Bloody Lessons Guest Post and Review

I am very excited to have M. Louisa Locke here today doing a guest post about romance in her mystery series and discuss her new book, Bloody Lessons.

What’s love got to do with it? What’s love but a second-hand emotion?

Okay, the title for this post dates me. Who quotes Tina Turner anymore? But that song is what went through my mind as I thought about the role of romance in my Victorian San Francisco mysteries. I write historical mysteries, in the cozy vein, and romance is a definitely a part of my stories. But love has to compete with both the historical setting and the mystery plot and I know that, for some readers, romance (or love) might seem out of place.

But for me, the romance is as important as the history or the mystery, and it isn’t second hand or second best.

Regency romances by Geogette Heyer are what inspired me to be a writer, and my hope is that readers get the same enjoyment from following the romantic arc of my two main protagonists, Annie Fuller and Nate Dawson, as I get from following the romance in a Heyer novel. When the series opens with Maids of Misfortune, Annie is a widow who has had a very unhappy first marriage (her husband lost her fortune and then took his own life), and after five miserable years living at the beck and call of in-laws who blamed her for their son’s death, she has finally gained some economic independence. As a result, she is very wary of any relationship with a man. Nate Dawson is a fairly conventional young man and a lawyer who is frustrated by the minor role he has as the junior member of his uncle’s law firm. He finds Annie’s independent streak frustrating but strangely attractive. Needless to say, the romance between these two people does not progress smoothly.

Unlike a traditional romance, which usually depends on the happily-ever-after occurring by the end of the book, a mystery novel must resolve the mystery, not the romance. As Conan Doyle discovered with Sherlock and Watson, mysteries work well when you can have two people detecting. They can bounce ideas off of each other, split the work in interviewing witnesses, and it increases the sense of tension when one of them gets in danger. For me, all of this works even better when the two sleuths are of the opposite sex and romantically attracted to each other.

One of the first mystery authors to blend mystery and romance this way was Dorothy Sayers with her Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane series. When I discovered her work forty years ago, I learned that I liked being able to savor the development of a romance over several books and, ever since then, I have found that I enjoy mysteries with a romantic element more than I do straight mysteries. I get to try to solve the puzzle at the core of the mystery, while enjoying the romantic tension between the couples along the way.

The fourth book in the Wimsey-Vane books, Busman’s Honeymoon, carried the couple past the happily-ever-after moment and other mystery series with a romantic element often do that same – continuing to develop a couple’s relationship once love had been declared or a proposal accepted. Deborah Crombie’s contemporary mystery series with detectives Kincaide and James is an excellent example of this. As with life, it is often what happens after a couple gets together that is the real challenge and it is one I look forward to exploring with Annie Fuller and Nate Dawson.

Finally, there is the historical aspect of my mysteries. It has always been the emotional rather than the physical side of romance that intrigues me, which is one of the reasons my mysteries are in the cozy style. Since my series is set in late 19th century San Francisco, its historical setting actually helps rather than detracts from the romantic arc. The social norms that constrain Annie and Nate from acting on their physical desires just add to the romantic tension within the stories. For example, Annie is so busy trying to maintain her independence that she keeps getting in trouble and needing to be rescued — the last thing she wants. Nate, on the other hand, is so busy doing the honorable thing that he is in danger of losing everything. In a contemporary novel, the behavior of both Annie and Nate might be seen as hopelessly old-fashioned and unrealistic. But in a Victorian historical mystery, they actually appear incredibly modern!

At the same time, the fact that these two persons are engaged in solving crimes means that it is easy to spice up the romance with danger. Romantic suspense is fun to do when women have long skirts and corsets to contend with while fighting off the bad guys and men are trying to act like gentlemen while having revolvers at their hips.

In short, I happen to believe that romance is the perfect complement to an historical mystery, and I plan to never stop blending the three. In Bloody Lessons, my newest book in the series, I even get to lay the ground-work for a new romantic couple, just as Annie and Nate’s relationship hits a turning point. Because, what love has to do with it is everything!

About the Author:

M. Louisa Locke is a retired professor of U.S. and Women’s History, who has embarked on a second career as an historical fiction writer. The published books in her series of historical mysteries set in Victorian San Francisco, Maids of Misfortune, Uneasy Spirits, and Bloody Lessons, feature Annie Fuller, a boardinghouse owner and reluctant clairvoyant, and Nate Dawson, a San Francisco lawyer, who together investigate murders and other crimes, while her short stories, Dandy Detects and The Miss Moffets Mend a Marriage, give secondary characters from this series a chance to get involved in their own minor mysteries. Locke is an active member in the Alliance of Independent Authors, and a Director of the Historical Fiction Authors Cooperative.

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In Bloody Lessons, it’s the winter of 1880, and the teachers of San Francisco are under attack: their salaries slashed and their competency and morals questioned in a series of poison pen letters.

Annie Fuller, the reluctant clairvoyant, has been called into investigate by Nate Dawson, her lawyer beau, and the case becomes personal when they discover that Laura, Nate’s sister, may be one of the teachers targeted for attack.

In this installment in the Victorian San Francisco Mystery series, readers will find the same blend of a cozy mystery with romantic suspense, played out against the historical backdrop of late 19th century San Francisco, that they found in Maids of Misfortune and Uneasy Spirits.

If you are new to this series, you will still enjoy spending time with the lively residents of Annie Fuller’s boarding house and visiting San Francisco when Golden Gate Park was filled with horse-drawn carriages, saloon-keepers controlled politics, and kisses were stolen under gaslight.

Amazon / B&N

My Review (4 Stars): Bloody Lessons is the third book in the Victorian San Francisco mystery series and I really liked the story in this one. I loved the first book, Maids of Misfortune and it was a treat to see how Annie and Nate’s relationship have developed over the books. In this book, Nate’s sister, Laura, is living in Annie’s boarding house and working as a teacher in a nearby school. She is attacked in the very beginning of the book which leads to mysterious events that make her wonder if she being followed by a person from her past. I loved the historical aspect of these books and I think that Annie is a great character that I always like learning more about. Bloody Lessons was a delightful mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed and am looking forward to reading more in the series.

October 4, 2013October 3, 2013

Strangled by Silk Blog Tour and Review

Darlings! Here’s the scoop on my latest mystery STRANGLED BY SILK. It’s all about Daphne and Margot––two independent young California women in 1957––own their own dress shop called Poppy Cove.

When one of their top clients––Constance Stearns-Montgomery––is strangled to death with her own silk scarf at the opening ceremonies for her new girls’ academy, Daphne and Margot are shocked. They can’t believe that such a horrid crime could take place in their sleepy little oceanside village of Santa Lucia. Worse, they’ve lost one of their best clients. The two women quickly become embroiled in solving the crime. After all, if anyone can track down the killer, it should be them. Margot’s long-time beau is the town’s top cop, and Daphne is a master at using her flirtatious wiles to extract information from unsuspecting men.

