Friday, July 19, 2019

Peach Clobbered

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.

What I Thought:

I enjoyed this book from the time I picked it up till I finished it. I liked the setting of the book and I also liked the characters, especially Nina. In this one, Nina has moved to Cymbeline, GA after visiting there from Atlanta and falling in love with a beautiful Victorian home. She is visited one day by a man in a penguin suit, who turns out to be Harry Westcott, the former owner of the homes nephew. He claims his aunt wanted him to have the house. That same day, the mayor visits Nina asking telling her she is reconsidering her bid to turn the home into a bed and breakfast because a local developer has not renewed the lease for the local convent and is evicting the nuns there. They need a place to stay, so the mayor wants Nina to let them stay. The nuns stage a silent protest of the developer and on a break from the protest, the developer is found stabbed in Harry Westcott's penguin costume. Harry and Nina team up to figure out who the killer is also to trap the woman who is stalking Harry. This was a very well written story with a great plot. It was fast-paced and kept me flipping pages. Nina was a very caring protagonist and she was even very caring when the killer is finally revealed. There were any twists and turns in this story that kept me guessing as to who the killer was and as to what the true mothive for the murder really was. There were a couple mysteries in this book, as Harry and Nina make startling discovery in the old Victorian. I look forward to more in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

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

AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE

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Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Left Fur Dead

Left Fur Dead

(A Jules & Bun Mystery)

by J.M. Griffin

About the Book

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 . . .

What I Thought:

I love cozy mysteries that have animals in them, most of the time, the animals are dogs or cats. This cozy mystery had rabbits in it, and one rabbit in particular, Bun, could communicate with the protagonist, Jules, by telepathy. This was a refreshing change for a cozy. Jules runs a rabbit rescue far and he also takes her rabbits to children's parties where she works with Arty the Mime. On a walk on a cold March day, Jules and Bun find the body of Arty the Mime, of course Jules is suspected at first because she and Arty had an argument about her rabbits. When someone keeps threatening Jules barn full of rabbits, her and Bun set out to find out who the culprit is and whether the culprit had anything to do with Arty's death. I found this a really good read. I was hooked from the start and found myself flipping pages as quickly as a could. It was helpful flipping pages because the story flowed well and it was a quick read. I thought the plot was well thought out and the twist at the end was something I was not expecting at all. I look forward to reading more in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About the Author

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

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Southern Sass

Southern Sass and Killer Cravings
(Marygene Brown Mysteries)
by Kate Young

About the Book

Southern Sass and Killer Cravings (Marygene Brown Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (May 28, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1496721454
ISBN-13: 978-1496721457
Digital ASIN: B07H1VWGBS

Life has always been sweet on Georgia’s Peach Cove Island, but a case of murder has Marygene Brown down in the pits . . .

For generations, the women of the Brown family on Peach Cove Island have been known for their Southern sass and sweet homemade desserts at their beloved Peach Diner. Since their mother's passing two years ago, Marygene has been stuck in Atlanta while her sister Jena Lynn has been running the family business. Now Marygene has left her husband and returned to her hometown, where she can almost feel Mama's presence.

But all is not peachy back home. Marygene has barely tied on an apron when a diner regular drops dead at the counter. When it turns out the old man's been poisoned, Jena Lynn is led away in handcuffs and the family eatery is closed. Now, to save her sister and the diner, Marygene must find the real killer. With some startling assistance from her Mama's spirit, Marygene will be serving up a special order of just desserts . . .

Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene’s Kitchen!

What I Thought:

I have wanted to read this book since I first saw it advertised, I find my self intrigued by stories set in the south and this one did not disappoint me. Marygene has left her abusive husband and has moved back home to her island community of Peach Cove. She hopes to work in the families Peach Diner, but when her sister, Jena Lynn, bakes a cake for a customer and he ends up dead, the diner is closed. Marygene's estranged father is the sheriff, so that makes for some sticky situations as Marygene is trying to clear her sister's name. This was a great mystery read that also had a great family dynamic to it. It also touched on the subject of domestic abuse. I really liked the protagonist and I liked the setting. I thought the book was fast paced and well written and it kept me guessing till the very end. I look forward to the next book in this series.

The author is hosting a pre-order giveaway!
CHECK IT OUT HERE!

About the Author

Kate Young writes humorous southern mystery novels. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Guppy Chapter. Kate lives in a small town in Georgia with her husband, three kids, and Shih Tzu. When she is not writing her own books, she's reading or cooking.

Author Links

Website - https://www.kateyoungbooks.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKateYoung/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/KAYoungBooks

GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6527572.Kate_Young

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kate-young-b3339e9c-d2e4-482d-a637-5afd7b064d73

Purchase Links -- Amazon B&N Kobo Indie Bound ibooks BAM

Thursday, May 9, 2019

The Scent of Murder

Jacket Copy:

First in a new series from national bestselling author Kylie Logan, The Scent of Murder is a riveting mystery following Jazz Ramsey as she trains cadaver dogs.

The way Jazz Ramsey figures it, life is pretty good. She’s thirty-five years old and owns her own home in one of Cleveland’s most diverse, artsy, and interesting neighborhoods. She has a job she likes as an administrative assistant at an all-girls school, and a volunteer interest she’s passionate about—Jazz is a cadaver dog handler.

Jazz is working with Luther, a cadaver dog in training. Luther is still learning cadaver work, so Jazz is putting him through his paces at an abandoned building that will soon be turned into pricey condos. When Luther signals a find, Jazz is stunned to see the body of a young woman who is dressed in black and wearing the kind of make-up and jewelry that Jazz used to see on the Goth kids back in high school.

She’s even more shocked when she realizes that beneath the tattoos and the piercings and all that pale make up is a familiar face.

The lead detective on the case is an old lover, and the murdered woman is an old student. Jazz finds herself sucked into the case, obsessed with learning the truth.

Author Bio:

KYLIE LOGAN is the national bestselling author of The League of Literary Ladies Mysteries, the Button Box Mysteries, the Chili Cook-Off Mysteries, and the Ethnic Eats Mysteries. The Scent of Murder is the first in a new series.

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N

iBooks

Powells

IndieBound

Social Links:

https://twitter.com/KylieLoganBks

What I Thought:

I thought this was an okay book. It starts out with Jazz training a new cadaver dog, when the dog, Luther, stumbles upon a dead body. The body belongs to a former student at the all-girls school where Jazz is an administrative assistant. Of course Jazz is curious as to what happened to the girl, so she embarks on her own investigation to get to the bottom of the story. I thought this story was well written and the premise was a little different than what I am used to reading. There was some background information in this book that made me wonder if it will be brought to the forefront in a forthcoming book. I thought the plot was well thought out and the story flowed well. I will be looking forward to the next in this series.

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Shifting Through Clues

Sifting Through Clues
(A Cookbook Nook)
by Daryl Wood Gerber

About the Book

Sifting Through Clues (A Cookbook Nook Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Beyond the Page (April 23, 2019)
Print Length: 235 pages
ASIN: B07NQNFC45

The Agatha Award–winning author of Wreath Between the Lines returns to the Cookbook Nook, where culinary mysteries are giving everyone food for thought . . .

Book clubs from all over have descended on Crystal Cove to celebrate the library’s Book Club Bonanza week, and Jenna Hart has packed the Cookbook Nook with juicy reads and tasty cookbooks. But she’s most excited about spending an evening with the Mystery Mavens and their moveable feast, when they will go from house to house to share different culinary treats and discuss the whodunit they’re all reading. It’s all good food and fun for the savvy armchair detectives, until one of the members of the group is found murdered at the last stop on the tour.

As if that weren’t enough to spoil her appetite, Jenna discovers that all the evidence points to her friend Pepper as being the guilty party. And with Pepper’s chief-of-police daughter too close to the case to be impartial, Jenna knows she’ll have to step in to help clear her friend’s name before a bitter injustice sends her to jail. Sifting through the clues, Jenna unearths any number of possible culprits, but she’ll have to cook up a new way to catch the killer before Pepper’s goose is cooked . . .

Includes tasty sweet and savory recipes!

What I Thought:

This was another great installment in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series. I enjoy visiting Jenna in mysterious Crystal Cove with all of it's charming inhabitants. In this installment, book clubs have descended on Crystal Cove and the Mystery Mavens have their own club and are having a moveable feast where they discuss their latest book. When one of the club members is found murdered on the last stop of the feast, Jenna has to step up to find the killer because her best friend, Pepper is the main suspect. As always this was a well written story that flowed well and had me turning the pages. I enjoy the setting and the plots of this series seem to get better and better. I enjoy that the series delves a little into witchcraft but the author is very realistic in the elements of the craft. I was left guessing until the end, which is what I love about a cozy mystery.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About the Author

Agatha Award-winning Daryl Wood Gerber writes the nationally bestselling Cookbook Nook Mysteries as well as the French Bistro Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she pens the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. Daryl also writes stand-alone suspense. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, and she has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky who keeps her in line!

Author Links

VISIT MY WEBSITE: www.darylwoodgerber.com

SIGN UP FOR MY Newsletter, which comes out once a month and with a new release

http://www.darylwoodgerber.com/contact.php#mailing-list

http://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

http://twitter.com/darylwoodgerber

http://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

http://youtube.com/woodgerb1

http://instagram.com/darylwoodgerber

http://pinterest.com/darylwoodgerber

http://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

http://www.darylwoodgerber.com/contact.php#mailing-list

Amazon: http://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Google Play

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Tuesday, April 9, 2019

The Hidden Corpse

The Hidden Corpse
(A Food Blogger Mystery)
by Debra Sennefelder

About the Book

The Hidden Corpse (A Food Blogger Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (March 26, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1496715934
ISBN-13: 978-1496715937
Digital ASIN: B07F5YS5XR

Former reality TV baking show contestant and recent divorcée Hope Early is trying to find her recipe for success as a food blogger—but murder keeps getting in the mix . . .

When Hope’s elderly neighbor perishes in a home fire, she can't help but feel somewhat responsible. Only the day before, Peggy Olson had called her over, having burned a pot on the stove while she was sleeping and filling the house with smoke. In fact, she couldn't even remember cooking. Clearly, it was dangerous for the woman to live alone.

But it turns out she wasn't alone. When a second body is discovered in the basement of the burned house, suddenly what appeared to be a tragic accident is beginning to look like premeditated murder. As rumors spread like wildfire, Hope is determined to sort out the facts and smoke out a killer, but she might be jumping from the frying pan straight into the fire . . .

Includes Recipes from Hope’s Kitchen!

What I Thought:

This is the second in A Food Blogger Mystery series. This installment of the series was just as good as the first installment. In this one, Hope's elderly neighbor has, Peggy has perished in a house fire, and Hope feels a little responsible as Peggy told her about burning a pot on the stove the day before. When a second body is found in Peggy's basement, it seems that the fires wasn't just a tragic accident but a premeditated murder. Hope starts investigating and starts questioning some of the residents of town, making some angry with her. I thought this book was well written, as was the first. I enjoy reading about Hope and her job as a food blogger, that gets to be as interesting as the mystery. The plot was very well thought out, and the story was fast paced. The author does a great job with describing the setting of this story, I actually felt like I was there. There were twists and turns that left me guessing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About the Author

Debra Sennefelder, the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series, is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.

Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companions are her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzus, Susie and Billy.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Women's Fiction Writers Association and Romance Writers of America.

Author Links:

Website – Facebook – Goodreads

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Google Play - IndieBound

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Saturday, April 6, 2019

Designs on Murder

Designs On Murder:
A Ghostly Fashionista Mystery
by Gayle Leeson

About the Book

Designs On Murder: A Ghostly Fashionista Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Grace Abraham Publishing (March 26, 2019)
Print Length: 229 pages
ASIN: B07MYCQJHB

What if you discovered your lively new friend wasn't really...alive?

Amanda Tucker is excited about opening her fashion design studio in Shops On Main, a charming old building in historic Abingdon, Virginia. She didn't realize a ghost came with the property! But soon Maxine "Max" Englebright, a young woman who died in 1930, isn't the only dead person at the retail complex. Mark Tinsley, a web designer with a know-it-all attitude who also rented space at Shops On Main, is shot in his office.

Amanda is afraid that one of her new "friends" and fellow small business owners is his killer, and Max is encouraging her to solve Mark's murder a la Nancy Drew. Easy for Max to want to investigate--the ghostly fashionista can't end up the killer's next victim!

What I Thought:

As always, Gayle delivered another great story and series with this one. After a job interview, Amanda wanders into a shop that is for rent in Shops on Main in Abingdon, VA. There she meets Maxine Englebright, and she knows they will become fast and lifelong friends, only Max is a ghost who died in 1930. Amanda decides to open a fashion boutique in the shop after some encouragement from her grandfather. When another renter of a space at Shops on Main if found shot in his office, Amanda becomes involved after fearing one of her new friends and fellow business associates is the killer. This book was well written with a lot of imagination. I enjoy how Amanda and Max interact even though Max is a ghost. The mystery was great and there were several suspects that made it hard to narrow down who the killer was. The story flowed well making a quick and easy read. I am anxiously anticipating the next in this quirky series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

About the Author

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. Gayle has also written as Amanda Lee and Gayle Trent. As Amanda Lee, she wrote the Embroidery Mystery series, and as Gayle Trent, she writes the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. Going forward, Gayle intends to keep her writing until the Gayle Leeson name. She has a series of women's fiction novellas set in a shopping mall that has been converted to include micro-apartments (the Kinsey Falls series) and has just begun this new cozy series, the Ghostly Fashionista Mystery series. Another Down South Cafe novel is slated for release in August with book two in the Ghostly Fashionista series scheduled for October.