New Releases For The Week Of January 28th, 2018–Part 4

 

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 28th, 2018.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them this week. Today is fourth and final day of my list for this week.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

 

“The world’s greatest adolescent British chemist/busybody/sleuth” (The Seattle Times), Flavia de Luce, returns in a twisty new mystery novel from award-winning and New York Timesbestselling author Alan Bradley.

In the wake of an unthinkable family tragedy, twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is struggling to fill her empty days. For a needed escape, Dogger, the loyal family servant, suggests a boating trip for Flavia and her two older sisters. As their punt drifts past the church where a notorious vicar had recently dispatched three of his female parishioners by spiking their communion wine with cyanide, Flavia, an expert chemist with a passion for poisons, is ecstatic. Suddenly something grazes her fingers as she dangles them in the water. She clamps down on the object, imagining herself Ernest Hemingway battling a marlin, and pulls up what she expects will be a giant fish. But in Flavia’s grip is something far better: a human head, attached to a human body. If anything could take Flavia’s mind off sorrow, it is solving a murder—although one that may lead the young sleuth to an early grave.

Advance praise for The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place

“Outstanding . . . As usual, Bradley makes his improbable series conceit work and relieves the plot’s inherent darkness with clever humor.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“There’s only one Flavia. . . . Series fans will anticipate the details of this investigation, along with one last taste of Flavia’s unorthodox family life.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Bradley’s unquenchable heroine brings ‘the most complicated case I had ever come across’ to a highly satisfying conclusion, with the promise of still brighter days ahead.”—Kirkus Reviews

Acclaim for Alan Bradley’s beloved Flavia de Luce novels, winners of the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award, Barry Award, Agatha Award, Macavity Award, Dilys Award, and Arthur Ellis Award

“If ever there were a sleuth who’s bold, brilliant, and, yes, adorable, it’s Flavia de Luce.”—USA Today

“Delightful . . . a combination of Eloise and Sherlock Holmes.”—The Boston Globe

“[Flavia] is as addictive as dark chocolate.”—Daily Mail  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Florida’s king of mayhem—”compulsively irreverent and shockingly funny” (Boston Globe) New York Times bestselling author Tim Dorsey—comes a diabolically madcap adventure featuring the indomitable Serge A. Storms.

No one worships the Sunshine State as much as Serge A. Storms. Perpetually hunting Floridian arcana and lore, he and his permanently baked sidekick, Coleman, are on the road again. This time they’re on a frenzied literary pilgrimage that leads them back to Riviera Beach, the cozy seaside town where the boys spent their formative years.

Growing up, Serge was enthralled by the Legend of Riviera Beach, aka Darby, a welder at the port who surfed the local waves long before the hot spots were hot. A god on the water, the big-hearted surfer was a friend to everyone—the younger surfers, cops, politicians, wealthy businessmen and ordinary Joes—a generosity of spirit that earned him the admiration of all. Meanwhile, there was a much murkier legend that made the rounds of the schoolyards from Serge’s youth—that of the crazy hermit living in a makeshift jungle compound farther up the mysterious Loxahatchee River than anyone dared to venture.

Then Serge moved away. But never forgot.

Now he’s back, with those legends looming larger than ever in the rearview mirror of his memory. As his literary odyssey moves north from Key West, closer and closer to his old stomping grounds, Serge digs into the past as only Serge can. Along the way, he unintentionally disturbs some long-forgotten ground, attracting the attention of a cast of villains that only Florida can produce.

As the body count grows, so does the list of questions:

Why are the guys in the hard hats worried about the monkeys? When do you hack a motel air-conditioner? How does Coleman get high with cat toys? Who is expecting the dildo? And will book tours ever be the same after Serge decides to check one out?

Told in alternating flashbacks between Serge and Coleman’s childhoods and the present day, The Pope of Palm Beach is a witty and deliciously violent delight from the twisted imagination of Tim Dorsey.

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life just got a little sweeter in the island fishing village of Eastport, Maine. Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and her best friend Ellie are opening a waterfront bake shop, The Chocolate Moose, where their tasty treats pair perfectly with the salty ocean breeze. But while Jake has moved on from fixing up houses, she still can’t resist the urge to snoop into the occasional murder.
 
Jake and Ellie have been through a lot together, from home repair to homicide investigation. So when they decide to open a chocolate-themed bakery, they figure it’ll be a piece of cake. With Ellie’s old family recipes luring in customers, they expect to make plenty of dough this Fourth of July weekend. Having family home for the holiday only sweetens the deal for Jake—until the ill wind of an early-season hurricane blows up her plans. When the storm hits, Jake’s grown son Sam is stranded in a Boston bus station, and her husband Wade is stuck on a cargo ship. But as bitter as the storm is, something even more sinister is brewing in the kitchen of The Chocolate Moose—where health inspector Matt Muldoon is found murdered.
 
Ellie never made a secret of her distaste for Matt, who had been raining on their parade with bogus talk of health code violations. Now, with no alibi for the night of the murder, she’s in a sticky situation with the police—and it’s up to Jake to catch the real killer and keep Ellie living in the land of the free.

Includes a Recipe!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily Westhill runs the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin, alongside her retired police chief father-in-law and her tabby Deputy Donut. But after murder claims a favorite customer, Emily can’t rely on a sidekick to solve the crime—or stay alive.

If Emily has learned anything from her past as a 911 operator, it’s to stay calm during stressful situations. But that’s a tall order when one of her regulars, Georgia Treetor, goes missing. Georgia never skips morning cappuccinos with her knitting circle. Her pals fear the worst—especially Lois, a close friend who recently moved to town. As evening creeps in, Emily and the ladies search for Georgia at home. And they find her—murdered among a scattering of stale donuts . . .

Disturbingly, Georgia’s demise coincides with the five-year anniversary of her son’s murder, a case Emily’s late detective husband failed to solve before his own sudden death. With Lois hiding secrets and an innocent man’s life at stake, Emily’s forced to revisit painful memories on her quest for answers. Though someone’s alibi is full of holes, only a sprinkling of clues have been left behind. And if Emily can’t trace them back to a killer in time, her donut shop will end up permanently closed for business . . .  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heiress Prudence MacKenzie is a valuable partner to attorney Geoffrey Hunter, despite the fact that women are not admitted to the bar in New York’s Gilded Age. And though their office is a comfortable distance from the violence that haunts the city’s slums, the firm of Hunter and MacKenzie is about to come dangerously close to an unstoppable killer . . .

LIES THAT COMFORT AND BETRAY

The murders in Whitechapel are shocking enough to make news worldwide, and in the autumn of 1888, Geoffrey and Prudence find the stories in the New York Herald quite unsettling. But London is not the only city to be terrorized by a mad butcher.

Nora Kenny makes the occasional journey on the Staten Island ferry to work in Prudence’s Fifth Avenue house, just as her mother once served Prudence’s mother. As little girls, they played freely together, before retreating into their respective social classes. Still, they remain fond of each other. But when Nora slips away to Saint Anselm’s one chilly Saturday to confess her sins and never returns, Prudence is alarmed. And when Nora’s body is discovered in a local park, Prudence is devastated.

Nora will not be the only young woman to fall victim, but the police are uncertain what they are dealing with. Has the Ripper sailed across the Atlantic to find a new hunting ground? Is some disturbed soul copying his crimes? A former Pinkerton agent, Geoffrey intends to step in where the New York Metropolitan Police seem to be failing, and Prudence is just as determined to protect the poor, vulnerable females being targeted. But a killer with a disordered mind and an incomprehensible motive may prove too elusive for even this experienced pair to outwit.

