Murder in Her Stocking (A Granny Reid Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (October 30, 2018)
Hardcover: 304 pages

Synopsis

As the Moonlight Magnolia Agency revisits old memories on Christmas Eve, Granny Reid takes the reins back thirty years to the 1980s—back when she went by Stella, everyone’s hair was bigger, and sweaters were colorful disasters. But murder never went out of style . . .

Christmas has arrived in sleepy McGill, Georgia, but holiday cheer can’t keep temperamental Stella Reid from swinging a rolling pin at anyone who crosses her bad side—and this season, there are plenty. First an anonymous grinch vandalizes a celebrated nativity display. Far worse, the scandalous Prissy Carr is found dead in an alley behind a tavern. With police puzzled over the murder, Stella decides to stir the local gossip pot for clues on the culprit’s identity . . .

Turns out Prissy held a prominent spot on the naughty list, and suspects pile up like presents on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, the more progress Stella makes, the more fears she must confront. With a neighbor in peril and the futures of her beloved grandchildren at risk, Stella must somehow set everything straight and bring a cunning criminal to justice before December 25th . . .

Guest Post

The Frosting on the Cake by G. A. McKevett

Like many professional storytellers, I was raised in an environment rich with the sharing of family lore. Not all of it was sparkling or even repeatable in polite company, but it was entertaining, nevertheless.

One of the more prolific yarn spinners in my immediate circle was my father. Sunday afternoons, over an early dinner, he would tell and re-tell his life stories, many of which centered around the time he spent as a soldier in WWII.

“Squeaky and the Coconut Cake” was one of my personal favorites, and I’d like to share it with you now.

My father was a marine, stationed for a while in the Philippines, in a tent camp in the jungle. When the war finally ended, he returned home to southern Missouri, to his newly-widowed mother and younger sisters.

He brought with him a tiny monkey he had adopted, known as Squeaky, named after the little sounds he continually made whether he was happy and contented or wanting something—usually a food treat. He was so small that my father could tuck him into the front pocket of his shirt and button the flap, where Squeaky often took naps, close to the warmth of his “dad’s” chest.

The first Sunday after Dad’s return, my Grandma Cora Bell insisted that her non-church-attending son go to services with her and his sisters. Reluctantly, he did.

In celebration of his safe return from the war, Grandma had baked one of her delicious, moist, made from scratch, coconut cakes. It was a thing of beauty, which she placed in the center of the table before the family left. Everyone was looking forward to enjoying a generous slice of it, along with a pot of fresh, hot coffee, when they returned. But, alas, it was not to be.

While they were gone, the highly intelligent and ever-resourceful Squeaky, angry that he had been left behind, managed to escape from his cage.

The family returned to carnage.

They walked into the kitchen to find the usually immaculate room in chaos. Not only were flour and sugar bags torn open and their contents scattered, utensils pulled from cupboards and lying on the floor, and some dishes broken…but every single surface, both horizontal and vertical, in the entire room was covered with a thin coat of white stickiness.

Yes, coconut frosting. (My father would later say that he even scrubbed it off the top of the refrigerator and from the insides of the cupboard doors.)

It didn’t take long to find Squeaky. He was a gleeful little fellow. Sitting in the middle of the mangled cake. Casually licking coconut frosting from between his toes.

About the Author

G.A. McKevett is the author of the acclaimed Savannah Reid mystery series. Also writing under the name Sonja Massie, she has authored over 60 books ranging from cozy mysteries to historical romances, to nonfiction works on the history of Ireland. Her earthy humor and fast-paced plots delight her fans, while critics applaud her offbeat characterizations and incisive observations on human nature. Irish by ancestry, she has lived in Toronto, Ireland, and Los Angeles, but now resides in New York.

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Thread Herrings (A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Kensington (October 30, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

Synopsis

Angie’s first auction may turn out to be her last—when she bids on a coat of arms that someone would literally kill to possess . . .

Tagging along to an estate sale with her fellow Needlepointer, antiques shop owner Sarah Byrne, Angie Curtis impulsively bids on a tattered embroidery of a coat of arms. When she gets her prize back home to Haven Harbor, she discovers a document from 1757 behind the framed needlework—a claim for a child from a foundling hospital. Intrigued, Angie is determined to find the common thread between the child and the coat of arms.

