Mrs. Morris and the Wolfman (A Salem B&B Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
Kensington Cozies (August 22, 2023)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Saturday night at the movies has some added flair now that Darren and Elise Shultz are reopening one of Salem’s classic theaters. Charlene is delighted to help the couple with their venture, and Darren has lined up a cult classic double-header featuring Lon Chaney in The Wolfman. But things get hairier than expected when Elise starts to choke on her popcorn mid-movie—and once the lights go up,
she’s dead . . .

When tests reveal Elise’s popcorn was poisoned, Detective Sam Holden eyes her husband as the guilty party. Charlene doesn’t believe Darren would hurt his wife—even if his company’s specialty seasoned salts were sprinkled on the fatal snack. But who else had a motive to do something so unsavory? With a little help from Jack, the handsome ghost who haunts her B&B, Charlene delves into the ill-fated couple’s past. And the more she learns, the more Charlene wonders if this time, she’s bitten off more than she can chew . . .

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Apple * Kobo

 

 

Guest Post

 

A day in the life of Charlene Morris

 

Hello! I’m Charlene Morris, and I’ve been in Salem for almost two years now. My bed and breakfast is in the black, which is a blessing. When I moved from Chicago after my dear, sweet Jared passed after being hit by a drunk driver, I never thought I’d care about love again.

Now, I have my best friend, Jack, a ghost who haunts the mansion I bought sight unseen…that’s how out of my mind with grief I was, and I just needed to get away. My mother can be…a bit over the top. She’s got Catholic guilt down to a science. My dad is an angel. He did his best to shield me with trips to the art museum and ice cream afterward. Since I’ve moved, Mom and I have come to an understanding. She was afraid that she’d make a mistake and, in being so rigid, pushed me away.

Jared and I wanted kids, but it didn’t happen. I wanted to do it differently than how I’d been raised, you know?  Jared and I were each other’s everything, and, in the end, that hurt me even more because I had no real friends or life outside of my career at the marketing company we worked at together.

When I moved to Salem, I was determined to do things differently. I am part of the community here. I have a cat I never thought I’d want, a ghost I never believed in, a protégé who is like a daughter, and a boyfriend. Detective Sam Holden is sexy and kind and smart and patient. Thank God he is patient. He doesn’t believe in ghosts. He doesn’t see Jack, who is part of my life at the B and B.

It’s not easy, but I have a very rich life.

This is my advice for anyone in the depths of sorrow—don’t be afraid to make a change. The days will pass, and you will find yourself, slowly but surely, on the other side.

I hope you’ll join me in this adventure with Darren and Elise Shultz as they open their new movie theater in Salem.

 

 

About the Author

 

From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite tale for everyone. Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, as Traci Wilton. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it’s her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.

 

Website * Traci Hall FB Author Page

 

 Traci Wilton FB Author Page

 

Amazon * Instagram * Kensington * X (Twitter)

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

Hanging by a Thread (A Sewing Studio Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Fictional Town of Hideaway Grove
Kensington Cozies (September 26, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

 

Synopsis

 

The latest novel in a new crafting cozy series in the genre-leading Kensington Cozy Mystery program focusing on the members of a Sewing Studio.

Some of the independent shops in this sleepy town are barely hanging on financially—and that includes Sarah’s Sweets, Abbey’s aunt’s bakery. The shop’s advantage—aside from the deliciousness of its products—is the fact that it’s the only bakery in the area. But it looks like that’s about to change. The second wife of a wealthy businessman wants her own bakery—and money is no object.

When murder unravels the plans for the competing shop, Aunt Sarah is an immediate suspect—and Hideaway Grove’s merchants are on pins and needles about a big upcoming women’s conference, fearing the organization will cancel their booking because of the crime. Abbey’s doing her best to stay optimistic and stitch some custom tote bags for the attendees, but she’s also concerned with patching up Aunt Sarah’s good reputation. And when it comes to sorting through the possible motives of the victim’s family members and associates, she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve . . .

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop.org

 

 

Guest Post

 

Building a town in my head — with a sweet ending!

 

I’ve been very blessed to have published a lot of books.  I just finished writing number 50.  Whew!  About half of them were historical romances, written under my pen name Judith Stacy, so I was free to make up a small western town for the setting, or occasionally do a little research into Los Angeles for my characters living there in the 1890s.

When I began writing mysteries, they were all contemporary and most were set in Los Angeles.  With a brief google search or a few hours in the car (I live in the Los Angeles area) all of my research questions were answered.  Easy!

My newest cozy mystery series is the Sewing Studio Series, and I knew a big city wouldn’t do.  The characters and the story required something very different.  I was left with no option but to build my own imaginary town.  Because it was a series and I would be using it for many books to come, I had to come up with a very specific plan for the town.  Thus, Hideaway Grove came into being.

Hideaway Grove developed into a small, quaint town where visitors and tourists are drawn to specialty shops, art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants.  I felt like the town needed a theme.   A good friend had mentioned she’d taken a course about birdwatching, which I found interesting.  I decided Hideaway Grove should have its roots in that world, with the founder of the town naming the streets after birds—Hummingbird Lane, Hawk Avenue, and Blue Bird Drive.  The town’s founder especially liked owls, so images of them are woven through the town in the lampposts, playground equipment on the village green, and in the names of the businesses, such as Owl Nest Bookstore, Birdie’s Gifts and Gadgets, and the Night Owl Bar.

To keep everything organized in my head, I drew a map of Hideaway Grove.  It includes the streets, the businesses, and the homes of the characters.  I’m no artist, but the visual layout keeps me on track especially when I’m starting a new story.

The town is populated by nervous merchants anxious to keep their business afloat, gossips, busybodies, and a few hot guys—after writing all those romances, I had to put some good-looking men in the story!

In the launch book of the series, Seams Like Murder, Abbey Chandler’s life in Los Angeles falls apart so she retreats to Hideaway Grove where she spent idyllic summers with her aunt Sarah.  Abbey finds herself involved with a murder investigation and ends up heading a charity project making pillowcase dresses for girls in Africa—even though she can’t sew!

Sarah’s Sweets, the bakery Abbey’s aunt owns, plays an important part in the town and in the second book in the series Hanging By A Thread.  To accommodate her pillowcase dress parties, Abbey turns the bakery storage room into a sewing studio.  It becomes a natural gathering place for town merchants drawn together to discuss the latest problem—quite often a murder.

Aunt Sarah’s bakery is known for its delicious, beautifully handcrafted baked goods.  In Hanging By A Thread, Sarah is preparing for a 1950s event and prepares vintage recipes for her customers—while Abbey solves a murder!

I hope you’ll enjoy your visit to Hideaway Grove in Hanging By A Thread, and try this vintage recipe that’s been in my family for generations—coming soon to Sarah’s Sweets!

 

 

HOLIDAY PUMPKIN ROLL

 

 

Pumpkin Roll ingredients

 

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup solid packed pumpkin

¾ cup flour

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

½ English walnuts, chopped (optional)

 

 

Filling

 

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

8 oz cream cheese

2 tbsp margarine

¾ tsp vanilla

 

Grease a 10”x15”x1” baking pan and line with waxed paper.  Beat eggs and sugar.  Stir in pumpkin.  Combine flour, cinnamon, and baking powder.  Add to pumpkin mixture and blend well.

Pour onto baking pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with nuts (optional).  Bake at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes.  Cake should spring back when touched lightly.

Remove from oven and loosen edges with knife.  Turn cake out onto a paper towel sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.  Remove waxed paper.  Roll cake and towel together.  Cool completely.

Unroll cake and spread with filling.  Roll cake up again and chill.  Keep refrigerated.  May be frozen.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today Bestselling author Dorothy Howell is the author of 49 novels. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages and sold worldwide. She writes the Sewing Studio mystery series, the Haley Randolph mystery series, and the Hollis Brannigan and Dana Mackenzie mystery series. Dorothy also writes historical romance novels under the pen name Judith Stacy.  Dorothy lives in Los Angeles.

