Blog tour and Review: SHRIMPLY DEAD (A Seafood Caper Mystery) by Maggie Toussaint

Synopsis

When veterinarian and amateur naturalist Jasmine Garr is shot in her yard, residents of Shell Island press caterer River Holloway into investigating the homicide. River dons her amateur sleuth cap and sets out to discover who killed her former catering customer. 

Between Jasmine’s estranged cousin, a rival veterinarian, a wild animal trapper, the chicken lady, and a real estate broker, River has plenty of suspects to consider. As she peels back the layers of Jasmine’s life, dangerous secrets come to light. 

Jasmine’s orphaned kitty, Iris, along with River’s cat Major, and her husband Pete help River sift through the evidence. At the same time, River recently expanded her catering business. She must service her regular catering clients, plus provide fresh baked goods for Pete’s ice cream shop. 

The killer follows River’s every move relishing the thought of another victim. Time is running out. Will River solve the murder before she becomes a cold dish? 

Book Review 

River's catering business is taking off and she spends most of her time doing the prep work. Her husband Pete owns an ice cream shop and he has the idea to sell her baked goods - cookies and a pie or cake, one day a week. She's trying to work out how to do all this when Jasmine Garr is found dead. It's not like River was close to Jasmine - she feels strongly that the killer should be caught. That, and she can't imagine that the "chicken lady," Jasmine's neighbor could be responsible. So between cooking and baking, she's sleuthing. 

As River meets with everyone involved, she realizes that she didn't know some of them as well as she thought. At least the deputy has gained some respect for what she might ferret out. The cats, Major and Iris, as well as Pete help her with her sleuthing and she hires someone to help with the cooking and baking as Pete's idea takes on a life of its own. 

This is the third in the Seafood Caper Mystery series, but it's the first one I've read and it is easily read as a stand alone mystery. There are surprises for River and the reader as clues and misdirections are scattered throughout. The pace is good, and the chickens, alligators, and cats add a whole new dimension. Shrimply Dead is an enjoyable 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. 

About the Author 

Southern author Maggie Toussaint writes cozy and paranormal mysteries, romantic suspense, and dystopian fiction, with more than twenty fiction novels published. A multi-year finalist for Georgia Author of the Year, she’s won Silver Falchions, the Readers’ Choice, and the EPIC Awards. She’s past president of Mystery Writers of America-Southeast chapter and an officer of LowCountry Sisters In Crime. She lives in coastal Georgia, where secrets, heritage, and ancient oaks cast long shadows. 

 

Author Links 

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter 

GoodReads  

BookBub 

Blog 

Linked In 

Pinterest 

Book Lovers Bench 

Purchase Links 

Amazon  Nook   Kobo   IBooks 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour and Book Review: ALL DONE WITH IT A Dreamwalker Mystery by Maggie Toussaint

Synopsis

A Jane Doe jogger homicide near the swamp mystifies Dreamwalker Baxley Powell. The petite woman carried no ID, and no one recognizes her. Worse, a shadow passes from the body to a deputy, rendering him unconscious. The deputy and the corpse are dispatched to the hospital and morgue, respectively.

With summer heat and pending childbirth on her mind, Baxley’s dreamwalks into the spirit world fail to yield leads, frustrating Baxley and her deputy husband, Native American Sam Mayes. Days later, Jane Doe’s description matches a missing Mississippi woman. Turns out, her new husband is missing too. Jane’s sketchy brother-in-law and her aunt arrive, full of secrets. At Jane’s campsite, the team encounters a terrifying anomaly, nullifying Baxley’s senses. With such danger present, they must protect their unborn child. No more dreamwalks will occur until Baxley gives birth.

When her friend Bubba Paxton vanishes, Baxley sights him in a mirror, trapped between worlds with other souls. Meanwhile, the shadow invades other hosts, demanding to see Baxley. Mayes and Baxley ignore the shadow as they rescue Bubba, untangle the Jane Doe case, and handle missing persons reports.

To free the trapped people, Baxley must outwit a powerful foe. Can she stop this super villain before he steals her soul?

In this 7th Dreamwalker Mystery, female sleuth and psychic crime consultant Baxley Powell works a homicide case that leads straight to an evil force in the spirit world. The stakes? Her soul, her unborn child, and humanity’s freedom.

