Synopsis

 

This book club is hooked on traveling into books to become the amateur sleuths! In this journey, the club travels to the Kingdom of Everglow.

The royal family is rocked to the core when a key staff member falls dead at a community event. In the turmoil that follows, any evidence of what happened is destroyed, so they must go by the recollection of witnesses who were too busy enjoying the celebration to offer any valuable testimony.

The royal family is further distressed when they return to the castle to see signs of a break in that somehow defied their complex security system. They wake the next day to discover that one member of the royal family has fallen into a deep, deathlike sleep.

Can the Snapdragon Inn Book Club uncover the plot behind this attack on the royal family? Can they find the antidote to wake the sleeping royal from a supernatural slumber? Can they bring peace back to the worried royal family and the frightened community?

Let’s hope they can, since they must solve the mystery and reach The End to get out of the book and back to their home in Colorado.

 

 

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Review

 

I love this series. It is unique with a story within a story. This book is no different than the previous five in regards to the basic principle of the story, but it is unique with the crime, the banter, and the setting of the mystery they are to solve.

The whole gang is together again. This time, they venture into a fantasy world filled with Sprites. I really liked the descriptions of these characters, their personalities, and how they were no different from humans. There are some quirky characters and a killer among them. It was fun to try and figure out who the killer might be since there are not a lot of clues, but there are a few if you know how to look for them.

We also learn more about Frank’s past and how he came to be a part of this magical library. His past becomes advantageous to the group in this new world. You will have to read the book to learn more about that, but it is revealed fairly quickly in the book.

I also liked how the characters spoke about the author and how authors may make mistakes in their books. I had a good chuckle from some of the conversations.

There are quite a few witty lines sprinkled throughout, so I had a good chuckle as well.

This has become a favorite series, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Elizabeth Pantley is the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents, published in over twenty languages.

She simultaneously writes well-loved cozy mysteries: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous inspiration for the setting in many of her books.

 

NoCrySolution​.com | Facebook

 

Instagram |  Website | Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ill-Fated Fortune: A Magical Fortune Cookie
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
Minotaur Books (February 20, 2024)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Jin grew up literally hanging onto Mom’s apron strings in their magical bakery in the quaint town of Pixie, California. Her mother’s enchanted baked goods, including puffy pineapple buns and creamy egg tarts, bring instant joy to all who consume them. Felicity has always been hesitant in the kitchen herself after many failed attempts, but a takeout meal gone wrong inspires her to craft some handmade fortune cookies.

They become so popular that Felicity runs out of generic fortunes and starts making her own personalized predictions. When one customer’s ill-fated fortune results in his murder, Felicity’s suspiciously specific fortune has the police focusing on her as the main culprit. Now Felicity must find a way to turn her luck around and get cleared from suspicion.

 

 

Amazon – Macmillian – Bookshop – B&N – Kobo

 

 

Recipe

 

~Auspicious Almond Cookies~

 

Makes about 24 cookies, or 2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 ⅓ cups sifted all-purpose flour

⅝ cup white sugar

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ cup butter

1  egg

1 ½ tsp almond extract (1 tsp if less almond flavor is desired)

24 almond slices (sliced almonds)

 

Directions:

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together into a bowl. Cut in the butter (VERY important, don’t skip this) until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the almond extract and half of the egg. Mix well. The dough will appear to be too crumbly in the beginning, but if you mix it long enough, it will get the right consistency (that’s why you only need half an egg).
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Set them 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Press down with your thumb to flatten each cookie slightly. Place an almond slice in the middle of each cookie.
4. Combine the other half of the egg and ½ tbsp water to make a light egg wash glaze. Cover the tops of the cookies with the glaze using a basting brush. You can adjust the amount of glaze used on each cookie depending on how much almond cookie shine you want.
5. Bake in oven until the edges of the cookies are golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

 

Note: They taste even better the second day because the almond flavor has set in.

