Elena Hartwell's Blog, page 13
December 22, 2024
The Rare Books Cozy Mysteries
The Rare Books Cozy Mysteries by Daphne Silver [image error]
An Excerpt + Book & Author Info + A Giveaway!
Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.
Crime and Parchment
Rare books librarian Juniper Blume knows this much… an ancient Celtic manuscript shouldn’t be in a Maryland cemetery. But that’s exactly what her brother-in-law claims.
Last year, Juniper saw the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells in Ireland. She learned how their bejeweled covers were stolen centuries ago, never to be seen again. So how could they have ended up in Rose Mallow, a small Chesapeake Bay town? Being Jewish, the Book of Kells might not be her sacred text, but as a rare books librarian, the ancient book is still sacred to her, making it important to Juniper to find out the truth.
Rose Mallow is the same place where Juniper used to summer with her sister Azalea and their grandmother Zinnia, known as Nana Z. Ever since Nana Z passed away, Juniper’s avoided returning, but her curiosity is greater than her grief, so she heads down in her vintage convertible with her rescue dog Clover.
Juniper discovers that her sister Azalea has transformed their grandmother’s Queen Anne style mansion into the Wildflower Inn, backing up to the Chesapeake Bay. Although Juniper isn’t much of a cook, Azalea has kept their grandmother’s legacy alive, filling the house with the smells of East European Jewish treats, like sweet kugels and tzimmes cake. Will coming back here feel like returning home or fill Juniper with a deeper sorrow? Can she apologize to her sister for not being there when she was needed most?
To purchase Crime and Parchment, click any of the following links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads
The Tell-Tale Homicide
Rare books librarian Juniper Blume lands her dream job: creating a new museum in her Chesapeake Bay town of Rose Mallow, Maryland. But on her very first day, she makes a shocking discovery – a dead man clutching a book by Edgar Allan Poe, stolen from the collections!
As Juniper gets closer to cracking the coded message hidden inside the book, she realizes someone is desperate to keep its literary secrets buried… even if that means burying her too.
Dressed in her signature vintage style with rescue pup Clover by her side, the fearless bookworm must hunt down the culprit before becoming the next victim. But can she solve the case without jeopardizing a budding romance with her boss, the dashing Leo Calverton? And can she help her sister Azalea perfect their grandmother’s legendary blintz recipe before the Rose Mallow Festival?
A delightfully deadly page-turner, The Tell-Tale Homicide continues the charming Rare Books Cozy Mystery series by Agatha award-winning author Daphne Silver. Fans of Kate Carlisle and Jenn McKinlay will love tagging along with the whip-smart, book-loving Juniper on her adventures.
To purchase The Tell-Tale Homicide, click either of the following links: Amazon | Goodreads
Series Details:Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Series:The Rare Books Cozy Mysteries
Series Links: Amazon | Level Best Books
Read an excerpt from Crime and Parchment:
Crime & Parchment
A Rare Books Cozy Mystery (Book 1)
CHAPTER 1
My 1965, robin’s egg blue convertible backfired as I parked in front of the Wildflower Inn. The noise set off Clover barking in the backseat. Not exactly the quiet homecoming I’d hoped for. I jumped out of my Karmann-Ghia – or “KG” as I’d nicknamed her – to check under the hood, hoping I wouldn’t need to get the roadster serviced yet again. No idea where that money would come from.
A screaming, ranting madwoman poured out of a neighboring house. Maybe in her late seventies, she brandished a large umbrella. I dropped the hood to find the umbrella pointing at me. Clover – all twenty pounds of him – jumped out and started growling.
“Easy, boy,” I said.
“You shoot something off, Missy? Here to cause trouble? Because I’m on the board of the Friends of the Rose Mallow Police.” the woman said. She wore a perfectly fitted Mamie Eisenhower pink skirt suit with enormous pearls – straight out of the 1950s. Her white bouffant billowed around her head. She reminded me of a researcher I’d helped earlier that day at the Library of Congress. That woman had been a murder mystery author looking for books about early detectives. This woman looked like she wanted to murder someone – namely me.
Suddenly I remembered her: Cordelia Sullivan. She was my late grandmother’s arch-nemesis. After my Nana Z had moved to Rose Mallow, they’d competed to be the president of almost every board in town. Nana Z had called it a “friendly rivalry to garner the most civic goodwill,” but I don’t think Cordelia saw it that way. To her, the Blume family were – and always would be – outsiders in her perfect Chesapeake Bay town.
“What’s going on?” My sister Azalea appeared on the wraparound porch of the Wildflower Inn. Although I was two years younger at twenty-eight, she looked like my twin, except that her hair was much longer and darker than my slanted bob. She pushed her bangs back and brought a hand up to her forehead when she saw me. “Juniper? What on earth are you doing here?”
“Well, I…” My words faltered. I’d spent the past hour driving and trying to figure out how to tell Azalea about why I’d finally returned, but every time I tested the words out loud, they failed. Clover had listened with confused curiosity before giving up and falling asleep.
“You know there’s a noise ordinance,” Cordelia said as she waved her umbrella around. Clover barked at the offending instrument. However, I think he wanted to play with it more than anything else. Occasional growling aside, he’s not exactly attack dog material.
“Yes, Mrs. Sullivan. Not until 10 p.m., and it’s not even 8 o’clock yet.” Azalea’s exasperated voice led me to suspect that she’d had this conversation more than once.
“Hmph. I plan on taking your ‘halfway house’ to the zoning board. What a travesty to do to our pristine historic district. You know I’m president of the Rose Mallow Historical Society.” Cordelia wagged a finger at my sister. I closed my eyes before rolling them.
“Mama! Mama!” A young bundle of legs and a mop of nearly black hair appeared next to Azalea on the wraparound porch. I couldn’t believe how big Violet had grown. She was almost four years old now.
She latched onto Azalea’s legs and held on tightly. I wanted to run up to my niece and smother her in hugs and kisses, but I wasn’t sure how I’d be received. Clover apparently did too because he took off after her. The little girl squealed with laughter as he covered her in licks.
“Go inside, Vi. It’s past your bedtime,” Azalea said. She turned to us. “I don’t have time for this. As you can see, I have a young child requiring my attention. Plus, I have a house full of guests. Mrs. Sullivan, it sounds like you have a plan in place to handle my zoning and noise issues. I’ll leave you to it. And Juniper, if you’re here, then let’s get you inside.”
Violet ran inside, letting Clover follow. I took that as a positive sign, so I grabbed my suitcase from the trunk and followed quickly, as Cordelia monitored us. Her umbrella remained held out in the air. She reminded me of Don Quixote in pearls.
“You’ve done an incredible job restoring the place,” I said as I walked across the perfectly manicured lawn. Azalea had recently converted Nana Z’s Queen Anne style mansion into a boutique hotel. After so many years away, I hadn’t been sure what to expect.
She eyed me with uncertainty. I could tell she was debating whether to chew me out for not being here for any of the work, let alone the hotel’s grand opening earlier in the spring. But my sister is much better at maturity than I am.
“It’s been a journey. Not an undertaking for the faint of heart. Repairing that turret alone had me almost give up and put up the for sale sign.” Azalea pointed up to the three-story round tower protruding from the side of the house. As a kid, I used to pretend Nana Z’s home was a castle and fought many dragons racing up that tower.
“You wouldn’t.”
“I said ‘Almost,’” she replied with a laugh.
“I love how bright the yellow siding is. I bet that color really pops in the morning against the Chesapeake Bay.” I walked up the stairs to the wraparound, past garden beds bursting with purple coneflowers and Black-Eyed Susans, Maryland’s state flower.
“You know what’s funny is how much I hated canary yellow when we were little. Every time we came here, I’d always wished Nana Z’s house was more like Cordelia Sullivan’s with her dark greens and rich reds. But now that Nana Z’s gone, I couldn’t stand to change it,” Azalea said.
“But it’s such a cheery color. Why would you want something so drab as Cordelia’s place? ” I asked. As a kid, Cordelia’s house had been as scary as the owner. Losing a ball into her yard meant it was never coming back. Neighborhood kids claimed her house was haunted.
Azalea shrugged. “Yeah, the yellow’s growing on me.”
“You kept this mess?” I said when I spotted the clunky clay mezuzah on the doorpost. I’d made the case at Jewish day camp as a kid. Inside was a tiny parchment scroll inscribed with biblical verses in Hebrew. The painted clay design was supposed to be a bunch of zinnias in honor of Nana Z’s first name, but it looked more like a lumpy mud puddle than a bright firework of flowers.
Azalea shrugged with a smile. “Oh, there are a few of my own masterpieces on some of the other doors inside. Maybe I’ll get Violet to make some new ones.”
The inside was as exquisite as the outside. I don’t think my memories did the place justice. The stained glass above the front door also sported Black-Eyed Susans, while those above each window featured a different native wildflower.
Azalea had kept our grandmother’s lush red carpets with ornate gold and white floral patterns. Polished mahogany inset panels gleamed from the walls. A staircase with beautifully carved spindles fed into the large lobby.
On the left was a parlor that Azalea had turned into the registration space. On the right was the library, overflowing with leather-bound books. It was in this room I had discovered my love for stories and books as a child. I wouldn’t have become a rare books librarian at The Library of Congress without Nana Z’s library. I sighed, wishing things were going better there. Nana Z would have been proud of me, but my job had become so difficult since I lost that promotion to Greyson. A little birdie had told me not to expect another chance for a long time, which meant I was stuck with someone Nana Z would have described as a “shlemiel.”
A narrow hallway disappeared between the registration area and the staircase, which led back to the dining room and kitchen. I remembered how those overlooked the back garden, public boardwalk, and the Chesapeake Bay. I could imagine how ornately she’d decorated the upstairs bedrooms.
Clover sniffed at everything in sight. I monitored him, but he was having a grand time exploring. Just not too grand of a time. I tried sending the message to him telepathically. He lifted his nose at me, as if to say, “Who, me?”
“I love that you hung some of Nana Z’s watercolors,” I said. My eyes grew misty as I gazed at her paintings of native flowers, including dwarf crested irises, ironweed, columbine, and, of course, the rose mallow for which the Maryland town was named. I shook my head, pushing the grief down deep.
A teenager hunched over a thick book sat at the registration desk. She had long, bluish-green locs that looked beautiful against her sepia brown skin. Her large glasses were rimmed in a matching turquoise color. She looked up from the book and said, “Sorry, Azalea. Vi got away from me.”
The teen didn’t seem alarmed, but then again, neither did Azalea. I wondered if this happened frequently. Maybe Vi was a regular escape artist. Nana Z would have been pleased. I held back my smile.
“I’m Juniper, Azalea’s sister,” I said to the teen as I extended my hand.
“You have a sister?” she asked Azalea with a look of surprise. Then she recovered, shook my hand, and said, “I’m Keisha Douglass. I’ve been helping Azalea with the Wildflower Inn. But, uh, we’re all booked up tonight.”
“I’ll figure it out,” said Azalea. “Although giving me some sort of a heads up you were finally coming would’ve been nice, Juniper.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I smiled awkwardly. Clover raced over to the desk to check out Keisha. The desk was higher than him, so he couldn’t quite see atop. Fortunately, she came around to pet him. “Oh wow! A dog? We’re allowing dogs now?”
I turned to check with Azalea, who massaged her temples. She breathed deeply but then simply shrugged. Great. Not only had I shown up out of the blue, but I hadn’t checked to make sure pets were allowed. I was pretty sure I knew the root cause of her sudden headache. I smiled sheepishly.
“No worries, Keisha. Clover’s the exception to the no dogs rule. Vi’s fine. I’m going to put her to bed,” Azalea said, as she ushered the bouncing kid down the narrow hallway and turned abruptly right before the kitchen. Unsure of what to do, I followed. There was a small sitting room there, which she had reconfigured into a bedroom. It was a tight space. Azalea caught me staring. “It’s a temporary solution. I’m still working on updating the Carriage House in the back garden. Once I’m finished, Vi and I will move there.”
Vi ran around the room, fighting Azalea’s attempts to return her to bed. My sister paused mid-chase and said, “This may take a bit. You know where the kitchen is. Why don’t you go there, start a kettle of tea, and I’ll meet you there when we’re done? I was getting ready to pull a kugel out of the oven anyway.”
That was my sister, always gently commanding, whether it was an unruly neighbor, an energetic preschooler, or me, the surprise guest. I thought of her like a duck. Above the water, she appeared to be smoothly sailing along, but below, it was a mad fury of management to keep everything afloat.
“A kugel?” I asked with excitement. Nana Z had made plenty of the baked noodle casseroles each summer. Sometimes they were savory, but more often, they were sweet, made with lokshen, or egg noodles, and various cheeses.
Azalea looked pleased. “I’ve been trying to perfect her recipe. You’ll have to tell me what you think.”
I knew immediately she meant Nana Z. As we headed down the hallway, I caught the aroma of the decadent noodle pudding. I could already detect the cinnamon she’d used. My eyes watered slightly at the memories the smell produced.
The kitchen was both familiar and new. No longer was it the 1890s meets 1970s chic that Nana Z had employed. Azalea had replaced most of the yellowed appliances with updated stainless-steel, upgraded the laminate countertops to granite, and removed the harvest gold wallpaper to paint the in vogue “greige” along with a matching subway tile backsplash. Someone had been watching a lot of HGTV. But it was still Nana Z’s kettle on the stovetop, her handcrafted cookie jar on the counter, and a variety of favorite teas in the same cabinet location. Being here felt like being at home, but only if that home had been completely renovated when you weren’t looking.
The view out back remained the same, looking past a blooming garden of blue hydrangeas and the small Carriage House, to the public boardwalk separating the garden from the Chesapeake Bay. On good days, you could make out the shoreline on the Eastern Shore. Being early June, the sun was beginning to set beyond the Bay’s edge, so the view became a Tonalist painting with its atmospheric blues, grays, and browns.
Clover found an embroidered tea towel to play with. I tried pulling it away from him, but he decided that meant the game was afoot. I dug into my suitcase and found his food. I borrowed a couple of low rimmed bowls to fill with his dinner and water. He quickly abandoned the towel for something to eat.
According to the timer, the kugel still had a few minutes left in the oven. I caught the kettle before it whistled and filled up two mugs. Given the abundance of Darjeeling black tea, I assumed it was still Azalea’s favorite and prepped it for both of us. Within a few minutes, she came in, plopped down on an empty seat, and dropped her head to the table. I sat up in alarm, afraid that my cool as nails sister might be about to cry.
Author of Crime and Parchment — Daphne Silver
Daphne Silver is the Agatha Award winning author of the Rare Books Cozy Mystery Series.
Her first novel, Crime and Parchment (Level Best Books, 2023), won the Agatha for Best First Mystery Novel. Her latest book, The Tell-Tale Homicide, comes out November 2024 from Level Best Books.
She’s worked more than twenty years in museums and symphonies and has the great fortune of being married to a librarian.
When she’s not writing, she’s drawing and painting. She lives in Maryland with her family. Although she’s not much of a baker, she won’t ever turn down a sweet lokshen kugel.
To learn more about Daphne, click any of the following links: www.DaphneSilver.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @daphnesilverbooks, Instagram – @daphnesilverbooks & Facebook – @daphnesilverbooks
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
01/02 The AR Critique CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
01/02 Words by Webb THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Interviuew
01/03 The AR Critique THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
11/25 Its All About the Book CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
11/26 Binge Reading Books THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Showcase
11/26 Literary Gold THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Showcase
11/28 Sarah Cant Stop Reading CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
11/29 Cozy Up With Kathy CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
11/30 Its All About the Book THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/02 Books, Ramblings, and Tea THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Showcase
12/05 Ink. Readsalot CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
12/06 Cozy Up With Kathy THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/06 Ink. Readsalot THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/07 Book Reviews From an Avid Reader CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
12/07 Silvers Reviews THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Showcase
12/08 Book Reviews From an Avid Reader THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/10 Country Mamas With Kids CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
12/12 Country Mamas With Kids THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/12 Guatemala Paula Loves to Read CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
12/13 Guatemala Paula Loves to Read THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/15 Sarah Cant Stop Reading THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/16 Adventures in Literature CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
12/17 Adventures in Literature THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/17 Books R Us THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Interview
12/18 fuonlyknew CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
12/18 Review Thick & Thin CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
12/19 fuonlyknew THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/20 Jodys Bookish Haven THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Review
12/21 Celticladys Reviews THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Showcase
12/26 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS THE RARE BOOKS COZY MYSTERIES Showcase
12/27 Review Thick & Thin THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/28 Sapphyrias Books CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
12/29 Sapphyrias Books THE TELL-TALE HOMICIDE Review
12/30 Words by Webb CRIME AND PARCHMENT Review
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post The Rare Books Cozy Mysteries appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
December 20, 2024
Debbie De Louise: The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist
Debbie De Louise launches The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist, (Buttercup Bend Mysteries)
Murder seems to follow Cathy everywhere – even on her honeymoon. The new Mrs. Jefferson discovers a body in the woods outside her honeymoon cottage. The victim is identified as Brenda Parkins, a hotel receptionist and reptile rescue volunteer. Her cause of death is a blow to the head and venomous snake bites.
When the hotel manager enlists Cathy’s aid in catching the killer, she accepts despite her groom’s concern. As her investigation proceeds, Cathy meets the victim’s ex, a wildlife photographer; two men who volunteered with Brenda at the reptile rescue center; a snake-charming woman; and three other hotel employees.
If that isn’t enough to keep her busy, Cathy is also asked to foster a bearded dragon lizard.
Get your copy today at Amazon!Debbie De Louise
Debbie De Louise is a retired librarian. She’s the author of 16 novels including the six books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series featuring Alicia the librarian and Sneaky, the library cat, and the Buttercup Bend cozy mysteries featuring Cathy Carter, the owner of a pet cemetery and rescue center.
Debbie’s other books include standalone mysteries, a paranormal romance, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. She also writes articles for Catster.com and has published dozens of short stories and poems in anthologies.
She’s a member of the Cat Writers’ Association, Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Long Island Authors Group. She’s recently moved from Long Island to South Carolina with her husband, daughter, and two cats. Learn more about her and her books by visiting her website.
To learn more about Debbie, click any of the following links: Facebook, Instagram, X & Debbie’s Character Chat GroupVisit all the Stops on the Tour!
Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
The post Debbie De Louise: The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
December 15, 2024
Seffi Wardwell Mysteries: The Latest by Rebecca Douglass
Seffi Wardwell Mysteries: A Coastal Corpse and Washed in With the Tide
Just what the doctor ordered: fresh salt air, a garden to tend… and a fresh corpse behind the dahlias?
Retired science teacher Seffi Wardwell has moved to coastal Maine looking for peace, fresh air, and an accepting community. So far, she’s enjoying the sea air.
When a corpse turns up in Seffi’s flower garden, she can’t help asking questions about the victim and his death. Police officer Miah Cox doesn’t want her assistance, but Seffi’s curiosity is what made her a scientist.
The more she learns about the dead man’s background, the more she wants to know. Estranged from his wealthy family, and a village pariah for something that happened years before, the dead man had plenty of enemies. At least one wanted to make him disappear forever, and they’re all eager to see this case wrapped up and forget about him.
The way Seffi sees it, somebody has to care about him, and as a fellow outsider, she’s it. But all of her poking around is stirring up trouble in the village. It’s up to Seffi and Miah to figure out whodunit before they strike again, and before the locals decide the handiest scapegoat is Seffi herself.
A Coastal Corpse (Seffi Wardwell Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Maine
Publisher : Independently Published (August 31, 2023)
Paperback : 298 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8854581851
Digital ASIN : B0CGN9Z7ZD
Beautiful weather, bountiful baked goods, and… bodies on the beach?
Seffi’s pleasure in her long walks among the fall colors is more than a little marred when she encounters cantankerous fisherman Bob Hughes washed up on the shore—sodden, entangled in a net, and very definitely dead. Did the man drink too much and fall overboard in an unfortunate accident? Or was his death something more sinister? With an estranged wife, enemies in the fishing fleet, and ticked-off deckhands, there are plenty of people around Smelt Point who aren’t sorry he’s dead. But did any of them actually kill him? The scuttlebutt at the bakery raises more questions than it answers, and to top it off the fishermen gathering there have eaten Seffi’s favorite treats.
Once again Seffi needs all her reasoning and gossip-gathering talents to help village policeman Miah Cox get to the bottom of the mystery. But will Miah’s own secret tear the village apart?
Washed Up With the Tide (Seffi Wardwell Mysteries)
by Rebecca Douglass
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Maine
Publisher : Independently Published (November 18, 2024)
Print length : 270 pages
ASIN : B0DJPTJ7PM
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My name is Seffi Wardwell, and I’m a recovering high school science teacher. I retired a few years ago, and then I moved from California to the coast of Maine, and I am enjoying my new life! I wasn’t sure about it at first—Rebecca uprooted me from my home without so much as a by your leave, but she was right. I couldn’t stand the smoke from the fires every summer, and I’ve found the most wonderful community here in Maine. The name—Smelt Point—doesn’t sound wonderful or charming, but it’s both.
I love living by the ocean, and the Gulf of Maine is nothing like the Oregon Coast where I lived once for a few years. It makes me think that I should learn to canoe, or get a boat. Or maybe just get a friend with a boat, which seems much more rational to me. Everyone’s always griping about this thing and that on their boats in need of repair, cleaning, or replacement. It sounds like a lot of work to me. So for now I go for walks on the beach or in our new nature reserve at Painter Head, and enjoy my new life.
The only problem is, we’ve had some kind of nasty murders in town, and I don’t seem to be able to help getting involved. My friend Miah—that’s Police Captain Jeremiah Cox, these days—doesn’t like me getting involved in his cases, but I do think I’ve offered a little insight in some of his toughest problems, so he can’t get too mad at me when I interfere—his word, not mine. And I’m getting something of a reputation for solving problems.
It’s getting to where people call me whenever they have some little mystery they can’t figure out, like where they left their keys. That’s not usually much of a mystery, but I have fun applying logic to the problem, which often suggests the last place they saw them. Fred Stevens usually leaves his in the freezer, because he wants ice cream as soon as he gets home from work—he’s a high school science teacher, so I can understand that.
My best friend, Nikka, doesn’t lose her keys. She’s the librarian, so she always knows where things are, except maybe her heart. She’s still trying to figure out which of her swains she prefers. Or maybe she likes having two. We’ve only been friends since I moved here, so we don’t quite tell each other everything.
So overall, I’m glad Rebecca brought me out here to Maine, but I think she could stop throwing corpses into my path. I’m really getting too old to chase murderers. Nikka says I have to keep my mind sharp and what better to puzzle out than who killed the town bum, but I’m thinking it might be safer to learn to solve Sudoku puzzles. I don’t know why Rebecca had to go and make me past 70, but the joke’s on her—she writes so slowly that she’s aging a lot faster than I am!
Author of A Coastal Corpse and Washed Up with the Tide — Rebecca Douglass
Rebecca M. Douglass has lived and worked around the American West for more years than she’ll admit, while raising two children to adulthood and dreaming up interesting ways to bump people off.
Thanks to good friends in Maine, she has also spent time on the other side of the country and has fallen in love with that coast. Since retiring from work at the library, the author of the Ninja Librarian series for younger readers and the Pismawallops PTA mystery series now lives in Seattle, where she is writing the Seffi Wardwell mysteries.
She has also had short stories published in a variety of magazines and anthologies.
When she isn’t writing, Ms. Douglass likes to go hiking and backpacking or to travel to discover new places or revisit old favorites, including the Grand Canyon and of course Maine, where so many of the best cozy mysteries are found.
To learn more about Rebecca, click any of the following links: Website, Facebook & GoodReads Visit All the Stops on the Tour!
December 11 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
December 11 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 12 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW (BOTH)
December 13 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
December 13 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 14 – Jane Reads – AUTHOR GUEST POST
December 14 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 15 – The Mystery of Writing – CHARACTER GUEST POST
December 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
December 16 – Novels Alive – REVIEW (1)
December 17 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
December 17 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
December 18 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW (BOTH)
December 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW (BOTH)
December 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
December 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
December 20 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
The post Seffi Wardwell Mysteries: The Latest by Rebecca Douglass appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
December 10, 2024
The Good Bride: Domestic Suspense
The Good Bride by Jen Marie Wiggins
Author Interview + Book & Author Info!Don’t miss any Author Interviews! Click the link here.The Good Bride
The Wedding of the Year turns disastrous in this twisty family drama full of lies and betrayals, perfect for fans of Laura Dave, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Ware.
One year after a devastating hurricane, bride-to-be Ruth Bancroft is marrying her perfect groom in a quaint fishing village on the Gulf Coast. The weekend is carefully curated, with the displays of pomp and social media magic meant to promote an area still struggling to rebuild as well as bring Ruth’s estranged family back together.
Yet as good intentions often go, this road to wed is hell and paved in complications. With tensions rising between the family and the bridal party, long-buried secrets come to light, and accusations start flying. Things officially spiral out of control when the oceanfront rehearsal dinner is rocked by a series of gunshots, and a high-profile guest goes missing. As the investigation gets underway, it turns out that everyone has something to hide.
Big Little Lies meets The Guest List in this gripping page turner that asks the big questions about messy family liaisons, modern media, and the lies we tell the world.
To purchase, The Good Bride click any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, E. Shaver Booksellers.For more ways to purchase, head over to Jen’s website.Interview with Jen Marie Wiggins — Author of The Good BrideThe Good Bride takes place in a quaint fishing village on the Gulf Coast. Tell us about that location and how it plays a role in the story:I started writing The Good Bride in 2019 after Hurricane Michael hit the small town of Mexico Beach, FL.The coastal town is on the panhandle and is a place where my family had vacationed and owned property for many years. We have so many beautiful memories there and the town was basically decimated by the wind and water surge from the storm, leaving the whole area completely uninhabitable.At that same time, Megan Markel and Prince Harry were getting married and I thought about what it would be like if this small struggling town got that same kind of attention. From there, my imagination took off . . .The Good Bride centers on Ruth Bancroft, who is about to get married, and her estranged family. What would you like readers to know about Ruth and her family dynamics:
That’s a really good question. I knew I wanted to write a suspense novel where the main character was someone the reader could root for.
Often in this genre, most of the characters turn out to be just awful. I love that while Ruth is struggling under the weight of the expectations of her sisters and her mother and she goes on this crazy terrifying journey, she’s still able to find her voice and strength while retaining the virtues that make her who she is.
I also love the relationship between Ruth and her sisters. I have two sisters and while they are nothing like Ruth’s, it’s that Yin and Yang, push and pull. The camaraderie of sisters is so special.
Click the cover to purchase a copy!The Good Bride is a domestic thriller about a wedding gone bad. You also have a nonfiction funny marriage guide titled Married AF. How did you end up writing about that complex, and sometimes fraught, life event?I really don’t know, lol!
Married AF was kind of a fluke. My girlfriends and I were sitting around and drinking wine, talking about all the crazy stuff that you see when you’re married that no one warns you about. I just decided I was gonna write about it because no one had . . . it seemed like such a natural idea as a gift for a bridal shower gift. Later, I ended up doing some freelance work for Southern Coastal Wedding Magazine and I think that sparked my interest in weddings further.
I do think it’s really intriguing to write about major life events like graduations, weddings, births etc. It’s these big moments that bring up big emotions and that’s where things get interesting . . .
Before debuting with The Good Bride, you taught English Literature and writing. How did that background impact your fiction?I am a voracious reader and I think that is important if you wanna be a good writer. When I was writing The Good Bride, I read a lot inside my genre then would take a break and read something completely different like Sci-fi or a classic. As a teacher, you take apart some of the greatest literature in the world and dissect it with your students. Studying books like The Great Gasby and The Scarlett Letter definitely helped me view my own writing with fresh eyes.
I also really loved helping students get comfortable with the process of writing. For a lot of kids, writing is very stressful. I loved helping them see it as cathartic.
There is no wrong answer with a story and that’s a beautiful thing that I still have to remind myself of sometimes!
What can we find you doing when you aren’t reading and writing twisty domestic thrillers?
I am probably outside. I love exercise and pickleball. I am also blessed to spend a lot of time boating on the intra-coastal waterway.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:Keep going. Never let rejection deter you. It can be your excuse or you’re fuel.
Writing is subjective and not every story is for every reader. There is always something new to learn, another angle to try. The only real failure is giving up.
Terrific advice!The Good Bride Author — Jen Marie Wiggins
Jen Marie Wiggins first book, the gifty non-fiction title Married AF: A Funny Guide for the Newlywed or Bride was published with Sourcebooks in 2022.
She has a background in teaching and advertising and public relations.
Her writing has appeared in Southern Coastal Weddings Magazine, Savannah Magazine, Savannah Homes and elsewhere.
The Good Bride draws much of its inspiration from the devastation and rebuilding struggles of Mexico Beach, Florida, a place near and dear to Jen‘s heart.
To learn more about Jen, click any of the following links: Website, Instagram, Facebook, XElena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
Header image from Pixabay
The post The Good Bride: Domestic Suspense appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
December 9, 2024
Voices From Beyond: A Thriller
Voices From Beyond by Fran Lewis [image error]
Book & Author Info + a Rafflecopter Giveaway!
Don’t miss any blog tour post! Click the link here.
Voices From Beyond
As the book unfolds, each person you meet is given a chance to repent or suffer the mirror’s unique form of hideous justice. Be careful doing wrong because the mirror waits for you…
Here are seven stories that will bring chills down your spine and make you wonder: what lies behind the stones? Who lives here? Each voice you will hear has been silenced by the evil of others. Rosie and many others in the camps were tortured and enslaved, and not allowed to speak out at all. Bertha’s voice was never heard by her aunt, who used her for cooking, cleaning, and even servicing men for money.
Next is a teacher who believed that children should be seen and not ever heard, and their opinions were off limits. Sarah Jones knew the secret that her cousin Benita was hiding, and what she had done to her mother. Sarah would bide her time and take on not only Benita but others, too. This is the story of how Sarah Jones decided to fight back. But did she succeed?
Finally, there are several who have wronged so many, and these last three remain behind stones that barely stand straight, where their names are engraved but covered with mud and soil so that no one will ever give them the honor of saying a prayer over them or mourning their deaths. These three come from different walks of life: one is a lawyer, another an accountant, and the third a judge. What are they guilty of? Read their stories as they tell them, and you decide if their fates were just or not, as they blackmailed and threatened so many whose voices, you’ll learn, were silenced in fear.
Within this world, many gain wealth by taking what belongs to others. There is a catch to this, as I will decide the fate of each person as they spend time in my special mirrors facing what they have done. If they show remorse, they have one fate. If not, they will belong to me!
Book Details
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published by: Royal Flush Publishing
Publication Date: October 28, 2024
Number of Pages: 60
ASIN: B0D1QM7Y9Z
To purchase your copy of Voices From Beyond, click either of the following links: Amazon | Goodreads
Fran Lewis — Author of Voices From Beyond
Fran worked in the NYC Public Schools as the Reading and Writing Staff Developer for over 36 years. She has three masters degrees and a PD in Supervision and Administration. Currently, she is a member of Who’s Who of America’s Teachers and Who’s Who of America’s Executives from Cambridge.
Fran is the author of more than 14 titles including three children’s books. She has written several books on Alzheimer’s disease in order to honor her mom and help create more awareness for a cure. These include Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey; Ruth’s Story and Sharp as a Tack and Scrambled Eggs Which Describes Your Brain?. She also wrote A Daughter’s Promise about her walk through the disease with her mother.
Fran is the author of the Faces Behind the Stones series, a middle school series featuring stories growing up in the Bronx with her sister and MJ magazine. Voices from Beyond is her latest book which was preceded by Mirror Image, What If?, Population Zero, and Accusations.
To learn more about Fran, click any of the following links: Just Reviews, Book Talk with Fran Lewis Radio Show, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram – @ferndine49, X – @franellena & Facebook
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Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor
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December 7, 2024
Final Cut: A Cozy Mystery
Final Cut by Marjorie McCown [image error]
Book & Author Info + An Excerpt + A Giveaway!
Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here.
Final Cut
The Hollywood Mystery Series
Every day on the set of a big budget Hollywood movie is full of surprises. But the last thing key costumer Joey Jessop expected to find on the first day of principal photography was the body of a fellow crew member. And she immediately becomes a suspect — not only because she found the body on the beach in Malibu where they’re shooting the movie, but because the victim, second assistant director Courtney Lisle, was seeing Joey’s ex, first assistant director Eli Logan.
When the press takes hold of the story and social media begins to run with it, Joey watches her well-ordered life behind the scenes of the movie business become front and center tabloid fodder. But that isn’t even the worst of it. In addition to her new and unwanted stardom, Joey must also contend with the reckless behavior of the movie’s predatory director and producer, Marcus Pray, who churns out blockbuster hits while subjecting his movie crews to a toxic work environment. As a result, Joey finds herself embattled both personally and professionally.
With tensions building on set and a murder investigation looming over her life and future, Joey takes it upon herself to clear her name. Will she be able to uncover the truth before it’s a wrap?
Praise for Final Cut:
“[A] keen sense of what it’s like to work on a Hollywood production.”
~ Kirkus Reviews
“A fun and unique story . . . Readers will love FINAL CUT.”
~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
“Expertly showcases [McCown’s] genuine flair for original and the kind of narrative driven and unexpected plot twists that make for a riveting story.”
~ Midwest Book Review
“Engaging, with twists and turns.”
~ Red Carpet Crash
“A must-read movie mystery packed with juicy details from a Hollywood insider, FINAL CUT gets my nomination for best debut.”
~ Ellen Byron, Agatha and Lefty Award Winner, USA Today bestselling author
“FINAL CUT is both an insider look at what it’s like to work on Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster and a surprising, timely mystery about a murder on the set . . . The story is a pop culture lover’s dream. I’m already lining up for the sequel.”
~ Kellye Garrett, Agatha, Anthony, and Lefty Award winning author of Like a Sister
Book Details:Genre: Cozy Mystery
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Original Publication Date: June 2023
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781639107285 (ISBN10: 1639107282)
Series: The Hollywood Mystery Series (Joey Jessop), Book 1
Purchase your copy of Final Cut at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Penguin Random House
Read an excerpt of Final Cut:
JUNE 21 8:10 pm
Joey felt frustrated that she was late getting back to the shoot. By this time, nearly an hour after wrap, most of the movie crew had packed up and gone home after what had been a long, discouraging day. As key costumer, Joey usually started the morning on set, then ended her day at one of the specialty shops that made clothing for the film, or one of a dozen other tasks that went with her job. But tonight was different.
She’d made the long drive back to the shooting location in Malibu because she wanted to talk to Courtney in person, and even though she wasn’t looking forward to the conversation, she wished she’d made it back before wrap. The second AD hadn’t answered her texts, and now Joey worried she’d missed the chance to do timely damage control, to smooth over the tension between them after their flare-up on set earlier that day. The hectic pace of the movie had everybody on edge, but their confrontation could threaten the costume department’s entire working relationship with the assistant directors. If she couldn’t talk to the second AD without starting a fight, it was game over.
Determined not to let that happen, Joey bypassed the wardrobe truck and headed straight to the AD trailer as soon as she got back to location. She’d seen firsthand the problems that came from bad blood between departments.
On one of her first films, the costume supervisor had gotten into a feud with the transportation captain. After that, the wardrobe trailers were permanently parked in base camp Siberia, as far from the actors’ trailers as possible. The time it took to travel those extra yards added up fast when you had to cover them many times each day. Then drivers suddenly became unavailable to do runs of any kind for the costume department, no matter the urgency. That might not sound like a big deal, but transpo can be a lifesaver when you’re up against an impossible deadline by making an important pickup or drop-off when everybody in your department is too slammed with work to do it, which can happen several times a week on a busy film.
Getting on the wrong side of the AD department was even worse. Assistant directors are like air traffic controllers on a movie. Without them, everybody crashes into everybody else, literally and figuratively. Alienate the ADs and you’re just asking for trouble.
The costume department already had enough problems on this movie between the lack of prep time, late casting, and a director with an ego as big as his box office grosses. Making an enemy of the second AD wasn’t an option. The thought sent a shiver through Joey, and she picked up her pace.
When she didn’t find Courtney in the AD trailer, she continued her circuit of the movie’s base camp, asking everyone she passed if they’d seen the second AD.
“She was by the cafe set last I saw her, but that was a while ago,” one of the grips said.
Joey headed for the Paradise Cove Cafe up by the beach. All the actors’ trailers,
nearest the set, were dark and locked up for the night. She tried the back door of the cafe, but that too was secured, so she peered through the windows. A single work light remained on, but there was no sign of anyone inside, the cafe apparently deserted now that the day’s filming was done. The sun was low in the sky, dipping toward the ocean.
The longest day of the year, and that’s exactly what it felt like to Joey.
She’d run out of places to look. Anxiety tugged at her. Her relationship with Courtney was complicated, like it is whenever your ex is dating somebody new. And she needed to be honest with herself about the way her personal feelings may have clouded their interactions.
With daylight dying over the water, she stepped onto the beach, hoping to feel a scrap of the serenity she always found in the natural rhythm of the breaking waves, like a favorite refrain, a golden oldie that just gets better with time.
At the water’s edge, she noticed a pile of clothing, buffeted by the incoming tide scudding across the sand. Her first thought was that one of the extras had abandoned their costume, but that didn’t make any sense. As the sun dropped out of the sky, she took a few steps closer to investigate, at the same time as a larger wave swept aside what she’d taken for coils of kelp swirling around that bundle of fabric.
Horror sliced through Joey like a scalpel; she stumbled and fell to her knees. Courtney Lisle lay motionless in the shallow water at the shoreline as the cold blue Pacific surf washed over her body.
FOURTEEN HOURS EARLIER
Chapter One
The first day of principal photography on a film is always a milestone in production, like opening night in the theater. After working mostly independently of each other for three months or more, all the different departments merge to become one big machine. No matter how many movies you’ve done, every new job is a blank slate. Each time, you ask yourself: Do I have what it takes to climb that mountain again, to create a new world out of whole cloth?
Put up or shut up time.
Joey slept poorly the night before, which was par for the course; but she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that dropped on her like a net as soon as she opened her eyes that morning. She’d had a bad feeling about this job from the start; she’d nearly passed on the movie for a number of reasons, both personal and professional. But the carrot of working so close to home was finally too tempting to resist.
The costume department had been prepping for months, but the schedule was rushed for a project so large and complex. Lots of special effects, stunts, and complicated costumes; lots of money and reputations on the line. Still, she felt her department was as ready as they could be, and her standards for readiness were high. So she tried to chalk up her misgivings to first day of shooting jitters. Later, she’d wonder if they’d been a premonition.
Just before sunrise, she pulled her car into the crew parking lot, about a mile south of base camp in Malibu. A shuttle van idled, waiting to ferry people to the set. It was empty save for the driver, whose head rested against his seat back. The teamsters were respon- sible for the setup of vehicles and equipment, so that all was ready for the shooting company when they got to work. They were the first in and last out every day, and most of them were expert at grabbing a few winks when they had the chance.
Joey gathered her purse and work satchel, then locked her car and pinned her keys to her waistband. She had keys to the costume offices and storage space for the movie as well as her personal keys, and this was the only sure way to keep them at hand throughout the day without losing them.
She trotted over to the van and pulled the side door open, startling the driver out of his catnap. A grizzled veteran in his late forties, he sat up with a frown until he saw who was climbing into his back seat.
“Joey Jessop! Girl, how you doin’?” A wolfish grin lit his face. “You are lookin’ fine as ever, Sweet Cheeks.”
Pete O’Neill was a relentless lech, and even though he was basically harmless, he could be tiresome, especially first thing in the morning.
“Pete, what a nice surprise,” she said, trying to hide her true feelings. “I didn’t see your name on the crew list.”
“We ran three weeks over on the last job down in Louisiana. Made it back in the nick of time to get on this one. Didn’t want to miss out on a big show in LA, for a change.”
“No kidding,” she said. “This is the first job I’ve booked in the past four years that’s shooting here. I’m thrilled to be sleeping in my own bed for the next six months.”
“You coming off location, too?”
“I’ve been back here prepping this one for a while, but before that I was out of town shooting a Western.”
“How’d that go?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “You meet a lot of hunky cowboys?”
She managed to keep from rolling her eyes. “It was an education.”
“Never done a Western before, huh?” He gave her a knowing look. “Whole different animal.”
“That’s one way of putting it.” Joey had been on dozens of location shoots, but the Western was a real eye-opener. From the wild temperature swings in the desert—25 degrees at night to over 100 in the afternoon—to the dust storm that took out their generators one day, or the flash flood that nearly trapped them in a box canyon on another, the experience had given her a fresh appreciation for the comfort of shooting on a studio back lot.
She stifled a yawn. “At least it was fast. Six-week shoot.” “Yeah?” His expression was skeptical. “Who was directing?”
“Clint Eastwood.” She smiled as she pictured the director on set, watching the shot in progress on a handheld monitor. Despite the difficult conditions, Joey enjoyed working with him.
Pete nodded appreciatively. “That man’s a class act, old school Hollywood.”
“Yes, he is,” she said. “A real filmmaker. We could use more like him in the business these days.”
“You got that right.” Pete checked his watch. “I don’t think I’ll be getting any more customers for a while. Crew call’s not for another hour. If you want, I’ll run you up to base camp now.”
“That’d be great.” She slid the door closed. “I can use some quiet time before everybody gets here.”
He dropped the van into gear. They turned north onto the Pacific Coast Highway as a pale watercolor wash of daylight began to spread across the ocean, sketching in the horizon line to the west. Joey took a deep breath, bracing herself for the nonstop activity the next sixteen hours would bring.
“Have you read the script for this one yet?” Pete glanced at her in the rearview mirror.
“Didn’t have much choice,” she said lightly.
“That bad?”
“Not my cup of tea. I’m not a big fan of comic book movies.”
“’Bout all they make around here anymore,” he said, “if you want to earn a decent living.”
“Don’t I know it.”
The screenplay was 125 pages of special effects–driven gobbledygook, but Joey had no doubt it would play well with the movie’s crucial fourteen- to twenty-year-old target audience.
“I heard this one’s about some new superhero.” Pete caught her eye in the mirror again.
“It’s actually the Legion of Phenomenals, based on some underground comics that have a big cult following. Nothing new, but they haven’t been used in any movies so far.”
“Why not just call it that, instead of UMPP?” He was asking about the working title for the movie. “Sounds like a noise you’d make if you got punched in the stomach.”
She couldn’t help smiling. “It’s code for Untitled Marcus Pray Project. You know how paranoid the producers are. They’re trying to keep the fanboys in the dark.”
“Like that’s going to stop them. The director’ll probably be posting pictures on Instagram from the set, and the studio won’t say boo to him.” Pete leaned back to talk to her over his shoulder. “Marcus Pray’s no Eastwood, even if he is a big dog in the business right now. I’m taking care of his trailer, and I got a mile-long list of special stuff that’s gotta be on board for him and his friends.” Pete gave the word a suggestive emphasis.
Marcus Pray was a powerful Hollywood hyphenate, a producer-director with a string of action-adventure blockbusters to his credit. This movie was sure to be another lucrative notch on his belt. Joey hadn’t worked with him before, and some of the stories she’d heard made her think twice before she signed onto this job.
***
Excerpt from FINAL CUT by Marjorie McCown. Copyright 2023 by Marjorie McCown. Reproduced with permission from Marjorie McCown. All rights reserved.
Marjorie McCown — Author of Final Cut
Marjorie McCown spent 27 years in Hollywood working on the costumes for movies such as Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Her film career provides the inspiration for her Hollywood Mystery series of books that are set behind the scenes in the world of moviemaking and feature key costumer Joey Jessop as the main character.
Her cozy murder mystery, FINAL CUT (Crooked Lane Books, June 2023) was chosen as an Amazon Editors’ Pick in the best Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense category. Deadly Pleasures Magazine named FINAL CUT as one of the best cozy mysteries of 2023, and FINAL CUT was also named a Top Pick in the cozy mystery category for the Silver Falchion Award by Killer Nashville. STAR STRUCK, Book #2 in her Hollywood Mystery series published May 7, 2024. Marjorie is a member of Sisters-in-Crime and Mystery Writers of America.
To learn more about Marjorie, click any of the following links: MarjorieMcCown.com, Goodreads, BookBub – @marjoriemccownauthor, Instagram – @marjoriemccownbooks, Twitter/X – @eastlamm & Facebook – @MarjorieMcCownBooks
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11/19 Country Mamas With Kids FINAL CUT Review
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December 6, 2024
Lady of Letters Mystery: Murder In Season
Lady of Letters Mystery: Murder In Season by Mary Winters
Book and Author Info + My ReviewDon’t miss my interview with Mary Winters for Murder in Masquerade. Click the link here.Lady of Letters Mystery: Murder In Season
Join Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury as she tries to juggle a new Season and a new murder in this charmingly deadly historical mystery.
“A beautiful debutante, a wealthy widow, and a dead would-be baron. What could be more exciting?”
Countess by day, secret advice columnist by night, Amelia Amesbury has life happily balanced on a quill’s edge . . . until her sister Margaret shows up in London under a blanket of scandal and Amelia is catapulted out of mourning and into the ton’s unforgiving Season.
However Madge’s Season debut is marred by a rather inconvenient death at the dining table as the infamous Mr Radcliffe takes ill and is later confirmed dead by poisoning. With Madge being the last person to have cross words with the soon-to-be baron, the ton’s gossip mill – and the police – are looking to pin the murder on her.
Adding to the ton’s troubles is a jewellery thief targeting the most lavish of Society’s houses. Is the murderer and the thief one in the same? It falls to Amelia once again to uncover the secrets buried deep within the pages before her sister goes down for the crimes.
Perfect for fans of witty historical mystery and Regency romances with a similar feel to Verity Bright and T.E. Kinsey.
Book Info
Historical Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – London, 1860
Publisher : Severn House; Main edition (December 3, 2024)
Hardcover : 240 pages
ISBN-10 : 1448314046
ISBN-13 : 978-1448314041
Digital ASIN : B0D6YWTKRG
I’m a huge fan of Mary Winters (who also writes as Mary Angela) and her latest release does not disappoint!
Countess Amelia Amesbury lives a quiet life in London with her late husband’s young niece Winifred and rather formidable Aunt Tabitha. She has finally settled down with her responsibilities to her departed husband’s estate and all that entails, when her sister Margaret arrives unexpectedly for her society debut. “Madge” has a mind of her own, and the smarts and courage to get into all manner of trouble, a combination that places her directly in the crosshairs of a murder investigation.
Mr. Radcliffe, one of the most infamous bachelors in town, ends up dead at Lady Amelia’s party, the victim of poison—a woman’s weapon of choice. Madge would look guilty enough after sharing cross words with the man at dinner, but makes things even more complicated by refusing to behave as Amelia requests, a little quirk she may have learned from Amelia herself.
The countess, who secretly pens an Agony Aunt (advice) column for the local paper, decides to investigate the crime and prove her sister’s innocence with a little help from her friends. From the swoon-worthy Simon Bainbridge, a marquise and heir to a dukedom, to the kind and vivacious Kitty Hamsted, Amelia has built important relationships with the ton, as the highest of London society is known. From the fancy balls to the less savory parts of town, Amelia fearlessly pursues every lead, no matter the danger to herself.
The deeper exploration of the feelings between Amelia and Simon add to the fun and twists of the mystery. Full of fabulous details of the Victorian era and engaging and complex characters, Murder in Season is perfect for fans of Downton Abbey, Rhys Bowen, and Katharine Schellman.
Murder in Season is the third book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone—readers be warned, however—you’ll be going back to read the first two books just to spend more time with this delicious series, so you might as well buy all three at once!
Author of the Lady In Letters Mysteries — Mary Winters
© Julie Prairie Photography 2016Mary Winters is the Edgar Award-nominated author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series.
Book one, Murder in Postscript, was a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Mary is also the author of two cozy mystery series and writes short fiction.
Three of her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
When she’s not writing, she’s teaching, reading, or spending time with her family. She lives with her husband, daughters, and spoiled pets in the Midwest.
Find out more about Mary at MaryWintersAuthor.com.
To learn more about Mary, click any of the following links: Website, Blog, Facebook & InstagramElena Hartwell | Elena Taylor
The post Lady of Letters Mystery: Murder In Season appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
December 5, 2024
Tangles: A New Historical Thriller
Tangles by Kay Smith-Blum
Spotlight + Book & Author InformationTangles
Oppenheimer was just the beginning… When a harpooned whale offers proof the Hanford Nuclear Reservation is endangering all life in the Columbia River Basin, Luke Hinson, a brash young scientist, seizes the chance to avenge his father’s death, but a thyroid cancer diagnosis derails Luke’s research. Between treatments, he dives back in, making enemies at every turn. On an overnight trek, Luke discovers evidence that Mary, his former neighbor, embarked on the same treacherous trail, and her disappearance a decade prior may be tied to Hanford’s harmful practices mired in government-mandated secrecy.
A love story wrapped in a mystery, this stunning Cold War home-front tale reveals the devastating costs of the birth of the nuclear age, and celebrates the quiet courage of wronged women, the fierce determination of fatherless sons, and the limitless power of the individual.
Reviews:
“Although fiction, Tangles reveals many truths about our radioactive legacy…a brilliant, captivating ride. ” –Joshua Frank, Award-winning investigative journalist, NYT contributor, author, Atomic Waste
“In a well-crafted debut, Smith-Blum provides the reader a ringside seat to the birth of the nuclear age…a beautifully written, important story…Tangles packs a punch and hits close to home.” –Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author of The Tracy Crosswhite Series
“Kay Smith-Blum’s prose is haunting and hopeful, capturing the complexity of emotions that go with loss, love, and the quest for justice. She effortlessly shifts between narratives and the fear-filled decades of the Cold War.” – Readers Favorite
Book info:
Tangles
By Kay Smith-Blum
ISBN: 9781685135065
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Genre: Historical Thriller
286 pages
$21.95 (paperback)
Publication date: December 3, 2024
An Austin, Texas transplant, Kay Smith-Blum is a recovering retailer who is redefining the historical fiction genre from her bayside perch in Seattle. Named Woman Business Owner (NWWA) of 2013, her wit, humor, and resourcefulness helped her high-end retail fashion business endure multiple economic shifts in a decades-long career. She and her husband sold their company in 2016, allowing KSB to write full-time.
Winner of the 2023 Black Fox Lit short story contest, Smith-Blum is a member of the WFWA (serving on the Scholarship committee), the HistFic Affinity Group, a member of the Feisty Deeds Anthology editorial committee (see Short Works for more on Feisty Deeds), Ravenna Writers Circle, CommuterLit Writers Group, the Authors Guild, PNWA, NIWA and AWP. She has been published in over a dozen literary journals and her debut novel, TANGLES, will be published on December 3, 2024 (available for pre-order now; all preorders benefit the Heart of America NW/HanfordCleanup.org)
As a publicly elected official (President of the Seattle School Board 2012) KSB led multiple initiatives on behalf of the students of Seattle. As a private citizen, Smith-Blum raised millions of dollars for education, the arts, and medical research. She established the first greenhouse and urban gardening program in Seattle Public Schools. She has served on numerous charitable boards in the Pacific Northwest.
A graduate of the University of Texas, Smith-Blum chaired Downtown Seattle’s first marketing campaign and published a seasonal magazine for 10 years. She co-authored the “Every Man, Every Woman” inspirational series of cards and posters, published by Schurman Fine Papers, Portal Publications, and Sawdust City. Smith-Blum is a dynamic speaker and experienced producer of large and small events that leverage both traditional and social media. An active member of the downtown Seattle community, she is currently advocating for a park in the last green space in the urban core, made available by the demolition of the Highway 99 viaduct. An avid gardener, Smith-Blum works out her writer’s block in her three sons’ gardens and the nearest lap pool.
To learn more about Kay, click any of the following links: Kay Smith-Blum (@kaysmithblum) / X, Kay Smith-Blum (@ksbwritesfiction) | TikTok & Kay Smith-Blum (@discerningksb) • Instagram photos and videos
The post Tangles: A New Historical Thriller appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
December 4, 2024
Tangled Darkness: Cover Reveal
Tangled Darkness by MM Desch 
Cover Reveal + Book & Author Info + a Giveaway!
Don’t miss any blog tour posts! Click the link here for more.
Tangled Darkness
In a twisted web of lies, she’s either the spider or the fly.
When a psychiatric clinic assistant turns up dead, Dr. Leslie Schoen finds herself a suspect in the case—and facing allegations which could destroy her career.
As Detective Davis works the investigation, Leslie launches her own inquiries. She soon uncovers deception and illegal schemes involving stolen prescription opioids at her clinic. It seems everyone around her is hiding something, and as she gets closer to the truth, the threats against her escalate. She struggles with keeping dangerous information from her pregnant wife, Izzy, and knows she needs to confront traumatic demons from her own past. But as she delves deeper into a web of lies, one thing becomes clear: someone will do anything to keep their criminal plans in the shadows.
With her family and even her life on the line, Leslie must outwit those who want her silenced before it’s too late. No one’s motives are what they seem, and the killer may be closer than anyone thinks.
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published by: Rowan Prose Publishing
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
Number of Pages: 339
ISBN: 9798227130914
Get your copy of Tangled Darkness at Amazon | Kobo | Apple | BookBub | Goodreads | Books2Read
MM Desch — Author of Tangled Darkness
Mary Desch, writing under the pen name MM Desch, brings a wealth of psychiatric expertise to her gripping psychological thrillers. Drawing from her extensive career as a general and addiction psychiatrist across multiple states, she crafts relatable characters facing intense psychological and physical dangers. Her deep understanding of human motivations, conflicts, and trauma recovery infuses her writing with authenticity and suspense.
A lifelong mystery enthusiast, Mary’s passion for the genre evolved from childhood fascination with Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine to a deep appreciation for detective fiction in college. This enduring love for suspenseful storytelling naturally led her to write psychological thrillers.
When not delving into the intricacies of her next novel or novella, Mary enjoys hiking, long walks with her wife and their spirited mini schnauzer, exploring local food scenes, golfing, and following women’s professional basketball.
Mary’s debut thriller, Tangled Darkness, marks the beginning of a promising foray into psychological suspense fiction.
To learn more about MM, click any of the following links: MaryDesch.com, Amazon Author, Goodreads, BookBub – @MMDesch, Instagram – @m.m.desch, Threads – @m.m.desch, Twitter/X – @marymdesch, Facebook & LinkedIn
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
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12/04 The Mystery of Writing TANGLED DARKNESS Showcase
Elena Hartwell | Elena Taylor
The post Tangled Darkness: Cover Reveal appeared first on The Mystery of Writing.
December 3, 2024
Threads of Deception: Debut Mystery
Threads of Deception: A Suddenly French Mystery by Ella Jauffret
Author Interview + Book & Author Info!Don’t miss any ITW Debut Author interviews! Click the link here.Threads of Deception
Thirty-five-year-old Claire Fontaine had it all as a successful D.C. defense attorney until a criminal explosion shattered her career and left her with a debilitating French foreign accent syndrome. To make matters worse, her neurologist ordered her to take a break from the law and the FBI urged her to lay low. She’s also broke. Her only marketable skill is the culinary expertise she’s gained through countless cooking classes for singles. Forced to embrace a new path as a private chef, Claire accepts the invitation of a rising fashion designer friend to move back to her Southern California hometown to cater for a fashion TV show—only to find said friend dead.
Desperate to prove it wasn’t a suicide but a murder, Claire teams up with her childhood best friend, Suggie Oh, the town’s beloved accountant. She also forms a tension-filled alliance with charismatic Detective Ben Torres, who reluctantly accepts her cooperation and with whom she’s forced to share an apartment.
As she investigates, Claire glimpses into the world of competitive fashion, political campaigns, and ex-lovers’ vendettas. But getting closer to the truth may not be as safe as juggling knives in a dark kitchen.
To purchase Threads of Deception, click on any of the following links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Mysterious Galaxy, Bookshop , Apple Book , and Kobo.Interview with Threads of Deception author Elle JauffretThreads of Deception focuses on Claire Fontaine, a successful DC defense attorney. What would you like readers to know about Claire?
Claire Fontaine is a brilliant and determined Washington D.C. criminal attorney who returns to her Southern California hometown after an explosion destroyed her law firm and left her with French Foreign Accent Syndrome.
To heal and reassess her life, she leaves the legal world to become a private chef (all those cooking classes for singles are finally paying off) and to cater for a fashion TV show, only to discover her friend and employer dead.
Convinced it’s murder, not suicide, she sets out to uncover the truth. Claire is witty, resourceful, and deeply committed to finding her friend’s killer, even if it means clashing with the detective assigned to the case (who happens to be her new roommate.)
Threads of Deception includes culinary skills, competitive fashion, political campaigns, and the vendettas of ex-lovers. What drew you to those topics? And please share some of your favorite recipes/styles/foods you like to cook/bake with us!
I chose these topics because they fascinate me. I love fashion for its ability to express identity and creativity, and food for its connection to culture and storytelling—so much so that I once had a fiction food column in a literary magazine, where I recreated dishes mentioned in novels.
The vendettas of ex-lovers are a timeless and universally relatable theme, adding layers of drama and emotional stakes to any story. Including a political campaign was my way of balancing out the glamour of fashion with the dark side of public life and campaign fundraising. These subjects not only intrigue me but are also topics my friends and I find endlessly engaging, making them natural choices for this book.
My favorite food (besides French childhood dishes) is fusion cuisine. I love the marriage of flavors and textures from around the world. Fusion food highlights how complementary differences can be, a harmony we should strive for as individuals and as nations.
One of my favorite snacks are lemon-thyme biscotti, which I am sharing the recipe with you. They represent my childhood: running barefoot through the woods and the sandy beaches of the French Riviera.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ⅔ cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons) 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1 ¼ teaspoon almond extract2 large eggs
In bowl 1: combine the flour + baking powder + salt + thyme together. Set aside.
In bowl 2: mix lemon zest + sugar until smooth and well combined. Then add eggs + butter + almond extract.
Mix content of bowl 1 with content of bowl 2 (slow speed) until incorporated.
Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a 9”x6”rectangle (1/2 inch thick) on a baking sheet. Use wet fingers if needed.
Bake for 25 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree-oven.
Let cool for 10 minutes on a rack.
Cut ¾ inch thick slices (they should be 9 inches long). Prop the slices sideways on the baking sheet and return to the oven.
Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Then turn them on their other side for another 10 minutes.
Biscotti should be golden and feel dry. Set on rack to cool completely.
I am so excited to try this recipe!Threads of Deception is set in Southern California. How does that location impact the story? Tell us about the community that Claire Fontaine finds herself in:Threads of Deception is set in Caper Cove, a fictional Southern California resort town with a population of about 40,000. I chose this location because it offers a unique blend of small-town charm and big-city energy. Located in San Diego County, Caper Cove has the cozy, close-knit community feel that’s perfect for a mystery, while its proximity to a major city and constant influx of tourists keeps the stakes high. The town itself plays a significant role in the story.
The picturesque setting and sense of peace sharply contrast with the murder and ensuing investigation. It’s also a love letter to Southern California and a way for everyone to get a little warmth during the cold winter months.
When it comes to her community: Claire lives above The Osprey—a taco shop during the day and cop bar at night—owned by her father (a retired cop). Her roommate is the detective on the case and the medical examiner (fellow) is the grown-up boy she used to babysit and who always had a huge crush on her. Her sidekick is her childhood best friend, an accountant with a side hustle of journalism.
As a former criminal attorney for the California Attorney General’s office, you know a thing or two about the legal system. Did you find that a help or a hindrance in writing fiction?
My experience definitely added depth and authenticity to Threads of Deception, but I didn’t approach the story as a legal thriller. Instead, I used my knowledge of the law to sprinkle in practical details that might be new or unexpected for readers, giving them a glimpse into how the legal system works in real life.
These tidbits also helped raise awareness about “fashion-related dangers” that readers might not have known existed. However, I focused on crafting an engaging story, so while the legal and fashion aspects are there to add realism, the heart of the story is Claire’s struggle with her foreign accent and her loss of her identity, along with her search for the killer.
You also write short stories. Do you approach short story writing the same as writing a novel? Or does your process differ?
My approach to writing short stories is quite different from writing novels.
While Threads of Deception is grounded in the real world with intricate mysteries and character-driven plots, my short stories delve into speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and horror. They allow me to explore darker themes and social issues in a more focused and symbolic way.
Writing a short story after completing a novel acts as a creative palate cleanser—a refreshing way to reset before diving into another long project.
Tell us about your road to publication with your debut:
I approached writing Threads of Deception differently from my other novels. I embraced the concept of “writing to market”—not by chasing trends, but by viewing writing as a form of service, creating stories that entertain, challenge, and resonate with readers. This shift in perspective changed everything. I aimed to craft a story with mass appeal, one that would keep readers hooked while offering them a sense of comfort and safety, even with the twists and turns of a mystery.
I wrote Threads of Deception with a clear message in mind—a mystery with a twist and American identity—drawing from my personal experiences as a former criminal attorney who cooks and whose accent often leads to comical or challenging situations. I believe in the power of “write what you know,” and weaving that into the story made it more authentic and impactful.
I also considered how the story could translate visually—something my friends and I, fans of mystery series, would love to watch. I wanted to create a story that felt like a blend of classic mystery and modern entertainment. And it worked. Threads of Deception found its place in the market, and I’m thrilled to see it come to life.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:
Believe in your own instincts and embrace your emotions—let them guide your words. As Stephen King said, ‘Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.
Great advice!Elle Jauffret — Author of Threads of Deception
Elle Jauffret is a French-born American attorney, author, and culinary enthusiast who writes mystery novels, children’s adventures, and speculative fiction short stories.
A graduate of French and American law schools, she worked as a jurist for the French Embassy and as a criminal attorney for the California Attorney General’s office.
She led the Pediatric Literacy Program at the Walter Reed Medical Center (the U.S. Presidents’ hospital) and is an active member of several writers organizations, including the Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
She is an avid consumer of mystery and adventure stories in all forms, especially escape rooms. She lives in California with her family, in San Diego county, which serves as the backdrop for her mystery series.
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