I am so happy to Welcome Elizabeth Lynn Casey back to Escape With Dollycas today!
In The Blink Of An Eye
By Elizabeth Lynn Casey (aka Laura Bradford)
I don’t know about all of you but, for me, everything about life seems to be going so fast these days. My oldest is wrapping up her midway point of college, my youngest is wrapping up her midway point of high school, and Tori and Milo—the lead character and her fiancé in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries—are getting married.
Now before you think I’m odd for including the milestone of two fictional characters in my examples of life’s ever-increasing pace, let me remind you that these characters have been a part of my life since 2009. They’ve kept me company in the car after dropping off my girls at school, they’ve whispered in my ear on nights when sleep hasn’t come easy, they’ve made me laugh at times I might not have laughed otherwise, and they’ve been an occasional horizon on which to focus when life’s waters have gotten choppy.
You see, although I’m the one breathing life into Tori, Margaret Louise, Leona, Rose, and the rest of the Sweet Briar Ladies’ Society Sewing Circle, they’re breathing a little life into me, too. Before them, the notion of something I’d written having reached the hands of someone in every state in our country was really just a dream. Now, with them, it’s a reality. Before them, I couldn’t imagine getting letters from readers who got through a tough time in life because of something I’d written. Now, with them, I have an inbox full of that kind of reassurance. Before them, I saw fictional characters as something that kept me amused during the finite length of a book. Now, with them, I know they can claim a little piece of your heart.
That’s what’s happened for me with the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries. The characters have claimed a piece of my heart. I feel their hurt when things don’t go as planned, I laugh with them when something tickles their funny bone, I root for them as they reach for their brass ring in life, and I look back over the years we’ve had together and marvel at just how fast it’s gone.
It seems like just yesterday that I was introducing myself and my readers to Tori, Milo, and the gang in SEW DEADLY
The tenth book…
The. Tenth. Book.
Wow.
Where has the time gone?
~Elizabeth Lynn Casey
P.S. If you hear someone sniffling from the front row of Tori’s wedding this week, it’s probably me.
****
Elizabeth Lynn Casey is the national best-selling author of the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries. The latest installment in the series, WEDDING DURESS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurabradfordauthor and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-Lynn-Casey/286853572181?ref=hl
Twitter: @bradfordauthor and @ElizabethLCasey
Wedding Duress
(Southern Sewing Circle Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Setting: South Carolina
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
The Berkley Publishing Company (April 7, 2015)
Published by The Penguin Group
Cover Illustration by Mary Ann Lasher
Cover Design by Judith Lagerman
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425257869
E-Book ASIN: B00LMGK4GG
Librarian Tori Sinclair is tying the knot—as long as a murder doesn’t unravel her plans…
Tori is ecstatic to become Mrs. Milo Wentworth in a few days, but she has a lot to do before she sashays down the aisle. Favors need to be sewn, vows need to be written—and a mystifying murder needs to be solved.
When Beatrice, a fellow member of the Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle, learns that her former nanny took a fatal fall in her new employers’ home, she suspects the death was not an accident. Now Tori’s spending her last days as a single woman untangling rumors and stitching together motives to find a killer. But can she nab a murderer and make it to the church on time?
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I can’t believe this is the 10th book in this series but it is! The ladies of The Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle have stitched themselves right into my heart from the very first story.
In Wedding Duress
In addition to they circle’s drama, Beatrice is excited that her former nanny is coming across the pond to Sweet Briar to be a nanny for some local children. Beatrice is stunned when the woman is found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs within hours of arriving. She knows it wasn’t an accident and begs Tori to help her find out what really happened.
Another fantastic story from Elizabeth Lynn Casey. I absolutely loved that all the ladies, no matter their age, were part of the wedding party and that time was taken to get the perfect style and the right shade of color for each of them. The description of each dress was vivid so they were very easy to picture in my mind.
Friendship always plays a key part in these stories and this time the ladies surrounded Rose with love and encouragement and also tried to teach Leona a lesson about how hurtful her words could be. Whether the lesson sticks we will have to wait and see.
It was nice to see Beatrice in the center of the mystery. She is always the quiet one and I liked that we got to know her a little better. I was sad though that she did not get to spend more time with her former nanny and friend.
The mystery itself was quite interesting. Right away there seemed to be one definite suspect but the pool of those with means, motive and opportunity continued to grow. As more details were revealed I thought I had it all figured out but my notion split at the seams as Casey added a few final twists to the yarn she was spinning.
I really hate when these stories come to a close. My visit to Sweet Briar always seems too short. I truly cannot wait to visit my favorite ladies again. I also cannot wait to see what Elizabeth Lynn Casey has planned for them next.
Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to give away!
Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US or Canadian mailing address.
Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.
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.
Following the new Google+ Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book Fan Page
will earn you 3 Bonus Entries.
Leave a comment for Elizabeth for 5 Bonus Entries.
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If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End April 23, 2015 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.
CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM
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.”
Thank you for the review and the giveaway. My mom loves this series and I’d love to surprise her with the newest book!!
I cannot believe Tori is 10 stories deep. I have a couple of books to play catch up with. Wow, time flys.
I am looking forward to reading the books in The Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle. They sound great. The cover for Wedding Duress looks gorgeous! Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you for the giveaway. Hope I win
Love the chance to start reading this series. Even if this one is later in the collection. Having books later in the collection on my bookshelf remind of what series I want to start up. 🙂
looks great, thanks for the chance 🙂
I love this series and can not wait to read this book. I actually joined a small quilting group and have never quilted or sewed.
I just started this series and I love it. Thanks for the chance.
Moonbay7399@gmail.com
I love this series! One of my favorite things about this series is the diversity of the group. I love the fact they are different ages and personalities. And as I get older I love that seniors are included! Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Yay! I love weddings and this series!
Good review! Everything I read about this book makes me want to read it.
Love reviews of new books
Thanks for hosting me today, Lori! And I’m thrilled that you enjoyed WEDDING DURESS.
Congratulations Elizabeth/Laura!
Sounds like a great read. I love the book cover.
That is a great guest post. I never thought about, but I see how a character an author creates would be like family to them.
An interesting post and great giveaway. Thanks.
Anxious to read the next installment of this series!
There’s always some last minute thing before a wedding up to and including the death of one of the future in-laws (it happened here in Brooklyn one year). So I’m looking forward to reading this book and seeing how things turn out.
I love this series, I can’t wait to read about the wedding…oh, yeah the murder mystery too, lol. Loved the interview and review!
The series is new for me but I am dying to read this on. A wedding, a librarian, and a mystery. All that is lacking is a furbaby!
That title cracked me up. So clever and can be true. LOL I’m going to have to check out these books. A new series for me!
Can’t wait to read another of your stories.Thanks for this opportunity.
I love mysteries and weddings all in one book. Thank you for sharing
I can’t believe how quickly this time has passed–the tenth book is quite a milestone! Congrats to Elizabeth on the release! Thanks for the chance to win!
It’s good that they keep you busy with stories. Then you never get bored and you always have something new to write about. This sounds like a good one. I do love weddings.
Wow. I haven’t yet read any of the books in this series, so I have a lot of catching up to do! They look very good. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
I’ve read many of these and am looking forward to one! Congratulations!
Congrats on a 10th release. Quite an achievement. I look forward to reading them all.
Can hardly wait to read. A book, a cup of tea, perfect afternoon!!!!!
This is one of my favorite mystery series. Can’t wait to read this newest addition.
This sounds really good. I have some of the earlier books in this series. I need to catch up!
This sounds like a book I would enjoy.
I soo need this to read. I’m getting married in September and I’m a bundle of nerves. I need something fun to read. 🙂
I am so excited to read this! I was hooked on this series ever since I found the first book by accident and read it. The characters are so fun and I’m so excited for Tori and Milo’s wedding!
I just can’t believe there have been so many books in this series already!! I guess when you enjoy them you just don’t keep count.
sounds like a good book thanks for the chance