It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

June 16, 2013July 2, 2024 Dollycas 15 Comments

This great meme is hosted by Sheila at
“Book Journey”.
It’s a great way to start the week and
find out what other bloggers are reading.
My To-Be-Read pile has grown to an
unbelievable number thanks to this meme.

I am thrilled today to introduce a fabulous contest!
I’ve teamed up with mystery author Kate Carlisle and two other bloggers
to bring you a really fun little contest!

You could win a $25 gift card to the bookstore of your choice,
or one of three copies of A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY, Kate’s latest.

To enter, visit the Contest tab on these four Facebook
pages to find out what mystery with a kitty-twist The Cozy Kitten is reading on each page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Books-n-Kisses/240017362704897
https://www.facebook.com/cozymysterybookreviews?directed_target_id=0
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Escape-With-Dollycas-Into-A-Good-Book/294422537236924
http://www.facebook.com/katecarlislebooks

Don’t put it off! The contest ends soon, so you need to enter right away!

Here’s my recap of last week’s reading and what I am planning this week.

*All books are linked to Amazon

FINISHED

Crush: The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Love

I think I was sent these books by mistake as they are kids books 🙂

Vote

My Thoughts

A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die (Local Foods Mystery)

Edith Maxwell will be my guest for Cozy Wednesday this week!!

Steamed to Death (A GOURMET DE-LITE MYSTERY)

Review Will Be Up Tomorrow
Close Knit Killer (A Knitting Mystery)

Review Coming Soon!!

CURRENTLY READING

What Maisie Knew (Movie Tie-In)

This book is free on Kindle as I right this post.
Just click the book cover above.

ON DECK

Monument to the Dead (A Museum Mystery)

For Review
Looming Murder: A Weaving Mystery

Carol Ann Martin will be my guest for Cozy Wednesday next week!

A Diet to Die For: A Skinny Mystery (Skinny Mysteries)

For Review
I pushed this one in hopes the author will do a guest post next week.
Release Date: June 25, 2013

Click Here To See All My Current Giveaways!!

Happy Reading Everyone!!!

blacktrans — Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Comments (15) on “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?”

Teddyree says:

June 16, 2013 at 10:54 PM

Ooh a cozy knitting mystery sounds appealing 🙂 Off to check out the fun contest. You have a great week Lori and as always enjoy those reads!
shelleyrae @ Book'd Out says:

June 16, 2013 at 11:09 PM

So much cozy goodness:)

Read on!
Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out
fanficfan44 says:

June 16, 2013 at 11:16 PM

I can’t wait to get Steamed to Death. I really liked the first one in the series.
ponderingbks says:

June 17, 2013 at 1:33 AM

I hadn’t heard of A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die. I’m getting behind. I cannot wait to read Monument to the Dead. I love that series. I just have to be able to squeeze it in. Happy Reading!
Silver's Reviews says:

June 17, 2013 at 8:42 AM

Love your cozy books. ENJOY your week.

Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My It’s Monday, What Are You Reading
Kathy Martin says:

June 17, 2013 at 9:08 AM

I always love the covers and titles of the cozies you post. I should really read some of them. Come see my Monday Report here. Happy reading!
carfor12 says:

June 17, 2013 at 9:08 AM

I have added Monument to the Dead to my wish list! My It’s Monday list can be seen here: http://meandu-justthinking.blogspot.ca/2013/06/its-monday-what-are-you-reading_17.html
harvee says:

June 17, 2013 at 10:32 AM

I love looking at all these cozies!
laurelrainsnow says:

June 17, 2013 at 10:48 AM

I’m curious about the Skinny Mystery….enjoy your reads! Thanks for visiting my blog.
Melissa says:

June 17, 2013 at 10:50 AM

Love the cozies! – Have a great week! =)
Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader says:

June 17, 2013 at 11:06 AM

So many cozy books! I hope you enjoy each and every one 🙂

Have a great week, happy reading!
katsrus says:

June 17, 2013 at 4:03 PM

Thanks for the fun contest. I am reading Hillbilly Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus and then I am going to read Home To Whiskey Creek by Brenda Novak.
Sue B
Jamie says:

June 17, 2013 at 4:24 PM

Monument to the Dead looks good. Hope you like it.
Here is my Monday .
yvonne473 says:

June 17, 2013 at 9:38 PM

Have a great week!

Comments are closed.

5 stars!
A fabulous start to an
exciting new, historical cozy mystery series.
~Boys’ Mom Reads!

Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn:
An Ariadne Winter Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎
Power to the Pen
(October 2, 2024)

Stumbling across a dead body could be the making … or breaking of an aspiring reporter.

During 1958, when the workforce is predominantly male, societal norms dictate women should be compliant, fashionable housewives. To Ariadne Winter, the sole tradition she aims to embrace is that of being fashionable. Amidst the ambiance of Ivy Tree Inn, where she's been dispatched as a writer for Ladies’ Lifestyle Magazine, her focus wavers as she grapples with an interview assignment concerning a Hollywood starlet on the cusp of royal matrimony—an event hailed as the "Wedding of the Century." While Ariadne dutifully attends to her task, her heart yearns for the pursuit of her collegiate ambition: to be an investigative reporter for a renowned newspaper.

