Babs Hightower's Blog, page 5
July 14, 2019
Peach Clobbered: A Georgia B&B Mystery by Anna Gerard #Books #Author
Peach Clobbered:
A Georgia B&B Mystery
by Anna Gerard
About the Book
Peach Clobbered: A Georgia B&B Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Crooked Lane Books (July 9, 2019)
Hardcover
ISBN-10: 1643850067
ISBN-13: 978-1643850061
Digital ASIN: B07JMK2JRD
What’s black and white and dead all over? Georgia bed and breakfast proprietor Nina Fleet finds out when she comes across a corpse in a penguin costume.
Nina Fleet’s life ought to be as sweet as a Georgia peach. Awarded a tidy sum in her divorce, Nina retired at 41 to a historic Queen Anne house in quaint Cymbeline, GA. But Nina’s barely settled into her new B&B-to-be when a penguin shows up on her porch. Or, at least, a man wearing a penguin suit.
Harry Westcott is making ends meet as an ice cream shop’s mascot and has a letter from his great-aunt, pledging to leave him the house. Too bad that’s not what her will says. Meanwhile, the Sisters of Perpetual Poverty have lost their lease. Real estate developer Gregory Bainbridge intends to turn the convent into a golfing community, so Cymbeline’s mayor persuades Nina to take in the elderly nuns. And then Nina finds the “penguin” again, this time lying in an alley with a kitchen knife in his chest.
A peek under the beak tells Nina it’s not Harry inside the costume, but Bainbridge. What was he doing in Harry’s penguin suit? Was the developer really the intended victim, or did the culprit mean to kill Harry? Whoever is out to stop Harry from contesting the sale of his great-aunt’s house may also be after Nina, so she teams up with him to cage the killer before someone clips her wings in Peach Clobbered, Anna Gerard’s charming first Georgia B&B mystery.
Guest Post
Killing Me Slowly…
Conventional wisdom for mystery authors is that they should introduce their murder victims in the first chapter of their books. It’s even better if that corpse shows up on Page 1. And if you can manage to have your sleuth stumble over the dead guy (or gal) in the novel’s opening paragraph, you have a winning mystery novel, indeed. Or do you?
While this “quick kill” is probably a legitimate tactic for those writing thrillers or traditional mysteries, cozy mysteries are literally a different story. With its use of amateur sleuths and (usually) bucolic settings, the cozy’s emphasis is less on crime-fighting and more on characters. In fact, in my opinion cozies are more respectful of death than any suspense or thriller novel. Why?
For one thing, the murder victim is rarely a faceless, random character. Good guy or bad guy, we know him or her and are either shocked by the death, or know that the victim had it coming. As for the actual murder, it isn’t gratuitous – the killer always has a reason for why they kill, even if it may seem strange or petty in the end. Beyond all that, in a cozy there’s no escalating body count that qualifies for serial murder status. The cozy pretty much concentrates on one victim (though sometimes there’s a related second killing).
But here’s the most significant thing about murder in the cozy mystery. The killing always emotionally affects the book’s other characters…not just the victim’s immediate family, but the surrounding fictional community. The solving of the crime is an attempt to put things and lives back to normal. Unlike a thriller which can end on a downer of a note, your cozy mystery concludes with life for the sleuth returning somewhat back to the status quo.
So back to that whole first chapter/page/paragraph thing with the murder victim. Since my new Georgia B&B Mystery series is told in first person, I’ve gotten into the habit of opening my novels with my amateur sleuth explaining that a murder has been committed. From there, my story narrative backtracks in time so that we see what led up to the death.
To my mind, that’s important. Remember that I said the cozy murder victim is rarely a nameless, faceless character. For the sleuth—and the reader—to care about the victim’s death and want to see the murder solved, they have to know the victim first. And so I let the reader see the eventual corpse as a living, breathing character for a few chapters. Then, when the hammer (or knitting needle or poison or whatever) drops, the reader has a similar stake in seeing justice served.
And here’s why this slow burn to the cozy murder works…at least, in my opinion. If you’re an avid reader of blogs and reviews, you likely have heard of John Sutherland, Chairman of the 2005 Booker Prize Committee, and his Page 69 Test. The idea is to flip open any novel to page 69 and begin reading. According to Mr. Sutherland, if you find yourself drawn in by that sample, you’re bound to enjoy the book.
Since I’m the curious sort, a couple of years ago I applied this test to my own backlist of mystery novels. I was surprised to find that in all but one of the books, the murder victim was discovered anywhere from page 68 to page 73 in the story…right about at Mr. Sutherland’s “sweet spot”. Which, for readers using this test, does indeed make my murder happen within the first couple of pages read. Score one for me!
So don’t look for my sleuth to stumble over any bodies in the opening chapters of my future books. She’ll discover the victim in due time…probably on Page 69.
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About the Author
DIANE A.S. STUCKART is the New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop Mystery series (writing as Ali Brandon). She’s also the author of the award-winning Leonardo da Vinci historical mysteries, as well as several historical romances and numerous mystery, fantasy, and romance short stories. The first book in her Tarot Cats Mystery series is FOOL’S MOON, available in trade, large print, and Kindle versions. Her Georgia B&B Mystery series from Crooked Lane Books launched July 2019 with PEACH CLOBBERED, written as Anna Gerard.
Diane is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has served as the 2018 and 2019 Chapter President of the MWA Florida chapter. In addition to her mystery writing affiliations, she’s a member of the Cat Writers’ Association and belongs to the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association. She’s a native Texan with a degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma, but has been living in the West Palm Beach FL area since 2006. She shares her “almost in the Everglades” home with her husband, dogs, cats, and a few beehives. Learn more about her books at www.dianestuckart.com
Author Links
Website – www.dianestuckart.com / www.georgiabbmysteries.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/blackcatmysteries
Purchase Links
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 8 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
July 8 – 4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 9 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
July 9 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 10 – Author Teresa Watson – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 10 – Island Confidential – GUEST POST
July 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 11 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 11 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 11 – Reading Reality – REVIEW
July 12 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
July 12 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 12 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 13 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
July 13 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
July 14 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 14 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 15 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
July 15 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 16 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 17 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
July 17 – Books Direct – SPOTLIGHT
July 17 – I’m All About Books – REVIEW
July 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
July 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 19 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
July 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
The post Peach Clobbered: A Georgia B&B Mystery by Anna Gerard #Books #Author appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
July 13, 2019
Left Fur Dead (A Jules & Bun Mystery) by J.M. Griffin #Books #Author
Left Fur Dead
(A Jules & Bun Mystery)
by J.M. Griffin
About the Book
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Left Fur Dead (A Jules & Bun Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (June 25, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1496720571
ISBN-13: 978-1496720573
Digital ASIN: B07HVS38YB
On Fur Bridge Farm, Jules cares for rescued rabbits. But when a killer strikes, she’ll need a rabbit to rescue her . . .
Juliette “Jules” Bridge prides herself on the tender rehabilitation she provides for injured or abused rabbits on her New Hampshire rescue farm, but she has a very special relationship with one bunny in particular. Bun is a black-and-white rabbit who happens to have the ability to communicate through mental telepathy. Once she got over the shock, Jules found her furry friend had a lot to say.
One frigid March morning on their walk together, Bun spots a body. The police identify the frozen stiff as Arthur Freeman, aka Arty the Mime. Jules and Arty knew each other on the children’s party circuit, where he’d perform magic tricks and she had an educational rabbit petting pen. With Bun egging her on, Jules decides it’s time they hop to it and put their heads together to discover who silenced the mime. But their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole of more suspects and lies, while a killer sets a trap for them . . .
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About the Author
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J. M. Griffin is the bestselling cozy mystery author of sixteen novels, including the Vinnie Esposito series. She lives in rural Rhode Island with her husband and two very mysterious cats. Visit her at jm-griffin.com.
Author Links
Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound
The post Left Fur Dead (A Jules & Bun Mystery) by J.M. Griffin #Books #Author appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
July 12, 2019
No More Time (A Dodie O’Dell Mystery) by Suzanne Trauth #Books #Author
No More Time
(A Dodie O’Dell Mystery)
by Suzanne Trauth
About The Book
No More Time (A Dodie O’Dell Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Lyrical Underground (July 23, 2019)
Paperback: 214 pages
ISBN-10: 1516107241
ISBN-13: 978-1516107247
Digital ASIN: B07JYQD61M
DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY
Restaurant manager Dodie O’Dell has found her niche in the cozy New Jersey town of Etonville, creating menus that make a delicious double-act with the community theater’s productions. Now she’s ready for a vacation at the Jersey Shore town she called home before a hurricane hit. Sun, salty air, and seagulls make for a nostalgic escape from regular life—until a contingent from Etonville arrives to compete in a Jersey Shore theater festival.
Roped into helping her former boss cater the event, Dodie also gets a visit from her old flame, Jackson, who’s hoping to revive his charter boat business and is looking for a place to crash. Before Dodie can tell him that ship has sailed, Jackson’s partner is found murdered on his boat. Dodie knows her ex is a mooch, but she’s sure he’s no killer. But as she follows a trail of evidence that leads into her own past, Dodie stumbles on a dangerous conspiracy theory that could bring the festival to a shocking finale…
Guest Post
As I sit at my desk on a lovely, early summer afternoon, I am already contemplating some time down the Jersey Shore in the next couple of months. I can’t wait for the sun, sand, salt air, and seagulls… Being from the Midwest, I grew up in a state far away from the ocean. Summer water sports happened either at a lake an hour away or at the neighborhood swimming pool. Both of which were fun, but not the shore! Since moving to New Jersey decades ago, I have become an avid ocean devotee. There’s nothing like slathering on the suntan lotion, digging your toes in the sand, absorbing the heat beating on your skin while the sun rises higher in the sky.
As Dodie says in No More Time, the upcoming novel in the Dodie O’Dell mystery series, after a day on the beach, “…the night was warm and sensuous…every muscle in my body limp, my skin tingling from the heat of sunbathing, my mind dull and woozy. This was my kind of vacation, spending a holiday at the shore, basking in the sun, indulging my passion for seafood, not a care in the world, no responsibilities to assume…” I couldn’t agree more.
But even the Jersey Shore has its options. Having spent vacations at a variety of New Jersey beach locations, here are three that offer a range of summer fun. Cape May is an old town with a pristine beach, beautiful Victorian homes, a famous lighthouse, quaint streets and shops, and fabulous restaurants. A quieter and more stately version of the Shore, the entire city has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Sitting at the southern tip of New Jersey, it is one of the oldest vacation resorts in the nation. In recent years Cape May was ranked one of the best beaches on the Middle Atlantic coast.
And then there’s Avon-by-the-Sea. Besides loving the name of this shore town, I have fond memories of a family reunion in this city, more residential than its brighter, brasher neighbors. Surrounded by three bodies of water—a lake, a river, and the ocean—Avon has a non-commercial boardwalk, great for late afternoon strolls, a clean beach, and a leisurely, old-fashioned charm.
However, my current favorite Jersey Shore town is Point Pleasant Beach. Sure, it has a bustling boardwalk with restaurants, tiki bars, a game arcade, and an aquarium; a beautiful, expansive beach with easy access to the boardwalk; its own range of seafood restaurants, both high-end and casual; and evening fireworks and concerts on the beach. But most importantly, it is the basis for No More Time’s fictional Candle Beach.
When I decided to set the fifth Dodie O’Dell mystery in Candle Beach, the Shore town where Dodie grew up, there was no question it would be based on “Point Pleasant Beach.” Not only is PPB one of my favorite beach locations, it also suggests the kind of setting that would allow Dodie to spend time schmoozing with her old boss at a new restaurant on the boardwalk, provide her with easy access to a marina where some scenes of the book are set, and give her an arcade to complicate the mystery. Point Pleasant Beach was hard hit by 2012’s Hurricane Sandy, as was my fictional Candle Beach: Sandy was the storm that drove Dodie north to Etonville to manage the Windjammer restaurant and start a new life.
Besides, PPB has a town park that inspired me to create a gazebo and a renovated-barn-turned-theater that hosts the Candle Beach New Jersey Community Theater Festival. What’s that about a theater festival, you ask? No spoiler alerts here. You’ll have to check out No More Time to find the answer.
Maybe while you’re sitting on a beach somewhere… happy reading!
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About the Author
Suzanne Trauth, Harvard Studio, Montclair, NJ. 06/27/2014 Photo by Steve Hockstein/HarvardStudio.com
Suzanne Trauth is a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and a former theatre professor at a university. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, the Dramatists Guild, and League of Professional Theatre Women. When she is not writing, Suzanne coaches actors and serves as a celebrant performing wedding ceremonies. She lives in Woodland Park, New Jersey.
Author Links
Webpage: www.suzannetrauth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuzanneTrauth/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuzanneMTrauth
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6187623.Suzanne_M_Trauth
Purchase Links
Excerpt
By noon we were both hot and famished. I suggested a break from the sun at the tiki bar and we gathered our beach gear and trudged through the sand to the Polynesian music. We were halfway through our bucket of steamed clams when an elderly twosome at a table next to ours gasped in shock. We couldn’t help noticing.
“Is everything okay?” I asked gently.
The woman’s head bobbled and her wide-brimmed sunhat swung from side to side. She picked up the newspaper she’d been reading, the Candle Beach Courier, a local rag, and shoved the front page at us. “He was such a nice boy. We knew his parents years ago.”
I smiled sympathetically and scanned the sheet. Then I gasped.
“Dodie, what’s the matter?” Lola said.
“Were you acquainted with him too?” the woman asked.
I nodded numbly. Was I ever. The headline read LOCAL MAN DEAD. Underneath was a photo of the victim: It was Vinnie C. I rotated the paper so Lola could see the front page. “It’s him,” I said hoarsely.
Lola blinked. “Vincent Carcherelli,” she read.
I scanned the story. Apparently his body had been washed up on the beach sometime overnight and was discovered by a jogger early today in time to make the mid-morning edition. The police were calling it a drowning and speculating that he’d fallen off his boat, The Bounty, which had drifted half a mile off the shoreline. No foul play suspected at the moment but the investigation was ongoing.
I offered to return the newspaper but the couple refused to accept it, saying the story was too upsetting. They picked up their bill and left.
“Wow. What a coincidence. We were talking about how Jackson saw him yesterday …” Lola stopped. A light bulb went on. “The police will want to speak with Jackson. He might have been one of the last people to see Vinnie alive.”
It was Lola’s last word that brought me up short: alive. Jackson had been steamed during that meeting on the boardwalk. Did he know anything about Vinnie’s last hours? If Bill were here he’d tell me to mind my own business, let Jackson alone, let the police determine the actual cause of death. Bill was right, of course. But something about the whole event didn’t sit right with me. Why did Jackson lie about what happened when he met Vinnie?
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 9 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
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July 20 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 21 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW, INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
July 22 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT
July 22 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
The post No More Time (A Dodie O’Dell Mystery) by Suzanne Trauth #Books #Author appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
July 11, 2019
Deadline with Death (Time-Slip Mysteries) by Zara Keane #Books #Author
Deadline with Death
(Time-Slip Mysteries)
by Zara Keane
About the Book
Deadline with Death (Time-Slip Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Beaverstone Press (June 21, 2019)
Number of Pages: ~ 320
Book is not up on Amazon or GoodReads yet.
Dee Flanagan loves Irish history, bad rom-coms, and red lipstick. Dead clowns, injured time travelers, and shootouts don’t make it onto the small town reporter’s Top Ten list. After the bullets stop flying in Dunleagh Castle’s courtyard, it’s up to Dee to convince people she didn’t imagine a gunfight played out between two centuries. With the body count rising, and no one willing to believe Dee’s time travel theory, she’s forced to team up with a man who’s either a bona fide fruit cake or a police officer from the year 1919. Using her expert knowledge of the Irish War of Independence, Dee sets out to solve a century-old crime, plus a modern-day murder.
Guest Post
CASTLES AND STORYTELLING — ZARA KEANE
I have a thing about castles…
I grew up in Ireland, and we have a lot of castles. Some are ruins. Others are open to tourists. A few serve a functional purpose in the present day. One of my earliest memories is of sitting on the throne at Dublin Castle, a treat courtesy of my mother’s friend, who worked there as a tour guide. I’ve visited many castles since then, in Ireland and abroad, and each is unique.
When I started brainstorming ideas for a time travel mystery, I knew I wanted a castle to be a central location in the book. Apart from my interest in history, the complex layout of a castle that’s been extended and renovated over the centuries lends itself nicely to a mystery. Dungeons, secret passages, and trap doors have plenty of potential for peril and intrigue.
I used a couple of real castles as jumping off points when creating fictional Dunleagh Castle, specifically Kilkenny Castle and Dublin Castle. I love how Dublin Castle is both a tourist attraction and a place of relevance in the present day (several offices of the Irish Civil Service and police force are based there). I wanted to capture a feeling of past and present intersecting in my story. In addition to hosting tours, Dunleagh Castle houses the mayor’s office, the local newspaper, a café, and a museum. This allows me to have a core group of characters on site, as well as regular influxes of tourists and other visitors.
In Deadline with Death, a lot of the action happens at the castle. Dee, the main character, is a reporter for the newspaper that has its offices in one of the towers. The murder that sets the story in motion occurs in the castle courtyard. The time portal used by the book’s time traveler is located within the castle walls.
For a time travel mystery, a castle seems the perfect place for a clash between the past and the present. In addition to following my characters’ journeys throughout the series, Dunleagh Castle has its own story to tell. Deadline with Death was a blast to write. I hope you enjoy Dee’s first time travel mystery!
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About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Zara Keane grew up in Dublin, Ireland, but spent her summers in a small town very similar to the fictional Ballybeg and Smuggler’s Cove.
She currently lives in Switzerland with her family. When she’s not writing or wrestling small people, she drinks far too much coffee, and tries – with occasional success – to resist the siren call of Swiss chocolate.
Author Links
My Website: https://zarakeane.com/
My Newsletter: https://zarakeane.com/newsletter/
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ballybegbelles/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zarakeaneauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zarakeaneauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7729304.Zara_Keane
Purchase Links: Coming Soon!
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 10 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 10 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
July 11 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 11 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 12 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
July 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 14 – Author Teresa Watson – REVIEW,
July 15 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
July 16 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
July 17 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 18 – I’m All About Books – REVIEW
July 18 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 19 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 19 – ebook addicts – REVIEW
July 20 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
July 21 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 21 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
July 22 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
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July 23 – Author Teresa Watson – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
The post Deadline with Death (Time-Slip Mysteries) by Zara Keane #Books #Author appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
July 10, 2019
Reunited with the Cowboy by Claire McEwen and book review #Books #Author
On Tour with Prism Book Tours
Reunited with the Cowboy
(Heroes of Shelter Creek #1)
By Claire McEwen
Adult Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
July 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming
She can save his ranch…
But can he forgive her?
Maya Burton knows she’s the last person rancher Caleb Dunne wants to see. After all, she survived the crash that killed his sister, and then left town. Now she has to convince the stubborn cowboy that she can help him save his ranch. But once she earns his trust—and his heart—will she be able to walk away?
Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Harlequin │iBooks │Kobo
About the Author
Claire McEwen writes stories about strong heroes and heroines who take big, emotional journeys to find their happily-ever-after. She lives by the ocean in Northern California with her family and a scruffy, mischievous terrier. When she’s not writing, Claire enjoys gardening, reading and discovering flea-market treasures. She loves to hear from readers! You can find her on most social media and at www.clairemcewen.com.
Website│Goodreads│BookBub │ Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest │ Instagram
Tour Schedule
Tour Giveaway
1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card
Open internationally
Ends July 24, 2019
My thoughts:
Maya is headed home as she thinks something is wrong with her grandmother. The last place she wants to be but she has to do it. Being a biologist a short term assignment has helped to bring her back.
Called Dunne and Maya were high school sweet hearts that was until Julie was killed with Maya in an accident. Caleb is devastated by the loss of his sister and turns on Maya calling her names even murderer. Returning from the military they are both back home.
Once they meet it all starts over again…They try to overcome the past and return Bar D ranch (Caleb’s ranch) back into one of the finest in the area after it has fallen onto hard times since Julie’s death.
A enjoyed the story and characters. It was nice to see both of them come to terms with what happened and try to work together to make the right things happen. A clean romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The post Reunited with the Cowboy by Claire McEwen and book review #Books #Author appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
Murder’s No Votive Confidence (Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery) by Christin Brecher #Books #Author
Murder’s No Votive Confidence
(Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery)
by Christin Brecher
About the Book
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Murder’s No Votive Confidence (Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (June 25, 2019)
ISBN-10: 149672139X
ISBN-13: 978-1496721396
Digital ASIN: B07HVYJNRD
Nantucket candle store owner Stella Wright specializes in creating unique candles for every occasion. But someone sets the stage for murder when a Memorial Day celebration becomes a wedding to die for . . .
Jessica Sterling’s candlelight-themed nuptials promises to be the perfect kick-off to the summer’s first official holiday weekend. Stella’s thrilled to have been chosen to provide the decorative centerpiece for the wedding ceremony: a two-foot-tall scented unity candle—a symbol of the happy couple’s love. But it looks like the bride-to-be’s uncle won’t be walking his niece down the aisle after he’s found dead. The murder weapon is Stella’s seemingly indestructible candle, now split in two.
When a beloved local bartender is arrested, Stella’s sure a visiting police captain running the case made a rush to justice. With superstitious brides-to-be canceling orders and sales waxing and waning at her store, the Wick & Flame owner decides to do some sleuthing of her own. Abetted by a charming reporter and challenged by the town’s sexiest cop, Stella’s determined to shine a light on the truth and uncover a killer who’s snuffing out her own flame.
STELLA’S “CANDLES 101” WORKSHOP NOTES
WHY MAKE CANDLES?
Candles are a source of light, a symbol at celebrations, the start of a romantic night, a balm for the senses, the heart of ceremonies, and a wonderful way to make a house into a home.
THE ABC’S OF A WICK & FLAME
• A wick draws oil from a candle’s wax and holds the flame. It is usually made of soft spun threads that absorb the liquid wax while the candle is burning.
• The wax holds the wick in place and fuels the flame. The coolest thing about candles? Wax has
memory! Tip: The first time you use a candle, let the wax melt to its edges, otherwise it might refuse, yes, refuse! to melt beyond a limited surface area when you light it again.
COMMON SENSE WITH CANDLES
• A burning candle should not be used as a nightlight. If you’re feeling sleepy, blow it out!
• Keep your candle 2–3 feet from your stuff and put it on a flat, sturdy surface . . . especially if your furry friends like to stare at flames with uncanny devotion.
HOMEWORK: Spend a night by candlelight! Maybe you have a good book you want to read?
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About the Author
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Christin Brecher was born and raised in NYC, where her family and many childhood friends still reside. As such, she feels she is as much of a small-town girl as any. The idea to write the Nantucket Candle Maker series sprang from her life-long connection to the small island off the coast of Massachusetts. Spending summers there as a child, Christin read from her family’s library of mystery novels, after which she began to imagine stories inspired by the island’s whaling heyday, its notoriously foggy nights, and during long bike rides to the beach. After many years in marketing for the publishing industry, followed by years raising her children, Murder’s No Votive Confidence is Christin’s debut novel. Visit her at www.christinbrecher.com.
Author Links
Website – http://christinbrecher.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/christinbrecherbooks/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/christinbrecherbooks/
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18483379.Christin_Brecher
BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/christin-brecher
Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – BAM –
IndieBound – Hudson Booksellers – Google Play
The post Murder’s No Votive Confidence (Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery) by Christin Brecher #Books #Author appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
July 9, 2019
Out of Options: A Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries by Dianne Ascroft #Books #Author
Out of Options:
A Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries
by Dianne Ascroft
About the Book
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Out of Options: A Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries
Cozy Mystery
Prequel Novella
Independently Published (April 28, 2019)
Paperback: 126 pages
ISBN-10: 1096163373
ISBN-13: 978-1096163374
Digital ASIN: B07R4GQWQN
Out of Options is a prequel novella to the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series, and introduces Lois Stone and her companions, Raggs and Ribbons, a pair of perceptive calico cats.
A dry district, a shocking secret, a missing person. When Lois Stone’s friend, Beth Darrow, arranges to meet her to reveal an astonishing discovery, Lois’s curiosity is piqued. Then Beth doesn’t keep their lunch date and Lois becomes worried. What has happened to her friend?
Middle-aged widow Lois is settling into life on her own in her neighbourhood and in the library where she works, and she is just about coping with her fear of strangers after her husband was mugged and died in the park at the end of their street. But her quiet existence is rocked when her friend and fellow local historical society researcher, Beth, arranges to meet her to reveal an exciting and shocking discovery she has made about the history of prohibition in West Toronto Junction, the last dry area in Toronto, and then goes missing before she can share her secret with Lois. There isn’t any proof that Beth is missing so the police won’t actively search for her. Only Lois and Beth’s niece Amy are convinced that Beth’s disappearance is very out of character, and they are worried about her. Where has Beth gone? Is she in danger? And, if she is, who might want to harm her and why? Lois knows she must find the answers to these questions fast if she wants to help and protect her friend.
And so begins a weekend of skulking in the park, apple and cinnamon pancakes, familiar faces staring out of old newspapers, calico cats, shadows on the windowpane, and more than one person who might want Beth to disappear from the quiet, leafy streets of the historic and staunchly dry West Toronto Junction neighbourhood.
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About the Author
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Dianne Ascroft is a Torontonian who has settled in rural Northern Ireland. She and her husband live on a small farm with an assortment of strong-willed animals.
She is currently writing the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. Out of Options is a prequel to the series.
Her previous fiction works include The Yankee Years series of novels and short reads, set in Northern Ireland during the Second World War; An Unbidden Visitor (a tale inspired by Fermanagh’s famous Coonian ghost); Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves: A Collection of Short Stories (contemporary tales), and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, which explores Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross humanitarian endeavour.
Dianne writes both fiction and non-fiction. Her articles and short stories have been printed in Canadian and Irish magazines and newspapers. When she’s not writing, she enjoys walks in the countryside, evenings in front of her open fireplace and folk and traditional music.
Author Links
Website: http://http://www.dianneascroft.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter
Twitter: @DianneAscroft
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1357575.Dianne_Ascroft
Newsletter Sign up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y1k5c3
Purchase Links:
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July 7, 2019
Guilty as Charred (A Cook-Off Mystery) by Devon Delaney
Guilty as Charred
(A Cook-Off Mystery)
by Devon Delaney
About the Book
Guilty as Charred (A Cook-Off Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Kensington (June 25, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1496714474
ISBN-13: 978-1496714473
Digital ASIN: B07HVYY7KN
Sherry Oliveri has attained celebrity status after winning the America’s Good Taste Recipe Contest with her delectable New England Crab Cake Sliders. But now that she’s back home in Connecticut, she’s got to deal with something else fishy . . .
Sherry’s making a guest appearance on a local radio show when the news comes in: Poppy Robinson has been found dead in the town’s community garden. Sherry was supposed to be taking questions about her win in the national cooking competition, but instead the callers start dishing dirt.
Poppy and Sherry were both involved in the vegetable garden, and while Poppy may have been a bit priggish, it wasn’t anything that called for a shovel to the back of the head. There was already trouble brewing, with the owner of the land threatening to renege on their agreement, and this murder has taken tensions to a new level. Now while Sherry’s organizing a Fourth of July cook-off event, she’s also got a murder investigation on her plate . . .
Includes Recipes from Sherry’s Kitchen!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
Devon Delaney is a wife, mother of three, accomplished cooking contester, recent empty nester, and lifelong resident of the Northeast. She has been handsomely rewarded for her recipe innovation over the last twenty-plus years, including a full kitchen of major appliances, top cash prizes, and four trips to Disney World. She has also won the Grand Prize in a national writing contest for her “foodie” poem “Ode to Pork Passion.”
Check out Devon’s website at: www.devonpdelaney.com and find her on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/devonpdelaney/
Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 8 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT
July 8 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
July 8 – Author Teresa Watson – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 9 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 9 – Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting – REVIEW
July 9 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 10 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 10 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 10 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
July 11 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
July 11 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW, EXCERPT
July 11 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 12 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
July 12 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
July 12 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT
July 13 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 13 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
July 13 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 14 – Handcrafted Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 14 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
July 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
July 15 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
July 16 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 16 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, RECIPE
July 16 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
July 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
July 17 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
The post Guilty as Charred (A Cook-Off Mystery) by Devon Delaney appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
July 2, 2019
The Catnapped Lover by Rue Allyn Blog tour
Excerpt
Balancing an armload of mail, an overloaded briefcase, and a gym bag with two yogurt cups teetering on top, Dierdre Clancy rushed to her cubicle. For the fourth time this week, and the umpteenth time this month, she was late. Once again, a power outage in the decrepit apartment building where she lived had caused her alarm clock to fail.
Please, Lord, don’t let my chauvinist pig of a boss realize I’ve been missing.
The yogurt cups threatened to topple off the gym bag. Dierdre wasn’t about to let her lunch decorate the linoleum. The mail showered to the floor. The briefcase hit her foot. With her free hand, she plastered the cups to her side. The gym bag slid down her arm. The webbed strap twisted, tourniquet style, around her wrist.
She managed a couple of sideways hops that brought her to the edge of her desk. The gym bag swung wildly. Leaning against the arm weighed down by the bag’s stranglehold, she managed to dump the yogurt cups onto the desk without mishap. She pulled herself upright and reached for the strap at her wrist.
Somehow, during all the hopping, the bag had swung around her legs and gotten wedged in the narrow space between her desk and file cabinet. The same strap that cut off circulation to her hand pressed into the backs of her knees, pinning her neatly to the desk. Only an act of extreme dexterity could save her from her own folly. Imbecile, why didn’t you make two trips?
Because I didn’t want to risk having the boss see me coming in late.
“Clancy! You’re late.”
Dierdre’s heart hit the ceiling. She knew the shout—a cross between an operatic tenor and a pig at slaughter. Still, she hadn’t been prepared to hear her boss’s screeching quite so soon.
*Buy Links: Not currently available
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Hero Bio: Adam Talcott was born rich. He went into business with his best friend from college and made even more millions. His methods may be unorthodox, but he nearly always succeeds. Now he’s been challenged to live for two months without any of the privileges and resources he’s known all his life. Adam is confident that he can conquer this challenge as he has all others. But he didn’t count on Dierdre Clancy and that danged cat.
Heroine Bio: Dierdre Clancy grew up in a family of givers. Her parents were missionaries and often too busy saving other, less privileged people to realize how lonely and abandoned Dierdre felt. When she reached her teen years, she was shipped back to the USA to live with her Aunt Shea on Shea’s rundown farm and animal shelter. Finally she was in a stable environment with an adult she could count on. Dierdre went on to gain a degree in social work and took up the Clancy family tradition of helping others. Most of the time helping others was easy. But Adam Talcott broke that mold and every other box she tried to put him into. How could one man be so difficult to manage?
Hi, I’m Rue Allyn, I write heart melting romance novels. Books about characters and adventures in which love triumphs at the darkest moment. The kind of hopeful, steal-your-breath romance that melts a reader’s heart. The type of book I like to read. Hope you will too.
Freebie~~Get a FREE download of Rue Allyn’s May 2019 release Forever Hold My Heart, a Scottish historical novella. Just sign up for her newsletter here https://www.rueallyn.com/ravonsubscribe/.
Rue Allyn’s Social Media
Rue’s Website: https://RueAllyn.com
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RueAllynFriends
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