The Corpse Who Knew Too Much (A Food Blogger Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Publisher: Kensington (September 29, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Synopsis
Food blogger Hope Early takes on a cold case that’s heating up fast . . .
Building on her recipe for success with her food blog, Hope at Home, Hope is teaching her first blogging class at the local library in Jefferson, Connecticut. She’s also learning about podcasts, including a true-crime one called Search for the Missing, hosted by Hope’s childhood friend, Devon Markham. Twenty years ago on Valentine’s Day, right here in Jefferson, Devon’s mom disappeared and was never found. Finally Devon has returned to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother—and she asks Hope to help.
The next day Hope discovers Devon’s apartment has been ransacked. Her laptop with the research on her mother’s cold case is missing, and Devon is nowhere to be found. When her friend’s body is later discovered in a car wreck, Hope is convinced it’s no accident. Clearly, Devon was too close to the truth, and the cold-blooded killer is still at large in Jefferson. Now it’s up to Hope to find the guilty party—before the food blogger herself becomes the next subject of another true-crime podcast . . .
Includes Recipes from Hope’s Kitchen!
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Guest Post
My Cold Case Obsession
by Debra Sennefelder
There were two inspirations for writing THE CORPSE WHO KNEW TOO MUCH. The first was my fascination with podcasts, and the second was my interest in cold cases.
I’m not sure where the interest in cold cases comes from. No one close to me has been a victim criminal case gone cold. Perhaps it’s the intrigue of an unsolved mystery. Or, maybe it’s the question of how a person can be here one day and gone the next with no one knowing what happened. That’s the question I explored in THE CORPSE WHO KNEW TOO MUCH.
Over the years, I’ve attended several writing conferences. The lineup of workshops ranged from topics of craft, research, publishing, and marketing. I always checked the research track first, hoping there was one on cold cases. If there’s one, I’m there in the front-row seat, taking notes and asking questions.
There was one conference where the afternoon session was led by the detective in charge of cold cases in his police department. He methodically went through how three cold cases were solved. It was fascinating to see how after decades, the truth surfaces and criminals finally face justice. His presentation was engaging, which left me with a list of follow-up questions. He graciously answered all my questions after the workshop. The next year when I attended the conference, I was disappointed that there wasn’t a similar workshop.
I understand that not every conference has workshops about cold cases which means I find myself tuning into television shows that focus on the topic. My favorite is Cold Case Justice. I’m glued to the television for the whole hour. What strikes me is how very ordinary all the people involved in the cases are. It reinforces that any one of us could be in the same situation given a series of unforeseeable events. I also watch a lot of ID channel for real-life case reviews, and one of my favorite television shows is Cold Case. Every now and again, I get to catch a rerun episode.
As an author, I find myself exploring one question repeatedly in my books – how well do you really know people. When the detective at the conference reviewed one of his cold cases, we learned that a woman had an important piece of information she never revealed, and that had led to an arrest. That woman was someone’s friend, daughter, possibly sister, or mother, and I’m curious if anyone in her life had suspected she held the key to solving a murder.
Are you fascinated by cold cases? If so, is there a case you’re particularly intrigued with? Let me know in the comments.
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.
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