Archive for the ‘Cozy Mystery’ Category

Dreidels And Dead Ends ~ A Bad Hair Day Mystery By Nancy H. Cohen

Posted: June 24, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Dreidels and Dead Ends (Bad Hair Day Mysteries)
by Nancy J. Cohen


Dreidels and Dead Ends (Bad Hair Day Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
19th in Series
Setting – Florida
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orange Grove Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 23, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 246 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1952886392
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1952886393
Kindle
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1952886409
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GWQMWF7Y

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A daring holiday heist at the local history museum sends hairstylist Marla Vail on her most tangled case yet.

When salon owner Marla Vail agrees to speak at the local history museum’s gala opening for a new exhibit, she expects applause—not a catastrophe. But shortly after she takes the stage, a thief steals the featured diamond-studded hairbrush, leaving behind an empty display case and a badly injured security guard.

Marla’s friend, museum curator Becky Forest, begs for her help in recovering the prized heirloom before the mayor uses this scandal as an excuse to cut their funding. To make matters worse, the antique hairbrush comes with a curse, and suddenly bad luck is spreading through town faster than a botched dye job. As Hanukkah festivities begin, Marla would rather be lighting candles than chasing clues, but with Becky’s job at stake, she takes on the case.

Her trail leads to a knot of suspects including the hairbrush’s owner, his greedy cousin, shifty museum staff, and a reclusive collector of mystical antiquities. Instead of enjoying menorah lights and latkes, Marla discovers murder, lies, and larceny. She’ll need sharp wits and a holiday miracle to save the museum and to keep the truth from being brushed aside.

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About Author Nancy J. Cohen

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have been named Best Cozy Mystery by Suspense Magazine, won the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards and the RONE Award, placed first in the Chanticleer International Book Awards and third in the Arizona Literary Awards. Her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook, have won the FAPA President’s Book Award, the Royal Palm Literary Award, and IAN Book of the Year. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.

Author Links

Website    Blog    Facebook    Twitter / X    LinkedIn     Instagram    BookBub    Pinterest    Goodreads    YouTube

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Purchase Links – Universal Link – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org – Apple – Google Play 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 23 – Storybook Lady – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews

June 24 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 24 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Sarandipity’s – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Bea’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Carla Loves To Read – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Deal Sharing Aunt – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Romance Novel Giveaways – SPOTLIGHT

 

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Recipe For Murder By Marla A. White ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: June 21, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, Excerpt, giveaways
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Welcome to Pine Cove.

The Mayor is a dog, B&B guests are fugitives, and the pancakes
are burnt.

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Recipe For Murder

A Pine Cove Mystery Book 2

by Marla A. White

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Mel O’Rourke traded her LAPD badge for the quiet life,
running a bed-and-breakfast in tiny, quirky Pine Cove.

But when Jackson Thibodeaux, the charming café owner who broke her heart,
stumbles back into town, her tranquil second act is toast. While attending a
culinary academy in New Orleans, Jackson found the body of a classmate. The
police rule it a suicide, but Mel’s instincts—and Jackson’s near miss with a
bullet—scream murder.
Between a cooking school full of shady suspects, a reformed cat burglar for a
sidekick, and a complicated love triangle involving the deputy sheriff, Mel has
her hands full.

Perfect for fans of the sweetness of Jenn McKinlay and the snark of Elle
Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan.

 

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“Dang, woman. You want to take my
certification test for me?” She noticed with no small amount of satisfaction
that, although he’d done a decent job, she’d bested him. Again.

“You’ll do fine,” she teased as she
ejected the clip, put the gun down, and began to reload. Even with the EZ
loader she’d gotten as a birthday gift from her parents a few years ago, she
struggled to get the bullets in. Her father, an ex-cop himself, thought her
lack of dexterity was hilarious.

“Here, let me help you.” Gregg
closed the distance between them, standing so close she felt the heat of his
body. The tang of cordite, pine trees, and the summer blooms scattered around
the outdoor firing range tickled her nose, conspiring to make the moment sort
of romantic as his rough, calloused hands met hers. The thought sent a zing of
electricity through her that she couldn’t quite explain. Before this got any
weirder, she stepped away.

“Gah, I could hear the ‘little
lady’ part of that statement even without you saying it. I’ve got this, thanks
anyway.”

Rather than be offended, he
laughed. They continued practicing their firearm skills for another twenty
minutes until Gregg complained the sound of Mel’s stomach rumbling was loud
enough to be heard even through his protective ear gear. “It’s throwing off my
aim. Are you ready to call it a day?” She felt the heat rise to her cheeks in
embarrassment. “Pizza?”

“You haven’t by chance changed your
stance on the sushi spaghetti combo restaurant, have you?”

He laughed. “No way. You’re welcome
to a sausage caterpillar roll. It’s a hard pass for me. Besides, the pizza
joint carries Redrum beer.”

As they headed to his car, she
teased him. “You can’t fool me, you’re a secret wine lover. And you “know the
name for a type of sushi? I’m impressed.”

She slammed into him when he
suddenly stopped walking. He turned and glanced down at her, standing a good
six inches taller. There was a twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he put one
hand out to steady her, the other to her lips. “Shh, I have a reputation to
protect.”

For a moment, it looked like he was
going to move in to kiss her. For a moment, Mel wanted him to. But whatever
spark had been in his eyes wavered to uncertainty, and he ushered her to his
car without another word.

****

“You’d better hope your boss never
finds out you know all the words to that musical or he’ll insist on drug
testing you.” Mel laughed as Gregg opened the lobby door for her, still
murmuring away in a surprisingly pleasant singing voice. She didn’t normally
wait for any man to open a door, but her hands were full, holding the box of
pizza they’d gotten to bring back for the vultures she knew would be waiting
for her at the inn. He held the door with one hand, a bottle of wine they
planned on sharing while binging episodes of a British cop series they loved
gripped in the other.

As she expected, Gemma, Grandma,
and Poppy materialized from the great room at a speed that suggested they’d
been sitting near the window watching for their return. Their grim expressions,
however, made her stop short. “All right, out with it. Why are you three acting
so weird? We’re twenty feet inside the door, and there hasn’t been one smart
ass remark yet. Who died?” When no one answered, a cold dread bloomed in the
pit of her stomach. She might have dropped the pizza if Poppy hadn’t snatched
it out of her numb hands. “Seriously, is everyone okay? Did something happen?
Is it Liam?”

“No, Mel, it’s me,” a voice said
with a distinctly more pronounced Southern drawl than he’d had the last time
they spoke. An exhausted, pale, but determined Jackson emerged from the
shadows, rubbing at his temple as if to ease an ache. “I really need your
help.”

Relief, anger, hope, and about a
dozen other emotions Mel couldn’t identify came crashing down all at once. “I’m
going to need you to open that wine,” she told Gregg.

He twisted the top off with his
bare hand since their favorite brand of chardonnay didn’t use a “cork. “Done,”
he said as he handed her the chilled bottle, the outside damp with sweat.

She took a healthy gulp straight
out of the bottle before addressing Jackson. “All right, out with it. What do
you want, and it better be good after the bullshit you pulled on me.”

“There’s been a murder.”

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Framed For Murder

A Pine Cove Mystery Book 1

After a life-changing injury, Mel O’Rourke trades in her
badge for bed sheets, running a B & B in the quirky mountain town of Pine
Cove. Her peaceful life is interrupted when an old frenemy, the notorious and
charismatic cat burglar, Poppy Phillips, shows up on her doorstep, claiming
she’s been framed for murder. While she’s broken plenty of laws, Mel knows
she’d never kill anyone. Good thing she’s a better detective than she is a cook
as she sets out to prove Poppy’s innocence.

The situation gets complicated, however, when the ruggedly handsome Deputy
Sheriff Gregg Marks flirts with Mel, bringing him dangerously close to the
criminal she’s hiding. And just when her friendship with café owner Jackson
Thibodeaux blossoms into something more, he’s offered the opportunity of a
lifetime in New Orleans. Should she encourage him to go, or ask him to stay?
Who knew romance could be just as hard to solve as murder?

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* Goodreads

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Mel gaped slack-jawed at her brother, whose palm covered his face. “Why did you
kidnap Grandma?”

“I did not—ugh!” He answered from behind his hand before shaking off his
frustration and moving to the back seat of the truck to grab their bags. “Mom
forced me to bring her. That’s what the delay was all about. She’s been driving
her crazy, and then this morning she lit the kitchen on fire.”

“She what?!”

“I wasn’t there, so I don’t know exactly, something about the toaster and a
curtain. Anyway, Mom convinced her she should come help you out and halfway up
the mountain she wove this kidnapping story.”

“Help me? How, by greeting guests with her charming personality?” She loved her
grandmother, but her salutation and scathing condemnation of the inn with just
one glance were pretty mild for the old woman. When she really got on a tear,
the best thing was to go to a movie until she wore herself out.

“Beats me but pro tip, do not let her in the kitchen.” Balancing the bags in one hand,
Liam enveloped her with his free arm. “At least, not until we make sure the
insurance covers curtain fires.”

“No need to worry, I just hired someone today who is great in the kitchen.”

He looked at her askance. “Great as in better than you or someone who is actually
a good cook?”

“Shut up.” She laughed in response to the insult. “The guests this morning raved
about the food. For however long she stays, I think she’ll be a plus in the
breakfast department, anyway.”

“Where did you find this culinary genius? Did you put out an ad already?” He held the
door open for Mel and they entered the lobby.

“We didn’t, she found me.” She looked around. “Where’s Grandma?”

The echoes of laughter led the siblings into the Great Room where their grandmother
sat in front of the fireplace chatting away with Poppy. They turned toward Mel
and Liam as they entered.

“Mel, your mother is a hoot,” she gushed.

She narrowed her eyes at the alleged ex-thief, who had to know perfectly well the
woman in front of her was too old to be her mother. Grandma O, however, took
the compliment to heart and patted Poppy’s hand, gracing her with one of her
rare beaming smiles.

To Mel’s surprise, Liam skidded to a dead halt. She turned back to see why and
received the icy blast of the unmistakable storm in his eyes. She’d seen the
same dark expression in the mirror when she was furious. What did he have to be
so angry about? Before she could ask, he dropped their bags and launched into
full hissy fit mode.

“You!” he bellowed at Poppy.

The brunette seemed sincerely surprised at his response. Swiveling her head to see
who else was in the room and finding no one, she met his gaze and pointed to
herself with an exaggerated, “Who, me?” expression.

Her brother spun, targeting his rage at her. “Don’t tell me this is who you hired?”

“You’re only being a grump because you haven’t tried her bacon,” she joked, hoping to
deflate the situation. Years of trying to nail her for any number of jobs she’d
pulled off had frustrated Mel, but she had to admit she always liked her style.
Despite her suspicions when she found Poppy in the lobby this morning, so far
she’d been nothing but charming and kind of fun, so what had she done to piss
off easy-going Liam in the two minutes since they met?

Her brother crossed his arms, stubbornly jutting out his square jaw. “There’s no
way that woman is working here. She nearly killed you once, I’m not giving her
a second chance.”

“You two have met?” The information surprised her, so she let the macho b.s. slide
for now. She didn’t need anyone to protect her, but his anger rolled off him so
calling him on his chauvinism skittered close to throwing gasoline on a fire.

“We had to watch her on the news sound bites, taking her bows for saving your life,
while you lay in that hospital bed, broken and in agony.” Mel had never seen
his eyes blaze with such fury before. She’d been so focused on her own
suffering she’d never thought about what her family had gone through. Liam
clearly had been carrying steamer-trunk sized baggage. “Nobody bothered to
mention she’s the one who put you in danger in the first place. Or that you’re
crippled for life, thanks to her.”

“Crippled?” Poppy’s brows furrowed, her eyes darkening.

“Easy, drama queen,” Mel snarled, “nobody’s crippled.”

“We used to go rock climbing and now you can’t even mount a set of stairs without
getting dizzy.” His exasperation exploded as he paced to the far end of the
Great Room to stare out the floor-to-ceiling glass door at the patio and brook
beyond. What really hurt was he sounded more bummed out for himself losing a
climbing partner than concerned about her.

“Is that true?” Poppy sprang up.

“I’m working on it.” Embarrassed by the whole conversation, she busied herself with
tidying the morning newspapers the guests had left strewn around the sitting
area.

“She nearly killed you, she’s not working here,” Liam repeated without turning away
from the view outside.

Grandma O’Rourke rose to her feet with more nobility than agility, stood between her
two grandchildren, and pronounced, “I like her, and I say she stays,” before
tottering off to the kitchen in a self-professed search for the infamous bacon.

Of course, she liked Poppy, she just paid her a huge compliment. Never mind if she
was guilty of what Liam accused her of doing or not. After putting the last
section of the newspaper back in place, Mel noticed the below the fold story on
the front page and tightened her fist until she almost tore the paper in two.

Scientist Killed in Daring Heist

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Marla White is an award-winning novelist who
prefers killing people who annoy her on paper rather than in real life. Her
first full-length mystery novel, “Cause for Elimination,” placed in several
contests including Killer Nashville, The RONE Awards, The Reader’s Favorite,
and finishing second in the Orange County Romance Writers for Romantic
Suspense. Originally from Oklahoma, she lived in a lot of other states before
settling down in Los Angeles to work in the television industry.  She currently
teaches at UCLA Extension and gives seminars about the art of script coverage.
When she’s not working on the next book, she’s out in the garden, hiking,
cheering on the LA Kings, or discovering new craft cocktails.

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * TikTok* Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Enter the Recipe For Murder Giveaway Here

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

A Jewel Of A Crime ~ A Venus Bixby Mystery By Valerie Taylor

Posted: June 21, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery
by Valerie Taylor


A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Set in Chatham Crossing, a fictional whaling town between Providence and Cape Cod
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Aspetuck Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 2, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986599564
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GVPVMJBS
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986599571
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GRCG64BR

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With green streaks in her hair and “Rock the Shamrock” polish on her nails, Venus Bixby is ready to trade dance recitals for airplane tickets.

After selling her dance studio, she has a brand-new plan: travel the world and recover stolen art. But life deals Venus an unexpected card. When she pulls back a curtain in the studio and finds the new owner dead on the couch, her next adventure becomes a very public nightmare.

With Chatham Crossing’s whisper mill in overdrive, Venus is now a prime suspect (because of course she is). In the process of clearing her name, she discovers her late husband secretly bought an emerald ring—and now it’s missing.
As burglaries ripple through this charming town, Venus wonders if the studio owner’s death and the missing emerald are part of the same glittering crime spree.

Between gossiping neighbors, buried secrets, and one very inconvenient corpse, Venus will need sharp instincts—and maybe a touch of Irish luck—to solve the case before her passport dreams are grounded for good.

A Jewel of a Crime is book three in the Venus Bixby Mystery series. Expect cozy clues, small-town charm, amateur sleuthing, cats, and a mystery that keeps sparkling with surprises.

Includes cookie recipes and an oldies playlist!

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About Author Valerie Taylor

Valerie Taylor considers herself an “average Jane.” She might remind you of a reclusive neighbor who’s secretly writing her next novel. Unlike many of the writers she admires, she doesn’t hold a degree in literature. Instead, she credits her love of storytelling to a steady diet of classic comedy and suspense.

She’s the award-winning author of the romantic comedy trilogy What’s Not Said, What’s Not True, and What’s Not Lost, as well as of the first two books in the Venus Bixby cozy mystery series, A Whale of a Murder and Switched at Death. Her affinity for humor and whodunits was shaped early on by watching Carol Burnett, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, and The Twilight Zone.

When she’s not writing, Valerie enjoys oldies music, a passion sparked by hours growing up spent listening and dancing to Elvis Presley and The Beatles—and by proudly belonging to the Bobby Darin fan club.

Valerie lives close to her family in Connecticut.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / SubStack

Purchase Links
Amazon Print Book
Amazon eBook

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 19 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – REVIEW

June 19 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – Baseball, Books, and Banter podcast – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 24 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 25 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 26 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 27 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 28 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

June 29 – Romance Novel Giveaways – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

July 1 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

July 2 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

A Cultivated Corpse ~ A Food Blogger Mystery By Debra Sennefelder

Posted: June 19, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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A Cultivated Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery)
by Debra Sennefelder

Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting – Connecticut
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beyond the Page Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 28, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 238 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1966322577
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322573
Digital
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2026
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1966322566
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H2797BZQ

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When the local garden club president is killed, food blogger Hope Early will have to dig through the clues to catch a killer . . .

The Jefferson Garden Club’s annual plant sale is just around the corner, but Hope Early and other members of the club are more focused on the garden restoration project at Ambrose House. The gorgeous landscaping promises to help return the stately old house to its former glory, but rumors are surfacing of unexplained delays and exorbitant costs. Then the club’s president is found dead amid signs of foul play, and Hope can’t ignore the uneasy feeling that the victim was silenced for something she knew about the renovations.

Certain that the solution to the murder is tied to the garden project and the club’s recent financial struggles, Hope begins to go through their books and uncovers more than mismatched numbers. A tangle of transactions points to an intricate embezzlement scheme, but before she can weed out who’s behind it, a local reporter chasing the same story is killed. It’s clear now that someone is dead-set on keeping the truth buried, and Hope will have to unearth a vital piece of evidence before the killer decides it’s time to bury her as well . . .

Includes mouthwatering recipes!

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About Author Debra Sennefelder

 

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Debra Sennefelder lives and writes in Connecticut, where she lives with her family and slightly spoiled Shih Tzu. An avid reader across a range of genres, mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. She’s the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series. When she’s not writing, she’s either baking or reading. To learn more, visit her on the web at www.debrasennefelder.com

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Food Blogger Mysteries

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If you love cozy mysteries with a foodie twist, the Food Blogger Mysteries are for you. Follow food blogger Hope Early as she juggles baking, blogging, and uncovering secrets in the charming town of Jefferson, Connecticut. Each book delivers:

  • Amateur sleuthing with humor and heart
  • Recipes from Hope’s kitchen
  • Small-town friendships (and rivalries!)
  • Seasonal settings — from Halloween to Christmas

Perfect for fans of Joanne Fluke, Jenn McKinlay, Ellie Alexander, and Peg Cochran, this series combines delicious food with puzzling whodunits.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Goodreads

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 8 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 10 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

June 11 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 12 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 13 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

June 14 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 16 – Salty Inspirations – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 17 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

June 18 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT 

June 19 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 21 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 22 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

The Black Cat Detectives ~ A Mystery By Kit Gray

Posted: June 13, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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The Black Cat Detectives: A Mystery
by Kit Gray


The Black Cat Detectives: A Mystery
Cozy Animal Mystery
Setting – Corvin’s Crossing—a small fictional island off the coast of New England
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892425520
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FNW3NQ3C
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892425537
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FNVM2SHD
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892425544
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FNW6TDN4

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A charming cozy mystery with a delightful twist: The detectives are three kittens with magical powers, determined to solve a most purr-plexing case.

Precocious kittens Bippity, Boppity, and Boop are exceedingly loyal to their human, the twenty-eight-year-old up-and-coming magician Mila. She saved them from starving to death in a dingy Corvin’s Crossing alleyway and has been nothing but loving ever since, even though her own life is in shambles.

So when Mila’s sketchy boyfriend and business manager turns up dead at the end of her big magic show—she’s the prime suspect. With evidence mounting, there’s nothing stopping the sheriff from hauling away Mila to the human pound. Unless the kittens can solve the crime and clear her name.

The kittens will have to use their dubious control over the laws of physics and every whisker of know-how they’ve got to catch the real killer if they want to save their happy home with Mila. This is one meow-stery more tangled than any ball of yarn they’ve encountered yet.

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About Kit Gray

Kit Gray aka Elise Scott writes from their lived experiences of queerness, disability, neurodivergence, fat-positivity, and petting three cats with two hands. Their life has been an adventure, from facilitating equine therapy for trauma survivors to counseling at-risk youth with the aid of an inordinately large sub-woofer and beyond. They earned their BA from Mount Holyoke and their MS from Capella University. Their debut novel, a cozy mystery featuring three kittens with the ability to bend the laws of physics, who must solve a murder to save their rescuer from the human pound, is forthcoming from Crooked Lane in May 2026. Elise is a Not Quite Write Prize winner and Best-of-the-Net nominee. Their short work has appeared/is forthcoming in The Advocate, Choices: An Anthology of Reproductive Horror, The Not Quite Write Anthology 2025, The B’K, Five Minutes, Knee Brace, All Existing, and Quibble, among others. Find out what they’re working on now at http://elise-scott.com.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / BlueSky / Instagram / X / Goodreads / StoryGraph

Purchase Links – Penguin Random House     Amazon       B&N      Bookshop.org 

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GIVEAWAY

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 3 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 3 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 4 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 4 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 5 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW

June 6 – Baroness Book Trove -SPOTLIGHT

June 7 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows -CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 9 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 10 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 11 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

June 12 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

June 14 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 15 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 16 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Purple, Blame, Game ~ A Kiki Lowenstein Cozy Mystery By Joanna Campbell Slan

Posted: June 11, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Purple, Blame, Game: Kiki Lowenstein Cozy Mystery
by Joanna Campbell Slan


Purple, Blame, Game: Kiki Lowenstein Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
21st in Series
Setting – St. Louis, Missouri
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Spot On Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 2, 2026
Number of Pages – coming soon
Digital
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GPQFM5GT
Other Formats Available Soon.

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No good deed goes unpunished…

Kiki Lowenstein is used to juggling crafts, customers, and chaos—but she never expected her latest charity project to lead to murder.

When Kiki offers free crochet classes to make stuffed animals for hospitalized children, the project seems like the perfect way to give back. But tensions quickly rise among her students, and a heated confrontation sparks rumors, accusations, and a social media frenzy that threatens to destroy lives.

Then everything takes a deadly turn.

On a foggy Mardi Gras morning, Kiki discovers the body of Celeste Harrow behind her store.

Suddenly, Kiki is caught in a tangled web of secrets, lies, and motives. The victim had made enemies. Plenty of them. And now, Kiki must figure out who turned a good deed into a deadly game—before suspicion lands squarely on her.

With her business at risk, her family in the spotlight, and a determined detective asking hard questions, Kiki must rely on her instincts (and a little help from her friends) to uncover the truth.

Because in this cozy mystery, nothing is as harmless as it seems…

Perfect for fans of:

• Cozy mysteries with strong female sleuths

• Crafting, crochet, and creative communities

• Fast-paced whodunits with humor and heart

• Series like Hannah Swensen, Aurora Teagarden, and Tea Shop Mysteries

A Kiki Lowenstein Cozy Mystery — can be enjoyed as a standalone!

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About Author Joanna Campbell Slan 

Joanna Campbell Slan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestselling author of nearly 80 books, known for her page-turning cozy mysteries and emotionally rich women’s fiction. Her stories blend amateur sleuths, strong female friendships, humor, and heart—earning praise from Publishers Weekly as “a cut above the usual craft-themed cozy.”

Best known for her long-running Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series (Agatha Award finalist), Joanna creates unforgettable characters who grow, adapt, and triumph. Her popular Cara Mia Delgatto Mysteries, set on Florida’s Treasure Coast, and her award-winning Jane Eyre Chronicles—recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award for Literary Excellence—showcase her range across contemporary, historical, and literary-inspired suspense.

Joanna’s books resonate with readers who love:

  • Cozy mysteries with strong female protagonists
  • Craft-themed and small-town settings
  • Stories about friendship, reinvention, and second chances
  • Clean mysteries with humor, heart, and suspense

In addition to fiction, Joanna is an internationally recognized teacher and author of nonfiction books on public speaking and crafting. Her work has been praised by top communication experts, and she has contributed to the beloved Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

A native Floridian, Joanna lives on Florida’s Treasure Coast, where she draws inspiration from coastal life, creativity, and her passion for crafts like Zentangle®, crochet, and upcycling.

Her mission: to make the world a better place—one story at a time.

Author Links: Website / Blog / Amazon / BookBub / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Goodreads

Learn more about Joanna here—linktr.ee/jcslan

Website / Substack / Amazon / BookBub / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Goodreads

Purchase Link – Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 3 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

June 4 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 6 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 7 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 8 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 9 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 10 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – RECIPE

June 11 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 12 – deal sharing aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 13 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

June 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – Carla Loves To Read – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 15 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

A Necessary Death By Terri Karsten ~ Spotlight And Giveaway

Posted: June 8, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Historical
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A Necessary Death
by Terri Karsten


A Necessary Death
Historical Cozy Mystery
Setting – A tavern in Colonial Pennsylvania (1764)
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wagonbridge Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 15, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1953444202
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1953444202
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1953444219
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FLDWVCJW

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With Penelope Corbitt in the kitchen, the tavern will never be the same.

Penelope Corbitt can turn a lump of meat and a bit of flour into a mouth-watering pie or make a tasty meal of cabbage and vinegar. But all her skill can’t save her family in the spring of 1763, when she loses everything to pay off her missing husband’s debts. Walking a tightrope between the freedom of poverty and the confines of propriety, she must accept her stingy brother-in-law’s reluctant charity to keep her family fed and her children close. The miserable journey north from Philadelphia is interrupted when the coach crashes in the mud. Penelope and her children are stranded at a run-down tavern. Penelope doesn’t think things can get worse.

Then she finds a dead man.

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About Author Terri Karsten

Living in the shadow of the Mississippi River bluffs, Terri Karsten has been a writer and educator for many years. She grew up in sunny San Jose, California, playing amid the cherry orchards that soon gave way to houses. In her search for education and adventure, she lived in Iowa and Wisconsin, Mexico and France, before settling into a hundred-year-old house in Winona, Minnesota. She spends most days in her tiny office, surrounded by books, papers, and good memories.

With more ideas than time, Terri writes a bit of everything, ranging from historical fiction novels to picture book folktales to dozens of short stories and articles in magazines, encyclopedias, and newspapers.

When she is not writing, Terri loves poring over old cookbooks and recreating dishes from long ago, especially medieval, Renaissance, and colonial foods. Always ready for the next adventure, she enjoys camping, hiking, and traveling. Her latest goal is to visit National Parks in every state. Only 13 states to go!

Author Links: Website / Facebook / SubStack / Goodreads 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 4 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 4 – Salty Inspirations – RECIPE

June 4 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 5 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

June 6 – Sarandipity’s – SPOTLIGHT

June 6 – @bibliophile_foodie – REVIEW 

June 7 – Deal Sharing Aunt – RECIPE

June 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – RECIPE

June 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

June 10 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT 

June 11 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 11 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 12 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

June 12 – Angel’s Book Nook – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 13 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 13 – Rebecca M. Douglass, Author – REVIEW

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Death Of An Antiquarian ~ A Mia Reid, Archaeologist, Mystery By Rose Kerr

Posted: June 7, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Death of an Antiquarian: A Mia Reid, Archaeologist, Mystery
by Rose Kerr

 


Death of an Antiquarian: A Mia Reid, Archaeologist, Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Lakeview City, Ontario, Canada (loosely based on Toronto, Canada)
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Level Best Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 16, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 242 pages
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8898201159
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GHSW122X

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When archaeologist Dr. Mia Reid takes a contract position at the Lakeview City Museum, she expects artifacts, exhibitions, and research notes, not murder. The death of a local antique dealer, with unexpected ties to artifact smuggling, draws Mia into a dangerous mystery.

As chatter of an international smuggling ring surfaces, Mia and Luke race to uncover the truth. The stakes rise when threats reach her—and her beloved grandmother.

With lives in jeopardy and artifacts at risk of vanishing forever into the black market, Mia must use all her skills to piece together the puzzle. Can she expose a killer before the next artifact or person disappears?

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About Author Rose Kerr

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Retired in Southern Ontario with her husband, Rose spends her days crafting mysteries featuring strong, smart women who use their resourcefulness to solve crimes. When she’s not writing, she enjoys discovering the hidden gems of the region and indulging her lifelong curiosity.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Goodreads / Amazon  

Purchase Links:  Amazon  Barnes and Noble    Kobo    Bookshop.org

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 1 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 1 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

June 2 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 2 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 3 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

June 3 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – SPOTLIGHT

June 4 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT 

June 5 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

June 6 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book -SPOTLIGHT

June 7 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 8 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

June 9 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 10 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 10 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 11 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 12 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 12 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

A Jewel Of A Crime By Valerie Taylor ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: June 5, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, Excerpt, giveaways
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The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club ~ Spotlight And Giveaway

Posted: June 2, 2026 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Historical
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The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club by Bill Cusano Banner

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THE OLD CRANBERRY LADIES GARDEN CLUB
by Bill Cusano
June 1 – July 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

 

THE GHOST AND THE KEY

With a pitchfork through the man’s groin and another through his chest, it is clear that someone had murdered Chester H. Cranberry. It’s not something that could have happened accidentally. But that was 192 years ago. As Mildred Cranberry, the current family matriarch, puts it, “We have two women, two keys, two pitchforks, and one dead two-timing man.” Who in their right mind would want to dig up that cold case and try to solve it? It’s not like the murderer could be prosecuted in 2024, right? But what if a key piece of evidence can be dug up (literally)? And what if a descendant of Chester’s illegitimate child can get her hands on it? Mildred will need more than the Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club members to solve this bizarre case. The spiritual support she needs may not be what she expects when the ghost of Elcira Cranberry, the widow murderess herself, arrives to do what? Tell the truth or protect her reputation?

The Ladies Garden Club of Old Cranberry, Connecticut, has a 200-year history that has remained shrouded in secrecy for so long, it has been lost to history, until now. Elcira Cranberry and freedwoman Deborah Townsend knew the men of the town would have no interest in a garden club, so it was the perfect cover for their secret organization. Now, nearly two centuries later, the current members have no idea what those ladies were up to in the early 1800s, right here in Connecticut. But the secret will soon be out.

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THE WIDOW MURDERESS

Connecticut, 1833. A year after Chester Cranberry’s unsolved murder, the town that he founded continues to suspect that his wife, Elcira, ended his life. With insufficient evidence to bring her to trial, and little effort to find another suspect, the town gossip labels her “The Widow Murderess.” But Elcira has seven children to feed, ranging in age from three to nine, and her nanny, Deborah, a freed slave, is pregnant with her husband’s illegitimate child. All eyes are on these two women, expecting them to fail to keep the farm and the family together. When the general store cuts off Elcira’s credit and refuses to sell anything her farm produces, the alliance between Elcira and Deborah grows stronger, and the women set out to do something unthinkable, something that can cause one to be whipped and the other thrown in jail. They opened their home to runaway slaves seeking freedom along a secret route north. Behind the facade of a ladies’ garden club, the women run a clandestine school, teaching the formerly enslaved and runaways to read and write-a dangerous act that could destroy everything she’s built.

When a mysterious murder during a violent storm brings old secrets to light, the truth about Chester’s death threatens to surface. With the town’s suspicions mounting and powerful enemies closing in, Elcira must decide how much she’s willing to risk to protect those she loves and maintain the underground railroad that runs through her land.

A gripping historical novel about courage, family, and the price of freedom in pre-Civil War New England, The Widow Murderess explores how one woman’s determination to survive becomes a beacon of hope for those seeking liberty.

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THE SPARROW AND THE CROW

The last time the crows circled the old farmhouse, her husband Chester was found dead and the town named her a murderess. Thirty years later, the truth she buried with him is stirring again, the country is splitting in two, and the family she fought so hard to hold together is being pulled apart by a war that hasn’t yet been declared. Her grandson Auggie wants to fight for the Union. His mother, born to a Virginia plantation family, will do anything to drag him south instead. Millie — the rector’s daughter with golden hair and a satchel full of letters — waits at home for a boy who may never come back. And in the chapel behind the lilacs, Elcira and the women of her garden club continue the work no one is supposed to know about: sheltering freedom seekers as slave catchers tighten their grip on the Connecticut coast. Then a telegram arrives. And another. And the war everyone said would never come has come for the Cranberry’s all at once.  

Perfect for readers of Kristin Hannah, Marie Benedict, Paulette Jiles, and Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain — a story about what families inherit, what they hide, and what they’re willing to risk when the country they believed in begins to come apart.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery

Published by: 4610 Publishing

Series: The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club

 

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About Author Bill Cusano:

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Bill Cusano

Bill Cusano is an author, a retired deacon in the Episcopal Church and a believer that it is the process rather than the outcomes that matter most in our lives. Retired from the corporate world and an eight-year stint running a non-profit feeding program, Bill attacks every project as a ministry, giving it his full commitment. Needing to readjust to life after losing the love of his life to leukemia in April of 2024, Bill returned to writing full-time, resulting in The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series, the motivation and inspiration for which came from his wife’s voracious appetite for reading historical fiction. While this is Bill’s debut novel, he has always been a writer, publishing short stories and poems early on, and then beginning a daily spiritual blog in 2008. You can follow Bill’s Reflections From The Garden Bench along with other writings on his Substack account.

Catch Up With Bill Cusano:

BillCusano.com Bill’s Substack Amazon Author Profile Goodreads – @billcusano Instagram – @billcusano X – @CusanoBill Facebook – @bill.cusano

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Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win! Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

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. The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club by Bill Cusano | Surprise Gift Box w/ Gift Card

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