 

 

 

 

 

Review

 

This new series was a lot of fun to read, and the mystery left me hanging until the end because I had no idea who the killer could be, and there were not a lot of suspects to choose from! I did not suspect the killer since no motive was ever really established until it was revealed.

Felicity is coming into her own in the bakery her mother owns. They are a magical family and everything her mom bakes is infused with joy. It took Felicity a while to find her grove, but she finally does with fortune cookies. I thought it was neat that she could write fortunes specifically for a person. It takes her some time to uncover how to do it and control it.

I really liked her best friend, Kelvin, and her godmother, Alma. These are two characters that add character to the story. Kelvin is her partner in crime, and they find themselves in some sticky situations. There is even a bunny that appears, Whiskers, that might have magical abilities too. Only time will tell.

Not everything is smooth sailing for Felicity and her mom. Certain situations put them in a bit of a pickle. It causes a few hiccups for the bakery. Luckily, all works out in time.

I think this could be a good series, I look forward to reading more and depth added for the characters with more background.

We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

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

 

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Murder Under A Honey Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Historical Cozy Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
12th in Series
Setting – On the RMS Majesty ocean liner in the Atlantic
Worker Bee Press (February 19, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 250 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Mona Moon and her new husband, Robert Farley, Duke of Brynelleth, are on their honeymoon at last. They have just boarded the RMS Majesty ocean liner. The couple are looking forward to visiting Robert’s ancestral English home, Brynelleth, and then off to Paris before winding up on the Italian Riviera. After a romantic evening of dancing until the wee hours of the night, Mona and Robert discover their suite has been ransacked and Mona’s jewelry, supposedly secured in their stateroom, has been stolen.

Mona is horrified, as some of the jewelry belongs to the Brynelleth Estate and were cherished pieces of Robert’s mother. The ship’s crew searches the ocean liner, and a gold brooch turns up in a bartender’s cabin. It is the same bartender who served Mona earlier in the evening. The only problem is the bartender has been murdered and the rest of the jewelry is still missing.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Apple * Kobo

 

 

Guest Post

 

Murder Under A Honey Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery

 

I love history.  I love reading and writing about it. In my 1930s Mona Moon Mysteries, I weave in real people and events into the plot and take care to get the history, clothing, language, and food right. I always learn something new, which adds depth to the story and characters.

So, who is in Murder Under A Honey Moon?

The dashing English playwright Noel Coward, Martha Gellhorn, a famous war correspondent, and Virginia Hall, America’s legendary spy.

Mona Moon and her new husband, Robert Farley, Duke of Brynelleth, are on their honeymoon at last. They have just boarded the RMS Majesty ocean liner. The couple are looking forward to visiting Robert’s ancestral English home, Brynelleth, and then off to Paris before winding up on the Italian Riviera. After a romantic evening of dancing until the wee hours of the night, Mona and Robert discover their suite has been ransacked and Mona’s jewelry, supposedly secured in their stateroom, has been stolen.

Mona is horrified, as some of the jewelry belongs to the Brynelleth Estate and were cherished pieces of Robert’s mother. The ship’s crew searches the ocean liner, and a gold brooch turns up in a bartender’s cabin. It is the same bartender who served Mona earlier in the evening. The only problem is the bartender has been murdered, and the rest of the jewelry is still missing.

So join me on this mysterious and dangerous ocean voyage.  Can you figure out who the murderer is?  Mona does!

 

 

About the Author

 

Award-winning author Abigail Keam writes the Mona Moon Mystery Series—a rags-to-riches 1930s mystery series, which includes real people and events into the story line. “I am a student of history and love to insert historical information into my mysteries. There is an addendum at the end of the mystery to give more information. My goal is to entertain my readers, but if they learn a little something along the way—well, then we are both happy.”

