and some interesting twists in the second book of this series.

Lots of things I like about this book/series – an older protagonist that seems to be ok doing whatever it takes to keep herself afloat considering the soon to be ex left her with nothing (he cleaned out the bank accounts when he moved out and hadn’t made house payments in 6 months). Her children are a mix of supportive and spoiled so it is a good balance. She has a housekeeper, Beatrice, (paid for by the MIL Hazel) that doesn’t like the MIL so she creates stories to protect CeCe and to stick it to Hazel. I think that cracks me up the most, Beatrice trying to come up with stories to rattle Hazel but not so bad that they would hurt CeCe. And the final cherry is CeCe gaining a roommate of sorts. Nancy, the gum-smacking receptionist from CeCe’s first job has lost her home and needs a place to stay, so she ingratiates herself into CeCe’s house and life. Nancy is very annoying but turns out she has some positive attributes, it just takes a while to find them.

The mystery itself has multiple moving parts – a dead body is found in a freezer, diamonds are discovered in an unlikely place, and not everyone is who they seem to be. While I did figure out part of the mystery, the story still kept me guessing and the ending was quite the surprise.

I do think that CeCe needs to be a bit stronger. She should have changed the locks when Phillip moved out and she should never have signed a prenup with a morals clause that was all one-sided (thanks to Witch Hazel!). But she is learning from her mistakes and turning things around. She just has to keep the two men interested in her at bay until the divorce is final.

I can’t wait for the third book so I can see how things progress for everyone.

We give it 4 1/2 paws

About the Author

Tricia L. Sanders writes about women with class, sass, and a touch of kickass.  A former instructional designer and corporate trainer, she traded in curriculum writing for novel writing, because she hates bullet points and loves to make stuff up. And fiction is more fun than training guides and lesson plans.

When she isn’t writing, Tricia is busy crossing dreams off her bucket list. With all 50 states checked, she’s concentrating on foreign interests. She’s an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, so don’t get between her and the television when a game is on. Currently, she is working on a mystery series set in the fictional town of Wickford, Missouri. Another project in the works is a women’s fiction road trip adventure.

Her essays have appeared in Sasee, ByLine, The Cuivre River Anthology and Great American Outhouse Stories; The Whole Truth and Nothing Butt. She is a proud member of The Lit Ladies, six women writing their truths into fiction.

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Drop Dead Ornaments (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Self Published
Print Length: 209 pages

Synopsis

Anastasia Pollack’s son Alex is dating Sophie Lambert, the new kid in town. For their community service project, the high school seniors have chosen to raise money for the county food bank. Anastasia taps her craft industry contacts to donate materials for the students to make Christmas ornaments they’ll sell at the town’s annual Holiday Crafts Fair.

At the fair Anastasia meets Sophie’s father, Shane Lambert, who strikes her as a man with secrets. She also notices a woman eavesdropping on their conversation. Later that evening when the woman turns up dead, Sophie’s father is arrested for her murder.

Alex and Sophie beg Anastasia to find the real killer, but Anastasia has had her fill of dead bodies. She’s also not convinced of Shane’s innocence. Besides, she’s promised younger son Nick she’ll stop risking her life. But how can she say no to Alex?

Guest Post

The Difference Between Cupcakes and Crafts

I write the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries. As the name suggests, this is a craft-themed mystery series. Anastasia is the crafts editor at a women’s magazine. After the untimely death of her husband in Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, the first book in the series, she finds herself, thanks to her husband’s well-hidden gambling addiction, trying to stay one step ahead of the bill collectors, her husband’s bookie, and the detectives who think she murdered the magazine’s fashion editor. Throughout the series, as Anastasia works to whittle down massive debt and keep from having to move her family into a cardboard box on the street, she also finds herself dealing with dead bodies on a fairly regular basis.

Crafting mysteries often include craft projects, just as culinary mysteries often include recipes. The big difference between the two sub-genres is that the crafting mystery author is limited in the type of crafts she can include. Recipes don’t need patterns, but many craft projects often require them. Patterns don’t work in e-books and print novels. So in my series I have to come up with craft projects that can be made by only following written directions. I also want projects that are easy enough for even the most novice crafter.

