Category: Cozy Mystery

When a fairy named Apple Blossom is found dead in the Good Luck Fountain at Renaissance Faire Village, Jessie Morton makes a wish she lives to regret–that her husband, Chase Manhattan, is no longer the Village Bailiff. She doesn’t want him to look for the fairy’s killer and ruin their plans to go away for their first wedding anniversary.

Trapped in a timeless ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ experience, Jessie is transported to a different Village to face the consequences of her wish where Chase isn’t the Bailiff, and he’s not married to her.

Jessie’s fairy godmother who granted the wish tells her that she must find a way to make Chase fall in love with her again, and they must discover who killed Apple Blossom, if she ever wants to go back to the life she knew.

Amazon

About the Author:

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

 

 

Jennifer’s Review of Fatal Fairies

Review (4 Stars): This was such a fun mystery!  Jessie and Chase are planning to celebrate their first wedding anniversary when Chase is called away to investigate the murder of a fairy, Apple Blossom, that was found dead in the fountain.  Jessie makes a fateful wish that Chase wasn’t the Baliff and her whole world changes to an alternate time where Chase isn’t the Baliff and they aren’t even a couple.  Now, Jessie must help her fairy godmother solve the mystery of Apple Blossom to return her life back to normal or be stuck without Chase for good.

These characters feel like family to me and I always love spending time with Jessie and Chase.  I was heartbroken right along with Jessie when she found out that her wish changed her entire life and she had to have Chase fall in love with her all over again before everything would return back to normal.  The entertaining thing about this mystery was seeing characters that have passed on in previous books alive and well and causing Jessie trouble again.

Fatal Fairies is a wickedly fun thrill-ride of a mystery for readers.  I absolutely love this series and I can’t wait to read the next book that these talented writers publish next.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nine Reasons Why Chocolate is Better than Romance…
By Penny Pike AKA Penny Warner

Darcy Burnett, the amateur sleuth in my new mystery, DEATH OF A CHOCOLATE CHEATER, has had her share of unhappy romances. After breaking up with her cheating boyfriend.losing her position as a restaurant critic at the San Francisco Chronicle, and taking a job working in a food truck for her Aunt Abby, Darcy thinks life is pretty much doomed.
So when she meets Jake Miller, the dream puff from the nearby cream puff food truck, she’s reluctant to get involved too quickly, not wanting to get burned, chewed up, and spit out again. And like many women, she’s finding chocolate almost as satisfying as relationship.
Here are nine reasons Darcy claims chocolate is better than romance—that is, until Jake Miller melts her heart and turns her insides into liquid chocolate.

You don’t have to wait for chocolate to call. It’s always there for you.

Chocolate doesn’t care if you haven’t washed your hair or shaved your legs – it will still melt in your mouth.
You don’t have to be exclusive with chocolate. Feel free to shop around.

You don’t have to brush your teeth before you eat chocolate. (But you probably should afterward to avoid cavities.)
You can eat two pieces of chocolate at the same time and not worry about your reputation.

No matter how many wrinkles you have or gray hair you’re hiding, you never age-out of chocolate.
With chocolate, size doesn’t matter (although most agree, more is better.)

Chocolate doesn’t make you pregnant. (You can diet those extra pounds away, if absolutely necessary.)

Even if you’re allergic to chocolate, you can read a good mystery novel like DEATH OF A CHOCOLATE CHEATER and get almost the same effects.
So take heart, if your heart has been broken, and get yourself a box of Sees dark chocolates, a bag of Ghirardelli chocolate squares or a pillowcase full of leftover Halloween chocolate, then curl up with a cat, a book, and a glass of red wine. As Darcy will tell you, chocolate fixes just about everything. Until a dream puff like Jake Miller enters your life….

About the Author:

Penny Pike aka Penny Warner is the author of the food truck mystery series, including DEATH OF A CRABBY BOOK and DEATH OF A CHOCOLATE CHEATER, based in San Francisco, and featuring amateur sleuth and chocolate lover, Darcy Burnett. Coming soon: DEATH OF A BAD APPLE…

Website/Twitter/Facebook

 

 

 

 

At this year’s chocolate festival, Darcy and her Aunt Abby hope to win the $10,000 prize in the chocolate contest with Aunt Abby’s taste sensation: the chocolate raspberry whoopee pie. A little friendly competition from Darcy’s sometime-beau Jake Miller, who plans to enter with his chocolate cream puff delight, only sweetens the deal. But things get sticky when one of the judges, Polly Montgomery, is taken out of commission—permanently.

The suspects include every contestant with reason to believe Polly wasn’t too sweet on their sweets, including Aunt Abby’s high school friend. Now Darcy must pick through an assortment of secrets to catch a killer before someone else gets a bittersweet finish.

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Death of A Chocolate Cheater

Review (4 Stars): What a yummy mystery!  Death of a Chocolate Cheater has it all with a spunky heroine, delicious chocolate treats and a delightfully fun mystery that is sure to entertain.  Darcy is just so adorable and you can instantly connect with this wonderful character as she navigates her way through another mystery.  I love Aunt Abby’s comfort food recipes and I want so desperately to visit her food truck and sample some of these amazing culinary delights.  This mystery was fast-paced and entertaining and I found myself lost in this story until the very end.  Looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see what trouble Darcy finds herself into next.

Giveaway

5 Things I Won’t Leave Home Without

by Kathy Aarons

My critique partner recommended this as a blog topic and my first thought was, “But I have only three.” And then I got it: I’m supposed to go a little deeper than “my purse, my keys and my cell phone. So here goes:

My family – Not my actual family. The idea of my family. My love of my family, both immediate and extended. My husband is most likely at work when I’m leaving the house, and my girls are away at college. I’m an empty nester who takes advantage of Skype, Facebook, and email to keep in touch with her kids. All of which I can do from my phone. Which is with me at all times. Just ask my family.
My friends – Living away from my family means I had to create my own little local family. My friends are very supportive of my writing, but they’d be supportive if I decided to take up knitting kitten-themed coasters and selling them on Etsy. They listen to my frustrations and then remind me that I’m living my dream, so knock off the whining. We text way too much, especially right before movies for some reason. Using my phone.
My music – I love listening to music when I walk and when I drive. I like to say that my music tastes stopped maturing in middle school. I love most of what’s on popular music stations and rarely listen to music from “back in the day.” And just like a preteen, I sometimes fall out of love with my music a few days after I buy it on iTunes. My music? Also on my phone.
Paper for observations – Whenever I get out of the house, I people watch. And 99% of the time, I have paper to write it down. I keep little notebooks in my purse, and larger ones in my car. If I get stuck somewhere, I notice things and write them down. In the rare times I’m stuck without paper, I type my notes into my phone.
Purse/keys/phone – I’m very particular about my purses, but probably not in the way you’d expect. They have to be crossover with a very long strap and must have easy access to my phone. I buy them cheap – usually under $20 at Target. My above-mentioned friends keep buying me “real” purses, which I grudgingly use for nice dinner or special events, but the next day I’m back to my cheapo casual purse, which holds my keys. And my phone.
Coffee – Or at least the buzz from it. I grind almost a cup of beans to make my French press coffee, and drink the whole thing before most people are awake. I made the mistake of trying Yemen pour-over coffee at Bird Rock Roasters – it brings coffee to a whole ‘nother level, like sipping expensive wine. The coffee is so smooth and non-bitter that you can taste the notes of berry and chocolate inside. It’s way too expensive, so I can only have it as a special reward. I have artistic photos of it on my phone.

So I guess I have more than five things!
Truffled to Death

Two best friends sell books and bonbons—and solve crimes—in this mystery from the author of Death Is Like a Box of Chocolates…

Hoping to sweeten sales for their shop, Chocolates and Chapters, Michelle and Erica host a reception highlighting a new museum display of ancient Mayan pottery curated by Erica’s former mentor, Professor Addison Moody. The evening has a few hiccups, but the ladies soon smooth things over with ample servings of wine and chocolate.

Yet with the sweet comes the bitter. The very next day, the antiquities from the reception are discovered missing. The professor accuses Erica of having sticky fingers, claiming she wants revenge on him. And she’s only in more trouble after he’s found stabbed to death with one of the artifacts. Now Michelle must help Erica track down the real killer before someone else finds themselves in less than mint condition…

About the Author:

Kathy Aarons is the author of Truffled to Death, second in the CHOCOLATE COVERED MYSTERY series by Berkley Prime Crime. Her first book, Death Is Like a Box of Chocolates, was a national bestseller.

Research for the series was a hardship: sampling chocolate, making chocolate, sampling more chocolate, and hanging out in bookstores.

Kathy lives in San Diego with her husband and two daughters where she wakes up far too early and is currently obsessed with the Broadway Idiot documentary, finding the perfect cup of coffee, and Dallmann’s Sea Salt Caramels.

You can follow Kathy on Facebook or Twitter or visit her at: www.kathyaarons.com.

 

Hoping to sweeten sales for their shop, Chocolates and Chapters, Michelle and Erica host a reception highlighting a new museum display of ancient Mayan pottery curated by Erica’s former mentor, Professor Addison Moody. The evening has a few hiccups, but the ladies soon smooth things over with ample servings of wine and chocolate.

Yet with the sweet comes the bitter. The very next day, the antiquities from the reception are discovered missing. The professor accuses Erica of having sticky fingers, claiming she wants revenge on him. And she’s only in more trouble after he’s found stabbed to death with one of the artifacts. Now Michelle must help Erica track down the real killer before someone else finds themselves in less than mint condition…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Truffled To Death

Review (3.5 Stars): This is the second book in the Chocolate Covered Mystery series and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Michelle and Erica are hosting their first event which highlights a new museum display of ancient Mayan pottery.  There are minor issues at the reception but is considered a success until the next day when the Mayan antiquities are discovered missing and Erica is blamed by her former mentor.  Things go from bad to worse when her mentor is found dead and everything points back at Erica as the killer.  It is up to Michelle to find the clues that will lead to the true killer before Erica is put away for a crime that she didn’t commit.

