Saturday, October 31, 2020

Blog Tour and Spotlight: BROADCAST 4 MURDER A Sophie Kimball Mystery by J C Eaton


Synopsis

All of Arizona’s Sun City West heard Sophie “Phee” Kimball’s mom scream bloody murder, but it’s up to the reluctant sleuth to find the killer . . .

Phee’s mother Harriet is going to be a star! At least, that’s how the Sun City West retiree describes her chance to host a live radio program of her book club’s Booked 4 Murder Mystery Hour on Arizona’s KSCW. But instead of chatting about charming cozies, Harriet ends up screaming bloody murder over the airwaves after discovering the body of Howard Buell, the station’s programming director, in a closet—with a pair of sewing shears shoved into his chest.

The number one suspect is Howard’s ex-girlfriend Sylvia Strattlemeyer who believed she was going to host a sewing talk show before Harriet was offered the spot. But not only do the fingerprints found on the scissors not match Sylvia’s, they belong to a woman who passed away twenty years ago at the age of ninety-seven. Now, with the whole town on pins and needles, it’s up to Phee to stitch together enough clues from the past to uncover the identity of a killer in the present . . .

About the Author


J.C. Eaton is the wife and husband team of Ann I. Goldfarb and James E. Clapp, authors of the Sophie Kimball Mystery Series and the Wine Trail Mysteries. A New York native and former middle school principal, Ann has published eight award-winning and highly acclaimed YA time travel mysteries. James is a U.S. Navy veteran and retired tasting room manager for a large upscale New York winery. Visit their Website at JCEatonMysteries.com. [This text refers to the mass_market edition.


Author Links

Purchase Links 

AmazonB&NKoboGoogle PlayIndieBound 

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Book Review: WHISKEY LULLABY An Addison Holmes Mystery by Liliana Hart

 Synopsis

Addison Holmes has her hands full. Marriage changes a woman, and pregnancy hormones are no joke. But despite her promise to retire from dangerous P.I. work, she has no choice but to take this case.


Twenty years ago, her father and his partner cracked the case of their careers. But it was all a set up. They sent the wrong men to prison, and now it's time for the real culprits to tie up loose ends. Her father is dead, but his partner, who happens to be her mom's new husband, is very much alive. At least for the time being.

Discovering the truth is no easy task, but saving her father's legacy and her step-father's life is her top priority. Because family means everything.

Review

Addison is supposed to be getting married, with not such fond memories of the last time she was supposed to get married. Her BFF, Rosemarie, and FBI agent Matt Savage, aren't helping. And then there's Aunt Scarlett. The characters are likable and the twists and turns are punctuated with laugh out loud moments. I have to admit I was (am) a bit suspicious when it comes to Savage and his agenda. He needs to find someone else. This is a fun series. Although this is part of a series, the mystery is a stand alone, though many characters are old friends from previous books. Always best to start a series at the beginning. Read the others in the series? You'll enjoy this one. 

AMAZON

Monday, October 26, 2020

Blog Tour Book Blast ON THE RUN by Traci Hunter Abramson

October 27, 2020 Book Blast

Synopsis:

On the Run by Traci Hunter Abramson

As one of the top investigative journalists in the nation, Elle Jameson has a knack for uncovering the truth. So when a promising lead points to corruption on a German military base, Elle anticipates a straightforward assignment. But then she stumbles upon a deadly conspiracy beyond anything she’s faced before, and her scrutiny does not go unnoticed. She knows too much, and she can’t be allowed to live. With no idea where to turn for help, she does the only thing she can: she runs.

The guardians, an elite team of undercover agents, have one job: safeguard those under their protection. As a new guardian, Nolan has just received his first solo assignment to help a young woman who just survived an assassination attempt. Within minutes of making contact with the beautiful journalist, however, their location is discovered. Thus begins a game of cat and mouse spanning the globe as the two work to stay ahead of a determined assassin. Nolan fights to buy Elle time to complete her investigation, and what she discovers is a plot that threatens the very fabric of America. In a desperate race against evil, Nolan and Elle are the only ones who can prevent global catastrophe.

Book Details:

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Covenant Communications
Publication Date: October 2020
Number of Pages: 296
ISBN: 9781524412487
Series:Guardian #4
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Elle weaved her way through the Saturday crowd at the street market, listening to the various conversations flowing around her. Since arriving in Germany three weeks ago, she had looked forward to exploring the local scenery and visiting the cities near her new assignment. If only today she had time to enjoy the environment . . . and the shops.

A brisk wind whipped through Elle’s long, blonde hair. A few autumn leaves drifted onto the sidewalk. She tugged her overcoat tighter around her, then stuffed her hands in her pockets to protect them against the chill, not bothering to put her gloves on.

She passed various customers, picking up on snippets of their conversations.

Two women discussed what kind of fish to buy for dinner, and an older couple looked over a variety of apples at the fruit stand. At the neighboring booth, a handful of tourists chatted in English as they debated whether some glassware would make it safely home to Canada.

Elle wished she could worry about such trivialities, but she doubted that would happen anytime soon.

Something was wrong with the latest reports on the new drone project. She was sure of it.

When her uncle had sent her undercover as an army lieutenant, she had expected to find some evidence of misappropriation of funds or missing supplies, but uncovering a possible unauthorized access to highly sensitive material lifted her investigative senses to a new level. This wasn’t a story to be written. If her suspicions were right, this was espionage.

For three weeks now, she had set aside her true identity of investigative journalist and had acted under her alias of Lieutenant Elaina Martin to send her suspicions up the chain of command. Unfortunately, no one wanted to listen to a lowly lieutenant in a sea of colonels, especially when that lieutenant was a bean counter. She really needed to talk to her uncle about promoting her the next time he sent her undercover as an officer. Of course, no one would believe she was a colonel at twenty-seven, so she supposed her age was going to handicap her for a while longer.

Her assignment to Germany was supposed to be her opportunity to take a break from high-profile cases for a while, a chance to rest and recover from nearly six months of undercover work in the Middle East.

Unfortunately, her first day on the job, she had stumbled across an anomaly that, despite weeks of research, she still couldn’t explain.

When she tried to discuss the problem with her commanding officer, she had been told the program supervisor had everything under control. Colonel Doyle’s assurances didn’t change the facts. Someone without clearance had accessed the developmental software for the new unmanned aircraft prototype, a prototype that could fly undetected by radar. She didn’t need to be an aeronautical engineer to know that the software in the wrong hands could be deadly.

With no one in her unit taking her concerns seriously, she had reached out to the only person she’d known outside her unit whom she could trust with classified information: her sister Abby.

If Abby couldn’t figure out what was going on, Elle didn’t know who could.

The woman had a knack for seeing what other people missed. Elle should know.

Had it not been for Abby, the theft of weapons at Edwards Air Force Base would have put Elle before a court martial instead of the corporal who had tried to frame her.

The incident had opened Elle’s eyes to what she really wanted to do with her life. Abby had spent her years since college protecting their country by keeping secrets, and Elle wanted to protect their freedoms by revealing the secrets that, when kept, could create their own kind of danger, so she’d been working as an investigative journalist ever since.

Elle reached the designated café and stepped inside. Most of the round tables were occupied, the seats positioned so the customers could look out the wide window and watch the world go by. Deeper inside the restaurant, Abby waited for her at a table in the far corner.

Elle weaved her way past several waiters until she reached her sister. When Abby stood, Elle gave her a hug. “Abby, thanks for meeting me.”

“You said it was important. From what you sent me, I think it is.”

Elle sat beside Abby, then reached into her oversized purse to retrieve a file folder. “I brought you documentation.”

Abby took the folder and opened it in front of her. “What am I looking at?”

“The download logs for the new drone software.”

“And?”

Elle scooted her chair closer and pointed at the area of concern. “According to command, this software is still in the final testing stage. The only people who should be accessing the files are the programmers.”

She tapped on a list of the approved personnel. “Kamile Frost, Dennis Cleveland, and Lance Finney are all listed over here.”

“Then who is this?” Abby asked, pointing to the three access codes used during the night shift.

“That’s what I want to know. Whoever it is only downloads the updates after everyone else is gone for the day.”

“Talk about suspicious.”

“I thought so too.”

A waiter approached with a carafe of water, slices of lemon floating inside.

He filled both of their glasses. “Have you had time to look over the menu?”

Elle opened hers, quickly narrowing the options to what she could eat without triggering her allergies to citrus, tomatoes, and pork. After they both gave their orders and the waiter left, Elle pulled a water bottle from her purse and took a sip.

“I see you still come prepared.”

“Yeah. It’s such a pain that so many restaurants serve their water with lemon.”

Elle didn’t know how Abby had escaped all the food allergies in the family, while Elle appeared to have received a double dose.

Abby sipped her water and tapped her finger on the file folder. “I assume you brought your concerns to the attention of your CO.”

“Colonel Doyle didn’t seem the least bit interested in my concerns.”

“Did he have an explanation?”

“No. He just said the program manager would have said something if there were a problem. Apparently, everyone up the chain of command agrees with Colonel Doyle because no one seems concerned that a top-secret program might have been jeopardized,” Elle said.

“And no one told you who else is accessing it?”

“No. I thought with your resources, you could figure it out.”

“That’s easy enough. When I get back to the office, I’ll look up the access code and see who it belongs to.” Abby lifted her glass and took another long swallow. “I can’t guarantee I can tell you the name.”

“I realize you can’t share classified information, but you would at least be able to tell if this person is cleared on the project.”

“I can do that,” Abby said. “I’m not sure I’ll find anything beyond what the project supervisor would have noticed.”

“Maybe not, but after what happened at Edwards, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“The theft of those weapons wasn’t your fault. Adams created such a good paper trail, no one could have been expected to know it wasn’t real.”

“The auditor did.”

“An auditor who has thirty years of experience and was specifically looking for potential thefts,” Abby countered. “Besides, if it was something you should have caught in your ordinary course of business, he wouldn’t have made a point of clearing you.”

“But I sensed something wasn’t right. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.”

“Which is why we’re sitting here now.”

Elle shrugged. “I’m sorry if I seem paranoid.”

“Not paranoid. Cautious,” Abby corrected. “There’s a difference.”

“Whatever you call it, I appreciate your help.” Elle took another sip from her water bottle.

Abby cleared her throat. “How have you liked being stationed here in Germany?”

“It’s been good. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to practice speaking German much since so many people here speak English, but the language has come back faster than I’d expected.”

“I figured it would. You were speaking like a native when we lived here as kids.” Abby cleared her throat again and tugged at her scarf.

“So were you. I never realized how much we learned while Dad was stationed in Stuttgart.”

Abby opened her mouth to respond but, instead, coughed several times.

She reached for her water glass and took a swallow.

Elle leaned forward in her seat. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Sorry, I have this tickle in my throat,” Abby said, promptly coughing again. “Must be the change in the weather. I got a cold last fall too.”

“I’ve been wondering how anyone survives the winters here.”

“You’re about to find out . . .” Abby’s words trailed off into another fit of coughs, then her face turned red, a panicked expression dominating her features.

“Abby!” Elle pushed out of her chair and circled to pat her sister on the back.

Even though Abby hadn’t eaten anything, her hands went to her throat as though she were choking.

The waiter was at their side in an instant and pulled Abby out of her chair to start the Heimlich maneuver.

“She hasn’t eaten anything. I think she’s having an allergic reaction.” Elle fumbled through her purse for her EpiPen. She flipped off the safety cap, pressed the tip to Abby’s thigh, and pushed the button to trigger the injection.

Almost immediately, Abby took a gasping breath.

“Here.” The waiter thrust a glass of water toward Abby. “Take a sip.”

“No.” Elle pushed the glass away and knelt beside Abby’s chair. “Are you okay?”

Abby opened her mouth to speak only to begin another coughing fit.

Elle turned to the waiter. “Something’s wrong. Call an ambulance.”

A waitress approached, her phone in hand. “I already called. The ambulance will be here any minute.”

The waiter picked up the carafe from the table and refilled Abby’s glass. As soon as there was a break in the coughing, he offered the glass of water again.

“Are you sure you don’t want to give her something to drink?”

“Not until we figure out what caused this.”

Again, Abby tried to take a deep breath, but this time, her body trembled before being taken over by a seizure.

“Help me move her onto the floor.” Elle gripped Abby under her arms while the waiter helped ease her onto the carpet. Elle moved the closest chairs out of the way and knelt beside Abby.

“I’ll check on the ambulance,” the waiter said.

Elle sensed rather than saw the waiter head for the door. Helpless to do anything but wait, Elle fought for calm. “Hang on, Abby. Help is on the way.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before two ambulance attendants rushed through the door. Elle stood to give them room to work.

“What happened?” the paramedic asked in German.

“I don’t know,” Elle said, automatically responding in his language. “She started coughing and acting like she couldn’t breathe. I injected her with my EpiPen, and she got better for a few seconds. Then it started again. She started her seizure about a minute ago.”

Both paramedics knelt beside Abby, evaluating her.

“Does she have any known allergies?”

“No, and she was fine when I got here,” Elle said. “When she couldn’t breathe, the EpiPen was the only thing I could think of.”

Abby’s face paled, and her body stilled.

“I’ve lost her pulse,” one paramedic said.

Elle stepped back and watched the paramedics begin CPR and start Abby on oxygen. Adrenaline still pumping through her, Elle lowered herself into her chair. Minutes stretched out, the paramedics continuing the CPR, trading places every few minutes. They spoke with someone on the phone, the voices blurring with the background noise of the crowd who had been cleared out of the restaurant.

Tears flowed freely down Elle’s cheeks. She stood with her arms tightly folded, unable to do anything but watch and pray. She didn’t know how much time had passed when one paramedic tapped the other on the shoulder and shook his head. The paramedic not working on Abby sat beside Elle to confirm that the unbelievable had become the inevitable.

The one performing CPR gave one more chest compression and leaned back on his heels. His eyes lifted to meet Elle’s. “I’m sorry.”

“No.” The word escaped in a whisper. It couldn’t be. Elle stared at her sister’s lifeless body, waiting for any sign that she had misunderstood. Her heartbeat echoed in her head as though beating inside a deep tunnel.

“I’m so sorry.” The second paramedic put his hand on Elle’s arm.

Grief crashed over her, new tears forming. Her sister was gone. She was really gone.

“Can I get you something to drink? Maybe a glass of water?”

Elle shook her head, and her gaze swept over the table. Her water glass wasn’t there. Why that detail mattered at such a time, Elle didn’t know. A quick scan of the table revealed her glass wasn’t the only thing missing. Abby’s glass, the water carafe, and the file outlining Elle’s suspicions were also missing.

Elle swiped at her tears. “What happened to the waiter who met you at the door?”

“No one met us when we arrived,” the paramedic said.

Suspicions cut through her grief and bloomed with a sense of panic. Her file was coded in a way that it wouldn’t jeopardize national security, but if the people behind the suspicious activity got ahold of it, they would know exactly where the evidence was that could identify them.

Elle swallowed hard and forced herself to push aside her emotions and look at Abby’s lifeless body. The only thing her sister had ingested since her arrival was the water their waiter had served them, water Elle herself would have drunk had it not contained lemon slices. She stood and took a step toward the door.

“I have to go.”

“But we need more information from you.”

“Her name is Abigail Bender, and I think she was poisoned.”

***

Excerpt from On the Run by Traci Hunter Abramson. Copyright 2020 by Traci Hunter Abramson. Reproduced with permission from Traci Hunter Abramson. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

Traci Hunter Abramson

Traci Hunter Abramson was born in Arizona, where she lived until moving to Venezuela for a study-abroad program. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for several years, eventually resigning in order to raise her family. She credits the CIA with giving her a wealth of ideas as well as the skills needed to survive her children's teenage years. She has gone on to write more than twenty bestselling novels that have consistently been nominated as Whitney Award finalists and seven-time Whitney Award winner. When she’s not writing, Traci enjoys spending time with her husband and five children, preferably on a nice quiet beach somewhere. She also enjoys sports, travel, writing, and coaching high school swimming.

Catch Up With Traci Hunter Abramson:
www.TraciAbramson.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook!

Giveaway!:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Traci Hunter Abramson. There will be TWO winners. ONE winner will receive (1) Amazon.com Gift Card and ONE winner will receive one (1) physical copy of On the Run by Traci Hunter Abramson (U.S. addresses only). The giveaway begins on October 27, 2020 and runs through November 5, 2020. Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Interview with CASSIDY SALEM, Author of the Adina Donati Accidental Sleuth Mystery Series

Welcome, Cassidy. Before we talk about your writing perhaps you could tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi, Christa. First of all, thanks for inviting me to stop by. 

Like most authors, I read a lot. I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, going back to childhood when I would read my Nancy Drew books with a flashlight under the covers after my bedtime. Mysteries (both cozy and traditional) and police procedurals are my favorites but I also enjoy literature, romance, and historical fiction. 

When I’m not reading, I enjoy music (I sing and dance) and traveling. Both my husband and I have been bitten by the wanderlust bug – we like to travel whenever and wherever we can and have played tourist in destinations throughout the United States, Europe, Israel, and Scandinavia. In that context, I enjoy taking pictures of scenery and sculpture, and I tweet photos from our travels on a regular basis (#mytravelpics). Of course, with the ongoing health crisis worldwide, we’ve been stuck home.


When did you begin writing? 

I always wrote in school and college, but it was in the context of assignments, not writing for the sake of writing. At work, my writing was always semi-academic or technical in nature. Never anything that even resembled creative writing. About five years ago, I decided to try and write fiction. More than anything else, I think I wanted to challenge myself. The result was Think Murder - the first of four books in the Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Mystery Series. 

Tell us a bit about Adina and the series. 

Adina is a college graduate in her mid-twenties who moves to Washington, D.C. in hopes of putting her foreign language skills to good use. Instead, she ends up working as an admin assistant at a prestigious think tank. Not what she dreamed of doing when she went to college, but the job market is tough. Although for the most part she enjoys life in the big city, her adventures also expose her to the darker sides of the city – murder, political intrigue and more.

Do you set your stories in places you’ve been? 

Absolutely. When I was young, footless and fancy free, I spent a couple of years living in Washington D.C. and fell in love with the city. Our nation’s capital is amazing. No matter how many times I visit the city, I am always awed by the National Mall, the multitude of monuments, the war memorials, and the Smithsonian Castle. And, as Adina could tell you, it’s a great city for young people. The potential for using different settings as backdrops for a story, not to mention the series, is limitless. 

What do you hope people get from your work? 

For the most part – an engaging, interesting read, with a mystery at its center. At the same time, although it was not a conscious decision on my part, each of the Adina Donati murder mysteries touches on real-life issues and current events, such as animal welfare, environmental protection, medical care, and cybercrime. Adina’s workplace, a think tank in Washington D.C., naturally lends itself to discussions of a wide range of issues from differing points of view. So maybe, just maybe, some readers come away with food for thought.

Thank you, Cassidy, for sharing with us today. I, for one, am looking forward to the next in the Adina Donati Accidental Sleuth Mystery Series.

Connect with Cassidy on social media: 


You can find all of the Adina Donati, Accidental Sleuth Mysteries on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074CFKRW9

Sunday, October 18, 2020

Book Review: THE DIVINE DEVILS by R Weir

Definitely not a cozy mystery. . . 

Synopsis 

Two teenage siblings in peril.

A mysterious group with an agenda to abduct them.
The mother Paige Hawkins reaching into her past seeking divine intervention.

The call going out to former US Marshal, Hunter Divine. An erstwhile lover who broke Paige’s heart. A man whose current existence is leaping from job to job and bed to bed. Hunter taking the case hoping for salvation in his futile life.

Can Hunter and his team prevent the kidnapping by an enemy with vast resources? The foe’s endgame is to leverage these kids for their own vengeful desires. Hunter and his team toe the line between virtue and vile. Drawing on wit, brawn, halos and pitchforks the ‘Divine Devils’ will scorch the earth to protect these kids. Even if it costs them…their eternal souls!

Hunter Divine and his team - Willing to move heaven and hell to get results!!

Review

Hunter Devine left the US Marshal as the fall guy when a case went south. Since then, he and his friends. each talented in their own way, have been helping people with problems. Now he's faced with one that is all that more important because of his history with the client - Paige. She's one of many women he's left behind, now married with one daughter, Olivia, and a son Deion. Neither of them take the situation seriously when it's apparent someone is trying to kidnap them. A prime suspect, is Isiah, Olivia's father who she's never met. Hunter and his team do everything they can, without a clear motive. 

There are twists, turns, and speculation. Hunter has to pull on his remaining friends to get the job done. It helps he's told to spend whatever is necessary, but it's clear some soul-searching is going on as well. The story is well-paced and the outcome is not obvious. This is the first in a new series for Weir. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Divine Devils. As noted above, this is definitely not a cozy mystery. 

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



Thursday, October 15, 2020

Blog Tour and Book Review: TRENDING TOPIC #MURDER : Trending Topic Mysteries Book 1 by Sarah E. Burr

Synopsis

Meet 28-year-old celebrity blogger, Coco Cline, who has started her own social media consulting company in her home town of Central Shores, Delaware. Her new clients, Peter and Olivia Chen, are ten days away from the grand opening of their specialty consignment shop when Coco finds their clerk Stacy dead behind the counter. 

Worried that a cloud of suspicion will ruin their chances of a successful business launch, the Chens ask Coco to work alongside the inexperienced, small town police force to speed up the investigation. Using her celebrity status and social media savviness, Coco realizes Stacy's seemingly ordinary life was all an act. Following a trail of cryptic online posts and muddied gossip, Coco and her friends discover Stacy's questionable relationships just might be the reason for her untimely demise.  
Review

Social media consultant, Coco Cline, is ready for her meeting with the Chens, hopefully the last before their grand opening. That all changes when Coco finds Stacy dead, obviously murdered, behind the counter. Not her usual task, Coco uses all the technology available to her to further the investigation. She and her friends, Hudson, Jasper, and Charlotte, quickly are able to identify the motive and the killer.

This is a somewhat unique twist on a cozy mystery with a focus on social media and technology, and a PR perspective on murder. Not into technology? You can still enjoy the friendships and the shoreline setting. This is a first in a new series. It will be interesting to see what the future brings for Coco Cline.

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


Sarah E. Burr grew up in the small town of Appleton, Maine and now lives outside New York City. Since she was seven, Sarah has wanted to be Nancy Drew, but she wasn't stumbling across any mysteries in corporate American. Deciding it was time to follow her dreams, Sarah left her career in health care technology three years ago and started writing mysteries of her own. The Trending Topics Mysteries is the first of her published series. She also writes the Court of Mystery series. 

Sarah attended Elmira College and graduated with degrees in Political Science and Philosophy & Religious Studies. She loves to weave these themes into her writing. When she's not spinning up new stories, Ms. Burr is off seeing Broadway musicals, reading up a storm, video gaming, and enjoying walks around the city.


Author Links


Website

Blog

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Goodreads


Purchase Links

Amazon  – Barnes & Noble – Target 


Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Blog tour: Spotlight on KILLER DEADLINE and Guest Post by Lauren Carr on Halloween

Today, I'm showcasing the audible version of Killer Deadline by Lauren Carr. I previously reviewed this book in kindle version:


More information on Killer Deadline follows, but first Lauren Carr shares her memories and thoughts about Halloween...

What is it About Halloween That Makes Us Crazy?
by Lauren Carr

My family has a Halloween tradition. Of course, it includes watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I think every family has that tradition. It’s right up there with Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown

I’ve had to have seen the Great Pumpkin children’s special at least forty-five times (that’s how long ago it premiered on CBS) and still, at that moment when the moon is full and that dark figure rises up out of the pumpkin patch, I can feel my heart beating away with fright-filled anticipation. 

Linus faints. 

The eerie figure turns out to be a beagle, who has no candy to give to all the faithful boys and girls.  
  
Sally demands restitution for missing out on her Halloween candy.    
   
Believe me. This is a scary time of year. I think it has to do with the chilling fingers that seem to reach out of the dark windy weather to prick our skin to make goose bumps. The dying trees and falling leaves contribute to the eerie scene to turn our mood in the direction of spooky. 

Even more bizarre is our yearning to be scared. 

We aren’t so anxious to get the stuffing scared out of us during the summer. Can you imagine sunning yourself on the beach when a wolf man strolls up to you from the water’s edge to breathe down on you? Most likely, you won’t be thrilled when you yell, “Stop blocking my sun, Fur-Face!” 

It has something to do with the setting

Wait two months. When the weather turns cold, the leaves drop from the trees, the wind kicks up, and the moon turns full—you won’t only be looking out for the wolf man or vampire or Great Pumpkin—you’re hoping for one. If you’re lucky, all of them to come give your heart a good jump start. 

Some of us aren’t quite so excited about being scared or maybe we scare ourselves too much. 

Every year, our church has a trunk or treat, in which our members will decorate their vehicles and line them up on the soccer field for the children to gather their Halloween candy. Some of the volunteers will dress up in costume. 

One year, I was dressed up like a farmer in overalls. My husband, Jack, went as himself. He’s much too distinguished to dress up in costume. As always, his gray beard was nicely trimmed and he was clad in his winter coat and gloves to keep him warm on that cold autumn night. 

We had decorated the back of our SUV with fake giant spiders and spider webs. At the end of the evening, half of the vehicles had left as the time wore on and the children dwindled down to only a few stragglers or late comers. 

Then, it was time to go home. 

Most of the outdoor lights shut off. The only light left to illuminate the field was that cast by the headlights of the few remaining vehicles. 

Leaving Jack alone, I had left the back of the SUV to go talk to some friends on the other side of the field when I saw a young mother and a little girl dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood, complete with a cape hurrying along the line of vehicles left to get whatever candy was left. 

“Jack,” I called back to our SUV, “we got one more.” 

A moment later, there was a high pitched scream. Her red cape flapping behind her, Little Red Riding Hood went flying across the field—screaming the whole way. 

Her mother was right behind her. “I told you that some of them would be scary!” 

Not far behind them, my husband was running with his arms outstretched offering the bowl of candy. “Wait, little girl! Don’t you want some candy?” 

Apparently, Jack was in the front of the SUV when he heard me call. As the girl approached the back of the vehicle, he came out of the shadows. With his beard and dark coat, she thought he was the … 

(Wait for it!) 

Big Bad Wolf! 

Now poor Jack is banned from Trunk or Treat. He’s still waiting to get mad about it. 

Now for the spotlight on Killer Deadline

 
Book Details:

Book TitleKiller Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  232 pages
Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   April 23, 2020
Audiobook release date: August 5, 2020
Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!

Book Description:

Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.

When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.

But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?

With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.
 
Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~ Audible ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads


Meet the Author:

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

Killer Deadline marks Lauren's first venture into mystery's purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.


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.

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: 
Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Bookbub

Tour Schedule:

Sep 21 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 22 – Books, Tea, Healthy Me – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway
Sep 23 – seasons of opportunities – audiobook review
Sep 23 - Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review / guest post / giveaway
Sep 23 - A Page Before Bedtime –book review / giveaway
Sep 24 – I'm All About Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 25 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 28 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Sep 29 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Sep 29 - Blooming with Books – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 1 – The Book View – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 2 – My Journey Back – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 5 – eBook Addicts – audiobook review
Oct 5 - Pen Possessed – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 6 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 6 - Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 7 – Library of Clean Reads – book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 7 - Buried Under Books - audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 8 – Mystery Suspense Reviews – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway
Oct 9 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 12 - Amy's Booket List - audiobook review / giveaway
Oct 12 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 13 – jea reads/instagram – book review
Oct 13 - Book Lover in Florida - book review / giveaway
Oct 13 - Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 14 – Christa Reads and Writes – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 15 – My Reading Journeys – audiobook review / author interview / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway: 




Thursday, October 8, 2020

Blog Tour and Spotlight: A WAFFLE LOT OF MURDER All Day Breakfast Café Murder by Lena Gregory

 

      

 

     Synopsis          

For diner owner Gia Morelli, her seasonal fall menu calls for two main ingredients—maple syrup and murder . . .

While the first hints of autumn grace Boggy Creek, Florida, Gia misses the colorful harvest traditions she left behind in New York. On a scramble to make new fall memories—and promote her irresistible pumpkin spice waffles—things take a dark turn when she gets roped into the Haunted Town Festival, a spooky celebration held on deserted farmlands. The desolate area conjures plenty of eerie vibes at night, but Gia and her best friend, Savannah, are nearly frightened to death upon the discovery of the event organizer’s body buried in the nearby woods. More alarming, the local rumor mill says the woman’s shady dealings may have egged someone into sending her to an early grave. Now, there’s no shortage of creepy clues to feast on as Gia and her pals try to stop a killer with a very scary appetite . . .

Includes recipes from the All-Day Breakfast Café!

         About Lena Gregory 

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, and the All-Day Breakfast CafĂ© Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest. Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island. She recently relocated to Clermont, Florida with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.  

Author Links Newsletter: http://lenagregory.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9765d0711ed4fab4fa31b16ac&id=49d42335d1 

Website: http://www.lenagregory.com/ 


Purchase Links 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS 
October 6 – Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST 
October 6 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT October 7 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT 
October 7 – I Read What You Write – CHARACTER GUEST POST 
October 8 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST 
October 8 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT 
October 9 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW 
October 9 – Christa Reads and Writes- SPOTLIGHT 
October 10 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT 
October 10 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW October 11 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW 
October 11 – Moonlight Rendezvous - REVIEW 
October 12 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW 
October 12 – Ms. Cat's Honest World – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW 
October 12 – Thoughts in Progress – SPOTLIGHT 
October 13 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT 
October 13 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW 
October 14 – Diane Reviews Books - REVIEW 
October 14 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
October 15 – Baroness' Book Trove – GUEST POST 
October 15 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – RECIPE 
October 16 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW 
October 16 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST 
October 17 – Sapphyria's Books – REVIEW 
October 17 – Christy's Cozy Corners - REVIEW 
October 18 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
October 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW 
October 19 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT