FROWNS AND GOWNS

 

The Mischief Series, Book 5

 

By Amanda M. Thrasher

 

 

Children’s Chapter Book / Fantasy / Fairies

Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press

Page Count: 236

Publication Date: September 12, 2023

 

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Embark on a Magical Adventure with Lilly, Boris, and Jack!

Get ready to join Lilly, Boris, and Jack on an unforgettable journey filled with excitement, laughter, and a touch of mayhem. Brace yourself for a whirlwind of mishaps as these three fairies plan a magnificent magical ball, only to encounter an unforeseen disaster! Experience the magic of friendship with Lilly, the quick-witted and resourceful fairy, Boris, the mischievous fairy with a heart of gold, and Jack, the troublemaker with a curious, adventurous spirit on their latest adventure.

Throughout, Lilly, Boris, and Jack teach the true meaning of friendship and teamwork. Together with their friends, they’ll overcome challenges, learn valuable lessons, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Don’t miss out on this enchanting tale!

 

 

 

 

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Award-winning author Amanda M. Thrasher was born in England and moved to Texas, where she lives with her family. She writes YA, general fiction, middle grade, early reader chapter, and picture books. She is the founder and CEO of Progressive Rising Phoenix Press.

 

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THE DESK FROM HOBOKEN

 

A Genealogy Mystery, #1

 

by

 

ML Condike

 

 

Mystery / Women Sleuths / Forensic Genealogy

Publisher: Harbor Lane Books, LLC

Date of Publication: March 5, 2024

Number of Pages: 446 pages

 

 

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After a personal loss, forensic genealogist RaeJean Hunter accepts what she believes is a straightforward case to ease back into the game: a student at Connecticut College has found human remains on the school campus. The College hires RaeJean to confirm their tentative identification that it’s a woman named Mary Rogers, whose cause of death has never been determined.

Unfortunately, it becomes downright dangerous. Someone thwarts her investigation of the same case that inspired Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt.” Still, she meets relatives, some helpful and others not, amid escalating threats. Using her skills, including DNA analysis, historical records research, genealogy mapping, and guidance from a mystical antique desk, she follows every clue.

 

 

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Who knew that genealogy could be so dangerous?

This new cozy series is full of information, so much so that you might need to reference the family tree documents on the author’s website! If you have ever been fascinated with genealogy, this is a series you might want to dive into. I really enjoyed watching the process of RaeJean uncovering documents and tying them to the people she is researching. She is one smart woman, but not without issues that sometimes impact her work when she comes across something that reminds her of her loss. The relationship that she has with her husband, Sam, is a loving one. They are supportive of each other, and their chosen careers sometimes intersect. This happens when RaeJean finds a puzzle box in a desk she accepts as part of her fee to research Mary Roberts.

The mystery is very detailed, especially when it comes to the affected family trees. It takes a little time to keep these people straight in my head, but I think I had it by the end of the book. It is quite interesting to see the lengths some people will go to protect their family name. RaeJean runs into this with Lillian, a Mather and self-appointed historian for the family. Turns out, not many in the family like her, which is a good thing when all is revealed in the end. Lillian has some secrets; see if you can figure them out. I know I didn’t!

The story flows nicely, and I was never left hanging, wondering what happened in different situations. The answer might come later in the book, but everything is explained.

There are some minor characters that I would love to see more of in future books. Claire is a fellow genealogist and quite brilliant in her own right. She has a minor storyline in this book, but it ties everything together. Caitlin is RaeJean’s sister and, I think, a strong supporter of RaeJean. You can see the family bond quite well.

My review would be remiss if I didn’t mention Sophie, her corgi. I love dogs in books, and I really enjoyed Sophie and how she didn’t let RaeJean get too engrossed in her work. After all, dogs need to be walked and fed.

This book revived my interest in my own family’s genealogy. There is a lot that goes into tracking down the correct information. I am still unsure how forensic genealogy can help identify bones, but I can understand tracing the family lineage.

This book was hard to put down, and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ML Condike’s novel, The Desk from Hoboken, is the first in a genealogy mystery three-book series. She also has short stories published in five anthologies. ML Condike completed Southern Methodist University’s Writer’s Path in Dallas in 2019 and is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime North Dallas, Granbury Writers’ Bloc, and Key West Writers Guild.

 

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Double Scoop of Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – New York
Gemma Halliday Publishing (February 27, 2024)
Number of Pages 226

 

Synopsis

 

From author Lena Gregory comes a hunt for more than just treasure…

Danika Delany is loving running her uncle’s old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and putting her own modern spin on the treats they serve. Life is finally looking up for her! That is, until local billionaire Maxwell Crumbholtz dies and leaves his fortune in the form of a treasure hunt. Chaos descends on Watchogue, and Dani and the rest of the gang from the Coffee & Cream Café join the melee when they enter the contest, try to decipher the clues, and go in search of the treasure. But Dani digs up more than she expected when she discovers a dead body buried instead of a treasure! To make matters worse, a witness claims to have seen Dani at the scene of the murder. Now, instead of a four-billion-dollar payday, Dani is on the hunt for a killer.

 

 

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Character Guest Post

 

Detective Jake Barlow

 

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Jake Barlow, and I’m a detective with the Watchogue Police Department. I’ve always loved helping people. Even when I was a kid, I was the one who tended to stick up for the underdog or stay after class to help out a teacher or a student who needed help. So it seemed natural to choose a career that allowed me to help others. Plus, I’ve always been interested in solving puzzles.

Although, lately, it seems most of my interests revolve around Danika Delaney. I’ll admit I have a sweet spot for her, though the only two dates we’ve managed so far have ended pretty disastrously. There are two reasons I haven’t pushed to have a more serious relationship. One, I don’t think Dani’s ready (and it has nothing to do with the firefighter), and I’m afraid if I push, she’ll bolt. And two, every time I turn around there’s another murder to investigate, and Dani’s right there in the middle of it.

I hate the thought of her and her friends being in danger, which they often are. But, and if you tell Dani I said this I will deny it, they’re good at it. Dani tends to see things from a perspective no one else does, and she’s great at solving puzzles. I just wish they’d stay off killers’ radar. I would like to see our relationship head in a more serious direction—if she could just stop stumbling over dead bodies and interfering in my investigations.  But that’s one of the things I lov…uh…like most about her—she’s got such a good heart and always wants to help people out.

All that can make dating a little difficult. So, for the moment, I spend most of my time trying to keep her out of trouble. Not that she means to get herself into these messes (or so she keeps claiming), but the woman seems to be a magnet for trouble. I’m pretty sure Lena is fully team Jake, though—even if I can’t figure out why she hasn’t written Luca out of the picture yet.

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

 

 

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The Wilderness Trap (Southwest Exposure Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Bushwhack, New Mexico
Independently Published (February 28, 2024)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 164 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Explore nature, where the outdoors are wild, the tourists are clueless, and murder is the new adventure.

Andie Sullivan never thought her old nemesis would be running the elementary school career day. She was supposed to be discussing the wonders of nature, but when questions arise about her crime-solving side gig, some of the locals aren’t impressed.

But when career day turns into an actual murder, Andie finds herself on the case. And to make matters worse, the victim is her old nemesis. With the help of her hunky boyfriend, Sheriff Zac Mars, Andie dives into the investigation, determined to find the killer before they strike again.

Can she juggle her thriving outdoor business, her budding relationship with Zac, and find an elusive killer? Or will her pursuit of the truth lead her straight into the crosshairs of a ruthless killer.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Finding the New Me in a New State

 

For the first time in forty years, I’m carrying a driver’s license different from the state I was born in. Somedays, I stare at my driver’s license, weirded out that I moved across state lines, away from family, and pulled my teens from a school they loved to drop them into a strange new school environment, which, by the way, has turned out to be wonderful for them. Honesty, the move has been a lifesaver for our little family. But before I get ahead of myself, let me put the brakes on this story and time travel back a little over a year ago.

A little over a year ago, I was struggling to complete a little-known book now titled The Wilderness Trap. At the time, the manuscript had gone through several titles and even had a few covers. But I just couldn’t seem to make the words flow. Granted, I’ve been working on the manuscript for the better part of two years. Yup. You heard that right. The last time I published a book in the Southwest Exposure Series was in 2021. Honestly, since I started my publishing journey in 2013, I have never gone longer than eight months between publishing books. Life sometimes gets in the way. And life can be a crazy disaster on its best of days. But let’s get back to 2023 and how I found myself living in a new state with a new job and a new book released.

In 2023, I hated my day job (yes, authors have day jobs), and I felt like I was wasting my degrees and aging. Gah, the horror. My husband was ready for a change, but we owned a family business, and uprooting is hard enough without having a business to sale. After many conversations, we put the business up for sale. And three months later, we put our house up for sale. And then we did a really, crazy thing…we bought a house in a town before we had the job offers. If you’d asked me a decade ago if I’d buy a house in a state I swore I’d never move to and settle in a city I was clueless about, I’d laughed. Call it: intuition. Call it: craziness. But whatever that feeling was, it turned out to be right because the jobs came through right after we put a down payment on the house, and then the city, our city, has been very kind to us. My teens adore their schools. They’re part of an amazing art and sports program. And… guess what? I found a day job I love. And one I’m good at. I teach writing class to fourth graders. Yup. I’m teaching future authors how to fall in love with storytelling. And my husband…he’s excelling in his job and starting an MBA program soon.

Guess what I’m trying to say, is taking risks can be good sometimes. Stepping outside your comfort zone can open your eyes to new adventures you could never imagine. I don’t know where the next few years will lead me, but I do know they’ll include many new books and many more school years teaching writing to elementary students. And in a nutshell, Andie Sullivan, the main character in the Southwest Exposure Mysteries, embodies the notion that it’s okay to occasionally take a risky adventure. So, my challenge for you is, as you read The Wilderness Trap, try to think about that adventure you’ve been putting off because you thought it was too risky and remember why it grabbed your attention in the first place.

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today Bestselling author Jodi Linton pens funny romances, whodunnits, and thrillers. She is the author of the Southwest Exposure Cozy Mystery Series, The Deputy Laney Briggs Series, and several standalone romances. She lives in the city with her husband and two teens. When she isn’t writing her next page-turner, she teaches and hikes.

 

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Synopsis

 

In a bind, Bud Palmer finds himself at the crossroads when just about everything was on the verge.

Like most people, Bud Palmer felt this was just another day. Though the era was drawing to a close, he assumed his life as a sports columnist in the subtropics, in keeping with the benign fifties itself, would go on as predictable as ever. But that particular autumn morning he was thrust into a caper that was totally beyond him, forced him to leave Miami and take the train to Manhattan, and suddenly found everything in this restless “Big Apple” was up for grabs, on the brink, at a dicey turning point.

 

 

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Praise for Shelly Frome

 

“This is a great mystery that had me guessing at what was really happening. I was sucked in and held tight until the reveal. A couple great twists and turns had me thrown off balance and guessing the whole time.” (Moon Games by Shelly From)-JBrounder Reviews

“It is full of action, adventure, mystery and suspense. It is not one that I could easily predict. The twists and turns kept on the edge of my seat. I never knew what would happen next.” (Moon Games by Shelly Frome)-AmyBooksy, Locks, Hooks, and Books

“The cover of this book shows what looks like a beautiful and peaceful place to live, but looks can be deceiving. Lies, bribery, and deceit are running rampant in this little town. Twists and turns are around every corner. Well written mystery”(Secluded Village Murders by Shelly Frome)- Lisa’s Writopia

“An entertaining story that has enough quirky characters, intrigue, suspense, humor, and drama that easily draws the reader into Emily’s amateur sleuth adventure. This cozy mystery is full of devious plot twists and turns that will easily keep you guessing. The Secluded Village Murders is an intriguing whodunit tale that cozy mystery fans will want to add to their reading list.” (Secluded Village Murders by Shelly Frome)- Kathleen Higgins-Anderson, Jersey Girl Book Reviews 

 

 

Excerpt

 

 

Even when Bud caught up to Katie, she did one of her I’m-mad-and-not-listening pouts and climbed a branch higher on the mango tree until she was almost camouflaged by the big leaves and hanging fruit.

Reaching out to her, Bud said, “Katie, I’m trying to tell you it couldn’t be helped. And if you’d think about the example I just gave you, you could be grown up about it, understand and come down from there.”

