Going, Going, Ganache
(Cupcake Bakery Mystery) 5th in Series Cozy Mystery A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (April 2, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Jeff Fitz-Maurice Cover Design by Lesley Worrell Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425252079 E-Book File Size: 625 KB ASIN: B0099CVIYC
Fairy Tale Cupcakes is going to be featured in Southwest Style Magazine, that is if they can survive the photo shoot and the week long cupcake boot camp for the employees of the magazine. The new owner of SWS, Ian Hannigan, thinks baking cupcakes for charity is the perfect team building exercise for his staff. It quickly becomes clear that the staff is not thrilled with this idea. When a features editor is found murdered outside the bakery Mel and Angie have a team building exercise all their own. The need to catch a killer before anyone else gets frosted.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I took a great big bite out of this delicious mystery and loved every minute of it.
I love these characters and a couple of them had major developments in their lives in this installment of this wonderful series. Tate makes some huge decisions and Marty starts a blog that leads to something very unexpected. Mel is frustrated with herself, is she over thinking everything?
Then of course there is that darn dead body. The staff of Southwest Style is quite a unique group and they are all on the suspect list. They all seem to be hiding something.
Jenn McKinlay has baked up another delectable mystery filled with humor, romance and of course CUPCAKES!!!!
Do yourself a favor and start by baking up some of the cupcake recipes found in the back of the book and then sit back enjoy them along with this fantastic cozy.
Happy Reading!
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About This Author Jenn McKinlay is the NYT bestselling author of the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries and the Library Lover’s Mysteries. She also writes under the names Lucy Lawrence and Josie Belle. Check out her website. Find Jenn on Facebook and Twitter Don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Confessions Published by Harlequin MIRA Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages ISBN-13: 978-0778315247 E-Book File Size: 527 KB Page Numbers Source ISBN: 077831524X ASIN: B0092ML65U
Whiskey River is a quiet Arizona mountain town—until it’s rocked by murder. The death of Laura Swann Fletcher, the beautiful wife of charismatic senator Alan Fletcher, makes headlines across the nation.
Sheriff Trace Callaghan wants to solve the murder of Laura Fletcher but her sister Mariah has returned to Whiskey River after a long absence. She insists in being involved in every step of the investigation. She also has a strange effect on the sheriff. He has these feelings he just can’t deny. The story is full of deep dark secrets and illicit desires. Everyone is a suspect and nothing is what it seems…..
Dollycas’s Thoughts
If you like your mystery wrapped with a steamy romance this is a book for you! I have wanted to read a JoAnn Ross novel for a long time so when Book World offered me this book I jumped at it. I did not know it was a reprint or the first book in a series but I am happy because I definitely want to read more.
These are wonderfully written characters with depth and heart. The plot is well developed. There are twists and turns, chills and spills, and plenty of action. The reader can get carried away in the romance in books like this but it so naturally interwoven into this story. It is a little formulaic in places but realizing it was originally written back in 1997 as part of a Harlequin series that is very understandable. Writing more than 90 novels Ross definitely knows what she is doing. I have several of her novels screaming from my To-Be-Read stack. I can’t wait to get reading those.
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To Find out more about JoAnn Ross visit her webpage here.
Thanks to the people at Book World I will be giving away by review copy!!
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Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow. Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.
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Contest Will End January 31, 2013 at 11:59 PM CST Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org Winner Will Be Notified By Email and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Book World. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Click on the picture to go to Jenn’s site for the recipe.
I am so excited to have Jenn here today! She actually writes some of the most tasty cozies I have ever read! They are all fun mysteries and I am always anxiously awaiting the next book in every series. She has just started a newsletter with recipes, book chat, and miscellaneous…because you can’t have too much miscellaneous! You can sign up here.
Help yourself to a cupcake and help me welcome Jenn to Cozy Wednesday. Seems her characters got a little out of control.
Hi Jenn!
Hi Everyone!
When I sat down to write Red Velvet Revenge, I knew it was time for my cupcake bakers, Mel and Angie, to face one of life’s greatest challenges – summer in Arizona.
When the mercury creeps up and hovers around 114 day after day, when you lose half your body weight in sweat just walking from the parking lot to the grocery store, when the bottom layers of your flip-flops melt to the sidewalk because you’re not moving fast enough, that is summer in the desert and it is not for the weak.
As I wrote the opening scene, however, my characters ganged up on me. Angie, Mel, Marty, Oz, and Tate would not speak to me if I made them sweat out the summer in Scottsdale. Still, I refused to change the setting. I was the boss, right? Yeah, right.
They clammed up. They were giving me what every author dreads – the silent treatment. I tried to negotiate. They were having none of it if it involved a summer in the city. When I asked them what they expected, they declared they were acquiring a cupcake van and were going to a rodeo. Huh? No way! I refused to write it, but they badgered and they haggled, they wailed and they whined. I won’t tell you who the biggest whiner was, but let’s just say he’s not known for his thick head of hair.
Sometimes an author has no choice but to rise to the challenge presented to them and so finally, after some pouting of my own, I agreed. With a newly tricked out cupcake van, we were off. Having lived in Arizona for the past twenty years, there aren’t many corners of this state that I haven’t visited. The town of JuniperPass mentioned in Red Velvet Revenge is of my own invention but it’s inspired by some of my favorite spots — Prescott, Jerome and Greer to name just a few.
Don’t tell my characters that I said so, because I don’t want them to get too bossy, but they were right. A vacation out of Scottsdale was a great idea and a rodeo, which celebrates the history and lore of the cowboy, was a fun way to escape the heat. Unfortunately, we were just beginning to enjoy ourselves when we had a run in with the “Bubbas”, a pair of barbecue butt-heads, and then our friend Slim Hazard got shot. But the vacation didn’t really take a downward turn until our buddy Oz had a face off with a runaway bull and the star of the rodeo Ty Stokes, that ego-maniacal bull rider, was murdered.
So much for the cupcake crew’s restful respite from the heat. I tried to tell them I had nothing to do with it, especially when Angie blasted me with her most fearsome stink eye. But as I pointed out to them, what’s a vacation without a little murder and mayhem?
Thanks so much for letting me visit today, Lori. It’s always a pleasure. Yee haw!
~Jenn
Thank you Jenn for stopping by! I hope you will come back soon!!
About This Author
Jenn McKinlay is the NYT bestselling author of the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries and the Library Lover’s Mysteries. She also writes under the names Lucy Lawrence and Josie Belle. Check out her website. Find Jenn on Facebook and Twitter Don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter.
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group Published by The Penguin Group
Cover Illustration by Jeff Fitz-Maurice Cover Design by Lesley Worrell 288 pages
Fairy Tale Cupcakes is hitting the road and headed for a rodeo! Off to sell their cupcakes to some cowpokes sounds like fun, but this is not the getaway any of them had in mind. Hang on tight the ride is wild!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I have warned you before and it is still true. You will crave cupcakes while reading this marvelous mystery so be sure to have some handy. That was the case with every book in this series!
Jenn has whipped up another delectable treat for our reading pleasure. The Arizona heat has hit the midwest this summer though we never hit the 114 degrees the characters suffered in this story. My grandma always said that our heat is worse because we have high humidity and Arizona has dry heat I enjoyed this story comforted by nonstop air conditioning but I am glad their heat drove them north for the rodeo. All the characters shined in the new setting. You can’t go wrong when you match cowboys and cupcakes with murder and mayhem.
Oz again was my favorite character. You won’t believe what he does with his new cupcake creations. There were also a few unexpected surprises with a couple of other characters. Jenn adds the perfect amount of humor and romance to her mysteries.
I do think this is the best book in this series. I was sad when it ended. The author has included some wonderful recipes to help us bide our time.
Again she gives us just a tasty tidbit of the next book in the series. I can’t wait to take a big bite of Going, Going, Ganache coming April 2, 2013 from Berkley Prime Crime. It is already available to pre-order from Amazon.com.
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Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to giveaway!!
U.S. and CANADIAN RESIDENTS You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower.
Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow. Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.
Leave a comment for Jenn for 5 Bonus Entries !
If you publicize the giveaway anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End August 8, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST Winners Will Be Chosen By Random.org Winners Will Be Notified By Email and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Nose for Trouble A Dale Kinsall Mystery 1st in Series Fox Acre Press Updated from 2005 Edition
Dale Kinsall, DVM, is trying to leave his past in Ohio behind as he and his beagle pup, Sully, make the big move to Arizona. The fire in Ohio has left him with horrible memories and damage to his lungs. He is hoping the dry desert air remedies both.
When he arrives at his new clinic he meets his very unique staff and some fairly odd clients. Everyone’s tongues are wagging about a murder. Dale finds himself right in the middle of the investigation as Sully leads him right to a second victim on their very first walk around the area.
It soon becomes clear that Dale, the clinic, and his new friends are being targeted. Dale feels he must have done something to someone but it’s hard to solve a mystery when you aren’t really sure what the mystery even is. Everyone around him soon learns that just like Sully, Dale too has a Nose For Trouble.
Dollycas’s Thoughts I had not read the previous version of this story so I am one of the brand new readers the author mentions in the Foreword. I appreciate the Beagle greetings and truly enjoyed the ride. We already have two dogs or after reading this I would be out shopping for my own Sully. He stole my heart and my dogs are nowhere near as smart.
Durgin has created wonderful characters and put them into a great mystery but Sully is the star. Careful, you will find yourself laughing out loud to some of his antics. Writing from a dog’s point of view even part of the time can’t easy but sure is fun to read!
All the characters have plenty of room to evolve in future installments so I hope the next one in the series is re-released and there are more stories to follow! Want that doggy head out the window bliss, pick up this book today!!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Bobby and Frank are on a journey to find a hidden treasure of gold. They have a map but it takes a good deal of research to decipher the clues. The map points are located along The El Camino Del Diablo, commonly called the Devil’s Highway, a remote desert road favored by drug smugglers and human traffickers. It’s so deadly, all who travel it must sign a Hold Harmless agreement freeing the U.S. government from any claim due to injury or loss of life. Plus there is the added danger of the legendary Chupacabra, the blood sucking beast of the desert.
Dollycas’s Thoughts This story really grabbed me from the start. It is full of surprises and twists and non-stop action. It is one of those books that is hard to review because I don’t want to give to much away. The story is well written with several interesting characters in a very interesting setting.
This area of the country usually makes headlines as where many illegal immigrants try to make the way into the U.S. from Mexico. Many of them die along this trail. A book with this same title reconstructs an actual event. The ordeal of sun and thirst of two dozen men in May 2001, half of whom suffered excruciating deaths.
In this fictional story the characters meet up with groups trying to make their way into the U.S. and face the same deadly conditions in addition to some fictional events that are even more deadly.
Another great debut from another author to watch.
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
About This Author
R. Scott Douglas has, at various times in his life, been a journalist, magazine editor, documentary filmmaker and currently is a corporate communications manager. He enjoys traveling and exploring and counts his many trips to various desert regions of the world as some his favorite times. When he’s not in the desert, he can be found in the water (snorkeling) or above it (kayaking).
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I knew it was time for my cupcake bakers, Mel and Angie, to face one of life’s greatest challenges – summer in Arizona.
I enjoyed this story comforted by nonstop air conditioning but I am glad their heat drove them north for the rodeo. All the characters shined in the new setting. You can’t go wrong when you match cowboys and cupcakes with murder and mayhem.
