Murder in Chelsea
(Gaslight Mystery) Historical Mystery 15th in Series A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (May 7, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Karen Chandler Cover Design by Rita Frangie Hardcover: 304 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425260418 E-Book File Size: 552 KB ASIN: B009KUWX10
Sarah Brandt is shattered when she learns that a woman has inquired at Hope’s Daughters Mission for Catherine, the abandoned child she has taken as her daughter. The woman claims she was Catherine’s nursemaid, now acting on behalf of the girl’s mother to reunite them.
Unwilling to simply hand Catherine over to a complete stranger, Sarah asks Malloy to investigate. But when he goes to interview the woman at her tenement in Chelsea, he finds she has been murdered.
Though her death leaves Sarah’s claim to Catherine unchallenged, her sense of justice compels her to work with Malloy to find the killer. Their search takes them from the marble mansions of the Upper West Side to the dilapidated dwellings of lower Manhattan and into the deepest and darkest secrets of Catherine’s past.
And while Malloy helps Sarah determine the fate of the child she loves, he faces a challenge of his own—and his decision could change both their lives forever…
About This Author
Edgar® Nominated author Victoria Thompson writes the Gaslight Mystery Series, set in turn-of-the-century New York City and featuring midwife Sarah Brandt. Her last book, MURDER ON FIFTH AVENUE, has been nominated for an Agatha Award. She also contributed to the award winning writing textbook MANY GENRES/ONE CRAFT. A popular speaker, Victoria teaches in the Seton Hill University master’s program in writing popular fiction. She lives in Central PA with her husband and a very spoiled little dog.
Thanks to the people at Penguin I have a copy 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.
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End May 25, 2013 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.
Hi! Reagan Summerside here to talk weddings. The good, the bad and the deadly…
You know that old saying, always the bridesmaid never the bride, well I’ve been both. The bride part didn’t take proven by the fact that I caught Hollis, my husband and the hound of Savannah, doing the horizontal hula with Cupcake right there in his office. That was some staff meeting, all right.
The last wedding I attended I came to deliver a bow-tie to the groom as he misplaced his. The good part of that wedding was the cake was delicious. The deadly part was that the groom wound up dead in five tiers of icing and fondant, the ugly part was that my BFF, Chantilly, the groom’s ex got accused of the murder.
Round tables decked out in peach-tone wedding linens with white flower arrangements of roses and forget-me-nots dotted the room and Doreen-the-wedding-planner lay crumbled in a heap on the floor.
“Oh dear Lord!” I starting for Doreen but stopped in my tracks because Simon was there too. He was face down in his very own five-tiered wedding cake with a silver cake knife sticking out of his back.
Chantilly shouldn’t have been at the wedding in the first place of course but she and her UPS truck just sort of wound up there.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said to Chantilly as she swiveled round in the driver’s seat of her UPS van. White icing and cake crumbs smeared her lips and a glob of raspberry filling dripped down her chin. A pink butter cream rose stuck to the front of her brown uniform blouse. “Dear God in heaven! You went and ate the wedding cake!”
“One slice,” she mumbled around a mouthful. “Who’s going to miss one little old slice? The freaking thing is five tiers high. It took three Cakery Bakery employees and the owner Delta Longford herself to lug it in. They even made GracieAnn Harlow stand on a ladder to get the bride and groom thing on top.”
Chantilly held up a chunk of mangled pastry. “This here should be my wedding cake, except for the pink roses. This should be my wedding day, my wedding colors of creamy-peach and blue-morning-rain. Simon is my man. We were engaged! How could he marry someone else!” Chantilly wailed, a tear sliding down her cheek and cutting a path across a white icing smear.
Hopefully none of the weddings you’ve attended were like this one with the groom dead as Lincoln right there in his own cake.
What do you think is the best part of a wedding? The cake? The first dance? The saying I Do?
Let me know and I’ll give away two Killer in Crinoline tote bags from the answers.
Hugs, Reagan
About This Author
Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While others girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, and conjures up who-done-it stories of her very own for Berkley Prime Crime. Iced Chiffon, out October, 2012, is the first book in the Consignment: Murder series. Duffy writes romance as Dianne Castell and is a USA Today bestselling author.
Find out more about Duffy and her books on her webpage here.
Find her on:
Killer in Crinolines
(A Consignment Shop Mystery) 2nd in Series Cozy Mystery A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (May 7, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Julia Green Cover Design by Diane Kolsky Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425252154 E-Book File Size: 1055 KB ASIN: B009KUWYQO
It’s August in Savannah, Georgia—hardly the season for a traditional Southern wedding with hoopskirts and crinolines. One could die from the heat—or from a cake knife in the back…
Reagan Summerside should be devoting all her energy to her consignment shop the Prissy Fox. But when her dear friend Chantilly Parker is arrested for murder, Reagan vows to clear her name. The victim is Simon Ambrose, who’s found lying in his own wedding cake with a knife in his back.
Chantilly has motive (Simon broke her heart to marry wealthy Waynetta Waverly) and opportunity (crashing the wedding in her UPS delivery truck). And she has cake on her face, and the stolen bridesmaid dress the killer wore is in her truck. But Chantilly would never wear crinoline to kill a man!
With the help of her flamboyant auntie, KiKi, and vexing but attractive attorney Walker Boone, Reagan is determined to save her friend—before she’s forced to turn in her brown uniform for an orange jumpsuit…
Dollycas’s Thoughts August is hot in Savannah, Georgia and the perfect temperature for MURDER!!! Duffy Brown has topped herself with the sequel to Iced Chiffon.
All of favorite characters are back and will have your sides hurting from laughter. From Aunt Kiki’s Cher quotes like “Men aren’t necessities, they are luxuries” to Chantilly’s misguided reasoning and Reagan’s adventures taking over Chantilly’s parcel deliveries, this book is plum full of Southern charm and humor. Can anyone have worse luck than Reagan? Wherever she goes trouble follows close behind.
Walker Boone is starting grow on me and Bruce Willis has stolen my heart. But Waynetta Waverly, the bride to be, brings the drama to the story. Shouldn’t she be more upset over the death of her groom?
This was such a fun story but be prepared once you start reading you will not be able to stop. I was so caught up in the story I missed supper
Pour yourself a sweet tea or martini, find a comfy chair and sit back and enjoy the mystery, humor and a dash of romance that fill these pages. A perfect escape!
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
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 Duffy/Reagan for 5 Bonus Entries and to enter her giveaway!
What do you think is the best part of a wedding? The cake? The first dance? The saying I Do?
Let me know and I’ll give away two Killer in Crinoline tote bags from the answers.
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End May 22, 2013 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.”
We are still unpacking from our move so there is no special guest today. Sorry. But I do want to tell you about the next Glee Club Mystery by Joelle Charbonneau. I will be giving my review copy away in an upcoming giveaway because right now I can’t put my hands on it and I want to make sure it is still in giveaway condition
End Me a Tenor (A Glee Club Mystery)
2nd in Series
Cozy Mystery A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (April 2, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425252161 E-Book File Size: 917 KB ASIN: B0099CUMNU
High School Show Choir Coach Paige Marshall has her hands full. She has just learned that two other high schools are performing the same number as her choir in the upcoming competition season. She needs to quickly replace that song, complete with choreography, with another before they debut at the holiday concert in just a few days.
Paige has also been selected as one of the soloists in a production of the Messiah and is rehearsing daily to prepare. She is so excited, but the man singing the tenor part is world-renowned tenor David Richard and his overblown ego is hitting all the wrong notes. When the tempestuous tenor drops dead during rehearsal Paige finds herself investigating another murder and finds out the tenor was certainly no choirboy.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
What a wonderful encore to Murder for Choir. Charbonneau hits all the right notes!
The author combines mystery with a romantic triangle that reads like a marvelous melody. Should Paige be with Devlyn or Mike? The hunky detective or the talented teacher? Paige is extraordinary as she deals with keeping her current job while trying to further her singing career plus she is dealing with her love life, her students, and her boss Larry, and trying to catch a killer.
The story has layers and is full of humor. The characters just draw you right into their lives. It is easy to see the author is a performer but she is also a terrific storyteller. Her insight into the musical arena shines through this entire literary score.
As I said in my review of Murder for Choir…
Like Glee, you will love this book!
Like cozy mysteries, you won’t be able to put this one down!
I can’t wait for the next performance. It must almost be time for the Show Choir Competitions to begin.
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
Find out more about Joelle Charbonneau on her website here.
Follow Her On:
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.”
The Death of a Dowager
(The Jane Eyre Chronicles) 2nd in Series Historical Cozy Mystery A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (April 2, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Alan Ayers Cover Design by George Long Trade Paperback: 320 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425253519 E-Book File Size: 594 KB ASIN: B009KUNTMC
In her classic tale, Charlotte Brontë introduced readers to the strong-willed and intelligent Jane Eyre. The Jane Eyre Chronicles pick up where Brontë left off, with Jane married to her beloved Edward Rochester and mother to a young son. But Jane soons finds herself having to protect those she loves…
While extensive repairs are being made to Ferndean, their rural home, Jane and Edward accept an invitation from their friend Lucy Brayton to stay with her in London. Jane is reluctant to abandon their peaceful life in the countryside, but Edward’s damaged vision has grown worse. She hopes that time in the capital will buoy his spirits and give him the chance to receive treatment from an ocular specialist.
Once in London, the Rochesters accompany Lucy to the Italian Opera House. But there is more drama in the audience than on stage—Jane not only unexpectedly finds herself in the presence of King George and his mistress, Lady Conygham, she also encounters an old nemesis in the form of Lady Ingram (whose daughter, Blanche, once hoped to wed Edward herself). The aging dowager deals both Jane and Lucy a very public snub; hoping to mitigate the social damage caused by this, Lucy insists on visiting the Ingrams the next day. The visit goes poorly from the start—and ends with Lady Ingram dropping dead in the midst of taking tea. It soon becomes clear that the dowager’s death was an unnatural one, and Jane must set her considerable intelligence to the problem of solving it—and why the throne appears to have an interest …
Joanna Campbell Slan has a true gift, she doesn’t just write or tell a story. She drops the reader right into it. We are in the opera house, at tea, walking the sooty streets of London. I wasn’t just reading the story, I was living it.
The entire story was intriguing as we step back in time to the read of royalty, political, social and medical customs. The “ton” was very important to London’s elite and the slightest snub by another member could change life drastically. Being dropped from the group was a fear of all the members. Living outside of London Jane did not fully understand their power, she really didn’t care until she learned how important this status was to her friend Lucy.
This story is beautifully written and has a definite Brontë feel. Following Jane, Edward and their family as they move past the pages of Jane Eyre is a pure pleasure. The Jane Eyre Chronicles can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. It is time to introduce Jane Eyre to our daughters. These stories are sure to become classics from our time.
This is going to be a Best Read 2013. An extraordinary story that should not be missed. Imagine me shouting from the rooftops “YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!”
Do you think your book club would like to read this book!!! Joanna wants to hear from you. She has bookmarks and a Jane Eyre pin for the organizer. Leave a comment below with your email and she or I will contact you with the details!!
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 am really excited to welcome Connie Archer,
author of Soup Lover’s Mysteries,
to Escape With Dollycas.
Chasing Fairies
The creative process – Everyone talks about it. Everyone seems to have an idea about what it is, how it works and how best to make it happen — how to capture it and ride that wave. Is it a matter of shutting off our conscious mind – the part of us that pays attention to whether the gas bill was paid or if we have enough coffee in the cupboard to last the week? A matter of allowing our imaginations free rein to connect with all those alternate souls who inhabit the theater gallery of our mind? And for mystery or crime writers what is it that compels us to move into the darkness, the pathology of a killer’s mind, to dwell on the unimaginable?
Maybe we’re all just a little bit weirder than most people.
I admit – I have a suspicious mind. And maybe that’s an essential thing for a mystery writer. I’ve never been able to take things or people at face value. I want to know all about the man who jumped off the bridge. I want to know what made him tick. What did he do for a living? Was he married? Children? What forces led him to that act?
I used to be very good at ignoring my instincts, my first impressions, but as time went by, I learned to pay attention – to listen to the atmospheres around me, the crackling of ionization in the air. Eventually I accepted and trusted my gut reactions. Our society admonishes us to be polite, politically correct, do the right thing, not think badly of others, and slowly but surely we’re trained to dismiss our first instinctive reaction. That person I just met – why did I have that instantaneous feeling? Did I sense an immediate bond? Or did he (or she) make my skin crawl? And why? Could that lovely polite man who runs a shop in my neighborhood have a secret practice? Is he hiding something from his past? Suspicions about a neighbor who comes and goes at odd times of the night — why was he digging for hours in his back yard? I haven’t noticed any new bushes or petunias lately. And who knows if his wife really did leave on that trip?
The more normal and everyday someone appears, the more my brain goes into overdrive. I just don’t believe it. Nobody can be that ordinary – they must be hiding something.
But for a writer, how does a story take shape? Do we sit at the keyboard and await inspiration? Hoping to be bonked on the head by the fairy wand of our muse? Waiting to be hit by the lightning bolt of brilliance? Or do we ferret out some tiny little thing that’s been haunting us for a while – a snippet of a story read on the web? Some small event that eats away at us until it emerges full blown into a story idea? The “what if” of a neighbor whose daily routine suddenly changes, the “what if” the witness to a crime was really the perpetrator?
What is that alchemy that takes place when thoughts, feelings, or free-floating ideas converge into a plot? As I was finishing the last revisions of A Spoonful of Murder, the first book in the soup shop series, I was terribly anxious to complete the project. I was convinced that somehow, some way, huge hunks of the story line of the next book in the series, A Broth of Betrayal, were plunking themselves down in my overworked gray cells. The plot and story were forming in my head. I was fearful I might lose what was coming through, like a dream that evaporates like a whiff of smoke upon wakening.
And, like an idiot, I was sure that when I started to plan and plot the third book the same thing would happen. It didn’t. I waited. Nothing. No fairy sparkles were meshed in my hair. What was I going to do? How could I come up with a story? I had a deadline for heaven’s sake! And nothing, absolutely nothing was running around in my brain.
Then it happened. A couple of things popped into my consciousness. Well, actually one thing. It was a story that caught my eye when I clicked open my email. A news article about eleven Romanian gypsies arrested at the Canadian border. That was the lead in. I double-clicked on the story, fascinated at the juxtaposition of a Canadian Mountie (not sure if the Canada Border Patrol is manned by Mounties) clashing with a brightly painted caravan of fortune tellers in long skirts and scarves toting crystal balls. I’m sure the reality looked nothing like that. The eleven Romanians were probably traveling in four muscle cars and creeping along a fire road that would take them eventually to the U.S. But I was still fascinated. What were Romanian gypsies doing in Canada, attempting to illegally enter the U.S.?
The second thing that had been hanging around in my consciousness even though I was only dimly aware of it was the sound of a song sung in Gaelic and played by a woman with a stand up bass and a bow. It followed me around. It was haunting and beautiful and in its strange language, the melody of the music sent shivers up my spine. It would not leave me alone.
And that was the kernel of the beginning of the third book in the soup shop series, now entitled A Roux of Revenge.
Do I have any answers about the creative process? No, I don’t think so. I have absolutely no idea what it is or how it happens. Maybe the secret is to just listen to the unspoken sounds around you, to listen to the spaces between the notes.
~Connie
About This Author
Connie Archer is the national bestselling author of A Spoonful of Murder, the first in the soup lover’s mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. A Broth of Betrayal was released on April 2, 2013. Connie was born and raised in New England. She now lives on the other coast.
A Broth of Betrayal
(A Soup Lover’s Mystery) 2nd in Series Cozy Mystery A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (April 2, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Cathy Gendron Cover Design by Diana Kolsky Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425252086 E-Book File Size: 999 KB ASIN: B009KUY95I
Even a town called Snowflake, Vermont, has a summer season. In August, Lucky Jamieson’s By the Spoonful serves chilled soups—celery and green onion, cream of asparagus—and salads. The shop also serves as a gathering place to talk about cold-blooded murder…
Snowflake, Vermont is picturesque town frequented by tourists from the nearby Snowflake Ski Resort during the winter season. Off season it is home to year round residents, many who own businesses supported by the tourists. But there is a new business trying to open and none of the residents are happy. An ugly car wash has been approved by the town council and the people are protesting with a march in front of the site. Then all of the sudden the digging stops, it seems they have uncovered a skeleton that may date back to the Revolutionary War.
The town is then shaken by two more discoveries. Local mechanic, Harry Hodges, has been found dead in his shop and the mayor of the town, Lucky’s friend, Elizabeth has gone missing. Lucky plans to use her noodle to find her friend and the killer no matter how much trouble she stirs up.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This book is full of wonderful mysteries, a skeleton discovered, a missing person, and a murder. The pages flew by.
Archer has created such lively characters. Lucky is a strong protagonist who doesn’t mind finding herself “in the soup” as she tries to save her friend or catch a killer. Her romance with her middle school crush, Dr. Elias Scott is progressing nicely. My favorite character is Lucky’s grandfather Jack, a retired Navy man who still tells time according to bells. He is devoted to his granddaughter and truly her right arm as she runs the business left to her by her parents.
I found the historical element in this story very interesting. Bodies hastily buried during the Revolutionary War being found today like this one can have a very eventful story when researched. The reenactment of The Battle of Bennington was a great way to tie this element together in this town to with a sultry summer activity.
I was also intrigued by the story that evolves as historic towns try to stay true to the historic quality and feeling as modern needs try to fit in. The car wash may have not been so bad with a few architectural elements to help in blend in with the surrounding businesses.
After reading the first book in this series, A Spoonful of Murder, I knew the author had a “souper” idea for her cozy series and that her stories would be filled with drama. She exceeded my expectations with this installment. I liked it even better than the last. She gives us a taste of the next story, A Roux of Revenge, and she has definitely whetted by appetite for more. My next visit to Snowflake cannot come soon enough!
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
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 Connie for 5 Bonus Entries !
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End May 1, 2013 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.”
Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am so excited to Welcome Dorothy here today!
Oh, the things a cozy mystery author must do! Oh, the hardships!
While conducting research for my White House Gardener Mystery series, not only did I spend several seasons visiting D.C. and the White House gardens to make sure that I soaked up the atmosphere and the feel for the area…
I also, lurked through the D.C. parks—sometimes at 4:30 in the morning—so I could act out in my mind the murders that take place in the books.
However, the biggest sacrifice for these books has happened…not in D.C. …not in my garden… but in my kitchen!
For the past several years my tiny house has been turned into a makeshift plant laboratory. While writing the first book in the White House Gardener Mystery series, Flowerbed of State, the kitchen counters were covered with pots of pineapple tops as I tested the best way to sprout the top of the pineapple. This also meant that every time I found myself at the grocery store, I was picking up a new pineapple to work with. And as a consequence, my husband and I ate scores of pineapples that year.
This past year while researching Oak and Dagger, the third and latest book in the White House Gardener Mystery series (and this year’s release), I wanted to do another kitchen-to-garden section at the end of the book. Instead of pineapples, I had the brilliant idea to include instructions on how to grow the tops of carrots and the bottoms of onions. Of course, I couldn’t include the instructions until I tested and determined the best ways to grow the carrots and onions.
Once again, my kitchen was transformed into a garden laboratory.
First, I grew carrots in the garden just for this purpose.
Thankfully, my husband didn’t mind when I gave him the task of eating the bottoms of the carrots.
I then placed the carrot tops in various glasses and set them on every available windowsill and counter space I could find. I repeated the process until I was satisfied that the carrots would sprout and grow for even someone with the brownest of brown thumbs.
Grow the Tops of Your Carrots
This is a quick and fun gardening project that anyone can do. When you are preparing your fresh carrots, cut off the top of the carrot (about a half-inch will do). Remove all but a few small leaves from the top.
Fill a glass or bowl with water. Set the carrot in the water so that it is partially submerged.
Place the glass or bowl in a sunny window. Change the water every few days. In a few weeks the carrot will sprout roots and new leaves will grow.
Plant the rooted carrot in a pot or in your garden.
You won’t grow new carrots from the plants, but swallowtail butterflies will enjoy feeding off the nectar from the flowers.
* * * * *
The same time that the “Great Carrot Experiment” was going on, I also experimented with sprouting the bottoms of my onions—the part of the onion that has those scraggly roots. And these onion bottoms, given time and attention, will produce new onions! Here’s what I learned:
* * * * *
Grow the Bottoms of Your Onions
Did you know you can grow a new onion from just the bottom part with the roots? Well, you can! Here’s a fun gardening project to try.
Cut off the bottom of your onion, the part with the dried roots. Leave about an inch to an inch and a half of onion with the roots.
Allow to dry for a couple of days in a well-ventilated area. This will allow it to form a callus and help prevent it from rotting.
You can get the roots started by soaking in water for a few days. (It’s fun to watch.) Or if you’re impatient plant the onion root-side down in a pot, burying it about a half-inch deep pot, or you can even plant it directly in the ground. Within a few weeks the onion will sprout.
* * * * *
Who knew that writing adventures for my plucky White House organic gardener, Casey Calhoun, would also send me on new and challenging adventures? I sure didn’t! It’s rarely a dull moment for this author. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
~Dorothy
About This Author
Dorothy St. James is the pseudonym for author Dorothy McFalls. As St. James she writes the White House Gardener Mystery series. (Book 1 — Flowerbed of State, May 2011), (Book 2 — The Scarlet Pepper, April 2012), and (Book 3 — Oak and Dagger, April 2013). Dorothy is a master gardener who loves puttering around in her garden and trying out new techniques.
Oak and Dagger
(A White House Gardener Mystery) 3rd in Series A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (April 2, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Mary Ann Lasher Cover Design by Olivia Andreas Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425252031 E-Book File Size: 868 KB ASIN: B0099CVVQC
A simple tree planting leads to chaos at The White House. A schematic is missing from the Grounds Office and a set of important papers has also disappeared from the Curator’s Office. The gardeners are getting blamed for both. On top of that Casey is getting death threats, the First Dog is digging holes all over the South lawn and the First Lady’s sister is creating her own havoc.
Then the curator is found dead is a secluded garden and all the evidence points at Gordon Sims, the chief gardener. Casey just has to clear his name. When she learns all the chaos and the murder could have something to do with a two hundred year old treasure she realizes she must move fast before the killer strikes again….
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Casey Calhoun is a smart spunky protagonist and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty or stand out in the pouring rain to track down the killer. I am happy her relationship with Special Agent Jack Turner is moving forward. We also learn a bit more about Casey’s past.
There was so much happening in the installment that the pages were flying. The First Lady has her hands full with her twin boys and while her sister is supposed to be there to help she seems to have an agenda all her own. The decorator hired to create the nursery has much more interest in being out in the gardens instead in the space he is responsible for decorating. Jack is acting strange and seems to stand Casey up a lot. Gordon is in the hospital and Casey and Lorenzo have to work together and they never see eye to eye. The assistant curator is a strange little man who just happens to have rented the apartment below Casey.
Dolley Madison was important to this story. In fact the book starts with a quote from the famous First Lady: “And now, dear sister, I must leave this house or the retreating army will make me a prisoner in it by filling up the road I am directed to take.” Each subsequent chapter starts with a First Lady quote and I really enjoyed all of them.
Hang on tight! This story is a wild ride! I loved it!
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
Would you like to win a copy of this wonderful book?
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.
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
PLUS DOROTHY ST. JAMES IS ADDING A VERY SPECIAL GIVEAWAY ALL HER OWN
A White House Gift Packet
that includes:
a hand dyed indigo book cover
an official White House Historical Association bookmark
and an autographed copy of Flowerbed of State
Just leave a comment for Dorothy to enter!!
Contests Will End April 24, 2013 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.”
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!
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
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.”
Today I am pleased to welcome new author J.J. Cook to tell us about their new series. Cozy fans will be pleased to know that while this is a new name
this author team is very familiar to us. Jim and Joyce Lavene have written several fantastic mysteries and other genres as well.
One half of J.J. Cook is here today!
Hi Joyce!!
Hi Everyone!
Stella Griffin and the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mysteries
Our main character in the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mysteries is Fire Chief Stella Griffin. Stella is part of a strong Irish family that has served the fire department in Chicago, Illinois for many years. She understands the rigors of the life, but when it came time for her to make her choice of career, she knew it was what she wanted.
Firefighters are a strange breed of men, my grandfather used to tell me. They run into the fire instead of away from it. My grandfather, Henry Koch, was a firefighter. He was part of the team that fought the Our Lady of the Angel’s Fire, one of the most devastating because it killed so many children in a Catholic school. That was one fire he wouldn’t talk or joke about.
My great-grandfather, Michael Sebastian, was also with the CFD. In the late 1800s, he drove a team of white horses that hauled the fire wagon. The job was even harder when he was a firefighter because they had no special equipment, no protection.
My husband and my father have both been volunteer firefighters. Basically, this means they get all the danger and the hard work without getting paid. Volunteers have to train for hours every week, as much as the professional firefighters. They have to go out at all hours of the day and night, in every kind of weather, never knowing what’s waiting for them. They do it for their communities.
I wanted to be a firefighter when I was 14. I thought it was the noblest profession in the world. Everyone laughed because GIRLS weren’t firefighters. I cried for days. That’s changed now, for the better of the firefighting community, and probably the food!
Now, I’ve found a way of honoring the people in my family who have fought fires, lost some, and grieved over victims. Stella is the chief of a volunteer fire brigade in the Smoky Mountains. She is who I imagined I could be, at one time. She’s strong and brave, loyal to her volunteers, concerned about people.
She came to life for me in Sweet Pepper. In the first book, That Old Flame of Mine, she goes to the small town in Tennessee after a bad break-up with her boyfriend and an injury that has put her off the job. She doesn’t realize how raw her recruits are or how different being a volunteer firefighter is, but she learns.
She always plans on going back to Chicago, but Sweet Pepper, and the resident ghost in her log cabin there, may change her mind.
I hope this book will be something that would’ve made my family of firefighters proud.
~Joyce
About This Author
Joyce Lavene, and her husband/partner, Jim, write the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mysteries as J.J. Cook. They have written and published more than 60 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family. Visit them at www.joyceandjimlavene.com or www.jjcook.net plus on
That Old Flame of Mine
(A Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade) Brand New Series Release Date: April 2, 2013 Cozy Mystery A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group Published by The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Mary Ann Lasher Cover Design by George Long Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425252048 E-Book File Size: 738 KB ASIN: B0099D4B3Q
NO MATCH FOR MURDER
After knocking the lights out of her boyfriend when she catches him cheating on her, Chicago fire fighter Stella Griffin hops on her Harley and heads for Sweet Pepper, Tennessee, where she ends up becoming the small town’s fire chief. When her dear friend Tory Lambert dies after her gingerbread-style house is set ablaze, Stella suspects arson and foul play.
As Stella investigates, she gets help from a most unlikely source—the ghost of Eric Gamlyn, Sweet Pepper’s old fire chief. And if that isn’t enough to rattle her, attractive police officer John Trump seems to have taken an interest in her. But Stella’s got to stay focused if she hopes to smoke out a killer before her own life is extinguished.
Dollycas’s Thoughts As the daughter of a firefighter I was thrilled with this book. My dad passed away 25 years ago and it still seems like yesterday. I wish he would haunt his old firehouse, maybe he does? He did not die on “a scene” but he was a chief too just like Eric Gamlyn and I so wanted to be a firefighter and work side by side with him. At that time female firefighters were few and far between. Ladies were on the auxiliary and handled bake sales and delivered food and drink to the big fires. I would have loved Stella’s life even with the crummy boyfriend.
The story is so well written and full of wonderful real characters. The drill/practice sessions ring true to me as someone who has observed many. Chief Eric’s haunts struck my heart. Another firefighter lost too soon with so many plans and dedication. Stella has a lot on her plate in Sweet Pepper and with a bit of “help” she comes out on top. A sassy, smart, sleuth that this reader plans to enjoy tagging along with for a very long time.
J.J. Cook has written an extraordinary debut. This book will be burning up bookstore shelves next Tuesday. It’s hotter than a 5 alarm fire!! Respond and extricate your copy as soon as possible.
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
Would you like to win a copy of this wonderful book?
Thanks to the people at Berkley Prime Crime 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 J.J. Cook for 5 Bonus Entries !
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End April 10, 2013 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.”
There were just not enough Wednesdays this month for all the authors to visit so… Welcome to this Special Thursday Edition of Cozy Wednesday! I am thrilled to welcome Victoria Hamilton back to Escape With Dollycas.
Vintage Finds Inspire Cozy Mysteries By: Victoria Hamilton
When I set out to plan a mystery series, I quickly decided to center it around my collection of vintage kitchen bowls and utensils. I don’t have the largest collection—I just don’t have the space—but I’m always on the lookout for interesting pieces, and I love reading about the history of kitchen implements, so it was a natural fit.
I especially love bowls. I don’t know why! I suppose that they unite the best in beauty, utility and color… all of the things that make an item not only collectible, but perfect for display. When it comes to bowls, I have a full set of vintage Pyrex Primary Colors bowls, and a few random pieces from the seventies. But then a friend gave me a fascinating vintage Depression glass bowl; it’s big and clear with an odd, heavy square bottom and grooved indentations down from the curled lip to the base. She didn’t know anything about it, so I looked it up. The square base intrigued me; had it been used as a stand mixer bowl, perhaps?
I found out that not only was the square bottom not for any utilitarian purposes, I had stumbled upon another bowl set obsession! These bowls were sold in graduated sets from the size of mine (I think my clear one is an example of the largest) to a teeny cutie of a bowl! Now I am determined to get one in every size, and… wait for it… in every color. Yes, they come in colored glass and I love colored glass.
This is how I first figured that out; I was haunting a thrift shop, as I often do, and I saw a small green one very similar, though the square base has a different shape. Well, you know I had to buy it. It’s adorable! Now I learn that they come in many colors: pink, amber, amethyst and the brilliant green of my new acquisition.
But how did I get from the receipt of a lovely bowl from a friend to picturing it as a murder weapon? Well, there isn’t much that I haven’t tried to imagine used as an instrument of death, as bad as that makes me sound. I’m a mystery writer. It’s my job to see things differently, I guess, so as I hefted that weighty bowl in my hand, I thought, ‘That is one sturdy bowl. It could do some serious damage. In fact… it could kill someone!’
And so the bowl shows up in Bowled Over as the murder weapon, provided unwittingly by poor Jaymie.
Wait until you see what I use as a murder weapon in the next Vintage Kitchen Mystery, Freezer I’ll Shoot, coming out in November of this year. Here’s a hint: though a kitchen utensil, it is a well known and oft used tool that is still considered a lethal weapon by police departments everywhere!
So next time you peruse the kitchen utensil aisle imagine me, looking up and down that row and wondering, ‘Now, what could I use to kill my next victim?’ Potato masher? Electric Mixer? Corkscrew?? The choices are endless.
~Victoria::~
About This Author
Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym for author Donna Lea Simpson. As Victoria she writes the bestselling Vintage Kitchen Mystery series (Book 1 – A Deadly Grind– May 2012) – (Book 3 Freezer I’ll Shoot- November 2013) and the upcoming Merry Muffin Mysteries, also from Berkley (Book 1 –Bran New Death – September 3rd, 2013) Victoria loves cooking and collecting vintage kitchen utensils, as well as reading and writing mysteries.
Bowled Over
(Vintage Kitchen Mystery) 2nd in Series Cozy Mystery A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (March 5, 2013) Published by The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Robert Crawford Cover Design by Lesley Worrell Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425251928 E-book File Size: 561 KB ASIN: B0099CUTGK
Stirring up trouble…
Vintage kitchenware and cookbook collector Jaymie Leighton and her high school friend Kathy Cooper have been at odds for years but Jaymie has no idea why. She decides it is time to find out what she did that makes Kathy hate her so much. She needs to confront her so they can put whatever happened behind them.
But when she finds Kathy dead after the 4th of July fireworks along with her Depression era glass bowl she realizes there will not be any reconciliation. With her fingerprints all over the bowl and their rocky past she is not surprised to be the prime suspect of her murder.
Did the killer frame her on purpose? If so, she is ready to mix it up, because solving crimes is vintage Jaymie Leighton…
Dollycas’s Thoughts I was “Bowled Over” by this marvelous mystery. This story had so many twists I almost got whiplash. So many secrets, so many suspects. I Loved It!
Jaymie has a huge heart and that always leads her right in the center of trouble. She needs to clear her name. With her many odd jobs she comes into contact with almost everyone in town. She has Valetta for backup, who knows the skinny on just about everyone in the area. Even Anna has info to help Jaymie find the killer. Jaymie just has to put all the clues together.
There’s also a bit of romance in this story but unfortunately Jaymie’s romantic path is a bit cloudy. Her sister Becca’s path is pretty clear yet again. Jaymie has given herself a six month deadline to decide how she feels about the men in her life. The next book should be very interesting!
Victoria Hamilton has dished up another fun and entertaining winner!
Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to giveaway!!
PLUS Victoria is giving away
one (1) copy of Bowled Over,
as well as a Vintage Kitchen Mysteries pen, notepad and magnetic calendar.
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 Victoria for 5 Bonus Entries!!
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
The first name chosen that has left a comment will win Victoria’s prize!!!!
Contest Will End April 4, 2013 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.”
I am thrilled to have this writing team here today! You are going to love their post!
My, they have been tested and have come out shining on the other side.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Thanks so much for inviting Victoria Abbott here to Cozy Wednesday! It means a lot especially as this month The Christie Curse: a book collector mystery hit the stands and the e-readers. This series is a collaboration with me and my daughter, writing as Victoria Abbott. Getting to release day forThe Christie Cursehas been an emotional roller coaster for us, but in the end we are very happy about the book and excited to keep going with a series we love. And maybe we were just a little bit surprised.
Here’s why:
I have always considered writing to be a solitary business. It’s just you and the crazy people who live in your head. Through many books that worked for me, although I could often be seen talking to people who clearly were not there.
But then, along came this idea for a collaboration with my daughter, Victoria, writing a new series for Berkley Prime Crime. The sleuth is a young graduate student who works as the eyes, ears and feet for a reclusive and difficult wealthy collector of fine first editions.
We decided to jump in. We had a history in mystery: we were involved for several years in Ottawa’s tiny perfect Prime Crime Mystery Bookstore and we both love crime fiction and especially cozies. We know a lot about the golden age of mystery and admire the legacy of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and the writers who developed and popularized the art of detection on the page.
Victoria is a terrific artist and photographer with mystery short stories published and I had thirteen books in three series and two dozen short stories in print. We are both creative and laugh a lot, maybe because Victoria is a very funny lady. We were euphoric when the contract was signed. In fact, we may look a bit deranged in this photo.
So, what was the worst that could happen?
Writers ask this question just before we plunge our protagonist into a vat of trouble. It keeps readers engaged and gives a story substance. However in our case, we lived it. My husband and Victoria’s father had a devastating brain hemorrhage after routine surgery, just after the first book was submitted. He was not expected to live. We were told to take out a Do Not Resuscitate Order. He spent a month in a coma and for seven months was paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. There were operations, procedures, serious setbacks and two bouts of pneumonia. Our wonderful editor at Berkley was kind enough to hold backThe Christie Curse, as there was no way we could get the second book,The Sayers Swindle, finished in time. Meanwhile Victoria was going through her own tumultuous time, a story for another day.
With Victoria’s help, we packed up her father’s business and I sold our house (with the thousands of books) and bought a one-story house that would be accessible for a wheelchair and I moved. Two days later my husband was released from hospital. They called him The Miracle Man. This miracle was all very distracting! It took us a long time to be able to get our concentration back and return to our second mystery. We have all rebuilt our lives this past year.
With the release of The Christie Curse, Victoria and I are once again riding high, as is our great supporter, The Miracle Man. The book is getting excellent reviews and we are having fun. We’re editing The Sayers Swindle and we’re into The Wolfe Widow.
But you may want to know how we do it. Well, if we really knew we’d tell you. We try this and we try that. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t The best way for us is to construct scenes and work on character development on the phone. We are less distracted and distracting that way.
We are always surprised at the characters the other creates and yet we always enjoy the results. Our favorite characters in The Christie Curseare Jordan’s lovable criminal uncles Mick and Lucky (and the rest of the minor uncles) all of whom are, as they say, known to the police. They will continue to provide endless fun for us. We also love the eccentric Italian cook, Senora Panetone You! Eat!, and Lance that hot librarian. Of course, we are crazy about the Pug, Walter. Our dachshunds are not too impressed with Walter.
But I digress. Frequently we discuss and act out scenes and dialogue while one of us types like the wind. We also each have characters that we ‘own’ and often write scenes alone and then slot them in. This only works if we know what the other is up to! Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
For instance, it took us ages to wrestle Uncle Kevin back to where he belonged in The Sayers Swindle, when we each went off in separate directions. But Uncle Kevin tends to bring chaos to any situation. And why was he at that murder scene anyway?
Then there are the Siamese cats … but that’s a dangerous topic.
Another challenge is harmonizing the voice. Jordan must narrate the story, not Victoria and not Mary Jane. We feel it’s worth the investment to make sure she sounds like herself.
Looking back over this writing adventure, I realize that the question “What’s the worst that can happen?” is one that mystery writers throw at their characters all the time. We did it to Jordan and then life threw that same question at our family. In a crime story, we all want our characters to come through their darkest hour, we want justice done and we like a happy ending. We’ve had all that. We have seen the worst and lived to tell the tale. But after this, we’ll take our dramatic moments in fiction, thank you very much. From now on, we hope that Jordan will take the heat.
~Victoria Abbott
About This Author
Victoria Abbott is a collaboration between the always very funny and creative artist, photographer and short story author, Victoria Maffini and her mother, Mary Jane Maffini, award-winning author of three mystery series and two dozen short stories. Their four miniature dachshunds are understandably outraged that a pug and some Siamese cats have wiggled their way into the series.
The Christie Curse
(A Book Collector Mystery) New Series! Cozy Mystery A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery The Berkley Publishing Group (March 5, 2013) Published By The Penguin Group Cover Illustration by Mary Ann Lasher Cover Design by Olivia Andreas Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages ISBN-13: 978-0425255285 E-book File Size: 603 KB ASIN: B0099CGY2S
In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared—making headlines across the world—only to show up eleven days later at a spa under an assumed name. During those eleven days, did she have time to write a play?
Jordan Bingham needs a job and a new place to live. She has moved back to Harrison Falls and in with her wonderful not so law abiding uncles. Thank to her ex she is deep in debt and the grad school loans are hanging over her head.
She answers a blind ad and crosses her fingers. Thrilled to get an interview, the job sounds perfect and even includes room and board. Then she meets Vera Van Alst. Not the most friendly person and most of the town hates her, but she has this wonderful library. The job is tracking down a play rumored to have been written by Agatha Christie. Jordan knows she can do this job and convinces Miss Van Alst to give her a try. Then Jordan learns her predecessor was killed while looking for this play. She soon realizes that there is someone out there willing to kill to keep the play out of the hands of her new employer. The job is good but is it worth Jordan’s life?
Dollycas’s Thoughts What a wonderful debut!
Jordan is a very intriguing protagonist. She is strong, smart, almost fearless and funny too. But the author doesn’t stop there. The reader is treated to rich and real treasures in the supporting cast. There are the nefarious uncles who love Jordan so much and will do anything for her even if it means breaking the law. Vera Van Alst is getting a little less cranky but is definitely set in her ways. Officer Smiley and Detective Zinger are polar opposites in their investigative techniques but one is starting to grow on Jordan a lot more than the other. Librarian Lance would have me at the library 24/7 just mooning over him. My favorite human character definitely is Signora Panetone, Vera’s cook. She is priceless with her “EAT NOW!!” shouts at every delicious sounding meal. I think I gained weight just reading about these fabulous meals.
Then there are the felines and the canine. The Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde cat(s) had me in stitches. Walter, the pug, bails Jordan out of a tight situation and melted right into this reader’s hearts.
The Van Alst mansion is a character itself more than a setting. The climate controlled library, the back stairway, servants quarters that become Jordan’s garret, and the conservatory. The game clue kept coming to my mind as we traveled through the monstrous house. I can’t wait to explore more in the next book.
The mystery is very complex and with all the twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing. I was truly surprised by the ending.
An excellent debut. Agatha Christie herself would give it 5 stars!!
Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent
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 Victoria for 5 Bonus Entries !
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End April 3, 2013 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.”
hit shelves yesterday and it is another winner.
Charbonneau hits all the right notes!
is one of those books we are forced to read in school but it very quickly became one of my all time favorite stories. I also 
which landed on my list of 
and has the Southern Beauty Shop Series in the works. To learn more, visit Joanna at 
the first book in the soup shop series, I was terribly anxious to complete the project. I was convinced that somehow, some way, huge hunks of the story line of the next book in the series, 
were plunking themselves down in my overworked gray cells. The plot and story were forming in my head. I was fearful I might lose what was coming through, like a dream that evaporates like a whiff of smoke upon wakening.
the kitchen counters were covered with pots of pineapple tops as I tested the best way to sprout the top of the pineapple. This also meant that every time I found myself at the grocery store, I was picking up a new pineapple to work with. And as a consequence, my husband and I ate scores of pineapples that year.
the third and latest book in the White House Gardener Mystery series (and this year’s release), I wanted to do another kitchen-to-garden section at the end of the book. Instead of pineapples, I had the brilliant idea to include instructions on how to grow the tops of carrots and the bottoms of onions. Of course, I couldn’t include the instructions until I tested and determined the best ways to grow the carrots and onions.
April 2012), and (Book 3 — 
she goes to the small town in Tennessee after a bad break-up with her boyfriend and an injury that has put her off the job. She doesn’t realize how raw her recruits are or how different being a volunteer firefighter is, but she learns.
But then a friend gave me a fascinating vintage Depression glass bowl; it’s big and clear with an odd, heavy square bottom and grooved indentations down from the curled lip to the base. She didn’t know anything about it, so I looked it up. The square base intrigued me; had it been used as a stand mixer bowl, perhaps?
as the murder weapon, provided unwittingly by poor Jaymie.
coming out in November of this year. Here’s a hint: though a kitchen utensil, it is a well known and oft used tool that is still considered a lethal weapon by police departments everywhere!
– May 2012) – (Book 3 
– September 3rd, 2013) Victoria loves cooking and collecting vintage kitchen utensils, as well as reading and writing mysteries.
has been an emotional roller coaster for us, but in the end we are very happy about the book and excited to keep going with a series we love. And maybe we were just a little bit surprised.
, finished in time. Meanwhile Victoria was going through her own tumultuous time, a story for another day.