 

Website * Facebook * X (Twitter) * Instagram * Goodreads

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

Murder at the Elms (A Gilded Newport Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
11th in Series
Setting – Rhode Island
Kensington (August 22, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

 

 

Synopsis

 

As the nineteenth century comes to a close, the illustrious Vanderbilt family dominates Newport, Rhode Island, high society. But when murder arrives, reporter Emma Cross learns that sometimes the actions of the cream of society can curdle one’s blood in the latest installment of this bestselling cozy historical mystery series . . .

1901: Back from their honeymoon in Italy, Emma and Derrick are adapting to married life as they return to their duties at their jointly owned newspaper, the Newport Messenger. The Elms, coal baron Edward Berwind’s newly completed Bellevue Avenue estate, is newsworthy for two reasons: A modern mansion for the new century, it is one of the first homes in America to be wired for electricity with no backup power system, generated by coal from Berwind’s own mines. And their servants—with a single exception—have all gone on strike to protest their working conditions. Summarily dismissing and replacing his staff with cool and callous efficiency, Berwind throws a grand party to showcase the marvels of his new “cottage.”

Emma and Derrick are invited to the fete, which culminates not only in a fabulous musicale but an unforeseen tragedy—a chambermaid is found dead in the coal tunnel. In short order, it is also discovered that a guest’s diamond necklace is missing and a laborer has disappeared.

Detective Jesse Whyte entreats Emma and Derrick to help with the investigation and determine whether the murdered maid and stolen necklace are connected. As the dark deeds cast a shadow over the blazing mansion, it’s up to Emma to shine a light on the culprit . . .

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Bookshop.org

 

Read an Excerpt Here

 

 

Guest Post

 

Murder at The Elms is my eleventh Gilded Newport Mystery and my nineteenth historical mystery (I write another series, A Lady & Lady’s Maid Mysteries). So you might wonder, how does an author keep each book fresh? How does she come up with new ideas and avoid being repetitive?

Let’s address that last bit first. In cozy mysteries or historical cozies, in this case, a certain amount of repetitiveness is a good thing. For a series in general, the author creates a world surrounding the sleuth, peopled with friends, family, and yes, even adversaries. In many cozies, the setting is itself a character, and this is especially true for the Gilded Newport Mysteries. Readers want these stories to take place in Newport—and nowhere else. It’s a place they wish to spend time and where they’re comfortable. If my sleuth, Emma Cross, does go “off island” as the locals say, it’s only for short periods of time. The same can be said about major secondary characters who recur from book to book. They become like a family the reader enjoys spending time with.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t introduce different places in Newport and different characters depending on the plot. In this series, each initial murder takes place in one of the grand mansions, or “cottages,” in the exclusive Bellevue Avenue neighborhood or along the Ocean Drive. This gives me an opportunity to explore the architecture of the Gilded Age, along with the families who owned these properties, each of whom were quite distinctive.

The mansions of Newport include Italian palazzos and Italianate villas, French chateaux, English Gothic manor houses, neo-colonial structures, and, in the case of the book I’ve just finished up, Murder at Vinland, the house includes design elements modeled after Norse mythology. There is quite a range, and each style lends the house an atmosphere, whether bright and airy or shadowy and mysterious, which I incorporate into the stories.

Some of the wealthy people I’ve written about include:

Mamie Fish, who owned the neo-colonial mansion called Crossways. She was functionally illiterate, a gregarious practical jokester, a society leader, and staunchly American in her tastes. James Van Alen, on the other hand, was an anglophile in the extreme and had his house, Wakehurst, modeled exactly like the Elizabethan manor house, Wakehurst Place, in England. And The Elms, owned by Edward and Herminie Berwind, was modeled after an eighteenth-century French chateau near Paris. But what made The Elms so distinctive was the Berwinds’ insistence that it be “modern.” That meant it was run on electricity without another power source, such as gas, as a backup. It was considered one of the most modern houses in America at the time.

Before plotting a book, I research each the family made their fortune, what their roots were, how their peers viewed them, and how they viewed the world around them. I take circumstances from the lives of these people and incorporate them into the plot of each story.

For instance, Edward Berwind was a self-made man. This differed from, say, the Astor family, whose wealth had been in the family for generations, beginning in the fur trade before they diversified into New York’s lucrative real estate market. The Vanderbilts, considered “new money” in the 1890s, still boasted three generations of wealth, beginning with the first Cornelius who made his money first in local shipping, then in railroads. But Edward Berwind was the son of middle-class German immigrants, had a distinguished career in the navy, but didn’t make his fortune until he went into the coal industry with his brother.

That set him apart from other society gentlemen in more than just wealth. He was rougher around the edges, more stubborn, and less inclined to compromise. He boasted about never negotiating with his coal workers. If they didn’t like the working conditions or pay, they could work elsewhere. It wasn’t surprising then that when the entire house staff of The Elms walked out on strike because they were never allowed time off, Edward Berwind fired all of them and hired new workers. From there, I built my plot around a fictional servant, a housemaid, who refused to strike and ended up dead a week later.

Along with the differences in architecture and family characteristics, there are also the murder weapons. I learned early on that these needn’t be what we typically think of. Not every murder is committed with a gun or dagger or poison, although those are certainly effective. Finding new and creative ways of doing someone in helps keep the story fresh. If you look around a room, you can probably find at least an item or two that might be used in a pinch: a heavy lamp or vase, a scarf, a fire poker, even a long staircase, or an open window.

Even with recurring or repetitive story elements, there will always be new information to draw upon and new details to include, keeping each story original and presenting new challenges in crime solving while remaining true to the qualities that drew readers to the series in the first place.

 

 

About the Author

 

Alyssa Maxwell is the author of The Gilded Newport Mysteries and A Lady and Lady’s Maid Mysteries. She has worked in publishing as a reference book editor, ghostwriter, and fiction editor, but knew from an early age that she wanted to be a fiction author. Growing up in New England and traveling to Great Britain and Ireland fueled a passion for history, while a love of puzzles drew her to the mystery genre. She and her husband have made their home in South Florida. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the South Florida Fiction Writers.

 

Twitter * Facebook * Website * GoodReads

 

Sleuths in Time – Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

Reading, Writing, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Wyatt, Arizona (fictitious setting)
Independently Published (September 19, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 273 pages

At the writers’ conference, murder tops the program.

Aspiring mystery author Emma Banefield and travel writer Nicole Earp are excited to attend a writers’ conference during their latest sisters’ getaway. Nic’s birthday should be all about relaxation, writing, and a chocolate martini to toast another trip around the sun, but the climate at the gathering rumbles like a sudden desert thunderstorm.

When sparks fly between the keynote speaker and her timid assistant over a handsome mystery author, the subtitle on this anticipated tranquil weekend spells drama. If a heated love triangle, bruised egos, and betrayal aren’t enough to upset the atmosphere, the conference banquet erupts into a drunken brawl and sends the place spinning. After a body is discovered, Nic and Em do what they do best—snoop—and become embroiled in a mystery that jumps off the pages of a true-crime bestseller.

With more than enough suspects and little time, the amateur sleuths have their hands full finding the killer. But can the competitive Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime before the prickly chief detective does, or will a murderer outwit them all?

 

 

 

Amazon * Amazon UK * Amazon Canada

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Character Guest Post

 

My name is Nicole Earp, but everyone calls me Nic. Twice a year, my sister, Emma and I spend a relaxing weekend at the storied Dulce Inn in Wyatt, Arizona celebrating our birthdays. We always treat ourselves to at least one chocolate martini in the Azul Saloon inside the inn. We’ve gotten to know most of the staff, and they nicknamed us The Chocolate Martini Sisters. Em’s birthday is in the fall, and I’m a spring lady. Reading, Writing, and Murder is the story of one such weekend when we celebrate my birthday. It’s more than a birthday this year—mayhem dwells while murder lurks giving us plenty of opportunities to use our knowledge of all things mystery to solve the crime.

I share the pages of the mysteries as the main character with my sister Em. Brenda, one of the authors of our series, came up with the idea while having a chocolate martini with her sister. They buy each other the delicious drink twice a year on their birthdays in a historical inn and saloon in a western town called Prescott, Arizona. When they jokingly called themselves The Chocolate Martini Sisters, it gave Brenda an idea for a cozy mystery series. She contacted her friend Joyce Proell, and they collaborated bringing Em and me to life.

I tend to jump to conclusions, but my intuitiveness hasn’t been wrong too many times. Em is the analytical sister so we complement each other. I have a scar on my forehead that tingles when I’m nervous, which can happen when I sense something amiss with our sleuthing. I enjoy reading mysteries in bed and often lose track of time. Em says I have a hat obsession. I’ll admit, I do own quite a few. I enjoy wearing arty clothes, soft and feminine. If I don’t have on a hat, my dark blonde hair—and yes there are streaks of silver—is probably twisted into a messy knot.

I’ve been married twice. My first husband, Ethan is the father of my daughter, Chloe. The marriage ended badly, thanks to him. He had trouble with his zipper. I get hot under the collar whenever we run into each other. Gah, yeah, I might still have some feelings for him. Luckily, I rarely see him. My second husband, Rodney Earp is a lawyer and a colorful, flamboyant lawyer. He claims to be a distant relative to the infamous Earp brothers. Our marriage lasted a year. We make better friends than mates. In Reading, Writing, and Murder, I call on Rodney to help the murder suspect.

That’s a little about me. I hope you’ll journey to Wyatt, step into the Dulce Inn, and get lost in an entertaining murder mystery with The Chocolate Martini Sisters.

 

 

 

About the Authors

 

Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.

 

Website * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads

 

 

 

Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * She Blogs & Guests

 

Amazon * Goodreads * BookBub * Instagram

 

Sign up for her newsletter

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

These were only the beginning of Fawn Malero’s problems, but they coincided with a vampire wedding-of-the-century coming to town and that made them a top priority. And as Logan began to take on more duties as pack Alpha, her loyalties were being tested by everyone. Could she run part of the city and part of the pack?

Then the burglaries started… of human homes, threatening exposure!

Being pulled in so many directions, Fawn feared she was failing her father and the supernaturals of Seattle leaving them open for challengers to their authority. Will Fawn’s ability to enlist the help of other supernaturals be enough? Or will they finally see that she doesn’t have what it takes to keep Seattle safe and its supernaturals hidden?

 

 

Amazon * DX Varos Publishing

 

 

Praise

 

A Life With Beasts (The Fawn Malero Mysteries Book 1)

“A Life with Beasts is a story of intrigue and attraction that is especially recommended for mystery readers who enjoy more than a light dose of paranormal encounters and a touch of romance.”-D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review

“a fun adventure/mystery. Courtney Davis brings a fresh perspective to the supernatural creatures we are all familiar with without sacrificing the original ideas associated with them. She creates an exciting world of werewolves, vampires, witches/warlocks, magicians, trolls, and many others.
The book is easy to read and fast-paced. It’s a great read for the summer holidays or when you want a light, fun read. Can’t wait for the sequel!
Also, there is a healthy dose of romance, which can tend to be a bit much for those who don’t read romance (like me). However, Davis has done a great job of making the romance central to the plot, so I found it quite enjoyable.”- Writa Bhattacharjee, GoodReads

“This was a fast read and I really enjoyed it. It gave me some high school Twilight memories but brought more supernatural beings into play. There were several mysteries and problems being solved but they didn’t feel. I found the characters likeable and funny.”-Sara, GoodReads

Supernatural P.I. (The Fawn Malero Mysteries Book 2)

“a must read for all paranormal fantasy fans. From werewolves to vampires, to elves and witches this book has it all. My curiosity grew with each page. The plot has a lot of twists and turns. Magic, mayhem, romance issues, and so much more are included. Courtney Davis writes well. Her characters leap off the pages.
There was never a dull moment. I love that I could read this and dive right into this magical world. It is the second book in the series. Courtney Davis and her mystery series are now added to my favorites.”-Urban Book Reviews

a fantastic paranormal mystery/romance with a compelling and fun protagonist, and brilliant world building.  Davis’ writing is impeccable, and I enjoyed the way that she balanced the mystery, romance and comedy aspects of the novel. I also loved the way it ended! This is what all paranormal mysteries should be! _”-Bee, Book Pleasures.com

“This was a great read and one that I cannot stop thinking about!  This is a madcap adventure that you are bound to have fun reading! Five stars for Fawn Malero!”-Nora, Storeybook Reviews

 

 

Guest Post – Deleted Scenes

 

The story of getting this book written is a frustrating one. The whole series has a kind of journey though. In 2020 when I decided, after nine years to get back to writing I wanted to do something fun, urban fantasy and mainstream. So I thought up Fawn Malero, a magician born with supernatural powers living in Seattle where there were supernatural creatures living lives all around, of course humans know nothing of them.

If I am recalling events right, I wrote the first two books in the series then started trying to get it published and while I was doing that I wrote, A Werewolf in Women’s Clothes which is an urban fantasy werewolf romance. I did find a small print publisher willing to give Fawn a shot and I was so excited! So I sent it to them saying I wanted it to be a whole series and already had the second one written. While they had that in que, I wrote up numbers three and four of the series and shopped around A Werewolf in Women’s Clothes.

Then the publisher shut down… no book published.

I had already had A Werewolf in Women’s Clothes published with DXVaros by then, so I asked them if they wanted to take on the series, four written and ready to go! Lucky for me they wanted it and I was once again ready to publish this fun series, and with all four written, what a great deal.

Then a few months later I discovered that number four had disappeared into the internet void. I was going to have to rewrite it.

I put it off because I knew I could but I didn’t want to. Starting completely over felt beyond frustrating.

I had no choice though, not only was it contracted, but I love Fawn and her story so I wanted to write more of it. So I rewrote #4, changing the title from Hexes and Bows which featured a Cupid, to Lucky Rabbit’s Foot featuring a rabbit problem and some weather issues. I got about 6K words in and didn’t like it, I scrapped it, and started again. This time I didn’t change the plot, just the details, so here is a bit of the second original beginning of Fawn Malero #4, unedited of course so keep that in mind.

 

Deleted Scene

 

Bunnies started showing up in my yard about a week ago and I may be the most animal friendly supernatural in Seattle, but I had no interest in running a bunny rescue sanctuary.

“You can’t take care of all of them,” Logan snapped for the hundredth time.

“And what do you want me to do? Eat them?” I snapped back because I knew he ate bunnies, at least when he was in his Werewolf form and me, I was a vegetarian.

“You’re a Magician who communicates with animals, can’t you just tell them to go away?”

“No,” I said between gritted teeth. “I can’t, because they won’t talk to me.” I’d tried endlessly but they were all mute, I didn’t know where they were coming from or why!

We’d had this conversation every morning for the last four days. I had never run into such a problem before but no matter what little noises they made, it gave me nothing and even my empathetic drive wasn’t tingling, they weren’t in need of help, at least according to my supernatural abilities.

“Twenty, Fawn, there are twenty god damn bunnies in the yard.”

I crossed my arms and glared at Logan, he’d been extra edgy since Jasmine had shown up a couple weeks ago and kissed me as if we were still sixteen and could continue our relationship where we’d left off. She was on the run from her husband and pregnant with no money and nowhere to go. I didn’t want to date her, but I couldn’t tell her to leave, she had nowhere to go. Logan thought I should send her to my parents’, but I didn’t feel right about that either, she did need my help and my empathetic drive was screaming to give her what she needed. Right now that was a place to stay and a part time job at my yoga studio.

I glared at Logan, refusing to let him intimidate me with his alpha male bullshit. “I’ll gather them up and take them to the pet store, okay?”

He gave me a hard look, a quick kiss, then left, off to work and I needed more coffee.

“I’m sorry about the bunnies,” Jasmine said, coming out of Betina’s room in a robe, obviously she hadn’t wanted to face Logan’s grumpiness this morning, I didn’t blame her.

I had done a late-night class at my twenty-four-hour yoga studio, and I was dragging, but Logan yelling about more bunnies this morning had gotten me out of bed. “Not your fault,” I reassured her around a yawn.

“I don’t think so either, but—”

“But nothing, unless you developed a new ability, animal attraction isn’t your fault.”

She laughed, “No, nothing that cool.” She wiggled her fingers, and I could see a pulse of electricity spark between her fingers. She had a very good defensive ability, and I envied her that. She could also hold her breath for like thirty minutes and had perfect balance, she should have been a ballerina. She was pretty enough to be one too, slim, and blonde with big eyes and flawless skin. It was no wonder I’d fallen in love with her at sixteen. She was everything I wasn’t.

Evie popped in then, dressed for morning in a robe as well, apparently everyone was taking today at a slow pace. “I don’t think you should get rid of the bunnies, Fawn, they are so cute.”

“I had to save three from Jasper and Sophia yesterday,” I grumbled. My cats were happy little hunters with the bunnies all around, some of which were still fairly small. Pumpkin didn’t really care, but she was more of a lay around and nap kind of cat. Jasper and Sophia liked to go out and play at being wild animals.

Chester, my parakeet flew in tweeting a happy good morning. He landed on Jasmine and she patted him a little too hard, gaining a peck on her finger before he flew off to perch on top of the cabinets. She watched him go with an offended tilt to her mouth.

I sat at the table with my coffee and stared out the window. Bunnies hopped around and ate grass. It was late October and I had no idea how well bunnies could survive a Seattle winter outside. “Why won’t they talk to me?”

“Maybe they don’t want to, not everyone needs to go on and on about their problems,” Evie said with a sigh.

I glared at her as I sipped my coffee. Evie was a judgmental old ghost, but she wasn’t wrong. There’d been a lot of complaining about life around here lately. Jasmine wasn’t sure what she was going to do, how long before her husband found her, and what to do with a baby apparently. Betina was unhappy because her boyfriend was visiting his sister at Brakemoor and Logan was made about jasmine but complained about the bunnies as a cover.

The damn bunnies. “I can’t help them if I don’t know why they’re here.”

“How are they getting in, your yard is fully fenced?” Jasmine asked as she made a cup of herbal tea, something Annabel had left to help her with morning sickness. I wouldn’t normally trust anything a Witch made, but Annabel was half Elf and one of my best friends, so I knew it was safe, and besides, I wasn’t the one drinking it.

“I’m not sure, there must be a hole somewhere.”

“Maybe one of the dogs—” Evie started then stopped, gasped, and popped out.

My stomach clenched at the reminder that my dogs were gone, buried in the back yard because of Ben. Luckily Ben was also dead and buried, but it still hurt. I missed them.

“I’ll check the fence for holes later, but that still doesn’t explain why they are here or tell me what to do with them.”

“Sell them,” Jasmine suggested happily.

“To who?”

“Farmers, little kids… too bad it’s not spring they’d make great Easter presents. Maybe you can give them out to trick-or-treaters,” she laughed.

I couldn’t help smiling, imagining the look on parents’ faces as I handed their little ghosts and goblins a live bunny instead of a mars bar.

“Maybe the zoo wants them.” I really hated to do that though, I knew how those animals felt about being in there, it wasn’t good.

“So what’s on the agenda today? I told Betina I would come into the yoga studio this morning so she could show me how to work the computer.”

“Great, I need to check out a couple of leads on that weird weather happening near Olympia and I guess I’ll call a few pet shops.”

Jasmine headed back to her room, well, Betina’s room and I stared out at the bunnies. I wasn’t going to go out there until I finished my coffee.

An hour later I had found a pet store willing to take in the bunnies and was on my hands and knees at the back of my property. I’d definitely found a hole and it was easy to fix. I shoved a few rocks in it and felt very satisfied. Rounding them up was not so easy. I got out my dog carriers and threw some carrots in and waited and waited.

“Get in the damn cage,” I hissed but they just hopped around like I was an idiot and maybe I was for thinking the stupid things would listen to me, they wouldn’t even talk to me!

I gave up after only corralling ten of the damn things, but at least it was a start. My car was still at Tony’s shop getting a scratch removed so I had to put the cage in the back of Cole’s car. I’d stolen it after he kidnapped me, but then he ended up dead, so I guess it all worked out. It was a bit creepy to drive it, but I didn’t have much choice. I didn’t want to keep driving my car with the word Bitch, scratched into the side, people gave me weird looks. I hoped Tony would be back from Brakemoor soon and finish up the repaint though, driving Cole’s car was creepy.

I threw my hair into a ponytail and pulled a sweater over my t-shirt. There was dirt on my jeans, but I didn’t care at the moment. I wanted to take care of at least part of this bunny problem.

When I walked into the pet store, I was assaulted by hopeful pleas from most of the animals. Unlike the zoo, these animals knew there was something better coming, they’d likely get adopted and have a good life. I still felt bad for them all, I wish I could take them all home with me and I thought for the first time since my dogs passed away that perhaps I could adopt a new dog, when I was sure the bunny problem was taken care of anyway.

All my animals had been strays that found their way to my home though, as if they’d known I was the right human to take care of them and I was sort of holding out hope that another dog would show up at the right time for me to bring into my life. Adopting one from a shop didn’t quite seem right.

I approached the young woman behind the counter and gave her a big smile. “I have some bunnies to drop off. I talked to Charlie on the phone.” She looked like she was still in high school and barely cared about the job. She’d barely looked up when I walked in.

“I’ll get him,” she said with a heavy sigh then yelled. “Charlie, bunnies are here!”

I cringed at the shrill yell, and so did the parrot that was perched behind her.

“Thanks,” I hissed and crouched down to make sure the bunnies all looked okay. “How’s it going guys, you will all find homes soon, I’m sure.” I looked at the fuzzy little things as I whispered sweetly to them.

Nothing, they just stared at me and moved their tiny noses. They said nothing and it was really weirding me out.

“Fawn?” A Voice asked and I stood and turned to meet a friendly face I vaguely recognized. “Fawn Malero?”

“Um, yeah,” I said cautiously. I couldn’t remember if I had given my last name over the phone or not and I was suddenly on edge.

“We had some vet classes together, remember?” He held out his hand and a fuzzy memory surfaced.

“Charlie Stone?”

His eyes lit up and he grasped my hand tightly. “Yep! How’s it going, you stopped coming.”

“Oh, yeah I decided I was better off concentrating on my yoga studio.”

“Yoga!” he said brightly, and his eyes slid down my body making me thankful I’d dressed in jeans and had a jacket on. I remembered him now, he was always staring at the girls in class, if I’d had to bet on someone being a psychotic serial killer, my money would have been on him and not Ben, obviously I was a terrible judge.

“So I have these bunnies,” I said to distract him and stepped back, glancing at the girl behind the counter who was glaring at Charlie and me. I really hoped he wasn’t sleeping with her.

“Yeah, I cleaned out a cage for them in the front window, bunnies go fast, every little kid thinks they make a great pet. They don’t.” He started walking, not offering to carry the cage.

I frowned, wondering if I was making a mistake bringing them here, I didn’t want them to end up in unhappy homes. But I was sure I didn’t have a better solution, so I grabbed the cage and followed him to the front of the store. The cages were set against the big front window and would draw the attention of everyone who passed. They may not all find forever homes right away, but I was sure they wouldn’t be here long.

“In fact I’ve gotten several calls this week from families asking for bunnies to replace theirs that have run away. It’s been weird, but now I can tell them I have replacements on hand.” He paused and looked at me guiltily. “I uh, can pay you for them of course.”

“No, don’t worry about it, you’re doing me a favor, really. I’ll bring more too if I can catch them in my yard.”

He nodded and started taking the bunnies out and putting them in the cage.  “Wow ten and you have more in your yard? What did you do, plant a carrot garden?” He laughed and I gave him a strained smile.

“I wish I knew,” I said honestly. But at least I plugged the hole, so hopefully I wouldn’t be seeing any more. When he pulled the last one out, he didn’t immediately put it in the cage, he held it and pet it absently as he stared at me expectantly.

“So, I’ll see you again soon then?”

“If I can catch them.” I tried to sound casual, but I was feeling creeped and slammed the carrier shut. Apparently, it was too aggressive for the little white rabbit in Charlie’s hands, because it freaked and bit him. Charlie screamed, the bunny was dropped and started running. The girl behind the counter shrieked as the furry bunny ran under her feet and the Parrot squawked angrily for everyone to be quiet.

“Damnit Sharon, get it,” Charlie yelled as he held his bleeding hand. The bunny had gotten him good. Blood was hitting the floor and I was about to the limit of what I wanted to handle. I grabbed the cage and waved as I quickly headed out the door. I heard a crash before the door closed fully behind me and Charlie started yelling. Damn, maybe I should find a different pet store to bring the next batch to.

A woman was leaning against the car when I got to it, a Witch I could tell when I got close. She had an air of crazy about her, and a smell of herbs drifted to me on the wind. She was dressed in black skinny jeans and a purple corset top under a jean jacket. Her makeup was dark and heavily applied, and her blonde hair was in twin braids down her back.

At first she just looked at me with mild curiosity but when it became obvious that I was heading toward her and the car, her eyes narrowed, and the corners of her mouth turned down.

“Who the fuck are you?” she demanded when I stopped at the car.

“Fawn Malero, can I help you with something?”

“Shit, no way!” She slumped. “I guess that means Cole’s dead or run off again?”

“Yeah.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to give this woman the news, she didn’t seem like an upset girlfriend, but she knew enough about Cole to know my name, that meant they’d been close.

“I haven’t heard from him in a while so when I saw his car I thought I’d wait him out.” She looked at me and tilted her head. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded and a glimpse of grief passed over her face. “Dumbass didn’t know when to give up. I told him his jealousy was going to be the end of him.”

“Jealousy?”

“Yeah, apparently he always felt like his parents favored his little brother over him, made all the worse when his brother took your side of things recently.”

I couldn’t deny the logic of that so I just nodded.

“I’m Riva by the way.” She held out her hand and I shook it cautiously. “I wasn’t his girlfriend,” she said quickly. “Just a friend.”

“You aren’t from here,” I pointed out. I knew the faces of every witch in the local coven and this was definitely not one of them.

“No, just passing through. My husband and I actually.” She looked uncomfortable and took a step away from me. “I probably won’t see you around, Fawn,” she said with a small wave then turned and hurried down the street.

“Weird,” I muttered as I unlocked the car door and shoved the kennel in the backseat. I was going to have to warn Logan, and maybe Annabel too. A strange Witch in town could be cause for concern.

 

 

Guest Review by Nora

 

A madcap adventure of supernatural fun and drama! I devoured this book, reading it in one sitting overnight and I get the feeling a lot fans of this series can say the same.

If you were anticipating the new Fawn Malero book, you won’t be disappointed in this installment. If you haven’t read any of the books in the series, you are in for a treat!  You don’t even need to start with the first book.  However, after reading just one book in the series, I am sure you will want to read them all!

The characters in this series are always my favorite part. I love the different species and all of the different ways that they interact with each other. Courtney Davis has written a world where elves, vampires, trolls, witches and just about every supernatural being you can think of live together, keeping themselves secret from the human, and, of course, there are clashes.

In this book, those clashes get pretty serious.

See, there is a big vampire wedding that is going to be happening soon and, in order for it to go off without a hitch, a few problems have to be solved first. Mostly, Fawn has to figure out what is causing the strange weather that has been hovering over Seattle for weeks.

Going from blistering hot one minute to blizzard and freezing temperatures the next, the weather swiftly goes from perplexing, to downright dangerous– and all of it seems to be centered around the iconic Space Needle. Little by little, and with the help of her friends, Fawn begins to uncover who is behind the mysteries that have taken over the city.

As I said, the magic of this story (besides all of the literal magic, of course) lies in the characters. Fawn and her friends are so fun, lively and downright interesting that I can’t imagine any reader won’t care about them from page one, I know I did!

My favorite book of the year, by far. ‘Lucky Rabbit’s Foot (The Fawn Malero Mysteries Book 4),’ is definitely worth the read for any lovers of supernatural mysteries!

 

 

About the Author

 

Courtney Davis is a mother, wife and teacher who has always loved to find time to escape into a good story. She’s been in love with reading and writing since she was a child and dreams of a life where she can devote herself fully to creating worlds and exploring relationships. To give someone else enjoyment through her words is the ultimate thrill.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * TikTok

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toes in the Tulips: (Adventures of Gladys) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Seashell Bay, Alabama
Independently Published (September 5, 2023)
Number of Pages: 74 (word doc pages / 30k words)

 

Synopsis

 

Another who-dunnit featuring one of your favorite Senior sleuths as well as an exciting new installment of The Mystery Book Nook Shared World.

Gladys is head over heels excited for the new community garden project. In fact, she’s created a whole new event: the Community Garden Plant Potluck. The plant potluck is more popular than even she imagined until one of the community garden members is found toes up in the tulips, dead as can be.

Gladys won’t rest until the killer is planted in a jail cell and the Community Garden project is free to grow again. But when clues don’t make sense, she might have to do a little out-of-the-box research using an interesting new resource, The Mystery Book Nook Forum, online.

Don’t miss this fun new adventure with some favorite characters!

 

 

The Mystery Book Nook Shared World (3 books)

No Good Deed Unpunished: (A Vangie Guillory Mystery) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)
Estate in Peril: A Maude and Mabel Cozy Mystery (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)
Toes in the Tulips: (Adventures of Gladys) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)

 

Adventures of Gladys

 

Bonbon Voyage: Adventures of Gladys Humorous Senior Cozy Mystery Series
Half-Baked Homecoming: Adventures of Gladys Humorous Senior Cozy Mystery Series

 

 

Guest Post

 

Good morning or afternoon lovely readers!

I am ecstatic to meet you all today on the blog tour for Toes in the Tulips. I must say, I’m overwhelmed with the excitement and positive responses that this little book of mine has been getting. It is shaping up to be my largest release.

But what does that mean, largest release? Many readers aspire to write and want to know more and because of this, I’ll break it down a little for you.

I’ve written four mystery series (three cozy and one steampunk) and of each of those books, when I did pre-orders I had only a maximum 11 pre-orders two different times.

So, why am I so excited and blown away about the Toes in the Tulips release?

At the time of writing this post, Toes in the Tulips had 42 pre-orders! For me, a small-time self-published author who’s only ever had 11 pre-orders before, this is BIG. This is encouraging and exciting and gives me warm fuzzies all over.

But your next question might be WHY is this book doing so much ‘better’ than my other books?

Let me tell you: community.

You see, as an author, it is a lot of work on our own to get the book written but the rest of it, the polishing the book, sharing the book, and finding readers? That part we do together!

This might be the only profession I’ve ever seen where people don’t view each other as competition but instead actively look for ways to help each other.

I fully and completely believe my Gladys book Toes in the Tulips is having such a successful release because it is part of a SHARED WORLD.

A what, you may ask…. A shared world where several authors write our own books but they interact with each other. In this Mystery Book Nook Shared World, there is a character named Erin who runs The Mystery Book Nook Forum online from a bookstore in Texas. Each author with a book in the shared world can have our characters talk to Erin or use the online forum for our mystery-solving fun. We have created a community for our characters but also a community of authors who help share and promote, read and encourage each other for all of our releases.

It has been SO MUCH FUN. I know, I know-I’m using a lot of caps lock letters but it is that cool. Authors love to support each other and because authors are also readers, we get to enjoy books written by so many talented people and then share them with our own readers just for fun.

That doesn’t take away from the hard work and the slow sale days or months but all in all I just wanted to give you a brief insight into the business end of things because the camaraderie, support, and encouragement is unparalleled.

Another reason Toes in the Tulips might be having such a great launch? Well, Gladys the main character is hilarious and a real spitfire plus very popular with readers. I let her series lapse a little too long while I worked on other projects but it looks like fans are extra happy to have her coming back for more small-town mystery and intrigue.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Katherine Brown is a wife, mom, Texas author, and unreformed bookaholic. From childhood, Katherine has devoured books for fun, for escape, for inspiration. As an author, it is Katherine’s goal to provide that same fun escape for others and encourage a love of reading in any age group. Clean cozy mysteries with sass and good Southern manners are her specialty, though recently Katherine has taken the jump into the steampunk world with a fun twist on Mary Poppins inspired characters. When not writing, Katherine enjoys weekly trips to the library with her toddler, teaching yoga workouts, and spending time with family.

 

Instagram * Goodreads * BookBub * Facebook * Amazon * Newsletter

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Sarafina di Ramonicci sets sail for America as the promised bride in an arranged political marriage.

Taken prisoner at sea, she clashes with her captor and demands freedom, only to discover he is planning her future husband’s demise, with her as a pawn in their deadly feud. The challenge of escape tests her loyalty to family, human decency, and love.

Captain Nye Tarquin is a dangerous man. Left to die on the streets of New Orleans, he swears retribution on the man responsible. When he makes Sarafina part of his plan, he isn’t prepared for the fiery vixen aboard his ship, nor his desire to claim her as his own. When passion overtakes honor, he’s torn between his heart and his need for justice.

 

 

Amazon * B&N

 

 

Excerpt

 

A grin formed on his lips. “She belongs to me now,” he said, his voice was as cool as his expression. “And when Cornell comes for her, I’ll be waiting to return the favor… only I’ll succeed, where he did not.”

Sarafina’s fingers curled around her goblet. “What makes you think he’ll come for her?”

“He has several reasons to take the bait. Cornell will demand satisfaction for his humiliation.”

“His humiliation?” She sat up straighter. “What about hers? Do you understand what people will think when they find out she was held hostage here? If her intended is murdered and she’s left stranded, this will leave her utterly alone. What will become of her, then?”

“She’ll marry someone better than the likes of Cornell, I hope,” he replied dryly.

She slammed her goblet down and flew to her feet. “And who would want her?”

He remained seated. “I’m doing her a great service,” he said calmly, leaning on the arm of his chair. “You have no idea the kind of life she would’ve been subjected to.”

“So, you’re her savior now?”

The captain pushed off his chair, and straightened to his full height. She kept her glare locked with his, but keeping it steady was becoming as difficult as her breathing. “Maybe,” he said.

“That’s an absurd notion,” she replied.

“Is it?” he asked. He stepped towards her, and she stepped back in unison, until the back of her legs hit the chair.

 

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

10 Things you might not know about Avery Sterling and Precious Burdens

 

1.     Avery grew up traveling with the military.

2.     By the time she was twenty-three, she’d moved to nine different destinations, some being Puerto Rico, Cuba, Hawaii, and New York.

3.     It was Avery’s father who first inspired her to write.

4.     One of her most inspiring places to visit is Schoodic Point in Winter Harbor, Maine.

5.     Precious Burdens was initially titled One Breath.

6.     Precious Burdens is Avery’s first published historical romance.

7.     The first idea for Precious Burdens was sparked while listening to U2’s With or Without You.

8.     The original version of Precious Burdens was lost.

9.     After losing the first manuscript, it took Avery over ten years to decide whether she’d rewrite it.

10.  Precious Burdens underwent seven different endings.

 

 

About the Author

 

Avery Sterling’s love for the romance genre began in her teen years when she picked up her first novel. She was captivated by the sweeping scale of emotions brought about by the words. The experience catapulted her towards learning the art of wielding a breathtaking adventure, with a love that felt authentic. Wanting to inspire people with her own thoughts and words, she finished her first novel at sixteen. It was a step towards understanding the essence of what she wished to create.

Most of her youth was spent traveling, searching out the romance and beauty in her everchanging world. From the waves that crashed against the rocky shores of Downeast, Maine, to the warm breezes of the Caribbean, she discovered that love was universal, apparent in its grandest and simplest of forms. Her goal is to write novels an audience can relate to, one that conveys the truth and nature of love… with all that steamy romance.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * Goodreads * BookBub

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Body in the Back Garden (A Crescent Cove Mystery)
Queer Cozy (“Quozy”) Mystery
1st in Series 
Setting – The fictional town of Crescent Cove on Vancouver Island, Canada
Crooked Lane Books (August 22, 2023)

 

Synopsis

 

In this queer cozy series debut perfect for fans of Ellen Byron and Ellery Adams, Luke Tremblay is about to discover that Crescent Cove has more than its fair share of secrets…and some might be deadlier than others.

Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt’s sudden death, he’s inherited her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and head back to Toronto as soon as he can…but Crescent Cove isn’t done with him just yet.

When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke’s aunt, Luke sends him packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he’s lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to prove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while coming to terms with his own painful past.

There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever.

 

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Penguin

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

A Brief Tour of Vancouver Island

 

 

In my debut cozy, The Body in the Back Garden, readers find themselves in the fictional town of Crescent Cove, a charming seaside hamlet on the east coast of Vancouver Island. It’s a small place, populated by a diverse bunch of residents who are as inclusive and welcoming as Canada itself—though of course, as in every cozy mystery, an assortment of shocking and scandalous secrets lurk just beneath the surface of their perfect little burg. I wrote the book shortly after moving to the Island myself, inspired by what I think is the perfect setting for a good mystery: quaint towns juxtaposed with dark forests and lonely beaches. What better place for murder?

The book follows the amateur sleuthing of Luke Tremblay, who returns to Crescent Cove after the untimely death of his aunt. He’s inherited her cottage, which looks out across the beautiful expanse of the Georgia Strait, as well as her antiques shop on Main Street. Planning to sell them off and return to his life in Toronto, Luke soon encounters a belligerent stranger who then winds up dead in the back garden. Cue various shenanigans, including the unexpected return of a childhood friend and more than one attempt on Luke’s life.

You’ll have to buy the book to find out whodunit, but I’m happy to offer a free introduction to the Island, which is truly one of the most gorgeous places in the world. Of course, I’m required to say that because I live here, but once you’ve spent a little time in Crescent Cove, I think you’ll agree.

A lot of people confuse Vancouver Island, which sits off Canada’s west coast, with the city of Vancouver, one of the country’s largest metropolitan areas. Both were named after Captain George Vancouver (1757-1798), an officer in the British Royal Navy who mapped North America’s coastline from Alaska to California, but they’re very different places. Vancouver is a bustling city with a population of more than 2.6 million people, while the population of the entire Island is less than 900,000. Running 285 miles in length, it’s actually the top of a submerged mountain range and ranks as the 43^rd-largest island in the world. Though discovered by Europeans in the 1770s, it’s been home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years, including the Kwakwaka’wakw, the Nuu-chah-nulth, and the Coast Salish peoples.

In The Body in the Back Garden, we learn that Luke used to spend his childhood summers in Crescent Cove, making him one of the hundreds of thousands of people who regularly flock to Vancouver Island in the warmer months. It’s easy to see why—much of the Island is covered in ancient, primeval rainforests that are home to some of the oldest spruce and cedar trees in the world, some of them more than 1,000 years old and towering over 300 feet tall. Pristine beaches dotted all the way around the coastline play host to seals, otters, and bald eagles, while orcas and humpback whales are spotted frequently in nearby waters. It’s also worth mentioning that Vancouver Island has the mildest climate in a country famous for its frigid weather, with temperatures just barely dipping below freezing in the winter and summers filled with warm sunshine and cool breezes. If it sounds like paradise, well, it is. There’s a reason why half of Canada retires here.

 

 

The antiques shop that Luke inherits from his aunt sits in the center of Crescent Cove, and in describing the store and the other buildings on Main Street, I drew inspiration from the old-world charm you’ll find all over the Island. Victoria, the largest city here, is filled with historical buildings that have been lovingly preserved. The city has Canada’s oldest Chinatown, which in turn has Canada’s narrowest street, Fan Tan Alley—in the summer, you can find long lines of tourists eager to squeeze themselves through its two-foot width. Victoria is also home to Rogers’ Chocolate, Canada’s oldest chocolatier, and Murchie’s Fine Tea and Coffee, Canada’s oldest tea company. The Fairmont Empress hotel, which sits on the Inner Harbor, is one of Canada’s iconic grand railway hotels that were built across the country in the late-19^th and early-20^th centuries. They’re remnants of a time when rail travel was glamorous and exciting, and today, the Empress leans hard into this history, offering visitors a pricey but authentic high tea service in elegant surroundings that harken back to a glittering past.

 

 

If this isn’t enough to tempt you, then perhaps you’ll want to see the world’s largest hockey stick in Duncan (truly the most Canadian of tourist attractions). Or you can hike to Canada’s tallest waterfall, Della Falls, while trying to avoid the densest concentrations of black bears and cougars in North America. Or, if you’d like something a little less dangerous, plan your visit for March and participate in the Greater Victoria Flower Count, where we count the number of blossoming plants and then share that number with the rest of Canada, which is usually digging out from under several feet of snow. (If you’re curious, the official count in 2022 was 27,875,292,158—yes, that’s almost 28 billion flowers.)

 

 

As Luke discovers in The Body in the Back Garden, there’s something for everyone here on the Island. Grab a copy and join him in Crescent Cove! You won’t regret it.

 

 

Excerpt

 

The drive back to the cottage took no more than five minutes, and when I got there, I found a Jeep Wrangler with RCMP markings waiting for me. My heart sank. I really didn’t want a third encounter with the police today.

With some reluctance, I trudged around the side of the cottage and found Jack Munro waiting for me, brawny arms folded across his tactical vest as he gazed out at the sea. My heart sank even further, but also fluttered a little as well. I had no idea how to behave around him now that I knew he was my old friend.

As I approached, shoes crunching on the stone path, he turned to face me. I paused. Jack looked mad. His square jaw was clenched and his eyebrows were drawn downwards in a fierce glower.

Uh oh.

“We need to talk,” he informed me, and I nodded jerkily after a moment’s hesitation.

“Sure. Okay. Do you want to come inside?”

With a shake of his head, Jack then advanced towards me until he was close enough that I had to look up into his face. “I want to know why you lied to me.”

I had to work moisture back into my mouth before I could reply. “What do you mean?”

“I spoke with Aleesha Perkins.” At my blank stare, he added, “Her mom runs the greengrocers in town. She delivered some groceries here yesterday.”

Oh yeah. I nodded again, mutely.

“Aleesha claims that she witnessed you assault Joel Mackenzie and then threaten him.” Jack’s resonant baritone was tight with anger. “Is that true?”

“I wouldn’t say assault, exactly,” I hedged. “I did push him, that’s true.”

“She says you pushed him off the front porch and that he landed on his back on the ground.”

“Uh. Yes.” Jack’s eyes narrowed and I added hurriedly, “But he provoked me. He called my aunt a thief and said she got what was coming to her. I…I got upset and pushed him harder than I intended.”

“And then threatened him.”

“No!” I protested. “No, I just told him that if he came back here he’d regret it.” I paused. “Okay. That sounds bad, I admit. But I didn’t mean anything by it. It wasn’t a threat.”

Jack said nothing. His features, familiar and yet not, were completely blank.

On a rising tide of panic, I reached out involuntarily and grasped his forearm. “Jack, please. Please believe me. I did not kill Joel Mackenzie. I didn’t see him again until I found his body this morning. I know how this looks, but…”

Jack stepped back from me, breaking my hold on his arm. “You assaulted and threatened a man who later turned up dead on your property, Luke.” His voice was cool now, dispassionate. “And you have no alibi for last night. How this looks is extremely bad for you.”

My feeling of panic increased as I stared up at him. “But you know me. You know I would never—”

He cut me off with brutal finality. “I used to know you. I’m not sure I do anymore.”

I had no response to that. There was nothing left to say. My panic slowly subsided, leaving hurt and fear in its wake.

A deep silence fell between us. Waves crashed in the distance and gulls screeched overhead. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” he finally asked. “Because if there is anything, you need to tell me now.”

I shook my head once. “There isn’t anything,” I said, barely able to speak through the tightness in my throat.

He nodded without taking his eyes off me. “I strongly advise you to stay put here at the cottage while we continue our investigation.”

I said nothing, and after a long pause Jack brushed past me as he headed back to his Jeep. I watched him go with something close to despair.

I was now the only suspect in a murder, and the person in charge of investigating that murder clearly disliked me. I wanted to trust that Jack would figure out who the killer was rather than pin this on me, but given our recent interactions, that seemed far from certain. If I didn’t want to end up in prison, there was only one option left.

I needed to solve this myself.

 

 

About the Author

 

Mark is originally from Calgary, Alberta, and grew up on the cold, windswept Prairies of western Canada. Fleeing southward, he earned a Ph.D. in the history of science, medicine, and technology from the Johns Hopkins University and then worked as a professor at Michigan State University for fifteen years. Finally, he persuaded his amazing husband to move to Vancouver Island, where they now live.

When he’s not writing stories about murderous Canadians, he plays the viola in the Civic Orchestra of Victoria, walks his dogs along the seashore, and thinks up interesting ways to kill people.

 

 

Website * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Case of the Llama Raising Librarian (A Buttercup Bend Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – New York
Next Chapter (July 5, 2023)
Number of Pages 275

 

Synopsis

 

After solving two murders in the “peaceful” town of Buttercup Bend, Cathy Carter needs a rest. She also needs time to consider the marriage proposals she received over the holidays. But when the town’s librarian asks her to go undercover to solve the suspected murder of a co-worker who retired to a llama farm, Cathy leaves her kittens with her grandmother and her friends without an explanation.

The only person at Oaks Landing Farm who knows the true reason Cathy and Mildred have come there is Danielle, the murder victim’s daughter, who is having trouble convincing relatives and the police that her mother Doris was killed and didn’t suffer the heart attack that was termed her cause of death.

When it’s proved that Danielle’s suspicions are correct, the guests who attended the dinner at which Doris died are invited back for a reenactment of that night. These included the gardener, veterinarian, and farmhand who all had motives to murder Doris, as well as Doris’ sister and her ex-husband. When the dinner is staged, the only clue Cathy receives is given by Danielle’s grandmother who has dementia. Will this unreliable tip help Cathy deduce who murdered the llama raising librarian?

 

 

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N

 

Google Books * Kobo * Universal Link

 

 

Guest Post

 

How My Trip to a Farm Made My Book’s Llama Pregnant

 

By Debbie De Louise

 

 

I’d already finished writing The Case of the Llama Raising Librarian, my third Buttercup Bend cozy mystery, and was on the final edits when I took a trip out East with a friend to the Long Island Yarn and Farm in Yaphank.

I visited the farm so that I could see llamas in person and research more about them for my book. I’d spoken previously to Andrea Parent-Tibbets, the owner of a similar farm upstate, the Clover Brooke Farm, after which I modeled my fictional Oaks Landing Farm. I’d also included the three barn cats that reside there.

While speaking with Andrea, she mentioned that I might consider visiting the Long Island Yarn and Farm that was closer to me. I contacted Tabbeitha Haubold, the owner, and arranged a visit. I had hoped to get there while I was writing the book, but various issues prevented that.

It wasn’t until after I’d submitted the completed manuscript to my publisher and received the edits to review that I made it to the farm. I loved viewing the llamas and taking photos of and with them. When speaking to our tour guide I found it interesting that they kept their pregnant llamas in a separate area. Since the main llama in my book was female, my friend suggested that I consider making her pregnant. Because I had a scene where Lulu was acting under the weather and a human character in the book was also pregnant, I thought this was a great idea and one that would be easy to add to the storyline.

I learned another interesting fact after asking how a female llama’s pregnancy is confirmed. I was told that it’s through a “spit test,” where the female llama is put back in the pen with the male llama with whom they were trying to breed her, and if she spits at him, she’s expecting. I also added this information to my novel and, after meeting Stewie, a male llama, I featured him as the father of Lulu’s baby.

If you don’t mind a teaser, check out this excerpt to see how I made Lulu a mommy llama-to-be. In this scene, two veterinarians check her out because she’s been sleeping more than usual.

 

Both vets were standing by Lulu who still seemed to be sleeping. She was curled up on her stomach, legs apart on both sides of her.

Stacy knelt down and began examining Lulu. When she touched her, Lulu rolled over and opened her eyes. “Hey, girl. You okay?” After using the stethoscope that hung around her neck to listen to the llama’s heart, Stacy got up, wiped the dirt from her pant legs, and said, “I don’t think there’s anything seriously wrong with her. Why don’t you check her now, Dr. Graham?”

“Michael, please. May I call you Stacy? We’re colleagues.”

Stacy smiled. “That would be fine, Michael.”

Michael got down on his knees and performed his own exam of Lulu. When she stood up after he was done, he patted her on the head. “You’re fine, Lulu.” He addressed Mavis. “I concur with Stacy’s findings. There’s nothing wrong with your llama. If I may hazard a guess, she might be a bit under the weather, lonely, or depressed. Animals get that way, too.”

Mavis shrugged. “She gets plenty of attention. My niece Sheri is wild about her.”

“I don’t doubt that, but you mentioned that your sister was also very close to Lulu.”

“Yes, but she’s been gone a month already.”

“It doesn’t matter. Grief can hit someone at any time after a loss. You just haven’t noticed her apathy.”

Stacy said, “While I agree with Michael, I think there’s another factor at play here.” She turned to Mavis. “Have you been trying to breed her?”

Mavis said, “Last week, I put her in a separate pen with Stewie for a few hours. I didn’t tell anyone because we’ve had problems breeding her in the past. We never tried with Stewie, so I thought we’d give it another go. It’s been so crazy here lately that it skipped my mind. Do you think she’s expecting?”

Stacy nodded. “I’d say there’s a good chance that’s part of the reason she’s acting this way.”

“How do you test her to find out?”

Michael answered her question. “It’s a behavior test. They put her back in with Stewie and, if she spits at him and wants nothing to do with him, there’ll be a baby llama, cria, in about a year.”

Cathy laughed. “I never heard of that. With female cats, you simply notice changes like weight gain, increased appetite, and many seem more affectionate.”

Mavis smiled. “I’ll set up a spit test soon, but I don’t want to say anything until we know for sure. If it’s true, Sheri will be thrilled.”

So that’s how I worked in the research from my farm visit and made a llama pregnant in The Case of the Llama Raising Librarian.

 

 

About the Author

 

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a retired reference librarian. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Cat Writers’ Association. She writes two cozy mystery series, the Cobble Cove Mysteries and Buttercup Bend Mysteries. She’s also written a paranormal romance, three standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in over a dozen anthologies. Debbie also writes articles for cat magazines. She lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

 

Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

 

Amazon Author Page * Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up

 

All Author * Instagram * LinkedIn * BookBub

 

Debbie’s Charcter’s FB Chat Group * Sneaky’s Blog

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dame Alice Hits Hollywood (Dame Alice Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Old Hollywood and Beverly Hills, circa 1937.
‎Wrenfield Books (May 23, 2023)
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 139 pages

 

Synopsis

 

April 1937: When Penelope Greenleigh, assistant at Ten Spot Press, learns she’ll be heading to Hollywood to supervise script changes on the set of Lady Irwin’s Diamonds, she should be thrilled. Who wouldn’t want to mingle with movie stars in sunny California?

But there’s a catch: Penelope, 29 and from Cape May, New Jersey, has been asked to impersonate Dame Alice Cartwright, the world’s bestselling mystery author, who’s 47 and lives in Copley-on-the-Wold, England.

On the night Penelope arrives in L.A., Lady Irwin‘s lead actress disappears and a Harry Winston necklace goes missing. Soon, gossip columnist Hattie Holiday threatens to expose Penelope’s deception, mobsters are coming after the film’s boozy director, and worst of all, Dame Alice’s script has gone from murder mystery to Fred and Ginger-style musical!

The action unfolds at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Trocadero, and hotspot Chasen’s as Penelope works to solve the crimes alongside a handsome detective and a hapless studio flunky. Can she find the diamonds, the actress, and survive a wild week in Hollywood?

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

Read an Excerpt on Amazon

 

 

Guest Post

 

 

Movie people. I rarely venture from my village of Copley-on-the-Wold, England, to steer clear of such attention-hungry types. But here I am at a party in Beverly Hills, California, and it seems murder and missing diamonds are on the menu.

Let me catch you up: It’s 1937, and as the world’s bestselling authoress of mysteries, filmmakers are constantly asking to turn my books into dubious gems of the silver screen. Even worse, they try to add song and dance numbers in between the murders! I finally agreed to Lady Irwin’s Diamonds getting the Hollywood treatment, and my New York publisher demanded that I travel to Los Angeles to oversee script changes.

I’d initially refused to go, but then reconsidered: I stood to lose $25,000 if Lady Irwin shut down production, so I packed my tweeds, sailed, and flew west. When I arrived at the Beverly Hills Hotel, however, I found a young woman in a wig and wool skirt impersonating me. Bloody cheek, if you ask me!

To my surprise, though, it turns out that there’s a drink out here named the daiquiri that’s made this visit rather delightful. There’s also sunshine, a balmy breeze, roses, and hibiscus everywhere you turn.

The fake Dame Alice, a girl named Penelope, has quickly apologized, explaining that she works for my American publisher and he insisted she come here in my stead.

Unfortunately,  Penelope has been in Los Angeles for less than 48 hours, and already the film’s star has disappeared. A Harry Winston necklace has been stolen. A local mobster, Louie Malone, wants to kill the director, an idiotic young man named Skipper Farley.

As usual, people expect me to solve the crimes, and I suppose I’ll have to. All of this is happening under the menacing glare of a horrid gossip columnist, Hattie Holiday, who I know from my younger days in London, and everyone I meet keeps suggesting I visit the hair salon, buy new dresses, and swipe on some lipstick.

On the plus side, I do enjoy a nice hotel. And the Brown Derby is rather fun, if silly. And then there’s the Paramount party later tonight—if I can stop a murder, get the film back on track, and find those diamonds. Who knows? Maybe this British dame will set her next book right here in glamorous Hollywood. Watch out, Philip Marlowe!

 

 

About the Author

 

A longtime magazine journalist, Allie Mahoney has written for Town & Country, Time Out New York, and Cosmo. A lifelong Agatha Christie fan, her shelves are also filled with the books of P.G. Wodehouse, Dave Barry, Sophie Kinsella, and Carl Hiaasen. Additional guilty pleasures: Classic Hollywood movies, fashion, dogs, Bravo tv, BritBox, Phillies baseball, and the beach.

 

Website

 

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway