Blog Tour Book Review: REST, RELAX, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE : An Ooey, Gooey Bakery Mystery by Katherine H. Brown

Synopsis

Piper and Samantha are in heaven. Well, close. After winning a contest to raise the most money for human trafficking awareness and prevention, Piper and Sam are rewarded with a long weekend at the O Heavenly Day Spa. When mysterious notes start appearing everywhere, things get uncomfortable. When spa treatments go awry it is starting to get dangerous. A threatening message in Piper’s closet convinces Piper and Sam that they have to find out who is behind all of these disasters before someone gets hurt. Is it Broussard the stuffy concierge? Gladys, the sweet old lady who decided to join them for the weekend? When the smoke alarms go off and the spa erupts into panic, the chaos separates the friends and Piper stumbles into trouble. Will her friends be able to help her in time?

Review

This was a fun read, with Piper and Sam trying to avoid the next mishap. Meantime, Piper keeps receiving threatening notes and coincidence doesn't explain all or any of those mishaps. Yet, for most of the book, it's not clear why. The "why" is the mystery. It's also not clear what Gladys' role is in the whole spa fiasco, other than that she is thrilled to be included and exposed to the life of the younger set. Even if she isn't always thrilled.

There are some humorous as well as serious points in this story line. The pace is quick, moving from the Ooey Gooey bakery to the spa and the various "choose" two or more options for today, with the ladies sometimes selecting something based on the name and not knowing what they've actually signed up for. The frequent "mishaps" keep the tension moving. This is marketed as YA - yet it's not really clear how "young" Piper and Sam are. Obviously old enough to have gone into business together.  Don't let the YA label put you off. If you enjoy a light mystery, you'll enjoy Piper's story. And the goodies of the Ooey Gooey Bakery? Just thinking about them could add pounds.

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

Katherine Brown is a Texas girl, a lover of books, and a weaver of words. Her first official publication was of two children’s books in 2017, which has now grown into five books of the School is Scary series; however, she likes to think her career as a writer started when she sold her parents newsletters of articles about school and poetry for fifty cents per copy as a pre-teen. Married to a wonderful husband and mom of a smart, spunky stepdaughter, Katherine enjoys spending time with family and reading as many new books as she can get her hands on. Her YA series, the Ooey Gooey Bakery Mystery series, is ramping up in 2019 with book 1 released in March and book 2 was released June 1, 2019.

Website http://www.katherinebrownbooks.com
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Purchase Link 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 5 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

August 5 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

August 6 – I’m All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 6 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

August 7 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

August 7 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT

August 8 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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August 9 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 9 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 10 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST

August 10 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

August 11 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

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RELEASE DAY: DECEPTION, DENIAL & MURDER A Stacie Maroni Mystery #3 by Christa Nardi

Deception, Denial & Murder

A Stacie Maroni Mystery #3

A domineering co-worker, a new flirtatious neighbor, and a dead body with way too many questions. 

As HR Specialist and trauma counselor, Stacie Maroni is used to dealing with difficult situations. When her night out is derailed by the discovery of a body, she’s glad she’s not involved. That is, until the murder affects her close friends and makes for awkward situations with the men in her life, her father included. With her friends potential suspects, Stacie works with the police, only the suspect list is slim and she’s grabbing at straws.

Here is an excerpt:

My morning run was invigorating. The sun was shining and the temperature crisp, but not frigid. A great day to get started on those New Year’s resolutions for sure. A quick shower, Jasper, my Maltese, taken care of, and I parked my car in my usual spot at Foster’s Insurance Group.

As the one stable feature of my life for the past year, it was a good thing I liked my job. HR specialist and crisis counselor for the company, my day was predictable enough with the occasional crisis to keep me charged.

Opening the doors leading to my office area, I greeted my assistant in reception. “Hi, Rosie.”

She jumped. “Good morning, Stacie. It doesn’t look like a busy day today. Did you have a good weekend?”

I nodded and didn’t elaborate. Rosie was in her fifties and had a penchant for gossip. Still, she did her job to perfection and kept me organized.

Not stopping to chat, I went down the hall to my office and settled in to work. I smiled at the email from Kevin McNair, the man in my life. A fellow supporter of victims of domestic violence, Kevin earned my trust as we faced down a murderer who was targeting members of the board of the newly established Theodore Noth Foundation.

He made the career change from professional athlete to policeman at about the same time. This week, he was in Quantico at a training seminar and sent me GIFs of flowers and sunshine daily. I could get used to this, though having him in town would be preferable.

