New Release! THE ITCH OF SCANDAL (Izzie Di Sante Mysteries #4) by Christa Nardi

About the Book 

With a call from her uncle, Italian restaurant co-owner and investigative journalist Izzie Di Sante is drawn into the recent murder of an English professor at a nearby college. Izzie is intrigued by the cryptic quotes mailed to the victim and puzzling circumstances. The victim's home has been broken into twice, with no apparent motive or theft, and the grieving widow fears she will be next. Izzie is determined to unearth the missing links and identify the killer. 

As Izzie delves deeper into the investigation she uncovers a tapestry of secrets reminiscent of the holes in Chloe's crumpets. Seems she's not only running short on restaurant supplies but also missing critical ingredients in Lashley's murder. Izzie is determined to unearth the missing link and identify the killer.

New release priced at $0.99 through March 3rd! 

AMAZON US ~ AMAZON UK ~ AMAZON CA ~ AMAZON AU

The Izzie Di Sante Mysteries

Rewakening the Itch (Prequel)

An Itch for Justice

The Itch of Murder

An Itch for Danger

The Itch of Scandal

AMAZON US ~ AMAZON UK ~ AMAZON CA ~ AMAZON AU

About Christa Nardi

Christa Nardi is an avid reader with her love of mysteries beginning with Nancy Drew and other teen mysteries. She’s shifted to more contemporary mystery, crime, and cozy mysteries over time.  She has been a long time writer from short stories to mystery series. The second book in the Izzie Maroni Mysteries, The Itch of Murder, was a 2023 Reader's Favorite Sleuth Finalist.

Christa supports animal rescue and other efforts to help others. She is a member of Sisters in Crime. When not reading or writing, Christa enjoys travel and playing with her dogs and granddaughters.

You can connect and keep up with Christa via:

Facebook  ~ Amazon  ~ Twitter (X) ~ Bookbub ~ Goodreads

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DEATH AT FIRESIDE INN : 1920's Historical Mystery (Veroncia Vale Investigates) by Kitty Kildare

Death at the Fireside Inn: 1920s Historical Mystery (Veronica Vale Investigates)

 Historical British Cozy Mystery 

1st in Series 

Setting – 1920s London, England 

K.E. O’Connor Books (January 16, 2024) 

Number of Pages: 225 

ABOUT THE BOOK 

A fading star, a puzzling death, and a mystery that must be solved! 

Veronica Vale spent a turbulent few years serving her country during the Great War – doing more than her role in the exchange network suggested! Now back on British soil and adjusting to life as an obituary writer for her uncle’s newspaper, while caring for her ailing mother, Veronica has gotten used to a slower (and safer) pace of life. 

Excitement comes from fun parties, walks with Benji, her beloved rescue dog, and volunteering at the Dogs’ Home. 

When an old family friend, and former superstar of the theatre, Florence Sterling, is discovered dead in her dressing room at the Winter Garden Theatre in London, Veronica is curious to discover what happened to the sweet, funny, ruthlessly ambitious beauty. 

Much to the dismay of her sometimes nemesis Inspector Templeton, Veronica is tasked with writing Florence’s obituary. And what she learns will blow the roof off the theatre! That’s if she survives to tell the tale. *** 

If you love witty dialogue, historical glamour, intrigue, and a fast-paced cozy mystery set in 1920s England, then you’ll adore Kitty Kildare’s unputdownable whodunits. 

CHARACTER GUEST POST 

Good day to you! I’m Veronica Vale, and am adjusting to life following the Great War, doing more than my role as a telephone exchange operator suggests. But that’s a story for another time! 

1920s London is a fascinating place. Everyone is full of hope and joy, enterprise is everywhere, and there’s a buzz to this great city that has been missing for years. But there are still a few trials we all must endure. 

I’m a born and bred London girl who enjoys a simple life involving long walks with my rescue dog, Benji, and attending parties with my best friend, Ruby Smythe. But I somehow find myself embroiled in the most mysterious of cases. 

It’s partly due to my job as an obituary writer for my uncle’s newspaper, the London Times. I often find myself around the recently deceased, and sometimes, they didn’t go quietly into the good night. Some were given a bullet in the gut, a whack over the head, or shoved down a set of stone steps. 

And that won’t do! One thing I’m not afraid of is ensuring justice is done. Often to the frustration of the local police, and in particular, my sometimes nemesis, Inspector Jacob Templeton. He’s as handsome as he is stubborn, but I won’t let him stop me from ensuring wrongs are righted. 

My home in an up-and-coming part of London is rarely quiet. I live with my ailing mother, Edith Vale, and my voluntarily housebound younger brother, Matthew. I tried to convince them to move to somewhere smaller and more practical, but they won’t hear of it. And to be honest, I don’t want to leave the place, even though it costs a small fortune to heat. We use the extra rooms to take in foster animals. There are many abandoned or lost animals looking for homes following the Great War. People who lost everything or were bombed out were unable to look after their precious animals, so I stepped in. I’m happy to say it’s a passion of mine. 

Between my work at the newspaper, busy social life thanks to Ruby, keeping an eye on my eccentric family, my volunteer work at the dogs’ home, and my sleuthing activities, I rarely have a moment’s peace. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

If you wish to step back in time and enjoy the delights of postwar London, explore the surprises and mysteries hiding behind some of the grandest front doors, and help me ensure the police know what they’re doing, then you’d be most welcome to join me in my latest adventure. 

Now, I must fly. I’m treating Ruby to an afternoon tea at the Ritz!

Yours truly, Veronica Vale

Purchase Links 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon AU 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Immerse yourself into Kitty Kildare‘s cleverly woven historical British mysteries. Follow the mystery in the Veronica Vale Investigates series and enjoy the dazzle and delights of 1920s England. Kitty is a not-so-secret pen name of established cozy mystery author K.E. O’Connor, who decided she wanted to time travel rather than cast spells! Enjoy the twists and turns. 

Author Links 

Webpage ~ Facebook ~ GoodReads  

TOUR PARTICIPANTS 

February 7 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT February 7 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER    INTERVIEW 

February 7 – Christa Reads and Writes – CHARACTER GUEST POST 

February 8 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW February 8 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST 

February 9 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT 

February 9 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW 

February 9 – Novels Alive – REVIEW 

February 10 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

February 10 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT 

February 11 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT February 11 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

February 12 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

February 12 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT February 13 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST February 13 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW February 13 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

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Book Review: Forgeries and Fatalities (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries Book 3) by Jennifer S. Alderson

 

About the Book

Carmen De Luca, an intrepid art sleuth with a passion for recovering lost masterpieces, is thrilled to be in Luxembourg chasing down another lead. Yet her keen eye for detail is put to the test when she gets wind of a devious plan to transport stolen masterpieces through Europe's free ports. 

When the trail leads to Italy, Carmen discovers that smuggling is just the tip of the brush, and someone is determined to silence anyone who gets too close to the truth. 

Will Carmen outsmart the cunning criminals and expose the murderer before she’s painted out of the picture—permanently? Find out in Forgeries and Fatalities, book three of the Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries! 

Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries: 

Collecting Can Be Murder 

A Statue To Die For 

Forgeries and Fatalities 

A Killer Inheritance 

Review 

Carmen's latest assignment has an interesting twist. She's attending an art auction - by invitation only - to see if the auction is a front for an art smuggling operation. The host/artist doesn't hide the fact that he recreates other artist's works. He signs them with his name. 

Carmen hits a few roadblocks right away. Her usual partner, Lady Sophie, and the one who gets the invitation is still laid up. Carmen's best friend Rhonda fit in fine on a previous job, but Rhonda's exuberant personality almost results in them both being kicked out. Lady Sophie, jealous of Rhonda, shows up as well, in a wheel chair. She wants Rhonda gone. Not able to keep either Lady Sophie or Rhonda under control, Carmen's on her own to find the connection - if there is one - to auctioning off his copies and art smuggling.

I've read and enjoyed the first two in the series, and this one did not disappoint. Although part of a series, each book is a different adventure in art history, art theft, and art smuggling. The personalities of Carmen, Lady Sophie, and Rhonda add to the tension, along with the errant interpol hottie. Readers of cozy mysteries will enjoy this book - actually the whole series. Book 4 is available on pre-order. I can't wait.

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

About the Author (From Amazon)

Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, grew up in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she lived in Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. 

Jennifer’s love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, her Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and her Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels. 

When not writing, she can be found perusing a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.

Book Review: THE FAMILY MAN - A Rosedale Investigations Mystery by Lynn Farrell

The Family Man (Rosedale Investigations) 

Cozy Mystery 

4th in Series 

Setting – Tennessee 

Camel Press (January 9, 2024) 

About the Book

A woman approaches Rosedale Investigations to report her husband missing. Then another woman arrives to report her husband is missing. When the team sees the photographs of James Browning, they realize it’s the same guy; they have a bigamist on their hands. Detective Wayne Nichols locates Browning’s car at the local airport and learns the man’s been subpoenaed to provide evidence in the trial of a decade-old murder of a police officer-a shooting Browning witnessed. 

A second client, Hilary Broadchurch-Miller believes her brother, Grant, is being blackmailed by Aimee, his yoga instructor. He had earlier pledged to cover the cost of sending Hilary’s sons to college and she’s afraid he might renege on that promise. When Billy Jo interviews Aimee, she denies having an affair and is shocked when accused of blackmail. However, when Billy Jo checks the Venmo app, she discovers Grant has been giving Aimee money for two months. Something is definitely going on.

This one is a page-turner with two wives who don’t know about each other, a man who may or may not have a daughter, and a final 4th of July party where all the strands of the tale come together. 

Review 

The Rosedale Investigations is quite busy with multiple changes coming for those who follow the series. The focus, however, is on the two wives - one with a little boy, and one with a teen-aged daughter. After witnessing a crime, James Browning left his common law wife and daughter and moved. At the funeral of a cousin, he met the widow and her toddler son and they got married. Now, both families live in the same town and he's disappeared. Billy-Jo, Dori, and Wayne chase multiple leads to find him.

At the same time, Billy-Jo, still hoping to become partner, pursues the potential blackmail scheme or surprise daughter of Grant. Along with trying to establish possible paternity, Billy-Jo still has questions about how long it took PD to find her when he'd promised to take care of her. That's a third mystery that is revealed. 

The Family Man is an easy read with interesting mysteries, a diverse smattering of characters, and a plot that includes the members of Rosedale Investigations as well as their clients. The pace is steady and it can be read as a stand-alone - this is my first in the series - although The Family Man is the fourth. Still, I think it's always best to start at the beginning. If you like a cozy mystery with heartfelt moments, you'll enjoy this book.

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 

Lyn Farrell is the pen name of Lynda Farquhar the author of the Mae December Mystery series as well as the Rosedale Investigations series. 

She is a former Michigan State University professor in the College of Human Medicine, a mother, and a grandmother. 

She loves playing with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and is always on the lookout for her family artist grandfather’s (Eugene Iverd) paintings. He was a Saturday Evening Post cover artist. 

Author Links 

Webpage ~ Facebook ~ 

 Purchase Link 

Amazon 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year, hopefully with more peace, kindness, and tolerance.

As I reflect on 2023, I try to focus on the positive. For the most part, family and friends are in good health. Along with friends, my husband and I cruised to and through the first lock of the Panama Canal and later cruised Greece, Italy, and Malta. My husband and I visited family and friends in Virginia after not seeing them in 10 years. I met up with colleagues I hadn't seen in a while at conferences in Texas, and traveled to San Diego for Bouchercon. Most recently, we celebrated Thanksgiving in Nashville.

One thing, my husband and I have learned, with the passing of friends our age or younger, is that we don't want to procrastinate. I'm not a resolution maker, but we are working on our "bucket list" and planning more trips with family and friends in 2024. That includes Europe and Scandinavia, as well trips to the northeast and southeast to see friends and family.  A return trip to Nashville, both for Killer Nashville and Bouchercon, is penciled in as well.

Of course, I hope to read more, post more book reviews, write more books, and interact with readers and other authors all year long. Stay tuned!

Spotlight on Christmas: THE CHRISTMAS CONUNDRUM - A Liz Adams Mystery by Stacy Wilder

A Christmas Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery 

Cozy Mystery

3rd in Series

Wolf Hawk Press 

About the Book:

Nancy Drew meets How the Grinch Stole Christmas in this delightful cozy mystery set in Charleston, SC. 

Who’s stealing the holiday decorations? They’re disappearing like Christmas cookies from PeggyLou Designs, and Lou’s newly launched event planning service is in trouble. He implores his neighbor and friend, Private Investigator Liz Adams, to bring the thief to justice. 

The clock is ticking. It’s only ten days until the mayor’s big holiday celebration. The party that will make or break Lou’s business. 

Liz’s mom, Babs, steps in to help, and the investigation becomes complicated. Suddenly the holidays are not all mistletoe and merriment when Bab’s life is threatened. Will Liz and her lie-detecting Labrador retriever, Duke, discover the perpetrator before it’s too late? 

Experience Charleston in the city’s full Christmas glory in this fun fast-paced holiday story. 

Purchase Links: 

Amazon E-book ~ Amazon Paperback ~ Amazon Hardback  Barnes and Noble ~ Bookshop.org 

About the Author:

Stacy Wilder has traveled to six out of seven continents Books have shaped her life and her travels. Her love of mysteries began with Nancy Drew. A Christmas Conundrum is the third book in the riveting Liz Adams Mystery series. In addition to mysteries, Stacy writes children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. She and her husband live in Houston, Texas, with a totally spoiled Labrador retriever, Eve. 

Author Links: 

Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ YouTube  BookBub 

  

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Book Review: MURDER ON BAINBRIDGE ISLAND : A Northwest Cozy Mystery by Dianne Harman

About the Book 

When DeeDee's inaugural catering event becomes a crime scene, her budding business is thrust into jeopardy. The Seattle art world is rocked after Lisa, a prominent gallery owner, is found dead during the evening's festivities. 

With whispers of suspicion tainting her reputation, DeeDee has more than her livelihood at stake; she's also racing against time to clear her name. Teaming up with Jake, a savvy private investigator she's grown close to, and her loyal husky, Balto, DeeDee dives into a world of intrigue and danger. 

Book Review 

DeeDee returns to Bainbridge Island following a divorce, decides to start a catering company as part of her new life. She no sooner gets started and she's hired to cater a dinner for Marlene Palmer, who DeeDee knew from working at a docent at the art museum. Everyone loves the food, only someone murders one of the guests. The first suggested cause of death is the food, and DeeDee is sure her new business is in danger. Add in Jake, the attractive PI who sells her a husky trained to be a guard dog, and DeeDee is determined to find the killer and clear any concerns about her catering. 

This was an enjoyable read with a host of suspects. DeeDee is likable, a little naive, and down to earth. Jake is also likable and predictable, especially when DeeDee doesn't seem to think she could be in danger. Both characters are well-developed as are the main suspects, DeeDee's sister, Roz, and Balto with his rabbit. Murder on Bainbridge Island is the first in the Northwest Cozy Mysteries. If you like cozy mysteries, dogs, and food, and haven't discovered this series yet, I recommend it.

AMAZON

The Northwest Cozy Mystery Series

Murder on Bainbridge Island, Murder in Whistler, Murder in Seattle, Murder after Midnight, Murder at Le Bijou Bistro, Murder at the Gallery, Murder at the Waterfront, Murder and Food Porn, Murder in the Cayman Islands, Murder in Chicago, The Final Curtain Call, Murder at the Manor, Murder in Vancouver, Murder on the Train, Murder after Dinner, The Troubled Tycoon, Murder in Portland, Confusion at the Convention, A Murderous Opening, The Missing Husband, Too Good To Be True, Murder on the Rooftop, Voices From The Past, The Final Farewell 

About the Author (from Amazon)

USA Today Bestselling Author and Amazon All-Star, Dianne Harman, draws her stories and characters from a diverse business and personal background. She owned a national antique and art appraisal business for many years, left that industry, and opened two yoga centers where she taught yoga and certified yoga instructors. 

She's traveled extensively throughout the world and loves nothing more than cooking with her husband, Tom, and playing with their boxer dog, Kelly. Being a dog lover and having attended numerous cooking schools, she couldn't resist writing about food and dogs. 

She’s the author of several cozy mystery series: Cedar Bay, Liz Lucas, High Desert, Midwest, Cottonwood Springs, and Chef Dani Rosetti. Most of these books contains recipes from her travels. She is also the author of the award-winning suspenseful Coyote Series, Midlife Journey Series, Holly Lewis Mystery Series, Miranda Riley Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series, and the Maria Rodriguez Mystery Series.

To get your free books from Dianne, just cut and paste: http://ow.ly/wgVG304NU9N Enjoy!