Posts Tagged ‘Murder Mystery’

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 Helena has never dreamt of becoming an amateur detective. But when
she finds the body of a young woman while on a walk, she can’t help
but try and discover who she was and how she got there.

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The Body at Back Beach

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by KJ Sweeney

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Genre: Murder Mystery

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 Helena Statham never imagined herself as a sleuth. But when she
stumbles upon the body of a young woman while on a walk, she can’t
resist the urge to discover who she was and how she got there. Even
if it means upsetting the tight-knit community of the small New
Zealand town she lives in, and uncovering secrets that have long been
buried.

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Thirty years ago, a young woman went missing, but no one
tried to find out what had happened to her. As Helena investigates
deeper, she learns more about what took place back then, putting
herself in danger now.

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Join Helena on her journey as she becomes
an unlikely amateur detective, determined to uncover the truth and
bring justice to the long-forgotten young woman whose story has been
buried in silence for far too long.

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Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author? 

Like many authors, I’ve always written. In my teenage years it was angsty poetry and a daily diary that I kept for about fifteen years (before I had children and hadn’t got the energy for that anymore!) I’ve also written lots of short stories and started books; I can’t seem to not write really. I’d never actually managed to finish a novel though, that seemed to be the hard bit. A few years back I was getting close to turning forty and I thought that it was about time I actually finished one of my ideas. I didn’t quite complete it by my birthday, but I finished the first draft of The Body at Back Beach about a month or so later. Since then, I’ve actually managed to finish three other books. This is the first one that’s ready for the world to share though!

 

Where were you born/grew up at? 

I was born and grew up in Derbyshire England. I lived in the UK until I was thirty and had my first two babies there. My husband is from New Zealand and we decided to move there with our young family. Fifteen years and two more babies later and we’ve recently moved home to the UK. I loved living in New Zealand and it’s where The Body at Back Beach is set. I’ve tried to capture some of the New Zealand that I loved while I lived there in the pages of the book.

I moved back to Britain to be close to my family. I think that there will always be a part of me that has a connection to New Zealand though. I lived there for fifteen years and the decision to come back home wasn’t an easy one. We have family back in New Zealand so no doubt we’ll be back to visit in the future.

 

What inspired you to write this book? 

The Body at Back Beach was very much inspired by the landscape around the area of New Zealand that I lived. I used to walk around Back Beach in Port Chalmers two or three times a week, much like Helena, the main character does. One day I was walking around there after there had been some really bad storms. The rain had caused some land slips and I started to imagine what I would do if it had uncovered something unexpected, like a body that had been buried years before. The story grew from there.

I’ve always really enjoyed murder mysteries, both in books and on television. This was the first one that I tried to write myself though, the other books that I’ve tried to write before have been different genres. I think that a mystery book fits my style better than other things that I’ve tried.

 

What can we expect from you in the future? 

Helena already has a second adventure lined up. I’ve written the first draft but have some editing to do. I hope to write a whole series following Helena where she’ll find herself solving more mysteries. I’ve also got a couple of other books in the works, one set in medieval times, a half-written mystery in a large Victorian mansion and something completely different set in 1980’s Britain, They’re all quite a way off being ready for the rest of the world to share as yet, but hopefully I’ll have something for you all soon.

I just need to find some time to really get my teeth into things and get things edited and polished first. Hopefully after the launch of The Body at Back Beach I’ll have a bit more time to get on with that.

 

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre? 

I read lots and lots, I always have done. My perfect idea of some ‘me’ time is peace and quiet, a nice cup of tea and a good book; bliss! I like to read lots of different types of books, I particularly like murder mysteries or romance though. My all-time favourite books tend to be historical murder mysteries and if there’s a little bit of chemistry between the lead characters then all the better. I do really enjoy ‘classic’ murder mysteries too, either older ones by Agatha Christie or Dorothy L. Sayers or modern whodunits that follow the same kind of format. I think that The Body at Back Beach would fit in well with that kind of book and be in good company.

Like many avid readers, I have a shelf and kindle full of more titles than I have time to read. That doesn’t stop me from buying more and I’m always on the lookout for recommendations for new books to check out.

 

Pen or typewriter or computer?

I love writing by hand with a nice pen and brand-new notebook. When it comes to writing a book though, it has to be my laptop. I make far too many mistakes to manage with a typewriter and I find that I can write quicker on keyboard than on paper. I’m dyslexic, so using a keyboard (and spell check) makes the whole process much easier for me. I’ve also managed to reach the point where I can type much faster than I can write by hand, at least with it all being legible at the end! I also like to be able to back everything up on the computer. It makes it easier to edit and make changes when I come back to work on a draft too.

 

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in The Body at Back Beach? 

My main character is Helena, she’s in her early 50’s and works as a counselor at Otago University in Dunedin New Zealand. She has two grown up sons who have left home in the last few years and she lives with her husband in the family home overlooking Otago Harbour. Until recently, she’s been working full-time, but decided to take a bit of a step back and spend some more time in the local community. She loves where she lives and although she travelled quite a lot in her younger years, she wouldn’t live anywhere else.

The other characters in this book are residents of Port Chalmers and the surrounding area. Helena knows some of them before the book starts, but others are people that she comes across as she starts to investigate the murder. We don’t meet Helena’s sons in this book, but they will appear in future titles.

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 Kelly Jo Sweeney grew up in England before moving to New Zealand
where she lived for 15 years with her kiwi husband and four wonderful
children. An avid reader from an early age, crime novels have long
been a favourite. She always likes to work out whodunnit before the
big reveal and writing her own novels means that there’s at least
one that she’ll always get right. Her debut novel is set in and
inspired by the unique scenery of New Zealand, infusing her stories
with a wonderful sense of place and atmosphere.

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I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the MISS AUSTEN INVESTIGATES: THE HAPLESS MILLINER by Jessica Bull Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.

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Check out my review and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

MISS AUSTEN INVESTIGATES: THE HAPLESS MILLINER

by Jessica Bull

 

 

Pub. Date: February 27, 2024

Publisher: Union Square Co.

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 368

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Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/THE-HAPLESS-MILLINER

 

A witty, engaging murder mystery
featuring Jane Austen as an intrepid amateur sleuth—the first in a series.

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Jane Austen—sparkling, spirited, and incredibly clever—is suddenly thrust into
a mystery when a milliner’s dead body is found locked inside a cupboard in the
middle of a ball. When Jane’s brother Georgy is found with some jewelry
belonging to the deceased, the local officials see it as an open-and-shut case:
one which is likely to end with his death. Jane is certain that he is innocent,
and there is more to the murder than meets the eye. Her investigations send her
on a journey through local society, as Jane’s suspect list keeps on growing—
and her keen observational skills of people will be put to the test to solve
the crime and save her brother. 

Featuring the same lively wit, insightful social commentary, and relatable
characters that have made Jane Austen books into perennial classics, this first
entry in the Miss Austen Investigates series is perfect for anyone who
enjoyed The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl or other historical
mystery books based on real people, as well as fans looking to add to their
Jane Austen collection.

 

 

MY REVIEW

I was already in my 30s when I finally jumped on the Jane Austen bandwagon. I read as much as I could get my hands on. When I had an opportunity to read about a younger version of Jane and it was a cozy mystery, which is a category I love, I had high hopes it would give me an authenticate character as Jane and all the fun and quirkiness of a cozy mystery.

I wasn’t disappointed. The going was slow at the beginning. There were a lot of characters, many that I recognized, and I had to get accustomed to Jane as more of an amateur at sleuthing. Once I got comfortable it was all great fun. There was a huge list of suspects and many false leads. That made figuring out the culprit harder for me and I was eager to find out who it was. Sped through this in one reading and will be watching for the next book in the series. It should be fun to see what kind of mystery the author drops Jane into next.

4 STARS

 

 

About Author Jessica Bull:

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Jessica
Bull
grew up in
southeast London, where she still lives with her husband, two daughters, and
far too many pets. She’s addicted to stories and studied English Literature at
Bristol University, and Information Science at City University, London. She
began work as a librarian (under the false impression she could sit and read
all day), before becoming a communications consultant. Miss Austen
Investigates: The Hapless Milliner is her debut novel.

Twitter | InstagramTikTokGoodreads | Amazon

 

 

 

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1 winner will receive a finished copy of MISS AUSTEN INVESTIGATES: THE HAPLESS MILLINER,
US Only.

Ends March 5th, midnight EST.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

2/19/2024

Kountry
Girl Bookaholic

Guest Post/IG Post

2/20/2024

Two Chicks on
Books

Guest Post/IG Post

2/21/2024

@stargirls.magical.tale

IG Review

2/22/2024

Kim’s
Book Reviews and Writing Aha’s

Review/IG Post

2/23/2024

anitralovesbooksanddogs

IG Review

Week Two:

2/26/2024

Country Mamas
With Kids

Review/IG Post

2/27/2024

@dana.loves.books

IG Review/TikTok Post

2/28/2024

Two Points of
Interest

Review

2/29/2024

Confessions Of
The Perfect Mom

Review/IG Post

3/1/2024

FUONLYKNEW

Review

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Can two Sleuths put these two puzzles together before college starts in September?

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Recruiting Murder

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A Brown & McNeil Murder Mystery Book 3

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by Frank Lazarus

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Genre: Murder Mystery, Crime Thriller

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The third installment in the Brown and McNeil Mystery Series
Lenny Goldstein and his company, Future Stars, evaluate high school and collegiate basketball talent and sell their rankings to colleges and NBA teams.
From its humble beginnings in 1975, Future Stars had grown into a behemoth; with fifteen NBA teams and seventy-eight colleges paying subscriptions for his rankings.
Lenny is semi-retired these days, with his son and son-in-law running the business until he gets a call from an old buddy in Newport News, who wants him to come look at a high school kid, Lincoln Anderson, in Emporia, Virginia. He believes this Anderson kid has been overlooked by everyone, including Future Stars.
Concurrently, Lenny gets a call from an old buddy, the iconic coach of Duke University, to see what he knows about the college decision of Tyler Longenecker, Future Star’s #5 ranked high school senior from a premier prep school in the tony Boston suburbs.
All seems to be going on script until graduation, when both Lincoln and Tyler are involved in a death and a roofie rape. Suddenly, Lenny’s getting calls about both kids.
Lincoln’s family is related to James McNeil in Philly, and they call him for help. James and his buddy, Detective Vernon Brown of the Philly PD, jump into the car and head South on I-95.
Can the two Sleuths from The Murder Gambit and The Phenom put these two puzzles together before college starts in September?
Once again, Author Frank Lazarus has produced a gripping, suspenseful story that will keep you off Netflix for a day or two.
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The Graduation Party of the Beaver Country Day School was being held at The Country Club in Brookline,
Massachussetts.
The dance had ended and Tyler Longenecker and Katie Reynolds walked off the floor together. Tyler was a
highly recruited basketball player who had recently committed to Duke University in the Fall.
Tyler asked, “How about going outside for some fresh air and a beer? I’ve got two tickets left.”
“Sure!”
They stopped by the bar and picked up two Samuel Adams, and Tyler led her outside. It was still mild
outside, and on a clear night, the stars and half-moon were shining brightly. “Wow, what a gorgeous night,”
he said; girls love that shit!
The headed to the pool area, and Tyler knew the cabanas were unlocked. They could have some privacy
there, at least for a bit. They entered and sat close to each other on a chaise lounge. Tyler raised his beer
bottle and toasted, “To our futures, Katie.”
Katie returned the toast, “To the Class of 2022!”
Tyler reached in and gave her a peck on the cheek. But he pulled back only an inch or two, waiting for her to
glimpse into his eyes. When she did, he looked into hers and slowly inched closer to her lips. Her mouth
opened invitingly, and he accepted the invitation. Their tongues found each other and explored. Tyler’s
arousal was now in full throttle, and it seemed that Katie was keeping pace. Her hand found its way down to
his zipper, but without opening it, she gently massaged it as it continued its growth. “Oh, Katie, that feels so
good; please don’t stop.”
She couldn’t and wouldn’t! She started unbuckling his belt as he reached around and began unzipping her
dress. By the time he had worked it down to her waist,Katie had slumped, and her body fell out of Tyler’s
arms, collapsing onto the chaise lounge.
Tyler froze for a minute, and then Nathan, Billy, and Sheldon entered the cabana.
“She’s out cold,” Tyler said. “Those roofies are quick-acting. Guys, I’m still hard; I’m going first.”
Lincoln Anderson had just dropped off two work friends and was heading home on West End Boulevard in
Emporia, Virginia. Lincoln had recently gone from an unknown basketball player to a full scholarship recruit
to Richmond Commonwealth University, thanks to the discovery by Future Stars, LLC.
BetweenTaylor and Greene Streets, he saw a bike lying on the road. A strange place for an abandoned bike,
he thought. It was a narrow, one-way street, so Lincoln had to pull off onto the grass. He parked and got out.
He walked towards the bike, and as he got within ten feet, he noticed a young girl lying in the drainage ditch.
He ran over to her, knelt down, and gently pushed her to see if she was awake. There was no movement.
He ran back to his car and dialed 9-1-1 on his cell phone.
“This is 9-1-1; what is your emergency?”
“Yes, I am on West End, and a girl has fallen off her bike, and she’s not moving. I think she needs an
ambulance really bad.”
“Where on West End?”
“Right at Taylor and Greene.”
“And your name, sir?”
“Lincoln Anderson.”
“OK, Mr.Anderson, please wait for the ambulance and police, and do not touch the girl.They should be there
within five minutes.”
She hung up. Lincoln thought he should call home; hopefully, his dad could come over. He dialed his dad’s
cell.
“What’s up, Lincoln?”
“Hi,dad, can you get over to West End? I was driving home and saw a bike lying on the ground. When I went
over to it, there was a girl lying in the ditch next to it. I called 9-1-1, and they are on their way, but I hope you
can get here.”
“I’ll be right there, Lincoln. You did the right thing, but do not answer any questions until I get there. Do you
hear me? Is there anyone else there? Other drivers pulled over?”
“Not yet!”
“I’m on my way.”
Ten minutes later, a police car arrived, and Lincoln could hear the ambulance approaching behind them.
Lincoln got out of the car and walked towards the girl. Two uniformed police officers jumped out of their car;
one pulled his gun and said, “Halt right there, young man; put your hands up in the air?”
The other officer walked to the girl’s body and placed his hand on her throat. Heturned and said, “She’s
gone.”
They both walked towards Lincoln and said, “Keep your hands in the air. We just need to search you; do you
have a weapon?”
“No, I don’t have any weapon; what am I a suspect? I just saw the girl’s bike and stopped to see if I could
help.”
The officer frisked Lincoln and then looked into his pockets. Out of his side pocket, he pulled out a small
pouch that contained a white powdery substance.“What’s this?”
“What do you mean? That’s not mine, whatever it is.”
“Turn around, smart Alec. We are taking you into the station for questioning; turn around; cuff him, Buddy.”
“Wait,what the hell is this? I ain’t done nothing.”
The officer grabbed Lincoln and forcibly turned him around. Lincoln stumbled,falling to the ground. One
officer kicked him in the butt, while the other pulled out a club and hit him several times on the shoulder.
“Now, are you going to get in the car peacefully, or do we need more discipline?”
Just then, Lincoln’s father pulled up and jumped out of his car, “What’s going on here? Why is my son on the
ground?”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Lincoln’s father, Dwight Anderson; who are you?”
“I am Officer Jerome Abbott, and this is Officer Buddy Wilkins with the Emporia Police Department. Your
son stumbled when we were putting the handcuffs on him.We are taking your son in for questioning about
this young woman’s death and this substance we found on him,” showing the white pouch to Anderson.
“Dad, whatever that is, it ain’t mine. This guy just reached into my pocket and pulled it out like it was a
magic trick. And they have been kicking and clubbing me.”
“Is this the way you treat all your suspects or only the Black kids? Lincoln let’s just go down the station and
get this sorted out. Don’t say a word. Officers, I’ll follow you, but do not ask my son any questions until I
arrive.”

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The Phenom

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A Brown & McNeil Murder Mystery Book 2

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Even before he has played his first game in high school, it would seem nothing can stop Bo Campbell’s meteoric rise to stardom in the basketball world. In Philadelphia, people are already comparing him to his Overbrook High School predecessor, Wilt Chamberlain.


But his dreams are suddenly shattered when he is arrested for the murder of his best friend, Sherman Claxton.

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Detective Vernon Brown, and James McNeil, his friend and Bo’s grandfather, search for the truth, but James goes rogue, and soon finds himself in the dangerous underbelly of the Philadelphia drug sub-culture, where the stakes are high and it’s hard to tell who’s friend and who’s foe.

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The Murder Gambit

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A Brown & McNeil Murder Mystery Book 1

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An unexplained death in a nursing home. A man falls from a balcony. A hit and run in the middle of a city street. An execution in a home. A woman collapses dead after a date.

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Five murders. Five methods. Five police jurisdictions.

What’s the connection?

Philadelphia-area detectives are under pressure to solve the murders, while dealing with their own issues.

Speeding like the lead car at Talladega towards a shocking conclusion, is The Murder Gambit a Shakespearean tragedy or a sinister reality?

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Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

I spent fifty-three years in the Financial Services and Life Insurance industry, never thinking much about writing a book or becoming a published author.

With possibly a couple of exceptions: thirty or forty years ago, I read that “everyone has a novel in them.” I once started one, and every five years or so, I add a sentence to it. Secondly, twenty years ago, I started writing a blog. It was private and only shared with friends and family. I considered it an outlet for my Seinfeldish sense of humor and titled it A BLOG ABOUT NOTHING.

I am working on a book that will be THE BEST OF THE BLOG; we’ll see if or when that comes to fruition.

I retired at the end of 2021 and kept busy with golf and COVID hibernating. Towards the end of 2021, a friend shared with me a novel that he had written but was unpublished. I decided to try it, and THE MURDER GAMBIT was born.

 

What is your favorite part of this book and why?

 

In THE PHENOM, there is a Lesbian seduction scene that I wasn’t certain I could write with any authority or conviction. It was so out of character for me, and I received a lot of questions about it from those who know me.

It may not be the highlight of the book, but it was the one I think of proudly.

 

 

What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?

I actually do more research WHILE writing than BEFORE.

For example, in my third novel, I have a potential murder in Emporia, Virginia, part of Greensville County. I needed to research how their court system worked.

And I am constantly on Google Maps, looking at streets, parks, churches, restaurants, etc.

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Frank Lazarus was born and raised in West Philadelphia and attended Overbrook High School, as you may have guessed from his writings.

After graduating high school, Frank spent two years in the U.S. Army during the VietNam War. After his service, he completed his

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at St. Joseph’s University, in Philadelphia.

He was in the Financial Services and Life Insurance industry for fifty-three years before he retired at the end of 2021.

Frank has three adult children and five grandchildren.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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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 go HERE.

I’m a big fan of Lauren Carr’s and it’s my pleasure to share another one of her thrilling books.

Check out Murder By Perfection.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Book Title: Murder by Perfection by Lauren Carr
Series: Thorny Rose Mystery Series (Volume 3)
Category: Adult fiction, 322 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: May 31, 2018
Tour dates: Oct 8 to Nov 2, 2018
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

 

My Review

It had been a while since I visited these character’s but I quickly found my footing on who was who, both human and other. One year into their marriage, Jessica and Murphy have hit a bump in the road. It’s push me pull me with so many things consuming all of their time. The murder of Murphy’s friend is sure to take even more of his time. But, a bone is tossed and they can work this case together. They just need to join a cooking class and warn the person instructing it that they’re in danger. She may be a clue to get the case moving again. If they can keep her alive.

Having read many of Lauren’s books, I knew there would be more than one mystery to solve. There was also character growth, loads of laughs and some fun critter antics, including a cocky rooster.

And Nigel. I’d forgot all about Nigel. He’s the A.I. that keeps the smart house in order and things running smoothly. He’s also a huge help with solving cases as he has a font of information at his fingertips, kind of. He may be artificial, but he’s still got a personality. A charming one, in fact.

There’s more than one mystery, as I mentioned at the beginning. And a kidnapping that had me all twisted inside. As the investigation deepens, more character’s are involved, more suspects join the list and the suspense builds. You’ll need your thinking cap and an assistant to figure this one out. It’s not an obvious resolution.

Character driven stories are my favorite. I don’t have to love them, I just need to be to relate to them. And Lauren gives me character’s from all walks of life. And her critters. They hop, skip and jump throughout the book. Each one has their own personality with quirks that keep you laughing and loving them. I’m not talking about just cats and dogs either.

Once again, Lauren managed to immerse me in her story quickly. And while I couldn’t wait to see how things concluded, I also tried to savor all of the little bits in between.

Murder, kidnapping, mystery, romance and laugh out loud moments are what this is all about. Never a dull moment and another excellent story from Lauren.

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Synopsis

Perfection can be a fatal endeavor.

Frustrated with their busy schedules, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday attempt to find togetherness by scheduling a weekly date night. The last thing Jessica Faraday expected for her date night was to take a couple’s gourmet cooking course at the Stepford Kitchen Studio, owned by Chef Natalie Stepford―the model of perfection in looks, home, and business.

When Natalie ends up dead and Murphy goes missing, the Thorny Rose detectives must peel back the layers of Natalie Stepford’s life to discover that the pursuit of perfection can be deadly.

To read reviews, please visit Lauren Carr’s page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:
 
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Meet Author Lauren Carr

 

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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Enter the Giveaway!
Ends Nov 10, 2018
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I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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Hi ya’ll. Thanks for stopping by my spot on the Book Blast Tour for And Justice For Some.

This is going to be a fun read. I remember when the murder mystery dinners were all the rage. I even participated in one.

I’m ready to put on my sleuthing suit.

Check out And Justice For Some.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

And Justice For Some

 by Joanne Sydney Lessner

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Synopsis

Dinner theater can be a death sentence—literally.

Actress Isobel Spice and her best friend Delphi Kramer are thrilled to finally have an opportunity to perform together, even if it’s just a cheesy interactive murder mystery at a judge’s lifetime achievement dinner. But when Isobel’s dramatic death scene is upstaged by a real murder and Delphi is left holding the still-smoking gun, Isobel drops the role of victim and assumes the role of detective. With the help of her precocious brother Percival and her reluctant temp agent James Cooke, Isobel peels back layers of deception to reveal a shocking abuse of power—and no shortage of suspects eager to deliver justice to a man who denied it to so many.

Excerpt

The gun went off with a resounding report, and Isobel Spice staggered backward with a gasp. She tried to scream, but her breath caught in the back of her throat and all that came out was a gurgling, choking sound. Her eyes widened in horror as her hands, clutching her chest, came away red and sticky. She swayed precariously for a moment, but then her eyelids collapsed, her head fell back, and her knees gave way. She sank to the ground, arms and legs splayed at unnatural angles.

All was silent.

“Okay, that was way over the top.”

 Isobel sat up in the middle of the dance floor, wiping her hands on her stained shirt. She frowned at her friend, Delphi Kramer, who was still aiming the old-fashioned-looking derringer at her.

 

“That’s not your call.” Isobel turned to Peter Catanzaro, the burly, broad-shouldered, perennially stubbled producer and star of Murder à la Carte. “Was it too much?”

“Are you kidding? The cheesier, the better.” Peter offered a hand and pulled her to her feet. “Shakespeare it ain’t.”

Isobel snuck a glance at Delphi, whose blue eyes grew stormy. Isobel knew Delphi prided herself on her facility with the Bard’s iambs, and she, more than Isobel, felt they were slumming doing murder mystery dinner theater. Having won her point with Peter, however, Isobel took pity on her friend and, grabbing her arm, whispered a reminder: “A hundred bucks. And dinner.”

Delphi shook her off, and the gun bumped Isobel’s arm. Isobel let out a little shriek.

“Give me the gun,” Peter ordered. “That’s why you don’t get to handle the weapons except during rehearsal and performance.”

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Author Joanne Sydney lessner

Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner The Temporary Detective (Dulcet Press, 2012), which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel’s adventures continue in the novels Bad Publicity (Dulcet Press, 2013) and And Justice for Some (Dulcet Press, 2014). The Ghosts’ High Noon (Dulcet Press, 2014), an Isobel Spice short story, is available on http://joannesydneylessner.com as a free download. Inspired by the true story of the world’s most expensive bottle of wine, Joanne’s debut novel Pandora’s Bottle (Flint Mine Press, 2010) was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls. Her play, Critical Mass, winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition, received its New York premiere at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row in October 2010. She has written the book and lyrics to several musicals with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, including the cult hit Fermat’s Last Tango, which received its Off-Broadway premiere at the York Theatre Company in November 2000, and Einstein’s Dreams, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. They are currently developing a musical based on Wilkie Collins’s The Haunted Hotel for the Signature Theatre Company in Arlington, Virginia. Joanne is also a regular contributing writer to Opera News.

Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Amazon / B&N / Kobo

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$30 Amazon Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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To follow the tour for more fun posts and more chances to win, click on the banner below. And remember to comment. The more you comment, the more chances to win.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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This is my favorite part!

It’s time to announce the winners of Trudy, Madly, Deeply by  Wendy Delaney.

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Trudy, Madly, Deeply (Working Stiffs Mystery Series)

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The winners are:

Nicole K. _ Autographed Print Copy

Kathy G. – ebook Copy

Congratulations!

Winners have been notified.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

I do love reading them and hope you continue to visit fuonlyknew!

Thanks so much to Wendy Delaney for her wonderful book and to Great Escapes Book Tours for letting me host the giveaway.

*****For all of my giveaways go here*****

I’d love to keep telling ya’ll about some really great books.

Subscribe by email and lets talk!

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Don’t you just love cozy mysteries? They always have quirky, loveable characters, and fun cover art.

I have a fun review for you and two, yes, two giveaways!

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  Trudy, Madly, Deeply (Working Stiffs Mystery Series)

Publisher: Corvallis Press (July 27, 2013)

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Number of Pages: 260 (ebook)

This book is due to come out in print to coincide with this tour.

Purchase Links: Amazon /  B&N

Synopsis

After human lie detector Charmaine Digby scores a job as the County Coroner’s new investigative assistant, the unthinkable happens—a doctor reports the suspicious death of Trudy, a family friend and one of several elderly patients at the hospital whose heart mysteriously stopped.

With no physical evidence of foul play, Char’s on the case, much to the irritation of Detective Steve Sixkiller, who doesn’t want her to stick her pretty nose for trouble in his investigation. But she’s a woman on a mission to uncover the truth, and she’d better keep her eyes open or the next body on the way to the morgue could be hers.

My Review

This book will make you laugh, a lot.

Char is quite a character. She’s carrying a few extra pounds and leaps before she looks. This made her very real for me. We all wish we could be like the women on those fashion magazines, but in reality, most of us don’t. And when we hit the mid twenties and up, us women tend to carry a few extra pounds.

I’m like Char, and really don’t worry about it. She tries to diet, but filling in at the local restaurant and helping bake all those yummy muffins doesn’t help there.

The most important part of any story or movie is the characters. I like plenty of them and got that with this book.

From the senior center and Tango Tuesday, to the local gym, to the local restaurant, Duke’s Cafe,  where you can catch the latest gossip, there are so many characters to fall in love with.

My favorites, besides Char and her sexy best friend Detective Steve Sixkiller, are Char’s gram and the raucous elderly waitress, Lucille, at Duke’s Cafe.

These two ladies take no sass, steal the show when they enter a scene, and remind me so much of people I know and love. You can relate to all of the characters and may even recognize a few from your own neighborhood!

Char’s leap first, look later, way of investigating gets her in pickle after pickle in her new job at the prosecutor’s office , and Steve has his hands full keeping an eye on her and keeping her out of trouble. She may be a human lie detector, but her ability to tell if someone is lying or not could also make her a target.

And there’s Char’s mom, Marietta, the actress and diva of drama. She becomes Char’s back up. There’s a scene in the book with a taser that I could see clearly and had me laughing out loud.

I didn’t forget about Trudy. You know, Trudy from the title of this book? Well, she doesn’t have a big part in this story because she’s already dead when it starts. Her death is just the beginning as it may not be from natural causes. Char is personally connected, as Trudy is her great-aunt Alice’s close friend, and she plays nosy parker to find out the truth.

Suspicious death, maybe murder, a rumor of romance, tango anyone. All fun ingredients for this cozy mystery.

Something really great about this story. It doesn’t end here as this is the kick off book for The Working Stiffs Mysteries series. More fun, quirky characters to fall in love with.

I have a soft spot for cozy mysteries and Trudy, Madly, Deeply stole my heart.

5 Stars

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A couple of scenes I liked:

“You’re blushing.”

“I know.”

“It’s cute.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a cute girl.”

and

“I’ll bring dessert.”

“Chow mein, you’ll be the dessert.”

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About Wendy Delaney

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Wendy Delaney writes fun-filled cozy mysteries and is the author of Trudy, Madly, Deeply, the launch book of her Working Stiffs Mystery series. A long-time member of Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America, and Mystery Writers of America, she’s a Food Network addict and pastry chef wannabe. When she’s not killing off story people she can be found on her treadmill, working off the calories from her latest culinary adventure. Wendy makes her home in the Seattle area with the love of her life and has two grown sons.

Website: http://www.wendydelaney.com/

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/7191068.Wendy_Delaney

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyDelaneyAuthor

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Giveaways. That’s right, I have two giveaways!

I have one ebook copy to give away.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question,

“Are you an amateur sleuth?”

Giveaway ends September 30th.

The second giveaway is for a signed print copy.

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

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Tour Participants

September 16 – Melina’s Book Blog Review & Giveaway

September 17Books are Life – Evita Libri Review

September 18fuonlyknew Review & Giveaway

September 19Mochas, Mysteries and More Interview & Giveaway

September 20Cozy Up With Kathy Review, Interview & Giveaway

September 21Darla King Series Review

September 23 THE SELF-TAUGHT COOK Review

September 25Brooke Blogs Review & Interview

September 26 readalot Review & Giveaway

September 28My Devotional Thoughts Review & Giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.

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When I learned that Shadow of Danger had a killer on the loose and the main characters were a clairvoyant who envisions the murders and an intriguing former FBI agent from a  private criminal investigation  agency, I knew this would be filled with thrills and intrigued.

Read on to learn more and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Shadow of Danger

by Kristine Mason

 Available now on Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes

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BLURB:

 

Four women have been found dead in the outskirts of a small Wisconsin town. The only witness, clairvoyant Celeste Risinski, observes these brutal murders through violent nightmares and hellish visions. The local sheriff, who believes in Celeste’s abilities and wants to rid their peaceful community of a killer, enlists the help on an old friend, Ian Scott, owner of a private criminal investigation agency, CORE. Because of Ian’s dark history with Celeste’s family, a history she knows nothing about, he sends his top criminalist, former FBI agent John Kain to investigate.

John doesn’t believe in Celeste’s mystic hocus-pocus, or in her visions of the murders. But just when he’s certain they’ve solved the crimes, with the use of science and evidence, more dead bodies are discovered. Could this somehow be the work of the same killer or were they dealing with a copycat? To catch a vicious murderer, the skeptical criminalist reluctantly turns to the sensual psychic for help. Yet with each step closer to finding the killer, John finds himself one step closer to losing his heart.

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Excerpt (Bad Guy’s POV)

He clenched his jaw as he stared at the woods, the CSU vans, the cruisers, and controlled the rage, the betrayal coursing through him. Garrett had gone behind his back. He’d killed without him.

Without him.

Worse yet, he’d dumped bodies out in the open where anyone could find them?

When his vision blurred with hatred, causing a kaleidoscope of oranges, reds and yellow as he stared at the trees, he quickly reined in his temper. He needed to keep his cool, not allow his judgment, his instincts to be warped with vengeance against his brother. He’d deal with Garrett later.

Despite the anger surging through him, he fought a smile. If only that cocky son of a bitch knew he’d had a little fun of his own.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good had come from writing it. I realized my passion, and had found a career that I love.

When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.

LINKS:

FACE BOOK: http://www.facebook.com/kristine.mason.1029

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KristineMason7

WEBSITE: www.kristinemason.net

Books available on Amazon, B & N, iBooks

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Giveaway

Kristine will be awarding four (4) print copies of Pick Me (US only) and three (3) $10 Amazon GCs to randomly drawn commenters during the tour.

Make sure you follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

Bravo to Twist Literary. This is a whole new way to tell a story. Four authors, four 100 page books, one event.

Each author writes about one characters point of view. It is very unique and fun and it works with Alibi.

Everyone has an alibi.

No one is innocent.

The stories all revolve around the murder of a young girl, Abby.

Each author tells the mystery from their character’s point of view, recalling what happened leading up to and after the murder. I really liked how one story sometimes filled in the blanks left in another characters story. You get a feel for each of the suspects and get to see the events  through their eyes.

All of the characters are flawed, as are real people, and it makes them more genuine to me. They all have secrets that will be revealed, including Abby. You may not like all of them, but you will get drawn into their stories.

This is a great who-dun-it with all of the mystery, lies and alibis(had to say it) required to keep you searching for the clues which are doled out slowly. I had a sense of who the killer was about half way through, but as with all mysteries, you never know.

Alibi made me think and ask questions.  Polish up your detective skills and put on your thinking cap. Let’s solve a murder!

4 STARS

Authors for Alibi I-IV: The Complete Series

Volume I: Charles by Annie Miles

Volume II: Palmer by Isabel Eckersley

Volume III: Mason by John Byrne

Volume IV: Rowan by Sorrel Provola

For Twist Literary