A knock on my door broke my concentration. True to form, Jillian didn’t wait for the “Come in.” She burst in and slammed the door so hard I wasn’t sure the hinges would hold. From the set of her mouth to her wide eyes, her mood matched her jet black hair. Jillian was my best friend and I’d never seen her this riled.

“What’s wrong? Sit down, chill.”

“It’s … it’s that woman they transferred from Georgia – Gertrude Butts. Have you interacted with her at all?”

I shook my head. “Only to collect the paperwork. I haven’t seen her since she started. She’s in Special Projects with you, right?”

Jillian slumped over, her head in her hands.

“She is. The woman is a witch. A bully. She wants to add more structure, picks on the women – but is oh so nice to Tony and Jim. Everything I’ve done? She hates. She’s obsessed with being on time and apologetic when she’s late, which she is often. She gets upset if anyone is even a minute late or takes too long in the restroom.”

“Calm down. You have a cohesive unit. You have worked together for a long time. You’re a good lead.”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. She acts like she knows everything and doesn’t see why the staff should be able to talk to each other or socialize. The tension is building. I’m afraid it will not be pretty. Besides, she doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing and keeps missing the details on the projects.”

“The holidays are always stressful and she’s only just gotten here. Give it a few more weeks. Try talking to her. Make her feel like her opinion matters.”

“I know, I know. I’m just afraid she’ll run off my best staff. She keeps pushing my buttons and everyone else’s. She sent me an email demanding I comply with her requests within 24 hours. She’s not my boss. I don’t understand why Reinhardt thought I needed help. We each have a job and I’m afraid she’s wreaking havoc on me and my unit.”

She exhaled and stood up. “I just needed to vent. We’ll work it out. See you at lunch.”

I stared at the closed door after Jillian left. I was confident she could handle the woman. Only I didn’t enjoy seeing her so upset. I sat back and thought about my job.

Most of the time, Foster’s Insurance Group was a well-oiled machine. As the lead HR specialist, I had first-hand knowledge of the turnover and complaints. I’d already had a complaint from one of the people in Jillian’s unit about Gertrude.

A high rate of turnover didn’t happen often. If it did or one unit suddenly wasn’t as productive or had high turnover, I’d have to report to Reinhardt. Lynisha Cook, the other HR specialist, and I “jokingly” referred to her as the “Wicked Witch of the West.”

I shuddered and turned my attention back to my email and the reports I needed to get done. I could only hope this would pass. Engrossed in number crunching, I jumped when my cell rang, the ring tone alerting me it was my dad. I smiled and answered.

“Hi, Dad. How’s it going?”

“Hi, Stacie. Everything’s good here. Working on the final touches for the wedding. How are things with you?”

“Good here, too.” I cringed, anticipating what he would say.

“Deanna and I were wondering when you will arrive and if you’d gotten around to inviting Kevin yet? Deanna is looking forward to meeting him.”

“I have vacation time and requested the week off, hoping to get some skiing and relaxation in. My plan was to arrive midweek. When will Vince arrive?”

I hadn’t seen my brother in at least two years. He made the army his career and deployments kept him away. At least so he said.

“Stacie, you didn’t answer my question. Why haven’t you invited Kevin to the wedding yet?”

I took a deep breath. “You realize we haven’t spent a lot of time together, what with him at the police academy and now the special training at Quantico. He’s starting a new job and I’m not sure he can take time off.”

“You’ll invite him, won’t you?”

“Yes. I think so. I don’t know.”

“Stacie, you’re running – no, you’ve run out of time here. He may be insulted you waited so long and say no.” He groaned and I imagined he was shaking his head and scowling.

“As for your brother, Vince will be on leave for two weeks. He plans to stay at my place in New Jersey for a while to decompress. He’ll come up to Bricksville by Tuesday or Wednesday. Nate is driving up on Thursday. Talk to Kevin today and let me know so we can plan accordingly.”

“Okay. I will.”

      We disconnected and I shuddered at what “plan accordingly” meant. It would be awful if they “found” me a date for the wedding. That would be so uncomfortable. I’d hash it out with my friends at lunch.

Excerpt from Deception, Denial & Murder Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved.

Stacie Maroni Msyteries (available on Amazon, with Kindle Unlimited)

Prestige, Privilege & Murder
Foundations, Funny Business & Murder
Deception, Denial & Murder

For the backstory on the series, check out the dedicated Stacie Maroni Mysteries page on this blog!

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Book Review: LAST CALL: A Janet Black Mystery by Libby Kirsch

Synopsis

An amateur PI. A town full of secrets. Can she uncover the truth before another body drops?

Janet Black is a hardworking bar owner determined to make her own way in the world. But when one of her regulars learns of a suspicious death in the family, she’ll have to put her business on hold to solve the crime. While local police chalk up the cause of death to an accidental overdose, Janet’s investigative intuition suspects more is at stake. But without an official PI license, she'll need to grab clues quick before she's caught.

When Janet discovers the victim has ties to a drug dealer and a hired escort, she worries she's in over her head. Especially when her prime suspect turns up dead. Can she protect the innocent and find the real killer before she becomes the next victim?

Last Minute is the second standalone book in the heart-pounding Janet Black Mystery series. If you like fast-paced suspense, blue-collar heroines, and stunning plot twists, then you’ll love Libby Kirsch’s maverick saga of suspense.

Buy Last Minute and pour yourself a tall glass of gripping mystery today!

Review

This is the first in the series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone. It is well written, engaging, and has enough twists, turns, and action to keep your attention. Janet is mostly a strong female lead - she runs a bar, does some sleuthing on the side, and asks the right questions. There are some quirky characters, including Ike.  It doesn't help when her partner and boyfriend suddenly disappears and looks like a suspect. 

This was an enjoyable read. If you like a cozy mystery with a lot of suspects and awkward interrelationships, you'll enjoy this one. I'm looking forward to reading Last Minute.

AMAZON

Blog Tour and Review: A GENUINE FIX: An Allie Cobb Mystery by J. C. Kenney

Synopsis

Murder takes a page out of a killer’s playbook when literary agent Allie Cobb becomes her Indiana town’s number-one bestselling suspect …

Running the family literary business while preparing for her best friend’s wedding, chairing a park planning committee, and getting her rescue cat to bond with her boyfriend’s golden retriever doesn’t leave Allie Cobb much time for crime-solving. But when the guy who stood her up the night of her high school senior prom is killed and dumped in a pile of mulch, Allie’s suddenly the prime suspect.

It’s insulting enough that gambler, drunk, and all-around lowlife Georgie Alonso was found on the site of the memorial park honoring Allie’s deceased father. Now she’s fighting to clear her name and hold off a rush to judgment. But politics, decades-old secrets, and a slew of high-profile suspects make dangerous bedfellows as the eve of the park’s grand opening draws nearer. She’ll have to nab a killer soon, before her storybook life gets a bad ending. . .

Review

Allie's now running her father's literary agency and feeling good about it. Right up until Georgie Alonso is found dead. Everyone in town knows how much she resented him and she believes she is the prime suspect. Though told to stay out of it, she's determined to find someone or more with as good a motive for murder as her. Only digging up secrets can be hazardous.

This is an interesting story line, with the murder and Allie's investigation intertwined with the other aspects of Allie's busy life and small town politics. Her business as a literary agent adds a unique perspective, though, at least this time, there's not a direct connection with the murder. The reader is provided with background information on the relationships in Allie's family, the odd relationship with the Police Chief, and the town. This is the second in the Allie Cobb Mysteries and can be read as a stand alone. A cozy mystery for sure, with no profanity or graphic sex or violence.

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.

Purchase links 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo

About the Author

J.C. Kenney grew up in a household filled with books by legends Agatha Christie and Lilian Jackson Braun, among many others, so it was no surprise when he found himself writing mystery stories. When he’s not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife, two sons, and a cat who is the inspiration for Ursula in the Allie Cobb Mysteries.

Author Links

Website – https://www.jckenney.com;

Twitter – https://twitter.com/JCKenney1;

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JCKenney1;

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/JCKenney;

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/j.c.kenney/


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Book Review: NEGATIVE EXPOSURE : Killer Shots Mysteries #1 by Lisa Thomas

Synopsis

Wendy Fairmont needs a reset button for her life.

When she's accused of murder and loses everything, Wendy moves back to her hometown to start over. But when she suspects the stain on her neighbor's floor is blood and not spaghetti sauce, she’s sucked into an investigation that has the neighbors turning up their noses.

Not only that, but her high school enemy is now married to the small town’s sheriff, and she’s determined to make Wendy’s life miserable. All this, as well as a stray cat who seems to read her mind, makes Wendy’s fresh start more like a dead end!

Negative Exposure is the first book in the Killer Shots Mysteries. If you enjoy a whodunit with plenty of twists and turns, you'll love this clean series with its snarky humor, quirky characters, and intriguing plot.

Review

Wendy has lots of baggage as she moves into her grandparents' home, not just in the moving van. And things are not going well, not for her or for Harold Attwood, recently deceased. Somehow the neighbors aren't quite as harmless as she remembers, and Jake is much hotter, but a bit secretive. Then, there's Cricket the cat, and her arch enemy from High School.

