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Posts Tagged ‘cozy mystery’

Win a Haunted House Jigsaw Puzzle ~ Masking For Trouble by Diane Vallere

Posted: October 4, 2016 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: Author Diane Vallere, cozy mystery, giveaway, Masking For Trouble

MASKING F OR TROUBLE large banner640

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

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

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

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 LAUNDRY ; BUYER, BEWARE ; THE 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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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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!

The Friday 56 #121 ~ Five Dog Voodoo

Posted: September 30, 2016 in Cozy Mystery, The Friday 56
Tags: Author Lia Farrell, cozy mystery, Five Dog Voodoo, Freda's Voice

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

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.

~~~~~

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!

Giveaway and Review ~ A Story To Kill by Lynn Cahoon

Posted: September 8, 2016 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: A Cat Latimer Mystery #1, A Story To KIll, Author Lynn Cahoon, cozy mystery, giveaway, review

A Story To Kill

A Cat Latimer Mystery #1

by Lynn Cahoon

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

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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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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!

The Cat Came Back ~ A 9 Lives Cozy Mystery by Louise Clark ~ Blast and Giveaway

Posted: August 15, 2016 in Book Blast, Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: Author Louise Clark, cozy mystery, giveaway, The Cat Came Back

Welcome to the book blast for The Cat Came Back by Louise Clark. This is a cozy mystery with some clean romance that is available now!

Book Description:
Stormy the Cat, rescued by journalist Quinn Armstrong, is not what he seems.

Young mother Christy Jamieson just learned her husband, Frank, embezzled his trust fund, sold their Vancouver mansion, and ran off with a socialite. Worse, Frank’s trustees are telling Christy to let them handle it. But they aren’t doing anything, and Frank’s enemies are coming after her and her daughter.

Desperate to find Frank and fend off his enemies, Christy asks Quinn for help. His price: the dirt on Frank. But the closer Christy and Quinn get to the dangerous truth, the more convinced they become that only the one who knows where Frank is at, is Stormy the Cat.

THE 9 LIVES COZY MYSTERY SERIES:

The Cat Came Back

The Cat’s Paw (coming soon!)

Amazon | Goodreads

***

About the Author:

Louise Clark is the author of nine published romance novels, including Dangerous Desires, Lover’s Knot, Pretender’s Games (Hearts of Rebellion series), and Fighting Fate. Ridgeway, a time travel novel, is part of the bestselling boxed set, Swept Through Time. In 2014 she was a quarter finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. Louise holds a BA in History from Queen’s University and a Master of Publishing degree from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Her books have been published in fifteen countries worldwide.

The 9 Lives Cozy Mystery Series—The Cat Came Back and Cat’s Paw or Culprit?—and her Radish fiction mystery romance, Recipe For Trouble, are all set in her home town of Vancouver.

For more information please sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b0mHNb. Or visit her at www.louiseclarkauthor.com or on Facebook at LouiseClarkAuthor.

***

Giveaway:

$25 gift card (INT)

Ends September 1st, 2016

Giveaway is provided by the publisher, 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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!

Address To Die For by Mary Feliz ~ Cozy review and giveaway

Posted: August 1, 2016 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: A Maggie McDonald Mystery, Address To Die For, Author Mary Feliz, cozy mystery, giveaway, review

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Address To Die For

by Mary Feliz

Right off the bat, I enjoyed the tempo of author Mary Feliz’s writing. No wasted words or dragging scenes. Just a fast paced story both well written, and thought out.
~Lisa K’s Book Reviews

The author did a great job with the characters and setting you can easily imagine you are a part of the story.
~Sleuth Cafe

Ms. Feliz’s writing style is engaging and made for a most enjoyable read.
~Back Porchervations

With fresh new characters and a strong story, you won’t be able to put this one down.
~Shelley’s Book Case

Be sure and get yourself comfortable as you read this hard to put down book.
~Texas Book-aholic

The plot was interesting and developed at an even pace, with a few unexpected twists leading up to the story’s resolution. All in all, a nice light read.
~Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes

I thought this book had some really interesting characters and it was different from other cozies I have read…
~Storeybook Reviews

Rich in detail and vivid descriptions, the story takes place in the small town of Orchard Valley, in the hills above Silicon Valley. This captivating and fast-paced whodunit tale has enough quirky characters, witty humor, drama, intriguing twists and turns, and conspiracy theories that will keep you guessing.
~Jersey Girl Book Reviews

I thought this was a well written book with a good plot. It kept me turning pages and guessing up until the end.
~Melina’s Book Blog

Address to Die For
(A Maggie McDonald Mystery)

New Series
Cozy Mystery
Lyrical Underground (July 19, 2016)
E-book – 320 pages
ASIN: B01B0KK5P8

My Review

Maggie has a lot on her plate right from the beginning. Her and her husband and two sons have just arrived at their new home and it’s turned out to be much more of a project to get ready to live in than they thought. While doing a run through to see what needs to be done, they find a dead man in their basement. What a way to say hello to your new neighbors. Their front lawn is soon filled with emergency vehicles and flashing lights.

I’m huge on making lists and enjoy checking it and crossing off the items I’ve accomplished. I need those lists to keep from spinning in circles. Now to remember to take them with me. LOL To say Maggie makes lists is a huge understatement. Her business, Simplicity Itself Organizing Services, is making lists for clients and organizing everything for them. Who would have thought, with so much going wrong right from the first day in their new home, that she might need help herself.

I better not forget to mention the vandalism. It seems someone has targeted Maggie’s new home and is trying to either drive her family out, or burn the place down. The vandalism spreads to her son’s school and it seems to be connected. All trails lead back to home. As vandalism turns to violence, fear and danger escalate. More than hopes of a new life are at stake.

I enjoyed the tips for organizing that Maggie offers at the beginning of each chapter. Not sure I’d ever be that organized, but I’ll be using some and there are others I already do. Good to know I’m not the only one who thinks and thinks again.

There are lots of characters to meet, and while you don’t get to see some of them that often, they are easily recognizable. The author really does a great job of fleshing them out with just a few words here and there about their attitudes and the way they carry themselves. That was wonderful, because I’m huge on character driven stories.

It took me a bit to start adding some people to my own suspect list. One was fairly obvious pretty quickly, but I had a feeling that one was too obvious. I had lots of fun getting to the end and especially enjoyed reading about how the family adjusted and settled in to a new way of life while coping with one thing after another that obstructs their efforts.

Almost forgot to mention, many of the character’s have pets and I found it fun to see what kind each one had. My home is a mix of cats, dogs, and a parrot, and is quite lively and loud.

I’m a quick reader and read this in about two hours. I’d suggest you set aside some time when you start it. You’ll find it quite hard to stop when you do.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

For professional organizer Maggie McDonald, moving her family into a new home should be the perfect organizational challenge. But murder was definitely not on the to-do list . . .

Maggie McDonald has a penchant for order that isn’t confined to her clients’ closets, kitchens, and sock drawers. As she lays out her plan to transfer her family to the hundred-year-old house her husband, Max, has inherited in the hills above Silicon Valley, she has every expectation for their new life to fall neatly into place. But as the family bounces up the driveway of their new home, she’s shocked to discover the house’s dilapidated condition. When her husband finds the caretaker face-down in their new basement, it’s the detectives who end up moving in. What a mess! While the investigation unravels and the family camps out in a barn, a killer remains at large—exactly the sort of loose end Maggie can’t help but clean up . . .

~~~~~

Mary Feliz Photo Credit Dylan Studios

About The Author

Mary Feliz has lived in five states and two countries but calls Silicon Valley home. Traveling to other areas of the United States, she’s frequently reminded that what seems normal in the high-tech heartland can seem decidedly odd to the rest of the country. A big fan of irony, serendipity, diversity, and quirky intelligence tempered with gentle humor, Mary strives to bring these elements into her writing, although her characters tend to take these elements to a whole new level. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and National Association of Professional Organizers. Mary is a Smith College graduate with a degree in Sociology. She lives in Northern California with her husband, near the homes of their two adult offspring. Visit Mary online at MaryFeliz.com, or follow her on Twitter @MaryFelizAuthor.

Purchase Links

Amazon – B&N

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow the tour

July 19 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

July 19 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

July 20 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

July 20 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &,Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

July 21 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW

July 22 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW

July 23 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

July 23 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

July 24 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – REVIEW

July 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

July 25 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST

July 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW

July 26 – Tea and A Book – REVIEW

July 27 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

July 28 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW

July 28 – Bookjunkie’s Book Blog – INTERVIEW

July 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

July 29 – Booklady’s Booknotes – REVIEW, GUEST POST

July 30 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

July 31 – Book Babble – REVIEW

August 1 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

August 1 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

August 2 – The Girl with Book Lungs – REVIEW

August 2 – Queen of All She 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 horseshoe below!

From my list of fun things:

when you build a fire outside and it pops

“Have a nice day” from a checkout person

tiny tomato juice cans

water’s shiny surface

tabby cats

Grilling The Subject ~ Cooking up a cozy review, a recipe, and a couple of giveaways

Posted: July 28, 2016 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, reviews
Tags: Author Daryl Wood Gerber, Cookbook Nook Mystery, cozy mystery, giveaway, Grilling The Suspect, review

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I’ve enjoyed other books in Daryl’s Cookbook Nook Mystery series and am happy to be visiting her characters and Crystal Cove again. I’ve also read a book from her Cheese Shop Mystery series written as Avery Ames. Another fun series.

Check out my review.

Enjoy the short guest post and delicious recipe Daryl is sharing with us.

And don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaways!

Grilling the Subject (A Cookbook Nook Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Berkley (August 2, 2016)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425279410
E-Book ASIN: B017SCQLSW

My Review

I’ve read one other book in the Cookbook Nook series, Fudging The Books, and really enjoyed it. Good to be back with these characters again along with meeting some new ones.

One of those characters is Sylvia Gump, local business owner and town bully. You know the type, puts on airs, looks down her nose at you, her needs come first. Well, it should come as no surprise that, when fireman report to a brush fire, the dead body they discover is Sylvia’s. And, since Jenna’s father has been in several very public arguments with her, he’s in line as suspect #1.

So many suspects. It seems like when Jenna clears someone from her list, something else pops up and they’re back on it. Not an easy one to solve, which keeps Jenna hopping and those pages turning.

And there’s a humdinger of a surprise too. I kind of suspected it a time or two, but then I got caught up in the mystery again, and forgot about it, so I was eventually caught unaware.

Last time I visited Crystal Cove it was Pirate Week. This time it’s the Wild West Extravaganza. Living on the Gulf Coast, we have lots of fairs and summer events and it always feels like my home town when somethings cooking at Crystal Cove.

Lots to entertain in this next book in the series. I’ll be following to see what happens next in this delightful community.

And there’s some yummy recipes to try too. I always enjoy checking them out.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Things heat up for bookstore owner Jenna Hart in the latest Cookbook Nook mystery from the Agatha Award-winning author of Fudging the Books.

As the Wild West Extravaganza rides into Crystal Cove, California, Cookbook Nook store owner Jenna Hart is ready to indulge her appetite for grilled and barbecued treats and maybe even try the Texas skip. But when the body of one of her father’s neighbors is found the next morning smoldering in a bonfire, the rodeo revelry is extinguished.

Sylvia Gump had acquired plenty of enemies with her practice of illegally encroaching on her neighbors’ properties—including Jenna’s dad, who was off fishing by himself and has no alibi for the murder. Now it’s up to Cary Hart’s dutiful daughter to clear his name before the real killer turns up the heat and rakes someone else over the coals…

INCLUDES RECIPES

And here’s one of those yummy recipes!

Okay, here’s a little health lesson for today. Don’t moan! This will be quick and painless. Promise. LOL

There are good foods and super foods; good fats and bad fats. I’ve been reading up on this. Why? It turns out my body is producing cholesterol. I’m eating right and I’m fairly thin. I exercise, and I don’t smoke. But darn it, I have to take medicine to keep my cholesterol low.

Do you know your HDL and LDL and triglycerides numbers? You should. Ask your doctor.

Anyway, let’s get to some technical stuff:

To lower cholesterol eat:

Oats, red wine, salmon, nuts, green tea, beans (or legumes, especially kidney beans and black beans), dark chocolate, garlic, olive oil. (Yes, you read that right. Red wine and dark chocolate!) Blueberries are good for you, too!

What are some good fats?

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) help reduce visceral fat, the type of fat that promotes cardiovascular health. An avocado fits into this category. Yay for me! I love avocados.

And now that the lecture is done, fix this yummy recipe, grab some low-salt tortilla chips, pick up a good book, and dive in!

PS You all know I love cookbooks. I write about them in the Cookbook Nook Mysteries. I found this recipe in Food & Wine Best of the Best 2012: the Best Recipes from the 25 Best Cookbooks of the Year–inspired by a version from Truly Mexican by Santibañez, Goode & Wiseman. I tweaked it and tell you how I did so at the end.

AVOCADO AND BLUE CHEESE GUACAMOLE

blog_guacamole

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1 avocado, large

2 tablespoons chopped white onion

2 jalapeño chiles, diced fine

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice

3 ounces Point Reyes Blue cheese, crumbled

Mash avocado. Chop the onion and mince the chiles. Add to the avocado. Add the salt, the lemon juice, and half of the crumbled blue cheese. [This is one of the richest blue cheeses I’ve ever tasted. Yum!] Whip together.

Set in a serving bowl. Top with more blue cheese.

*The recipe from Truly Mexican included ¼ cup chopped smoked almonds. They used lime juice instead of Meyer lemon juice. And they added cilantro. They used a total of 3 tablespoons of the cheese. I doubled that.

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Daryl Wood Gerber 0218 100dpi

About This Author

DARYL WOOD GERBER writes the nationally bestselling Cookbook Nook Mystery series featuring a cookbook store owner who is an avid reader and admitted foodie, set on the coast of California. As AVERY AAMES, she pens the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery series featuring a cheese shop owner amateur sleuth, set in the fictional town of Providence, Ohio. Daryl’s short stories have been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and other awards. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl has appeared in “Murder, She Wrote” and more. In addition, she has jumped out of a perfectly good airplane and hitchhiked around Ireland by herself. She absolutely adores Lake Tahoe, where GIRL ON THE RUN is set, and she has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky.

Author Links

Daryl’s Blog / Avery’s Blog

Mystery Lover’s Kitchen / Killer Characters

Facebook: Daryl / Avery

Twitter: Avery / Daryl

Goodreads: Daryl Wood Gerber / Avery Ames

Purchase Links

Amazon – B &N

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

There are two giveaways today!

Today Daryl is giving away one copy of your choice of a print copy 0f any of her books. Leave a comment and tell her what your favorite snack food is.

Then enter the rafflecopter below for more prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow the tour for more fun posts and reviews and delicious recipes!

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July 27 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review, Interview, Recipe

July 28 – fuonlyknew – Review, Recipe

July 29 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Recipe

July 29 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Review, Recipe

July 30 – Booklady’s Booknotes – Review, Recipe

August 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review, Recipe

August 2 – A Holland Reads – Review, Recipe

August 3 – Back Porchervations – Review, Recipe

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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!

Release Tour for Cocktails and Lies by Lynette Sofras

Posted: July 23, 2016 in Cozy Mystery, New Release
Tags: Author Lynette Sofras, Cocktails and Lies, cozy mystery, New Release

COCKTAILS AND LIES

Lynette Sofras

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Planted by C.T. Collier ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: July 22, 2016 in Book Blast, Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: Author C.T. Collier, cozy mystery, giveaway, Planted, The Penningtons Investigate #1

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Planted

by C. T. Collier

Planted-book-cover

Planted (The Penningtons Investigate)

1st in Series

Cozy Mystery

Asdee Press (July 22, 2016)

Print Length: 309 pages

ASIN: B01FOVMCPK

Synopsis

Planted is book one of the new mystery series, The Penningtons Investigate, from award-winning author C. T. Collier. The Penningtons, Lyssa and Kyle, are both PhD’s, and when their clever minds start asking questions, clever killers can’t hide.

It’s Monday of spring break when Professor Lyssa Pennington’s backyard garden project unearths a loaded revolver. With no record of violence at their address and no related cold case, the Tompkins Falls police have no interest. But the Penningtons and a friend with the State Police believe there a body somewhere. Whose? Where? And who pulled the trigger?

The Penningtons’ canvass of their quiet neighborhood turns up disturbing secrets about the family who lived in their house for decades and another ill-fated family a few doors away. No one seems to know how to contact the only sons of either family. The few facts they have about them don’t add up and, since the gun was buried about the time both young men disappeared from Tompkins Falls, the Penningtons feel compelled to find them and make sure all is well.

Lyssa follows the money story and finds twenty million dollars, a neighbor who’s not what he seems, and a long-buried rivalry. Kyle goes after homicide data in six states and finds a body. Their next surprise is a murderer who will go to any length to conceal the crime.

CT-Collier-author

About The Author

C. T. Collier grew up in Seneca Falls, NY, left the area for college and jobs, and always wanted to return to the Finger Lakes. Today she lives in a beautiful small city on one of the prettiest of the Finger Lakes, not unlike fictional Tompkins Falls on lovely Chestnut Lake. Most days you’ll find her writing in her tiny office looking out on a woods populated with fox, deer, wild turkeys, and songbirds. In her career as a tech-savvy college professor she has been endlessly fascinated with campus intrigue. Entirely fictional, Tompkins College is no college and every college.

Author Links:

Website: https://drkatecollier.wordpress.com

Facebook: kate.collier.315

Twitter: @TompkinsFalls

Purchase Link

Amazon

JULY 22, 2016

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Blast and Giveaway ~ Bring Your Own Baker by D.E. Haggerty

Posted: July 5, 2016 in Book Blast, Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: Author D.E. Haggerty, Bring Your Own Baker, cozy mystery, Death By Cupcake #2, giveaway

Bring Your Own Baker
by D.E. Haggerty

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

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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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Fixin’ To Die by Tonya Kappes ~ My Cozy Review and a Giveaway

Posted: June 16, 2016 in Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery, giveaways, New Release, reviews
Tags: Author Tonya Kappes, cozy mystery, Fixin To Die, giveaway, Kenni Lowry Mystery series, New series, review

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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 (A Kenni Lowry Mystery)
New Series
Cozy Mystery
Henery Press (June 14, 2016)
Print Length: 179 pages
ASIN: B01D20UR34

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

Kenni Lowry Mystery Series

Fixin’ To Die