Miss Abigail currently lives on the Palisades bordering the Kentucky River in a metal house with her husband and various critters.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Pinterest * Amazon * TikTok

 

 

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A Ghostly Clue (Pet Momma Cozy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – The small town of Starport Cove and a suburb of the town called Bluffington Hills
Independently Published (December 15, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 151 pages

 

Synopsis

 

It’s the Christmas season in the charming small town of Starport Cove. But amid shopping for gifts, decorating, baking sugar cookies, and organizing the Christmas Bazaar, the discovery of a body is not the holiday event that anyone expected. When antique store owner Milton Cenford is found dead in a suit of armor, amateur sleuth Tarsey Quinston is determined to find the killer.

As quirky visitors arrive in town and create more questions than answers, Tarsey finds herself investigating rumors of a missing historic diary penned by a First Lady from Starport Cove and looking into paranormal activity.

Will the discovery of a mysterious hidden passageway and an encounter with a ghost lead Tarsey and her intuitive cat Silver down the path to danger? Or will they finally unveil the identity of the killer?

 

 

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About the Author

 

Maryann Shanesy is a native of Maryland who has always enjoyed writing. A lifelong lover of mysteries and anything gardening, she is a pet momma to a rescue dog and cat that brightens her life. She and her husband have two wonderful daughters and live in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. She hopes you will enjoy the second cozy mystery in her series.

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Hammers and Homicide (A Hometown Hardware Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Oregon
Crooked Lane Books (January 16, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 280 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Victoria Gilbert, when a body is found in a hardware store, will Dawna Carpenter’s sleuthing measure up to find the killer?

Recent sexagenarian widow Dawna Carpenter thought running her own hardware store after the death of her husband was hard enough. With her adult daughter, April, moving back into town, and Darlene, the annoying boutique owner next door to her shop poking around, Dawna has her hands full. But when she finds a dead man in the bathroom of her store, with a framing hammer by his side, she’s in way over her head.

The victim, Warren Highcastle, was a land developer who was looking to purchase the old theater in town to build a new hotel. Dawna and April, worried about the implications of the crime scene at the hardware store, put themselves on the case. They soon learn that Warren had made quite a few enemies in his short amount of time in town. As the suspect list starts growing, so too do the threats against Dawna and April. Can Dawna and April nail the killer before they strike again?

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop * Penguin

 

 

Guest Post

 

Hello! I’m Dawna Carpenter, owner of Carpenter’s Corner Hardware in Pine Bluff, Oregon. What? You’ve never heard of Pine Bluff. I can’t say I’m surprised. When people think of Oregon, they envision Portland or the coast, but they don’t realize what a diverse state Oregon is. If you left Portland to drive here, you’re going to leave behind the lush rainforest feel of Western Oregon, then drive nearly four hours through the Columbia River Gorge and the plains before finally climbing into the Blue Mountains and meandering your way to our picturesque valley.

Wait a minute. Excuse me for a second.

Sorry, I’m back now. My author person rudely interrupted to inform me that Pine Bluff is a fictional town. That’s nonsense and I’m not going to listen to her negativity. Either way, real or imagined, Pine Bluff is a charming small town. My family moved here when I was only eight and it’s never crossed my mind to live anywhere else. Maybe that’s small minded of me, but I love my quirky little town. Bob, my late husband, and I raised our three children here, built two businesses and had a wonderful life. After Bob died, my oldest daughter wanted me to move in with her family over on the coast. But no, my roots are as firmly planted here as that big Elm tree in the front yard.

Besides the fact, I’m beginning to think Bob is still hanging around inside our big brick home. I can’t tell you how often his signature scent of sawdust and coffee swirl around the room, and I swear to you, occasionally he kisses me on the cheek. Plus, there’s Lilac. That sweet kitty crossed the rainbow bridge ages ago, but she’s been sleeping on my bed every night now for two weeks. If a cat spirit can comfort me with her presence, why not Bob?

And boy do I need comforting right now! Not that I can’t take care of myself. I can, for sure, but the other day a man was killed in the bathroom of my store. How crazy is that? I found his body, but better me than one of my customers. Now I’m worried that people will be too freaked out to shop in my store, and with that big box home improvement store that recently opened in the next town over, things could get dicey.

