Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders: A Cozy Mystery Anthology
by Hillary Avis, Benedict Brown, Catherine Coles, Paula Darnell, Connie B. Dowell, Ellen Jacobson, Joann Keder, Patti Larsen, Cate Lawley, Gayle Leeson, Daisy Linh, Rimmy London, R.B. Marshall, Megan Mayfair, Wendy Meadows, Phillipa Nefri Clark, Michele Pariza Wacek, Erin Scoggins, Cathy Tully, Victoria LK Williams and Carly Winter
About Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders
Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders: A Cozy Mystery Anthology
Aye Alba Publishing (June 21, 2022)
Number of Pages ~1600
Digital B09K9NN64X
Poisonous picnics, burgled barbeques, deadly deckchairs… and midsummer mayhem!
From a brilliant bunch of amazing authors, including multiple prizewinners and USA Today best sellers, comes this wonderful collection of 21 summer-themed cozy mysteries.
Featuring peril at the pool, blood on the beach, and felony at the festival, these fabulous stories—21 brand new and exclusive tales—will keep you entertained until long after the sun has set.
With stories from Hillary Avis, Benedict Brown, Catherine Coles, Paula Darnell, Connie B. Dowell, Ellen Jacobson, Joann Keder, Patti Larsen, Cate Lawley, Gayle Leeson, Daisy Linh, Rimmy London, R.B. Marshall, Megan Mayfair, Wendy Meadows, Phillipa Nefri Clark, Michele Pariza Wacek, Erin Scoggins, Cathy Tully, Victoria LK Williams and Carly Winter, you’ll surely find some of your favourite authors and discover some great new writers within the ~1600 pages of this set.
This collection will only be available for a limited time so don’t miss out – grab yourself a bargain today!
Today I am focusing on Loch Ness Murder by Michele Pariza Wacek.
It wouldn’t be Redemption without something weird going on in one of the lakes.
Part of The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in the 1990s.
Redemption, Wisconsin, is a charming little town that has a haunted past. Back in 1888, all the adults disappeared. Only the children were left, and they all swore they had no idea what happened to the adults.
Since then, Redemption had been a hotbed of strange and mysterious events.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Two men arrive in Redemption to research Locky, a monster similar to the famed Loch Ness Monster, believed to be inhabiting Angel Lake. They believe the creature is more likely to be a naiad or water nymph but also admit there could be nothing in the cold deep lake where bodies are rarely recovered.
Will both men survive to publish their research or will Redemption and Angel Lake be more than they can handle?
A superfast fun read from Michele Pariza Wacek.
A trip to the beach has Charlie rescuing one of the men in town to investigate the creature in the water. From there the short story quickly unfolds with lies and deception and some interesting teeth marks.
It was great to have a short visit with Charlie and Pat and whatever creature may or may not be in the lake.
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
And now I am thrilled to welcome Michele Pariza Wacek and Charlie Kingsley to Escape With Dollycas!
Meet Charlie Kingsley: A Character Like No Other
Of all the characters I’ve written about, I can honestly say that Charlie Kingsley is in a league of her own.
When she first came to me, she didn’t even have a name—she was simply the dead aunt who left Becca her house in her will in the beginning of It Began With a Lie
Secrets of Redemption
Eventually, I gave her a name, Lottie, which wasn’t right (she definitely gave me an earful about it). And even though I don’t write paranormal books, she still ended up becoming a force to be reckoned with, appearing in Becca’s dreams to guide her and give her advice.
As I wrote the first three books in the series, Charlie informed me I needed to write her story, about how she first came to Redemption, Wisconsin. So, that became Books 4-5.
Once I published those, I assumed I was done with Charlie.
That was not the case.
A few months later, I got the idea for a Christmas murder mystery starring Charlie. The Murder Before Christmas
Currently, there are three books published in the series, with two more set to be released in 2022, along with a couple of novellas, including Loch Ness Murder, which is included in the Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murder cozy mystery anthology.
So, if you’d like to get to know this powerhouse character, keep reading for a little heart-to-heart.
MPW: Thanks for doing this with me.
CK: Of course. You and I are in this together, after all.
MPW: That is true. So, when did you first realize I was … ‘underutilizing’ you? I guess that would be the best way to describe it …
CK: (Chuckles.) So, first off, I think ALL characters feel underutilized. But what it comes down to is the lengths the characters are willing to go to get noticed. For me, it was about persistence. You kept wanting to stray, and I had to keep reigning you back. Remember that fairy tale retelling project that went nowhere for ten months?
MPW: Um …
CK: You spent ten months writing the first book, and you barely got halfway through the first draft!
MPW: That isn’t one of my prouder ‘moments.’
CK: That’s an understatement. And you were just so stubborn. It took you getting an eye infection during the pandemic before you would slow down long enough to realize the project you should be working on was my story in the Secrets of Redemption series.
MPW: Okay, but give me some credit. I pivoted last summer to start on The Murder Before Christmas pretty quickly.
CK: Yes, you’re improving. Not perfect yet, but definitely getting better.
MPW: Speaking of The Murder Before Christmas
CK: I always knew it was going to be a cozy. I’m not sure why it took you so long to get on board.
MPW: Well, for one, the original series was a psychological suspense.
CK: Yeah, but there are cozy elements in it. Especially in Book 2, This Happened to Jessica
MPW: That’s true.
CK: So, with The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, it just made sense to step fully into the cozy world.
MPW: When you put it that way, it does make sense. So, there are now three books in the series: The Murder Before Christmas, Ice Cold Murder and Murder Next Door…
CK: Don’t forget about the prequel short story, A Grave Error.
MPW: Yes, that too. Also Loch Ness Murder. Do you have a favorite?
CK: Hmmm. I like them all, but for different reasons. I was excited we were finally writing a Christmas mystery … I know we both wanted to do that for a long time.
MPW: That’s true.
CK: But Ice Cold Murder
MPW: I can’t think of anything better.
CK: Although if you ask Claire, she might have a different answer.
MPW: Yeah, that’s why we’re not asking her.
CK: And, Loch Ness Monster was great because it takes place in the summer, and I very much prefer Wisconsin in the summer.
MPW: I think you’re in very good company there. And that leads me to my last question—do you ever get upset with me for all the bad things that happen to you?
CK: That question assumes you’re the one coming up with the bad things.
MPW: Wait … what?
CK: I mean, has it occurred to you that our stories are our stories and you’re just the one writing them down? Honestly, you’re kind of like a glorified secretary.
MPW: Um …
CK: Now, that isn’t to say I don’t get upset with you. But it’s mostly when you get stubborn and start working on other projects and listening to other characters when you should be paying attention to me.
MPW: Okay then. Good to know.
About Michele Pariza Wacek
When Michele was 3 years old, she taught herself to read because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but now she does spend much of her time writing stories. Mystery stories, to be exact. They’re clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn’t enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes and more, at MPWNovels.com. For a free prequel to her cozy mystery series, The Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, visit https://mpwnovels.com/freebies/
Michele holds a double major in English and Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, she lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona with her husband Paul and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.
Author Links
Website – Facebook – Linked In – Twitter – Instagram –
Just click on covers for more book information or to order from Amazon.
Check out stories in the anthology from the rest of these authors!
About Ellen Jacobson
Ellen Jacobson is a writer, cat lover & obsessed with chocolate. She writes cozy mysteries and romantic comedies including the Mollie McGhie Mysteries and the Smitten with Travel Rom-Coms.
You can find out more on her website (ellenjacobsonauthor.com), sign up for her newsletter (https://www.subscribepage.com/m4g9m4).
About Patti Larsen
About R.B. Marshall
Like my amateur sleuth, Izzy, I’m a dressage-riding computer geek who loves coffee – but there the similarity ends. She is far smarter than me, and a lot younger! I hope you’ll join me in discovering where her curiosity leads to next…
Pretty much all my books are set in my native Scotland, and my mystery stories are no exception. You’ll meet colourful characters solving perplexing puzzles in the most glorious landscape imaginable. Throw in a castle or two, the occasional royal, and maybe even a delicious cake shop, and you’ll have the recipe for my new series.
I also write fantasy and clean romance/women’s fiction, as Roz Marshall: http://viewAuthor.at/RozMarshall
and Historical Romance telling the story of Mary Queen of Scots, as Belle McInnes: http://viewauthor.at/BelleMcInnes
About Hillary Avis
Hillary Avis writes cozy mysteries about smart women who persist until they uncover the truth—about themselves, about their communities, and of course about any unsolved murders.
She grew up in a small town on the west coast, went to college in a small town on the east coast, and now lives in beautiful Eugene, Oregon. She has two charming children, three fluffy dogs, and two practically perfect felines named Mystery and Intrigue. She also has too many chickens and one very patient husband.
When Hillary’s not reading, writing, or editing, she bakes bread, makes pottery, drinks coffee, and streams The Great British Bake-Off, but not all at the same time.
About Cate Lawley
Cate Lawley writes humorous, action-filled mysteries that frequently contain a paranormal twist.
When Cate’s not tapping away at her keyboard or in deep contemplation of her next fanciful writing project, she’s sweeping up hairy dust bunnies and watching British mysteries.
Cate is from Austin, Texas (where many of her stories take place) but has recently migrated north to Boise, Idaho, where soup season (her favorite time of year) lasts more than two weeks.
She’s worked as an attorney, a dog trainer, and in various other positions, but writer is the hands-down winner. She’s thankful readers keep reading, so she can keep writing!
Paranormal cozy mystery series:
Cozy mystery series:
–Fairmont Finds Canine Cozy Mysteries
Cate’s sweet romance series:
For bonus materials and updates, visit her website to join her mailing list: www.CateLawley.com
About Rimmy London
Snuggle up with one of Rimmy’s cozies… if you dare.
Follow on Amazon or sign up for her newsletter at www.rimmylondon.com
About Phillipa Nefri Clark
Phillipa lives just outside a beautiful town in country Victoria, Australia. She also lives in the many worlds of her imagination and stockpiles stories beside her laptop.
She writes from the heart about love, dreams, secrets, discovery, the sea, the world as she knows it… or wishes it could be. She loves happy endings, heart-pounding suspense, and characters who stay with you long after the final page.
With a passion for music, the ocean, nature, reading, and writing, she is often found in the vegetable garden pondering a new story.
To connect more with Phillipa and her writing, visit www.phillipaclark.com.
About Wendy Meadows
Wendy Meadows is a USA Today best-selling author whose meticulously crafted stories showcase witty women sleuths and engaging plots. Her primary influences include but are not limited to mystery genre greats Joanne Fluke, Ellery Adams, and James Patterson. To date, she has published dozens of books, which include her popular Sweetfern Harbor Series, Maple Hill Series, and Alaska Cozy Series, to name a few.
When she isn’t writing about female detectives and their tactful crime solving, you can find Wendy either tending to her hobby farm, playing video games, relaxing on her back porch, or coloring in her growing collection of adult coloring books. She also loves spending quality time with her husband, two sons, two cats, and one adorable Labradoodle. Together, they call “The Granite State” home sweet home.
Visit Wendy at http://wendymeadows.com
About Erin Scoggins
Erin is a long-time Southerner with a fondness for offbeat humor and fresh fried chicken. After fifteen years in marketing with a Fortune 500 company, she traded her MBA for fictional crime scenes and feisty small-town families. She writes fun, flirty mysteries that are celebrations of food, family, and the killer South.
Visit her at www.erinscoggins.com for book news and shenanigans.
About Victoria LK Williams
Cozy Mysteries with A Tropical Twist!
Fun Cozy Mysteries, Paranormal Mysteries (with a fantasy twist) all set on the Florida Coast. A Romantic Christian Series, with a strong sense of family set in upstate New York. These are the stories Victoria writes. A hopeless animal lover, Victoria adds plenty of cats and dogs in each book, and her love of gardening shows through the characters. As a storyteller, it is important for Victoria to draw the reader into the story; to make you feel the sultry tropical heat or the numbing cold of the north. Victoria and her husband live in South Florida and own a landscape garden service. Two feisty cats make themselves at home, usually on her desk as she writes. A lover of a good mystery, she is an avid reader and likes to be outdoors. When she is not reading, you may find her working on a needlepoint project. Visit her website to learn about new and upcoming books. http://www.VictoriaLKWilliams.com
About Joann Keder
Joann Keder spent most of her years in the Midwest, growing up and raising a family on the Great Plains of Nebraska. She worked for sixteen years as a piano teacher before returning to school to receive a master’s degree in creative writing. A mid-life move to the Pacific Northwest lead her to re-examine her priorities. She now creates stories about life and relationships in small towns while her ever-patient husband encourages her on.
About Cathy Tully
Cathy Tully is the pen name of E.C. Tully. A graduate of Georgetown University, she studied foreign languages and linguistics before changing gears and graduating from Chiropractic School. Her award-nominated first novel, Dr. Shine Cracks the Case, features a chiropractor practicing in small town Georgia. She writes the ChiroCozy Mystery Series.
About Carly Winter
Carly Winter is the author of the Sedona Sprit Cozy Mystery series and the Tri-Town Murders Cozy Mystery series. When not writing, she likes spending time with her family and enjoying the fantastic Arizona weather (except summer – she doesn’t like summer). She does like dogs, wine and chocolate and wishes Christmas happened twice a year.
About Catherine Coles
Catherine Coles writes cosy mysteries that take place in the English countryside. Her extremely popular Tommy & Evelyn Christie mysteries are set in 1920s North Yorkshire. Her new series, the Martha Miller cosy mysteries, are set in the years following the Second World War in Berkshire.
Catherine lives in northeast England with the youngest of her five children and two spoiled dogs who have no idea they are not human!
About Megan Mayfair
Megan Mayfair writes fiction with a dash of mystery, a sprinkling of humour and a spoonful of romance. Her books include the award-winning Tangled Vines and the Lemon Tree Bay mysteries. Megan lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three young children and works in PR. When not writing fiction or press releases, she enjoys spending time with her family, drinking coffee, and seeking the perfect shade of red lipstick.
About Paula Darnell
Award-winning author Paula Darnell is a former college instructor who writes two cozy mystery series: the DIY Diva Mysteries and the Fine Art Mysteries. Killer Art in the Park is a story in the Fine Art Mystery series. All her cozies feature arts and crafts and a lovable dog. She’s a former board member of the Clark County Artists Guild, and she sells handmade jewelry in her Etsy shop, Paula D Jewelry. She and her husband Gary live in Las Vegas with their adorable golden retriever Lindsey Lou.
About Benedict Brown
Benedict Brown writes historical and contemporary mysteries in his two bestselling series, “Lord Edgington Investigates…” and “The Izzy Palmer Mysteries”. Both series feature twists by the bookful, a wicked sense of humour and a huge cast of quirky, curious and cunning characters. He’s a Welsh-Irish Londoner who lives in Spain with his French wife and multi-national four-year-old daughter, and he spends all his time writing (when his daughter lets him).
About Connie B. Dowell
Connie B. Dowell writes cozy stories with LGBTQ+ characters, including the Emmie and Dessa mysteries (set 1918 and onward) and the Millie Monroe Bookmobile Mysteries. She also writes nonfiction and children’s stories and hosts two writing podcasts, Authoring Onward and Let’s Start Writing. When not writing or illustrating, she gardens, plays violin badly, and binge watches Midsomer Murders.
Don’t Miss These Fabulous Giveaways
List of prizes:
1 Nook
1 x ebook copy of Oceanberry Blues & Tangerine Troubles by Joann Keder
Signed paperback of The Murder Before Christmas by Michele Pariza Wacek
1 x signed paperback of Cabernet & Confessions by Daisy Linh (US only)
1 x ebook of Cabernet & Confessions by Daisy Linh (international)
1 x audio book of each of A Cop & A Coop, A Flock & A Fluke; and A Roost & Arrest by Hillary Avis
1 x ebook of Bride & Doom by Erin Scoggins
1 x ebook of each of The After Hours Deception, The Hothouse Deception, and The Backstage Deception by Patti Larsen
1 x ebook of winner’s choice from the Izzy Palmer mysteries and the Lord Edgington Investigates series by Benedict Brown
1 x ebook boxset of 4 first in series books by Victoria L K Williams
1 x signed paperback of Murder for Neptune’s Trident by Victoria L K Williams (US only)
1 x ebook of both Apples & Alibis and Designs on Murder by Gayle Leeson
1 x paperback of Artistic License to Kill by Paula Darnell
1 x signed paperback of The Body in the Bookmobile & A Villain in the Vineyard by Connie B Dowell
1 x ebook of Till Daph Do Us Part by Phillipa Nefri Clark
1 x paperback (signed if winner in the US) of Murder by Numbers by Megan Mayfair
1 x ebook of the Mollie McGhee cozy collection: books 1-3 by Ellen Jacobson
1 x paperback of Murder at the Marina by Ellen Jacobson (US only)
1 x ebook of A Corpse at the Castle by R B Marshall
1 x paperback of Clues, Christmas Trees, & Corpses anthology – various authors
1 x ebook of Fairmont Finds Canine Cozy Mysteries Books 1-3 by Cate Lawley
1 x signed paperback of Dr Shine Cracks the Case by Cathy Tully (US only)
1 x signed paperback of The Guest is a Goner & News and Nectarines by Carly Winter
1 x ebook box set of the Tommy & Evelyn Christie mysteries Books 1-3 by Catherine Coles
1 x signed paperback of Murder at the Manor by Catherine Coles
1 x signed paperback of Poison at the Village Show by Catherine Coles
1 x $25 gift card to winner’s e-bookstore of choice
2 x $10 gift card to winner’s e-bookstore of choice
3 x $5 gift card to winner’s e-bookstore of choice
All Digital Prizes Are International
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 9 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
June 9 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 9 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 10 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 10 – Christa Reads and Writes – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 11 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 11 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
June 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
June 12 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
June 13 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 14 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE
June 14 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 14 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 15 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE
June 15 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 16 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST
June 16 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 17 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 18 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 19 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 20 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 20 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
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.”
Sounds great, thank you for sharing.