Archive for the ‘Cozy Mystery’ Category

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:

Better Off Thread

An Embroidery Mystery #10

by  Amanda Lee

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Genre: Cozy Mystery

From Page 56 in the paperback.

“Hey, you won Mom over. That was no small feat.”

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Santa finds himself in a stitch of trouble in the tenth in the series from the national bestselling author of The Stitching Hour

Marcy is busy helping her customers make hand-crafted ornaments at her embroidery shop, the Seven-Year Stitch. But despite the yuletide bustle, when her friend Captain Moe asks for her help, she can’t refuse—especially when the favor is to play the elf to his Santa for sick children at a local hospital. Despite the ridiculous outfit, Marcy finds herself enjoying spreading cheer—until the hospital’s administrator is found murdered.

Although the deceased had plenty of people willing to fill her stocking with coal, evidence pins the crime on Moe. Now it’s up to Marcy, with the help of her police officer boyfriend Ted and her Irish Wolfhound Angus, to stitch together the clues to clear Moe’s name—before someone else winds up crossed off Santa’s list for good…

AMAZON

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

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

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

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Title: Death at First Sight
Author: Lena Gregory
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 304
Genre: Cozy Mystery

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It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that something’s not right on Bay Island…
 
Since she left her psychiatric practice in New York City to open up a psychic shop in her hometown on Bay Island, Cass Donovan has given her fair share of readings to conflicted customers. But what she sees in Ellie Callahan’s future doesn’t bode well.

When Ellie’s mother, Marge, publicly confronts Cass about the reading, the embarrassment makes her want to curl up and die. And when she later stumbles across Marge’s body—and is a suspect in her murder—Cass is suddenly the star of Bay Island’s rumor mill.

Cass is determined to prove her innocence and save Ellie from meeting the fate in her unfortunate vision. But even with the help of her friends Bee and Stephanie, Cass will have to channel some serious sleuthing instincts to find the real killer…

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Excerpt

Cass sucked in a breath, the gasp audible in the silence of the small room. Oh no . . . The walls pressed in on her, loomed over her, threatened to suffocate her. This can’t be happening again.

“Is everything all right?”

“Umm . . . sure.” Darkness encroached, tunneling her vision. She forced it back, counted to ten, took deep breaths—anything to fight back the blackness. She struggled against the urge to push the glass ball away from her. “Sorry. I must have zoned out for a minute.” She averted her gaze, hoping the other woman wouldn’t catch the lie.

The woman’s eyebrows drew together, a frown creasing her forehead.

“Are you sure you didn’t see anything bad?” Cass forced a laugh as she shoved her chair back, stood, and moved away from the table. “Of course not. I told you

I would only allow good spirits to enter.” Liar.

About Author Lena Gregory

lena-gregory

Lena Gregory lives in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband and three children.

When she was growing up, she spent many lazy afternoons on the beach, in the yard, anywhere she could find to curl up with a good book. She loves reading as much now as she did then, but she now enjoys the added pleasure of creating her own stories.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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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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Doggone It
by Maggie Toussaint

 DOGGONE IT

Doggone It (A Dreamwalker Mystery)
Genre – Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Series: A Dreamwalker Mystery (Book 3)
Hardcover – 292 pages
Publisher: Five Star Publishing (October 19, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-1432832315

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My Review

Having enjoyed another book in this series, I was curious to meet these character’s again.

It appears Baxley’s dreamwalker abilities will be in short supply. A run in with a ghost dog has left her high and dry in that department. Bad timing as she needs them to solve the grisly deaths of two people.

She does her best in the investigation, not letting the sheriff know she’s relying on good old fashioned smarts. She also draws on the help of an old nemesis from the other side.. Someone who always asks a high price for her help.

The race is on to solve the murders before more bodies start piling up.

This was a great next story in the series. Baxley is such a genuine character. She’s strong, doesn’t whine, and just gets things done. All while also running her own business and dealing with some other minor cases. For, instance, the dognapping.

I love how the critters, real and ghostly, have key roles in this book. Nothing like fur flying to make it more entertaining.

Another fun whodunit you won’t want to miss.

I should mention that you can read this without having read the other books. But, I’d recommend you start at the beginning to get the skinny on how it all begins. Why miss out on all the fun.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Dreamwalker Baxley Powell can’t remember the last time she had such a crappy weekend. A twilight encounter with a ghost dog left her numb and disoriented, her dreamwalker abilities are wiped out, and the sheriff just summoned her to a double homicide.

With no access to the spirit world, Baxley bluffs her way through the crime scene where a movie star’s assistant and a charter boat captain were strung up and bled dry. In a haunted house, no less. Figuring out who killed these people will be a real challenge without her ability to speak to the dead.

Just when Baxley thinks her powers are returning, her dreamwalks malfunction. With the sheriff pushing her to solve the case quickly, Baxley teams up with a dognapping medium to boost her powers.

Suspects include the captain’s good-for-nothing brother, the assistant’s replacement, and, of course, his stalker. All of Sinclair County is on edge, and the media circus isn’t helping. At stake are the movie’s funding, the sheriff’s job, and Baxley’s senses.

Can Baxley safeguard her abilities and solve the case before the killer strikes again?

Haunted houses, lost pirate treasure, conniving in-laws, supernatural baddies, and a determined ghost dog test amateur sleuth Baxley Powell’s mettle in Book Three of Toussaint’s Dreamwalker Series.

Author Maggie Toussaint

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Formerly a contract scientist for the U.S. Army and a freelance reporter, mystery and suspense author Maggie Toussaint has thirteen published books. Her recent mystery releases include Gone and Done It, Bubba Done It, Death, Island Style, and Dime If I Know. Her latest mystery, Doggone It, is Book Three in her dreamwalker series about a psychic sleuth.

Maggie won the Silver Falchion Award for Best Cozy/Traditional Mystery. Additionally, she won a National Readers’ Choice Award and an EPIC Award for Best Romantic Suspense. She was twice nominated for the Georgia Author of the Year Award and finaled in the Beacon and the Readers’ Crown Contest.

Maggie lives in coastal Georgia, where secrets, heritage, and ancient oaks cast long shadows. Visit her at www.maggietoussaint.com.

Maggie’s Links:

Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Booklover’s Bench |

Amazon Author Central | Website

Doggone It Excerpt

I stared at my best friend, alarmed. “We’re going in the haunted house? Count me out. I didn’t sign on for breaking and entering. I can’t do that. I’ll lose my job as a police consultant.”

Charlotte shone her light on the weathered façade of June’s Folly. “No breaking required, Baxley. The front door is open.”

I added my beam to hers. Sure enough, the paneled door with the centrally located doorknob gaped on its hinges. “Dang. You’re right. Still, this place belongs to someone. We don’t have the right to stroll inside. We’ll be trespassing.”

“Just a peek inside. If the ghost is here, it should repel us at the door, or so goes the legend. Speaking of ghosts, is anyone talking to you? Maybe shaking some chains or speaking in French?”

“All I’m hearing is a desperate reporter.” Cautiously, I touched the banister to see if it was secure. It was. I used the railing for support as I carefully trod the rotten, squeaking steps. Drifts of thickened air stirred my hair and sighed through the pines. Charlotte halted. “You hear that?”

Her voice sounded too high. “The wind?”

“Chains clanking. And a sad, mournful song in another language.”

“Truly?” I heard nothing of the sort. Was Charlotte’s imagination getting away from her? Was there a ghost?

Charlotte sank to the porch decking, her gear clunking as she landed heavily on her rear. “I, uh, need a minute.”

“Okay.” I sat on the top step beside her. Other than feeling dread and a shiver against the elements, I seemed normal with no sign of sensory overload. I marveled that I was still functioning. A little maturity and a little extrasensory training and I had a whole new perspective on this place.

“Don’t you feel it?” My friend’s teeth chattered. “I’m freezing.”

I estimated it was nearly eighty degrees and humid enough for spiders to dance on the air. Puzzled, I touched Charlotte’s arm. Her skin felt cold to the touch. Ordinarily, Charlotte would be griping about the heat and the humidity. Something was crossing her wires.

“Look at you! Working those earlier ghost sites must have unleashed a latent talent.” I gazed at her with frank admiration. “You’re the ghost detector tonight, Char. I’m not picking up anything.”

“Are you looking?”

She had me there. “Nope. I don’t want to have to call my father to come get me again. That would be embarrassing.”

“I thought you were doing this to prove yourself as a full-fledged dreamwalker.”

“My main thought is that you have your answer to the ghost question. Chains and mournful singing support the drowned slave legend. Time to go home.”

“There’s more to this, I know it,” she insisted. “Help me prove it. You can handle whatever it is I’m feeling. I haven’t passed out or anything.”

Like that would reassure me. But there was a certain logic to her claim. I was being a wimp by keeping my senses and my body shielded.

Charlotte had called me out. Worse, she was right. Just because I never heard ghosts before was no reason not to listen for this one.

My talents and my shielding abilities were much more finely tuned now. I’d been talking to the dead for months. I didn’t have to let childhood fears dictate my actions. And, the sooner I gave Charlotte what she wanted, the sooner we could go home.

With that, I closed my eyes and opened my senses to the night. Immediately, I plunged into a freezing fog bank.

Purchase Links:

Amazon  B&N

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Check out the other tour stops!

October 20 – Teresa Trent Author Site – REVIEW

October 21 – Books,Dreams,Life – REVIEW

October 22 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – REVIEW

October 23 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

October 24 – Community Bookstop – GUEST POST

October 25 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

October 26 – T’s Stuff – REVIEW

October 27 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

October 28 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

October 29 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – GUEST POST

October 30 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

October 30 – deal sharing aunt – REVIEW

October 31 – Jane Reads – REVIEW

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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 kitty below!

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It has been so sad, losing both Joyce and Jim LaVene. They are two of my most cherished authors and I had many a fun email chats with Joyce. Having read so many of their books in several different series, I can say they are also at the top of my list of cozy mystery authors.

I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review their latest book. And this is the first print copy of theirs that I have owned. It will always be a special book for me. Thank you, Joyce and Jim, for the many cozy hours I spent being charmed by your stories. You’ll be missed.

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Putting on the Witch
by Joyce and Jim Lavene

Epic. One word to describe this book.
From the first book in this series I was spell bound.
~Karen’s Reviews

PUTTING ON THE WITCH

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Putting on the Witch (Retired Witches Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Berkley (October 4, 2016)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425268278
E-Book – ASIN: B01AHKXHTS
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My Review

Having read and enjoyed so many books by these two wonderful authors, I never had a doubt whether I’d enjoy this one too. Losing both Joyce and Jim within the last year, the reading community is feeling the loss, as am I. I’m thrilled to be able to share my thoughts about their newest release.

What a fun story. I was particularly happy to have both female and male witches in this one.  And there’s some witches that are getting ready to retire that are still discovering new powers. I think I’d be hard pressed to quit if I still had something new brewing inside me. And that’s where one character finds herself.

The Grand Witches Council is throwing a big gala at a hidden mansion. The Who’s Who of witches are all present and our rag tag group joins the festivities. They’re not liked by the upper crust and that is made apparent when one of the council members is found dead.

Bring on the Spanish Inquisitor. He used to persecute witches. Torture and burning were his trade. Now he’s bound by the witches and used to sniff out their own kind when one goes bad. There’s a delightful twist with him. One I didn’t see coming, and it really made for more fun reading.

There were too many suspects with their own agendas for me to have a smidgeon of a chance of figuring out who the killer was, so I just relaxed and let the authors show me.

Now, what’s a cozy without some critters. Most of the witches in this story have a cat as their familiar. And one of the familiars has a big, naughty secret. Bad kitty.

Some other fun stuff is a witches beauty shop where you go for a complete makeover from head to toe. The glamour only lasts for one night, but think how easy it would be to get ready. And there’s a haunted bracelet that causes some sticky situations.  The scene with it’s eyes kind of creeped me out.