Of course, neither girl will let their snooping get in the way of more urgent tasks such as choosing new textiles and accessories for Poppy Cove or planning their fall fashion show or––most important––selecting the appropriate ensemble to wear for each and every occasion. But these two fashion detectives are on the case, and the murderer––and the poorly attired––had better watch out!

Amazon/B&N

About the Authors:

Barbara Jean Coast is the pen name of authors Andrea Taylor and Heather Shkuratoff, both of whom reside in Kelowna, BC, Canada. Barbara Jean, however, is a resident of Santa Lucia, California (eerily similar to Santa Barbara), where she enjoys long lunches, cocktail parties, fancy dinner dates with attractive and attentive gentlemen. Her interests include Alfred Hitchcock movies, reading Carolyn Keene, music by popular musicians, such Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, shopping for new dresses, attending society events and always looking fabulous in kitten heels. STRANGLED BY SILK is her first novel in the Poppy Cove Mystery Series.

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Jennifer’s Review of Strangled By Silk

NUMBER OF STARS: 4 Stars

Review: This was a very cute mystery for me. I loved the characters, Margot and Daphne, two women who run a clothing shop in the 195o’s and it was such a delight to read about that time period. I enjoyed the descriptions in regards to the clothing that were popular at the time and it just reminded me how things have changed over the years. The mystery was very interesting because the ladies knew the victim and were trying to piece together who could have possibly wanted her dead. So many suspects and I liked trying to figure out the clues with Margot and Daphne. Strangled by Silk was an enjoyable read and I would love to read more in the Poppy Cove Mystery series.

September 23, 2013September 22, 2013

Death of a Schoolgirl Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

Why Jane Eyre Owned a Pencil. Probably Just One….

By Joanna Campbell Slan

Author of Death of a Schoolgirl

My most recent book, Death of a Schoolgirl, picks up where Charlotte Bronte’s original classic, Jane Eyre, left off. Readers who know that I also write two contemporary mystery series, often ask me, “Doesn’t that take a lot of research?”

The short answer is yes.

Although Bronte’s book was published in 1847, the story of the orphaned governess is actually set in the years 1818-1820. In the two centuries that have passed, people haven’t changed much. We still get up in the morning, get dressed, eat breakfast, and go about the business of loving, hating, and tolerating each other. But the world around us, the theatre in which we perform our lives, has changed dramtically, in large part because we enjoy such abundance.

Items we use every day, and discard without a second thought, were precious and hard to come by back in the Regency era. Take, for example, the ubiquitous lead pencil. Since Jane was an amateur artist with some talent for drawing and sketching, we might presume she owned one.

Yes, one.

Instead of buying pencils by the dozen, people in the early 1800s bought them one at a time. Unlike today’s pencils, these writing instruments of the past were neither bright yellow nor hexagonal. Both are modern enhancements. Today’s iconic yellow shaft was a nod to China, home of the best graphite in the world. And it was an American named Ebenezer Wood who crafted the first hexagonal and octagonal shapes to keep pencils from rolling off of desks.

Back then, a pencil didn’t automatically come with an eraser. Up until the year 1770, an author wishing to erase an errant mark grabbed bread crumbs and rubbed them onto her paper, hoping that they would remove the unwanted graphite. As with many inventions, the rubber eraser came about by accident. In this case, a British engineer named Edward Nairne grabbed a wodge of rubber gum and scrubbed away at this paper. Perhaps his sandwich was out of reach.

Some might find delving into ancient history tedious. Indeed, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know, and so the process of writing can get terribly bogged down. But each exploration into the past leaves me feeling grateful for the many conveniences I enjoy every day. Conveniences I use, but too often take for granted.

About the Author:

Award-winning and National Bestselling author Joanna Campbell Slan is the creator of three mystery series, including the Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries (an Agatha Award Finalist) and a new series featuring Cara Mia Delgatto, a young woman who runs a recycling/repurposing shop.

The first book in Joanna’s historical romance mystery series, The Jane Eyre Chronicles, is Death of a Schoolgirl, winner of the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award for Literary Excellence. In her past life, Joanna was a television talk show host, an adjunct professor of public relations, a sought-after motivational speaker, and a corporate speechwriter.

Visit Joanna’s website at www.JoannaSlan.com. See all her books at http://tinyurl.com/JoannaSlan. Follow her on Pinterest (www.Pinterest.com/JoannaSlan) Join the conversation at http://tinyurl.com/JCSlan Or communicate directly with her at JCSlan@JoannaSlan.com

Jennifer’s Review of Death of a Schoolgirl

TITLE: Death of a Schoolgirl

SERIES #: The Jane Eyre Chronicles

AUTHOR: Joanna Campbell Slan

PUBLICATION DATE: 08/07/12

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: In her classic tale, Charlotte Bronte introduced readers to the strong-willed and intelligent Jane Eyre. Picking up where Bronte left off, Jane’s life has settled into a comfortable pattern: She and her beloved Edward Rochester are married and have an infant son. But Jane soon finds herself in the midst of new challenges and threats to those she loves…

Jane can’t help but fret when a letter arrives from Adele Varens–Rochester’s ward, currently at boarding school–warning that the girl’s life is in jeopardy. Although it means leaving her young son and invalid husband, and despite never having been to a city of any size, Jane feels strongly compelled to go to London to ensure Adele’s safety.

But almost from the beginning, Jane’s travels don’t go as planned–she is knocked about and robbed, and no one believes that the plain, unassuming Jane could indeed by the wife of a gentleman; even the school superintendent takes her for an errant new teacher. But most shocking to Jane is the discovery that Adele’s schoolmate has recently passed away under very suspicious circumstances, yet no one appears overtly concerned. Taking advantage of the situation, Jane decides to pose as the missing instructor—and soon uncovers several unsavory secrets, which may very well make her the killer’s next target…..

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: Jane Eyre has always been a wonderful book to me and one that I have read, time and time again. Death of a Schoolgirl picks up right after Jane Eyre left off and I was amazed how this book reminded me of visiting an old friend. The story starts with Jane finally settling down with Edward after the traumatic events of Jane Eyre. Edward is recuperating after losing his eye and Jane has been blessed with the birth of their young son, Ned. Adele is off at boarding school and her letters have been very succinct and worrisome since she has made no mention of the new addition to their family. When Adele’s recent letter uncovers a hidden message, Jane and Edward realize that something is wrong with her at school and Jane soon sets off to find answers. Along the way, Jane is robbed and mistaken for the new German teacher at the school which helps Jane to determine exactly what is happening at the school. She soon learns that Adele’s schoolmate has died under suspicious circumstances and Jane must find the culprit before anyone else gets hurt.

I loved this book and I really didn’t want it to end. I loved seeing what happened to Jane and Edward after the events of Jane Eyre and see how much her life has changed after she got married. Jane was always a great character to me and she just has grown into such a strong determined woman after everything that she had been through. I enjoyed the mystery in this book and I’m so glad that this is a start to a new series because I can’t wait to read more about these characters in future books.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Death of a Schoolgirl. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by September 28th, answer me this question in the comments:

Which book do you consider to be a classic?

September 2, 2013September 1, 2013

Jennifer reviews Asylum by Madeleine Roux

TITLE: Asylum
CHARACTERS: Dan Crawford, Abby and Jordan
AUTHOR: Madeleine Roux
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/20/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Once you get in, there’s no getting out….For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, a summer program for gifted students is the chance of a lifetime. No one else at his high school gets his weird fascinations with history and science, but at the New Hampshire College Prep program, such quirks are all but required.

Dan arrives to find that the usual summer housing has been closed forcing students to stay in the crumbling Brookline dorm–formerly a psychiatric hospital. As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, start exploring Brookline’s twisty halls and hidden basement, they uncover disturbing secrets about what really went on here…..secrets that link Dan and his friends to the asylum’s dark past. Because it turns out Brookline was no ordinary psych ward. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

REVIEW: I had heard wonderful things about this book and I was very impressed with Asylum from the very beginning. It is a dark, creepy and dramatic book about a young man who lives in a renovated mental hospital and finds that after mysterious circumstances that his dorm has developed a life of its own. Dan Crawford is a typical teenager who spends too much time involved in his studies of science and history but jumps at the opportunity to experience college life at the prestigious New Hampshire College prep program for the summer. He finds that the school was just what he was looking for and immediately starts to make friends with fellow students, Abby and Jordan. One night, they decide to investigate the abandoned basement of their dorm that used to be Brookline’s main office and holds case files of the asylum’s infamous residents. After their midnight excursion, strange things start to happen with no logical explanation and Dan finds that some secrets should have stayed locked away in Brookline’s abandoned rooms.

Madeleine Roux’s Asylum is a haunting novel that provides a thrilling mystery and creepy locales that will keep you up at night. The pictures that are laced throughout the novel are a perfect addition to the story and will make the reader feel as though they are there with Dan and had me jumping at every noise that I heard. Asylum is a well-written novel that I know people will enjoy and is now one of my top books for 2013. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ms. Roux but it will be awhile before I sleep without the light on.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

August 15, 2013August 15, 2013

Do or Diner Blog Tour Review & Giveaway

I am very excited to introduce everyone to a new mystery series by Christine Wenger. I recently finished Do or Diner and loved the characters of this cozy little mystery. I hope everyone has a chance to check out this new series.

About the Author:

I have worked in the criminal justice field for more years than I care to remember! It seems like I was forever going to school while I was working full time, but in the end, I received a dual master’s degree in Probation and Parole Studies and Sociology from Fordham University.

Unfortunately, the knowledge gained from way too many years in night school, didn’t prepare me for what I love to do the most – writing romances and cozy mysteries.

MY FIRST BOOK My very first book, THE LADY AND THE COWBOY, a short, western historical, was written for beginning adult readers, and I sold it to Laubach Literacy. In 1998, it was chosen by the Publishers Liaison Committee of the Public Library Association’s Adult Lifelong Learning Section as one of the “Top Titles for Adult New Readers.” Yes!

“THE CALL FROM HARLEQUIN” One of my biggest thrills in life was receiving “the call” from Susan Litman at Harlequin (then Silhouette) Special Edition in January of 2004. She wanted to publish THE COWBOY WAY. Yeee-haw!

THE COWBOY WAY was released in January of 2005—a year later. Such a looong time to wait. Since then, I’ve written eight books (and counting!) for Harlequin. I love writing about cowboys out west and the southwest, far away from New York State where I live! These are my GOLD BUCKLE COWBOYS (You’ll fall in love with them in eight seconds!) I’ve also written two books set in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, The Hawkins Legacy.

COZY MYSTERIES A new venture for me (in 2013) is a series of “comfort food” cozy mysteries which I set in a small-town 1950’s diner, THE SILVER BULLET.

The first book, DO OR DINER, from Penguin/Obsidian books is scheduled for release on August 6, 2013. A second book will follow, A SECOND HELPING OF MURDER, in 2014, and a third, yet untitled, book will be scheduled after that.

JUST FOR FUN I enjoy watching professional bull riding and rodeo with my favorite cowboy, my husband Jim. We put on our cowboy regalia (I look horrible in a cowboy hat!) and have traveled to events in Las Vegas, Florida, Connecticut, and other states. As a result of our travels, I have met many genuine, personable and polite cowboys, and that’s how I get my inspiration for my westerns! Of course I have to do research for my comfort food diner series. That takes me to diners all over the U.S. and Canada (and maybe Europe and Asia!) for meals. It’s a tough job, but I just have to do it!

Online links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinewengerauthor?fref=ts

Website: www.christinewenger.com

Jennifer’s Review of Do or Diner

TITLE: Do or Diner

SERIES #: A Comfort Food Mystery #1

CHARACTERS: Trixie Matkowski and Ty Brisco

AUTHOR: Christine Wenger

PUBLICATION DATE: 08/06/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: When Trixie Matkowski agrees to take over her aunt’s diner, she pictures lakeside views and delicious comfort food in the small town where she spent summers as a child. But the sweet scene turns sour when someone puts murder on the menu….

Trixie is in need of a fresh start away from her cheating ex-husband, but she may be biting off more than she can chew when she moves up to upstate New York to run her family’s famed Silver Bullet Diner. Not only is she caught off guard by the small town’s resident heartthrob, Deputy Ty Brisco, but her first health inspection turns into a nightmare…when the inspector keels over into his blue plate special.

Someone made a deadly addition to an old family recipe, and Trixie is determined to find out whodunit. But between serving up orders and sniffing out clues, she’d better watch her back–or her next meal might be her last.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Five Stars

REVIEW: I am a huge fan of culinary mysteries and I was absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to read this book. I liked Trixie right from the very beginning because she came home to run her aunt’s restaurant after divorcing her cheating husband. She was smart, hard-working and wasn’t afraid to jump into the middle of a crazy dinner shift. As soon as she arrives in Sandy Harbor, Trixie finds herself involved in the murder of a health inspector who just happened to be found dead at her new restaurant. Everyone believes that Trixie is to blame and her dream of a successful diner may go up in smoke if the real murderer isn’t found.

I loved the characters and the little picturesque town of Sandy Harbor. Christine Wenger created a humorous and delightful mystery that was very entertaining and a great start to a new series. I loved the recipes in the back of the book which reminded me of sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen while she cooked on a Sunday afternoon. I’m looking forward to reading A Second Helping of Murder which is the second book in the series that is due out sometime next year.

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July 26, 2013July 24, 2013

Cathy Ace Blog Tour and Interview

I’m excited today for Books-n-Kisses to be having the wonderful Cathy Ace with us, promoting her new mystery, The Corpse With The Golden Nose. I hope that everyone will check out this great mystery series.

1. Tell me about your new release The Corpse With The Golden Nose.

Cait’s a bit of a foodie, so she cannot resist the chance to attend an exclusive, invitation only, event she’s heard about, in Kelowna, BC – the heart of BC’s biggest wine region. The fact that there’s a possible murder to investigate doesn’t worry her – she’s used to dealing with “academic” cases, because she’s a professor of criminology. The titular corpse is that of a vintner whose “nose” has won many gold awards, and Cait finds out she needs to apply her skills to a greater level than she’d thought to solve the mystery surrounding the woman’s death. A closed circle of suspects, some of them with slightly whacky lifestyles, plenty of delectable food, and a fair few glasses of local wines to wash it all down – Cait’s in heaven…until there’s a hellish turn of events. This book is very much in the traditional vein – as all Cait’s mysteries will be. We also meet the corpse in question on the first page – something I’ll be doing in every one of Cait’s books…I like my corpses to be up front!

2. Where did you come up with the idea for this book and how did this series come about?

Cait appeared in three short stories and a novella before her debut novel appeared, and, by then, her trademark eidetic memory, her ability to read people, and her background in criminal psychology had all been put to the test. In general terms the series (always THE CORPSE WITH THE….something precious and some body part) will see Cait solve closed-circle mysteries using her Mensan brain, and her determination. She has a deeply engrained sense of justice – even if that ends up being delivered in unusual ways. Cait’s always on the move: I decided to have her travel to some of my favorite destinations, so I could, more reasonably, introduce new characters in each book. Having read my earlier two volumes (of short stories and novella) my publisher asked for a novel-length manuscript featuring Cait, as well as a proposal for a series. That proposal was for nine books in total – the third will be published in spring 2014, the fourth in the fall of the same year, and two more are planned for 2015…of course I’m hoping that Cait proves popular enough for her to continue to her ninth mystery – and maybe beyond!

3. This is the second book in the series and has there been any challenges that you’ve had to overcome when writing this series?

Because I’d planned the series before I started the first novel, THE CORPSE WITH THE SILVER TONGUE, I had already plotted Cait’s “arc”. The first four books take place over about eighteen months in Cait’s life, so she won’t be changing a great deal within that time…but she’s already facing a challenge she didn’t expect – a relationship that’s grown from respect to love…and responsibility. She might be middle-aged, but she’s had a previous relationship go bad on her, so she’s buried herself in her work. She’ll be developing, aging, dieting, and gaining it all back again, as the books come out, but she’ll still remain the feisty, bossy little Welsh Canadian that she is!

4. What are you working on right now?

I’m currently working with the copy editor at my publishing house on the final copy edits for Cait’s third adventure, THE CORPSE WITH THE EMERALD THUMB, which sees her on holiday, with her significant other, at a tequila-making resort on the Pacific coast of Mexico – it’s being published next spring, in 2014. I’m also writing Cait’s fourth mystery, the title of which is a bit of a secret for now, though, if people check out my Cathy Ace – Author page on Facebook, they’ll find some clues to its location. The manuscript needs to be finished by mid-August to be sent off to my publisher, and will see the light of day in the fall of 2014. Then she’s off to two other, very different parts of the world, for her fifth and sixth mysteries.

5. What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Read the genre you want to write, and write! Seriously. I know it’s tempting to read about writing, and to talk about writing, but reading what you’ll be up against in the marketplace (because that’s what it is) will help you hear the voices of others, and writing will help you find your own. If you’re taking the self-publishing route, or if you’re sending your work for consideration, if there’s any way you can afford to have your work professionally edited, by someone who has a wealth of experience that you can check out in your genre, then it will be the best investment you can make.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and it has been a pleasure having you on Books-n-Kisses.

You’re very welcome – thank you so much for having me.

About the Author:

Welsh Canadian mystery author Cathy Ace is the creator of the Cait Morgan Mysteries, which include The Corpse with the Silver Tongue and The Corpse with the Golden Nose. Born, raised, and educated in Wales, Cathy enjoyed a successful career in marketing and training across Europe, before immigrating to Vancouver, Canada, where she taught on MBA and undergraduate marketing programs at various universities. Her eclectic tastes in art, music, food, and drink have been developed during her decades of extensive travel, which she continues whenever possible. Now a full-time author, Cathy’s short stories have appeared in multiple anthologies, as well as on BBC Radio 4. She and her husband are keen gardeners, who enjoy being helped out around their acreage by their green-pawed Labradors.

Website: cathyace.com

Cathy Reads From Corpse With The Golden Nose.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cathy.ace.author?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AceCathy

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3913679.Cathy_Ace

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Jennifer’s Review of The Corpse With The Golden Nose

TITLE: The Corpse With The Golden Nose

SERIES #: Cait Morgan Series #2

CHARACTERS: Cait Morgan and Bud Anderson

AUTHOR: Cathy Ace

PUBLICATION DATE: 03/12/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: A heartfelt plea to look into the death of a world-famous vintner goes hand in hand with the opportunity to attend an exclusive gourmet event in British Columbia’s stunning wine country. How can overindulgent foodie and criminologist Cait Morgan resist?

Sure that the award-winning owner of a family-run vineyard was murdered, Cait shares her findings with Bud Anderson, a retired homicide cop. But he is convinced that the woman took her own life, whatever her grief-stricken sister might say. That is, until death strikes once again, in the neat rows of grapevines that clamber up the banks of magnificent Lake Okanagan. Uncovering obsessions that might have fueled murderous thoughts among the victim’s wacky neighbors is a start, but as Cait unravels the clues. She realizes that more lives are at stake. Can she think, and act, quickly enough to thwart the killer?

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: This was my first mystery from Cathy Ace and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Cait Morgan is a criminal psychologist that is invited to spend the weekend with her boyfriend, Bud Anderson, at a prestigious culinary event in British Columbia. Besides enjoying the wonderful food and atmosphere, they are on a mission to determine if a vintner’s untimely death is the result of suicide or murder. What she finds there is not what she expected and each one of the invited guests are capable of murder.

I liked this book with its quirky characters and great descriptions of food and wine at the Moveable Feast that Cait was invited to. Cait Morgan was a very interesting character and I’m looking forward to learning more about her in future books. The murder mystery was intriguing and I had a difficult time putting together all the pieces of the murder before the great reveal of the true killer. I can’t wait to read the first book in the series, The Corpse With The Silver Tongue, because I have a difficult time reading books out of order and I want to experience another great mystery with Cait Morgan.