This was a fun read. I found myself smiling at some of the situations Wendy got herself in and at the other characters. The pace is steady with enough twists and a bit of personal angst for Wendy to keep it interesting. Adding to it all, it's not always clear who the good guys are. A good start to a cozy mystery series by Thomas. 

Killer Shots Mysteries

Negative Exposure

Freeze Frame

Picture Imperfect

Blog Tour and Review: LEFT FUR DEAD : A Jules & Bun Mystery by J. M. Griffin

Synopsis

On Fur Bridge Farm, Jules cares for rescued rabbits. But when a killer strikes, she’ll need a rabbit to rescue her . . .

Juliette “Jules” Bridge prides herself on the tender rehabilitation she provides for injured or abused rabbits on her New Hampshire rescue farm, but she has a very special relationship with one bunny in particular. Bun is a black-and-white rabbit who happens to have the ability to communicate through mental telepathy. Once she got over the shock, Jules found her furry friend had a lot to say.

One frigid March morning on their walk together, Bun spots a body. The police identify the frozen stiff as Arthur Freeman, aka Arty the Mime. Jules and Arty knew each other on the children’s party circuit, where he’d perform magic tricks and she had an educational rabbit petting pen. With Bun egging her on, Jules decides it’s time they hop to it and put their heads together to discover who silenced the mime. But their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole of more suspects and lies, while a killer sets a trap for them . . .

Review

Jules and Bun are interesting characters, and yes, Bun is a rabbit with a telepathic connection to Jules, and occasionally a few others. The whole rabbit rescue is a feel good bonus to this book. Only unfortunately, Jules stumbles on Arty's body and is worried she will be arrested. As the reader soon discovers, Jules is only a sleuth with Bun's prodding. 

Jules is not a very socially aware individual. Her whole life is centered on the rabbit rescue and ensuring the rabbits are well cared for with the help of her friend, Jess. Jess is finishing Vet school and will open a clinic on the grounds. To help with expanded service, Jules hires a new helper. Only someone doesn't want the rabbit rescue to be successful and that places the bunnies at risk. Jules is so isolated she doesn't readily pick up the clues without help from Bun. She is surprised and devastated when she does figure it out.

This was a fun read, and as someone who supports various animal rescue groups, I enjoyed the discussion of the educational and rescue aspects. The story is paced evenly with consistent action intermixed with setting the scene, not only for this, but future books in the 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

J. M. Griffin is the bestselling cozy mystery author of sixteen novels, including the Vinnie Esposito series. She lives in rural Rhode Island with her husband and two very mysterious cats. Visit her at jm-griffin.com.

Author Links

Website – Facebook – Blog

Purchase Links 

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

July 8 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

July 8 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

July 8 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

July 8 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

July 9 – Mochas, Mysteries, and Meows – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

July 9 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

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July 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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July 11 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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July 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

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Book Review: BREAKING FREE: SEAL Team Heartbreakers #1 by Teresa Reasor

Today's review is a military romantic suspense for a change of pace...

Synopsis

When LIEUTENANT ADAM “HAWK” YAZZIE rescues ENSIGN BRETT “CUTTER” WEAVER during a mission in Iraq, his faith in his team’s loyalty is shaken. Someone in the team attacked Cutter and left him for dead. But who?

ZOE WEAVER races to her brother Brett’s bedside. He stood by her while she fought her way back from a devastating injury, and she’s determined to do the same for him. Though drawn to Hawk’s good looks and steady strength, she’s reluctant to get involved with a man in uniform. But with Brett lying in a coma, Hawk may prove the key to what happened to her brother.

Hawk is torn between loyalty to his men and his need to see justice done. When he tries to save a troubled teammate’s career, he unwittingly puts Zoe’s life in danger. Can he lead the rest of the team in a rescue operation to save her? Or will one of Hawk's brothers in arms destroy the woman he loves?

Review

Zoe is a physical therapist, in part due to an accident she had when she was 7 and leaves Kentucky when her brother, Brett, a Navy Seal is hospitalized in a coma in California. She's a military brat, and already lost her father to the military, and now her brother. And of course, no one will tell her what happened on the Seal mission.  Hawk, the LT of the Seal unit feels responsible for Brett's injury, especially since he can't figure out how Cutter (Brett) got injured. It's ruled an accident on paper, but there is a lot of doubt. And that means someone on the team hit Brett in the head and left him for dead. Everyone is suspect and Hawk discovers he doesn't know his team as well as he thought.

The tension is always present with additional twists and turns, heightened by the growing attraction between Zoe and Hawk. The pace is quick and charged emotions keep it that way. There is adult content, in my opinion handled well. This is the first in a series, and I've already added the 2nd one to my TBR list.