Plenty of mystery abounds, with some fun twists and witchy shenanigans to keep you engaged. This would be a good one for your Halloween reading list.

I have this very bad habit of jumping into a series anywhere. I’ve not read the first two books, but the authors, as is their norm, made it easy and fun for me to join in here. I did stumble a wee bit until I got all of the character’s sorted out. Then it was all fun to the finish.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

With their coven’s spell book still missing, Molly and Elsie—along with their ghostly friend Olivia, her daughter Dorothy, and her boyfriend Brian—are all on edge, especially now that Dorothy’s infamously wicked father is back in the picture. So when they receive an invitation to an exclusive Witches Ball, the ladies jump at the chance to dress up and have some fun.

The castle locale is spectacular and the party is hopping, but the festivities come to a swift end when a member of the Grand Council of Witches is murdered. With the whole place on lock down, the coven is determined to find the cunning killer, even with an angry council and a real Spanish Inquisitor breathing down their necks…

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I just love this picture of Joyce and Jim

About The Authors

Joyce and Jim Lavene wrote award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They had written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. Joyce passed away October 20, 2015 and Jim passed on May 5, 2016. They are missed by family, friends and their many fans.

www.joyceandjimlavene.com

www.facebook.com/joyceandjimlavene

Purchase links:

Amazon – Barnes and Noble 

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Other books in the series.

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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 kitty below!

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Tangled Up in Brew (A Brewing Trouble Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Berkley (October 4, 2016)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425277706
E-Book ASIN: B01AHKXIAQ

TANGLED UP IN BREW
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My Review

When I read this was about brewing beer, I knew I wanted to read it. We have many micro breweries around my neck of the woods. No, not bootlegging. LOL I always enjoy sampling the new ones and often find some that are really good.

What’s a good beer without a murder, eh. What’s supposed to be a friendly competition at the Three Rivers Brews and Burgers Festival turns into something else when the beverage critic drops dead from an apparent poisoning. Let the sleuthing begin. This one was full of suspects and it wasn’t easy to figure out the who and why.

I enjoyed meeting these characters and visiting the town of Three Rivers. Much of it felt like somewhere I visited before and that’s something I always enjoy about cozies. That and the colorful characters that roam the pages.

I should mention this is the second book in the series. I had no trouble following along and liked it a lot, so I’ll be going back to catch the beginning now.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Another intoxicating mystery featuring brew pub owner Maxine “Max” O’Hara—from the author of To Brew or Not to Brew.

BEER TODAY, GONE TOMORROW…

Brew pub owner Maxine “Max” O’Hara and her chef/boyfriend, Jake Lambert, are excited to be participating in the Three Rivers Brews and Burgers Festival. Max hopes to win the coveted Golden Stein for best craft beer—but even if she doesn’t, the festival will be great publicity for her Allegheny Brew House.

Or will it? When notoriously nasty food and beverage critic Reginald Mobley is drafted as a last-minute replacement judge, Max dreads a punishing review. Her fears are confirmed when Mobley literally spits out her beer, but things get even worse when the cranky critic drops dead right after trying one of Jake’s burgers. Now an ambitious new police detective is determined to pin Mobley’s murder on Max and Jake, who must pore over the clues to protect their freedom and reputations—and to find the self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner.

Author Joyce Tremel

JOYCE TREMEL

Joyce Tremel was a police secretary for ten years and more than once envisioned the demise of certain co-workers, but settled on writing as a way to keep herself out of jail. She is a native Pittsburgher and lives in a suburb of the city with her husband and a spoiled cat.

Her debut mystery, To Brew Or Not To Brew has been nominated for the 2015 Reviewers’ Choice award for best amateur sleuth by RT Book Reviews. The second book in the series, Tangled Up In Brew is scheduled for release in October 2016.

 

Author Links

Webpage / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase Link

Amazon – B&N 

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Follow the tour.

October 3 – A Date with a Book – REVIEW*

October 3 – The Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT

October 4 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW

October 4 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

October 5 – Grace. Gratitude. Life. by Marie McNary – REVIEW

October 6 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

October 7 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

October 7 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT

October 8 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW

October 8 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW*

October 9 – Mystery Playground – GUEST POST

October 10 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, &, Sissy, Too! – REVIEW

October 11 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

October 12 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – REVIEW*

October 13 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW  

October 13 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – REVIEW

October 14 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW

October 14 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW

October 15 – MysteriesEtc – REVIEW*

October 16 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW

October 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

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To Brew Or Not To Brew

A Brewing Trouble Mystery #1

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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 kitty below!

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Masking for Trouble (A Costume Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series

MASKING FOR TROUBLE

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Berkley (October 4, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-0425278291
E-Book ASIN: B01AHKXIHY
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Synopsis

Halloween brings more tricks than treats for costume shop owner Margo Tamblyn in the second in a new cozy series from the national bestselling author of the Material Witness Mysteries.

Halloween conjures up big business for Margo Tamblyn’s costume shop, Disguise DeLimit, but this year, the holiday comes knocking with serious trouble. Venture capitalist Paul Haverford plans to rezone historic downtown into a glitzy commercial area which would push out local business. Margo is set on saving her family’s store, especially after a nasty run-in with the chain-store tycoon, but after Haverford’s body is discovered during a spooky party at the derelict Alexandria Hotel, Margo finds herself dressed as the police’s prime suspect.

Anxious to clear her name, Margo begins hunting down anyone who might have wanted Haverford dead. Between all of his malicious maneuverings, the murdered mogul had buckets of people anxious to see him gone. Now, Margo will have to use every trick in the book to find a cloaked killer—before someone else winds up wearing a death shroud…

Author Diane Vallere

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I’m a former fashion buyer turned mystery writer, trading fashion accessories for accessories to murder. I was bit by the mystery bug as a kid reading Trixie Belden, Connie Blair, and The Three Investigators. Now I’m writing three series: the Style & Error Mysteries, the Mad for Mod Mysteries, and the Material Witness Mysteries.

The Costume Shop mysteries debuted with A DISGUISE TO DIE FOR, which introduces Margo Tamblyn, costume shop owner, who helps solve a murder after one of her clients is found dead at his own costume party (dressed as Sherlock!). MASKING FOR TROUBLE, the second in the series, will be out in October 2016, just in time for Halloween.

The Material Witness mysteries feature Polyester Monroe, who inherits the fabric shop where she was born. Books include SUEDE TO REST  and CRUSHED VELVET . The third, SILK STALKINGS,  was just released.

The Style & Error Series features former fashion buyer turned amateur sleuth Samantha Kidd. Books in that series include DESIGNER DIRTY LAUNDRYBUYER, BEWARETHE BRIM REAPER ; and SOME LIKE IT HAUTE . (A short story, “Just Kidding ,” tells the story of how Samantha first met shoe designer Nick Taylor). Book 5, GRAND THEFT RETRO, will be out in 2016.

The Madison Night Mysteries feature a modern day interior decorator who specializes in midcentury design (studying Doris Day movies to get the look right). Books are PILLOW STALK ,THAT TOUCH OF INK , and WITH VICS YOU GET EGGROLL . A prequel novella, “Midnight Ice,” can be found in OTHER PEOPLE’S BAGGAGE .

