Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Blog Tour and Spotlight: THE CORPSE IN THE GAZEBO (A Food Blogger Mystery) by Debra Sennefelder


Synopsis

Food blogging is turning Hope Early into a household name. But the dead body down the block makes her a #1 suspect . . . It seems everyone loves Hope’s blog these days, and she’s busier than ever volunteering to help other women create their own paths to success. So she’s shocked when a neighbor petitions to run Hope right out of her small Connecticut town! 

Set in her ways, apparently Birdie Donovan doesn’t like the chaos Hope’s sleuthing creates, the police activity and crime scenes, and it’s happening way too often lately. Eager to make amends, Hope bakes Birdie a batch of her best muffins. The delicious treats might have smoothed things over—until Hope discovers Birdie dead in her gazebo the very next day . . . 

Now instead of worrying about holding on to her beloved home, Hope is trying to stay out of jail. Because suddenly she’s the lead suspect in the case. Not even her boyfriend, Police Chief Ethan Cahill, is promising he can clear her name, much less discuss the investigation with her. 

It’s up to Hope to get to bake new ground on the case before the lifestyle brand she’s created—and her whole life—crumbles . . .

Includes Recipes from Hope’s Kitchen! 

About the Author

Debra Sennefelder is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. 

Her first novel, THE UNINVITED CORPSE (A Food Blogger mystery) was published in 2018. In addition to writing the Food Blogger mystery series, she writes the Resale Boutique Mystery series. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.  

Born and raised in New York City, where she majored in her hobby of fashion buying, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in retail and publishing before becoming a full-time author. Her writing companion is her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih Tzu, Connie. 

Author Links  


Purchase Links




Sunday, September 26, 2021

Book Review: MEET ME HALFWAY (The Off Field Series) by Kim Carmody

A shift from the usual mystery with a contemporary romance...

Synopsis 

An ambitious journalist on a fast track to success. 
A round one draft pick determined to keep his personal life his own. 
And a documentary that proves sometimes opposites really do attract. 

Olivia Callahan is a woman on a mission. When she lands a career defining opportunity in the male-dominated world of sports journalism, she knows it’s make or break time. Olivia’s boss has given her the green light to produce her very own documentary, and she’s not going to let anything get in the way of perfection.  

After a few setbacks in college, Nate Sullivan is finally on his way to the big leagues as the newest recruit for the New York Warriors. Determined to put his somewhat colorful past behind him, Nate’s all about the straight and narrow as he sets out to prove he’s worthy of the first round draft pick that’s caused so much debate from fans and media. 

The last thing Nate wants is to delve into stories from his past. But when his new team directs him to set the record straight, he has no choice but to cooperate with the feisty, determined reporter who shows up on campus. Olivia is thrilled that Nate Sullivan is her man. His colorful background is just the thing to take her story from memorable to award winning. 

What neither of them expected is their attraction to one another, yet try as they might, determination gives way to temptation eventually. As Nate battles to protect his privacy and Olivia fights to produce the story of her career, they must decide what they’re willing to give up in order to gain each other. 

Review 

A steady pace and easy flow made this an enjoyable read. The story is told from the perspectives of both Olivia and Nate, giving each their own voice and accentuating the anxiety of Olivia for her career and Nate to protect his privacy. It's not your stereotypical sports romance, with much at stake for both them, especially as their attraction grows. 

Need a break from the usual romance tropes and mystery? This is a well-written contemporary romance with an HEA. It's part of a series of sports romances. Olivia is introduced in the first one, but this one can be easily read as a stand alone. Nate and their relationship are new to Meet Me Halfway. There are some adult scenes, so reader beware. 

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.

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Blog Tour and Book Review: ONE OF US (A Tower District Mystery) by Lorie Lewis Ham

 

Synopsis

At 35, children’s book author Roxi Carlucci finds herself starting over again after her publisher drops her book series. With no income, she has to pack up her life on the California Coast, along with her pet rat Merlin, and move in with her cousin, P.I. Stephen Carlucci, who lives in Fresno, CA. The one redeeming factor is that Stephen lives in the Tower District—the cultural oasis of Fresno.

Stephen talks Roxi into helping out with a community theatre production, which is also a fundraiser for a local animal rescue. Little did she know that someone would be murdered during a rehearsal, and that she and Stephen would be hired to find the killer. The killer has to be one of Roxi’s new acquaintances since the theatre was locked at the time of the murder, but no one seems to have a motive. How can they solve a murder without a motive? Could the local gossip website hold any clues? Can they stop the killer before they strike again?

        GIVEAWAY 
Leave a comment - one lucky commenter will win a digital copy of One of Us.

Review

Roxi moves in with her cousin to decide on the next chapter in her life. She's worked for Stephen before but is not thrilled with the idea of Fresno. Not her favorite place. He's helping with the theater company and she agrees to work with the mousy stage manager. The very first night she's there, an argument breaks out between the director and an actor over an issue with the script. The next day the mousy manager is found dead. 

Well-written, Ham walks you through the twists, turns, and surprises that face Roxi and Stephen as they work with the local police to solve the murder. In trying to come up to speed with what's happening, Roxi discovers the local gossip website. Is who is talked about important? Or maybe who's missing? 

This is the first in series and the stage is set for Roxie and Stephen to be solving more murders in the Tower District. There might even be a possible romance blooming. If you like a good mystery with some quirky characters (and don't forget Merlin), you'll like this one. I've added the next to my TBR pile.

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 Lorie Lewis Ham

Lorie Lewis Ham lives in Reedley, California and has been writing ever since she was a child—her first stories were about her stuffed animals. Her first song and poem were published when she was 13, and she has gone on to publish many articles, short stories, and poems throughout the years, as well as write for a local newspaper. Four out of 5 of her previously published mystery novels feature gospel singer Alexandra Walters and are set in the San Joaquin Valley. Those books were inspired by the many years she spent traveling and singing gospel music with her family. 

One Of Us is the first in a brand new mystery series set in the Tower District of Fresno, California featuring podcaster and part-time detective Roxi Carlucci. Lorie has also been the publisher of the online magazine Kings River Life for the past 11 years (kingsriverlife.com), and of its sister website KRL News & Reviews (krlnews.com). She also launched a mystery podcast called Mysteryrat’s Maze (mysteryratsmaze.podbean.com) 3 years ago which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors, including the first chapter of this book. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and all of the other usual places. You can learn more about Lorie on her website mysteryrat.com and find her on Twitter @mysteryrat and Facebook. Another way to keep up with Lorie’s writing is to subscribe to her newsletter—you can find info on doing that on her website.

Lorie has been married to Larry for 30 years and they have 2 grown children—Jayce and Joseph Ham. She currently has 5 cats (Merlin, Sam, Dean, Sidney, and Willow), 4 dogs (Lestat, Huey, Xander, and Phoebe), and a pet dwarf rabbit (Sherlock). For many years, she worked in pet rat rescue and has had many pet rats of her own over the years. 

Author Links 

Purchase Links 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS 
September 15 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT 
September 16 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST 
September 16 – Christy's Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST                             POST 
September 17 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT 
September 18 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST
September 19 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW 
September 20 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 
September 21 – Baroness' Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT 
September 22 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST 
September 23 – Mysteries with Character – REVIEW 
September 24 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
September 25 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book –                                     SPOTLIGHT 
September 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy - REVIEW, AUTHOR                                     INTERVIEW 
September 26 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
September 27 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT September 28 – Reading Authors Network – GUEST POST

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Book Review: DOUBLE FUDGE FELONY (Cupcake Crime Series Book 3) by Molly Maple

A new author for me...

Synopsis (from Amazon)

When Charlotte McKay's new friend is accused of murder, she will do anything to solve the crime. When Charlotte befriends Lisa Swanson, her dreams of owning a cupcake bakery finally begin to come true. 

But when a body is discovered and all signs point to Lisa being the guilty one, Charlotte doesn't know what to believe. Murder isn't the only crime that Charlotte uncovers in her quest to clear Lisa's name. When secret sins come to light, soon the plucky citizens in the small town of Sweetwater Falls don't seem quite so innocent anymore. 

Review

Charlotte McKay's dream is to create cupcake flavors, only things haven't gone her way and she's working full time and making cupcakes in her spare time. Well, her other dream involves the Police Chief's son, Logan. Her business dream become a reality when she meets Lisa, who jots down a business plan and the older women and Charlotte's best friend, Marianne, spread the word about Charlotte's cupcakes. The hitch is that Lisa is a prime suspect in Jared's murder due to a rumor they were having an affair.

From the brown snowballs to the descriptions of the scrumptious cupcakes (I think I may have gained weight just thinking about them), this was a fun read with the killer not obvious and all the evidence against Lisa. Charlotte insists (to Logan amidst falling over and being tongue-tied) that she'll find the killer. And the more time she spends with Logan, the less clumsy and nervous she is. 

This is the third in the Cupcake Crime Series, but my first read of Molly Maple and Charlotte's cupcakes. No problem, it was easily read as a stand-alone as I'm now tempted to go back to the beginning.  If you enjoy cozy mystery, smart and entreprenurial main characters, and a side of romance, you'll enjoy this one.

Vanilla Vengeance (Book 1)
Marshmallow Murder (Book 2)
Pumpkin Spice (Book 4)
Peppermint Peril (Book 5)
Caramel Corruption (Book 6)

About Molly Maple 

Molly Maple believes in the magic of hot tea and the romance of rainy days. She is a fan of all desserts, but cupcakes have a special place in her heart. She spends her days searching for fresh air, and her evenings reading in front of a fireplace. Molly Maple is a pen name for USA Today bestselling fantasy author, Mary E. Twomey. Visit her online at www.MollyMapleMysteries.com.

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Cover Reveal: THE FRIDAY NIGHT MYSTERY CLUB by Joanna Campbell Slan

A New Book from Joanna Campbell Slan

                                          

A Novel Featuring a Female Amateur Sleuth and Her Friends

                                                      

Decatur, Illinois - 1986

                                                               

Release Date September 18, 2021

                                          

The Friday Night Mystery Club

A nasty divorce leaves Cragan Collins with a mountain of bills and her grandmother to support. She takes a job as an ad salesperson for The Gazette. The market is tough, but Cragan finds a mentor in business reporter, Robert Smithson. One icy January day, Robert is found dead in a city park. His murder is dismissed as gay-on-gay crime. Cragan asks The Friday Night Mystery Club to find justice for Robert. Will Cragan's quest for the truth land her on the obituary page?

 

About Joanna Campbell Slan

“Our best friend, our next-door neighbor, and ourselves with just a touch of the outrageous.” That’s how RT Book Review describes Joanna’s protagonist, Kiki Lowenstein. The truth is that’s a pretty good description of Joanna Campbell Slan as well.

Joanna is a New York Times Bestselling, USA Today Bestselling, and Amazon Bestselling author as well as a woman prone to frequent bursts of crafting frenzy, leaving her with burns from her hot glue gun and paint on her clothes. And the mess? Let’s not even go there.

Otherwise, Joanna’s a productive author with more than 80 written projects to her credit. Her non-fiction work includes how to books, a college textbook for public speakers, and books of personal essays (think Chicken Soup for the Soul).

Currently, she writes five fiction series: The Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series (Agatha Award Finalist, contemporary, St. Louis setting, crafting), the Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series (contemporary, Florida setting, DIY, and recycling), the Jane Eyre Chronicles (Daphne du Maurier Award Winner, 1830s England, based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic), the Sherlock Holmes Fantasy Thrillers (late 1800s, based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s books), and the Zen Cozy Mystery Series (launch 2021).

A former TV talk show host, college teacher, and public relations specialist, Joanna was one of the early Chicken Soup for the Soul contributors. She won a Silver Anvil for her work on the original FarmAid concert to benefit farmers.

In her ongoing quest never to see snow again, Joanna lives with her husband and their Havanese puppy, Jax, on an island off the coast of Florida. You can email her at jcslan@joannaslan.com or visit her website at https://linktr.ee/jcslan

Author Links

Website Facebook Twitter BookBub Pinterest

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Blog Tour and Book Review: DEADLY CYPHER - A World War II Mystery (The Deadly Series #7) by Kate Parker

Synopsis

Could a murder at Bletchley Park cost Britain the war? 

November, 1939. The British government has assembled a small group of intellectuals at an estate north of London as part of a top-secret codebreaking effort. Everything about it is clandestine. The facility is ringed with a veil of silence until one of the young female linguists is murdered. 

Britain’s counterintelligence spymaster tasks Olivia Redmond with finding the killer and the motive. Olivia is sent in alone, without clues or suspects. 

Did the murder victim uncover a mole? Could Britain’s program to break German enigma cyphers be compromised? 

If Olivia fails, it could mean the destruction of Britain. 

Deadly Cypher, book seven of the Deadly Series, is for fans of World War II era spy thrillers and classical cozy mysteries, of intrepid lady sleuths with spunk and smarts. No explicit cursing, sex, or violence. 

Deadly Cypher will be on sale until August 30, 2021 when it will be sold at full price. 

Review

The setting is Britain, at the start of World War II. The British have called up citizens with skills to break the German codes they're intercepting in hopes of saving Britain. Men and women with different skills are gathered to serve and protect Britain before the shots are fired. Billeted together, Olivia, Rosalie and other women are in close quarters with Olivia's main goal to find out who killed Sarah and why, lest there be a traitor in their midst. Add in the charming Simon, the knitting club, Captain Redmond, and John. 

The dynamics among the characters is well played and the tension is palpable. War is about to break out and Britain may survive if this group of individuals can crack the code. For the women, this is truly their means of contributing to the war effort via intel. The suspects in Sarah's murder are limited and secret doors in the house the women occupy when not working add to the mystery. With many twists and much antagonism between Olivia and Simon, the puzzle pieces and morse code come together. If you like historical fiction, WWII, and cozy mystery, you will enjoy this one. Although book 7 in the Deadly Series, this was easily read as a stand alone.

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

With her love of travel, Kate Parker sets her novels overseas. Once home from her research trips and armed with hot tea and chocolate, she can be found clicking away on her keyboard, hiking the hills of central North Carolina, and spoiling her 90 pound muse puppy. She’d tell you what she did before she retired, but then she’d have to use certain skills to eliminate you. 

She pens stories to entertain readers who enjoy action and murder in tales about plucky heroines, quirky characters, and difficult situations in a bygone era. Her stories are sweet, as in no graphic sex, violence, or language. Her heroines remain ladylike while chasing murderers and escaping danger. Well, as ladylike as scratching, punching, and kicking can be. 

Author Links 

Twitter 

Purchase Links
Amazon – Apple – Kobo – B&N 




Monday, August 23, 2021

Blog Tour and Book Review: CAJUN KISS OF DEATH (A Cajun Country Mystery) by Ellen Byron

Synopsis

The next shot from Cupid’s bow may be fatal in USA Today bestselling, Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron’s hearty and delightful seventh Cajun Country mystery. 

In Pelican, Louisiana, Valentine’s Day has a way of warming the heart, despite the February chill. But the air at Crozat Plantation B&B turns decidedly frigid when celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson checks in. And when the arrogant Phillippe–in town to open his newest Cajun-themed restaurant–perishes in a fiery boat crash, Maggie Crozat’s dear friend JJ lands in very cold water. 

Did JJ, proprietor of Junie’s Oyster Bar and Dance Hall, murder Phillippe because he feared the competition? Might Maggie’s mother, Ninette, have bumped off the chef for stealing one of her cherished recipes? Or was the culprit a local seafood vendor, miffed because Phillippe was somehow able to sell oysters for a remarkably reasonable price, despite an oyster shortage? 

Maggie had planned to devote her February to art lessons in New Orleans, a present from her sweetheart, Bo. But now she has to focus on helping her friend and her mother cross a murder charge off the menu. Meanwhile, Maggie receives a series of anonymous gifts that begin as charming but grow increasingly disturbing. Does Maggie have an admirer–or a stalker? And are these mysterious gifts somehow related to Phillippe’s murder? 

Blood may be thicker than water, but this case is thicker than gumbo. And solving it will determine whether Maggie gets hearts and roses–or hearse and lilies–this Valentine’s Day. 

Review 

With a Lousiana setting, it's no surprise that the mystery involves food and celebrations, even if it's not in New Orleans proper. The big question is whether some famous chef can out cook the local restaurant run by JJ (and put JJ out of business). With Philippe Chanson romancing one of his sous chefs while still in partnership with his ex-wife, adds another layer of intrigue and then Philippe is murdered. And they're all staying at the bed'n breakfast run by Maggie and her family. As the story heats up, with JJ's closed and Chanson found to be stealing recipes from many, Maggie barely has time to think about the mysterious gifts arriving and not from her husband, Bo. 

The Cajun flavor is delightful and the pace is steady. It's not quite clear how the Valentine's countdown plays into the murder until the end. Nor is it clear how the guy Maggie dated a few times is involved. I liked the characters I was supposed to like and I wasn't too unhappy or surprised when Philippe was killed. There are plenty of surprises, right to the very end.

This is the seventh in the series, but I haven't read the whole series. It was easily read as a stand alone and I enjoyed the mysteries and celebrating Maggie and Bo's first Valentine's Day as husband and wife.

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 

Ellen’s Cajun Country Mysteries have won the Agatha award for Best Contemporary Novel and multiple Lefty awards for Best Humorous Mystery. She writes the Catering Hall Mystery series, which are inspired by her real-life, under the name Maria DiRico. Ellen is an award-winning playwright, and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and FAIRLY ODD PARENTS. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines but considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart. 

Author Links 

Purchase Links 


a Rafflecopter giveaway