Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Monday, mystery, Review on September 5, 2016

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Pumpkins in Paradise
by Kathi Daley

PUMPKINS-IN-PARADISE-by-Kathi-Daley

Pumpkins in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 1)
Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: Henery Press; Second edition (September 6, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-1635110890
E-Book ASIN: B01GQPYU8U

Synopsis

Between volunteering for the annual pumpkin festival and coaching her girls to the state soccer finals, high school teacher Tj Jensen finds her good friend Zachary Collins dead in his favorite chair. When the handsome new deputy closes the case without so much as a “why” or “how,” Tj turns her attention from chili cook-offs and pumpkin carving to complex puzzles, prophetic riddles, and a decades-old secret she seems destined to unravel.

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Review

Loved this first book in this new series and I think that there will be a lot more character development coming in the following books.

I liked TJ because she doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything and when she was a kid, she befriended a recluse named Zachary. 14 years later he is found dead and TJ believes it is foul play, but the new detectives in town think it is natural causes.

There are also some visitors to the town staying in the lodge that TJ helps run (outside of her full time job as a coach at the high school) that add a little bit more mystery to the story. I figured out part of it, but not all, and while the author gives you some clues, I didn’t think it was enough to figure out the whole mystery until the end. I was not expecting the killer to be who it was!

There isn’t any romance in this book, but there is some hints towards a possible romance for TJ…future books will tell us more!

We give it 5 paws up

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Henery Press is releasing the 1st 6 books in this series on September 6, 2016

SNOWMEN-IN-PARADISE-by-Kathi-Daley

Snowmen in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 2)

Winter Carnival comes to Serenity, and with it Tj finds her schedule busier than ever. Not only is her ski and snowboard team heavily involved in demonstrations and local competitions, but her ragtag choir is about to debut in their first live performance. To make matters even more complicated, someone has killed Travis Davidson, a town favorite son, world-class snowboarder, and Olympic hopeful. Tj is determined not to get involved in the subsequent investigation until she learns the prime suspect is Chelsea Hanson, high-school boyfriend Hunter Hanson’s sister.

Although there’s no shortage of Sereninites with a grudge against the hometown hero, even Tj has to admit there’s good cause to suspect Chelsea of the murder. Balancing bridesmaid duties, Winter Carnival obligations, show choir duty, and after-hours investigation, Tj sets out to prove Chelsea innocent.

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Bikinis in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 3)

When the Tropical Tan Corporation descends on Maggie’s Hideaway, the lakeside resort where Tj Jensen lives, she must juggle a bikini contest, a BBQ cook-off, a missing model, and a dead chaperone while her father is out of town. Lead Deputy Dylan Caine is on vacation while his sister is visiting, leaving Assistant Deputy Roy Fisher in charge. When Roy asks Tj for her help they find there may be more going on than anyone realized. With Kyle and Jenna’s help, they dig into the lives of those involved, only to find a mystery more complex than anything they could ever have imagined.

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CHRISTMAS-IN-PARADISE-by-Kathi-Daley

 

Christmas in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 4)

Christmas in Serenity is a magical time of year Tj has always looked forward to with happy anticipation. This year her holiday spirit is marred by the impending arrival of two new men in her life. When one of them ends up dead, Tj must juggle community plays, Christmas tree cuttings, sleigh rides, and holiday shopping with a complex murder investigation. As the facts begin to unravel, she realizes she may have to risk everything to save someone she loves.

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PUPPIES-IN-PARADISE-by-Kathi-Daley

 

Puppies in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 5)

When a friend of Tj’s is injured in a car accident during a blizzard, Tj takes responsibility for the litter of puppies left behind. Meanwhile, she works with Kyle, Jenna, and the gang to catch the person responsible for the death of a close family friend. When it turns out that the main suspects are also close to the Jensens, Tj must deal with one of the most difficult decisions she’s ever had to make.

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HALLOWEEN-IN-PARADISE-by-Kathi-Daley

 

Halloween in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 6)

In the midst of the annual Halloween frenzy, Tj finds herself pulled into a series of events at the high school where she works. Not only must she help one of the girls on her team deal with a case of cyberbullying, but she must help a student who has recently suffered a personal tragedy. And as if Tj wasn’t busy enough, in walks Samantha Colton, a reporter for Second Look, a television series that takes a look back at unsolved murders. This time the case is the death of a popular student after the homecoming dance ten years before. To make matters even worse—or maybe more convenient—the graduating class of the victim is in town for their ten-year reunion and all the suspects just happen to have converged on Serenity for the weekend. When Samantha turns up dead, Tj must track down someone who seems willing to kill again to keep their secret.

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• TREASURE IN PARADISE (#7) April 2017

*Just click on Covers to order from Amazon

 

About the Author

KathiDaleyAuthor of the Zoe Donovan cozy Mystery Series, Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mystery series, Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Series, Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mysteries, and Seacliff High Teen Cozy Mystery Series.

Come for the murder, stay for the romance.

Kathi lives in the beautiful alpine community of Lake Tahoe with her husband Ken and dog Echo. When she’s not writing she enjoys hanging out on the beach with her children and grandchildren. During the summer she enjoys hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, wakeboarding, and sunset cruises on the lake. During the winter she enjoys cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and curling up by a fire with a good book.

Kathi uses her mountain home as inspiration for her books, all which include appearances by the wildlife she shares her life with.

Blog Facebook for Kathi Daley BooksKathi Daley Teen FacebookKathi Daley Books Group Facebook 

Pumpkins in Paradise FB Book Club * Countdown to Paradise Launch (FB)

Kathi Daley Recipe Exchange * *Kathi Daley Books Birthday Club – get a book on your birthday

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Giveaway

Click on this Rafflecopter Link to enter – but be fast, it will only be up for 48 hours and then you’ll have to visit another blog listed below to enter!

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Check out these other blogs on the tour, each has their own giveaway that lasts 48 hours

August 31 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
August 31 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
September 1 – Queen of All She Reads – GUEST POST
September 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 2 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW
September 2 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
September 3 – Author Annette Drake’s Blog – INTERVIEW
September 3 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
September 4 – Ashleyz Wonderland – REVIEW
September 4 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – T’s Stuff – REVIEW
September 5 – Christa Reads and Writes – GUEST POST
September 5 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW
September 6 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
September 7 – The Girl with Book Lungs – REVIEW
September 7 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
September 8 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST
September 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 9 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Monday, mystery, Spotlight on August 29, 2016

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Nine Lifelines (Psycho Cat and the Landlady Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Self Published
Paperback: 316 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1533367105
E-Book ASIN: B01H0NIGGE

Synopsis

The elevator won’t go to the tenth floor, someone is breaking into condos, and the well-heeled Ukrainian renter isn’t paying the rent. Beth and Arnie have retired to the building where Beth’s last rental unit is located, and Beth, the klutzy landlady, has declared herself through solving mysteries. Then, her renter is arrested for the murder of the neighbor who fell (was pushed?) from the tenth-story balcony and the dead neighbor’s grandchildren are left with only their wheelchair-ridden grandmother to care for them. Beth feels compelled to help out.

Are Sylvester’s psycho-cat behaviors providing clues? Is the renter actually the killer? Do the break-ins and elevator problem have anything to do with the murder? Even Arnie, who has always told Beth to keep her nose out of police business, gets involved—for the sake of the children.

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About the Author

Joyce Ann BrownJoyce Ann Brown, the author of the Psycho Cat and the Landlady Mystery series, set in Kansas City, was a librarian, a landlady, and a Realtor before becoming a short story and novel writer. She also has two mischievous cats.

Her actual tenants have never disappeared, murdered, or been murdered. Nor have any of them found a skeleton in the attic. Joyce has never solved a crime. Moose and Chloe, her cats, haven’t sniffed out a mystery, at least not yet.

Joyce spends her days writing (with a few breaks for tennis, walking, and book clubs) so that Beth, the landlady in the series, and Sylvester, the Psycho Cat, can make up for her real-life lack of excitement in a big way.

WebsiteBlog * Blog *  Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Giveaway

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August 29 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 29 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 30 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

August 31 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

August 31 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

September 1 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST

September 2 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

September 3 – Sleuth Cafe – SPOTLIGHT

September 4 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW, GUEST POST

September 5 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 6 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW

September 7 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 8 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

September 9 – deal sharing aunt – INTERVIEW

Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Monday, mystery, Spotlight on August 22, 2016

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MURDER-AT-THE-MANSION

Murder at the Mansion
Cozy Mystery
Lyrical Underground (June 7, 2016)
Paperback: 190 pages

Synopsis

Fortunes, fineries, and foul play . . .

It’s whale-watching season in Redwood Cove, and B&B manager Kelly Jackson’s battening down the hatches for the tourist rush at Redwood Heights—a Victorian-style estate owned by her boss. And due to recent jewelry thefts, her duties include keeping track of the many dust-covered artifacts spread throughout the property. But when Kelly finds Sylvia Porter’s lifeless body, menial tasks don’t seem so terrible. Enlisting the help of a ragtag group of brainy retirees, aka the “Silver Sentinels,” Kelly’s on the hunt for clues hidden behind the mansion’s glamorous façade. . .and for a killer who may want to make history of her next!

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About the Author

janet-finsilverJanet Finsilver is the USA TODAY best-selling author of the Kelly Jackson mystery series. She worked in education for many years as a teacher, a program administrator, and a workshop presenter. Janet majored in English and earned a Master’s Degree in Education. She loves animals and has two dogs–Kylie and Ellie. Janet has ridden western style since she was a child and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. One of the highlights of her life was touching whales in the San Ignacio Lagoon. MURDER AT REDWOOD COVE, her debut mystery, was released on October 13, 2015. Her second book, MURDER AT THE MANSION, was released on June 7, 2016.

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Giveaway

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check out these other blogs on the tour

August 15 – Bea’s Book Nook – REVIEW

August 15 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

August 16 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW

August 16 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – INTERVIEW

August 17 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

August 18 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW

August 18 – Classy Cheapskate – SPOTLIGHT (Sharing previous review)

August 19 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW

August 20 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW, GUEST POST

August 20 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 21 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW

August 21 – Cozy Up With Kathy  – INTERVIEW

August 22 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

August 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 23 – Mysterious InkSpot – REVIEW

August 23 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

August 24 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

August 24 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST

August 25 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

August 25 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

August 26 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW

Posted in 5 paws, Cozy, Giveaway, Monday, mystery, Review on August 8, 2016

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SILK STALKINGS cover

Silk Stalkings (A Material Witness Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Berkley (August 2, 2016)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425270592
E-Book ASIN: B01839Q47C

Fabric shop owner Polyester Monroe can get tangled up in textiles, but it’s murder that really throws her for a loop in the latest mystery from the national bestselling author of Crushed Velvet.

The time has come for San Ladrón, California’s annual Miss Tangorli beauty pageant, and Poly has agreed to use Material Girl’s inventory of shimmery silks to create embellished gowns fit for a crown. But when millionaire Harvey Halliwell—the man who revived the city’s citrus trade with his imported tangorli tree—is found dead days before the pageant contestants are announced, something sour takes over the town.

To make matters worse, her friend, mechanic Charlie Brooks, is soon caught up in the crime, having been seen in the company of the case’s prime suspect. Now Poly’s on a mission to squeeze out the truth. But as she searches for a pattern, the killer seems intent on cutting up the evidence…

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Review

This has become a favorite series. I may not know much about fabric or sewing, but I love learning tidbits from Polyester. I’m sure growing up she didn’t like her name, but it definitely fits now.

This time the mystery revolves about the main sponsor of a beauty pageant murdered days before it was to start. I loved how quirky the murder victim was – he wore orange because of a fruit he grew that was a tangerine/orange/lime combo. It sound interesting that is for sure. The author does a great job of diverting suspicion away from the actual killer because I did not suspect this person.

There is also a minor mystery (not crime related!) as to who this mystery man is and what he wants with Charlie.

On the personal front, Poly and Vaughn’s relationship develops a bit more. Then there is the matter of Charlie, Vaughn’s sister that was given up for adoption and more about her life growing up and who was in her life and what she experienced. I can’t wait to learn more about that family dynamic and how it plays out.

We give it 5 paws up!

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About the Author

DianeVallereI’m a former fashion buyer turned mystery writer, trading fashion accessories for accessories to murder. I was bit by the mystery bug as a kid reading Trixie Belden, Connie Blair, and The Three Investigators. Now I’m writing three series: the Style & Error Mysteries, the Mad for Mod Mysteries,  Material Witness Mysteries, and the new Costume Shop Cozy Mysteries!

The Material Witness mysteries feature Polyester Monroe, who inherits the fabric shop where she was born. Books include SUEDE TO REST  and CRUSHED VELVET . The third, SILK STALKINGS,  will be out in August 2016.

The Style & Error Series features former fashion buyer turned amateur sleuth Samantha Kidd. Books in that series include DESIGNER DIRTY LAUNDRY ; BUYER, BEWARE ; THE BRIM REAPER ; and SOME LIKE IT HAUTE . (A short story, “Just Kidding ,” tells the story of how Samantha first met shoe designer Nick Taylor). Book 5, GRAND THEFT RETRO, will be out in 2016.

The Madison Night Mysteries feature a modern day interior decorator who specializes in midcentury design (studying Doris Day movies to get the look right). Books are PILLOW STALK,THAT TOUCH OF INK , and WITH VICS YOU GET EGGROLL . A prequel novella, “Midnight Ice,” can be found in OTHER PEOPLE’S BAGGAGE .

The new Costume Shop Cozy Mysteries feature former magician’s assistant Margo Tamblyn who has come home to run her family’s costume chop. A Disguise to Die For was released February 2, 2016 and Masking for Trouble will be released October 4.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Giveaway

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Check out these other blogs on the tour

August 1 – Booklady’s Booknotes – REVIEW*
August 1 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW
August 2 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW *
August 2 – Kaisy Daisy’s Corner – REVIEW
August 3 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – REVIEW*
August 3 – Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT
August 4 – Jane Reads – REVIEW*
August 4 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
August 5 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW*
August 5 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
August 6 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 7 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW*
August 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
August 8 – Carole’s Book Corner – SPOTLIGHT
August 9 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
August 9 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW*
August 10 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW*
August 10 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
August 11 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
August 11 – The Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT
August 12 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW *
August 12 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Posted in 4 paws, Cozy, Giveaway, Monday, mystery, Review on July 25, 2016

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ADDRESS TO DIE FOR

Address to Die For (A Maggie McDonald Mystery)
New Series
Cozy Mystery
Lyrical Underground (July 19, 2016)
E-book – 320 pages

Synopsis

For professional organizer Maggie McDonald, moving her family into a new home should be the perfect organizational challenge. But murder was definitely not on the to-do list . . .

Maggie McDonald has a penchant for order that isn’t confined to her clients’ closets, kitchens, and sock drawers. As she lays out her plan to transfer her family to the hundred-year-old house her husband, Max, has inherited in the hills above Silicon Valley, she has every expectation for their new life to fall neatly into place. But as the family bounces up the driveway of their new home, she’s shocked to discover the house’s dilapidated condition. When her husband finds the caretaker face-down in their new basement, it’s the detectives who end up moving in. What a mess! While the investigation unravels and the family camps out in a barn, a killer remains at large—exactly the sort of loose end Maggie can’t help but clean up . . .

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Review

This is a new cozy series that I think will be a winner. Set in a small town in CA, Maggie and her family has just moved to this town and it is not starting off very well when they find a dead body in their home. It only goes downhill from there.

I thought this book had some really interesting characters and it was different from other cozies I have read. From the start, Maggie’s husband has to fly to India for work right as they move to this new town, so we get a peek at their email correspondence during the fiascos that occur.

There isn’t a large collection of characters to try and decipher who the killer is and I have to say that the author did a great job of leading me down some wrong paths! When the killer was reveals I was quite shocked. I would never have suspected this person. There were plenty others that I wanted to pin the murders on just because I didn’t like their attitudes.

I liked that at the beginning of each chapter there is an organizational tip. Many of them were actually quite helpful and I hope to incorporate a few into my life.

I will be interested to see what happens in the next book (and we got a sneak peek at the end of this book and it sounds really good!)

We give this book 4 paws up!

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About the Author

Mary FelizMary Feliz has lived in five states and two countries but calls Silicon Valley home. Traveling to other areas of the United States, she’s frequently reminded that what seems normal in the high-tech heartland can seem decidedly odd to the rest of the country. A big fan of irony, serendipity, diversity, and quirky intelligence tempered with gentle humor, Mary strives to bring these elements into her writing, although her characters tend to take these elements to a whole new level. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and National Association of Professional Organizers. Mary is a Smith College graduate with a degree in Sociology. She lives in Northern California with her husband, near the homes of their two adult offspring.

Website * Twitter

 

 

Giveaway

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Check out these other blogs on the tour

July 19 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 19 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
July 20 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
July 20 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &,Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
July 21 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW
July 22 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
July 23 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
July 23 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
July 24 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – REVIEW
July 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
July 25 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
July 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
July 26 – Tea and A Book – REVIEW
July 27 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW  
July 28 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
July 28 – Bookjunkie’s Book Blog – INTERVIEW
July 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 29 – Booklady’s Booknotes – REVIEW, GUEST POST
July 30 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
July 31 – Book Babble – REVIEW
August 1 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
August 1 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW
August 2 – The Girl with Book Lungs – REVIEW
August 2 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW

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Posted in Cozy, Giveaway, Monday, mystery, Spotlight on July 18, 2016

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murder under the covered bridge

Murder Under the Covered Bridge (A Bucket List Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Midnight Ink (July 8, 2016)

Synopsis

Working on a television taping to promote the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival, the ladies decide to use their access to the Roseville Bridge to cross an item off Charlotte’s bucket list: #39) Be a Sexy Calendar Girl. But the photo shoot is interrupted by gunshots and Francine’s cousin William stumbling down the riverbank followed by a man with a gun. William sustains life-threatening injuries, but is it homicide?

Francine and Charlotte go into detective mode to uncover the secret William knew about the shooter. Their success, however, depends on surviving two arson events, a séance, a shortage of Mary Ruth’s wildly popular corn fritter donuts, memory-challenged nursing home residents, and a killer who refuses to go up in flames.

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About the Author

Elizabeth Perona is the father/daughter writing team of Tony Perona and Liz Dombrosky. Tony is the author of the Nick Bertetto mystery series, the standalone thriller The Final Mayan Prophecy (with Paul Skorich), and co-editor and contributor to the anthologies Racing Can Be Murder and Hoosier Hoops & Hijinks. Tony is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has served the organization as a member of the Board of Directors and as Treasurer. He is also a member of Sisters-in-Crime.

Liz Dombrosky graduated from Ball State University in the Honors College with a degree in teaching. She is currently a stay-at-home mom. Murder on the Bucket List was her first novel.

Tony’s Website * Elizabeth’s Website * Facebook * Twitter

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Posted in Giveaway, Monday, mystery, Spotlight on July 11, 2016

Candidate for Murder

Synopsis

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

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About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

 

 

Giveaway

Win a Fire Tablet, 7″ Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB (Open internationally) Winner will be person to use #Vote4Gnarly most often – Ends Aug 5, 2016

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Posted in 5 paws, Cozy, excerpt, Monday, mystery, Review on June 20, 2016

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The Calamity Cafe

The Calamity Café: A Down South Café Mystery
BRAND NEW SERIES
Cozy Mystery
Series: A Down South Café Mystery (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: NAL (June 7, 2016)

Synopsis

First in a new cozy mystery series featuring Southern cooking that is to die for.

Aspiring chef and small-town Virginia native Amy Flowers is ready to open her own café offering old-fashioned Southern food. But her dream may go up in smoke when someone kills the competition…

Tired of waiting tables at Lou’s Joint, Amy Flowers doesn’t just quit—she offers to buy the place from her bully of a boss, so she can finally open the café of her dreams. Amy can’t wait to serve the kind of Southern, down-home treats and dishes that her grandmother always loved to the kooky cast of regulars at the restaurant. She knows her comfort food will be the talk of the sweet, small town of Winter Garden, Virginia.

At first Lou Lou refuses to sell, but when she seems ready to make a deal, she tells Amy to come see her.  Showing up at the eatery ready to negotiate, Amy is shocked to find her former employer murdered. As the prime suspect, Amy will have to clear her name by serving up the real killer—and with Lou Lou’s stack of enemies, that’s a tall order.

Includes delicious Southern recipes

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Excerpt

 

Review

I loved this book!  Probably because it centers around a cafe and I love food and new recipes (or even twists on old favorites).

Amy has brought her culinary skills to this small town and wants to open up a southern cafe…you know what that means, comfort food!  She doesn’t want to compete with the local diner and offers to buy it from the current owner, Lou Lou, but she isn’t having any of that.  Until her son changes her mind and as Amy goes to meet Lou Lou, her son Pete, and the lawyer, Amy comes across her own surprise – Lou Lou face down dead.  And like all mysteries, Amy takes it up on herself to figure out who did it and why.

I really did like this book a lot and the only thing that started to irritate me is that Amy couldn’t let go that she really wasn’t a viable suspect despite finding the body.  She has an alibi and doesn’t seem to trust in that information.  She would panic at thinking she was going to be arrested when it was so far from the truth.

That aside, the mystery was well written and while I suspected who the killer was I didn’t really know why until Amy started digging up more information on Lou Lou’s past and her family.  The killer did do some things that made me suspicious of that character, you’ll just have to see if you can pick up on the same clues!

Oh and I loved Homer’s character and his hero of the day.  What a way to look at life.

We give this 5 paws up.
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About the Author

Gayle&Cooper

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. I also write as Amanda Lee. As Gayle Trent, I write the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. As Amanda Lee, I write the Embroidery Mystery series. I live in Virginia with my family, which includes her own “Angus” who is not an Irish wolfhound but a Great Pyrenees who provides plenty of inspiration for the character of Mr. O’Ruff. I’m having a blast writing this new series!

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Cozy, Monday, mystery, Review on June 20, 2016

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FIXIN' TO DIE

FIXIN’ TO DIE
Kenni Lowry Mystery Series

by Tonya Kappes

Synopsis

Kenni Lowry likes to think the zero crime rate in Cottonwood, Kentucky is due to her being sheriff, but she quickly discovers the ghost of her grandfather, the town’s previous sheriff, has been scaring off any would-be criminals since she was elected. When the town’s most beloved doctor is found murdered on the very same day as a jewelry store robbery, and a mysterious symbol ties the crime scenes together, Kenni must satisfy her hankerin’ for justice by nabbing the culprits.

With the help of her Poppa, a lone deputy, and an annoyingly cute, too-big-for-his-britches State Reserve officer, Kenni must solve both cases and prove to the whole town, and herself, that she’s worth her salt before time runs out.

Related subjects include: cozy mysteries, women sleuths, murder mystery series, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), humorous murder mysteries, book club recommendations, amateur sleuth books, Southern humor, small town, paranormal mysteries.

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Review

This is the first book I have read by this author (but have her other books on my kindle) and I enjoyed this book. But then I always do love a good cozy.

I can safely say I did not see that ending coming! (well the killer reveal portion) but it seems like each time I read a mystery and think I have the killer figured out, there is some sort of twist that surprises me.

There is a paranormal aspect that actually made the story somewhat light (at least to me). I don’t want to spoil anything so hard to say too much, but it explains why there was no crime for her first 2 years as sheriff.

This is a series that I will be following and we give it 4 paws up.

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About the Author

Tonya KnappesTonya Kappes has written more than fifteen novels and four novellas, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists including USA Today. Best known for stories charged with emotion and humor and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews. She lives with her husband, two very spoiled schnauzers, and one ex-stray cat in northern Kentucky. Now that her boys are teenagers, Tonya writes full-time but can be found at all of her guys’ high school games with a pencil and paper in hand. More than anything, Tonya loves to connect with readers, with a loyal ‘street team’ of fans and followers on social media.

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Posted in Monday, mystery, Spotlight, Thriller on June 13, 2016

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The Virgin of the Wind Rose

A Christopher Columbus Mystery-Thriller

Synopsis

Rookie State Department lawyer Jaqueline Quartermane was never much good at puzzles–but now she must unlock an ancient magical palindrome to expose a global conspiracy spanning five centuries.

While investigating the murder of an American missionary in Ethiopia, Jaqueline discovers the mysterious Latin word square carved into an underground church near the tomb of the biblical Adam. Obsessed with solving its coded message, she is drawn into a desperate race with an elusive Middle Eastern mastermind to find the last relic needed to resurrect Solomon’s Temple. A trail of cabalistic clues leads her to the catacombs of Rome, the crypt below Chartres Cathedral, a Masonic shaft in Nova Scotia, a Portuguese shipwreck off Sumatra, and the caverns under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Intertwined in a time shift with this modern relic hunt, a parallel duel is waged:

The year is 1452, and one of the most secretive societies in history, Portugal’s Order of Christ, is led by a reclusive visionary. Prince Henry the Navigator and his medieval version of NASA plot to foil their archenemies, the Inquisitor Torquemada and Queen Isabella of Castile, who scheme to bring back Christ for the Last Judgment by ridding the world of Jews, heretics, and unbelievers.

Separated by half a millennium, two conspiracies dovetail in this fast-paced historical thriller to expose the world’s most explosive secret: The real identity of Christopher Columbus.

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Excerpt

Sopped in sweat, the ten-year-old Ethiopian boy prayed to St. Georgis the Dragonslayer for protection as he wormed his way toward the tomb of the first man on Earth.

The tunnel’s gritty sandstone, stained red from the blood of Satan’s serpents, punished his hands and knees. To preserve the precious air, he slowed his breaths as he crawled. The settling night had cooled the mountain village above him, but here, sixty meters below the surface, the trapped midday heat could roast a chicken. Faint from hunger, he stopped and pulled a crust of bread from his pocket. He chewed the morsel slowly, taking care to muzzle its aroma with his tunic’s sleeve to avoid being swarmed by the bees that hived in the crevices.

His dizziness eased, and he resumed his quest, groping blindly on all fours along the narrowing walls. At last, he came to the Armory of the Shining Ones, the long notch in the floor where the angels had once stored their lances.

“Mäqäraräb,” he whispered. Not far now.

He knew every bend and cranny in this secret passage by memory, having accompanied the priests on their daily inspections of the subterranean churches.  That was the only godsend from his miserable duties. His father, the High Priest of Lalibela, had marked him at birth for religious service by tattooing a blue cross on his right temple. As a result, he was forbidden to play football or chase tourists for candy, and he would have to slave six more years carrying sandals just to become a deacon. Everyone said he should be grateful for the honor, but he had no desire to waste away his life mumbling incantations. Tomorrow he planned to stow away in the cargo bin of the bus to Addis Ababa, where he would find prosperous construction work and a beautiful girlfriend.

Before leaving home, however, he craved an even more exciting escape, one that promised a glimpse of Paradise. In a few hours, at dawn, his fellow villagers would celebrate Timkat, the holiest of their many religious festivals. The elders of the monastery had retired early to their cloisters to fast and prepare themselves with chants. This night, the tenth of Terr, was the only time of the year that Bet Golgota—the underground church of the Crucifixion—was left unguarded. It would also be his last chance to pierce the veil that shrouded Heaven’s wisdom and delights.

He came hovering over the yawning trench that protected the entrance to the nave, and ran a finger across an inscription on a stone carved in Ge’ez:

The opening verse of Genesis.

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Editorial praise

“An impeccably researched, high-velocity historical thriller…. If you love Steve Berry, Dan Brown or Umberto Eco, you may have a new author favorite in Glen Craney.” — Best Thrillers

“An exciting journey across time, with  more twists and turns than a strawberry Twizzler. Craney has produced a page-turning adventure, with crisp, clean and measured prose… The research behind the stories is massive, lending credence to the cast of characters and authenticity to the historic periods. This is a highly recommended historical thriller in the manner of Dan Brown.” — Quarterdeck magazine

“Grips you in its teeth and whirls you through history… Naturally this novel will be compared to the books of Dan Brown but the quality of writing in The Virgin of the Wind Rose has the edge for me.” — Rosie Amber Reviews

“Five stars. Move over, Dan Brown, you’ve got competition.” — Sweet Mystery Books

“Occasionally I encounter a contemporary historical novelist who provokes me to ask almost the identical question: How can the person whose book I am reading have acquired in a single lifespan the knowledge required to have written it?” — Linda Root, The Review Group UK

About the Author

Glen Craney holds graduate degrees from Indiana University School of Law and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He practiced trial law before joining the Washington, D.C. press corps to cover national politics and the Iran-contra trial for Congressional Quarterly magazine. The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences awarded him the Nicholl Fellowship prize for best new screenwriting, and he is a three-time finalist for Foreword Reviews Book-of-the-Year Award. His debut historical novel, The Fire and the Light, was honored as Best New Fiction by the National Indie Excellence Awards. His books have taken readers to Occitania during the Albigensian Crusade, to the Scotland of Robert Bruce, to Portugal during the Age of Discovery, to the trenches of France during World War I, and to the American Hoovervilles of the Great Depression.

Awards: AMPAS Nicholl Fellowship Winner, indieBRAG Medallion Honoree, Chaucer Award Double Finalist, Nautilus Silver Award Winner, IPPY Silver Award Winner, NIEA Award Winner for Best New Fiction, Eric Hoffer Finalist/Honorable Mention Winner, Three-time Foreword Reviews Book-of-the-Year Finalist, Da Vinci Eye Award Finalist

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