Blog Tour & Review: A BODY IN THE ATTIC : A Body in Mystery by Judi Lynn

About the Book:

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

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

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

Review:

Jazzi, Jerod and Ansel are a great team - reconstructing homes to flip them or buy for themselves. Cal Juniper's home is beautiful but renters and the nephews who inherited didn't take care of it, not to mention a lot of missing antiques and art. They work well together despite the skeleton and the detective who keeps asking Jazzi to help him - people like her and open up to her. The best character though is grandma who isn't always lucid but knows more than is good for her. There are lots of suspects for Lynda's murder and things get complicated - all seemingly connected to the decades old crime. 

This is well-written, well-paced, and a good break. Lynn has captured the dysfunctional sides of some families and people, as well as the potential for happiness. I hope we see a lot more of Jazzi and her family in the future. Like mystery, romance, and great characters? You'll like this one.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

About the Author:

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

Readers can visit her website at www.judithpostswritingmusings.com and her blog writingmusings.com.

Purchase Links:
Amazon B&N Kobo

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

November 26 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf - AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 26 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW
November 27 – Mallory Heart's Cozies – REVIEW
November 27 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
November 27 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
November 28 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW
November 28 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
November 29 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
November 30 – Varietats - REVIEW, GUEST POST
November 30 – Here's How It Happened - REVIEW
December 1 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST*
December 1 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 2 – Laura's Interests – SPOTLIGHT
December 2 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
December 3 – Moonlight Rendezvous - REVIEW, GUEST POST
December 3 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
December 4 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW
December 4 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
December 5 – The Avid Reader REVIEW
December 5 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Thanksgiving Rambling

This is the time of the year to reflect on the good things in life - something that often is difficult to do. Whether in America, on Thanksgiving, or elsewhere, remembering what we can be thankful for - or as the song goes "Counting our blessings" (yup, getting in the holiday mood here!) is always uplifting.

I am thankful for my husband who supports me in all my craziness and stressful times, for my sisters and brother, and my extended family. I'm thankful for the "children" I gained when I married my husband, and three grand-daughters we get to spoil and who make us laugh on a regular basis. Never would have gone to see "Frozen" on ice without them. 

Relatively new to the writing thing, I'm very thankful to the many people in various groups who offer support, suggestions, and constructive feedback. And, of course to my friends who may not read my books, but ask about my writing and support my efforts. Finally to all my readers - thank you for the good words and feedback. 

Whether you celebrate this American holiday or not, remember to be thankful for every kindness and to be kind.

Blog Tour and Book Review: KILL A LOT : An Ivy Meadows Mystery by Cindy Brown

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review

Ivy Meadows, part time PI and would be actress is in her element and out of her element at the same time. A renaissance festival is a world all its own and a jouster has been killed, an acquaintance - Riley - accused of the murder. Then there is the illusive and quite famous Thomas Roberts accepts her bid to play Marilyn in his newest play. The hitch?  Matt has just suggested they take the next step and live together. Love or acting career? And what about Uncle Bob?

If you've ever been to a Renaissance Festival, you will be able to relate to the sights and sounds Ivy is exposed to and, as she goes undercover as a mime belly dancer, the fine distinction between bawdy and crude at the Ren. This is a fun mystery, in a unique setting, with interesting characters. To add to the mystery, it appears that Angus, the deceased, is not particularly a popular fellow - in fact, nobody seems to miss him or mourn his passing in the least. 
I've been to a Ren fest and had to chuckle at Ivy's descriptions - right on. The pace is steady and the personal tension adds to the story rather than detracts. If you like a cozy mystery, this is a good one.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Books in the Ivy Meadows Humorous Mystery Series:

MACDEATH (#1)

THE SOUND OF MURDER (#2)

OLIVER TWISTED (#3)

IVY GET YOUR GUN (#4)

The Phantom of Oz (#5)

KILLALOT (#6)

About the Author

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

Website & Blog: www.cindybrownwriter.com

Twitter handle: @friendlybrown

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cindy-Brown-author/288210721356802?ref=hl

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 14 – Mallory Heart's Cozies – REVIEW

November 14 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 15 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW

November 15 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

November 16 – The Editing Pen – REVIEW

November 16 – StoreyBook Reviews - CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 17 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

November 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

November 19 – Brooke Blogs - SPOTLIGHT, Renaissance Recipe

November 20 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 20 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf- SPOTLIGHT

November 21 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

November 21 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW

Blog Tour & Review: UNCLE AND ANTS A Silicon Valley Mystery by Marc Jedel

Synopsis

Mysterious attacks. Mischievous nieces. Can a clueless uncle catch a tech-savvy killer … and be home before bedtime?

When a freak accident hospitalizes Marty Golden’s sister and condemns him to babysitter duty, he thinks it’s just another case of hardwired bad luck in Silicon Valley. Until a suspicious murder suggests the mishap was no mere coincidence. Something must be done.

Too bad this quirky, fashion-backward uncle isn’t exactly hero material.

Convinced his sister is in mortal danger, this amateur sleuth follows clues to an oddball array of suspects. Armed with nothing but an eye for detail and powers of self-delusion, Marty tangles with gangsters, a cantankerous school secretary, and a perplexing woman he can’t help but fall for. Glitches in his investigation seem like a piece of cake compared to dinner-prep and bedtime stories with his two precocious, pre-teen nieces.

Can Marty catch the culprit, save his sister, and get his life back in order before he gets unplugged?

Uncle and Ants is the first novel in a refreshingly modern mystery series set in Silicon Valley. If you like clever humor, sassy side characters, and average Joes facing extraordinary circumstances, then you’ll love this twisty mystery.

Buy Uncle and Ants to login to a fresh, funny mystery today!

Review

In this first in series, the main character, Marty,bumbles a bit with real problems and family challenges. On the plus side, he is able to use humor, sometimes silly, to get him through. And sometimes, he gets through by sheer luck.  He never planned on being an amateur sleuth, but he's determine to to find out who killed his sister.

With Uncle and Ants, Jedel manages to intertwine humor with the sometimes obtuse techie environ of the Silicon valley. Marty isn't the typical hero and the villain isn't the obvious perp. With humor and bumbling, the story has unique twists and a steady pace. If you're looking for something different in a cozy mystery, you'll want to keep your eye on this new series.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

About the Author

In my family, I was born first — a fact my sister never lets me forget, no matter what milestone age she hits.

For most of my life, I've been inventing stories. Some, especially when I was young, involved my sister as the villain. As my sister's brother for her entire life, I'm highly qualified to tell the tale of the evolving, quirky sibling relationship in Uncle and Ants: A Silicon Valley Mystery.

My writing skills were honed in years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley. While my high-tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, we called these marketing collateral, emails, and ads.

My family and friends would tell you that Marty's character isn't much of a stretch of the imagination for me, but I proudly resemble that remark.

Author Links - Website - http://www.marcjedel.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarcJedel.Author

Purchase Link
Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 5 – Mallory Heart's Cozies – REVIEW

November 6 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST

November 6 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 7 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

November 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

November 8 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 9 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 10 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 10 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST

November 11 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

November 12 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

November 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

November 15 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 16 – Jane Reads - REVIEW, GUEST POST

November 17 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

Blog Tour & Review: PAST CRIMES by Lauren Carr

Synopsis

It’s a bittersweet reunion for Mac Faraday when members of his former homicide squad arrive at the Spencer Inn. While it is sweet to attend the wedding of a late colleague’s daughter, it is a bitter reminder that the mother of the bride had been the victim of a double homicide.

The brutal slaying weighing heavy on his mind, Mac is anxious to explore every avenue for a break in the cold case—even a suggestion from disgraced former detective Louis Gannon that one of their former friends is the killer.

When the investigator is brutally slain, Mac Faraday rips open the cold case with a ruthless determination to reveal which of his friends is a cold-blooded murderer.

Review

The little girl he made a promise to so many years ago is getting married and Mac hopes to finally fulfill his promise.  His half brother David is dealing with another crisis, and trying to support Mac at the same time. There are lots of suspects, all of them with means, and many with motive. The problem facing Mac is that the body count rises, and along with that the tension and need to identify the killer or killers before more people are killed.

The pace is quick and the tension is palpable. There's the usual crew, headed by Mac, Archie, David, and Gnarly, along with all the guests for the wedding. Although this is part of a series, there is enough information for both the returning characters and the new characters to guess at who the killer is, but be prepared to be wrong. This is a great series and Carr continues to weave a great tale with unique characters. 

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

​Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

​Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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Blog Tour and Review: A DIFFERENT KIND OF REUNION (A Gilda Greco Mystery) by Joanne Guidoccio

About the Book

While not usually a big deal, one overlooked email would haunt teacher Gilda Greco. Had she read it, former student Sarah McHenry might still be alive.

Suspecting foul play, Constable Leo Mulligan plays on Gilda’s guilt and persuades her to participate in a séance facilitated by one of Canada’s best-known psychics. Six former students also agree to participate. At first cooperative and willing, their camaraderie is short-lived as old grudges and rivalries emerge. The séance is a bust.

Determined to solve Sarah’s murder, Gilda launches her own investigation and uncovers shocking revelations that could put several lives—including her own—in danger. Can Gilda and the psychic solve this case before the killer strikes again?

Review

This was a fun read as Gilda returns to the small town where she spent 7 months teaching and impacted on the lives of at least a small group of them. Several years later, she is contacted by Sarah, who is then found dead. The flirty Constable believes she died at the hand of one of the others in that group. He asks Gilda to come and has Cassandra, one of the other students Gilda taught, to help using her psychic powers.

This was well-written and had a quick pace. The discussion of alpha and beta men (and women) was interesting as was the reflection on how individuals change from 8th grade to adulthood. The killer was not obvious, though the conclusion made sense. I enjoy reading this series and Gilda and each can be read as a stand alone mystery. If you enjoy a cozy mystery, with only a slight paranormal bent, you'll enjoy this one. 

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

About the Author

In 2008, Joanne Guidoccio took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews have been published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes cozy mysteries, paranormal romance, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Where to find Joanne...

Website: http://joanneguidoccio.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio

Buy links:

Amazon (Canada)  Amazon (United States)    Kobo   Indigo   Barnes & Noble    iTunes   The Wild Rose Press

a Rafflecopter giveaway


TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 30 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

October 29 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 29 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

October 31 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 1 - Mallory Heart's Cozies - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 1 - My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT

November 2 - Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 2 - Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

November 2 – Rosepoint Publishing – SPOTLIGHT

November 3 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

November 3 – Varietats – REVIEW  

November 4 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 5 – Island Confidential – GUEST POST

November 5 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

November 6 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST

November 7 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 8 – Laura's Interests – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 8 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

November 9 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 10 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 11 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

BlogTour THREAD HERRINGS : A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery #7 by Lea Wait

Synopsis

Angie’s first auction may turn out to be her last—when she bids on a coat of arms that someone would literally kill to possess . . .

Tagging along to an estate sale with her fellow Needlepointer, antiques shop owner Sarah Byrne, Angie Curtis impulsively bids on a tattered embroidery of a coat of arms. When she gets her prize back home to Haven Harbor, she discovers a document from 1757 behind the framed needlework—a claim for a child from a foundling hospital. Intrigued, Angie is determined to find the common thread between the child and the coat of arms.

Accepting her reporter friend Clem Walker’s invitation to talk about her find on the local TV news, Angie makes an appeal to anyone who might have information. Instead, both women receive death threats. When Clem is found shot to death in a parking lot, Angie fears her own life may be in jeopardy. She has to unravel this historical mystery—or she may be the next one going, going . . . gone . . .

Review

Angie's first experience at an auction has led her down an interesting path. The burning question remains why the issue with something dating back to 1757. Her friends and grandmother and Tom all become involved. Mainely Needlepoint in Haven Harbor is now the focus of someone who has already killed once. Angie is afraid, not only for herself, but for her friends and family. 

The story is well-paced and the relationships for Angie highlighted, sometimes with a sense of despair. The tension Angie feels and her fears come through, as well as Patrick's hope to protect her. There's a bit of history woven in, romance for Angie and Patrick, as well as for Sara, and the mystery to be solved. This is the seventh in the series, but my first. It can easily be read as a stand-alone. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, you'll enjoy this one, and likely the whole series.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Read an excerpt:

Other prospective bidders were standing near me, waiting for me to move on. A middle-aged woman with short brown hair highlighted with blond took my place next to the coat of arms.

“What about the samplers?” she said to the bearded man with her.

He shook his head. “Just old stuff. Where would you hang them? I’d rather we used our share of the money to buy some good mahogany furniture, or maybe a gold-framed mirror.”

“Josie’s going to want the dining room table and chairs,” she answered. “She’s always wanted them. We don’t want to try to outbid her on those. What about Grandmother’s wedding ring china?”

“I don’t care about china. You can’t put that old stuff in the dishwasher anyway. What about the clock?” He pointed at a grandfather’s clock nearby.

“It never kept the right time. Drove me crazy.”

They moved on.

I didn’t know who they were, but they must be connected to one of the families who’d owned these furnishings. If they, or Josie, whoever she was, had wanted them, why were they being auctioned off?

A small mystery, but not one that concerned me.

I walked past several water-colored seascapes, a large oil portrait of a ringleted little girl in a blue dress holding a doll by its arm, and several framed World War I posters.

Three men were looking through a box of pictures—prints?—in a corner.

Who’d owned all these things? The parents or grandparents of that woman I’d heard talking about “Grandmother’s china”?

Once, each of these things now lined up to be sold had been chosen, had taken its place in a household, valued, and thought of with sentiment. Now, sadly, they were filling spaces in a large auction-house showroom, destined for antique shops, and, I hoped, for other homes where they’d be valued.

I almost laughed at myself for being so sentimental.

These were things, not people.
Excerpt from THREAD HERRINGS by Lea Wait. Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved.

Purchase Links  Amazon – B&N – Kobo

About the Author

Lea Wait lives on the coast of Maine. A fourth-generation antique dealer and the author of the Agatha-nominated Antique Print Mystery series, she loves all things antiques and Maine. She also writes historical novels for young people set in (where else?) nineteenth-century Maine. Visit her at leawait.com.

Follow Lea on Facebook and GoodReads

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 1 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

November 1 – Cozy Up With Kathy -SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 2 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT

November 2 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW

November 3 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

November 3 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW

November 3 – Mysteries with Character – SPOTLIGHT

November 4 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, EXCERPT

November 5 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 5 – The Montana Bookaholic – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 6 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

November 6 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

November 7 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

November 8 – My Reading Journey – REVIEW, EXCERPT

November 8 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 9 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 9 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

November 10 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

November 10 – Handcrafted Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 11 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

November 12 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW

November 13 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 13 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW

November 14 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW 

Blog Tour for THE SECLUDED VILLAGE MURDERS by Shelly Frome : Guest Post and Guest Review

It's my pleasure to welcome Shelly Frome, author of the SECLUDED VILLAGE MURDERS as my guest today:

Guest Post: The catalyst by Shelly Frome

A noted creative writing guru from the Heartland had a favorite guideline: “If some unfinished business haunts you and won’t let go, transcribe it into a fictional question, people it with characters who are bound to clash, and keep going until the smoke clears.” 

In this particular case, for my cozy mystery “The Secluded Village Murders” instead of the same old, same old British village mystery hermetically sealed by the stereotypical eccentric characters and the village snoop or inspector, I was intrigued by opening it all up, crossing both sides of the pond, and employing a spunky fit- and- trim American gal with something personal to resolve. Of course, none of this would have taken place if I’d never gone on a private tour of “Hidden England” with my intrepid late wife, and I wasn’t intimately familiar with two quaint sister villages on our transatlantic travels. 

Moreover, I was upset over the prospect of watching the pristine high meadow—a huge tract of New England land by our property that had remained unspoiled for centuries—ravaged by rapacious developers. In short, compared with my other creative efforts, here was a project that touched me directly and an outcome I was powerless to effect. My only recourse was to send Emily Ryder out there, a purely fictional character, and up the ante in order to possibly gain any meaningful resolution and bring a host of readers into the equation taking the quest far and above my own little concerns. 

Thank you, Shelly for your thoughts and for THE SECLUDED VILLAGE MURDERS. As someone from New England, the catalyst to your story interests me. Unfortunately, I haven't read THE SECLUDED VILLAGE MURDERS. Laura Lee is my guest reviewer today.

The Secluded Village Murders by Shelly Frome, Guest review by Laura Lee 

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, ‘The Secluded Village Murders’ by Shelly Frome is a great one. Emily Rider sees her friend/mentor, Chris fall off of a roof and die. The police deem it an accident but Emily thinks it is murder. Emily is determined to prove it was murder. Chris was actively working to block the building of a new complex so the development company becomes a suspect on Emily’s list. ‘The Secluded Village Murders’ reads a lot like a British sleuth Novel, filled with British humor. The plot was well thought out and there were lots of twists that keep the reader guessing. The characters were quite quirky which I always love. The back drop of the small community in Connecticut and the English countryside were well written. The story did jump around quite a bit which made it hard to follow at times but for the reader patient enough to hang in, there are a lot of payoffs. This is the first book I have read by Shelly Frome but it certainly won’t be the last. I also hope this won’t be the last we hear from the character Emily Rider! She is a fun, intelligent amateur sleuth! I give ‘The Secluded Village Murders’ 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis (from Amazon)

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

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

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

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

AMAZON