New Releases For The Week Of January 20th, 2019–Part 2

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 20th, 2019. I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them for this week. Today is the second day of my list for this week. Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

Riches to rags. … Controlling to chaos. … But murder … seriously?

After her ex-husband leaves her high and dry, former socialite Doreen Montgomery’s chance at a new life comes in the form of her grandmother, Nan’s, dilapidated old house in picturesque Kelowna … and the added job of caring for the animals Nan couldn’t take into assisted living with her: Thaddeus, the loquacious African gray parrot with a ripe vocabulary, and his buddy, Goliath, a monster-size cat with an equally monstrous attitude.

It’s the new start Doreen and her beloved basset hound, Mugs, desperately need. But, just as things start to look up for Doreen, Goliath the cat and Mugs the dog find a human finger in Nan’s overrun garden.

And not just a finger. Once the police start digging, the rest of the body turns up and turns out to be connected to an old unsolved crime.

With her grandmother as the prime suspect, Doreen soon finds herself stumbling over clues and getting on Corporal Mack Moreau’s last nerve, as she does her best to prove her beloved Nan innocent of murder.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new cozy mystery series from USA Today best-selling author Dale Mayer. Follow gardener and amateur sleuth Doreen Montgomery—and her amusing and mostly lovable cat, dog, and parrot—as they catch murderers and solve crimes in lovely Kelowna, British Columbia.

Riches to rags. … Chaos continues. … Murders abound. … Honestly?

Doreen Montgomery’s new life in Kelowna was supposed to be a fresh start after a nasty split from her husband of fourteen years, plus a chance to get her bearings and her life back on track. Instead her first week in her new hometown was spent digging up dead bodies, chasing clues, and getting in Corporal Mack Moreau’s way.

But now that the old cold case has been solved, and the murderer brought to justice, Doreen believes things might go her way this week. When Mack hires her to whip his mother’s garden into shape, it seems like a second chance, both for Doreen’s new beginning in Kelowna and for her budding relationship with Mack.

But, instead of digging up Mrs. Moreau’s struggling begonias and planting them in a better location, Doreen discovers another set of bones … and another mystery to solve. As the clues pile up, Mack makes it abundantly clear that he doesn’t want or need her help, but Doreen can’t resist the lure of another whodunit. As she and Mack butt heads and chase red herrings, Doreen’s grandmother, Nan, sets odds and places bets on who solves the crime first.

All while a murderer is watching …  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new cozy mystery series from USA Today best-selling author Dale Mayer. Follow gardener and amateur sleuth Doreen Montgomery—and her amusing and mostly lovable cat, dog, and parrot—as they catch murderers and solve crimes in lovely Kelowna, British Columbia.

Riches to rags. … Chaos calms. … Crime quiets. … But does it really?

After getting involved in two murder cases in the short time she’s lived in picturesque Kelowna, divorcee and gardener Doreen Montgomery has developed a reputation almost as notorious as her Nan’s. The only way to stop people from speculating, is to live a life of unrelieved boredom until the media and the neighbors forget about her. And Doreen aims to do just that with a tour of Kelowna’s famed Carnation Gardens. Plants, more plants, and nothing whatsoever that anyone could object to.

But when she sees a fight between a beautiful young woman and her boyfriend, she can’t help but be concerned. Concerned enough that she follows the couple out of the parking lot and through town. And when gunshots interrupt the placid afternoon, it’s too late to worry about how her nemesis, Corporal Mack Moreau, will feel about her getting involved in yet another of his cases.

With bodies turning up in the carnations, and a connection to a cold case of a missing child from long ago, Doreen has her hands full, not least with trying to keep her involvement in the investigations a secret from her Nan, Mack Moreau, and especially the media. But someone’s keeping up with Doreen’s doings… and that someone can’t afford for her to find the answers to the questions she’s asking.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will Lily and LauraLea Ever Learn?
It was hot. Too hot. The Dog Days of Summer always were. The Artsy Chicks had been painting, teaching classes, crafting and blending the Art Gallery’s famous Wine Slushees for hordes of thirsty customers. Things seem okay until Lily notices that Gawd Almighty, the Gallery’s pet possum has disappeared. A short time later, Dr. Kenzie Zimbro, the medical examiner for the mountain area, stops by the Gallery and tells the Chicks about the strange murder of a Virginia Tech Biology Professor at the tip-top of the mountain. His dead body was surrounded by kernels of corn. Lily and LauraLea put on their detective caps to search for Gawd Almighty and find themselves tangled-up with the Hillbilly Clan and in a life-threatening position.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hold onto your hat, because you’re in for another wild ride!
After the dragon destroyed the Watkins Clan, Alfie is left shocked and afraid, knowing she has to face the creature yet again if they are going to successfully return it to the Underworld and seal the gateway once more. But she knows her chances of success are greatly improved with the support and protection of Jake, the hunky enforcer.
While she awaits the final confrontation, Alfie gets on with other issues, like finding her ancestor’s lost treasure and working out a way to free Jake from the dangerous grip of a crime boss. Add in a few leftover Watkins Clan members determined to stop her, along with pets and ghosts keen to liven things up, and it’s plain to see the shy young artist has her hands well and truly full this time.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snitching witches get stitches…

Zoe Clarke is going back to school. After learning she’s telepathic and risking her life to solve a paranormal murder, she’s been invited to the prestigious Veilside Academy of Magic to sharpen her newfound powers.

But not all the students are spellbound by Zoe, and it isn’t long before she realizes the Academy is brimming with exceptional witches and warlocks—who are as cutthroat as they are talented.

So when Zoe’s new favorite vampire professor is found in a pile of ash, all spell breaks loose.

Between troublemaking witches and a jealous staff, Zoe knows whoever the murderer is, they aren’t finished handing out suspensions.

Can Zoe work her magic to reveal the killer? Or will she fail the ultimate test?

Spellbooks and Stakings is the second book in the Magic and Mystery series of witch cozy mysteries. If you like backstabbing witches, bloodthirsty warlocks, and magical murder mysteries, then you’ll love this lighthearted second entry in Lily Webb’s spellbinding series.

Buy Spellbooks and Stakings to continue solving the mysteries of Moon Grove today!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During Alton Oaks’ Fall Festival, Charli Parker and her new friend, Rip Oakley, discover that the scarecrow in the center of the corn maze is actually a dead body: Charli’s ex-husband, Jackson. While trying to figure out why Jackson was in town and how he ended up dead on a stake in the corn maze, life becomes a nightmare for Charli’s best friend, Sadie, as she becomes the prime suspect in the murder. Since town deputy and old friend, Jake Vega, seems to be giving Charli the cold shoulder, it’s up to Charli to prove her best friend innocent, uncover Jackson’s killer, and truly find out The Scarecrow’s Secrets.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Empty nester Merry Winters loves three things: Christmas, crafting and her family. To regain purpose and joy, Merry hits the road to a Christmas vendor event with her furry sidekick Ebenezer in her new mobile crafting sleigh, aka an RV.

But it soon turns into the nightmare before Christmas when Merry unwraps her Scrooge of an ex-husband’s body in one of the RV’s compartments. Add to that his missing winning lottery ticket believed to be stashed somewhere in the RV, leading the homicide detective and Merry’s stepdaughter to believe Merry is the one whodunit.

With visions of prison dancing in her head, will Merry be able to solve this Christmas calamity before she’s locked away?

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING by Christina Freeburn | A Henery Press Mystery. If you love one, you’ll probably love them all.   (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Kindle

 

New Releases For The Week Of January 20th, 2019–Part 1

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 20th, 2019.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them for this week. Today is the first day of my list for this week. Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

 

When sixty-eight-year-old Sarah Miller moves into the Cunningham Village retirement community, she is mourning the loss of her husband, her young grandson, and the place that has been home for forty-two years. But Sarah is a survivor. As she reaches out into the retirement community that is to become home, she finds friends, activities, new hobbies, and a possible love interest. The tenth installment of this fun, friendly series of cozy mysteries contains a new friend, trunks full of vintage fabric, credit card fraud, a budding romance, and murder—and Sarah and her friends are at the center of it all.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the run up to Christmas 1913, Euphemia’s stepfather, the Bishop, proposes a family lunch at his club.

Bertram, who is staying with the Mullers, runs her up to town in his car. He decides to let Euphemia confront her family alone before introducing himself as her fiancé. He retreats to the Billiard Room only to be summoned when a murder occurs.

The members are very reluctant to call the police and Bertram is asked to sort out what actually happened before the police arrive. He enlists Euphemia’s help, to her mother’s shock and, to everyone’s surprise, the Bishop’s approval.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, the simplest goal is to just stay alive

A paranormal cozy mystery from #1 Best Selling Author Susan Harper

Monica is relaxing in the mystic realm catching a game of Romp-A-Roo. When a tragedy strikes, another supernatural mystery follows. When her sister’s new beau is accused, Monica must solve another supernatural mystery and clear his name.

A Gruesome Goal is part of the Back Room Bookstore Cozy Mystery series. If you like fun paranormal mysteries, you will love Monica and her friends, both human and supernatural.

Get A Gruesome Goal and start solving your next supernatural mystery today!

Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tina’s not feeling all that lucky right now…

When one of the local fairies at Hexpresso bean is found dead, Tina is horrified. And things only get worse when poison is declared the culprit and Ellie becomes the prime suspect. After all, she was the one who baked the cinnamon bun that led to the murder.

Tina and the others immediately jump on the case, intent on finding the true killer before Ellie is wrongfully arrested.

But between finding the killer, preparing Sara for her an important audition and finding a new clue that might lead to her true coven, Tina begins to wonder if she hasn’t bitten off more than she can chew.

Plus, she can’t help but feel that her initial welcome might be wearing off and a few people in town aren’t too happy about her movie nights.

Will Tina manage to keep all the balls in the air, or will everything come crashing down around her?

Four Leaf Clover is the fourth book in the Western Woods mystery series of full-length, humorous paranormal cozy mystery novels.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A disgruntled bear fiancé. A wanted familiar. A hairless cat named Lonnie.. For Hazel Kinsey, it’s just another day in Paradise Falls.

When Hazel’s familiar Tizzy the Squirrel fell in love with another familiar, they had no idea her furry pal would gain witch magic.
Apparently, that’s a big no-no for the High Familiar Clowder, the council who rules all familiars. When the Clowder shows up in Paradise Falls to decommission Tizzy and send her to the in-between, Haze defies the stick-in-the-butt jerkfaces by refusing to trade in Tiz for a new familiar.

But the Clowder means business. They strip Hazel of her magic, leaving her no better than a human. Worst of all, she’s lost the mating scent she shared with her bear-beau, the hunky-handsome Ford Baylor. Without it or her witch powers, she can never be a real mate for him.

With only seventy-two hours to find a solution to her familiar and fiancé problems, Hazel and pals must find a way to stop the Clowder, get Hazel witchified again, save Tizzy and her true love, and oh yeah, battle sinister forces intent on glomming as much power as possible.

Yep. Just another day in Paradise Falls.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A picture tells a story. But is it the truth?

When the police find pictures of Melanie hanging up at her murdered colleague’s house, they’re convinced he was stalking her. Maybe she even killed him. Melanie was not being stalked! And she certainly didn’t kill her supposed stalker – as if. But Mel – always up for a bit of drama – jumps at the chance to go search for the real killer. When Mel’s ex-boyfriend, Owen, discovers her plans, he pulls out all the stops to ensure she’s safe and to win her back. No matter what happens with the murder investigation, he’s not letting her go. With the police setting their sights on Mel, he may need to jeopardize his own career on the police force to protect her.

Will Mel find the real killer before the detectives arrest her for murder?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The perfect read for fans of Debbie Macomber!

A plea she can’t ignore, a town of secrets and a magical recipe for love – or disaster…

Susanna Daniels has spent over twenty years wondering why her beloved Aunt Erma disappeared from her life. When Aunt Erma leaves a voicemail asking for help at her pie shop, Susanna thinks she’s finally going to get the answers she’s been waiting for. But when Susanna arrives in the small town of Hocus Hills, Aunt Erma is gone, leaving only a short note, her mischievous dog, Mitzy, and a pie shop with a mind of its own to run…  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A New Marriage… A Desperate Granddaughter… And An Old Mystery…

When a man caught breaking and entering claims to have new information in a decades old mystery, Cookie can’t help but get involved.

The new information seems to indicate that one of the town’s residents was involved all those years ago and Cookie is having a difficult time believing it.

If that isn’t enough to deal with Cookie’s granddaughter, Clarissa, arrives unexpectedly on her doorstep with a very large problem.

Life has gotten more complicated than a Chocolate Soufflé for Cookie.
Can she sort it all out before the lives of people she cares about are ruined?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours–Broken Heart Attack

 

I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author James J. Cudney, and his new release Broken Heart Attack.  This is the second book in his A Braxton Campus Mystery.

 

Broken Heart Attack (Braxton Campus Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Independently Published (November 25, 2018)
Paperback: 270 pages
ISBN-10: 1731310501
ISBN-13: 978-1731310507
Digital ASIN: B07KGGJX1T

Purchase Links

Amazon 

When an extra ticket becomes available to see the dress rehearsal of King Lear, Kellan tags along with Nana D and her buddies.

When one of them dies of an apparent heart attack in the middle of second act, Nana D raises her suspicions and asks Kellan to investigate the death. With family members suddenly in debt and a secret rendezvous between an unlikely pair, Kellan learns that the Paddingtons might not be as clean-cut as everyone thinks.

But can Kellan find the killer, or will he get caught up his own stage fright?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College with a degree in English literature. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I enjoyed my job, but a passion for books and stories had been missing for far too long. I’m a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. I’m an avid genealogist who hopes to visit all the German, Scottish, Irish, and British villages my ancestors emigrated from in the 18th and 19th centuries. I frequently blog and publish book reviews on everything I read at ThisIsMyTruthNow via WordPress.

Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog. It’s full of humor and eccentricity, sharing connections with everyone I follow—all in the hope of building a network of friends across the world.

When I completed the first book, Watching Glass Shatter, I knew I’d stumbled upon my passion again, suddenly dreaming up characters, plots, and settings all day long. I chose my second novel, Father Figure, through a poll on my blog where I let everyone vote for their favorite plot and character summaries. It is with my third book, Academic Curveball,, the first in the Braxton Campus Mysteries, where I immersed myself in a college campus full of so much activity, I could hardly stop thinking about new murder scenes or character relationships to finish writing the current story. Come join in the fun!

 

 

 

When did you know that you wanted to be an author?  What things, if any, influenced that decision?

I’m an only child who spent a lot of time at home keeping myself occupied. I was happier doing things on my own rather than in large groups leading me to become an avid reader and an imaginative individual. I also grew up using computers at an early age since my father worked in technology, which meant I was often ahead of the learning curve when it came to the Internet and social media. All of these things together made me want to write down and relay to others all the stories sparkling inside my head. I kept journals, wrote daily posts before blogs even existed, and shared weekly mystery segments with my friends. By the time I was old enough to make a choice about colleges and careers, I had written a bunch of stories that convinced me what I wanted to be when I grew up. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, I accepted a career in technology where I stayed for 16+ years and forgot about writing. Although it enabled me to earn money and save for the future, I never had time to be creative. When I finally left my role, I decided it was time to return to my passion: writing books. I’ve given myself a few years to make a career out of it, then I’ll decide whether or not to return to the technology world.

 

With so many cozies being written today, what makes your books stand out from the crowd?

I’m an avid reader of the sub-genre and have probably devoured close to 500 cozies at this point. I am familiar with the history and great range in types of themes and styles. I’ve written a few other contemporary fiction and family drama novels, but I wanted to build a unique cozy mystery series. As a male author, I’m already different than most of the authors in this sub-genre given a majority are female. I also created a male main character which is somewhat of a rarity in the cozy world. There are only a handful of male authors and male protagonists that I’m aware of, but I don’t think that’s the key thing that will make my books stand out.

My main character, Kellan, is a single-father whose 6-year-old daughter will be involved in the cases as we move forward into the series. It also takes place on a college campus and will focus on the way Kellan matures and grows as a human being. I want each book to actually trace his acceptance of who he is and what he wants to do with his life. There will be the traditional romance, humor, mystery, and fun cozy elements, but there will also be life lessons and ways to help readers see a different side of life they might not see otherwise. I also intend to drop major cliffhangers about the next story and the supporting characters at the end of each book. The main mystery will always be wrapped up, but my goal is to have readers so wrapped up in the cast’s personal lives, they just have to read the next book to find out about their friends.

 

Do you work from an outline or plot or do you just see where the characters take you?

I’m very plot-focused and always begin with an outline. I generally come up with the ideas either while I’m unable to sleep at night or while I’m on the elliptical machine suffering through my cardio routine. I plug them into a standard one-page format I’ve developed to keep track of the major points: who, what, why, where, when, and how. Then I build out the clues, side plots, suspects, and cliffhangers. Once I’m good with the overall outline, I write out the major points for 2 or 3 scenes in each chapter so that I end up with a ~ 30-page outline. I generally write 2 chapters per day and each book has about 26 chapters, so it’s a 3-week process to write the first draft, then another 3 weeks to edit before a beta reader sees a true first version. Within the scenes, I let the characters decide what to say or how to react, then I adjust as necessary in future chapters or to re-map the outline.

 

Do you read your reviews?  Do you respond to them, good or bad?  Do you do anything special to get those reviews?

I absolutely read every review I find through my social media accounts or blog platforms. I can’t help it. When I watch TV shows, I have to know the ending before the show starts – I love spoilers! It’s the same sort of reaction with reviews. I grin with the amazing ones. I am happy with the good ones. I get sad with the bad ones.

 

For my first book, I responded to every review except the truly negative or nasty ones as I personally believe if someone chooses to be nasty in a review, they might be nasty if you responded to them in any manner, even if you just said you understood they didn’t like the book. So… I sulk for a few days but ignore them as it can only lead to something worse. I respect different opinions, yet as a reviewer who’s written over 750 books reviews in the last few years, I believe it’s important to provide constructive feedback and not blast someone just because you can.

 

Now, I don’t respond to reviews on Amazon or Goodreads, but if someone puts them on a blog, Twitter, or Facebook and tags me, I will respond as that’s the proper thing to do. I also like meeting and chatting with everyone! As far as getting reviews, I don’t solicit them anymore other than by sharing when my book is free, discounted, or newly available. I will seek beta readers or ARC readers when a book is being launched, but afterward, I try not to bug anyone. I’d rather them say they’re interested and we can go from there.

 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don’t be too shy. Take a few more risks. Be confident in who you are. It’s okay to be who you are and not need everyone to like you. I think those cover all my areas of concentration these days. A lot of things I worried about as a kid are still around as an adult. I didn’t tackle them then, but I am now. Nothing major, but if I could figure out how to be less of a worrier, then I’d spend less wasted time and enjoy more productive time.

 

Do you think that the cover plays an important part in someone buying your book(s)?   Who designs your book covers?

I do think a strong cover is important to find new readers. Previous readers will read your latest book whether or not they see the cover, assuming they liked your earlier works and want to keep reading what you’ve got to share. For those who are newly exposed, the cover needs to match the tone and subject of the book on some level. It also needs to stand out in some way, shape, or form. My publisher designs them after I provide input on the key things I want to showcase. For the Braxton series, I want a college building to be on the cover, and it will match wherever the murder happens in the book. The banner will be the same for the title but change colors to match the color most common in the book. There will also always be two symbols or clues that stand out on the cover to represent the plot of the book. I wanted them to be cute and fun, but not overly campy and cartoony.

 

Please give us an insight into your main characters.  What do you think makes them special?

Kellan Ayrwick is our amateur sleuth. He’s a slightly younger version of me with a few major changes. He’s got multiple siblings and a daughter. I’m an only-child and don’t have any kids. While our looks are different, our personalities are very similar, and if I had the chance to investigate a murder, you better believe I’d be that guy who solves it! What I love about Kellan is how open and raw he can be. He lets his family tease and torture him, but he secretly loves it. Kellan is the kind of guy who can be friends with anyone. I’m moving him more toward a romantic lead at some point, as I want him to come across as seductive and charming when he’s around a few different women, but I’ve also got a major surprise in store for readers with who he might end up dating down the line. It takes a few books to build the drama, but when it happens, I think readers will absolutely love the potential.

 

Kellan’s family members are also major supporting players. His quirky, no-nonsense nana will provide the humor. His daughter Emma will provide the tender moments. His sister Eleanor will provide the sibling rivalry yet bond we all experience. And with Gabriel back in town, there will be a bit of ruckus for Kellan to deal with. Here’s where anyone who knows me personally will find major insight into my psyche. If you merge Kellan and Gabriel, you will find an exact replica of me. Although I adore Kellan, writing for Gabriel is going to be the easiest thing I’ve ever done. My goal is for everyone to fall in love with or want to kill Gabriel after what he ends up doing in the third book.

 

Since you can’t have only the good characters, there must be frequent conflict Kellan faces throughout the book. It is the women in his life who will always hold the power over him. His boss, Myriam. The sheriff, April. His late wife, Francesca. Through his relationships, you will see everything we face in our own lives being reflected back at us in a blunt and shocking, yet still cozy, way.

 

What have you learned about yourselves since becoming an author?

I’m too sensitive. I’ve always known it, but when you create long-term characters and readers interpret them differently than you do, it’s a huge moment for you. No matter how much detail you put into a description, or how much you don’t say about something, people will always react differently because there are billions of us. What I might find sexy, someone else doesn’t. What someone else thinks is charming, I might find annoying. When you imbue these traits into characters who feel like they’re sitting right next to you, and someone else reacts differently… you realize how much interpretation there is even in words that you think can only mean one thing.

 

Do you write full-time or part-time?

For the last two years, I’ve written full-time. I’m picking up a few jobs in 2019 to keep the technology skills fresh and bring in additional income that I can use to better market my books. I’ll be writing part-time in 2019 but still intend to publish several books.

 

What do your plans for future projects include?

I plan to write 2 more books in the Braxton series (Flower Power Trip and a 4th), a sequel to my debut release, Watching Glass Shatter, and I’ll start a 4th novel which may or may not be completed by the end of 2019. I’ll share more about this once my schedule is firmed up, but it will be a book that is quite different from what I’ve done before, and it will also be something that hasn’t really been done yet either. I think it’s the project I’m most excited about despite it taking a tremendous amount of planning and research to pull it off.

 

What do you think the hardest part of writing is?  What is the easiest?

The hardest part is the opening chapter. It’s the first one I write. It’s the one I spend the most time editing. And it’s inevitably the one on which people have the most feedback to share. Personally, I like to learn a lot in the beginning of a book, e.g. setting, characters, relationships, past history, et al. I’ve found some of my readers or reviewers often think I need say a little less in that opening chapter, so I’m working hard to find the right balance where there’s a few open things where you’ll hear a name but not know who it is, or you’ll know something happened but not the details. Drives me batty, but if that’s what others want, I’ll find a happy medium.

 

The easiest parts are the plot, clues, red herrings, and cliffhangers. I love drama. I can dream up the most ingenious and shocking plot twists, then drop in the clues all along without readers ever knowing how important it was. For some reason, that’s a place I don’t ever worry about. Now those pesky commas, don’t get me started. There aren’t any real rules when it comes to commas… I think everyone just makes them up! While I’m kidding about this last statement, I’ve found that there’s a mix of ‘rules’ where a comma can be helpful for some readers but can also be a stopping point for others. Since you can’t please everyone, I just let those go and don’t worry about them anymore.

 

 

 

What type of books do you like to read?  Who are some of your favorite authors?

I read almost all genres, but I tend to focus on historical fiction, thrillers, and cozy mysteries. I’m an Agatha Christie mega fan, then I adore Kate Morton, Ken Follett, and Henry James.

 

What is the one thing you would like your readers to know about you?

I’m the most normal average guy in the entire world. A lot of people say it, but honestly, I kinda just go with the flow on most things. Some days I want cereal for dinner. Others I want champagne, steak tartare, sushi, and a chocolate souffle. There are days where I eat and drink too much, others where I’m a diet guru. Sometimes I want to chat for hours, others I want to hibernate. There’s such a balance to everything I do, I’ve made an art form out of being predictable and unpredictable at the exact same time.

 

 

 

 

Do you have anything specific you would like to say to your readers?

Thank you for everything you do: reading, reviewing, and promoting. An author and a publisher can only do so much to help themselves be successful. Without readers who share their love of books or help market and advertise [even if they haven’t read the book yet] on their own blogs and social media platforms, authors will never be able to make it. Technology and networking can only take us so far when it comes to decisions about what to buy and read. It takes a village to make something grow bigger and bigger… and without readers like you, authors like me would be useless and lost.

 

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

 

Websites & Blog

Website: https://jamesjcudney.com

Blog: https://thisismytruthnow.com

 

Social Media Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/James-J.-Cudney/e/B076B6PB3M/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamescudney4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesJCudneyIVAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BraxtonCampusMysteries

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/james-j-cudney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescudney4

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jamescudney4

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescudney4

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jamescudney4

 

To enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway, please click the link below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/02887792834/?widget_template=56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0

 

Tour Participants

January 17 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

January 18 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW

January 18 – The Book’s the Thing – GUEST POST

January 19 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

January 20 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT

January 20 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

January 21 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

January 21 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

January 22 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 22 – Bobo’s Book Bank – SPOTLIGHT

January 23 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 23 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 24 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 24 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT

January 25 – Brooke Blogs  – SPOTLIGHT

January 25 – Laura`s Interests = SPOTLIGHT

January 26 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours–Botched 4 Murder

 

I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author J.C. Eaton, and their new release of Botched 4 Murder.  It is the fourth book in their Sophie Kimball Mystery series.

 

Botched 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Kensington (December 18, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1496719883
ISBN-13: 978-1496719881
Digital ASIN: B07C9WK1J8

Purchase Links

Amazon   B&N   Kobo   GooglePlay    IndieBound 

 

 

Bowled over . . .

Sophie “Phee” Kimball is getting dragged into the drama again at her mom’s Arizona retirement community. A new board member wants to get rid of two golf courses and replace them with eco-friendly parks, and some of the residents are pretty teed off about it. On top of that, her mother’s book club friend Myrna is being pushed out of the bocce league. These seniors are serious about winning, and Myrna’s dragging them down. She’s so bad at bocce, in fact, that when a community mem.ber’s dead body is discovered while Myrna’s practicing for a tournament, she assumes it was one of her own errant balls that killed the woman.

But before Myrna can be tossed off the bocce court and into criminal court, the police find an arrow in the victim’s neck. It looks like this was no accident—and Phee and her investigator boyfriend Marshall will have to team up to bounce a killer into the slammer . . .

 

 

 

About the Authors

 

Ann I. Goldfarb

New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, she has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington) set for release in June 2017. In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name. Visit the websites at www.jceatonauthor.com and www.timetravelmysteries.com

James E. Clapp

When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. His first novel, Booked 4 Murder (Kensington) is set for release in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.

Visit their website at www.jceatonauthor.com and Like and Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JCEatonauthor/

 

 

 

 

When did you know that you wanted to be an author?  What things, if any, influenced that decision?

While Ann always enjoyed writing, it was a new venture for Jim. Ann had written articles for trade magazines as well as a number of YA time travel mysteries (http://www.timetravelmysteries.com) when Jim approached her about collaborating on a cozy mystery. He thought it would be a fun venture and they decided to use their own retirement community of Sun City West as the playground for murder. Both of them were influenced by the books they read and the opportunities they’ve had to meet with other authors.

With so many cozies being written today, what makes your books stand out from the crowd?

Our Sophie Kimball series has an older sleuth (forty-something) solving murders in a senior retirement community. We’ve been able to introduce a number of quirky characters and an abundance of hyperbole to make our books stand out. Humor is key in all of our novels.

We have younger sleuths in our Wine Trail Mysteries and our Marcie Rayner detective series, but both of those are humorous as well.

 

Do you work from an outline or plot or do you just see where the characters take you?

We do both. We usually come up with a general plot outline and keep revising it. We are definitely “pantsers” since we work by the seat of our pants. Recently, we learned of a new term for writing – Plantsers. It combines plotters and pantsers and it seems to fit us.

 

 

Do you read your reviews?  Do you respond to them, good or bad?  Do you do anything special to get those reviews?

Yes, we do read our reviews and we appreciate readers taking the time to provide other readers with their feedback. Most reviews give us kudos as well as constructive criticism but some are mean-spirited and those really hurt.

 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Travel more and see the world. There’s nothing like experience.

 

 

Do you think that the cover plays an important part in someone buying your book(s)?   Who designs your book covers?

Covers play a major role in someone selecting our books to read or purchase. Our publisher, Kensington, designs the covers for our Sophie Kimball and Wine Trail mysteries. We couldn’t ask for a better art department.  Those covers are eye-catching and well thought out.

Our newest series with Camel Publishing, the Marcie Rayner detective series, has an impressive cover as well.

 

What have you learned about yourselves since becoming an author?

We’ve learned that we’ve got so much more to learn! We’ve also learned to ask other authors for advice but to trust our own instincts.

 

 

Do you write full-time or part-time?

We write whenever we can. We have to be flexible since we have busy schedules.

 

What do your plans for future projects include?

Continuing to juggle the three series we have – Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington), The Wine Trail Mysteries (Kensington’s Lyrical Underground), and the Marcie Rayner detective series, (Camel Publishing).

 

What do you think the hardest part of writing is?  What is the easiest?

The hardest part is reading what we’ve written and analyzing it. The most tedious part is editing. The easiest is coming up with ideas.

 

 

What type of books do you like to read?  Who are some of your favorite authors?

Ann – cozy mysteries, gothic mysteries, horror, historical fiction

Ann loves Nancy Atherton, Amy Reade, Kate Morton, Joe Hill, Charles Dickens

Jim – thriller, mystery, non-fiction, cozy mysteries

Jim loves Tom Clancy, P.J. Parrish, Robert B. Parker, and Clive Cussler (and he likes Nancy Atherton, too!)

 

What is the one thing you would like your readers to know about you?

We are always open to reader questions and comments and absolutely love meeting you at book signings and conferences.  We’ll be at Malice Domestic in Bethesda, Maryland, this May. Hope our readers can make it.

Do you have anything specific you would like to say to your readers?

Yes!

Thank you so much for bringing our cozy mysteries into your life. We hope we’re putting a smile on your faces.

 

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Website:  

www.jceatonauthor.com

Facebook:  

https://facebook.com/JCEatonauthor.com/

 

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/JCEatonauthor

 

Goodreads:

https://goodreads.com/author/show/15931568.J_C_Eaton

 

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=J.C.+Eaton

 

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/J.+C.+Eaton?_requestid=3839649

 

 

To enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway, click on the link below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/02887792832/?

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 16 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 16 – Laura`s Interests – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 17 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

January 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

January 18 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

January 18 – MJBReviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 19 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 19 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

January 19 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 20 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

January 20 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT –

January 20 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 21 – Here’s How It Happened – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 21 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 21 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

January 22 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

January 22 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

 

 

 

 

 

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours–The Cha-Cha Babes Of Pelican Bay

 

 

I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author Frances Metzman and her new release The Cha-Cha Babes of Pelican Bay.   

The Cha-Cha Babes of Pelican Way
Cozy Mystery
Wild River Consulting & Publishing, LLC (June 21, 2018)
Paperback: 506 pages
ISBN-10: 9781941948064
ISBN-13: 978-1941948064
Digital ASIN: B07CV2GP9Z

 

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo 

 

 

Would you move a dead body for the sake of your best friend? Ask cha-cha babe Celia Ewing, a sixty-five-year-old widow who has just settled into Boca Pelicano Palms, the Florida retirement community of her dreams. When Celia’s best friend Marcy calls her and their friend Deb for help in the middle of the night, they find a naked Marcy trapped under the body of her beau, the community’s board president, Melvin. And he’s dead. The three friends secretly move Melvin back to his apartment setting off a chain of events that will threaten to tear their community apart and send them to jail. Melvin is one of a number of residents who are dying under suspicious circumstances; and soon Celia becomes an amateur sleuth in an attempt to identify what she suspects is a serial murderer.

Filled with humorous, witty observations about retirement communities, the realities of getting older, and the promise of new love, the Cha-Cha Babes of Pelican Way celebrates the deep bonds of female friendships, the desire for companionship at any age, and shows us that it’s never too late to learn how to cha-cha through life.

 

 

 

Frances Metzman, a graduate of Moore College of Art and a Masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania, co-authored a novel, Ugly Cookies, by Pella Press. Her short story collection, The Hungry Heart: Stories, was published by Wilderness House Press, February 1, 2012. In 2009 she won a nomination for a Dzanc Books award, “Best of the Web.” In addition to publishing numerous (25) short stories in various literary journals, she has a novel published by Wild River Books, 2018, The Cha-Cha Babes of Pelican Way. Her teaching credits include Adjunct professor at Rosemont College to graduate school, Temple University at OLLI (creative writing and memoir). Other writing workshops, memoir/creative writing, have been given at universities and colleges such as Bryn Mawr, Penn State, Delaware, University of Pennsylvania, Widener, etc. As fiction editor for a literary journal, Schuylkill Valley Journal, she selects and edits the submissions. Many articles, essays, and stories she writes deal with aspects of society that influences relationships for all ages, including the mature set (sometimes tongue in cheek). Many articles are dedicated to improving attitudes toward the mature folks and address myths about “age appropriate” thinking.

Author Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/FranWrites

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/FranMetzmanWrittenWork/

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5871334.Frances_Metzman

FrancesMetzman.com

 

 

 

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 7 – Books, Dreams, Life – SPOTLIGHT

January 7 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 8 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 8 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 10 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

January 11 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT  

January 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 13 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

January 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 14 – Handcrafted Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

January 16 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

January 17 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 19 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW 

January 20 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER GUEST POST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Releases For The Week of January 13th, 2019–Part 4

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 13th, 2019.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them for this week. Today is the fourth and final day of my list for this week. Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

 

Intrepid journalist Kitty Weeks returns in the second book in this acclaimed WW1-era historical mystery series to investigate the death of a boarding school student.

When Kitty’s latest assignment for the New York Sentinel Ladies’ Page takes her to Westfield Hall, she expects to find an orderly establishment teaching French and dancing-but there’s more going on at the school than initially meets the eye.

Tragedy strikes when a student named Elspeth is found frozen to death in Central Park. The doctor’s proclaim that the girl’s sleepwalking was the cause, but Kitty isn’t so sure.

Determined to uncover the truth, Kitty must investigate a more chilling scenario-a murder that may involve Elspeth’s scientist father and a new invention by a man named Thomas Edison.

For fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Rhys Bowen, Murder Between the Lines combines true historical events with a thrilling mystery.  (Amazon)

Editions:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A sassy, tenacious female protagonist. A ghost with a chilling demand. A little black dog that finds the dead.

Death is not the end. Angel Boudreaux, the granddaughter of famed New Orleans Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, helps spirits find closure. When the spirit of Miss Ida materializes on Angel’s doorstep, her request isn’t like the other spirits: This haint also wants her murderer dead. Under the moss-draped oaks and long leaf pines in 1913 South Georgia, evil has been coaxed from the grave and finding Miss Ida takes an unforeseen detour. Meanwhile, Angel adopts an unconventional partner to help. A small black bob-tailed dog she calls Boug, has a nose for the dead. As bodies pile up, Angel and Boug must navigate Voodoo, conjure spells, protection dolls, and even a Zombie potion in order to battle evil and figure out what happened to Miss Ida. Assisted by a Voodoo priestess, a witchdoctor, a sheriff, and three Civil War vets, Angel and Boug search for Miss Ida but are forced into battle with raw evil. How they honor Miss Ida’s unsettling request morphs into a horror they never counted on.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing stays buried forever…

Reporter Zoe Clarke’s life has lost its magic. So when she gets a job offer in the middle of nowhere, Zoe jumps at the chance to make a name for herself only to find her new home is teeming with magic and paranormal beings—and those aren’t its only secrets.

During a heated election for Head Witch, the most powerful position in town, Zoe’s predecessor was buried alive—and accusations are flying faster than broomsticks. Despite her editor’s orders to leave the story alone, Zoe can’t resist.

From the front-running witch with a secret to the mysterious vampires pulling strings in the shadows, Zoe knows the truth is just under the surface. So after she discovers she has rare telepathic abilities, Zoe realizes she’s the only one who can keep digging.

Will Zoe’s powers lead her to the murderer and the scoop of a lifetime? Or will they send her to an early grave?

Broomsticks and Burials is the first book in the Magic and Mystery series of witch cozy mysteries. If you like witty witches, catty talking cats, and magical murder mysteries, then you’ll love this lighthearted debut in Lily Webb’s spellbinding series.

Buy Broomsticks and Burials to start solving the mysteries of Moon Grove today!  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York City, 1915

The Lusitania has just been sunk, and headlines about a shooting at J.P. Morgan’s mansion and the Great War are splashed across the front page of every newspaper. Capability “Kitty” Weeks would love nothing more than to report on the news of the day, but she’s stuck writing about fashion and society gossip over on the Ladies’ Page–until a man is murdered at a high society picnic on her beat.

Determined to prove her worth as a journalist, Kitty finds herself plunged into the midst of a wartime conspiracy that threatens to derail the United States’ attempt to remain neutral–and to disrupt the privileged life she has always known.

Radha Vatsal’s A Front Page Affair is the first book in highly anticipated series featuring rising journalism star Kitty Weeks.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Cozy Animal & Witch Mystery, Willow has figured out how to help Rose, but now they’ve unearthed an ancient relic, buried in one of the hidden tunnels. The clues are hidden within the journals. Now, it’s more vital than ever that Willow embrace her psychic gifts if she is to save her family. Can she do before it’s too late?

A COZY MYSTERY
Charmed Psychic Witch Series from Across the Veil by Lenore Wolfe

BENEATH THE WITCH’S CHRISTMAS SPELL
Charmed Psychic Witch Series from Across the Veil
A Short
Released December 17, 2018
A Cozy Mystery

BENEATH THE DEEP, DARK GLASS
Charmed Psychic Witch Series from Across the Veil
Book One
Released September 30, 2018
A Cozy Mystery

BENEATH THE GHOSTLY SHADOWS
Charmed Psychic Witch Series from Across the Veil
Book Two
Released December 2018
A Cozy Mystery

BENEATH THE WITCH’S VEIL
Charmed Psychic Witch Series from Across the Veil
Book Three
Released January 2019
A Cozy Mystery

BENEATH MAGIC’S DIVINATION
Charmed Psychic Witch Series from Across the Veil
Book Four
Released March 2019
A Cozy Mystery

BENEATH THE DEEP, DARK SHADOWS
Charmed Psychic Witch Series from Across the Veil
Book Five
Released May 2019
A Cozy Mystery

BENEATH THE SECRETS OF A WITCH
Charmed Psychic Witch Series from Across the Veil
Book Six
Released July 2019
A Cozy Mystery  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The past is never truly buried…   

Generations of Jillian Cley’s family have been tasked with a strange duty—tending the burial plot of Gabriel Vane, whose body was the first to be interred in the Hode’s Hill cemetery. Jillian faithfully continues the long-standing tradition—until one October night, Vane’s body is stolen from its resting place. Is it a Halloween prank? Or something more sinister?

As the descendants of those buried in the church yard begin to experience bizarre “accidents,” Jillian tries to uncover the cause. Deeply empathic, she does not make friends easily, or lightly. But to fend off the terror taking over her town, she must join forces with artist Dante DeLuca, whose sensitivity to the spirit world has been both a blessing and a curse. The two soon realize Jillian’s murky family history is entwined with a tragic legacy tracing back to the founding of Hode’s Hill. To set matters right, an ancient wrong must be avenged…or Jillian, Dante, and everyone in town will forever be at the mercy of a vengeful spirit.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Royalty is coming to The Hollow and Jane has her hands full. There are lots of secrets hidden inside the castle walls, but what turns up under a birdbath surprises everyone.

Could this be what the Russian billionaire, Prince Engelychev is looking for?

Secret meetings between an Archbishop representing the ‘Old Believers’ of the Russian Orthodox church, and a Cardinal sent from Rome only deepen the mystery. When the Archbishop is found dead minutes after a zip-lining encounter with Jane that ended with him buried in bushes, things could come to a fiery conclusion.

Jane and her gaggle of grandmothers have their work cut out for them as they rev up their rockers to find the truth behind some very sinful activities that had their start nearly 50 years earlier.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detective Sean Malone always thought he would follow in his father’s footsteps. Some roads, however, are better left untraveled.

Patrick Malone had everything he ever wanted. A career, a family, and the respect of his community. Until one night on the beaches of Clearwater, it was all taken away.
Now, twenty years later, his son Sean is in the same position. In love with Andie Markos, he is about to become a father. About to realize all of his dreams.
About to lose it all.
What happened twenty years ago threatens to happen again. As the deadly secrets that should have died with Patrick Malone rise, ready to capture his son and everyone he knows in a web of addiction, doubt, and betrayal, Sean will discover that some family secrets never truly die.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pieces of Christina Davidson’s life have built up into place over the past few months, despite the one last secret she’s trying hard to hide. When Leo Blue returns to town, then people from her past turn up, her carefully constructed walls begin to crumble and the only people who can help her now are the men of the Wild Blue Detective Agency.

Leo Blue can’t escape Packham nor the life of a private detective no matter how hard he tries. Six months after the murder of artist DJ Gage, the prices of Gage’s paintings soar. When a woman winds up dead and a forgery is discovered in the local art gallery, Leo has to find a murderer and a forger.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Releases For The Week of January 13th, 2019–Part 3

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 13th, 2019.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them for this week. Today is the third day of my list for this week. Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

From USA Today bestselling author Gin Jones comes the latest Helen Binney adventure about a feisty woman in a murderous situation…

Determined to live her best life, Helen Binney heads to a patient conference to learn more about overcoming the challenges of lupus. But instead of medical answers, what she finds is a dead body! The murdered doctor was killed beneath a poster display promoting a newly developed treatment—one that has both grateful patients and outspoken critics.

Luckily Helen’s handsome ex-lawyer boyfriend, Tate, is along for the ride—and what was supposed to be a romantic weekend getaway after the conference ended. With romance on hold, and Helen under suspicion by the police, it’s up to her and Tate to ferret out a killer among a slew of likely suspects who had an axe to grind with the doctor, including an intrusive photographer, a rival doctor, and a lawyer who was working to get the victim’s medical license revoked. With everyone a suspect and no one safe, Helen is in danger of becoming part of another display of death!

Helen Binney Mysteries:
A Dose of Death – book #1
A Denial of Death – book #2
A (Gingerbread) Diorama of Death – holiday short story
A Draw of Death – book #3
A Dawn of Death – book #4
A Darling of Death – book #5
A Display of Death – book #6

“Lethally clever! Gin Jones’s Helen Binney Mysteries will have you laughing, smiling, and on the edge of your seat wondering whodunit. I can’t wait for more from these characters!”
~ Gemma Halliday, New York Times bestselling author (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allie Treadwell’s mystery senses are tingling… again.

A death at her grandmother’s retirement community has the food blogger suspecting murder. And she’s not the only one. Allie’s neighbor, Jeanie, happened to have a “special relationship” with the deceased, Melvin Fleming.

Step one: Convince the handsome detective, Javier, that Melvin’s death is actually a murder.

Step two: Convince her heart that all this time spent with Javier is for the case and the case alone.

With her boyfriend Luke’s jealousy becoming ever more apparent, and a special date planned, will Allie end up dumped and alone on Valentine’s day for the third year running?

And with the killer growing suspicious of her snooping, can Allie find the answers before her body gets dumped just like her heart?

Foodie Files Mysteries are quick reads of around 30k words.
This book contains no swearing, no gore, and no cliffhangers.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sunshine State’s most lovable psychopath, Serge A. Storms, kills it in this zany adventure from the “compulsively irreverent and shockingly funny” (Boston Globe) king of mayhem, New York Timesbestselling author Tim Dorsey.

Serge and Coleman are back on the road, ready to hit the next stop on their list of obscure and wacky points of interest in the Sunshine State. This time, Serge’s interest is drawn to one of the largest retirement villages in the world—also known as the site of an infamous sex scandal between a retiree and her younger beau that rocked the community.

What starts out as an innocent quest to observe elders in their natural habitats, sample the local cuisine, and scope out a condo to live out the rest of their golden years, soon becomes a Robin Hood-like crusade to recover the funds of swindled residents. After all, our seniors should be revered and respected—they’ve heroically fought in wars, garnered priceless wisdom, and they have the best first-hand accounts of bizarre Floridian occurrences only Serge would know about. But as the resident’s rally for Serge to seek justice on their behalves, two detectives are hot on the heels of Serge and Coleman’s murderous trail.

In this epic adventure that jumps between present day and the tumultuous times of the Vietnam war, mystery fans are in for a witty and deliciously violent delight from the twisted imagination of bestselling author Tim Dorsey.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writer’s Digest Award-Winning Author
While escorting Bryn Derwyn Academy’s most infamous student downtown to be scared straight by a Federal judge, Ginger Barnes is shocked to find her childhood babysitter, textile professor Charlie Finnemeyer, on trial for fraudulently aging an Oriental rug. Even more alarming, Gin learns that two witnesses against her beloved “Uncle Wunk” suffered suspiciously convenient heart attacks.
Eager to assist the professor’s attorney, the veteran amateur sleuth pries secret information from a university president and uncovers past transgressions of a TV craft show host—all while acquiring an overnight education in early American textiles from experts at Winterthur and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Others guilty of questionable behavior: two antique dealers, and Charlie’s overprotective wife.
Still, damning evidence can’t be swept under a rug. Before Gin can persuade anyone else that Charlie is innocent, she must first convince herself.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addie Foster, owner of Smiling Dog Books, loves her small-town life. Until someone, or rather several someones, tries to end it. What secrets is she hiding? Add one gay BFF and one dark, brooding detective into the mix and watch everything unfold. Will Addie figure out why someone wants her dead before it’s too late? Or will this be her final chapter?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amanda Clarke knows she’s a witch. She unleashed unstoppable magic to save her friends and catch a murderer.
But she only did it the one time. And now? Back to powerlessness.
Her friends insist that all she needs is proper training. Sophie wakes her before dawn for meditation and workouts designed to channel magic. Brianna buries her under books, so many books.
Amanda longs for a distraction. But when the woman who lives next door to Miss Zenobia Weekes’ Charm School for Exceptional Young Ladies turns up dead, and the murder weapon dates back to Prohibition, she gets more of a distraction than she bargained for.
But who in 1927 would want her neighbor dead in 2018?
“Work Like a Charm”, Book 2 in the Witches Three Cozy Mystery series. If you’re a fan of Amanda M. Lee, N.M. Howell, or Amy Boyles, this mélange of magic and murder mystery is sure to charm you.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reg Rawlins, professional con, has really gotten herself into a bind this time.

The fortune teller gig started as a scam, but she suddenly finds herself tangled up in the case of Warren Blake, a man who she thought was dead. It turns out he may still be alive, but in mortal peril.

Reg has always taken the quick exit, the easy way out, but running out on this racket might mean someone else’s death.

Staying in it might mean hers.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you love deeply funny, page-turning mysteries like those by Jana Deleon, Joanne Fluke, Margaret Lashley, Janet Evanovich, Hope Callaghan, Karin Kaufmann or Agatha Frost then this is for you. Join Amanda as she laments her mother’s superior sex life and tries hard to overlook her BFF’s crazy behaviour.

Disillusioned lady cop, Amanda Harper quits her job to be a paranormal investigator but finds her new role to be a touch more mayhem-filled than she expected.

With best friend and former police colleague, Patience Woods lending a hand, she will have to tackle thieving ghosts, a voodoo priest and his clan, and what appears to be the precursor to an alien invasion in the first three cases.

Expect utter bedlam, boyfriend troubles, indecision about her options with men, plus donuts, lots and lots of donuts as Patience likes to make sure she is fuelled for action at all times.

It’s going to be a snark-filled, wild ride!

Warning: these books contain some light cussing and sexual references. Nothing that would be R rated, but I wouldn’t let my nine-year-old niece read them.

The Harper Files are a spin-off from successful series Blue Moon Investigations staring Tempest Michaels as an accidental paranormal investigator. Amanda is the first character to appear on page 1 of those books, but you can read this series without needing to know her backstory.

Praise for the Harper Files series and Steve Higgs:
‘Be prepared to struggle with getting anything else done, as you will want to keep reading.’
‘Supernatural overtones with a hint of sexual tension, interspersed with humor make this a fantastic book.’
‘Truly delightful tales of mystery and misadventure.’
‘Higgs is a wonderful author with great character development which includes an enticing cast of misfits.’
‘A great crime comedy with a group of zany characters. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one. Highly recommended!’
‘Do NOT have a hot beverage nearby when reading this book! The characters are exceptional and many of the situations are just too funny for words.’
‘Nobody does this light touch comedy-mystery quite like Steve Higgs.’
‘Higgs makes everything and everyone come alive.’  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is she hitting her stride? Or going nowhere fast?

Fresh from a successful undercover operation, scientist/spy-in-training Bree Watson should feel on top of the world. Instead, the ground is shifting under her feet. When her handler abandons her to follow a lead with his sexy ex-partner, Bree must choose between a normal life, or proving her worth as a spy. Not an easy choice, when she factors in:

•A police detective’s amorous intentions
•Her handler’s mixed signals
•A teaching post at a university filled with intrigue
•A dead administrator with a sordid past
•A timid tiger and her tenacious trainer—both being framed for murder

Combined with fanatic football fans, beatnik poets, an orphaned monkey, a demanding boss, quirky colleagues, and her angry cat, the result may be a recipe for disaster.

Can she take the heat? Or will she get burned?

“A plot full of twists. . . a super smart sleuth. . .a smidgen of romance. Cupcake baking scientist Dr. Bree Watson will lure the readers in with her intelligence. and capture them with her charm.” Denise Swanson, New York Times Best Selling Author  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gang from the Gull Island Writers Retreat take on the case of a man who is currently doing time for the murder of a woman he swears he did not kill. After speaking to the man Alex determines that he is most likely telling the truth so he enlists the help of the gang to prove it. As they work together to sort fact from fiction, they realize there may be a lot more going on than they originally thought.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Releases For The Week of January 13th, 2019–Part 2

 

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 13th, 2019.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them for this week. Today is the second day of my list for this week. Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

 

Aunt Bessie tries to help her friends.

After Grace Watterson’s baby shower, Elizabeth Cubbon, known as Bessie to nearly everyone, gets stopped by one of the party guests. Lora White is worried that someone is trying to kill her.

Aunt Bessie tries to persuade Lora to talk to the police.

The problem is, Lora isn’t sure whether someone is trying to kill her or not. After hearing Lora’s story, Bessie isn’t certain, either. Besides, Lora doesn’t want to get any of her friends or family members into any trouble.

Aunt Bessie tries to work out who might be trying to hurt Lora.

She talks to the woman’s family members and neighbours, but quickly finds herself being drawn more and more deeply into Lora’s life.

Can Bessie help Lora work out what’s happening? Is someone truly trying to kill Lora, or does the woman simply have an overactive imagination? Is it possible that Lora is creating the incidents herself for some reason? Will Bessie be sorry that she tried to help?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Florence, Italy, and a wedding. Sardinia, Italy, and a murder. Is there a choice?

For Kat and Blaine, there wasn’t. A romantic trip to Florence to take part in a wedding becomes a search for the groom’s best friend’s murderer in Sardinia.

If you like a mystery with intrigue in foreign places, dogs, and good food, don’t miss the latest in the Midwest Cozy Mystery Series by a two-time USA Today Bestselling Author.  (Author)

Editions Available”  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something borrowed, something blue, something not so charmed. The wedding day has arrived for Halloween LaVeau. Will this be happily ever after for Hallie? Or will her leadership status of the Underworld jeopardize her relationship and produce deadly consequences?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nick and Mimi are happily married and settled into their new home. It all seems perfect, but is it? Somehow, just when you think life is perfect, something or someone comes along to upset the calm waters.
Charles Parks to the rescue! Or is he just meddling?
Running from your troubles is never a good idea, and yet when Charles presents Mimi with tickets for a cruise to the Virgin Islands she jumps at the chance to leave it all behind, even if it’s only for a week.
In true Charles and Mimi fashion, the cruise won’t be boring as they get embroiled in chaos when a cruise member goes missing.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pasadena Matron Struck and Injured by Motorcar at Rose Parade in Shaken Spirits, a Cozy Historical Mystery by Alice Duncan

–January, 1925–

Daisy Gumm Majesty, her family and fiancé, Sam Rotondo–detective with the Pasadena Police Department–are leaving the Tournament of Roses Parade when Daisy is struck by a passing motorcar. Although scratched, bruised and with a dislocated shoulder, the outcome could have been much worse were it not for Sam’s quick action.

But the pain and discomfort are quickly replaced by something worse when it becomes obvious that this was no accident–someone wants Daisy dead.
Unfortunately, the would-be-killer is not easily discouraged and it’s going to take all the investigative savvy Daisy and Sam can muster to save Daisy’s life.

From the Publisher: The Daisy Gumm Majesty Cozy Mystery Series is a light-hearted mystery in a historical setting. There are no explicit sexual scenes and minimal cursing and will be enjoyed by readers who appreciate clean and wholesome reads.

PRAISE for THE DAISY GUMM MAJESTY MYSTERIES
“Well plotted with a band of whimsical characters and genuine humor…” ~Diane Morasco, RT Book Reviews

THE DAISY GUMM MAJESTY MYSTERIES, in series order
Strong Spirits
Fine Spirits
High Spirits
Hungry Spirits
Genteel Spirits
Ancient Spirits
Dark Spirits
Spirits Onstage
Unsettled Spirits
Bruised Spirits
Spirits United
Spirits Unearthed
Shaken Spirits  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She killed a man. Or did she?

USA Today bestselling Judge Willa Carson returns in this fast-paced mystery filled with great characters, humor, and more twists and turns than a roller coaster.

It could happen to anyone.

Driving home after a long, exhausting work week, Judge Willa Carson is horrified when she hits a man with her car.

She jumps out to help, but it’s too late. He’s not breathing and she can’t revive him.

Famous Restaurant Owner’s Wife Kills Pedestrian is the top click bait headline for every citizen journalist with a smartphone video looking to make it big on social media.

But is it true?

Privately, the coroner says Evan Hayden was as good as dead from an overdose of toxic heroin when he lunged in front of Willa’s car. But the scandal mongers don’t know or care about the legal nuances.

Relentless gawkers and paid protesters swarm George’s Place and drag Judge Willa’s reputation into the gutter, where gleeful power brokers who want her gone for good seize their chance.

Mercilessly pursued by the vultures, she’s forced to abandon her work and flee her home to uncover the truth.

As Willa burrows deeper into the mystery of Evan Hayden’s death amid too-good-to-be-true sports celebrities, savage money managers, and upscale heroin addicts, she discovers too many motives for murder.

Can she unearth what really happened that dark and rainy night, restore her reputation, save George’s restaurant, and get her world back onto its axis?

Or is Willa’s life as Tampa’s youngest and most flamboyant federal judge over and done?

If you like to read a twisty, clever “who done it” that will have you scratching your head until the end is revealed, Night Justice and Judge Willa Carson are for you.

Start reading now and you’ll be glued to the page!

“Intricate and ingenious – make some coffee, because you’ll read all night.” Lee Child, #1 Worldwide Bestselling author of Jack Reacher thrillers  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first in a new paranormal mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Gretchen Galway.

Is her magic strong enough to stop a killer?

On her first assignment as a demon-hunting witch, Alma was unable to kill. Now broke and unemployed at twenty-six, she lives in Silverpool, a remote town in a redwood forest north of San Francisco, where she sells magic-infused jewelry and tries to live a drama-free life.

When fairies draw her to the dead body of her ex-boyfriend, she must defend herself and the hidden power in Silverpool from an influx of supernatural trouble. The only way to make peace—and stay alive—is to find the killer.

Drawing upon years of formal magical training she’d rather forget, and using other abilities she’d like to keep secret, Alma goes up against bloodthirsty fae, a dangerously charming demon, her infamous father, and other ambitious witches with agendas of their own.

This time, an inability to kill might be not just the end of her job, but of her life…  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diva Delaney and her grandmother are summoned to the Council of Conjurers headquarters in Boston. This isn’t an invitation that can be denied no matter how much Diva wants to avoid it. Being tested by the council members will drive her to the breaking point, but she won’t be alone during her torment. She will make new friends and allies who will come to her defense.

Even in Boston, Diva can’t escape from Haydn Creighton. The warlock seems to be there every time she turns around, taunting her with his wickedly handsome looks and annoyingly smooth charm. Her insidious attraction to him seems to be growing by the day and there’s nothing she can do to stop it.

Being a normal living among a family of witches had been hard enough, yet things are even more difficult now that Diva has become a conjurer herself. Her life is becoming increasingly complicated in fact. It’s about to get even worse when she learns the truth about what caused the feud between the Delaney and Creighton Covens.   (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stevenson never dreamed she would lead a neighborhood war against the tyrannical homeowners’ association president, who harassed the condominium community. Now, just when she thought life had returned to normal, murder and mayhem return to Euphoria Lane. Andi and her sister, Jessie, find another dead body on the property and their lives will never be the same.

Andi’s desire to quit teaching and work full-time for her sister’s detective agency is put to the test. Her best friend turns on her when her son becomes a suspect, and her boyfriend wants to know if she’ll hunt down killers once she’s married and has children.

Jessie is given two weeks to find the killer. If successful, she’ll earn a hefty bonus and solidify her agency’s reputation. Derrick, her former partner with the police department, takes time off work to assist, but he has an ulterior motive. Can she beat the ticking clock? Or will her attraction to the wrong man and her need for control destroy all?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will Sarah finally meet her end and die in a snowstorm surrounded by dark shadows and the shattered remnants of her life? Or will she find the will to fight a deadly snowman, staring insanity in the face in order to find victory?

After surviving a deadly virus, Sarah is glad to be safely back home in her warm cabin in Snow Falls, Alaska. After seeing her husband Conrad off to work, she settles down to write in her kitchen with a warm cup of coffee as a powerful snowstorm begins to build. But her cozy morning turns upside down when her best friend Amanda arrives with bad news. At first, the bad news seems humorous to Sarah, but then she quickly realizes that it’s no laughing matter. Matters turn worse when a dead body turns up and a deranged killer arrives in town, bent on fulfilling the wishes of a mentally ill woman determined to kill Amanda.

Forced to defend the life of her best friend, Sarah must battle a terrifying snowstorm and a shadowy foe hiding in the whiteout conditions – not to mention her own inner fears. Desperate for answers and certain that the killer cannot be defeated, Sarah calls an old friend in Los Angeles who is having troubles of his own. To Sarah’s relief, her old friend gives her hope and tells her how to draw out the monster terrorizing the people she loves.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

New Releases For The Week of January 13th, 2019–Part 1

Here is a list of some of the new releases for the week of January 13th, 2019.  I am going to divide the list into 4 days because there are so very many of them for this week. Today is the first day of my list for this week. Hope you find some selections for your weekly reading. Enjoy and happy reading.

 

 

 

When a mummified body is found in a renovated building, the gruesome discovery leads Detective Kay Hunter and her team into a complex murder investigation.

The subsequent police inquiry exposes corruption, lies and organised crime within the tight-knit community – and Kay’s determination to seek justice for the young murder victim could ruin the reputations of men who will do anything to protect their business interests.

But as Kay closes in on the killer, tragedy strikes closer to home in an event that will send a shockwave through her personal life and make her question everything she values.

Can Kay keep her private and professional life under control while she tries to unravel one of the strangest murder cases of her career?  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rob Hart has firmly established himself as one of the best crime writers of his generation with his acclaimed Ash McKenna series, and in TAKE-OUT Hart has collected 16 stories of culinary crime and noir that will have you savoring every deadly bite.

In the title story, a gambler falls into debt with the enigmatic owner of a Chinatown gambling parlor, and must run odd—and sometimes dangerous—deliveries to clear his ledger.

In “How to Make the Perfect New York Bagel,” the owner of one of New York City’s last old-school bagel shops has to defend his storefront—in the past, from the mob, and in the present, from a bank.

In “Creampuff,” a bakery with the hottest pastry in town has to hire a bouncer to control the unruly line, with tragic results.

In these stories and more, some never before published, Rob Hart explores the enticing and dangerous intersection where food and hospitality cross paths with crime and noir. Some stories are funny. Some of are dark. But each one will leaving you wanting another bite.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“When your life vanishes, how do you do anything but follow it?”

Haunted by guilt and reeling from his shattered marriage, New York photographer Ethan flees south to a Central American country on the brink of revolution. Ethan doesn’t know if he’s seeking redemption or punishment, but―one bad choice after another―he finds himself indebted to Yolanda, who gives him a chance, if anything she’s saying is true, to find both.

Yolanda’s sister is deep in the country’s interior, waiting for a man named Soto―a slave trafficker posing as a migrant guide. The journey to find her plunges Ethan into a feverish world of demented expatriates, intelligence officers, mystics and lunatics, where loyalties are uncertain and ghosts unshakable.

A harrowing examination of post-colonial blight, Horse Latitudes is a lushly written tropical gothic―part thriller, part nightmarish journey into the corruption at the heart of US intervention in Central America―that peers into the world of Mario Vargas Llosa’s The Neighborhood through the lens of Elliot Ackerman’s Dark at the Crossing.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Blackmoore has a secret, and she’s desperate to hide it from her sisters. So when local paranormal healer Clementine Vega is murdered and Morgan is accused of the crime, she has to do something she’s never done before—lie to her family. But soon one lie turns into another, and she finds herself navigating a tangled web of deceit.

Now, with her sisters on the verge of war with paranormals, Morgan must uncover the killer’s mysterious motive before her sisters spark a paranormal war that they might not win, or worse, before they discover the shocking secret that Morgan has been hiding from them.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One member of Pepper’s family has been turned into a toad. Can she save them?

It’s New Year’s and Pepper Dunn is ready to celebrate. She’s been hard at work creating a potion for the annual Potion-Making Contest. All she must do is present her creation.

Pepper’s plans go awry when a sorceress claims she can turn a witch into a toad—all she needs is a volunteer.

But when the sorceress is murdered and the potion stolen, all Pepper wants is to stay out of it. She’s had enough of murders.

Problem is, one of her relatives was transformed into a toad. With the potion missing, Pepper must act fast to find it before her family member is stuck living as a toad—forever.

Can Pepper solve the mystery? Find out now!   (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 1924.

Violet and Jack go for a simple day on the water. They little expect their day of sun and fun to end with finding a body in the water.

The mystery of what happened to the young man in the shallows posses them both, and they unite in their desire to find out more. Will they be able to discover why Jack’s one-time friend was killed? Who would have done this and why?

Book SIX in The Violet Carlyle Mysteries. Are you ready for the roaring twenties? For a spunky young woman determined to craft her own life? If so, you’ll love Vi, her indulgent twin Vic, and their friends. You might even find your imagination caught by her love, Jack Wakefield. For fans of Carola Dunn, Jacqueline Winspear, Georgette Heyer, and Lee Strauss.
A light, cozy mystery with a fun peek into life in the life of a bright young thing. No swearing, graphic scenes, or cliffhangers.

The Violet Carlyle Mysteries
Book 1: Murder & the Heir
Book 2: Kennington House Murder
Book 3: Murder & The Folly
Book 4: A Merry Little Murder
Book 4.5 New Year’s Madness
Book 5: Murder Among the Roses
Book 6: Murder in the Shallows
Book 7: Gin & Murder (coming soon)
Book 8: Obsidian Murder (coming soon)
Book 9: Murder at the Ladies Club (coming soon)
Book 10: Weddings Vows and Murder (coming soon)   (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A missing author and a sleepy English village rife with secrets . . .

 

September, 1923. Despite closing her first case, high society lady detective Olive Belgrave hasn’t found a new client. She’s taken a job as a hat model to pay for her poky boarding house room. But then a job offer comes her way—make discreet inquiries about a famous author who’s disappeared.

 

Olive travels to the English countryside to hunt for the missing mystery author. But soon after she arrives in the sleepy village, a body is discovered. Then a second murder focuses the police’s attention on Olive, and she must clear her name before the murderer pens a plot that frames her.

 

Murder at Blackburn Hall is the second book in the High Society Lady Detective series, a lighthearted cozy historical mystery series set in 1920s England. If you love novels that take you back to the Golden Age of detective fiction with interesting plots, posh settings, and twisty mysteries, you’ll love the High Society Lady Detective Series from USA Today bestseller Sara Rosett.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle, Paperback

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A prison guard. A postmaster. A Forest Service employee. A U.S. Department of Agriculture employee. All murdered. They worked for the federal government, but so do a lot of other people. What else did they share?

Seems like a serial killer is on the loose. And it looks like he’s targeting the sleepy community of Red Cedar. When one of the Red Cedar Spa’s guests is murdered, Liz has no choice but to team up with an FBI agent to help solve the murders.

And with a chief of police who is far more interested in catching speeders than he is in catching murderers, someone has to do his job. Maybe Liz should run for chief of police!

A page-turning murder mystery with plenty of dogs, food and recipes along with a couple of quirky characters. The latest in the Liz Lucas Cozy Mystery Series by a two-time USA Today Bestselling Author.  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You scratch my back…
Jill Gooder is between a rock and a hard place. A close ally needs her help, but to come to her assistance may have grave consequences for Jill.
…and I’ll eat custard creams  (Amazon)

Editions Available:  Kindle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nora Alexander has sunk her inheritance into the Tunie Hotel, in Piney Woods, Texas. Now there is a chance that her first major booking, a national cat lovers’ conference called Meow Meet-Up, will help her bottom line. It also presents increasing risk for its financial demise.

Pushy reporter Alan Shaw shows up the day before the event, making trouble for Nora and the conference. When Shaw is later found dead in the bottom of the hotel’s faulty elevator shaft, Nora depends upon boyfriend and police officer, Tuck Watson, to investigate and save the Tunie Hotel’s reputation. Nora also has to deal with a surprise health inspection and a conference organizer bent on getting steep discounts for conference attendees.

Things spin further out of Nora’s control when she discovers she has a cat dander allergy setting off unpredictable sneezing episodes at inopportune times. The featured feline guest, grand champion show cat, Catpurnicas, escapes and disappears, leading to a town-wide search.

Surrounded by members of the Meow Meet-Up convention, Nora must sort through a list of suspects that include a beloved cozy mystery writer.

A Sneeze to Die For is the second book in the Piney Woods Cozy Mystery Series, which began with Murder of a Good Man.  (Amazon)

Editions Available: Paperback

 

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours–Academic Curveball

 

I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author James J. Cudney, the author of Academic Curveball.  I read this book and I really enjoyed it.

 

Academic Curveball (Braxton Campus Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Independently Published (October 14, 2018)
Paperback: 281 pages
ISBN-10: 172877876X
ISBN-13: 978-1728778761
Digital ASIN: B07HMYSQFH

Purchase Links

Amazon

When Kellan Ayrwick returns home for his father’s retirement, he finds a dead body in Diamond Hall’s stairwell.

Unfortunately, Kellan has a connection to the victim, and so do several members of his family. Soon after, the college’s athletic program receives mysterious donations, a nasty blog denounces his father and someone attempts to change students’ grades.

Someone is playing games on campus, but none of the facts add up.

With the help of his eccentric and trouble-making nana, Kellan tries to stay out of the sheriff’s way. But who is behind the murder?

 

 

When Kellan Ayrwick, a thirty-two-year-old single father, is forced to return home for his father’s retirement from Braxton College, he finds the dead body of a professor in Diamond Hall’s stairwell. Unfortunately, Kellan has a connection to the victim, and so do several members of his family. Could one of them be guilty of murder? Then he finds a second body after discovering mysterious donations to the college’s athletic program, a nasty blog denouncing his father, and a criminal attempting to change student grades so the star baseball pitcher isn’t expelled.

Someone is playing games on campus, but none of the facts add up. With the help of his eccentric and trouble-making nana weeding through the clues, Kellan tries to stay out of the sheriff’s way. Fate has other plans. Kellan is close to discovering the killer’s identity just as someone he loves is put in grave danger of becoming victim number three. And if that’s not enough to wreak havoc on his family, everything comes crashing to a halt when his own past comes spiraling back to change his life forever.

In this debut novel in the Braxton Campus Mystery Series, readers discover a cozy, secluded Pennsylvania village full of quirky, sarcastic, and nosy residents. Among the daily workings of Braxton College and the charming Ayrwick family, Kellan weighs his investigative talents against an opportunity to achieve a much sought-after dream. When this first book ends, the drama is set for the next adventure in Kellan’s future… and it’s one you won’t want to miss.

 

 

The characters are well rounded and well developed.  I thought Kellan was thoughtful, caring, funny and and all-around good guy.  He has been given some terrible circumstances but he is trying to get past them and make the most out of life.  I can respect that attitude. There seemed to be a lot of characters and at times I had trouble keeping them straight.  But the farther I got into the book, the better I got to know them and it was no longer a problem. Nana D was a quirky character and I enjoyed getting to meet her and I really enjoyed the relationship between her and Kellan.

I am usually not a big fan of first person point-of-view but it really worked well in this book.  I felt it allowed me to get more insight to Kellan: what he is thinking, what he is feeling and how he works.  I thought this added another dimension to this book.

The writing style flowed smoothly and I felt it defined the characters very clearly through their actions and words.  I will say that some of the vocabulary used in this book was much more advanced than what I usually find in cozy mysteries.  And I even learned a few new words!

The mystery was well plotted and moved along at a steady pace.  There were so many twists and turns that I felt like I was on a rollercoaster and enough red herrings that a fisherman would have been thrilled.  Needled to say,I did not figure out the killer until the reveal at the end,which is just fine with me.

This book had a little bit of everything.  There was humor, tension, suspense, sarcasm and family drama all rolled into a great book.  I would recommend you picking up this book and enjoy the read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and provided my honest review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College with a degree in English literature. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I enjoyed my job, but a passion for books and stories had been missing for far too long. I’m a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. I’m an avid genealogist who hopes to visit all the German, Scottish, Irish, and British villages my ancestors emigrated from in the 18th and 19th centuries. I frequently blog and publish book reviews on everything I read at ThisIsMyTruthNow via WordPress.

Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog. It’s full of humor and eccentricity, sharing connections with everyone I follow—all in the hope of building a network of friends across the world.

When I completed the first book, Watching Glass Shatter, I knew I’d stumbled upon my passion again, suddenly dreaming up characters, plots, and settings all day long. I chose my second novel, Father Figure, through a poll on my blog where I let everyone vote for their favorite plot and character summaries. It is with my third book, Academic Curveball,, the first in the Braxton Campus Mysteries, where I immersed myself in a college campus full of so much activity, I could hardly stop thinking about new murder scenes or character relationships to finish writing the current story. Come join in the fun!

 

List of Books & Blog

Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017)

Father Figure (April 2018)

Braxton Campus Mysteries

Academic Curveball – #1 (October 2018)

Broken Heart Attack – #2 (November 2018)

Flower Power Trip – #3 (Early 2019)

 

Websites & Blog

Website: https://jamesjcudney.com

Blog: https://thisismytruthnow.com

 

 

Social Media Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/James-J.-Cudney/e/B076B6PB3M/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamescudney4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesJCudneyIVAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BraxtonCampusMysteries

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/james-j-cudney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescudney4

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jamescudney4

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescudney4

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jamescudney4

 

 

 

 

To enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway, Click on the link below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/02887792823/?widget_template=56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0

 

 

ACADEMIC CURVEBALL TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 7 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST

January 7 – Mythical Books – REVIEW

January 7 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

January 8 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT

January 8 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW

January 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 9 – Bobo’s Book Bank – SPOTLIGHT

January 10 – Jane Reads – REVIEW

January 10 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

January 11 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

January 12 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

January 13 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

January 14 – Carla Loves To Read – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 14 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

January 15 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW