Little Bookshop of Murder: A Beach Reads Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (September 8, 2020)
Hardcover

 

Synopsis

 

A Shakespearean scholar inherits a beachside bookshop–and a murder mystery–in this delightful new cozy series for fans of Kate Carlisle and Ellery Adams.

 

Summer Merriweather’s career as a Shakespeare professor hangs by a bookbinder’s thread. Academic life at her Virginia university is a viper’s pit, so Summer spends her summer in England, researching a scholarly paper that, with any luck, will finally get her published, impress the Dean, and save her job. But her English idyll ends when her mother, Hildy, shuffles off her mortal coil from an apparent heart attack.

Returning to Brigid’s Island, NC, for the funeral, Summer is impatient to settle the estate, sell her mom’s embarrassingly romance-themed bookstore, Beach Reads, and go home. But as she drops by Beach Reads, Summer finds threatening notes addressed to Hildy: “Sell the bookstore or die.”

Clearly, something is rotten on Brigid’s Island. What method is behind the madness? Was Hildy murdered? The police insist there’s not enough evidence to launch a murder investigation. Instead, Summer and her Aunt Agatha screw their courage to the sticking place and start sleuthing, with the help of Hildy’s beloved book club. But there are more suspects on Brigid’s Island than are dreamt of in the Bard’s darkest philosophizing. And if Summer can’t find the villain, the town will be littered with a Shakespearean tragedy’s worth of corpses–including her own.

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo

 

Guest Post

 

We welcome Maggie to StoreyBook Reviews today and she shares with us one of her pet peeves, which happens to be one of mine too!

 

One of my pet peeves is book snobbery. Whether it is a literary book lover putting down a romance reader, or a mystery reader rolling their eyes at romances, I don’t like it. It’s none of anybody’s business what other people read and if they don’t invite your comment and opinion, keep yours to yourself. So why did I make my new main character, Summer Merriweather a book snob? Because like all interesting characters, if you scratch the surface of her, there’s more to her traits than meets the eye.

Her mom, Hildy, owned “Beach Reads,” a bookstore specializing in romances and mysteries. Summer was commandeered each summer to work at the bookstore and to share her mom with the customers and the book community she was such a vibrant part of. When summer discovered Shakespeare at school, and understood his plays, and loved his language, it set her mind, body, and soul on fire. Hildy didn’t carry Shakespeare at the bookstore. “Who wants to read Shakespeare at the beach?” She’d say.

So you see, there is a lot to unpack there in just that one paragraph. So when Hildy, summer’s mom, passes away mysteriously and leaves the bookstore to Summer, she faces a conundrum. She’s broke, her career is not what she expected, and her mom’s book friends were there with open arms. They asked Summer to attend a book group meeting in honor of Hildy, so she read the assigned romance, at first, gritting her teeth, but as the story unfolds, she surprisingly finds herself enjoying it.

By the end of the book, while Summer is not an avid romance reader, she’s no longer quite the book snob she was. And, as the series continues, I hope she grows and learns to love all genres.

 

 

About the Author

 

Maggie Blackburn is the author of the Cora Crafts mysteries and the Cumberland Creek mysteries under another pen name. Her books have been selected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award and as a Top 10 Beach Reads by Woman’s World. She has also been short-listed for the Virginia Library People’s Choice Award. She is the mother of two young women who are off following their dreams in the music business. She currently lives in Waynesboro, VA, and works at the University of Virginia as a development associate.

 

Website * Twitter

 

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Asbury High and the Parcels of Poison: Asbury High YA Cozy Mystery
Young Adult Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Purple Milk Publishing (May 24, 2020)
Paperback: 269 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Asbury’s fearless foursome is back!

Is their favorite hangout to blame for recent food poisonings? Or is there something more sinister at work?

After an unprecedented first year of high school, the gang is ready for a relaxing summer vacation, although in Asbury, that may be easier said than done. This summer, the Food Network is running a summer special highlighting local hot spots, Carly, Maddie, Pilot and Cornelious are psyched to have the world’s best restaurant featured—their very own Brady’s! In fact, Maddie can almost forget that her arch-nemesis, Alexis Johnson, will also be on TV for winning the logo design for Caulfield’s Candies… almost.

However, after patrons start falling ill, shoobies and locals alike point the finger at Brady’s and rumors of food poisoning. When Brady’s threatens to close its doors, Pilot realizes his mother’s job is in jeopardy, as well as his future in Asbury. With the aid of Cornelious’ wealthy cousin Dane, who spends every summer with the quartet, the gang is once again thrust into an investigation. Unfortunately, they find themselves thwarted by both the local police (who believe their recent success was due to luck, rather than skill), and Cornelious’ father, who has decided to run for Mayor of Asbury and cautions his son on the need to maintain a spotless public image.

With a new pancake house on the boardwalk, Mainlanders invading their beaches, and the Pitbulls sneaking around and terrorizing shoobies (as usual), there’s no shortage of suspects. But can they solve the case before the summer, and Brady’s, are finished?

 

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

Today we welcome Kelly and her thoughts on why she writes cozy mysteries.  Take it away Kelly!

 

One of my most favorite things to do has always been to figure things out. I guess that’s why I actually loved going to school. Thus, it makes sense that mysteries have always held a tight hold on my heart. Whether I am reading, writing, or watching the occasional movie, the genre is most often a mystery. Don’t worry—my husband would even agree, I am not one to ruin a good movie or book for anyone else by voicing my suspicions.

Thus, when I finally decided to write out the stories banging around inside my head, crafting a mystery series was the obvious choice. As I was only eighteen when I outlined the series and wrote the rough draft of Asbury High and the Thief’s Gamble (book one of the series), writing young adult came naturally. After a few years of research, and reading some pretty awesome cozy mysteries, I realized that the cozy mystery genre was the one for me. Not only did my series take place in a small town, with amateur sleuths as the protagonists, but I didn’t have any desire to add scenes of graphic violence or sex to any of the books in my series. Furthermore, the more I researched, the more I felt truly at home in this genre. I honestly feel some stories get lost in adding too much violence or graphic scenes, and the mystery or overall feel of the book gets lost. Thus, my Asbury High series fits perfectly into the cozy mystery world, and I am excited to continue writing in this genre for years to come.

 

 

About the Author

 

For as long as she could remember, Kelly Brady Channick loved making up stories and leaving her listeners/readers on the edge of their seats.

Perhaps that’s why she always managed to talk herself out of trouble…

After graduating from NJ’s own Ocean City High School, Kelly accepted a basketball scholarship to Holy Family University, in Philadelphia. As a lifelong athlete, Kelly understands the importance of teamwork and overcoming adversity, something she hopes translates into her books.

Before writing page-turners, she taught first, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade — like a dessert menu, she simply had to test them all out. But her favorite job is the one she’s now doing full time: writing. Kelly loves to craft whodunit mysteries, leading readers through various twists and turns filled with red-herrings, hidden clues, and more peculiar characters than a reality show.

Kelly lives in South Jersey with her handsome husband, energetic baby boy, two cookie-stealing dogs, and an awfully smart cat.

 

Goodreads * Facebook * Website * Instagram * Amazon

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

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Mystery Follows Her – A Multi-Author Cozy Mystery Collection
Cozy Mysteries
Publisher: Kydala Publishing, Inc. (June 24, 2020)
Print Length: 426 pages

 

MISCHIEF, MAYHEM, OR MURDER?

MYSTERY FOLLOWS HER through dangerous city streets, quaint villages, and locales across the globe. Uncover the clues with feisty female sleuths of various ages in this multi-author cozy mystery collection of short stories.

 

Catch a mugger in THANKSGIVING AND THEFT by Dianne Ascroft
Dig up hidden treasure in BURIED BY THE BEACH by Ellen Jacobson
Open up a case in CLOSED OUT by Tamara Woods
Pray for justice in TREASURES IN HEAVEN by Sarah Biglow
Escape the blame in RING GONE ‘ROUND THE ROSES by Aubrey Elle
Try on some clues in THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN RING by Beate Boeker
Search for the suspect in WHEN THE CLOCK CHIMES TWO by Adriana Licio
Catch the culprit in HIJINKS IN AJIJIC by Vikki Walton
Locate the missing loot in VENDORS AND VILLAINS by Angela K. Ryan

You’ll love this collection of intriguing and light-hearted stories from award-winning and best-selling authors from across the globe.

 

 

 Kobo – Amazon – B&N  – Apple Books  – Books2read

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

The Cozy Choice

 

I have been writing and publishing cozy mysteries since 2016 and as of now, I have eleven single titles and two boxed sets under my belt in two different series. I first got into the genre because I liked the idea of the light-hearted mystery and the non-police protagonist helping to solve the case. Also, my dad is an avid Murder, She Wrote fan. Back when I started writing my first series, I stumbled on some general plot concepts that sparked my interest and I worked to adapt them for my own characters. I’d been thinking about some character names I’d come up with and tried to fit into an old story (not cozy) that hadn’t panned out, as they sometimes do, and I figured, why not see if they fit this genre instead!

And thus Kalina Greystone, comic shop owner, was born. With so many cozies out there, it’s important to make one’s heroine’s unique and memorable. While a lot of cozies I was seeing at the time were older ladies saving the day, which is amazing, I wanted to write something a little different and so my characters tend to be younger women in their 30s around my own age. Hey, they say write what you know! While I’ve never been a comic shop owner or a Reverend or served in the military, these types of things called to me and I listened. I think I enjoyed creating Kalina’s world so much because it gave me an outlet at the time to share some of my nerd culture loves.

I think getting creative with what your protagonist does not only gives you a fun twist that can help with marketing but can also end up being a good way and reason for them to get involved in cases, as is the general requirement for a cozy mystery. My next series as my Reverend Margot Quade series finishes is a paranormal cozy with a young witch protagonist and I’m super excited to see her journey. I, of course, had to give her a fun profession and she works at a marijuana dispensary. I’m having a blast figuring out her world and the other people that populate the small town, including a bed and breakfast owner who may end up getting her own series.

You’ll also find a diverse group of heroines in the pages of Mystery Follows Her. As we were putting this anthology together, it was important to all of the authors to share their own unique take of the genre with their chosen leading lady. You’ll find young sleuths and older mystery seekers spread out across the globe in all kinds of professions and circumstances. You’ll also get a wide range of cases. Now, I’m not shy about killing people in my books, but I know some readers and writers prefer to stay away from the dead bodies, especially in cozies. But, I’m always mindful of not being too gory when I do have one of my leading ladies happen upon a body.

If you haven’t already, check out the anthology. I suspect you’ll find some new-to-you authors and some new unique ladies to spend some time with solving crimes!

 

 

About the Authors

 

Two US Today bestselling authors are among these nine authors who hail from Germany, Italy, Northern Ireland, and the United States.

Their current and past occupations are diverse and include lawyer, perfumery shop owner, biology lecturer, marketing consultant, global house and pet sitter, interior designer, university campus minister, journalist, tea lady, arborist, bookseller and lottery archivist.

Their interests and hobbies are broad too. Here’s just a few: anthropology, walking and hiking, quilting, sailing, lindy hop dancing, suburban homesteading, sci-fi and urban fantasy, playing bagpipes, and poetry. While many have traveled and lived in places around the world that were new and exciting to them, one even lives in a tiny campervan that’s traversed several American states this year!

Yet as diverse as they are, they all share a love of cozy mysteries and telling a good tale. And that’s what they have done in this collection of stories and novellas that introduces readers to characters in each author’s cozy mystery series.

 

Dianne Ashcroft Website * Ellen Jacobson Website * Tamara Woods Website

 

Sarah Biglow Website * Aubrey Elle Website * Beate Bocker Website

 

Adriana Licio Website * Vikki Walton Website * Angela K. Ryan Facebook

 

Giveaway

 

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Hippie Haven Homicide (Psychedelic Spy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Cozy Cat Press (May 21, 2020)
Paperback: 229 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Get ready to flip your wig over another groovy 1967 retro-cozy with actress and amateur spy Noelle McNabb. Spy agency SIAMESE (Special Intelligence Apparatus for Midwest Enemy Espionage and Surveillance) turns Noelle’s pet, Ceebee, into an “acoustic kitty” to listen in on an agent known only as Old Scratch. Meanwhile, a counterculture religious sect led by the Wise One infiltrates the staid town of Yuletide, Indiana. When one of the sect members makes a premature departure to the Spirit in the Sky, Noelle investigates, but finds herself in deep water—literally. With her undercover disguiser, Noelle really knows how to sock it to ‘em. However, she still can’t solve the secrets of a certain family member. Don’t miss this fab story of saints, sinners and spies!

 

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

Today we welcome Blossom from the Psychedelic Spy series. If you are a fan of the Austin Power’s movies and shows like Get Smart, you might want to check out this series. I think it will be right up your alley.

 

Blossom

 

My given name is Janet Campbell, but now I am known as Blossom, because I have recently grown and thrived, like a newly watered plant. I’ve discovered that to find a connection, I had to leave my old family for a new one.

My childhood in Homestead, Illinois, was blissful, until my mother died. Mom and I were quite close, and her passing left a huge gap in my heart. My father was devastated. Having to raise me alone didn’t agree with him. He remarried soon after mom was gone.

My stepmom was nothing like my real mom. Stepmom yelled at me and found fault in everything I did. My stepbrother tormented me constantly. When I complained to dad, it’s like he didn’t care. The fire went out of him when mom left us. As long as he had someone to run the household, he didn’t pay attention to me. He’d come home from work; eat dinner quickly, and retreat to his den to watch TV.
I thought I was doomed to a life of misery—until I met SPARK.

A friend invited me to SPARK rally that was happening in the local park. I had nothing else to do, and it gave me a good excuse to get away from stepmom for a while. SPARK is Spiritually Pure And Radiant Kin. They are devotees of the Wise One, a masterful guru who speaks of loving oneself and being in harmony with others. When I arrived, I was skeptical, but once I heard the Wise One speak I was overwhelmed with joy. The other devotees seemed so happy. I wanted that contentment for myself.

When the SPARK bus left town the next morning, I was on board. My boyfriend wasn’t happy. When I phoned him to tell him I was leaving, he threatened me. I didn’t care. I knew the Wise One would protect me.

SPARK takes care of us. First Sage handles our needs. He arranges for housing and food as we travel to make new recruits. He provides the blue robes and sandals that we wear. Wise One spends most of his time in mediation and writing. Wise One blesses us with his appearance only occasionally, but when he speaks the waiting seems like seconds.

Our days are quite busy. We spend much time in learning, singing and dancing. We play games and have fun. The Wise One calls us his “children,” so he tells us to behave like innocent, sweet children. In the towns we visit we “witness,” that is, we share SPARK literature with the residents and request donations to support our cause. We want others to share in our happiness. Many people shun or insult us. We still wish them well. Wise One tells us to never think ill of anyone; they act that way because their minds are clouded by the material world.

The other devotees are so friendly. Many of them were bummed and lost, as I was, but are now at peace.

I have had only one unpleasant experience with my new family. I did something that I was not supposed to do. Someone was very upset with me over this. I was scared and sad. But later that evening as I was chanting with my brothers and sisters, I felt better. I will simply work harder to do better next time.

We are now in a small town in Indiana called Yuletide. It’s such a funny place. The streets and stores have Christmassy-names. The town mayor, who spoke to us when we arrived, showed up in a Santa Claus suit. He plays Kris Kringle at the local Christmas theme park. The police chief doesn’t like us though. He called us dirty hippies. His mind is clouded by much hate.

One of the residents, Noelle McNabb, is very kind. She wants to be my friend. I like her a lot, but First Sage told me not to talk to her.
Since the hotels would not rent rooms to us, the devotees are staying at the Holiday Acres campgrounds. One day I found a note on my cabin bunk. It said someone wanted to meet me at the fire pit by the lake. While the other devotees were busy, I slipped away to the fire pit to meet this person. I wonder who—

(Blossom’s post breaks off here. A short time later, Noelle found the body beside the fire pit. Noelle suspects foul play, and is investigating the death).

 

 

About the Author

 

Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier living in Moorpark, Calif.

She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school, her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. “Common Ground” also earned a college creative writing award. “Star Collector” was produced in New York City and served as the inspiration for her first mystery series.

Sally also has a Master of Divinity and a black belt in tae kwon do.

She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, jail chaplain, and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures.

The books in her Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series are: The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper (2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), The Sinister Sitcom Caper, The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper, and The Quirky Quiz Show Caper, all with Cozy Cat Press.

Flower Power Fatality is the first book in the Psychedelic Spy series.

She has short stories in three anthologies: Last Exit to Murder, Plan B: Omnibus, and Cozy Cat Shorts. She penned chapter three of the CCP group mystery Chasing the Codex.

 

Website * Blog * Facebook * Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Done With It (A Dreamwalker Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Publisher: Camel Press (August 11, 2020)
Number of Pages 211 pages

 

Synopsis

 

A Jane Doe jogger homicide near the swamp mystifies Dreamwalker Baxley Powell. The petite woman carried no ID, and no one recognizes her. Worse, a shadow passes from the body to a deputy, rendering him unconscious. The deputy and the corpse are dispatched to the hospital and morgue, respectively.

With summer heat and pending childbirth on her mind, Baxley’s dreamwalks into the spirit world fail to yield leads, frustrating Baxley and her deputy husband, Native American Sam Mayes. Days later, Jane Doe’s description matches a missing Mississippi woman. Turns out, her new husband is missing too. Jane’s sketchy brother-in-law and her aunt arrive, full of secrets. At Jane’s campsite, the team encounters a terrifying anomaly, nullifying Baxley’s senses. With such danger present, they must protect their unborn child. No more dreamwalks will occur until Baxley gives birth.

When her friend Bubba Paxton vanishes, Baxley sights him in a mirror, trapped between worlds with other souls.

Meanwhile, the shadow invades other hosts, demanding to see Baxley. Mayes and Baxley ignore the shadow as they rescue Bubba, untangle the Jane Doe case, and handle missing persons reports.
To free the trapped people, Baxley must outwit a powerful foe. Can she stop this super villain before he steals her soul?

In this 7th Dreamwalker Mystery, female sleuth and psychic crime consultant Baxley Powell works a homicide case that leads straight to an evil force in the spirit world. The stakes? Her soul, her unborn child, and humanity’s freedom.

 

 

B&N – Kobo

 

 

Guest Post

 

The Shadow

 

By Maggie Toussaint

 

In the first chapter of ALL DONE WITH IT, a shadow entity makes its appearance. Much to everyone’s horror, the shadow decamps from the murdered jogger and invades Ronnie, one of the sheriff’s good-ole-boy deputies.

My sleuth, Baxley Powell Mayes, and her family have never encountered the like. It boggles their minds that a swamp vapor could pass from person to person. Worse, when the deputy awakens, the shadow entity controls his consciousness.

This sentient villain alters the host’s personal behaviors, critical thinking, and even their gait. Ronnie, for instance, a solid young man of little ambition, suddenly improves his grooming, his clothing, and the healthfulness of his food. However, the personality upgrade comes at a price. Ronnie speaks sentence words out of order.

Clearly the entity is trying to rewire his brain but it’s not a good fit. Ronnie’s best friend and fellow deputy, Virg, is beside himself with anxiety. He orders Baxley to get it out of him. Only, how does one drive out a dusky vapor without harming Ronnie? Baxley and her Dreamwalker team network among their associates for help.

To make matters worse, Shadow Ronnie demands to see Baxley in person. Her husband, Deputy Sam Mayes, forbids it. After all, Baxley is nine months pregnant with their son. In fact, Mayes suggests it would be best for the baby if Baxley didn’t return to the swamp or dreamwalk until after she gives birth—and she agrees.

Then the unspeakable happens. People begin to vanish from all around the county. No one knows why, and Baxley can’t search the afterlife for them. Malignant forces are at work, and humanity’s best-suited sleuth is sidelined. The Dreamwalker is left to wrestle with her choices and to answer this question: what can she do?

 

 

About the Author

 

Southern author Maggie Toussaint writes cozy and paranormal mysteries, romantic suspense, and dystopian fiction, with twenty fiction novels published. A three-time finalist for Georgia Author of the Year, she’s won three Silver Falchions, the Readers’ Choice, and the EPIC Awards. She’s past president of Mystery Writers of America-Southeast chapter and an officer of LowCountry Sisters In Crime. She lives in coastal Georgia, where secrets, heritage, and ancient oaks cast long shadows.

 

Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads |  Website

 

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NACHO’S NACHOS

 

The Story Behind the World’s Favorite Snack

 

by

 

Sandra Nickel

 

Illustrated by

 

Oliver Dominguez

 

Genre: Picture Book / Nonfiction / Food History / Latinx Interest

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

Publication Date: August 11, 2020

Number of Pages: 32

 

 

 Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

 

 

 

NACHO’S NACHOS is the deliciously true story about how nachos were invented—about what happened when a regular customer asked Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya for something new, and there were no chefs in the kitchen.

2020 is the eightieth anniversary of the invention, and Oliver Dominguez’s illustrations transport us back to the border of the Rio Grande in 1940, when Nacho’s quick thinking resulted in a snack now eaten everywhere from Texas to Paris to Hong Kong!

 

 

 

Amazon ┃ Barnes & Noble

 

IndieBound ┃ Book Depository

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activities for Young Nacho Fans

 

By Sandra Nickel, author of Nacho’s Nachos

 

Are you looking for activities for your youngest nacho fan?

Making Ignacio Anaya’s original nachos is a simple and tasty way to spend time together. There are only three ingredients, and in no time at all, you’re done. So crunchy, so cheesy—so spectacular! Both you and your fan are sure to love them.

Why not add the ingredients to your shopping list and make them today? A downloadable recipe card is HERE.

 

 

 

 

Another way to inspire your nacho fans is to get them to dream up their own new nacho. The birthplace of nachos—Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico— holds a three-day nacho fest every year around October 21, the International Day of the Nacho. The fest holds a competition to see who can invent a new and delicious nacho. There is only one requirement. As with Ignacio Anaya’s original Nacho’s Special, the new nacho must use a corn tortilla.

Folks have used all sorts of things—sushi, caviar, venison, ostrich, even chocolate and cream cheese! Why not get your nacho fans thinking about what they love to eat most? Then, download the activity sheet HERE and watch as they reveal their nacho creations. If you have time, tell me about their inventions HERE. I would love to hear about them!

Still have more time? You can find a Nacho’s Placemat for coloring HERE, and a Nacho’s Banner for stringing together HERE. Click on the activity sheets, print, and HAVE FUN!

 

I love nachos so you know I’m going to check these out and share them with my family.  Mmmmmmm

 

 

 

 

Sandra Nickel writes books and poetry for young readers. In 2020 and 2021, she has three books coming out: Nacho’s Nachos: The Story Behind the World’s Favorite Snack (Lee & Low), The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe (Abrams), and Breaking Through the Clouds: The Sometimes Turbulent Life of Meteorologist Joanne Simpson (Abrams). Sandra’s poetry can be found in SCOOP magazine.

Sandra holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has presented workshops on writing for children and young adults throughout Europe and the United States. Sandra has twice won the Katherine Paterson Prize for picture books.

 

 

 

 

 Website ║ Blog ║ Facebook ║ Instagram

 

 Twitter ║ Amazon ║ Goodreads

 

 

———————————

 

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

FIVE WINNERS!  

 

3 Winners: Print Copy + Recipe Card; 2 Winners: Recipe Card. 

 

AUGUST 20-30, 2020 

 

(US ONLY)

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page 

 

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

 

or visit the blogs directly

 

 

8/20/20	Author Interview	All the Ups and Downs
8/20/20	Sneak Peek	Hall Ways Blog
8/21/20	Review	Book Fidelity
8/21/20	Guest Post	StoreyBook Reviews
8/22/20	Review	Book Bustle
8/23/20	Author Interview	Texas Book Lover
8/24/20	Review	The Page Unbound
8/25/20	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
8/25/20	Scrapbook Page	Reading by Moonlight
8/26/20	Guest Post	Forgotten Winds
8/27/20	Review	The Clueless Gent
8/28/20	Review	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
8/28/20	Top Ten	Missus Gonzo
8/29/20	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/29/20	Review	That’s What She’s Reading

 

 

 

 

 

blog tour services provided by

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fowl Murder: A Cozy Mystery with a Determined Female Amateur Sleuth (A Kenya Kanga Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Kanga Press (July 21, 2020)
ebook, 190 pages

Synopsis

 

A shooting on the savannah. A tragedy she’d rather forget. When past and present collide, will she survive to see her future?
Kenya, 2016. Semi-retired vet Rose Hardie just wants to enjoy her golden years and care for her disabled husband. But her peace of mind shatters when a forgotten confidant returns and reopens a case where Rose pulled the trigger. With her memories of the poacher’s shocking death flooding back, she barely catches her breath before her childhood friend is brutally murdered.

Braving blackmail and entrenched corruption, the tireless woman dives headfirst into helping the victim’s son solve the crime. But when the lead suspect is killed, Rose’s plans for a peaceful life end up dead and buried…

As her own traumatic history unravels, can Rose catch a killer before she becomes the next victim?

Foul Murder is the first book in the compelling Kenya Kanga Mystery series. If you like determined heroines, unpredictable twists and turns, and vivid African settings, then you’ll love Victoria Tait’s pulse-pounding tale.

 

 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo

 

 

Guest Post

 

Today we welcome Victoria to StoreyBook Reviews and she shares some of her experiences in Kenya which contributed to the writing of this mystery.

 

Kenya, Language, and Phraseology

 

I began writing Fowl Murder in April 2018, four months after returning to the UK from Kenya, where we lived for eight years.  My youngest son was only eighteen months old when we moved out and he was like a native white Kenyan with brown tanned skin, blonde hair, a western Kenyan accent–courtesy of his Ayah (nanny) Esnas, who he still misses terribly–and a penchant for brightly coloured cotton kikoi trousers.

My main character, Rose Hardie, is sixty-five years old.  She was born in Kenya, although her parents were immigrants.  They left Britain after the Second World War seeking a better way of life and buying land under the British colonial post-war resettlement scheme.  They became farmers near a town called Molo, in western Kenya.

 

 

I have had a number of discussions with my editors, advanced readers and my husband about the words and phrases used in the book.  Rose spoke English with her parents and brother Matt.  Her mother died when she was only three and Matt was sent to boarding school, so Rose was brought up by her Ayah, Mary, who spoke to Rose in her tribal tongue, Kipsingis.  At the local school, and with her farm and village friends, Rose spoke Kiswahili.

The British colonised Kenya between 1888 and 1962 when the language taught in schools was British English.  There are some older Africans who cannot speak Kiswahili, now the national language, as they spoke their tribal language at home and English at school.

Rose attended a prestigious school in Nairobi, Kenya Girls School, which followed a British curriculum.  French and Latin were taught but Rose did not excel at them, or any academic lessons.  Aisha Onyango, the victim, attended the same school and it is where she and Rose met and became friends.  Despite Rose being four years older than Aisha, they were both outcasts which drew them together: Rose was a country girl who preferred running around the sports field rather than doing her hair or make-up, and Aisha was the first African girl to attend the school.

Both Rose and Aisha can speak and write English and speak Kiswahili, and Aisha can write it.  Rose still speaks Kipsingis with her house girl Kipto and Aisha speaks her tribal Kikuyu language.

The story is written through Rose’s eyes and follows her experiences and view of events.  A few chapters are in Thabiti’s voice: he is Aisha’s son and was also educated in English.  The language and phrases I have used are British English and some of the phrases are slightly old fashioned, being language Rose, and her husband Craig, would use.  I believe that this is the most authentic way to write the book, although I know some American readers will be unhappy with the use of unfamiliar words, such as car park instead of parking lot and car boot instead of trunk.

 

 

I have also used a smattering of Kiswahili words, which again add to the authenticity of the story.  When I lived in Kenya I meant to learn Kiswahili and attended six hours of lessons but became bored by the grammar.  I wanted to learn the common phrases used in the streets around Nanyuki and I did begin to understand the meaning of conversations, if not the individual words, but I was confused when people switched to their tribal languages.

Even with my limited knowledge of Kiswahili, there are everyday terms I used regularly, especially to greet and thank people.  ‘Habari’ is a form of greeting used like ‘hello’ but actually meaning ‘what’s new?’.  I think it is a great word/phrase adding a personal touch and enquiring about the person you meet.  The standard answer is not hello but ‘I am well’, ‘Mzuri sana’ followed by ‘how are you?’ or ‘habari yako’.  ‘Thank you’ is ‘asante’ or ‘asante sana’ being ‘thank you very much’.

Kiswahili is a wonderfully expressive language.  We continue to use phrases back in the UK: ‘dawa’ when referring to medicine; I call ‘kuja hapa’ when I want my children to come, especially if they are doing something they shouldn’t, and they call me ‘kali’ meaning cross or severe.

Fowl Murder uses British English sayings, expressions and spellings.  There is a glossary at the front of the print book explaining the meaning of Kiswahili words in the story.  I have tried to link the Kiswahili words with the glossary in the e-book format so it is easier to understand what words mean.  I hope this approach works and readers enjoy the experience and become immersed in the story, in spite of, and because of the unfamiliar words and phrases.

 

 

Thank you for hosting me and Fowl Murder.

 

 

About the Author

 

Victoria Tait is an exciting new author launching her Kenya Kanga Mystery series.  She’s drawn on 8 years living in rural Kenya with her family to transport her readers to a world of curiosity, community and conspiracy.  The Kenya Kanga Mystery series brings to life the beauty of the Kenyan landscape, the magic of its wildlife and the warmth of its people.

 

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The Takeaway Men

 

by Meryl Ain

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

Publisher: Sparkpress

 

Release date: August 4, 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

With the cloud of the Holocaust still looming over them, twin sisters Bronka and Johanna Lubinski and their parents arrive in the US from a Displaced Persons Camp. In the years after World War II, they experience the difficulties of adjusting to American culture as well as the burgeoning fear of the Cold War. Years later, the discovery of a former Nazi hiding in their community brings the Holocaust out of the shadows. As the girls get older, they start to wonder about their parents’ pasts, and they begin to demand answers. But it soon becomes clear that those memories will be more difficult and painful to uncover than they could have anticipated. Poignant and haunting, The Takeaway Men explores the impact of immigration, identity, prejudice, secrets, and lies on parents and children in mid-twentieth-century America.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

TWINS AS CHARACTERS

 

People often ask me why I chose to have twins as two of the main characters in my novel, The Takeaway Men. And also, since I am not a twin myself, how did I get into their heads?

The fraternal twin girls in my novel, Bronka and JoJo, come to New York with their parents from a Displaced Persons Camp in Europe in 1951. They are three-and-a-half years old when they arrive. Both of their parents carry with them not only their rucksacks, but also the baggage of the Holocaust and war-torn and post-war Poland. I wanted to show two sisters who shared the same environment, but had varying reactions to what they experienced. Since I was writing about children of survivors, I thought it was important to show that they were not all alike– even in the same family.

My research indicated that these children, “The Second Generation” (2G of Holocaust survivors) had a broad range of emotions and reactions to what they saw, heard, and experienced in their homes. Making them the same age and sex highlighted both the similarities and the differences. So, although the twins were dressed in matching outfits, they didn’t necessarily always see the world the same way. Bronka is very literal, so when JoJo is intrigued with a Tiny Tears doll that “sheds real tears,” Bronka is critical, saying it is a fake. When they have to duck under their desks as part of a take-cover drill, Bronka is sure a bomb is going to hit them. JoJo holds her hand and tries to comfort her, saying it is just a practice drill. As the more intense of the two, Bronka takes their father’s mood swings much more seriously than her twin.

As a first child myself, my intensive experience with twins began the day I met my husband, Stewart. His identical twin brother, Howard was actually my blind date on that occasion but by the time the night was over, Stewart had maneuvered a switch. Ever since that night, I have been watching and witnessing what makes the brothers alike and what makes them very different. It has been a long time. Stewart and I have raised three sons and have six grandchildren. Howard has two sons and five grandchildren.  While Stewart has been my live-in expert on the subject, Abigail Pogrebin’s book, One and the Same, helped me better understand female twins. And Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush’s book, Sisters First, gave me valuable insight into fraternal twin girls. In addition, I also spoke with several twin sisters.

To make my depiction of these Second Generation twins accurate, I also did a tremendous amount of research on the subject, including reading numerous books and conversations with children of Holocaust survivors.  I’m relieved and gratified that both my twin husband and my friends, who are 2Gs, said the book resonated with them and I “got it right.”

 

 

About the Author

 

Meryl Ain’s articles and essays have appeared in Huffington Post, The New York Jewish Week, The New York Times, Newsday and other publications. The Takeaway Men is her debut novel. In 2014, she co-authored the award-winning book, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and in 2016, wrote a companion workbook, My Living Memories Project Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and has been interviewed on television, radio, and podcasts. She is a career educator and is proud to be both a teacher and student of history. She has also worked as a school administrator. The Takeaway Men is the result of her life-long quest to learn more about the Holocaust, a thirst that was first triggered by reading The Diary of Anne Frank in the sixth grade. While teaching high school history, she introduced her students to the study of the Holocaust. At the same time, she also developed an enduring fascination with teaching about and researching the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case. An interview with Robert Meeropol, the younger son of the Rosenbergs, is featured in her book, The Living Memories Project. The book also includes an interview with Holocaust survivor, Boris Chartan, the founder of the Holocaust Museum and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, New York. Meryl holds a BA from Queens College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an Ed.D. from Hofstra University. She lives in New York with her husband, Stewart. They have three married sons and six grandchildren.

 

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Risky Whiskey (Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Velvet Petal Press (July 21, 2020)
Print Length: 250 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Stirring up trouble in New Orleans …

Eager to shake up her drinks and her life, mixologist Pepper Revelle jumps at an invitation to join the elite Bohemia Bartenders. Leader Neil thinks she’ll be the perfect advance gal for his team at a colorful cocktail convention in her hometown of New Orleans, but the job turns out to be more bananas than a drunk monkey. Setting up the key tasting for their distiller client, she and Neil discover their whiskey has gone dangerously bad. But how? And was this shocking poisoning more than an accident?

As Pepper and Neil try to figure out what happened, keep the drinks flowing and help distiller Dash Reynolds survive the weekend, they find themselves the target of increasingly scary attacks. Maybe it’s the danger, or maybe it’s the drinks, but Pepper also can’t help an inconvenient attraction to cocktail nerd Neil as they stir up trouble and try to figure out who’s out to get them — before they’re sliced and squeezed like a lemon twist in a Sazerac.

Risky Whiskey is the first book in the Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries, funny whodunits with a dash of romance set in a convivial collective of cocktail lovers, eccentrics and mixologists. These cozy culinary comedies contain a hint of heat, a splash of cursing and shots of laughter, served over hand-carved ice.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Craft cocktail culture is an intoxicating setting for mysteries

 

by Lucy Lakestone

 

When readers think of culinary cozy mysteries, they usually think of chefs and bakers — delicious food accompanied by devious plots. In my new Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries, I couldn’t resist focusing on the drinks that, ideally, accompany all that cuisine — craft cocktails.

Cocktails have experienced a renaissance in recent years. As my heroine, mixologist Pepper Revelle, points out, “The newly minted foodies who watched chefs on TV all day long were only just waking up to how wonderful cocktails could be with their cuisine, and I wanted to show them the way.”

In Risky Whiskey, Pepper joins a team of bartenders at a New Orleans cocktail convention to help promote whiskey made by a distiller from their Florida town. Dangerous and sometimes funny complications ensue. But always at the heart of the story is the idea that cocktails have come into their own as a culinary art.

 

 

While my mysteries are humorous, Pepper and her friends take craft cocktails seriously. Perhaps the character who is most serious about them is her geeky counterpart Neil. And the fact that he’s totally opposite in personality to the exuberant Pepper makes her attraction to him all the funnier.

It’s not like modern mixologists invented the craft cocktail. In many ways, the cocktail revival is deeply rooted in the past — from elegant classics (like the Manhattan) to complex tiki drinks (a Mai Tai). New Orleans has long been home to delicious cocktails, and I’m not talking about the neon-colored sugar bombs popular on Bourbon Street. I’m talking about cocktails that are closely identified with the Crescent City, including the Sazerac, Vieux Carré and French 75.

 

 

New Orleans is also home to bars old and new that serve these beautifully balanced potions, and, of course, Pepper and her friends sample many of them.

One bar they visit is Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29. Jeff Berry is known for unearthing the lost drink recipes that made midcentury tiki bars so popular. He helped lead a revival that is alive and well, not just in his bar but in a thriving tiki culture — which plays a big part in book two, Wrecked by Rum, set in Fort Lauderdale.

Of course, the Bohemia Bartenders do a lot more than drink. They make cocktails. I’ve been to cocktail conventions like my fictional one, and I’m lucky to have a great home bar (especially now!), where Mr. Lakestone shakes up wonderful concoctions. In short, I love craft cocktails, and I really enjoyed writing about tricks of the craft (like hand-carving ice cubes) and insider lingo (such as boomerangs — drinks bartenders send from one bar to another as a friendly gesture).

Given my characters’ devotion to crafting perfect cocktails, these novels are true culinary mysteries. Pepper and Neil and friends make wonderful drinks as they navigate danger and figure out who did what. Mixologists are chefs with shakers. And in the case of the Bohemia Bartenders, they make pretty clever sleuths, too.

 

Learn more about Lucy and her books at LucyLakestone.com

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lucy Lakestone is an award-winning author who lives on Florida’s east central coast, among the towns that serve as an inspiration for the hot romances of her Bohemia Beach Series and the jumping-off point for the Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries. She’s been a journalist, photographer, editor, and video producer but prefers living in her imagination, where the moon is full and the cocktails are divine.

 

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Quiche of Death (A Sugar & Spice Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Lyrical Press (July 21, 2020)
Print Length: ~254 pages

 

Synopsis

 

When editor Sugar Calloway and baker Dixie Spicer went into business creating cookbooks, they found a sideline as amateur sleuths. Now a bitter family grudge could leave a fatal aftertaste…

At Sugar & Spice Community Cookbooks, the friends and business partners have secured a tasty new commission: producing a cookbook for the Arbor family. The Arbors have made their fortune in quiches, and Sugar and Spice have been invited to a weekend gathering where all the siblings, along with crusty matriarch Marta, will be in attendance. But it’s soon clear that this trip will come with a hefty slice of drama.

Theo, the only grandson, arrives with his flaky fiancée, Collette, who quickly stirs up trouble . . . and is found dead the next day. As the investigation unfolds, secrets—and recipes—are shared, and Sugar and Spice realize just how messy and murderous the situation may be. As another family member falls ill, can they solve the case without getting egg on their faces . . .and a target on their backs?

* Includes delicious recipes! *

 

 

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Excerpt

 

“Quiche me, you fool.”

The demand was followed by hoots of laughter as the sister—Jezzie, I think her name was—leaned into her spouse for a smooch. He hesitated but obliged.

I smiled at the boisterous group who clearly shared some inside joke about quiche and kissing. The warmth of the table and the sibling love melted my heart like butter on a biscuit. Taking a sip of water, I glanced over at Dixie, who sat across from me at the huge oak table.

She rolled her eyes.

“What?” I mouthed.

Dixie shrugged. Jezzie had perhaps a teensy bit too much wine, but still: When did my best friend and business partner get so darn stuffy? Maybe it was the inside-joke part that she found off-putting.

But we did know quiche was the family’s stock-in-trade, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch to figure out the expression had something to do with the Arbor family’s food business. After all, that was why we were here.

 

Guest Post

 

 

Is it real?

 

One of the things that I’m often asked is whether St. Ignatius, where the Sugar & Spice mysteries are set, is a real place. It’s very real to in my head, but I’m guessing that’s not what the person is asking me. And, I have to say, that I’m thrilled to find that many readers think it’s a real town.

Pampered Pets Mysteries, the other cozy series that I co-write as part of Sparkle Abbey, is set in Laguna Beach, a very real place in Southern California. A great pet-friendly community that was such fun to get to know and to write about.  However, in a constantly changing world, it was sometimes difficult to keep up with changes in the community. Streets don’t move, but businesses close, buildings are torn down, or new developments change the landscape.

So, when I started writing the Sugar & Spice mysteries, I deliberately choose to use a fictional town.

I’m from a small town in rural Madison County, Iowa and wanted to choose a place much like the area I grew up in. However, I hoped to avoid the problems inherent in using an actual town.

Readers who are from similar backgrounds will often ask if perhaps St. Ignatius is modeled after a particular town they know.

In truth, it’s a composite of many different small towns that I’ve visited. I’ve borrowed different pieces of those real places to create my fictional St. Ignatius.

• It has a town square with a central courthouse flanked by local businesses. I keep a map of the town square so I don’t accidentally move shops around as I’m writing.
• News travels fast and it is often shared at the local diner on the square. In St. Ignatius that’s the Red Hen Diner.
• It’s not large enough to have its own police force, so the county sheriff and his deputies handle law enforcement. Which can mean a noise complaint, a missing goat, or a murder.
• There’s a strong sense of community, where people in town look out for each other. Sometimes that means people know a lot about other people’s business. I guess it’s all in your perspective, right?
• There are families who have lived there for several generations and though newcomers are welcome, it may take a while to not be considered “new.”

I’ve had so much creating St. Ignatius for the Sugar & Spice Mysteries and I like to think if I’ve done it right, the town feels as real to readers as it does to me.

 

 

About the Author

 

Mary Lee Ashford is a lifelong bibliophile, and avid reader, and supporter of public libraries. In addition to writing the Sugar & Spice mystery series for Kensington Books, she also writes as half of the writing team of Sparkle Abbey, author of the national bestselling Pampered Pets mystery series from Bell Bridge Books.

Prior to publishing Mary Lee won first place in the Daphne du Maurier contest, sponsored by the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA, and was a finalist in Murder in the Grove’s mystery contest, as well as Killer Nashville’s Claymore Dagger contest.

She is the founding president of Sisters in Crime – Iowa and a current board member of the Mystery Writers of America Midwest chapter, as well as a member of Novelists, Inc., Romance Writers of America, Kiss of Death the RWA Mystery Suspense chapter, Sisters in Crime, and the SinC internet group Guppies.

Mary Lee has a passionate interest in creativity and teaches a university level course in Creative Management to MPA candidates, as well as presenting workshops and blogging about creativity. She loves encouraging other writers and is a frequent presenter on a variety of topics at workshops, conferences, and writers’ groups.

In her day job, Mary Lee is a Deputy Chief Information Officer. She currently resides in the Midwest with her husband, Tim, and Sparkle, the rescue cat namesake of the Sparkle Abbey pseudonym. Her delights are reading and enjoying her family and especially her six grandchildren.

 

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