Hook, Line and Murder - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome G. G. Calpo to Cozy Up With Kathy today. G. G. writes the Sweet TOOTH Murder Mystery series. Hook, Line and Murder is the first book in the series and was released earlier this month.

Kathy: In Hook, Line, and Murder we meet Meg, a retired kindergarten teacher. Why choose this profession for your retiree?

GGC: My first writing project was a young adult urban fantasy. I had just finished the first draft of the trilogy and was looking for another writing project that would put my imagination on a different path. At that time, my sister was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, and she wasn’t doing well. I was having a hard time accepting that I would lose my sister soon. So when I decided to try my hand at writing cozy mysteries, it felt right to cast my amateur sleuths as retired teachers, specifically retired grade-school teachers, as my sister was. 

Kathy: Meg and her friends happen to be women of a certain age. What made you decide on this age instead of younger...or older? 

GGC: My mother used to say that she’s always surprised to see a stranger in the mirror when she first wakes up. In her mind, she is forever twenty (ok, maybe thirty) but the mirror says something different. I think the challenges women face resolving this dichotomy, feeling young in your mind and, at the same, feeling old in your body, give a character strength and versatility. And I love writing about strong female characters. 

Kathy: Meg and her friends enjoy cozy lunches at Sweet Buns Café. Do you gather with friends at a local eatery as well? 

GGC: There’s a local bakery/café nearby where my sister lived, and we used to go there for coffee and pastries. She loved the bread, pastries, and soup. The place was always jam-packed and noisy, but we’d wait to snag a table then settle down for a good long talk. 

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? 

GGC: I’m a voracious reader. Have been since my teens, but the cozy mystery genre is one that I keep coming back to, especially in times of stress. I love how cozies draw you into the character’s world so that you end up caring more about the characters than the mystery itself. Don’t get me wrong, I like solving whodunits and I usually tag the least suspicious suspect as the murderer (which I get half-right most times). But the cozy’s characters are what keeps me hooked. 


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? 

GGC: I write urban fantasy and have been working on a trilogy for some time. The first book is currently under revision, and the second has a completed first draft. The third and final installment is still at the concept stage. 

Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

GGC: Hook, Line and Murder is Book 1 of The Sweet TOOTH Murder Mystery Series, starring a group of retired grade-school teachers who turn amateur sleuths to investigate the murder of a former student. “TOOTH” stands for Teachers Out On The Hunt. The series features an overarching storyline in which Meg—the central protagonist—uncovers clues tied to the unsolved murders of her husband and son. Alongside this larger mystery, each installment spotlights one of the retired teachers becoming entangled in a new murder case, with the rest of the group rallying to help their friend crack the case. 

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

GGC: Barbara Roker, the retired principal of Post Elementary School, and the self-appointed supervisor of the TOOTH. Beneath her gruff exterior is someone who’s generous with her heart, just don’t make her admit it. The sarcastic, no-nonsense attitude and the constant expectation that everyone should do as she says all come from a desire to protect her loved ones. She has had a lifetime of protecting kids and nurturing their potential. And these instincts never really turn off even in retirement. What makes her so endearing is the contrast: the eye-rolling impatience paired with quiet acts of kindness, and the reluctant teamwork that helps regardless of her misgivings. She may grumble, but when it matters most, she’s there by your side.

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

GGC: The series is partly inspired by the life experiences of my sister as an early childhood teacher. The setting is set in fictional coastal towns inspired by real Long Island North Shore communities. 

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

GGC: It took equal parts courage and curiosity. I’m told many writers doubt their ability to tell a good story – and I count myself in that group. Friends and family loved my writing, but then they would, right? That’s what friends and family are for. So I decided to publish to get a more objective audience. And I’m excited that The Wild Rose Press took me on. It’s a day I would never forget when I read the acceptance email from TWRP. 

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

GGC: There’s so many to choose from! I’d invite Terry Pratchett, Lois Mcmaster Bujold, Anne McCaffrey and Ursula K. Le guin. All four authors write fantasies, and there is only one word to describe their world building: Mesmerizing. I stand in awe of the details each author brings into their fantasy worlds and the consistency and variety. I’d love to sit and listen to them talk about their craft. It takes a very special person to hold a whole world in their mind. 

Kathy: What are you currently reading? 

GGC: I just finished Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz, which I loved for its concept of a book within a book. It’s the third in the series, with the first two (Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders) adapted by Netflix into a series. 

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

GGC: I read – a lot, anywhere from one to three books weekly, crochet (blankets and sweaters), do latch hook rugs/pillow cases, and watch crime shows on TV. I try to walk about three miles daily. I’ve been psyching myself to take up lightweight training (to stop muscle mass loss), but that hasn’t materialized to date. I’m going to need more chocolate to get me going on that. 

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

GGC: Chocolate (who doesn’t?), cheese (Manchego preferably), fig preserves (gotta have that with cheese) and, of course, wine (love a good, chilled white wine at day’s end).

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

GGC: Yes! I’m currently finishing the final draft of Book 2 in The Sweet TOOTH Murder Mystery Series, and I’m hoping to have it out by the end of 2026. Book 1 of the TOOTH series centered on Edna, while Book 2 is all about Stefan. I’ve also started tossing around storyline ideas for Book 3, which will spotlight Barbara. 

Kathy: What’s your favorite thing about being an author? 

GGC: It’s watching your characters evolve. I love how an idea sparks a story and how storylines diverge and converge. Sometimes, I surprise myself with how a character resolves a storyline. And how everything ends up, wrapped neatly in a bow, in a novel. That creative journey is very satisfying and fulfilling.

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 Hook, Line, and Murder (The Sweet Tooth Murder Mystery) by GG Calpo

About Hook, Line, and Murder

Hook, Line, and Murder (The Sweet Tooth Murder Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - New York
Publisher: ‎ Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: ‎ February 9, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 276 pages

What does Meg, a retired kindergarten teacher, do when the killer of her husband and only child still walks free a year after dirt had covered their graves? Go rogue, of course!

When the detective responsible for Meg’s nightmares takes over the murder investigation of her former student, Meg hunts the killer down with help from her friends. Their cozy lunches at Sweet Buns Café turn into tactical meetings while these retired grade school teachers get themselves in trouble better suited to those in their twenties. And to put the icing on their cream scones, someone is after Meg. Is it the killer? Or has Meg uncovered secrets better left buried with her loved ones?

About GG Calpo

 

GG Calpo is a retired lawyer and accountant who traded contracts and numbers for the far more enjoyable chaos of fictional crime. Now she writes cozy whodunits featuring warm-hearted golden-aged sleuths who’ve seen it all, heard it all, and will investigate a murder with zero hesitation. She loves stories where the stakes are personal, family, and friendships are paramount, with characters who refuse to follow the outline and endings that pull the rug out. When not plotting twisty crimes—on paper only, of course—she spends her time reading, crocheting blankets and sweaters for her five grandchildren, watching mystery TV shows, and taking long walks in her neighborhood. She lives in Central New Jersey with her husband and two corgis, Whiskey and Nugget. Visit her at www.ggcalpo.com.

Author Links: 

Website https://www.ggcalpo.com  

Facebook https://facebook.com/gg.calpo 

 Instagram https://instagram.com/gg.calpo  

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/62170493.G_G_Calpo  

Amazon https://amazon.com/author/gg.calpo  

Purchase Links - Amazon B&N

Embroidered Lies and Alibis - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Ralph, the Shakespeare-Quoting Parrot to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Ralph on the pages of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries by Lois Winston. Embroidered Lies and Alibis is the fifteenth book in the series and was published last week.

If you were expecting a guest post from one of the two-legged characters who populate Lois Winston’s Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, I’m sorry to disappoint you. However, if you keep reading, I promise you won’t regret it. I’m quite the raconteur, if I do say so myself.

Lots of cozy mysteries feature dogs and cats, and you’ll find one of each within the page of Lois’s series, but yours truly, the taloned and feathered member of the family, is the real star of the household. Chief among my superpowers is my ability to squawk situation-appropriate quotes from old Will’s many plays and sonnets. My talent developed over decades of living with Anastasia’s great-aunt Penelope Periwinkle, a Shakespearean scholar and professor. I even accompanied her to her lectures. Those college kids loved me, if I do say so myself.

Anastasia inherited me when Professor Penelope “shuffled off this mortal coil” (Hamlet, Act Three, Scene One) to join the Bard of Avon inside the Pearly Gates. At first Anastasia wasn’t thrilled with her inheritance. She would have preferred Great-aunt Penelope’s cameo collection, but that was left to Anastasia’s mother. However, I believe I’ve since proven my worth. And FYI, unlike a certain canine member of the household, I’m potty-trained. No one has to walk me several times a day during New Jersey nor’easters or blizzards.

Having spent most of my long life with Professor Penelope, I’m quite the Shakespearean scholar myself. And although African Greys are known to have exceptional intelligence and huge vocabularies, I’m not exaggerating when I state that I completely out-parrot the other members of my species.

Given that Lois Winston has seen fit to dump all sorts of murder and mayhem on poor Anastasia, one of my tasks within the series is to insert a bit of much-needed comic relief as a counterbalance to all that murder and mayhem. You should see how unsuspecting characters react when they first hear me recite a few lines. Not only is my timing spot on, but so is the context, not to mention that in addition, I always quote the play’s title, act, and scene. It’s a shame there are no stage parts written for Shakespeare-quoting parrots. If there are any playwrights reading this, have your people call my people. You won’t be sorry. 

I’m also far better at dealing with intruders than the four-legged resident of Casa Pollack or the furball who occasionally makes her home with us. You should see my magnificent wingspan, not to mention my swooping prowess. I’ve employed both when suspicious characters show up at Anastasia’s door, like that sketchy Jeremy Dugan in Embroidered Lies and Alibis, the most recent Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery.

Sometimes, all I have to do is pierce someone with my menacing stare to send the culprit running. However, on more than one occasion, I’ve had to resort to unleashing my African Grey Ninja skills. Check out Scrapbook of Murder or Sorry, Knot Sorry to see what I mean. Anyone who attacks Anastasia doesn’t stand a chance against my talons and beak.

Finally, I like to think that my matchmaking skills are unparalleled. The moment Zachary Barnes entered our lives, I knew that man was the best thing to happen to Anastasia since Lois started messing with her life. Even after fifteen books, not to mention a marriage, Anastasia isn’t quite sure Zack is who he claims to be. Yes, he’s an award-winning photojournalist, but is he more? Does he, as Anastasia suspects, work for one of the alphabet agencies? Enquiring minds want to know, but this parrot really doesn’t care. I’m taking full credit for Zack sticking around and the two of them tying the knot.

As protective as I am of Anastasia and her sons, Zack is my favorite human. We’ve developed quite the bromance. At times, I think Anastasia was even a bit jealous, but since I’ve saved her life on more than one occasion, she really doesn’t have any right to complain, does she?

Do you have a favorite nonhuman with superhuman abilities? Both Lois and I would love to hear from you.

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 Embroidered Lies and Alibis (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery) by Lois Winston

About Embroidered Lies and Alibis

 

Embroidered Lies and Alibis (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 15th in Series
Setting - New Jersey
Independently Published
Publication Date: ‎ February 10, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 199 pages

A Stitch in Time Could Save a Life…

When Anastasia’s mother Flora is offered a free spa vacation from Jeremy Dugan, a man connected to her distant past, Anastasia and husband Zack suspect ulterior motives. After all, too-good-to-be-true often spells trouble. Their suspicions are confirmed when the FBI swoops in to apprehend Dugan. However, Dugan isn’t who he claimed to be, and his arrest raises more questions than answers.

The Feds link Dugan to a string of cons targeting elderly single women across the country, but his seemingly airtight alibi leaves investigators stumped. Then, shortly after his release on bail, he’s kidnapped. A certain segment of New Jersey’s population is known for delivering deadly messages, and the FBI believes Dugan received one of them.

Meanwhile, bodies begin showing up in the newly created public garden across the street from Anastasia and Zack’s home. With two baffling crimes, no clear suspects, scant evidence, and every possible motive unraveling, both the FBI and local law enforcement are once again picking Anastasia’s brain. This time, though, her involvement is far from reluctant. Will she stitch together enough clues before she or someone she loves becomes the killer’s next victim?

Craft project included.

About Lois Winston

USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Lois Winston began her award-winning writing career with Talk Gertie to Me, a humorous fish-out-of-water novel about a small-town girl going off to the big city and the mother who had other ideas. That was followed by the romantic suspense Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception.

Then Lois’s writing segued unexpectedly into the world of humorous amateur sleuth mysteries, thanks to a conversation her agent had with an editor looking for craft-themed mysteries. In her day job Lois was an award-winning craft and needlework designer, and although she’d never written a mystery—or had even thought about writing a mystery—her agent decided she was the perfect person to pen a series for this editor. Thus, was born the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, which Kirkus Reviews dubbed “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” The series now includes fifteen novels and three novellas. Lois also writes the Empty Nest Mysteries, currently at two novels, and one book so far in her Mom Squad Capers series.

To date, Lois has published twenty-four novels, five novellas, several short stories, one children’s chapter book, and one nonfiction book on writing, inspired by her twelve years working as an associate at a literary agency. To learn more about Lois and her books, visit her at www.loiswinston.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive an Anastasia Pollack Mini-Mystery. She also blogs regularly at The Stiletto Gang and Booklover’s Bench.

Author's Links:  

Website: http://www.loiswinston.com 

Newsletter sign-up: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/dc9t0bjl00  

Booklover’s Bench: https://bookloversbench.com  

The Stiletto Gang: https://www.thestilettogang.com  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/722763.Lois_Winston  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lois-winston  

Purchase Links Amazon Kobo Barnes & Noble Apple Books

Séance and Sensibility - A Review

Review

SEANCE AND SENSIBILITY by Maureen Klovers
The Seventh Rita Calabrese Culinary Mystery 

Rita Calabrese has a lot on her mind. Her daughter, Gina, just broke up with another boyfriend, her son Vinnie's girlfriend may move away and take Vinnie with her, and St.Vincent's needs to raise $600,000 or else the school may close! To top it off, Gina is blowing off steam by helping the demolition in Friesland Manor, the house Rita's sister is renovating and in doing so uncovers a body stuffed in the wall. Hints of voodoo and a séance make for a spooky Valentine's Day as Acorn Hollow's best reporter looks to solve a cold case as well as a more modern murder. 

The Rita Calabrese Culinary Mystery series is one of my most favorite mystery series of all time and this seventh outing shows just why. There's an intricate murder; in this case two diabolically plotted murders. Rita has to use cunning and useful contacts to discover the truth. The subplot of the Dude's reveal while keeping Sal's anonymity is not only funny, but adds to the overall themes of the story, and the series as a whole. Laughter. As always there are plenty of laughs, generally due to Rita's meddling mama ways. I'm still giggling at Rita's use of the herbs given by the voodoo priestess! It wouldn't be a Rita Calebrese Culinary Mystery without the food and Rita's Italian delicacies such as bistecca alla fiorentina, flourless chocolate cake with dolce di latte, and peanut butter biscotti, will have you salivating as much as Cesare and Luciano, but you can keep Linnea's dangerous dinners! 

With a plot as carefully curated as one of Rita's special recipes SEANCE AND SENSIBILITY is a perfect cozy mystery filled with humor, fun, and family. 

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Séance and Sensibility by Maureen Klovers. This is the seventh book in the Rita Calabrese Culinary Mystery series and will be released this Saturday!

Rita Calabrese has a lot on her mind. Her daughter, Gina,  just broke up with another boyfriend, her son Vinnie's girlfriend may move away and take Vinnie with her, and St.Vincent's needs to raise $600,000 or else the school may close! To top it off, Gina is blowing off steam by helping the demolition in Friesland Manor, the house Rita's sister is renovating and in doing so uncovers a body stuffed in the wall. Hints of voodoo and a séance make for a spooky Valentine's Day as Acorn Hollow's best reporter looks to solve a cold case as well as a more modern murder. 

Dying to Live Here - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome  Shelley Marsh to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Shelley writes the Estate Sale Mystery series. DYING TO LIVE HERE is the first book in the series and today is its release day!

Kathy: In DYING TO LIVE HERE, we meet Emma Stewart, a tech burnout who decides to view a quaint beachside home in Harbor Shores, Florida. Is this the type of home you'd choose?

SM: Absolutely. I live within walking distance of the beach, and that’s a big part of why the setting felt so natural to me. 

Kathy: Emma is soon confronted with the death of the former HOA president. Personally, you couldn't pay me to live in a place with an HOA. Have you ever lived with one? Did that experience lead you to murder? At least fictionally. 

SM: I do live in an HOA community, but I didn’t really consider what that would entail until I’d moved in. If I had it to do over again, I might choose differently. A couple of years after moving here, a neighbor convinced me to join the HOA board of directors, and it was an eye-opening experience. I often joke that I was concocting fictional murders in my head during long, boring meetings. 

Kathy: Emma has a dry wit, a talent for digital sleuthing, and an adorable bulldog named Hopper. Do you possess any of these? 

SM: All except for the bulldog. I have a shih-tzu/poodle mix named Zoe. 

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? 

SM: I love the humor, but the appealing settings and quirky characters are what kept me coming back. 

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? 

SM: I stick to mystery for the most part, but I do write other subgenres. I have an eco-mystery coming out in October called Up the Creek. 

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

SM: It’s a funny Florida mystery about friendship and what happens when neighborhood politics turn deadly, all set against the backdrop of estate sales and a beachside community.

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

SM: The romantic lead, Sam. He’s a charmer. I picture him looking like the actor Glen Powell, with an accent like Matthew McConaughey. He’s so patient with Emma, even when she shies away from commitment. 

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

SM:  Mary Kay Andrews’ books, Savannah Blues and Savannah Breeze, inspired me to write about best friends. I wanted to explore the kind of friendship that forms at a pivotal moment in the characters’ lives and lasts even when people change and mature.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? 

SM: An instructor in a writing workshop encouraged me to pursue traditional publishing for this book. It turned out to be a long and sometimes challenging process, but I’m proud that I persisted.

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

SM: Carl Hiassen and Dave Barry would keep us laughing with their Florida-man stories.

Dorothy Parker and Nora Ephron would keep the conversation lively with their sharp-witted humor. 


Kathy: What are you currently reading? 

SM: The Slow Horses series by Mick Herron

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

SM: I love to walk or bike on the beach. I also enjoy crocheting, and I make amigurumi (stuffed crocheted critters).

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

SM: I have an entire drawer dedicated to cheese (doesn’t everyone?). Other than that, I almost always have canned sparkling water, 5-10 containers of Greek yogurt, and a bottle of Peruvian Gold sauce from Angie’s Subs in Jacksonville Beach.

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

SM: The Estate Sale Mysteries will be released in rapid succession, so readers won’t have to wait long to find out what trouble Emma and Laura get into next! Book two, MORE THAN SHE BARGAINED FOR, comes out on March 25, and book three, EVERYTHING MUST GO, comes out on May 5.
 

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

SM: Seeing my work in print. A few years ago, while browsing a used bookstore, I noticed that many of my favorite books had creased, cracked spines from frequent reading. I thought, “Someday, I want one of my books to have a spine like that.”

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Review

DYING TO LIVE HERE by Shelley Marsh
The First Estate Sale Mystery 

Emma Stewart and Laura have been best friends since college and Laura would kill to have Emma move even closer to her. Houses rarely come available in her community of Harbor Shores so when her elderly neighbor dies, Laura persuades Emma to visit that house that night so she can put in a bid. After all, Laura has a key, so what could go wrong? Plenty. As Laura opens the door she stumbles and falls into a dead body! With Laura as the prime suspect it doesn't take much to convince Emma to help find the real killer. Almost everyone hated the victim, but who actually killed her? With help from Laura's neighbor, who also happens to be a good looking lawyer, they'll search for clues and suss out suspects before Laura finds herself behind bars for good.

Best friends always have your back, whether it's against murder charges, Mother Nature, or a killer! I really enjoyed my first trip to Harbor Shores, though it reinforces my stance that you couldn't pay me to live in a community with a home owners association! Or in Florida! The setting was fun with plenty of quirky characters, most of whom make good suspects. I really liked Bina and Hopper.

There's quite a lot of romance in the first Estate Sale Mystery. In fact, I'd say there was just as much romance as mystery. Personally I enjoyed it as it felt relevant and natural to the story. I did think that things progressed a bit too quickly, but maybe because I like the romance in my mysteries more drawn out. This felt more like a romance in a romance novel. 

Friendship, romance, and excitement mingle in DYING TO LIVE HERE creating a solid start to a new series.

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 Dying to Live Here (Estate Sales Mysteries) by Shelley Marsh

About Dying to Live Here

Dying to Live Here (Estate Sales Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Florida
Publisher: ‎ Fawkes Press
Publication Date: ‎ February 10, 2026

When tech burnout Emma Stewart follows her best friend’s advice to view a quaint beachside home in Harbor Shores, Florida, she expects palm trees, sea breezes, and maybe a fresh start. What she doesn't expect is to stumble into a murder scene—and become a prime suspect.

With the HOA president lying in a pool of blood and her bestie splattered with the evidence, Emma suddenly finds herself knee-deep in neighborhood secrets, rivalries, and a suspiciously missing knife. Armed with nothing but her dry wit, a talent for digital sleuthing, and an adorable bulldog named Hopper, Emma must navigate a world of nosy neighbors, passive-aggressive happy hours, and one dangerously charming lawyer.

In Harbor Shores, the homes are charming—but the secrets are deadly.

About Shelley Marsh

Shelley Marsh writes laugh-out-loud mysteries set along Florida’s sun-splashed coast. Her forthcoming debut, Dying to Live Here (Feb 10 2026), launches the Estate Sale Mysteries series, pairing clever puzzles with a hint of romance. When she isn’t prowling estate sales for story fodder, Shelley combs beaches and bookstores, searching for treasure.

Website: www.ShelleyMarsh.com  

Press Kit: https://writershelleymarsh.com/press-kit/  

Facebook: Author Shelley Marsh  

Instagram: A1ABeachWriter https://www.instagram.com/a1abeachwriter/  

X: https://x.com/shellmarsh  

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@BookTokBelle  

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@A1ABeachWriter  

BlueSky: @shelleymarsh.bsky.social  

Purchase Link - Amazon

The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a fairly recent review that's on my TBR pile. The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum by Valerie Wilson Wesley. This book is the first in the Harriet Stone Mystery series and was released in December of last year.

 Blurb:

1926: Harriet Stone, a liberated, educated Black woman, and Lovey, the orphaned, biracial 12-year-old she is bound to protect, are Harlem-bound, embarking on a new, hopefully less traumatic chapter in their lives. They have been invited to move from Connecticut by Harriet’s cousin, Junetta Plum, who runs a boardinghouse for independent-minded single women.

It’s a bold move, since Harriet has never met Junetta, but the fatalities of the Spanish flu and other tragedies have already forced her and Lovey to face their worst fears. Alone but for each other, they have little left to lose—or so it seems as they arrive at sophisticated Junetta’s impressive brownstone.

Her cousin has a sharp edge, which makes Harriett slightly uncomfortable. Still, after retiring to her room for the night, she finally falls asleep—only to awaken to Junetta arguing with someone downstairs. In the morning, she makes a shocking discovery at the foot of the stairs.

What ensues will lead Harriet to question Junetta’s very identity—and to wonder if she and Lovey are in danger, as well. It will also tie Harriet to five strangers. Among them, Harriet is sure someone knows something. What she doesn’t yet know is that one will play a crucial role in helping her investigate her cousin’s murder . . . that she will be tied to the others in ways she could never imagine . . .  and that her life will take off in a startling new direction. . . . 

Case of the Curved Staircase - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Ezio Tiepolo to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Ezio on the pages of the Macaroni on Wheels Mystery series by S. K. Derban. CASE OF THE CURVED STAIRCASE is the second book in the series and was released

Greetings! My name is Ezio Tiepolo. I am proud to be Terza's father. She is my youngest daughter. I also have a son named Damiano. We call him Dom. Terza's and Dom's older sister is named Angeline.

The love of my life is Mrs. Tiepolo, my beloved wife, Benedette. I feel like I married an Italian movie star!

Benedette and I own the Tiepolo Mercato in Little Italy. It is located just a short walk from our home. Terza’s Macaroni on Wheels catering company is also next door. How blessed we are to all live and work in the same community as a family.

S.K. Derban, the author of CASE OF THE CURVED STAIRCASE, a Macaroni on Wheels Mystery has included a Character Card with my photo. Ciao!

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Review

CASE OF THE CURVED STAIRCASE by S. K. Derban
The Second Macaroni on Wheels Mystery 

 

Terza Tiepolo  is excited that her catering company, Macaroni on Wheels, is helping to plan a surprise birthday party for Sloan Kamoze. Her husband, Joshua, is a joy to work with as are his wife's co-workers who are helping. The only dark cloud is Joshua's sister, Ruby. The woman is paranoid and delusional making accusations and odd statements. When Terza returns to their home the morning after the party she finds Sloan dead at the bottom of their beautiful curved staircase, just like Joshua's first wife. But Terza's eagle eye notices clues that indicate this was not just a tragic accident.

 

There is a lot I like about CASE OF THE CURVED STAIRCASE. I love the Tiepolo family dynamic; the way they care about each other, but also needle each other, the way they have Sunday dinner together then go play bocce ball. It's a warm loving feeling that extends to Terza's best friend Mo and her husband. I also adore the relationship between Terza and the medical examiner. I hope his assistant will play a bigger role in the next book as I thought she was a great addition. I enjoy the neighborhood of Little Italy which brings back memories of when I lived in a different Little Italy over 30 years ago. Of course, I love the food. The descriptions had be drooling.

 

Unfortunately, there were several things I wasn't too fond of in the second Macaroni on Wheels Mystery. First of all it was blatantly obvious who the killer was as well as the motive. Terza's near desperation to be married is a bit much and Nick's explanation for his behavior was believable...but barely. I also thought we had a possible third love interest, but we didn't. The series has two bits I really enjoy, the first is the M. E. calling Terza Number Three, and the second is her father asking her is she's read her bible and called her mother. However, while the latter bit is funny and fine to be repeated every day and it's fine that Terza reads her bible daily, though this is more of a Baptist practice than Roman Catholic, but does the author really have to describe her doing this EVERY day? And then have a whole section quoting the bible? From the acknowledgements it's obvious that religion is a major part of the author's life, but the book comes across more evangelical than anything else and is a bit off putting.

 

Delicious Italian food and the love of family make CASE OF THE CURVED STAIRCASE a fun feel good mystery.

 

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 Case of the Curved Staircase: A Macaroni on Wheels Mystery by S.K. Derban

About Case of the Curved Staircase

Case of the Curved Staircase: A Macaroni on Wheels Mystery
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Little Italy, San Diego and San Diego Bay
Publisher: ‎ S.K. Derban
Publication Date: ‎ August 27, 2025
Paperback Print Length: ‎ 302 pages Digital Print Length: ‎ 273 pages

The Little Italy entertainment continues in this second book of the Macaroni on Wheels series. Case of the Curved Staircase has more twists and turns than Terza can handle. And, Detective Nicholas Garza is not on the case. Say it isn't so, Nico! Staircases can be fatal, especially on Halloween. After catering a surprise birthday party on the evening of October 30th, Terza returns to the scene of the celebration on the following morning. Instead of being greeted by the happy, party hosts, Terza discovers a dead body at the bottom of the curved staircase. Not again! And this time, Terza's amateur detective skills are landing her directly into personal danger. She would rather be using her chef's knife than having one pointed at her face! As the feisty Italian caterer continues to fill her free time solving crime, she runs head first into a new detective. Unlike Nicholas Garza, the detective now in charge considers Terza a hinderance instead of a help. Fortunately, Jacob Radovan, the medical examiner, continues to be Terza's ally. There is also an unexpected wedding in Case of the Curved Staircase. Readers of Uneven Exchange just might cheer out loud. The almost perfect weather in San Diego allows the bride and groom to take a carriage ride from the wedding venue to the reception ballroom. It's a fairytale come true. Fans of cozy mysteries will revel in solving another murder along with Terza, and will continue to appreciate her zest for life. Readers will be spending more time with the animated Tiepolo family, and especially Terza's father. Ezio's Halloween costume is a moo-ving choice! The Tiepolo's celebrate their loving, family bond as they join together each Sunday. Food, family, and fun! Once again, you may consider this your personal invitation...

About S.K. Derban

 

S.K. Derban resides with her husband in Southern California. Although born in the United States she moved to London within the first three months, and remained in England until the age of five. Her father, an American citizen, was a decorated veteran of the Second World War. Her British mother was involved with the London Royal Ballet Company, and a great fan of the arts. After returning to the United States, Derban’s life remained filled with a love of the theatre, and a passion for British murder mysteries. S.K. Derban’s personal travel and missionary escapades are readily apparent as they shine through into her characters. Readers are often transported virtually across the globe. She has traveled to Hong Kong on five separate occasions to smuggle Bibles into China, and has been to Israel on seven missionary trips. Derban’s other adventures include visits to Bangkok, Greece, Egypt, Italy, and the Caribbean. Beginning with her faith in the Lord, S.K. Derban relies on all aspects of her life when writing. She hopes her books will allow readers to go on holiday without having to pack!  

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