Book Giveaway - Danger at the Cove

GIVEAWAY PRIZE:

Two winners: one (1) hardcopy and one (1) paperback copy of Danger at the Cover by Ashley Weaver.  Click here for my review.

Book Blurb: "Renovations on Tregarrick Rock Hotel are
coming along, and Evie Mead thinks they just might be done by opening day. Then one of her sister Margot’s old Hollywood friends, Louise, arrives unannounced—and expecting VIP treatment.

Evie has half a mind to tell Louise to find other accommodations, but Margot pleads with Evie, saying that Louise—despite her upbeat and demanding attitude—is grieving her recently deceased husband. Evie pities her, and besides, the sisters need help. A simple rewiring project has resulted in a major overhaul of the hotel, and they’re way over budget. The small life insurance policy left to Evie by her own husband is gone, and they are desperate for funds. Margot believes that Louise, a marketing guru, can put the hotel on the map and give it the boost it needs.

But when a member of the hotel staff is found dead, and then another murder follows, the sisters’ plans crumble before their eyes. Who would do such a thing—and why? In a rollicking adventure involving a shipwreck filled with buried treasure, a dashing and mysterious Australian named Randy, and old rivalries stretching back to far before Evie and Margot ever set foot on the island, it’s all hands on deck to find the killer—and save the hotel."

Entry for giveaway lasts until Friday August 29th 6:00 p.m. (MST).  U.S.  entries only please.  

I will be shipping the book to the winners.

How to enter:

*** First, you must be an email subscriber to this blog***

All entries are to be in the comments for this post.  ALL ENTRIES WITHOUT AN EMAIL ADDRESS ARE DISQUALIFIED.

I will accept entries for this giveaway until 6:00 p.m (MST) on  Aug 29, 2021.  I shall notify each winner via the email address you provided to get your mailing address and have the prize sent directly to you.  If I don't hear from you in 3 days, I will select another winner and notify them.

IF you are an email subscriber of this blog, you only need to leave a comment with your correct email.

BECOME an email subscriber of this blog if you aren't already and enjoy the celebration of all things mystery and suspense.

Spotlight and Giveaway - Love and Death Among the Cheetahs

Today we are featuring a giveaway for readers. Berkley publishing has graciously offered one copy of Love and Death Among the Cheetahs (A Royal Spyness Mystery Book 13) to a lucky winner.  The Royal Spyness series is a historical cozy (1930s) with the charming and clumsy Lady Georgiana, or Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, 34th in line for the English throne.

About the book:

"I was so excited when Darcy announced out of the blue that

we were flying to Kenya for our extended honeymoon. Now that we are here, I suspect he has actually been sent to fulfill another secret mission. I am trying very hard not to pick a fight about it, because after all, we are in paradise! Darcy finally confides that there have been robberies in London and Paris. It seems the thief was a member of the aristocracy and may have fled to Kenya. Since we are staying in the Happy Valley—the center of upper-class English life—we are well positioned to hunt for clues and ferret out possible suspects.

Now that I am a sophisticated married woman, I am doing my best to sound like one. But crikey! These aristocrats are a thoroughly loathsome sort enjoying a completely decadent lifestyle filled with wild parties and rampant infidelity. And one of the leading lights in the community, Lord Cheriton, has the nerve to make a play for me. While I am on my honeymoon! Of course, I put an end to that right off. 

When he is found bloodied and lifeless along a lonely stretch of road, it appears he fell victim to a lion. But it seems that the Happy Valley community wants to close the case a bit too quickly. Darcy and I soon discover that there is much more than a simple robbery and an animal attack to contend with here in Kenya. Nearly everyone has a motive to want Lord Cheriton dead and some will go to great lengths to silence anyone who asks too many questions. The hunt is on! I just hope I can survive my honeymoon long enough to catch a killer. . . ."

Entry for giveaway lasts until September 7, 2019 6:00 p.m. (MST). U.S. entries only please.
The publisher will be shipping the book to the winners.


How to enter:

*** First, you must be an email subscriber of this blog.***

All entries are to be in the comments for this post.

I will accept entries for this giveaway until 6:00 p.m (MST) on September 7, 2019. I shall notify the winner via the email address you provide to get your mailing address and have the prize sent directly to you.

IF you are an email subscriber of this blog, you only need to leave a comment with your correct email.

BECOME an email subscriber of this blog if you aren't already and enjoy the celebration of all things mystery and suspense.

Spotlight and Giveaway - Death in a Budapest Butterfly

Today we are featuring a giveaway for readers. Berkley publishing has graciously offered one copy of Death in a Budapest Butterfly to a lucky winner.

About the book:
"Hana Keller and her family run Maggie's Tea House, an establishment heavily influenced by the family's Hungarian heritage and specializing in a European-style traditional tea service. But one of the shop's largest draws is Hana's eccentric grandmother, Juliana, renowned for her ability to read the future in the leaves at the bottom of customers' cups. Lately, however, her readings have become alarmingly ominous and seemingly related to old Hungarian legends...

When a guest is poisoned at a tea event, Juliana’s dire predictions appear to have come true. Things are brought to a boil when Hana’s beloved Anna Weatherley butterfly teacup becomes the center of the murder investigation as it carried the poisoned tea. The cup is claimed as evidence by a handsome police detective, and the pretty Tea House is suddenly endangered. Hana and her family must catch the killer to save their business and bring the beautiful Budapest Butterfly back home where it belongs."

The book includes Chicken Paprikas, Dumplings, Stuffed Cabbage, and Dessert Crescents recipes.  I am looking forward to trying them!

Entry for giveaway lasts until August 31, 2019 6:00 p.m. (MST). U.S. entries only please.
The publisher will be shipping the book to the winners.

How to enter:

*** First, you must be an email subscriber of this blog.***

All entries are to be in the comments for this post.

I will accept entries for this giveaway until 6:00 p.m (MST) on August 31, 2019. I shall notify the winner via the email address you provide to get your mailing address and have the prize sent directly to you.

IF you are an email subscriber of this blog, you only need to leave a comment with your correct email.

BECOME an email subscriber of this blog if you aren't already and enjoy the celebration of all things mystery and suspense.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I have written and published three cozy mysteries - ICED (Resort to Murder #1), Nailed (Resort to Murder #2), and SPIKED (Resort to Murder #3) by Avery Daniels 

SPIKED

"Julienne needs only three things: successfully pull of a last minute wedding relocated to her resort, work out things with her stubborn ex- boyfriend, and solve the murder of a private investigator found with her business card on his dead body. The wedding she can handle, but it comes with a flirtatious brother of the bride who manages to give Mason the idea she has moved on, and the dead PI was playing with fire before he was poisoned leaving a myriad of suspects. Two suspects are part of a scandal waiting to explode and nobody wants to be in the middle of the fallout.

Can Julienne wade through the various suspects while coordinating the wedding and dealing with a handsome amorous guest before her rival on the local paper exposes her connection and thus damages the resort’s reputation? Will she and Mason find their way to each other?"

"This was a thrilling third book from Avery Daniels with Juliette once again taking the lead on another murder investigation... Avery’s writing style is very entertaining with a first-person perspective laying out well the clever plot along with various suspects with motives and twist and turns, and sharing it all with Julienne’s inner thoughts and vivid descriptions. The mystery was delightfully involved with several lines of questioning to incorporate, an insinuation of Julie’s possible involvement, and keeping the “Wow!” ending to the…end. "  King's River Life Magazine

"Another fantastic book. Very entertaining, great characters... Great mix of mystery with a bit of romance ( or almost romance)."  BookHound

"A mixture of danger, humor, and romance set in lovely Colorado Springs, the author writes a perfect cozy mystery with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. " Cheryl Malandrinos

Purchase Links:

Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Kobo || iBooks 

Follow Avery Daniels  at the following:

Goodreads || BookBub || Facebook || Twitter || Newsletter 

Review - A Fatal Fleece

I am a fan of this series and have reviewed the last few releases before this one: Holiday Yarn (click here) and The Wedding Shawl (click here).  I was also fortunate to have interviewed the author as well (click here.)  This is the perfect book to get us into a summer, sand, and surf mindset.

Author:  Sally Goldenbaum

Copyright:  May 2012 (NAL) 336 pgs

Series:  6th in Seaside Knitters Mysteries

Sensuality:  mild references

Mystery Sub-genre:  Cozy

Main Character:  Nell Endicott

Setting:  Modern day, Sea Harbor, Massachusetts

Obtained Through:  publisher for an honest review

Let me introduce you to the seaside knitters:

Nell Endicott: the motherly spirit of the group.

Birdie Favazza: the spirited elder who is hard to keep up with.

Cass(andra) Halloran: the lobster-woman with a gentle heart - truly a rough diamond.

Izzy Perry: Nell's niece who owns the knit shop.

The town eccentric is a curmudgeonly old geezer, Finnegan, whose prime waterfront land has vultures circling in the form of developers, city council members, and an estranged daughter.  Finnegan does have some steadfast friends, such as seaside knitter and lobster woman extraordinaire Cass and Birdie's recently revealed "lovechild" granddaughter who is visiting.  Cass is bringing her cranky old friend a meal, when she stumbles upon his murdered body and becomes a suspect.

There are a few subplots going on as well as the main mystery of who murdered Finnegan.  There is Birdie's granddaughter Gabriel, or Gabby as the whole town calls her.  This precocious ten year old quickly works her way into the seaside knitter's hearts.  There is also Gabby's uncle, Birdie's deceased husband's brother, who is definitely hiding something and has lied to the gals.  Then there is Cassandra, whose lobster business is slowly drowning while she seems to be sabotaging her relationship with her beau, a popular author.  Finally, there is the thread of Finnegan's long estranged daughter who has returned to the area and seems to be conducting a clandestine affair.  All these are woven together for a tightly knit tableau.

This series always delivers and this time around is another great seaside murder mystery.  The Sea Harbor location is vividly and lovingly animated with people, places and history that envelope the reader.  This mountain born-and-raised gal loves Sea Harbor. 

The Seaside knitters are finely characterized, along with their relationships to each other and spouses.  This is not just for women necessarily, because the relationships with their men are wonderfully portrayed as well.  It is the interweaving of friendships, male and female, that is faithfully rendered in these books. 

The plot has its layers and red herrings, as Nell peels away the deceptions, looking into what happened to Finnegan.  There are subtle clues dropped that, like any good mystery, if you look back, you put them together.  As I have noted before, if there were a real life amateur sleuth, this is how it would look.  Nell talks to people in a natural neighborly way, like a curious person concerned about her neighbors and town.  That dynamic flows easily and works with the entire feel of the Sea Harbor experience.  There is no drama over her talking to neighbors, there is no conflict with the local police when she asks around, there is no conflict with her husband over investigating.  I LOVE THAT.  The conflict in the stories is about what murder does to the town and the people, and the dynamics of personal interactions.

This is a classic cozy, no rushing through the story, but actually experiencing the town and people over a few weeks, as the seaside knitter's investigation progresses.  That is why the first pages are a guide to the town's people that are regulars, so you can jump right into this sea side world.  Take a true break and spend some time in these well crafted mysteries.  Yes, I am a fan - I warned you.

Here is a recipe for a quick and easy Crab Bisque.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 quart prepared creamy tomato soup
cayenne to taste
8-oz tub lump crab-meat
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Review - Wicked Autumn

It is time to give thanks and among many of the blessings in my life, I am thankful for all the readers who find this blog of service. 

My wonderful neighbor Ken is reviewing another book for us.  As soon as I read "former MI5 agent turned Anglican priest" for the sleuth by G. M. Malliet I suspected this would be a great mystery, so I asked Ken to read and review it.  A nice tie in to this novel is the review I did of the International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. (click here.) Let's see if debut book in a new series meets the promise suggested by the description of the sleuth.

Author:  G. M. Malliet  

Copyright:  2011; Minotaur Books; 297 pages

Series:  #1 in the Max Tudor mysteries 

Sensuality:  Mild Violence  

Mystery sub-genre:  English cozy mystery, Amateur Sleuth  

Main Character:  Max Tudor, Anglican priest and former MI5 agent  

Setting:  Modern Day, Nether Monkslip, a Southern English village

Obtained book through:  Publisher for an honest review

Nether Monkslip is described as the traditional, quaint, and idyllic English village.  Yet now it is inhabited by modernistic owners of cottage industries who practice yoga, raise sheep for knitting wool, are chefs, artists, and New Agers.  They even utilize the internet for marketing. 

A moving and organizing force in this contemporary community is the Women’s Institute headed by the formidable, controlling, and unpopular Wanda Batton-Smythe.  With her patrician attitude, this curmudgeon upset, intimidated, or irritated most of the citizenry.  The preparations for the upcoming annual and very important celebration, the Harvest Fayre, only served to magnify these traits.  Then Wanda’s sudden death throws a monkey wrench into the shindig.  It seems she died from a severe allergic reaction by eating a cookie containing peanuts; something everybody knew she was fatally allergic to.

Max Tudor is unmarried and a former “Spook” for MI5 now turned Anglican priest.  In Nether Monkslip he’s found a new home, a new vocation, new friends, and some peace for his mind, body, and soul.  The village is a welcome respite from his dangerous and discordant past.  Based upon his previous knowledge and skills, Max begins to question the supposed accidental death of Wanda.  Apparently the high-handed Wanda was just asking for it-and she got it!  So who spiked the cookie?  Practically every villager is suspect, and they definitely had motive and opportunity.  He enters into the investigation by assisting the experienced and competent Detective Chief Inspector Cotton.  It will take their combined abilities to expose the killer or killers.

The investigation brings twists and turns and a few curve balls.  Max faces the difficulty of providing spiritual succor to his flock while suspecting them of murder.  Is there a single perpetrator or a conspiracy?  Will there be a surprise resolution to this investigation?

I must, once again, thank Ariel for providing me the opportunity of expanding my exposure to cozy mysteries, in this case an English cozy.  G.M. Malliet is well known in the world of mystery writers. She is a winner of the Agatha Award for her Death of a Cozy Writer.  She has a graduate degree from the University of Cambridge which was the setting for her other series, the St. Just mysteries.

In this story, she has provided us with a most enjoyable read.  I will go so far as to use a descriptive term atypical of me- delightful.  It was delightful to read this book.  Ms. Malliet’s words painted a colorful tapestry of characterizations of the people and the village.  All of the players were well developed in their personalities and mannerisms.  The book is laced with humor through satire, wit, and tongue-in-cheek descriptions and vocabulary.  The reader’s interest is maintained throughout the entire book.  I am looking forward to the next book in the Max Tudor series.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes - 

Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes Recipe

For your holiday meal

 

Ingredients:

4 1/4 pounds russet potatoes

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

3/4 cup milk

1 egg yolk

 

 

Review - Ghost Ship: A Port Chatham Mystery

This week we make a trip to Port Chatham Washington for a murder in the current and in 1893 that are somehow connected.

Author: P. J. Alderman

Copyright: February 2011 (Bantam) 368 pgs

Series: 2nd in Port Chatham Mysteries

Sensuality: historical brothel and mention of occurrences, sprinkled cursing

Mystery Sub-genre: Paranormal cozy

Main Character: Jordan Marsh, a psychologist recently relocated from Los Angeles who sees ghosts everywhere.

Setting: both 1893 and Modern day Port Chatham, Washington

Obtained Through: Library Find

Jordan is on a strenuous walk (read forced march) on the Dungeness Spit with police chief Darcy Moran. Not only does she find Holt Stillwell, the town Don Juan, dead but she finds that her abilities to see ghosts now extends to seeing the "spirits" of downed ships. Interestingly Jordan sees the ghost ship of the Henrietta Dale that ran aground very close to that area and Holt Stillwell was descended from the ship's notorious owner Michael Seavey. The scuttlebutt over the ages claims that a false light imitating the lighthouse purposely led the luxury ship to its death.

By the time Jordan makes it home she finds Michael Seavey's spirit in her house trying to court Hattie, one of her resident ghosts. Hattie must decided between two suitors, both dead. Hattie insists that Jordan find out the circumstances to Michael's death to make up for having said bad things about his character. Jordan is very reluctant to investigate, but having shanghaier Seavey's ghost around makes her uneasy, no matter how suave he is. Thus she starts looking into old records to unravel who led the ship to its watery grave and who murdered Seavey even after he survived the wreck. She becomes convinced that Holt Stillwell's death was connected with the sunken ship and begins unearthing the details of Seavey's last months alive. But her investigation is angering the living and she gets threats and even a break in.

Jordan was an okay character for me. I am rather neutral about her, she wasn't great and yet she wasn't terrible either. I thought it was interesting that Jordan has a hard time walking or driving because she doesn't want to hit the spirits she sees - of course townspeople are known to dress in period clothing which doesn't help her distinguish the living from the dead. For a psychologist she did not come across as having much polish that I would have expected from such a serious and educated professional. I will concede that she had moved recently so she was out of her element, she was recovering from the last story in which her ex-husband was murdered and she is doubting her abilities as a psychologist. I get all that was happening for her, but she still came across a touch immature like a college kid caught breaking dorm rules and explaining herself.

The romantic interest in the story is Jase, a former high profile celebrity who lives next door and owns the local watering hole. The story makes it clear that they are not even dating yet, just mutual interest that Jase is willing to take to the next level. I was starting to warm up to Jase's character, until he starts demanding Jordan not get involved because it could be dangerous. If you have followed this blog much you know I can't stand the main character getting harassed over sleuthing when that is the entire point to the whole story.

With the first pet peeve down let me get the second one out of my system. I grew tired of "when are you just going to sleep with him and get it over with" attitude that occurred several times in the story. Speaking for myself, that isn't "romantic", that is just hormones on a page. This would be one of those instances where, as a psychologist I would have expected more maturity from Jordan and the others. I felt there were several missed opportunities for romantic moments that could have occurred between Jordan and Jase that just didn't. It is as if there is no spark because it is so expected they will hook up so why bother with any of the heart pounding stolen moments or romance.

I did like how some of the story was told from Michael Seavey's perspective in 1893. It brought the mystery of who among many people would have wanted the charming Opium smuggler dead. I found I liked those scenes because I was looking for clues to add to what Jordan was finding.

The plot itself mixed the past and present for two murders to solve that had a connection in the present. I enjoyed guessing who I thought did it and why in both instances, and I was mostly correct. This is an entertaining lite read with a clever concept of mixing past and present, and where the ghosts are mostly the comic relief. The combination is a pleasant beach read that cozy fans should enjoy.

Here is a short video of the Dungeness spit where the mystery starts.  It is an excellent location to imagine ghost ships and a body washing up.

Book Giveaway - Grab Bag

* * * * * If you have enjoyed this blog, then PRETTY PLEASE vote for this blog as best Entertainment Blog (proving reading is entertainment) and also as best Hobby Blog. Thank you most sincerely. There are voting buttons on the sidebar too. You will have to register with Blogger's Choice, but it is a simple process. I am listed under Mysterysuspence.Blogspot.com. * * * * *

Winners for the giveaway of A TOAST TO MURDER are Stacey, Rae Reads and Laura Ann Dunks.  You should have received an email requesting your mailing address, if not please contact me.  CONGRATULATIONS.  Check out the new book giveaway.  I am so behind on my reading - so you benefit!

I am giving away a grab bag of 3 books that the publisher has sent to me and I probably won't get to them.  BUT a condition is that you PLEASE do a guest review of the book you receive to be posted on this blog - since the publisher sent these to be reviewed.   You may also post on your own blog as well.  Your post on this blog will give you credit as the guest reviewer and link to your blog as well.  There are three individual books to be given away to three winners.  These are advanced reading copies (ARC), so they don't have the full color covers.

FARM FRESH MURDER (A Farmer's Market Mystery) by Paige Shelton

First in the Farmer's Market Mystery Series.   Becca Robins leads a simple life, making jams and preserves on her very own farm. But when there's a murder in her quaint little town, she puts herself in the line of fire to defend her friend's innocence-and goes from making jam to being in one.

'TIL DICE DO US PART (A Bunco Babes Mystery) by Gail Oust
The Bunco Babes are a group of hip retirees who love to play bunco- an addictive game of luck.   But someone's luck is about to run out... For good.

When Claudia Connors returns from Vegas with a new husband, actor Lance Ledeaux, Kate McCall and the other Bunco Babes are shocked. To make matters worse, Lance has plans to direct, produce, and star in a play he has written-and he wants all the Babes to participate.

When he's killed during rehearsal with a pistol, all eyes are on Claudia, who is literally holding the smoking gun. Anyone could have loaded the real bullets, but its up to Kate to prove Claudia's innocence-or her newly widowed friend will be throwing dice behind bars.
 

MURDER OF A WEDDING BELLE (A Scumble River Mystery) by Denise Swanson

School psychologist Skye Denison reluctantly agrees to act as maid of honor in her California cousin's over-the-top platinum-style wedding- and is also expected to assist the control-freak wedding planner. But when Skye discovers the planner dead, just one week before the big event, Skye is suddenly working double-duty.


While overseeing every nuptial detail, she's also helping the police find out who hated the bridal consultant enough to kill her. Can Skye get her cousin to the church on time-and save herself from a killer who may actually be on the guest list?

How to Enter:

*** First, you must be a member (follower) of this blog and you agree to the guest reviewer condition.***

All entries are to be in the comments for this post (or possibly in an email.)

I will stop taking entries for this giveaway Friday May 21 at midnight and will announce the winner Monday  May 24th.  Please be ready to review the book within a week or two upon receipt of the book if at all possible. 

For each point you earn you will have one entry in the random drawing. There is a chance for 9 points total for each contestant and thus 9 entries each.

+1 for leaving a comment with your correct email information. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving your email in a comment, please email me your information at: mysterysuspense1 at gmail dot com.

+2 for each new member you bring to this blog (you must identify the new member you brought) limit of 2 new per contest

+2 posting on Facebook recommending this blog or post, please supply link in comments

+1 for having this blog's button in a side bar of your blog with a link back, please supply link in comments

+1 for tweeting about this blog, please post link in comments

Comment/email example:

+1 here is my email address so you can notify me I won _ _ _ _ _ @ _ _ _ .com

+2 for new google member Sadie197 I brought to your blog

+2 here is the link to my Facebook page where I posted about your blog

+1 for adding your blog button to my blog sidebar (http://myblog.blogspot.com/)

+1 here is the link to the tweet I did on this Blog (http://twitter.com/NICKI0162/status/7657117606)



Thank you for participating and good luck!  I look forward to some guest reviewers.