However, fate intervenes when she discovers a dead body and recognizes the opportunity it presents to write her way into the role she desires. Yet, as Ariadne delves deeper into the lives of the inn's inhabitants, she uncovers a labyrinth of intertwined relationships and long-buried secrets among guests and staff alike, yielding a plethora of suspects. With a murderer on the loose, her magazine deadline looming, and the inn cordoned off by authorities, Ariadne faces a race against time to untangle the web of deceit and solve the murder before she loses more than just her job.

Serving Up Suspense with Style
Ellenbutler.net Instagram Facebook

Also written by Ellen Butler

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

12/15/2024

I highly recommend A Room for Murder! It’s a very quick read, has wonderful characters, and a fun, ghostly mystery! I also recommend the other books in the Charlie Kingsley Mysteries!
~Christy’s Cozy Corners

A Room for Murder
(Charlie Kingsley Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting - Wisconsin -
In the 1990s
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Love-Based Publishing (November 2, 2024)

A Room For Murder For is Book 4 in The Charlie Kingsley Cozy Novella series by USA Today bestselling author Michele PW (Pariza Wacek). Ideal for cozy mystery fans, especially readers who love clean, twisty, and funny cozy mysteries that include tea, pets, baking, small towns, and quirky side characters.

Charlie's very first case!

Normally Darla, the ghost that haunts the Redemption Inn, behaves herself. Relatively speaking.

Nancy, the owner of the Redemption Inn, swears that Darla is harmless. At least, mostly harmless. Maybe she plays a few pranks on some unsuspecting guests, but it's all in good fun.

Until one of the hotel guests is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, and Darla is the one who's blamed.

With the threat of guests canceling and her business on the line, Nancy turns to Charlie to help find the real culprit so Darla can rest in peace.

Meet Charlie. Better known as "Aunt Charlie" from the award-winning Secrets of Redemption series. She's back, making teas and solving cases in this funny, twisty, cozy mystery series set in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin.

Author Links
Website Facebook Instagram

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N

The Rest of the Series

Find all Michele Pariza Wacek's books HERE.

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

1/31/2025

I stayed up late and read the whole thing in one night. Alone with a Tasman Tiger was an entertaining read with interesting characters in unique settings that grabbed me from page 1.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Alone with a Tasman Tiger
(Chic Charlie)
Australian Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Settings – Brisbane, Sydney, Tasmania and London
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stanley Press
(September 23, 2024)

A high stakes race. A missing friend and a search for the impossible.

In the Tasmanian wilderness six contestants battle it out to win $250,000. Only five finish.

In Bass Strait the Blue Gazelle yacht tackles fierce winds, huge waves and a phantom vessel, in its race to win the Tattersall Cup.

In London a fashion designer learns about a Belarussian scientist, possibly involved with a deadly technology.

In Hobart a search party is launched for a missing sailor.

At the centre of investigations are two feisty sleuths, Galina Ivanov and Charlotte Harmon, who are looking for clues which could save their partners and stop the spread of a devastating weapon.

Can they find them before all hope is lost?

Purchase Links
Amazon US Amazon AU Apple Tolino/Thalia Vivlio Kobo Barnes and Noble

Book 1 in this Series
An Extraordinary Wedding: After a dramatic journey to the altar
(Chic Charlie)
by Jane Ellyson
Thorpe Bowker
(November 22, 2023)

Charlotte is a fashion designer creating her own wedding dress while delivering costumes for the bridal party of an Indian wedding. It’s an arranged marriage and the bride-to-be, who is now staying in Charlotte’s fashion design studio, is having doubts.

Scott her fiancé, is locked up in quarantine spending time alternately writing his wedding vows and competing in a fitness competition with his sailing crew who are also contained in the hotel. Discovery of paint splatters on her own wedding dress is a first clue that the Indian bride-to-be has been kidnapped.

Humour is ever present in the daily call between Charlotte and her best friend Miranda who now lives in London, is painfully pregnant and is a self-appointed organiser for their wedding. Best-man Mason, married to Miranda, is a journalist, constantly on the lookout for an intriguing story.

Both bridal parties want to ensure that as few people as possible are aware of what’s happening in the run up to their big day.

While Charlotte wants a simple wedding, her parents want something special. As a result of everything that transpires, something extraordinary results.

A mystery and a romance with a healthy dash of suspense, culminating in a surprising start to a happily ever after. All set in the delightfully sleepy town of Bangalow in northern, New South Wales, Australia.

Author Links
Twitter/X Facebook Threads Linked In

Find more books written by Jane Ellyson HERE.

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

12/31/2024

Coming January 25, 2025

Soft Serve Sleighing
(Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting - New York
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gemma Halliday Publishing
(January 28, 2025)
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DLHPWDNT

From author Lena Gregory comes a delightfully delicious cozy mystery...

With most of Eastern Long Island closed down for a blizzard, Danika Delaney and her friends are holed up in her old fashioned malt shop, the Coffee & Cream Café, with ice cream and hot chocolate. However, their plans to wait out the storm in cozy company are interrupted when a popular YouTuber and her two companions show up at the door—they've been trapped by the storm, and Dani generously offers to serve them breakfast. But her generosity isn't rewarded in kind, as the reviewer then tries to extort money from Dani in exchange for a good review! When the storm finally clears, Dani is happy to have seen the last of them.

Or so she thought.

Dani and her friends decide to go sleigh riding the morning after the storm clears, but instead of a winter wonderland, they find the extorting YouTuber...dead! To make matters worse, Dani suddenly finds herself accused of the woman's murder. Intent on restoring her reputation, Dani sets out to prove she didn’t do it. This is one storm she's not sure she can weather...

Author Links
Newsletter   Website    Facebook
Facebook Fan Page
X (Twitter)
   Goodreads    Pinterest

The Rest of the Series

Also Written By Lena Gregory

Find More Books By Lena Gregory Here.

Click on the covers for more information or to order by Amazon.

2/28/2025

Being the dog lover I am I admit that sometimes I decide to read a book solely based on its cover. I’m here to report that in addition to a great cover, this was an excellent, page-turning mystery.
~Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books

Cayman Conundrum:
A Liz Adams Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting - Grand Cayman
Publisher ‏ : ‎
Wild Hawk Press
(June 29, 2024)

Sun-kissed sands and sinister secrets. A honeymoon in paradise turns perilous in this riveting seaside mystery.

A tropical vacation transforms into a web of danger and deception when an author and his manuscript vanish. Is his thriller about money laundering in the Caribbean too close to the truth?

With the stakes high and time ticking, Private Investigator Liz Adams and her new husband, Brad, along with their truth-sniffing Labrador, Duke, partner with the local authorities to unravel a multitude of crimes. As they search for clues, the newlyweds explore the delights of the island, including a hunt for buried treasure.

Will they unearth the clues in time, or will the honeymoon end in heartbreak? Set against the backdrop of the stunning island of Grand Cayman, this cozy mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Author Links
Website - Facebook - Amazon Instagram

Purchase Links
Amazon Paperback Link Amazon Ebook Link
Barnes and Noble

The Rest of the Series

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

12/31/2024

5-STAR REVIEW
The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive is a humorous, quirky story with a darling love story that ends in a jaw-draping cliffhanger.
~Novels Alive
The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive
(The Redemption Detective Agency)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - Wisconsin
Publisher ‏ : ‎
Love-Based Publishing
(October 15, 2024)

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or maybe a gin and tonic.

Emily Hildebrandt has run into a bit of a rough patch. She's lost her job, her fiance and her apartment. Still, she never expected to be desperate enough to accept an invitation to live with her eccentric Aunt Tilde in Redemption, Wisconsin.

But, beggars can't be choosers. Even if part of the deal is she has to pretend to work at her aunt's latest hair-brained scheme, The Redemption Detective Agency.

Seriously, the woman is a retired nurse. Why does she think she's remotely qualified to run a detective agency, especially in a creepy little town like Redemption?

But, when a strange phone call suddenly thrusts them into an actual case, Emily finds herself hoping her aunt really does know what she's doing ... or an innocent person may be the one to suffer the consequences.

A spin-off from the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series! The Redemption Detective Agency is a funny, twisty cozy mystery series set in the 1990s featuring silver sleuths solving cold cases. Great for fans of the Thursday Murder Club.

Author Links
Website Facebook Instagram

Purchase Links
Amazon – B&N
Coming August 26, 2025
Coming September 23, 2025

Find all of Michele's books HERE.

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

1/31/2025

Start at the beginning of this FUN Series!

Witchy Wednesday is FREE on the author's website until 10/31/2024

Witchy Wednesday:
A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (A Tabitha Chase Days of the Week Mystery)
by Denise Jaden
1st in Series
Publisher ‏ :
‎ Denise Jaden Books
(February 9, 2022)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 465 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09LRV4Q8P

The murder of a witch, a seaside town selling the supernatural, and a realtor-turned-sleuth, rediscovering her purpose.

When self-proclaimed realist and realtor Tabitha Chase takes a trip to small-town Crystal Cove to sell her late aunt’s houseboat, nothing is what it seems on the surface, including a local witch’s cause of death.

Tabby’s spreadsheets and staging skills won’t solve the case, but her newly inherited psychic cat might. With the help of a fetching forensics expert and a dashing detective, Tabby hopes to clear her name from suspicion and discover the truth.

Join this witchy cast of characters in the small beach town of Crystal Cove where Tabby may be the only person who can see past the shroud of illusions.

A mystery for every day of the week!

The Ultimate Paranormal Cozy Mystery Bundle

Grab these clean mysteries with a touch of magic now to travel with Tabby to the seaside town of Crystal Cove!
Get Books 1-7 of the Tabitha Chase Days of the Week Mysteries plus the bonus mystery Dead-end Weekend!

Denise Jaden also writes the Mallory Beck Cozy Culinary Capers!
You can find them HERE.

She also writes Olivia Ocean Cruise Ship Mysteries!
Get Book 1 - Murder in the Hidden Cargo Hold HERE.

Author Links
Website Bookshop Facebook Twitter/X
Instagram GoodReads BookBub

Get cozy with a new book today!

11/30/2024

5-STAR REVIEW
Apple Dumpling Murder was a quick read, and I was entertained from the first page to the last.
~Novels Alive

Apple Dumpling Murder:
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
(Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries)
by Trixie Silvertale
2nd in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎
Sittin' On A Goldmine Productions LLC
(October 1, 2024)

NEW SERIES from USA Today Bestselling Author!

Santa’s daughter is happily settling into her life as a baker. Could a fresh murder burn her biscuits?

Cindy Claus loves exploring the human world and baking amazing treats. She should be bubbling over when her aging landlord takes her under his wing and promises to leave her the bakery in his will. However, before she can stir up a celebration, her patron collapses, dead, like a bad soufflé.

With suspicion instantly falling on the budding baker, Cindy must rely on her fragile new friendships and her father’s trusted arctic fox. She’ll have to sidestep local law enforcement as she gathers crumbs, and one wrong move could crush her dreams…

Can Cindy find the proof she needs, or will this villain punch down her last hope?

Apple Dumpling Murder is the second book in the festive paranormal cozy series, Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries. If you like kind-hearted heroines, furry sidekicks, and a dash of mistletoe magic, then you’ll love Trixie Silvertale’s seasonal secrets.

Buy Apple Dumpling Murder to blind bake a killer today!

*Features recipes from Cindy’s bakery!

Author Links
Trixie’s Website
Trixie’s Patreon
Amazon Author Page
BookBub    Instagram
  Facebook

Book 1 in the Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries Series

Also written by Trxie Silvertale

Written with Molly Fitz

Trixie also writes the Mitzy Moon Mysteries.
Find them HERE.
Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

11/30/2024

I have adored reading all eight books in this series . . . And while endings are hard, this was handled beautifully. Well done!
~SARAH CAN’T STOP READING BOOKS

Booked on Murder
(A Haunted Library Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Setting - Connecticut
Publisher ‏
‎ Crooked Lane Books (August 6, 2024)

Librarian Carrie Singleton must catch a killer before she can say “I do” in the 8th delightful installment in Agatha Award-nominee Allison Brook’s Haunted Library mystery series.

Carrie Singleton is ready to kiss the single life goodbye. Her wedding to Dylan Avery is just a few weeks away, and a happy ending is about to be hers. But when a body is found on the lawn of their wedding venue, happily-ever-after is looking deadlier than ever.

The victim turns out to be Billy Carpenter, a young man recently released from prison after serving time for a bank robbery. The stolen money he’d buried is gone and Carrie and the police suspect Billy’s two alleged co-conspirators, his friends Luke Rizzo and Tino Valdez. But then Luke is murdered and Tino is nowhere to be found.

With no leads and only a week to go before her big day, Carrie is on the hunt for clues. She hopes to wrap up this investigation with a neat bow before she and Dylan tie the knot. Carrie has something old, something new, and something borrowed ready for her walk down the aisle. Now she needs to find the killer without becoming the ‘something blue.’

Author Links
Website and Newsletter
Sign Up
Amazon Page Facebook Goodreads Pinterest Instagram BookBub
Twitter/X:
@MarilynLevinson
@AllisonBrookML

Buy Links:
Amazon
Penguin Random House B&N BAM Bookshop.org
Hudson Booksellers Powell's Target Walmart

The Rest of the Series

Find books written as Marilyn Levinson here.

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

11/30/2024

5 stars! The story wastes no time getting to the murder, from there, it’s constant action.
~Boys’ Mom Reads!

Essentials of Murder:
An Aromatherapy Apothecary Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - California
Publisher ‏ : ‎
Harbor Lane Books, LLC.
(September 24, 2024)

After a scandalous arrest in San Francisco, Carissa Carmichael has moved back to her small Southern California hometown to start over as she opens her Aromatherapy Apothecary shop and reflexology services. A tourist destination, Oak Creek Valley, seems the perfect place to put the past behind her, but it seems no one will let her forget. When she finds the man who threatened to drive her out of business murdered in her shop, Carissa becomes the primary suspect, especially when her fingerprints are found on the murder weapon. Despite her father’s position as Oak Creek Valley’s chief of police, most townspeople assume she’s guilty.

Refusing to run again, Carissa knows she must prove her innocence to save her shop and save her father’s career when the investigating detective turns his focus on her. With suspects acting as slippery as the essential oils she distills, it’s up to Carissa to apply pressure and sniff out the truth before it’s too late.

Includes essential oil and reflexology tips.

Author Links:
Website Facebook
Twitter (X) Goodreads
Pinterest

Also written by Kim Davis

Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

12/31/2024

This was a well-written, quick-paced mystery, and such an enjoyable read.
~View from the Birdhouse

Murder, She Wrote:
A Killer Christmas
Cozy Mystery
59th in Series
Setting - Maine
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley
(October 8, 2024)

It’s Christmastime in Cabot Cove, but there’s more homicide than ho-ho-ho in the newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series.

Christmas is not an easy time to sell a house, but in Boston tycoon John Bragdon, Cabot Cove Realtor Eve Simpson has found a buyer for the old Jarvis homestead. Unfortunately, Eve gets a lump of coal in her stocking in the form of Kenny Jarvis, who has been missing for years and presumed dead but has now come back to stop his sister from selling their childhood home.

Eve presses on, organizing a welcome dinner for Bragdon and his wife, Rose Marie, to meet the leading citizens of the town, including Jessica Fletcher. Dinner is interrupted by an uninvited guest—not Santa but Kenny, who threateningly promises Rose Marie she will never live in his house.

When Rose Marie is found dead a few days later, Kenny is the natural suspect. But Jessica isn′t so sure he′s on the naughty list . . .

Purchase Links
Amazon – B&N – Kobo
Bookshop.org
PenguinRandomHouse

Author Links
Webpage Facebook

Also by Terrie Farley Moran

Find her Read Em and Eat Mysteries HERE.
She also co-writes the Scrapbooking Mysteries with Laura Childs.

You can find all 59 books in the Murder She Wrote Series HERE.
Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.
12/31/2024

It’s an engrossing, intriguing, fast-paced book with lovable characters... I love every minute of this series.
~Socrates Book Reviews
via Amazon Review

Donor 73101:
A PIP Inc. Mystery
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting - California
Publisher ‏ : ‎
Good Read Mysteries
(August 15, 2024)

Aiden O’Rourke needed cash to help pay for college so he made money by selling his sperm. He was young, attractive, smart…and popular. Now many years later, his offspring are coming forward—eleven of them and counting—and connecting on a website they created called Donor73101.com.

Pat Pirard, Santa Cruz County Law Librarian turned PI, is approached by next-door neighbors Tina and Robin who want to start a family. Because Tina was conceived via sperm donation, they want to be 100% certain that their baby and Tina won’t have the same father.

It doesn’t take Pat long to determine that Aiden O’Rourke was Tina’s sperm donor. It also doesn’t take her long to discover that one by one, his offspring are being murdered. By whom and why? Well, that’s a mystery.

Purchase Link
Amazon

Author Links
Website Facebook Goodreads

The Rest of the Series

Find All of Nancy's Books HERE.

Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

12/31/2024

New from Kathleen Bailey!

When the Carnival Came:
An Olivia Penn Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting - Virginia
Publisher ‏ :
‎ Rhino Publishing LLC
(November 12, 2024)

A mysterious murder at an abandoned military base. A carnival has rolled into town. The shocking connection forces her to choose between a dear friend and her new love.

Spring is blooming in Apple Station, Virginia, and Olivia Penn's new romance is heating up. With love in the air and the carnival in town, life seems picture-perfect—until a stranger arrives at her door with carnations and a cryptic message for her friend.

When Olivia follows the trail and finds her friend standing over a dead body, she discovers there’s more to the carnival than just fun and games. Compelled to keep an impossible secret from both her new love and the police, Olivia is recruited to go undercover and investigate who among the quirky carnival crew had a motive for murder.

In a race to protect her friend and solve the crime, she must trust a man she never expected to see again. Together, they execute a daring plan to bring a killer to justice and save the lives of thirty very precious, valuable feathered friends.

With the killer on the verge of vanishing without a trace, justice—and her life—hinge on quick thinking and a bold move. Will she and her new love survive to see another day?

When the Carnival Came is the fourth book in the award-winning The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. When the Carnival Came is a small-town, cozy mystery brimming with heart and humor, featuring a charming cast of characters and a fast-paced, twisty plot. Action-packed and full of suspense, this clean, cozy thrill ride will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Purchase Links
Amazon - B&N - Bookshop.org Alibris

Author Links
Website Amazon Bookbub Instagram

The Rest of the Series

Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

1/31/2025

New from Jackie Layton!

The Con:
An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - Georgia
Publisher ‏ :
‎ Level Best Books
(August 27, 2024)

Professional organizer Kate Sloan is hired by Ben Houser to organize his office at Seaside Hideaway Resort on Fox Island. Ben tells everybody he’s planning to revamp the resort. Ben throws money around and convinces people to invest with him. The first problem is, Ben’s a con man. The second problem is, Kate finds his dead body.

The killer believes Kate has incriminating evidence, and she must solve the mystery before she’s next on the hitman’s list.

Author Links
Facebook Pinterest Twitter/X Instagram Threads Goodreads BookBub Website

Purchase Links
Amazon ebook
Amazon Paperback
Kobo Kobo Canada
B&N ebook B&N Paperback

Book 1 in this Series
Clutter Free:
An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery by Jackie Layton

Also written by Jackie Layton

Find all of Jackie's Books HERE.

Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

11/30/2024

Barks and Clues was cute, fast-paced, and entertained me. It was an easy read that allowed the reader to escape real life for a little while.
~Novels Alive

Barks and Clues:
A Canine Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - Small Town USA
Publisher ‏ :
‎ Independently Published
(May 22, 2024)

If you like a cozy mystery that has…
A fun, clean whodunit with twists and turns.
Three generations of one family sleuthing together.
Dog detectives sniffing out clues and bad guys.
A small town with hidden secrets.
A close-knit community coming together to solve crime.
… then this is the short read book for you.

Dog detectives sniffing out justice one mystery at a time.

In the small town of Sunridge Junction, the town’s peaceful life is disrupted by a string of mysterious break-ins that leave residents on edge.

Meet three unlikely detectives: Digger, the bossy mini dachshund; Dash, the resourceful beagle; and Daisy, the tenacious chihuahua. With their noses to the ground, they find clues that even the local police miss.

Maya Thompson, a retired police detective, her amateur sleuth son and granddaughter, work side-by-side with the furry detectives to make sure justice is served.

Will our daring animal and human detectives crack the case and catch the culprits before more break-ins shake their community?

Author Links
Website Facebook BookBub Goodreads Instagram

Links to Purchase:
A Canine Cozy Mystery Series
Series Links
Amazon U.S. Link
Amazon Universal Link

Barks and Clues
Amazon U.S. Link
Amazon Universal Link

Find all of Sharon's books HERE.
Click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.

11/30/2024

NEW FROM
MOLLIE COX BRYAN
The Much-Loved Buttermilk Creek Series Continues!

Moo River:
A Buttermilk Creek Mystery Novella
Independently Published
October 5, 2024
Print length ‏ : ‎ 115 pages
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DCGD348H

Fall is always busy in the village of Shenandoah Springs, Virginia, and this year is no exception. Brynn McAlister is juggling the grand opening of a new local business and preparations for the big Harvest Festival.

But when expensive koi fish vanish from Sally’s Pond Plants & Supplies, and Brynn’s mischievous bull calf, along with a close friend, are accused of the crime, she vows to find the real thief—no matter what the local police say. And if that one officer happens to have just asked her to the police ball? Well, that only complicates things.

In a village where gossip travels fast and everyone has a theory, Brynn will need all her wits—and maybe a bit of luck—to solve the case before the festival starts.

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Previous Books In The Series

Find more books by Mollie Cox Bryan HERE.

And Mollie writing as Maggie Blackburn HERE.

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11/5/2024

Lovely characters and a charming setting are the icing on the lemon cake. I look forward to reading more in this series!
~Reading is my Superpower

Keeled Over at the Cliffside:
A Delicious Seaside Cozy Mystery
Sandcliff Mysteries
1st in Series
Setting - California
Independently Published
(August 15, 2024)

In the charming seaside town of Saltcliff on the Sea, Dahlia Vale's life is about to take a dramatic twist. Leaving behind her monotonous job as a defense contractor, Dahlia inherits her late sister Daisy’s cozy inn and a new role as guardian to her spirited niece, Diantha. But Saltcliff holds more than just new beginnings; it hides whispers of past loves, local feuds, and a string of suspicious deaths that soon draw Dahlia into their depths.

Navigating her new life with the loyal Taco, her service dog, at her side, Dahlia stumbles upon secrets that Daisy left behind. The quaint Saltcliff Bed & Breakfast becomes center stage for these mysteries as Dahlia uncovers links between a controversial local chef's death and her sister’s secretive gardening habits. As Dahlia delves deeper, aided by the astute Detective Owen Sanderson, she finds herself untangling a web of betrayal, blackmail, and hidden motives—all under the guise of serving the perfect morning scones to her guests.

With each chapter, Dahlia transitions from an outsider to a beloved figure in the community, piecing together clues with a charm only a true amateur sleuth could possess. Amidst the culinary delights and scenic walks on the beach, “Keeled Over at the Cliffside” crafts a tapestry of intrigue and murder, testing Dahlia's wit and pulling her further into the heart of Saltcliff's darkest secrets. Will Dahlia serve justice as adeptly as she serves her guests?

Step into the pages of this culinary cozy mystery, where every character has a story, and the truth is as layered as a well-baked pastry. Perfect for fans of a good puzzle and a great plate of food (or those who just love a loyal Labrador), this book promises to be a delicious read from start to finish.

Join Dahlia, Diantha, and Taco as they discover that even the most picturesque towns can hide the most sinister secrets.

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Coming October 24, 2024
Bumped Off at the Bake Sale: A Delicious Seaside Culinary Mystery (Saltcliff Mysteries) by Nancy Stewart
Gilmore Girls meets Murder She Wrote in the mystery series you can't put down!

Dahlia Vale is finding her rhythm in small-town life, balancing inn management and unexpected guardianship with growing confidence. She's even volunteered to head the Saltcliff Festival's annual bake sale, turning her stress-baking hobby into a community asset. But just as Dahlia thinks she's got everything under control, the festival takes an unsavory turn.

Dorothy Withers, the cantankerous English teacher and festival organizer, goes missing on the day of the event. Even Dahlia's ever-observant service dog, Taco, senses something's amiss. When Dorothy is found dead, apparently outsmarted by her own apple pie, Dahlia's precise mind starts connecting dots others might miss.

As suspects pile up like day-old pastries, Dahlia finds herself assisting Detective Sanderson once again. Can her unique perspective and attention to detail help sift through the town's half-truths? And as they work closely together, will Dahlia realize that not all puzzles have clear-cut solutions—especially matters of the heart?

In Bumped Off, Dahlia discovers that the recipe for a happy life often requires improvisation. Between managing a sullen teenager, baking the perfect scone, and catching a killer, she'll learn that sometimes the most important ingredients are the ones that can't be measured.

Join Dahlia for another helping of mystery where the only thing sweeter than solving the crime is finding unexpected connections in a world that doesn't always make sense.

Click on the covers and links for more information or to order by Amazon.

11/15/2024

NOW AVAILABLE!

Murder on the Page
(A Literary Dining Mystery)
Cozy Culinary Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington Cozies
(October 22, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CTDKHJ4G

Featuring twin hooks that cozy readers can’t get enough of—classic books and delicious food—this new series from the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling author of several much loved series, including the Fairy Garden Mysteries and the French Bistro Mysteries, is a delicious treat for mystery lovers, especially fans of Ellery Adams, Krista Davis, and Lauren Elliott.

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a genuinely top-notch party must be in want of a theme. Allie Catt, caterer and personal chef in the beautiful mountain community of Asheville, North Carolina, has devised a winning formula by using her clients’ favorite books as inspiration. Her first themed event is based on Pride and Prejudice (Allie’s cat, Darcy, approves), and it’s so popular that soon she has grand ideas for future parties based on Rebecca, The Great Gatsby, Babette’s Feast and more.

Business is booming, and a rival catering company is fuming. But there’s a sting in the tale when the aunt of one of Allie’s clients and best friends, Tegan, is murdered. Tegan is the victim’s sole heir, and quickly becomes the main suspect. Allie has no doubts about her friend’s innocence, but how to prove it?

Once again, her love of literature comes to the rescue, and with some guidance from her favorite fictional detectives, including Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Allie sifts through the clues. With a little luck—and the kind of pluck that would make Elizabeth Bennett proud—she may be able to stop a killer from serving up a second course of murder . . .

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Also by Daryl Wood Gerber
The Fairy Garden Mysteries

Find more books by Daryl Wood Gerber here.

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10/31/2024

Peach Tea Smash left me feeling as happy as a clam at high tide.
~The Avid Reader

Peach Tea Smash
(A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
28th in Series
Setting - South Carolina
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley
(August 6, 2024)

Murder at an Alice in Wonderland–themed event threatens to send Theodosia Browning through the looking glass in the latest entry in this New York Times bestselling series.

During the Mad Hatter Masquerade, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Opera on the grounds of the old Pendleton Grist Mill, Harlan Sadler, husband of Cricket Sadler, the chairwoman, is killed. He’s been hit in the head with a croquet mallet, and his body hung on the chains and paddles of the grist mill. Nobody can figure out why since Harlan was much beloved by everyone. It’s only after Cricket and Delaine beg Theodosia to investigate that she realizes the killer might have mistaken Harlan for his crazy son, Duke. After all, Duke is a slum landlord and recently injured a woman in a boating accident.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

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The Rest of the Series

The Scrapbooking Mysteries

The Cackleberry Club Series

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

Congratulations to Bev R. (Michigan). She has won a paprback copy of Gingerbread Danger by Amanda Flower.

Congratulations to Anne B. (New Mexico). She has won a paperback copy of Death Scene by Carol J. Perry.

Congratulations to Rebecca G. (Utah). She has won a Kindle copy of Scam Chowder by Maya Corrigan.

Congratulations to Melody J. (Virginia). She has won a paperback copy of In the Blink of a Pie by Catherine Bruns.

Congratulations to Christa R. (Minnesota). She has won a paperback copy of Fondue or Die by Korina Moss.

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December 5 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
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December 8 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
December 9 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
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December 10 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
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December 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 9 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
December 9 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
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December 10 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
December 11 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 11 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
December 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 13 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
December 6 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
December 7 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – RECIPE
December 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 10 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 11 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
December 12 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
December 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
December 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
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December 16 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
December 17 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
December 18 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
December 6 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
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December 8 – Rebecca M. Douglass, Author – REVIEW
December 9 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
December 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 11 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
December 12 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
December 13 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
December 14 – Reading Authors Network – AUTHOR GUEST POST
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December 15 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 16 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
December 16 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
December 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
December 17 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
December 18 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
December 19 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

"Scads of red herrings, peeks behind the show-biz curtain, and bountiful appended recipes will leave fans smiling contentedly."
~Kirkus Reviews on BULLETPROOF BARISTA

Bulletproof Barista
(A Coffeehouse Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
20th in Series
Setting - New York
Berkley
(November 14, 2023)

When a film crew’s location shoot delivers an actual shooting, Clare Cosi finds herself at the scene of a true crime in this showstopping entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Only Murders in Gotham, the smash-hit streaming program, is famous for filming in authentic New York locations and using real New Yorkers as extras. For its second season, they’ve chosen to spotlight the century-old Village Blend and its quirky crew of baristas. Shop manager and master roaster Clare Cosi is beyond thrilled, especially when her superb bulletproof coffee lands her a craft services contract for the production.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the landmark shop, reveals an old kinship with the star of the show, comedian Jerry Sullivan. Now a Hollywood legend, Jerry frequented the Blend during his early years performing in Greenwich Village comedy clubs. But the past may hold more than nostalgia for Jerry. Suspicious accidents begin plaguing his shoot. Then a real bullet is fired from a stage gun, and Clare becomes convinced something sinister is afoot.

While Jerry’s production moves to exciting new locations, Clare keeps the coffee flowing—and her investigation going—even as a murderer lurks in the wings. But can she root out the rotten player in this Big Apple production before the lights go out on her?

Includes a stellar menu of surefire recipes!

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Also written by Cleo Coyle

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Recurring

New from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

The Ghost Goes to the Dogs
(Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting - Rhode Island
Berkley (May 2, 2023)

A stray dog leads bookseller Penelope McClure and her gumshoe ghost on a chase for a cunning criminal in this brand-new entry in the "UTTERLY CHARMING" (Mystery Scene) Haunted Bookshop Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Pet Mystery Week brings brisk business to Penelope's Rhode Island bookshop, but a real mystery comes barking at her door when a lost dog turns up in a panic. Pen and her son Spencer follow the furry fugitive to a wooded area where the dog's owner lies unconscious. Mrs. Cunningham is a warm-hearted widow who volunteers at the animal shelter and runs Buy the Book's pet lovers book club. Why would anyone shoot such a sweet soul?

The police believe it's an accident, a shot by a careless deer hunter, but Pen remains skeptical. To straighten out this doggone mess, she whistles for the ghost of PI Jack Shepard, an expert in hounding as well as haunting. Jack has a dog story of his own, a case from the 1940s that may help Pen sniff out clues to her present predicament. Yet even with Jack's hard-boiled help, Pen may not be able to stop the killer from striking again or letting this whole case go to the dogs...

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The Rest of the Series!

Also by Cleo Coyle

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Recurring

New from Ellen Byron

French Quarter Fright Night
(Vintage Cookbook)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting -
The Garden District of New Orleans
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Severn House
(September 3, 2024)

The third in the fabulous cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron.

Welcome to the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear! Prepare for the spookiest night of your life . . .

It's Halloween in New Orleans, and the staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum is setting up a fantastic haunted house tour for their visitors. But when flashy movie star Blaine Taggart and his entourage move into the mansion next door, gift shop proprietor Ricki James-Diaz gets a fright of her own.

While Ricki is excited about the potential business the tours will bring to her vintage cookbook shop, she's less thrilled by former friend Blaine's arrival in town. Then Bon Vee's prop tomb becomes a real tomb for Blaine's nasty assistant, and suddenly everyone at Bon Vee is a murder suspect. There isn't a ghost of a chance one of them committed the crime, but with NOPD busy tackling the mischief and mayhem generated by the spooky holiday, it falls on Ricki and her friends to catch the killer.

As the Big Easy gears up for the Big Scary, it seems everyone has skeletons in their closets. Can Ricki reveal the shadowy killer before someone else becomes part of the Halloween horror show?

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Don't Miss

A Very Woodsy Murder
(A Golden Motel Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies
(July 23, 2024)

From Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron, a hilarious new series featuring a sitcom writer who has checked out of the familiar comforts in Studio City and checked in to the quaint village of Foundgold to run a motel. Running a rustic getaway in the woods sure beats LA traffic—until murder ruins the peace and quiet . . .

Down-on-her-luck sitcom writer Dee Stern is flipping the script. Twice divorced and wasting her talents on an obnoxious kids’ show, the lifelong Angeleno embraces the urge to jump in her car and keep driving. It's a road trip with no destination—until she pulls into a mid-century motel filled with cobwebs and retro charm. Nestled in the shadow of a national park, it’s a time capsule of a place that, like her, could use some work. So, in the most impulsive move of her life, Dee teams up with best friend, Jeff Cornetta—who happens to be her first ex-husband—to transform the aging ranch into the Golden Motel-of-the-Mountains, a hiker’s oasis on the edge of the wilderness . . .

But Dee and Jeff soon realize there couldn’t be two people more unprepared for the hospitality business. There’s also the panic-inducing reality of prowling bears and a general store as the only shopping spot for miles. Living and working in the middle of nowhere takes some getting used to—especially when a disrespectful guest ends up murdered! Now, with the motel duo topping the suspect list, Dee must steer clear of a meddling park ranger, face her past in show biz, and determine if the killer is a local or tourist. Because as she quickly finds out, there are many things worse than a one-star review.

Also written by Ellen Byron