My daughter April and I are going to figure out who killed the poor man, though, and try to get things as back to normal as possible. I hate to point a finger, but there’s several Pine Bluffians I’m suspicious might’ve had something to do with the man’s demise. Oh, there’s April now. We have some snooping to do. I don’t want to keep her waiting, so I’ll cut this off and talk with you again soon.

 

 

Excerpt

 

I ended the call then reached into the cupboard for a glass and filled it with infused cucumber water from a pitcher in the refrigerator.

“See her where?” April filled another glass with cucumber water. “What’s going on?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know? Join the Women’s Service Club, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

I’d been trying to get April to join the organization ever since she’d taken over the decorating and furniture restoration side of my business, but so far, she’d refused.

“Whatever, Mom. I’m not ready to wear polyester pants and go to a meddling women’s meeting.” My daughter rolled her eyes and tapped her wrist like she was checking a watch. “At least not for another…oh, let’s see…twenty years.”

I threw my hands in the air and looked down at the pink-and-white striped T-shirt, cotton shorts, and denim shoes I wore. “Do you see polyester pants here? Don’t think so, missy.”

“No, but your meddling is showing. Better get it tucked back in.”

The two of us cracked up like a pair of cackling hens.

“Anyway, Evonne called an emergency meeting tonight. Without a feasible buyer for The Emery, we need to regroup and double our efforts to save the theater for Pine Bluff.”

“See? I knew I wouldn’t have to join your stuffy old ladies club to get the scoop. You can’t keep from talking about it.” April grinned. “But, seriously, it’s a good idea. What time’s your meeting?”

“Seven. Why? Are you coming with me?”

“Nope, not going with you. Will you stop, please?”

I laughed. “Never.”

“I think I’m going to head to the workshop and finish the dresser I’ve been working on. Maybe I’ll work until your meeting is over. It should give me a few hours to paint.”

Workshop was an overreaching word for the storage unit where April refinished and stored the pieces of furniture that were the heart of her business, Carriage House Designs.

“Do you think it’s wise to be there alone right now? You could stay here and bake those cupcakes you promised J.T.”

“It’s too hot to bake. I’ll do it tomorrow morning while it’s still cool. I’ll be as safe at my workshop as I’d be here by myself. Don’t worry. I’ll text J.T. to let him know where I’m at, okay? You need to do the same thing when you leave the house, and then text me when you’re heading back home from your meeting. Plus drive your Jeep. No walking tonight.”

“Deal, bossy cow.”

April and I pinky swore. There was no going back on our deal now. With a pinky swear, it was completely unbreakable.

“The meeting isn’t for several more hours, though. I have all afternoon to kill. Think I’ll turn on the air-conditioning unit in the sunroom and read for a bit after I start a load of laundry. It’s too hot to work in the garden right now.”

“Sounds perfect. And don’t say kill.” April glowered at me in jest before she turned to head outside.

I grabbed the dishtowel hanging on the stove doorhandle and snapped my daughter on the rear end before she made it outside.

“Oh, lady, you’re going to be mighty sorry you did that.” April let the screen door bang behind her for good measure. “Lock the door,” she called over her shoulder.

 

 

About the Author

 

When Paula Charles isn’t writing under the towering trees of the Pacific Northwest, she can be found in the garden with her hands in the dirt or sitting on her front porch with a good book and a glass of iced tea. She has a love for small towns, ghost stories, and pie. Paula lives on a small farm in Southwestern Washington with her patient husband and a handful of furry and feathered critters. Paula also writes cozy mysteries under the pen name of Janna Rollins.

 

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A Killer Romance (A Beach Reads Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – North Carolina
Crooked Lane Books (February 6, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Love and murder are in the air this Valentine’s day in Maggie Blackburn’s third Beach Reads mystery, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Miranda James.

When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.

As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.

As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Bookshop

 

 

Guest Post

 

Glads

 

I can’t explain what it feels like to be accused of murder. My name is Gladys Solomon, and folks just call me Glads. I’ve lived here on St. Brigids Island most of my life, and my best friend was Hildy Merriweather, who was murdered a few years back. I will never get over that. Now, her daughter, Summer, has taken over the bookstore and is doing a great job with it. I just know Hildy would be proud and maybe a little surprised, given that Summer always despised the shop. Not so anymore.

Summer is not Ms. Popularity like her mother was. She tries—and with each passing day, she becomes, I don’t know, a little softer, a little more likable. All I know is she’s a person you want on your side. And if a murder accusation will surely show you who is on your side—and who is not.

I have no idea who killed the uppity romance author who visited Beach Reads Books for the “Romance by the Sea” Valentine’s Day event. All I know is it wasn’t me. Sure, I handed her the poisoned tea. But I didn’t place the poison in it. But honestly, I can see why the police thought I may have poisoned her, though I swear I did not do it.

And like I said, Summer is a woman you’d want on your side. She just won’t rest until they find the real killer. Neither will I. I’ve taken this very personally. Of course, I have. I’ve lived here my whole life. How could anybody think I’d commit such a heinous act?

 

 

About the Author

 

Maggie Blackburn is the pen name for bestselling mystery author Mollie Cox Bryan, who writes cozy mysteries with edge. She’s the author of several bestselling mystery series Her books have been selected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award and as a Top 10 Beach Reads by Woman’s World. She has also been short-listed for the Virginia Library People’s Choice Award.  She’s also penned a historical mystery under the name of Mollie Ann Cox. She lives in Crozet, Va. and is the mother of two grown, nearly perfect daughters.

 

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Twinkle Twinkle Au Revoir: A Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Virginia
Level Best Books (January 16, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 252 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Love is in the air when Hollywood arrives in Mermaid Bay, and the town may never be the same.

Fans will do almost anything to get a glimpse of the actors or a chance to be an extra in the Love Channel’s “My Coastal Valentine.” Crowds flock to the cozy beach town from all over and business is booming for Christmas shop owner, Jade Hicks until the body of a testy reporter is found in one of the actors rooms. And if murder isn’t bad enough, someone tries to kill the show’s star, hunky Raphael Allard.

The cozy little beach town feels cursed, as the Love Channel threatens to pull out of the project. Jade and the gang, Lorelei, Peppermint Patti, Bernie, Chloe, and Neville the Devil Cat, have to solve the crimes before it ruins the town’s reputation and breaks the hearts of fans across the country.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Guest Post

 

What I Learned about the Writing Life from 1970s Cartoons

 

Heather Weidner, Author of the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries and the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries

 

I’m first-generation Sesame Street and M-TV. I’m a Gen-Xer who watched way too much television in the 1970s and 80s, but all those hours in front of the magic box (with no cable or remote) taught me some things about mysteries and the writing life.

I have been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo, Josie and the Pussycats, and The Funky Phantom. Saturday morning cartoons were part of every week’s ritual, along with the required bowl of overly sugared cereal. The sleuths in these shows were everyday kids (or a dog or a ghost). These cartoons showed me that you didn’t have to be an adult with a lot of training to solve a mystery and right wrongs. You could be heroic at any age. You just needed your wits and some creativity.

Use Your Assets – In most of these shows, the kids used what they had in the moment. Start with what’s already in your toolbox. You need to put in the time and energy to hone your skills and build your platform.

Everyone Needs Friends – Find Your Group – Scooby and Shaggy, Archie and Jughead, the Super Friends, Speed Buggy, and the Groovie Ghoulies – The writing journey is a long (often solitary one), you need friends, mentors, coaches, and cheerleaders. Find your crew and support each other. Make sure that you’re an active participant with the writing community. You don’t have to do everything, but you need to do something. Share ideas, experiences, and contacts. Provide feedback and guidance and make sure to support other writers.