Review

Baxter has to deal with more than Jane Doe's story, the phantom who keeps taking over people. She's focused on her unborn son, who appears to have some of her and Mayes' talents. Then there's hints from her mother that maybe her parents won't be around. And the rose tattoo. Lots of tension, but the motivating factor is to free all those running continuously in nowhere. 

This is the 7th in the Dreamwalker series. The plight of the characters is resolved in this book. In that respect, it is a stand alone paranormal cozy mystery. However, I suspect without reading at least some of the previous ones in the series for the history of Baxter's powers,  and her fearless ghost dog, her backstory with Rose, and where Mayes fits in, the reader may not catch all the nuances.

Complication and obstacle after obstacle, Baxter stays the course. There are some interesting, and humorous, twists in the story. If you like paranormal cozy mysteries, this one has it all. If you've read others in the story and loved them, you will not be disappointed. 

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 Maggie Toussaint

Southern author Maggie Toussaint writes cozy and paranormal mysteries, romantic suspense, and dystopian fiction, with twenty-plus fiction novels published. A three-time finalist for Georgia Author of the Year, she’s won three Silver Falchions, the Readers’ Choice, and the EPIC Awards. She’s past president of Mystery Writers of America-Southeast chapter and an officer of LowCountry Sisters In Crime. She lives in coastal Georgia, where secrets, heritage, and ancient oaks cast long shadows.

Author Links

Website - https://maggietoussaint.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MaggieToussaintAuthor
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/MaggieToussaint
GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/MaggieToussaint
BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maggie-toussaint

Purchase Links 

Barnes and Noble - Kobo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 12 – Christy's Cozy Corners - REVIEW, GUEST POST
August 12 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
August 13 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
August 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 14 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW
August 14 – Books to the Ceiling – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 15 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
August 16 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 17 – Gimme The Scoop Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 17 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
August 18 – RUFF DRAFTS – SPOTLIGHT
August 18 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT
August 19 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
August 20 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT
August 20 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST
August 21 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
August 21 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
August 21 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

Blog tour and review: I DREAMED IT

Synposis

Justice for the dead and solace for the living is Baxley Powell’s creed, but she faces uncharted territory in this sixth book of the Dreamwalker Mystery Series. The Suitcase Killer has struck again, only this big city menace is now a problem for Baxley’s hometown. As that investigation heats up, a local woman is reported missing. The sheriff orders Baxley to work the missing person’s case.

Listening to the dead is familiar ground for Baxley but finding a missing young lady isn’t in her skill set. Besides, her dreams rarely follow a timeline. With the clock ticking, can this crime consultant discover a way to reach the living?

Her main source of help in the afterlife, a mentor named Rose, is unavailable. Instead, Baxley must rely on her wits and her Native American boyfriend, Deputy Sam Mayes, to find leads. Each shared dreamwalk and energy transfer binds them closer together, creating another issue. Mayes wants to marry Baxley but it isn’t that easy. They’re hampered by their community roles in opposite ends of the state.

Baxley juggles the pressure of two high-profile cases, a determined suitor, and expanding her limits. One thing is certain. Without her extrasensory sleuthing, the missing woman will die.

Review

Baxley and Sam continue to work together to help others in law enforcement in this next book in the series. Only somehow, they both lost a period of time when they should have been asleep. Neither has any recollection and both have a need to know who used them somehow and for what. 

In the meantime, the Sheriff is very possessive and attracted to Baxley, and not too thrilled that Sam always seems to show up. The case they're called in on is of a missing girl. With a new twist, the girl's pleas for help reach Baxley and provide a different kind of threat. Despite the risk, Baxley wants to find her before she's dead.

The final layer of tension centers on the relationship between Baxley and Sam. He's about to be offered a position in the northern part of the state and he's looking for some indication from Baxley she'd rather he hung around. 

All together, the tension and action move the story. The characters are unique and well-developed. The sense of community among Baxley's family and friends provides balance. Although the fourth in the series, this can be read as a stand-alone mystery. That said, I think to get the full effect of the dreamwalking component, it would be best to start with the first one. All have been highly enjoyable, with me staying up to get to end and find out how Toussaint managed to pull all the loose strings together.

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 Maggie Toussaint

Southern author Maggie Toussaint evolved into a mystery author after getting her feet damp in romantic suspense and dystopian fiction, with twenty fiction novels and two nonfiction novels to her credit. Her work won two Silver Falchions, the Readers’ Choice, and the EPIC Awards. She’s a past president of Southeast chapter of Mystery Writers of America and an officer of Lowcountry Sisters In Crime. She lives in coastal Georgia, where secrets, heritage, and ancient oaks cast long shadows. Visit her at https://maggietoussaint.com/

Author Links
Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Booklover’s Bench | Amazon Author Central | Website | Bookbub

Purchase Link 

Amazon 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


TOUR PARTICIPANTS
August 14 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 14 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

August 15 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

August 15 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST

August 16 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

August 17 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST

August 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 18 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 18 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

August 19 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT

August 19 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

August 20 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

August 20 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 21 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 21 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 22 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT

August 22 – Teresa Watson’s Blog – REVIEW

Book Review: GONE AND DONE IT (A Dreamwalker Mystery) by Maggie Toussaint

Synopsis:

While planting a cherry tree, landscaper Baxley Powell discovers a human skull buried in the sand. After calling the sheriff, Baxley uses her dreamwalking abilities to get a jump-start on identifying the victim. Then deputies arrive, and, believing she’s tampering with evidence, taser her. Emotions flare, but the sheriff agrees to hire her as a consultant. With a daughter to support and bills she can’t pay, Baxley is motivated to succeed.

Things get dicey when she unearths a murder victim on the same jobsite, planting Baxley in the suspect pool. For calling unwanted attention to her private retreat, Baxley’s landscaping client fires her, stiffing her for the plants and labor.

Meanwhile, her father retires as county dreamwalker, passing the community service responsibility along to her.

Baxley’s dreamwalking sideline competes for her time with her day jobs of landscaping and pet-sitting. Folks show up on her doorstep at all hours to pass messages to the departed. Though her money problems persist, food randomly appears at her door, and her hair develops a telltale white streak in the forelock overnight.

Just what every young woman wants, a permanent bad hair day.
Threats to her safety mount as Baxley delves into the victim’s life—in both worlds. With a killer dogging her heels and spirits nipping at her mind, Baxley follows her dreams to find the truth.

Review:

A while ago, as part of a blog tour, I read and reviewed CONFOUND IT - the fifth in the Dreamwalker Mysteries, and I loved it. So, of course I had to go back to the beginning. Happy to say, I wasn't disappointed. 

In GONE AND DONE IT, Baxley is just coming to terms with her dreamwalking abilities and can't help but see if she can assist the sheriff after discovering a body in the ornate garden of a very particular and grouchy client. What she doesn't realize is that she can't keep her abilities a secret no matter how hard she tries. No more hats and suddenly food is showing up at her front door. She goes from police consultant to suspect to possible next victim. Once again, Toussaint writes a fascinating tale with great characters, much angst, and more than a touch of humanity. It looks like I have to add the rest of the series to my TBR list.

Books in the series:

GONE AND DONE IT (A Dreamwalker Mystery)

BUBBA DONE IT (A Dreamwalker Mystery)

DOGGONE IT (A Dreamwalker Mystery)

DADGUMMIT (A Dreamwalker Mystery #4)

CONFOUND IT (A Dreamwalker Mystery #5)

Blog Tour and Review: CONFOUND IT (A Dreamwalker Mystery) by Maggie Toussaint

Synopsis

While hosting out-of-town guests at her Georgia home, Dreamwalker Baxley Powell is called upon to help investigate a suspicious fire. One of her guests, close friend and fellow dreamwalker Deputy Sam Mayes, accompanies her to the scene.

A meth cook is dead, and when Baxley visits her beyond the Veil of Life, she determines that the woman was murdered. Baxley pities Mandy Patterson, a single mother with aspirations for her teenage son Doodle. Unconcerned about the death of a criminal, the authorities pursue the drug-supply chain angle. Baxley worries about Doodle and vows to find out who killed his mother.

As the case grows more baffling, Baxley struggles against her attraction to Sam. Although her husband is missing and declared dead, she does not feel free to love again until she is sure of his fate.

Two suspects have the strongest motive, but Baxley has reason to believe they are pawns in a deeper game. And unless she can stop them, the world will never be the same.

Review

Let me start by saying, this was a fantastic read that kept my attention. I am not a gung-ho paranormal fan by any means, but the dreamwalking, Baxley, and Sam were phenomenal. The pace is steady, and there are expected and unexpected twists thrown in. 

The interactions with elders, clash of cultures, and unique characters add to the story. The dynamic between Baxley and Sam, and her feelings of guilt and lack of closure are well played. Suspense, romance, and family ties, along with a unique - at least to me - twist.  Another great book by Toussaint.

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

Read an excerpt:

Wayne turned from the fire chief. “Virg and Ronnie, you guys go next door and find out who lived here.”

“Hold up,” Ronnie said. “I already know. The Pig Woman.”

Wayne shook his head. “What?”

“The Pig Woman. Jerk next door must’ve filed half a dozen complaints about her blasted pigs.”

“The woman with the pot bellied pigs?”

“That’s the one.”

“What’s her name?”

“Mandy Patterson.”

Wayne studied the ground a moment. “It’s coming back to me now. Mandy’s pigs turned up their noses at their pig-chow dinners, escaped under the fence, and got into the dog-food bag on the neighbor’s back porch. The guy nearly had an aneurism telling you about it, right?”

“Yep. Good ole Ricky Dixon. He’s wound tight, that’s for sure. If his wife wasn’t bedridden, he’d be a permanent bachelor because no woman would put up with his sh—, uh, stuff.”

“Head over there anyway. I want a statement from him about what he may have heard or seen. I want to know where those pigs are. Take Powell with you so I know if he’s lying.”

He was sending me away from the scene? I didn’t want him to think I couldn’t do my job. I pushed away from Mayes’ protective arm. “I can do it,” I said. “I needed a moment to prepare for seeing the body.”

Wayne snorted. “Sometimes I forget you’re a chick, Powell, but I can read you like a fast-food menu. This is the best use of your time. Dixon is important. He’s either a witness or a suspect, and I need your take on what he says.”

His words didn’t ring quite true. My spine stiffened. “I said I can do it.”

“Sure you can, but Mayes is a cop. He’s seen burn victims before. He’ll assist me because he wants in on the case. With the fire department’s approval, I’ll collect one or two personal items belonging to the victim, and you can go inside the place once we remove the corpse. Right now, I need you next door with my guys.”

Crap. I was being sent away on the “B” team. Simultaneously, Mayes had been promoted from spectator to “A” team. Good ole boy networks never died.

Though my pride smarted, I couldn’t deny I was glad to be granted a respite on the viewing. Wayne was doing me a favor, so I should hush and be gracious about it.

“Virg, let’s get that statement stat,” the sheriff said.

“Roger that, boss man.” Virg cocked his head at me. “You ready?”

I nodded and gathered my thoughts. I might not like being sent away, but I would do my assignment. As a police consultant, I needed to let my abilities be tasked however the sheriff deemed fit. Didn’t matter about the temporary demotion, I’d do my job. I would get justice for this victim.

“If this guy doesn’t cooperate, I’ll light him up with my Taser,” Virg announced as we trudged down the dirt road to the neighbor’s home.

Ronnie laughed, an affable giggle with a sinister twist. “Go git ’em, Virg.”

Having been on the wrong end of Virg’s Taser before, I didn’t wish that experience on anyone. “You will not. The object is to gather information, not have this man sue the sheriff’s office. If he won’t talk to you, I want a crack at him.”

“No way he’s gonna talk to you. I’m telling you. This man’s crazier than a sprayed roach.”

Excerpt from Confound It. Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Southern author Maggie Toussaint writes mystery, suspense, and dystopian fiction. Her work won the Silver Falchion Award for best mystery, the Readers’ Choice Award, and the EPIC Award. She’s published seventeen novels as well as several short stories and novellas. The next book in her paranormal mystery series, Dadgummit, releases August 2017. Maggie serves on the national board for Mystery Writers of America, is President of Southeast Mystery Writers of America, and is Co-VP of Low Country Sisters In Crime. Visit her at www.maggietoussaint.com.

Embedded links:

Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Booklover’s Bench | Amazon Author Central | Bookbub | Website

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo

a Rafflecopter giveaway