#NewBook – Page 23 – Rosepoint Publishing

Yeast of Eden by Sarah Fox – a #BookReview

Title: Yeast of Eden (A Pancake House Mystery Book 4) by Sarah Fox

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Suspense, Women Sleuths

Publisher: Lyrical Underground

Publication Date: October 30, 2018

ASIN: B079KV2WD3

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title and Cover: Yeast of Eden – Cute, compelling cozy cover

Book Blurb:

In USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox’s delicious new Pancake House Mystery, it’s up to Marley McKinney to discover the waffle truth behind a rival’s murder . . .

Winter has come to Wildwood Cove, and riding in on the chill is Wally Fowler. Although he’s been away for years, establishing his reputation as the self-proclaimed Waffle King, the wealthy blowhard has returned to the coastal community to make money, not friends—by pitting his hot and trendy Waffle Kingdom against Marley McKinney’s cozy pancake house, The Flip Side. Wally doesn’t see anything wrong in a little healthy competition, until he’s murdered in his own state-of-the art kitchen.

Marley isn’t surprised when the authorities sniff around The Flip Side for a motive, but it’s her best friend Lisa who gets grilled, given her sticky history with the victim. When a second murder rocks the town, it makes it harder than ever for Marley to clear Lisa’s name. Marley’s afraid that she’s next in line to die—and the way things are looking, the odds of surviving her investigation could be stacked against her. Continue reading “Yeast of Eden by Sarah Fox – a #BookReview”

The Long Paw of the Law by Diane Kelly – a #BookReview

Title: The Long Paw of the Law (A Paw Enforcement Novel Book 7) by Diane Kelly

Genre: Thriller & Suspense, Cozy, Animals, Police Procedural

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Publication Date: Happy Publication Day! October 30, 2018

ASIN: B079DW9LW3

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title and Cover: The Long Paw of the Law – Love the series covers-Tells you exactly what it’s about!

Book Blurb:

One night, while on duty with her four-legged crime-fighting companion, Meg gets an urgent call from her boyfriend Seth, who works for the Fort Worth fire department. A baby girl has turned up at the station with only two clues to her identity: One is a peace-sign symbol stitched into her blanket. The other is a word, written in string: help.

Megan follows every loose thread and, along with Brigit, ends up on a twisted path that leads to the People of Peace compound, the site of a religious sect on the outskirts of the city. Its leader, Father Emmanuel, keeps his followers on a short leash—and his enemies even closer. Could this be the abandoned baby’s original home? And if so, why was she cast out? Now that Megan and Brigit are on the case, the secrets of this reclusive cult are bound to be dug up. . .

Diane Kelly is back with The Long Paw of the Law, the seventh installment in her drool-worthy Paw Enforcement series. Continue reading “The Long Paw of the Law by Diane Kelly – a #BookReview”

Darkest Before the Dawn – a #BookReview

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

Genre: Thrillers and Suspense, Supernatural, Ghosts, Cozy

Publisher: Ottawa Press and Publishing

Publication Date: September 27, 2018

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

266 pages

Title and Cover: Darkest Before the Dawn – Cover depicts coastal Newfoundland setting

Book Blurb:

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. Continue reading “Darkest Before the Dawn – a #BookReview”

Glitter Bomb by Laura Childs #BlogTour #BookReview #Giveaway

I am so delighted today to provide a review for you at my blog stop for Glitter Bomb (A Scrapbooking Mystery #15) by Laura Childs with Terri Farley Moran on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. Scroll down to enter your chance to win the Giveaway!

Book Details

Glitter Bomb (A Scrapbooking Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
15th in Series
Berkley (October 2, 2018)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0451489543
ISBN-13: 978-0451489548
Digital ASIN: B078VVDSQT

Book Blurb

An exploding Mardi Gras float has got to be the strangest murder weapon scrappy sleuth Carmela Bertrand has ever encountered in this latest Scrapbooking Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author.

It’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans and scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand is excited to be attending the Pluvius Parade along with her best friend Ava. Carmela’s ex-husband Shamus rides by the duo on his float at the head of the parade, when suddenly the revelry turns to disaster. Shamus’ float crashes and explodes, and although Shamus escapes unhurt, a member of his krewe is killed.

Carmela and Ava plunge into an investigation of the krewe member’s death, but as they dig deeper it starts to look less like an accident and more like a murder….and Shamus seems less like a victim, and more like a suspect.

Add to Goodreads

Carmela Bertrand and her bff Ava Gruiex are watching the Pluvius parade when the King Neptune float suddenly goes wonky and explodes almost in front of them. Among the krewe members on the float are her ex-hubby, Shamus Meechum, who is thrown clear but survives. One of the members who did not is krewe captain Hughes Wilder. He was close to the blast and also ingests glitter–not a good thing and no one was able to save him. It doesn’t take long before Carmela’s possibly betrothed Detective First Grade Edgar Babcock arrives on the scene and takes over, cautioning Carmela to stay out of it. Of course, knowing this is a cozy, there is no way for that to happen, especially since now it’s perceived Shamus may be a person of interest. Shamus pushes for her to clear his name while Babcock is adamant she not get involved.

Okay, I must admit the writing style, snarky and slightly immature dialogue had me flipping pages to see if it would serious up a tad. Granted, the well-plotted cozy mystery throws out a hook and ensures you’ll read far enough to engage deeply enough to see it through to the whodunit. No, it doesn’t (get serious), not really. But the back-and-forth between Carmela and Ava definitely defines their personas. Ava, the opposite of Carmela, obviously complements the friendship in a way that offsets Carmela’s shier shortcomings. While Ava, ever the bon vivant, sets a style well above the more tasteful and demure Carmela. Ava is also single, promised more, and strongly rethinking him. While both go fishing, Carmela sets small bait, Ava brings a bat.

Trying not to upset Babcock with her quiet sleuthing, Carmela goes about her business, which is a scrapbooking store (Memory Mine) cum graphic shop. She is apparently loaded with equipment and knows how to use it–and not just for photo albums. Ava is likewise self-employed. Both ladies enjoy New Orleans society and with upcoming Mardi Gras, a wealth of activities and week-long parties. Carmela gently chips away at discoveries, a few of which she shares with Babcock and gradually gains additional persons of interest.

Mardi Gras traditions, the wild and crazy jazz and zydeco atmosphere, are shared along with hints of decorating crafts (masks), and all manner of craft materials and ideas. Red herrings in the guise of unrelated pursuits take you 90 degrees out of the main plot, either putting the sleuthing on minor hold or as a way of gleaning additional tidbits about their suspects. Carmela continues to interact with Shamus while getting more and more “keep out” instructions from Babcock. (I hope he’s worth it.) Both ladies seem to have the freedom from their shops to go play (Carmela a loyal and capable assistant) and party they do. The antagonist is guessed at, not a complete surprise, but neither a #1 choice.

The author includes scrapbooking hints at the end, along with some recipes, and surprise!! A recipe for dog treats that I absolutely will try. Not my first book with this author (using another name), but with this series, I found this fairly evenly paced plot and characters could function just fine as a standalone. A fast and fun cozy that I downloaded from the publisher through NetGalley for this book tour for a read and review. Recommended for fans of Laura Child, cozy mysteries, crafts and hobbies, and women sleuths.

Giveaway

Please sign up here for your chance to win one of two (2) Print Copies of Glitter Bomb (A Scrapbooking Mystery) by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran (U.S. Only). Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Laura’s Links:

Webpage – http://www.laurachilds.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31

Short-listed twice for The Best American Mystery Stories, Terrie Farley Moran is delighted to introduce mystery fans to the Read ’Em and Eat café and bookstore, which debuted with Well Read, Then Dead. followed by Caught Read-Handed and Read to Death released in July of this year. The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is playing games and reading stories with any or all of her grandchildren.

Terrie’s Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrie.moran.9

Blog: www.womenofmystery.net

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23186092-terrie-moran

Purchase Links:

Amazon B&N Google Books IndieBound Kobo BookBub

Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!

Tour Participants:

October 1 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

October 1 – Island Confidential – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

October 2 – Valerie’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 3 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST

October 3 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

October 4 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW

October 4 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 5 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 5 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 6 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW

October 6 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

October 7 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

October 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

October 8 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

October 9 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – REVIEW

October 9 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 10 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

October 10 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

October 11 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST

October 11 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

October 12 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

October 12 – The Montana Bookaholic – SPOTLIGHT

October 13 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

October 14 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 14 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Thanks to Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this cozy mystery!

In Cold Chocolate by Dorothy St. James #BlogTour #BookReview #Giveaway

In Cold Chocolate

I am so delighted today to provide a review for you at my blog stop for In Cold Chocolate: A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery by Dorothy St. James on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. Scroll down the page to enter the Giveaway for your chance to win this delectable treat!

Book Details

In Cold Chocolate: A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (September 11, 2018)
Hardcover: 350 Pages
ISBN-10: 1683317432
ISBN-13: 978-1683317432
Digital ASIN: B078M3N9TC

In Dorothy St. James’s third delectable Southern Chocolate Shop mystery, a new batch of chocolate and troubles of the heart cause a string of disasters for the Chocolate Box’s new owner, Charity Penn.

The vintage seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina seems like the perfect place for romance with its quiet beach and its decadent chocolate shop that serves the world’s richest dark chocolates. The Chocolate Box’s owner, Charity Penn, falls even further under the island’s moonlit spell as she joins Althea Bays and the rest of the turtle watch team to witness a new generation of baby sea turtles hatch and make their way into the wide ocean.

Before the babies arrive, gunshots ring out in the night. Cassidy Jones, the local Casanova, is found dead in the sand with his lover Jody Dalton—the same woman who has vowed to destroy the Chocolate Box—holding the gun. It’s an obvious crime of passion, or so everyone believes. But when Jody’s young son pleads with Penn to bring his mother back to him, she can’t say no. She dives headfirst into a chocolate swirl of truth and lies and must pick through an assortment of likely (and sometimes unsavory) suspects before it’s too late for Penn and for those she loves in Dorothy St. James’s third rich installment of the Southern Chocolate Shop mysteries, In Cold Chocolate.

Camellia Beach, SC is definitely heating up. It’s August and the baby sea turtle nests are set to start hatching under the watchful eyes of the local sea turtle rescue volunteers. Charity Penn, owner of the Chocolate Box, is excited to join her best buddy, Althea, to watch for the hatching. Unfortunately, they end up in the crossfire of some deadly shooting, wounding Penn, and sending Jody Dalton to jail for the murder of Cassidy Jones. Jody is caught, dead to rights (so to speak) with not one but two smoking guns. Open and shut case, right? Sure looks that way, but Jody is the mother of Gavin, the son of her new heartthrob, Harley Dalton, and she promises Gavin she’ll have her mother out of jail before school starts. Uh oh…

Okay, this is the third in the series but could be viewed as a standalone as there was enough fleshing of the protagonist to learn who she is. Harley just a little less so. It’s one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone else’s business and not all the townspeople are strong supporters of Ms. Penn. Her heritage has been called to question and she is currently in a legal fight to settle once and for all the inheritance from her grandmother(?) Mabel which included the Chocolate Box.

In the meantime, Penn has poured her heart and soul into learning the business and remodeling, rehabbing, the building. She is building a strong and faithful customer base and has introduced a few new ideas to the shop, which apparently also allows coffee drinks. Her grandmother (if she is truly that) had a partner, Bertie Bays, Althea’s mother and Penns roommate, who is valiantly trying to teach Penn the recipes for the exceptional Amar chocolate beans they use for their delicious dark confections.

Granted, there is a lot going on in this narrative, and some of it slows the well-plotted mystery. The victim is someone so despised that most of the town is probably happy to see him gone and doesn’t really care who is responsible. Harley and his son share the apartment upstairs next door to Penn and Bertie and Harley is also the attorney representing Penn.

There are a number of minor or support characters who round out the population of this small coastal town with a proximity to Charleston. The scenes are described well-enabling visions of the seaside community and the information on the sea turtles interesting. There is a sub-subplot going on with her little insecure five-pound black, brown, and white snappy papillon she was given by her ex that needs a LOT of training and all the training seems to include a box load of treats. (Seems to me half the time the dog is being rewarded for bad behavior, but he does make some successful progress through the novel.)

What appeared to be annoying on the surface, that of a 37-year-old woman abandoned as a child, damaged and flawed protagonist, raised by uncaring and abusive adults, who is constantly battling negative thoughts serves as an epiphany when you finally get inside her head for that ah ha comprehending moment. Maybe she is justified in being who she is! There were sympathetic characters and nasty relatives. Lots of little hints and it wasn’t too hard to figure out the antagonist. As the twists hit, as they inevitably must, they fly in the face of what you expected and actually were a surprise, including the big one at the conclusion–most satisfying.

There is some lag in the middle, and a surprising number of edit misses including missing words (or duplicates) and sentence structure problems. I was given this download by the publisher and NetGalley for this book tour and greatly appreciate the opportunity to read and review. Recommended for any who love small town southern-based cozies, chocolates (including recipes), dogs, and the saga of the sea turtles.

Click on the link to sign up for your chance to win one (1) Delicious 12-piece Godiva Patisserie Truffle Chocolate Flight (US Only) in this special Rafflecopter giveaway

Rosepoint Publishing: Four of Five Stars

Dorothy St. James - author

Mystery author Dorothy St. James was raised in South Carolina. She makes her home on the outskirts of Charleston, South Carolina with her husband, a neurotic dog, and a fluffy cat. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.

Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn’t as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the tales that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.

* Dorothy St. James is the alter-ego of award-winning multi-published author, Dorothy McFalls. She enjoys writing in several different genres. Her works have been nominated for many awards including Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, Reviewers International Organization Award, National Reader’s Choice Award, CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, and The Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10! Award. Reviewers have called her work: “amazing”, “perfect”, “filled with emotion”, and “lined with danger.”

Author Links:

Website: www.dorothystjames.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dorothystjames

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dorothymcfalls

Purchase Links:

Indie Bound Amazon Kobo Google Play Barnes & Noble BookBub

Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!

Tour Participants:

September 12 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW

September 12 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 12 – Writing Pearls – REVIEW

September 13 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

September 13 – Island Confidential – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 14 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

September 14 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – Community Bookstop – SPOTLIGHT

September 16 – Readeropolis – RECIPE

September 16 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

September 17 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 17 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – RECIPE

September 18 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

September 18 – T’s Stuff – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 19 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST

September 19 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

September 20 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

September 20 – Mysteries with Character – RECIPE

September 21 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

September 21 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 21 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

September 22 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW

September 22 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

September 23 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

September 23 – Handcrafted Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW

September 24 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

September 24 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

September 25 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

September 25 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

Midnight Snacks are Murder by Libby Klein (A Poppy McAllister Mystery) #BookTour #BookReview #Giveaway

I am so delighted today to provide a review for you at my blog stop for Midnight Snacks are Murder by Libby Klein on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. Scroll down to enter for your chance to win the Giveaway!

Book Details

Midnight Snacks are Murder (A Poppy McAllister Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (July 31, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496713056
Digital ASIN: B0776HFC8V

Book Blurb

When her sleepwalking aunt is accused of committing murder, Poppy McAllister finds out there’s no rest for the weary . . .

Between trying to get her gluten-free baking business off the ground and helping her aunt remodel her old Victorian into the Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast in Cape May, New Jersey, Poppy is ready to call, “Mayday!” And now Aunt Ginny—who’s a handful wide-awake—is sleepwalking on her new sleeping pill prescription and helping herself to neighbors’ snacks and knickknacks.

Even more alarming, a local humanitarian who worked with troubled teens is found murdered, and the police suspect the “Snack Bandit.” Other than a bad case of midnight munchies and some mild knickknack kleptomania, Aunt Ginny is harmless. Someone’s trying to frame her. Poppy will need to work tirelessly to uncover the killer and put the case to rest—before Aunt Ginny has to trade in her B & B for a bunk bed behind bars . . .

Includes Seven Recipes from Poppy’s Kitchen!

My Review

I love that this cozy mystery includes a plus-sized widow of middle age trying valiantly to get on with life! She has discovered a Paleo niché for herself with the local gorgeous Italian barista. Her gluten-free desserts are finding a market along with a new possible love interest, but is that just one more complication she doesn’t need?

Poppy McAllister is a 40ish protagonist who has moved into her Aunt Ginny’s old Victorian they are trying to convert into the Butterfly House B&B in Cape May, NJ. But as anyone with a cantankerous but healthy octogenarian in tow will tell you, that isn’t easy, even less so when former mother-in-law Georgina comes to help with the renovation with investment money and more than a little opinion about how the rooms should be finished.

Unfortunately, about this time, Aunt Ginny begins sleepwalking and helping herself to her neighbors’ cupboards in their kitchens and knick-knacks in general. By the time they’ve gotten to the bottom of her sleep-aid medications, there has been a homicide down the block and it doesn’t look good for feisty Aunt Ginny, the “Snack Bandit.”

Unfortunately, the victim was a recent recipient of the local Humanitarian Award for working tirelessly with at-risk teens. His fervor and every dime went into the Teen Center and he had made great strides with many of his wards. It doesn’t seem possible he could have an enemy at that level of passion.

As Poppy discovers, since Amber apparently had history with Poppy before, she is determined this time she has her (wo)man and won’t be working hard to find another suspect. This one appears just too easy.

In the meantime, this well-plotted cozy mystery starts uncovering all the twists and turns you’ve come to expect in a cozy mystery. The protagonist has been well developed in the first of the series and continues to flesh in #2. She has a BFF in Sawyer and old schoolmate Tim, who is trying for a second chance now that she is looking at the end of her mourning period. Red herrings are thrown in when Poppy feels she has a strong person of interest, but in going about gathering evidence appears to open more of Pandora’s boxes.

Sassy, snappy dialogue borders at times on being a bit juvenile or trying too hard (possibly) for a younger age group and Aunt Ginny’s antics push the patience button. Still, there are a number of humorous passages, scenes that include the resident cat Figaro, and confrontations with the independent contractor/handyman and Georgina to lighten the plot and keep a steady pace throughout the narrative. It’s easy to tear through to the end and in the end included a culprit that could not have been guessed earlier. A satisfying conclusion that ties all loose ends and proceeds to Epilogue.

I was given this ebook download by the publisher and NetGalley for the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. This is definitely a fun book, looking to be a great series and an author to keep an eye on. Recommended to all cozy mystery fans. (And yes, gluten-free recipes to try at the back of the book. Even I found one of interest!)

Giveaway

Don’t forget to sign up for your chance to win one of two print copies of Midnight Snacks Are Murder in this Rafflecopter giveaway

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five of Five Stars

About the Author

Libby Klein dabbles in the position of Vice President of a technology company which mostly involves bossing other people around, making spreadsheets, and taking out the trash. She writes culinary cozy mysteries from her Northern Virginia office while trying to keep her cat Figaro off her keyboard.

(From Amazon Author page) Libby Klein graduated Lower Cape May Regional High School sometime in the ’80s. Her classes revolved mostly around the culinary sciences and theater, with the occasional nap in Chemistry. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that forced her to remove gluten from her kitchen and adopt a Paleo Diet. Now her life revolves around coffee and bacon. When she’s not feeling sorry for herself that she can’t eat bread, she writes from her Northern Virginia office… Most of her hobbies revolve around eating, and travel, and eating while traveling.

Author Links

Website – https://libbykleinbooks.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/libbykleinbooks/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/LibbyKleinBooks

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/libbykleinbooks/

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play BookBub

Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!

Tour Participants:

July 31 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

July 31 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

August 1 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST

August 1 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

August 2 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

August 2 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

August 3 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 3 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 4 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW

August 5 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

August 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 6 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW

August 6 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

August 7 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW

August 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

August 8 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

August 8 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW, GUEST POST

August 9 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW

August 9 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 10 – The Cozy Pages – REVIEW

August 10 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

August 11 – Bookworm Cafe – REVIEW

August 11 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW

August 12 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

August 12 – Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 13 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 13 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

Thanks to Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this cozy mystery!

Shelved Under Murder #BlogTour #BookReview #Giveaway

I am super-excited today to provide a review at my blog stop for Shelved Under Murder by Victoria Gilbert on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. Scroll down to enter the Giveaway!

Book Details

Shelved Under Murder: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (July 10, 2018) (Happy Release Day!)
Hardcover: 300 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683315957
Digital: ASIN: B075QJHPR9

Autumn leaves aren’t the only things falling in the historic Virginia village of Taylorsford—so are some cherished memories, and a few bodies.

October in Taylorsford, Virginia means it’s leaf peeping season, with bright colorful foliage and a delightful fresh crew of tourists attending the annual Heritage Festival which celebrates local history and arts and crafts. Library director Amy Webber, though, is slightly dreading having to spend two days running a yard sale fundraiser for her library. But during these preparations, when she and her assistant Sunny stumble across a dead body, Amy finds a real reason to be worried.

The body belonged to a renowned artist who was murdered with her own pallet knife. A search of the artist’s studio uncovers a cache of forged paintings, and when the sheriff’s chief deputy Brad Tucker realizes Amy is skilled in art history research, she’s recruited to aid the investigation. It doesn’t seem to be an easy task, but when the state’s art expert uncovers a possible connection between Amy’s deceased uncle and the murder case, Amy must champion her Aunt Lydia to clear her late husband’s name.

That’s when another killing shakes the quiet town, and danger sweeps in like an autumn wind. Now, with her swoon-inducing neighbor Richard Muir, Amy must scour their resources to once again close the books on murder.

This is the second of the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series and continues with Amy Webber as the Library Director of the Taylorsford, Virginia library. The library is gearing up for the big annual Heritage Festival which celebrates their local history as well as showcasing residents arts and crafts. Amy is living with her Aunt Lydia and still seeing Richard Muir, who was introduced as a romantic interest in book 1. Richard is a classical dancer, choreographer, and a neighbor, having inherited the house next door.

In conjunction with the upcoming festival, the library will assist in fundraising by offering books as well as local artists’ canvases. Unfortunately, when she and Sunny Fields, her assistant, travels out to the artist’s home to pick up the promised donations, she finds the artist has been murdered and her husband in absentia. As Amy also studied art history, she is recruited to help in the investigation after they discover a hidden cache of forged paintings. Of course, there is a connection–to Amy’s deceased uncle. Now starts a road rutted with misdirection, twists, and turns.

With the exception of the art expert brought in to assess the hidden treasure, most support characters were introduced in book 1 and are not developed more widely in this offering. Amy as a protagonist is not wholly sympathetic, exhibits some insecure issues especially where it concerns Richard and is prone to chewing her “pinkie” nail. The well-plotted story slowly unwinds with Sunny and her beau, Chief Deputy Brad Tucker, the local gendarme charged with investigation. When a second body turns up, all bets are off, and you might be back to guessing the whodidit in the whodunit. Perhaps Kurt Kendrick is of most interest in the plot-driven book, as he cannot be easily pegged. A new addition to the storyline is almost of immediate suspicion.

I felt the original subject, that of the library fundraising took a third chair behind the art history lesson, which quickly took over as the main focus, and the romance. I can definitely do without the romance, and it’s not the first time I’ve found Richard to be a bit creepy. The subject of the art masters and the forgeries they’ve generated is an interesting discussion, however, as well as the formula for divining original artists, paints, and materials.

Still, between the lengthy exploration of forged canvases and the romances, my attention not only sagged somewhat but dropped out completely and I found it difficult to maintain any engagement, making the read longer than it should have. Attention returned somewhat as it progressed to conclusion, but then it waffled again with an unnecessary wrap-up party. Perhaps the plot was just a bit too slow for me.

I was given this ebook download by the publisher and NetGalley through the blog tour and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended for those who enjoy an intelligent cozy mystery sans recipes, women and amateur sleuths.

Giveaway

Don’t forget to enter the Giveaway for your chance to win One (1) signed hardcover copy of Shelved Under Murder “with some swag” on the Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. She has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director.

When not writing or reading, Victoria likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers, and is represented by Frances Black at Literary Council, NY, NY.

Victoria lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats. This is her first Blue Ridge Library mystery.

Author Links:

Website/blog: http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com/

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaGilbertMysteryAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VGilbertauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/VictoriaGilbert

Purchase Links:

Amazon B&N Books-A-Million Indie Bound

Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!

Tour Participants:

July 9 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW, GUEST POST

July 9 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW

July 9 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

July 10 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

July 10 – Curling Up by the Fire – REVIEW

July 10 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

July 11 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

July 11 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST

July 11 – Varietats – SPOTLIGHT

July 12 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

July 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

July 13 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

July 14 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

July 14 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

July 15 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

July 15 – 3 Partners in Shopping Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

July 16 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW

July 16 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

July 16 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

July 17 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

July 17 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

July 17 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

July 18 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

July 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

July 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

July 19 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

July 19 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

July 20 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

July 20 – Island Confidential – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

July 20 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST

Thanks to Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this cozy mystery!

Bad Time To Be In It by David Burnsworth #BlogTour #Spotlight #Giveaway

I am super-excited today to provide a spotlight at my blog stop for Bad Time To Be In It by David Burnsworth on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.

Book Details

Bad Time To Be In It (A Blu Carraway Mystery) by David Burnsworth
Mystery
2nd in Series
Henery Press (July 10, 2018)
Paperback 254 Pages
ISBN 9781635113587

ASIN B07C86TY8R

The past is never past. Sometimes it repeats itself. And sometimes it comes back to pay a visit. Blu Carraway, flush with cash and back in business, never had it so good. Or so he thought. The reality is his love life is in shambles, his business partner is spending too much time with women half his age and not enough time on the job, and someone close goes missing. Blu’s business partner goes off the rails, his friends show their true colors, and he realizes that getting closure sometimes means walking away from everything. With a case from the past gone wrong twice, a loved one in trouble, and an unanswered marriage proposal, it’s a bad time to be in it for Blu Carraway Investigations.

The author will be giving away one (1) autographed print or digital copy–winner’s choice–print copy US only in this Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

David Burnsworth became fascinated with the Deep South at a young age. After a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and fifteen years in the corporate world, he made the decision to write a novel. In It For The Money is his fourth mystery. Having lived in Charleston on Sullivan’s Island for five years, the setting was a foregone conclusion. He and his wife call South Carolina home.