People (or Dogs, Ghosts, Ghoulies) Are Willing to Help – The Writing Community is full of authors at different stages in their careers who are gracious with their time and advice. Find your writing allies and cherish them.

Often It’s Scary – How many scary monsters did the Mystery Inc. group battle in Scooby-Doo? (Hundreds!) Most of them turned out to be evil adults who were thwarted by a bunch of kids and Great Dane. There are some rough patches and scary stuff along the writing journey. Rejections, bad critiques, and nasty reviews aren’t pleasant. Learn what you can from them and keep going.

Be Flexible and Resourceful – Most of the characters on Saturday morning cartoons were amateurs, and not everything went according to plan (Wile E. Coyote, Hong Kong Phooey, The Hair Bear Bunch, Pebbles and Bam-Bam, …). You are going to run into all kinds of roadblocks and dead ends. Figure out ways to move forward and to advance your goals. Use your gifts. Be creative and find your way out of the spooky castle, the creepy swamp, or the eerie abandoned theme park.

 

Writing and publishing are a business. Your writing life is a rollercoaster of a journey, just like those cartoons from decades ago. It’ll be chock-full of thrills and anticipation, along with a few dips and hair-raising twists and turns. Arm yourself and hone your skills for the adventure.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.

Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, and Murder by the Glass, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime: National, Central Virginia, Chessie, Guppies, and Grand Canyon Writers, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers, and she blogs regularly with the Writers Who Kill.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.

 

Website & Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

 

Goodreads * Amazon Author Page * Pinterest

 

LinkedIn * BookBub  * BlueSky

 

 

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A Bean to Die For (A Coffee Lover’s Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Florida
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books (January 9, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Perfect for fans of Cleo Coyle and Lucy Burdette, reporter-turned-barista Lana Lewis is back on the case when a body is dug up in the community garden.

Lana Lewis is brewing up new concoctions at Perkatory, a popular café in Devil’s Beach, when she decides she wants to try her hand at growing her own coffee. She secures a gardening plot in the community garden, thanks to her father and the garden’s owner, Darla. Darla’s list of rules is long, but that doesn’t stop someone from leaving Jack Daggett’s body amongst the gardening plots.

Jack, an environmental activist, had been banned from the garden previously, because of his many fights with Darla about organic produce. Lana promises her boyfriend, police chief Noah, that she’s going to stay out of this case, having been too involved in previous cases. But when she learns that Jack died from an accidental overdose, and Darla is the top suspect because of her shady past, Lana can’t help but poke around in an attempt to clear Darla’s name.

As Lana dives deeper into the case, she learns that Jack had more enemies than she realized. When Darla turns up dead, Lana has to turn up the heat on her investigation. With Lana on the case, it won’t be long before someone spills the beans to crack this case wide open. But will she able to find the killer before they strike again?

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

In the future, those of us who lived through the dark times of the pandemic will measure those years in what we watched while we tried to mentally disconnect from the virus and the world.

Binging streaming TV series was a balm for our stressed souls.

We started with Tiger King, a docu-series about troublingly strange people who were obsessed with big cats. Some of us sampled the sexy-yet-mind-numbingly dumb 365 Days, if only because the main characters were beautiful and were having the sex we weren’t.

After that, we did a one-eighty and tried to redeem what brain cells we had left with Ted Lasso, or perhaps the Queen’s Gambit.

By 2021, we were ready for a touch of the real world. But not too much, because things were still dicey.

And that’s when we were given the best viewing gift of all: a cozy mystery series. There is nothing like a little gentle murder, one that’s low-stakes yet interesting, to capture our attention.

Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez — along with a rotating list of A-list stars — was released in August of 2021, just as Hot Girl Summer was withering into another dreary, lonely fall.

Readers of cozy mystery novels recognized the series for what it was right away. It had all the hallmarks of the genre: amateur sleuths, a tight knit, closed community, a non-gory homicide, no on-screen sex. The premise was simple: three incredibly different people who all love true crime podcasts come together to make a podcast of their own when a murder happens in their New York City building.

Viewers fell in love with the series, and so did critics; it won multiple Emmys and Golden Globes.

I have a theory that since the pandemic, people have discovered, or re-discovered, cozy mysteries. The genre is perfect for armchair travel.  And in a world that’s become scary and complex, the concept of seeking justice for one homicide turns sharp reality into a comfy, manageable — and most importantly, bingeable — escape.

I published my first cozy mystery, Grounds for Murder, in December of 2020, about nine months before OMITB came out. That show is on its third season, my publisher is about the release the fourth book in the Coffee Lover’s Mystery Series in January. The title is A BEAN TO DIE FOR, and it has all of the cozy tropes readers love: a quirky setting, found family, eccentric characters, humor — and gentle murder.

 

Here’s an excerpt from my book:

 

Dad continued talking about Jack’s crop, and I walked on. Sure enough, there were some tall vines snaking up wire trellises. The spicy, earthy scent of tomato plants hung in the humid, heavy air. Maybe I’d get some free tomatoes out of this situation. Was that unethical, to take the previous guy’s fruit?

It was March, which meant the Florida growing season was in full swing. Unlike up north, it’s impossible to cultivate anything in Florida in the summer. I still didn’t fully know what this meant for my small coffee plants sprouting in the makeshift greenhouse back at my place. Would they grow as well as these tomatoes? I sure hoped so.

I was about to round the corner and walk along the last, long row of my plot when I stopped. There was something unusual lying on the ground.

Feet.

“Uh, guys.” Black sandals and white socks came into view, with the toes pointing to the sky. I leaned forward, unsure if I should pro- ceed further. “Hello? Are you okay?”

Erica slammed into my back, probably because she was looking at her phone. “Hello! What? I’m fine!”

“Not you. Him. There’s something other than tomatoes here,” I said in a shaky voice, pointing in front of me.

There, sticking out between two tall plants bursting with fruit, were the sun-beaten, motionless legs of an elderly man.

 

 

About the Author

 

Tara Lush is a Florida-based author and journalist. She’s an RWA Rita finalist, an Amtrak writing fellow, and the winner of the George C. Polk Award for environmental journalism.

She was a reporter with The Associated Press in Florida, covering crime, alligators, natural disasters, and politics. She also writes contemporary romance set in tropical locations under the name Tamara Lush.

Tara is a fan of vintage pulp fiction book covers, Sinatra-era jazz, 1980s fashion, tropical chill, kombucha, gin, tonic, seashells, iPhones, Art Deco, telenovelas, street art, coconut anything, strong coffee and newspapers. She lives on the Gulf Coast with her husband and two dogs.

Her debut mystery series is published by Crooked Lane Books.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Deadly to the Core (A Cider House Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Pennsylvania
Crooked Lane Books (January 16, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 250 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Perfect for fans of Amanda Flower and Julie Anne Lindsey, when Kate Mulligan inherits her great uncle’s fruit orchard, she quickly realizes that apples aren’t the only thing that can have rotten cores.

After losing her husband in a terrible car crash, thirty-five-year-old Kate is left to pick up the pieces of her life alone. Although she has physically recovered, she worries her spirit never will. But when she learns that she has inherited a fruit orchard in a small town just outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, from her great uncle Stan, she takes this as an opportunity ripe for the picking. Kate knew immediately what to do with it: open a cider house. Her hopeful plans fall far from the tree when she finds the body of the orchard manager, Carl Randolph, leaving her to figure out who is at the core of this murder.

She had been in correspondence with Carl, who had agreed with her brilliant idea of opening a cider house. But not everyone is so quick to buy what she was selling—Uncle Stan’s lawyer, Robert Larabee, paints a less rosy financial outlook of the orchard’s past, present, and future.