Author Links

Webpage / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon – B&N 

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Follow the tour

October 2:  MysteriesEtc  – REVIEW

October 2:  Community Bookstop – REVIEW*

October 3:  Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW*

October 3:  Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

October 4:  A Holland Reads – REVIEW*

October 4:  Fuonlyknew – SPOTLIGHT

October 5:  Brooke Blogs – REVIEW*

October 5:  I Wish I Lived in a Library – REVIEW

October 6:  3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – REVIEW*

October 6:  Jane Reads – REVIEW

October 7:  Back Porchervations – REVIEW*

October 7:  StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

October 8:  The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

October 8:  The Broke Book Bank – REVIEW

October 9:  The Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT

October 9:  Lisa Ks Book Reviews  – REVIEW

October 10:  Grace. Gratitude. Life. By Marie McNary – REVIEW*

October 10:  View From The Birdhouse – REVIEW*

October 11:  Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my!  – REVIEW

October 11:  Celticlady’s Reviews  – SPOTLIGHT

October 12:  Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW

October 12:  Reading Authors – REVIEW*

October 13:  Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW*

October 13:  T’s Stuff – REVIEW

October 13:  LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

October 14:  Laura’s interests – REVIEW

October 14:  Melina’s Book Blog –  REVIEW*

October 15:  Book Babble – REVIEW

October 15:  The Power of Words – REVIEW

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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 kitty below!

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Teaser Tuesday | BooksAndABeat.com

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB at Books And A Beat.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

Putting On The Witch

A Retired Witches Mystery #3

by Jim and Joyce Lavene

PUTTING ON THE WITCH

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Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

My teaser from page 103 in the paperback.


We knocked on the adjoining door between our rooms. There was no response.

“Sounds like they could be dead in there,” Elsie said, pressing her ear to the door.

“That heavy breathing sounds like they’re alive,” I whispered.

“Which one?” Elsie asked. “I don’t want to know what’s going on in there.”

I grinned and nudged her with my elbow. “It hasn’t been that long. I think you know what’s probably going on.”

Sorry this is more than two sentences but this is such a wickedly cute scene. I could just see them, leaning in to listen, and then giggling when they realize what’s going on in there. What do you think is happening?

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For those who don’t know, within the past year we’ve lost both Joyce and Jim Lavene and I, for one, sorely miss them. I’ve enjoyed so many books in all their different series and am thrilled to be sharing my review on October 12th. Please be sure to drop by. And there’s a wonderful giveaway.

This is my first physical copy of any of their books and will surely be treasured!

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

With their coven’s spell book still missing, Molly and Elsie—along with their ghostly friend Olivia, her daughter Dorothy, and her boyfriend Brian—are all on edge, especially now that Dorothy’s infamously wicked father is back in the picture. So when they receive an invitation to an exclusive Witches Ball, the ladies jump at the chance to dress up and have some fun.

The castle locale is spectacular and the party is hopping, but the festivities come to a swift end when a member of the Grand Council of Witches is murdered. With the whole place on lock down, the coven is determined to find the cunning killer, even with an angry council and a real Spanish Inquisitor breathing down their necks…

AMAZON

Other books in the series.

Clicking on any of the covers will take you to Amazon.

21911686  24611676

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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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:

Five Dog Voodoo

A Mae December Mystery

by Lia Farrell

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Genre: Cozy Mystery

From Page 56 in the paperback.

Ben followed Wayne up the wooden steps of Zoe’s back porch. The big detective stopped suddenly at the screen door and Ben almost ran into him.

“Do you smell that?” Wayne demanded.

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

As Halloween approaches, engaged couple Mae December and Sheriff Ben Bradley have devoted all their energy to Ben’s campaign for reelection as sheriff of Rose County, Tennessee. The race is already too close to call when the sheriff’s office is hit with yet another maddeningly tricky murder case. In recent years the town of Rosedale has had more than its fair share of murders, a fact Ben’s smarmy opponent is all too eager to exploit.
Investigator Dory Clarkson and her friend, Counselor Evangeline Bon Temps, are visiting the mysterious Voodoo village when a resident tells them her granddaughter, Zoé Canja, is missing. Her dog, a Weimaraner nursing four pups, escapes the house and finds the young woman’s body in a shallow grave. Evangeline becomes Sheriff Ben Bradley’s unofficial consultant because her grandmother in Haiti and later her mother in New Orleans practiced Voodoo. A threatening symbol is left on the pavement by Dory’s front door, effectively banning her from the case.
Evangeline and the sheriff’s office ask too many questions, and Evangeline soon wears out her welcome. Voodoo curses aside, Ben’s job is at stake, and no one associated with the case is safe until the killer is found.
Book 5 in the Mae December Mystery series, which began with One Dog Too Many.

AMAZON

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

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

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

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Mud Bog Murder
by Lesley A. Diehl

(The) Author cares about her characters, and plans her mysteries so that protagonist Eve has plenty of opportunities, and reasons, to grow and evolve, to make the choice to be “the better person”…
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies

I enjoyed this book, the characters are fun and a story line with plot twist that will keep you hooked until the end.
~Shelley’s Book Case

Ms. Diehl write such great stories with characters so full of life.
~Community Bookstop

I would call this a classic cozy. You have enough wacky, eclectic characters to make every reader happy…
~Laura’s Interests

MUD BOG MURDER

Mud Bog Murder (An Eve Appel Mystery)
4th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Camel Press (September 1, 2016)
Paperback: 268 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1603813150
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My Review

I’m a southern gal and there’s nothing more fun than reading a story set in the land that offers you tasty mudbugs, pecan pie, and sweet tea.

  Eve Appel came to Sabal Bay, Florida to start fresh. While waiting for her building to be refurbished, she and her friend Madeleine have taken her business on the road, literally. A friend loaned her an RV and she’s fixed it up as a consignment shop on wheels.

Business is brisk until the gals join a protest against a mud bog event. The giant trucks tear up the swampland and kill or destroy the habitat of local wildlife. It’s not just the town folk boycotting the business they have to worry about after the host’s head literally lands in Eve’s hands.

Okay, I snickered. I could just see it. Those big truck tires slinging mud all over the place, and then this head comes flying out. And once Eve realizes what she’s caught, she knows she can’t just toss it. It’s evidence at a crime scene.

It’s a free for all as accusations get slung, finger’s point to suspects, and some damning evidence is discovered, along with a convenient anonymous tip.

With so many suspects to choose from, it’s not an easy mystery to solve. So enjoy the ride as the author introduces you to her colorful cast of characters from south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Two of my favorite things about cozies are the characters and the small towns portrayed in them. I had a blast meeting these characters and the town felt familiar. The charming, fun mystery kept me sifting through the clues and snorting at some outrageous scenes. There’s also a bit of a love triangle. Kind of. Sort of.

This is the fourth book in the series, but you can read this one without having read the other three. I did.  The author drops in some tidbits about previous events and some character insight without barely a hiccup in the story’s flow.

I hope you give this book a go. I pinkie swear you’ll have fun.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

When Jenny McCleary leases her property to be ravaged by the annual mud bog races, the small rural town of Sabal Bay, Florida, is divided into warring camps: environmental activists versus monster truck fans. Jenny, who frequents the consignment store owned by Eve Appel and her friend Madeleine, doesn’t seem to mind when Eve and Madeleine join the protesters the day of the races.

During the race, Eve catches Jenny’s airborne head after it is tossed into the air by the wheels of a truck. Now every protester is a suspect in Jenny’s murder. What’s left of her alligator-gnawed body is found near the airboat business of Eve’s Miccosukee Indian friends, Sammy Egret and his grandfather. When more evidence turns up nearby, Grandfather is arrested.

Even without the disembodied head, Eve has her hands full. The town resents her role in the protests and is boycotting the consignment shop on wheels. She is torn between two men–GQ-handsome, devoted PI Alex and tall, dark, and exotic Sammy. Jenny’s sweet and needy teenage daughter is dating a petty criminal. Will Eve and Madeleine ever be able to move into their new digs? Not unless the town forgives them. And not if whoever decapitated Jenny gets to Eve before she and her sleuthing buddies solve the mystery.

Author Lesley A. Diehl

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Lesley retired from her life as a professor of psychology and reclaimed her country roots by moving to a small cottage in the Butternut River Valley in upstate New York.  In the winter she migrates to old Florida—cowboys, scrub palmetto, and open fields of grazing cattle, a place where spurs still jingle in the post office, and gators make golf a contact sport.  Back north, the shy ghost inhabiting the cottage serves as her literary muse.  When not writing, she gardens, cooks and renovates the 1874 cottage with the help of her husband, two cats and, of course, Fred the ghost, who gives artistic direction to their work.

