I am so happy to welcome Kathy Aarons
to Escape With Dollycas today!
Her Chocolate Covered Mysteries
are perfect for a chocolate lover like me 🙂
My Favorite Escape
My favorite escape is to walk on the beach, especially when it’s not crowded. During the summer in San Diego, that means early in the morning. I love the way the marine layer hangs over the ocean, making it look mysterious and keeping the temperature cool. How the beach is different all the time, as the waves dig out the sand in some areas and deposit it in others. How the rising sun highlights the wave caps to a glowing white, and changes the colors of the bluffs to reveal the burnished reds and golds created millions of years ago.
My walks inevitably start with me worrying about my To Do list, but soon the sound of the waves works its magic. My mood improves, my mind starts to wander, and I relax into a more creative state. Solutions to my writing problems pop into my mind and I send myself notes on my cell phone so I won’t forget. Sometimes I walk for a long time without thinking about anything important at all.
After a couple of miles, I head back. More people come me on the beach, perhaps even braving the water, always colder than expected. I walk slower, trying to extend my little vacation from the real world. But soon enough, I reach my car and reality returns.
Until my next escape!
~Kathy
About This Author
Kathy Aarons is the author of the bestselling CHOCOLATE COVERED MYSTERY
Research for the series was such a hardship: sampling chocolate, making chocolate, sampling more chocolate, and hanging out in bookstores.
Kathy grew up in rural Pennsylvania, attended Carnegie Mellon University, and moved to New York City where she built her career in public relations and met her husband. They relocated to California where she became one of “those” moms: running the PTA, fundraising for school foundations, building puppets and creating costumes for youth theater, and cheering on her daughters in hundreds of swim meets and soccer and basketball games.
She began writing when her youngest daughter attended school five days a week and pursued publishing more seriously when her oldest daughter went off to college. She’s dedicated to supporting arts education for youth, volunteering for the CCA Writers Conference, the only free writing conference for high school students in the country. She also serves on the board of Playwrights Project, whose mission is to advance literacy, creativity, and communication by empowering individuals to voice their stories through playwriting programs and theatre productions.
She lives in San Diego with her husband and two daughters where she wakes up far too early, and is currently obsessed with the Broadway Idiot documentary, finding the perfect cup of coffee, and Dallmann’s Sea Salt Caramels.
You can follow Kathy on Facebook or Twitter or visit her at: www.kathyaarons.com.
Truffled to Death
(A Chocolate Covered Mystery)
2nd in Series
Cozy Mystery
Setting – Maryland
Cover Illustration by Mary Ann Lasher
Cover Design by George Long
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
The Berkley Publishing Group (June 2, 2015)
Published by The Penguin Group
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425267240
E-Book ASIN: B00OQRL51Q
Two best friends sell books and bonbons—and solve crimes—in this mystery from the author of Death Is Like a Box of Chocolates
Hoping to sweeten sales for their shop, Chocolates and Chapters, Michelle and Erica host a reception highlighting a new museum display of ancient Mayan pottery curated by Erica’s former mentor, Professor Addison Moody. The evening has a few hiccups, but the ladies soon smooth things over with ample servings of wine and chocolate.
Yet with the sweet comes the bitter. The very next day, the antiquities from the reception are discovered missing. The professor accuses Erica of having sticky fingers, claiming she wants revenge on him. And she’s only in more trouble after he’s found stabbed to death with one of the artifacts. Now Michelle must help Erica track down the real killer before someone else finds themselves in less than mint condition…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
With wine and chocolate you can’t go wrong …can you? Apparently if you have them with Maya antiquities things can turn out badly.
Michelle and Erica thought the reception for the museum’s new display would be great promotion for their book store/chocolate shop, but when some of the pricey pieces fail to make it back where they belong the curator points the finger at Erica. The man, her former mentor, says she is seeking revenge. Well that theory did not have much promise until the man ends up dead and the weapon happens to be one of the missing artifacts. Erika is still on the hot seat so the girls have no choice than to try to track down the killer themselves.
I love the characters in this series. Michelle and Erica have my dream job. Books and chocolate, every town needs a place like Chapters and Chocolate! The author has added an unusual family to the mix this time. The Rivers family is donating some Maya artifacts to the museum but it seems someone in the family in not on board with the rest. Just which one is the mystery. Would they steal and kill to prevent this gift?
Kathy Aarons writing is silky smooth, the story just flows. I found myself doing the just one more chapter thing over and over again until I reached the end. I had an inkling of the guilty party was but the more I read the more I realized I was wrong. Great twists keep us readers guessing. The investigation was very in depth but due to a unexpected event the girls find themselves in a heap of trouble.
I enjoyed the Maya/Mayan debate. I have been using the wrong form of the word forever.
There is only 1 thing that could make this book better. That would be including a box of chocolate truffles with every book.
I am giving away my review copy!
Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US or Canadian mailing address.
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Contest Will End September 17, 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.”
This mystery series sounds like something I could really enjoy while eating chocolate. I would love to read this one. Thanks for the giveaway!
Good luck!
I love my chocolate and my books…your book sounds great! Thanks for the chance!
Love the theme; thanks for the chance 🙂
I enjoyed reading the first book in this series, and I have the second book, Truffled to Death, on my TBR list. I have been wanting to read this book. Chocolate is one of my favorite foods (or it should be a food group). Thank you for the chance to win a copy of the book.
Wine is fine, but you can eat my share of the chocolate – it doesn’t like me. 🙁
Thanks for the opportunity! Sounds like a good read and I’ll be checking out the series.
Chocolate, especially truffles, has to be one of the most enjoyed foods. To have a book, especially a cozy, written that includes this makes any book a hit to me. Thanks so much for the review on your page. robeader53@yahoo.com
Love chocolate, love cozy mysteries. combining the two together–heaven!
I loved the first one and looking forward to this one!
I wonder if I could get a government grant to conduct that kind of research! 😉
I’m looking forward to reading the book.
New to this whole murder mystery books and some I have read I am already hooked. She is a new author for me.
This mystery series sounds intriguing and special. Thanks.
Book sounds intriguing. We also like to walk. It’s a great time to just relax and think about the day.
Chocolate, chocolate – did somebody say chocolate?? Great post and review. Thanks for the giveaway.
This sounds like a great series. I haven’t read any of it yet. But would love the chance to!
This series is on my to be read list. Sigh….so many great books so little time. If only work didn’t get in the way of my reading.
I’m not much for eating chocolate but, reading is another thing. Count me in, please.
Looks like a fantastic read! Love chocolate and I agree, it’s too bad it can’t be marketed with a small box of truffles!! Thanks!
Chocolate should be a food group on the national food chart.
Good luck everyone!
Sounds like a great read. Wine, chocolate and murder. What more could you ask for?
I sampled the new truffle fries potato chips, but I prefer chocolate.
I second Lori’s suggestion of including chocolate with the book! YUM! Series sounds great!
This really loold like a great series. Thank u for the giveaway!
Did someone say chocolate?! LOL It’s a required staple when I’m reading and this cozy sounds delicious!
Sounds such intriguing research, and such a fun series
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW BOOK AND THANKS FOR THE GIVEAWAY!
congrats to Kathy & continued success!!!
Thanks for a great review and synopsis of a book I need to put on my “must read” list. Chocolate? I’m in.
Oh my gosh, I want this book! Wine, chocolate, antiques, mystery, and there is even a cat on the cover!!! All of my favorite things!