Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

Open for Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – South Dakota
Publisher: Lyrical Press (November 24, 2020)
Paperback: 207 pages
ISBN-10: 1516110722
ISBN-13: 978-1516110728
Digital ASIN: B085LTP1XH

Deep in the heart of touristy small-town Spirit Canyon, South Dakota, former journalist Zo Jones runs the Happy Camper gift shop, where she sells everything from locally made souvenirs to memorabilia. She even rents out mountain bikes, and dabbles in the adventure industry—and sleuthing . . .

It’s Memorial Day weekend in Spirit Canyon, and for Zo that means the return of summer shoppers. It also means the return of her good friend Beth, who’s moved back to the area to reopen her family’s premier hotel, Spirit Canyon Lodge. Beth and Zo spent many childhood summers there and Zo can’t wait to reconnect and celebrate the Grand Opening. But the festivities go from bad to worse when a power outage knocks out the lights—and morning reveals a competitor’s dead body found on the premises . . .

Soon enough, Beth is the prime suspect in the suspicious death. Fortunately, Zo isn’t afraid to put her investigative skills to work and prove her friend’s innocence. To start digging for information, she appeals to Max Harrington, a local Forest Ranger and unlikely ally. Though they’ve argued about Happy Camper’s tours, in this case they agree on one thing: Beth isn’t a murderer. Stranger things have happened than their collaboration. After all, this is Spirit Canyon. But as the list of suspects grows, Zo will have to keep her guard up if she doesn’t want to be the next lodge guest to check out . . .

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Summer means tourists in Spirit Canyon, South Dakota. For Zo Jones and her friend Beth it means business. Zo is excited about Beth reopening the family’s hotel and can’t wait to attend the grand opening. But there is one person who wants Beth to fail and the person is found dead in her room at the hotel the morning after the grand opening event. The deceased is Beth’s competition so she is pegged as the prime suspect in the suspicious death. Zo is not a Happy Camper, she knows Beth is innocent and she is going to prove it unless the killer ends Zo’s summer early.

After a somewhat slow start Open for Murder takes off as we meet several characters including the victim. With her crotchety disposition, you just knew she was not going to be around long so her death wasn’t a surprise. What was a surprise was the number of suspects. I enjoyed the way Zo delved into the investigation and that she enlisted Forest Ranger Max Harrington to help her. I found the chief of police very offputting and lackadaisical about the entire situation. While some suspect’s motives were minor there were some that definitely should have been higher on the list than Beth. I loved that Beth kept going with her plans even with the murder being held over her head. The core characters of Beth, Zo, and Max were very likable but I want to know them better. The author has left plenty of room for them to grow and develop. I did find that Zo’s cat just tolerated her made me laugh. It is above and beyond the usual independence of a cat.

The mystery was very well-plotted. I had my own shortlist and was pleased that I followed the clues correctly and solved the mystery just before the characters. The reveal was great!

As with the author’s previous series, this series is set in South Dakota and she does a fantastic job bringing the area to life. It has been several years since I have traveled to the state and her descriptions invoked some nice memories and make me want to plan a return trip soon.

Open for Murder has set this series off to a grand start. As I said these characters have so much room to grow. I can’t wait to see where the author takes them in the future. I  am excited about the continuation of this series.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

Mary Angela is the author of the Professor Prather and Happy Camper cozy mystery series. When Mary isn’t penning heartwarming whodunits, she’s teaching, reading, traveling, or spending time with her family. She lives in South Dakota with her husband, daughters, and spoiled pets. You can find out more about her loves, including her writing, at MaryAngelaBooks.com.

Author Links 

Website       Facebook        Twitter      Goodreads     Instagram

Coming July 13, 2021

Also by Mary Angela

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.”

On Flashback Fridays I will share with you
the books I was not able to review
when they were first released that have been screaming at me
from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.

Shots in the Dark (Mack’s Bar Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Wisconsin
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington (July 26, 2016)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496701704
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496701701
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B017G7HDZE

For Mack and her barfly allies, solving homicides calls for equal parts instinct and wit. To strain out a crafty criminal, the mixture has got to be absolutely perfect . . .

It’s a week before Christmas, but Milwaukee bar owner Mackenzie “Mack” Dalton is hardly in good spirits. Chilled to the core by the murder of bouncer Gary Gunderson, Mack is determined to use her extra perceptive senses to identify the gunman responsible. Did Gary’s patchy past brew up some fatal trouble, or could his death be linked to a series of cryptic letters concocted by Mack’s anonymous adversary? With a second case to crack, innocent lives at stake, and a media frenzy in their midst, Mack and her barstool detectives have little time to mull over the grim details—especially when clues lead dangerously close to home . . .

Includes drink recipes!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Mack’s holiday is not going to be happy until she ends the letter writer’s reign of terror and they are held responsible for the death of her employee Gary Gunderson. While she awaits the next letter and nurses her broken leg she and her fellow barstool detectives agree to look into another case where an innocent man may be serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. Can her unique gift of Synaesthesia help break the case wide open?

What I love about this series is the cast of characters the author has created. Everyone has Mack’s back. Her employees keep the bar running while she sleuths out killers. Her relationship with Detective Duncan Albright is in flux because of a case they worked together and the letter-writing criminal has forbidden her to be in contact with the police specifically Detective Albright but they still manage a few meetings. Undercover cop Mal is posing as her boyfriend to help her with both cases but they are clearly developing feelings for each other. The Capone Club, a group of patrons that love to solve mysteries work so well together even when this time a new person is added to the group. Every character is distinct and has a purpose in the story. Their unique talents are used in many ways. They are also very believable and you could find people like them in any Wisconsin bar. They may not all have a group like the one at Mack’s bar but gossip, crime, and current news can all be topics mused over with a shot and a beer.

The mysteries included in this story are gripping. I was really taken in by the Capone Club’s case because I could poke holes in the police investigation immediately. Investigating a crime that takes place during a Wisconsin blizzard is tough but anyone could see they jumped to several conclusions not supported by the evidence. Right alongside that case, Mack is working tirelessly to solve the case she is personally involved in so another one of her friends doesn’t end up dead. This case has unfolded over the course of the series so it is good to read the prior books in order to understand everything but the author does a great job of recapping the highlights in each new book.

Having the series set nearby is an absolute delight especially when my current place of residence is mentioned several times in the story due to the correctional facility just down the road. It is easy to imagine Mack there visiting one or more of the residents using her personal method of lie detection.

Shots in the Dark was a gripping story but only one mystery is solved by the final page. There are also some romantic issues up in the air and I am starting to support one cop over the other so I am very interested in what will happen next. I am thankful that the next book in this series is on my To-Be-Read shelf and I will be jumping into A Toast to Murder soon.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

Allyson K. Abbott is a pseudonym used by suspense writer Beth Amos. Beth has enjoyed a varied writing career that included a stint as a book reviewer and several years of nonfiction freelancing. Now she writes only fiction, and in stark contrast to her “day job” as an ER nurse, where she gets to save lives, the one common factor in her fiction, no matter what name it’s written under, is that someone always dies. Allyson K. Abbott is my little insider joke at having to pick yet another pseudonym. It’s not a coincidence the initials are what they are.  Check out her webpage here and on Facebook here.

I am giving away 1 Kindle Copy!

The contest is open to anyone over 18 years old.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

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Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf
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Contest Will End July 2, 2021, at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
The 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.”

It is my pleasure to shine my spotlights on the newest
Murder She Wrote Mystery today!

Murder, She Wrote: Killing in a Koi Pond
by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran

About Murder, She Wrote:
Killing in a Koi Pond 

Murder, She Wrote: Killing in a Koi Pond
Cozy Mystery
53rd in Series
Publisher: Berkley (June 8, 2021)
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 0593333594
ISBN-13: 978-0593333594
Digital ASIN: B08FH8NM6R

When a friend’s husband dies while Jessica Fletcher is in town visiting, Jessica’s vacation turns into a murder investigation in this latest entry in the long-running USA Today bestselling series.

 

After traveling to Bethesda for a mystery writers’ conference, Jessica Fletcher decides she’s earned a vacation and takes a train to Columbia, South Carolina, to visit her old college friend Dolores, who has recently married her third husband, Willis Nickens, a wealthy and cutthroat businessman. They’ve moved into an opulent historic home with plenty of space for guests, and Jessica is ready for a week of shopping, gossiping, and relaxing at the grand estate.

 

But the morning after she arrives, Jessica discovers Willis facedown in the koi pond, and despite what the police think, she’s sure foul play is involved. She hadn’t known Willis long, but it’s clear to her that he didn’t concern himself with making friends. The question isn’t if her friend’s husband was murdered but by whom.

 

About the Authors

Jessica Fletcher is a bestselling mystery writer who has a knack for stumbling upon real-life mysteries in her various travels.

Terrie Farley Moran is the author of Murder She Wrote: Killing in a Koi Pond, the latest in the long-running Jessica Fletcher series, to be followed in autumn 2021 by Murder She Wrote: Debonair in Death. She has also written the beachside Read ‘Em and Eat cozy mystery series and is co-author of Laura Childs’ New Orleans scrapbooking mysteries. Her short stories have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. Terrie is a recipient of both the Agatha and the Derringer awards.

Terrie’s Links

 Website  Facebook 

Purchase Links

– Amazon – B&N – Penguin Random House – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound 

Find all the Murder She Wrote Mysteries here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Great Escapes Praise for Murder, She Wrote: Killing in a Koi Pond
by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran

Ms. Moran did a fantastic job capturing Jessica and maybe two other people from the show that we fans truly adore.
~Baroness’ Book Trove

Jessica Fletcher is a legend when it comes to solving a mystery. From the moment I picked up this book, I knew I was in for another interesting, mesmerizing, fun mystery. Terrie Farley Moran captured the essence of the series perfectly.
~The Editing Pen

The characters in Killing in a Koi Pond are well written and many of them will endear themselves to you. I especially love “the help” because of their kindness and willingness to go out of their way to make others feel at home.
~Christy’s Cozy Corners

This was a fun, easy-to-read mystery, and the many suspects made figuring out whodunnit a challenge for me.
~Books to the Ceiling

I could hear the voices of my favorite characters on these pages. The new characters have depth and personality and make a strong impression . . . A well-done addition to a fine series.
~Laura’s Interests

MURDER, SHE WROTE: KILLING IN A KOI POND is a delightful addition to this long running series. Fully developed characters, both new and old, inhabit these pages providing rich detail bringing the story to life.
~Cozy Up With Kathy

This book truly felt as if I had been dropped into the show with old friends and new to fill out the cast. I can’t even begin to explain how exciting it was to read Harry Mcgraw in the late Jerry Orbach’s voice.
~I Read What You Write!

It was one of those “oh!” moments when the killer was finally revealed. I love when an author can do that, especially since I had all of the information I needed to figure it out, but still didn’t see it.
~The Book’s the Thing

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops. 
June 7 – Novels Alive – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 7 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
June 8 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
June 8 – The Editing Pen – REVIEW
June 9 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
June 9 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
June 10 – Thoughts in Progress – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
June 11 – Books to the Ceiling – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 11 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
June 12 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
June 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
June 14 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 14 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
June 15 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 15 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
June 16 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 16 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
June 18 – Diane Reviews Books – REVIEW
June 18 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – REVIEW
June 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
June 19 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW
June 20 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT  

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Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday! 

I am so happy to feature Raiders of the Campsite by Jodi Linton today!

Raiders Of The Campsite (A Southwest Exposure Mystery)
by Jodi Linton

About Raiders of the Campsite

Raiders Of The Campsite (A Southwest Exposure Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – New Mexico
Independently Published (May 13, 2021)
Print length: ~200 pages
Digital ASIN: B08D2P3SB6

Welcome to Bushwhack, New Mexico: home to tourists, the great outdoors, and murder…

 

Camping for spring break should be a piece of cake for outdoor guide Andie Sullivan. She has her best friend and the sheriff tagging along as chaperones for the Wilderness Explorers. It should be all S’mores and ghost stories…but then Vivian is attacked and they discover a corpse.

 

Dang. The campsite went up in smoke.

 

With everything at stake, Andie must find answers about the attack—she has to dig deep into a community she’s called home since birth by asking all the right questions, sometimes at not the right time. As she tracks down clues to a suspect, Andie stumbles on a secretive treasure hunting group in Bushwhack. But one wrong move and Andie could become her own buried treasure.

 

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Andie Sullivan is taking the Wilderness Explorers camping and Sheriff Zac Mars and her BFF Vivian have come along as chaperones. The fun barely begins and Vivian is attacked. While trying to rescue her they discover a dead body. Thankfully Vivian will survive but there is something fishy going on in Bushwhack. Her brother Kyle cuts his Spring Break short to come back and help her catch a killer who seems to have ties to Vivian’s husband and a group he belongs to. Did he attack his own wife? Andie needs to dig up all the clues before someone else ends up dead.

Jodi Linton has created a great group of characters for her readers to love. Andie is a wonderful friend and a capable amateur sleuth. I love the dance and banter between her and the good sheriff. Will they or won’t they become a couple? They do make a good investigative team when they share information. This time they are truly tested. With each book in this series, I fall a little harder for these characters. They are fun, likable, and realistic. The dialog can be full of snark and make me laugh out loud or downright serious as need be.

Ms. Linton takes her readers on quite an adventure and Andie strives to find the motive for the suspects on her list. She makes a couple of wrong assumptions and gets herself into some dire straights where some bullets fly. I did love all the action but was nervous for Andie. That girl is darn lucky!

This story is only about 150 pages and it takes off at a good clip and doesn’t let up. It is easily read all in one sitting which is good because it would be darn hard to put down.

Raiders of the Campsite is an excellent addition to this series. I felt like it ended much too soon, I was not quite ready to wrap up my visit so I am really looking forward to the next Southwest Exposure Mystery. Nightmare On The Bike Trail will hit shelves in October and I can’t wait.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About Jodi Linton

Jodi Linton is an author of several romance novels and cozy mysteries. She pens funny, romantic, whodunnits during her days in between being a carpool mom. She lives in Texas with her husband, with who she runs the family day business with and two kids. When she isn’t writing her next page turner, she likes to delve into her hobby of finding all the cool, new makeup products to buy.

Author Links 

Facebook     Website   Twitter    BookBub

Youtube   Instagram  Jodi’s Book Corner   Newsletter

Purchase Link: Amazon  B&N    Kobo     iBooks

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 14 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
June 14 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Novels Alive – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
June 15 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
June 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 16 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – Baroness’ Book Trove – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 17 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 18 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
June 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 19 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
June 20 – Laura’s Interests – GUEST POST
June 21 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
June 21 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
June 22 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – GUEST POST
June 23 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
June 24 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST
June 25 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 26 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
June 27 – I Read What You Write – AUTHOR INTERVIEWHave you signed up to be a Tour Host?Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Guilt is Midnight Blue
by Josalyn McAllister

About Guilt Is Midnight Blue

Guilt is Midnight Blue: A Hazel Dean Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Georgia
Publisher: Eburnean Books (May 6, 2021)
Paperback: 290 pages
ISBN-10: 1734971045
ISBN-13: 978-1734971040
Digital ASIN : B0949QG9H1

Hazel Dean can see other’s emotions in color.

She mostly uses it to help people find the perfect book in her shop, Books and Chocolate. But, when one of her customers is murdered, the police point to an old feud. Only Hazel can tell that the accused is innocent. She must navigate around her district attorney husband, and her surrogate uncle, the police captain, to find out what really happened.

Hazel drives, hikes and snoops all over her small Appalachian town in an attempt to bring peace to the victim’s family and prevent her community from being torn apart by old grudges.

Dollycas’s Thoughts 

Cash McCleary needed to escape. His brother’s plan was dangerous and could get them in serious trouble. Driving around the old mill catches his eye. Someone has fixed it up. Beneath the ancient Red Gao Mill sign, there is a new sign, Chocolate and Books. Not much of a reader it is not a place he would usually visit and the last place his brother would look. He enters and sees books are stacked everywhere, four aisles, ten bookcases, and books were stacked almost to the ceiling. There seems to be no method of organization. He keeps walking through an almost tunnel of books until he reaches a bright open space. The entire back wall is glass with an amazing view of the North Georgia Mountains. He also notices the bakery counter and all the chocolates treats it holds. The place feels downright magical.

Hazel Randolph Dean is the owner of the place and she surprises Cash with her presence. Introductions are made and she immediately serves him a huge cup of her special hot chocolate. He admits he isn’t a reader and she replied, “Nonsense, you just haven’t found the right book yet.” She disappears among the stacks and returns with To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Again she disappears and he quickly finds himself immersed in the world of Jem and Scout. Later he has to leave and Hazel makes him a deal and he agrees to take the book with him.

You see Hazel Dean has a gift. She sees other people’s emotions in color and that helps her to match the right book to the right person.

Time passes and a little boy comes into her shop. A boy she sees is full of emotions. She then realizes this boy is Cash’s little brother. Blackness is filling in the space all around him. She knows something is terribly wrong. He has Cash’s book and says he wanted her to have it back. He then goes on to tell her Cash is dead. He was shot, two days ago. She hugs the boy and he leaves but she just can’t let it go, she has to know what happened. The police say it was the old feud between the McCleary’s and Trudgeon’s but that doesn’t fit with what she sees and is feeling. With a district attorney husband and her “Uncle” John, the police captain she feels she can get to the bottom of what really happened never imagining what the next days were going to bring or the danger she would be in.

I escaped into this book the same way Cash escaped into To Kill A Mockingbird.

Hazel Dean was a determined woman with a fascinating gift. She believes the man accused of Cash’s murder is innocent because the color around him is not the midnight blue she sees around a guilty party. She just can’t let an innocent man go to prison. Her husband is a smart man and trusts her gift but he wants to keep her safe. She also has two teenage sons to keep her busy and they know Cash’s brother which makes the case more personal for the family. Aside from Hazel’s gift and money she received after her parent’s death the Dean’s are your typical American family. The characters develop very realistically throughout the story.

The murder mystery is super intriguing and Hazel finds clues in very interesting places. It also leads her to meet a very unique person that has ties to several would-be suspects. Hazel goes to great lengths to get answers and she puts herself and later her husband too into precarious situations. My eyes were glued to the pages as they were flying by.  Ms. McAllister really drew me in and if Hazel could have seen me I would have been surrounded by several colors as my emotions ran the gambit while I was reading. Gosh, it was truly impossible to put this book down. Hazel had her theories and I was on board with her until we were both surprised by a twist. The big reveal did not just encompass one moment either. I was on the edge of my seat from Chapter Eighteen until Chapter Twenty-Three and then that was replaced by some tears because something I had suspected and dismissed played out.

Guilt is Midnight Blue was such a compelling and powerful read. I am now fully invested in Hazel and her family so I am excited that this is just book one of the series and not a stand-alone mystery. Hazel has a unique ability and her Chocolate and Books is a great place to bring new people into her life. I can’t imagine what the author has in store for Hazel but I am anxious to find out.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About Josalyn McAllister

Josalyn McAllister is a cozy fiction author whose most recent works include Love Over Easy and Guilt is Midnight Blue. Josalyn started writing character descriptions at the tender age of seven, inspired by the works of LM Montgomery. In her teenage years, she moved on to Newsies fan fiction. Inspired by National Novel Writing Month, she wrote her first novel about a child she mentored in college. She has never stopped writing. Josalyn taught middle school history before deciding she would rather spend time with her own children than other peoples. A restless soul, she has moved all over the country and collected an eclectic array of hobbies. Her writing has a relatable quality that will charm and entertain you.

Author Links

Website    Facebook     GoodReads    Instagram

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – 

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Great Escapes Praise for Guilt is Midnight Blue
by Josalyn McAllister

Hazel Dean is a firecracker. Her superpower is being able to read people’s emotions and more importantly to fit the right book to the perfect reader. Color me jealous (the pun is unintended, but I will enjoy it anyway)
~I Read What You Write!

I fell in love with this town in Appalachia and the people. I especially liked the take on the feud between the Trudgeon’s and McCleary’s much like the Hatfield and the McCoys . . . This may be a new favorite series and I can’t wait to see what happens next for Hazel. We give it 5 paws up.
~Storeybook Reviews

I was caught up in the story right away, meeting Hazel’s family . . . and learning of her determination to free an innocent man despite the risks she has to take . . . You will totally enjoy this book, have your heart-strings pulled by the characters, and hold your breath in the suspense scenes.
~Here’s How It Happened

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops. 
June 7 – Novels Alive – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 7 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
June 8 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 8 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
June 9 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
June 9 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 11 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW
June 12 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 14 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
June 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 16 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

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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.”

Welcome to My Reading Itinerary Monday!

Where are your books taking you this week?

I will be traveling to South Dakota and California!

Here’s what I read and what I have planned for this week.

Escapes Completed

Guilt is Midnight Blue: A Hazel Dean Mystery
by Josalyn McAllister
Release Date – May 5, 2021
Setting – Georgia
The Great Escapes Tour stops here tomorrow!

Raiders Of The Campsite (A Southwest Exposure Mystery)
by Jodi Linton
Release Date – May 13, 2021
Setting – New Mexico
The Great Escapes Tour stops here this week for Cozy Wednesday!

Shots in the Dark (Mack’s Bar Mysteries)
by Allyson K. Abbott
Release Date – July 26, 2016
Setting – Wisconsin
My Flashback Friday Read

Scheduled Escapes

Open for Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery)
by Mary Angela
Release Date – November 24, 2020
Setting – South Dakota
For Review

Framed and Frosted (Cupcake Catering Mystery Series)
by Kim Davis
Release Date – June 22, 2021
Setting – California
I will feature this book next week when the Great Escapes Tour stops here for Cozy Wednesday.

I need to select a Flashback Friday Read!

Future Escapes

June 13 – 19, 2021 

Click Here to check out my Current Giveaways!

Please Share Your Reading Itinerary in the Comments below!

Happy Reading!!

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

The Sunday Salon is a Facebook group that has become an
informal week in review gathering place for bloggers.
It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature.
You can also link up weekly on Readerbuzz.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by
Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
~ It’s a chance to share news~
A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE!

A Week in the Life of Dollycas

As I type this it is Saturday, June 12. 33 years ago I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer. He went in for surgery to have his gall bladder removed and it turned out the gall bladder was the only healthy organ, everything else was full of cancer. The doctor closed him back up and sent him home. He spent the next two weeks planning his funeral, selecting his burial location, saying goodbye to friends and family, and getting the fire department he led and loved ready for him to be gone. It was a Sunday afternoon and his last sister finally came for their goodbyes. Shortly after she left he took his last breath with his immediate family by his side.

This year as I had my own cancer battle my dad was on my mind a lot and I was so thankful for all the strides in medicine. He hated going to the doctor so I can’t say his cancer would have been found any sooner but thankfully my cancer was detected early and while I am still not sure if it is totally gone (my last mammogram had some shadows) I am still here and kicking. I drew strength from many places this past year but I could hear his voice in my head often telling me to fight.

With Father’s Day just a couple of weeks away I have so many good memories of our time together. The little things he did without being asked that few people knew about. How crazy he was about his grandkids, at the time there were just 5. How serious he could get about the important stuff and the way he laughed out loud at the funny stuff. The change he always had in his pocket for candy, the hugs he gave freely and the oh so many stories he had to tell.

We lost him much too soon. I know he is watching over us from heaven and I find peace that he has Son #1 by his side. They were buddies in the short time they had down here together. I am sure they are still close.

So June 12 is a hard day for me but I was blessed for all the years I had this man in my life.

How was your week?

Weekly Rewind – June 7 – 12, 2021

Monday – My Reading Itinerary Monday! – Week #23 – 2021

Tuesday – Murder in the Family (An Eve Appel Mystery) by Lesley A Diehl #AuthorInterview / #Giveaway – Great Escapes Book Tour

Wednesday – Cozy Wednesday with Tricia L. Sanders Author of Flea Market Felony (The Mattie and Mo Mysteries) #AuthorInterview / #Giveaway

Thursday – Death in Bloom: A Flower House Mystery by Jess Dylan #Review

Friday – #FlashbackFriday – Beaches, Bungalows, & Burglaries: A Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series by Tonya Kappes #Review / #Giveaway

Saturday – The Corpse with the Iron Will (The Cait Morgan Mysteries) by Cathy Ace #AuthorInterview -Great Escapes Book Tour

Plus – Deadly Delights: A Bookish Baker Mystery by Laura Jensen Walker #Review (Includes Spoilers)

Due to COVID-19, no print books have been sent by publishers.
Books shown were received through NetGalley or
books I purchased from Amazon.

Take some time to read, rest, and relax this week. 

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

Deadly Delights: A Bookish Baker Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Wisconsin
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (June 8, 2021)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1643855921
ISBN-13: 978-1643855929
Kindle ASIN: B08HYFYFC6

In Laura Jensen Walker’s second Bookish Baker mystery, Teddie St. John enters a pie-baking contest. But her chances of winning plummet when she’s suspected of killing one of the judges!

August in Lake Potawatomi, Wisconsin, always means one thing: the annual baking contest. Picture The Great British Baking Show, writ Midwestern. It’s a huge draw for the upper crust of Wisconsin pastry aficionados. And, of course, bon vivant baker-turned-mystery writer Teddie St. John has a pie in the ring. The white vinyl baking tent boasts an array of folding tables housing each entrant’s daily baked good. And at one of those tables sits the corpse of the head judge, his face half-buried in a delectable coconut cream pie.

The body in question belonged to notorious Les Morris. Les may have been getting on in years, but he hadn’t outgrown his well-earned reputation for lechery. Now, Les is no more. But unfortunately, by his side lies Teddie’s distinctive embossed rolling pin…covered with blood.

It’s out of the baking pan, into the oven.

Dollycas’s Thoughts – Note there are SPOILERS below.

It’s time for the annual baking contest in Lake Potawatomi, Wisconsin, and illustrious baker Teddie St. John is one of the contestants. Sadly Lester Morris is one of the judges. He’s a man who can’t keep his hands to himself and he preys on young woman and even pinched Teddy’s butt while judging her baked goods. She gets him back with a whack from her rolling pin but that doesn’t even slow him down. He just makes a crude comment and moves along.

Day 2 means it’s time for pies but it looks like Lester has gotten a head start on his judging with his face buried deep in a coconut cream pie when Teddy arrives. She quickly realizes something is amiss because as she moves closes she sees Lester, “the molester” is dead and her rolling pin appears to be the murder weapon. The man has more than a few enemies and Teddy knows she didn’t kill him, she just needs to find who did.

I have been excited to read this book since I turned the last page of Murder Most Sweet. I love Teddie St. John. She is a confident strong woman who is also a breast cancer survivor. She made a huge decision I am not sure I could have made. I admired her immediately. The characters the author surrounds her with were just icing on the cake.

I also enjoy that the story is set in my home state. The author loves the kringles Wisconsin named the official state pastry in 2013. They are a big thing in Racine near where the story is set. They weren’t a family tradition for me like they are for the author and Teddie but they are delicious and I would never walk away from a slice of apple or strawberry kringle.

So I was reading along, dead guy, Teddy’s long-distance relationship, twists, clues, turns, then SPOILER ALERT – there was a suicide, I paused, took a couple of deep breaths, and kept reading. Then SPOILER ALERT – there was another suicide and this time it was way too similar to the way my son took his life. It stopped me dead in my tracks. I closed my Kindle and had a good cry. After more than six years I still can’t read about a death like that. It was hard to move on.

I wasn’t sure I would be able to go back and finish the book but I had committed myself to review this book. So several days later I went back to the story and skipped ahead a bit and let’s just say there was another twist that changed some things from their original appearance. It was still hard to read but I pressed on and I am glad I did because there is a very special event that takes place on the final page. I loved it and it allowed me to close the book with a smile on my face.

Had I known about the subject matter of the book I would have passed on this book even though I loved the characters because I need to protect my heart and I apologize for the spoilers in my review but I needed to explain myself. I am not sure how to rate the book so I won’t here. A person without my history will love this book and while this book didn’t work for me I am looking forward to the next one which I think will be taking Teddy across the pond.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About the Author

Laura Jensen Walker has loved mysteries ever since she read Trixie Belden in the fourth grade in her Danish-founded hometown of Racine, Wisconsin–America’s kringle capital. A former journalist and the author of several novels and humorous non-fiction books, including Thanks for the Mammogram! Laura, like her main character, chose to go flat after her second mastectomy and is grateful to be a longtime breast cancer survivor. She lives in California with her Renaissance-man husband and their canine-daughter Mellie. (from Amazon)

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 Corpse with the Iron Will (The Cait Morgan Mysteries)
by Cathy Ace

I am thrilled to welcome Cathy Ace to Escape With Dollycas today!

Hi Cathy,

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

 First of all, (a lot of people ask me this) yes, Cathy Ace is my real name – my birth name, in any case. I’m Welsh, having been born and raised in Swansea, and I migrated to Canada aged forty. I now live half-way up a little mountain in a rural area in the southwestern corner of British Columbia.

What are three things most people don’t know about you?

 Hmmm, maybe they hadn’t guessed that I’m Welsh? Or, if they knew that, maybe they didn’t know my husband is also Welsh – so we keep our Swansea accents alive, despite the fact we’re both Canadian now.

I’m a natural optimist – which helps a great deal if you’re a writer, because you have to believe the planets will all align to allow your next book to be published, and sell.

I live by the maxim: “Don’t dream it, be it” (which is stolen from Dr. Frankenfurter in The Rocky Horror Show)

 What is the first book you remember reading?

 This is impossible to answer, because I read so much, and so fast, when I was little, that all the Enid Blyton “Famous Five” and “Secret Seven” books roll themselves up into one adventure-filled ball. I vividly recall the cover-art for Nancy Drew books, and I’m pretty sure the first Agatha Christie I read was “Death in the Clouds” – which, again, I recall for the wonderful cover-art by the artist Tom Adams – but I could be wrong about that. I do have a copy of a book called “Little John Little” on my shelves, which I recall was bedtime reading when I was very small, so possibly that?

 What are you reading now?

 A bit of a confession here – I’m actually reading one of my own books! I wrote The Corpse with the Golden Nose in 2012, and it was published in 2013, which feels like a very long time ago. It was the second Cait Morgan Mystery, and there are characters in it who will make an appearance in the planned eleventh book in the series, which I am currently plotting (see more below). I knew I had to go back to them before I could write about them again, and I am therefore rereading that book. It’s a weird experience – I can hardly believe I wrote it, and there are bits I painfully wish I could rewrite, and bits which fill me with delight, and pride.

 What books have most inspired you?

Every book I have ever read has inspired me, in some way or another, but – since you’re asking me to be specific – I’ll plump for the works of William Shakespeare and the works of Agatha Christie.

 What made you decide you wanted to write mysteries?

 I’ve always read mysteries, and I cannot imagine writing anything else. Each book I write is a book I’d like to read, and I’m a complete dyed-in-the-wool mystery reader, so that’s my thing, and I’ll stick to it.

 Do you have a special place you like to write?

 I have an office, and writing is my work, so I tend to write there. However, for a few years I wrote at the dining table, and I have been known to spend time in the summer out on the back deck, enjoying the fresh air as I edit – but I can’t write there, just edit. No idea why! Wherever I am I need silence to be able to write. My most productive hours are between about 9pm and 2am, so – fortunately – that’s naturally a pretty quiet time, though the owls, bats, and coyotes keep me company.

Where do the ideas for your books come from?

This is one of those annoying answers, because it’s honestly, “It depends”! I might hear or see something that makes me think, “What a great way to kill someone!”, or I might be struck by a situation or an encounter when I think “What a great reason to want someone dead!”. Once there’s the germ of a starting point, that’s when the hard work of crafting a complex plot begins, and I enjoy thinking through the details of a plot as I work on our acreage, or do a spot of DIY.

Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

For me, the entire process of writing involves much more than sitting at a keyboard – I think of it as including all the plotting, researching, outlining, and then writing and editing, too. Of the overall process, what I dislike most is editing. For me, the first draft is the most fun, because I’m trying to get the movie I’ve already seen in my head onto the page in such a way that the reader can see that same movie, without the words getting in the way.

What do you think makes a good story?

A good story is like a good piece of music: there are only so many notes to play with, but it’s the unique voice of the composer that makes the music what it is. In the same way that I’m drawn to the works of certain composers, I’m drawn to the works of certain writers – no matter what sub-genre they are writing in (Note: I honestly only read crime). Thus, whilst I need a story to “work” overall, for me it’s the voice that draws me in, and – ultimately – satisfies me.

Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Unquestionably, Cait Morgan. She’s Welsh, an immigrant to Canada, over-indulgent, judgmental, a bit bossy, and has a soft heart (but an acid internal voice).

What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

I think this comes back to the point I made earlier – voice. The Cait Morgan Mysteries are traditional, Christie-style mysteries: they always feature a closed circle of suspects, play fair with the clues, and deliver red herrings, with a final denouement and comeuppances for the baddies. In other words, they deliver against the expectations of those who enjoy that “shape” of mystery, and I think that’s important (it is for me, as a reader, anyway). But I write them, with my voice, in my head (which is Cait’s voice, of course, and these books are written in the first person) so they are unique to me in that respect. In all honesty, it would only be others who could tell you how my voice differs from that of other authors; I’m not clever enough to do that.

 What’s next on the horizon for you?

As I mentioned, I’m plotting the eleventh Cait Morgan Mystery at the moment. I know where it’s set, who the main players are, the basics of what happens to whom, and the how and why of that – but I’m not quite ready to announce the title or the publication date, yet. I’m a detailed planner – I have no idea how anyone begins to write a book until they’ve already outlined the entire thing not only in their head but on paper, too – so I have to work out all the twists, turns, and details before I can be sure this story will end up being the next book. There will be an eleventh Cait Morgan Mystery, but this might not be the story I tell; I hope it is, because I really want to take folks to the location, which is fantastic – but it’s too early for me to be certain.

Thank you, Cathy, so much for visiting today!

Keep reading to learn about Cathy’s new book!

About The Corpse With The Iron Will

The Corpse with the Iron Will (The Cait Morgan Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Publisher: Four Tails Publishing Ltd. (June 3, 2021)
Number of Pages: 325
Digital ASIN: B08YRQP569

Welsh criminal psychologist and globetrotting sleuth, Cait Morgan, and her retired-cop husband Bud Anderson, are enjoying some well-deserved peace and quiet at home, in moody, mountainous British Columbia. The sudden death of a neighbor is a significant loss for them both, so Cait’s honored when Gordy Krantz’s “unusual” will requests that she eulogize him at his memorial.

 

However, delving into the dead man’s background becomes a pressing priority when a puzzling theft, and some surprising discoveries, put our favourite sleuths on high alert. Might someone living in their seemingly tight-knit – and certainly off-beat – rural community have wanted their neighbor dead? And if so, are more people they know at risk?

 

The tenth Cait Morgan Mystery from Bony Blithe Award-winning author Cathy Ace, The Corpse with the Iron Will, forces Cait and Bud to use the skills they’ve honed tackling cases around the world to unmask a killer who’s too close to home for comfort!

More About Cathy Ace

Cathy Ace was born and raised in Swansea, Wales, then migrated to Canada aged 40. Having traveled the world (for business and pleasure) for decades, Cathy put her knowledge of the cultures, history, art, and food she encountered to good use in the Cait Morgan Mysteries – a series of traditional whodunits featuring a globetrotting Welsh Canadian professor of criminal psychology. These books have been optioned by Free@LastTV (Agatha Raisin). Ace also writes the #1 Amazon bestselling WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries, featuring four female PIs (one is Welsh, one Irish, one Scottish, one English). They tackle quirky, quintessentially British cases from a Welsh stately home in the rolling countryside of the Wye Valley. Her standalone tale of psychological suspense, The Wrong Boy, also became an amazon #1 bestseller, and is due to become a bilingual TV mini series. Cathy lives on five rural acres in British Columbia, where her ever-supportive husband ensures she’s able to work full-time as an author, and enjoy her other great passion – gardening. She’s been shortlisted for the Bony Blithe Award three times in four years, winning in 2015, has won an IPPY Award, and was shortlisted for an IBA Award and an Arthur Ellis Award.

Author Links:    Website    Facebook     Twitter: @AceCathy    GoodReads   Instagram

Purchase Links – Amazon – Kobo

Also by Cathy Ace


TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 7 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 7 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
June 8 – My Journey Back the Journey Back – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 9 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
June 9 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
June 10 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 11 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
June 11 – Nadaness In Motion – REVIEW
June 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 12 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
June 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 13 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
June 13 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

On Flashback Fridays I will share with you
the books I was not able to review
when they were first released that have been screaming at me
from my To-Be-Read bookshelf.

Beaches, Bungalows, & Burglaries: A Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Kentucky
Publisher: Independently published (May 25, 2018)
Hardcover: 206 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8714027734
Paperback: 210 pages
ISBN-10: 1721977740
ISBN-13: 978-1721977741
Kindle ASIN: B07C4NT6BS

Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where NOTHING is normal.

Mae West, a far cry from the Hollywood actress, has been thrown for a loop. Her plush lifestyle in the big city of New York comes to a screeching halt after the FBI raids her mansion and arrests her husband, Paul West, for a Ponzi scheme that rips people out of millions of dollars.

Mae finds herself homeless, friendless, and penniless. All hope isn’t lost. . .the only thing Mae got to keep that the government didn’t seize is a tourist campground, Happy Trails, in Normal, Kentucky, and an RV to live in. One problem, Mae’s idea of camping has room service.

By the look of the brochure, Happy Trails has plush Kentucky Bluegrass, a crystal clear lake, a beach chair with her name on it, and thoughts of how much money it could bring her after she sells it. Mae figures she’ll take a couple of weeks’ vacation with her toes dipped in the lake. Things aren’t always as they appear. The Kentucky Bluegrass is nothing but dirt and the crystal clue lake is murky with green slime on top.

Mae quickly finds out that Happy Trails and the citizens of Normal were also victims of Paul’s schemes, making her lower than the lake scum in the residents’ eyes. Mae doesn’t think things could get much worse, but as luck would have it, Paul West has escaped from prison and is found dead, murdered, floating in the Happy Trails mucky green lake.

Mae is the number one suspect on Detective Hank Sharp’s shortlist. After all, Mae has the perfect motive as a kept wife who has been scorned to ashes, embarrassed to death and seeking revenge.

Time is running out for Mae to prove that she’s innocent and nothing like her husband. If only she could get someone to believe her and talk Detective Sharp into looking at other residents who’ve lost all their savings to Paul’s Ponzi scheme before the curtain is closed on this Hollywood namesake.

Dollycas’s Thoughts 

Mae West has had her life turned inside out. You see her husband was scum, scamming hard-working people and senior citizens out of their hard-earned cash and the FBI has finally caught up with him. Sadly Mae had no clue what he was up to and is now broke and homeless and without a motor vehicle. Then she meets with her lawyer where she finds herself the new owner of a used RV and a campground in Normal, Kentucky that was somehow in her name only. Seeing the brochure she immediately sees dollar signs, thinking how much can she sell it for. In the meantime, a little beach vacay sounds pretty good.

When she arrives at the Happy Trails Campground she thinks there must be some kind of mistake. The place looks nothing like the brochure. The sights are rundown, the lake is full of green slime and algae, and the beach is far from blissful. She learns her husband has struck here as well. Not taking care of upkeep and maintenance, not paying his manager, and worst of all he scammed the people here as well. She is not totally surprised to find his body in the slimy lake following his escape from prison. As the scorned wife she becomes the prime suspect. Sadly she needs to build a little trust with the people of Normal while she proves she did not murder anyone and had nothing to do with his schemes. Maybe then she will be able to get her life back on track.

I really enjoyed my first visit to Normal, Kentucky. The residents are some really quirky characters but most of them have huge hearts and are full of Southern hospitality. Mae is just 30 years old, Paul was 61, she thought she had a good life and never imagined things would turn out this way. I did come to admire the way she handled herself after her little pity party. She makes a real transformation over the course of these pages. I enjoyed the development of all the characters although I did have a few issues with the behavior of a certain FBI agent. It just felt off for that position. He seemed more a folksy small-town sheriff instead of a serious Special Agent for the FBI.

The mystery was pretty straight forward and I ferreted out the guilty party quite quickly but I continued to read the story all in one sitting and was very entertained. I did enjoy how the killer was revealed, it had an exciting few moments.

For me, Beaches, Bungalows, & Burglaries was a fresh, light read and a great way to spend a couple of hours.

Tonya Kappes is a writing machine. I have wanted to read this story/series since it was released but got discouraged as more and more books came out and I kept getting further behind. It will probably take me forever to catch up but I was very excited when a mini reading challenge gave me the opportunity to read this book and get started. Now I want to keep reading them all but with my reading commitments that is going to take time. I really want to delve deeper into the craziness of Normal so I am going to squeeze them in when I can.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About the Author