Featured Author - Sept 2017 - Julia Buckley

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

This month's featured author is Julia Buckley, author of the Writer's Apprentice and the Undercover Dish series.

From her website:

Julia Buckley is a Chicago-area writer. Her first mystery, THE DARK BACKWARD, was published in 2006; since then she has published the Madeline Mann mysteries and the first in the Teddy Thurber series on Kindle.

She writes two series for Berkley Prime Crime, with debut titles THE BIG CHILI and A DARK AND STORMY MURDER

Buckley is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Chicago Writers Association. She blogs about writing and mysteries at Mysterious Musings, where she has interviewed almost 200 other mystery writers about their work.

She teaches high school English and enjoys reading, playing Words With Friends on Facebook, and spending time with her husband and two sons, along with their menagerie of animals.


Website: http://www.juliabuckley.com/


A Writer's Apprentice Mystery series

1. A Dark and Stormy Murder
2. Death in Dark Blue


Undercover Dish Mystery series
1. The Big Chili
2. Cheddar Off Dead
3. Pudding Up With Murder (Sept 5, 2017)


Madeline Mann series
1. Madeline Mann
2. Lovely, Dark, and Deep
3. One Fool At Least


Other:

The Ghosts of Lovely Women (Kindle only)
Ginevra Bond (Kindle only)
Counterplay (Kindle only)

Anthologies:

Deadly Treats: Halloween Tales of Mystery, Magic, and Mayhem

[Alice]

Here books are excellent I will have to order Pudding up with Murder so I can contribute to the discussion.

[Betty]

I have read this author books. I love the Undercover series and read them all. I have the first in The dark and Stormy night. The other is on my TBR list.

[Britney]

I have A Dark and Stormy Murder but have yet to read it.

[Melodie]

I think I have Cheddar Off Dead. Will try and get it read next month.

[PugMom]

I still have to start the Undercover dish books but my book club read A Dark and Stormy Murder when it came out. The author is having a Launch Party for Undercover Dish book #3 on September 2nd on Facebook if anyone is interested.

[Jo]

I just started A Dark and Stormy Murder last night. So far so good.

[Rachel]

I just finished A Dark and Stormy Murder. I'm definitely in the minority as I didn't care much for it. I will be reading the second book in the series after a read another title in between. I hope to enjoy that one more.

[MadameZelda]

Oops, I'm sorry, wrong place to post.

[Deborah]

I just finished A Dark and Stormy Murder and rather enjoyed it. I've just added the sequel and several of her other books to my TBR pile.

[Mary]

I picked up her Writer's Apprentice books just a couple of weeks ago! I haven't started reading them, but that won't last long, now that I know.

[Mary]

Looking forward to finishing The Big Chili! The writing, characters, and descriptions are incredible!

[Tracy]

I have just finished 'A Dark and Stormy Murder' and I enjoyed reading it; however I really did not like the main character much. I will be reading the second book as I enjoyed the plot line. I read the first chapter of 'The Big Chilli' and have that on my to be purchased list :)

[Linda]

I read The Big Chili and really enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading more in the series.

[PugMom]

I'm going to start reading The Big Chili this weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

[[deleted user]]

Just started A Dark and Stormy Murder. So far so good...

[CynthiaB]

Just finished The Big Chili. Great cozy! Nicely written. It was a great read for putting me in the mood for Fall. The recipes included look easy enough for me to make successfully, so that's a bonus! Her next book in the series is on my list for a Christmas-themed cozy. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Linda]

CozyCindy wrote: "Just finished The Big Chili. Great cozy! Nicely written. It was a great read for putting me in the mood for Fall. The recipes included look easy enough for me to make successfully, so that's a bonu..."

I didn't realize the next one was a Christmas theme. Thanks for the heads up it'll go on my list!

[PugMom]

I'm quickly getting through The Big Chili! I love Lilah!

[Rachel]

CozyCindy wrote: "Just finished The Big Chili. Great cozy! Nicely written. It was a great read for putting me in the mood for Fall. The recipes included look easy enough for me to make successfully, so that's a bonu..."
Be careful the streusal recipe (at least in the Kindle version) is both not a streusal, and will tend to make the dish burn. My guess is the corn syrup is meant to be flour (or maybe crushed corn flakes to be unique?)

Regardless, I greatly preferred The Big Chili to the Writer's Apprentice books. My main complaint is that Lilah is almost a textbook Mary Sue.

[[deleted user]]

I really liked A Dark and Stormy Murder. I picked up the next book in that series. I started The Big Chili, and the MC is entertaining with the songs being stuck in her head. I always have a song stuck in my head. :)

[Patricia]

I am enjoying Julia's mysteries. Trying to read all of them. Likes A Dark and Stormy Murder as well as the Big Chili. Love Lilah and her undercover catering service. :-)

[CynthiaB]

Rachel wrote: "CozyCindy wrote: "Just finished The Big Chili. Great cozy! Nicely written. It was a great read for putting me in the mood for Fall. The recipes included look easy enough for me to make successfully..."

Thanks for the heads up on the streusel! This is my first book I've read by this author. I'm looking forward to the second in the series, but I'm saving it for Christmas time.

[Trish]

I decided to go for A Dark and Stormy Murder, as I like cozies where books and writers (and cats) are the featured "sleuth", and I enjoyed it a lot.

Both Lena and Camilla are fun characters. I was a little worried that having both Sam and Doug on the scene was going to end up with the inevitable love triangle, but fingers crossed that seems to have been resolved in this one. Although I guess it may come back later.

I have to admit, I did actually like the fact that most of the investigating was left to the police - rather than the amateurs showing them up from start to finish. I suspect the second in the series will be a bit different to that, but I certainly intend to read it to find out.

I may also try the first undercover dish one, as I liked the author's writing style, but we'll see.

[Alice]

I started Julia Buckley's new book . Very good I like this series. Good characters and mystery. Love the chocolate lab Mick. Very entertaining series.

[Nell]

I started reading A Dark and Stormy Murder and am really enjoying it.

[Susan]

I finished A Dark and Stormy Murder a few days ago., and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Nell]

I just finished A Dark and Stormy Murder. It was excellent!!

[Rachel]

Has anyone else finished Pudding Up With Murder?

I rarely read a book and have a visceral reaction to it, but... Midway through there's a troubling amount of glorifying relationship abuse. And that really, really, really bothered me.

[Heather L , Cozy Mysteries Moderator]

I finished Death in Dark Blue last weekend and enjoyed it, although the ending left me anxious for another installment. Have been reading The Big Chili this week, only about 60% into it. The one characteristic the main character has that I can relate to is always having music in one's head. I woke up this morning with Soldier by Straight No Chaser playing in my head, then for no apparent reason it was "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," and now it's Wish I Knew You by the Revivalists.

[Jo]

I finished A Dark and Stormy Murder earlier in September, and finished The Big Chili yesterday. I enjoyed both.

[[deleted user]]

Rachel wrote: "Has anyone else finished Pudding Up With Murder?

I rarely read a book and have a visceral reaction to it, but... Midway through there's a troubling amount of glorifying relationshi..."

I am going to start this one soon, thanks for the heads up. I cannot stand that. I have to review that book though Netgalley and if that's the case, I will put it in comments to the publisher.

[Ann]

I have read all of a Julia's Cozies. Cannot wait until the next one

[Alice]

I am reading Julia Buckley's newest series, Hungarian Tea House Mystery. Book one is

Very interesting lots of cultural and folklore of Hungarian Americal living. Highly recommend