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Dianne Ascroft

Posted on By Dollycas No Comments on Dianne Ascroft

🎄What a fun, festive short story about a missing ring! Clocking in at just a little over 100 pages, this is the perfect read for this busy season. I was holding my breath as the characters scrambled to uncover what was lost!
~Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books

one gold ring cover
One Gold Ring (Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
Novella related to the main Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries Series
Setting – Fenwater – a fictional small town in rural Canada.
Independently Published (November 1, 2025)
Paperback
Print length ‏ : ‎ 104 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8272391599
Digital
Print length ‏ : ‎ 102 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FYX6KXGD
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A busy shopping street, a cozy coffee klatch, a missing ring: Marge Kirkwood has no desire for anyone to gift five gold rings to her. She just needs to find one elegant gold ring sparkling with dainty diamonds and rubies: the one that was stolen due to her carelessness.

When Marge Kirkwood meets her friend Bruce Murray at the Honey Pot diner to reassure him about his choice of an engagement ring for her best friend Lois Stone, she couldn’t be happier for the couple. But a few moments of her inattention could scupper Bruce’s plans for a romantic Christmas proposal. A cunning thief seizes the opportunity Marge’s lapse affords to snatch Bruce’s family heirloom. Soon afterwards Lois arrives and joins Marge and Bruce in the search for the ring. Three heads may be better than one or two but Lois can’t find out that it’s her engagement ring they are hunting for.

And so the week before Christmas begins with dashing through the snow without a sleigh, tangy gingerbread muffins and cinnamon scented apple cider, clever calico cats, slippery snow-sheathed sidewalks, glittering gems set in gold, hazardous high-heeled boots, rushing thieves and bustling Christmas shoppers set against a cheerful holiday clad shopping street, sultry Christmas songs serenading shoppers in the market, the sweet scent of carnations, roses and baby’s breath bouquets in the florist’s window and a mantlepiece twinkling with shiny baubles and lights woven through holly in a comfy century cottage.

Author Links
Website     Facebook      Newsletter      GoodReads

Purchase Links:
Amazon US     Amazon UK

More in this Series
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Find all of Dianne Ascroft’s Books HERE. 

Click on the covers for more information or to order from Amazon.

2/10/2026

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The Widow Hamilton: An Eliza Hamilton Mystery by Mollie Ann Cox #Review @crookedlanebooks

Posted on By Dollycas No Comments on The Widow Hamilton: An Eliza Hamilton Mystery by Mollie Ann Cox #Review @crookedlanebooks


The Widow Hamilton: An Eliza Hamilton Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – New York
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 10, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892423915
Kindle
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892423922
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F88WRBBS
Audiobook
ASIN B0FQL9BKGK
Audio CD
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8228829008
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GMSBHX25
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The widow of Alexander Hamilton faces another mystery in the second Eliza Hamilton mystery, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn.

It’s December 1805, and Eliza Hamilton is determined to seek justice. One young woman is dead, another has vanished—both residents of a house where Eliza’s friend, Alice, lives among other craftswomen struggling to survive in a city unforgiving toward widows and orphans.

With no help from the constabulary because the young woman’s body was found in a bad part of town–and was dressed as a man–Eliza vows to protect the women and uncover the truth. She suspects a connection between the death and the disappearance, especially given that the young lady who disappeared went missing while searching for the woman who was later found dead.

As Eliza traces their last known steps, she unearths a hidden world of dangerous secrets lurking beneath the city—secrets that could tear apart everything she holds dear.

This pulse-racing historical mystery will intrigue and delight anyone fascinated by the Founding Fathers and feminist history.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

One young lace maker is dead, and another lace maker is missing. The constabulary is not interested in justice, but Eliza Hamilton is. She may not know why the woman’s body was found in a dangerous area, but she does know why she was dressed as a man. She also feels there is a connection between the woman’s death and the woman who has gone missing. Eliza learns there is a militant group that believes all women should be married and is selling women to men. She hopes that it has no part in her investigation. Eliza is also facing the loss of the home she and Alexander built.

With the holidays, Eliza’s two oldest sons have come home, and her sister Angelica has come for a visit. She is very willing to help Eliza in any way to find out what happened to the women. Her sons encourage them both to let the authorities handle it because it is so dangerous.

