A Wytch's Book Review Blog

Sprinkled in Malice (Cookies & Chance Mystery #7) by Catherine Bruns

Spring has officially arrived, and while the weather outside may still be frightful, Sally Muccio is feeling especially delightful as she prepares a homemade family dinner in honor of her husband’s birthday. Sal’s determined to make it an unforgettable night for Mike and even includes homemade fortune cookies like the ones her bakery serves, with messages personalized for each guest.

The evening is memorable, but not as Sal had hoped, when Mike and a family friend find themselves in the middle of an armed robbery...and only one will make it out alive. It’s just the beginning of more grief for Sal, who soon discovers the robbery is related to a scheme that spells financial ruin for her family. Add in her morbid father’s book signing at the bakery complete with coffin shaped cookies, a sister who won’t stop eating them, and an accidental gig at a local strip club, and Sal once again finds herself in deep dough. Only this time, there may not be a way out...

Catherine Bruns has pulled out all the stops with this book in the series, within the first few pages you are gasping and it doesn't stop there!

Sally is making a family dinner, mainly for her husband Mike's birthday but also because her sister Gianna is due to give birth in the next few weeks and so this is a chance to get everyone together before that happens.  She is in the process of finishing a few bits off when she realises she needs a final ingredient and asks Mike to get it on the way home.  When he hasn't arrived she starts to get a little worried, then VERY worried when she hears of a shooting at the store he will have gone to.  At first the thought is that Mike is dead, but "luckily" he was only wounded, it was his employee Trevor who was killed.

A few days later they discover he wasn't quite the model employee they thought, and so that needs sorting out, add in Sally's father doing a book signing (and wanting Coffin Cookies for it!), her mother modeling skimpy wake wear (!) and Gianna going into labour a couple of weeks early and Sally has a lot on her plate, but she and Josie can cope with the kitchen and the sleuthing and so they do!

Crumbled to Pieces (Cookies & Chance Mystery #6) by Catherine Bruns

In need of some quick dough, full-time baker and sometime sleuth Sally Muccio decides to rent the vacant apartment over the bakery to a friend of her grandmother's. Allegra Fiato is nothing like Sal's darling Grandma Rosa, though. She's mean, dishonest, and harboring a deadly secret.

When the elderly woman is mowed down in a hit and run, it quickly becomes obvious this was no accident. Grandma Rosa asks for Sal's help to find the killer which involves a last minute trip to Vegas crashed by Sal's crazy parents, stolen fortune cookies, and a mysterious missing locket. To add more spice to the mix, a loved one makes a startling admission to Sal that shocks her to the very core. Suddenly, Sal's world is in danger of crumbling around her. Can she put the pieces back together in time before the killer makes her the next victim?

Not everything in the world of baking is sugar and spice, apparently treachery and death can be the dish of the day in this tale by Catherine Bruns!

With her sister having bought a house with her boyfriend, the upstairs apartment is now vacant and so she rents it to the friend of her neighbour, figuring an elderly Italian woman shouldn't be too much trouble, unfortunately Allegra Fiato is nothing like Sally's Grandma Rosa and more like the Devil incarnate! Even so Sally is stunned when the woman is run down outside her bakery, and then she meets two of Allegra's grown up children and realises that the apple hasn't fallen that far from the tree.  When her Grandmother's neighbour gets a threatening letter and is broken into, and then the apartment above the bakery is also broken into Sally realises that however much she disliked Allegra she can't let her death go unsolved and so she and Josie don their virtual deerstalkers again to find out the truth.

Silenced by Sugar (Cookies & Chance Mystery #5) by Catherine Bruns

Full-time baker and sometime-sleuth Sally Muccio is enjoying life as a new bride and only wishes that sales in her bakery would pick up. So when popular TV host Donna Dooley invites her and best friend, Josie, to be guests on Someone's in the Kitchen with Donna, it’s the answer to their prayers. The pair is excited about the opportunity until they discover Donna's new assistant is none other than Josie's former nemesis from culinary school, Kelly Thompson.


Like cookies in a hot oven, temperatures rise, and their animosity escalates into a food fight during the taping—which then goes viral! But when a dead body is then discovered on the set, fingers immediately point to Josie, and Sal's usual sassy partner is at a loss of how to defend herself. Sal's world is once again plunged into chaos as she attempts to keep her friend out of jail, control a blast from the past that threatens to harm her marriage, and keep her crazy parents at bay as they film a commercial for a funeral home. Already knee deep in dough, Sal discovers a possible link between the current murder and an unsolved one from the past. But she’ll have to work fast because a killer is on her trail and determined to silence Sal...forever.

Yet another great out with Sally and Josie showing that sniffing out new cookie recipes isn't the only thing they find they are good at!

Things are only just ticking over at Sally's Samples so when a Food TV host arrives in their bakery and asks Sally and Josie to be on her show they leap at the chance, only to discover that Donna Dooley's new assistant is non other that the mean girl nemesis of Josie's culinary school (before she had to drop out due to her pregnancy - oh and Kelly spread THAT piece of news very quickly).  Josie tries to hold back but eventually the sniping gets too much and she and Kelly have a knock down fight on the set (luckily the TV cameras aren't rolling, but people's camera phones are and before they know it the fight is a YouTube hit!)  That would be bad enough but later that day Kelly drops dead and not from natural causes and now Josie is being arrested for murder!

Much as Mike would like her to stay out of it, he knows there is no way his newish bride will let a friend take a fall for something she didn't do, but non of them expected what happens next.

The Advice Column Murders (Oakwood Mystery #3) by Leslie Nagel

What’s the couple next door really hiding? Vintage fashionista and amateur sleuth Charley Carpenter finds out in this engrossing cozy mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of The Book Club Murders.

In a small town like Oakwood, Ohio, everyone knows everyone else’s business—except for Charley Carpenter’s standoffish new neighbors, who tend to keep to themselves. But behind closed doors, Paxton Sharpe’s habit of screaming bloody murder at all hours of the day keeps Charley awake all night. Coupled with the stress of the increasingly delayed expansion of her shop, Old Hat Vintage Fashions, the insomnia is driving Charley crazy. Her only distraction? The local paper’s irreverent new advice column, “Ask Jackie.”

Jackie’s biting commentary usually leaves Charley and her employees rolling on the floor, but her latest column is no laughing matter. An oddly phrased query hinting at a child in peril immediately puts Charley on high alert. After arriving home to a bloodcurdling scream next door, she follows the noise into the basement and makes a grisly discovery: the body of Judith Sharpe’s adult daughter.

With Detective Marcus Trenault off in Chicago, Charley decides to take matters into her own hands. Convinced that the murder is connected to the desperate plea for help in “Ask Jackie,” she embarks on a twisted investigation that has her keeping up with the Sharpes—before a killer strikes again.

Phew! Leslie Nagel has done it again, a fast paced murder mystery that keeps you turning the pages (and turning and turning!) and then wanting to read it all again just in case you missed something!

Charley's business is expanding, the problem is this means the shop is shut whilst the re-model happens, Charley and her staff (Heddy and Vanessa) are keeping busy with plans - oh and reading the Ask Jackie advice column in the local newspaper, all of which seems like good humoured fun until one letter seems overly serious, but not as serious as finding a dead body which occurs not long afterwards.  Charley knows that even though her sweetie is out of town on a course, his partner will works his hardest to find out who killed her neighbour's visiting adult daughter, only Paul isn't in charge, a total idiot appears to be and when Marcus gets back he and Paul are told in no uncertain terms to stay away from the investigation, luckily that isn't going to stop Charley, especially when the rest of the small force is passing her information! Then there is another death and a young man seems to be being framed for both deaths - framed in a very obvious way (unless of course you are Officer Idiot), now the people behind finding out the truth want to figure out what has happened, and to help two young kids come to terms with what has happened. 

Murder, She Uncovered (Murder, She Reported #2) by Peg Cochran

Westhampton, 1938. To the dismay of her well-to-do family, Elizabeth “Biz” Adams is quickly establishing herself as a seasoned photographer over at the Daily Trumpet. Growing more confident in her decision to pursue a career, Elizabeth is thrilled when she and her reporter sidekick, Ralph Kaminsky, are sent to Long Island to cover the story of a young maid found dead in one of the glamourous summer homes in the devastating aftermath of the Great New England Hurricane—also known as the Long Island Express.  
 
At first it’s assumed that the young woman was caught in the terrible storm, but when a suspicious wound is found on the side of her head, the police suspect murder. The maid’s death becomes even more tragic when it’s discovered she was pregnant, and with Elizabeth and Kaminsky at the scene of the crime, the Daily Trumpet scoops all the other papers in town.

The young woman’s boyfriend emerges as the likeliest suspect. But as Elizabeth follows the story, she begins to wonder whether someone in the household of the maid’s employers might be responsible—someone who’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth about the baby’s paternity hidden. . . .

Peg Cochran crafts a story that takes you on a journey and this one is no exception, I certainly didn't expect the final twist in the tale.

Elizabeth "Biz" Adams has been promoted to full time photographer at the Daily Trumpet and she normally works the crime beat with Kaminsky, the reporter who gave her the chance to show off her photographic skills. After a horrendous storm has buffeted the East Coast, the clean up has included finding the bodies of those that died in the storm, but one of the corpses was dead before the storm hit! Now with the paper planning of cutting back some of the reporters Kaminsky needs to get a good front page scoop and this story seems to be it (and Biz is determined to help), everyone says that the young Irish maid was a wonderful person, so why is she dead, and why are there so many suspects!

If Kaminsky is to keep his job and Biz is to keep hers (and step away from her matchmaking mother) they will need to combine forces again and get the killer out of the shadows and into the clink! If you haven't read this series yet, do so, I doubt you will be disappointed in this classic Cozy.

 

An Interview With A Character

What is your full name?

Elizabeth “Biz” Adams.  Kaminsky, the crime reporter I work with, nicknamed me Biz.

What is your Profession?

I’m a crime photographer for the Daily Trumpet newspaper.  I started as a Gal Friday typing up Estelle Draper’s society column and fetching coffee, but there was an opening for a photographer and I went after it.

What is your current favourite book or movie?

My favorite book is Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier.  It’s so suspenseful and there are wonderful twists.  I hope they make it into a movie soon—Laurence Olivier would be perfect as Max de Winter!

What is your go to comfort book or movie?

My favorite comfort read is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  I love the elegance and order of the time period but I also admire Elizabeth Bennet’s spunk.

If someone was to play you in a movie who would it be? OR what would be the character you would want to be in a book?

If someone was going to play me in a movie, I think I’d want it to be Katherine Hepburn.  She is strong and independent and flaunted tradition by doing things like wearing trousers before they were acceptable for women.  She also believed in challenging herself.

What is your ideal evening?

I love going out with my friends to the Stork Club or El Morocco but one of my favorite evenings is spending it at home, curled up on the sofa in front of the fire, with a good book.  

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 28 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 28 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

May 29 – ❧Defining Ways❧ – SPOTLIGHT

May 29 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

May 29 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW

May 30 – The Cozy Pages – REVIEW

May 30 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

May 31 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

May 31 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

June 1 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST

June 1 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

June 3 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

June 3 – Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 4 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

June 4 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 5 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

June 5 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – 4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ – SPOTLIGHT

June 6 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

June 6 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW

June 7 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

June 8 – Kelly P’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT

June 9 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

June 9 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

June 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

June 10 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

The Antique House Murders (Oakwood Mystery #2) by Leslie Nagel

Mulbridge House stood, silent and decaying, deep in the woods at the heart of Oakwood, Ohio, long before the passing of Augusta Mulbridge. Yet suddenly everyone in town seems to have a stake in its fate: the greedy heirs, eager to tear it down for a tidy profit; the local preservationists, determined to maintain it as an historic site; the angry neighbors, staunchly opposed to the construction of a modern subdivision. Even Charley Carpenter is forced to admit that her beloved shop, Old Hat Vintage Fashions, could use an infusion of the estate’s treasures.

The clock is ticking. The wrecking ball is ready to swing. All that stands between Mulbridge House and oblivion is one final vote. That, and murder . . .

The trouble begins when Charley walks into auctioneer Calvin Prescott’s office to find her cherished family friend crumpled on the floor. Detective Marcus Trenault quickly connects his death to a string of increasingly violent burglaries plaguing Oakwood. But when Charley uncovers a link to a massive land swindle worth millions, not to mention a drug ring operating out of the manor’s abandoned outbuildings, that theory crumbles faster than Mulbridge House. Now Charley’s racing to catch a killer before everything falls apart.

Murder hits too close to home for Charley Carpenter in this second outing in Oakwood.

The local auctioneer, Calvin Prescott, has been her mentor as well as one of her Dad's good friends, when his auction house is given the job of selling off the contents of a local large house (Mulbridge House) before it is demolished Calvin has held back some quality clothing and accessories to give Charley first chance at them (and she jumps at the chance), she does go to the general sale as well and sees some odd behaviour from a group of ladies that call themselves SOAP (an acronym re preserving Oakwood's history), they claim there is a will leaving the building to SOAP and that the sale is therefore illegal, but they cannot produce the will, nor indeed did Calvin or his staff find any such thing when they packed everything up. The problems start arising when Charley and her good friend Dmitri go to collect the boxes from Calvin's Auction rooms, only to find him well and truly dead.

Now Charley is sidestepping around Dectective Marcus Trenault (her boyfriend) to try and find out the truth, and all roads lead not to Rome on this occasion but Mulbridge House as a spider web of deceit starts to be uncovered.

The Codebook Murders (Oakwood Mystery #4) by Leslie Nagel

As the owner of Old Hat Vintage Fashions, Charley Carpenter supplies retro apparel to the residents of Oakwood, Ohio, but she’s been known to set business aside to play detective when a mystery rears its head. And there’s no bigger mystery in Oakwood than the murder of Regan Fletcher—a case that’s haunted the town for decades.
 
Regan’s boyfriend, Carter, did time for the crime—until another man’s confession freed him. But did the “real killer” really do it? Or did Carter walk away with blood on his hands? When Charley stumbles on an old journal written in code, it only complicates the case by revealing a blackmail scheme that targeted dozens of Oakwood’s citizens, giving them all a motive for murder. 
 
Now, with a spate of new suspects to pursue, plus a fresh murder and the abduction of her sleuthing partner, Charley must dig deeper still into the past—even as she risks being buried by her shadowy prey. Joining forces with Detective Marcus Trenault and the newly formed Oakwood Mystery Book Club, Charley turns to a classic whodunit for clues on catching a killer—before more lives are lost, and the truth dies with them.

This book opens with a Twister and then the twists and turns keep coming keeping you clued to the plot to the final page!

Charley Carpenter and her young friend Katie get caught, or almost caught, in a tornado, a man has grabbed them and dragged them inside and down into a tunnel that keeps them safe, the man is the janitor of the school and that is where the tunnel leads them to, on the way Charley drops her phone and whilst finding it she comes across an old backpack with a coded journal inside it.  The journal turns out to be a clue in an old case where a teenager was sent to prison for murdering his girlfriend, he always insisted he was innocent and when a few years down the line someone else confesses Carter Magallen is set free, but people are still suspicious of him and so his sister (now a teacher at the high school) asks Charley to help, and this is where it starts getting interesting, very interesting!

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 20 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 20 – I’m All About Books – GUEST POST

May 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

May 22 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

May 23 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

May 23 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST

May 24 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

May 25 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

May 26 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW

May 27 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

May 28 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 29 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

May 30 – The Book Diva’s Reads – SPOTLIGHT  

May 31 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 1 – Elizabeth McKenna’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT

June 2 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

Southern Sass and Killer Cravings (Marygene Brown #1) by Kate Young

 

Life has always been sweet on Georgia’s Peach Cove Island, but a case of murder has Marygene Brown down in the pits . . .

For generations, the women of the Brown family on Peach Cove Island have been known for their Southern sass and sweet homemade desserts at their beloved Peach Diner. Since their mother's passing two years ago, Marygene has been stuck in Atlanta while her sister Jena Lynn has been running the family business. Now Marygene has left her husband and returned to her hometown, where she can almost feel Mama's presence.

But all is not peachy back home. Marygene has barely tied on an apron when a diner regular drops dead at the counter. When it turns out the old man's been poisoned, Jena Lynn is led away in handcuffs and the family eatery is closed. Now, to save her sister and the diner, Marygene must find the real killer. With some startling assistance from her Mama's spirit, Marygene will be serving up a special order of just desserts . . .

Wowza! as a first book in a series this one pulled no punches, this is well worth a read and then a re-read to pick up what you missed the first time around!

Marygene has left an abusive marriage and headed home, her life has followed her though as she checks in with her sister at the family diner before heading to the family home she finds her car being re-possessed with a lot of her belongings still in it! Things then go from bad to worse when a regular at the diner drops dead, there are vultures (sorry developers) circling and the dead man's son seems to be in their pocket. It then gets worse with Marygene's half sister arrested by an out of town detective who isn't looking at the whole picture, oh and their mama just showed up, but as a ghost!

Now Marygene needs to save the diner, save her sister, save Peach Cove Island .... oh and not get killed in the process :)

 

A PRE-ORDER CONTEST with fabulous prizes! A Coach Bag with matching wristlet and $120 in gift cards plus autographed copies of the book!

https://www.kateyoungbooks.com/pre-order-contest.html

* Grand Prize Winner receives a gorgeous Coach Avenue Tote and Coach wristlet pictured below (value $450) and a $100 gift card to either Amazon or B&N.

 

​​* 2 Runners up will receive a $10 gift card to either Amazon or B&N and an autographed paperback copy of  Southern Sass and Killer Cravings.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 18 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

May 18 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

May 18 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 18 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

May 18 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

May 19 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

May 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

May 19 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE POST WITH PICTURES

May 19 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW

May 20 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

May 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

May 20 – ⒾⓃⓉⓇⓄⓈⓅⒺⒸⓉⒾⓋⒺ ⓅⓇⒺⓈⓈ – SPOTLIGHT

May 20 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT

May 21 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

May 21 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

May 21 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 21 – Books Direct – SPOTLIGHT

May 22 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

May 22 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 22 – 4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ – SPOTLIGHT

May 22 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – RECIPE POST WITH PICTURES

May 23 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 23 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

May 23 – ❧Defining Ways❧ – RECIPE POST WITH PICTURES

May 23 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

May 24 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

May 24 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

May 24 – Brooke Blogs – RECIPE POST WITH PICTURES

May 24 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

May 24 – Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author – SPOTLIGHT

May 24 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 25 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – REVIEW

May 25 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW

May 25 – The Book Diva’s Reads – SPOTLIGHT  

May 26 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

May 26 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW

May 26 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

May 26 – That’s What She’s Reading – SPOTLIGHT

Drowning Lessons (Red Frog Beach Mystery #1) by Rachel Neuburger Reynolds

You are cordially invited to a destination wedding to die for... Welcome to Bocas del Toro, a remote chain of islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama. Five days of glorious sun and lush rainforest await the forty guests celebrating Bridezilla Olivia’s dream wedding—but will a grisly murder sink the catered affair? Before anyone’s got time to start working on a tan, an unfortunate snorkeling accident eliminates a member of the wedding party. Maid of honor Lexie Marino smells trouble, and takes it upon herself to investigate, hoping to solve the case before her bestie’s trip down the aisle gets tropically derailed.
Lexie’s a little too tall, a little too awkward, and a little too brokenhearted, but she’s determined to nail the real killer. Can this unlikely sleuth stay afloat as she’s hit by wave after wave of wildly entertaining characters, including an alpha bride, surfing detectives, and a high school flame long forgotten? You’ll find yourself laughing until the very end of Drowning Lessons, a debut cozy mystery that makes the perfect beach read. Rub in some coconut oil, dangle your feet in the crystal-blue waters of Starfish Beach, and sip a cool drink as Lexie discovers the deductive superpowers she never knew she had. Let the party begin!
This is the first book of five in the Red Frog Beach Mystery Series. For information, updates, and mouth watering Caribbean recipes, please check out rachelneuburger.com

 

An Interview With A Character

What is your full name?

I’m Olivia Fowler, but I’m very soon to be Olivia Parker. We’re headed to Panama to get married, so I will happily soon be Mrs. Walter Parker.

What is your Profession?

I own a small chain of gyms called Femme Fit-all. The difference being that we send trainers to your house to show you how to work out with whatever you have in your house. Candlesticks, doorstops, seven volumes of Harry Potter… I used to be a writer, but that didn’t… I own gyms.

What is your current favourite book or movie?

I so loved Crazy Rich Asians. I saw it on a plane back from the Caribbean. What a wedding! Whenever someone accuses me of planning an over the top wedding, I tell them to go watch that movie. I’m totally in check with mine.

What is your go to comfort book or movie?

Roman Holiday. I could watch it every day. Walter took me to see all the locations in Rome. Even Via Margutta 51. Oh, and all of Shakespeare’s Henry plays. I love my Henries.

If someone was to play you in a movie who would it be? OR what would be the character you would want to be in a book?

You’ll be surprised to find out that I’ve thought about this before. Faye Dunaway. The way she looked in Chinatown. Beautiful. Classic. So if you could take her and make her a little blonder. I’ve been told I look like her, you know? It’s true. I mean, I can see it.

What is your ideal evening?

I’m easy. Just dinner out at a nice Italian restaurant. Well, not just nice. Really nice. Shaved truffles on pasta and expensive champagne. Not that it has to be expensive, but you know what I mean. And while we’re at it, why don’t we put the restaurant in Rome?

I’m not over the top.

 

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 21 – Readeropolis – GUEST POST

May 22 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

May 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

May 24 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 24 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

May 25 – I’m All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 25 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW

May 26 – Teresa Watson – REVIEW

May 27 – Books Direct – GUEST POST

May 27 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 28 – 4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ – CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 29 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW  

May 29 – Kelly P’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT

May 30 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

May 30 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

May 31 – ⒾⓃⓉⓇⓄⓈⓅⒺⒸⓉⒾⓋⒺ ⓅⓇⒺⓈⓈ – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 1 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW

June 1 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 2 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

June 3 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Murder on Memory Lake (Ferrara Family Mystery #1) by J.D. Griffo

For Alberta Scaglione, her golden years are turning out much more differently than she expected—and much more deadly . . .

Alberta Scaglione’ s spinster aunt had some secrets—like the fortune she squirreled away and a secret lake house in Tranquility, New Jersey. More surprising: she’s left it all to Alberta. Alberta, a widow, is no spring chicken and she’s gotten used to disappointment. So having a beautiful view, surrounded by hydrangeas, honeysuckle, and her cat, Lola, sounds blissful after years of yelling and bickering and cooking countless lasagnas.

But Tranquility isn’t as peaceful as it sounds. There’s a body in the water—and it belongs to Alberta’s childhood nemesis. Alberta suspects foul play and when Alberta’s estranged granddaughter, an aspiring crime reporter, shows up, it only makes sense for them to team up and investigate . . .

What an excellent start to a new series (I actually started this series with book 2, and loved it so raised book 1 to the top of my TBR pile!)

Alberta was expecting to live out her life in a fairly cramped apartment when she gets a surprising phone call letting her know that she is the sole beneficiary of her late aunt.  This means a wonderful house over looking  Memory Lake, she also has managed to connect with her grand daughter (known to all as Jinx) but is still estranged from Jinx's mother, oh and her sister has also moved to Tranquility (having left the convent after 40 years!) and her sister in law also lives near by.

When Alberta sees a body in the water (turns out to be Lucy who however hard she tried she could never got on with) she calls on her old friend, Vinny (the local Police Chief) who thinks that the corpse died of natural causes, when Alberta disagrees and tells him why he says he will get it looked at, oh and Alberta is right! Now she and the other three women in her life have banded together to find out the truth, so Lucy (and by extension Alberta) can rest in peace, each woman has her own strengths and these are shown skillfully through the book!