Truffled To Death is the perfect mixture of murder, books and chocolates that is sure to delight cozy readers.  I love Michelle and Erica’s relationship and how they will do anything to protect one another.  The mystery in this one was fun and entertaining and definitely a quick read.  Looking forward to book number three in the series.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Truffled To Death. This giveaway is for US Residents only.  To be entered in the drawing by June 16th, please leave me a comment below:

Disaster Cat

by Annie Knox

We recently welcomed a new member to our household: a shelter cat named Tiberius. We weren’t in the market for another cat; we were happy with just two. But I went to PetCo to buy some litter, gave in to the impulse to look at the adoptable cats, and fell immediately in love with this beefy, thick-necked fellow.

At PetCo, Tiberius was super chill. I mean, a really mellow dude. In retrospect, he might have been depressed, or maybe just exhausted by the endless parade of people past his kennel. Whatever the case, he fell asleep in my arms the first time I picked him up, and I expected that he would be the ultimate lap cat.

When we got him home, though, Tibby—as he quickly became known—perked up considerably. Perked up, and wigged out. It turns out Tibby is a hot mess of a cat.

In the few weeks we’ve had him, he’s gotten his head stuck in a bag (which held tantalizing tortilla chips), pulled our George Foreman grill off the counter, broken every cat toy in the house, and developed a problem with flatulence.

That’s right. We adopted a gassy cat. It’s just . . . wow. He’s a really, really gassy cat.

This wee beastie we brought into our lives is a walking disaster, but somehow that’s made us love him even more.

Tibby’s endearing flaws have led me to think about the appeal of imperfection, in humans as well as animals. Perfect people, like perfect pets, inspire admiration. But there’s something about goofy, dorky, silly, wounded, fragile, damaged people that inspires something deeper. I’m reminded of a song from The King and I called “Something Wonderful”:

This is a man who thinks with his heart,
and his heart is not always wise.
This is a man who stumbles and falls,
But this is a man who tries.
This is a man you’ll forgive and forgive,
And help and protect, as long as you live . . .

As an author, this is an important lesson. Creating characters that readers will love, characters they’ll connect with, is a challenge, and one of the keys to that challenge is creating characters who have their share of flaws.

What do you think? Who are your favorite characters and what are their flaws?

 

About the Author:

Annie Knox doesn’t commit–or solve–murders in her real life, but her passion for animals is 100% true. She’s also a devotee of 80s music, Asian horror films, and reality TV. While Annie is a native Buckeye and has called a half dozen states “home,” she and her husband now live in a crumbling historic house just a stone’s throw from the courthouse square in a north Texas town.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

 

The Midwestern Cat Fanciers’ Organization is bringing its annual weeklong retreat to Merryville, Minnesota. While that’s perfect for Izzy’s business, it unleashes headaches for everyone else. The event has lots of workshops on the care and breeding of cats, and it culminates in a cat show with a fabulous prize—a platinum collar dangle worth some big bucks.

Cattiness, of course, ensues. But the claws really come out after the prize disappears, and the wealthy director, Phillip Denford, is done in with a pair of grooming shears. Now Izzy and her furry friends, Packer and Jinx, can’t waste time pussyfooting around. They have to solve this case before a killer pounces again.

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Collared For Murder

Review (3.75 Stars): Izzy has her hands full with this mystery because she stumbles on another dead body during the Midwestern Cat Fanciers’ retreat and her competition, Pris, is the number one suspect.  Izzy is such a likeable character that you will enjoy spending time with and I love her quirky aunt, Dolly.  It was fun seeing the politics involved in putting together a cat show and the mishaps that happen along the way. Collared For Murder is a charming, well-written mystery that is a purrfect addition to an already entertaining series.  Can’t wait to see what is next for Izzy and the gang in the next installment of the series.

Giveaway

Blog Interview with Pepper Pomeroy

What new thing would you try? Scuba diving

What would make you say no? Sky diving

What do you get too much of? Chicago winter storms

And not enough? Sunshine

What fear have you conquered?Going into business for myself

Not Quite Yet? Failure

What are you getting better at? Sleuthing

What are you getting worse at? Time management

What would you pay good money for? A top of the line home office

What wouldn’t you take even if it were free? A vacation with my ex-boyfriend

Do you have a career highlight? Helping Warren plan my sister’s proposal

And low point? Turning down $10,000 for a proposal that wasn’t right.

What are you endlessly curious about? Relationships and falling in love

And zero interest in? Jogging

What do you empathize with? Wanting to make a proposal perfect

What do you have no sympathy for? Killers

What is worth the wait? Love

What do you have no patience for? People who don’t believe in romance

What’s always cool? True love

What’s never cool? Murder

About the Author:

 

Nancy J Parra AKA Nancy Coco is the author of 19 published novels which include three mystery series: The Gluten-free Baker’s Treat Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), The Candy Coated Mysteries (Kensington), and The Perfect Proposal Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime).  Her writing has been called witty and her protagonists plucky by reviewers around the world.  Nancy is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and writes for the Killer Character Blog on the 8th of every month.  Nancy loves to hear from readers. Find her at www.nancyjparra.com

 

 

Pepper’s new wedding proposal planning business, Perfect Proposals, seems like a perfect fit. If only shopping for her sister Felicity’s bridal gown could be so simple.

After a long day of lace, tulle, and tears, Pepper, Felicity, and their mother pull it together to try one last bridal boutique. Maybe they’ll be surprised. And indeed they are—when they enter a deserted shop and soon discover the owner of the boutique slain in the alley out back.