From the author of What the Dead Leave Behind, this is a suspenseful and richly atmospheric mystery that captures both the elegance and sophistication of nineteenth-century New York, and the secrets and bloody terrors that lurked behind its gilded facades.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRE-ORDER! The 3rd book in the BESTSELLING Scarlet Cove series!

Liz Jones moved to Scarlet Cove six months ago for a fresh start away from her detective life in the city. In that time, she has opened an arts and crafts shop, adopted a dog, made friends, and even found a farmer boyfriend. When she takes on her latest project of forming an art group, she does not expect it to land her back in the middle of another murder investigation, but that is precisely what happens.

With the gallery’s tyrannical owner, Katelyn Monroe, on holiday, Liz’s best friend, Nancy Turtle, suggests they host an exhibition of their work in her absence. When Katelyn returns from her holiday early and shuts down the exhibit, it immediately results in her murder. With all of Liz’s newly formed group, including Nancy, in the frame, she feels obligated to uncover the truth behind the killing. Between fake paintings, secret love affairs, and bitter rivalries, it seems every one of Liz’s art students has a motive for killing Katelyn, but can the retired detective put her retirement on hold long enough to uncover the truth before a second slaying?

Book 3 in the Scarlet Cove Seaside Cozy Mystery series! Can be read as a standalone, but will be enjoyed better as the 3rd book in the series. A light, cozy mystery read with an art-loving, craft store owning, retired female detective, in a small fishing town on the British South Coast. Packed with quirky neighbours, a handsome love interest, and an adorable rescue dog! Written in British English. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes (but maybe includes a body)!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NINTH book in the Ravenwood Cove Cozy Mystery series

It’s tough enough to try to make a living in Ravenwood Cove, but when a fancy new tea shop shows up and starts to compete with the existing shops in town, its abrasive owner definitely isn’t making any friends. The first annual Spring Fun Run is on everybody’s minds, but a grisly discovery puts some of the most respected people in Ravenwood high on the suspect list, and square in the path of deadly danger.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Join Poppy and Alex for the final Poppy McGuire mystery!

For three years, Poppy and Alex have worked together solving cases in their small town of Sunset Ridge, first as just co-workers but later as partners in nearly every sense of the word. Now they’re about to take the final step and become husband and wife, but in the midst of getting ready for what folks around town are calling the wedding of the year, the murder of someone involved in the preparations makes their plans go awry.

Samuel Morrow, the kind man who has run Morrow’s Jewelers for over twenty years, is found murdered in an apparent break-in, and there’s no shortage of suspects who may have had a reason to kill him. Oddly enough, something very valuable to Poppy and Alex is missing from his store too. Is the theft connected to the murder?

As they hunt for Samuel’s killer, carefully eliminating suspect after suspect, they must juggle cake tastings and reception planning, as all the while someone’s watching their favorite amateur sleuth. Will Poppy and Alex solve the case and reach the altar, or will the killer make their ever after far less than happy?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From USA Today bestselling author Beth Prentice comes the next killer Aloha Lagoon Mystery…

Samantha Reynold’s new life in Aloha Lagoon is awesome. She has a great job as a surf instructor at the local resort, a gorgeous boyfriend, bartender Casey Dalton, and a BFF to tell all her secrets to. But when a man from Casey’s past turns up in Aloha Lagoon claiming knowledge of a long lost treasure, life goes from paradise to downright deadly. A body in the rainforest has the police looking squarely at Casey as their number one suspect, and even Samantha has to admit that the evidence against him doesn’t look good. Now it’s up to Samantha and her BFF to find the real killer, decipher the clues to the treasure, and find out just what skeletons are lurking in her suddenly secretive boyfriend’s closet… even if she may not want to meet them!

The Aloha Lagoon Mysteries:
Ukulele Murder (book #1)
Murder on the Aloha Express (book #2)
Deadly Wipeout (book #3)
Deadly Bubbles in the Wine (book #4)
Mele Kalikimaka Murder (book #5)
Death of the Big Kahuna (book #6)
Ukulele Deadly (book #7)
Bikinis & Bloodshed (book #8)
Death of the Kona Man (book #9)
Lethal Tide (book #10)

About Aloha Lagoon:
There’s trouble in paradise…
Welcome to Aloha Lagoon, one of Hawaii’s hidden treasures. A little bit of tropical paradise nestled along the coast of Kauai, this resort town boasts luxurious accommodation, friendly island atmosphere…and only a slightly higher than normal murder rate. While mysterious circumstances may be the norm on our corner of the island, we’re certain that our staff and Lagoon natives will make your stay in Aloha Lagoon one you will never forget!   (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New Releases For The Week Of January 28th, 2018–Part 3

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 28th, 2018.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them this week. Today is third day of my list for this week.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

Isobel Avery’s first six months as an undercover poison taster haven’t exactly been easy. But this week will be worse.

Two people with nothing in common are found dead. Apparently poisoned by an artificial intelligence security system. Now Izzy needs to find out whether robots are taking over the world or if there’s a geeky murderer on the loose.

Oh, and she also needs to juggle the demands of her personal life—playing along with Etta’s latest deception, rehoming a mysteriously acquired stray dog, cheering up her mopey housemate, and helping Harper cut ties with her worst boyfriend yet.

But Izzy’s biggest challenge of all will be helping Connor face the demons of his past. And if she can’t do it, she might lose him forever.  (Amazon)

Editions available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1st book in the NEW Kingsmede Cozy Murder Mystery series!

What do you do when your elderly Italian godmother is accused of murdering the chef brought in to replace her – and she probably did it?

This book will delight fans of TV shows like ‘Midsomer Murders’ and ‘Murder She Wrote’ who love reading cozy mysteries such as the Agatha Raisin and Peridale Café series.

Lottie Brannigan thought that life was complicated enough when all she had to cope with were her friends and the latest antics of her Italian relatives, but then she finds her neighbour knocked out on his doorstep and her godmother is accused of murdering a rival chef!

Running an Italian deli in an English country village has never been so deadly!

Book 1 in the Kingsmede Mystery series! A standalone witty cozy mystery with a deli owning female amateur sleuth. No cliffhangers, swearing, intimate or graphic scenes.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book 2 in the NEW Kingsmede Cozy Murder Mystery series!

What do you do when a local millionaire dies just after eating your canapes?

This book will delight fans of TV shows like ‘Midsomer Murders’ and ‘Murder She Wrote’ who love reading cozy mysteries such as the Agatha Raisin and Peridale Café series.

The annual Kingsmede Wine Festival is a major event in the local calendar. No one is looking forward to it more than Lottie Brannigan who is providing the catering for the award ceremony. This is the perfect opportunity for her to promote the delicious food she serves at the Italian deli she inherited from her late father.
But when the winning wine maker dies from a severe peanut allergy after eating her food, Lottie gets the blame for the death. Suddenly the future of her deli takes second place to a murder investigation.

Running an Italian deli in an English country village has never been so deadly!

Book 2 in the Kingsmede Cozy Mystery series! A standalone witty cozy mystery with a deli owning female amateur sleuth. No cliffhangers, swearing, intimate or graphic scenes.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a first-hand description of some of the doings in the slimy, mysterious places of the largest city in England. Here the detectives of Scotland Yard know of many strange things and see the results of the workings of such evil minds as Dr. Fu Manchu. The author is one of the few men who has penetrated the secrets of the Limehouse underworld sufficiently to enable him to write about them authentically and interestingly. Here are sudden deaths in peculiar ways, mysterious disappearances and all sorts of crimes — where human life is valued none too highly…  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valentine’s Day is set to be a very special day indeed for new couple Beatrice and Matthew, in their mid-sixties and back together after forty years apart. And it’s going to be magical for their small town of Ashbrook, New Hampshire, too. A massive skating party is planned and the whole town is excited!

But, then a traveling medium predicts that the party will end in disaster. A scary editorial is printed in the local newspaper. And there’s a rash break-in involving arson. The whole town is on edge and it seems that the town’s heroic effort to rebuild is going to, perhaps literally, go up in smoke.

Beatrice has to put aside managing the Cozy Cat Cafe, dodging rumors of an upcoming run for mayor, and planning her wedding to put her amateur detective hat back on. Thankfully, her four crime-fighting cats are always there to back her up. And this time, the most underrated of Beatrice’s feline troupe might just be the one to save the day.

This is the thirteenth book in the Beatrice Young cozy cat mystery series. It can be read as a standalone but is extra delightful when enjoyed in sequence. This novella is a clean mystery with no graphic violence, sex, or swearing.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Delightful! A fun whodunit full of New England coastal charm and characters who feel like friends. Warm humor, a delectable plot, and clever sleuthing will keep you turning the pages.” —Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries

Welcome to the seaside hamlet of Mystic Bay, where the fish is always fresh, the folks are ever-friendly, and murder is on a roll. . .

Allie Larkin was living her dream as a ballet dancer when a bad fall put her out of business. Now she’s back home in Mystic Bay to heal a broken ankle while also helping her dear Aunt Gully get her Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack off the ground. Nothing would help Gully more than winning the local food festival’s Best Lobster Roll contest. The competition is sure to be killer—especially after one of the contest judges dies after eating a roll from one of Gully’s biggest rivals.

Soon, all eyes fall on Gully as the prime suspect. Allie may only have one good leg to stand on, but she’s not going to let her aunt go down for a crime she never could have cooked up. Can Allie, along with her devoted crew of friends, family, and customers, find a way to trap the killer and claw herself out of this hard-boiled murder case?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle. Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A celebrity couple getting hitched on Valentine’s Day would be a big boost for Mallory Shepard’s wedding planning business, but someone’s got cold feet: a corpse . . .

Actress Dakota Craig is set to tie the knot with her famous musician boyfriend at Mallory’s Pennsylvania B&B on the most romantic day of the year. Best of all, the whole thing will air on the reality TV show I Do. But the maid of honor has dropped out of the wedding party—by dropping dead.

A lot of people insist the show must go on, so Mallory’s investigation keeps getting sidetracked by everything from a meddling mother to a foot of snow to a side project making arrangements for a high school Winter Ball. But if she doesn’t catch the noxious culprit, the bride might wind up with a funeral wreath instead of a bouquet . . .

Praise for Engaged in Death
 
“I had great fun reading the adventures of nouveau sleuth Mallory Shepard as she wrangles corpses, kittens, and a cheating fiancé in this charming debut mystery.”
—Laura Levine, author of Murder Has Nine Lives  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For fortysomething Poppy McAllister, taking a stroll down memory lane in Cape May, New Jersey, isn’t just awkward—it’s deadly.

Newly widowed and stuck in a middle-aged funk, Poppy has been running on cookies, infomercials, and one-sided chats with her cat for months. There’s no way on earth she’s attending her twenty-five-year class reunion—especially after receiving a very bizarre letter from Barbie, the popular cheerleader who taunted her all through high school. At least, not until Poppy’s best friend practically drags her to the event . . .

Using the dreaded homecoming as an excuse to visit her eccentric Aunt Ginny, Poppy vows to leave Cape May with pride and Spanx intact. Too bad Barbie is still the queen of mean at the reunion. And worse, that her dead body is lying right in front of Poppy’s old locker. Singled out as the killer, it’s up to Poppy to confront her past and clear her name. But between protecting her aunt from disaster and tackling a gluten-free diet, can Poppy crack the case before she’s voted “Most Likely to Die” by the murderer?

Includes Seven Recipes from Poppy’s Kitchen!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

New Releases For The Week Of January 28th, 2018–Part 2

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 28th, 2018.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them this week. Today is second day of my list for this week.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

It’s about a dress. A valuable blue sequined dress worn by a famed actress in a film from the 1940s. For some reason everyone thinks video storeowner Noah Valentine has it. Which might not be a big deal except that it’s connected to the murder of a prominent Hollywood costumer.

In the second of the Pinx Video Mysteries, Noah attempts to solve the mystery of the dress. To do so, he must confront a legendary film icon Wilma Wanderly, hunky police Detective Javier O’Shea, the dowager Queen of Watts and a couple of bitter ex-friends.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hazel Hart is having a terrible day.

A man is murdered in her Wild @ Hart Photo Studio, and the new sheriff in Cedar Valley not only declares it a crime scene and insults Hazel’s fashion sense, but he also suspects Hazel of the murder!

In order to clear her name and restore her shop’s reputation, Hazel must find the real killer. Problem is, the list of suspects and their secrets seem to grow the deeper Hazel digs. Not to mention the mysterious figure who keeps showing up in Hazel’s photos. Can she unearth the killer before time runs out?

A feel-good, cozy mystery about a quirky photographer and her black cat solving mysteries in Cedar Valley, a small town in the Sierra Nevada mountains. This book does not contain any cliffhangers, gore, graphic scenes, or foul language.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arden Lynn is looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend with a good book. Something with a little mystery and maybe a lot of romance. When her handsome neighbor shows up at the library, she thinks she’s hit the jackpot.

However, she gets more than she bargained for when an escaped prisoner bursts into the library and takes everyone there hostage. As the prisoner terrorizes the friendly librarian and her friends–questioning them about a former member of their writing club who had recently died–Arden worries that her trip to the library is about to end in tragedy. Luckily, things take a turn for the better when Max, showing remarkable abilities for a simple mystery writer, attacks the prisoner.

Arden’s suitably impressed and when she learns the title of Max’s new book is the exact same name as the librarian’s very exclusive writing club, she’s suitably suspicious and decides it’s high time she got to know her mysterious neighbor a little better.   (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pulse-pounding, heart-stopping, super awesome ace G-man himself, Secret Agent X! Collected here are the masterful tales of the daring spymaster in all his glory: CALL FROM HELL, CONSIDINE LAUGHS, THE EYES OF DURGA, THE MURDER MONSTER, NO LIVING WITNESS, PAID IN SLUGS, SATAN’S SCALPEL, TOMB OF TORTURE, TONG TORTURE, THE TERROR’S TRADE-MARK, TAKING NO CHANCES, THE SUICIDE COTERIE  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pippa Welbury has smuggling on her mind!

After seeing a group of men land some illicit cargo on the coast just up from her home in the Cornish fishing village of Polperro, she gets drawn into this historic Cornish pass-time.

The smuggling intrigues her further as she begins to ask around the village about Polperro’s historic ties to the activity, and seems to come up with… nothing.

To add to her overactive imagination, whilst out walking with Benjamin, her faithful dog, she spots a vase containing a bunch of Poppies in the window of a lighthouse; fresh poppies in a supposedly disused lighthouse! Who would place flowers in a derelict building? She was asking herself that very same question, but it is soon replaced by others when she spots the smugglers moving another stash of boxes into that very same lighthouse.

What’s in the smugglers’ stash? Should she report it to the authorities? Who grows poppies all year round?

All these questions, and a few more that Pippa has not thought of yet will get answered in this, the third in the Cornish Coastpath Mysteries Series.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some family secrets shouldn’t stay buried…

Music professor Gus LeGarde and his wife Camille are looking forward to a relaxing vacation on Paines Creek Beach in beautiful Cape Cod. But Gus barely has a chance to feel the sand between his toes before a near-miss car accident drags him right into the middle of a local family feud — and a centuries-old mystery that’s begging to be solved.

As Gus is drawn further into the conflict between the Cooks and the McNabbs — two families with a grudge going all the way back to Colonial times — he and Camille keep uncovering more questions than answers. Where is the long-lost Cook family treasure? What’s really wrong with Beckett, the McNabb-side member who’s the father of young Jane Cook’s son? And who’s telling the truth about Beckett and Jane’s clandestine relationship: Jane’s grandfather, surly patriarch Albert Cook; or Beckett’s slightly odd parents?

Before long, mounting tension gives way to true danger as people start vanishing. And in the middle of a fast-brewing hurricane, Gus discovers the real secret at the heart of the feud: someone who will stop at nothing to make sure their side wins. Including murder.

Packed with shocking twists, exciting action, and fascinating tales of family lore and pirate treasure, Murder on the Brewster Flats is the first LeGarde Mysteries crossover novel with award-winning author Aaron Paul Lazar’s popular Paines Creek Beach series. Don’t miss this installment!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FBI Profiler Chase Adams is back in the thrilling sequel to the Amazon #1 bestseller FROZEN STIFF! 

Three women are brutally murdered in Chicago, their bodies stripped naked, their throats slits. The killer has propped their eyes open with matchsticks and covered their mouths with duct tape.

Fresh off her first case, FBI Agent Chase Adams finds herself on the road again, this time with a new partner. But before she can even arrive at the scene, the killer has struck again, bringing his total of victims to four. To make matters worse, that the killer seems to be taunting Chase, leaving a trail of confusing evidence that leads to nowhere.

The local PD is convinced that they’re looking for a single suspect, a man who charms his way into the woman’s homes before seducing them and murdering them. Chase, however, isn’t so sure. There’s a shadow lurking, a suspect hanging just outside her periphery, one that may or may not be a demon from Chase’s own past.

One thing is for certain: if she doesn’t get her act together and catch the killer soon, Chase herself might very well become his fifth victim.

Pre-order your copy of SHADOW SUSPECT today!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzy and the gang are back in the Cayman Islands enjoying a relaxing day of deep-sea fishing. Their day is interrupted when a luxury yacht passing by inexplicably explodes and sinks, but not before the poodle onboard leaps into the water and swims to their boat just before the yacht blows up. And when several patches of a white film form on the surface of the water after the blast, along with some bizarre bits of debris that fall from the sky, Suzy soon finds herself in the middle of a murder case that appears to involve a drug smuggling operation and illegal cockfighting.

Soon after she sets out to find a new home for the poodle, a dog that seems to possess a ‘sixth-sense’ that makes everyone it comes in contact with extremely nervous, Suzy’s plans get derailed when she and Josie and Rooster get arrested on an impressive list of charges. As such, all three are soon facing some serious jail time and the threat of deportation. Not the mention the ire of Suzy’s mom.

With the ongoing investigation, along with the actions of her boyfriend, Max, and the fact that she desperately wants out of Wags, their fledging dog toy company, Suzy has a lot on her mind. And when Gerald, the Finance Minister, forces her involvement in the case on Detective Renfro, the lead investigator, Suzy finds herself in the unusual position of working closely with the local police and on a very short leash. With a suspect list that includes the estranged daughter of the deceased owners of the yacht, several employees of the owner’s import-export company, the Premier’s son, as well as the Police Commissioner and Ramon, the local organizer of the illegal cockfights, it’s a wild ride for Suzy and the gang as she tries to decipher exactly what the heck is going on as political intrigue, revenge, cockfighting, and the challenges of love, both true and unrequited, collide head on.

The Case of the Prescient Poodle is the latest installment in B.R. Snow’s popular Thousand Islands Doggy Inn Mysteries and deals with dogs, food, and the power of friendship set against the backdrop of beautiful beaches, hot sun, and cold beverages.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dog-nappings are an owner’s’ worst nightmare. When three rare, expensive, and sought after puppies go missing within a few days of each other, Olivia doesn’t even need to be asked to take the case. Her clients are like family and she can’t stand to see a family grieve over their missing canine member. But when the investigation leads her to a local jeweler’s Olivia reveals to her best friend that she’s ready to make things official with Andrew. In her shock, [the best friend] lets it slip that Andrew was thinking the same thing (and has a new ring to prove it!).

Olivia decides to beat Andrew to the punch. How better to show her stellar level of commitment than proposing first. But the best blabbermouth seems to have tipped off Andrew too. Now, they’re playing a game of keep your friends close and your soon-to-be-spouse closer, which Andrew cements by asking to come along on this case.

But when the missing puppies lead to the murder of a well-known (and well hated) romance advice columnist, Olivia and Andrew’s feelings will be tested. Not just in the battle for the bridal win, but in sifting through suspects who wanted to kill the author for ruining their love lives. Olivia and Andrew are in a rush to find who done it, before the investigation does away with their engagement.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

New Releases For The Week Of January 18th, 2018–Part 1

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 28th, 2018.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them this week. Today is third  day of my list for this week.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

Bestselling author Lisa Black takes readers on a nailbiting journey to the dark side of justice as forensic expert Maggie Gardiner discovers troubling new details about her colleague Jack Renner, a homicide detective with a brutal approach to law and order . . .

The scene of the crime is lavish but gruesome. In a luxurious mansion on the outskirts of Cleveland, a woman’s body lies gutted in a pool of blood on the marble floor. The victim is Joanna Moorehouse, founder of Sterling Financial. The killer could be any one of her associates.

Maggie knows that to crack the case, she and Jack will have to infiltrate the cutthroat world of high-stakes finance. But the offices of Sterling Financial seethe with potential suspects, every employee hellbent on making a killing. When another officer uncovers disturbing evidence in a series of unrelated murders, the investigation takes a surprising detour.

Only Maggie recognizes the blood-soaked handiwork of  a killer who has committed the most heinous of crimes—and will continue killing until he is stopped. Burdened with unbearable secrets, Maggie must make an agonizing choice, while her conscience keeps telling her: she’s next.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*** FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR J. ROBERT KENNEDY ***

IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SCANDALOUS AFFAIRS IN THE KINGDOM OF FRANCE’S HISTORY.
AND ONE TEMPLAR KNIGHT PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE.

When a woman arrives at Sir Marcus de Rancourt’s new home, claiming to be a cousin of his late brother-in-law, he and his fellow Templars are forced to fight off her pursuers before knowing the truth of her crime—accusations of adultery by her husband.

Swearing she is innocent, Sir Marcus and his trusted sergeant agree to seek out the truth, while his squires remain behind to protect her. But soon after arriving in Paris, they discover that nothing is as it seems, and more is going on than they could have possibly imagined.

USA Today bestselling author J. Robert Kennedy once again takes history and twists it to his own ends, delivering a pulse-pounding page-turner filled with enough mystery, intrigue, action, and humor, to satisfy any thriller fan. If you enjoy fast-paced adventures in the style of Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, and James Rollins, then you’ll love this taut historical tale of intrigue.

Get your copy of The Templar Detective and the Parisian Adulteress today, and discover the forgotten history of one of France’s greatest scandals, and how one Templar knight changed history.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lorna Sinclair has never had beauty. And now she is losing her youth. She could face the loss with peaceful resignation, if life had only provided her with a single, solitary experience of love. No man has ever looked at her with anything but pity and compassion – the burns on her face have ensured that. Who could expect any man to have been attracted to someone with such a deformity? At the age of forty-two, Lorna has never even been kissed.

In life, Lilith Hazelwood was the most powerful witch in Oyster Cove. In death, she is determined to find and punish her murderer. Once enraged by the fact that her body parts had been used for organ transplant, she now sees the beneficiaries as the best means of avenging her own death. If they would only stop being sidetracked by silly diversions like solving human murders and finding love.

Transplant specialist Dr. Svenson uncovers a way to transfer the dead witch’s talent for beauty and longevity to an astonished Lorna. Is it really possible that she’s now capable of captivating any man who captures her fancy? A heady transformation. But what of the lonely heart misfits she works with at Oyster Cove’s Public Library? Why should she be the only one to enjoy the magical windfall of attraction and romance? All of a sudden, the library becomes the flirting, mingling epicenter of Oyster Cove’s social scene. Too bad a dead body pops up to ruin all the fun.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creepy munchkins. A mysterious phantom. And a real Wicked Witch. Are you ready for it?

Actress and part-time PI Ivy Meadows has been hired to uncover the cause of the creepy accidents that plague the roadshow The Wizard: A Space OZpera and find out who dropped a chandelier on the Wicked Witch of the East.

Was it the ghost who haunts the Grand Phoenician Theatre? A “wicked witch” in the cast? Or is it someone—or something—more sinister?

It’s Ivy’s most personal case so far.

Her best friend Candy, who’s touring with the show, is caught in a downward spiral of self-destruction, and is in more danger than she knows.

To save her friend and the show, Ivy must answer even tougher questions: Do spirits really exist? What is real beauty? What does friendship mean?

Ivy needs to learn the answers, and fast—before Candy reaches the point of no return.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When a new restaurant with a starred American chef opens in Cherringham, it seems the Spotted Pig has a worthy rival. But a series of disturbing incidents turns that rivalry into something dangerous – perhaps even fatal. Jack and Sarah get involved and soon discover dark secrets about the new chef Anna …

Can they uncover what is really happening before both restaurants go belly-up?

Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing duo: English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack. Thrilling and deadly – but with a spot of tea – it’s like Rosamunde Pilcher meets Inspector Barnaby. Each of the self-contained episodes is a quick read for the morning commute, while waiting for the doctor, or when curling up with a hot cuppa.

You’d like to read a Cherringham story in novel-length? The first Cherringham books DEAD IN THE WATER and THE BODY IN THE WOODS are already available. Or maybe you’d like Neil Dudgeon to read them to you? Purchase Episodes 1-18 as audiobooks!

Co-authors Neil Richards (based in the UK) and Matthew Costello (based in the US), have been writing together since the mid 90’s, creating content and working on projects for the BBC, Disney Channel, Sony, ABC, Eidos, and Nintendo to name but a few. Their transatlantic collaboration has underpinned scores of TV drama scripts, computer games, radio shows, and – most recently – the successful crime fiction series Cherringham.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A zoo abandoned for years.

 

An entire family vanished into thin air.

Everyone at Avery Zoo knows the story of the Abraham family’s disappearance. They were planning to open a rival zoo just five miles away from Avery.

And then one day… they were gone.

Seven years later, a new team of investors has decided to complete the project the Abrahams started. When they contact Madi and offer her a consulting job, she can’t resist the opportunity to help shape the future of the new zoo.

But when Auryn reacts to her new job with anger, she can’t help but wonder… how far would one family go to keep away the competition?

Madi is determined to find out what really happened to the Abraham family, but the old mystery proves to be more dangerous than she’d ever anticipated.

Someone doesn’t like the questions she’s asking… and they’re willing to do anything to keep the mystery unsolved.

Pick up this page-turner today and you’ll be up all night figuring out ‘whodunnit’!

*This book can be read as a standalone but is better enjoyed as part of the series.* (Amazon_

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magic & Mystery are only part of the Southern Charms of Honeysuckle Hollow…

Charli Goodwin doesn’t expect her homecoming to go without a hitch—after all, she skipped town, leaving her fiancé and family without a clue as to where she was going or why. Now that she’s ready to return home, she plans to lay low and sip some of her Nana’s sweet tea while the town gossips come out to play.

Unfortunately, on her first night back, Charli discovers the body of her crazy great uncle (hey, everyone has one). She suddenly finds herself at the center of a mystery that threatens the very foundations of Honeysuckle Hollow and the safety of every paranormal citizen in it—starting with Charlie herself.
With the clock ticking, will Charli’s special magical talents be enough to save not only the town but her own life?

Find out now in Moonshine & Magic: A Southern Charms Cozy Mystery Book 1!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Vivica Meadows returns to her sleepy little hometown of Dahlonega, Georgia, and opens a mobile flower shop, she has no idea her first delivery will involve murder. Discovering the body makes Vivica the prime suspect. It will take all of her amateur sleuthing skills, along with those of her best friend, Winnie Baxter and Vivica’s hound dog, Maximus, to get Vivica out of this pickle. Things for Vivica had not been great in the big city, and returning to Dahlonega was bittersweet. Vivica was determined to make a go of it in the place she loved. But, will Vivica’s new beginning come to a tragic end before it even gets started? Find out in Hidden: Prequel to the Black Orchid Mystery Series.

This is the PREQUEL to the Black Orchid Mystery Series. It is shorter than the rest of the series – which are all full length novels.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For country-store owner Robbie Jordan, the National Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet escape from late-winter in South Lick, Indiana—until murder saps the life out of the celebration . . .
 
As Robbie arranges a breakfast-themed cook-off at Pans ‘N Pancakes, visitors pour into Brown County for the annual maple extravaganza. Unfortunately, that includes Professor Connolly, a know-it-all academic from Boston who makes enemies everywhere he goes—and this time, bad manners prove deadly. Soon after clashing with several scientists at a maple tree panel, the professor is found dead outside a sugar shack, stabbed to death by a local restaurateur’s knife. When an innocent woman gets dragged into the investigation and a biologist mysteriously disappears, Robbie drops her winning maple biscuits to search for answers. But can she help police crack the case before another victim is caught in a sticky situation with a killer?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback, Audiobook

 

 

 

Review of Gone With The Ghost

Gone With The Ghost

Murder By Design, Book #1

Erin McCarthy

5 Stars

Synopsis:

Bailey Burke has had a rough six months—it’s not easy thinking your romantic overtures toward your best friend caused him to kill himself. Except that’s exactly what happened. Ryan is very much dead, having shot himself with his own police-issued gun. Guilt and grief shouldn’t cause hallucinations though, but six months after Ryan went into the ground, Bailey is freaking out and swearing his ghost is standing in her kitchen. Which he is…

Ryan claims he didn’t commit suicide, but was murdered, and he needs Bailey to help him find his killer so he can earn his ticket out of purgatory. Ryan’s counting on a stairway to heaven, as opposed to wings, since that might be a little unmanly for a cop, even a dead one.

An expert in home design, with her own staging business, Bailey can tell you where to place a couch to improve flow and comfort, but solving a crime? Not her area of expertise. But with help from Ryan’s former partner, Marner, she is unraveling the mystery of what happened to Ryan that day… and unwittingly putting herself in grave danger.

Murder By Design Series

Book 1- Gone With The Ghost

Book 2- Silence of The Ghost

Book 3- Once Upon a Ghost

Bestselling author Erin McCarthy offers her signature humor in this fun series about an uptight fashion-conscious home stager who finds herself stiletto-deep in murder…  (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed.  I enjoyed getting to know Bailey. She is smart, funny and quirky.  I just loved  her sense of humor and the inner dialogue that we were privy to throughout the book.  I was laughing out loud through most of the book.  But I also felt sorry for her because of her guilt over Ryan’s death and her love of him.  I also enjoyed that fact that she was socially awkward and definitely neurotic, I thought these things made her seem more real to me.   Ryan seemed like a really nice guy and he seemed to be handling being a ghost fairly well.  I thought the secondary characters added a lot to the story and I liked getting to know them.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of book I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place and eavesdropping in on conversations.  I really enjoyed the setting in this book, which is Cleveland.  Having grown up in this area, I knew a lot of the landmarks and areas that were discussed and that made everything so much more real.  

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy fast read.  The mystery was carried on well throughout the book.  Bailey tried very hard to figure out what happened to Ryan and I was trying to solve it with her.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted paranormal cozy.  I really like ghostly paranormals and this one was just great.  I cannot wait to read the next one in this series.      

 

Review of Protocol

Protocol

Maggie O’Malley Mystery, Book #1

Kathleen Valenti

5 Stars

Synopsis:

“A page-turner! Smart, fast-paced and surprising.” – Hank Phillippi Ryan, Mary Higgins Clark Award-Winner, Author of Say No More

Freshly minted college graduate Maggie O’Malley embarks on a career fueled by professional ambition and a desire to escape the past. As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day she’s pulled into a world of uncertainty. Reminders appear on her phone for meetings she’s never scheduled with people she’s never met. People who end up dead.

With help from her best friend, Maggie discovers the victims on her phone are connected to each other and her new employer. She soon unearths a treacherous plot that threatens her mission—and her life. Maggie must unlock deadly secrets to stop horrific abuses of power before death comes calling for her.  (Goodreads)

 

 

Review:

The author is very talented in creating tension and suspense with just the written word.  She took modern day experiences (who does not have a cell phone) and a current issue (pharmaceutical companies and how they do business) and turned it into a first rate suspense read.  You may never look at your cell phone the same way again.  I was truly riveted to the pages, afraid to keep swiping because I was afraid of what would happen but having to know because of my curiosity.  

The characters are well developed and well rounded.  Maggie is a smart, hardworking curious woman.  When the incidents involving her phone begin, she cannot help but get drawn into the mystery.  I enjoyed her relationship with Gus, her best friend.  I liked the bickering and bantering between the two and how much they genuinely liked each other.  The secondary characters (mostly her coworkers) added quite a bit to the story.

The writing style flows smoothly and, although it was an intense read, it was an easy read.  I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place around me.  I thought I could hear the bing of her message reminder and I dreaded seeing what it said.

 I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well plotted mystery suspense, especially a medical suspense.  This is not really a cozy mystery because of some of the language, but nothing overly offensive.  It is hard for me to believe this book is the debut for this author.  She has a long career ahead of her as a suspense writer.  I cannot wait to read the next book.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.  I would like to thank NetGalley and Henery Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Seven Sinister Sisters

 

 

 

 

 

We are the Seven Sinister Sisters—Becky Clark, Patricia Hale, Leslie Karst, Edith Maxwell, Shawn McGuire, Cathy Perkins, and Sue Star—a group of mystery writers with new mysteries for you to lose yourself in releasing between January and April 2018. We’re making a tour of blogs for the next few months and are thrilled that MJB Reviewers is hosting us today as we each answer the question, “Why is your book set where it is?”

 

 

 

Setting is crucial to a story. Sometimes can be as much of a character as the characters themselves. Think of the ambiance of the train in Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express or the desolation of the mountain home in Stephen King’s Misery. There are numerous reasons an author chooses a location. Familiarity with a place allows an author to add details others might not know. Maybe she’s curious about a place and is driven to explore it through research and then writing about it. Sometimes, she makes it up to fit the plot of the story in her head.

 

 

 

 

Shawn McGuire created her own village for her Whispering Pines series but set it in a state she knows well. “After reading about Lily Dale, New York—a community of psychics—I wanted to create a place where those who didn’t belong anywhere else could live together. I chose Wisconsin to house Whispering Pines because it’s so diverse. If you’ve ever been there (I lived there for over 20 years), you know that every corner of the state is different. Northern Wisconsin is remote and rugged with beautiful scenery; an easy place to disappear if you choose to. Or an easy place to hide a body! Wisconsin also has great culture and food so there’s plenty to incorporate to bring a story to life.”  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sue Star shifts her setting to best fit the story’s plot. “My Nell Letterly mysteries are usually set in Boulder, Colorado, a small town whose britches are so large that the town becomes a character in the books.  Occasionally, a moose strolls into downtown Boulder, but given the title of this 4th book of the series, Murder by Moose, I needed Nell to sleuth in a setting where moose are aplenty.  Thus, she had to go to the high country, only a couple hours away from Boulder.  I invented an isolated dude ranch up there, a mountain meadow and lake with lots of game…and hunters.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal familiarity with Maine is the draw for Pat Hale. “Each book in my Cole & Callahan PI series is set in Maine. Their PI office is in Portland’s Old Port, but each case takes them to a different location. I lived in Freeport, Maine for twenty-five years and raised my children there. I’m familiar with the towns and the ways of Mainers so I feel at home placing my characters amidst the bars, restaurants, beaches and streets I have frequented myself. Even though I’m currently living in N.H., Maine will always be home. In 2018 my husband and I will be moving back. I can’t get there fast enough!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Becky Clark also finds that the place she knows best works best for her new release. “I’m a Colorado girl, born and raised, and I like it here. FICTION CAN BE MURDER is set in the Denver area, which I know very well. Mine are fish-out-of-water stories, my hero is reluctant. All she wants to do is write her mysteries, not solve real-life ones. I like to explore what happens when someone going about their very normal life is plopped down in the middle of chaos. I think having an exotic locale wouldn’t support that very well. And the Front Range of Colorado, while lovely, is not what anyone would call exotic.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appealing to her readers’ desire for simpler times, Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) created her own small town. “My Country Store Mysteries are set in a fictional town in southern Indiana. I love that part of the country and spent five years in a graduate program nearby. Many readers long for the friendly supportive atmosphere and slower pace of a small Midwestern town and a local watering hole – Robbie Jordan’s country store breakfast-and-lunch restaurant. I love including easy-to-make breakfast and lunch recipes at the back, some of which are authentic to the region (sugar cream pie, anyone?).”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I think of Santa Cruz, California as almost another character in my books,” Leslie Karst explains about her Sally Solari series. “The town was long a sleepy beach community, home to Italian fishermen, ranchers, and vacationers drawn by its famous redwood trees and Boardwalk. But nowadays the place is teeming with hippies, hipsters and techies. And along with these newcomers, the food movement has descended full-force upon the surprised old-timers. One day it hit me: What would happen if a local Santa Cruz gal found herself caught between the world of her family’s traditional Italian restaurant and that of the newly-arrived, politically-correct food activists? Yes. The perfect backdrop for a culinary mystery.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In her Holly Price books, Cathy Perkins takes a different approach. “In eastern Washington, the terrain is high desert—think sagebrush, tumbleweeds, endless blue sky and bright sunshine. The raging Snake, mighty Columbia and meandering Yakima rivers converge. Stark black rocks contrast with all that water. Due to the magic of irrigation and a perfect growing season, the Eastside is home to orchards, vineyards and world-class wineries. Not what you think of as Washington state, right? Other than a shared love of wine and coffee, the two parts of the state also differ wildly in social outlook, with the Eastside more conservative than the Westside. The setting serves as a reflection of Holly’s struggle: stay, with all the challenges and opportunities, or return to Seattle.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diverse but deliberate reasons for why we each set our books where we did to create deep, memorable stories. Which books have settings that resonate with you? Do you have a favorite setting that keeps you coming back for more?

 

 

To celebrate our new releases, the Seven Sinister Sisters are having a giveaway!

 

Seven lucky winners will receive an ebook from one of us.

 

One GRAND PRIZE winner will receive a signed copy from each of us!

 

Enter to win by leaving a comment below. Our tour runs from January 6th to April 30th and we’re answering a different question at each blog. Leave a comment at each blog for more entries! We’ll draw the winner from all the combined comments at the end of our tour.

Stop by our Facebook group page www.facebook.com/SevenSinisterSisters/ to find all our stops!

 

To learn more about us and our books, visit us at our websites: 

http://www.patriciahale.org

http://www.edithmaxwell.com

http://www.lesliekarstauthor.com/

http://www.cperkinswrites.com

http://www.shawn-mcguire.com

http://www.rebeccawriter.blogspot.com

http://www.BeckyClarkBooks.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review of Scone Cold Killer

Scone Cold Killer

All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery, Book #1

Lena Gregory

5 Stars

 

Synopsis:

For Florida diner owner Gia Morelli, there’s no such thing as too much breakfast—unless it kills you . . .

When Gia Morelli’s marriage falls apart, she knows it’s time to get out of New York. Her husband was a scam artist who swindled half the millionaires in town, and she doesn’t want to be there when they decide to take revenge. On the spur of the moment, she follows her best friend to a small town in Central Florida, where she braves snakes, bears, and giant spiders to open a cheery little diner called the All-Day Breakfast Café. Owning a restaurant has been her lifelong dream, but it turns into a nightmare the morning she opens her dumpster and finds her ex-husband crammed inside. As the suspect du jour, Gia will have to scramble fast to prove her innocence before a killer orders another cup of murder . . . (Goodreads)

 

 

 

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed.  I really enjoyed meeting Gia and her friend Savannah.  Gia has had a tough time of it lately, learning of the terrible crimes that her husband has committed.  She leaves New York to try to start over, but trouble seems to follow her.  Savannah has stayed by her side, helping her get her diner up and running and trying to help her get her life back.  I enjoyed reading the interactions between Gia and Savannah, you can tell they really care about each other.I really enjoyed Gia’s fears of snakes and spiders, it made her seem more human to me.  The secondary characters added a lot to the story.  And Thor, the puppy that Gia gets, sounds just adorable and I wanted to play with him.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the story, I felt like I was right there, watching the action take place and eavesdropping in on conversations.  The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read.  The author is also very talented in creating a homey setting and I enjoyed how everyone was quick to help Gia and welcomed her.  

The mystery was well plotted and moved along at a nice pace.  There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through and it was not easily solved.  I had narrowed it down to two likely candidates and I had a fifty-fifty chance of being right, which I was, for once.  

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery.  I am going to check out this author’s other series, Bay Island Psychic Mystery, because I like her writing style so much.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.  I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this great book.

 

New Releases For The Week Of January 21st, 2018–Part 3

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 21st, 2018.  I am going to divide the list into 3 days because there are so many of them this week. Today is third and final day of my list for this week.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

 

A HAUNTED HOUSE


Sherlock Holmes receives a request for aid from Lord Cary, whose family home, Torre Abbey, is seemingly haunted. While skeptical, Holmes believes that the Carys are in danger, a belief that proves horrifyingly accurate when a household member dies mysteriously. As strange sightings and threatening apparitions become almost commonplace, Holmes and Watson must uncover the secrets of the abbey if they are to have any hope of protecting the living and avenging the dead.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A mischievous ghost. A family secret. Cryptic, unsolvable clues. Just another mystery in the life of Cree Blue.

Cree Blue doesn’t play by the rules, not when it comes to the people she loves. Other people’s opinions have never factored into her decisions. She’s kind of stubborn like that.

When tragedy strikes close to home and threatens the very fabric of her personal Zen, she’s determined to solve the mystery. With a little help from her friends and an unruly ghost, she needs to find the killer and fast. When the clues start disappearing, and it turns into a race for the truth, she dusts off the running shoes she’s been saving for a zombie apocalypse to get the answers they all need, even if this is one mystery better left unsolved.   (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second book in the Waterfell Tweed Cozy Mystery series!

Every bad guy believes they are the good guy.

When a squatter from Waterfell Manor is killed in a hit and run, bookshop owner Sandy Shaw is determined to leave the police to deal with the case.

But when a second attack happens, and the police seem focused on the wrong person, Sandy realises she must take matters into her own hands.

Can she solve the case before anyone else gets hurt?

A Tale of Two Bodies is a novella of around 35,000 words. Light and cozy, the book follows our female amateur sleuth, the village of Waterfell Tweed, and a whole host of quirky characters! Each book in this series can be read as a standalone (but is better enjoyed if read in order), and is free from swearing, sex, violence and cliffhangers. Book One is titled Once Upon a Crime.(Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that an overly inflated ego must be in want of a spotlight.

When the actor set to play Mr. Darcy is found murdered in his dressing room, Pine Crest’s annual AustenFest is derailed. Pepper Brooks must set her pride and prejudice aside to differentiate between rumor and truth as she searches for the killer.

Between running her new bookstore and trying to decide who is a Darcy and who is a Wickham, Pepper quickly finds that her story might not end as happily as those written by Jane Austen.

Readers, this is the third book in a literary-themed cozy series. If walking into a bookshop makes you sigh contentedly and if you like a side of classic literature with your mysteries then you’ll love the continuation of this sweet cozy series. And if Austen’s not your jam, no worries, each book features a different classic author. 😉 Happy reading!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another action-packed mystery by Maurice LeBlanc! This story has to do with the final Will of a man named Mornington, who, in the year 1900, left behind the sum of $400 million francs. Of that, three-fourths went to his adopted country – which left $100 million francs to be distributed to his heirs. The executor of the estate was Mornington’s friend, Don Luis Perenna (AKA Arsene Lupin). The problem, however, was that no one knew where (or even who) some of the heirs were. If no heirs were to be found within 3 months, the entire $100 million francs would go to Perenna. And Perenna/Lupin had a reputation as being something of a rogue. It is definitely a race against time, as the heirs seem to be turning up dead at an alarming rate.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Florida diner owner Gia Morelli, there’s no such thing as too much breakfast—unless it kills you . . .

When Gia Morelli’s marriage falls apart, she knows it’s time to get out of New York. Her husband was a scam artist who swindled half the millionaires in town, and she doesn’t want to be there when they decide to take revenge. On the spur of the moment, she follows her best friend to a small town in Central Florida, where she braves snakes, bears, and giant spiders to open a cheery little diner called the All-Day Breakfast Café. Owning a restaurant has been her lifelong dream, but it turns into a nightmare the morning she opens her dumpster and finds her ex-husband crammed inside. As the suspect du jour, Gia will have to scramble fast to prove her innocence before a killer orders another cup of murder . . .

“Hold on to your plates for this fast-paced mystery that will leave you hungering for more!” —J.C. Eaton, author of the Sophie Kimball Mysteries  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Releases For The Week Of January 21st, 2018–Part 2

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 21st, 2018.  I am going to divide the list into 3 days because there are so many of them this week. Today is second day of my list for this week.  Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

 

“Clever and entertaining, you’ll love this charming Golden Age mystery series. And the fashion is to die for!” – Molly C. Quinn, actress, Castle

Cadavers can be deadly . . .
Unregistered corpses are showing up amongst the cadavers in the mortuary of the London School of Medicine for Women. Unnatural deaths. Murders. The first known victim is recognized by Haley Higgins, a third-year pathology student. War-widow fashionista Ginger Gold feels a responsibility for the man’s death and is determined to find his killer.

Her pursuit takes her into the dangerous realm of the famous Italian gangster Charles ”Derby” Sabini. With the help of Haley and the handsome Chief Inspector Reed – an uneasy alliance – Ginger investigates shady dealings at the docks and at the racehorse stables. What does one have to do with the other, and how are they connected to the bodies piling up at the mortuary? Someone is working on the inside at the school, and Ginger has to find out who before she, or someone she loves, ends up lifeless on a ceramic mortuary slab.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keyhole Lake has its fair share of oddballs and ne’er-do-wells, but sometimes even good folks do bad things, right? At first, the crimes seem to stem from desperation or teenage rebellion, but when the president of the ladies’ auxiliary is busted stealing church funds, Noelle starts to piece together a pattern that points to a much more nefarious – and magical – explanation.

The infractions go from bad to worse, and to add insult to injury, the sheriff – her beau – doesn’t believe her.

Though she has a town full of ghosts and a couple powerful witches on her side, the rest of the town – including her talking donkey – is convinced she’s off her rocker. After all, “the devil made me do it” is an expression, not an alibi. The stakes skyrocket when one of the people closest to her is found standing over a dead body holding the murder weapon.
The bad guys are about to find out what happens when you mess with southern witch’s family, friends, and talking pets, assuming she can stay alive and out of jail long enough to find them.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From USA TODAY bestselling authors Gin Jones & Elizabeth Ashby comes a set of three full-length Danger Cove Quilting Mysteries featuring quilt appraiser turned amateur sleuth Keely Fairchild, including:

Four-Patch of Trouble
When quilt appraiser Keely Fairchild is asked by the Danger Cove quilt guild’s president to prove that a local dealer is selling cheap reproduction quilts as expensive antiques, Keely’s “quiet” new job turns dangerous. While Keely and the guild president are in the dealer’s shop, the crooked quilt peddler is killed!

Tree of Life and Death
The holidays can be a killer…
Quilt appraiser Keely Fairchild is thrilled that the Danger Cove Quilt Guild has teamed up with the Historical Museum to make miniature quilts to decorate the museum’s Christmas tree. But when the owner of a Tree of Life quilt is fatally stabbed in the museum’s parking lot, Keely finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation!

Robbing Peter to Kill Paul
For quilt appraiser Keely Fairchild, the opportunity to appraise more than a hundred quilts feels almost too good to be true. And then she learns the bad news: the quiltmaker was murdered and the police have no leads. Keely uncovers a variety of suspects, including the greedy heir, a smarmy used-car salesman, a feuding neighbor, and even a rival quiltmaker!

The Danger Cove books:
Secret of the Painted Lady (a Danger Cove Renovation Mystery)
Murder and Mai Tais (a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery)
Death by Scones (a Danger Cove Bakery Mystery)
Four-Patch of Trouble (a Danger Cove Quilting Mystery)
Deadly Dye and a Soy Chai (a Danger Cove Hair Salon Mystery)
Killer Closet Case (a Danger Cove B&B Mystery)
Tree of Life and Death (a Danger Cove Quilting Mystery)
A Killing in the Market (a Danger Cove Farmers’ Market short story in the “Killer Beach Reads” collection)
Killer Colada (a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery)
Passion, Poison & Puppy Dogs (a Danger Cove Pet Sitter Mystery)
A Novel Death (a Danger Cove Bookshop Mystery)
Robbing Peter to Kill Paul (a Danger Cove Quilting Mystery)
Sinister Snickerdoodles (a Danger Cove Bakery Mystery)
Hurricanes and Heroes (a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery)
A Death in the Flower Garden (a Danger Cove Famers’ Market Mystery)
Divas, Diamonds & Death (a Danger Cove Pet Sitter Mystery)
A Slaying in the Orchard (a Danger Cove Famers’ Market Mystery)
A Secret in the Pumpkin Patch (a Danger Cove Famers’ Market Mystery)
Deadly Dirty Martinis (a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery)
A Poison Manicure and Peach Liqueur (a Danger Cove Hair Salon Mystery)  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kenwick himself had no recollection of the accident. But he knew that there must have been one, for when he recovered consciousness, his clothes were full of burrs, his hat was badly crushed, and there was a violent throbbing in one of his legs. With both hands gripping the aching thigh in a futile effort to soothe its pain, he dragged himself into the clearing and looked about. It was one of those narrow, wooded mountain ravines that in the West are classed as cañons. Back of him rose a succession of sage-covered slopes, bleak, wintry, hostile. In front was a precipitous cliff studded with dwarf madrone trees and the twisted manzanita. Overhead the bare distorted sycamore boughs lashed themselves together and moaned a dreary monotone to the accompaniment of a keen November wind. No sign of autumn lingered on the landscape, and the shed leaves formed a moldy carpet underfoot. The cañon was redolent with the odor of damp timber and decaying vegetation…(Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At midnight, in the darkness of a deserted hotel, comes a scream and a splash. Eighty-five years later, workmen uncover a skeleton in an old elevator shaft. Who is it, and how did it get there? To find out, Charity Snow, ace reporter for the Longboat Key Planet, teams up with Rancor Bass, best-selling author. A college ring they find at the dig site may prove to be their best clue.

Although his arrogance nearly exceeds his talent, Charity soon discovers a warm heart beating under Rancor’s handsome exterior. While dealing with a drop-dead gorgeous editor who may or may not be a villain, a publisher with a dark secret, and an irascible forensic specialist, Charity and Rancor unearth an unexpected link to the most famous circus family in the world.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, at least they know the butler didn’t do it.

When Holly and Crystal Waterston cater for a wedding with a gigantic guest list, they think the worst thing that could happen is putting the strawberry halves on the wrong cupcake. Instead, a series of unfortunate events leave them trapped in a manor house with no phone, closed roads, and a butler who’s dropped down dead.

After their cupcakes are blamed for the sudden demise, Holly must unpick the tangled relationships of stranded wedding guests to clear the family bakery’s good name.

But with an attentive man flirting, a goth teen sloping around the venue, and an old woman intent on stealing the family recipes, Holly might have bitten off more than she can chew. If she can’t prove the identity of the true perpetrator, then the day might end with her sitting in the slammer rather than tucked up in a nice, warm bed.

This Sweet Baked Mystery does not contain any potentially toxic ingredients:

No Swearing
No Gore
No Graphic Scenes
and absolutely No Cliffhangers!

Scroll up and one-click to solve the mystery today!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mystery Mastermind Group who live and write at the Gull Island Writer’s Retreat are tasked with proving that the husband of a young mother with four adopted children and another on the way, was murdered and had not committed suicide as the insurance company is claiming. Jack, Jill, and the other writers know their task will be difficult since all the evidence found at the scene leads to a verdict they simply cannot accept.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle