Archive for the ‘Cozy Mystery’ Category

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Bring Your Own Baker
by D.E. Haggerty

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BYOBCV

Bring Your Own Baker (Death by Cupcake Book 2)
Cozy Mystery
Self Published
Print Length: 166 pages
Publication Date: June 20, 2016
ASIN: B01FJVGWXI
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Synopsis

Anna just wants to earn enough money on the side to buy into the bakery, Callie’s Cakes, where she works together with her best nerd pal, Callie. The last thing she expects to see when she walks into Arthur’s apartment to do some moonlighting is a blood bath. Callie’s ready to jump into the investigation of Arthur’s murder, and she’s bringing another bakery worker, Kristie, into their hijinks whether Kristie wants to or not. But things aren’t as they seem. There are gang affiliations, illegal gambling dens, and ladies of the night to wade through. Will Anna and Callie discover who murdered Arthur, or will Callie’s detective boyfriend and Anna’s self-appointed protector put a stop to such aspirations?

Come join us at Callie’s Cakes, where murder investigations are on the menu, but make sure to bring your own baker, because Anna’s a bit preoccupied at the moment.

Warning: This is NOT your mom’s cozy mystery. Bring Your Own Baker may be a ‘clean’ read, but if gangs, illegal gambling, and pimps make you turn your nose up at your e-reader, you might want to skip this one. Although you’ll be missing some sizzling chemistry between Anna and her protector. Not to mention a whole bunch of witty dialogue.

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Check out this glimpse inside!

I grasp the weapon in my hand and throw it with all my might at him. The weapon makes a ‘tee-hee’ sound as it hits his stomach.

“Did you just throw a Pillsbury dough boy at me?” His voice carries a hint of humor. The Pillsbury dough boy was probably not the best item to grab from the kitchen to use as a weapon. Obviously, I’m totally losing it.

I inch backward into the kitchen searching for a more appropriate weapon. Dag nab it! The knives are way over on the other side. I have no choice. Without taking my eyes of the man, I grab a perfectly formed and probably fricking delicious muffin from the tin and throw it at the intruder. It seems my fastball needs some work as he just catches the muffin as if I merely lobbed it in his direction. He smiles and, not bothering with the paper liner, takes a huge bite.

“Mmmm…,” he groans around a mouthful. “This is really good.”

“Seriously?” I throw my arms in the air before planting my hands on my hips. “If you want my muffins, just come to the bakery. You don’t have to break in.” Uh oh, I nearly forgot that he broke in. I start backing up again, getting ever closer to those knives.

The man’s eyes narrow as he notices me shuffling my way towards the potential weapons. He stalks me and, when he’s only an arm’s length away, reaches around me and grabs the knife block. He keeps his eyes steady on me as he places the block on top of the refrigerator. Somewhere I can only reach if I get out my step ladder.

“Who are you? And what are you doing here?” I may be terrified and my voice may stutter a bit, but I’m not backing down. Not. One. Bit.

“You’re a feisty little thing, aren’t you?”

“Who you calling little?” Apparently, I have no regard for my safety at all as I’m now goading an intruder.

The man chuckles. His smile shows a perfect set of teeth. Huh, not exactly what I expected from Mr. Piercings and Tattoos. “For a pink-haired pixie, you sure aren’t afraid, are you?”

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DENA

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

 

Author Links:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Google + / Pinterest / Goodreads

Buy links:

Amazon / Smashwords / B&N / Kobo

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July 5

Back Porchervations – Review

Babs Book Bistro

fuonlyknew

Bookjunkie’s Book Blog

The Girl with Book Lungs

Kaisy Daisy’s Corner

Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews

Island Confidential

Socrates’ Book Reviews

3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!

LibriAmoriMiei

JULY 6

Community Bookstop – Review

Laura’s Interests – Review

Sleuth Cafe

Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review

Brooke Blogs

Tea and A Book – Review

StoreyBook Reviews

Christa Reads and Writes

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

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Welcome to the release event for Caught Bread Handed by Ellie Alexander! This is the fourth book in the Bakeshop Mystery series and releases June 28th by St. Martin’s Press. You can buy it from your local bookshop or order a signed copy from the authors local bookshop.

Guest Post: Baking Behind the Scenes

Welcome to Torte, where the bread is always served warm with a pat of hand-churned butter, and a side of love. Torte, the artisan family bakeshop in my culinary mystery series, is a gathering place for the community. Locals and tourists stop in for fresh raspberry scones, slices of decadent double chocolate cake, and to talk about all the gossip and news around town. I love getting to create a comforting and welcoming bakeshop and writing about food. However, I’m not a trained pastry chef which means that I spend a lot of time visiting real bakeries and interviewing professional chefs. It’s a rough job, I know.

I thought it would be fun to give you a taste (pun intended) of the research that goes into learning the inner workings of the culinary world.

For starters I think about the actual space. Because Torte is located in Ashland, Oregon, home of the world famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, it has to have a touch of Shakespeare and whimsy. It’s painted cheery red and teal blue with corrugated metal siding, bistro tables, and a chalkboard menu. One of my bakery inspirations is a place called Cake Happy in Camas, Washington. It’s a family run shop with gorgeous window displays, a rustic elegant vibe, and plenty of cozy couches to curl up with a red velvet cupcake and steaming hot latte.

Another thing that I do when I’m working on a book is interview pastry chefs. I’ve learned so many tricks of the trade, quick tips for baking, and even gotten a few new ideas on how to bump someone off in a bakeshop from chatting with chefs. I’ve been so impressed to watch how they orchestrate a blur of staff, a frenzy of chopping knives, and plate after plate of styled food. One of the most amazing experiences that I’ve had behind the scenes in a professional kitchen was at the NW Culinary Institute where I spent an evening watching chefs-in-training at work as they prepared a six course meal that almost too pretty to eat and tasted even better.

Speaking of taste, I can’t even begin to count how many pastries and baked goods I’ve sampled in the last few years. Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining, but my waistline might be in trouble. Whenever I travel I ask for recommendations on the best places to score a sweet eat in town. I’ve never been disappointed in my search and I try to find unusual flavor combinations and exotic delicacies when I’m exploring a new place, some of which have even found their way into the pages of the books. One standout tasting memory was at the dessert buffet in Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I still dream of the miles of cakes, macaroons, chocolate dipped strawberries, and petit fours. Yum!

Lastly, one of the most rewarding and humbling things about writing the series has been connecting with local bakers. They have welcomed me into their kitchens, championed the books, and created stunning masterpieces like this cakescape from the book release party for the third book in the series, On Thin Icing. My local pastry muse is Kristina with Tier Catering who treated the audience to a hands-on icing demonstration and a tutorial on the best way to cut a cake. Seriously, I think I have the best job ever!

Here’s to all the bakers—whether in your home kitchen or in a 5-star restaurant—I hope you enjoy my fictional bakeshop in Caught Bread Handed.

Happy Baking!

~Ellie

About the Book:
Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bakeshop where the oven is heating up as high as the body count…

Jules Capshaw is still chewing over her husband Carlos’s return to Ashland, Oregon. Could there be too many cooks in the kitchen? Whatever is stirring between those two will have to wait. Despite the Oregon Shakespeare Festival being dark for the winter, the bakeshop is bustling, the dough is rolling, and there’s no rest for the weary… especially when murder is thrown into the mix.

When Mindy Nolan, the owner of a new restaurant in town, turns up dead, the batter at hand thickens. Jules knows that there was bad blood between Mindy and others in town, and tracking the killer could prove to be an unwelcome treat. And to top it all off, there’s Carlos, who is pleading—with those delicious dark eyes and sexy Spanish accent—for Jules to take him back. Is home where the heart is or will she make a fresh start… and risk getting burned?

About the Author:
Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.