July 8, 2013July 7, 2013

Guest Post with Daryl Wood Gerber & Giveaway

Daryl Wood Gerber is here today to talk about her new release, Final Sentence, and share one of her yummy recipes. I can’t wait to try this myself.

In all my culinary mysteries, I include recipes. I had no idea when I started writing mysteries that I would have to be a cook, too. Luckily, I was. I catered during college. I worked at restaurants. I even subbed for the chef at one restaurant. Now I offer up recipes every week on Mystery Lovers Kitchen with other author pals. All of us like to cook up crime.

In the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, I’ve included cookie recipes. Jenna, the protagonist in the series, loves her sweets. I’ll be sharing some of those recipes on Mystery Lovers Kitchen after the book’s release.

This Five-Cheese Mac and Cheese recipe is from the Cheese Shop Mysteries. It wasn’t included in the recipes at the back of the book, but a fan wrote me and begged for it. Sure, why not? Then a friend of hers posted the link (it’s on my website) and it went viral!

There is a tavern in town that Charlotte and her pals go to for girls’ night out. Tim, the fun-loving Irish owner, makes some of the best appetizers and sides. I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a macaroni and cheese to me. [This can be made gluten-free and it’s amazing.]

Five-Cheese Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

2 cups dried macaroni, cooked to tender (about 4-5 cups cooked) [You can use gluten-free macaroni]
3 cloves garlic chopped
8 tablespoons butter [a cube]
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup white wine
3 Tbs. rice flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 cups grated cheese (equal parts Cheddars, Smoked Gouda, Parmessan, Monterey Jack, Havarti)

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside. May be made a day ahead. Note: Do not forget to drain and set aside. You do not want the pasta to be “wet.”

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 2 minutes. Add rice flour and stir. Cook 1 minute, let boil and thicken, stirring constantly.

Add milk and wine, stir and let boil to thicken.

Remove from heat and add cheeses and seasonings.

Pour sauce over drained macaroni.

Serve with a crisp salad.

QUESTION: Have you ever shared a recipe via twitter or the Internet or even via email with friends?

About the Author:

DARYL WOOD GERBER aka AVERY AAMES pens the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery series. As DARYL, she writes A Cookbook Nook Mystery series, featuring a culinary bookshop and café owner. Daryl’s short stories have been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and other awards. As an actress, Daryl has appeared in “Murder, She Wrote” and more. Visit Daryl & Avery at www.darylwoodgerber.com. Check out her recipes on her blog www.mysteryloverskitchen.com And friend her on Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Final Sentence

TITLE: Final Sentence

SERIES #: A Cookbook Nook Mystery #1

CHARACTERS: Jenna Hart & Aunt Vera

AUTHOR: Daryl Wood Gerber

PUBLICATION DATE: 07/02/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: In need of a change, Jenna Hart leaves the high-pressure world of advertising to help her aunt Vera open a culinary bookshop and cafe. Back with her family in Crystal Cove, California, Jenna seems to have all the right ingredients for a fresh start–until someone adds a dash of murder.

As a marketing expert, Jenna wants to make sure the grand opening of the Cookbook Nook draws a crowd, and no one is better at getting attention than her old college roommate, celebrity chef Desiree Devine. But when Desiree arrives in quiet Crystal Cove to do a cookbook signing, the diva stirs up more trouble than business…especially when she turns up dead.

Known for stealing husbands and burning bridges, Desiree left behind plenty of suspects–including Jenna. Though the celebrity’s life always appeared to be an open book, Jenna will have to read between the lines in order to clear her name, and catch a killer before another body is served cold.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: This is the first book in a new series and I believe that this series is off to a great start. Jenna Hart has returned home to Crystal Cove after the death of her husband to start a new life and help her Aunt Vera open a culinary bookstore and cafe. For the opening festivities, Jenna has asked her friend and famous chef, Desiree Devine, to hold a book-signing event to help bring in customers for their new store. Instead of a book-signing, Desiree ends up dead on the beach and Jenna is the prime suspect in her murder. Jenna is now out to clear her name before it is too late and the entire town believes she is responsible for the murder.

Daryl Wood Gerber creates a delightful cast of characters set in an inviting little coastal town that will charm anyone. I liked Jenna because she was trying to get back on her feet after the death of her husband and was hoping that returning home would help her start a new life. She was very smart and even though she wasn’t a great cook, she never let her short-comings get her down. I liked how her family and friends helped rally around her and it will be interesting to learn more about them in other books in the series. The mystery in Final Sentence will keep you guessing and I definitely enjoyed visiting Crystal Cove. I’m looking forward to reading more about Jenna and her adventures in the next installment of this delightful mystery series.

Giveaway

I have one copy of Daryl’s new release, Final Sentence, to give one lucky reader. Please leave a comment answering Daryl’s question or let us know your favorite recipe. A winner will be chosen on July 10th.

July 5, 2013July 4, 2013

Laced With Poison Interview with Meg London

Today I have the lovely Meg London here to discuss her new release, Laced With Poison, the second title in her Sweet Nothings Lingerie series. If you love mysteries, then you definitely need to pick up this great series.

1. Tell me about your new release Laced With Poison.
Laced with Poison is the second in my Sweet Nothings Lingerie Series writing as Meg London (I write the Gourmet De-Lite series under my own name, Peg Cochran.) Once again we follow the adventures of Emma Taylor, her aunt Arabella, their friend Sylvia Brodsky and, of course, Pierre Louis Auguste, Arabella’s French bulldog. Sweet Nothings is holding a trunk show at the home of socialite Deirdre Porter when one of the women takes ill and subsequently dies. Tests reveal she was killed by a poison flower used to decorate cupcakes served at the event. It’s a mystery where the past ends up affecting the present! I’ve always wanted to write a story like that.

2. Where did you come up with the idea for this series?
I can’t take the credit. The idea comes from my brilliant editor at Berkley Prime Crime. I was hired to write the series based on her concept. She had a big hand in plotting the first book in the series, but this one is all my own as are a lot of the characters.

3. Have you always loved mysteries?
Yes! Ever since I discovered Nancy Drew as a kid. I started plotting out my first mystery when I was seven years old. I even found the perfect place to bury a body.

4. Are any of your characters based on people that you know?

No. Although my mother is convinced she’s in every book I write!

5. What are you working on now?
I’m taking a bit of a break after writing six books in less than three years! I’m waiting for revisions for books #3 in the Gourmet series and the Lingerie series. I’m also waiting to find out if either series is going to be continued. Meanwhile, I have another proposal in the works, and I’m thinking about a short story to bridge the gap between Gourmet books #2 and #3.

6. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Don’t give up! If you really, really want it, don’t quit! I had 400 rejections on three projects that I was circulating within a two year period (mostly agents) and then finally I go a break. But I had two other agents before this, and I’ve been really serious about getting published (as opposed to “dreaming” about it) for 15 years.

Thank you so much for being here on Books-n-Kisses. 🙂
Thank you for having me here today at Books-n-Kisses! I love hearing from readers so stop by my web site www.pegcochran.com and/or www.meglondon.com.

About the Author:

Peg grew up in a New Jersey suburb about 25 miles outside of New York City. After college, she moved to the city where she managed an art gallery owned by the son of the artist Henri Matisse. When her first daughter, Francesca, arrive, the new family moved back to the New Jersey suburbs where her second daughter, Annabelle, was born.

After her husband died, Peg remarried and her new husband took a job in Grand Rapids, Michigan where they now live (on exile from New Jersey, she likes to joke). Peg managed to segue from the art world to marketing and is now the manager of marketing communications for a company that provides services to seniors.

Her greatest love though as always been writing – particularly mysteries! She has two cozy mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime: The Gourmet De-Lite series set in Connecticut and featuring Gigi Fitzgerald, who provides gourmet diet meals to a select group of clients, and the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie series, written as Meg London, set in Paris, Tennessee with Emma Taylor who finds murder and mayhem in this quiet country town.

As for pets – she has a schizophrenic cat (really!) named Frazzle and a Westhighland White Terrier, Reggie, who is desperately in need of losing a few pounds. But you know what they say: If your dog is overweight, it means YOU aren’t getting enough exercise!

When she’s not writing, Peg can usually be found cooking, which she loves. When asked to bring a dish to a potluck she invariably opts to bring dessert – partly because she loves making sweet dishes and partly because she and her husband always manage to be late so there’s no point in putting them in charge of appetizers.

Jennifer’s Review of Laced With Poison

TITLE: Laced With Poison

SERIES #: Sweet Nothings Lingerie #2

CHARACTERS: Emma Taylor, Arabella & Sylvia Brodsky

AUTHOR: Meg London

PUBLICATION DATE: 07/02/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: You’re invited to the Sweet Nothings trunk show. See what the shop has to offer, taste some wonderful food, catch up with friends, and solve a murder….

Emma Taylor is happy to be drawing in customers at her aunt Arabella’s lingerie shop, Sweet Nothings, but replacing the store’s broken window is going to cost a small fortune. Hoping to hoist up their sagging profits, Arabella arranges to have a trunk show at the home of a local socialite who will invite all of her friends and take care of the catering. All Emma and Arabella have to do is show up and show off their wares. Seems simple enough….

A gorgeous spread is prepared for the event, including delicious cupcakes topped with edible flowers. But after one of the partygoers takes a bite and winds up dead, the guest list becomes a suspect list. Now Emma must separate facts from idle gossip before the killer gives the cops the slip.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Five Stars

REVIEW: Laced With Poison is the second novel in the Sweet Nothings Lingerie series and this was a very enjoyable mystery for me. Things are starting to look up for Emma Taylor when Sweet Nothings is scheduled to present a trunk lingerie show at Deirdre Porter’s house, which could open up more opportunities for the store. During the festivities, a prominent guest, Jessica Scott, is killed after eating a delicious cupcake that was brought to help cater the event. Now, Emma must use her sleuthing skills to help clear her friend’s name or her cupcake business will be destroyed because of the accusations.

I’m happy to say that this book was a fast-paced mystery with a quirky cast of characters and the right amount of suspense that is bound to entertain any mystery lover. I really enjoyed learning more about Emma and her aunt Arabella, who each have love interests in this story. But my favorite character has to be the snarky yet lovable Sylvia Brodsky, who has more spunk than any other character that I have seen before. The mystery was intriguing and well-written and I had a difficult time figuring out the murderer until their identity was revealed at the very end. I think that this is a great series and I can’t wait to read the next one in the Sweet Nothings series.

June 22, 2013June 24, 2013

Naked Werewolf Trilogy by Molly Harper

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf

Naked Werewolf #1

Northern Exposure Even in Grundy, Alaska, it’s unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham—who has been openly critical of Mo’s ability to adapt to life in Alaska—has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it’s love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he’s worried that he might be the violent canine in question.

If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he’s not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated.

*****

The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf

Naked Werewolf #2

Generations of werewolves have been secretly residing in a secluded valley a stone’s throw from Grundy, Alaska. So when a snooping Outsider comes to Grundy to investigate rumors of lycanthropic shenanigans in the area, the valley’s pack alpha, Maggie Graham, resolves to chase him away, even if doing so takes a quick bite on the butt.

What a pity that researcher Nick Thatcher turns out to be so drool-worthy, and that his kisses make Maggie want to sit up and beg. Maggie just can’t seem to convince Nick to leave . . . and even worse, she can’t convince herself to stay away from him. Cross-species dating is problem enough for a harried alpha female, but on top of that, a rival group of werewolves is trying to move into the valley. With interpack war threatening, Maggie can’t afford to be distracted.

Combining romance and a career can be tough for anyone; for a werewolf in love with a human, it may be disastrous.

*****

How To Run With A Naked Werewolf

Naked Werewolf #3

Coming in December 2013
Caleb Graham is a werewolf by nature, a tracker by profession. He uses his “extra gifts” to find people, and not always in the most legal or ethical manner. He doesn’t care what they’ve done, or who wants them found, as long as his considerable fee is paid. He likes his life simple and uncomplicated.

Anna Moder, former physician to Caleb’s pack, happens across Caleb during a particularly violent “negotiation” that has left him bloodied and unconscious. She helps him, despite the fact that he’s cost her a car, so he insists that she stay with him on the road for a while. As they grow closer, Anna looks past the gruff exterior and and the questionable job to thoroughly decent werewolf underneath.

Anna – who is careful to edit her involvement with Caleb’s pack from their conversations – doesn’t talk about why a nice girl wants to live in the middle of frozen nowhere, but she’s obviously on the run from something. When Anna’s past collides with Caleb’s current assignment from one of his sleazier contacts, Caleb finally has to make a choice—protect his job…or his potential mate?

June 20, 2013June 19, 2013

Blog Tour Review of Read and Buried by Erika Chase

I’m happy to be hosting Erika Chase today to review her new book in the Ashton Corners Book Club series, Read and Buried. Her first book, A Killer Read, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel last year.

A Killer Read, is the first in the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime.

Reading specialist and mystery book lover Lizzie Turner was excited for the first meeting of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society hosted in Molly Mathew’s old Southern mansion. But she didn’t expect the gathering to become the scene of an actual murder. A stranger has been shot–and nobody knows who the victim is, or how Molly’s antique gun came to be used as the murder weapon.

As the plot becomes all too real, the police chief–Lizzie’s former high school crush–steps in to investigate. Then Lizzie begins finding mysterious manuscript chapters in her mailbox, and Molly surfaces as the next name on the killer’s list.

About the Author:

Erika writes the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries for Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime. In a parallel life Erika Chase is also known as Linda Wiken. A former mystery bookstore owner (Prime Crime Books in Ottawa, ON, Canada), Linda is also a short story writer. She is a member of those dangerous dames, The Ladies’ Killing Circle.

Her short stories have appeared in the seven Ladies’ Killing Circle anthologies (three of which she co-edited), and in the magazines Mysterious Intent and Over My Dead Body. She has been short-listed for an Arthur Ellis Award, Best Short Story, from Crime Writers of Canada.

Before life in the world of mystery, she worked as an advertising copywriter, radio producer, journalist and community education worker. Besides writing and reading mysteries, her other passion is choral singing and she is a member of two choirs.

She shares her house with Keesha and Mojo, her two Siamese cats. Actually, they allow her to live there.

Connect with Erika Chase: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Jennifer’s Review of Read and Buried

TITLE: Read and Buried

SERIES #: Ashton Corners Book Club #2

CHARACTERS: Lizzie Turner, Molly Mathews

AUTHOR: Erika Chase

PUBLICATION DATE: 12/4/12

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Hosting an award-winning novelist is quite a Christmas coup for the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society. But when he’s murdered in Lizzie Turner’s house, she’s got a holiday homicide on her hands.

For their very first guest author event, most of the book club members can’t wait to pull out all the stops in Southern hospitality. But for Lizzie, Derek Alton is nothing but trouble–from his massive ego to his smarmy moves. When he’s found murdered in her living room, it seems someone decided that this womanizing writer would be better off dead than read.

After suspicion falls on Lizzie’s friend, she and her fellow book club members discover that Derek wasn’t who he pretended to be. Cracking this case means going up against Lizzie’s boyfriend, police chief Mark Dreyfus, and unearthing a novel’s worth of nasty secrets. And as they get closer to uncovering Derek’s scandalous final manuscript, someone hiding in plain sight is out to write finis to Lizzie’s sleuthing for good….

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: I was very impressed with Erika’s first book, A Killer Read, and I’m glad to say that her new novel is more entertaining than her first. The book starts out with Lizzie going to the local bookstore and meeting author, Derek Alton, whom she invites to speak at the next book club meeting. Derek is a very charming guy at first but that quickly changes as he becomes an egotistical jerk who makes one too many romantic passes at Lizzie. The next day, he turns up at Lizzie’s house unannounced and ends up being shot in the middle of her living room. Lizzie and the other members of her book club start investigating Derek’s death and find that things aren’t what they seem while there is a killer still out on the loose, looking to stop anyone from finding out the truth about Derek Alton.

One of the things that I love about this book is the characters, especially Lizzie Turner. She is a very sweet character with a good heart and a love of mystery books. I felt that I really connected with her in this book and I loved how she was always helping others as a reading specialist. The mystery was well-written and I had trouble figuring out the killer until the very end. There is also a list of mystery books that each character recommends at the end of the book that has me wanting to make a run to my local bookstore. Read and Buried is a charming mystery that will keep you entertained and wanting to read more from this fabulous author.

June 13, 2013June 12, 2013

Peg Cochran Blog Tour Interview and Review

I am excited for Peg Cochran to be here today to promote her new book, Steamed to Death, the second novel in her Gourmet De-Lite mystery series. She has been kind enough to answer a few questions for us today.

1. When you’re not writing or editing your own books, what authors or genres do you like to read?

I love mystery and suspense (as long as it’s not too gory). Some favorite authors include Deborah Crombie, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Peter Robinson, PD James.

2. What’s your favorite thing about being a author?

I get to make stuff up! I love dreaming up characters and disappearing into the world I’ve created. It’s the most fun I can think of—except when it’s not—like when you’re stuck in the middle of the book—the hardest part to write. But I always manage to dig myself out.

3. What would you tell new readers to your series about your series, to inspire them to pick them up?

My daughter is in college and I need the money for tuition? Seriously, someone left a review on Amazon that said I really took the time to develop the characters and the mystery. And that is what I try to do—create characters that become your best friends. If you like a small town setting, with plenty of food and cooking thrown in, I think you would like the series.

4. Are the recipes from your books your own tried and true recipes? Do you have a favorite recipe?

They’re recipes I have adapted to be lower calorie and lower fat by making substitutions. Then, I usually have to add a little something…or leave out something we don’t like. Next thing you know, I’ve created an entirely new dish! But hubby had a quintuple bypass last summer, so I have to make sure we eat healthy things. As to a favorite, there are the ones I make over and over—lower fat shepherd’s pie, a smoky chipotle chili (recipe coming in Steamed to Death!), chicken tortilla soup (recipe is in Allergic to Death).

5. Are any of your characters inspired by family or friends?

No. Although my mother is convinced she’s in every book I write.

6. What are you currently reading?

I just finished Gone Girl and was blown away by it. I would love to be able to write like that! I also just finished Laura Lippman’s newest…I’m so bad I never remember titles, but I think it was When She Was Good.

Thank you so much for being here today and I can’t wait to read more from this mystery series.

About the Author:

Peg grew up in a New Jersey suburb about 25 miles outside of New York City. After college, she moved to the city where she managed an art gallery owned by the son of the artist Henri Matisse. When her first daughter, Francesca, arrived, the new family moved back to the New Jersey suburbs where her second daughter, Annabelle, was born.

Her greatest love though has always been writing – particularly mysteries! She has two cozy mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime: The Gourmet De-Lite series set in Connecticut and featuring Gigi Fitzgerald, who provides gourmet diet meals to a select group of clients and the Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie series, written as Meg London, set in Paris, Tennessee with Emma Taylor who finds murder and mayhem in this quiet country town.

Connect with Peg Cochran: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Steamed to Death

TITLE: Steamed to Death

SERIES #: A Gourmet De-Lite Mystery #2

CHARACTERS: Gigi Fitzgerald, Sienna, Detective Mertz

AUTHOR: Peg Cochran

PUBLICATION DATE: 06/04/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Gourmet health food caterer Gigi Fitzgerald is used to helping dieters drop a dress size. But when her clients start dropping dead, she’s ready to switch her chef’s hat for a detective’s cap and track down a killer….

Aging soap star Felicity Davenport is looking to revamp her image, and she’s using Gigi’s Gourmet De-Lite to help her shed a few of those unwanted pounds. Having such a high-profile client is definitely good for business, but when Felicity is found murdered in her sauna, things start getting too hot for Gigi to handle.

The list of suspects is a mile long, and Gigi’s best friend, Sienna, is at the top. Refusing to let her friend get blamed for a crime she didn’t commit, Gigi is determined to hunt down the real killer. But, as the case reaches a boiling point, Gigi will have to be careful or she could be the next one getting burned.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: I really enjoyed Peg’s first novel, Allergic to Death, so I was excited to read more about Gigi and her booming gourmet catering business. In this book, Gigi’s main customer is a daytime soap star looking to make a comeback and hires Gigi to provide all her meals when tragedy strikes. Felicity is found dead in her sauna and Sienna, Gigi’s best friend, is the prime suspect. Sienna is also several months pregnant and has been helping Felicity with her publicity, so Gigi is desperate to determine the true culprit before Sienna is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit.

Steamed to Death is a very cute mystery and I love the quirky cast of characters in this one. Gigi finally has a possible love interest in this story with the handsome Detective Mertz and the new restaurant owner, Declan McQuaid. This book has the right dash of mystery, humor and romance that will have you entertained until the very last sentence. I loved the recipes and everyone knows that I’m a big fan of books that deal with the culinary world. Steamed to Death is the perfect recipe for a lazy afternoon and I can’t wait to read more about Gigi and the residents of Woodstone, Connecticut.

June 10, 2013June 10, 2013

Guest Blog Review and Giveaway with Kate Carlisle

I am so excited for Kate Carlisle to be here today to promote her new book, A Cookbook Conspiracy, and to talk a little bit about history which fits perfectly with her wonderful new release.

Fascinating Small Stories of History

By Kate Carlisle, Author of A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY

I remember dreading History class in high school. Okay, yes, the teacher had greasy hair and a belly that hung out beneath the bottom of his shirt, but I could’ve gotten past that. Ew, but yeah, I could’ve dealt with the belly-bottom. No, what I dreaded was the subject matter–memorizing dates and names which, to my unformed teenage mind, had no context in my life.

What I didn’t get then is that history is collection of infinite stories – and I love stories! Seriously, I’m a writer. I’m all about stories.

Don’t blame history teachers. They have an impossible job – condense a thousand years into nine months of study – minus Spring Break, Christmas, sick days…They’re trying desperately to imbue students with a big picture view of the world. They do what they can to make it real, but kids that age have a tough time connecting with their parents, much less ancestors ten generations removed.

But when history becomes one person’s story, when it becomes personal, our collective imagination is engaged. And for me, while kings and presidents, pharaohs and fuehrers, are interesting in a train-wreck kind of way, I’m much more fascinated by a glimpse into the life of an ordinary person.

Some of the Most Fascinating Ordinary People in History

Lucy – Lucy lived over three million years ago, and her bones were discovered in 1974. That alone makes her fascinating. I include Lucy in the category of “people” because although she wasn’t human, scientists believe she’s an ancestor of humans. How freaking cool is that?!

Anne Frank – I don’t know if boys had this experience, but every girl I know connected deeply with Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl in hiding from the Nazis during World War II. At one time or another, we’ve all kept diaries. We’ve all had a crush on the cute neighbor boy. Until I read the end of the book, I had no idea that Anne didn’t survive the war. I cried as though I’d lost a dear friend. Anne brought the horrors of war and prejudice home to me in a way that no textbook ever could.

Obedience Green – Oh, you’ve never heard of Obedience Green? That’s because I made her up as a way to bring history to life in A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY, my latest Bibliophile Mystery. Bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright has been asked to restore the handwritten cookbook-cum-diary of Obedience, an indentured servant who lived in America during the Revolutionary War. Obedience kept painstaking notes about her life in the New World, the British general she served, and the recipes she learned.

When Brooklyn is asked to restore the 230-year-old book, she immediately recognizes it as a priceless treasure. Valuable enough to kill for? Or could its owner’s murder have something to do with the Revolutionary War secret code buried in the text?

If your body and present surroundings were frozen in time, what would the future archaeologists who discover you learn about the life of an ordinary person in 2013?

About the Author:

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. Find Kate online at www.katecarlisle.com.

Jennifer’s Review of A Cookbook Conspiracy

TITLE: A Cookbook Conspiracy

SERIES #: Bibliophile Mysteries #7

CHARACTERS: Brooklyn Wainwright, Savannah & Derek

AUTHOR: Kate Carlisle

PUBLICATION DATE: 06/04/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: It’s a recipe for disaster when bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright is asked to restore an antique cookbook…..

Brooklyn has always been a little obsessed with food, but it was her sister Savannah who became a chef, graduating from the prestigious Cordon Bleu school in Paris. She and her classmates all went on to successful careers, but none of them achieved culinary superstardom like Savannah’s ex-boyfriend Baxter Cromwell.

When Baxter invites the old gang to participate in his new restaurant’s gala opening in San Francisco, Savannah looks forward to seeing her friends, and even asks Brooklyn to restore a tattered cookbook–an old gift from Baxter–as a present for him. But Brooklyn immediately recognizes that the book, which has strange notes and symbols scrawled in the margins, is at least two hundred years old. She thinks that it probably belongs in a museum, but Savannah insists on returning it to Baxter.

Shortly after receiving the gift, Baxter is found dead, with Savannah kneeling over him, bloody knife in hand, and the rare cookbook has disappeared. Brooklyn knows her sister didn’t kill him, and she suspects the missing cookbook might lead to the real villain. Now Brooklyn will have to turn up the head on the investigation before Chef Savannah finds herself slinging hash in a prison cafeteria.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Five Stars

REVIEW: A Cookbook Conspiracy is the seventh book in the Bibliophile mysteries and I enjoyed every minute of this story. Brooklyn’s sister, Savannah, is in town to celebrate the opening of a new restaurant by her ex-boyfriend, Baxter Cromwell, where the opening festivities include the cuisine of her old Cordon Bleu classmates. When Baxter is found dead later that evening and Savannah is holding the murder weapon, Brooklyn will do everything she can to find the real killer and possibly put herself in the killer’s path to prevent her sister from going to jail.

I love Kate Carlisle’s mysteries because they are always fast-paced with smart dialogue and a heroine that you can’t help but adore. I think this book is one of my favorites in the series because I love books that deal with the culinary world as well as learning a little bit about history. I enjoyed seeing more of Brooklyn and Derek’s relationship as well as learning more about Savannah and Derek’s brother, Dalton, who has come to decipher the code embedded in Obedience Green’s cookbook. The mystery will have you guessing up until the very end of the book and I had a hard time trying to figure out who the actual killer was. Kate Carlisle’s Bibliophile mysteries are wonderfully well-written with vibrant characters and engaging mysteries that will have you wondering where the time went once you start reading one of her books.

GIVEAWAY

Kate has been gracious enough to offer one of our readers a hardback copy of her fabulous new release, A Cookbook Conspiracy.
a Rafflecopter giveaway