Accepting her reporter friend Clem Walker’s invitation to talk about her find on the local TV news, Angie makes an appeal to anyone who might have information. Instead, both women receive death threats. When Clem is found shot to death in a parking lot, Angie fears her own life may be in jeopardy. She has to unravel this historical mystery—or she may be the next one going, going . . . gone . . .

 

Excerpt

“What about this one?” I asked, passing several oil paintings and pointing to another large needlework. “It looks like a coat of arms.”

“It does. Although about a third of the stitching is gone. I wonder if it was done here, or in England? Stitching coats of arms was more common there. Americans didn’t have family crests or coats of arms.”

The coat of arms was in poor condition. The glass protecting it was cracked, and dirt had sifted onto the embroidery. Threads were broken or missing in several places, so only part of the crest was clear, and the linen backing was torn in several places. Still, it fascinated me.

“Is that an eagle?” I said, trying to make sense of what might have been part of a bird on the crest.

Sarah shook her head. “I’m not interested in it. No one wants someone else’s coat of arms, and that one isn’t in good enough condition to sell, anyway.”

“It could be repaired,” I suggested. “Gram is pretty good at that.” I kept looking at the crest, wondering who’d stitched it, and when. Who’d been proud of a heritage that included a coat of arms? The other embroideries were from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. I wasn’t an expert on American history, but I knew not a lot of Americans had bragged about their connections to nobility—especially English nobility—right after the American Revolution.

Or maybe the coat of arms was from another country? I didn’t know enough to guess.

“Why bother trying to repair it?” Sarah asked. “It’s not beautiful. It’s in poor condition. Its only value might have been to the person it represented, and, if it’s here, no one in his family wanted it.”

“But don’t coats of arms belong to families?” I asked.

“They were awarded to individuals, not families,” Sarah corrected. “Embroidered coats of arms originally were worn over armor, so knights could be identified when they were in competitions or battles.” She glanced at the embroidery in front of us. “I don’t see any identifying name, either of the owner or the woman who stitched it. In any case, I need to look at the other lots.” She made a couple of notes on her catalog. “I’ll bid on the four other samplers,” she said softly to me. “I’ll have to think about how high to go. That last sampler may be a budget-killer.”

“You go ahead. I’m going to wander and see what else is here,” I said.

Sarah headed for the cases of china, which had no interest for me.

I took one more look at the coat of arms. I couldn’t say exactly why, but it fascinated me.

About the Author

Lea Wait lives on the coast of Maine. A fourth-generation antique dealer and the author of the Agatha-nominated Antique Print Mystery series, she loves all things antiques and Maine. She also writes historical novels for young people set in (where else?) nineteenth-century Maine.

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A Different Kind of Reunion (A Gilda Greco Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
The Wild Rose Press, Inc (April 23, 2018)
Paperback: 236 pages

Synopsis

While not usually a big deal, one overlooked email would haunt teacher Gilda Greco. Had she read it, former student Sarah McHenry might still be alive.

Suspecting foul play, Constable Leo Mulligan plays on Gilda’s guilt and persuades her to participate in a séance facilitated by one of Canada’s best-known psychics. Six former students also agree to participate. At first cooperative and willing, their camaraderie is short-lived as old grudges and rivalries emerge. The séance is a bust.

Determined to solve Sarah’s murder, Gilda launches her own investigation and uncovers shocking revelations that could put several lives—including her own—in danger. Can Gilda and the psychic solve this case before the killer strikes again?

About the Author

In 2008, Joanne took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes cozy mysteries, paranormal romance, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

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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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Not So Wicked by T. A. Moorman

Published October 30, 2018 by GothicMoms Studios

YA Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Synopsis

Caught in a realm they know next to nothing about, in a time where they’re hated for not what they are but how they look, these supernatural teens may find it harder to curve their bloodlust than they thought.

Like most teens, even those with supernatural powers and abilities, Elvira thinks that her days at Be Prepared High are a colossal waste of time. Especially Feeding 101, since she’s a cursed vampire that was born without fangs. She and her friends view most of the classes as useless since they never plan on venturing to the human realm. Why would they when Underlayes was made specifically for every factions’ safety, where they could roam free day or night with not a care in the worlds.

But just like her parents always told her, sometimes you’re put into situations you can’t control.

Elvira’s life takes an unexpected turn when a wizard hell bent on misplaced revenge kidnaps her and several of her friends. Not only does she send them with a one-way ticket to Detroit, Michigan, she sends them to a time when the tension amongst the races is at its highest. And having to deal with race issues is the one thing that has never even been so much as a thought to any of them and is the one course not on the roster.

But will everything they’ve learned in school be enough to keep them alive? What will they all do when racism stares them in the face? Most importantly, how will they get back home?

Books 2 Read

 

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Once upon a time… Really? I’m not starting my story off with that lame ass cliché. Fat chance. Not when my story is anything but classic. You can think of this as the life and times of a teenage vampire. A real one, not one that sparkles as though we were sprinkled with some type of fairy dust. Oh! And we’re born, not made by just being bitten, consuming blood from another vampire, or any other legend you may have researched somewhere. The bitten one is the most ridiculous theory any of us have ever heard of. I mean really, think about it, if everyone ever bitten by a vampire were to turn into one how could they ever go back for seconds on the same victim, er donor? Could you imagine how large the vampire population would be? Anyway, you wanna hear my story? Just sit back, grab a pint of blood, or milk, and have a listen.

First off, I don’t live in your dimension, I live in a separate one called Underlayes. Where the things that go bump in the night – werewolves, vampires, mermaids, sirens, witches, and so much more – truly are real. Underlayes has regular neighborhoods just like Earth does, we don’t live in a ton of dug out caves, or cryptic looking castles; besides the royals anyway. We used to live amongst you guys, but that was way before my time, and a story way too long and boring for me to bother with repeating. Just know that we all truly do exist and a very few of our number walk alongside you still. So, you may want to think about that before you lay down at night after bullying the school nerd or your shy co-worker. If they’re the silent and quiet type they’re more than possibly plotting your untimely demise and deciding what side-dish you’d go best with. Or what curse to place on you. Something my Mom should have thought about a long, long time ago.

Me? The names Elvira, yea, Mom and Pops have a sick and twisted sense of humor. Which when you come to think of it is actually a very good thing, since Mom was dumb enough to piss off a witch when she was preggers with me and my brother, Dracula (yup, again with the humor), Drake for short. During one of her many mood swings dear old Mom went completely off on an already pissed off witch; something about the witch crossing in front of her, and Mom thinking that would make us come out cross eyed (and you thought your mom was superstitious, Ha!). Miss Witch decided to do her one better and really did curse us both. I was granted with the gift of being the only vampire known of with NO FANGS! Since Underlayes doesn’t have hospitals bagged blood isn’t exactly just lying around. Why not just bite down extra hard you say? Probably because that leaves a big chunk of meat in my mouth and vampires can’t digest meat; we have a strictly all liquid diet. Why not just slit someone’s wrist and pour it in a cup you ask? If you were on an all liquid diet, would one glass a day keep your hunger pains at bay? NO! And draining someone completely dry doesn’t work either, unlike how they portray things in your human movies, blood clots up pretty quickly when it hits air; unless pumped up with nasty anti-coagulants which leave a horrible aftertaste and makes the blood nearly impossible to digest. So the blood shortage on your neck of the veil? Feel free to blame that on us, Mom and Dad had to feed us somehow during the experimental processes of properly bagging and storing the blood the way humans do. But no worries, they haven’t had to raid your neck of the realms in a long time now. The alchemist’s studied the components your scientists used and now have it down pact.

I’m not really sure if Drake’s curse is worst or pretty much just as bad. Him? He goes into a full-blown shock at the very sight of blood; fainting spells, seizures, black outs, the works. Though lucky for him rarely all of those at once. Lucky for Mom and Dad, he could still at least savor the taste and smell of it. But talk about being seriously dependent upon someone else, hard to nourish yourself when you can’t even look at your food. And as a baby? You try putting a blindfold on an infant, especially one with fangs, and let me know how well that works out for you. Ah, but it made for some fangtastic pranks when I was thirteen, which also ended in a lot of punishments. But they were so worth it!

So that’s us, Elvie and Drake, two of the only known vampires forced to live on bagged blood. Though Drake may get lucky one day and be able to savor a neck or two, as long as he keeps his eyes shut tight and doesn’t dribble.

Can’t we just break the curse you ask? Ask Aunt Flo that one. Did I fail to mention the witch in question was, and still is Mom’s best friend? She’s also a witch with more power than she can handle who needs to watch what she says at ALL times. The curse was supposedly never intentional and trying to undo it has proven pretty much impossible.

