Eggs on Ice (A Cackleberry Club Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Berkley (December 4, 2018)
Hardcover: 304 pages

Synopsis

Some say that casting crusty attorney Allen Sharpe as Scrooge in the Kindred Players production of “A Christmas Carol” is just playing to type. He’s not the most beloved man in town. In fact, you’d have a dickens of a time finding someone who liked him. Still it’s a shock when the Ghost of Christmas Past stabs him during the first rehearsal. Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club café, Kindred’s favorite combination diner, craft store and bookshop, chases the murderer out of the building but loses him in the alley.

As the days pass the list of suspects grows longer. Is it the disgruntled partner? The former secretary whom Sharpe sexually harrassed? Or is it fellow owner of the Cackleberry Club, Toni’s almost ex-husband, Junior? The women of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he can add another victim to his Christmas list.

An interview with Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author of Eggs on Ice

Today I am blessed to have Laura Childs here answering the tough questions!  She even shares a recipe with us, so make note of it because it sounds delicious.

Tell us a little bit about Eggs on Ice, your newest mystery.

As the Kindred Players hold their dress rehearsal for A Christmas Carol, a ghost wafts onstage and murders the star of the show. Suzanne Dietz, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club, rushes after this spooky specter but loses him when he escapes into a snowstorm. Suzanne vows to solve this murder and ends up juggling multiple suspects, holiday tea parties, a second murder, and a devastating fire. True to character, she also maintains her good humor (yes, this book is funny!) and keeps her romance sizzling with the town doctor. In the tradition of all my previous cozy mysteries, I give my readers a solid culinary fix with lots of delicious details on breakfast egg entrees as well as menus for a couple of fancy holiday tea parties.

Laura, I know you always include recipes in your books. Which ones are in Eggs on Ice?

I put in some really fun, tasty recipes like Crabby Crab Cakes, Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Pork, Elvis French Toast, Pumpkin Breakfast Casserole, and Church Basement Funeral Bars.

Who does most of the cooking in your house? And with your busy writing schedule (three different mystery series), how do you find time to cook?

I do the cooking and there really isn’t any time. So I tend to do lots of baked chicken with vegetables as well as stews and chowders that can be tossed together early on and then simmered all day.

What are your favorite foods?

I love sushi. I could eat it morning, noon, and night. In fact, I did when my husband and I visited Japan for two weeks. Also, I adore all shellfish – oysters, lobster, crab, shrimp, etc. And I’m afraid I am a chocoholic.

You also write the Tea Shop Mysteries and New Orleans Scrapbooking Mysteries. Do you include cooking in those books as well?

Absolutely. The Tea Shop Mysteries are the perfect vehicle for tea party menus, scone recipes, and food events such as winery tastings, food trucks, and fancy parties. In fact, Theodosia, my protagonist, is always coming up with new tea blends, scone ideas, and savory lunches. The Scrapbooking Mysteries are set in New Orleans which is an incredibly foodie town. So we’re talking fried oysters, stuffed artichokes, etouffee, jambalaya, and beignets. And my characters are always popping in and out of restaurants such as Commander’s Palace, Antoines, and Brennan’s.

What book are you working on now?

I’m currently writing two books. Lavender Blue Murder is a Tea Shop Mystery with a 2020 release date and Cadmium Red Dead is a New Orleans Scrapbooking Mystery with a 2021 release date. (Yes, I tend to work waaay ahead of schedule.)

Do you have a favorite recipe to share with us?

I thought you’d never ask. Here’s the top secret recipe for Church Basement Bars, those chewy, crunchy dessert bars that everybody loves!

Church Basement Funeral Bars
a bonus recipe from Eggs on Ice

1/3 cup melted butter
1 ½ cups graham crackers, crushed
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup dates, cut up
1 cup candied cherries, cut up
1 cup candied pineapple, cut up
1 cup pecans
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl, combine melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs. Pat crumb mixture into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Then press each ingredient, in a single layer, on top of the crumbs, starting with the coconut flakes. Then press on the dates, then cherries, then pineapple, then pecans. Cover the entire dessert with the sweetened condensed milk. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Yields 15 to 18 bars.

 

About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

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Violet Tendencies (A Rose City Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (November 27, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

Synopsis

Who could object to a flower festival?

Britta Johnston and her aunt Elin are delighted that their Portland floral boutique is part of the city’s Rose Festival, which draws thousands to the Pacific Northwest for dragon boat races, fireworks, and other attractions—capped off by a big parade. They’re building a float that’s sure to rock the judge’s boat . . . until a gang of angry protestors shows up. The group, who call themselves Dark Fusion, are decidedly not into flower power, and they want to take down the system . . . including the upcoming extravaganza.

Then their leader is strangled with a garland of violets—and Britta finds the body. With tensions running high and so much at stake, there are plenty of suspects, from the Grand Marshal to a longtime volunteer to a former Rose Queen. But before Britta and Elin can stem the violence, the case is going to get even more explosive . . .

Guest Post

We are very excited to have author Kate Dyer-Seeley with us today sharing a bit about her newest book, Violet Tendencies.

Thanks so much for having me today! I’m thrilled to get to share the 2^nd book in the Rose City Mysteries, Violet Tendencies with you. The book is set during Portland, Oregon’s annual Rose Festival. Portland (where I grew up) is also known as the Rose City thanks to the fact that roses bloom prolifically in the spring and summertime. Portland has one of the longest growing seasons for rose in the country. Buds first start to appear in April and can last through October. Locals and visitors can experience Portland’s rose splendor at the International Rose Test Garden where there are over ten-thousand rose bushes and four-hundred unique styles. The best part, the garden is free!

The other way to experience Portland’s abundance of roses is to visit during Rose Festival. The annual event is a celebration of all things rosy. It begins in June as navy ships line the waterfront on the Willamette River and a city fair takes over the park. From a starlight run and fireworks to dragon boat races and the Rose Queen’s coronation there is something for everyone. The highlight of Rose Festival is always the Grand Floral Parade. I remember watching the parade as a kid and being dazzled by the elaborate floats that I didn’t realize at the time were entirely constructed of flowers.

In Violet Tendencies floral artist, turned amateur sleuth, Britta Johnston is over the moon to have been picked to design the signature float. However, her excitement quickly fades when she realizes that between hand-crafting strands of dainty violets, she’ll have to hunt down a killer on Portland’s festive streets.

I hope that in addition to a page-turning mystery, you’ll get a taste of life in the Pacific Northwest. If you have a chance to make a trek to Portland for Rose Festival, I highly recommend it. And, if not. Don’t worry. You’ll get a first-hand look at the blooming city through Britta’s eyes.

Happy reading!

~Kate

About the Author

Kate Dyer-Seeley writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Publishing, featuring a young journalist, Meg Reed, who bills herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme. Only Meg’s idea of sport is climbing onto the couch without spilling her latte.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and son, where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub. Better yet—at all three.

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The Body in the Attic
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Lyrical Underground (November 27, 2018)
Paperback: 218 pages

Synopsis

Welcome to River Bluffs, Indiana, a cozy small town populated with charming homes, close-knit families, and the occasional deadly secret . . .

House-flipper Jazzi Zanders and her cousin Jerod have found their latest project. The property, formerly owned by the late Cal Juniper, is filled with debris that must be cleared before the real renovation begins. But a trip to the attic reveals something more disturbing than forgotten garbage—a skeleton wearing a locket and rings that Jazzi recognizes . . .

Tests confirm that the bones belong to Jazzi’s aunt Lynda, who everyone assumed moved to New York years ago after breaking up with Cal. Soon enough, the whole family is involved, sifting through memories and rumors as they try to piece together what really happened to Lynda—and the baby she gave up for adoption. In between investigating and remodeling, Jazzi is falling for the old house’s charms—and for her gorgeous contractor, Ansel. But with surprises lurking in every nook and cranny, a killer might be waiting to demolish her dreams for good . . .

About the Author

Judi Lynn received a Master’s Degree from Indiana University as an elementary school teacher after attending the IPFW campus. She taught 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades for six years before having her two daughters.  She loves gardening, cooking and trying new recipes.

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A Midwinter’s Tail (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Kensington (November 27, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages

Synopsis

To bark or not to bark . . .

Professional pet sitter Daphne Templeton loves the holidays in Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania. And nothing gets her into the spirit more than the town’s annual Bark the Halls Ball. The whole community will be there to wag their tails, especially this year’s special guest—Celeste “CeeCee” French, founder of a national chain of pet care franchises, who’s returning home to announce plans for a bright new flagship store.

But not everyone’s celebrating CeeCee’s homecoming. Daphne’s friend Moxie Bloom, owner of Spa and Paw, a unique salon for people and their pets, has plenty to growl about. So when CeeCee is found face down under Sylvan Creek’s town Christmas tree, stabbed with a distinctive pair of professional-grade pet shears, suspicion lands squarely on Moxie. Despite Daphne’s promises to Detective Jonathan Black, she quickly reprises her role as amateur sleuth. Ably assisted by her basset hound sidekick, Socrates, she must hurry to prove her friend’s innocence before a killer barks again . . .

Includes recipes for homemade pet treats!

Guest Post

Readers often ask authors what they have in common with the characters they create. I don’t usually base my characters off my family, friends or myself. However, this time of year, I do share one trait with Moxie Bloom, the quirky, vintage-obsessed salon owner from my Lucky Paws Petsitting Mysteries — namely, a love of old movies.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen White Christmas and its less popular predecessor, Holiday Inn. And, of course, there’s Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bishop’s Wife and the more modern classic, A Christmas Story.

But my favorite by far is 1945’s Christmas in Connecticut, about a Manhattan apartment dweller who writes a Martha-Stewart-like lifestyle column, and who is forced to pretend to live the perfect domestic life on a Connecticut farm when her charade is about to be exposed at the holidays.

If you haven’t seen this movie, starring Barbara Stanwyck, and you love coziness, run and watch it today, hot cocoa in hand.

From the barn dance to the sleigh ride, Christmas in Connecticut definitely inspired my newest book, A Midwinter’s Tail, which also features horse-drawn sleighs, ice skating, and a fancy ball in a quaint, rustic town — not to mention a few handsome war heroes, just like in the movie.

The story is different, but the warm and fuzzy setting is the same.

What story do you turn to, when you want to immerse yourself in the holiday spirit? I’d love to know. Maybe it will be my next favorite, too!

 

About the Author

Bethany Blake lives in a small, quaint town in Pennsylvania with her husband and three daughters. When she’s not writing or riding horses, she’s wrangling a menagerie of furry family members that includes a nervous pit bull, a fearsome feline, a blind goldfish, and an attack cardinal named Robert. Like Daphne Templeton, the heroine of her Lucky Paws Mysteries, Bethany holds a Ph.D. and operates a pet sitting business called Barkley’s Premium Pet Care.

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Oh Holy Fright (Pecan Bayou Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Self Published (October 31, 2018)
Number of Pages: 255

Synopsis

It’s Christmas in Pecan Bayou, Texas. Join Betsy (aka The Happy Hinter) for a good old small-town Christmas complete with Christmas carols, over the top light displays, delicious food, loving friends and…a Christmas Creeper. One of the residents of Pecan Bayou has a secret and you’d better lock the door because that isn’t Santa out there or even a stray elf. Enjoy spending Christmas with the town and family you’ve come to know in the Pecan Bayou Series.

Recipes and helpful hints included!

 

About the Author

Teresa Trent lives in Houston, Texas and is an award-winning mystery writer.  She writes the Pecan Bayou Mystery Series, is a regular contributor to the Happy Homicides Anthologies. Teresa is happy to add her Henry Park Mystery Series to her publishing credits with Color Me Dead, the first book in the series. Teresa has also won awards for her work in short stories where she loves to dabble in tales that are closer to the Twilight Zone than small town cozies. When Teresa isn’t writing, she is a full-time caregiver for her son and teaches preschoolers music part-time. Her favorite things include spending time with family and friends, waiting for brownies to come out of the oven, and of course, a good mystery.

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Mrs. Odboddy: And Then There Was a Tiger (Mrs. Oboddy Mysteries)
WWII tale of conflict and carnivals, turmoil and tigers.
Cozy Mystery/Humorous/Historical
3rd in Series
Elk Grove Publications (July 25, 2018)
Print Length: 349 pages

Synopsis

While the ‘tiger of war’ rages across the Pacific during WWII, eccentric, elderly Agnes Odboddy, ‘fights the war from the home front’. Her patriotic duties are interrupted when she is accused of the Wilkey’s Market burglary.

A traveling carnival with a live tiger joins the parishioner’s harvest fair at The First Church of the Evening Star and Everlasting Light. Accused again when counterfeit bills are discovered at the carnival, and when the war bond money goes missing, Agnes sets out to restore her reputation and locate the money. Her attempts lead her into harm’s way when she discovers a friend’s betrayal and even more about carnival life than she bargained for.

Granddaughter Katherine’s turbulent love triangle with a doctor and an FBI agent rivals Agnes’s own on-again, off-again relationship with Godfrey.

In Faber’s latest novel, your favorite quirky character, Mrs. Odboddy, prevails against injustice and faces unexpected challenges . . . and then There Was a Tiger!

Guest Post

Today I welcome author Elaine Faber to StoreyBook Reviews.  I could never write a book but I find her tips below quite helpful should I try my hand.  Pretty sure I won’t but will share these tips with other writers I know.

Reviewing the Rules of Writing Good Dialogue
By Elaine Faber

Readers love to read a novel full of dialogue. Often they have no idea that, as writers, we have rules we must follow to keep the dialogue interesting. Every sentence in a novel must move the story forward. This keeps reader’s interest whether it is a fiction story, a devotional, or an article about keeping aphids off rose bushes.

Let’s pull back the curtain on an author as she creates her compelling story.

In dialogue, we don’t repeat the question or person’s name when giving an answer. Example:

George: “Lucy? Do you want to go to the movies with me?”

Lucy “Yes, George, I’d love to go to the movies with you.” (Sounds like the utterances of a robot.)

Readers may not even notice when a skilled writer gives an oblique reply.

George: “Do you want to go to the movies with me?”

Lucy: “It depends. What’s playing and when did you have in mind? I have a very busy social life, you know. (Aha! We’ve moved the goalpost on the story. Lucy may have another suitor.)

We don’t use conversation to impart information.

George: “So? You’ll go with me if you haven’t seen the movie yet?”

Lucy: I have a date with Tom next Saturday night. You know, Tom–my mother’s second cousin’s nephew by marriage? He’s a troubled guy, votes Democrat, but he has a charming personality.”

We don’t use meaningless chit-chat in dialogue. Every conversation should have a purpose, give a clue to something yet to come in the story, or suggest a potential conflict. Example:

George: “You’re going out with Tom? I thought he was in jail for murder.”

Lucy: “He’s out now. He was falsely accused. Now he’s receiving death threats against him or anyone associated with him.”

George: “Really, Lucy?” George raises his eyebrow. “Is it wise to date a guy like that?”

Don’t use conversation to impart lengthy bits of back story. Example:

George: “You should date me, not Tom. Don’t you realize that I was the one who saved your mother from a burning building that she set that night when she was despondent over her divorce, and then she learned that she was my father’s long-lost twin sister, separated at birth by their evil stepmother?”

Lucy: Gasp! “I’ve been away at college way too long. Good grief. Does that make us cousins?”

George: “Maybe kissing-cousins. So is it a date?”

Lucy: “As long as they haven’t arrested me yet for killing my college roommate, who recently died under questionable circumstances when she was smothered in her sleep.”

Review: Each sentence delivers new information. Give oblique answers to a question. Don’t use the person’s name in your response. Don’t use conversation to impart lengthy back story. Don’t repeat the question just asked. The goal is to keep the reader turning pages!

Wow! Writing a book isn’t easy as easy as you thought, right? I had to keep all these things in my head while writing a compelling event that hooks the reader on page one, an exciting middle, and a satisfying and thrilling conclusion. But, it was easy for Mrs. Odboddy to be the prime suspect in a burglary, involved with a counterfeiting ring, losing the war bond money, meeting a tiger and still win at the end. Mrs. Odboddy – And Then There was a Tiger will keep the reader turning pages and looking backward to the previous Mrs. O books, or forward to the next one. Join Mrs. Odboddy on this rollicking adventure as she tackles adversity in this hysterical romp at the Newbury Harvest Fair, even as she fights the war from the home front during WWII.

 

About the Author

Elaine Faber lives in Northern California with her husband and two feline companions. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, California Cat Writers, and Northern California Publishers and Authors. She volunteers with the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop. She enjoys speaking on author panels, sharing highlights of her novels. Her short stories have appeared in national magazines and multiple anthologies. She has published seven books. In addition to the Mrs. Odboddy Mysteries Elaine writes the Black Cat Mysteries.

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Synopsis

Written in the style of a classic British Mystery with a contemporary young American woman as the amateur sleuth. Entertaining. Keeps you guessing until the end.

From a small secluded village in Connecticut to the English Countryside, readers are taken on a roller coaster of events and quirky characters as amateur sleuth Emily Ryder tries to solve a murder that everyone thinks was an accident.

For tour guide Emily Ryder, the turning point came on that fateful early morning when her beloved mentor met an untimely death. It’s labeled as an accident and Trooper Dave Roberts is more interested in Emily than in any suspicions around Chris Cooper’s death. For Emily, if Chris hadn’t been the Village Planner and the only man standing in the way of the development of an apartment and entertainment complex in their quaint village of Lydfield, Connecticut, she might have believed it was an accident, but too many pieces didn’t fit.

As Emily heads across the pond for a scheduled tour of Lydfield’s sister village, Lydfield-in-the-Moor… she discovers that the murderer may be closer than she thought.

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Excerpt

Then it grew still, save for Oliver’s sniffing survey of the spoils left by the turkeys.

Brushing himself off in the soupy mist, a stocky figure with a thick neck, pasty face, sagging raincoat, and dark, baggy trousers yelled out to no one in particular, “Hey, what is this? Can’t a guy even walk around for Pete sake?” She could have told him the turkeys were foraging and he’d overreacted. But she didn’t want to get into any drawn- out discussion about the ways of the wild. All she was after was a clue to what the guy was up to, getting hold of Oliver,

and returning to her agenda.

The second he noticed her, the man changed his tone. “Oh, how you doing? This your dog, I take it?”

Through the drizzle, Emily spotted a glittering, gold GDC emblem under his lapel.

“No,” said Emily. “He’s Will Farrow’s retriever.”

“Will Farrow? Right, you mean the fix-it guy, staying at the B&B while he patches it up?”

Though he was trying hard to be friendly, his voice had a raspy, cynical edge, and Emily didn’t appreciate the way he was looking her up and down. Judging from his cropped

gray hair and the deep creases in his face, she assumed he was in his early fifties. She also took him to be a point man for the development company.  Otherwise,  why  would  he be scouring around on his own, seemingly taking note of everything, checking out the lay of the land?

Stepping back onto higher ground, apparently self- conscious that Emily was a good two or three inches taller, the man reached into an inside pocket and took out a few printouts. In turn, Emily unfastened the collar of her windbreaker and pulled the hood over her head. All the while, Oliver looped around, sat and nuzzled his blocky head against Emily’s thigh, and looped around again.

“Ah.” The point man jabbed his finger at the top of one of the pages. “I got you covered. You’re the B&B owner’s daughter, used to play college soccer, but now you’re some kinda tour guide. Carting a few locals around spots overseas. How am I doing?”

Emily shot him a wary glance, but he went on unfazed. “So good, so maybe you could be of some use, seeing how your ol’ lady is off on some kinda busman’s holiday. And her place is in need of lots of maintenance, right? But in this market and as far as the fall-foliage thing goes, what can I say about it all going down the drain?”

“How do you know all this?”

“I just do, all right? So, for openers, we got mom holing up somewheres in the boonies and not something to bank on.”

“So, for openers, what are you driving at?”

Pocketing the printouts, he said, “Are you kidding me? Nailing down a right-of-way, what else? For the construction

site, right where we’re standing. The name so far is Lydfield Woods. Get it? Lydfield, Connecticut—Lydfield Woods. Hey, as long as we’re at it, I would appreciate your take on this.” “My take is, you’re wasting your time. You’d better go

back to the drawing board.”

“Obstacles, right. Exactly what I’ve been saying. Which brings us back to how far this thing is gonna have to go.”

The exchange broke off as Oliver dashed away into the mist. Seconds later, he returned with a gnarled branch gripped in his teeth. The point man ignored him, but Oliver went straight up to him and pawed at his trousers. The point man flung the stick far back into the woods in the opposite direction. Oliver’s ears perked up as he dashed off again.

“Right,” he said. “Something I should know before I make my move?”

“Meaning?”

“Come on, will ya? Cut the tap dance. I’m talking Chris Cooper, head of planning, who’s gonna cast the deciding vote. I’m talking the old roofer guy and conservationist. I’m talking the number one issue. What’s he trying to pull? What’s he suddenly got up his sleeve?”

Emily pulled back. This was a veiled threat aimed not at the Planning Commission per se, but at her mentor. Her surrogate father since her real dad skipped out. In a word, he was after her best friend.

“I’m talking blowing the whistle, okay? Is that plain enough for you?”

Emily readjusted her hood and brushed her damp hair away from her eyes. “Go on.”

Just then,  Oliver  returned  with  a  new  stick.  Just  as quickly, the man yanked it out of Oliver’s mouth and pitched it out of sight. The fog hung a tad lower, cloaking everything in the near distance. Clueless, Oliver took off, this time heading south toward the far reaches of the meadow where the ground sloped down again, falling away to the Village Green.

The point man’s eyes hardened as more droplets ran down his face. “Look, I appreciate how you’re jerking me around and how you don’t back down even though we’re alone up here. So seeing you’re about to go futzing off to England and we’re both pressed for time, how about getting off it while I maybe do something for you?”

Oliver returned stick-less as the drizzle picked up.

Tired of this game, Emily said, “Okay, mister, let’s have it.”

Guest Review by Katy

I love a good mystery and this certainly fit the bill! This book pulled me in right from the start and didn’t let go all the way through. I even shoved some work aside so I could finish it today but it was worth it. The story is about a woman named Emily Ryder, a tour guide who witnesses her friend fall to his death off of a roof one rainy morning. Emily urges the police to investigate the death as a murder because of the suspicious circumstances surrounding the fall but they don’t want to listen and want to close the case and label it an accident.

I really appreciated Emily as a character and her intelligence, intuitiveness and determination made me root for her throughout the novel. I loved that she trusted her instincts about the case and was willing to fight for what she believed in. The mystery was also very compelling. Unlike some mysteries I have read in the past, I really felt like the author put a lot of forethought into not only the motive and means of the killing but little clues that could be left along the way for the reader to potentially pick up on. I appreciate a mystery author that trusts the reader’s intelligence and ability to work things out on their own.

Not many books these days seem to leave me in a state of awe but this one has me not only wanting to re-read it again, but chomping a the bit for more by the same author! I’m very happy to see that this seems to be the beginning of a series. I’d highly recommend reading this book. If you love suspense, intrigue, great writing and a good mystery, then this is the book for you!

About the Author

Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University of Connecticut, a former professional actor and, all told, has written over twenty-five plays in addition to his articles and novels.

A frequent contributor of articles on all facets of creative writing and acting, Shelly appears in numerous periodicals including Southern Writers Magazine where he is the film columnist. He is also a contributor to writers’ blogs and websites in the U.S. and the U.K.

His fiction includes Twilight of the Drifter, The Twinning Murders,and Lilac Moon. His Hollywood crime caper Tinseltown Riff was released in March 2013. His latest crime novel Murder Run was just released in August.

Among his works of non-fiction are the acclaimed The Actors Studio and texts on The Art and Craft of Screenwriting and writing for the stage. Shelly lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

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Giveaway

This giveaway is for one print copy or ebook copy of the book.  Print is available to the U.S. only but ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends on November 30, 2018 at midnight pacific time.  Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Follow Secluded Village Murders by Shelly Frome

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Oct 25 Excerpt

Lu Ann Rockin’ Book Reviews Oct 26 Review

Dawn Bound 2 Escape Oct 29 Excerpt

Christa Reads and Writes Nov 5 Guest Review & Guest Post

Carole’s Book Corner Nov 15 Guest Review & Excerpt

Lisa’s Writopia Nov 19 Interview

Lisa’s Writopia Nov 19 Review

Dawn Bound 4 Escape Nov 20 Guest Review

Leslie StoreyBook Reviews Nov 23 Guest Review & Excerpt

Kathleen Celticlady’s Reviews Nov 28 Guest Review & Excerpt

Mindy Room Without Books is Empty Nov 29 Excerpt

Monica Writers N Authors Nov 30 Review & Interview

Yari Yaris-book-world Nov 30 Review

Synopsis

Callie Reed has put together a special event, but a killer is ripping it apart at the seams

As the new owner of a music box store in Keepsake Cove, a quaint town full of collectible shops on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Callie Reed is eager to get more involved in her community. So she volunteers to plan the fall street decorations and welcome a visiting author who’s come for a special book signing. But the celebratory mood is cut short when the local B&B owner is found dead, killed with a pair of vintage scissors.

Suspicion is cast on the victim’s estranged wife, Dorothy, who owns Keepsake Cove’s vintage sewing shop. Callie is sure Dorothy is innocent, and the visiting author agrees. Together, they begin their own investigation, only to discover that many people in Keepsake Cove have secrets. Secrets that are worth killing to keep.

Review

This is the second book in the series about a touristy town that has a lot of specialty shops and our protagonist, Callie, runs a music box shop. It is interesting to read about various types of music boxes and the music that is within the box or other housing. And her aunt seems to haunt a heirloom music box that they keep in the shop. I think it is her aunt’s way of looking out for her and warning her when something bad might happen.

The mystery kept me guessing about who the killer was and let me tell you I didn’t get it right at all! I was very surprised at how things turned out and perhaps those that died got what they deserved because they were not nice people at all. The author does a great job of weaving in past events into the present that makes different characters seem guilty even if they are not.

There is an author that is visiting the town to do a book signing, Lyssa, that has her own secrets too but nothing as bad as others! It looks like Lyssa might become a regular character since she has bought a home close to Keepsake Cove. She is quite quirky and I think she will add some dimension to the books and helps round out a trio of friends which includes Tabitha. Tabitha is another fun characters because she likes to dress as various characters/people and keeps people guessing. I always wonder who she will portray next.

On the romance side, Hank is still trying to keep his hooks in Callie despite the fact that she has told him goodbye. At least he doesn’t live in town! Her friendship with Brian is developing and I wouldn’t be surprised if this turned into a romance down the road. Even if it doesn’t, they have a great friendship which needs to be treasured.

We give this 4 paws up

About the Author

Mary Ellen Hughes is the bestselling author of the Pickled and Preserved Mysteries (Penguin), the Craft Corner Mysteries, and the Maggie Olenski Mysteries, along with several short stories. A Fatal Collection is her debut with Midnight Ink. A Wisconsin native, she has lived most of her adult life in Maryland, where she’s set many of her stories.

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Reason To Doubt (A Carol Childs Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Henery Press (November 6, 2018)

Synopsis

Carol Childs is in the middle of one of the biggest stories of her life. Her daughter Cate has returned from college with a boyfriend in tow. A photographer who police suspect to be The Model Slayer, responsible for the murder of three young women.

Not since the Hillside Strangler has Los Angeles been so on edge.

And when the police arrest Cate’s boyfriend, Carol’s personal life and professional worlds collide. A tattooed cocktail waitress calls the radio station and asks to speak with Carol off the record. She knows the true identity of the real Model Slayer because she says she killed him.

Tensions mount as the clock ticks. The police are convinced they have the right man. Mother and daughter aren’t talking. Carol can’t reveal to investigators all she knows, and unless Carol can find the real killer before the trial begins, an innocent man may spend the rest of his life in prison or be executed for a crime he didn’t commit.

Review

Each book in this series seems to top the previous one and I’m not sure how!  This series keeps me engaged and on the edge of my seat wondering what the characters will uncover next.  Plus each character seems like someone you might know or could possibly meet in your everyday life.  She also brings to life some careers that many of us would not consider (exotic dance) and puts a different spin on that career field that might at least make you understand why someone might perform these jobs.

Carol always manages to be in the right place at the right time, or in this case, almost the wrong place based on a sequence of events that has her in front of a judge wanting to know more about what she knows to help solve a crime.  In this case, it is a continuation of an unsolved crime – the Model Slayer.  Carol has uncovered several bodies and it isn’t until this book that the murderer is uncovered.  But it takes some doing and not without misdirection and Carol’s daughter, Cate, getting caught up in everything since it is her boyfriend that is accused of being the killer.  Let’s just say when it is all revealed you will be quite surprised to learn who the killer is because it is definitely not someone that ever piqued an interest in my mind.

This story also has some romance between Carol and Chase.  But there is also Eric, a former/past interest for Carol and he seems to pop up quite a bit in this book since he is working on the case to uncover the killer.

I’m looking forward to what Carol is up to in the next installment and we give this book 5 paws up.

About This Author

Nancy Cole Silverman credits her twenty-five years in radio for helping her to develop an ear for storytelling. In 2001, Silverman retired from news and copywriting to write fiction full time. In 2014, Silverman signed with Henery Press for her new mystery series, The Carol Childs’ Mysteries. The first of the series, Shadow of Doubt, debuted in December 2014 and the second, Beyond a Doubt, was July 2015. The third, Without A Doubt, was released May 24, 2016. Room for Doubt was released on July 18, 2017, Reason to Doubt hit stores November 6, 2018.

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Killalot (An Ivy Meadows Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Henery Press (November 15, 2018)

Synopsis

A jouster, a playwright, and a detective walk into a faire…but it’s no joke when one ends up dead.

Actress and part-time PI Ivy Meadows is thrilled when she learns that the famous playwright behind Hello Dolly Madison is in Arizona. Not so much when she realizes he’s a suspect in the murder of a Renaissance faire jouster.

As is her friend Riley. And about a thousand other people, all disguised in Renaissance costume during the fatal jousting match.

When Ivy is hired to investigate the killing, she goes undercover as a Cockney belly dancer at the faire and finagles her way into the playwright’s Kennedy-inspired version of Camelot—as Marilyn Monroe, no less.

Then, in the midst of her toughest case ever, Ivy has to solve another dilemma: Will she follow her lifelong dream of being an actor or settle down with the love of her life?

The murder investigation, the play, and real life come together in a twist that begs the question: Is there a happily-ever-after for anyone?

Books in the Ivy Meadows Humorous Mystery Series:

Macdeath (#1)
The Sound of Murder (#2)
Oliver Twisted (#3)
Ivy Get Your Gun (#4)
The Phantom of Oz (#5)
Killalot (#6)

Guest Post

How I Became Marilyn Monroe

by Ivy Meadows

As an actor, I know all of my physical flaws, at least as they’ve been catalogued by costumers and makeup artists and casting agents. I’m a little short (5’4”), not skinny enough for film (around 125 lbs.), and have mousy brown hair (which I dye blonde). So I knew that even getting to audition to play Marilyn Monroe would be a stretch. But as a PI, I knew it was the only way I could investigate a famous playwright who was my number one suspect in a murder.

That’s how I ended up in the boudoir of my friend Timothy, drag queen extraordinaire.

“Are you really sure about becoming Marilyn?” Timothy fiddled with a tackle box full of makeup. “You may be invoking a few demons here.”

“What do you mean?” I sat on the edge of his bed.

“Well, she didn’t exactly have the happiest life. Some impersonators say they feel her spirit when they channel her.”

“Bah,” I said. “I’m not channeling, I’m acting.” Still, a little shiver ran down my back as I touched the platinum blonde wig on the bedside table. “Where’d you get this wig?” It was a good one. Real hair.

“I used to do Marilyn.”

“Really? You did Marilyn?” Timothy was the hairiest man I’d ever met. And it was black hair.

“A girl’s gotta try,” he said, tossing me a wig cap. “But now I stick to Amy Winehouse and Liza and of course, Cher.” Timothy did an amazing version of “Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves” which he said was autobiographical. His autobiography, not Cher’s. “Let’s do this.” He tilted my face back and forth and up and down. “Ooh. I never realized how much you look like her.”

“I do?”

“Have you ever seen those photos of her before she became famous, when she was fresh-scrubbed Norma Jean? Even her hair—her real hair—was the same color as yours. As your real hair.”

“Dirt brown?” That was what my agent had called it right before she told me to dye it blonde.

“This is going to be fabulous, just you wait.” Timothy practically crackled with glee. “A little bit of shading, some eyebrow work…ooh.” He actually rubbed his hands together, like a mad scientist about to begin a particularly exciting experiment. “Oh, wait…” He fiddled with his phone, then set it on the bedside table by the mannequin head. “Ambience,” he said. Marilyn’s voice filled the room, singing about kisses and diamonds and men. “Let us begin.”

Timothy told me what he was doing step-by-step: foundation first, then shading with brown powder to make the contours of my face look more like Marilyn’s, then blush, dark brown arched eyebrows, black eyeliner, red lips. “With a slightly darker lip liner of course.” Like most drag queens I knew, Timothy was a big fan of lip liner. He rocked back on his heels and studied me, pursing his lips. “A little more bottom lip I think…” He leaned in and drew a larger line beneath my lip, then nodded with satisfaction. “Now for the pièce de résistance.” He took the wig off the mannequin and pinned it onto my head. “And now…” Timothy handed me a mirror.

I took the mirror, then almost dropped it. Looking back at me was a blonde bombshell—no, the blonde bombshell. It was almost like looking at a movie screen. “Timothy,” I said. “You are a magician.”

“C’est moi,” he said. “And you, my dear, are Marilyn.”

About the Author

Cindy Brown has been a theater geek (musician, actor, director, producer, and playwright) since her first professional gig at age 14. Now a full-time writer, she’s lucky enough to have garnered several awards (including 3rd place in the 2013 international Words With Jam First Page Competition, judged by Sue Grafton!) and is an alumnus of the Squaw Valley Writers Workshop. Though Cindy and her husband now live in Portland, Oregon, she made her home in Phoenix, Arizona, for more than 25 years and knows all the good places to hide dead bodies in both cities.

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