In her follow-up to The Lace Widow, Mollie Ann Cox reconnects Eliza with the women of the Pearl Street house. Like Eliza, they are very strong women trying to make their way in a time and a city where widows, single women, and orphans are treated horribly. Eliza works tirelessly to change this, using the status given her by being Alexander Hamilton’s widow, most of whom do not know what dire financial straights she finds herself in following his death. Her courage to push forward is admirable. Her sister, Angelica, Mrs. John Church, is the same. Always ready to fight for others. Together, they are pretty unstoppable. Eliza’s sons, Alexander Jr. and James, become involved in the investigation in an effort to keep their mother and aunt safe. They have been raised well with the right values and will see their mother in a new light.

Mrs. General Hamilton and Mrs. John Church start their investigation following the path the lace makers took before their death/disappearance. They started at the Pearl House and visited high-society households, nearby shops, and even to the darker side of town. They also checked in with the constabulary several times. The blustery winter weather made travel precarious at times, but Eliza and Anegelica were determined, to their driver’s dismay. It was a complex investigation with many secrets being held and omissions being made. Key observations needed to be explained. Inquiries had to be made time and time again to obtain the truth.

What makes stories like this so entertaining is that while the story is fictional, it truthfully depicts the history of the time. We are also taken into Eliza’s life, from raising her children, trying to have a holiday celebration with her financial worries, her quest to open an orphanage, all while preserving her husband’s legacy. Add to that a complicated mystery to solve.

Before reading The Lace Widow, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was herself a mystery to me. Ms. Cox took time to do the heavy lifting with the research to give her readers an entertaining reimagination of her life, adding some sleuthing to her history. In The Widow Hamilton, that story continues with another compelling mystery, featuring characters that truly come to life with her words. With scenes described in vivid detail and rich dialogues, I felt transported back in time. Mysteries mixed with history to make this book a Perfect Escape.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About the Author

Mollie Ann Cox is the author of several popular mystery series, also writing under the pen name Maggie Blackburn. Her books have been selected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award and as a Top 10 Beach Reads by Woman’s World. The Lace Widow is the first time she’s combined her passion for history and mystery. She makes her home at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Crozet, V.A.
Find Books Written as Mollie Cox Bryan HERE.
Find Books Written as Maggie Blackburn HERE. 

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.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.

 

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Cozy Wednesday featuring A Field Guide to Murder: A Novel by Michelle L. Cullen #Review #Giveaway @crookedlanebooks @michellelcullen

Posted on By Dollycas No Comments on Cozy Wednesday featuring A Field Guide to Murder: A Novel by Michelle L. Cullen #Review #Giveaway @crookedlanebooks @michellelcullen

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!

I am happy to share my thoughts today about A Field Guide to Murder: A Novel by Michelle L. Cullen. 


A Field Guide to Murder: A Novel
Cozy Mystery
Setting – Ohio
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 27, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892424622
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892424639
Kindle
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892424646
Audiobook
ASIN B0FTBRD14R
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A cranky widower and his spirited caregiver team up to solve his neighbor’s murder in this charming and original mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

Once a globe-trotting anthropologist, Harry Lancaster is now certain that all his grand adventures are behind him. Recently widowed and suffering from a fractured hip, Harry spends his days and nights behind a pair of binoculars, nose-deep in his neighbors’ affairs. His millennial caregiver, Emma, is determined to get him out of his armchair and back into the world.

Fate intervenes when Harry’s mysterious neighbor, Sue, phones, pleading for help. But instead of rescuing her, Harry and Emma find Sue dead: poisoned, days after a break-in at Sue’s house. Harry resolves to find out what happened, and Emma insists on going along for the ride. Together, they discover motives and suspects abound in Harry’s quaint condominium community—putting them both in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer.

Readers of Kristen Perrin and Deanna Raybourn will be charmed by this quirky, cross-generational murder mystery.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Harry Lancaster is not used to sitting still. His career as an anthropologist has taken him around the world, but he recently lost his wife and is now dealing with a broken hip. He may be sidelined, but that doesn’t mean his big adventures are over. For now, he is keeping his eyes on his neighbors and the neighborhood.

Emma Stockton is Harry’s caregiver. Her job as a critical care nurse had taken its toll, and caregiving is a role she can easily handle. She is young, friendly, and knows how to put Harry through his paces for a successful recovery.

When Harry receives a phone call from his neighbor, Sue Daniels, begging for help, Emma rushes to Sue’s home, and Harry follows. They find the woman has died, apparently poisoned. Harry is determined to find out who killed her and why. Emma is ready, willing, and able to help. As they work to uncover what has been happening in their community, they realize they both have become targets of the person they want to put behind bars.

Will Harry and Emma get to the truth and catch the killer? Or will the killer catch them first?

Harry is a cantankerous human being right now because of his current situation. He has lost most of his independence because of his lack of mobility. His mind is not lacking, though; his knowledge about many things sets him up to be a great amateur sleuth. Millennial Emma is on a mission to help Harry get back on his feet while dealing with a variety of things in her personal life. She is a wonderful Watson to Harry’s Sherlock. The author impressed me by taking the time to introduce these characters, and gave this reader time to get invested in their lives. Then we witnessed a friendship that bloomed naturally as Harry and Emma came to trust each other and realize their importance to each other overall.

Something was happening in Harry’s neighborhood. He watched some strange happenings behind a pair of binoculars. Sue’s death was thought to be an accident, but Harry did not believe it. Detective Bradford soon learned Harry was not going to back down. There were plenty of suspects to observe and question. After another neighbor was attacked, people started to open up to Harry and Emma while the police were hitting walls. Clues started to come together during a gathering, but the actual killer remained unclear. Harry has an a-ha moment that sets up a tragic showdown in the middle of a powerful thunderstorm. Ms. Cullen’s vivid descriptions enable readers to feel they are right on the scene. But wait, that’s not the end of the story; Harry is still following clues.

A Field Guide to Murder contains a clever, twisted whodunit with engaging protagonists and quirky supporting characters set in an intriguing condominium community. It’s an emotional story with a feel-good ending. Harry and Emma’s relationship is genuinely heartwarming. The ending hints at a new adventure, which put a huge smile on my face, knowing this is not the end of their story. A Field Guide to Death and Deceit is coming September 15, 2026. I am excited to tag along on Harry and Emma’s next adventure.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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From Crooked Lane Books

About the Author

Michelle L. Cullen has lived and traveled all over the world: from working as a (decent if powered by enough espresso) bilingual secretary in Paris to backpacking around Europe, Central America, and Southern Africa, to helping rebuild communities after war throughout Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific. She earned her master’s degree in anthropology at Melbourne University in Australia and her Ph.D. in sociology at the London School of Economics in England. A fan of adventure, she has a black belt in Taekwondo, has summited 900 feet rock climbing, and has flown a helicopter (once, during a lesson, for five terrifying minutes). She currently lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where she’s either doing yoga, playing outside, or plotting murder.

Website      Facebook      Instagram 

Thanks to the publisher, I have 1 paperback copy to give away!

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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.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.

 

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Trailbreaker (Prairie Nightingale) by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare #Review / #Giveaway – Great Escapes Book Tour @ruthieknoxromance @spinsterpress

Posted on By Dollycas No Comments on Trailbreaker (Prairie Nightingale) by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare #Review / #Giveaway – Great Escapes Book Tour @ruthieknoxromance @spinsterpress


Trailbreaker (Prairie Nightingale)
by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare

About Trailbreaker


Trailbreaker (Prairie Nightingale)
Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Wisconsin
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 27, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 299 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1662535996
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1662535994
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1662529801
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F5RKCRFK
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Suspicions that a serial killer is terrorizing a pristine tourist spot draw a single mom and budding private investigator into a twisting and deepening mystery of secrets and murder.

Single mom and newly minted private investigator Prairie Nightingale has opened the doors of her Green Bay, Wisconsin, agency and is ready for work. She and her crew aren’t quite prepared for their first client, though: Bernie Dubicki, a notorious online journalist and not-altogether-reliable provocateur, who claims the idyllic vacation destination of nearby Door County is home to a serial killer.

She’s pinpointed four seemingly unrelated deaths that haven’t raised suspicions for anyone else. But when a college student vanishes, Bernie’s sizable retainer convinces Prairie to help connect the dots. And trusted, flirty FBI agent Foster Rosemare thinks Bernie might be onto something. Prairie never expected her first investigation to be so big—like Dateline big—but she does have an inquiring mind and a knack for seeing things no one else can.

In this case she’ll have to look deep—not only into the secrets of strangers, but into Door County’s woods—to solve a mystery decades in the making.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Prairie Hawk Investigation has opened its doors.  New Private Investigator, Prairie Nightingale, is joined by Joyce, her ex-mother-in-law; a new forensic genealogist, Emma; a nineteen-year-old up-and-coming crime podcaster; and Marian, Prairie’s capable executive assistant. Her ex-husband, Greg, coparents their daughters,  MaeLynn and Anabel, but with the new business, he may have to step up a little more.

Online Journalist Bernie Dubicki has a theory. She believes four Door County deaths that have been seen as unrelated are the work of a serial killer, and she wants the Prairie Hawk team to help her prove it. Prairie’s new “friend,” FBI agent Foster Rosemare, is interested in Bernie’s theory as well.

Realizing this case could be huge, Prairie hits the road for Door County to see if she can reveal the truth.

All the core characters Ms. Knox and Ms. Mare have created feel genuine and true to life. The women who make up Prairie Hawk Investigations are smart and capable. Each brings their own strength to the business. Greg and Prairie are still working their way through raising their daughters separately and together. MaeLynn is gifted and autistic, which takes some creative planning. Anabel is trying to obtain her driver’s license and gets some assistance from an interesting source. I really enjoy all these characters and their interactions. All the characters grew within these pages.

I appreciated the direction this book took, spinning off the Homemaker 724 Maple Project into the Prairie Hawk Investigation group. It plays to Prairie’s assets and skills. Skills that shone in Homemaker. Joyce, Emma, and Marian’s unique skills are beneficial in new ways, too. I liked that they want to set their company apart and not take run-of-the-mill investigations, like cheating spouses. By holding out, they landed a really big case.

That case unfolds at a comfortable pace until clues start to come together, then the pages fly. There were a lot of moving parts, but the authors plotted them out perfectly. Everyone communicated effectively and listened to each other’s ideas. Connections were made, and secrets were revealed that may have been missed by others. Even Prairie’s daughters got involved. I liked that they worked with the FBI and put emphasis on figuring out the story, not catching the killer. They let the FBI handle the heavy lifting.

This story takes place in another high tourist destination in Wisconsin. Door County is home to vibrant towns, villages, and communities. It’s a place our family loves to visit, and it was fun to travel there with Prairie.

Trailbreaker is a well-written story twisting together a complicated mystery with characters whose lives continue to evolve in meaningful ways. The relationship between Prairie and Foster is progressing glacially, but she has a lot on her plate, so it is understandable. I am very excited for this series to continue. Believer is set to be released on September 8, 2026.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare

Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare write critically acclaimed, bestselling mystery and romance, usually (but not always) together. They are the authors of the Prairie Nightingale mysteries and the TV Detectives mystery series. If you want more of their stories, check out their queer romances co-written as Mae Marvel, as well as solo work by Ruthie Knox (het romance), Annie Mare (grounded queer paranormal romance), and Robin York (Ruthie’s pen name for New Adult romance). Ruthie and Annie are married and live with two teenagers, two dogs, multiple fish, two glorious cats, four hermit crabs, and a bazillion plants in a very old house with a garden.

Author Links:
Webpage   Facebook Ruthie and Facebook Annie 

Purchase Links –


Amazon – Bookshop.org – Barnes & Noble – 

Find all of Ruthie’s Books HERE.
Find all of Annie’s Books HERE.

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February 10 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
February 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
February 11 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
February 12 – Reading Reality – REVIEW
February 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 13 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
February 14 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW 
February 15 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT
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February 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
February 17 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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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.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.

 

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Death on Dickens Island: A Books on the Beach Mystery by Allison BrookBuy Now - Click Here! Kiindle $1.99
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