Mom, Trinity Alkaev, is a beautiful creature with a body neither skinny nor large, but what one describes as buxom perfection. Also, one of the most patient females you will ever meet, and a truly ferocious beast, fangs and all, when pissed. Dad, Borya Alkaev, is the strong not so silent type, with a chiseled chin and sculpted cheekbones in which I heard would give Michaelangelo a run for his money. Born after the creation of Underlayes, he’s only two hundred years old, so I never understood how he ended up with such a thick accent as if he just left the great Motherland of Russia. The exact opposite of Mom when it comes to patience, but the best dad any set of unorthodox twins could ask for. Neither of them were an only child, but both are the youngest and only surviving children from both of their respective lines. Many died before the dimension of Underlayes was made, some during the move. And Aunt Flo, I’m not even getting into that one. And as far as looks go Drake and I are a perfect combination of the two, with the exception of the fact that I have no fangs.

THUD. CRASH. SCREAM.

What in Hel’s name was that?

“Elvira Esfir Alkaev!” Moms blood-curling screams vibrated through the floorboards, “How many times do I need to tell you not to leave your blood bags lying around? Get down here and help me clean up this mess. And carry your brother to his room!”

Well there you have it, the usual beginning of a day in the house of Alkaev.

“Now young lady!”

About the Author

When you become a Mom, you begin to put yourself last, and your combat boots begin to collect dust. Going to your child’s PTA meetings in full Gothic, especially industrial, regalia is pretty much frowned upon. Especially by your own children, and your teens would die of a heart attack. But, one should not have to completely stop being themselves, uniqueness is greatness. So all of that darkness is put into words in her books, and designs in her jewelry sold in her Gothic Moms Dark Charms shop on Etsy and Rebels Market.

Single mother of five beautiful children, but by far more than just that. T. A. Moorman is an artist, a former violinist, a seamstress, a crafter, a writer, a blogger, a reviewer, a dark confidant and a darkly dangerous, fiercely protective friend. She still hopes to one day find her Dark Knight in shining armor, since Prince Charming would never be able to handle her. And currently broke, so go buy something of hers and tell everyone you know how much you love this book.

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Christmas Eve Daughter: Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas

Publisher:  Broadback (Sept. 12, 2018)
Category: Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Romance, Christmas
Tour dates:Oct-Nov, 2018
ISBN:
Available in Print and ebook, 385 pages

Synopsis

 

The sequel to The Christmas Eve Letter!

When husband and wife, Eve and Patrick Gantly, discover a shocking secret from Patrick’s past, they make the difficult decision to use the old lantern once again to return to 1885. They hope to save his child from a tragic future.

Although they try to plan for every possible contingency, something goes wrong.  They lose each other and end up in a different time!  Nothing goes as planned.  They struggle to save Patrick’s daughter from certain death, even as they search for the lost lantern that will return them to their own time.

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Review

This is the sequel to The Christmas Eve Letter. While this book stands on its own, it does reference how Eve and Patrick get together and other incidents, so I highly suggest reading that book first before delving into this novel.

Time Travel is very intriguing and I wonder how I would handle situations if I found myself tossed back in time. Probably not as well as Eve seems to handle all the situations put in her path plus being in a time that she is not as familiar. I know I am not a history buff, so trying to know what will happen and when would be hard for me to adapt.

Eve and Patrick are married and doing an internet search reveals that Patrick has a daughter he never knew. He already feels out of sorts being 130 years in the future, but to find out you had a child that dies by nefarious means is too much for him to take. He insists on going back to save his daughter one way or another. Of course, he thinks he can do it on his own. He should know better being married to Eve that she is not going to let that happen. Thus begins their journey.

It is interesting how they travel back and forth in time – through a lantern. The fact that this lantern does not travel with them is interesting. It does make for a good story because Eve and Patrick have to track down what happened to the lantern from when they left in 1885. They are lucky that the lantern was recoverable but not without a lot of effort.

I enjoyed the new characters, an update on characters from the first book, and the possibility for more books because there are some characters that are mentioned but we don’t know what happened to them. I can’t spoil the story, but let’s just say that things changed from when Patrick & Eve left to when they returned and these were pretty major changes.

if you enjoy time travel themed novels you will like these books!

About the Author

Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the husband and wife writing team of Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington. Elyse began writing poems and short stories at an early age and graduated with a degree in English Literature. Douglas began writing novels in college while studying music at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.  He traveled the world as a professional pianist for many years.  He has also worked as a copywriter and corporate manager.

Some of Elyse Douglas’ novels include: The Christmas Eve Letter (A Time Travel Novel), Christmas for Juliet, The Summer Letters, The Christmas Diary, The Summer Diary, and The Lost Mata Hari Ring. They live in New York City.

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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.

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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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Synopsis

Steffi Lockwood has survived more than most. Recovering from an assault, she returns to her coastal Connecticut hometown to rebuild her life the best way she knows how: with her hands. But starting a remodeling business with one longtime friend puts her in the middle of a rift with another. Worse, being hired by her ex-boyfriend’s mother forces her to confront old regrets.

Public defender Ryan Quinn wasn’t shocked when his wife left him, but he was floored when she abandoned their daughter. With his finances up in the air, the newly single dad turns to his childhood home in Sanctuary Sound. The last person he expects, or wants, to see working on his family house is Steffi Lockwood—his first love who shattered his heart.

Although Steffi and Ryan are different people now, dormant feelings rekindle. But when Steffi’s secrets begins to surface, will it bring them together…or tear them apart for good?

Meet Steffi Lockwood the Heroine from Jamie Beck’s The Memory of You

Thank you so much for inviting me to talk about Sanctuary Sound, I’m Steffi Lockwood. I admit, it is strange to be back in my sleepy hometown after spending so much of my youth wanting to escape to something bigger and, in my mind, better. But life in Hartford didn’t live up to my dreams. I wouldn’t say I left because I got attacked, but it was a wake-up call for all the ways that life wasn’t really making me happy. One night while watching my favorite HGTV show, I got inspired to quit my construction job and return home to start my own home renovation business with my childhood friend, Claire, a designer.

While I enjoy the quiet beauty of our small coastal Connecticut town and am happy to reconnect with Claire, my dad, and my brother Ben, my homecoming isn’t all roses and sunshine. Although my mom died long ago, I can’t help but miss her when I’m at my dad’s house on Lilac Lane. I’m also dealing with some kind of brain fog, most likely from the many concussions I’ve suffered, including the last one I got when attacked. Then there’s the rift between Claire and our other dear friend, Peyton. We used to call ourselves the Lilac Lane League and were the closest of friends. I really relied on that sisterhood (having only brothers, myself). Now I’m trying to remain neutral, but that’s not easy when I have to live and work with Claire, and she’s still brokenhearted because her ex ran off with Peyton. But the biggest regret that follows me around town has to do with memories of Ryan Quinn, my high school sweetheart—the greatest guy in the world that I was dumb enough to ghost in college.

Like I mentioned, when I was younger, I thought I wanted a bigger life. I didn’t want to be like my mom, who married and died young without ever seeing anything of the world. I wanted adventure, and to get that, I had to break free from town and from Ryan. Fast- forward to now, when his mom just hired me to convert her porch to a family room. I didn’t know she needed to expand her house because Ryan’s marriage imploded and he’s just returned from Boston with his young daughter, Emmy. Let me tell you, ours was not a pleasant reunion. I did my best to apologize and be polite, but there’s only so much shaming I can take before I push back. Still, I’m not the same young girl I was back then and I’d love a chance to make amends with Ryan. His daughter is a real spitfire who makes me laugh, too.

Whatever happens with Ryan, I know I can take care of myself and make a success of this business, especially once this stuff with my memory heals. If I can also help my friends repair their relationship and win Ryan’s forgiveness, too, I’m going to try. At the very least, I can be the kind of friend to his daughter, Emmy, that his mom was to me when I needed one. Wish me luck!

The Memory of You Excerpt

“I do understand, Emmy. Better than you think.” Steffi took the partially folded tarp and snapped its final fold on her own, then crouched to Emmy’s eye level. “I wasn’t much older than you when my mom died. I missed her so much it felt like the whole world turned into a dark black hole. Most days I wanted to jump right through that hole and follow her to heaven. I was so angry that she left me like that, even though she couldn’t help it. But I kept all those feelings tight inside, like a ball right here.” Steffi pointed at Emmy’s stomach. “Holding all that stuff inside hurt, but it made me feel strong. It seemed better than crying, for sure. Then a girl named Claire moved in across the street. She was very sweet and sporty, and I liked her right away. I was lucky because she was patient with my moods. And at the end of our street was another girl our age, Peyton. Peyton was popular, but it turns out she was kind of lonely, too, for other reasons.

“Anyway, somehow that summer we all started spending time together. We gave ourselves a name—the Lilac Lane League—and we started a journal, because Peyton liked to write. We wrote down our dreams and the things that made us mad, and the things that made us laugh. Our crushes, first kisses, all that stuff. Little by little, that knot in my stomach unwound because my friends made me less lonely. That’s how I know the fastest way to feel better is to make a new friend.”

“You’re my new friend.” Emmy’s voice sounded small and shaky.

“I am your friend, but you also need a friend your age. I know you miss your old gang, but try to make one new friend here, too. I promise there are nice girls. I grew up here, after all, and I’m nice.” Steffi smiled and brushed some of Emmy’s curls off her face.

Ryan decided to enter the conversation now, before Emmy broke down in front of Steffi or put her in a more difficult situation. He exited through the kitchen door and crossed the partially framed porch to get to the yard. “Hey there, ladies.”

Emmy snapped her gaze at him, and he saw the panic in her eyes. His daughter’s fear of him speared his chest like a sword. He’d failed at his marriage, and his daughter was paying the highest price. He couldn’t fail her, too. He dropped to his knees and opened his arms. She flew into them in a heartbeat.

He hugged her and swayed, like he’d done when she was so much younger. Steffi quietly retrieved her toolbox and took it to her van.

“Emmy?” Ryan asked once they were alone. “I’m sorry this is such a hard time for you. I want to help you, but I don’t always have all the answers. I do know one thing, though. You can’t call people names and expect to make friends.”

She cried against his chest, each tear falling like acid raining on his heart. “Oh, sweetie, it’ll be okay. We all make mistakes. The important thing is to apologize and try to learn from it.”

“You always say that,” she muttered into his shirt.

“Because it’s the truest thing I know.” He kissed her head.

“So why can’t you and Mom apologize and make up?”

He hadn’t expected that question, although maybe he should have. “It’s not that simple.”

“You always say that, too.”

If a conversation with her took this much work at this age, he could barely imagine dealing with her in her teens. “You’re all dirty from helping Steffi. How ’bout you go inside and clean up before dinner? I need to talk to Steffi for a second. Then I’ll come in, and we can figure out how to apologize to Katie Winston.”

Emmy nodded while swiping her arm under her runny nose. “Okay.”

She wandered into the house just as Steffi came back from the van to get the rest of her personal things. He stood to speak with her. “I heard part of what you said to Emmy.”

“I know you don’t want me to speak for you, but I just—”

“It’s okay. Thank you for making her feel like she can confide in you. I should’ve listened to you the other day.” He crossed his arms and blew out a long breath. “I’m in over my head doing this on my own.”

“You’re not on your own. You’ve got your parents. But even if you were, I know you can do it. She loves you. She wants to make you happy and proud.”

He nodded, although he knew he was screwing it all up.

“Well, I’d better take off. Benny’s expecting me for another training run.”

“You guys are disciplined. I haven’t had a chance to get in a good workout in three months. Pretty soon I’m going to be too soft.” He patted his gut. Granted, he was still pretty fit. He could probably keep up with Steffi for a few miles, anyhow.

“I’m sure your mom would watch Emmy if you need to hit the gym or the mean streets of Sanctuary Sound.” She tipped her head, grinning. “My brother might even like some male company now and then. He gets sick of my singing.”

Ryan laughed. “Well, you were good at a lot of things, but singing wasn’t one of them.”

“You didn’t used to complain.” She hit his arm.

He grew quiet for a second, remembering the many times he’d listened to her terrible rendition of Lifehouse’s “You and Me” in the car or on the patio. “No, I never did mind those private concerts.”

The air between them turned sweet and thick with fond memories. Holding hands, soccer footwork challenges, the first time he’d copped a feel, and the light in her eyes when he had. The images almost made him want to take hold of her hand again; his heart beat with that hot desire like it had at seventeen.

“Dad!” Emmy called from the door, breaking the spell.

“You’d better go,” Steffi said with a wistful smile before she turned and walked back to her car.

He watched her go and waited … waited … Just before she got to her van, she peeked over her shoulder at him again, and everything seemed a little bit brighter.

About the Author

National bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than one million copies. She’s a 2017 Booksellers’ Best Award finalist, and critics at Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking as well as hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.

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