Killer Reputation (Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Self Published (June 15, 2018)
Paperback: 182 pages

Synopsis

Adina can’t resist snooping when someone she knows turns up dead. Again.

When a colleague at a prestigious think tank meets a violent death, Adina’s not convinced any of the obvious suspects disliked him enough to want him dead. Can the young research assistant, a quirky neighbor, and a lovable rescue pup help the police put together the pieces of the puzzle?

Guest Post

Taking Cozy to the City

As any cozy mystery lover can tell you, most cozy mysteries take place in small towns or villages – where everybody knows everyone else and their business. And more often than not, there are dogs. So how and why did I choose to write a cozy mystery series set in Washington, D.C.?

For me, the essence of a cozy lies in the definition of a community. But does a community have to be an entire city or town? In the Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth mysteries, Adina’s workplace and the dog rescue where she volunteers make up her community – not a geographical community, but a community nonetheless.

As for my choice of city, when I was young, footless and fancy free, I spent a couple of years living in Washington D.C. and fell in love with the city. Our nation’s capital is impressive. No matter how many times I visit the city, I am always awed by the National Mall, the Jefferson, Lincoln, and Washington monuments, the war memorials, and the Smithsonian Castle.

As Adina could tell you, it’s a great city for young people and the potential for using different settings throughout a story, not to mention the series, is limitless.

And even in a big city like Washington, there are dogs.

About the Author

Cassidy Salem has always been an avid reader. She is especially fond of mysteries (both cozy and traditional) and police procedurals.  Cassidy also enjoys reading historical fiction focused on American and world history, as well as the classics.  When she’s not reading, she enjoys music and spending time with family and friends, and travels with her husband and son whenever possible. Her travels have taken her to destinations throughout the United States, Europe, and Scandinavia.

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Airships, Crypts & Chocolate Chips: A Cozy Witch Mystery (Spells & Caramels)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Self Published
Publication Date: June 23, 2018

Synopsis

A bewitched prison. A brother with a deadly request. Can a magical baker launch a jailbreak and still keep her prince in the process?

Imogen’s magical bakery is thriving and she loves the company of the Water Kingdom’s dashing prince. But she’s not so enamored with the time she’s forced to spend with his awful Royal Family. She also can’t help but worry that the increased media scrutiny could reveal her secret contact with the Royal Family’s sworn enemy: her own brother.

When her sibling shows up and demands Imogen spring his cronies out of jail, she flat out refuses. But when he threatens to hurt the ones she loves the most, she balances her allegiance to the prince with her plan for a covert prison break. Can Imogen keep up family appearances and avoid betraying the kingdom or will her pie-in-the-sky scheme become a recipe for disaster?

Airships, Crypts & Chocolate Chips is the sixth standalone book in a clever paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like crafty witches, charming romances, and fabulous French settings, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s enchanting adventure.

Review

The adventures of Imogen (and friends) continues in this installment and what a ride!  The book is filled with action, deception, danger, and even some love.

I love visiting the different kingdoms and can’t imagine what it would be like in each one. In this book, they visit the Air Kingdom and it is much like the name suggests, they are up in the air on clouds etc. If you have vertigo you don’t want to visit here often.

Imogen and Hank are officially a couple but the path to true love is never easy. Imogen has her secrets and wants to tell Hank about Horace and what happened in the Fire Kingdom (book #5) but also has a loyalty to a brother she has only come to know. I can’t imagine having to choose family over love. Of course, Hank’s father doesn’t make it very easy. He is tough and we find out how tough at the end of the book…but that is all I’m going to say there because it would spoil too much.

In book 5 we find out how Imogen and Horace became swallows and it wasn’t too big of a leap to realize how it affected Hank. I’m surprised no one put it together sooner.

We get to know some of Hank’s family members a bit better in this story and I really like his mom, the Queen, and his sister Emmaline. They are down to earth and relatable.

The story does end with a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

We give it 5 paws up!

About the Author

A native of Tempe, Arizona, Erin spends her time crafting mysterious, magical, romance-filled stories that’ll hopefully make you laugh.

In between, she’s traveling, napping with her dogs, eating with her friends and family, and teaching Pilates (to allow her to eat more).

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Synopsis

The big day has finally arrived, and Imogen, Iggy and the bakers head to the Fire Kingdom for Hank and Shaday’s wedding. Imogen is totally fine with it—or so she keeps telling herself.

Even the murder of a famous wedding guest can’t stop the impending nuptials. So when Imogen’s repressed feelings magically ruin her baking and she’s banned from the kitchen, she sets herself to finding the killer.

Her search leads her through the desert kingdom’s bustling marketplaces and the maze-like riad, to discover underground movements, shady characters, and more secrets about the people around her than she thought possible. Could the killer be the clever journalist or the rebellious palace maid? Perhaps it’s a member of the royal family.

With the Fire Kingdom’s people churning for change, a mysterious artifact missing from the museum, and a dastardly plot brewing, Imogen begins to feel the heat. When Horace contacts her and makes her a tempting offer, she struggles to choose between him and her new friends.

Imogen’s choice will have enormous consequences over a deadly plot that threatens the people she loves. Will she stop a killer and find a happy ending in the process? Or will an ancient legend come to life and destroy them all?

Review

Another winner in my book! I still have no idea what it is about this series that draws me in and fosters a passion to read the book and forget everything else.

Imogen and the gang are in the Fire Kingdom for Hank and Shaday’s wedding. Needless to say, many people are not happy about the wedding including the bride and groom! The Fire kingdom is a bit backwards and treats women as if they are not as smart or strong or capable. I am sure many could understand and relate to what they see in their own lives. There are some intriguing twists about the personal life of Shaday and her hopes and desires for her life. I loved how that story played out in this book.

We also learned more about Imogen’s past and how she came to live in the human world vs the magical world through her brother Horace. I could see how Imogen was torn between wanting to know her brother but also doing what was right for the magical world. I am hoping that there might be some redemption for Horace in future books. Plus I’m sure there is more to learn about her past in future books.

Overall a very enjoyable book and I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens next!

We give it 5 paws up!

About the Author

A native of Tempe, Arizona, Erin spends her time crafting mysterious, magical, romance-filled stories that’ll hopefully make you laugh.

In between, she’s traveling, napping with her dogs, eating with her friends and family, and teaching Pilates (to allow her to eat more).

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Disorderly Conduct (A Maggie McDonald Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Lyrical Underground (July 10, 2018)
Print Length: 233 pages

Synopsis

Professional organizer Maggie McDonald manages to balance a fastidious career with friends, family, and a spunky Golden Retriever. But add a fiery murder mystery to the mix, and Maggie wonders if she’s finally found a mess even she can’t tidy up . . .

With a devastating wildfire spreading to Silicon Valley, Maggie preps her family for a rapid evacuation. The heat rises when firefighters discover the body of her best friend Tess Olmos’s athletic husband—whose untimely death was anything but accidental. And as Tess agonizes over the whereabouts of her spouse’s drop-dead gorgeous running mate, she becomes the prime suspect in what’s shaping up to become a double murder case. Determined to set the record straight, Maggie sorts through clues in an investigation more dangerous than the flames approaching her home. But when her own loved ones are threatened, can she catch the meticulous killer before everything falls apart?

Review

I’m going to say right off the bat I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book. It had nothing to do with the plot line, I just didn’t understand how the day a woman finds out her husband is dead why all these people would come over that same day and Maggie would set up an atmosphere that was almost party like. I understand people paying condolences and bringing food, but within hours? There were just a few things that happened the first day that just didn’t seem logical.

All of that aside, once I got past that first day the story line picked up speed as Maggie and the crew were off trying to decipher who killed Patrick and why. The final result was quite surprising and the author does a great job of misdirection with the characters. I honestly expected the killer to be another character based on information provided. There are still the pesky neighbors that we still don’t like even into the fourth book.

Maggie remained true to her character as in previous books – a mother hen with fantastic organizational skills that is able to ferret out the true criminal.

I appreciate all the hints and tips at the beginning of each chapter. I can use all the help I can get when organizing my own life, and these tips can be quite helpful. This book even has a list at the end related to emergency preparedness for acts of nature and the like. I had no idea that the CDC in efforts to reach more people created a program that tied to what to do if there was a zombie apocalypse. Granted this will most like never happen, but if it intrigues others to become prepared then I’m all for whatever it takes!

We give this 4 paws up

About the Author

Mary Feliz writes the Maggie McDonald Mysteries featuring a Silicon Valley professional organizer and her sidekick golden retriever. She’s worked for Fortune 500 firms and mom and pop enterprises competed in whaleboat races and done synchronized swimming. She attends organizing conferences in her character’s stead, but Maggie’s skills leave her in the dust.

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Synopsis

Jackie Sonnenberg has done it again in the second book of her yresruN semyhR horror collection which are based on nursery rhyme themes with sinister re-tellings — but they not sequels so they can be read in any order!

The Lamb Was Sure To Go is a page-turner thriller that will capture the imagination of every reader across all generations. The Antichrist has been born…and Father Atticus knows it. He sees visions of this evil coming to Earth to let Hell loose. Declared insane and locked up, he is helpless to the dark recesses of his mind and what is happening. Meanwhile, the Antichrist grows stronger and is already making blood sacrifices to Satan himself. Father Atticus knows it is up to him to stop it before it is too late…but how could he ever know he would be up against a little girl and her pet lamb?

This suspense-filled book is sure to be the must-read of the summer with a child-character and plot that will have your hair standing on end!

About the Author

Jackie Sonnenberg is author of the popular horror book collection, YRESRUN SEMYHR, which are characters and plots based on sinister re-tellings of nursery rhymes. Her first book, My Soul To Keep, was so well received she was invited to contribute Carnival of Fear, a horror anthology collection. Her newly released and highly anticipated second book, The Lamb Was Sure to Go (May 2018; Limitless Publishing) is a page-turner thriller that will capture the imagination of readers across all generations. This suspense-filled book is a must-read of the summer with a child-character and plot that will have your hair standing on end!

Jackie Sonnenberg has brought her talent as both author of paranormal suspense-filled book plots and as a “haunt” actor where she performs at an interactive live action zombie attraction providing fans an experience to “get their scare on.”  At 2018 Spooky Empire, she won the Best Craftsmanship award for her exceptional costume based on one of her book characters. A professional across the horror-haunt industry, Jackie Sonnenberg brings creativity, vision and a unique understanding of the fascination this genre holds across all generations. Her yresruN semyhR horror book collection is popular for readers across all generations.

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Book Title: The Pumpkin Patch by Sandi Smith
Category: Adult Fiction, 316 pages
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Mindstir Media
Release date: November 5, 2017

Synopsis

How can one small-minded, angry person destroy the lives of so many people in her path, connecting them all together in a game of destruction and heartbreak? It is possible, but what pushes a person to enjoy inflicting pain to such an extent, leaving a trail of hate, anger, and defeat behind her, which only seems to make her stronger and more satisfied. Ms. Terri Plotski, owner of the Authors’ Book Agency, is that person, who, unknowingly, with a single thread of hate, has connected the lives of a small group of people, bringing them together with one single common denominator. Anger. The anger from this small group of people is building, but it has nowhere to go, or does it? Ms. Terri Plotski, owner of Authors’ Book Agency, has gone missing.

About the Author

Sandi Smith spent her time as a young girl combing the shelves of the public library. She has always enjoyed the magic that books have to offer and was inspired by her high school English teacher, Mr. Coolidge to embrace the arts. The author found her calling as a writer early one morning as her first story came to her in the form of a poem. Since then she has written more than 15 children’s books, with her most popular series about the adventures of an adorable spider in the A.R. Achnid series.

Sandi is happily married to her inspiration and husband of 40 years, John. She continues to write for her two precious grandchildren. When she’s not penning a new story, Sandi and John like to camp, kayak and to enjoy the simple life in their home in Pembroke, NH.

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Giveaway

Win a paperback copy of The Pumpkin Patch (open to USA & Canada – 1 winner)

(ends July 28, 2018)

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Book Title: The Fear of Being Eaten: A Biography of the Heart
Author: Ronald J. Wichers
Category: Adult Fiction, 264 pages
Genre: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Biographical
Publisher: Mindstir Media
Release date: April 26, 2017

Synopsis

What if you married a man who didn’t care about you? What if there was a child in the neighborhood for whom you developed a special fondness but was nine when you were nineteen and twenty when you were thirty with two children and a husband who still didn’t care? And what if you were a boy whose only happy memories were a few soft words uttered now and again by a beautiful neighbor ten years your senior and whose voice and face and figure, back-lighted by the golden light of the setting sun, were all that would sustain you when your life was threatened every minute of every day in the mire of a squalid war nobody wanted?

This is the story of Jacqueline and Tommy, their lives stubbornly paralleling with no convergence in sight until one cold night she sees him starving to death on a crowded street filled with happy tourists.

What would you do if you saw him there almost unrecognizable, just another mass of neglected, invisible wreckage? Turn the pages of The Fear of Being Eaten: A Biography of the Heart and find out what happened to Jacqueline Rhondda and Tommy Middleton.

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Trailer

About the Author

Ronald J. Wichers was born in Lake Ronkonkoma New York in 1947. He attended Catholic School until 1965, studied History and literature at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas until being drafted into the United States Army in 1970. He was assigned to a rifle company in the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam and, after sustaining severe wounds in a gun battle, including the loss of his left arm, was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the Army Commendation Medal for Heroism and the Bronze Star Medal.

He later studied theology full time at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley California. He has published several short stories about the Vietnam war. The Fear of Being Eaten: A Biography of the Heart is his fifth novel.

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Giveaway

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A Soufflé of Suspicion: A French Bistro Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (July 10, 2018)
Hardcover 296 Pages

Synopsis

The buoyant mood at Bistro Rousseau deflates when Chef Camille’s sister, Renee, turns up dead in the chef’s kitchen, and Mimi Rousseau must tease the real killer out of a mélange of menacing characters.

Crush Week in Nouvelle Vie is a madhouse—in a good way. Tourists pour into town for the pressing of the Napa Valley’s world-renowned grapes and all the town’s businesses get a nice lift, including Bistro and Maison Rousseau. Mimi is raising the ante this year with a Sweet Treats Festival, a wonderland of croissants, cakes, tarts, and soufflés crafted with expert care by the area’s top talents.

Chef Camille’s sister Renee is managing the festival with a cast-iron fist, upsetting everyone, including her sister. Which is bad for Camille when Renee turns up dead in the chef’s kitchen. Mimi is still building her business, so her first course of action is to whip up answers and catch the unsavory perpetrator before Camille takes a dusting and gets burned.

Review

Whenever I read this series I get hungry…probably from all those great dishes that the bistro serves! And I love it when the recipes are included at the end of the book…not that I will prepare them, but because I like to drool over imaging the dishes coming to life in my kitchen! Maybe one day I will be brave enough to try one out on my family.

Food aside, this cozy series set in the Napa area has a lot going for it – food, wine, compelling characters, and even a few pets. And of course, solving the mystery of who is the killer. There was something about this cast of characters that I was able to sort of figure out the guilty party, but not because it was laid out for the reader to easily discover the identity of the guilty party.

I really enjoyed getting to know more about some of the characters – Chef Camille, Heather, Jo, Stephan, and even Allie. I think Allie could be a good fit for future books depending on what her character decides to do with her life.

There is also the continuing romance between Mimi and Nash. It takes a positive turn in this book but not for the lack of Nash’s ex-wife trying to throw roadblocks in their way. There is even an introduction of an old friend of Mimi’s. Will he be a potential roadblock for Nash? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

We give this 5 paws up!

About the Author

DARYL WOOD GERBER writes the nationally bestselling Cookbook Nook Mystery series featuring a cookbook store owner who is an avid reader and admitted foodie, set on the coast of California. As AVERY AAMES, she pens the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery series featuring a cheese shop owner amateur sleuth, set in the fictional town of Providence, Ohio. Daryl’s short stories have been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and other awards. Daryl also writes stand-alone suspense: Days of Secrets and Girl On the Run. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl has appeared in “Murder, She Wrote” and more.

Find Daryl here: Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Find Avery here: Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

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Synopsis

Shopkeeper Belle Meyer doesn’t know she’s selling killer cookware at The Wild Goose – a small corner kitchen shop in northern Maryland’s Walnut Creek Square. Belle’s life is upturned like a bread loaf pan when Luke “Smack Your Lips” Knight, the town’s zany baker, is found dead in a house fire hours after Belle sells him the fatal 12-inch non-stick skillet. Not even a spider web frosted cake can sweeten The Wild Goose’s haunted reputation. Now Belle’s in the case deeper than lobster fried in peanut oil, to which she’s allergic. To catch the killer, Belle stirs up the investigation, much to the chagrin of seasoned Detective Edwin Hawkes. The hard-boiled detective warns her to stay away from the case, but Belle doesn’t listen. With the help of Pickles, the store’s 10-pound tabby cat, Belle sleuths after cooking demos, interrogates cookware customers and tries to thwart a store break in. She will stop at nothing until the suspect’s goose is cooked!

Review

I thought this was a good start to a new cozy series. It checks off all the boxes – small town, the sleuth is not a PI or police officer, lots of characters to choose from for the killer, and a love interest for the sleuth. And the main character has a shop that is tied to food and cooking, that is a win for me any day of the week!

Belle is quite an interesting character. She is running a cooking supply store that has been in her family for a few generations. She has a cat named Pickles (the story on how Pickles got her name is in the book so won’t ruin that surprise) that she brings to the store. I will say that is not always a wise decision as she has had to write off quite a few dishes and such thanks to Pickle’s antics. She has a boyfriend that writes the crime beat for the local paper. Plus mom is hoping he will pop the question sooner rather than later.

As it happens with most first books in a cozy series, the main character is a suspect in whatever murder has taken place and has to investigate who might be the true culprit. Belle is like most, a little awkward in her sleuthing skills (something she will probably get better with over time), but manages to ferret out the truth. I was VERY surprised at who the killer was once revealed. Was never on my radar other than I didn’t like this character. Lots of great misdirection.

We give it 4 paws up.

Read an Excerpt Here

About the Author

Mary Birdie is currently a copy editor for a company in Washington D.C. She worked for nearly three years at a kitchenware store where she learned all about cookware – from Silpats to sparkling water makers. Her favorite dessert to make (and eat) is the Eton Mess.

She lives in a Maryland suburb with her fish McGuffin. Kill It By Skillet is her first book in The Kitchen Shop Mystery Series.

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Synopsis

She can’t change what’s come before. But letting go could bring healing—and the rare love that comes once in a lifetime.

When Ohio pastry chef Jada Brooks and her two best friends restored the glorious Wayfair Inn, it was a boon to Sweet Lake—and to their own lives. Now Linnie and Cat are focused on private matters: one engaged, the other swept up in newlywed bliss. Jada has also begun looking to the future by dating widower Philip Kettering and forging a sudden, sweet bond with his six-year-old daughter.

But the past isn’t finished with Jada. When a curious guest checks into the Wayfair, her delving questions stir Jada’s guilt about the heartbreaking events that scarred the town seven years ago. The risks Jada must take by revealing the truth will test every assumption she’s made about the meaning of family and the magic of enduring love.

Review

It’s time for another trip to Sweet Lake and the Wayfair Inn – where love can be found with a little help from the Sirens.

This installment focuses primarily on Jada and her relationship with Philip – it may start off as just friends but it isn’t going to stay that way for long and it will not be an easy road as they both have baggage tied to his first wife, Bodi, but for different reasons. I felt for Jada in many respects. Her partners in the Inn have gotten married (or are getting married in Linnie’s case) and aren’t focusing on their jobs but rather letting Jada shoulder the load. I don’t want to say that Linnie and Cat are selfish, but in a way they are. But who could blame them as they are caught up in love and a new beginning in their lives.

This book has a few surprises too, so don’t think it is will be a light read. I was quite surprised at a few turns of events and amazed at how in tune the Sirens are in town are and how they seem to know the right thing to say, do, or give for each situation. But the Sirens do take care of their own and I really enjoyed that kinship between the women.

Possibly a character that almost stole the show is Fancy. She is Philip’s daughter and she is quite precocious. She may be about 6, but she knows what she wants and I’m actually surprised at how much she is spoiled and given whatever she wants even if it isn’t the best for her.

While this book is best read after the first two in the series, you could read this on its own and there are enough details to fill in most of the gaps. I say this too because it has been awhile since I read the first two books so I appreciated the extra background information to remind me of each character and their situation.

I just wish the book had given us the recipe for the rosemary cookies mentioned. They sounded delicious.

We give it 5 paws up

About the Author

Some writers are gifted with an unusual life and I’m certainly one of those. I’ve lived in Ohio, Virginia, California, Utah and now South Carolina. In college I was featured on the front page of the Houston Post for a lark that erased all my debt. I met my four adopted children for the first time in the sweltering heat of the tropics. I helped build several companies and was lucky enough to earn a living doing what I love best–writing–in a PR firm I owned.

In 2004 I made the wisest and most irrational decision of my life–I began writing fiction full-time. All those years of hard work pay off daily in sweet notes and comments by readers. Please continue the mail, tweets and comments on FaceBook, GoodReads and other sites. I cherish your support and love chatting with readers.

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