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A 92-Year-Old Woman Just Earned Her Fourth College Degree
“Only the strong survive,” she was quoted as saying.
from Mental Floss http://bit.ly/2KqxR0v
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New thriller and Giveaway from Kathleen Valenti: 39 Winks
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Former pharmaceutical researcher Maggie O’Malley is losing sleep. Her boyfriend Constantine’s aunt is a multitasking sleepwalker who, in addition to wandering her stately home, prepares meals, folds laundry and, one winter night, stumbles across her husband with his throat slit.
It’s a rude and gruesome awakening that’s upsetting to Aunt Polly. And interesting to the police.
Maggie and Constantine work to uncover who killed the cosmetic surgery mogul and why. As they dig into the lives of those who knew him best, they discover that the truth is only skin deep and doctoring perception is a treatment with deadly side effects.
A gripping page-turner with more twists than a surgeon’s suture, 39 Winks is a tale of lies, betrayals and greed that will keep you up at night. And looking over your shoulder.
About the Author
When Kathleen Valenti isn’t writing page-turning mysteries that combine humor and suspense, she works as a nationally award-winning advertising copywriter. Protocol is her debut novel and the first of the Maggie O’Malley mystery series. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family where she pretends to enjoy running.
Author Links
Webpage – www.kathleenvalenti.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorkathleenvalenti/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/KathyValenti1
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16773270.Kathleen_Valenti
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New thriller from Nanci Rathbun: Honor Kills (with Giveaway and Author Interview!)
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Did honor force him to abandon his wife and kids? Or is he just a weasel?
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New baking mystery with character interview: Cake and Punishment
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In the first of a delectable new Southern-set baking cozy series, Sophia Cummings, pastry chef extraordinaire, must craft the perfect cake for an old friend’s wedding while sifting through the suspects in a murder.
Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky has glowing fields of bluegrass, a fine selection of bourbons, and now a professional pastry chef. Broken-hearted Sophia Cummings has come home from New York City. She’s not there a minute before she’s charmed into making her high school friend Charlotte’s wedding cake. The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile’s body is discovered, sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor close by.With one look at the shiny, new frying pan, Sophia knows it’s not Emile’s. She offers her knowledge to Sheriff Carter and her talents to Evelyn, the manager, who needs an interim chef. The mood in the country club is grim: Emile’s peppery personality had burned members and staff alike. Sophia wonders which one of them burned him?
Character Interview: Sophia Cummings
Sophia, welcome to Island Confidential! I understand baking has been more than just a hobby for you. Would you like to elaborate?
I’ve been baking since I was a little girl. It was one thing that I had to myself that my mama, Bitsy, never liked to do. I started to use it as a way to get out from under her thumb because she wanted to put me in pageants, join the junior league and all sorts of clubs southern mamas dream of their daughters doing. I’m no debutante, so I think I used baking as a way to get back at her, which turned out to be my greatest accomplishment.
Which character in Cake and Punishment do you get along with the best?
Definitely Carter. Since I’ve been home, I’ve kinda gotten close to him and happy to say that he’s grown into a man from the scrawny boy I knew in high school. Plus, I might have a small attraction to him.
Is there anyone you don’t get along with so well?
Hhmmm…Bitsy. I love my mama. I do. But…she’s still has a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that I’m not going to be a homemaker. Plus she thinks I’m going to stay in Rumford, listen, I’m only here for a couple of weeks. That’s it.
Just between you and me: What do you really think of your author, Maymee Bell?
I rolled my eyes so hard when she told me that she’d enrolled in a baking and decorating class. She’s great at cooking, but baking….man oh man. I was impressed with some things she was able to do in class and really give her credit, but she needs to leave the baking to me.
What’s next for you?
I guess you’ll have to see!
About the Author
Maymee Bell is the pen name of USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes. She lives in Kentucky with her family and her two schnauzers. She likes strong coffee, slow-country days, and fresh-baked cookies – but she like telling stores best of all. This is her first SOUTHERN BAKER MYSTERY. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter! Tonyakappes.com
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The Marmalade Murders: A Penny Brannigan Mystery by Elizabeth J. Duncan
The latest book in an award-winning mystery series, celebrated for its small-town charm and picturesque Welsh setting and starring amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan.
The competition is friendly and just a little fierce at the annual Llanelen agricultural show as town and country folk gather for the outdoor judging of farm animals and indoor judging of cakes, pies, pastries, chutneys, jams and jellies, along with vegetables, fruit and flowers. But this year, there’s a new show category: murder.
Local artist, Spa owner, and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan agrees to help with the intake of the domestic arts entries and to judge the children’s pet competition on show day. When the president of the Welsh Women’s Guild isn’t on hand to see her granddaughter and pet pug win a prize, the family becomes concerned. When a carrot cake entered in the competition goes missing, something is clearly amiss.
A black Labrador Retriever belonging to the agricultural show’s president discovers the body of the missing woman under the baked goods table. A newcomer to town, a transgender woman, is suspected, but amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan believes her to be innocent. She sets out to find the real killer, but when a second body is discovered days later, the case is thrown into confusion, and Penny knows it’s up to her to figure out what happened—and why.
Character Guest Post: Why Wales?
by amateur sleuth, artist, business woman and main character, Penny Brannigan
Elizabeth J. Duncan found me here in North Wales by accident. She was her way to lunch with friends when the driver took a wrong turn and they all ended up in the market town of Llanrwst, where I’d been living for about 25 years. I didn’t meet Elizabeth that day, but I was here.
I found my way to this town by accident, too. As a young Canadian backpacker, I was making my way around Europe, the way you do when you’ve just finished uni and have no job lined up and no prospects of one. But more than that, my degree is in art history and I longed to see the great European masterpieces. So I was on my way through Wales to Holyhead to catch the ferry to Dublin, when I heard about the picturesque stone three-arched bridge in Llanrwst, and as an amateur watercolour artist, I wanted to paint it. As I was sketching, a lovely woman stopped to talk to me and before I knew it, we were chatting away in the tea room beside the bridge over cups of Earl Grey and warm scones with jam and clotted cream.
The woman offered to put me up for the night and on my tight budget, I leapt at the chance! Her name was Emma Teasdale, she was a retired school teacher, and probably the kindest person I’ve ever met. Well, that day turned into a week, and a week turned into a month, and I never left Llanrwst. To earn a bit of money I started doing manicures for the ladies in the nursing home, and pretty soon I was running my own little nail bar. Oh, don’t worry. I was legally entitled to work because I was in the UK on a patrial rights visa that some citizens of Commonwealth countries are entitled to, or at least they were back then.
I’m estranged from my family back in Canada. I had a rough childhood, and I was never close to them, so staying on to build a life for myself in the UK made sense at the time, although I never thought too much about it. I just drifted into it, really, and one day I realized I’d never return to Canada. Wales had become my home.
So when Elizabeth eventually found me, I was well established, with a close circle of friends, and although some might think of me as an underachiever, I think of myself as content. The way of life here suits me. The pace may be slower, but I’ve built deep connections with people, who really care about me, as I do them. They’re my family now.
A year or so after discovering the town, Elizabeth started writing the first book in the Penny Brannigan series set in North Wales, and a few months after that, she returned to Llanrwst. The other characters and I watched her walking through the town, as if she were looking for something. She didn’t see us, but we saw her. And now I know what she was looking for. She was looking for us. She might not have seen us, but we were here. In the shops, in the pub, in the tea room, in our homes.
Elizabeth spends the winter in North Wales with us now, and returns to Canada in the spring. But she knows I’ll always be here, right where she found me, waiting to welcome her back in November.
About The Author
Elizabeth J Duncan is the author of two mystery series – Shakespeare in the Catskills and the Penny Brannigan mystery series set in North Wales. She is a two-time winner of the Bloody Words Award for Canada’s best light mystery and lives in Toronto.
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Cover Reveal: The Gold Pawn by L.A. Chandlar
The Gold Pawn
November 1936. Mayor La Guardia’s political future buckles under a missing person case in New York City. Simultaneously, Lane unravels devastating secrets in the outskirts of Detroit. As two crimes converge, judging friends from enemies can be a dangerous game . . .
Finally summoning the courage to face the past, Lane Sanders breaks away from her busy job at City Hall to confront childhood nightmares in Rochester, Michigan. An unknown assailant left Lane with scattered memories after viciously murdering her parents. However, one memory of a dazzling solid gold pawn piece remains—and with it lies a startling connection between the midwestern tragedy and a current mystery haunting the Big Apple . . .
Meanwhile, fears climb in Manhattan after the disappearance of a respected banker and family friend threatens the crippled financial industry and the pristine reputation of Lane’s virtuous boss, Mayor Fiorello “Fio” La Guardia. Fio’s fight to restore order leads him into more trouble as he meets a familiar foe intent on ending his mayoral term—and his life . . .
Guided by overseas telegrams from the man she loves and painful memories, only Lane can silence old ghosts and derail present-day schemes. But when the investigation awakens a darker side of her own nature, will she and New York City’s most prominent movers and shakers still forge ahead into a prosperous new age . . . or is history doomed to repeat itself?
Ready . . .
Set. . .
Reveal!!!
Coming September 25 from Kensington Books!
Pre-order your copy today!
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About the Author
L .A. Chandlar is the author of the Art Deco Mystery Series
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New #Cozy with Character Interview and #Giveaway: Chicken Culprit by Vikki Walton
Win the book, a $25 gift card, and the chance to name a character!
Finally healing after her heart-breaking divorce, Anne Freemont is ready to put the painful past behind her.Discovering an old Victorian for sale in the small mountain town of Carolan Springs may be just what she needs. The beauty of Colorado beckons, so Anne heads west to start her new life.
Yet, before Anne’s completely settled in, her neighbor is found dead in his compost pile. What’s worse is that Anne’s quirky young neighbor, Kandi Jenkins, could be the killer. When Kandi begs for her help, Anne feels she has no choice but to help the young woman.
However, she finds herself quickly at odds with the local sheriff. And while she uncovers more of the community’s secrets, she’s also exploring her awakening feelings for Sam Powers, the town’s deputy coroner.
Once Anne starts looking at who could be the real killer, the suspect list keeps getting longer and longer. It seems that Carolan Springs is a place of many secrets. But who would want to murder Ralph and who’s willing to kill again to keep their secret?
Interview with Anne’s next-door neighbor, Kandi
Kandi, can you share with our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure! Let’s see, I’ve lived in Carolan Springs pretty much all my life. I’m the oldest of all us kids. So, there’s me and then my twin younger brothers. They’re off backpacking the globe right now. After my dad passed, my mom moved us here to live with my grandpa. We called him Pops. Sadly, he died, like, a few years ago after falling off a ladder. I really miss him. I’m married to Jeff. Umm, no other family. My mom died from cancer. She left me and my brothers a bit of money, but, I don’t really want to talk about her or that part of my life, if it’s okay with you. What else? Oh, I have a new neighbor!
What do you think of your new neighbor, Anne Fremont?
She’s, like, really funny. Opps. She doesn’t like me saying like all the time. But I can’t, like, help it! But I’m getting better. She acts all tough sometimes but I think she’s really not like that at all. Sometimes I think she’s really sad about something. And she can get moody. Oh man, like, really moody. Faith says some of it is due to being a woman and getting older. Not sure I’m looking forward to that. But oh well, whatcha’ gonna do? Right? I do know that Anne has told me that I’m sweet, and smart and a good cook. I don’t think anyone has been as nice to me as Anne has. Even though she’s like, old enough to be my mom, I really like her.
You’re suspected of killing your neighbor, Ralph Rogers. What do you say to those accusations?
Well, it’s the silliest thing ever. I’d never do anything to Mr. Rogers or anyone else. It’s just silly. But I didn’t want him hurting Rusty.
Rusty?
Yes, that’s my Rhode Island Red. She’s the sweetest hen and is a great egg layer. They’re great chickens and I love, like, all my girls. I will stop anyone from hurting them. Anyway, look at me. Do I look like a killer? On the other hand, they always say it’s, like, who you least expect. (giggle). So maybe I am.
Tell us a bit about where you live.
I live in the most beautiful town (Carolan Springs) in the most beautiful state (Colorado). Winter is so pretty with all the big fat snowflakes. There’s nothing better than, like, grabbing a hot cup of tea and sitting in front of the fire. I have a window right by a nice comfy chair and I love hanging out there. Spring is so nice because the days are warming up and you can go hiking and see all the pretty wildflowers. Summer we have a homesteading fair and it brings in tourists which is nice for our little town. We’ve a town of old-timers with big old houses and lots of entrepreneurs who work online so it helps the town’s economy. Faith–she’s the local herbalist—and I are thinking of making Ralph’s place into a bed and breakfast and teaching classes. So, stay tuned on that. Finally, fall is so nice with the dancing aspens and the colors changing. Crisp mornings are so nice for hikes. Fall is often filled with warm sunny days and cooler evenings so it’s a wonderful time of year. That’s Vikki’s, you know, the author’s favorite time of year. But don’t say I told ya.
You mentioned the author, what can you tell us about her?
Well, she lived a long time in Texas—around the San Antonio area. But just like me, she loves Colorado’s mountains. She also enjoys traveling so I wouldn’t be, like, surprised if she didn’t write something at some point about her travels to England, Europe or Mexico. She’s a house and pet sitter, so who knows, maybe it will be a mystery series around that. She’s also written some nonfiction books. One’s called Work Quilting and it’s a vocational guidance and lifestyle book. The other one is about women’s travel. Of course, she loves everything about being a suburban homesteader or what some call backyard farming. She’s a certified permaculture designer, has chickens and beehives and gardens.
Kandi, can you tell us what’s next for the series?
Well, in Chicken Culprit, it’s about chickens. The next book in the series is about tinctures and herbs. It also has the killer using a particular way to kill someone that I don’t know has been used before in a mystery. If all goes well, the author expects the next book to come out in the fall so get on her mailing list, so you can be the first to learn the title, get a sample chapter and see the cover reveal!
About The Author
Vikki Walton is a suburban homesteader aka the Havensteader. She has chickens, gardens, and bees and is a certified permaculture designer. She’s also the author of nonfiction books. She loves to travel, is a global house and pet sitter and when not out in the garden or hiking in beautiful Colorado, is plotting her next mystery.
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The Silver Gun (An Art Deco Mystery) by L.A. Chandlar
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New York City, 1936. In the midst of the Great Depression, the Big Apple is defiantly striving toward an era infused with art, architecture, and economic progress under the dynamic Mayor La Guardia. But those in City Hall know that tumultuous times can inspire both optimism and deadly danger . . .
It’s been six months since Lane Sanders was appointed Mayor Fiorello “Fio” La Guardia’s new personal aide, and the twenty-three-year-old is sprinting in her Mary Janes to match her boss’s pace. Despite dealing with vitriol from the Tammany Hall political machine and managing endless revitalization efforts, Fio hasn’t slowed down a bit during his years in office. And luckily for Lane, his unpredictable antics are a welcome distraction from the childhood memories that haunt her dreams—and the silver gun she’ll never forget.
When Lane gets attacked and threatened by an assailant tied to one of most notorious gangsters in the city, even the mayor can’t promise her safety. The corrupt city officials seem to be using Lane as a pawn against Fio for disgracing their party in the prior election. But why was the assailant wielding the exact same gun from her nightmares?
Balancing a clandestine love affair and a mounting list of suspects, Lane must figure out how the secrets of her past are connected to the city’s underground crime network—before someone pulls the trigger on the most explosive revenge plot in New York history . . .
Character Interview
Evelyn Thorne, welcome to Island Confidential. Aside from the fact that you’re Lane Sanders’ aunt, what else should our readers know about you?
I am an artist at heart, and at a later age than I thought, I acquired a daughter in Lane when her parents were suddenly killed. I was a suffragist and I have friends all over the place. Readers should definitely keep a keen eye on my friends, they might have a pleasant surprise coming at some of my more colorful acquaintances. Something that no one knows, not even Lane nor any readers yet, is that I was married once. I think the dear author will bring that up at some point. She should – it’s an excellent story and accounts for my eccentric personality.
Which character in The Silver Gun do you get along with the best?
My closest friend is Mr. Kirkland. We’ve had a colorful past and he knows me best. I can’t help admire that he came in and adopted Lane just as much as I did. He’s gruff, but his heart is gold. And he bakes a mean scone. I am utterly useless at cooking.
Is there anyone of whom you’re not quite so fond?
I always have concerns where Lane’s friends –and enemies—are concerned. I have my eye on Uncle Louie, the most notorious gang boss in New York City, who has a curious penchant for actually helping Lane. But I also have concerns with Roxy and Lizzie, not to mention Lane’s boyfriends. I want to like Finn, but I’m not sure, he seems to have a lot behind those delightful eyes of his. And then Tucker… I just don’t know.
Just between you and me: What do you really think of your author?
I like her, especially for giving me the scene where Lane and I paint to music. It was quite enjoyable. My favorite thing about Laurie is that she snuck in little features about myself and a “good friend” that is really Amelia Peabody from Elizabeth Peters. I’m obviously more bohemian than dear Amelia, but we are very dear friends. I also like that Laurie has promised not to kill off any of us main characters. Or the dog. At least not for quite a long while. I worry about that sometimes, of course.
What’s next for you?
Well, in book two, The Gold Pawn (release date September 25th), we have quite an exciting journey back to Michigan where Lane has to face the ghosts of her past in the hopes that she’ll discover some clues about her mysterious parents and perhaps shed some light on a new mystery here in New York. Thanksgiving is coming up and oh I have some lovely friends coming over. You might recognize some of them! I am very worried, though, because Lane is really struggling and she isn’t letting me in as much as I’d like. But I know her. She will overcome and be better for it.
About The Author
L.A. Chandlar is the author of the Art Deco Mystery Series with Kensington Publishing featuring Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and a fresh take on the innovation and liveliness of 1930s New York City. Her debut novel, The Silver Gun released August 29, 2017, and the sequel, The Gold Pawn, will release September 25th, 2018. Laurie has been living and writing in New York City for 16 years and has been speaking for a wide variety of audiences for over 20 years including a women’s group with the United Nations. Her talks range from NYC history, the psychology of creativity, and the history of holiday traditions. Laurie has also worked in PR for General Motors, writes and fund-raises for a global nonprofit is the mother of two boys, and has toured the nation managing a rock band.
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Character Interview: Nun After the Other by Alice Loweecey
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Nuns and murder and ghosts, oh my! Here comes Giulia Driscoll again, and boy, is she in for it this time.
It starts when a frenzied Chihuahua leads Giulia and Frank Driscoll to the body of a nun in the street near a convent. The nuns fear they’re being harassed by the biggest developer in town and quickly embrace Giulia as their savior.
Of course the former nun who exposed the drug ring run by a priest and nun will save their home and discover the murderer.
And of course not only Giulia takes this job, but also all the other jobs clamoring for her attention. The result: Driscoll Investigations is pushed to its limit.
Then Giulia’s brother falls into a coma and she brings his kids to her house. Talk about a crash course in parenting for pregnant Giulia!
Did we mention the convent ghost? She loves the house, hates the nuns, and chain-smokes. Why couldn’t Giulia’s first honest-to-goodness ghost be shy and sweet?
More important, does the ghost hate the nuns—or the developer—enough to indulge in a bit of murder to liven up the afterlife?
Character Interview
Giulia, welcome to Island Confidential! Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?
I’m a hardworking professional Private Investigator, and I’m worried I’ll turn into a Mama Bear. When I held my first baby I understood every motherhood cliché every written. Motherhood is changing me in ways I never expected.
Who’s the character you get along with the best?
My husband Frank. Isn’t that the way it should be? Although there are times I wonder if it wasn’t easier living with 95 nuns scrutinizing my every move than living with one man. Research is ongoing.
That’s a minor detail that might interest our readers–you’re a former nun, hence the book title. So is there anyone in Nun After The Other you don’t get along with so well?
My brother Salvatore. He used to be nothing more than a pain in the butt, but we managed to get along. Then he got sucked into an extremist Catholic sect and he’s as bad as the entire Westboro Baptist Church rolled into one person. He almost makes me curse, which proves what he’s like to deal with.
What do you think of your author, Alice?
She needs to stop stressing me out . She puts me in these interesting adventures and then ramps up the action. Suddenly I’m dodging bullets and knives and getting forced of the road in a high-speed chase. And now ghosts? The woman needs yoga or meditation or something.
Assuming you survive this book, what’s next for you?
Ghosts, ghosts, and more ghosts. Now that they know about me, they’re showing up at all hours. I’m a new mother: I need SLEEP. I’ve started to set boundaries. The biggest one is: Wake my sleeping baby and I’ll make your afterlife much worse than anything that happened to you while you were alive.
About The Author
Baker of brownies and tormenter of characters, Alice Loweecey recently celebrated her thirtieth year outside the convent. She grew up watching Hammer Horror and Scooby-Doo Mysteries, which might explain a whole lot. When she’s not creating trouble for Giulia Falcone-Driscoll, she can be found growing her own vegetables (in summer) and cooking with them (the rest of the year).
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Can a reasoning test predict who will make a good detective?
By Alex Fradera
Although criminal investigation has been transformed through technological developments in DNA, phone tracking, and online data, the way a detective works through a crime has remained much the same. The first suspect is often the true perpetrator, but not always, and snowballing biases continue to lead to miscarriages of justice. Proficient detectives need the ability to generate and evaluate different explanations and keep an open mind. New research in the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology investigates whether it’s possible to use established tests of reasoning ability to identify who has the skills necessary for thinking this way.
University of Gothenburg psychologists Ivar Fahsing and Karl Ask asked 166 recruits (60 women, aged around 23) from the Norwegian Police University College to complete two tests of reasoning ability. One involved deductive reasoning – the ability to apply rules to reach a correct conclusion, in this case, combining shapes to form a new target shape. The other involved inductive reasoning – viewing different images, and using these to figure out the rule that is governing them all. These tests already feature in Norwegian police recruitment but it’s not clear whether they are useful for predicting detective skills, which are more dependent on abductive reasoning, which is much harder to test.
Whereas deduction seeks linear, definitive conclusions, and induction tries to identify a category based on the available clues (“all birds, none fly” therefore the category must be “flightless birds”), abduction amplifies the known information to generate imaginative possibilities (“an open wine bottle and smashed glasses could suggest a thwarted seduction… or a failed reconciliation with his wife?”). It requires a leap of logic, a creative act, hard to measure but known to differentiate stronger investigators, whether criminal or scientific. The ability to make many such leaps helps avoid premature foreclosure on the possibilities of a case.
Fahsing and Ask were hopeful that measures of deductive and inductive reasoning would help identify better detectives because investigation isn’t rooted solely in abduction, and because different forms of reasoning ability are known to correlate (so a candidate skilful at deduction and induction ought to be skilled at abduction and therefore detective thinking too).
To assess detection nous, the researchers asked their participants to review two case vignettes, each describing a woman missing under ambiguous circumstances, and some versions also mentioned the arrest of a suspect. The participants’ task was to outline all the possible explanations that could account for the facts. Both vignettes had been reviewed by an expert panel of detectives, who generated a “gold standard” of 9 viable hypotheses for the first and 11 for the second.
The participants tended to neglect the non-criminal hypotheses, such as the possibility the missing woman had suffered an accident. More importantly, scores on the reasoning ability tests didn’t predict their detective performance. Nor did they predict immunity to a commonly observed detecting error: becoming more narrow-minded (generating fewer hypotheses) after reading that a suspect had been arrested.
The current data suggest that commonly used cognitive assessments are unlikely to help identify candidates with the best aptitude for becoming a detective. It seems police forces will need to think more inventively about the actual skills that contribute to good detection if they are to succeed in separating the Maigrets from the Clouseaus.
Image: Peter Sellers In ‘The Pink Panther Strikes Again’ is disguised as a mountain climber, while hiding in a trash can, in a scene from the film ‘The Pink Panther Strikes Again’, 1976. (Photo by United Artists/Getty Images)
Alex Fradera (@alexfradera) is Staff Writer at BPS Research Digest
from BPS Research Digest http://bit.ly/2ovmSuq
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