The Long Shadow of Murder - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

 Review

THE LONG SHADOW OF MURDER by Eleanor Kuhns
The Twelfth Will Rees Mystery 

Though he'd prefer to return home to his pregnant wife curiosity propels Will Rees to help his friend Constable Rouge search for a missing man. The search for a missing man soon turns into a search for a killer as they find the man, bludgeoned to death near the Shaker Community. While Rouge is quick to believe a Shaker has done the deed, Rees is not so sure. Who would have wanted Hans Bergin dead? He was a visitor who had only recently arrived. Certainly the killer must be someone from his party. As Rees and Rouge search for clues they soon discover Bergin antagonized everyone he met in the short time he was there. Could his killer be further afield?

I enjoyed returning to Maine in the very early 1800s. Even more than working with Rouge I like how Rees engages his wife in solving the murder, and the fact that she helps while both heavily pregnant and then with  a newborn! In fact it is her insight that actually solved the crimes. The mystery was complex and I wasn't sure "who done it", especially after the third event. Like Rees, I sure hoped it wasn't Ephraim, but, also like Rees, I didn't count him out!

I appreciate that THE LONG SHADOW OF MURDER deals with complex subjects including post traumatic stress disorder, albeit not by that, or any name. Ephraim and Rees both fought in the Revolutionary War and Esther is grappling with a different, but still traumatic event. Each suffers in a different way and it's heartening to see if they can help each other.

While life is challenging in the twelfth Will Rees Mystery there's also humor. I admit getting a kick out of Mrs. Bergin, Rouge's attempts at flirting, and Ephraim's running away at the wedding! There's also the love of the Rees family that is heartwarming.

With a distinct historical setting THE LONG SHADOW OF MURDER provides a complex mystery that engages and entertains.

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THE LONG SHADOW OF MURDER

by Eleanor Kuhns

September 29 - October 24, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Will Rees Mystery

 

When the body of a visitor is found in the woods by the local Shaker community, suspicion immediately falls on them. Rees is reluctant to believe anyone in this peaceful community committed murder. And Hans Bergin arrived with his wife, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law. They had their own reasons to want Bergin dead. But as Rees investigates, he discovers everyone, including a recent Shaker convert, have secrets of their own, some stretching all the way back to the Revolutionary War. Who, among the many suspects, decided to take matters in their own hands? Bergin's wife and other family? The new Shaker? Or someone else entirely?

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Murder Mystery
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: May 15, 2025
Number of Pages: 292
ISBN: 979-8312662825
Series: Will Rees/Shaker Series, #12
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle Unlimited | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

Constable Rouge and Will Rees rode south on Surry Road, past the Shaker community, until they reached the entrance at the southern end. They pulled into the small clearing and Rees parked his wagon. When he had first gone to town for supplies, Lydia needed both flour and sugar, he had not intended to join the constable in his search for a missing man. But, hearing of the disappearance, Rees’s curiosity had driven him into joining Rouge in the search.

“I still think we should have questioned the Shakers first,” Rouge said critically as he dismounted and tied his bay to a nearby tree. “On Sunday, Mr. Bergin told his wife he was going to Zion. He might still be there.”

“Was he planning to join the Shakers?”

“No,” Rouge said with a grin. “Hardly. He came to Durham because he heard that the Shakers danced naked, and he wanted to see the ‘fair white forms’ of the women.” Rees could hear the quotation.

“Huh,” Rees said. Although aware of the scurrilous slander concerning the Shakers, he could not understand why anyone would be foolish enough to believe it. The Shakers were a modest, quiet and industrious people. “The gullibility of men constantly amazes me.”

“You should hear what I hear at the tavern,” Rouge muttered.

“Besides,” Rees continued, ignoring the constable’s aside, “if there had been a problem at the Shaker community, wouldn’t someone inform you?” Rouge shook his head. After a moment, Rees reluctantly nodded in agreement. Maybe not. The community was notoriously insular and tried to handle any issues themselves. During the smallpox epidemic last year, the one that had sickened Rouge and left him severely scarred, they had refused all offers of assistance.

“We may have to speak to them,” Rees agreed. He was not enthusiastic. Elder Jonathan was beginning to display some irritability towards Rees and his frequent requests for help. “Since you were told by Mr. Bergin’s friend that he rode this way, I suggest we begin our search here, in these woods. Maybe his horse threw him. Or,” he added, looking at the muddy track across the road, “he might have taken the lane across the street back into town?”

Rouge shook his head. “Mr. Bergin did not return to town. I’m certain of that. We looked.”

“It’s unlikely he disappeared on that path,” Rees said. It was just past midday, and the sun felt warm on his shoulders and face. They were at the end of April. Although snow from the last storm still lingered on the shadowed down – slopes of the hills and under the trees, he could see bright spring green beginning to fringe the trees. “Farms line both sides of that little road and all the farmers will be out in the fields now, beginning the spring planting. If something happened to Mr. Bergin, and his body was dumped there, most likely someone would have seen it. He disappeared during the day, yes?” At Rouge’s nod, Rees paused a moment, thinking. “Did his horse return?”

“No. That’s gone too. Of course,” Rouge added cynically, “Mr. Bergin might have

continued riding south, hoping to find a new life. His disappearance does not mean he was murdered.”

“Someone was here,” Rees said, pointing to a relatively fresh pile of horse dung. “And recently too.”

“So, Mr. Bergin stopped here,” Rouge said. “Close to Zion.”

“It wasn’t necessarily Mr. Bergin. It could be another visitor.” Rees hoped that was so but feared the constable was correct. It was still too early in the spring for many visitors.

Rees squatted to examine the soft slick mud underfoot. Although his wagon wheels had cut across the older tracks, he could see the horseshoe shaped indentations left by a shod horse. “Whoever rode in here,” he said, pointing out the marks to Rouge, “he tied up over there. See?” He pointed to a tree. “There are boot prints where the rider dismounted.” Rouge crossed the dirt and stared down at the impressions.

“Look at the toes,” he said. “Riding boots.”

“Yes. And here are the nicks left by the spurs,” Rees agreed, pointing. “Did Mr. Bergin wear riding boots? Could they be his prints?”

Grimacing, Rouge nodded.

“You were right.” Rees looked at Rouge. “Mr. Bergin went into Zion.” Rees followed the tracks to the bridge that went to Zion’s main street. When he crossed the bridge, he saw the same footprints on the other side. But, a few yards in, the riding boots were met by farmer’s boots. The riding boots turned around and returned to the other side of the bridge. “One of the Shaker Brothers prevented him from entering the village,” he said.

“He walked back out to the road.” Rouge said. “Here are the marks of those boots

here.”

Taking care to avoid the boot impressions, Rees jumped across the soft earth. He misjudged his landing, and his right foot went into a deep puddle. Cold muddy water began seeping into his shoe. Rouge laughed.

“It’s not funny,” Rees said, lifting his foot to shake it. Water flew in all directions.

“Hey,” Rouge complained, jumping back.

“Serves you right,” Rees muttered but without malice. He was too focused now on following the tracks.

The riding boots went to the road where they were joined by another pair of shoes. The soil on the edge of the road was drier, more solid, so the imprint was shallow and harder to see. “I think these are ordinary shoes,” he muttered to himself. “Do you see any signs of another horse?” he called out to Rouge.

“No,” the constable replied, adding sourly, “But I am not the great tracker you are.”

“He met someone who walked here,” Rees said.

“One of the Shaker Brothers, then,” Rouge said with the air of a man who has solved the problem.

“Perhaps not,” Rees said. He was well used to Rouge’s propensity for jumping to the easiest and most obvious solution. “The second fellow could have tied up in the lane and then walked across the street to meet him here. Or,” he added quickly to forestall Rouge’s objection, “he could have even walked down the lane.” Rouge eyed Rees for a few seconds and then nodded.

“Yes, all right. He could have seen Mr. Bergin from the lane,” he agreed. “It would have

taken no time at all to cross Surry Road from town. But then where did they go?”

Rees did not reply. Instead, he began following the tracks made by the riding boots south along the Surry Road and away from Zion. From the impressions, it seemed the man was walking slowly. Not running, not afraid, just ambling along. Every now and then, Rees spotted a footprint or two produced by the other boots. It seemed the two men were talking as they followed the road.

He found the spot where the two people paused. But when he walked further down the road, he discovered he had lost the trail. There were no discernible footprints. He turned and walked back to the last spot he had seen them. This time, when he looked around, he saw scuff marks through the leaves descending the slope into the forest.

“Here,” said Rouge, pointing to a downed tree several yards in. Muttering under his breath, Rees followed the constable further into the woods. Rouge’s path had obscured the marks left by the two men. But when Rees fought his way through the brambles and the stand of small fir trees, he saw why Rouge had summoned him. Right in front of the downed tree was a mess of overturned leaves, where the feet of the two men had disturbed them.

“They sat down to talk,” Rees said, staring at the disordered leaves on the ground. He was beginning to believe these two men had nothing to do with Mr. Bergin’s disappearance and that this entire search had been a waste of time. The absence of the horse also made him wonder if Rouge was correct and Mr. Bergin had simply chosen to disappear. Rees was disappointed. Without really articulating his desire to himself, he had been hoping for something more serious. After several months spent inside at home, he was ready for some excitement. With a sigh, he examined the disturbance in the leaves. It looked as though one of

the men had risen to his feet and begun pacing.

But, as he neared the thicket, he smelled the barest whiff of the coppery rotten smell of old blood. The odor was so faint he wondered if he’d imagined it. Pausing, he lifted his face and took a deep inhalation into his nose.

“What are you doing?” Rouge asked, staring at Rees in fascination.

Rees threw him a glance but did not reply. Instead, he plunged forward, following the disturbances in the pad of last year’s leaves. Although the oaks and maples were just beginning to show the first bright green new leaves and the sun shone through the bare branches, the tall pines kept the ground below in shadow. Rees tracked the trail around tree trunks and through slick muddy patches. But he was halted by a large expanse of flat granite. He could not tell which way the trail went: straight down the slope or to one side or another.

As he stared at the rock in consternation, Rouge toiled up behind him, puffing. “Why have you stopped?” he asked, panting for breath.

“Not sure which way to go,” Rees admitted. Nodding, Rouge joined Rees on the rock slab and for a moment they were silent.

“Wait,” Rouge said, holding up a hand. “Listen. Do you hear it? A horse.”

For a moment Rees listened. Yes, he heard the faint whickering of a horse. The sound came from below them, but he couldn’t tell exactly in what direction. Rouge started forward, moving so quickly on the muddy and leaf strewn slope that he fell. “Damn,” he grumbled, staggering to his feet and continuing down the hill.

Rees glanced at the steep gully, the bottom slick with trickling snow melt, and turned to the bare rock. He started across the granite, angling down the slope toward the distant creek. The rock was not uniformly flat. As Rees clambered over a ledge, stepping down to the slab below, he saw streaks across the gray. Dark brown streaks. Rees knelt beside them and lightly touched the stain. Blood.

***

Excerpt from The Long Shadow of Murder by Eleanor Kuhns. Copyright 2025 by Eleanor Kuhns. Reproduced with permission from Eleanor Kuhns. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Eleanor Kuhns is the 2011 winner of the Minotaur/Mystery Writers of America first novel prize for A Simple Murder. The Long Shadow of Murder is the twelfth in that series. She also has written a Bronze Age Crete series.

A lifelong librarian, she transitioned to full time writing at the start of the pandemic. She lives in upstate New York with her husband and her dog.

Catch Up With Eleanor Kuhns:

www.Eleanor-Kuhns.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @eleanorkuhns
Instagram - @edl0829
Facebook - @writerkuhns

 

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Thanks for Muffin - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Victoria Hamilton to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Victoria writes the Merry Muffin Mystery series. THANKS FOR MUFFIN is the eighth book in the series and was released this week!

 
Kathy: In THANKS FOR MUFFIN Merry Wynter hosts the grand opening gala of the Wynter Woods Center for the Performing Arts. If you were to host a gala and could get any artist you desired, who would be performing?


VH: It would really depend on the kind of event, I guess, but I have a few favorites that I would love to see live. I don't know if anyone has ever heard of an English artist by the name of Rumer - NOT Rumer Willis, just... Rumer. She has the voice of an angel, like Karen Carpenter, but with this lovely tone and smooth sweetness. Unfortunately she only tours in the UK, but look her up on YouTube. She did a whole album of Burt Bacharach songs, sanctioned and accompanied by Burt himself. Brilliant. Another artist is the best rock female vocalist of all time, Ann Wilson of Heart. She is still out there performing with her sister. I saw her and her band in concert in 1976 (!!! I was - ahem - VERY young!) and even though they were the opening act, they blew the main event out of the water. Would love to see her live again. 

 

Kathy: A particularly nasty journalist posted a criticism of the gala and everything Merry was trying to accomplish. Have you ever received a particularly harsh review? How did you handle it?

VH: Yes, I have had numerous nasty/harsh reviews. Every writer/musician/artist has. They're hard to handle, so in most cases I just don't read reviews. I'd love to say I'm stronger than that, but a really bad one can take me away from my writing for a full day, and I can't afford that. But when I do by chance see one, I have a specific technique that helps a bit. I go to Amazon or Goodreads and look up my favorite writers - generally Sue Grafton or Sara Paretsky - and read their one and two star reviews. If superstar writers like that can get trashed by reviewers, then I'm in good company. It helps a tiny bit. 

 

Kathy: You include delicious muffin recipes in the book. Are you an avid baker?

VH: Nope. LOL. But I used to be. I once baked a lot more than I do now, but I can't eat much of what I make, and I don't have family or friends that will take the stuff so... I bake occasionally. 

 

Kathy: I enjoy all kinds, but I do love a good blueberry muffin. What's your favorite type of muffin? 

VH: I made up a muffin recipe for one of the Merry Muffin books, Fit for the King muffins (the King = Elvis, of course) that are banana peanut butter chocolate chip muffins, and OMG, they are delicious! The blueberry sour cream coffee cake muffins in this book are also awesome! 


Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story? 

VH: Not a specific inspiration, no. But I've thought a lot about the nastiness of some people in the public eye and wondered about their lives. Surely people like that would inspire enmity in a whole host of folks, and it would be complicated to investigate if they were murdered, sorting out their haters from suspects. That's where it came from. 


Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Merry? 

VH: Well, at the end of THANKS FOR MUFFIN I ask readers to sign up for my newsletter, because near Christmas I will be sharing CHRISTMAS AT WYNTER CASTLE, a short Christmas story set in the immediate aftermath of this book, and taking care of one character who I just couldn't fit into my plot. I hope readers enjoy it! I'll be sending it out in mid-December. 

Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books? 

VH: Love to! I do actually have news to share. I am currently writing two books in my other series. I was planning to publish LADY ANNE AND THE WINTER WITCH (Lady Anne Mysteries #6) in spring of this next year, and MASHER OF CEREMONIES, Vintage Kitchen Mystery #13 in the fall, but given the settings of each - WINTER WITCH is set just after Christmas and MASHER OF CEREMONIES is set in late spring - I have reversed the order. For anyone who likes my Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, I've gone back to basics; MASHER OF CEREMONIES will come out in spring, as it is set at the annual May Queensville traditional Tea with the Queen event, where Queen Victoria shares tea with all who attend! LADY ANNE AND THE WINTER WITCH sees Lady Anne and her new husband Tony on their post-wedding trip north; they get snowed in at a Christmas house party where things are not jolly and bright! I'm having great fun writing the books, and hope readers enjoy them.

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Review

THANKS FOR MUFFIN by Victoria Hamilton
The Eighth Merry Muffin Mystery

After lots of hard work Merry Winter and her good friend Pish are ready for the grand opening gala of the Wynter Woods Center for the Performing Arts. Held over the long Thanksgiving weekend the attendees and performers will arrive via luxury coaches from New York City, some returning after the opening night, others remaining for the long weekend. Locals will also attend, including a reporter from nearby Ridley Ridge. Unbeknownst to Merry, the reporter is the unsavory Dan Sooner who hates everything about the castle and its caretakers. During the event he antagonizes almost everyone and is nearly escorted from the event. It also appears that many of the guests seem to know each other and there are more ties to Autumn Valley and Ridley Ridge than expected. While too much liquor is imbibed, opening night seemed a success and the reviews are positive, except for Sooner's. While Merry broods about this her husband, former sheriff and current private detective, notices Sooner's vehicle is still in their parking lot. While leading some of her guests on a tour of the property Merry finds the missing man-dead. Murder free for two years Merry knows the murder must be solved before the weekend ends and media once again decries the murder castle. While she has every confidence in the new sheriff, she knows that she and her friends will also investigate as the sooner the killer is found the better!

I love the whole vibe of the Wynter Woods Center for the Performing Arts and the fact that all genres of music are welcome with rap and opera combining for the gala as well as including Broadway stars as guests. Of course I despised Dan Sooner even before he came to the castle and before we knew about his past. A perfect victim, but sad that someone couldn't wait and took justice into their own hand thus ruining more than one life. I did catch the one very big clue left by the author, but until more facts were revealed I wasn't sure what that meant. The mystery was complex with more than one miscreant involved. I appreciated how Merry worked with law enforcement and the way Hannah's abilities were utilized. I've never been a fan of Lizzie and that continues with this book.

Artists, hangers on, and secrets from long ago combine making THANKS FOR MUFFIN and intriguing addition to this wonderful series. Hunker down as the weather cools and indulge in a delightful muffin or two. As for me, some of Pish's Thanksgiving Leftover Poutine is to die for...just not literally!

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 Thanks for Muffin: A Merry Muffin Mystery by Victoria Hamilton

About Thanks for Muffin

Thanks for Muffin: A Merry Muffin Mystery Contemporary Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Setting - Wynter Castle, Western New York State
Publisher: ‎ Beyond the Page
Publication Date: ‎ October 14, 2025
Number of Pages: 211 Paperback

When Merry Wynter’s festive gala takes a fatal turn, she’ll have to grill her guests to catch a killer . . .

After years of planning and hard work, Merry Wynter was finally ready to host the grand opening gala of the Wynter Woods Center for the Performing Arts. With musicians, entertainers, members of the media and even influencers on the guest list, the event went off without a hitch—until a particularly nasty journalist posted a criticism of the gala and everything Merry was trying to accomplish. Still reeling from the review days later, Merry wasn’t sure what to feel when she discovered the reporter’s dead body on the grounds of Wynter Castle.

With many of her guests staying on at the castle for the weekend, Merry realizes they’ve got a murderer in their midst. Going from celebrating to sleuthing, she discreetly questions each of them, trying to weed out the culprit. She quickly learns that the victim had heated arguments with several of the people at the gala, and it turns out those people were all connected by a tragedy in the past. Certain the killer is among them, Merry will have to unearth the final clue that nails the killer—before the killer decides she’s getting too close .

About Victoria Hamilton

Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym of nationally bestselling romance author Donna Lea Simpson. Victoria is the bestselling author of three mystery series: the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries, the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries, and the Merry Muffin Mysteries. She also wrote a Regency-set historical mystery series, starting with A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Murder.

Visit her website at victoriahamiltonmysteries.com and sign up for Victoria’s newsletter.

Social Media Links: 

Website: http://www.VictoriaHamiltonMysteries.com (Sign up for her newsletter for all the latest!)  

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaHamiltonMysteryAuthor  

On BlueSky: @mysteryvictoria.bsky.social 

Check out my 'Cozy Mystery Authors' Starter Pack on BlueSky!  

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysteryauthorvictoriahamilton/  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/598635.Victoria_Hamilton 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Victoria-Hamilton/e/B007T7LGAU  

Purchase Links: Amazon.com – Amazon.ca - Barnes & Noble - Kobo - Smashwords

Murder in Matrimony - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

MURDER IN MATRIMONY by Mary Winters
The Fourth Lady of Letters Mystery

Always one to go her own fun loving way Margaret Scott is a bit of a troublemaker and not one for protocol or niceties, as her elder sister Lady Amelia Amesbury can attest. It still comes as a shock when Madge announces that she and Captain Fitz are to be wed and that the wedding is to be that very month! Now Amelia will have to perform miracles, with the help of her none too pleased Aunt Tabitha, to arrange a wedding in time. In addition to arranging everything for the nuptials Amelia has something else to deal with. A reader of her Lady Agony column says they know her true identity and is blackmailing her. At least she has the friendship of her vicar, Mr. Cross. But the following day his curate comes rushes to her home to tell her that Mr. Cross has been killed. While the police declare it's a robbery gone bad, Amelia believes it's murder. But how does the newspaper clipping he sent her fit in? Amelia will have to puzzle the pieces together all while planning a wedding and dealing with a blackmailer. Fortunately, she has her good friends to help her.

I absolutely love this series and MURDER IN MATRIMONY may be my favorite entry thus far. We have humor, romance, and a brilliantly confounding mystery. I love that Amelia and Simon are finally admitting their feelings for each other. And darn Maude's timing, although things happily worked out in the end. It was such fun having Amelia's family come to London. Uncle Henry with his drink and Aunt Gert with her duck had me grinning! I also like Amelia's relationship with Lord Drake and was happy to see more of Isaac Jakeman.

I was distressed when I discovered that Mr. Cross was our murder victim. I found him to be a wise and caring man and a good person to whom Amelia could speak honestly about anything and everything. As to his replacement...ugh. The church will be much poorer. I enjoyed how his murder was just the tip of the iceberg and Amelia had to solve a variety of other mysteries to get to the bottom of his death. I also appreciated Amelia's visits to the East End, witnessing how the poorer people actually lived. It changed her and it was nice to see her grow. I also really like seeing her friendships grow even stronger with one unlikely person coming to the fore.

Love, loyalty, and family combine in a cracking good mystery making MURDER IN MATRIMONY one of my favorite, if not most favorite read of the year. 

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 Murder in Matrimony (A Lady of Letters Mystery) by Mary Winters

About Murder in Matrimony

Murder in Matrimony (A Lady of Letters Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery 4th in Series
Setting - London, 1860
Publisher: ‎ Severn House
Publication Date: ‎ October 7, 2025
Hardcover Print Length: ‎ 240 pages
Digital Print Length: ‎ 248 pages

Countess-turned-advice columnist Amelia Amesbury has a wedding to plan alongside a new murder in this charmingly deadly historical mystery. Countess Amelia Amesbury has her work cut out. As well as balancing her alter ego—secret advice columnist, Lady Agony—and the blackmailer threatening to reveal her real identity, her sister has also announced she’s getting married. It’s joyous news, but places all the planning for a high society wedding firmly at Amelia’s door. Luckily, her good friend and local vicar Mr. Cross has agreed to the expedited nuptials, so that’s one less thing to worry about. Until Cross is found dead at the church. Now in between bridal arrangements, Amelia must follow the clues Mr. Cross left behind. Clearly, he’d made some enemies during his parishioner work, as strange mishaps begin to occur wherever Amelia goes. But when the danger becomes all too real, Amelia must rely on her friends and the handsome Simon Bainbridge to help solve the murder, save the wedding, and Amelia’s life too . . . Perfect for fans of witty historical mystery and Regency romances with a similar feel to Verity Bright and T.E. Kinsey.

About Mary Winters

 

Mary Winters is the Edgar Award-nominated author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series. Book one, Murder in Postscript, was a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Mary is also the author of two cozy mystery series and writes short fiction. Her stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Black Cat Weekly. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching, reading, or spending time with her family. She lives with her husband, daughters, and spoiled pets in the Midwest. Find out more about Mary at MaryWintersAuthor.com.

Author Links: 

Website http://www.Marywintersauthor.com  

Blog http://www.Marywintersauthor.com/blog  

Facebook http://www.Facebook.com/marywintersauthor  

Instagram http://www.Instagram.com/marywintersauthor  

Purchase Links Amaz0n Barnes & Noble Bookshop  

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Murder in Matrimony by Mary Winters. This is the fourth book in the Lady Of Letters Mystery series and was released last week.

Always one to go her own fun loving way Margaret Scott is a bit of a troublemaker and not one for protocol or niceties, as her elder sister Lady Amelia Amesbury can attest. It still comes as a shock when Madge announces that she and Captain Fitz are to be wed and that the wedding is to be that very month! Now Amelia will have to perform miracles, with the help of her none too pleased Aunt Tabitha, to arrange a wedding in time. In addition to arranging everything for the nuptials Amelia has something else to deal with. A reader of her Lady Agony column says they know her true identity and is blackmailing her. At least she has the friendship of her vicar, Mr. Cross. But the following day his curate comes rushes to her home to tell her that Mr. Cross has been killed. While the police declare it's a robbery gone bad, Amelia believes it's murder. But how does the newspaper clipping he sent her fit in? Amelia will have to puzzle the pieces together all while planning a wedding and dealing with a blackmailer. Fortunately, she has her good friends to help her.

Shafted: A Review

 Review

SHAFTED: SERENITY ACRES WHERE SECRETS BARELY STAY HIDDEN
By Crystal Quast
The Second Serenity Acres Suburban Mystery 

 

Serenity Acres looks like the perfect community. But there's a seething underbelly underneath and it's ready to erupt when a real estate company offers residents an investment opportunity of a lifetime. This too good to be true opportunity is just that and one wife is determined to outscam the scammer.

 

From the outside Serenity Acres is a pristine community where neighbors are friends. Inside it's a hellhole filled with vipers and dupes. This is not a cozy mystery and the author states that it is not a true cozy. However, I wouldn't even call it cozy adjacent. I hesitate to call it a traditional mystery and I'm not even sure I'd call it a mystery. There is a murder, more than one, but not only do we know who did it, no one is really investigating. It would best be classified as a caper, although it's not really amusing. The characters are horrible people. Most of the them are vulgar and the author indulges them with coarse language and and coarser actions. There's lying, cheating, a good dose of drugs and alcohol, rampant sex, and murder. Betty is the only really likable character...and she's a dog. A dog who's smarter than the majority of the characters. I mean who is going to invest in a company called Shafte Con? Hello? Actually there is some humor in the gullibility and downright stupidity of some of the characters, a self published book called Pickleball and Inner Peace? No wonder he fell for Shift-Namaste.

Short chapters make for a fast paced read and I enjoyed the return of one character. It was fascinating to witness the mental gymnastics of the characters. Some had intriguing motivations, one is just a psychopath.  

SHAFTED is a multilayered con with a cast of scheming characters.

Merry Merry Merry Murder - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to allow Betty Jacobs to take over the blog today. You can find Betty on the pages of the Cuddle Farm Mystery series by Paty Jager. MERRY MERRY MERRY MURDER is the first book in the series and was released Friday!

Hi, I’m Betty Jacobs. I call Andi Weber Clark one of my best friends. We’ve known each other ever since she took me by the hand and led me to Santa when I was six and she was four.

I’d heard her and her family talking as they were setting up their wool booth at the Christmas Festival that happened every year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  I wanted to see Santa. Well, not really see him, because I’ve been blind since I was a small child.

When I said I wanted someone to take me to see Santa, Andi had giggled. Her mother called her by her full name and told her to take me to Santa.  That day we became friends. She would tell me what things looked like and I’d tell her what they sounded like. All through school, she stood up for me when the other kids made fun of me.

You see, I was adopted at the age of two, when I became blind, by missionaries who were in Ethiopia. I caught a fever, and my parents took me to the local mission. My adoptive mom told me the doctors did everything they could to get my fever down, but it wouldn’t lessen. When it finally did, I couldn’t see. When my birth parents learned that I would never be able to see, they left me at the mission. When my adopted parents were ready to fly back to Oregon, they adopted me and brought me with them.

So not only was I the only blind child in Auburn Elementary, I was also the only child of color. My adoptive parents taught me all about Ethiopia and taught me the ways of my birth parents, but they also tried hard to help me fit into the small community. They and Andi were the anchors I needed while growing up.

When Andi went off to college, I worried that I’d struggle. But I took online courses to be a software developer for the vision-impaired. I make good money and can work from my home.

My father passed away five years ago and my mom just this past year. In her belongings, I found references to my biological family and made a trip to Ethiopia, hoping to reconnect. The person I’d paid to be my guide turned out to be not as reliable as I’d hoped. All the communication back and forth had gone well, but the minute I opened the hotel room door, the aura the person put off had me worrying we wouldn’t be successful. And we weren’t. All the people she took me to and said were my family only wanted handouts.

I came home depressed, but then I ran into Andi. She is back living in Auburn and wanted to continue our friendship! I was so happy to have her back. Especially since I had started seeing auras around people and animals since my father passed. I have often wondered if it is he helping me to navigate a dark world. I haven’t had the chance to tell Andi how I can now see colors where people are standing. But it has helped her already with the murder of the mother of a little girl that Andi has added to her friend list.

As I would imagine, the aura around Andi is orange with shades of red – thoughtfulness, courage, self-control, and an inner warrior spirit, who can survive any circumstance thrown at her. She is realistic and well-grounded.

That is why she stuck up for a blind, little black girl at the age of four. 

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Review

MERRY MERRY MERRY MURDER by Paty Jager
The First Cuddle Farm Mystery 

After the untimely death of her husband Andi Clark returns to Oregon to the family farm and her family's business. While she provides bookkeeping for the family's yarn shop, she also has therapy animals who she takes around town to help others in need. Andi and her animals are at the Christmas Craft Bazaar and it seems the entire town has shown up for the annual tree lighting ceremony. But when when the new sheriff flips the switch, nothing happens. That is until a scream has one of Andi's therapy dogs dragging her to the anguished cry. The mayor's wife has found a dead body, strangled with a strand of Christmas lights. The more Andi learns about the victim, the more she, and indeed the rest of the town, is surprised no one killed her sooner! Believing the husband innocent and wanting to protect his daughter Andi thinks she can help solve the crime. No one knows what work she and her husband really did abroad, but she has the necessary skills. Now if only Sheriff Skala will accept her help.

I enjoyed my first visit to Auburn, Oregon and I quite like the idea of the entire family living in their own houses on the same property and working the family business in various forms-caring for the sheep, shearing them, carding, spinning, and dyeing the wool, as well as running a yarn shop! I could do without being so close to a nasty sibling though. Yikes, Nina is practically a villain too. I hope one day we discover the backstory of what changed her. At least their mom realizes Nina is nasty too. The rest of the characters are personable, the rest of Andi's family-though we don't see her dad, Sheriff Skala, his son, and especially Andi's therapy animals. Cocoa is, of course, special, but I really like Athena and Sparky too!

The first Cuddle Farm Mystery features a great victim, a horrible lying, cheating, woman who used sex to manipulate and torment. Of course, this gives us a multitude of suspects. I enjoyed how Andi quietly wormed her way into the investigation and the rapport she and the Sheriff had. While at first I thought her backstory was a bit farfetched I soon embraced the idea. I also like the friendship blossoming between Andi and the Sheriff. Of course, it's just friendship and nothing more. Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more.

Carefully constructed characters, sweet animals who help, and a compelling mystery make MERRY MERRY MERRY MURDER a fine start to a new series.

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 Merry Merry Merry Murder (Cuddle Farm Mysteries) by Paty Jager

About Merry Merry Merry Murder 

Merry Merry Merry Murder (Cuddle Farm Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Oregon
Publisher: Windtree Press
Publication Date: October 10, 2025
Print Length: ‎ 194 pages

In the close-knit town of Auburn, Oregon, Andi Clark's therapy animals bring comfort to the community, especially during the holiday season. As the annual Christmas Craft Bazaar draws near, Andi agrees to set up a Petting Zoo with her beloved animals, bringing smiles to the faces of children and adults alike.

But when a young girl seeks solace from Athena, Andi's therapy dog, after witnessing an unsettling scene behind the sleigh, it marks the beginning of a much darker holiday. As the town gathers for the Tree Lighting Ceremony, a scream shatters the festive atmosphere. Cocoa, Andi's loyal Border Collie, pulls her toward a chilling sight: a woman standing over the lifeless body of the girl's mother, strangled with Christmas lights.

Determined to help the grieving girl and her town recover from the shock, Andi, her therapy animals, and her niece, a county deputy, take it upon themselves to investigate. As they uncover secrets and untangle clues, they stay one step ahead of the new sheriff and worry that the killer lurking in their midst could be someone they know.

About Paty Jager

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of murder mysteries, western romance, and action-adventure. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes in eastern Oregon, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.

Author Links: 

Website: https://www.patyjager.net  

Blog: https://writingintothesunset.net/  

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Paty-Jager/e/B002I7M0VK  

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/patyjag/  

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1005334.Paty_Jager 

Newsletter- Mystery: https://bit.ly/2IhmWcm  

Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/paty-jager  

Instagram -Paty Jager (@patymjager) • Instagram photos and videos  

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@authorpatyjager  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N

Murder Most Necessary - An Interview & Review

I'm pleased to welcome Andrew Higgins to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Andrew writes the Blaine and Meredith Mystery series. MURDER MOST NECESSARY is the first book in the series and was released earlier this year.

 

Kathy: In MURDER MOST NECESSARY Demelza Blaine inherits a cottage and moves to Killnakree leaving a cheating boyfriend and her job as a librarian. Have you ever started over? 

AH: Yes, I have. I've made career changes before – clerical work, manual work, hospital work, teaching computers – and I've been through a divorce. Of all those changes though, divorce was the most complex. It affected everything. I think that's why Demelza's story resonated with me. That feeling of leaving something behind and wondering what's going to happen next – I knew that feeling. Though unlike Demelza, my fresh start didn't come with an inheritance and a sassy housekeeper! 

Kathy: Although she only appears in the first chapter Clodagh Sutton was a force of nature! I wish we could have seen more of her. I don't have near her energy and joie de vivre and I'm more than a decade her junior. Do you have that zest for life? 

AH: I'm 71 now, and honestly, each day the Good Lord gives me feels like a special blessing. Do I have Clodagh's zest? Maybe not her particular brand of chaos! But I do try to embrace life – writing these stories, creating characters who refuse to fade into the background, finding the humour in things. Clodagh represented something I admire: that refusal to diminish yourself just because you're getting older. She lived fully right up until... well, the end of the first chapter! 

Kathy:  On her first night in town Demelza joins her new friend and participates in a pub quiz. Do you enjoy pub quizzes? Do you have a particular subject that you're best at? 

AH: Yes. I love pub quizzes and am a big quiz fan. I used to run some local history quizzes with my former students and am a firm favourite of most quiz shows such as the One Per Cent Club. I’ve also written two quiz books which are currently available through Amazon, ‘The Best Ever Food & Drink Quiz and Puzzle Book’ and ‘The Puzzle Cabinet: 330 Short Form Riddles & Logic Puzzles for the Whole Family.’ 

Kathy: Suzie the border collie is one of my favorite characters. I love all animals, although I don't have dogs anymore. I do have 5 cats. Do you have any pets? 

AH: Not presently. Bridget my beautiful Tabby Cat died not so long ago from Cancer. She was 14 years old. 

Kathy: Is Suzie based on a dog or dogs you know, or is she purely fictional? 

AH: Suzie was real. She was my very own Border Collie. Suzie in the book is based upon the real Suzie – this girl here……. 




I got her when she was just a pup and from day one she was never more than six feet away from me. We were inseparable and I absolutely adored her. She was the most intelligent, loyal companion I could have ever asked for—always knowing exactly what I was thinking, anticipating my every move. Her devotion was absolute, and the affection between us ran both ways. She had this remarkable cleverness about her, solving problems I didn't even realize dogs could solve, and she'd look at me with those eyes that seemed to reach into my very soul and understand everything I said or did. Sadly I lost her to a brain tumour when she too, like Bridget, was 14 years old. 

Kathy:  What first drew you to cozy mysteries? 

AH: It's really the whole package – they offer something you won’t find in other mystery subgenres. There's no graphic violence or explicit content, which means you can focus entirely on the puzzle and the characters without being distracted or disturbed by gratuitous elements. I love the humour and whimsy that runs through good cozy mysteries – that gentle wit that makes you smile even while you're trying to solve a murder. But most of all, it's the sense of community and camaraderie that really appeals to me. In cozy mysteries, even when terrible things happen, there's this underlying warmth where neighbours help neighbours, where the local shopkeeper knows everyone's business, and where people genuinely care about each other. That's certainly what I've tried to create in ‘Murder Most Necessary’ and Killnakree with characters like Mabel the housekeeper and the staff at the Herald. It's that cozy feeling – like being wrapped in a warm blanket with a cup of tea while you're solving a puzzle. You feel safe even when the characters don't. 


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? 

AH: For the moment, no, I'm focusing entirely on cozy mysteries, though I have written quiz and puzzle books in the past – with the two previously mentioned being available on Amazon – and I think there's definitely a connection there. Creating quizzes and solving puzzles requires the same kind of logical thinking that goes into plotting a mystery novel. You have to think backwards from the solution, plant clues at just the right moments, and create red herrings that mislead without being unfair to the reader. In ‘Murder Most Necessary’, the solution actually hinges on an event that took place twenty five years before, so my interest in quizzes definitely influenced that plot element. Both puzzles and mysteries are about giving people just enough information to work things out for themselves, but not so much that it becomes obvious. The satisfaction comes from that 'aha!' moment when all the pieces finally click into place. 

Kathy:  Tell us about your series. 

AH: The series follows amateur sleuth Demelza Blaine and her adventures in the small Northern Irish town of Killnakree at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. If you're familiar with M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin series, Demelza has a similar energy and determination, but with a distinctly Irish temperament and outlook on life. Animals, especially dogs, feature very strongly throughout the series. In ‘Murder Most Necessary’, her relationship with Suzie, Mabel's pregnant Border Collie, becomes incredibly important to her. But what really sets Demelza apart is her ability to see things others miss – she notices the small details that don't quite fit, the connections that seem insignificant to everyone else. As a man, I've always believed that women are much more observant than men and quick to pick things up that just sail over most men’s heads, like who’s having an affair or who’s hiding something, and Demelza embodies that perfectly. Maybe it's because she's an outsider, or maybe it's just her nature, but she has this knack for spotting the one piece of the puzzle that everyone else has overlooked. Each book is set in Killnakree with recurring characters like her housekeeper Mabel and the staff at the local newspaper where she works and each story is self contained. 

Kathy: Do you have a favourite character? If so, who and why? 

AH:  I actually have two favourites. First is Mabel, without a doubt. She's sassy, funny, smart, and wonderfully seasoned by life. She's experienced hard times and has that worldly wisdom that's so often lacking today – she takes absolutely no crap from anyone. There's something so satisfying about writing a character who can cut through nonsense with a single glance or a perfectly timed comment. My second favourite is Amelia, the IT guru and archivist at the Killnakree Herald. She has a photographic memory, she's a Krav Maga expert, and she's incredibly intelligent and capable. But what I love most about her is her complexity – she's someone who appears strong and self-sufficient on the surface, but like so many of us, she has her own vulnerabilities and fears about letting people get too close. She's the kind of character who feels very real to me. 

Kathy:  Did you have a specific inspiration for your series? 

AH: Not one specific inspiration, but rather a combination of influences. I've always been drawn to the classic amateur sleuth mysteries – from Agatha Christie's Miss Marple to more contemporary authors like Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood, Richard Coles, Ellen Byron, Vicki Delany, and M.C. Beaton. I love that particular blend of humour, mystery, and community that defines the best cozy mysteries. But I wanted to create something distinctly my own – set in Northern Ireland with characters who felt authentic to that place and culture. The inspiration really came from wanting to add my own voice to a genre I've loved for years, bringing in elements like the strong animal connections and our particularly Irish way of looking at the world. 

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? 

AH: I've been a passionate reader since childhood and found great joy in so many of the books I’ve read. Part of me wanted to give some of that same joy back to other readers. After traditional publishers rejected my work, I chose self-publishing and uploaded my stories to Amazon, hoping that if I could create that magical experience of getting lost in a good story for even just one person, then it would all be worthwhile.

But there's also a more personal reason – I have a creative outlet I simply need to express. These stories and characters live in my head, and getting them down on paper and sharing them feels both natural and necessary. At its heart, I suppose it’s all about connection – connecting with readers who love the same kind of stories I do, and with that part of myself that needs to create. 

Kathy:  If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite? 

AH: Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and finally M.C. Beaton. Can you imagine the conversation around that table? Four brilliant minds who understand exactly how to craft a perfect mystery, blend humour with murder, and create characters that readers fall in love with. I'd probably spend the entire evening just listening and taking notes! 

Kathy:  What are you currently reading? 

AH:  ‘The Impossible Fortune’ by Richard Osman. In this story while the Thursday Murder Club members are preoccupied with a wedding and personal issues, Elizabeth meets a guest who fears for their life, launching the gang into an explosive investigation involving a villain seeking access to an uncrackable code. The case involves kidnapping and murder as they race to solve the puzzle before it's too late. Great read! 

Kathy:  Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us? 

AH:  I'm an unrepentant dog lover, which definitely shows in my books with characters like Suzie and her daughter Jewel [who makes her debut in book two of the series – ‘Murder at Serenity Glade’ – a locked room murder mystery] playing such important roles in the stories. There's nothing quite like the unconditional love and loyalty of a good dog! I'm also a keen DIY enthusiast – I love tackling projects around the house, which sometimes gives me ideas for how my characters might solve problems or think creatively. I'm passionate about keeping fit and eating sensibly. There's something about physical exercise that helps clear my mind and often leads to those breakthrough moments when I'm stuck on a plot point. Plus, all the good food that my partner makes for me provides the fuel for long writing sessions! 

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry. 

AH: Milk, Dromona butter, sliced chicken breast and eggs. 

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series? 

AH: Absolutely! I'm currently working on my third draft of book three in the series, so Demelza's adventures in Killnakree are definitely continuing. Beyond that, we'll see where the characters take me – I find that sometimes they surprise you and lead the story in directions you hadn't originally planned. For now, I'm focused on building this series and really developing the relationships between Demelza, Gideon, Mabel, Amelia, and the rest of the Killnakree community. There are so many stories to tell in that little town! 

Kathy:  What's your favourite thing about being an author? 

AH: It’s hard to choose just one thing, because writing is many things at once. I love the freedom to create — to build worlds, shape characters, and follow them into unexpected places. There’s a deep, puzzle-solving satisfaction in weaving a story together, especially in mysteries, and a quiet joy in sculpting a sentence until it feels just right. But more than anything, I treasure the connection it creates. Knowing that something born in my imagination can touch someone else — making them laugh, or cry or smile or reflect or feel seen — is what makes it all worthwhile. For me, that moment of connection, however fleeting, is the true magic of storytelling.

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Books by the Author:  

Murder Most Necessary

Murder at Serenity Glade

The Best Ever Food & Drink Quiz and Puzzle Book

The Puzzle Cabinet

 
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Review

MURDER MOST NECESSARY by Andrew Higgins
The First Blaine and Meredith Mystery

Leaving behind a cheating boyfriend and her job as a librarian in Belfast Demelza Blaine is ready to start fresh in the cottage she inherited from her aunt. Hitting the ground running, she's accepted a job at her old friend's magazine and is already making new friends, attending a pub quiz with her new neighbor Liz. All is not quiet however, as her first night is shattered by flashing lights and the wail of police sirens. Across the street Liz has been killed. Demelza is certain that this was no robbery gone bad so, with her instincts and the help of her co-workers, she begins to investigate. She may find more than she bargained for however.

What a fun cast of characters! Everyone is so vividly described and lots of fun, even those characters we barely meet such as Clodagh and Demelza's fellow librarians in Belfast. They all could have a rousing good story and it's unfortunate we barely got to know them. Demelza is a great protagonist; clever, strong, one who misjudges and makes mistakes, but is able to learn from them. Mabel is a hoot and it's fun seeing just what she'll say next! 

There's a distinct sense of place in the first Blaine and Meredith Mystery. Killnakree comes alive, not only with descriptions, but from the Irish phrasing and dialogue. I felt like I was really there, both in the small town and in bustling Belfast.

I really enjoyed the mystery and how Demelza's involvement changed as she was slowly accepted by the detectives and encouraged by the killer! The plotting was tight, the mystery compelling.

MURDER MOST NECESSARY brings together a wonderful community of characters in a compelling mystery that makes a fantastic start to a new series.