Kate discovers that Carl had large, unexplained deposits to his bank account and it becomes clear that either he was blackmailing someone, or someone was paying him to keep quiet. Meanwhile, Kate and her neighbors receive offers to buy their property from a mysterious buyer. And there’s more than meets the eye with the neighboring orchard owner, Daniel Martinez, although Kate can’t quite put her finger on if it’s sweet or sour.

Will she be able to pick out the bad apple among the bunch before it’s too late?

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Hi, everyone. I’m Kate Mulligan. I’m not sure why anyone wants to hear from me, but here goes. I just moved to Orchardville, Pennsylvania from Pittsburgh. For some reason, my great-uncle Stan willed me his orchard. I’m glad he did, though. I needed something new—something to look forward to. It’s been a terrible year for me. You see, my husband Brian and I were in a car accident and he was killed. I made it through although I’m put together with a good bit of titanium. I’m on the mend, but I miss my husband with all my heart. I’m happy I have something to focus on now.

Before the accident, I managed a cidery in Pittsburgh. Brian and I had dreamed of opening our own someday and now with the orchard, I’ll be able to do just that. I’d spent summers with my grandmother and Uncle Stan. There was an old barn on the property that with the help of my orchard manager Carl Randolph and some local people, has been restored. It’s ready for the fermentation tanks to arrive any day now.

I can’t forget to mention my friend Marguerite Yost. She owns the café in town. Back when I used to spend the summers at Grandma’s house, we were inseparable. We kept in touch some over the years, but it wasn’t the same. It’s good to have a friend. The people in Orchardville are so nice. Rudy, who owns the grocery store wouldn’t even let me pay for groceries on my first trip. He and his wife Ruth were good friends with Grandma and Uncle Stan. Daniel Martinez, the neighboring orchard owner, has been great, too. He even made me save his number in my phone contacts in case I needed anything. Not that I’ll ever use it, of course.

Right now I’m heading to Carl’s cabin in the orchard. He’s going to give me my first lesson on fruit trees and owning an orchard. I don’t know a thing about it, but I’m anxious to learn it all. I can see his cabin from here and it looks like the front door is open. And I hear music blasting from inside. I hope everything is all right…

 

 

About the Author

 

Joyce St. Anthony was a police secretary for ten years and more than once envisioned the demise of certain co-workers but settled on writing as a way to keep herself out of jail. In addition to the Homefront News Mysteries, she is the author of the Brewing Trouble Mysteries and the upcoming Cider House Mysteries, written under her own name, Joyce Tremel. She lives in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania with her husband.

 

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Giveaway

 

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The Family Man (Rosedale Investigations)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Tennessee
Camel Press (January 9, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages

 

Synopsis

 

A woman approaches Rosedale Investigations to report her husband missing. Then another woman arrives to report her husband is missing. When the team sees the photographs of James Browning, they realize it’s the same guy; they have a bigamist on their hands. Detective Wayne Nichols locates Browning’s car at the local airport and learns the man’s been subpoenaed to provide evidence in the trial of a decade-old murder of a police officer-a shooting Browning witnessed.

A second client, Hilary Broadchurch-Miller believes her brother, Grant, is being blackmailed by Aimee, his yoga instructor. He had earlier pledged to cover the cost of sending Hilary’s sons to college and she’s afraid he might renege on that promise. When Billy Jo interviews Aimee, she denies having an affair and is shocked when accused of blackmail. However, when Billy Jo checks the Venmo app, she discovers Grant has been giving Aimee money for two months. Something is definitely going on.

This one is a page-turner with two wives who don’t know about each other, a man who may or may not have a daughter, and a final 4th of July party where all the strands of the tale come together.

 

 

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About the Author

 

Lyn Farrell is the pen name of Lynda Farquhar the author of the Mae December Mystery series as well as the Rosedale Investigations series. She is a former Michigan State University professor in the College of Human Medicine, a mother, and a grandmother. She loves playing with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and is always on the lookout for her family artist grandfather’s (Eugene Iverd) paintings. He was a Saturday Evening Post cover artist.

 

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Giveaway

 

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