Nancy J. Cohen's Blog: Nancy's Notes from Florida, page 2

Book Reviews Historical Mysteries Aug2025

Historical mysteries are attractive because they combine the elements of a historical setting with a murder mystery, and the sleuth or detectives can only use the crime-solving means available to them at the time. Depending on the level of detail, these stories can be educational as well as entertaining. Here are some book recommendations from my recent reads:

Murder at Arleigh by Alyssa Maxwell (Coming Aug. 26, 2025)
Book #13 in the Gilded Newport Mysteries

Emma Andrews, a reporter and distant relative to the Vanderbilts, can’t resist when her friend Bessie Lehr, a member of Newport society’s elite Four Hundred, pleads for her help. Bessie believes her husband Harry is trying to kill her. She’s escaped several attempts on her life, thanks to her maid’s fortuitous assistance. Unable to refuse a friend, Emma gets on the case along with her husband, Derrick. A bit of digging reveals that Harry has some shady friends. And as Emma gets closer to solving the case, she risks making herself the next target. A puzzling plot, distinctive characters and a unique setting blend into a suspenseful tale that will keep you guessing until the end. I had no idea whodunit until the final reveal.

Bloody Lessons by M. Louisa Locke
Book #3 in the Victorian San Francisco Mysteries

Laura, a young schoolteacher and Nate’s sister, is staying at Annie’s boarding house. She is worried about her friend Hattie, who resigned her teaching position and moved to a shabby location after becoming engaged to Mr. Russell. But when Laura and Annie go to check up on her, they discover Hattie has fallen down the stairs and is seriously injured. Hattie’s death reveals a secret that not even her fiancé knew. Then Laura is attacked in the alley behind Annie’s boarding house. Could this be related to Hattie’s case? Laura, Annie and Nate (Annie’s lawyer boyfriend) launch an investigation that involves Hattie’s friends, school board members, and staff at the school where the women teach. Meanwhile, Annie has to decide what she wants for her future going forward. “Bloody Lessons” is a twisty tale of mystery and intrigue in early San Francisco.

The Washashore by Marshall Highet and Bird Jones

When Emily arrives on Martha’s Vineyard from the Midwest to live with her Aunt Isabel, the orphaned teen has no idea dark currents swim beneath the teas and fancy manners of East Coast high society. It’s 1929 and Prohibition is in effect, stirring business for the rumrunners off the coast. Nobody bats an eye when fishermen make a few extra bucks, but after the Mob moves in, things take a dangerous turn. Then Isabel’s friend Ann, a reporter, goes missing. With dawning horror, Emily realizes her aunt might be right about someone murdering Ann. Not knowing who to trust among her new acquaintances, Emily uses the wits and grit she’d learned growing up on a farm to defy the thugs moving into town, even if she puts herself in dire peril.

“The Washashore” is a heartwarming tale of a girl yearning to find a new home while she discovers her own courage and determination. Emily’s emotional journey, along with wonderfully described settings, will stick in your memory long after you turn the last page. A poignant tale of loss, renewal, and discovery, this suspenseful murder mystery will keep you reading into the night.

Murphy’s Law by Rhys Bowen
Book #1 in the Molly Murphy Mysteries

Molly committed a crime in her native Ireland, and now she must flee. Desperate to hide from the authorities, she encounters Kathleen, a woman with two children who has tickets on a ship to America. But Kathleen confides to Molly that she’s too ill to make the trip. Can Molly take her place and see the children safely abroad to their father? Molly accepts, surviving the passage and looking after the kids who go along with the ruse believing their mother will follow. But while being processed at Ellis Island with other immigrants, Molly becomes involved when a man is murdered. From Irish patriots to New York gangsters and politicians, she has no one to trust except for Captain Daniel Sullivan from the New York City Police… except he considers her a suspect. If she wants to clear her name, she must find the real killer before they realize she’s on their trail. Steeped in exquisite details of a bygone era, this story sweeps you into its embrace and doesn’t let go until the end. Murphy’s Law offers a fascinating glimpse into times long past and into the challenges facing our ancestors. If you like historical mysteries, pick this one up now but be prepared to get hooked on the series.

A Fiancée’s Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman
Book #4 in the Countess of Harleigh Mysteries

Frances, widow to the late Earl of Harleigh, is engaged to her neighbor, George Hazelton. When a French woman shows up at her door claiming to be George’s wife, Frances knows it can’t be true. She ends up hosting the woman at her estate until she’s found dead, strangled in the garden. Unfortunately, a few steps away is the entrance to George’s house, and the police immediately suspect him of murdering his alleged wife. Meanwhile, any hint of scandal will ruin Frances’s reputation. She must find the real killer to clear her fiancé’s name and prove he wasn’t married to the victim. Suspects abound from a local theatre troupe to members of the ton to visiting Russian royalty. A fun historical mystery with a royal twist!

The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen
Book #17 in the Royal Spyness Series

Lady Georgiana Rannoch, distant relative to the British monarch, is at home preparing for the birth of her baby when she and her husband, Darcy, receive a dinner invitation to Lord Mortimer Mordred’s manor house. Their eccentric neighbor is a writer who keeps a “poison” garden in his backyard. When several guests fall ill following the meal, it’s assumed some toxic berries may have made their way into the dessert. But then Georgie’s French chef is suspected by the police, and she sets out to prove him innocent. Another delightful addition to this charming series.

GIVEAWAY

Enter Here to win two free books from Booklovers Bench in our monthly giveaway!

 

Adventure of the Seas – Nassau July2025

On the last day of our cruise on RCCL’s Adventure of the Seas, we did the Island Food and Culinary Insight Tour in Nassau, Bahamas. We had a VERY long walk down the pier in Nassau before reaching the exit. Plenty of shops are around the dock but the town’s main street and native marketplace are within an easy walk. There is a tram available for disabled folks that goes to the ship. Our ship, Adventure of the Seas, docked at the farthest berth.

Our first stop on the cruise line’s Island Food and Culinary Insight Tour shore excursion in Nassau was a coffee house where we tasted Guava Duff along with a paper cup full of iced lemon ginger tea. The guava duff was a doughy mixture with guava fruit inside and served with a vanilla rum sauce. It was tasty, but the shop had standing room only which made maneuvering difficult. Regular customers had to jostle their way through the crowd to give take-out orders at the counter. It was uncomfortable and not helped that the driver/guide only gave our head count of 26 guests after we entered. So we stood around, squashed like sardines, for fifteen minutes or so while he told stories.

  

   

 

     

Stop number two was a tea shop where we heard a brief lecture on the benefits of their herbal teas. You could buy a box with ten teabags for $16.00. A steal, right? This air-conditioned shop also had coffee beans, shot glasses and other souvenirs for sale but it seemed pricey to me. I passed up this golden opportunity to meander outside, where we could taste mixed rum drinks for free. I liked this portion and even bought a couple of small ready-made bottles to bring home. Down a slight hill in the rear, you could also taste spicy conch salad. Across the street were some interesting buildings, and our drive to the next shop took us through the town.

  

   

  

On stop number three, we sat outside at a café where there wasn’t enough seating for everyone, and it was mid-July and hot. Eventually, the server brought us a plate of 4 conch fritters covered in sauce, and no forks or napkins. Ann Meier and I shared the food and were grateful when someone brought around paper towels for us to wipe our sticky fingers and a green spiked Independence Day drink, as Nassau residents were celebrating that holiday. Although the area was covered and had ceiling fans, the tables didn’t accommodate everyone on the tour. The food was good, albeit messy. They could have been better organized bringing everything out at once.

For stop four, we drove by the water and a bunch of fishing boats toward a section with one food shack after another. We went inside at our place and found seats at a counter facing the harbor. Others squeezed into chairs at very narrow tables. Here we received a platter with two fried snapper fingers, potato salad and Cole slaw, and beans and rice. We had a choice of a lemony soda or beer. It was a good meal that we might have enjoyed more if not so crammed into the room. Our stomachs satisfied, we headed back to the ship huffing and puffing in the heat as we walked down the long pier.

 

 

 

 

Dinner was a welcome retreat at the elegant Chop’s Steakhouse specialty restaurant. I dined on jumbo shrimp cocktail, petite filet mignon, and Key lime pie for my meal. It was a delightful end to a wonderful cruise.

 

 

It’s always good to arrive home, unpack, and relax while already making plans for the next voyage. My only regret from this one was that I brought home an unexpected souvenir. I figured I’d caught a mild cold with some nasal congestion, but home test results for Covid came back positive. Meanwhile, these pictures bring back happy memories. Onward to the next cruise!

Did you miss my previous Cruise posts? Read them here:
Embarkation
Coco Cay
Jamaica

Adventure of the Seas – Jamaica July2025

After a day at sea on our Caribbean cruise, we made for the port of Falmouth, Jamaica on RCCL’s Adventure of the Seas. I’d attended the Port Talk on the ship, which was a waste of time. The first 50 minutes were devoted to commercials for the shipboard shops. Only the last ten minutes showed any mention of the ports. You can pick up a port map instead on the Promenade Deck.

At the port, shops are plentiful past the terminal, along with a native market and a restaurant, so you needn’t go any further if this is all that interests you. We did the ship tour, Hampden Rum Experience with Lunch. Be aware this tour requires closed-toe shoes and you have to wear helmets as provided.

   

Our small group of eight boarded an air-conditioned van and bumped along a pock-marked road into the country. Potholes consumed the worn asphalt so that our driver was forced to crawl along the two-lane road at a turtle’s pace to avoid the larger holes while dipping in and out of the rest. This ride is not for anyone pregnant, with neck or back problems, or who is prone to motion-sickness. Our guide gave a running commentary about the country that helped pass the time as we viewed the tropical foliage and villages along the way.

  

   

It took us about 45 minutes before we arrived at Hampden Estate, established in 1753.

     

     

    

We were greeted at the entrance by a local tour guide who gave us a welcome drink. Lush shrubbery and leafy trees shaded a compound of stone and wood buildings at the adjacent distillery. The main house sat amidst fields of sugar cane. Flowering royal poinciana trees, twisty vines, pod-like birds of paradise, gnarled trees, and colorful bougainvillea graced the estate.

   

    

Walking across the grounds, we reached the distillery for an insider tour of the vast premises. This being July, it was extremely hot, and I was glad I’d worn my rechargeable neck fan. We saw the equipment and processes that had been practiced for decades and felt bad for the early laborers who’d had to work there.

     

     

  

With gratitude, we reentered the shady patio at the reception area. Inside a tasting room, we were given pure rum shots that sent me coughing and choking. Too strong for me. A small gift shop had items for purchase inside. Next we sat at tables outdoors where we were served jerk chicken (sauce on the side, and it was very spicy) and festival bread, a sweet doughy treat. I think we each got a cup of water to go with it. Then we began the long and bumpy ride back to the ship, but at least the van was air-conditioned.

    

    

We shopped around the terminal and then headed back to our cabins for a rest. Dinner tonight was an Italian theme, so I had minestrone soup, mushroom risotto, and tiramisu.

   

Coming Next: Nassau Island Food Tour

Did you miss my previous Cruise posts? See them here:

Embarkation

Coco Cay

Adventure of the Seas – Coco Cay July2025

Sunday, July 6, 2025 – We began Day Two of our cruise on RCCL’s Adventure of the Seas with a sumptuous breakfast in the Windjammer Café after being greeted by the Washy-Washy lady. The buffet had all my favorites – scrambled or fried eggs, omelets, toast or bagels, smoked salmon, bacon and sausages, triangular hash browns, fresh fruit, pancakes and waffles, and a variety of muffins and pastries.

   

Our stomachs satisfied, we explored the pool deck and the solarium, where we hung out in deck chairs facing the ocean. Above the pool deck is the jogging track, water slides, miniature golf, and other sports for active cruisers. Our morning walk also had us hunting for ducks, a popular pastime on Caribbean cruise ships. I give my finds to my grandson. You really need an eagle eye to spot them.

       

We disembarked at Coco Cay and headed to a tranquil beach past the native marketplace but near a tram stop, bar, restroom and barbecue lunch area. Coco Cay has a huge array of amenities including a water park, a toddler splash pad, various beaches, a glistening pool, plus free lounge chairs with umbrellas and plenty of shade, if that’s your preference. I buy inexpensive water shoes at Walmart and toss them out when I get back to the ship. They get full of sand and are impossible to clean, but they are great for walking around the island. Also, there’s a towel station on Coco Cay in case you forgot to bring a beach towel from the ship.

   

After a cheeseburger and fries for lunch, we headed back to the ship. The rum punch I’d drunk on the island had given me a punch and I needed to rest after a shower and change of clothes. That evening, Ann Meier and I went to Giovanni’s on Deck 12. It’s an upscale Italian restaurant where I had a very tender braised lamb shank with polenta. Delicious meal.

   

We walked off our dinner inside the Promenade on Deck 5 where we browsed the shops and glanced at the pub. This is also where you can get snacks or pizza all day in the Promenade Café. The Japanese sushi restaurant is located here as well. At one end is the Imperial Lounge where we listened to a live Caribbean band for a short time. This lounge highlights the Asian art works that are present throughout the ship.

 

Our last event of the day was the spectacular ice show. This is always one of the best entertainment productions, and we were captivated by the costumes and performers.

   

 

Advance Review Copies

Do you review books on Goodreads, Amazon, Bookbub or your social media sites? If so, check out my upcoming release, MURDER PAYS A CALL, now on NetGalley for a limited time!

No job is too detailed or too difficult for personal concierge Keri Armstrong. But when her favorite client ends up dead in bed, Keri finds herself juggling a hectic workload to accomplish her toughest assignment yet—exposing a killer before she becomes the next victim.

Also available for Preorder!

Did you miss Day One- Embarkation of my cruise? If so, Go Here to catch up!

Adventure of the Seas Coco Cay July2025

Sunday, July 6, 2025 – We began Day Two of our cruise on RCCL’s Adventure of the Seas with a sumptuous breakfast in the Windjammer Café after being greeted by the Washy-Washy lady. The buffet had all my favorites – scrambled or fried eggs, omelets, toast or bagels, smoked salmon, bacon and sausages, triangular hash browns, fresh fruit, pancakes and waffles, and a variety of muffins and pastries.

   

Our stomachs satisfied, we explored the pool deck and the solarium, where we hung out in deck chairs facing the ocean. Above the pool deck is the jogging track, water slides, miniature golf, and other sports for active cruisers. Our morning walk also had us hunting for ducks, a popular pastime on Caribbean cruise ships. I give my finds to my grandson. You really need an eagle eye to spot them.

       

We disembarked at Coco Cay and headed to a tranquil beach past the native marketplace but near a tram stop, bar, restroom and barbecue lunch area. Coco Cay has a huge array of amenities including a water park, a toddler splash pad, various beaches, a glistening pool, plus free lounge chairs with umbrellas and plenty of shade, if that’s your preference. I buy inexpensive water shoes at Walmart and toss them out when I get back to the ship. They get full of sand and are impossible to clean, but they are great for walking around the island. Also, there’s a towel station on Coco Cay in case you forgot to bring a beach towel from the ship.

   

After a cheeseburger and fries for lunch, we headed back to the ship. The rum punch I’d drunk on the island had given me a punch and I needed to rest after a shower and change of clothes. That evening, Ann Meier and I went to Giovanni’s on Deck 12. It’s an upscale Italian restaurant where I had a very tender braised lamb shank with polenta. Delicious meal.

   

We walked off our dinner inside the Promenade on Deck 5 where we browsed the shops and glanced at the pub. This is also where you can get snacks or pizza all day in the Promenade Café. The Japanese sushi restaurant is located here as well. At one end is the Imperial Lounge where we listened to a live Caribbean band for a short time. This lounge highlights the Asian art works that are present throughout the ship.

 

Our last event of the day was the spectacular ice show. This is always one of the best entertainment productions, and we were captivated by the costumes and performers.

   

 

Advance Review Copies

Do you review books on Goodreads, Amazon, Bookbub or your social media sites? If so, check out my upcoming release, MURDER PAYS A CALL, now on NetGalley for a limited time!

No job is too detailed or too difficult for personal concierge Keri Armstrong. But when her favorite client ends up dead in bed, Keri finds herself juggling a hectic workload to accomplish her toughest assignment yet—exposing a killer before she becomes the next victim.

Also available for Preorder!

Did you miss Day One- Embarkation of my cruise? If so, Go Here to catch up!

Adventure of the Seas – Embarkation July2025

Saturday, July 5, 2025 – Day One of our cruise on board RCCL’s Adventure of the Seas began with a glimpse of the ship as we approached Terminal 5 at Cape Canaveral. After drop-off, we entered the building where we passed through security and checked in at a designated counter. From there, we climbed up a very long, winding ramp onto the ship, where we were directed to our muster station on the same deck. There we merely showed our boarding pass to be scanned and were free to go.

 

Inside we encountered a food manager and made our specialty dining reservations. Then we proceeded to Deck 12 and the Windjammer Café. Handwash stations line the entrance where guests are greeted by the “Washy-Washy” person.

  

For lunch, I chose barbecue chicken, spinach salad, fried rice, roasted acorn squash and mini carrot cake.

 

At 1:00pm, our cabins were ready so we proceeded to unpack. We enjoyed sailaway from Deck 14 in the Blue Moon Lounge overlooking the main pool and the ocean. This is near the Crown Lounge, which offers Diamond members and above appetizers.at 4:30.

 

 

    

Dinner in the Main Dining Room enticed me with shrimp cocktail, prime ribs, Caesar salad, and a chocolate crème brulée with vanilla ice cream on the side.

   

Stay tuned for more on the food, the ports of call, and other tales of our journey on the high seas.

 

 

Adventure of the Seas Embarkation July2025

Saturday, July 5, 2025 – Day One of our cruise on board RCCL’s Adventure of the Seas began with a glimpse of the ship as we approached Terminal 5 at Cape Canaveral. After drop-off, we entered the building where we passed through security and checked in at a designated counter. From there, we climbed up a very long, winding ramp onto the ship, where we were directed to our muster station on the same deck. There we merely showed our boarding pass to be scanned and were free to go.

 

Inside we encountered a food manager and made our specialty dining reservations. Then we proceeded to Deck 12 and the Windjammer Café. Handwash stations line the entrance where guests are greeted by the “Washy-Washy” person.

  

For lunch, I chose barbecue chicken, spinach salad, fried rice, roasted acorn squash and mini carrot cake.

 

At 1:00pm, our cabins were ready so we proceeded to unpack. We enjoyed sailaway from Deck 14 in the Blue Moon Lounge overlooking the main pool and the ocean. This is near the Crown Lounge, which offers Diamond members and above appetizers.at 4:30.

 

 

    

Dinner in the Main Dining Room enticed me with shrimp cocktail, prime ribs, Caesar salad, and a chocolate crème brulée with vanilla ice cream on the side.

   

Stay tuned for more on the food, the ports of call, and other tales of our journey on the high seas.

 

 

June 2025 Book Events

This month is hopping with online book events including a writing workshop, author interview, special blog post and giveaways, that I want to share with you. 

 

Writing Workshop June 21
Saturday, June 21 at 2:00 – 3:00 pm EDT, “Self-Publishing Made Simple: Your Roadmap to Success” with Nancy J. Cohen via Zoom sponsored by Alvin Sherman Library at Nova Southeastern University. Register for Free Here 

 

Woman Sleuths Book Giveaway June 10-16 – Enter Here to win one of two gift baskets full of women sleuth ebook titles.

 

Author Interview at Louisa’s Vineyard
I’m interviewed here along with a book review of Star Tangled Murder at Louisa’s Vineyard by author Shelley Sommers. Scroll down to the “Books I Love” section.

 

Weddings Can Be Murder
June is a popular time of year for weddings. See My Post on “Weddings Can Be Murder” highlighting Shear Murder at Coffee Time Romance – Book Spotlight & Giveaway!

 

Booklovers Bench Giveaway June 1-22
Enter Here to win two free books from Booklovers Bench in our monthly giveaway, including my July 4th cozy mystery, Star Tangled Murder

 

What’s in your reading basket for the rest of this month?

 

Murder Pays a Call: Pre-Order Available

MURDER PAYS A CALL
A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery

Release Date: Sept. 9, 2025
Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-36-2
Print ISBN: 978-1-952886-37-9
Edited by The Write Touch
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.
Interior Design by Formatting4U.com

*If you missed my cover reveal at Dru’s Book Musing, head on over there now and enter my giveaway.

Personal concierge Keri Armstrong will accept almost any job, but solving murders wasn’t on her to-do list—until now.

Book Description

When personal concierge Keri Armstrong swings by her favorite client’s mansion to drop off groceries, she expects a heartfelt chat along with a cup of tea—not Fiona Sullivan dead in bed and her room ransacked. Though police chalk it up to a botched robbery, Keri isn’t so sure. Whispers around town suggest Fiona wasn’t as adored as Keri had believed, and many of the philanthropist’s so-called friends in affluent Sunny Grove, Florida seem glad she’s gone.

Keri refuses to let Fiona’s memory be reduced to malicious gossip. Armed with a keen eye, insider access, and a fully charged tablet, she sets out to uncover the truth. Soon her file of suspects grows faster than her to-do list. Between sneaky neighbors, resentful relatives, and tight-lipped charity board members, Fiona left behind a trail of frenemies who’d happily skip her memorial brunch.

As Keri digs deeper, she discovers her late mentor had a gift for extracting people’s secrets and using them like fine china—carefully storing them until they could serve a purpose. But Fiona also kept a few skeletons in her own walk-in closet. Now, with danger creeping closer, Keri must race to crack the case before her number comes up next… and Murder Pays a Call.

Early Reviews

“A page-turner of a mystery from one of my favorite authors. Cohen’s deft mastery of the cozy genre shines through in every scene, delighting readers with another engrossing whodunit.” Muddy Rose Reviews 

“Fans of award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen’s long-running Bad Hair Day Mysteries will be thrilled to learn there’s a new sleuth in town. Murder Pays a Call is the debut book in her Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery Series featuring a personal concierge who adds solving murders to the services she offers her clients.” – Lois Winston, author of the bestselling and award-winning Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries

“Replete with satisfying twists, unexpected character developments, and a plot to die for, Murder Pays a Call is a cozy mystery that readers will find thoroughly engaging.” D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Pre-Order Your Copy Now

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/MurderPaysACall
Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8NNP8NN
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Pays-Call-Nancy-Cohen/dp/1952886376
Apple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6745017605
Barnes & Noble Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-pays-a-call-nancy-j-cohen/1147426091
Barnes & Noble Print: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-pays-a-call-nancy-j-cohen/1147426091?ean=9781952886379
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=BhZYEQAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murder-pays-a-call
Bookshop.org or Indiebound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/murder-pays-a-call/98fb09b2d62296bd?ean=9781952886379&next=t
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1769579
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/murder-pays-a-call-by-nancy-j-cohen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234041099-murder-pays-a-call
Website: https://nancyjcohen.com/murder-pays-a-call/

Note: This title will be available on NetGalley for advance reviews starting July 14.

GIVEAWAYS

Enter Now to win two free books from Booklovers Bench in our monthly giveaway, one of which is my July 4th cozy mystery, Star Tangled Murder:

 

Women Sleuths Book Giveaway June 10-16

Enter Here June 10-16 to win one of two gift baskets full of women sleuth ebook titles!

Cover Reveal – Murder Pays a Call

MURDER PAYS A CALL: A Keri Armstrong Cozy Mystery

Join the fun today with a Cover Reveal at Dru’s Book Musing. – Book Spotlight and Giveaway!

Release Date: Sept. 9, 2025
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-36-2
Print ISBN: 978-1-952886-37-9
Edited by The Write Touch
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.
Interior Design by Formatting4U.com

Personal concierge Keri Armstrong will accept almost any job, but solving murders wasn’t on her to-do list—until now.

Head on over to Dru’s Book Musing for a story preview and pre-order link!