Distressed by their proximity to the crime, Pepper vows to unveil the killer. As difficult as it is to draw a pattern from the clues, it’s still easier than finding Felicity’s perfect wedding gown. But as the killer begins to feel hemmed in, Pepper may be the one brought to her knees…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Bodice of Evidence

Review (4 Stars):  Pepper is such a firecracker and you can’t help but adore her spunky personality in these mysteries.  Pepper is in the planning stages of her sister’s wedding and they are having trouble finding the perfect wedding dress for Felicity.  At one of their bridal appointments, Pepper finds the body of the bridal boutique owner and has another mystery on her hands.  Now she must find a killer as well as help Felicity find the perfect dress or this dream wedding may be permanently postponed.

Bodice of Evidence is a delightful addition to such a fun new series and I love spending time with Pepper.  In this mystery, she has taken on the task of helping her sister find the “perfect” wedding dress and is having difficulties making what her sister envisions become a reality.  I remember the madness involved in planning your wedding and wanting everything to be perfect.

Ms. Parra does a great job with these characters and shows the humor involved with these festivities and not just the chaos.  The mystery was well-written and enjoyable and I love how Pepper’s new relationship with Gage is progressing nicely so we may see wedding bells in her future as well.  I love this series and I think readers will too once they actually get spend time with Pepper.  Can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

Giveaway

When Krissy Hancock and her best friend Vicki decide to open a bookstore café in their new town of Pine Hills, they decide to call it “Death by Coffee,” after Krissy’s father’s most famous mystery novel. Little do they know how well the name fits…

On their very first day of business, Brendon Lawyer huffily takes his coffee…to the grave. It seems he had a severe allergy to peanuts…but how could there have been nuts in his coffee? And who stole his emergency allergy medication?

Fortunately, Krissy’s love of puzzles and mysteries leads her not only to Officer Paul Dalton, but also to many of her new neighbors, who aren’t terribly upset that the book is closed on Brendon. But one of them is a killer, and Krissy needs to read between the lies if she wants to save her new store—and live to see how this story ends…

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Alex Erickson has always wanted to write, even at a young, impressionable age. He’s always had an interest in the motive behind murder, which has led him down his current path. He’s always ready with a witty—at least in his opinion—quip, and tries to keep every conversation light and friendly. Alex lives in Ohio with his family and resident felines, who provide endless amounts of inspiration.

Facebook/Twitter

 

Jennifer’s Review of Death By Coffee

Review (3.75 Stars):  I adored Krissy and Vicki in Death by Coffee and I loved the idea of a having a bookstore café be the focal point of this mystery.  Krissy had just opened her bookstore café when one of their customers ends up dead from anaphylactic reaction to peanuts and the emergency medication that could have saved his life is now missing.  Rumors are saying that Krissy’s café may be responsible for his death and now Krissy must figure out the clues to find the real killer before her dream business is closed for good.

Death By Coffee was a delightful fast-paced mystery and I loved all the quirky characters that helped to make this story more enjoyable.  I instantly connected with Krissy, who loves puzzles and thought she was the perfect heroine to solve this mystery. I love finding new authors and I am excited to read the next book in the series by Mr. Erickson.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Next time you visit the mystery section at your favorite bookstore, count the number of books that have cats on the covers. Although it might be easier to count the ones that don’t. There has been a cat on the cover of every one of my Bibliophile Mysteries.

 

 

And my Fixer-Upper Mysteries, too!

 

And now there’s a cat on the cover of my latest book, Ripped from the Pages.

Well… a kitten. The same kitten that appeared on the cover of The Book Stops Here last year because finally, Brooklyn Wainwright has a cat of her very own. Charlie (aka Charlemagne Cupcake Wainwright Stone, a weighty name for something so tiny and cute).

Cats and cozy mysteries seem to go together, and I think it’s because cats are both mysterious and cozy. They don’t express themselves as openly and as enthusiastically as dogs do. Their love is not automatic—you have to earn it. You have to prove yourself worthy of being allowed the honor of petting a cat.

Once you do win the love of a cat, that’s where the “cozy” part comes in. Can there be anything cozier than sitting in a comfy chair to read a good book, with a cat curled up in your lap? Their purr is hypnotic and almost magically disperses the stresses of the day.

I’m going to have fun watching little Charlie grow up, and I hope readers will, too. Although the books are published about a year apart, much less time passes in Brooklyn’s world between books, which means that although Charlie was first introduced two years ago, she’s still just a kitten. Here’s a snippet from Ripped from the Pages so you can see how Charlie reacts the first time she meets a dog face-to-face.

My parents’ next-door neighbors, the Quinlans, generously offered up their gorgeous French-style cottage for our use. They were off to Europe for three months. We offered to pay them rent, but all they required from us was that we take good care of their golden retriever, Maggie.

Once we were unpacked and exploring the kitchen, Derek and I watched Maggie and Charlie sniff and circle each other for a few minutes. Finally, they seemed to agree that they could live in peace together. At least, I hoped so. Maggie ambled over to her bed and settled herself down on the fluffy surface. Charlie followed right behind her, clambered up and perched directly on Maggie’s big paw. Maggie stared at the tiny creature for a long moment and I prepared myself to whisk the cat away. But then Maggie let out a heavy sigh and closed her eyes. Charlie snuggled up against the big dog’s soft, warm fur and was asleep several seconds later.

Derek and I exchanged smiles. I had a feeling we would all be very happy here.

And now here I was, sitting in my mother’s kitchen on a bright, Monday morning, drinking coffee with Robin and listening as my mother tried to brush past the fact that I did indeed have an alarming tendency to come upon dead bodies in the strangest places. Luckily, that wasn’t likely to happen in Dharma anytime soon.

Are you a cat person or a dog person (or both)? Share a cute story about a pet in your life.

About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle is a native Californian who worked in television production for many years before turning to writing. A lifelong fascination with the art and craft of bookbinding led her to write the Bibliophile Mysteries, featuring Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery and murder. Her latest book is RIPPED FROM THE PAGES, available now in hardcover and ebook.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

 

Excited to explore the secrets of wine country, Brooklyn attends an excavation of the caves hidden deep under her parents’ commune—and the findings are explosive. A room is unearthed, and it contains a treasure trove of artwork, rare books, a chest of jewelry…and a perfectly mummified body.

A closer examination of the murdered man’s possessions reveals a valuable first edition of Jules Verne’s A Journey to the Center of the Earth. Hidden in the book is a secret map that unveils an even greater hoard of treasures brought to California by French winemakers fleeing the Nazi invasion with the commune leader’s grandfather, Anton, among them.

As reporters and art appraisers flock to Sonoma to see the precious bounty, questions begin to rise—did Anton hide these items to protect them, or did he steal them for himself? Who is the mysterious man left for dead inside the cave? But not all crime is buried in the past. When a new presence threatens the town’s peace, Brooklyn decides to do a little excavating of her own and solve the mystery of the treasure before anyone else is written off….

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Ripped From The Pages

Review (4 Stars): What a fascinating mystery!  I love Ms. Carlisle’s mysteries because of the detailed research that is involved with each book that Brooklyn restores.  In Ripped From The Pages, Brooklyn has moved back to Dharma temporarily with her lovely boyfriend, Derek, until the renovations on their loft are completed.  While they are there, a mysterious room filled with treasures is discovered during an excavation of the caves and Brooklyn finds herself involved in another murder mystery.  She must find the clues to solve the mystery before it is too late and someone wants to make sure that she never leaves Dharma again.

Such a delightful series and I always look forward to spending time with Brooklyn and Derek.  I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and learning about A Journey to the Center of the Earth made this story so much more enjoyable.  I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the Bibliophile Mystery series and see what danger Brooklyn can find herself in next.

Giveaway

Views
by Paige Shelton

I’m writing from a new spot. In February my husband and I moved to Arizona from Utah. Everything is different, but the thing I knew would impact me the most is my office. I used to have a room to myself. It was one of the smaller bedrooms in our house and had been my son’s room when he was younger, then the guest room after he moved on to a bigger basement space. Then it became mine. I liked it, a lot. The view out the window was made up mostly of my neighbor’s house, but I could also see some far off mountain peaks. I grew into that room and it grew and formed around me. I thought I would miss it terribly.

 
Quick question – what type of decider are you? Are you a “go with your first gut reaction” or do you “think on things for a while?” I’m a gut reaction decider. I have lived my entire life making decisions based on very little real information but choosing to listen to my gut only. So far, so good. My husband is a thinker, a researcher, and then a thinker again. When we decided to move to Arizona the plans for our Utah house moved so quickly that we had to make a flash decision about where to live in our new state. My husband’s typical methods were thrown out the window. Fortunately, a couple of options were offered to us by a friend – one of those options being a house we could rent until we decided on something permanent. We were moving so quickly that there was no time to even wait for someone to bring a key out for us to look inside the house. As we peered in a window, seeing only one slice of space that included part of the kitchen and part of the dining area, I just knew we’d found the right spot.

My gut told me.

So, here we are. The house is perfect for us and so is the neighborhood, but what’s really cool and happens to be my favorite feature is my office. Its floorplan is open so I got a side space with windows. My views aren’t of mountains but of the backyard and there are a couple of windows high up on the walls that offer great views of the sky, clouds, moon and stars. I really love it.
I was sad to leave my friends in Utah, but I’ll go visit them. I was also sad to leave my office, but it looks like my gut was right again. I love growing into this new space and letting it grow up and around me.

Thanks for letting me stop by today. See you in the bookstores.

About the Author:

Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers’ Market and the Country Cooking School mystery series. For more information see www.paigeshelton.com

 

 

This summer, Becca is looking forward to selling her delicious jams and preserves, but things are changing fast at the farmers’ market. A fleet of food trucks has arrived for a two week visit, peddling cupcakes, tacos, chicken wings, and more—including a gourmet hot dog  truck operated by Becca’s own cousin, Peyton.

Tensions between truck operators and market vendors over their required licenses reach a crescendo when the town’s  business manager is murdered. With Peyton already under suspicion of stealing money and a secret recipe from the restaurant where she worked in Arizona, the cops start grilling her as their prime suspect. Now it’s up to Becca to clear her cousin and find out who at the market gave themselves a license to kill…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Bushel Full of Murder

Review (4 Stars): Becca and the gang are excited to have food trucks with them for the next two weeks including a food truck that just happens to be operated by her cousin, Peyton.  Becca discovers that Peyton may be in hot water for she is a suspect in an embezzlement scheme at the restaurant that she used to work at.  On top of that, the dead body of a business manager has been discovered and the prime suspect just happens to be Peyton.  Becca must clear her name quickly or Peyton may watch her dreams of owning her own restaurant go up in smoke.

Bushel Full of Murder was an entertaining mystery with delightfully quirky characters and yummy recipes that will make your mouth water.  Ms. Shelton has created a fast-paced yet well-written mystery that I found myself lost in while updating myself on the lives of these charming characters.  I had a hard time figuring out the killer and loved how Becca always find herself in the middle of trouble, even though she tries desperately to avoid it.  This is the sixth mystery in the Farmer’s Market Mystery series and each title is just as engaging and exciting as the last.

Giveaway

Brooklyn Wainwright is thrilled to be appearing on the San Francisco edition of the hit TV show This Old Attic as a rare-book expert and appraiser. Her first subject is a very valuable first-edition copy of the classic children’s story The Secret Garden, which is owned by a flower vendor named Vera.

Once she hears what her book is worth, Vera is eager to have Brooklyn recondition it for resale. But after the episode airs, a furious man viciously accosts Brooklyn, claiming that Vera found the first edition at his garage sale, and he wants it back—or else. Brooklyn is relieved that she’s put The Secret Garden in a safe place, but Randolph Rayburn, the handsome host of This Old Attic, is terrified by the man’s threats. He confides in Brooklyn that he fears he is being stalked. He doesn’t know who might have targeted him, or why.

In the days that follow, several violent incidents occur on the set, and Brooklyn is almost killed, leaving both her and her security expert boyfriend, Derek, shaken. Is someone after Brooklyn and the book? Or has Randolph’s stalker become more desperate? And then Brooklyn visits Vera’s flower shop…and discovers her dead. Is the murderer one of the two obvious suspects, or is something more sinister—even bizarre—going on? Brooklyn had better find the clever killer soon or more than her chance at prime time may be canceled…permanently.

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Golden Heart and Daphne du Maurier Award winning author Kate Carlisle spent over twenty years working in television production as an Associate Director for game and variety shows, including The Midnight Special, Solid Gold and The Gong Show. She traveled the world as a Dating Game chaperone and performed strange acts of silliness on The Gong Show. She also studied acting and singing, toiled in vineyards, collected books, joined a commune, sold fried chicken, modeled spring fashions and worked for a cruise ship line, but it was the year she spent in law school that finally drove her to begin writing fiction. It seemed the safest way to kill off her professors. Those professors are breathing easier now that Kate spends most of her time writing near the beach in Southern California where she lives with her perfect husband.

A lifelong love of old books and an appreciation of the art of bookbinding led Kate to create the Bibliophile Mysteries, featuring rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery and murder. Kate is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Romance Writers of America. She loves to drink good wine and watch other people cook.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

 

Jennifer’s Review of The Book Stops Here

Review (5 Stars): Brooklyn finally has one of her dreams come true by being chosen to be the book appraiser for the TV show This Old Attic and one of her first books to appraise just happens to be The Secret Garden.  This particular edition is worth a pretty penny and before you know it, Brooklyn is in the middle of danger when the previous owner wants the book back after the episode airs on television and the current owner is found dead in her flower shop.  Brooklyn now must find a killer before someone decides to cancel her new television career for good.

The Book Stops Here is an entertaining thrill ride for mystery lovers with complex characters, snappy dialogue and a whodunnit that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  I loved seeing Brooklyn in her element discussing books on television and I just thought this mystery was fascinating from beginning to end.  This series is absolutely delightful and I’m looking forward to seeing what is up next for Brooklyn.

Giveaway

 

Guest Post

by Linda Reilly

It’s all about comfort . . .

What does the expression “comfort food” mean to you? Is it the enticing whiff of a tray of chocolate chip cookies emerging from a warm oven? The aroma of homemade chicken soup simmering in the pot? Or could it be the heady scent of deep-fried goodies fresh from the fryer?

When I was a kid, I was probably one of the pickiest eaters on the planet. (There are those who will tell you I haven’t changed, but don’t listen to them . . . they’re just trouble-makers J) The hit parade of foods I liked consisted of toast with butter, grilled cheese or peanut butter sandwiches,macaroni and cheese, and spaghetti with plain tomato sauce. Oh . . . and chocolate. How I loved my chocolate!I suspect many of my childhood favorites are among yours, too.

So how did I go from turning up my nose at nearly everything to writing a cozy series about an eatery that specializes in delectable, deep-fried fare? It starts, I think, with one basic concept—any food that’s been swirled through batter and fried in sizzling hot oil can’t possibly be anything but scrumptious!

When the Deep Fried series begins, the eatery featured in Fillet of Murder is pretty much a fish and chips shop. Swish a slab of haddock around in batter, plunge it into the deep fry, add some crispy, hand-cut “chips” and a side of tangy coleslaw, and you have yourself oneheckuva delicious meal. But in Fillet of Murder,a happy accident occurs. A common side treat offered in most eateries finds its way into the batter, gets fried up nice and golden, and then gets eaten by an unsuspecting character. His first reaction is horror . . . until he pauses to savor the taste.

With that, the eatery’s menu begins to morph from primarily fish and chips into one that offers avariety of deep-fried side dishes. But it also means that my main character, Talia Marby, has to scramble to dream up some new deep-fried recipes! Guess who has to help her? Yup. Me.

Thinking about all the new recipes sent my brain (and Talia’s!) into overload. But then it occurred to me—I was making it all too complicated. The reality is that you can deep-fry almost anything. I was flipping through TV channels recently, and landed on a show in which entire sticks of butter werebeing dipped in a batter and deep-fried. At first the sheer decadence of it astounded me, but then it struck me . . . gee, I wouldn’t mind trying that. (but not the entire stick . . .)

After a lot of brainstorming, Talia and I came up with some fun, deep-fried side dishes. Deep-fried meatballs drizzled with marinara became one of the first concoctions, along with deep-fried pickle rounds. There are so many more recipes to explore. Gradually we’ve been plumping up the menu, but the possibilities are endless.

So tell me, what are some of your favorite comfort foods?

About the Author:

Raised in a sleepy town in the Berkshires, Linda Reilly has spent the bulk of her career in the field of real estate closings and title examination. It wasn’t until 1995 that her first short mystery, Out of Luck, was accepted for publication by Woman’s World Magazine. Since then she’s had over forty short stories published, including a sprinkling of romances. In 2013 Five Star Publishing released her first full-length mystery, Some Enchanted Murder. Her first mystery in the Deep Fried series, a cozy featuring fry cook Talia Marby, will be released by Berkley Prime Crime in 2015.

Linda lives in New Hampshire with her husband, who affectionately calls her “Nose-in-a-book.”

 

Website/Facebook

 

 

Sometimes in this life, you have to fish or cut bait. After walking away from a miserable job and an even worse boyfriend, Talia Marby has no regrets. She’s returned to her hometown and is happy to help her dear friend Bea Lambert by working at Lambert’s Fish & Chips, a cornerstone of a charming shopping plaza designed to resemble an old English village.

But not all the shop owners are charming. Phil Turnbull has been pestering Bea to sign a petition against a new store opening up, and his constant badgering is enough to make her want to boil him in oil. When Talia and Bea stumble upon Turnbull murdered in his shop, the police suspect Bea. Now it’s up to Talia to fish around for clues and hook the real killer before her friend has to trade serving food for serving time . . .

Amazon/B&N

 

Jennifer’s Review of Fillet of Murder

Review (4.5 Stars): Loved Fillet of Murder!  Talia is a charming and spunky heroine that is just adorable and I love the original idea of having a fish restaurant as the backdrop for this intelligent mystery.  Talia must help find the true killer before her beloved friend, Bea, is charged for a murder that she didn’t commit.  Fillet of Murder is an fabulous mystery that will delight readers and the yummy recipes will have everyone craving some deep-fried goodness from Lambert’s Fish & Chips.  Can’t wait to read the next installment of this entertaining series.

 

Giveaway

 

Guest Post

by Carlene O’Neil

Hi, I’m Penny Lively, owner of Joyeux Winery. Joyeux is a smaller winery in comparison to several of our neighbors, but enjoys a great reputation. As it happens, I’ve also managed to gain a reputation for my knack for finding bodies. I don’t know if knack is the right word…Connor would call it a gift, but the statement would be said under his breath and likely dripping with sarcasm. Connor’s my winery manager. My manager and nothing more. Yup, nothing more. He’s the best manager on the central California coast and I’m lucky to have him in that capacity, which is why I’ve stifled any urges I might have for him in any other capacity…

Where was I? Right. So after a long career as an investigative photojournalist, I came home to the winery I’d inherited. I’d been worried small town life would be too slow. Instead, I’ve been back less than a year and so far I’ve managed to find more bodies than I did in an entire career investigating situations where one might reasonably expect to find bodies. The local police can’t decide what to do with me, but it’s not like I’m asking for this. Although, I have to admit, once I’m involved I’m not about to walk away. Either the police manage to get it wrong, or someone I care about is a suspect and asks for my help. The first time it happened, my neighbor, Antonia Martinelli, thought someone was sabotaging her winery. She didn’t want to go to the police because she thought one of her children might be involved. Simple, right? Nobody mentioned murder. They never really do.

Between running the winery and running just ahead of whatever mess I’m no doubt in, I stay pretty busy. Connor does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to the winery, so I have free time on my hands. I spend most of it with my camera, a holdover from my last profession. My focus is on the landscape now, and this is a part of the country where it’s easy to find inspiration. The winery is beautiful, vineyards stretched across rolling hills in tones of bronze and umber, and just a short drive from Monterey Bay, Pebble Beach and the fabulous town of Cypress Cove.

That’s another thing; murder just shouldn’t happen somewhere so beautiful. The mean streets of Los Angeles? Sure. The underbelly of Chicago? Who’s surprised? Nobody. Here, when you find a body set against such beauty, it seems so much more shocking, vicious, and wrong. There’s a Latin saying, “It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend; one’s present or future thirst; the excellence of the wine; or any other reason.” After what I’ve just been through I would include finding a body in your neighbor’s crusher. Just saying.

About the Author:

Carlene O’Neil grew up in the heart of Northern California Wine Country and is accredited by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. A former television writer, she currently makes her home outside Los Angeles, where she can be found sailing in the Santa Monica Bay or doing research for her next novel.

Clearly, any novel set in wine country requires extensive research. One Foot in the Grape  is her debut novel, coming out in spring 2015 from Berkley Prime Crime. Visit her online at Facebook, Twitter and Google+

 

In California wine country, the town of Cypress Cove may seem peaceful. But someone’s about to pop their cork…

After losing her job as a photojournalist, Penny Lively is trying to get her life back in focus. Inheriting the family winery from her late aunt may be the fresh start she needs. Thankfully she’s got her niece Hayley and her handsome winery manager Connor to help. But the person in need of more urgent assistance is Antonia Martinelli, the owner of the neighboring winery, who has her own barrel full of problems. Someone’s spoiling her wine, and with the upcoming Autumn Festival, she needs Penny’s nose for clues to sniff out the culprit.

But Penny’s search for answers sours after the body of a staff member is found in a grape crusher. Since Hayley was the last to see him alive, she’s the prime suspect in the case. Now Penny must hurry to find the real killer before Hayley withers on the vine…

Amazon/B&N

 

Jennifer’s Review of One Foot in the Grape

Review (4.5 Stars): One Foot in the Grape was a delightful and engaging mystery that will entertain mystery and wine lovers alike.  Penny just lost her job as a photojournalist and has come home to her aunt’s winery to start anew. She learns that someone is sabotaging a neighboring winery and their owner has asked Penny for her help in finding the culprit.  What she finds is a dead body and her good friend, Hayley, being blamed for this terrible crime.  Penny must now find a killer before it is too late and the killer adds another victim to their list.

I loved One Foot in the Grape because the heroine was fun, spunky and easy to connect with.  Penny just wanted to pick up the pieces of her life and the last thing she wanted was to be dragged into helping Antonia find out who has been sabotaging her wine barrels.  I thought it was extremely fascinating learning about the wine making business and the secondary characters were just as charming as Penny.  This was a well-written and fast paced mystery and I’m excited that this is the first book in the series and hope that there will be many more to come in the future.  An absolute delight!

 

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of One Foot in the Grape. This giveaway is for US Residents only.  To be entered in the drawing by May 18th, please leave me a comment below:

 

 

 

 

 

Q& A with Toni Holmes

From the Baker’s Treat Gluten-Free Mystery Series

What new thing would you try?  Barrel racing

What would make you say no? Bull riding

What do you get too much of? Family opinions

And not enough? Sleep

What fear have you conquered? Fitting in

Not quite yet? Failure

What are you getting better at?  Baking Gluten-free

What are you getting worse at?  Dating

What would you pay good money for?  A new mixer

What wouldn’t you take even if it were free? An apartment in Chicago

Do you have a career highlight? Opening my gluten free bakery, Baker’s Treat

And low point? Struggling to catch the guy who is framing my brother Tim.

What are you endlessly curious about? How to make food gluten free.

And zero interest in? Cow tipping

What do you empathize with? Innocent people accused of a crime they didn’t commit

What do you have no sympathy for? Killers

What is worth the wait? Love

What do you have no patience for? People who dismiss food allergies

What’s always cool? Birthday cake – gluten free, of course

What’s never cool?  Dismissing someone for needing a special diet

About the Author:

Nancy J Parra AKA Nancy Coco is the author of 19 published novels which include three mystery series: The Gluten-free Baker’s Treat Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), The Candy Coated Mysteries (Kensington), and The Perfect Proposal Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime).  Her writing has been called witty and her protagonists plucky by reviewers around the world.  Nancy is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and writes for the Killer Character Blog on the 8th of every month.  Nancy loves to hear from readers. Find her at www.nancyjparra.com

Website/Twitter/Facebook

 

It’s never a good time for a crisis. Toni’s busy whipping up gluten-free holiday treats when a murder forces her to put baking on the back burner. A dead man has been found in the bathtub of a local inn—in a room registered to her brother, Tim.

With her sibling now a prime suspect in a mysterious homicide, Toni is determined to find out who set him up. But she’s about to get some unwanted assistance from former investigative journalist Grandma Ruth, who won’t let anything slow her progress in running down a killer…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Flourless To Stop Him

Review (4 Stars): Toni is preparing for the holiday season and trying to figure out what to give everyone when she is pulled into another murder investigation, this time involving her brother, Tim.  A dead body is found in the bathroom of the Red Tile Inn, in a room that just happened to be registered to her brother.  Now she must find a killer and clear her brother’s name before she becomes the next victim.

Such a cute and charming series.  I love cozy mysteries that involve food especially if the heroine runs a yummy bakery that has treats that make my mouth water while I’m reading about it.  Toni is a very sweet character and I like the way that she learns from her past mistakes in murder investigations and does her best not to try and repeat them.  I love that Toni has a sexy romantic interest in this mystery and I can’t wait to see where the relationship goes from here.  Delicious cozy mystery that will have this reader coming back for more.

Giveaway