“Well I don’t care,” Katie said, poking her narrow face out through the foliage. “You promised. You always keep your promises. And when a person doesn’t all of a sudden keep their promise, they shouldn’t be listened to. And I especially don’t care about some dumb girl named Scout in some dumb town in Alabama, wherever that is.”

“Don’t,” Bud said, as she plucked a plump, reddish Haydon mango, tore into the thick skin, and took a big bite out of the juicy orange pulp. “Come on, Katie. You’ll get it all over your blouse, it’ll dribble onto your overalls and—will you stop this and listen for a second?”

“Why should I?”

“The point, Katie. You’re missing the point. No matter how hard you try, sometimes something comes up and you’ve got to make a choice. Are you going to take the easy way out and be tomboy Scout? Or are you going to go out of your way and be sensible Jean Louise Finch?”

Wiping some of the orange glop off her face, Katie peered down and said, “She’s got two names. How come? I don’t have two names.”

Trying harder, Bud said, “‘Cause Scout was her nickname. ‘Cause the writer was trying to tell us that under pressure—look, she marched straight over to the jailhouse steps and looked this mob right in the eye. Did it before they could storm the jailhouse and harm an innocent prisoner. Dropped her nickname and reminded them who she was and who they were. And said,  ‘Hey, Mister Cunningham. I’m Jean Louise Finch, remember? I play with your boy Walter and you brought my dad and me some hickory nuts.’”

“So?”

“So she made them ashamed. Stood up to them.”

“And that’s why you were late? And that’s what you did?”

“Not exactly. But I wound up at a Miami Beach hotel to keep them from doing harm to your grandmother’s kid brother Uncle Rick. It took some doing, called your mom and made my apologies. And, by the time I was through, it was too late to take you to the parrot jungle. And that’s just for openers.”

“So it’s not over?”

“It could get even worse until I go to New York and—”

“Golly.” Katie said, cutting in. “Then you got to tell me how you stood up to them and saved the day.” She scrambled down and took off through the grove. Before he could catch up to her she raced past Jill, the freckled faced baby sitter, grabbed her mother’s hand and pointed to Bud as he was catching up to her. “Hey, mom, guess what? Uncle Bud is taking on the mob!”

 

 

Guest Review by Nora

 

I honestly was not expecting such an engrossing read going into this! I do appreciate a good historical mystery, but I’m not that familiar with the 1950s, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started ‘Fast Times, Big City.’

Boy, was I surprised to find this would soon become one of my favorite reads of the year so far! This is an electric story about crime, passion and one man’s quest to protect his own family, all set in the buzzing world of New York City in the 1950s.

Bud Palmer is a sports reporter for the Miami Herald. Family means a lot to Bud, especially his sister and his feisty tom-boy of a niece, but when Bud’s mother asks him to check on his uncle while she is on a cruise, Bud is immediately reluctant.

Uncle Rick has a bit of a reputation for being a screw-up. As a private detective, Rick hasn’t had much success and now he’s gotten himself into something that may even get himself killed.

After meeting with Rick, Bud soon learns that his uncle has angered a mobster named Al Escobar who believes that Rick set him up. Something happened during a high-stakes poker game that left a woman that Rick arrived with—a beautiful Marilyn Monroe lookalike—walking away with a briefcase that belongs to Escobar.

Now, Bud has been roped in to traveling to New York to find the blonde and retrieve the briefcase. Of course, he has no idea where to find her, so things get hazardous quickly. Luckily, Bud is a natural investigator, who makes friends quickly even in the mean streets of New York.

‘Fast Times, Big City,’ is a book that you’re going to have to read to believe, I know I had to! This is a top-notch novel that totally transports the reader to another era.

Five stars! (or Paws in the case of this blog!)

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Award winning author, Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at UConn, a former professional actor, and a writer of crime novels and books on theater and film. He also is a features writer for Gannett Publications.

His fiction includes Sun Dance for Andy Horn, Lilac Moon, Twilight of the Drifter, Tinseltown Riff, Murder Run, Moon Games, The Secluded Village Murders and Miranda and the D-Day Caper. Among his works of non-fiction are The Actors Studio: A History, a guide to playwriting and one on screenwriting, Shadow of the Gypsy is his latest foray into the world of crime and the amateur sleuth.

He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

 

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Murder in Masquerade (A Lady of Letters Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – London, 1860
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (February 20, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Extra, extra, read all about it! Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury finds herself playing the role of sleuth when a night at the theatre turns deadly.

Victorian Countess Amelia Amesbury’s secret hobby, writing an advice column for a London penny paper, has gotten her into hot water before. After all, Amelia will do whatever it takes to help a reader in need. But now, handsome marquis Simon Bainbridge desperately requires her assistance. His beloved younger sister, Marielle, has written Amelia’s Lady Agony column seeking advice on her plans to elope with a man her family does not approve of. Determined to save his sister from a scoundrel and the family from scandal, Simon asks Amelia to dissuade Marielle from the ill-advised gambit.

But when the scoundrel makes an untimely exit after a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Amelia realizes there’s much more at stake than saving a young woman’s reputation from ruin. It’s going to take more than her letter-writing skills to help the dashing marquis, mend the familial bond, and find the murderer. Luckily, solving problems is her specialty!

 

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Dear Readers,

 

Be vigilant! A murderer is on the loose in London. This time a murder has taken place in Covent Garden at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. As if Lord Simon Bainbridge wasn’t enough of a nuisance in my previous investigation, he is now determined to find the killer. He believes his help is essential, but he’s too emotionally involved to be completely helpful.

You see, the murder involves a suitor of his dear sister, Lady Marielle, and although the siblings have not been close since his departure for America two years ago, he’s determined that she have a successful season. With one of her suitors dead, her season is not off to the best start.

Lady Marielle, I’m afraid, is just as stubborn as her brother and is resolute in her opinions, one which includes her brother staying out of her business. She’s convinced Simon is making a mess of everything, and I’ll admit, readers, she’s not entirely wrong. But only because he cares for her so deeply.

Their mother passed early in life, and their father, the duke, has been largely absent.  This is one of the reasons Lady Marielle was able to fall in love with a man as dubious as Mr. George Davies. He was her riding instructor many years ago, and she trusted him as implicitly as a student trusts her mentor.

Luckily, Lady Marielle also trusts me. Although she does not know I am Lady Agony, the woman she wrote to for advice in the penny paper, I am one in the same person. I refuse to give up on a reader—and in this case, her dead suitor. I am confident, with my dear friend Kitty’s help, I can find who killed Mr. Davies.

Although Kitty has problems of her own, namely the possibility of having to move out of the city, she is much calmer than Lord Bainbridge right now. Some might think her smart decisions extend only to fashion, but I assure you, she brilliant when it comes to crime. Plus, she is infinitely superior at throwing parities, and she assures me if we can gather the suspects in a garden party, we might just find ourselves a killer.

Of course, it might be her way of forcing me into hosting a soiree. She does love a good party. But if we can have a little fun while catching a murderer, who am I to complain?

 

 

About the Author

 

Mary Winters is the author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series. She also writes cozy mysteries under the name Mary Angela. A longtime reader and fan of historical fiction, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip!

 

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The Snow Job (Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Fenwater, a fictional small town in the province of Ontario in Canada during the early 1980s.
Independently Published (December 13, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 310 pages

 

Synopsis

 

A Scottish shindig, a pretty pin, a cold corpse. When a well-liked and respected townsman is murdered on a snowy street in Fenwater, it’s up to Lois Stone to sift through a multitude of motives to find the killer.

Middle-aged widow Lois is beginning to feel part of the Fenwater community, and as winter sets in, she is getting ready for the town’s biggest Scottish event, the annual Burns Night supper. But when one of the committee members dies in suspicious circumstances, Lois has more to worry about than the fate of this year’s celebration. She tried unsuccessfully to revive the man and her friend Marge worked with him. So, they want to find his killer even though Lois promised her partner Bruce that she would stay out of police matters. But, what’s the harm in asking a few questions? Such as does someone want to safeguard their inheritance or give their business a boost? Will finding the motive for the murder lead them to the killer or maybe more?

And so begins a fortnight of slippery sidewalks, angst about ancestors, capable firemen and cunning firebugs, unreliable records, swirling Scottish music and swinging tartan kilts, calico cats and smouldering spooks set against the backdrop of snow glistening under streetlamps on serene streets, the comfort of ritual in a cold churchyard, the swish of skate blades in crisp night air and the tang of mouthwatering meatloaf in rural Canada in 1984.

The Century Cottage Mystery series is mainly set in rural Ontario, Canada during the early 1980s.

A tale for fans of Cindy Bell, Leighann Dobbs, Dianne Harman and Kathi Daley.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Burns Night in Fenwater

 

 

Hello! Thanks for inviting me to drop in. I’m Dianne Ascroft and I write the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. The books are set in Fenwater, a fictional small town in rural Ontario, Canada that was founded by immigrants from Scotland during the early 1800s. The residents of the town have a strong connection with its Scottish heritage and everything Scottish is important to them so the annual Burns Night supper is the biggest event on their calendar.

If you have any Scottish ancestry, you may have attended a Burns Night supper. But, for those who haven’t, what is it? A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the Scottish poet Robert Burns or Rabbie Burns as he is more commonly known.

Burns Night is celebrated each year in Scotland and in Scottish communities worldwide to honour Rabbie Burns, and it has also become a chance to celebrate all things Scottish – sort of like St Patrick’s Day without the green beer. With Fenwater’s heritage, it’s only natural that Burns Night is a big event for them.

So, who was Rabbie Burns? He was a poet and song lyricist from Ayrshire in the southwest of Scotland, who was born on January 25, 1759. Only 37 when he died in 1796, he is regarded as the most prominent poet to have written in Scots, a UK regional dialect that is now recognised as a minority language. You probably know at least one of his works even if you are not familiar with Scottish poets. Does New Year’s Eve and “Auld Lang Syne” ring any bells for you?

Burns suppers are normally held on or near the poet’s birthdate, which has come to be known as Burns Night. The first Burns supper was held in 1801, and in the more than 200 years since then, new traditions have been added to the event, but the aim is the same: to pay tribute to Scotland’s national poet.

The first supper was a memorial dinner organised by nine of Burns’s friends on July 21, 1801, the fiftieth anniversary of his death. It was held at Burns Cottage in Ayrshire, where the poet was born. Although those present at the first supper didn’t foresee it, the supper has become an annual occurrence and Burns Clubs have been founded throughout Scotland and further afield.

Burns Night is steeped in respectful tradition but there are elements of fun and humour to the proceedings too. So, what happens at a Burns Night supper? There’s a traditional meal which consists of tatties (potatoes), neeps (turnips), and haggis, which was a favourite dish of the poet. Are you wondering what haggis is? Haggis is made from a sheep’s liver, lungs, and heart and mixed with suet and oatmeal. It may not sound particularly appetising to some of you, but it really is tasty – sort of like a spicier minced beef. There are also vegetarian versions available. Guests are piped in to the dining room and a Scottish grace is said. The haggis is then piped in with great ceremony and before the meal commences a guest recites Burns’ poem the ‘Address to a Haggis’, which extols how wonderful haggis is.

After the meal there are several toasts and speeches. The most important is the Immortal Memory, which is a speech commemorating Burns and his life followed by a toast to the poet.

The Address to the Lassies is a thank you to the women who prepared the meal, and in recent times, the speaker often includes humorous opinions about women in general. One of the women present makes the Reply to the Laddies, rebutting the comments made about women.

The evening is formal but fun with good food, good whiskey and good company.

Lois Stone, the main character in my Century Cottage Cozy mysteries series, has Scottish ancestry that she doesn’t really want to talk about but she can’t avoid the Scottish side of her town’s identity as she plays the bagpipes in the local pipe band. As The Snow Job, Book 3 in the series, opens the band is getting ready to play at the Burns Night supper and Lois is actually looking forward to the event. She’ll wear her band uniform, which includes a tartan kilt, to the supper and she will be surrounded by friends and neighbours as they toast the haggis and Burns’ memory. It’s the sort of event that really makes her feel like part of her community.

Preparations for the supper are going well until one of the Burns Night committee members dies in suspicious circumstances the week before the event. Lois’s friend Connie finds the victim lying in the snow and Lois rushes to help her, trying to revive him until the ambulance arrives. Although Lois is sad when she hears later that he died, she doesn’t expect to have any involvement in finding out what happened to him. But her friend Marge has other ideas. The victim volunteered at the museum where Marge works and she wants to see justice done for him. So, she urges Lois to help her find his killer. Lois is reluctant as she promised her partner Bruce that she would stay out of police matters. But Marge is persuasive and what’s the harm in asking a few questions? So, Lois puts aside all thoughts of preparing to perform at the Burns Night supper with the band and puts her energy into helping Marge find the killer. What could possibly go wrong?

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Dianne Ascroft writes the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries, set in rural Canada, and The Yankee Years historical sagas, set in WWII Northern Ireland. She has a passion for Ireland and Canada, past and present. An ex-pat Canadian, Dianne lives on a small farm with her husband and an assortment of strong-willed animals.

Her previous fiction works include An Unbidden Visitor (a tale inspired by Fermanagh’s famous Coonian ghost); Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves: A Collection of Short Stories (contemporary tales), and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, which explores Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross humanitarian endeavor.

 

 

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The Knotted Ring

 

By

 

Myra Hargrave McIlvain

 

 

Historical Fiction / Family Saga / Historical Romance

Publisher: Next Chapter

Page Count: 412

Publication Date: December 7, 2023

 

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Susannah Mobley, expecting a baby by her lover, a slave owned by her family, submits to an arranged marriage to Hezekiah James who is headed to Texas to claim a Spanish land grant. Caught in a series of lies about the origin of a beautiful ring woven from her red hair and the circumstances of her pregnancy, Susannah embarks on the harsh trip to Texas, grieving for her lost love and determined to control her destiny.

On the wagon train journey, Hezekiah is tested by his beliefs and strengths with his slaves and Native Americans, as well as a strange Mad Stone. His determination to build a plantation as fine as Susannah’s home place and to make the best decisions for Susannah fails. Susannah will have to decide if she can live with the consequences of her lies and open herself to this man who shows every form of contrition or if she will allow longing for what she cannot have to destroy her life.

 

The Knotted Ring is currently a semi-finalist in the Laramie Awards for Western and Americana Fiction.

 

“An often engrossing and well-handled story of the 19th century.” —Kirkus Reviews

 

 

 

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This historical romance depicts the tough times that early settlers had moving west and settling in uncharted territory. It also showcases women’s lives and Susannah’s forbidden love.

Our protagonist, Susannah, is a smart woman who lives in a time when slavery abounds, marriages are arranged, and love does not always win the day. She has a forbidden affair with a slave and winds up pregnant. To save face, her father marries her off to a man who is leading a wagon train to Texas. This solves her father’s issues and not wanting to see his daughter give birth to this child. But what Susannah doesn’t realize until much later is that Hezekiah truly loves her and will do anything for her to make her happy.

While Susannah fights the relationship forming between the two of them, after all, he isn’t her lover; we do see their relationship grow in spite of everything. It takes a lot of time; hurt feelings have to be overcome, and the realization that perhaps her first love was not her true love.

Outside of the marriage, Susannah has to learn a lot about life on a wagon train and in a strange new state. Life was not easy for the pioneers as they journeyed to stake new claims in the West. I admired their fortitude in seeking this new life. While it wasn’t easy, they had others to lean on in harder times. The women especially created a close-knit friendship and supported one another. Not everything was rosy, but knowing that someone had your back was important.

This story reminded me that I should be grateful for everything that I have that was created by those who came before me. The author does a beautiful job of depicting the life these pioneers forged, their struggles, their hopes, and their dreams. There is symbolism throughout the book, and it will mean something different to each reader.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Myra Hargrave McIlvain, a sixth-generation Texan, is a storyteller who has written Texas historical markers (yes, real people write those things lining Texas highways), articles for newspapers and magazines such as Texas Highways, and six nonfiction books about famous and infamous Texas characters and places.

McIlvain found her real love when she wrote her first historical fiction. All her tales take place in Texas during major periods of its history. However, The Knotted Ring was inspired by an old family story, and in her search to understand what may have happened, she imagined their lives set in a time that she knew well––the establishment of the first Anglo colony.

McIlvain views history as the story of a people; the people she knows best have made Texas home.

 

 

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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.

 

 

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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.

 

 

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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.

 

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