Cozy Mystery

A Free “After the Funeral” Podcast, and a New Poirot Novel!

~ Erika K ~ 6 Comments

 

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Listen to After the Funeral by Agatha Christie

A Free Serialization of the Complete Audiobook in Eight Parts

Presented by Sophie Hannah

Throughout the serialization, Sophie informs listeners on the crucial distinction between the truly impossible and the deeply unlikely, points out the magic of a very personal motive, and explains her belief that “the best stories are the ones that would only ever happen once.”

after the funeral

Hercule Poirot is called on to investigate the murder of a brother and sister, in this classic Agatha Christie mystery now available in an updated edition with a foreword Sophie Hannah.

“He was murdered, wasn’t he?”

When Cora Lansquenet is savagely murdered, the extraordinary remark she had made the previous day at her brother Richard’s funeral suddenly takes on a chilling significance. At the reading of Richard’s will, Cora was clearly heard to say, “It’s been hushed up very nicely, hasn’t it. But he was murdered, wasn’t he?”

Did Cora’s accusation a dark truth that sealed her own fate? Or are the siblings’ deaths just tragic coincidences?

Desperate to know the truth, the Lansquenet’s solicitor turns to Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery. For even after the funeral, death isn’t finished yet .

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Cracked to Death by Cheryl Hollon – Blog Tour and Giveaway (ENDED)

~ Erika K ~ 10 Comments

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Synopsis

When a treasure hunt leads to deadly plunder, it’s up to glass shop owner Savannah Webb and her trusty investigative posse to map out the true motives of a killer . . .

It’s the dog days of summer in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Webb’s Glass Shop proprietor Savannah Webb has an eco-friendly plan to help locals escape the heat–a recyclable bottle-crafting workshop taught by reticent store manager Amanda Blake. Turns out, the class is a bigger smash than expected, thanks in part to a pair of staggeringly old bottles brought in by snorkeler Martin Lane . . .

Linked to a storied pirate shipwreck, the relics definitely pique Savannah’s interest. But intrigue turns to shock when Martin’s lifeless body washes ashore the next morning, another glass artifact tucked in his dive bag. With cell phone records connecting Amanda to the drowning, Savannah must voyage through unchartered territory to exonerate her colleague and capture the twisted criminal behind Martin’s death . . .

Keep reading for a chance to win a print copy!

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Terror in Taffeta by Marla Cooper – Blog Tour / Giveaway

~ Erika K ~ 6 Comments

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“Wedding planner Kelsey McKenna is just a few hours away from wrapping up her latest job: a destination wedding in the charming, colonial Mexican town of San Miguel de Allende. The reception is all set up, the tequila donkey is waiting outside, and the bride and groom are standing on the altar, pledging their eternal love. But just as the priest is about to pronounce them husband and wife, one of the bridesmaids upstages the couple by collapsing into a floral arrangement, a definite wedding “don’t.” Kelsey soon discovers that the girl hasn’t just fainted–she’s dead.

Losing a bridesmaid is bad enough, but when the bride’s sister is arrested for murder, the demanding mother of the bride insists that Kelsey fix the matter at once. And although Kelsey is pretty sure investigating a murder isn’t in her contract, crossing the well-connected Mrs. Abernathy could be a career-killer. Before she can leave Mexico and get back to planning weddings, Kelsey must deal with stubborn detectives, a rekindled romance, and late-night death threats in this smart, funny cozy mystery debut.”

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Murder at the Mansion by Janet Finsilver – Blog Tour and Giveaway (ENDED)

~ Erika K ~ 3 Comments

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Murder at the Mansion by Janet Finsilver
A Kelly Jackson Mystery #2

Synopsis:

It’s whale-watching season in Redwood Cove, and B&B manager Kelly Jackson’s battening down the hatches for the tourist rush at Redwood Heights—a Victorian-style estate owned by her boss. And due to recent jewelry thefts, her duties include keeping track of the many dust-covered artifacts spread throughout the property. But when Kelly finds Sylvia Porter’s lifeless body, menial tasks don’t seem so terrible. Enlisting the help of a ragtag group of brainy retirees, aka the “Silver Sentinels,” Kelly’s on the hunt for clues hidden behind the mansion’s glamorous façade. . .and for a killer who may want to make history of her next!

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The Crepes of Wrath by Sarah Fox – Blog Tour

~ Erika K ~ 3 Comments

 In the debut of a delightful cozy mystery series, Sarah Fox introduces a charming new heroine who finds herself in a sticky situation: stacking pancakes, pouring coffee, and investigating murder.

When Marley McKinney’s aging cousin, Jimmy, is hospitalized with pneumonia, she agrees to help run his pancake house while he recovers. With its rustic interior and syrupy scent, the Flip Side Pancake House is just as she pictured it—and the surly chef is a wizard with crêpes. Marley expects to spend a leisurely week or two in Wildwood Cove, the quaint, coastal community where she used to spend her summers, but then Cousin Jimmy is found murdered, sprawled on the rocks beneath a nearby cliff.
 
After she stumbles across evidence of stolen goods in Jimmy’s workshop, Marley is determined to find out what’s really going on in the not-so-quiet town of Wildwood Cove. With help from her childhood crush and her adopted cat, Flapjack, Marley sinks her teeth into the investigation. But if she’s not careful, she’s going to get burned by a killer who’s only interested in serving up trouble.

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Silk Stalkings – Blog Tour and Giveaway (ENDED)

~ Erika K ~ 3 Comments

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Read on for a chance to win a great prize from Dianne Vallere! (CONTEST ENDED)

SILK STALKINGS

Silk Stalkings – Book #3 in the Material Witness Mystery series

Fabric shop owner Polyester Monroe can get tangled up in textiles, but it’s murder that really throws her for a loop in the latest mystery from the national bestselling author of Crushed Velvet.

The time has come for San Ladrón, California’s annual Miss Tangorli beauty pageant, and Poly has agreed to use Material Girl’s inventory of shimmery silks to create embellished gowns fit for a crown. But when millionaire Harvey Halliwell—the man who revived the city’s citrus trade with his imported tangorli tree—is found dead days before the pageant contestants are announced, something sour takes over the town.
 
To make matters worse, her friend, mechanic Charlie Brooks, is soon caught up in the crime, having been seen in the company of the case’s prime suspect. Now Poly’s on a mission to squeeze out the truth. But as she searches for a pattern, the killer seems intent on cutting up the evidence…

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Address to Die for by Mary Feliz- Review and Giveaway (ENDED)

~ Erika K ~ 6 Comments

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For professional organizer Maggie McDonald, moving her family into a new home should be the perfect organizational challenge. But murder was definitely not on the to-do list . . .

This first book in the Maggie MacDonald series has Maggie moving to Silicon Valley to start a new life with her husband and two sons in the house that her husband inherited from an aunt. Between finding a body in the basement and a vandal wreaking havoc on their new place, Maggie is having second thoughts. While her husband is away on business for his new job, she throws herself into the renovations to try to make their new house a home for her family. Just when she thinks things are looking up though, a second murder leaves her unsure of who in town she can trust, so she decides to do a little snooping around on her own to get to the bottom of things.

This was a great start to a new series, and a great introduction to a cast of characters I expect to be seeing more of in the near future. I loved that I wasn’t sure who would still be around next time until almost the end of the novel!

If you’d like a chance to get your own eCopy, be sure to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway .  (ENDED)

About the Author
Mary Feliz Photo Credit Dylan Studios Mary Feliz has lived in five states and two countries but calls Silicon Valley home. Traveling to other areas of the United States, she’s frequently reminded that what seems normal in the high-tech heartland can seem decidedly odd to the rest of the country. A big fan of irony, serendipity, diversity, and quirky intelligence tempered with gentle humor, Mary strives to bring these elements into her writing, although her characters tend to take these elements to a whole new level. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and National Association of Professional Organizers. Mary is a Smith College graduate with a degree in Sociology. She lives in Northern California with her husband, near the homes of their two adult offspring. Visit Mary online at MaryFeliz.com, or follow her on Twitter @MaryFelizAuthor.

ADDRESS TO DIE FOR

Pick up your copy of Address to Die For – Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Take a minute to stop by the other blogs on this tour for interviews, guest posts, and more.

Tour Participants

July 19 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
July 19 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
July 20 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
July 20 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &,Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
July 21 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW
July 22 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
July 23 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
July 23 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
July 24 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes – REVIEW
July 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
July 25 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
July 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
July 26 – Tea and A Book – REVIEW
July 27 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
July 28 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
July 28 – Bookjunkie’s Book Blog – INTERVIEW
July 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 29 – Booklady’s Booknotes – REVIEW, GUEST POST
July 30 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
July 31 – Book Babble – REVIEW
August 1 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
August 1 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW
August 2 – The Girl with Book Lungs – REVIEW
August 2 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW

NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All remarks and opinions are my own.

Planted by C.T. Collier – Giveaway (ENDED)

~ Erika K ~ 1 Comment

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Planted
by C. T. Collier

Planted-book-coverPlanted is book one of the new mystery series, The Penningtons Investigate, from award-winning author C. T. Collier. The Penningtons, Lyssa and Kyle, are both PhD’s, and when their clever minds start asking questions, clever killers can’t hide.

It’s Monday of spring break when Professor Lyssa Pennington’s backyard garden project unearths a loaded revolver. With no record of violence at their address and no related cold case, the Tompkins Falls police have no interest. But the Penningtons and a friend with the State Police believe there a body somewhere. Whose? Where? And who pulled the trigger?

The Penningtons’ canvass of their quiet neighborhood turns up disturbing secrets about the family who lived in their house for decades and another ill-fated family a few doors away. No one seems to know how to contact the only sons of either family. The few facts they have about them don’t add up and, since the gun was buried about the time both young men disappeared from Tompkins Falls, the Penningtons feel compelled to find them and make sure all is well.

Lyssa follows the money story and finds twenty million dollars, a neighbor who’s not what he seems, and a long-buried rivalry. Kyle goes after homicide data in six states and finds a body. Their next surprise is a murderer who will go to any length to conceal the crime. Continue reading →

Cozy Review – A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley

~ Erika K ~ 4 Comments

A Dark and Stormy Murder (A Writer's Apprentice Mystery #1) An aspiring suspense novelist lands in the middle of a real crime, in the first in a captivating new series by the author of the Undercover Dish Mysteries.
 
Lena London’s literary dreams are coming true—as long as she can avoid any real-life villains…
 
Camilla Graham’s bestselling suspense novels inspired Lena London to become a writer, so when she lands a job as Camilla’s new assistant, she can’t believe her luck. Not only will she help her idol craft an enchanting new mystery, she’ll get to live rent-free in Camilla’s gorgeous Victorian home in the quaint town of Blue Lake, Indiana.

But Lena’s fortune soon changes for the worse. First, she lands in the center of small town gossip for befriending the local recluse. Then, she stumbles across one thing that a Camilla Graham novel is never without—a dead body, found on her new boss’s lakefront property.

Now Lena must take a page out of one of Camilla’s books to hunt down clues in a real crime that seems to be connected to the novelist’s mysterious estate—before the killer writes them both out of the story for good…

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Cozy Review – Reading Up a Storm by Eva Gates

~ Erika K ~ 4 Comments

Reading Up a Storm (Lighthouse Library Mystery #3) Misfortune blows into North Carolina’s Outer Banks when a dead body in a boat on the shore leaves local librarian Lucy Richardson racing to solve a strange new mystery….

After a successful party at Bodie Island’s Lighthouse Library, librarian Lucy Richardson is ready to curl up with her cat, Charles, and a good book. But her R and R is cut short when she notices some mysterious lights leading a small boat to crash into the coast.

The two shipwrecked seafarers survive the ordeal—but one of them shows up dead ashore a few days later. Lucy finds herself again roped into a murder investigation and navigating a sea of suspects, all of whom had motives to deep-six the deceased. And this time, she has a sinking feeling that finding the real killer won’t be so easy…

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