Spooktacular Giveaway Blog Hop

If you are joining us as part of the Spooktacular Giveaway Blog hop, look around and stay for awhile.  We celebrate everything mystery and suspense here - no doubt you can find something of interest!

GIVEAWAY PRIZES:

We are celebrating Halloween here at Mysteries and My Musings with a giveaway for the fourth year!  One combination prize to a winner, 8 winners!

1)  One Potion in the Grave (Magical Potion Mystery) by Heather Black and A Midwinter's Tail (Magical Cats Mystery) by Sofie Kelly

2)  The Legend of Sleepy Harlow (League of Literary Ladies) by Kylie Logan, and Literally Murder (Black Cat Bookshop) by Ali Brandon

3)  Last Wool and Testament (Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery) by Molly McRae and Trick or Deadly Treat (Fresh Baked Mystery) by Livia Washburn

4)  America's Most Haunted: The Secrets of Famous Paranormal Places (non-fiction) by Theresa Argie  and The Last Dead Girl (David Loogan Mystery) by Harry Dolan 

5)   Ghost of a Gamble (Ghost of Granny Apples Mystery) by Sue Ann Jaffarian and From Fear to Eternity (Immortality Bites Mystery) by Michelle Rowen

6)  Death at the Black Bull (Sheriff Virgil Dalton Mystery) by Frank Hayes and Picked to Die (Orchard Mystery) by Sheila Connolly

7)  Gossamer Ghost (Scrapbooking Mystery) by Laura Childs and One Potion in the Grave (Magic Potion Mystery) by Heather Blake

8) A Midwinter's Tail (Magical Cats Mystery) by Sofie Kelly, Plagued by Quilt (Haunted Yarn Shop) by Molly MacRae


Entry for giveaway lasts until October 31 6:00 p.m. (MST).  U.S.  entries only please.

I will be shipping the books to the winners.

How to enter:

*** First, you must be a member (follower) 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  Oct 31, 2013.    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 I don't hear from you in 3 days, I will select another winner and notify them.

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

BECOME a member of this blog if you aren't already and enjoy the celebration of all things mystery and suspense.

Other participating blogs:

Guest Post - M.L. Rowland

Don't forget to vote in the reader poll (click here), your opinion is valuable.

From author M.L. Rowland's website:
"How far would you go to save the life of a stranger? Jump out of a helicopter into four feet of snow? Sleep outside in the winter? Dangle on a rope over the edge of a cliff?

M.L. Rowland has done all of these things and more, all in the line of service as a mountain Search and Rescue volunteer."  Thus, it is fitting that she writes mysteries featuring a woman Search and Rescue member and that she share a little bit about women on Search and Rescue.

WOMEN ON SEARCH AND RESCUE

Search and Rescue has traditionally been a male-dominated field and, for the most part, still is. For about a dozen years, I was a very active member of a very active Search and Rescue team in the mountains of southern California. For almost two of those twelve years, I was the only woman on the team.

One question I’m asked a lot, mostly by women, is what it’s like to be a woman on Search and Rescue.

Some teams have a lot of women members; some not so many. Sometimes this is due to the normal ebb and flow of membership of a volunteer team, sometimes to the demographics of the community it serves and from which the team draws its members, sometimes, in my opinion, to how women on the team (and women in general) are treated.

In my Search and Rescue mystery series, Gracie Kinkaid is one of the only women on Timber Creek Search and Rescue. An excerpt from “Zero-Degree Murder,” the first book in the series: “Ordinarily ten men to one woman might be a to-die-for ratio. But more often than not, Gracie found that working with so many Manly Men for so many hours, often days at a time, took its toll on her. She could take only so much crotch arranging, and fart and blonde jokes before she began to crave a bubble bath or painted her toenails petunia pink.”

On our team, while minimal allowances were made for women on the mandatory physical fitness test, there was no difference in what was required in all other aspects of team membership. To qualify as a SAR Technician, Level II, as required by our team to operate in the field, we all had to pass the same National Association for Search and Rescue written and field tests which included the Incident Command System, tracking, basic survival, search tactics, and land navigation and orienteering.

While operating on a team of mostly men, I never expected anything from them that I wasn’t prepared and able to do for them. In other words, I didn’t expect special treatment based on my gender. I held my own, carried my own weight. I worked as hard as, sometimes a lot harder than, every other member of the team. What I lacked in physical strength, I tried to more than make up for in other ways: training, knowledge, expertise, and commitment.

While on a mission, when lives, including our own, were at stake, I depended on my teammates and they needed to be able to depend on me for anything and everything.

Was Search and Rescue work often difficult and physically demanding? Yes. Was working in close proximity with so many Manly Men challenging at times? Absolutely. Do I ever wish I had done something else with my life during those years on the team? Not for a second!

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THANK You Ms. Rowland, I enjoyed your post.  

Now, in preparation for Halloween, here is a link to the mother-load of stencils and helpful videos to aid in carving that pumpkin!  (click here).

Review - Murder Off the Beaten Path

I reviewed the first book in this new series, Zero Degree Murder (click here) but surprisingly I have not  interviewed the author yet.  Even though autumn has descended in my neck of the woods, this book takes us to summer camp!

Author: M.L. Rowland

Copyright: October 2014 (Berkley) 304 pgs

Series: 2nd in Search and Rescue Mystery series

Sensuality: some swearing, sexual assault, R rated in parts

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth

Main Characters: Gracie Kinkaid -- volunteer search and rescue working at a residential summer camp 

Setting: modern day, mountains of southern California

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

The book opens as Search and Rescue are searching for a teen girl.  The search is sadly called off after a week.  We are then introduced to Gracie's new job working as a ropes and climbing instructor at a residential church summer camp.  It becomes clear that something isn't right at the camp, but when Jett McKenna's car goes over the side of a mountain after leaving a frantic call on Gracie's answering machine, it becomes critical to uncover just what is happening and who is involved.  Gracie begins to realize that she can't trust anybody at camp, not even the pastor director -- and especially not his wild brother.  The more Gracie digs into the dark activities at the camp, she discovers illegal activities, and is in the path of vicious criminals who target her.

Gracie seems to have more baggage this time around, or perhaps she is just terrible at relationships all around.  She makes some progress by acquiring a dog, Minnie, in this outing.  This time some of her actions seem erratic, though. She manages to hurt her dear friend Ralph Hunter. Ralph is a fellow Search and Rescue member and was introduced in the previous book.  Ralph would like to take care of Gracie, but seems to still cling to his deceased wife.  Rob Christian, the mega-star British actor that figured prominently in the last book, is back for a brief appearance in this book.  Jett is the Ponderosa Camp friend who dies when her car goes over the side of a mountain.  She is dark and troubled, trying to find her way.  Brothers Jay, who runs the camp, and Eddie are obviously up to no good, but is it just petty stuff or more serious?

Timber Creek County and Camp Ponderosa's rugged beauty are vibrantly described.  Rowland weaves the wilderness into the story as a character.  The plot is uncomplicated but rather dark, so be warned.  The pacing is inconsistent with a too slow parts then speedy sections.  The climatic showdown has some hair-raising moments that got my blood racing.  Kudos there.  The wrap-up is without cheer and adds more complications to her life.

If you like your suspense characters with a bit more edge and somewhat harder and a few more dark notes in the story telling, this is your book. 

Rating: Good - An intense read, but not suited for everybody. Maybe read an excerpt before buying. 

It is autumn, one of my favorite times of the year.  If you love pumpkin spice flavored coffee, here is a recipe to make your own syrup to flavor your coffee all season.  



Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Ingredients
1½ cups water
1½ cups sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
3 tbsp. pumpkin puree
**If you don't want to measure out all of the spices individually you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of Pumpkin pie spice instead.

Directions
In a medium saucepan combine sugar and spices, whisking together to incorporate, add water and turn heat on to medium, stir occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved. Add cinnamon sticks and the pumpkin puree. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring often, but do not let the mixture boil. Turn down the heat if necessary. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes, then strain the syrup through a fine sieve or mesh strainer. If you do not have either, a funnel lined with a coffee filter works well.

Store in Fridge up to 30 days.

To make a delicious Pumpkin Spice Latte, mix a shot of hot espresso with 2 TBS of Pumpkin Spice Syrup and 4-6 oz of hot steamed milk. Top with whipped cream, a dash of pumpkin spice seasoning and a drizzle of caramel.

Recipe from Budget 101 (click here).

Mystery & Crime Fiction Blog Carnival - October 2014

It is the first Monday of the month and time for another highly anticipated Blog Carnival. 

Now on to this month's blog carnival.  Click on the title or author's name to go to that link.

Police Procedural / PI Book Review / Legal

Carstairs Considers reviewed Death Valley by Sandy Dengler


King's River Life Reviewed Lost Legacy by Annette Dshofy


Booking Mama reviewed After I'm Gone by Laura Lippman


King's River Life Reviewed The Executioner’s Hood By Loretta Jackson and Vickie Britton



Amateur Sleuth / Cozy book Review

Mysteries and My Musings reviewed The Wolfe Widow by Victoria Abbot


Thoughts in Progress reviewed Clam Wake by Mary Daheim


King's River Life Reviewed Marked Down for Murder by Josie Belle and The Wolfe Widow by Victoria Abbott


Carstairs Considers reviewed Bloom and Doom by Beverly Allen


King's River Life Reviewed Fat Cat At Large by Janet Cantrell


Carstairs Considers reviewed Maple Mayhem by Jessie Crockett


King's River Life Reviewed Mistress of Lies By Holly West, a historical mystery

Thoughts in Pregress reviewed The Corpse Who Waled in the Front Door by Jackie King


King's River Life Reviewed Groomed for Murder by Annie Knox


Thoughts in Progress reviewed Night of the White Buffalo by Margaret Coel


King's River Life Reviewed Murder of a Needled Knitter by Denise Swanson and Nightmares Can Be Murder by Mary Kennedy


Buried Under Books reviewed Catwalk by Sheila Webster Boneham





Thriller/Suspense Fiction Book Review


Mysteries and My Musings reviewed No Tomorrow by Tom Wood


King's River Life Reviewed Blackout by Jan Christensen


Mysteries and My Musings reviewed Angel Killer by Andrew Mayne


Tea Time With Marce reviewed Dead Wrong by Allen Wyler, a medical thriller.


King's River Life Reviewed Phantom Limb By Dennis Palumbo


Thoughts in Progress reviewed The Lost Island by Preston and Child


Buried Under Books reviewed Death Spiral by Janie Chodosh


King's River Life Reviewed Cypher By Cathy Perkins


Booking Mama reviewed Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey


Thoughts in Progress reviewed Habor Island by Carla Neggers


Author Interview

Mysteries and My Musings featured a guest post by Victoria Abbot


King's River Life interviewed Holly West


Mysteries and My Musings featured a guest post by kathy Aarons



Please help the newsletter for the blog carnival to get more subscribers.  If a blog reviews mystery/suspense/thrillers (even occasionally) then I would like to feature those reviews.  I send the newsletter out once a month announcing the deadline for submitting to this blog carnival.  Multiple entries from a blog are welcome. 

Subscribe to our carnival reminder mailing list

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A huge "THANK YOU" to all the wonderful bloggers out there who contributed to the carnival.  Keep them coming and keep this carnival going. 

Let's make next month's Carnival even better. For more information on the specifics of the Carnival and how to submit your posts go here. 

Spread the word far and wide!!!

 

 

 

Review - Death is Like a Box of Chocolates

This is a brand new series, so here is the scoop.  The author did a guest post for us just a few days ago (click here).  FYI, we are approaching the next Blog Carnival, so please submit your entries (click here).

Author: Kathy Aarons

Copyright: Sept 2014 (Berkley) 304 pgs

Series: 1st in A Chocolate Covered Mystery series

Sensuality: mild references

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy Mystery

Main Characters: Michelle Serrano, chocolatier

Setting: modern day, West Riverdale, MD

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Like many small town cozy stories, the town is preparing for a local event.  In this case it is the Memorial Day Great Fudge Cook-off.  The main character, Michelle, is in charge of this event during the Memorial Day weekend festivities.  The news that Hillary Punkin, a celebrity pastry chef from a cable cooking network has Michelle nervous, since Hillary can make or break her business with a one word.  

In the midst of the preparations, a local photographer, Denise, on the brink of her career taking off with a Washington D.C. gallery showing is found dead in Michelle's chocolate shop, apparently poisoned from a box of Michelle's chocolates.  Michelle is fighting to keep her business afloat, so she and her business partner Erica begin their own investigation.  Yet, the Mayor and town businesses are rabid to have a successful Memorial Day celebration since they need the tourist business they anticipate.  

Side stories are Erica's old high school flame and why they are still angry with each other after all these years, and Michelle getting warm and fuzzy feelings around Erica's brother, a world renowned reporter home visiting.

Michelle, curious but skittish, she feels most comfortable when she is making chocolate and is mortified when having to do a cousin's x-rated chocolates for her bachelorette party.  Erica, the level headed and driven business partner and room mate. She is an integral part of the story and in some ways she is as much a main character as Michelle.  Officer Bobby, Erica's high-school sweetheart who may/may not be pining for Erica is an interesting character.  Leo, Michelle's brother and an Afghanistan war vet missing a leg.  So much potential with this character and I really hope Leo gets more page time!  Benjamin "Bean" Russel, Michelle's childhood crush and Erica's brother who is the well known reporter and newly a published author.  At least he isn't the cliche cop boyfriend. Of course, there is a question as to how long he will stick around and if he is an adrenaline junkie reporter.  Finally there is Reese, a local blog reporter who has had a grudge against Michelle since high school and keeps implicating Michelle as the killer on her blog.

The setting of West Riverdale seems like most any other small town, except it is somewhat close to D.C.  So it doesn't do much more than be the backdrop.  The plot is on par for a cozy...what could a local photographer have done to get killed?  The pacing was steady with multiple suspects and the investigation, Michelle in danger, and the subplots sprinkled throughout. The climax had a twist regarding the killer, which I only partially got right. The wrap up was short but endearing.

This debut novel for a new cozy mystery series combines chocolate, books, murder, and sweet romance in a small town.  What's not to love?

Ratings:  Excellent - A fun read, I enjoyed it!

Here is a decorative idea to celebrate fall, a colorful leaf monogram wreath for your door.  Find out how to make this (click here.)