Death of a Beauty Queen by Barbara Jean Coast, Review and Guest Post

Death of a Beauty Queen: A Poppy Cove Mystery
(Poppy Cove Mystery Series Book 2)
Paperback: 220 pages
Publisher: Cozy Cat Press (May 9, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-1939816436
E-Book File Size: 353 KB
ASIN: B00LBDLZ8Q

Synopsis

It’s the 1950’s in Santa Lucia, California, and the height of the social season. Time for the new Miss Santa Lucia, Nora Burbank, to display her loveliness at a high society fashion show produced by the city’s own fashionistas–Margot and Daphne, owners of Poppy Cove, the most elegant and “in” little dress shop in the county.

Nora steals the show in her designer gown and custom-made necklace created by local jeweler Isaac Mendelson, and used on the sly by his apprentice son-in-law, Efrem Goldberg. At the conclusion of the show, the young queen is allowed to keep her dress and a replica of the necklace for her own. But Monday morning, Efrem arrives in a panic at Poppy Cove to beg Margot and Daphne’s assistance in tracking down the real necklace, which he believes was inadvertently switched for the replica backstage. The girls get involved in Efrem’s dilemma and try to help him before Isaac’s any the wiser. But before that can happen, Miss Santa Lucia is found dead in her bed and the necklace is missing.

Who killed Nora Burbank? Is it someone jealous of her new royal position and all of its perks? Or did she just happen to be in the way when a thief attempted to steal her diamond-studded necklace? Did Nora have the real or the fake necklace, and how much did the thief and murderer know about it? But, of course, before the girls can find the killer, they’ll have to create several beautiful ensembles, calm numerous irate clients, and flirt with their ever-so-attentive boyfriends, before solving this mystery.

 

What I Thought!

 

I enjoyed going back to Poppy Cove in the 1950's.  It is a more relaxed pace, unlike today.  The setting is charming, the main characters are too.  But they sure do have a lot of problems at their dress shop.  This time they are outfitting  a beauty queen for a fashion show.  They end up having to look for a priceless, lost necklace and also end up looking for a killer.  This is a well written book, that will keep you entertained as you try to figure out "who-dun-it". 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About These Authors

 Barbara Jean Coast is the pen name of authors Andrea Taylor and Heather Shkuratoff, both of whom reside in Kelowna, BC, Canada.  Barbara Jean, however, is a resident of Santa Lucia, California (eerily similar to Santa Barbara), where she enjoys long lunches, cocktail parties, fancy dinner dates with attractive and attentive gentlemen.  Her interests include Alfred Hitchcock movies, reading Carolyn Keene, music by popular musicians, such Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, shopping for new dresses, attending society events and always looking fabulous in kitten heels.  DEATH OF A BEAUTY QUEEN is her second novel in the Poppy Cove Mystery Series.

Andrea Taylor

Andrea always imagined herself being a supersleuth girl detective and writing adventurous stories, full of mystery and intrigue since she was old enough to hold a pencil.  She resides in Kelowna, BC, Canada, where she writes under the pen name of Barbara Jean Coast with her co-author friend, Heather Shkuratoff, and travels often to California to further develop the stories and escapades of the Poppy Cove Mystery Series.  Andrea has also published freelance articles about fashion, current events, and childcare, and is currently blogging on WordPress about creativity and poetry, as well as researching for her own literary novels.

Heather Shkuratoff

As an avid mystery reader, Heather joined lifelong friend Andrea Taylor to create the Poppy Cove Mystery Series, written under the pen name of Barbara Jean Coast.  Growing up in a family of talented crafters and sewers, Heather developed her own skills to become a dressmaker and designer, which helps to give rich detail and character to their stories.  She lives in Kelowna, BC, Canada, but spends much time in California, researching for the novels and doing her best to live like Barbara Jean.

Author Links
Webpage: http://barbarajeancoast.com/
Blog:  http://welcometopoppycove.wordpress.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BarbaraJCoast
Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/bjcoast/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/barbarajean.coast & https://www.facebook.com/pages/Poppy-Cove-Mysteries/375180072578350
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/BJCoast
Amazon Kindle: Death of a Beauty Queen: A Poppy Cove Mystery (Poppy Cove Mystery Series Book 2) – Kindle edition by Barbara Jean Coast. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Smashwords: Smashwords – Death of a Beauty Queen – a book by Barbara Jean Coast
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/death-of-a-beauty-queen-1
B&N, Nook:   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-of-a-beauty-queen-barbara-jean-coast/1120687392?ean=2940046386165

Guest Post:

Barbara Jean’s Dating Tips for 50’s Glamour Girls

Hi there, Melina and the rest of the guys and dolls!  It’s such an honor to be a guest on MELINA’S BOOK BLOG.  Today we’re going to share with you some tidbits of wisdom from Barbara Jean Coast to help you navigate the waters out there.  The following tips are from our latest Poppy Cove Mystery — DEATH OF A BEAUTY QUEEN.  Hope they help, or at least entertain you!

· Out on a first date? Order the most expensive item on the menu, whether you like it or not. Watch his reaction – if he smiles, frowns or flinches, that’ll tell you if want to encourage further affections from said man.

· It’s okay to be a girl who kisses, but just don’t be one who tells. Even the best of the girls did and still do; they just knew how to keep their lips sealed. A grown woman should be allowed to get to know a man who she feels is worthy of her time.

· Know your fragrances and the purpose of wearing them. Youth Dew and Chanel No. 5 are appropriate for the initial How do you do? phase. Save Emeraude and Tabu for the intimate How did you do that? phase.

· Be a good sport. Surprise dating events add spice to a stale relationship. Fix a fancy meal on a Wednesday, go bowling in a ball gown or pick up the check. He’ll be flattered!

· Speaking of flattering, he doesn’t always have to be right, but every now and then, let him think he is. Be confident in your own mind that you know the truth of your own brilliance!

· Ready to move on to greener pastures? Take him to a swell party with plenty of people. Get him a drink, get him lost in a crowd, preferably of well girdled and well-coiffed women and get into your own swing of things.

· Beware of falsies, fake eyelashes and other accoutrements, especially early on in the relationships. Test drive the padding, glues and heel heights around home and a trusty friend or two. Better for mishaps to happen in the privacy of your own home instead of out in public – a flying bust enhancer or spider-like eyelash trail down your cheek could scare away a potential keeper.

· A little harmless flirting never hurt anyone. Give yourself a sway in your step by winking at a construction worker today. Who knows, it may inspire him to get the building done on time and under budget!

· Always have him be the first to call back after the date. If he takes too long, call him ‘by accident’ (oops, wrong number, giggle and hang up). This action does not count, as it was in error. If by the third time he does not respond, take another dip into the gene pool.

· Still not sure what you want in a man? Play the field! Try dating men with different interests and backgrounds. Doctors, teachers, artists, musicians, accountants – have a little fun with them all. Remember, you can’t change them no matter how hard you try, but you can have a ball attempting it all the same.

Thank you for having us on your blog, Melina.  You’re always welcome in Santa Lucia.

Toodles,

Barbara Jean

Aka Andrea Taylor and Heather Shkuratoff

The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues by Cathy Elliott

About the book:
Buckley and Bogey, Cat Detectives, find their next big case with the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Agency to be their most complicated ever! It all starts when someone hides a mysterious package in their Mom's antique store --- in the middle of the night! Of course, the boys find it, and put it in a nice, safe place, until they can open it . . . and, find the rightful owner. But that's when a whole bunch of suspicious people show up in St. Gertrude, and every single one of them seems to be after that package! Holy Catnip! Plus, everything happens just when a priceless, jeweled statue collection goes on display at the St. Gertrude Museum. Missing from that collection are two jewel covered cat statues that disappeared almost a hundred and fifty years ago.

But soon Buckley and Bogey wonder how long those statues will stay missing. Because this is one case that really keeps them on their paws! From a trip to the Museum, and to an old church for the Blessing of the Animals; and from dinosaurs to diamonds, they end up dodging shady suspects the whole time. It sure helps to have their friends with them, especially when the bad guys make a beeline for boys. That's because it becomes very clear, very quick --- the priceless cat statues aren't the only cats those crooks are after! Holy Mackerel!

Purchase a copy: http://amzn.to/1xrwgJb 

What I Thought:
Holy Catnip! this was a very entertaining book.  Maybe this is what my cats do at night when they don't sleep, solve crimes of missing statues.  This was a very cute book that any cat lover will enjoy.  Buckley and  Bogey are two very shrewd cats.  I love how they solved this crime.  Holy Mackerel, snatch this book up, it is free on Amazon!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.
 

About the author: Cindy Vincent was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She holds an M.A.Ed, and is the creator of the Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective Series games for girls. She is also the award-winning author of the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper books, the Daisy Diamond Detective book series, and the Cats are Part of His Kingdom, Too: 33 Daily Devotions to Understanding God's Love. She lives with her husband and the real, live Buckley and Bogey, who run surveillance on her house each and every night.

Find Cindy, Buckley, and Bogey online: website

A Stitch in Crime by Cathy Elliott

About Quilts of Love: Quilts tell stories of love and loss, hope and faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love series focuses on the women who quilted all of these things into their family histories. A new book releases each month and features contemporary and historical romances as well as women's fiction and the occasional light mystery. You will be drawn into the endearing characters of this series and be touched by their stories.

About the book: 

Thea's first quilt show is coming apart at the seams!

Thea James has accepted an assignment as co-chairperson for Larkindale's first quilt show extravaganza. Juggling the new assignment with running her antique business, she's already feeling frayed when things start to unravel.

Mary-Alice Wentworth, a much-loved town matriarch, respected quilt judge, and Thea's dear friend, is covertly conked on the head during the kick-off Quilt Show Soiree, throwing suspicion on her guests. It also appears that a valuable diamond brooch has been stolen during the attack. The family is furious. But is it because of their mugged mother or the missing diamonds?

When a renowned textile expert goes MIA and the famous Wentworth heritage quilt disappears, Larkindale's reputation as a tourist haven is at risk. Thea attempts to piece the mystery together and save the town's investment in the quilt show before Mary-Alice is attacked again . . . with far worse results.

Learn more about this book and the series at the Quilts of Love website.

What I Thought:

I really enjoyed this book.  I don't always enjoy all of the Quilts of Love books but this one kept my attention throughout.  It had a lot of action and I liked that the mystery wasn't a murder but the loss of a quilt.  I liked the character of Thea and thought that the setting of this book was very charming.  This book really kept me guessing all the was through and I was totally thrown off by who did the "crime".  I really like when a book keeps me guessing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

About the Author: 

Author and speaker Cathy Elliot nourishes her night-owl habit by creating cozy mysteries and more on her trusty laptop in Anderson, California. Like the protagonist in her new mystery, Cathy is an avid quilter. Besides collecting (too much) cool fabric, she also enjoys hunting for antique treasures.

Connect with Cathy online: website, Facebook

Community Affairs by Michele Lyn Seigfried--Guest Post

Community Affairs
(Jersey Shore Mystery Series Book 3)
File Size: 2293 KB
Print Length: 217 pages
ASIN: B00PSOBBEC



Synopsis:

A tale of kidnapping, murder, and neighbors you’d like to kidnap and murder…

 Bonnie Fattori is a sexy, sassy, Italian Princess living in New Jersey. She’s loving life with a rich husband, beachfront living, and a promotion at work—until a new neighbor, Lyla Spratt, is determined to destroy her happiness.

 After several run-ins with the unstable woman next door, Bonnie starts to suspect a connection between her new neighbor and the untimely death of a local resident, Polly Pitcher. She recruits her good friend Chelsey to help figure out if her suspicions are correct.

As the neighbors go head-to-head in a hilarious battle, Lyla is pushed to the brink of insanity. The more unhinged Lyla becomes, the more Bonnie’s life and the safety of her family are at risk. Can Bonnie find out what really happened to Polly Pitcher before it’s too late? A perfect read for those who like laugh-out-loud humor in their mysteries!

About This Author

 Michele Lynn Seigfried is an award-winning novelist, children’s book author/illustrator and public speaker who was born and raised in New Jersey. In her mystery novels, she draws from her personal expertise in the area of municipal government, in which she has served for over 16 years in two different municipalities. She holds a B.A. in communication from the College of New Jersey with a minor in art. She obtained the Master Municipal Clerk certification from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks in 2010. She also holds the Registered Municipal Clerk certification and Certified Municipal Registrar Certifications from the State of New Jersey.  In combining her love of writing with art, Michele began writing and illustrating children’s picture books in 2013.

Michele is a member of Sisters in Crime, Sisters in Crime – Central Jersey, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, New Jersey Author’s Network, International Institute of Municipal Clerks, Central Jersey Registrar’s Association, Municipal Clerk’s Association of New Jersey, and the Municipal Clerk’s Association of Mercer County, where she is currently President. She also serves on the New Jersey League of Municipalities’ Legislative Committee.

Michele is available for public speaking engagements such as book talks, seminars, readings, panel discussions, and other author events. Contact her for more information.

Author Links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MicheleLynnSeigfried
Twitter: www.twitter.com/micheleseig
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/MicheleSeig
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/MicheleSeig
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/micheleseig
Email: MicheleSeigfried@gmail.com
Google+: www.google.com/+MicheleLynnSeigfried
Purchase Link:
Amazon


Follow this link to enter the Raffle copter Giveaway:  Escape with Dollycas

Guest Post:

20 Tips to Edit a Novel

By Michele Lynn Seigfried

 

Writing is hard. Editing is even harder. The brain has a funny way of working. When you read what you’ve written yourself, your brain seems to fill in details, correct spellings and punctuation, and add words which aren’t actually there. It’s difficult to proof your own work. But editing goes beyond proofreading. So how can you fix your work to be the best it can be? Here are a few tips!

 

1.      Run spell check/grammar check. Sounds simple enough, but many people forget to take this first step. While not foolproof, having a computer check your work is a start, and you may find simple typos that need correcting this way.

2.      Read your book out loud. You may feel silly doing this, but reading your work out loud to yourself can help you find misspellings!

3.      Read from the end to the beginning. This is difficult and tedious, but, when you read from end to beginning, you interrupt the flow, and your brain is much less likely to fill in words that aren’t there, or that are misspelled.

4.      Have friends of yours read it. As I mentioned, it is difficult to proof your own work. Having an extra set of eyes or two will result in finding all those pesky errors! You can give them credit in your novel for helping and friends usually don’t ask for payment!

5.      Search for words you’ve used too much. All of us have words we use frequently. Sometimes that is okay in dialog, to give the character a trademark and make them memorable—think “Yo, Adrian.” But repeating words in the narrative may be annoying to the reader. I once read a book where everyone “shook their head.” They never said, “No.” They never said, “Never.” He shook his head. She shook her head. I was shaking my head in annoyance. Do a computer search for words you find yourself using frequently, like “also” or “but”.

6.      Watch out for he said, she said. I mean that literally. Do you write “he said” to indicate who is talking after each person who speaks? Sometimes it is not necessary. Especially when two people are having a conversation. When it is necessary, consider using different verb. Shouted, screamed, whispered, mumbled, yelled, barked, or roared. Also consider changing your sentences. Instead of “I need my coffee, now,” Michele said, you could write Michele grabbed her mug. “I need my coffee now.” Readers would still know Michele was talking.

7.      Leave time to let your work rest. If you can put it aside for a month or so, you will forget some of what you’ve written and you will be looking at it with fresh eyes. It is easier to fine tune your work with fresh eyes.

8.      Double check character dialogue. Would the old, rich lady speak the same way as the stubborn teenager? How would an angry character speak? How would the Harvard graduate speak vs. the high school dropout? Make sure your dialogue is true to your character.

9.      Review your entire manuscript only paying attention to punctuation. I often type faster than my mind is thinking. I can’t tell you how many end quotes I’ve left off of sentences! Search for periods, commas, and apostrophes. Are there question marks at the end of a question?

10.  Replace adverbs with strong verbs. She crept down the hall instead of She walked softly down the hall. The dog bounded into the kitchen instead of The dog moved swiftly into the kitchen. The light blazed in the distance instead of The light was brightly shining in the distance.

11.  Look for redundancies. Did you explain twice or three times that the character lives in a three-story apartment building? It’s okay to remind readers about details they may have forgotten, but try to avoid saying the same exact thing over and over. Writing, Mario lives in a three-story apartment building, in one sentence is fine. Perhaps another sentence in a later chapter could be, The door to Mario’s apartment wouldn’t open. And yet another chapter could reveal, Mario didn’t realize that his apartment lease was about to expire. All three sentences remind the reader of Mario’s living situation, but none of the sentences sound alike.

12.  Scan your book for unnecessary words. It was square in shape. Obviously, square is a shape. Why not just say it was square? Its appearance was shiny. The word appearance is unnecessary. It was yellow in color. You don’t want to make your readers feel like you are talking down to them—they know yellow is a color!

13.  Remove obvious statements. The sun was shining. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Do you need both of these sentences in the same paragraph? I had a migraine. It was the worst type of headache. Readers may think you being condescending with such an obvious explanation.

14.  Check your facts. Do the ages fit correctly into the story? I once made a character’s mother 96 years old. My editor pointed out that if the character was 30-something, then a 96-year-old mother would have been past her prime for having children, and would make her unrealistic. Mental head slap. How about the facts about the location of the plot? I recently read a book that talked about the pelicans in New Jersey. I’ve lived in Jersey for nearly 44 years, and have yet to see a pelican this far north of Florida! I also read a book that mentioned how the IRS was going after the homeowners for property taxes. Most people are aware that the IRS doesn’t assess property taxes and that the local Tax Assessor doesn’t work for the IRS.

15.  Pay attention to your time lines. It’s easy to forget what day of the week and what month you’re writing about. Take a blank calendar and fill in a timeline of what’s happening. It’s easier to keep track that way and to correct any inconsistencies prior to publication.

16.  Are your characters consistent? Keep character sheets for each of your characters and double check their behavior, dialogue and appearance when you are finished writing your manuscript. Did the character start with blonde hair and end up a brunette by accident? Did they have blue eyes at the beginning of the book and green at the end? Did they start out rich and end up poor without reason? Does your main character talk like your sidekick? Checking these items that can easily be forgotten will make your characters and your writing more realistic.

17.  Watch your formatting. Do a find a replace for two spaces, and change those to one space. I realize that those of us who grew up pre-computers were always taught, “Two spaces after every sentence!” But as technology evolved, the correct way to format a novel is one space after sentences. Look for mistakes like having two tabs where one should be. Make sure your font and size is all the same.

18.  Check your grammar. The internet is a good resource for finding a correct definition or spelling. Alright or all right? Regardless or irregardless? I.e. or e.g.? Lay down or lie down? Affect or effect? Underway or under way? Handy work or handiwork? Your or you’re? Altogether or all together? Council or counsel? You get the idea!

19.  Still feel like you need help? Hire a professional editor. One that comes with good references. It’s expensive, but it’s well worth it to find those errors you wouldn’t necessarily find yourself.

20.  Check and recheck. Don’t think just because you checked it once, that your manuscript is perfect. Don’t assume that because you had a professional look it over that there won’t be errors remaining. Read your book as many times as you can stand. Before the editor, after the editor, after your friends read it. Even the best books out there have multiple versions, due to the authors needing to correct issues.

Huckleberry Spring by Jennifer Beckstrand

Nothing gives Anna and Felty Helmuth greater satisfaction than seeing their grandchildren happily married–except for planning their next matchmaking venture. And as springtime comes to Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin, the air is filled with promise. . .

 

Ever since the Helmuths’ grandson, Ben, abruptly broke his engagement and moved to Florida, Emma Nelson has kept busy tending her vegetable garden and raising award-winning pumpkins. She can put her heartache aside to help Ben’s Mammi with her own pumpkin patch. At least until Ben shows up to lend support to his ailing Dawdi. . .

 

Gardening side by side with pretty, nurturing Emma is a sweet kind of torture for Ben. She could have her pick of suitors who can offer what he can’t, and he cares too much to burden her with his secret. Leaving once more is the only option. Yet Emma’s courage is daring him to accept the grace that flourishes here, and the love that has been calling him back to Huckleberry Hill. 

 

What I Thought:

I haven't sit down and read a good Amish story in a while, and this one was a great one to get me back into Amish books.  I really enjoyed this story, it kept my attention the whole way through.  I really connected with the characters and felt their pain.  This story also had some humor in it.  The interactions between Mammi Anna and Papi Felty were very funny and had me laughing out loud at times.  I really liked Emma, and felt bad for her a lot.  I was so happy with the way this story ended, it was really an uplifting, inspiring story. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

Jennifer Beckstrand Bio:

I grew up with a steady diet of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen. After all that literary immersion, I naturally decided to get a degree in mathematics, which came in handy when one of my six children needed help with homework. After my fourth daughter was born, I started writing. By juggling diaper changes, soccer games, music lessons, laundry, and two more children, I finished my first manuscript—a Western—in just under fourteen years.

 

I have always been fascinated by the Amish way of life and now write Inspirational Amish Romance. I am drawn to the strong faith of the Plain people and admire the importance they put on enduring family ties. I have visited and studied Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin where I met with a bishop and a minister as well as several Amish mamms, dats, and children. It has always impressed me at what salt-of-the-earth people they are. My interactions with these kind people have been some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have a dear Amish friend with whom I correspond in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She helps me keep my facts straight and gives me inspiration for my stories.

 

My goal is to write uplifting, inspiring stories with happy endings and hopeful messages. If my books make readers want to give themselves a big hug or jump up and down for joy, I’ve done my job. I am a member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers and am represented by Mary Sue Seymour of The Seymour Agency.

 

There are three Amish romances in the Forever After in Apple Lake Series (Summerside/Guideposts). Kate’s Song, Rebecca’s Rose, and Miriam’s Quilt are all now available.

 

I have six Amish Roamish buggymances in the works with Kensington Books. The first and second books, Huckleberry Hill and Huckleberry Summer, are now available in stores and online. The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill is set in northern Wisconsin Amish country.

 

The series, The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill, is about an elderly Amish couple who try to find suitable mates for their grandchildren. What could be more fun than throwing two young people together to see if sparks ignite? No one would ever suspect two octogenarian Amish folks of mischief.

 

Romantic Times gave Huckleberry Hill 4 1/2 stars and chose Huckleberry Summer as a TOP PICK.

 

I have four daughters, two sons, three sons-in-law, and two adorable grandsons. I live in the foothills of the Wasatch Front with my husband and one son still left at home.

 

Links

Website  http://www.jenniferbeckstrand.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/JenniferBeckst1

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbeckstrandfans?fref=ts

Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5362202.Jennifer_Beckstrand

 

 

 

Excerpt:

Felty’s eyes did not stray from his newspaper as Anna Helmuth laid a four-inch stack of brochures on the table next to his recliner.

            “Take your pick, Felty,” Anna said sweetly, plopping herself into her rocker and scooping up her knitting. “What kind of surgery would you like to get?”

            “Hmm,” Felty said, not paying attention as he perused the death notices.

            “Sometimes you squint. Maybe you’d like to get Lasik.”

            Felty lowered The Budget so he could spy his wife over the top of it. “What are you saying, Annie-banannie? You think I squint?”

            Rocking back and forth, Anna inclined her head towards the thick stack of papers without missing a beat in her knitting. “It’s that purple brochure on the top. I don’t know. You might be too old for Lasik.”

            “I’m only eighty-four—not too old for anything.” The newspaper crunched as Felty set it in his lap. He stared curiously at Anna’s potpourri of brightly colored brochures. “What is Lasik, and why do you have a brochure about it?”

            “I already told you, dear. You need to pick what kind of surgery you want. Lasik is just one of many choices.”

            “Do I need surgery?”

            “Of course you do, dear. Spring is the busiest time of the year on a farm, and I need you laid up and unable to work for at least a month.”

            Felty took off his glasses and cleaned them with his handkerchief as if this would help him decipher what Anna was talking about. “You want me laid up for the spring work?”

            “You’re squinting, dear. You need Lasik.”

            “What will become of the chickens?”

            Anna lifted her eyebrows, pursed her lips, and nodded as a gesture of reassurance. “I’ve got it all worked out. Our grandson Ben will take over the farm while you’re indisposed. And look after the chickens.”

            Felty furrowed his brow as if someone had taken a plow to his forehead. “You’re not still scheming to get Ben and Emma Nelson back together, are you? It’s a lost cause, Banannie. A lost cause.”

“Lost causes are my specialty,” Anna insisted as her fingers and knitting needles seemed to meld together in a blur of fuzzy pink yarn. “Ben and Emma belong together, and if anybody can make it happen, we can. We’ve never missed yet.”

“I don’t know if I’d say we’ve never missed.”

“Then what would you call our amazing success matching up our grandchildren?” Anna asked, tilting her head to one side and peering at her husband over her glasses.

“Lucky guesses.”

Anna shook her head. “No such thing.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Felty said, smoothing his paper to get a better look at the story about pike fishing in North Dakota. “It would take a miracle to get Emma to set foot on Huckleberry Hill ever again.”

“Leave that to me. I have a few tricks up me sleeve.”

Felty frowned as if he’d already lost this debate. “But Ben lives in Florida. What young man in his right mind would trade Florida for Wisconsin?”

“Ben would, if he knew his dawdi needed him. If he knew the farm would fall to pieces without his help.”
            “Ben’s got twenty cousins living in Bonduel who could help with the garden and the animals. He’d wonder why we couldn’t use one of the other grandchildren.”

Anna’s ball of yarn tumbled off her lap. “Don’t you worry. I’ll see to it that all of the other grandchildren are excessively busy on their own farms.”

“And how will you see to that?”

“Now Felty. They all want Ben to come home. If I tell them we’re going to lure Ben with your surgery, the cousins will be perfectly happy to neglect their grandparents. Ben has such a tender heart. He’ll come back when he knows we need him desperately, especially when you’re going to be feeling so poorly after your operation.”

Felty leaned back in his recliner and raised his arms in surrender. “I’m feeling worse already.”

“That’s the spirit!”

Criminal Confections by Collette London, Review and Guest Post

Criminal Confections
(A Chocolate Whisperer Mystery)
New Cozy Series
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Kensington (January 27, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1617733451
E-Book ASIN: B00M4ASPPG



Synopsis:

Hayden Mundy Moore is an expert on everything chocolate, helping clients develop new products and revamp recipes until they’re irresistible. But sometimes, a dash of murder finds its way into the mix…

Adrienne Dowling’s heart attack is blamed on an accidental overdose of the secret ingredient used in Lemaître Chocolates’ new line. Hayden can’t believe that conscientious Adrienne would make that mistake. And between chocolate body scrubs, cocoa mud baths, and a non-stop frenzy of chocolate-based treats, Hayden starts to suspect that she, not Adrienne, was the intended target. Finding a killer among the rival chocolatiers and potential suspects won’t just be satisfying—it might save her life.

What I Thought:

Well, I love chocolate, and I love mysteries, so I thought I would love this book.  Actually, it started out really slow for me.  I found all of the talk about the specific chocolates and he different chocolate beans to take away from the story.  When the "shop talk" was over and the author got down to the story, I actually enjoyed it.  It kept me guessing and a had a good plot twist at the end.  I will probably check out more in this series, even though this one started a little slow.  I will have to say though, I was glad to see the end of this book, some books you don't want to end, but this one I did, I wanted to know who the killer was.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

About This Author
Colette London is the pseudonym of a best-selling novelist whose published more than three dozen books worldwide.
Visit her on the web at www.colettelondon.com, friend her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/colette.london.books, or follow her on Twitter @Colette__London
Purchase Links
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Guest Post:

CRIMINAL CONFECTIONS by Colette London follows Hayden Mundy Moore, an expert on all things chocolate. It’s her job to help clients develop new products, revamp recipes, and make everything a little more delicious.

 

She has bushwhacked through African jungles and haggled in exotic markets to find the finest cacao beans and the most flavorful blends. It’s thrilling work but rarely dangerous—until a colleague turns up dead at the exclusive chocolate-themed Lemaître resort spa in San Francisco.

 

Adrienne Dowling’s heart attack is blamed on an accidental overdose of the secret ingredient used in Lemaître Chocolates’ new line. Hayden can’t believe that conscientious Adrienne would make that mistake. And between chocolate body scrubs, cocoa mud baths, and a non-stop frenzy of chocolate-based treats, Hayden starts to suspect that she, not Adrienne, was the intended target.

 

CRIMINAL CONFECTIONS is a story full of mystery, and flavorful recipes. Here is just one of many you’ll find between the pages of this deliciously crafted story:

 

SPA-STYLE CACAO NIB AND EXPRESSO BEAN PEDICURE SCRUB

 

Ingredients:

-          ¼ cup cacao nibs, ground

-          ¼ cup ground expresso beans

-          2 tablespoons granulated sugar

-          2 tablespoons olive oil

-          A few drops of vanilla extract

 

In a small bowl, stir together ground cacao nibs, ground espresso beans, and sugar. Add the olive oil and vanilla extract, stir thoroughly until combined.

 

TO USE:

Wash feet; leave damp. Apply a small scoop of pedicure scrub to each foot. Massage well.

 

Leave on for 3-5 minutes while you relax and enjoy the delicious mocha scent. Rinse off and pat feet dry. This scrub is exfoliating and soothing!

 

Notes from Hayden

 

This mixture is best while fresh – don’t try to save it for later! There’s enough here for one good scrubbing. If you don’t like olive oil, you can substitute any neutral oil – almond oil is especially nice. Don’t use canola oil, soybean oil, or peanut oil! They make the scrub too greasy (and don’t smell nice). You don’t have to use espresso beans for this scrub – any coffee bean will do – and they don’t have to be dry (aka un-brewed). If you’re feeling thrifty and/or “green” just recycle your coffee grounds from this morning’s java. Also, a mini coffee-bean grinder or spice grinder works well for crunching up the cacao nibs. If you leave them as is, they’re too rough.

 

 

 

Murder, Mayhem, and Bliss by Loulou Harrington

Murder, Mayhem and Bliss (Myrtle Grove Garden Club Mystery Book 1)
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Deadly Niche Press (November 26, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-1620161418
E-Book File Size: 461 KB
ASIN: B00PFAP65E


Synopsis:

Nothing much happens in Myrtle Grove, Oklahoma. So when prominent businessman Harry Kerr is discovered face down in his pool shortly after dawn, the breakfast crowd in Jesse Camden’s tea room is buzzing. Recognizing the name, Jesse hurries to her friend Vivian Windsor, Myrtle Grove’s resident oil heiress and great-aunt to Bliss Kerr, widow of the deceased and soon-to-be prime suspect in his suspicious death.

Clearing Bliss and finding the real murderer isn’t what Jesse meant when she offered her assistance. And wrangling an eager band of helpers while chasing a tangle of leads across the countryside, tripping over deputies and evidence along the way, isn’t her first choice for her weekend. But here she is, and here she will be, hearing secrets no one should know, and discovering betrayals no one could live with, until Jesse finds her way through the maze of deceit to uncover the real killer.

 

What I Thought:

This one started kind of slow for me, but towards the middle it picked up.  I liked the characters that are in this book.  It had some humor in it, as this group of eclectic friend, who now call themselves the Myrtle Grove Garden Club really had each other's backs and did some things that had me chuckling.  I figured out who the killer was about halfway through, but it was still a good entertaining read.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

 

About This Author:

A lifelong fan of mysteries and the cozy genre, in particular, Loulou Harrington began her published career in romances and is now happy to be writing what she has always loved to read—a good, old-fashioned mystery. Even better, she has the chance to incorporate her personal love of gardening, cooking, exploring quaint villages and wandering through the great outdoors in her new Myrtle Grove Garden Club mystery series. She sincerely hopes you will enjoy sharing this special world with her.

Loulou Harrington, Author
Myrtle Grove Garden Club mysteries
MURDER, MAYHEM AND BLISS, Book 1
http://www.loulouharrington.com/
Author Links
Blog: http://myrtlegrovemornings.wordpress.com/
or: http://loulouwritescozy.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loulou.harrington
Twitter: https://twitter.com/loulouwrites1
Purchase Links:
Amazon B&N Book Depository

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Guest Post:

First, I like to thank you, Melina, for welcoming me to Melina’s Book Blog, and to say hi to all the readers out there.

 

I’m not really a theme writer. At least I never thought I was. So it took me by surprise when I realized somewhere in the middle of the second book of the Myrtle Grove Garden Club mystery series that I seemed to have a theme developing. And it wasn’t gardening.

 

But if you don’t mind, I’d like to sneak up on this a little more subtly. Because I’m a writer, and that’s what we do. So, to digress, the series I’m writing is about a woman name Jesse who is approaching the big 50. She has returned home after years of being away selfishly pursuing her own life, or as most of us would say, being a normal person. Then her grandfather became ill, and Jesse returned to her ancestral home in Myrtle Grove, Oklahoma, to help her mother care for the grandfather that Jesse was deeply attached to.

 

MURDER, MAYHEM AND BLISS, book one of the cozy series, begins several years after her grandfather’s death, and Jesse has remained with her mother. Together they have started a tea room and an antique shop in the first floor of the Victorian home they inherited from Jesse’s grandfather. She and her mother Sophia have a close relationship, having reached a place age where they appreciate each other as more than just mother and daughter.

 

Also living in Myrtle Grove is Vivian, the mother of Jesse’s childhood friend, who died his senior year of high school. Grief and time formed a bond between Jesse and Vivian that has spanned their adult lives and only grown stronger through the years in spite of their age difference.

 

Additional inhabitants of the series are co-workers, ex-husbands and wives of ex-husbands, all of whom form an eclectic mix that revolves around Jesse, who is their hub. As the first book unfolds, these people are drawn together, eventually forming what is almost an extended family. In the second book, MURDER MOST THORNY (which hasn’t been released yet), more people are brought into the fold like stray sheep and added to the growing core of friends, whose ages range from 19 to 70+ and whose lifestyles vary from college-student waitress to oil heiress.

 

And somewhere along the way it occurred to me that Jesse, who once left home to pursue her own life and returned out of duty, had changed. When Vivian’s niece lost her husband to a tragic accident—or was it murder—Jesse rushed in to help and the rest of the group quickly followed. Partly out of curiosity, maybe a little out of boredom (after all Myrtle Grove is a small town where nothing much ever happens), but mainly out of friendship, practically everyone Jesse knew insisted on getting involved.

 

Over and over, it kept showing up in the first book and then the second—a theme. Friendship. Generous, persistent, encompassing friendship. Sometimes cantankerous, sometimes a little sarcastic, but there. When something bad happened to one of them, everyone came forward to help fix it. Without stopping to question or hesitate, they were just there. And together, they solved the problem. Okay, mainly it was Jesse, but everyone else helped, and that’s what counts.

 

So, without intending to be, apparently I am a theme writer. And friendship and family, or extended family, is a big part of that theme. And I guess that’s not such a bad thing because, really, the world can be a very lonely place without friends. And don’t friends just kind of fit with “cozy”? I think they do.

 

Thank you all for taking time out of your day to spend with me. I want to remind you to sign up for the weeklong Gift Box Giveaway. It’s a pre-Valentine’s Day theme, with a recipe for a fantastic chocolate-cherry cake, complete with the chocolates (for the cake, okay—maybe a few extras) an autographed print copy of MURDER, MAYHEM AND BLISS, plus a pair of crystal stemware wine (or water, if you prefer) glasses, and a beautiful, vintage etched-glass cake plate. And good luck!