Category: #NewReleases

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#MidweekMysteries from Cheryl Hollon and Colleen J. Shogan

Death a Sketch by Cheryl Hollon

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Miranda Trent runs a unique tour company in eastern Kentucky, where sometimes the peaceful mountains play host to murder. Death a Sketch is the new Paint & Shine mystery by @CherylHollon

Miranda’s business—combining Appalachian adventure tours with art and a bit of moonshine—is the perfect place for an outdoor sporting goods company to hold an employee retreat. It’ll be a challenge, but the money they’re paying will definitely help with building her new distillery.

Miranda has lots of teamwork-fostering activities planned, from sketching classes to Southern cooking, but the executive running things prefers a more competitive spirit. In fact, after the workers are split into teams, they’re told that only the winners will keep their jobs, and tensions begin to spike. Even after a participant is found dead, the contest continues—while Miranda starts drawing her own conclusions about the ambitious attendees. Now she just has to find the proof …

About the Author

Cheryl Hollon

Cheryl Hollon writes full-time after leaving an engineering career. She designed and built military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Now fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for oil painting and creating glass art. Cheryl and her husband live in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. Visit her online at http://cherylhollon.com, on Facebook or on Twitter @CherylHollon.

Purchase Links

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound – Kensington 

Lethal Legacies: A Washington Whodunit by Colleen J. Shogan

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Congressional staffer Kit Marshall learns the hard way that history tends to repeat itself, often with deadly consequences. Lethal Legacies is the new Washington Whodunit mystery by Colleen Shogan @CShogan276

It’s springtime in Washington, D.C. and congressional staffer Kit Marshall has more on her plate than she can handle. With her boss campaigning for an open U.S. Senate seat, Kit is left to run the office in her absence and manage a new week long American history extravaganza filled with high-profile events, lectures, and receptions.

When the Director of the Capitol Visitor’s Center ends up dead, Kit springs into action to clear a longtime friend who becomes the prime suspect in the murder. With her best pal Meg pressuring her to solve the mystery quickly, Kit must figure out how to navigate her closest relationships while keeping an eye out for the diabolical killer.

About the Author

Colleen J. Shogan

Colleen J. Shogan has been reading mysteries since the age of six. A political scientist by training, Colleen has taught American politics at several universities and previously worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate and as a senior executive at the Library of Congress. She is currently the Senior Vice President of the White House Historical Association.

Colleen lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rob and their beagle mutt Conan.

Author Links

 Facebook –  Twitter – Website – Goodreads

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N 

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#MidweekMystery: The Fragrance of Death by Leslie Karst

Restaurateur Sally Solari has a nose for trouble, but when her sense of smell goes missing, it’s not just her career on the line . . . it’s her life.
The Fragrance of Death
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After getting mixed up in one too many murders, Sally Solari has noticed her nonna’s friends have taken to crossing themselves when they see her in the street. Adding to her woes, a sinus infection has knocked out her sense of smell, making cooking on the hot line difficult, indeed. Nevertheless, Sally is determined to stay out of trouble and focus on her work. But then her old acquaintance Neil Lerici is murdered at the annual Santa Cruz Artichoke Cook-Off, and her powers of investigation are called into action once more. Could Neil have been killed by the local restaurant owner who took his winning spot at the competition? Or maybe by one of his siblings, who were desperate to sell the family farm to a real estate developer? Sally plunges headfirst into the case, risking alienating everyone she knows – including the dapper Detective Vargas, who finds her sleuthing both infuriating and endearing. And soon it’s not only her restaurant and tentative new relationship that are on the line – it’s her life . . .
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Review

Lawyer-turned-chef Sally Solari has already solved several murders, starting with the death of her Aunt Letta (who kicked off Sally’s culinary career by bequeathing her the trendy restaurant Gaugin). But Sally has no intention of dwelling on murder, or reveling in her notoriety as an amateur sleuth. Instead, she’s focused on making a good showing at the upcoming Santa Cruz Artichoke Cook-Off –and perhaps showing up her competitive restaurateur father in the bargain.

But just as Sally’s culinary career seems back on track, her sense of smell is knocked out by a sinus infection–and a competitor is knocked out of the cook-off by murder.

At first Sally is reluctant to get involved in the investigation. But new clues turn up and a relationship starts to develop with a dashing detective. Sally finds she can’t resist the chance to help Detective Vargas find the killer, prevent an injustice, and dig into some of her own family secrets along the way.

I read The Fragrance of Death from cover to cover on a trans-Pacific flight, and the hours seemed to, well, fly. The story is enriched with details about the Italian fishing families who established the still-thriving restaurant ecosystem that thrives to this day, the realities of the legal system, the surprising importance of our sense of smell, and the hectic but rewarding life of a restaurateur. The characters are compellingly human. Sally is accomplished and smart, but she can make a misstep when curiosity gets the better of her. Sally’s friends, family, and potential love interests can be indecisive, prickly, prideful, insecure, forgiving and kind.

The Fragrance of Death is a smart, funny, skillfully plotted mystery, with a bonus: Leslie Karst is a trained chef. In The Fragrance of Death she shares some of the recipes for the delicious dishes mentioned throughout the book. You’ll want to try them all, but to whet your appetite, read on!

From Leslie: Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Artichokes

I’m a huge fan of artichokes, a trait I inherited from my mother, who, if given the chance, could eat a half dozen of the glorious thistles in one sitting. And because my Sally Solari mysteries take place in the country’s primary artichoke growing region (Central California, with its Mediterranean-like climate, produces virtually 100% of the artichokes sold in the US, and of that, more than 80% come from Castroville, just a half-hour’s drive from Santa Cruz), I decided to highlight this local vegetable in the newest book in my Sally Solari culinary mystery series, The Fragrance of Death. (Yep, you can see a pair of artichokes on the cover.)

So to celebrate the release on August 2nd of this fifth book in the series, what could be better than a recipe featuring the fabulous thistle?

One of my sleuth Sally Solari’s favorite dishes to whip up for company is spaghetti alla carbonara. Not only is it about as simple as it gets to make—thus allowing Sally the luxury of enjoying pre-dinner cocktails along with her guests—but the combination of pancetta, olive oil, butter, cheese, and eggs makes this pasta sinfully rich and delicious. (Don’t be alarmed by the use of raw egg; the hot pasta heats it enough to cook, and the result is a silky, custardy sauce.)

The origin of this dish’s name is hotly disputed, but most folks agree that it likely has something to do with the Italian word carbone (charcoal). Some claim the dish was invented by coalminers; others argue it was originally cooked over a charcoal flame; and still others assert that the name derives from a kind of charcoal-cooked ham that was once used for the pasta.

Serve the pasta with a green salad or fagiolini al burro (baby green beans sautéed in butter), and a loaf of warm, crusty bread for a simple, weeknight dinner. Whatever its history, this delectable dish from Rome makes for a terrific, quick-to-prepare meal. And in this non-traditional version (inspired by a New York Times recipe I came across recently), the addition of artichokes to the spaghetti provides an extra flavor layer that wonderfully compliments the richness of the other ingredients.

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½  pound pancetta or bacon, cut crossways into ½” strips

12 oz. can/jar drained, or 8 oz. package frozen artichoke quarters

4 eggs

1 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

1 tablespoon chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large (at least 4 quart) pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and 1 tablespoon salt, and cook over high heat until al dente (still slightly firm in the center, 8-10 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter and oil in a heavy skillet. Add the bacon and fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown. Add the artichokes to the skillet and cook until warmed through. (This can be done in advance, but reheat before service if the oil and butter have hardened.)

In a serving bowl large enough to hold the pasta, beat the eggs with ¾ cup of the grated cheese.

Reserving 1 cup of pasta water, drain the cooked spaghetti and immediately dump the hot pasta—without rinsing—into the serving bowl. Toss until the pasta is coated with the egg and cheese mixture.  Add ¼ cup of pasta water, and toss again.

Add the pancetta/bacon and artichokes (along with all the butter and oil), and toss again. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Serve garnished with the parsley and freshly ground pepper.

About the Author

Leslie Karst is the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari culinary mystery series. The daughter of a law professor and a potter, she waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney in Santa Cruz, California, that Leslie rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking and once more returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts.

Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her time cooking, cycling, gardening, singing alto in her local community chorus, and of course writing. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.

Author Links

Website http://www.lesliekarstauthor.com/

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

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leslie-karst

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14220589.Leslie_Karst

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/LeslieKarst

Purchase Links – Amazon – BookShop – B&N 

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Deceptively Delicious Salad from Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders

Mysteries, Midsummer Sun, and Murders

Poisonous picnics, burgled barbeques, deadly deckchairs… and midsummer mayhem!

From a brilliant bunch of amazing authors, including multiple prizewinners and USA Today best sellers, comes this wonderful collection of 21 summer-themed cozy mysteries.

Featuring peril at the pool, blood on the beach, and felony at the festival, these fabulous stories—21 brand new and exclusive tales—will keep you entertained until long after the sun has set.

With stories from Hillary Avis, Benedict Brown, Catherine Coles, Paula Darnell, Connie B. Dowell, Ellen Jacobson, Joann Keder, Patti Larsen, Cate Lawley, Gayle Leeson, Daisy Linh, Rimmy London, R.B. Marshall, Megan Mayfair, Wendy Meadows, Phillipa Nefri Clark, Michele Pariza Wacek, Erin Scoggins, Cathy Tully, Victoria LK Williams and Carly Winter, you’ll surely find some of your favourite authors and discover some great new writers within the ~1600 pages of this set.

This collection will only be available for a limited time so don’t miss out – grab yourself a bargain today!

Exclusive recipe: Deceptively Delicious Salad to Die For by Patti Larsen

In honor of Petal Morgan and The High Tide Deception, here’s a delightful summer salad with that sweet and salty mix of delicious that deceives your tastebuds into forgetting how healthy it is!

Dressing

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp maple syrup

Crushed garlic clove

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Salad

1 bag baby spinach

1/2 cup blueberries

10 sliced strawberries

3 tangerines

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup plain goat cheese

1/4 cup toasted walnuts

1/2 diced chicken breast

Toss and enjoy the deception!

About Ellen Jacobson

Ellen Jacobson is a writer, cat lover & obsessed with chocolate. She writes cozy mysteries and romantic comedies including the Mollie McGhie Mysteries and the Smitten with Travel Rom-Coms.

You can find out more on her website (ellenjacobsonauthor.com), sign up for her newsletter (https://www.subscribepage.com/m4g9m4).

About R.B. Marshall

Like my amateur sleuth, Izzy, I’m a dressage-riding computer geek who loves coffee – but there the similarity ends. She is far smarter than me, and a lot younger! I hope you’ll join me in discovering where her curiosity leads to next…

Pretty much all my books are set in my native Scotland, and my mystery stories are no exception. You’ll meet colourful characters solving perplexing puzzles in the most glorious landscape imaginable. Throw in a castle or two, the occasional royal, and maybe even a delicious cake shop, and you’ll have the recipe for my new series.

I also write fantasy and clean romance/women’s fiction, as Roz Marshall: http://viewAuthor.at/RozMarshall

and Historical Romance telling the story of Mary Queen of Scots, as Belle McInnes: http://viewauthor.at/BelleMcInnes

About Cate Lawley

Cate Lawley writes humorous, action-filled mysteries that frequently contain a paranormal twist.

When Cate’s not tapping away at her keyboard or in deep contemplation of her next fanciful writing project, she’s sweeping up hairy dust bunnies and watching British mysteries.

Cate is from Austin, Texas (where many of her stories take place) but has recently migrated north to Boise, Idaho, where soup season (her favorite time of year) lasts more than two weeks.

She’s worked as an attorney, a dog trainer, and in various other positions, but writer is the hands-down winner. She’s thankful readers keep reading, so she can keep writing!

For bonus materials and updates, visit her website to join her mailing list: www.CateLawley.com

About Wendy Meadows

Wendy Meadows is a USA Today best-selling author whose meticulously crafted stories showcase witty women sleuths and engaging plots. Her primary influences include but are not limited to mystery genre greats Joanne Fluke, Ellery Adams, and James Patterson. To date, she has published dozens of books, which include her popular Sweetfern Harbor Series, Maple Hill Series, and Alaska Cozy Series, to name a few.

When she isn’t writing about female detectives and their tactful crime solving, you can find Wendy either tending to her hobby farm, playing video games, relaxing on her back porch, or coloring in her growing collection of adult coloring books. She also loves spending quality time with her husband, two sons, two cats, and one adorable Labradoodle. Together, they call “The Granite State” home sweet home.

Visit Wendy at http://wendymeadows.com

About Michele Pariza Wacek

When Michele was 3 years old, she taught herself to read because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but now she does spend much of her time writing stories. Mystery stories, to be exact. They’re clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn’t enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes and more, at MPWNovels.com. For a free prequel to her cozy mystery series, The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, visit https://mpwnovels.com/freebies/

Michele holds a double major in English and Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, she lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona with her husband Paul and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.

Author Links
Website – https://mpwnovels.com/
Facebook – facebook.com/michelepwauthor
Linked In linkedin.com/in/michelepw
Twitter – twitter.com/michelepw
Instagram – instagram.com/themichelepw

About Cathy Tully

Cathy Tully is the pen name of E.C. Tully. A graduate of Georgetown University, she studied foreign languages and linguistics before changing gears and graduating from Chiropractic School. Her award-nominated first novel, Dr. Shine Cracks the Case, features a chiropractor practicing in small town Georgia. She writes the ChiroCozy Mystery Series.

About Gayle Leeson 

Gayle Leeson is an author living in Virginia with a beautiful family and quite a few pets. She also writes–or has written–as Gayle Trent, Amanda Lee, and G. Leeson. As Gayle Trent, she writes the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. As Amanda Lee, she wrote the Embroidery Mystery series. As Gayle Leeson, she writes the Down South Cafe Mystery series and the Ghostly Fashionista mystery series. And as G. Leeson, she is writing the Literatia mystery series.

About Megan Mayfair

Megan Mayfair writes fiction with a dash of mystery, a sprinkling of humour and a spoonful of romance. Her books include the award-winning Tangled Vines and the Lemon Tree Bay mysteries. Megan lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three young children and works in PR. When not writing fiction or press releases, she enjoys spending time with her family, drinking coffee, and seeking the perfect shade of red lipstick.

About Benedict Brown

Benedict Brown writes historical and contemporary mysteries in his two bestselling series, “Lord Edgington Investigates…” and “The Izzy Palmer Mysteries”. Both series feature twists by the bookful, a wicked sense of humour and a huge cast of quirky, curious and cunning characters. He’s a Welsh-Irish Londoner who lives in Spain with his French wife and multi-national four-year-old daughter, and he spends all his time writing (when his daughter lets him).

About Patti Larsen

I’m a multiple award-winning writer with a passion for the voices in my head. With many (many!) titles across many (many!) genres, all in happy publication, there’s no end in sight…

That being said, I’m short (permanent), happy (I have the best life ever) and blonde (for ever and ever). I love to talk one on one about the deepest topics and can’t seem to stop seeing the big picture. I happily live on Prince Edward Island, Canada, home to Anne of Green Gables and the most beautiful red beaches in the world, with my multiple cats, pug overlord and lady and Gypsy Vanner gelding, Fynn.

About Hillary Avis

Hillary Avis writes cozy mysteries about smart women who persist until they uncover the truth—about themselves, about their communities, and of course about any unsolved murders.

She grew up in a small town on the west coast, went to college in a small town on the east coast, and now lives in beautiful Eugene, Oregon. She has two charming children, three fluffy dogs, and two practically perfect felines named Mystery and Intrigue. She also has too many chickens and one very patient husband.

When Hillary’s not reading, writing, or editing, she bakes bread, makes pottery, drinks coffee, and streams The Great British Bake-Off, but not all at the same time.

About Rimmy London

Snuggle up with one of Rimmy’s cozies… if you dare.

Follow on Amazon or sign up for her newsletter at www.rimmylondon.com 

About Phillipa Nefri Clark

Phillipa lives just outside a beautiful town in country Victoria, Australia. She also lives in the many worlds of her imagination and stockpiles stories beside her laptop.

She writes from the heart about love, dreams, secrets, discovery, the sea, the world as she knows it… or wishes it could be. She loves happy endings, heart-pounding suspense, and characters who stay with you long after the final page.

With a passion for music, the ocean, nature, reading, and writing, she is often found in the vegetable garden pondering a new story.

To connect more with Phillipa and her writing, visit www.phillipaclark.com.

About Erin Scoggins

Erin is a long-time Southerner with a fondness for offbeat humor and fresh fried chicken. After fifteen years in marketing with a Fortune 500 company, she traded her MBA for fictional crime scenes and feisty small-town families. She writes fun, flirty mysteries that are celebrations of food, family, and the killer South.

Visit her at www.erinscoggins.com for book news and shenanigans.

About Victoria LK Williams

Cozy Mysteries with A Tropical Twist!

Fun Cozy Mysteries, Paranormal Mysteries (with a fantasy twist) all set on the Florida Coast. A Romantic Christian Series, with a strong sense of family set in upstate New York. These are the stories Victoria writes. A hopeless animal lover, Victoria adds plenty of cats and dogs in each book, and her love of gardening shows through the characters. As a storyteller, it is important for Victoria to draw the reader into the story; to make you feel the sultry tropical heat or the numbing cold of the north. Victoria and her husband live in South Florida and own a landscape garden service. Two feisty cats make themselves at home, usually on her desk as she writes. A lover of a good mystery, she is an avid reader and likes to be outdoors. When she is not reading, you may find her working on a needlepoint project. Visit her website to learn about new and upcoming books. http://www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com

About Joann Keder

Joann Keder spent most of her years in the Midwest, growing up and raising a family on the Great Plains of Nebraska. She worked for sixteen years as a piano teacher before returning to school to receive a master’s degree in creative writing. A mid-life move to the Pacific Northwest lead her to re-examine her priorities. She now creates stories about life and relationships in small towns while her ever-patient husband encourages her on.

Author Links

Website – Facebook – Instagram – Amazon – GoodReads Link 

About Carly Winter

Carly Winter is the author of the Sedona Sprit Cozy Mystery series and the Tri-Town Murders Cozy Mystery series. When not writing, she likes spending time with her family and enjoying the fantastic Arizona weather (except summer – she doesn’t like summer). She does like dogs, wine and chocolate and wishes Christmas happened twice a year.

About Catherine Coles 

Catherine Coles writes cosy mysteries that take place in the English countryside. Her extremely popular Tommy & Evelyn Christie mysteries are set in 1920s North Yorkshire. Her new series, the Martha Miller cosy mysteries, are set in the years following the Second World War in Berkshire.

Catherine lives in northeast England with the youngest of her five children and two spoiled dogs who have no idea they are not human!

About Paula Darnell

Award-winning author Paula Darnell is a former college instructor who writes two cozy mystery series: the DIY Diva Mysteries and the Fine Art Mysteries. Killer Art in the Park is a story in the Fine Art Mystery series. All her cozies feature arts and crafts and a lovable dog. She’s a former board member of the Clark County Artists Guild, and she sells handmade jewelry in her Etsy shop, Paula D Jewelry. She and her husband Gary live in Las Vegas with their adorable golden retriever Lindsey Lou.

About Connie B. Dowell

Connie B. Dowell writes cozy stories with LGBTQ+ characters, including the Emmie and Dessa mysteries (set 1918 and onward) and the Millie Monroe Bookmobile Mysteries. She also writes nonfiction and children’s stories and hosts two writing podcasts, Authoring Onward and Let’s Start Writing. When not writing or illustrating, she gardens, plays violin badly, and binge watches Midsomer Murders.

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#Midweekmystery: Mining for Murder by Mary Angela

A Happy Camper Mystery

The South Dakota Gold Rush might be long over, but Zo Jones feels like she’s hit the mother lode when she and her friends browse an estate sale, where a rare old book about the history of Spirit Canyon is causing quite a commotion. In addition to local stories and secrets, the book may even contain the location of a famous stash of gold—a treasure worth killing for Canyon’s annual Spirit Spooktacular weekend is on, and for local amateur sleuth Zo Jones, it’s boomtime for business at her Happy Camper gift shop . . . until a murderer drops in for a browse.

Zo’s friend Maynard Cline wins the bid on the book, to the chagrin of many interested parties, including the historical society and college history department. But when Zo and Hattie head to Maynard’s mansion to borrow the book for a library event, the only thing they find is Maynard—at the bottom of the mountain. The valuable book is gone. Zo knows this must be murder because there’s no way a germophobe like Maynard would have voluntarily dived into a pile of dirt. Now she’ll have to dig into a new case, and go prospecting for a perpetrator

Mary Angela

Mary Angela

The Happy Camper Mysteries

Mary Angela is the author of the Happy Camper cozy mystery series, the Professor Prather academic mystery series, and several short stories. When Mary isn’t penning heartwarming whodunits, she’s teaching, reading, traveling, or spending time with her family. She lives in South Dakota with her husband, daughters, and spoiled pets. You can find out more about her loves, including her writing, at MaryAngelaBooks.com.
Author Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram
Purchase Links   
Amazon | iTunes | Google | Kobo | B&N

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Header Image: Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota
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#Midweek Mystery: Mystery of the Eight Islands by Terry Ambrose

Mystery of the Eight Islands (Trouble in Paradise) by Terry Ambrose

About Mystery of the Eight Islands

Mystery of the Eight Islands (Trouble in Paradise) Cozy Mystery 11th in Series Independently Published (November 2, 2021) Length: 325 pages ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09HK1BBRY

If you love senior sleuths in cozy mysteries, you’re going to love McKenna and his pal Chance Logan

 

Apartment manager and amateur sleuth McKenna wants a break from solving murders. Too bad his best friend, wannabe PI Chance Logan, doesn’t feel the same. Chance has found a case he thinks McKenna’s going to love—the death of prominent attorney Julian Carr, and the theft of a 125-year-old necklace that’s worth a quarter of a million dollars. Before long, McKenna’s feeling pressured from all sides—find the necklace, solve the murder. Sure. Why not just add save the world?

 

McKenna’s sure something fishy is going on when he and Chance meet with Julian’s granddaughter about the case. She’s created her own murder board with five suspects. The list includes an unstable, art-collecting veterinarian, a convicted felon, a disbarred attorney, a suspected art thief, and Julian’s new business partner.

 

As the investigation ramps up, McKenna and Chance see their leads drying out faster than laundry in the tropical sun. The really bad news is they’re not sure they can even find the Eight Islands or solve the murder. For once, McKenna’s worried they just might fail.

 

Why you might love this book Tired of the same old cozy mystery fare? Then cozy up with male amateur detective McKenna and his PI wannabe pal Chance Logan in this Hawaii murder mystery. When it comes to senior sleuths in cozy mysteries, McKenna’s as sharp as they come, but with a fun dose of snarky attitude thrown in. Enjoy the ambience of Hawaii while you’re savoring a little murder in paradise.

 
; ;

About Terry Ambrose

Once upon a time, in a life he’d rather forget, Terry Ambrose tracked down deadbeats for a living. He also hired big guys with tow trucks to steal cars—but only when negotiations failed. Those years of chasing deadbeats taught him many valuable life lessons such as—always keep your car in the garage.

Terry has written eighteen books, several of which have been award finalists. In 2014, his thriller, “Con Game,” won the San Diego Book Awards for Best Action-Thriller. His series include the Trouble in Paradise McKenna Mysteries, the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mysteries, and the License to Lie thriller series. You can learn more about Terry and his writing at terryambrose.com.

Header image: Four Mile Beach, Hilo, HI

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#MidweekMystery: Mistletoe Cake Murder (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery) by Lena Gregory

’Tis the season for celebrating when Gia Morelli’s holidays include both a wedding and yuletide festivities. Until someone naughty delivers a most unwanted Christmas gift—murder. . .

Mistletoe Cake Murder (An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery) by Lena Gregory
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For a native New Yorker, palm trees and warm temperatures don’t equal winter, much less Christmastime. Nevertheless, Gia Morelli’s friends have decked the halls and trimmed the trees to truly welcome her into their “family” with an old-fashioned Boggy Creek, Florida holiday season. Even more joyous, Savannah Mills is getting married on Christmas Eve—the greatest gift Gia could ever wish for her best friend.

But when Gia and Savannah stop by the caterer for a final tasting a week before the wedding, they overhear another bride arguing with her son about her husband-to-be. Moments later, the woman is sampling a piece of wedding cake—gorgeously decorated with mistletoe frosting—then suddenly dies.

Now Gia’s caterer friends are the prime suspects in what appears to be murder by poisoning. To clear their names and ensure Savannah has a merry matrimony will require Gia to conjure up a Christmas miracle . . .

Includes recipes from the All-Day Breakfast Café!

About the Author

Lena Gregory

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Visit her website and BookBub and sign up for her newsletter.

Amazon    Barnes & Noble      Kobo    Kensington     Apple    Google Play

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#MidweekMystery: Denied by Mary Keliikoa

A high-risk pregnancy. A dangerous secret. When her case turns deadly, can this investigator avoid racking up a fatal debt?

Denied (A Kelly Pruett Mystery) by Mary Keliikoa
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Despite her injuries, PI Kelly Pruett is eager to get back to work. So when a mommy-to-be hires her to locate her estranged dad, Kelly is thankful for the straightforward missing-persons case. But as she rummages through his trash in search of clues, she uncovers gambling debts to gangsters… and a blood-soaked severed finger.

With her investigation no longer cut-and-dried, Kelly’s hunt takes a deadly turn when her quarry is found driven off a cliff to his doom. And she’ll need more than her cop boyfriend’s help to expose the truth when the mob sends her a cease-and-desist notice with an explosive ending.

Can the determined detective take on the mafia and make it out alive?

About the Author

Mary Keliikoa

Mary Keliikoa is the author of the Shamus finalist and Lefty, Agatha and Anthony award nominated PI Kelly Pruett mystery series and the upcoming Misty Pines mystery series featuring Portland homicide detective turned small town sheriff slated for release in September 2022. Her short stories have appeared in Woman’s World and in the anthology Peace, Love and Crime: Crime Fiction Inspired by Music of the ‘60s. A Pacific NW native, she spent a part of her life working around lawyers. Combining her love of legal and books, she creates a twisting mystery where justice prevails.

When not in Washington, you can find Mary on the beach in Hawaii where she and her husband recharge. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun, she’s plotting her next murder—novel that is.

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#MidweekMystery: Murder at Sea Captain’s Inn

Generation after generation of Lane women die in childbirth, while the sea claims the men.

Murder at Sea Captain’s Inn: A Book Magic Mystery by Melissa Bourbon
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Pippin Lane Hawthorne’s grand opening of Sea Captain’s Inn is tainted when a scholar studying the Lost Colony of Roanoke is brutally murdered. Like the black crow that hangs around the old house, could the untimely death be a harbinger of dark things to come?

When her twin brother, Grey, begins bucking the curse by risking his life in the waters of the Outer Banks, Pippin lives in terror that he’ll be the next Lane male to be swallowed by the sea. Now she must use her gift of bibliomancy to save her brother, solve the murder, and end a two thousand year old pact.

About the Author

Melissa Bourbon

Melissa Bourbon is the national bestselling author of more than twenty-five mystery books, including the Book Magic mysteries, the Lola Cruz Mysteries, A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series, and the Bread Shop Mysteries, written as Winnie Archer. She is a former middle school English teacher who gave up the classroom in order to live in her imagination full time. Melissa lives in North Carolina with her educator husband, Carlos. She is beyond fortunate to be living the life of her dreams. Learn more about Melissa at her website, www.melissabourbon.com, on Facebook @MelissaBourbon/Winnie ArcherBooks, and on Instagram @bookishly_cozy.

Header Image:  John White returning to the Roanoke Colony in 1590 to discover the settlement abandoned. Wikimedia Commons.

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#Midweekmystery: Midnight Spells Murder by Mary Angela

Spirit Canyon’s annual Spirit Spooktacular weekend is on, and for local amateur sleuth Zo Jones, it’s boomtime for business at her Happy Camper gift shop . . . until a murderer drops in for a browse.

To celebrate Halloween at the Happy Camper, Zo schedules a talk by successful author and self-proclaimed witch Marianne Morgan. Although Marianne’s benign brand of witchcraft is more about feminine empowerment than black magic, her presence is still not welcomed by everyone. Then on a midnight stroll home, Zo spots what seems to be a new Halloween decoration propped up outside the Happy Camper. What she finds is not a mannequin but a dead Marianne, her lifeless body dressed in traditional witch’s garb. But why would someone send this good witch back to the spirit world permanently?

Soon Zo realizes that plenty of folks have motives for murdering Marianne. What’s worse, nosy TV newsman Justin Castle plans to broadcast a report associating Marianne’s murder with the Happy Camper. Zo calls on her partner in sleuthing, local forest ranger Max Harrington, to help her find the culprit before Justin’s report airs. Otherwise Zo’s business just might go bust. But to catch this killer, Zo will have to risk much more than just her reputation . . .

Mary Angela

Mary Angela

The Happy Camper Mysteries

Mary Angela is the author of the Happy Camper cozy mystery series, the Professor Prather academic mystery series, and several short stories. When Mary isn’t penning heartwarming whodunits, she’s teaching, reading, traveling, or spending time with her family. She lives in South Dakota with her husband, daughters, and spoiled pets. You can find out more about her loves, including her writing, at MaryAngelaBooks.com.
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Header Image: Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota
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Midweek Mystery: The Corpse with the Iron Will by Cathy Ace

Welsh criminal psychologist and globetrotting sleuth, Cait Morgan, and her retired-cop husband Bud Anderson, are enjoying some well-deserved peace and quiet at home, in moody, mountainous British Columbia. The sudden death of a neighbor is a significant loss for them both, so Cait’s honored when Gordy Krantz’s “unusual” will requests that she eulogize him at his memorial.

However, delving into the dead man’s background becomes a pressing priority when a puzzling theft, and some surprising discoveries, put our favourite sleuths on high alert. Might someone living in their seemingly tight-knit – and certainly off-beat – rural community have wanted their neighbor dead? And if so, are more people they know at risk?

The tenth Cait Morgan Mystery from Bony Blithe Award-winning author Cathy Ace, The Corpse with the Iron Will, forces Cait and Bud to use the skills they’ve honed tackling cases around the world to unmask a killer who’s too close to home for comfort!

About the Author

Cathy Ace

Cathy Ace

The Cait Morgan Mysteries

Born and raised in Wales, now-Canadian Cathy Ace is the author of the Cait Morgan Mysteries, featuring her Welsh Canadian criminology professor sleuth who travels the world tripping over corpses, and The WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries, featuring a quartet of female PIs, working from a Welsh stately home. Both series are traditional, entertaining, and have been well reviewed.
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