Christa Nardi's Blog, page 75

Review: FINE DINING: A Trudie Fine Mystery by Gale Deitch

Synopsis (from Amazon)

Trudie Fine’s romantic dinner with Detective Daniel Goldman is cut short by a gruesome murder. When her good friend May Dubois is discovered sitting by the body of her dead brother, holding a bloody knife, the case seems as cut and dried as sliced okra. From the start, however, Trudie believes in her friend and sets out to prove May’s innocence.
But if May isn’t the killer, who is? 

Taking over as temporary manager at May’s New Orleans-themed restaurant to do some sleuthing plunges Trudie into a jambalaya of dangerous waters.
*Recipes Included
Review
Trudie Fine and her long time friend Zach run a catering business, but that takes second fiddle to her friend May's problems when May's brother is killed and she's holding the murder weapon. Trudie wants to help May and agrees to "manage" the New Orleans themed restaurant with all the personalities that work there, including the Chef who doesn't welcome her help. Trudie's romance with Daniel cools off a bit while she stays at May's, with the advances of May's lawyer adding a bit of tension. Her attempt to surprise him at his place backfires humorously. In the meantime, though she doesn't seem any closer to the killer, the men in her life are not pleased with her as they try to keep her safe. 
The relationships and the descriptions are rich and engaging. There are several subplots that keep the story moving and some, like the romance between Trudie and Daniel, that likely could continue. It isn't obvious who the killer is until the end but the conclusion makes sense and the wrap up is warm and fuzzy. And, of course, the recipes...
This is the second in the Trudy Fine Mystery series, but it can be read as a stand alone - I will have to go back and read A FINE FIX!  I hope Deitch has a third one in the works!
AMAZON

Review: MAIN STREET MURDER by Linda Crowder

Synopsis: (from Amazon)


Accidental detectives Jake and Emma Rand are back in their second adventure. Spring is coming to their home in the shadow of Casper Mountain and Emma can't wait to see tulips and daffodils crowd out the snow that has covered her flower beds all winter. Then the May Day Blizzard hits, trapping the citizens of Casper, Wyoming in their homes, closing roads and shutting down highways out of town.

When murder strikes in spite of the snow, Detective Matt Joyner of the Casper Police Department quickly turns up the heat on his prime suspect - Emma's friend, Kristy Castle! As Casper celebrates the annual Summer Solstice Parade and Rodeo, Jake and Emma fight to prove Kristy's innocence. She's hiding a terrible secret, but is she a killer? A great read for fans of Cozy Mysteries!
Review:
Jake and Emma don't have to go far to find this dead body but how and why did it get there? And in the middle of a blizzard no less! The investigation in this small Wyoming town of course centers on Emma's friend, and even Emma has to wonder what Kristy is hiding. The consideration of others - friends or not - as a the possible murderer - puts a strain on the parade and rodeo preparations.  

The plot is well-developed and easy to follow, with a twist at the end. Jake and Emma have a healthy relationship and are both likable.  This is the second in the series, but easily can be read as a stand alone. Hopefully by the time I read the first one, TOO CUTE TO KILL, the third will be waiting...
AMAZON

Book Review: AMAZING GRACIE : A Senior Cozy Mystery Novella by Teresa Quill

Synopsis
Retired cop, John Flynn, directs traffic at the four-way stop when he's tipsy. The seniors of The Friendly Arms Apartments want him to stop, and assign Gracie Moore with the task since she's rather sweet on John. When John sees a dead body go by, the local Deputy doesn't believe him. The seniors ban together to solve the crime. Gracie Moore must step out of her shy self and save the day. 
This is the first of the Skeeterville Senior Mystery Novellas. Also, you'll meet Irene Weatherspoon, head of the resident board at the Friendly Arms Apartments, and her beau Wally Walters who will play roles in upcoming stories.

Review
Gracie has a lot to deal with, starting with running out of money.  But she doesn't want to leave Skeeterville.  Irene and the others in the apartment complex come up with a plan so Gracie doesn't have to move in with her daughter that might just keep John from having to live with his son or worse. Problem is John is bored and when he's bored he drinks and then gets himself in trouble. No surprise that no one is inclined to believe he saw a dead body until he finds the dead body. Now can Gracie and John find the killer?

This is a great cozy mystery, and Gracie is a likable, but stubborn main character with John, Irene, and Wally, not to mention Tom, for support. The plot is well-developed and the ending makes sense. A good read to curl up with anytime or anywhere. I'm looking forward to the next Skeeterville Senior Mystery in the future.

About the Author
Teresa Quill writes with a dachshund at her feet, a parrot on her shoulder and a world of characters in her head. Her personal hero ignores the voices she hears and enables her to enjoy her writing trips to Skeeterville where the senior citizens are ornery and active, and the deputy scratches his head in wonder at their antics.

As a longtime member of Romance Writers of America and Maryland Romance Writers, she was writing a lovely contemporary romance when the secondary characters took over. Instead of fighting them, she let them run the show. Sometimes it's surprising where the seniors take her. They know that death happens, but they always want to know why. Teresa just follows them on their adventures.

Teresa asks if you read her book, please leave a review or visit her website. She loves to hear from readers. www.TeresaQuill.com
AMAZON

Guest Post and Review of SPICING UP TROUBLE by Mary Jo Burke

Sorry for the delay today!  I'm pleased to have Mary Jo Burke here as my guest to talk about cooking skills:
I inherited my cooking ability from my mom. In other words, I don’t have one. She preferred to have someone else prepare her meals or go to a restaurant. When we attended bridal showers and the invitation called for a recipe for the bride-to-be, my mother would write on the card, “Make reservations.” I can follow directions and offer an eatable meal, but no rave reviews. I did follow my mom’s lead by marrying a guy who likes to cook.
On the weekends, the kitchen was my father’s domain. He did the weekly grocery shopping too. I sat at the table and watched him. He prepared the basics: a roast beast, potatoes with gravy, and a vegetable, corn or green beans. My mother saw potential in my interest and recruited me to be the weekday dinner maker. I followed my father’s instructions and cooked five meals a week. And I hated it. I questioned his choices and pushed for macaroni and cheese, fresh from the box. One time he bought fish, still sporting their heads, and I drew the line there. I’d cook, if I got to pick some of the menu items. I introduced salads, steamed vegetables, and rice to the mix. 
At twelve, I attempted to bake and chose the classic chocolate chip cookie recipe on the back of the semi-sweet morsel bag. I found all the ingredients in the cabinet, except baking soda. For some reason, we kept an open box of it in the refrigerator. I was unclear on the concept of the odor eating ability of baking soda. That initial batch was tasted and tossed in the garbage. The next week all the baking ingredients were replaced and I was encouraged to try again. I triumphed and still bring the cookies to family parties.
Do you have a signature dish or do you leave the cooking to others?
Here’s an excerpt from Spicing Up Trouble where Alexia Hale explains her love of spicy food.
"I bow to your expertise," Ben said to me.
"We'll have stuffed mushrooms, encrusted tilapia, and house salads," I said.
"Excellent choices." Tim took the menus and left. 
"Do you cook or write or model or fend off interviewers for a living?" Ben asked as his fingers filtered through my hair.
A hum vibrated down my spine as I tried to concentrate on his words and not his mouth. Before the fog hit my brain, he asked about my profession choices. I pretended men always caressed me in public.
"I entered a cake contest on a whim. One of the judges worked at Chicago News. She needed an assistant who could bake. I didn't win, but I got the job. I haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up."
Our salads arrived, and mine included an extra plate of chopped jalapeños and orange habañero chilis. 
Ben spied the hot peppers.
"You could eat a plate of peppers by yourself?" he asked as he released my tress.
"Yeah, they add so much to the crisp greens and offset the sugar from the carrots. Mixed with the balsamic vinaigrette, the flavor stings the back of your tongue."
"And sets fire to your nasal passages. Mind if I try a few?"
"Please."
He scooped some off the plate with his fork, then speared a couple and put them in his mouth.
"My sisters used to call me Peter Piper because I ate so many pickled peppers."
Ben didn't respond as his eyes teared up. He drank a full glass of water.
"Would you like some milk? It helps to soften the burn," I said. He shook his head as he picked up my water glass, draining it. "I'm sorry, they are pretty strong."
"They're delicious, but not by the mouthful. I'll pace myself," he said as he signaled for Tim who returned to fill the water glasses. "Please bring the lady a fresh one. I gulped hers down too."
We finished our salads, and I ate the remaining peppers. The main courses arrived, and my usual bottle of hot sauce was included.
"More spice? Your insides must be lined with fire extinguisher foam," he said.
"Maybe I like it hot." I meant the sauce, but I was flexible about connotations.
He stared at me, took the bottle, and shook it.
"I like to make sure all the flavors are properly blended before I indulge," he said with a challenging smile. 
"This is my recipe and brings out the richness of flavor in the fish," I said, pouring the sauce on the tilapia. 
Ben placed a dot of it on his plate, cut a piece of fish, and dipped it. He put it in his mouth as his hand went for the full water glass. My nerves were on edge as I awaited his verdict.
"Outstanding, forget writing about food, design it," he said as he poured more sauce on his plate.
I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I exhaled. I discussed choosing items for the menu. His attention never wavered from my face.
"I hope you saved room for dessert. I'm trying to leave Irene with a big bill," he said.

Spicing Up TroubleMary Jo Burke
Contemporary Romance/Romantic ComedyGemma Halliday Publishing, 332 pages
Alexia Hale works as a test kitchen writer for the Chicago News. But she gets her big break toward reporting "real" news when she's given the opportunity to interview the world renowned artist, Benjamin Nance Cobb.
The catch: to get it, Alexia has to pose as a nude model for Ben. What begins as an awkward assignment quickly turns into a real friendship...and possibly more. But when a photograph of Alexia is leaked to the press, their private life suddenly becomes very public. Ben's father isn't pleased, Alexia's sisters are shocked, and now she's being hounded by the press.
Dating a celebrity has its challenges and rewards. The only question is, which one will outweigh the other?

Review

     Alexia is not the outgoing, strong woman like her sisters, and she's not like any woman Ben has met, dated, or painted before. She even knows all the books his mother wrote. This book has everything - problems with the press, the "uncle" who is out to bring Ben and his father down, family feuds and conflicts, hot steamy sex, dreams, and sweetness and compassion. All in all, a feel good read.

Buy nowAmazon   Nook   Kobo   iBook    Smashwords   Print
   Excerpt:

The Internet offered few details about Benjamin Nance Cobb's work. I needed to visit Chicago's Art Institute to do some research. In the morning, out in front of the museum, I rubbed the paw of one of the lions. "Wish me luck," I whispered to the stoic predator and hurried up the stairs. Once inside, I cheated and asked a docent to direct me to the Contemporary Art section. He pointed at a tour group, and I followed them. We entered a large foyer. The guide began to speak, and I saw my chance to escape. Farther down the hall and to the left, two canvases took up an entire wall. First, a nude woman reclined on her back. Her lush black hair splayed on the pillow beneath her, her right hand laid in the tangles—eyes half closed, her lush lips pursed, her left hand limp against her side, her knees pulled together and slightly bent. Her whole body sated. She just had great sex. The plaque beside it read, "Satisfied by Benjamin Nance Cobb."No doubt.Next, a woman sitting on a bed, her back positioned toward the artist, the sway of her hip revealed the top of her butt, her arms and legs crossed in front of her, a hint of right breast showed, her face in profile, her eyes glanced over her shoulder, and her blonde hair mussed. I read the plaque, "Anticipation by Benjamin Nance Cobb." How about Striptease for Benjamin Nance Cobb?The paintings carried the same message: goddesses with an attitude. Power radiated from them. They owned the men who sought to possess them. Confident in their appearance and sexuality, the viewer of the portrait felt like an intruder, stumbling into the intimate setting. The discomfort was for the outsider looking in. I imagined being free not to care about others' opinions, living by one's own rules. Easier said than done.A small blurb about the artist hung on the wall. I didn't get much passed his age, thirty-five, because next to it a photograph almost stopped my heart. The man himself glared at the camera. Not a posed shot, one stolen on the street by paparazzi. Black hair, ice blue eyes, nose and chin chiseled like a bust of a Roman god.I stumbled away a little shaken by the portrait of the reaper of women. Would I be released by my editor from this assignment? No. Would I gain the self-confidence required for public nudity in two days? Double no. Would my sisters ever let me forget I chickened out? Triple-dog no. Not only my likeness would be captured, Cobb might prove capable of reaching down and finding my true self, ready to be exposed. Could this opportunity remake me into one of those women proudly displaying their attributes to the world? Was I willing to risk all for a taste of confidence like my sisters wore every day?The new expressive me lay trapped inside the old mousy me. Where there was a will, there was a way, but no graceful way out.
I dodged my sisters' phone calls and focused all good karma on Wednesday. I arrived early for my exhibition; I mean appointment to a nondescript building with no sign or address, no names on the mailboxes. Subtle message, if you weren't invited, you shouldn't be here. I pressed the doorbell, heard footsteps coming to the door, and prayed I wouldn't faint.The imposing oak door swung in, and the grail of my quest stood before me. The men of my dreams were book boyfriends. Men conjured up from another woman's imagination who yielded to her will. All were tall, muscular, ruggedly handsome, and smelled wonderful. Like them, this guy was all those myths come to life. Now I'd add a few revisions to include sparkling blue eyes enticing me to jump into those pools for a slow swim, full lips, and thighs like tree trunks. Forget breeders' hips, the sight of Benjamin Nance Cobb made my ovaries explode. He assessed me up and down then smiled. A slight dimple formed on his unshaven cheek. A kiss would fit perfectly on that indentation."I'm," he hesitated and stared at me.He knew I was a fraud. Who would believe I was a model?"I'm sorry, I'm Ben Cobb," he said, pushing the door all the way open to the wall. "You must be from the agency.""Yes, I'm the model."Of what, I didn't know."You look familiar. Have you posed for print ads?" His cordial tone sounded as if he had just parked my car."No." What if he asked to see some credentials or my portfolio? I should have taken Eleanor's crazy advice about head shots or shots to the head. Right now, I was a bit confused as my fear and flight impulses beat against my brain. As a result, I stayed put and proceeded in. I didn't dare speak again, my voice hid under the covers, waiting for me to come to my senses. "The changing room is to the right, I mean your left. There's a robe in there on the wall. On a hook on the wall. No, it's on the door," he said as he scratched the back of his head. "I apologize. I'm sure you're a professional and can figure it out."Professional fraud at the moment.
            "No problem, I'll find it." I strolled down a hallway.Was he upset or nervous? Did I scare him? He probably thought, "How am I supposed to work with her?" Should I apologize in advance?I found an open pink door. It was more of a renovated closet with a full-length mirror, an embroidered chair, and an ornate hook on the back of the door with a flimsy yellow robe attached.I bit my lower lip as I began to undress. I tried to focus on why I put myself in this situation: a career boost and a chance to get in good with the new bosses. I forgot about impressing my sisters, they would be questioning my sanity about now. Getting him to talk presented the ultimate challenge. "So why do you paint nudes?"
            "Do you pay them or do they pay you?""I'm a fan of your mom's work."Helen Nance Cobb's books were special to me. They reminded me of my childhood before my parents died. Adele's Armoire, Benjamin's Bike, Celeste's Closet, and Daniel's Dugout were the first four books I could read by myself. Prose and illustrations represented all twenty-six letters. A soft knock at the door brought me back to the present. I gripped the back of the chair. "Is everything all right in there?" he asked."I'm coming." If I shook anymore, I could make a smoothie. Yesterday I waxed, exfoliated, moisturized, and steamed myself. I wished I could pump up my courage too. Exhaling slowly, I opened the door to meet my new outlook on life or die trying.The floor creaked as I ambled toward the easel where he stood, cleaning brushes."Where do you want me?" I asked as my fist clutched the robe shut.He stared at me again. I must be the most hideous specimen to ever pose for him."When you're ready, take off the robe, and lay on your stomach on the pillows," he said, offering a slight smile.I cautiously strolled over and sat on the floor with my back to the wall. If a guy jumped out with a camera and yelled "Smile," I wouldn't be surprised. Being caught at the most embarrassing moment of my life made perfect sense right now."How long have you been a model, Miss?" he asked, shifting the canvas on the easel. "I'm Alexia Hale. I've been modeling for two years." Did it sound believable? Should I have used a fake name?"Only with Perkins?""Yes." Who or what was Perkins?"I'm surprised they didn't send you earlier. I've asked for a variety of women, especially without endowments. Sorry, I mean a woman with natural beauty.""My works takes me out of the country." My nose was about to go Pinocchio on me, and he noticed my breasts. My nipples hardened up and rubbed against the polyester blend. Traitors."Where?" he asked."Paris, Vienna, Stockholm, and Hawaii." All the places I would love to visit."Busy girl. Photography or painting?""Both." This one didn't count as a lie. I liked taking pictures, and I finger painted in kindergarten. "Are you ready to start?" he asked.I let the robe slide off of me and flopped on the pillows. He didn't flinch or move for three full minutes. He absorbed me into those piercing blue eyes."Excuse me," he said as he hurried away.The sight of the nude me made him vomit. I stood, wrapped the robe around my shoulders, and sprinted toward the dressing room. I'd grab my clothes and dress on the sidewalk. He must be calling the agency to complain, and they would out me as a fraud.He rounded the corner and almost knocked me to the floor. The robe swirled around my legs and landed in a puddle at my feet. My right arm went across my chest and my left hand fanned over my womanhood."Beautiful," he said under his breath as he swept my hair back behind my ear.Me? I shivered from his touch. This was why the women looked enraptured in his paintings. They had sex with him before they posed. That would blow the wind in my sails, definitely a step out of character for me.
"Excuse me, I'm being totally unprofessional," he said as he leaned down, retrieved my robe, and handed it to me. "If you're uncomfortable staying and want to leave, I'll understand.""No, I'm fine," I said as I fumbled with the robe, trying to put it on."Okay, let's get started."I followed him back to the studio and pretended he didn't stir me up. I couldn't comment on my effect on him as I resettled by the pillows. The robe melted off me this time because I wanted him to see me. "Please support yourself on your elbows," he said.I stopped trembling, pushed up, and glanced at him."Like this, Mr. Cobb?" My voice squeaked. "I'm Ben. Mr. Cobb is my worthless father," he swallowed hard, grabbed the back of his neck, and pressed down.I touched a raw nerve. "Look at me." he said. I only shifted my eyeballs, afraid to move anything else. "I'm going to tell you when to change your facial expressions like be happy, pensive, sleepy, or sad, understand?""Yes.""Please follow my directions, and don't speak or move."The artist had arrived and was all business. Time for me to do the same.
About the Author:
Long before DVDs, Mary Jo saw Gone with the Wind in the theater. She was ten. The story never left her. She read the book three times. She saw the movie every time it was re-released. GWTWwill be seventy-five years old this year and is her favorite movie. She would only make a minor change: Leave Ashley to Melanie and hold on tight to Rhett. Her writing sprung from reading, watching, and always wanting to edit.
Mary Jo was born in Chicago and has never strayed far from home. She majored in Accounting and received her MBA in Finance. She worked in the investment and banking businesses. 
Mary Jo is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Chicago North RWA, and Windy City RWA.WebsiteFacebookTwitterGiveaway:  $20 Amazon Gift Carda Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: STIFF PENALTY (A Mattie Winston Mystery) by Annelise Ryan

Synopsis:
Deputy coroner Mattie Winston knows a thing or two about dead bodies. That’s why she’s on the case of Derrick Ames, a high school math teacher stabbed to death with a barbecue fork straight to the heart. Sure, she’s turned up some motives and a few suspects, but nothing adds up. Especially when the evidence points to Ames’s teenage son. Newly pregnant Mattie can’t believe it, even as her own long-estranged father may be following her. But one things certain, she’d better start figuring things out fast, or a deadly perpetrator could be subtracting two more victims from the population of Sorenson, Wisconsin.

ReviewDerrick Ames was a well-liked, divorced math teacher. Following the divorce, he and his ex-wife share custody, and she lives only a few blocks away.  Their sons are still hoping for reconciliation.  Did walking in on his father and his girlfriend shatter the son's dream and cause him to violently kill his father? Mattie doesn't believe that and is looking at other possibilities.  There are multiple other potential suspects from the single mother who delivers flowers and was involved with Ames, to his ex-wife and the socialite, or the man lurking outside her home. 
Mattie Winston is a likable coroner and sleuth with a mix of sarcasm, cynicism, and humanity.  She's dealing with her own issues of abandonment and insecurity as she prepares to be a single mother. Her attempts to hide her pregnancy until she can tell Hurley and issues with the teen age daughter suddenly living with him add to the complexity of her situation.  
Mattie not only is involved in solving the murder but trying to find out about the mysterious father she never knew and her rather flaky mother won't talk about. All sorts of questions are raised when her mother recognizes the drawing of a man lurking outside her home as her father. At the same time, her venture into buying maternity clothes, her neighbors, and some of her comments add a bit of humor.  
STIFF PENALTY is part of a series - BOARD STIFF, LUCKY STIFF, FROZEN STIFF - but can easily be read as a stand alone. Ryan moves the story and subplots together artfully and pulls the pieces together at the end. 
Purchase LinksAmazon B&N Book Depository

About this Author


Annelise Ryan is the pseudonym for the author of three suspense novels and another mystery series. She has written more than 200 published articles, worked as a book reviewer for Barnes & Noble®, and is an active member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She currently works as a registered nurse in an E.R. Visit her at mattiewinston.com.
Author Links
http://www.mattiewinston.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2994644.Annelise_Ryan

Book Review: DEADLY RUSE (A Mac McClellan Mystery #2) by E. Michael Helms

Synopsis:

Mac’s girlfriend, Kate Bell, thinks she’s seen a ghost. Wes Harrison, Kate’s former boyfriend, supposedly perished twelve years ago in a boating accident. But now she swears a man she spotted in a crowded theater lobby is Wes. Mac has his doubts--it was only a fleeting glimpse. But to calm her shattered nerves, he starts making inquiries.
A clue leads him from his home in St. George, Florida, to a Texas orphanage. There he uncovers startling information that turns both his and Kate’s world upside-down. Diamond smuggling, sex, deceit, and murder are just part of the twisted tale that emerges from Kate’s earlier life. Using wit, grit, and the ingrained military training of a former Marine, Mac starts to fit the pieces of this scrambled puzzle together.

Further clues point to the Palmetto Royale Casino and Resort near St. George. He and Kate discover that the casino is a front for big drug deals. When they barely escape a murder attempt, Mac knows he’s on the right track. 
But he better play his cards right–because losing this high-stakes game could cost him his life.
Review:
Mac may not have figured out what he's doing with his life for the future yet, but he's prepared to enjoy the present with Kate. What starts out as a pleasant night out starts a journey into Kate's previous relationships back in Destin.  He gets to meet the rest of the family, including old family friends, but not exactly the way he planned. Unfortunately, instead of bringing them closer, the more information Mac is able to come up with, the farther Kate seems to drift. Romance aside, the more information increases the risk to both of them.
Mac has to deal with much ambiguity and temptation, but manages to stay with the goal - find Wes Harrison if he is still alive and not a ghost. He's the strong hero type - ex-marine so what else would be expected? He's also human and has a sense of humor, very likable despite a tendency to order people around.  

The story is well written and moves quickly -  I was hooked from the start and stayed up well past my bedtime to see how it ended.  The multiple twists and turns make it hard to be sure the real scams and who Mac should or shouldn't trust. I'd read the first in the series, DEADLY CATCH, and I was glad to see Bo and JD back, along with some of the others. Dakota definitely adds some spice to the mix. At the same time, DEADLY RUSE could easily be read as a stand alone. I'll be waiting for #3 in this series for sure!
AMAZON

Guest Post: YOUR SETTING - FRIEND OR FOE? by Lois D Brown

Today, I'm happy to welcome Lois D. Brown, author of ROBBED OF SOUL as my guest:

For many authors, the setting of their book is just as important as one of the main characters. The setting creates the mood, influences characters’ behavior, affects dialog, adds an emotional response,  and plays a part in the plot of a story. The setting can be a friend to the protagonist, an antagonist (think Hemingway and the sea), and even a mentor.
In my latest mystery, Robbed of Soul, the setting is both friend and foe. The book begins in solitary confinement in Tehran. (Definitely an antagonist.) Then the setting moves to Kanab, Utah, where my protagonist finds healing in her small-town surroundings (after solving both a modern-day murder and one that occurred 100 years ago.)
I set my book in Kanab because I needed an area with wonderfully rich scenery to contrast the earlier setting of solitary confinement. Kanab is also full of legends and myths, which complemented the  mystery and eeriness of my plot.
Here are a few things to think about to increase the characterization of your setting:Addspecific, unique details of the area (even down to using actual names and locations)Mirror or contrast the mood of the plot with the setting of a chapter or sceneAs you write, think of your setting in terms of “having a personality”    What are some of your favorite books? Can you recall the setting in them?  Probably. That’s part of the reason they are  your favorites. So give it a try. Take a little time and think about your setting in the book you’re writing. Can you make it into another character? One that influences your protagonist for good or evil?

Do you like books? Do you like Zions National Park? Join the ROBBED OF SOUL book launch giveaway and you may win 3 nights in a vacation townhome in Kanab, Utah.(Thirty minutes from Zions.) A $450 value! (Or a $100 Amazon gift card if preferred.) 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rescued but psychologically damaged from a failed mission, ex-CIA officer Maria Branson takes the job of police chief in the quiet town of Kanab, Utah. Rest and relaxation are the doctor’s orders. She gets neither. Instead, a missing mayor, the spirit of a dead Aztec warrior, and the over-confident-yet-attractive head of Search and Rescue await her in a town whose past has almost as many secrets as her own. As Maria investigates a modern-day murder, she disturbs a world of ancient legends and deadly curses. Yet most lethal of all is Maria’s fear someone will discover just how empty her soul really is.


Available at Amazon, Smashwords, and Google Play.









Photos from some of my adventures in Kanab
A fun shot during a photo shoot for the cover.
We didn't end up using it, but just look at the background! What a settting!
Real pictographs at Moquith Mountain, one of  the
places in "Robbed of Soul."
Overlooking an amazing canyon, 20 minutes north of Kanab.

Blog Tour: CHICKEN SOUP & HOMICIDE (Culinary Competition Mystery #2) by Janel Gradowski

Synopsis

Amy Ridley and her friend, Sophie, have perfected their chicken soup recipe, and the winter-weary residents of Kellerton, Michigan can’t wait to watch them compete against other local chefs in the Chicken Soup Showdown. But the charity event starts out with a bang, literally, when one of the rival chefs falls out of a freezer and onto Amy. If it wasn’t stressful enough for Amy to catch a dead body, the detective in charge of the investigation targets her best friend, Carla, as the chief suspect in the murder.

In order to clear her friend’s name, Amy does her own investigating. The problem is nobody liked the arrogant murdered celebrity chef, and soon her suspect list is longer than the list of ingredients in her secret chicken soup recipe. Can Amy figure out who killed the celebrity chef? Or will Carla be spending the spring in jail?

Review

 A cooking contest with benefits to various charities sets the stage for Amy to find - or more accurately be found by - the body of Chef Britton. Other than the interference with the cook-off, nobody seems particularly upset that this man is dead.  In fact, there are lots of people with motive, so why is the new detective targeting Carla as the prime suspect? One things for sure, Amy will do her best to identify the real killer, or at least generate a healthy list of suspects, in order to help her friend.  The whodunit is the major plot and several well-well-integrated subplots. The characters are unique, but likable without being saints. As the main character, Amy has depth and humanity - someone you'd like as a friend or partner. CHICKEN SOUP & HOMICIDE is the second in the Culinary Competition Mystery series, but it can be read as a stand alone. PIES AND PERIL is the first in the series. As in the first, CHICKEN SOUP & HOMICIDE includes recipes as an added to bonus to a fun read!  

About Janel Gradowski
Janel Gradowski lives in a land that looks like a cold weather fashion accessory, the mitten-shaped state of Michigan. She is a wife and mom to two kids and one Golden Retriever. Her journey to becoming an author is littered with odd jobs like renting apartments to college students and programming commercials for an AM radio station. Somewhere along the way she also became a beadwork designer and teacher. She enjoys cooking recipes found in her formidable cookbook and culinary fiction collection. Searching for unique treasures at art fairs, flea markets and thrift stores is also a favorite pastime. Coffee is an essential part of her life. She writes the Culinary Competition Mystery Series, along with The Bartonville Series (women’s fiction) and the 6:1 Series (flash fiction). She has also had many short stories published in both online and print publications.
Author Social Media Links/Profile:

Website: http://www.JanelGradowski.com

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Chicken Soup & Homicide Purchase Links:

AMAZON

Barnes & Noble

iBooks

Kobo

Smashwords

Let’s Party Giveaway:

http://www.janelgradowski.com/2015/02/22/lets-party-giveaway/

Excerpt from Chicken Soup & Homicide:

“We can work on that prep table.” Sophie’s voice echoed a bit as she pointed to one of several stainless steel-topped tables in the cavernous kitchen space. “I’ll round up some tools for us.”

Other than adding the access door, nothing really needed to be done to the former bakery’s kitchen. Elliot Maxson had been a super neat control freak, so all of the appliances and work areas were spotless and in working order when he sold the bakery before retiring. The giant industrial ovens made the original coffee shop’s single convection oven seem like an Easy Bake Oven. Amy began arranging the loaves of bread, jars of nut butters, and pints of jams on the table while Sophie laid out cutting boards, bread knives, and spreaders.

“We should be able to get quite a few sandwiches out of each loaf if I cut the slices thin enough.” Amy plucked at the end of the plastic wrap on the coconut bread. The sweet scent was a little bit of tropical heaven in the middle of the cold Michigan winter. “I’m going to use cashew butter and pineapple jam with this, sort of like a piña colada.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Sophie said as she examined the labels on the jars. “You’ve done great coming up with all of these. I can’t wait to see what they taste like. I think I’ll go for sunflower seed butter with tomato jam on the rosemary bread.”

“Yum. I was hoping you would like my idea of savory PB and J.” Amy had bought jars of every kind of nut butter she could find at Columbo’s Market, from the standard peanut to soy bean. Then she scoured her cookbooks for unique jams and preserves, coming up with everything from a dried-apricot spread to whiskey-onion marmalade. The hardest part had been narrowing down all of the choices into half a dozen of each sandwich item. There were only so many samples they could eat at one time. It would take at least three test sessions to get through all of the culinary ideas she had unearthed in her cookbook-reading binge.

Soon all of the loaves of bread were sliced and small offset spatulas were stuck into every jar. Sophie had a notebook to jot down all of the combinations along with their tasting notes. Just setting up the ingredients seemed to have put Sophie in a better mood.

“Let’s make some incredible sandwiches.” Amy fist bumped Sophie. Maybe the gesture was a bit over the top for the circumstances, but it made her friend smile. “Lunchbox gourmet. Here we come.”

“You know, I kind of like that term. Would you mind if I poached if from you? Maybe I could make that a category on the café menus.”

“Go right ahead.” Amy swiped bacon jam on a slice of banana bread. Peanut butter was already spread on the other half of the sandwich. It would be her homage to Elvis Presley. “I think that’s what consultants are supposed to do anyway—give clients ideas.”

She would’ve happily helped with the new menu for free, as a friend, but Sophie had insisted on putting her on the payroll as a recipe consultant. The new title was snazzy, but it also came complete with a giant helping of apprehension that settled in her stomach like greasy mac and cheese. People with no formal chef training didn’t deserve to be consultants, did they? It was the equivalent of an unemployed geek who spent twenty hours a day playing first-person shooter video games in his parents’ basement being hired as a security specialist.

BLOG TOUR: FLAMENCO, FLAN, AND FATALITIES by Mary McHugh

Synopsis
Murder is nothing to tap at. . . The high-kicking Happy Hoofers--Tina, Janice, Pat, Mary Louise, and Gini--have been booked to flaunt their fabulous flamenco footwork on a luxury train ride through northern Spain. But when a blowhard talk show host is found deader than four-day-old flan--with Gini as suspect numero uno--the feisty friends waste no time stepping into their sleuthing shoes to protect one of their own. The dynamite dancers will have to step up their game before a clever killer brings the curtain down on one of them . . . for good! Includes Photo Tips And Tasty Recipes

Review
A train ride through southern Spain has more excitement than planned for Gini and the Happy Hoofers when the mouthy, obnoxious, ultra right-wing talk show host is poisoned. Like any "closed room" mystery, everyone on board is considered a suspect.  The train is stopped and the inspector, Javier, interviews everyone. The big problem?  The talk show host has only one fan on the train and several were heard to mutter or yell, "I'll kill him!" including Gini. 

Gini talks to the various people on board, including the mother with her son in a wheel chair, the mother whose son suffers from depression, and the two gay men who own a restaurant, the bartender, the blonde bimbo who was traveling with the talk show host, and of course, the only one fan, Dorah. Then there's a second murder. 

The main plot is well-developed with Gini's sleuthing placing her predictably at risk, but almost necessary as Javier is smitten with Janice. He breaks many rules including taking some of the Happy Hoofers off the train to see the sights. Each of the Hoofers has their own subplot or story, each unique. The characters have depth with unique characteristics and conflicts. The sub themes related to attitudes toward gay marriage, individuals with physical and sensory disabilities, and those who suffer from depression or other mental illness are timely. Descriptions of parts of Spain, the various dances (including to New York, New York), recipes and photo tips are interspersed as well.

This is the second book in the Happy Hoofers Mystery series, but it can be read alone. CHORUS LINES, CAVIAR, AND CORPSES (Happy Hoofers Mystery Book 1) is now on my TBR pile. I hope to get to it before the next one (available for pre-order) - CANCAN, CROISSANTS, AND CASKETS (Happy Hoofers Mystery Book 3) comes out in August 2015. 

About This Author
Mary McHugh graduated from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, with a B.A. in English Literature and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She is the author of nineteen nonfiction books and two novels. She was a contributing editor for Cosmopolitan, an articles editor at Woman’s World, Travel Holiday, and Bridal Guide, and has written articles for The New York Times, Good Housekeeping and Family Circle.She loves to tap dance and to travel -two passions that inspired her to write the Happy Hoofers series.She lives in the New York area.   

Author Links 
WebPage: http://marymchugh.org/index.html 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.mchugh.77 

Purchase Links Amazon B&N Book Depository Kobo Google Play 

Guest Post: MAGGIE KING Author of MURDER AT THE BOOK GROUP

I'm pleased to welcome Maggie King as my guest today. She is sharing information about the book group as well as her debut mystery MURDER AT THE BOOK GROUP.  Thank you Maggie for joining us.

Murder on Tour
Murder on Tour is the name of the book group at the center of my debut mystery, Murder at the Book Group. As reading and traveling are my two favorite activities, it’s no surprise that my fictitious characters share my passion. For me, half the pleasure of traveling is reading crime stories set in my destination spot.

Before visiting Ireland I read several titles by the late Bartholomew Gill whose police procedural series, set in Dublin, features quirky characters and plots. I was taken aback on finding that Mr. Gill (pseudonym for Mark C. McGarrity) was an American of Irish descent who lived in New Jersey! He did, however, earn his masters’s degree from Trinity College in Dublin.

Siren of the Waters by Michael Genelin did not prepare me for Bratislava. The author made Slovakia’s capital dark and shadowy, with danger lurking around every corner. But I got off the tour bus and saw a bright and charming city on the banks of the Danube River. Granted I was just there for two hours … did Bratislava don an appealing façade for my visit?

Finding mysteries while traveling is always a treat. At the Alexandra Book Store in Budapest I asked for a mystery by a Hungarian author. Translated, naturally (otherwise I’d be in the market for a really good dictionary!). The helpful staff directed me to a section devoted to Hungarian-translated-into-English titles. I selected Quarantine in the Grand Hotel by JenŐ RejtŐ (authentic Hungarian letter “o”), a hilarious whodunit penned in 1939. It’s a traditional English country house mystery, Hungarian style.

The Alexandra Book Store is celebrated for its magnificent ballroom turned café. I could have spent hours in this Renaissance style space, gazing at the fresco ceiling, gilded molding, and exquisite chandeliers. I enjoyed a tasty lunch that was quite reasonably priced. View this video of the café.

Juneau, Alaska boasts three independent bookstores where I could have spent days. I made it to two of them—the call of the ship, you know—Hearthside Books and Rainy Retreat Books. The friendly proprietors recommended works by Alaskan authors Sue Henry and John Straley.

Back to the Murder on Tour group: in chapter one the group gathers to “travel” the state of Florida. Soon-to-be victim Carlene Arness is pitching a fit about the poor writing that pervades Murder in the Keys by an Annette with a last name containing a string of consonants. Out of respect for my fellow authors, I made up this title and kept the author name vague. I hope and pray that an Annette with a consonant-laden last name doesn’t up and publish such a title.

The other selections are shared without drama or author maligning. Among them are The Paperboy by Pete Dexter, the dark story of a Florida newspaper family during the late sixties; Raymond Chandler’s classic Key Largo; and A Deep Blue Good-By, the first in John MacDonald’s color-coded series. Due to my runaway word count, works by Carl Hiaasen, Nancy J. Cohen, Elaine Viets, and Edna Buchanan ended up on the cutting room floor, to borrow film parlance.

Bon voyage and happy reading!

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My favorite resource for travel reading ideas is the Stop You’re Killing Me! Location index. SYKM is a mega database that lets you hunt down mystery authors by location, anywhere in the world.

Bio

Maggie King is the author of Murder at the Book Group, published in 2014 by Simon and Schuster. She contributed the short story, “A Not So Genteel Murder,” in the Virginia is for Mysteries anthology. Maggie is a member of Sisters in Crime and the American Association of University Women. She has worked as a software developer, retail sales manager, and customer service supervisor.

Maggie graduated from Elizabeth Seton College and earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has called New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California home. These days she lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, Glen, and cats, Morris and Olive.

Visit Maggie’s web site at www.maggie.king.

Synopsis

Nothing can kill a good book group discussion like cold-blooded murder. Especially when the victim is one of the group’s own. Cyanide is the topic du jour for the mystery fanatics of Murder on Tour, but for their poor hostess, Carlene Arness—who just published her own whodunit—it makes for a surprise ending. One minute, Carlene is speaking animatedly about featuring the poison in her new book. The next, she’s slumped over in a chair, dead from a sip of tea. Did the writer take her research too far? Or did one of the group’s members take a love of true crime to the extreme?


Founding member Hazel Rose is rounding up suspects. Any of her fellow bibliophiles could be the killer. And she soon discovers that almost all of them had a motive. Even Hazel herself, whose ex-husband married Carlene, could be accused of harboring jealousy. The truth is, Carlene wasn’t just hard to read, she was also hard to like—and the scandalous secrets Hazel unearths would make Carlene’s idol, Agatha Christie, turn over in her grave.


Purchase Link  AMAZON


Sounds interesting!  Again, Maggie, thank you for sharing with us today!