 
 

GIVEAWAY:

 

 

Signed copies of all 4 books in the Bakeshop Mysteries, Cupcake tea towel and pot holder, Love cake topper, Bakeshop page flags, Assortment of gourmet lemonade and Triple Chocolate Chunk cookie mix.
US only.
Ends July 20th
Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

 

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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FIXIN TO DIE large banner 640

Fixin’ to Die

A Kenni Lowry Mystery #1

by Tonya Kappes

Fixin’ To Die was a hilarious, well-written mystery with entertaining characters and a touch of the paranormal that is sure to please.
~Moonlight Rendezvous

Tonya Kappes have filled her story with the requisite quirky characters and wonderful Southern charm with plenty of humor.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Fixin’ to Die by Tonya Kappes is the first book in the brand new Kenni Lowry Mystery Series and I absolutely adored it!
~Brooke Blogs

FIXIN' TO DIE
Fixin’ To Die (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
New Series
Cozy Mystery
Henery Press (June 14, 2016)
Print Length: 179 pages
ASIN: B01D20UR34

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My Review

Cozy mysteries are one of my favorite genres and I’m always excited to start a new series.

Having read Tonya’s Ghostly Southern Mystery series and started on her Laurel London series, I knew I’d be reading more of her books. She has so many different ones too. Check them out. I bet you’ll find some you want to read.

Kenni Lowry follows in her grandfather’s footsteps and gets elected as sheriff in the small town of Cottonwood, Kentucky. Crime has been nearly non-existent, until the local doctor is found murdered.

With re-election coming up fast, Kenni has got to prove to her voters that she can do her job, and do it quickly and to their satisfaction.

And that’s Just one part of this story.

Everywhere Kenni goes, it seems someone is urging her to go see her mother. Not something Kenni is looking forward to. They used to have an easy, close relationship. That is, until Kenni took the job of Sherriff. Her mother thinks it’s no fitting job for an eligible single woman and makes her point every chance she gets.  Kenni doesn’t want to deal with the aggravation and you can see where that is going.

Kenni’s also hearing things. A voice no one else hears. It has a familiar ring to it. And when she’s doubting herself and her capabilities to handle a murder investigation, that voice supports her with simple advice. I kept waiting for Kenni to accept that the voice was her long dead Poppa. That he’d come back from beyond to help her. Once she finally did, the story got even more fun.

Kenni is easy to like. She’s funny and outgoing, with just enough tough stuff to make you want to vote for her. I could see her navigating the town in her old jeep, her dog’s head hanging out the window, ears and jowls flapping in the breeze, cruising for trouble and dodging her mother.

Kenni has even more reason to avoid her mother now that there’s a possibility of romance. Boyfriend material is slim to none in the small town until help in the investigation arrives in the guise of the handsome, tall, drink of water,  Officer Finn Vincent. He’s on loan to Kenni until she gets a new deputy, and I think he’s a perfect fit for her, as does her mother. Lots of fun with that. The scene with the towel full of holes in all the wrong places was too funny.

I also loved how genuine the small town felt. Like how Luke shows movies in his basement, using a sheet for a screen. I live in a small town and we sometimes have movies projected onto  a large screen in the park. Everyone brings blankets or chairs and settles in. Doesn’t matter what the movie was, though I liked some that Luke was showing.

I hope you get a chance to read Fixin’ To Die. You’ll get in on a brand new series from the beginning and probably snort and giggle here and there as you get to know these characters up close personal like.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Sheriff Kenni Lowry likes to think the zero crime rate in her small town in Kentucky is due to her being sheriff, but quickly discovers her grandfather’s ghost, who happened to be the town’s retired sheriff, has been scaring off any would be crime. Poppa has come back from the great beyond to be Kenni’s deputy after the beloved town doctor is found murdered.

Ghost or no ghost, time is of the essence. After all, re-election isn’t far away and Kenni doesn’t want to look for a new job anytime soon.

About Author Tonya Kappes

Tonya-5

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter! Tonyakappes.com

 

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Kenni Lowry Mystery Series

Fixin’ To Die

Also by Tonya Kappes

Olivia Davis Paranormal Mystery Series

SPLITSVILLE.COM

COLOR ME LOVE (novella)

COLOR ME A CRIME

Magical Cures Mystery Series

A CHARMING CRIME

A CHARMING CURE

A CHARMING POTION (novella)

A CHARMING WISH

A CHARMING SPELL

A CHARMING MAGIC

A CHARMING SECRET

A CHARMING CHRISTMAS (novella)

A CHARMING FATALITY

A CHARMING DEATH

A CHARMING GHOST

Grandberry Falls Series

THE LADYBUG JINX

HAPPY NEW LIFE

A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS (novella)

NEVER TELL YOUR DREAMS

A Laurel London Mystery Series

CHECKERED CRIME

CHECKERED PAST

CHECKERED THIEF

A Divorced Diva Beading Mystery Series

A BREAD OF DOUBT SHORT STORY

STRUNG OUT TO DIE

CRIMPED TO DEATH

Bluegrass Romance Series

GROOMING MR. RIGHT

TAMING MR. RIGHT

Women’s Fiction

CARPE BREAD ’EM

Young Adult

TAG YOU’RE IT

A Ghostly Southern Mystery Series

A GHOSTLY UNDERTAKING

A GHOSTLY GRAVE

A GHOSTLY DEMISE

A GHOSTLY MURDER

Enjoy a free ebook from Tonya when you sign up for her newsletter by clicking here.

Visit Tonya:

Facebook at Author Tonya Kappes

Kappes Krew Street Team

Kappes Krew Recipe Exchange

Webpage

E-mail

Recipe Submission Email

Goodreads

Twitter

Pinterest

 Purchase Links

Amazon   B&N

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I have one eBook copy to give away!

To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win, and answer this question:

“What’s your favorite thing about a cozy mystery?”

Giveaway ends June 23rd.

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 14 – Moonlight Rendezvous –  REVIEW

June 14 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

June 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

June 15 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW, GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

June 15 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

June 16 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

June 16 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

June 17 – Bubble Bath Books – REVIEW

June 17 – Mystery Playground – Drinks with Reads

June 18 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

June 18 – Community Bookstop –  REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

June 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 20 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

June 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

June 21 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

June 21 – Bab’s Book Bistro – GUEST POST

June 22 – Book Babble – REVIEW

June 23 – Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my! – REVIEW

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

Checkered Crime

A Laurel London Mystery

by Tonya Kappes

22431414

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Genre: Cozy Mystery

My 56 from the eBook.

 “It was on my phone that you threw out the window on…on an app.”

“That old thing had the ability to put apps on it?” he questioned.

This is so me. It took me forever to give up my flip phone. LOL

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Laurel London is one tough cookie. Orphaned and with one heckuva checkered past, she’s grown street smart and no one is going to tell her different, even if it means getting tangled up with the wrong side of the law. After terrorizing Walnut Grove, Kentucky all her adolescent life, she’s back and she’s ready to go on the up and up. Make something of herself. Prove the citizens of Walnut Grove wrong and make them admit she’s somebody.

But when mobster Trigger Finger Tony Cardozza jumps in the back of Laurel London’s car mistaking it for a taxi, she’s up to her ears in no good.

Recently fired and checkbook in the red, when Trigger offers to pay Laurel large wads of cash to drive him where he needs to go and keep her mouth shut, she’s all in. That is, until FBI agent Jax Jackson jumps in the back of Laurel London’s car threatening to take her to jail for her past crimes if she doesn’t cooperate with the FBI by going undercover to help bring down the mob.

Laurel finds herself battling the past and good vs evil and she’s not sure which is more deadly.

 

AMAZON

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I love Tonya’s Ghostly Southern Mystery series so I had to try this one. Having fun so far.

