Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am so excited to welcome Krista Davis to Escape With Dollycas today to
tell us about her new book/series!
I love starting a new series. There’s nothing that’s more fun than imagining the location and bringing new characters to life.
When I started working on Color Me Murder
Once I had a handle on her boss, the owner of the bookstore, things fell into place. John Maxwell is the ultimate absent-minded professor. He loathes confrontation and is a lousy manager but a great guy. He’s always searching for answers to historic mysteries. And he’s a well-known adventurer with an office full of interesting artifacts from his exotic travels.
Of course, Florrie had to have a boyfriend. But wait, maybe she wasn’t crazy about him. Maybe he would be a pain in the neck. As it turned out, he got her into some hot water with her mom. Not to worry, though, someone much more interesting would turn up soon.
But where to set this story? I seriously considered a small university town. Those still exist, don’t they? But the more I thought about it, the more I saw the bookstore in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. It’s quaint, it’s very cool and chic, and the streets have that lovely neighborly feeling. Plus it’s full of diplomats and intellectuals who would provide fodder for future books.
The character of Mr. DuBois popped up out of nowhere. He’s a wizened old fellow and very proper. As John Maxwell’s butler, he takes care of the mansion and keeps track of the details that John forgets—like breakfast. Mr. DuBois is a bit agoraphobic, and he watches entirely too many true crime programs on TV. He’s an armchair amateur sleuth. Once in a while, he does something that is completely out of character and delights in it.
One of the things I love about the Pen & Ink Mysteries
Oh! Did I mention that the front and back covers can be colored? I can’t wait to see how readers color the covers. In fact, I’m having a contest with prizes for the top three colored covers, to be chosen by a panel of your favorite authors! Stay tuned to my Facebook page and website for more information on the contest.
~Krista
Thank you, Krista, for being my guest today! This book is fantastic!
Now, let me tell you all about it.
Color Me Murder (Pen & Ink)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Washington
Kensington (February 27, 2018)
Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496716408
Kindle ASIN: B0719VDGJ6
Includes A Front and Back Cover for You to Color!
By day, Florrie Fox manages Color Me Read bookstore in Georgetown, Washington D.C. By night, she creates her own intricately detailed coloring books for adults, filling the pages with objects that catch her eye. There’s plenty of inspiration in her new apartment—a beautiful carriage house belonging to Professor John Maxwell, Florrie’s boss. He offers the property to Florrie rent-free with one condition—she must move in immediately to prevent his covetous sister and nephew from trying to claim it.
When the professor’s nephew, Delbert, arrives, he proves just as sketchy as Florrie feared. But the following morning, Delbert has vanished. It’s not until she visits the third floor of the store that Florrie makes a tragic discovery—there’s a trap door in the landing, and a dead Delbert inside. The esteemed Professor Maxwell is an obvious suspect, but Florrie is certain this case isn’t so black and white. Doodling clues, she begins to consider other colorful characters on the scene, all with a motive for murder. With a killer drawing closer, Florrie will need to think outside the lines . . . before death makes his mark again.
Digital edition contains a link to the downloadable color-it-yourself cover art!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
What a unique cover idea. Adult coloring books are huge right now. I gave away quite a few to my family for Christmas with sets of colored pencils. This book brings two favorite things together, a fantastic cozy mystery and color-it-yourself cover art.
When you venture beyond the cover you do find a fantastic mystery. We meet Florrie Fox, manager of the Color Me Read bookstore in Georgetown, Washington D.C. The cool thing, she doesn’t just sell adult coloring books in the store, she has also published several herself. Florrie is quite a doodler and the pictures she creates are truly art. Professor John Maxwell owns the store. He is a traveler, his adventures take him all around the world. His office is full of treasures from his travels. He lives on a huge estate with a butler, Mr. DuBois, who runs the household and keep his friend Maxwell on track. There is a guest house on the estate and Professor Maxwell offers the place to Florrie. She is unhappy in her small apartment and Maxwell would rather have her for a tenant than his unsavory nephew Delbert.
Delbert shows up at the bookstore and Florrie dislikes him instantly. She understands why his uncle doesn’t want him around. When she arrives that next day a wrinkle in the carpet catches her attention, she discovers the carpeting in covering a trap door, but when she lifts it she is shocked to find a very dead Delbert. There is no way to color this picture any other way but tragic and gruesome.
I want to shout about this book from the rooftops!
Krista Davis is a great writer, but she has topped herself with this series debut!
The characters are so smart, engaging, witty, charming, interesting and fun. I love them already and want to know them better. Heck, I want to move into Professor Maxwell’s guest house so I can be a part of their lives every day.
I have only visited Washington D.C. once, but with the author’s descriptions of the area and the bookstore, I could transport myself so easily. All the little details were wonderful. I would love to get lost in all the Color Me Read bookstore has to offer.
The plot was rich and flowed at the perfect pace. I found myself so immersed in the story that I realized I didn’t highlight any parts or make any little notes like I do with most books to help me solve the mystery and write my reviews. I sat down and started reading and didn’t put it down until I reached the final word. Well written and well plotted this book has everything I look for in a story and more.
A charming and compelling read with an ending that surprised me. A perfect escape, no this one was a trip to Paradise. It deserves more than 5 stars!
About The Author
New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Paws and Claws Mysterie
Mystery Lovers Kitchen Twitter Killer Characters
Coming November 27
Coming May 29, 2018
Thanks to the people at Kensington I have 4 ARC copies to give away!
Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US 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.
Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads for 3 Bonus Entries.
Leave a comment for Krista for 5 Bonus Entries!
Sign Up for Krista’s Newsletter for 5 Bonus Entries.
Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 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 11, 2017, at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
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.”
The coloring book concept is fun. The cover stands out in the crowd.
You’ve sold me. Any book you give 10 stars has to be outstanding and worthy of reading!
Your writing is always fantastic. Can’t wait to delve into this one!
Cool book.
Thank you for your wonderful review on “Color Me Murder” by Krista Davis. I love Krista’s books and would love the opportunity to read this one. Love the storyline and characters all sound so perfect. I still can’t get over how original and what a wonderful idea to have the covers that you can actually color – awesome idea.
I appreciate the chance to win a copy of this great book – thank you!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thank you for the giveaway! I love your work and I’m very much looking forward to reading your new series. It sounds fantastic!
A great idea for a series. I’m really intrigued to see how Florrie comes up with her art for coloring books. Thanks for the chance!
Looking forward to reading this, and I love that cover!
I was hoping that someone would use adult coloring books somehow has a premise for a mystery series. YAY! Dollycas this is fab and I already like Krista’s Domestic Diva series so I know this is a sure to add to the WWBL and Mt Git’r’Read.
Sounds like a great read.
Thanks for this lovely feature and giveaway.
Since I love Ms. Davis’ other series I am excited for this new series.
I am already a fan of this author, so I can’t wait to try this series.
Georgetown is a great place to set your series. I love it there. The book sounds great and coloring the cover will be fun.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Hi Krista! Looks like a fun series! Hope I win!
I haven’t read this series yet. I really liked the description of the book and I’m looking forward to reading the book.
I’ve loved Krista Davis books since the very first one! So this is on my to buy list!
You got the top rating! Well done!!!
This sounds really good–I’d love to read it!
What a fun idea not only to have colorable covers but also to include clues in the image.
Of coure I probably couldn’t bring myself to actually color on a book by one of my favorite authors.
I shared a few extra places but don’t know how to get the links. Things keep changing!
This title is on my nightstand to be read next <3
Delightful book. I just loved it and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you for the chance to win! I am looking forward to starting one of your series from the beginning, and this sounds like a fun and intriguing one.
I am pretty new to cozy mysteries and I love them. They are so fun to read!