In Drop Dead Ornaments, the seventh book in the series, I feature Christmas ornaments that anyone can make, even someone who doesn’t know the difference between a fishhook and a crochet hook. These are no-talent-required projects that use easy-to-find supplies available at any craft or fabric store and many big box stores or online. They also take very little time to make. Here’s one of them:

Metallic Braid Ornament

Materials

Clear glass ball ornament*

5-yds. 5mm braided metallic cording (choose silver, gold, or 2-toned combination colors such as red/gold or black/silver)

9”-12” of 1/4”-1/2” wide satin or grosgrain ribbon in a complementary color

Note: If you can’t find 5mm braid, you can substitute a different diameter. You’ll need less braid for a thicker diameter and more for a thinner diameter braid. You can also substitute yarn, twine, thin braid, or a thin strip of fabric for the ribbon used for the hanging loop.

Directions

Carefully remove the metal cap from the glass ball. Feed the metallic braid through the opening into the ornament. Reattach the metal cap. Tie the ribbon through the loop for hanging.

* This is a great project to make with kids, but depending on their age, you might want to substitute clear plastic ball ornaments for the glass ball ornaments.

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.

Website * Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads * Newsletter

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Synopsis

It’s peak tourist season in Oriole Point, Michigan–the blueberry buckle of the fruit belt. Nothing draws the crowds quite like their annual carnival. And nothing turns it sour faster than murder . . .

The Blueberry Blow Out festival has begun and it’s time for Marlee Jacob, owner of The Berry Basket, to shine. Unfortunately it’s also bringing out the worst in her fiance Ryan Zeller. Ryan’s rivalry with Porter Gale, owner of Blueberry Hill Farm, spills over into a very public and very ugly fight. And after they compete in the pie-eating contest and a raucous tug of war, their orchard blood feud takes a deadly turn . . .

The death of the king of Blueberry Hill is a shock but not too surprising–he was a diabetic whose last pig out meal was deliciously fatal. But when authorities discover that someone tampered with Porter’s insulin, a tragic accident is looking like murder–and Ryan is the key ingredient. Now Marlee’s investigation to clear his name is taking her deep into the Gale family secrets, and she’s being shadowed every step of the way by a killer whose sweet revenge is just beginning . . .
Includes Berry Recipes!

Review

Welcome back to Oriole Point, Michigan–the blueberry buckle of the fruit belt and where murder could happen to the most unlikely citizens.

This is the third in the series and just as enjoyable as the first two. All the usual characters are back with a few new faces.

A lot more happens in this book then just solving a murder (or two). There is also Marlee’s relationship with her fiance Ryan. She has had doubts all along but red flags keep flying high and she seriously reconsiders continuing her relationship with him. This is not a bad thing because if I saw all those red flags I would be questioning my relationship with him too.

The victim in this book is Porter, the owner of Blueberry Hill. His farm is a direct competitor to Ryan’s so many thing that happen are not unexpected as it seems likely that Ryan could be involved in the murder. There are some other factors that come into play that also tie into Marlee’s apprehension in marrying him. Because of her natural inclination to investigate, Marlee finds herself knee deep in clues, killers and blueberries. Her sidekick is Natasha, a former Russian pageant contestant. I will say that Natasha doesn’t have all of our slang down and there were several times I burst out laughing at her phraseology such as “shark” shooter instead of sharp shooter.

There are quite a few surprise twists in the story and not everyone is who they appear. There are a few clues in the book but to me these clues were more musings than clues so I didn’t read more into them, but I should have but I wouldn’t have know the “why” behind the killer’s actions until the end when all was revealed.

We give this 4 paws up.  If you like cozies, berries, and murder then check out this series.

About the Author

Sharon Farrow is the latest pen name of award winning author Sharon Pisacreta. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Sharon has been a freelance writer since her twenties. Published in mystery, fantasy, and romance, Sharon currently writes The Berry Basket cozy mystery series, which debuted October 2016 with Dying For Strawberries. She is also one half of the writing team D.E. Ireland, who co-author the Agatha nominated Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins mysteries.

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The Last Note: A Miami Music Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Cozy Cat Press (January 24, 2018)
Paperback: 268 pages

Synopsis

Killer songs and a killer voice, but a killer at her gig?

Vy has always found herself at the center of attention as the lead singer for one of Miami’s top cover bands, but when she finds herself at the center of a murder investigation, while performing at the Steel Horse Bar, that changes the tune of the night. Someone believes that Vy knows the truth behind the murder of the bar owner Ricky, and now that person is after her. Vy better figure out quickly who wanted Ricky dead, who is threatening her with her favorite band’s song lyrics, and why she’s falling for the handsome Detective Houston, before she too sings her last note. With a mixture of mystery, mayhem and comedy, you will find yourself immersed in Vy’s musical and murderous world.

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Guest Post

I have been asked a lot recently, What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

And my answer will always remain the same, the best advice I can give is to not give up.  Do not give up on not just writing, or what your goals are, but in yourself overall.  Discouragement started in my musical career.  Granted, I was 17 years old, and I was still trying to figure out who I was.  At that time, being signed to an independent, music label, was a dream come true.  So many promises, yet nothing had transpired, so yes, it was only a dream.  I blame myself, only because I relied solely on my producer, instead of learning.  Again, I was only 17, but the upside was, after that disappointment, I grew up quickly.  So I wrote more songs, and self-produced my second record, Little Box of Secrets.  Mind you, I did not become the next Madonna, as I had hoped, but I did make a name for myself, locally (Miami, FL).

My creative journey continues to my first cozy mystery novel, The Last Note: A Miami Music Mystery.  This story is very much entwined with my musical path.  Many years ago, I became an avid reader of cozy mysteries. It all started with my sister buying me my first cozy mystery book by Joanne Fluke.  My sister and I are similar in the fact that we buy wine based on the label.  It just so happens she bought the book based on the cover.  It had a teddy bear on the cover, it mentioned murder, and recipes.  Needless to say, I ended up reading her entire series.  Then, I expanded to different cozy authors for more reading material.  The story lines were intriguing, engaging, and funny at the same time. I was so inspired by the authors, that I then decided to take my musical experiences, and put it on paper.  I meet very interesting people at my gigs, and so my friendship with a homicide detective ensued.  Later on, he not only became my ‘how to get rid of a person on paper’ guru, but also became my drummer for my band.  I began writing this first novel in 2009. In between my full-time job, my weekend gigs, and my personal life, I finally completed the novel. The phobia’s, the dream sequences, and the quirkiness of the main characters, are all based on facts.   I received so many rejection letters, that I was on the verge of not sending out any more query letters.  Then, I attended a book signing for one of my favorite authors.  Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for her, I was the only person that attended the signing.  I was able to sit with her for an hour and talk to her about my novel and the hardships.  And I finally asked for her advice.  She said to me, “give yourself a deadline of a year before you resort to self-publishing. Do not give up just yet.”  So, when I left that signing, I calendared a year from that date (I have to calendar everything.  And not on my cellphone, but an actual physical planner).

Six months had passed, and I was still receiving rejection letters.  One day, as I was working out (it’s the responsible thing to do after you have eaten two mini bags of skittles), I had received an e-mail alert on my phone.  I saw a brief caption, and it was from a publisher.  I automatically assumed it was another turn-down email, so I proceeded to stretch, do a thousand more crunches, and sweat out the last of the purple skittle that I ate that afternoon.  When I was walking back to my car, I decided to be one of those people who distract themselves by being on their cell phone and avoid running into phone poles, and I checked my e-mail.  The e-mail from thepublisher, it was not a rejection e-mail but a ‘if you make these changes’ e-mail, we will consider signing you on.  Needless to say, I ran to my car and called my sister to tell her the great news.  And so, I started making the said changes, and all of a sudden, a hurricane was on its way to Miami.  It just so happens, the hurricane was heading directly towards my vicinity.  So, I needed to evacuate and head to a safe location.  Miami lost power, phone contact, and the internet for about ten days.  Needless to say, I was panicking because, a. I couldn’t complete the changes to my novel, b. I couldn’t contact the publisher to tell them that I would be delayed in turning in my changes because of the hurricane, and c. we were not given a set date when the power would return.  When communication returned, the first thing I did was inform the publisher, then I completed the changes requested, which totaled 5000 changes.  It felt surreal the moment I clicked on ‘SEND.’  I stared at my sent screen for about two minutes to make sure that I had sent my finalized novel to my, at the time, potential publisher.  Two days later, I received an e-mail welcoming me to the family.  It was one of the happiest days of my life.

So, what I am trying to say with this post, do not give up.  Give yourself a deadline, and send out as many query letters as you can.  There will be one publisher that will believe in your work, but make sure that you believe in your work first.

About the Author

The Last Note’s main backdrop, the amazing city of Miami, Florida, is beloved and well-known to me. I was born and raised in Miami, and like the novel’s main character Vy, I am a singer/songwriter, as well as the lead singer to a self-proclaimed cover band. All things relating to music or literature are my passion. I keep a journal, and I am constantly writing poems, stories, and any thought that comes to mind. I have a fascination for black and white films, that have the element of mystery. As I have been told by many, I have a very creative imagination.

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Mardi Gras Murder: A Cajun Country Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Crooked Lane Books (October 9, 2018)

Synopsis

Southern charm meets the dark mystery of the bayou as a hundred-year flood, a malicious murder, and a most unusual Mardi Gras converge at the Crozat Plantation B&B.

It’s Mardi Gras season on the bayou, which means parades, pageantry, and gumbo galore. But when a flood upends life in the tiny town of Pelican, Louisiana—and deposits a body of a stranger behind the Crozat Plantation B&B—the celebration takes a decidedly dark turn. The citizens of Pelican are ready to Laissez les bon temps rouler—but there’s beaucoup bad blood on hand this Mardi Gras.

Maggie Crozat is determined to give the stranger a name and find out why he was murdered. The post-flood recovery has delayed the opening of a controversial exhibit about the little-known Louisiana Orphan Train. And when a judge for the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant is shot, Maggie’s convinced the murder is connected to the body on the bayou. Does someone covet the pageant queen crown enough to kill for it? Could the deaths be related to the Orphan Train, which delivered its last charges to Louisiana in 1929? The leads are thin on this Fat Tuesday—and until the killer is unmasked, no one in Pelican is safe.

A simmering gumbo of a humorous whodunit, Mardi Gras Murder is the fourth piquant installment in USA Today bestselling author Ellen Byron’s award-winning Cajun Country mysteries.

Review

I love this series because it takes me to my roots on my mom’s side in southern Louisiana.  I can hear the accents and picture the scenery and the older homes.  This series also makes me laugh, a lot!  Here is one line that started me giggling – “Some men make their wives crazy all year.  I save it for Mardi Gras.”

The book starts off with a bang with this line: “But an intrepid crew of Crozat family members and volunteers let the relentless rain soak them as they hauled away the detritus of small town life. It wasn’t until they’d almost reached the bottom of the pile that they found the body. The body of a stranger to Pelican, Louisiana.”

Before you think this book is all fun and games, it isn’t.  There are actually several murders but we don’t know if they are all tied together or not.  We suspect that they might be, but it takes the effort of many characters to solve the mystery.  There are twists and turns galore and when the killer is revealed I was quite surprised.  While we have a few clues to figure things out, they don’t necessarily point to this character.

Another favorite line of mine in this book was this one: “We shouldn’t ignore the past. We should study it and use what we learn to build a better future.”  How true is this statement in today’s world?

We give this 5 paws up!

About the Author

Ellen Byron authors the Cajun Country Mystery series. A Cajun Christmas Killing and Body on the Bayou both won the Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery and were nominated for Agatha awards in the category of Best Contemporary Novel. Plantation Shudders was nominated for Agatha, Lefty, and Daphne awards. Mardi Gras Murder launches October 9th. Ellen’s TV credits include Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents. She’s written over 200 national magazine articles, and her published plays include the award-winning Graceland. She also worked as a cater-waiter for the legendary Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing.

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Back Stabbers (The Country Club Murders)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Henery Press (October 23, 2018)

Synopsis

All Ellison Russell wanted was an update on her stock portfolio. Instead, she found her broker dead.

With an unexpected out-of-town guest at her house, Ellison is too busy for a murder investigation. Only this time, Detective Anarchy Jones wants her help, and she can’t deny the handsome detective. Can Mr. Coffee supply her with enough caffeine to keep her brain sharp and everyone else happy?

Juggling bodies (one, two, three, four), two-faced friends, her social calendar, and a cat (yes, a cat) is taxing but Mother might be the biggest challenge of all.

With a killer drawing closer, can Ellison put together the pieces or will she be the one getting stabbed in the back?

About the Author

Julie Mulhern is the USA Today bestselling author of The Country Club Murders. She is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean–and she’s got an active imagination. Truth is–she’s an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions.

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Death By Drama: A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
Cozy Mystery
11th in Series
Worker Bee Press (July 24, 2018)
Paperback: 228 pages

Synopsis

Josiah joins an amateur thespian group that puts on plays in quirky places like public parks and crumbling antebellum mansions. It is a way to socialize, and Josiah feels lonely when her friend Hunter stops calling. Since the new play is being staged at Hunter’s ancestral home Wickliffe Manor, Josiah sees this as a win-win situation. She gets to have fun and remind Hunter that she is still alive and kicking. Hint. Hint.

What could go wrong? Everything!

Hunter ignores the acting group including Josiah, and it doesn’t help when the leading lady, Madison Smythe, drops dead on Hunter’s antique Persian rug. To make matters worse, Franklin, Hunter’s brother, is arrested for her murder!

Josiah does the only thing she can. She sends an S.O.S. to her daughter Asa to investigate the murder. Asa must also discover why a love note from Hunter was found in the dead woman’s coat pocket. Josiah is ready for romance, but she doesn’t want to fall in love with a cheater . . . and possibly a murderer!

Josiah Reynolds Mystery Series

Death By A HoneyBee I
Death By Drowning II
Death By Bridle III
Death By Bourbon IV
Death By Lotto V
Death By Chocolate VI
Death By Haunting VII
Death By Derby VIII
Death By Design IX
Death By Malice X
Death By Drama XI

About the Author

Abigail Keam is an award-winning and Amazon best-selling author who writes the Josiah Reynolds Mystery series about a Southern beekeeper turned amateur female sleuth in the Bluegrass.

Her first mystery novel, DEATH BY A HONEYBEE, won the 2010 Gold Medal Award for Women’s Lit from Reader’s Favorite and was a Finalist of the USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011.

DEATH BY DROWNING won the 2011 Gold Medal Award for Best Mystery Sleuth from Reader’s Favorite and also was placed on the USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books List of 2011 as a Finalist.

Miss Abigail is also an award-winning beekeeper who has won 16 honey awards at the Kentucky State Fair including the Barbara Horn Award, which is given to beekeepers who rate a perfect 100 in a honey competition.

A strong supporter of farmers’ markets and local food economy, Miss Abigail has taken her knowledge of beekeeping to create a fictional beekeeping protagonist, Josiah Reynolds, who solves mysteries in the Bluegrass. While Miss Gail’s novels are for enjoyment, she discusses the importance of a local sustainable food economy and land management for honeybees and other creatures.

She currently lives on the Kentucky River in a metal house with her husband and various critters. She still has honeybees.

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Designed for Haunting (Aurora Anderson Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Henery Press (October 9, 2018)

Synopsis

October brings a message from Beyond The Grave…

Halloween is fast approaching in the quiet Los Angeles County city of Vista Beach, home of computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Rory Anderson. While her painting chapter prepares to open its annual boutique house, Rory receives an unexpected email from Beyond The Grave, a company that automatically sends out messages when someone dies.

“I think I have a stalker,” the message reads. “If you’re reading this I’m either missing or dead. My life may depend on what you do. Please find out what happened to me.”

Haunted by her friend’s disappearance and possible death, Rory begins her search with the help of best friend and fellow painter, Liz Dexter. Can they discover who has designs on the missing woman and uncover the truth before one of them becomes the stalker’s next victim?

About the Author

Sybil Johnson’s love affair with reading began in kindergarten with “The Three Little Pigs.” Visits to the library introduced her to Encyclopedia Brown, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and a host of other characters. Fast forward to college where she continued reading while studying Computer Science. After a rewarding career in the computer industry, Sybil decided to try her hand at writing mysteries. Her short fiction has appeared in Mysterical-E and Spinetingler Magazine, among others. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Southern California where she enjoys tole painting, studying ancient languages and spending time with friends and family.

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A Crafter Knits a Clue: A Handcrafted Mystery
NEW COZY MYSTERY SERIES
SET IN WISCONSIN
Crooked Lane Books (October 9, 2018)

Synopsis

For fans of Betty Hechtman and Maggie Sefton, the latest craft frenzy is Holly Quinn’s Handcrafted series debut.

Sammy Kane just moved back to her hometown to run a craft store. But when the owner of a nearby yarn shop is murdered, Sammy will needle little help finding the killer.

When a heartbroken Samantha “Sammy” Kane returns to her hometown of Heartsford, WI, for her best friend Kate’s funeral, she learns that Kate’s much-loved craft store is in danger of perishing with its owner. Confounding all her expectations of the life she would live, Sammy moves back home with her golden retriever and takes over Community Craft. A few doors down Main Street, fellow new arrival Ingrid Wilson has just opened the Yarn Barn, a real “purl” of a shop. But when Sammy strolls over to see if Ingrid could use a little help, she finds Ingrid’s dead body—with a green aluminum knitting needle lodged in her throat.

Detective Liam Nash is thrown for a loop as every single citizen of Heartsford seems to have a theory about Ingrid’s murder. And nearly everyone in town seems to be a suspect. But the last time Sammy did any sleuthing was as a little moppet. And this is not fun and games. Sammy is eager to help the handsome Liam—who seems to be endlessly inventive in finding reasons to talk with her—and when Liam arrests affable woodworker Miles Danbury, Sammy puts everything on the line to help clear Miles.

As the case comes dangerously close to unraveling, Sammy must stitch the clues together. But the killer has other plans—and if Sammy’s not careful, she may wind up in a perilous knot in A Crafter Knits a Clue, the first warm and woolly yarn of Holly Quinn’s new Handcrafted mysteries.

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Review

I always enjoy cozies that involve cooking or crafting.  Perhaps because I’m not extremely crafty and am a little envious of what the characters manage to create from a little yard, some paint, or paper.  I also enjoy the small town feel and the different festivals or events that these many small towns create to bring joy and excitement to the town and its residents.  Holly Quinn has managed to bring both of these together to this small town in Wisconsin with great success.

Sammy has a heart of gold but is very impulsive and jumps in feet first without looking or thinking.  This is a good and a bad quality to have especially if you are going to insist on helping solve a murder (even though you haven’t been asked to help!).  She ropes her cousin and sister into helping and restarting S.H.E. (their first initials) which was a detective type group from their youth.  They definitely retained some of their skills from those days, but Sammy seems to be the one that is really diving into this mystery of who killed Ingrid, the yarn shop owner.

The murder victim, Ingrid, has her own story to tell in this book – from a tragic incident as a young woman, to trying to fit into this small town.  She doesn’t succeed on that last part very well before she is tragically murdered.  The clues are there for the reader to discover the killer, but these clues are not obvious and I was kept guessing until the very end.  I was quite surprised to learn who the killer was but it made sense once the whole story was laid out for the reader.

Of course, this would not be a complete story without some sort of love interest for Sammy.  And in this case, it is the new police detective, Liam Nash.  It is not a smooth relationship for these two.  I think a lot of that falls on Sammy and the walls she has around her from her own past.  But I think we’ll see more going forward for these two.

Overall the book was enjoyable.  There are times that the book moved slowly and the words were a bit choppy, but I think this could be a series to keep an eye on as it will flourish.

We give this 3 1/2 paws.

About the Author

Holly Quinn is both an avid reader and crafter. Holly sells her artistic creations locally and dreamed of one day opening a gift shop to sell local artist’s handiwork. Instead, she began writing about it and thus her journey of the Handcrafted Mystery series was born.

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