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Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Until the next time…

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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ECLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER large banner640

It’s always fun to find a new cozy mystery series. This is my first time reading a book by Laura Bradford and it won’t be my last.

Check out Eclair and Present Danger, An Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

ECLAIR AND PRSENT DANGER
Éclair and Present Danger (An Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery)
New Cozy Mystery Series
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery (June 7, 2016)
An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425280898
E-Book ASIN: B016JPTP4G

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My Review

I’m terrible about jumping into a series anywhere but the beginning so it’s always a thrill to actually start with the first book.

Eclair and Present Danger. Such a catchy title. And I’m sure you’ve noticed the fun cover art too. These are two of my favorite things about the cozy mysteries. Some others are the whimsical names of the characters and the fun themes. This book has the token murder mystery and it’s served up with some yummy desserts.

Due to her landlord’s greed, Winnie Johnson can no longer afford her lease payments and is forced to close down her bakery. The unfortunate passing of an elderly friend leaves her with a cat that hates her and an antique ambulance and plenty of time on her hands.

When Winnie stumbles upon her elderly neighbor’s body, she has plenty of time to sift through the clues and solve the crime.

Meanwhile, she has a great idea to start a new business. Why not use the ambulance to take her business mobile, give it a catchy name like the Emergency Dessert Squad, and drive her customers to ecstasy with her delicious concoctions.

Let’s throw in some blooming romance too. Greg Stevens, EMT and the new guy in town, referred to by some of the ladies as Master Sergeant Hottie, is just the man Winnie needs to talk to about how to outfit the ambulance for her business. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a yummy, tall drink of water, and seems to have some interest in her.

This book is all kinds of fun. The character’s are a mixed bunch of young and old, many older as Winnie lives in a senior community. The author did a wonderful job of giving voices to these different aged characters, keeping them in their roles and keeping me in stitches.

And the recipes. Let’s not forget those. There are some yummy ones used in the book and I’d especially like to try the Don’t- Be- Blue Berry Pie. Sounds delicious, eh?

This is one I highly recommend to all of you cozy fans looking for a new author and series. An all around good time!

5 Stars

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Synopsis

The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.

With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.

To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim…

Author Laura Bradford

laura bradford

 

Laura Bradford (aka Elizabeth Lynn Casey) is the author of several mystery series and a handful of romance novels. She is a former Agatha Award nominee and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award.  In her free time, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, playing games, and catching up with friends. In addition to the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, Laura writes The Amish Mysteries and The Jenkins & Burns mysteries, as well as The Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (as Elizabeth Lynn Casey).

For more information, visit Laura’s Website, or get to know her even better on Facebook, and on Twitter  and Pinterest.

  Purchase Links:

Barnes & Noble    Indiebound.org      Amazon

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Follow The Tour

June 1 – Girl Lost In a Book – REVIEW

June 1 – MysteriesEtc – REVIEW

June 2 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW

June 2 – The Self-Rescue Princess – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 2 – cherylbbookblog – REVIEW

June 3 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 3 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW *

June 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, INTERVIEW *

June 4 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – REVIEW *

June 4 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

June 5 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 5 – Kaisy Daisy’s Corner – REVIEW  

June 6 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW *

June 6 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

June 6 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW*

June 7 – Classy Cheapskate – REVIEW

June 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

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June 8 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW*

June 8 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST

June 8 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW *

June 9 – Melina’s Book Blog –  REVIEW *

June 9 – deal sharing aunt – REVIEW *

June 9 – Mystery Playground – RECIPE

June 10 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, RECIPE *

June 10 – Booklady’s Booknotes – REVIEW

June 11 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

June 11 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 11 – The Girl with Book Lungs – REVIEW *

June 12 – Book Babble – REVIEW

June 12 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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MADNESS OF MERCURY large banner640

The story is very well-written, and the characters are realistic and likable.
~Book Babble

Full of suspense and surprises…
~Laura’s Interests

MADNESS MERCURY

The Madness of Mercury
(A Zodiac Mystery)

Cozy Mystery
New Series
Midnight Ink (June 8, 2016)
Paperback: 312 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738749129
E-Book ASIN: B01A5OGTRS

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My Review

First things first. I love cozy mysteries and as such, I was excited to find one with an astrological theme. It’s not that common, and this had me curious.

I confess I know little about astrology. I do like to read my horoscope. Yeah, I’m into that. Much of the jargon had me stumbling while reading and caused me to pause. Once I got past trying to understand all of it, I let the characters and mystery pull me in. A glossary with some definitions would have been great.

Julia Bonatti has a thriving business reading astrological charts for her clients and supplementing her income writing an advice column for the newspaper. An article Julia writes makes her the target of a cult leader, the Prophet. He sends his followers to harass her and her clients, and anyone connected to her. The local police aren’t much help. Probably thanks to the Prophet’s friends in high places.

Driven from her home, she goes to stay with her friend Dorothy. Dorothy is taking care of her two rich, elderly aunts. one of which has declining mental capacities and thinks Dorothy is trying to kill her. And then there’s the death of the grounds keeper. His death is stated to be accidental, but further digging may reveal something else.

While this is tagged as a cozy mystery, I felt it was more serious, deeper and convoluted.  Just a heads up for those cozy fans looking for the much loved and usual cozy.

I’m also big on character driven stories. There’s quite a cast of characters, and even though I didn’t feel a strong connection to many of them, I enjoyed getting acquainted, and their roles in the mystery were well played out.

You know from reading the blurb that there’s more than one mystery going on. The threads don’t tie together until the conclusion and it definitely keeps you guessing.

While not being quite the cozy mystery I was expecting and a slow start, I did enjoy this one, and I would like to read the next book. I have a feeling I’ll form a deeper connection with the characters as another mystery waits to be solved.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti’s life is turned upside down when she becomes the target of the city’s newest cult leader, Reverend Roy of the Prophet’s Tabernacle. Driven out of her apartment in the midst of a disastrous Mercury retrograde period, she takes shelter with a client who’s caring for two elderly aunts. One aunt appears stricken with dementia and the other has fallen under the spell of the Reverend Roy. To add to the confusion, a young man claiming to be a long lost nephew arrives. The longer he stays, the more dangerous things become. Is the young man truly a member of the family? Can astrology confirm that? Julia’s not sure, but one thing she does know is that Mercury wasn’t merely the messenger of the gods—he was a trickster and a liar as well.

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Author Connie di Marco

Connie.Archer.XX

 

Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink.  She was fascinated by astrology at an early age and this was the inspiration that gave birth to Julia Bonatti, San Francisco astrologer and her newspaper column Ask Zodia.  Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime.  Connie lives in Los Angeles with her family and a constantly talking cat.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon –  B&N 

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Follow The Tour

May 20 – deal sharing aunt – Spotlight*

May 20 – Book Babble – Review

May 21 – Laura’s Interests – Review

May 21 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review

May 22 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – Spotlight*

May 22 – Mystery Playground – Interview

May 23 – I Wish I Lived in a Library – Review

May 23 – fuonlyknew – Review

May 24 – Moonlight Rendezvous – Review

May 24 – Musings and Ramblings – Guest Post

May 25 – Back Porchervations – Review

May 25 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – Review, Guest Post

May 26 – Bea’s Book Nook – Review

May 26 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – Review, Interview

May 27 – The Book’s the Thing – Review

May 27 – Thoughts in Progress – Spotlight*

May 28 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Guest Post

May 29 – A Blue Million Books – Interview

May 30 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review

May 31 – I Read What You Write – Review, Interview

June 1 – A Holland Reads – Spotlight*

June 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review

June 2 – Booklady’s Booknotes – Review, Guest Post

June 2 – Brooke Blogs – Spotlight

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

Eclair And Present Danger

An Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery #1

by Laura Bradford

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Genre: Cozy Mystery

My 56 from the paperback.

“Ahhh, I get it now,” Greg said. “You live on Serenity Lane.”

“Meaning?”

“What Renee said at the bakery yesterday morning makes sense now. You know, the part about the mutiny of old people. Serenity Lane is where the elderly in this town seem to live.”

“Which is why I chose to live on Serenity Lane in the first place. I’ve always been more comfortable with people in their seventies, eigthies, and nineties,”

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.

With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.

To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim…

AMAZON

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Yeah! A new cozy I’ll be reviewing next month. And this time it’s the first in the series. LOL

I’m sure many of you know I jump into a series anywhere. Kind of nice to start at the beginning for a change and not have to go backwards.

Catchy title and fun cover. To quote Tweety Bird, “I tawt I taw a putty tat!”

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Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Until the next time…

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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to catch a treat large banner 640

To Catch A Treat

A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery #2
by Linda O. Johnston

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to catch a treat

To Catch a Treat (A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Midnight Ink (May 8, 2016)
Paperback: 312 pages
E-Book ASIN: B01A5OGVOE
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My Review

An innocent hike with her brother, Neal, and a bit of spying on his new girlfriend, land Carrie Kennersly, vet tech and owner of Barkery and Biscuits bake shop, smack dab in the middle of a murder mystery.

Janelle’s dog, GO, along with some others, have been dognapped. Carrie’s focus shifts from checking out Neal’s girlfriend, Janelle, to the case of the missing dogs. Her radar points to Ada Arnist. When Ada is later found dead, the leads become tangled and Janelle and Neal are now suspects. To untangle the mess, Carrie needs to follow the clues and sniff out the real killer.

It’s mentioned in the blurb that it’s purebred dogs that are being dognapped. Just to set your mind at ease, they aren’t a bunch of Dalmatians and Cruella isn’t in this story. So you can scratch her off the suspect list. And no dogs were harmed in the writing of this story.

I sure do enjoy the cozy mysteries. They all have such fun themes, from cooking, to needlework, to crafting, and so much more. And what’s a good cozy without some furbabies, such as cats and dogs.

A tangled up mess. Dogs gone missing. Suspected kidnapper found dead. No idea who to look at next. Janelle and Neal now on the list of suspects. You can imagine how mixed up this all becomes.

There’s also some recipes included for both humans and man’s best friend. Better watch out. That one you’re sampling might be meant for the dog.

And what’s a cozy without some romance. I did mention Carrie was checking out her brother’s new girlfriend. But I didn’t mention whether Carrie had a significant other. Since the blurb doesn’t say anything, I’m going to leave you hanging about that.

There’s some interesting characters to meet. Gots to have some colorful peeps to add to the coziness.

And the cover art. Aren’t those some cuties. All dressed up for their photo shoot.

It’s all fun in this cozy, and some mentions of past events have me going back to grab the first book. Don’t worry if you haven’t read it. You can enter the series here with no problems.

Looking for a new cozy series. I hope you give this one a try.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Carrie Kennersly, veterinary technician and owner of the Barkery and Biscuits bake shop, agrees to a day of hiking with her brother Neal mostly because she wants to meet—and critique—his latest romantic interest, Janelle Blaystone. But instead of judgment, Carrie has only sympathy for Janelle, whose beloved black Labrador, Go, was recently dognapped along with many other purebred pets.

Janelle thinks the culprit is Ada Arnist, a wealthy homeowner spotted at the dog parks where Go and the others were stolen. Soon after Janelle confronts her, though, Ada is found dead. With Janelle and Neal on the suspect list, Carrie must solve the mystery before the police bark up the wrong tree.

Author Linda O. Johnston

linda o johnston

Linda O. Johnston’s first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year.   Since then, Linda, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, has published more short stories, novellas, and 38 romance and mystery novels, including the Pet Rescue Mystery Series, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, and Harlequin Romantic Suspense as well as the Alpha Force paranormal romance miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne.  She additionally writes the Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink.  Her latest cozy mystery series, the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries are also from Midnight Ink.

 

Author Links:

Webpage / Facebook

Purchase Links:

Amazon – B&N

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Follow the tour

May 8 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

May 9 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – GUEST POST

May 9 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT

May 10 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST

May 10 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

May 11 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW

May 12 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

May 13 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW

May 14 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

May 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

May 16 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

May 16 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST

May 17 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW

May 18 – Musings and Ramblings – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

May 19 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

May 20 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

May 21 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense ReviewsGUEST POST

May 22- deal sharing aunt – SPOTLIGHT

May 22- Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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No Substitute for Motives by Carolyn J. Rose is now out and available for sale! This is the 6th book in the Subbing isn’t for Sissies series. This is a cozy mystery series and the first three books are only .99 cents!

About the Book:
While Barbara Reed’s drug-cop boyfriend is away, her life spins out of control. Dave’s daughter shifts to drama-queen overdrive, Cheese Puff hits new levels of canine entitlement, and Barb’s overbearing sister demands help with a mid-life makeover. To complicate matters, things go missing from the high school, and a plot surfaces to close the city pool.

Then things get worse—Barb’s neighbor is accused of killing a retired mobster known as Big Shiny. When she was Las Vegas showgirl royalty, Muriel Ballantine steered clear of the vicious thug. She insists she didn’t recognize him when she rented the stage at a remote inn to practice her dance routine for a reality show.

Barb is certain someone framed Mrs. B—perhaps Glorree Morning, a high-kicking competitor from back in the day. When the investigation stalls and Mrs. B is placed on house arrest, Barb decides it’s time to color outside the legal lines.

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Don’t miss the first book, No Substitute for Murder, only .99 cents!

 

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About the Author:

Carolyn J. Rose grew up in New York’s Catskill Mountains, graduated from the University of Arizona, logged two years in Arkansas with Volunteers in Service to America, and spent 25 years as a television news researcher, writer, producer, and assignment editor in Arkansas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. She lives in Vancouver, Washington, and her interests are reading, gardening, swimming, and NOT cooking. Find out more about her and her books at http://www.deadlyduomysteries.com

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GIVEAWAY:

$50 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends June 15th
Prizing is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker
by D.E. Haggerty

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NTaSCB

Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker (Death by Cupcake Book 1)

Cozy Mystery
Self-Published
Publication Date: April 11, 2016
Print Length: 155 pages
ASIN: B01CNZ75DE
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Synopsis

A cozy mystery with a heap of laughs, a generous portion of romance, and just a smidgen of suspense.

Callie’s life is rather awesome. She owns a successful bakery and teaches German literature at the local university. There’s just one tiny problem. She has no self-confidence when it comes to her body. And then there’s the little matter of her being accused of murdering her pole dancing instructor. There’s no way Callie’s going to risk losing her teaching position and thus she embarks, with her best baker bud Anna, on a journey to discover the real killer. Between stripper auditions and a detective who insists Callie is the woman of his dreams, it’s a roller coast adventure. Cupcakes not included.

Author D.E. Haggerty

DENA

I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

Author Links:

Website Blog

Facebook Twitter Google+
Pinterest GoodReads Amazon author page

Purchase Links

Amazon Smashwords Barnes and Noble Kobo

More Books By D. E. Haggerty

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Monday, April 18

Back Porchervations – Review

Book Babble

Community Bookstop

Celticlady’s Reviews

Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review

3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!

Christa Reads and Writes

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Author Michele Lynn Seigfried’s Blog

Tuesday, April 19

fuonlyknew

deal sharing aunt

Babs Book Bistro

Brooke Blogs

I Read What You Write – Review

Around the World in Books

Laura’s Interests – Review

LibriAmoriMiei

Celticlady’s Reviews

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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