Southern Sass and Killer Cravings

Marygene Brown returns to Peach Cove Island after an abusive marriage to help her sister operate their family diner. In Southern Sass and Killer Cravings by Kate Young, Marygene has always had the "touch" for cooking, and she is looking forward to getting back into the baking routine.  Before she has a chance to dip her hands in flour, a regular customer dies in the diner.

Everyone thinks it was a heart attack, but when the police find poison in the victim's system and traces of poison in the sugar used by Marygene's sister, the police arrest Jena Lynn. Leading the investigation is Marygene's newly discovered father. It seems her mother and Eddie had an affair while she was married and Marygene was the result. It had been a secret for many years, so trying to relate to Eddie has been a learning experience.

When a state detective joins the investigation, he arrests Jena Lynn and shuts down the diner, putting Marygene, her brother Sam and all the waitresses out of work. When a series of other incidents occur, Marygene, with the assistance of her dead mother's ghost, tries to solve the case.

Adding to the tension, a developer is trying to purchase large swaths of land on Peach Cove Island to build enormous high rises. As she tries to persuade one resident after another to sell, the battle lines are draw. Marygene thinks maybe that might have been a motive for killing Mr. Ledbetter. It was rumored Ledbetter was a ladies man and might have had more than one son.

The search to find the answers leads Marygene into a dangerous situation and she uses her wits to find her way out.

An charming first in the new series.


Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher

Botched 4 Murder

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Murder finds Phee Kimball investigating again along with her mother and her cronies from Sun City West. In Botched 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton, Phee would much prefer doing her accounting job at Williams Investigations, but her mother insists she get involved.

When a proposal to turn the golf courses surrounding the retirement community into parks and nature preserves gets the residents of Sun City West up in arms, Phee's mother and friends ae leading the fight against the plan.  On top of that the Bocce League is trying to boot Myrna, one of her mother's club friends from the team because she is awful, and no amount of practice seems to be helping.

When an errant bocce ball thrown by Myrna lands on the golf course and the organizer of the park plan is found dead, Myrna is sure the bocce ball killed her. Trying to calm down the hysterical woman, Phee notices an arrow in the victim's neck, which appears more likely to be the cause of death. 

It seems the victim Sorrel Harlan, newly appointed to the recreation center board of directors, had found some support for turning the golf courses into eco-friendly parks. A vote was close at hand, but now with her dead, the vote is postponed. There are plenty of suspects including all the owners whose homes ring the golf course.

Phee Kimball and her mother's book club are terrific characters and they make this series highly entertaining and enjoyable to read.

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher. 

Interview with Susan Van Kirk

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?
A Death at Tippitt Pond is my newest book, and it begins the Sweet Iron series. It launches June 15

Susan Van Kirk

from Encircle Publications. Prior to this mystery, I wrote a series picked up by Five Star/Cengage called the Endurance mysteries: Three May Keep a Secret, Marry in Haste, The Locket: From the Casebook of TJ Sweeney (novella), and Death Takes No Bribes. Except for the novella, each title comes from a Benjamin Franklin proverb. My earliest book is a memoir titled The Education of a Teacher (Including Dirty Books and Pointed Looks.) Total: 6.

How did you develop your character and choose your location?
My location, Sweet Iron, is a town of 15,000 in west central Illinois. My entire life has been spent in the Midwest, and I love writing about the eccentricities, the change of seasons, the people, and the history of a small town like the ones I create. I love this setting because I can describe humor on the surface and darkness in the underbelly. Small towns have their share of gossip, underlying motives, secrets, and complicated relationships.

Elizabeth Russell (Beth) is unlike any fictional character I’ve created in the past. I wanted to delve into several aspects of her character: her loneliness and longing for community, her personal search for justice, and her highly-sought-after expertise in her historical research and genealogy work. She is intriguing because she has lived much of her life in New York City, but now she is plopped down in a small town in the middle of nowhere. How will she cope, especially when she discovers secrets buried in a family tree she didn’t know? She’s willing to take a chance, and that could lead to wonderful outcomes. These aspects of Beth allow me to add both humor and darkness to the story. But not too much darkness—it’s a cozy mystery.

What do you enjoy/not enjoy about the author’s lifestyle?
I love writing. Since I was an English teacher for four decades, people think I should be a natural. But I was never a writer until I decided to write a memoir which then led to writing mysteries. I found I love creating characters and plots, researching, and talking to people about books. I’ve worked with two editors and really enjoyed their collaboration. When I’m writing, hours fly by. On the other hand, I don’t enjoy the “business” side of writing. Sending queries to agents and publishers or keeping track of sales and taxes, dealing with social media, etc. Those are not the aspects of writing I enjoy.

Do you model your character after yourself or anyone you know?
Beth Russell is like me in that she loves to research and learn about history. Beth also is an introspective person, a trait I share with her. Both of us usually think through problems carefully before making decisions about which solution might work. Beyond that, she is far younger than I am, is more of a loner—at least to begin her story—and knows nothing about her family’s past.

She is more the age of my daughter and daughters-in-law, so perhaps I think about some of their traits as I write about Beth.

How do you get yourself out of a writing rut?
Frankly, I seldom, if ever, find myself in a rut. Believe me, I say that humbly. I spend a great deal of time thinking through my entire novel and looking for problems in the plot. I am an outliner, so once I come up with the ideas, I know where I’m headed. Each day I write a chapter, but before I leave my chair, I have a brief outline of what I plan to do the next day. So my ruts happen more often in the “thinking” phase of a story. I have the luxury of spending some time doing other things while my brain sorts through the problems.

If your books were made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead character?
If we were filming my Endurance mysteries, I’d want Meryl Streep. Everything she does turns to gold, but I also think she would do a great job of understanding Grace Kimball, the retired Endurance teacher, who has been through several tragedies in her life. Bonus: she wouldn’t have to worry about an accent. If it were Beth Russell from my upcoming book, I’d like to see Emma Stone play her part. She’s younger than Beth, but make-up could help. Stone has just the right combination of intelligence and assertiveness to play to Beth’s strengths, but she can also be reluctant at times. Perfect combination.

Who is your favorite author?
This is a terrible question to ask a writer! So many authors, so little time. The answer has changed over the years. Currently, I like Michael Connelly, Linda Castillo, Kate Morton, Charles Finch, Kristin Hannah, and, most recently, Mariah Fredericks. It’s a mixture of mystery and history, exactly what I write.

If you could invite five people to a dinner party—living or dead—who would they be?
On a personal level, I’d invite my mother because she died young and has been gone from my life for forty-seven years. I find her absence is often reflected in my stories. Lourdes Venard, who has been my editor and friend for these past seven years, is a definite “yes.” I admire Barack Obama, and I think we’d have great conversations. I’d also love to invite Kurt Vonnegut since I once defended one of his books when parents wanted to pull it out of my school, and he sent me an amazing letter about censorship. He would add such humor to our dinner, as well as a few satirical thoughts. Finally, I’d ask Abraham Lincoln, both for humor and for a discussion about uniting a divided country. This would be quite a combination of past and present.

If you could not be an author, what would you like to do as a career?
Well, I had a career I loved for four decades—teaching, but that seems to be an easy way of answering this question. I would do something related to books, I’m sure. I would own a bookstore or be a freelance editor or a cover designer. Books have been an integral part of my life since I first learned to read with the Dick and Jane books.

No Good Tea Goes Unpunished

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Everly Swan returns home to operate the Sun, Sea and Tea Cafe in Charm, North Carolina. In No Good Tea Goes Unpunished by Bree Baker, Everly is hosting a wedding reception for a former high school classmate on the lovely barrier island of Charm, an event she is hoping will boost her business. She has been away from home for several years and had hoped to become a success in the culinary world, but also to follow a cowboy. Neither of things worked out.

The bride, Judy, is a Everly's childhood friend and she is positively glowing after the ceremony. Judy's new husband Craig Miller was named one of Entrepreneur's Wealthiest Thirty under Thirty. But before the happy couple can even begin their honeymoon, events turn tragic. When the groom is found dead, floating in the shallow water of the beach, Everly tries to administer CPR. She shouts for everyone to search for Judy in the water as well. Within minutes with the bride appears holding a bloody knife and covered in blood.

With her friend under suspicion of killing her wealthy husband. Everly decides its time to get back in the investigating business. Complicating matters is the abrupt appearance of Craig's ex-girlfriend Cynthia Preston claiming she arrived hoping to stop the wedding. Also a suspect is Craig's partner Pete who has been known to make so bad business decisions and is heavily in debt. 

As Everly tries to investigate, she continually butts heads with Detective Hays. He makes it clear she needs to stay out of the investigation. With the new bride plunged into heavy depression, Everly knows she cannot abandon Judy and continues to pursue her investigation at times putting herself in jeopardy. 

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher. 

Sweet Tea and Secrets

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Callie Aspen has finally decided to return to Heart's Harbor, Maine to work at her aunt's vintage shop, the Book Tea. In Sweet Tea and Secrets by Joy Avon, Callie is worried about her decision to leave her tour guide job for the small Maine town. (Sweet Tea and Secrets will be released by Crooked Lane Books on June 11.)

Before long she is thrown into planning for the huge Fourth of July extravaganza in Heart's Harbor. The plan is to recreate a key moment in the town's history and Callie stumbles on the disappearance of Hollywood actress Monica Walker, a 1980s star who vanished without a trace. Locals hope she eloped with the man of her dreams, but as Callie digs into the disappearance, she's not so sure.

In the meantime, Callie's relationship or lack of with Deputy Falk seems to have cooled. One of the reasons she moved back to Heart's Harbor was the connection she felt with Falk at Christmas. Now he seems aloof and not at all interested in her.

As Callie begins her search for information, she starts with the library files and then to the local newspaper. Newspaper editor Joe Jamison was a
reporter during the case and he always felt there was something not right about the theory of how Monica went missing. Callie decides to put out an appeal for information from the community and is deluged with 30-year-old memories.

When the pieces all start to fall together, Callie is as surprised as everyone how the case is resolved.


Disclosure: I received this book through NetGalley

Authors Out Loud - Victoria Thompson

MapYourMystery and author
Victoria Thompson (right)

Enter to win a copy of Malice Domestic Mystery Most Edible which features a short story Morsels of the Gods by Victoria Thompson. Click  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Cook Memorial Library in Libertyville has a series they call Authors Out Loud and last night's author was Victoria Thompson. She discussed her early career as a romance writer of western-oriented books because she loved cowboys and they had Texas in the title of plenty of them.

Now she has two series: The Gaslight Mystery series and The Counterfeit Lady. The newest in the Gaslight series is called Murder on Trinity Place.

The City of Secrets is the second in the Counterfeit Lady series. For a review of City of Secrets, click here.

Malice Domestic: Mystery Most Edible

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If you love short stories, Malice Domestic has a delectable treat for you in Mystery Most Edible. The Malice Domestic anthology series returns with a new take on mysteries in the Agatha Christie tradition -- 36 original tales with a culinary bent!

Each bite-sized story takes you on a culinary journey. Some might make you hungry; others may make you shun certain foods, but all will be delightful. Malice Domestic Mystery Most Edible is the perfect book for some light beach reading and a just-before-bed quick read. No need to read until the next chapter because each short story is self contained.

The anthology includes a Preface by Parnell Hall and a short story by him as well. It is published by Wildside Press. The authors and the titles of their stories are listed below.

A Cup of Tea, by Parnell Hall

Brown Recluse, by Marcia Adair

A Slice of Heaven, by Laura Brennan

The Extra Ingredient, by Joan Long

A Death in Yelapa, by Leslie Budewitz

The Pie Sisters, by Richard Cass

Too Many Cooks Almost Spoil the Murder, by Lynne Ewing

Pig Lickin' Good, by Debra H. Goldstein

Quiche Alain, by Marni Graff

Diet of Death, by Ang Pompano

Death at the Willard Hotel, by Verena Rose

Dining Out, by Rosemary McCracken

Snowbirding, by Kristin Kisska

Up Day Down Day Deadly Day, by Ellen Larson

The Secret Blend, by Stacy Woodson

First of the Year, by Gabriel Valjan

Sticky Fingers, by LD Masterson

The Cremains of the Day, by Josh Pachter

Honor Thy Father, by Harriette Sackler

Killer Chocolate Chips, by Ruth McCarty

Sushi Lessons, by Edith Maxwell

The Missing Ingredient for Murderous Intent, by Elizabeth Perona

It's Canning Season, by Adele Polomski

The Gourmand, by Nancy Cole Silverman

The Blue Ribbon, by Cynthia Kuhn

The Last Word, by Shawn Reilly Simmons

Murder Takes the Cupcake, by Kate Willett

Bull Dog Gravy, by Mark Thielman

Morsels of the Gods, by Victoria Thompson

Mrs. Beeton's Sausage Stuffing, by Christine Trent

Bring It, by Terry Shames

Gutbombs 'n' Guinness, by Lisa Preston

Deadly In-Flight Dining, by Sara Rosett

Carne Diem, by Sharon Lynn

Turn the Sage, by Stephen D. Rogers

Bad Ju-Ju, by M.A. Monnin

Interview with Colleen Mooney

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?
My newest book is Politician, Potholes and Pralines. It’s book 6 in my New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles series. Book 7 will be out in July in a box set to support three animal charities.

How did you develop your character and choose your location?
I’m from New Orleans so my location I use is here, and my characters are all around me, all the time.  

What do you enjoy about the author’s lifestyle? What do you not enjoy?
I really enjoy when someone contacts me (email, Facebook, Twitter) and tells me they enjoy my stories or they visited here and felt like my stories made them have another visit. I also love working with other authors on a collaborative effort like boxed sets where we select animal rescues and charities and give the proceeds from the book sales to them. 

I don’t enjoy taking time away from my writing to place ads or do any marketing. 

Do you model your character after yourself or any one you know?
My characters are all little or big parts of people I’ve met or I've known. New Orleans has no

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shortage of characters. No character is any one person but a part of one that I’ve fictionalized.

How do you get yourself out of a writing rut?
I write something else other than what I was working on and sometimes it turns out to be another story! Sometimes I just get up and walk around the block or go to the gym! I change my scenery.

If your books were made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead character?
Jennifer Lawrence for Brandy Alexander because I really like her in Silver Lining Playbook or Amy Adams because of Leap Year. Jessica Biel is also a choice. She has to be funny but capable. 

For the lead men, I would select Ryan Reynolds or Paul Judd for Dante and Matthew Goode, Liam Hemsworth or Jake Gyllenhaal for Jiff.

Who is your favorite author?

I really don’t have one favorite. Right now I’m reading Scandinavian authors of crime and mystery. I like romantic suspense and will read just above anything that is a mystery or has a crime to solve. I’ve just started Marked For Revenge by Emelie Schepp, 2016 Swedish Writer of the Year. I read
the first in this series, Marked for Life and enjoyed it.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to a dinner party, who would they be?
Some of my best memories have been on scuba trips in groups of divers who I did not know before the trip but made life long friendships with. Most of them are all over the world now and I would love to have a dinner party with as many of them who could make it. I’ve never had a bad time on a dive boat or a sailboat so any five of my past water baby friends would be who I’d invite to a dinner party.

If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?
I have renovated older, historic homes in one of my past lives, and I really enjoyed it. I think I’d like to do that again but renovating back to their original beauty.

Glitter Bomb

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It’s Mardi Gras and Carmela and Ava are front and center to watch the Krewe of Pluvius parade when a float erupts on the street. As King Neptune’s head explodes, a man tumbles to the ground covered in glitter. In Glitter Bomb by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran, the revelers on the parade route are shocked at the explosion.

Also on the float, but only minimally injured, is Carmela's ex-husband Seamus Meechum, who pleads with her to discover who blew up the float and killed Krewe captain Hughes Wilder. Carmela resists because she knows her almost fiance Detective Edgar Babcock hates when she gets involved. Plus he sees red every time Seamus is near.

Try as she might Carmela cannot stay away from the investigation, especially as it seems the newly-minted widow doesn't seem distressed by her husband's untimely death. Rumor has it Maribel Wilder has been heavily involved with high-end car dealer Danny Labatt for a long time. But there are other suspects as Carmela discovers Wilder's hedge fund, Pontchartrain Capital Management, has been hemorrhaging money from some very important investors - including Seamus.

When Seamus reveals he invested $16 million of his bank's money, Carmela understands why he is a chief suspect. Dragging a willing Ava along to the wake and funeral for Wilder, Carmela discovers many other viable suspects, but puts the spotlight on her investigation. This leads to a chase down an alley in the Garden District, being run off the road in a road race and fearing a bomb might be delivered to her scrapbooking shop. All in a day's investigation for Carmela!

A lively, colorful mystery set in one of the country's most eccentric cities - New Orleans - at a time when everyone is a New Orleanian during Mardi Gras. Filled with fun parties, delicious treats and suspects in the highest strata of society.


Disclosure: I received this book from the author.

Giveaway for Malice Domestic Mystery Most Edible

Enter to win the new Malice Domestic Mystery Most Edible anthology, autographed by many of
its authors.

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Contest ends at Midnight, May 26.
Open to U.S. and Canada only