20 Questions with ME !!!

Here you go....as promised.  I couldn't ask authors to share some deep, dark secrets with us if I wasn't willing to get down and dirty also ..... well not really deep or dark and no one got dirty .... but you get what I'm saying.

1.  What is your favorite color ?  Pink

2.  Sunset or sunrise ?  Sunset....especially on the beach if possible.

3.  Coffee, tea or soda ?  Coffee.  I only drink soda in the morning with my morning pills, stopped drinking it to lose weight.

4.  What is your favorite movie ?  Bed of Roses (with Christian Slater & Mary Stuart Masterson) Perfect love story and awesome sound track !!

5.  What are your favorite toppings on pizza ?  It varies with my mood but usually just cheese or mushrooms and green peppers

6.  Cake or pie ? What is your favorite ?  Cake !!!

7.  Favorite author (besides yourself) ?  Wow this is a mean one....even I don't have a favorite.  My list would be Stuart Woods, Lawrence Block, Alyssa Maxwell, Catherine Bruns and anything published by Gemma Halliday !!! (but that list can change daily....)

8.  Horror movie or chick flick ??  Chick flick all the way !!

9.  Cat or dog person ? Do you have any ? If so, what and names please....   I love all furry, cuddly animals but have always had cats in my life.  Currently we have three.  Mine is Oliver, my husband has Reesie and my step-son has Scurry.

10.  Ideal vacation ?  Sadly I'm not a vacation happy person.  I hate having to try to figure out what I want to wear for a week or longer and packing it.  I hate leaving my cats.  I don't like sleeping some where else and being uncomfortable.  If I had to, gun to my head, pick, I'd say Ireland.  All the books that I've ever read located in Ireland, it sounds beautiful.  So I'd be very busy sightseeing and hopefully not missing home too much.   

11.  Camping or 5 star hotel ?  5 star hotel....or any hotel.  Have to have a bed and indoor plumbing.

12.  Favorite season and why ?   I use to love fall but since meeting my husband and moving in with him, we have an awesome yard so I'm all about summer.  Sitting in the gazebo or pool reading in the sun !!!  I've even been able to get tanned !!!

13.  Name ONE thing you are afraid of ....  I'm afraid to admit what I'd afraid of in case someone wanted to use them against me.....

14.  Name ONE thing you cannot live without....  Candy and books !!

15.  What was your favorite subject in school ?  I didn't really have a favorite class until college and then it was every Psychology class I took.

16.  What was your least favorite subject in school ?  Gym / Phys. Ed.

17.  What movie have you seen more than once ?  Sweet Home Alabama... I owe the movie but if i see that it is on TV, I will watch it.

18.  What is your guilty pleasure ?  (Can't be an answer already given...)  Frozen Reesie peanut butter cups in the middle of the night

19.  Who is your celebrity crush ?  Keanu Reeves, Josh Lucas, Jason Aldean.....no fun just having one !!

20.  Tell us something we don't know that you would like people to know about you ......  Not a lot of people know that I have started writing 2 books.  I have outlines and some chapters written for both books but put them aside.  i would LOVE to some day be a publlshed author.  I think that authors are so cool and they are my version of celebrities.  The stories they come up with amaze me.  I don't have that level of talent as the two books I started are about my first marriage and my journey through life with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

It Cannoli Be Murder (Italian Chef Mysteries #2) by Catherine Bruns

It's time to serve some just desserts...

Six months after her husband's death, Tessa Esposito is hoping to drum up reservations for her restaurant's grand opening. And since a signing with bestselling author, Preston Rigotta, is sure to draw a crowd, Tessa agrees to cater her cousin's bookstore event--whipping up some of her famous Italian desserts. But the event soon takes a sour turn when Preston's publicist, an old high school rival, arrives and begins to whisk up their old grudges.

That night, a fight breaks out in front of the crowd, and it becomes clear there's bad blood in Harvest Park. And when the publicist is found dead on the bookstore floor the next morning, a stray cannolo at her side, Tessa knows who will be framed as the prime suspect.

To clear both her cousin's and her own name, Tessa must investigate the murder. But Preston's publicist has many secrets to hide, and in the end, the truth is bittersweet...

The second book in the Italian Chef Cozy Mystery series!   (Summary via Goodreads)


If you read the first book in the Italian Chef Mystery series, Penne Dreadful, by Catherine Bruns you were introduced to a very intense and slightly abnormal cozy mystery......the murder of main character Tessa Esposito's husband Dylan had already happened and she was trying to move forward with her life until she found out it wasn't an accident.  That was most likely the first cozy mystery that you read where you weren't a "witness" to the crime and you were dealing with the after effects.  And I'm sure you will agree that it was a nail biting, on the edge of your seat story.  Well welcome back !!!  It Cannoli Be Murder is the second book in this series and you will again be on the edge of your seat, turning the pages as fast as your eyes can read the words and your fingers can turn the pages.

Tessa is working on the final preparations for opening up her restaurant, Anything Pastable, which she is over the moon excited about.  And while she is getting ready her cousin, Gabby is hosting a book signing for a popular local author at her book store, Once Upon a Book and Tessa is making the desserts for the event.  During the event they run into Gabby's bully during high school, Daphne, who is working as the author's publicist.  They also meet the author's mean wife and quiet daughter.    

The morning after the book signing Tessa realizes she left her cell phone at the bookstore but when she gets to the bookstore not only does she find her phone but there are cannoli's on the floor and they are not the ones that she made....she follows the dropped cannoli's into the store and finds Daphne's body by the mystery section !!!

The list of suspects is long and sadly Tessa and Gabby are on the top of the list.  And to make matters worse, neither Gino, Gabby's brother or Lou, Gabby's boyfriend, both of which are on the police force can do anything involved with the case as it would be a conflict of interest.  Of course Tessa and Gabby are not going to sit around while their reputations and businesses are ruined.  They decide to look into things themselves.  Unfortunately someone does not want them to figure things out......

I am a huge fan of Catherine Bruns and her books....her Cookies & Chance Mystery series is my favorite and it's starting to look like the Italian Chef Mystery series is going to be my second.  I picked up It Cannoli Be Murder in the morning and was finished with it by 3 in the afternoon.  And I will say this....I was in complete shock when the case was solved and I also had a hard time reading the last chapter through my tears......Bruns knows how to grab at your emotions and have you invested in the story and the people.  By the time you get to the end of one of her books, you feel like a part of the family, the community and you feel everything !!!  That to me is an amazing talent and I am glad to be a part of the experience !!!!



Review by Missi M.

20 Questions with Authors : Catherine Bruns

Catherine Bruns is one of my favorite authors and her Cookies & Chance Mystery series is my absolute favorite.  There are 9 books in that series (so far) and every time I start reading the latest I feel like I am home visiting family, a dysfunctional family, but family none the less.  Also Catherine is a local (to me) author and I have had the pleasure of seeing her numerous times, at book signings, book workshops and other book related events and she is an amazing person.  Here are her books....


The Cookies & Chance Mystery series with 9 books (so far)

Tastes Like Murder
Baked to Death
Burned to a Crisp
Frosted with Revenge
Silenced by Sugar
Crumbled to Pieces
Sprinkled in Malice
Ginger Snapped to Death
Icing on the Casket
Formals, Fortune Cookies and Fraud (a short story)

The Cindy York Mystery series has 3 books (so far) :

Killer Transaction
Priced to Kill
For Sale by Killer

Her Italian Chef Mystery series has 2 books (so far) :

Penne Dreadful
It Cannoli be Murder

She has also contributed to the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series with 2 books :

Death of the Big Kahuna
Death of the Kona Man

She also has short stories published in the following books :

Killer Beach Reads
Pushing Up Daisies


Let's get to know her personally......

1.  What is your favorite color ?  Purple

2.  Sunset or sunrise ?   I'm not a morning person so I'd have to say sunset.

3.  Coffee, tea or soda ?  Coffee with cream and sugar.

4.  What is your favorite movie ?  Fried Green Tomatoes.

5.  What are your favorite toppings on pizza ?   None. I'm boring, so just plain old cheese for me.

6.  Cake or pie ? What is your favorite ?  Do I really have to choose? I love both, but I'll go with cake. Cheesecake, specifically.

7.  Favorite author (besides yourself) ?   I have so many that it's hard to narrow it down, but let's go with Sue Grafton, who I was lucky enough to meet once.

8.  Horror movie or chick flick ??   I hate horror movies. Definitely chick flicks.

9.  Cat or dog person ? Do you have any ? If so, what and names please....  Two cats, Spike and Harvard, and two dogs, Bubba and Lambeau. They are all boys, so that's a ratio of seven males to one female in my house.

10.  Ideal vacation ?   I'd love to go back to Hawaii.

11.  Camping or 5 star hotel ?   I need electricity and a comfortable bed so I'd say definitely a 5 star hotel.

12.  Favorite season and why ?   Fall. It's gorgeous in New York State at that time of year.

13.  Name ONE thing you are afraid of ....   Heights!

14.  Name ONE thing you cannot live without....  Books!

15.  What was your favorite subject in school ?  English/Creative Writing in high school. When I was in college, it was acting class.

16.  What was your least favorite subject in school ?  Algebra.

17.  What movie have you seem more than once ?   The Devil Wears Prada. I think I know almost every line.

18.  What is your guilty pleasure ?  (Can't be an answer already given...)   Lying by the pool with a good book. I don't get enough time to read these days.

19.  Who is your celebrity crush ?   Keanu Reeves

20.  Tell us something we don't know that you would like people to know about you ......  I always bag my own groceries. It was the first job I ever had so I guess I feel no one can do it as well as me, lol!

To learn more about Catherine and her boosk, go to :  https://www.catherinebruns.net/

20 Questions with Authors : Bernard H. Burgess

Bernard H. Burgess is the author of the Bert and Nora series. There are 4 books (so far) in this series.

They are :

The Nickel Dime Murders

Into the Light

The Missing

Murder in the Ozarks

I will be reading this series and sharing my thoughts will you all soon but for now lets get to know Bernard personally......

1.  What is your favorite color ?  Red-orange

2.  Sunset or sunrise ?  Sunrise

3.  Coffee, tea or soda ?  Coffee

4.  What is your favorite movie ?  Last of the Dogmen

5.  What are your favorite toppings on pizza ?  Hamburger, pepperoni, tomato, peppers, olives, black olives, hot peppers

6.  Cake or pie ? What is your favorite ?  Pie

7.  Favorite author (besides yourself) ?  Jack London

 

8.  Horror movie or chick flick ??  Chick Flick

9.  Cat or dog person ? Do you have any ? If so, what and names please....  Dog! None now but have had many

 

10.  Ideal vacation ?   Country and small towns at a slow pace

11.  Camping or 5 star hotel ?   Camping

12.  Favorite season and why ?  Fall!  Clear days & cool nights. Changing leaves.

13.  Name ONE thing you are afraid of ....  Sinkholes

14.  Name ONE thing you cannot live without....  Milk

15.  What was your favorite subject in school ?  Science

16.  What was your least favorite subject in school ?  Chemistry

17.  What movie have you seen more than once ?  Braveheart. Last of the Dogmen. Eight Seconds. August Rush. Sully, The Da Vinci Code. Saving Private Ryan.

18.  What is your guilty pleasure ?  (Can't be an answer already given...)   Chocolate anything....

 

19.  Who is your celebrity crush ?  Salma Hayek

20.  Tell us something we don't know that you would like people to know about you ......  I started working when I was eight and have never really stopped. 

To learn more about Bernard and his books, go to :   https://www.amazon.com/Bernard-Harry-Burgess/e/B07FT7YBXK/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0?fbclid=IwAR2eMxzil6Xm9seVU22TKK5klCB0xyxRbO_suRhyuBsyh7dWIlamZLlpYTY

Death in Trout Fork: Ryn Lowell Colorado Mysteries (Ryn Lowell Colorado Mysteries #1) by D.M. O'Byrne

She should have known when she fished that Pink Floyd T-shirt out of the creek that it belonged to that waitress, the one who disappeared… 

Kathryn “Ryn” Lowell has escaped the stifling confines of her office at the New York travel magazine she writes for and pulls into Trout Fork, a tiny fishing hamlet in the Colorado Rockies, to write an article about the town. She hasn’t been there long, when along with her orange tabby cat, Jack Kerouac, she discovers a T-shirt in the local creek that belonged to the missing waitress. Now foul play is suspected, and Ryn, who has fallen for the quaint mountain town, is determined to find the killer and give her new friends closure. Teaming up with the local police detective, who seems to want more than Ryn can give him, she puts it all on the line—her heart, her job, and her life.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Death in Trout Fork by D. M. O'Byrne is a very gripping and captivating story.  Readers will feel like they are right along side Ryn and not want to leave.

Ryn Lowell is the main character and she writes a column for a travel magazine where she travels to out of the way towns and writes about that town giving readers a new and unique place to visit.  When she pulls into Trout Fork little does she know the pull that that little town will have on her......

Ryn and her traveling partner, cat Jack, pull up in Trout Fork in front of a building housing a few stores and a restaurant.  For some reason she is drawn to the restaurant and the people so she decides to stay, write an article about this little fishing town and also fill in waitressing at the restaurant temporaliy after learning that the girl that was waitressing has been missing for a few days.

The girl that was working at the restaurant, Heather, came into town a few weeks ago with one of the many biker gangs that roll through town and she decided to stay.  So Alma, the owner of the restaurant told her she could bunk in the cabin behind the restaurant with her and her daughter, Ashley, and work with them.  Things had been working out for a few weeks then all of a sudden Heather was missing but her stuff was still at the cabin.

Ryn not only thinks the town is interesting but the story of Heather's disappearance also has her thinking.  And when Ashley asks her to look into the disappearance, she feels like she needs to help.  But when she is out for a jog on the path along side the river and she finds Heather's favorite t-shirt floating in the water, she knows that she was brought to this town for a specific reason and it wasn't to write a travel column.

O'Byrne has a very captivating tale written on the pages and the cast of characters will add to the pull drawing the reader in.   Readers will fall in love with Trout Fork and it's residents, some more than others, and you will want to pack your bags and head there as soon as you can !!  

O'Byrne has also opened up this series with a great start and you will be looking forward to where the road is taking Ryn and Jack and hopefully she will make it a point to keep in touch with those in Trout Fork.......



Review by Missi M.

Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse (Marygene Brown Mystery #2) by Kate Young

On Georgia's picturesque Peach Cove Island, a killer is serving up a two-for-one special . . .

After their mama's passing, Marygene Brown returned to Peach Cove Island to help her sister Jena Lynn run the family diner, renowned for its homemade peach desserts. But Mama is never too far away--her sassy spirit haunts the island, and more specifically Marygene. Lately Mama has been warning her that the dead will seek her out to solve their murders, an idea Marygene is far from peachy keen on.

But that prophecy appears to be coming true when she goes skinny-dipping off the island and swims right into a woman's charred corpse floating in the waves. And when Marygene and her brother Sam come upon a second burned body in a wine cellar at an event they're catering, it appears they have a double homicide on their hands. It soon turns out the victims have more in common than their charred remains, and Marygene will need to double down to find a killer who has no aversion to playing with fire. Good thing Mama has her back . . .

Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene's Kitchen!  (Summary via Goodreads)




Peach Cove Island in Georgia is where you want to be !!  And you want Kate Young to be your tour guide.  The Marygene Brown Mystery series is an absolute must read series !!  And Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse, the second book in this series is explosive !!!

When you read a cozy mystery you know that there is going to be a murder and a dead body or two.  You are guaranteed that this will happen fairly quickly when you start reading, sometimes it takes a few chapter as the author takes their time setting the stage.  Others may give you the first chapter before revealing the dead body.  Young , on the other hand, only gives the reader the first paragraph before there is a dead body to deal with !!!  How can you not continue reading with that set up ???

Main character Marygene Brown has moved back home to help her sister run the family diner after their mother passed away....only she hasn't moved to her final resting place, is in limbo and only Marygene can see and communicate with her.  And her mother only shows up when someone is in danger or there is a dead person.  Marygene's father is also the Sheriff and her on and off boyfriend Alex is a deputy with the department.

While Marygene is out taking an early morning swim in the ocean she is hit by a dead, burned body. Before anyone can figure out who the deceased is, Marygene and her brother, Sam, find another burned body at a catering event.  When the bodies are identified as two sisters that went missing over two decades ago, Marygene learns that the island has a lot of old secrets it is holding on to and they involve her mother and her group of old friends.  While Marygene tries to weed through things and solve the case, there is someone that is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her quiet.  Will she stop before it's too late ??

Her mother warned her.... She told her that "when one of us is forced to remain, it creates an energy around the person we're communicating with.  An aura, if you will.  The deceased will be drawn to you."   Marygene has to do what she does for everyone....alive and dead....until she gets justice for the deceased.

I am a HUGE fan of this series and the way Young presents the story will knock you off your feet !!  I highly recommend picking up the books in this series and letting Young take you on a trip.  Just make sure you clear your schedule because you won't be able to tear yourself away once you start reading !!!


Review by Missi M.

20 Questions with Authors : Desy Smith (Desiree Morrow)

Desiree Morrow writes fantasy romance fiction under the pen name Desy Smith.   She writes to provide an escape for anyone who wants to live in a fantasy world, and not worry about the trouble of everyday life. She also writes to inspire.   

She has 2 books (so far) inthe Heavenly Messenger series :

The Talented
Past Lives Revealed

She has 3 books (so far) in the Rosewood series :

The Guest House Witch
The Book Witch
The Enchanting Witch

And she has the following books :

Those Special Nights
Mercury Realm Book One You Can't Escape Destiny

The Prophetess : The First Series

Division (Book One)

Supernatural Resident Advisor

1.  What is your favorite color ?   Light blue and pink

2.  Sunset or sunrise ?  Sunset

3.  Coffee, tea or soda ?  Tea but lately I’ve been craving coffee (blame that on my boyfriend) 

4.  What is your favorite movie ?  The mummy movie one

5.  What are your favorite toppings on pizza ?  Spinach or pineapples 

6.  Cake or pie ? What is your favorite ?  Cake ; strawberry 

7.  Favorite author (besides yourself) ?  Scarlett Dawn

8.  Horror movie or chick flick ??  Horror movies

9.  Cat or dog person ? Do you have any ? If so, what and names please....   Dog person and no but I’ve been thinking about getting one

10.  Ideal vacation ?    Japan, I love their culture & I am a huge anime fan

11.  Camping or 5 star hotel ?  5 star hotel. I am not an outdoor person lol

12.  Favorite season and why ?  Fall because the weather is nice not to cold nor hot and Halloween 

13.  Name ONE thing you are afraid of ....   Clowns

14.  Name ONE thing you cannot live without....   Hmm  this is a tough one, let’s go with Food. Lol. I love to eat 

15.  What was your favorite subject in school ?   English

16.  What was your least favorite subject in school ?   Math, and I still hate it till this day 

17.  What movie have you seen more than once ?   The Mummy

18.  What is your guilty pleasure ?  (Can't be an answer already given...)    I love cupcakes. (Even though I should eat them I have a Gluten issue) 

19.  Who is your celebrity crush ?   Chris Hemsworth and he is my future baby daddy 

20.  Tell us something we don't know that you would like people to know about you ......   So I like to bring all of my characters to life. I want you guys to see what I see when I picture them, so I hired an artist to draw them. I have all of my characters drawn for my series except one. 

To learn more about Desy and her books, go to :  https://floebepublishing.com/

20 Questions with Authors : Sue Hawley

Sue Hawley is the author of the Peg Shaw Cozy Mystery series.  There are 4 books in this series (so far) and they are :

Hot Flashes Cold Cases
Midlife Chaos
Midlife Mayhem
Cold Heart/Hot Secrets

And now let's get to know her personally.....

1.  What is your favorite color ?  Sage green

2.  Sunset or sunrise ?  Both--one is the beginning and the other is the end

3.  Coffee, tea or soda ?  Coffee!! Then ice tea

4.  What is your favorite movie ?   Jeez, this one is hard!  Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn is definitely high on the list.

5.  What are your favorite toppings on pizza ?  Pepperoni and yellow peppers

6.  Cake or pie ? What is your favorite ?  Pie   cake is simply the platform for the icing

7.  Favorite author (besides yourself) ?  Another hard one   Agatha Chrisite along with Jim Butcher and Terry Pratchett

8.  Horror movie or chick flick ??  Chick flick

9.  Cat or dog person ? Do you have any ? If so, what and names please....   Both.  Dogs: Chloe and Emma   Cat: sasha

10.  Ideal vacation ?   Beach !!

11.  Camping or 5 star hotel ?  5 star hotel !!

12.  Favorite season and why ?   Spring  everything comes alive again after a long sleep

13.  Name ONE thing you are afraid of ....  Snakes 

14.  Name ONE thing you cannot live without....  My family

15.  What was your favorite subject in school ?  English

16.  What was your least favorite subject in school ?  Math

17.  What movie have you seen more than once ?  Lord of the Rings along with gazillion others

18.  What is your guilty pleasure ?  (Can't be an answer already given...)   Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream

19.  Who is your celebrity crush ?  Loved Cary Grant as a kid

20.  Tell us something we don't know that you would like people to know about you ......  My parents believed in a good sense of humor; thankfully I've inherited their trait. 

To learn more about Sue and her books, go to :  https://www.suehawleyauthor.com/

Nacho Average Murder (Country Store Mysteries #7) by Maddie Day

Robbie Jordan is temporarily leaving Pans ’N Pancakes, her country store in South Lick, Indiana, to visit Santa Barbara, California—where wildfire smoke tinges the air, but a more immediate danger may lie in wait . . .

While looking forward to her high school reunion back in California, Robbie’s anticipation is complicated by memories of her mother’s untimely death. At first, she has fun hanging out with her old classmates and reuniting with the local flavors—avocados, citrus, fish, and spicy Cali-Mex dishes. But then she gets wind of rumors that her mother, an environmental activist, may not have died of natural causes. With the help of friends, Robbie starts clearing the smoke surrounding the mystery—but what she finds could make it hard to get back to Indiana alive . . .

Includes Recipes for You to Try!    (Summary via Goodreads)



Being a fan of the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day, I was very excited to dig into the seventh book in the series, Nacho Average Murder.   I was a little nervous and upset because in this installment main character Robbie Jordan is leaving her quaint little country store/restaurant/B & B in South Lick, Indiana to go back home to Santa Barbara, California to attend her 10 year high school reunion.  One of the things that I love about this series is the setting of the stories.  I have everything imagined quite well in my mind.....the layout of the restaurant, Robbie's apartment behind it, the way the street looks when you look out the front door, even the newly renovated rooms upstairs making the country store a B & B .....everything !!!  And now she is leaving and going back home where I know nothing !!!  But like any other devoted fan of the series, I packed my imaginery suitcase and prepared to go home with Robbie.

And am I glad I did !!!  Who knew that Robbie was going to learn more about her mother's death and that she was going to reconnect with some old high school friends and that one of them would be a detective on the police force and that Robbie was going to get herself right in the middle of a murder ??  Well okay, the murder thing we can all agree that we saw that coming !!  No matter what Robbie is doing or where she is murder seems to follow her.  So why should a visit back home to attend her high school reunion be any different ??

While Robbie is reconnecting with her old classmates, she learns some interesting things concerning her mother's death and how it might not have been an accident.  She also learns that a company run by the father of a classmate that she didn't really get along with may have had something to do with it.  This company produces chemicals that they say are not harmful to people, animals or the environment but Robbie's mother and an environmental group believed they were and they were trying to get them to stop making the harmful chemicals.  After talking with her mother's best friend, she talks to Phil, a gentlemen that is active with the group and knew her mother.  Unfortunately before Robbie can look into any of the information she is just learning about, Phil is found dead in his apartment and it looks exactly like the way her mom died two years ago......

Readers will be on the edge of their seats reading Nacho Average Murder.  I have to admit I did enjoy the change in scenery and going back home with Robbie and getting to know that part of her life.  And as with the previous six books in this series, you are surrounded by good food so make sure you have a yummy snack to eat while you read.  If you don't, you may find it hard to concentrate on the words. I look forward to the next time I can hang out with Robbie to see what kind of trouble she can get into next......



Review by Missi M.

Murder at the Falls (Creature Comforts #3) by Arlene Kay

Army vet Persephone “Perri” Morgan has found a second career handcrafting leather pet accessories—and a satisfying sideline in training therapy dogs. But there’s no cure for a cold-blooded murderer. . . .
Perri and her BFF Babette Croy team up to bring their therapy dogs to an upscale senior living facility. But The Falls’ pleasant façade hides some unpleasant secrets. Valuables are missing, feuds fester, and one resident even fears for her life. Sprightly senior Magdalen Melmoth swears she’s being targeted because her grandfather was none other than Oscar Wilde, and her legacy includes an unpublished novel by the literary genius.

Convinced it’ll take more than calming canines to sniff out the truth, Perri enlists the help of her beau, hotshot reporter Wing Pruett. When a nurse is poisoned by chocolates sent to Magdalen, and a physician is brutally murdered, the case takes a deeply troubling turn. Perri, Babette, and their furry friends race to bring a killer to heel, but can they outsmart an enemy who’s simply bad to the bone?   (Summary via Goodreads)


Murder at the Falls is the third book in the Creature Comforts series by Arlene Kay and I can honestly say that readers will be unable to stop reading it !!

There is no way that readers will not like Persephone Morgan, Perri to her friends.  She has an interesting life to say the least.  She lives with 2 very protective and loving dogs, a finicky cat, a tempermental goat and a calming horse.  She also owns her own business that she works out of right at home.  She makes leather goods for horses, dogs and their owners.  She has a complicated best friend, Babette, and a semi-complicated boyfriend, Wing Pruett.  Semi-complicating because of Perri, not Wing.  And Perri also seems to end up around murder investigations.

In Murder at the Falls Perri, Babette, Rolf and Kate along with their dogs are visiting The Falls, a senior living facility, to provide dog related therapy to the residents.  Perri and Babette make friends instantly with two of the female residents, Magdalen and Irene. While visiting with their new friends, Magdalen tells them about a long loss manuscript that was supposedly written by Magdalen's grandfather, Oscar Wilde.  However, it is missing and it is also unclear if he was in fact her grandfather.  Magdalen asks Perri for her help and Perri does find the story interesting and so does her investigative boyfriend, Pruett.  Unfortunately before they can find out more about the missing manuscript, there is a murder at the Falls and Magdalen is the main suspect....of course right ??

Things are not what they seem to be within the walls of the Falls and residents as well as employees may be at risk there.  Perri, Babette, Pruett and Magdalen's attorney Micah decide to not only look into the missing manuscript and if Magdalen is related to the famous author, but they decide to poke around and see if they can solve the murder.  Unfortunately they may be biting off more than they can chew when there is another murder and the death of a previous resident is also being questioned.  These murders may all be linked.......

Readers will be hooked as soon as they start reading this story !!  Kay will draw you in until you are powerless to stop.  It's like she casts a spell on you to block everything out and focus only on Perri and what is going on in her town, especially at the Falls.......but don't worry.  The spell will be broken as soon as you read the last word.


Review by Missi M.

Darkest Before the Dawn (Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series Book 7) by Mike Martin

Darkest Before The Dawn is the latest adventure in the Sgt. Winston Windflower mystery series, the popular Maritime tales about a Mountie who finds himself with a new family and a new life in tiny Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Ghosts, mysterious deaths, and a new, perplexing character confront Windflower, Tizzard and the other police officers in Grand Bank as they unearth secrets that have been lying hidden in the sleepy hamlet for decades. A fast-moving mystery, Darkest Before The Dawn is also a story of love, loss and learning how to grow old gracefully; a tale of family, community and looking after each other, of not giving up hope, just before the dawn  (Summary via Goodreads)


Darkest Before the Dawn is the seventh book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series by Mike Martin and I hope that you are as big a fan as I am.

The Sgt. Windflower Mystery series follows Sgt. Winston Windflower around as he carries on his life.   Windflower lives in a little place called Grand Bank, Newfoundland where he oversees the local police force.   Windflower is married to the Mayor, Sheila, and they have just welcomed their daughter Amelia Louise into the world.  While Windflower is trying to navigate being a father, he still has to go to work and even when things are slow, they are never boring for him.

In Darkest Before the Dawn a crying cat leads to a dead body, a local teen attempts to kill himself which opens up a big can of worms, Windflower and Sheila are preparing to open up a new B & B, and Uncle Frank is visiting......

When the body of Jacob Crowder is found, not only is Windflower left with an orphaned cat but a mysterious death.  Everybody knew of Jacob Crowder but no one really knew him.  He kept to himself and didn't seen to cause trouble..... that is until his death and Windflower and crew do some digging.  Crowder had many secrets and a lot of questions that need answers.

Darkest Before the Dawn continues to show Windflower as he grows and navigates fatherhood and his transititioning with Sheila into owners of a B & B.  In this book readers are seeing a very, very happy man....which we don't always see.  Windflower does have his moments but with Uncle Frank there and Windflowers continued practice of smudging and getting close to nature and himself, he remains grounded and positive.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series.  I love seeing the changes in Windflower, his friends, and his family.  I love reading about his every day life, even when it is boring and he is just hanging around at home with Sheila and the baby.  I look forward to the next book to see how he navigates opening up the B & B for the season and how he is going to juggle that with the police responsibilities.  You know as much as I do that he will have a hard time letting go of that job....it is a part of him and he is a part of it.


Review by Missi M.

20 Questions with Authors : Angela McRae

Angela’s debut cozy mystery, Emeralds and Envy,  as published in 2019 by Red Adept Publishing. Emeralds and Envy is first in the “Junkin’ Jewelry” series about a jewelry-making sleuth who prowls yard sales and flea markets in search of the vintage jewelry she uses in her designs … when she’s not solving murders.  She also wrote 2 cookbooks, “Dainty Dining: Vintage Recipes, Memories and Memorabilia from America’s Department Store Tea Rooms and A Year of Teatime Tales: 52 Tea-Themed Stories to Fill Your Cup and Warm Your Heart.

Keep reading to get to know her personally.....

1.  What is your favorite color?  Currently, turquoise

2.  Sunset or sunrise?  Sunrise, preferably at the beach

3.  Coffee, tea or soda?   Tea! I’ve been blogging about tea for thirteen years now, so I’m quite passionate about tea and teatime.

4.  What is your favorite movie?   “Gone With the Wind”

5.  What are your favorite toppings on pizza?   Pepperoni, sausage, and green peppers

6.  Cake or pie? What is your favorite?   Definitely cake. My favorite (and you can find the recipe on the internet) is Grandmother Crisp’s Caramel Cake, shared by a lovely North Carolina woman who is an interior designer.

7.  Favorite author (besides yourself)?   I adore Jan Karon for writing so many wonderful Mitford books and for being so entertaining on Facebook during the pandemic.

8.  Horror movie or chick flick??   Chick flick. The news provides enough horror these days.

9. Cat or dog person? Do you have any? If so, what and names please...   No pets at the moment, but I’m delighted to have become friendly with the neighborhood turtle, Vert.

10.  Ideal vacation?   A month in the countryside of Chianciano Terme, Italy. My husband and I stayed there a few years ago and agreed it was the most perfect vacation we’d ever experienced. We’d love to return for a longer stay.

11.  Camping or 5 star hotel?   Book my room at the Ritz, please.

12.  Favorite season and why?   I am always torn between spring (for the flowers) and fall (for the leaves).

13.  Name ONE thing you are afraid of.   Snakes! Just seeing a photo of one gives me the heebie-jeebies.

14.  Name ONE thing you cannot live without.   My Bible. I spend the first part of each morning reading a few chapters, and I treasure that time as a great way to recalibrate my mind before entering a new day.

15.  What was your favorite subject in school?   English. I loved to write from early on.

16.  What was your least favorite subject in school?   Algebra. I didn’t see the purpose for it then, although I do now.

17.  What movie have you seen more than once?   “Sense and Sensibility” with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.

18.  What is your guilty pleasure?  (Can't be an answer already given...)   Did you know that a serving of 33 semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips has just 70 calories? After I finally lost 40 pounds a few years ago, I learned that when I want a treat, slowly eating chocolate in tiny portions like that is helpful in keeping the weight off—such a sweet guilty pleasure.

19.  Who is your celebrity crush?   Cary Grant. They don’t make ’em like that anymore.

20.  Tell us something we don't know that you would like people to know about you …   If I could have any superpower, I’d like to be able to time travel. While writing my jewelry mysteries, I’ve often wished I could go back in time and scoop up the old costume jewelry that has become so scarce today—and interview the makers. And when I’m reading the Old Testament, I really, really wish I could travel back in time and see Solomon’s Temple right after it was constructed. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

To learn more about Angela and her books, go to :  https://angelamcrae.com/