She is the author of a number of mystery series (Microbrewing Series, Big Lake Mystery Series, Eve Appel Mystery Series and the Laura Murphy Mysteries), a standalone mystery (Angel Sleuth) and numerous short stories.   

 

Visit her on her website:  www.lesleyadiehl.com

Blog / Twitter / Facebook

  • Purchase Links

Amazon          Barnes and Noble

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Follow the tour

September 1 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 2 – Bibliophile Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 3 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

September 4 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW

September 5 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW, GUEST POST

September 6 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

September 7 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW

September 8 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

September 9 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 10 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

September 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

September 12 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

September 13 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

September 14 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – 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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A Story To Kill

A Cat Latimer Mystery #1

by Lynn Cahoon

A STORY TO KILL

A Story to Kill (A Cat Latimer Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
New Series
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Kensington (August 30, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-1496704351
E-Book ASIN: B0190HGVK6

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My Review

This has everything a cozy mystery lover requires.

Cat Latimer, widowed and back home again. Looking for a fresh start, she  opens a writers retreat.  She’s nervous and excited when she discovers none other than Tom Cook, a famous writer, is among the guests.

Imagine how shocked she is to stumble upon his dead body.

There’s plenty of suspects. A stalker fan, another guest with a grudge, and, according to his wife, a whole bunch of people who wish him dead.

Romance distracts Cat as she sifts for clues. Her old flame is also back in town. And he wastes no time letting her know he still carries a torch for her.

Lynn gives you much to ponder as there’s more than one mystery in these pages. Why did Cat’s dead ex-husband leave her the house?  What’s with the weird woman who signed up for the retreat, but doesn’t take advantage of it? And who is the the rude guest, William Williams, and why does he appear to loathe Tom Cook? And let’s not forgot Tom’s widow. She appears out of nowhere and books a room. Why would she want to stay at the very place her husband was murdered in? And why doesn’t she appear to be more upset about his death?

See, I told you there’s more than one mystery. And there’s a whole lot of fun characters and suspects to sort out.

All the ingredients for a darn good cozy. This is the first book in the series, so jump in  now. I’m sure this will be a fun one to follow.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Former English professor Cat Latimer is back in Colorado, hosting writers’ retreats in the big blue Victorian she’s inherited, much to her surprise, from none other than her carousing ex-husband! Now it’s an authors’ getaway—but Cat won’t let anyone get away with murder…
The bed-and-breakfast is open for business, and bestselling author Tom Cook is among its first guests. Cat doesn’t know why he came all the way from New York, but she’s glad to have him among the quirkier—and far less famous—attendees.

Cat’s high school sweetheart Seth, who’s fixing up the weathered home, brings on mixed emotions for Cat…some of them a little overpowering. But it’s her uncle, the local police chief, whom she’ll call for help when there’s a surprise ending for Tom Cook in his cozy guest room. Will a killer have the last word on the new life Cat has barely begun?

Author Lynn Cahoon

Cahoon

 

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Lynn Cahoon is an Idaho native. If you’d visit the town where she grew up, you’d understand why her mysteries and romance novels focus around the depth and experience of small town life. Currently, she’s living in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. She lives with her husband and two fur babies.

Author Links

Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Website / Amazon

Purchase Links

Amazon – Barnes and Noble 

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Follow the tour

August 29 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

August 29 – Classy Cheapskate – REVIEW

August 30 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW

August 30 – The Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT

August 31 – Ashleyz Wonderland – REVIEW

August 31 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

September 1 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – REVIEW

September 1 – Bea’s Book Nook – REVIEW

September 2 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW

September 2 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST

September 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

September 3 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW

September 4 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – REVIEW

September 5 – Booklady’s Booknotes – REVIEW, GUEST POST

September 6 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 6 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW

September 7 – MysteriestEtc – REVIEW

September 7 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST

September 8 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

September 8 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

September 9 – Book Babble – REVIEW

September 9 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

September 10 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

September 11 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

September 11 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – 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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