Denied - An Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Mary Keliikoa to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Mary writes the Kelly Pruett Mystery series. DENIED is the second book in the series and was released earlier this month.

Kathy: Your Kelly Pruett Mystery series features a strong and relatable female lead. Why is it important to have such strong female protagonists, particularly in crime fiction?

MK: Crime fiction often portrays women as the victims, and that a man comes in to save the day, or solve the crime. PI novels in particular are dominated by male leads. But women are fully capable of saving themselves and solving crimes. They even bring an entirely different skill set when doing so! When I set out to create a series, I aimed to create that woman.

As for relatability, having Kelly not be from a law enforcement background was a conscious choice, along with her not having some of the vices that many investigators in detective novels fall victim to. She’s a mom, looking to be a role model to her deaf daughter. She’s a woman trying to find her own place outside what society thinks she should be doing. And she can kick butt! I wanted to show that strength is not all about physical capabilities. It’s the desire to get up and keep getting better at what she’s doing, and balancing her world. I think we can all learn from that, and that was my goal for Kelly.

Kathy: In DENIED PI Kelly is hired to find the estranged father of a pregnant woman and winds up dealing with the mafia. Why bring mob ties into your series?

MK: Because I chose to bring in the element of gambling, it felt like an interesting angle to explore and especially so because I like to challenge preconceptions in the reader. Not everything is exactly as it first appears and in Kelly’s case, she had her own preconceived notions not only about these mafia types, but of the people her father associated with in general. Bringing this aspect into the novel challenged those beliefs.

 

Kathy: While searching for clues in the trash she finds gambling debts and and a blood-soaked body part. What's the worst thing you've ever found in the trash?

MK: Oh my – well, nothing severed, thank goodness!! Or dead, doubly grateful for that! I have to admit, I have no great or juicy answer for this. All the action happens for Kelly clearly. And I’m okay with that!

Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?

MK: I came to mystery in my adult years. I’d been working in the legal field, and started to gravitate to books by Patricia Cornwell first. But it was when I found Mary Higgins Clark that I realized how much I loved the suspense genre, and then finding Sue Grafton, JA Jance, Faye Kellerman, Janet Evanovich grounded me in mysteries. From then on, I couldn’t imagine reading anything else.
 

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

MK: I’m team mystery/suspense all the way and I can’t imagine writing in any other genre at this point.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

MK: My series centers around PI Kelly Pruett, who is the single-mom to a deaf daughter. She grew up in her father’s detective agency, but when she buries her father and her marriage in the same year, she’s faced with choosing to continue her father’s legacy. The series covers Kelly’s growth not only as an investigator, but as she balances motherhood and being a career woman, as well as negotiating her complicated extended family.

I do have another series that will be released in September 2022 featuring a Portland homicide detective turned small town sheriff in the fictional Oregon coastal town of Misty Pines. His first case centers around a missing 14 year old and ties back to a cold case he had as a detective.


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

MK: In this series, I really love Arlene, who is Kelly’s ex-mother-in-law and who lives next door. In the beginning, she comes across as a little judgy towards Kelly, her career choice and sometimes her mothering skills. But I loved writing her because her motivations run much deeper, and I’ve enjoyed exploring her and Kelly’s complicated relationship throughout the series.

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

MK: I was in the legal field for many years and loved working in downtown Portland, Oregon. I knew I wanted to center a mystery in the city I knew so well, and having been a long-time fan of Sue Grafton, I decided a PI would be just the protagonist to solve those mysteries.

After that, Kelly came in pretty formed. Single mom to a deaf daughter, living next to her ex-mother-in-law, taking over her father’s agency after he’s died and trying to become a good PI in her own right.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MK: I woke up one day and realized how much I truly loved writing and how I’d like to make it a career. When I started penning novels, I was in my late twenties. So other than vanity presses, traditional was the way to go. And that’s what I set out to do, get traditionally published so I could do this full-time.


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

MK: Marry Higgins Clark, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich and Faye Kellerman. Just to spend an evening with these ladies, talking story, plot and inspiration would be a dream come true.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

MK: I just finished BAIT & WITCH by Angela M. Sanders and FINDING TESSA by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. And I am anxiously awaiting my friend Dianne Freeman’s novel, A FIANCEES GUIDE TO FIRST WIVES AND MURDER out in July! Until then, I’m diving into a little darker story by Tessa Wegert, DEATH IN THE FAMILY.

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

MK: I would love to! I’m a musician, and have been since I became fascinated with the organ at 6 years old. While I don’t own an organ now, I used to play theater organ and pipe. I went on to piano, and in the high school band played oboe in the concert band, and bells in the marching band. As an adult, I still own a piano and have taught myself the ukulele. All in all, I can play 10 instruments without making people run for the hills… I also love to golf, snorkel, and ride bikes.
 

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

MK: Coffee, salad fixings, Healthy Choice fudge bars and ginger beer.

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

MK: Book 3, DECEIVED, will be out next May, and that will wrap this part of Kelly’s journey. That’s not to say I won’t be back, but I really felt this 3 book character arc worked for her. When she returns, I will likely fast forward her a bit and I anticipate her working life could look a little different, given how I end the last novel! Intrigued?

As for a new series, I have signed with Level Best Books for two books in a new series set in the fictional Oregon coastal town of Misty Pines. It features a former Portland homicide detective turned small town Sheriff, Jax Turner. In the first book of that series, HIDDEN PIECES, a case from his past might rear its head in the present case of a missing 14 year old girl.
 

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

MK: Connecting with readers who love mystery, as well as other writers/authors in the mystery genre, and having the opportunity to talk story! Whether it’s about the book I’ve written, or just stories and writing in general, I find that to be the most rewarding part of the journey. 

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About the Book:

DENIED by Mary Keliikoa
The Second Kelly Pruett Mystery
Camel Press, May 11, 2021 

PI Kelly Pruett has a lot on her plate – working with clients at the detective agency, handling a difficult ex, and caring for her Deaf daughter. If motherhood taught her anything, it’s that the best things in life are never easy, so, despite recent injuries, PI Kelly Pruett is eager to get back to work. 

When a mommy-to-be hires Kelly to locate her estranged dad, Kelly is thankful for the straightforward missing-persons case. But as she rummages through the trash in search of clues, she uncovers gambling debts to gangsters… and a blood-soaked severed finger. With her investigation suddenly heating up, Kelly’s hunt takes a deadly turn when her quarry is found driven off a cliff to his doom. She’ll need more than her cop boyfriend’s help to expose the truth when the mob sends her a cease-and-desist notice with an explosive ending. Can Kelly take on the mafia and make it out alive?

 

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MARY KELIIKOA is the author of the Lefty, Agatha, and Anthony award nominated PI Kelly Pruett mystery series, as well as the upcoming Misty Pines mystery series featuring Sheriff Jax Turner slated for release in September 2022. She has had mystery shorts published in Woman’s World and in the anthology Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s. She spent the first 18 years of her adult life working around lawyers. Combining her love of all things legal and books, she creates twisting mysteries where justice prevails.

At home in Washington, she enjoys spending time with her family and her fur-kids. When not at home, you can find Mary on a beach on the Big Island where she and her husband recharge. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun she’s plotting her next murder—novel that is. To learn more about Mary’s life and work, please visit: https://marykeliikoa.com/

 

Four Cuts Too Many - Recipes, Review, & A Giveaway

I'm pleased to share recipes for FOUR CUTS TOO MANY by Debra H. Goldstein. This book is the fourth in the Sarah Blair Mystery series and was released this week.

Stained-Glass Jell-O

This can be made with up to four different colors of Jell-O or store brand gelatin.


4 small boxes (3 ox. Each) or 2 large boxes (6 oz. each – if only using two flavors) of Jell-O or store brand gelatin.

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (Don’t use evaporated milk!)

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

Water


Dissolve each small box of Jell-O in one cup boiling water (keeping flavors separate). If only using two flavors, prepare the two flavors from the large boxes separately. Chill at least three hours, until firm (Overnight works well).

After chilling the flavors, cut them into small blocks. Carefully mix the small blocks or cubes of Jell-O in a 9-by-13-inch pan, using your hands to gently toss the colors.

In a separate bowl, measure ½ cup cold water. Sprinkle the 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin on top. Let the gelatin thicken for a few minutes. Once thickened, add 1 ½ cups of boiling water. This will dissolve the gelatin. Add the can of condensed milk. Stir and allow to cool to room temperature.

Make sure the milk gelatin is cooled to room temperature and then pour it over the colored Jell-O cubes. NOTE: If the milk gelatin mixture isn’t cooled enough, it will cause the colors to run.

Chill overnight. Cut into blocks and serve.

Emily’s Egg Salad

6 large hard-boiled eggs

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon finely grated Vidalia onion


Peel the eggs and place them in the food processor. Pulse a few times, stopping when the eggs are finely chopped. In a medium bowl, mix the other ingredients. Once they’re mixed well, add the chopped eggs and mix until just combined. Can be garnished with a touch of paprika. Makes 3-4 servings.

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Review

FOUR CUTS TOO MANY by Debra H. Goldstein

The Fourth Sarah Blair Mystery

When Sarah Blair agrees to meet sous chef Grace at the community college, she has a feeling it has something to do with her nemesis, Jane. But Grace, also an adjunct professor at the school, deems the reason for the secret meeting no longer relevant after what happened. After describing a run in with the interim chairman of the culinary program, Grace asks Sarah to accompany her back to her classroom so she can clean up. When they return they find their entry to the classroom barred and the chairman dead inside. Seeing the writing on the wall, as well as hearing Grace being called the murderer, Sarah not only gets Grace a lawyer, but starts to do a little digging on her own. With the nickname Malevolent Monster there must be plenty of other people who wanted the man dead! Sarah begins snooping while also sorting out her love life, caring for her two beloved pets, and figuring out what Jane has up her sleeve now.

 

Sarah knows that Grace couldn't have murdered the Malevolent Monster...couldn't she? What's an amateur sleuth to do when she's not completely positive her friend isn't the murderer? Look deeper. I love how Sarah keeps things real. While she believes Grace couldn't be a murderer, there's still a sliver of doubt that she's willing and able to acknowledge. There's a well thought out mystery in FOUR CUTS TOO MANY with enough twists to keep things interesting.

I like most of the characters found in the Sarah Blair Mystery series, from Sarah, the men in her life, even Mom, Maybelle. I despise Jane. I really hope she'll be a murder victim at some point, but in order to maintain conflict, I suppose I'm stuck with this woman. I love Rah Rah and Fluffy and am especially pleased at the awareness brought to shelter animals.

FOUR CUTS TOO MANY is a delicious mystery dealing with ambition and greed delectable for both foodies and those inept, or at least not too adept, in the kitchen.

 

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 Four Cuts Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery) by Debra H. Goldstein

About Four Cuts Too Many

Four Cuts Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 4th in Series
Publisher: Kensington (May 25, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages 

Sarah Blair gets an education in slicing and dicing when someone in culinary school serves up a main corpse in Wheaton, Alabama . . .

Between working as a law firm receptionist, reluctantly pitching in as co-owner of her twin sister’s restaurant, and caretaking for her regal Siamese RahRah and rescue dog Fluffy, Sarah has no time to enjoy life’s finer things. Divorced and sort-of dating, she’s considering going back to school. But as a somewhat competent sleuth, Sarah’s more suited for criminal justice than learning how many ways she can burn a meal.

Although she wouldn’t mind learning some knife skills from her sous chef, Grace Winston. An adjunct instructor who teaches cutlery expertise in cooking college, Grace is considering accepting an executive chef’s position offered by Jane Clark, Sarah’s business rival—and her late ex-husband’s lover. But Grace’s future lands in hot water when the school’s director is found dead with one of her knives in his back. To clear her friend’s name, Sarah must sharpen her own skills at uncovering an elusive killer . . .

Includes quick and easy recipes!

About Debra H. Goldstein

Judge Debra H. Goldstein writes Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series (Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, One Taste Too Many). She also authored Should Have Played Poker and IPPY Award-winning Maze in Blue. Her short stories have been named Agatha, Anthony, Derringer finalists. Debra serves on the national boards of Mystery Writers of America and is president of SEMWA. She previously was on Sisters in Crime’s national board and president of SinC’s Guppy Chapter.

Find out more about Debra and sign up for her newsletter at https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com. Follow her on Twitter (@DebraHGoldstein), Bookbub (https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debra-h-goldstein), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor/). 

 Purchase Links: Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Google Play - IndieBound  

 

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Four Cuts Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein. This book is the fourth in the Sarah Blair Mystery series and was released yesterday.

When Sarah Blair agrees to meet sous chef Grace at the community college, she has a feeling it has something to do with her nemesis, Jane. But Grace, also an adjunct professor at the school, deems the reason for the secret meeting no longer relevant after what happened. After describing a run in with the interim chairman of the culinary program, Grace asks Sarah to accompany her back to her classroom so she can clean up. When they return they find their entry to the classroom barred and the chairman dead inside. Seeing the writing on the wall, as well as hearing Grace being called the murderer, Sarah not only gets Grace a lawyer, but starts to do a little digging on her own. With the nickname Malevolent Monster there must be plenty of other people who wanted the man dead! Sarah begins snooping while also sorting out her love life, caring for her two beloved pets, and figuring out what Jane has up her sleeve now.

 

Wheeler-Dealer - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Rita Moreau to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Rita starts a new series with WHEELER-DEALER, the first in the Ghost and the Camper Kooky Mystery series.

Kathy: WHEELER-DEALER is the first book in the Ghost and the Camper Kooky Mystery series. What made you decide to write a paranormal mystery?

RM: I seem to be drawn to a paranormal mystery. My Mary Catherine Mahoney mystery also is a paranormal mystery. 

 

Kathy: After her husband leaves her for a much younger woman Mabel Gold buys a vintage camper and heads west. Have you ever wanted to travel in an RV? 

RM: I did. With my husband. We traveled all across the west in a Bluebird for a number of years. Visiting all the national parks in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana.

Kathy: Mabel's camper happens to come with a resident ghost. Have you ever had a ghostly encounter? 

RM: After my mother passed a lamp on my nightstand would come on and off. She also came to me in my dreams. I was at a event with a medium and she was taking messages from beyond. She asked if there was anyone in the room who would claim a message from Georgia (my mother’s name). She didn’t know me. I was in a room of 50 people. 

 

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? 

RM: To be honest I didn’t know what genre my books were but as I became more knowledgeable I saw they fit that genre.
 

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? 

RM: No.
 

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

RM: My name is Mabel Gold, and over the last couple of years, my life took an unexpected detour. What was to be the golden years, you know—playing with grandchildren and lots of baking—turned into the Are You Kidding Me years when my husband Jack lost his mind and traded me in for Tiffanie.

She’s about the same age as my youngest daughter, Bianca, but with bigger boobs—store bought. I’ve been trying to get my life back, driving a pickup and towing a vintage camper around this beautiful country. My five kids think I’ve lost it and maybe I have because I have company. A specter, a ghost, a spirit—whatever you want to call her.

Her name is Irma, and I can see her as plain as day. Neither of us knows why. We’re still trying to figure that out. She’s as stubborn and hard-nosed as me. It’s a wonder we can even talk to each other since we both never learned to bite our tongues.

Irma is stuck in purgatory. You know, where you go to make up for past deeds when you were among the living. She checks in with Saint Peter from time to time at the Pearly Gates. She says it reminds her of checking in with her parole officer. So far, he has sent her packing each time. Back down the Rainbow Bridge she goes until she serves her time, and Saint Peter hands her the get out of jail card—but I digress. This is how it all began. Buckle up—you’re going for a ride, and I hope you like camping.  

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

RM: I think MC in my Mary Catherine Mahoney series. Probably because she’s a lot like me.

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

RM: My mother – she inspired me to never give up on a dream.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? 

RM: My age. I didn’t have time to find an agent or a publisher. I had just retired. I’m also impatient and don’t like waiting around.

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

RM: Probably Michener. I loved his books. Especially Centennial.

Kathy: What are you currently reading? 

RM: Tom Clancy and Lee Child.

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

RM: I teach Group Fitness, and have for 30 years. At the University of South Florida for the students and now SilverSneakers.
 

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

RM: Garlic pepper, eggs, butter and coffee cream.
 

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

RM: Yes. MURDER IN THE BADLANDS is next after MURDER ON HONKY-TONK ROW which is out August 1. After that Mabel and Irma and gang move on to the Rockies – Grand Canyon, Estes Park. Then Jackson Hole Wyoming. I would also like to make it back to my Mary Catherine Mahoney series.
 

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

RM: Hearing from readers. It's what keeps me working so hard at it.

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Review

WHEELER-DEALER by Rita Moreau
The First Ghost and the Camper Kooky Mystery

 

Instead playing bingo in the old folks home her eldest daughter would like to be in, Mabel has started a new life without her cheating husband. Moving from Long Island to Florida Mabel is ready for another adventure, traveling across the country with a vintage camper complete with resident ghost. Mabel finds herself involved with wheeler dealers, a young musician, and the mob. Will she be able to solve a murder and help Irma earn her wings or will she be collecting her earthly rewards herself?

I absolutely love the concept of the Ghost and the Camper Kooky Mystery series. A woman of mature years, refusing to become a fuddy-duddy, embracing life and new adventures in the company of a ghost looking to redeem herself, is a fantastic combination. The story-line is also unique and enjoyable, traveling across the country camping and solving murders along the way. I love Mabel's attitude and ability to adapt.

WHEELER-DEALER starts slowly with a lot of exposition. Normally I enjoy exposition, but in this first Ghost and the Camper Kooky Mystery I found it convoluted and repetitive. The book also started as more of a travelogue than a mystery. While I truly enjoyed learning the facts about the places they visited and enjoyed reading about their day trips, those bits rarely progressed the story. The actual mystery didn't even start until halfway through the book. A good editor could have made a huge difference, vastly improving this mystery.

Interesting characters and amusing dialogue make WHEELER-DEALER a fun start to a new series.

 

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 Wheeler-Dealer Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery by Rita Moreau

About Wheeler- Dealer

Wheeler-Dealer Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery
Paranormal Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Independently published (April 1, 2021)
Paperback: 332 pages

Solving a murder might raise her spirits. But will it spring her spectral friend from Purgatory?

Mabel Gold still isn’t sure what happened. Traded by her husband for a busty bimbo the same age as their youngest daughter, the feisty sixty-something rejects the retirement community and heads west in a vintage camper. But the RV comes complete with a ghost who needs a good deed to get into Heaven, and cracking open a homicide at their first stop in Savannah could give them both a new lease on life.

Determined to dig up the dirt on the dead wheeler-dealer, Mabel and her phantom companion tackle the crime. But with two rich dudes from Dubai, a Willie Nelson lookalike mobster, and a widow nicknamed The Barracuda all on the suspect list, conjuring up the truth could take a real live miracle.

Can Mabel catch the killer before she’s the next soul crashing the Pearly Gates?

Wheeler-Dealer is the high-spirited first book in the hilarious Ghost & the Camper kooky mystery series. If you like golden-girl sleuths, zany characters, and sardonic humor, then you’ll love Rita Moreau’s witty whodunit.

About Rita Moreau

Rita Moreau is the author of the Mary Catherine Mahoney Mystery series and the Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery series.

A workaholic by nature, upon retirement, Rita Moreau began work on her bucket list, writing a book. Traveling the national parks with her husband George in a vintage Bluebird motor home, (on George’s list), Rita completed her first novel Bribing Saint Anthony. Back home she completed Nuns! Psychics! & Gypsies! OH! NO, Feisty Nuns and The Russian & Aunt Sophia and The House on Xenia. Last year when we entered the Twilight Zone Rita wrote the first two new novels in the Ghost & the Camper series. Rita and her husband live in a postcard called Florida where he has fun telling everyone he is the author’s husband. When not writing she joins PatZi Gil on the Joy on Paper radio program with Book Buzz Mysteries, or you can find her teaching SilverSneakers fitness classes and doing her best to keep busy. She loves connecting with readers. Visit her at www.RitaMoreau.com or find her on Facebook at facebook.com/RitaMoreauAuthor. She would love to hear from you.

Author Links: 

Website - http://www.ritamoreau.com  

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RitaMoreauAuthor/  

Twitter - https://twitter.com/RitaMoreau 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ritamoreau4996/  

Radio - http://www.radio-joyonpaper.com  

GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6587803.Rita_Moreau  

Purchase Link - Amazon  

 

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Death Grip - A Review

 Review

DEATH GRIP by Elaine Viets
The Fourth Angela Richman, Death Investigator Mystery 

When a hiker stumbles upon bodies buried in the woods of Chouteau Forest, a toney enclave in Missouri, Angela Richman, death investigator, finds herself in a political nightmare. It's the rich and powerful covering for each other in a tale of sex and murder.  

DEATH GRIP is a thriller and partially a police procedural, only partially because Angela is a death investigator, not a police officer. She, as well as the readers, knows who the killer is early on. The challenge, and the story, is proving it! 

Not much angers me more than rich men doing whatever they want, and getting away with it. Sadly, this happens as much in real life as it does in fiction. This reality is the crux of the fourth Angela Richman, Death Investigator Mystery. Angela and Jace not only have to deal with a cunning suspect who has the wealth, power, and connections to stymie their investigation, but co-workers and superiors who would rather keep the status quo than find the truth. 

I appreciate the humor slightly sprinkled throughout the story, lightening the darkness. I adore Cutter and I like the growing relationship between Angela and Chris. These aspects bring out the humanity sorely lacking in some of the other characters.

DEATH GRIP is a compelling mystery fueled by misogyny and sexual sadism as well as the determination to stop it.

Fatal Fried Rice - A Review

 Review

FATAL FRIED RICE by Vivien Chien
The Seventh Noodle Shop Mystery 

Lana Lee may manage the Ho-Lee Noodle House, but that doesn't mean she can cook Chinese food. Wanting to prove herself, Lana quietly enrolls in a Chinese cooking class hoping to impress her family and boyfriend. Bonding over similar family issues, Margo Han, the instructor, even agrees to provide Lana with extra one on one classes once the course concludes. Lana is riding high, until she returns to pick up the ingredient list she forgot. Instead of a list of supplies, she finds Margo lying on the floor, dead. The detective in charge finds her suspicious, not helpful, so once again Lana is taking out her trusty notebook and starting her own investigation.

The seventh Noodle Shop Mystery still has me laughing with and rooting for Lana Lee. I love how she tries to improve herself...even if she is primarily doing it to get back at her sister. Kimmy is a trip and I definitely have a soft spot for Lana's grandmother.

The actual mystery in FATAL FRIED RICE is unique in that it's not one Lana would usually get involved with. She just met the victim the night of the murder and if it wasn't for her innate curiosity and the fact that the detective in charge seems determined to believe she's a viable suspect, this could have been one murder she didn't investigate. I appreciate Lana's method to find a killer and got quite a kick at how she avoided shopping with her mother and grandmother. While I was suspicious of all of the new characters this complicated mystery had me surprised by the penultimate reveal.

FATAL FRIED RICE serves up a delightfully delicious mystery steeped in flavors any foodie or crime fiction lover will enjoy.

 

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Death Grip by Elaine Viets. This book is the fourth in the Angela Richman, Death Investigator Mystery series.

When a hiker stumbles upon bodies buried in the woods of Chouteau Forest, a toney enclave in Missouri, Angela Richman, death investigator, finds herself in a political nightmare. It's the rich and powerful covering for each other in a tale of sex and murder.

The Body in Beaver Pond - A Spotlight & Giveaway

 The Body in the Beaver Pond: A Keri Isles Event Planner Mystery by Cathy Perkins

About The Body in the Beaver Pond

The Body in the Beaver Pond: A Keri Isles Event Planner Mystery
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Publisher: Red Mountain Publishing (May 15, 2021)
Number of Pages: 325 Digital

Even an event planner doesn't plan on murder . . .

Keri Isles desperately needs to sell the Christmas Tree farm her cheating, rotten ex convinced his buddy, the judge, to saddle her with in the divorce settlement. Stuck in the Cascade Mountains, she’s lost her Seattle-based job and local job prospects are as scarce as internet service. When she finds the arrogant professor in charge of the local archeology dig floating face down in her beaver pond, however, unloading the property becomes secondary to staying out of prison.

A savvy—and scheming—attorney may be able to keep her head above water, but the personal price of his retainer may be too high. It’s up to Keri to use her mad networking skills and deploy a team of archaeology students, a bad boy photographer, and assorted eccentric neighbors to find the killer and clear her name.

About Cathy Perkins

Cathy Perkins's suspense writing lurks behind a financial day-job, where she learned firsthand the camouflage, hide-in-plain-sight skills employed by her villains. A member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers, she has coordinated conferences, contests and debut author programs, and is a contributing editor for The Big Thrill.

When not writing, she can be found doing battle with the beavers over the pond height or setting off on another travel adventure. Born and raised in South Carolina, she now lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.

Author Links:  

Social Media Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CathyPerkinsAuthor 

Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCathyPerkins  

Twitter @cperkinswrites https://twitter.com/cperkinswrites  

BookBub – follow me! https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cathy-perkins  

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cathyperkinswrites/  

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5367341.Cathy_Perkins  

Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Cathy-Perkins/e/B006K0IKUQ  

Website https://cperkinswrites.com  

Purchase Links Amazon Nook Kobo  

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Blackout - An Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Marco Carocari to Cozy Up With Kathy today. BLACKOUT is Marco's first novel and was released earlier this year.

Kathy: Blackout is described as "a 1970s inspired debut novel". Why the 70s?

MC: I can’t say why, exactly, but the 70s (especially in the US) have always had this hold, and nostalgic effect, on me. I love the music, the movies and TV shows, and love to read books set during that period. Though I grew up in the 70s, my small village Swiss day-to-day experiences were quite different than those of a kid in New York or L.A. So, when I decided to write my own mystery, I knew the 70s had to at least play a part in it, even though the main bulk of the novel takes place in modern New York.


Kathy: In addition to the murder Franco gets entangled with, he was also witness to another murder, when his father was killed in front of him during Manhattan's infamous blackout. How did this childhood event shape him?

MC: He was four when that happened, right before all the lights went out, and the event messed him up. He becomes introverted, and though he couldn’t have done much to save his dad, he can’t shake blaming himself. Forty years later he’s sort of made his peace with that night, as he navigates through life as a mildly successful photographer, but then old wounds get ripped open again. And this time his own life is at risk.
 

Kathy: Franco, your protagonist, happens to be part of the LGBTQ community. Why is it important to amplify LGBTQ voices, especially in the mystery genre?

MC: We need more diverse voices in crime fiction in general, to accurately reflect the real world we live in, and give all of us characters we can identify with. I love reading books by some of my favorite mainstream authors, but I still remember that special feeling, as a young man, when I discovered Joseph Hansen, Armistead Maupin, Michael Nava, and others, who wrote wonderful books with gay protagonists I connected with on a whole new level. I don’t see Blackout as a gay novel, but a novel with some gay characters, and I love how my readers -straight or gay- enjoy the book for the story, and connect with my characters.


Kathy: Although you set your debut in NYC, you're originally from Switzerland. How has that influenced your writing style and voice?

MC: That’s hard to answer. I came to writing professionally eight years ago, and am still learning the craft. I write from the hip, so to speak, but since all my stories are set in America I have to do a lot of research. I never experienced living in the US 24/7 until I moved here in 2016, but therefore might observe everything around me more critically. Interestingly, ever since starting this undertaking, my goal was always to write convincingly enough so my stories sounded American, not as if a foreigner had written them.


Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?

MC: Margaret Rutherford’s Miss Marple movies sucked me in, and I read almost all of Christie’s books after that. And finding myself hugely disappointed that the real Miss Marple wasn’t nearly as feisty and funny as the actress. I love solving riddles and twisty tales, be it in a book or movie, and though I’ve read in many other genres, crime fiction has always remained my go-to.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

MC: Not so far, though I'd love to try my hand at comedy or satire, someday.


Kathy: Tell us about your book.

MC: Franco DiMaso goes from unreliable witness to prime suspect in a homicide investigation in present day New York. When it turns out that the event connects to the forty year old murder of his father, during the NYC blackout, he looks to be a man with the perfect motive.


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

MC: Franco, even when he frustrated the hell out of me. But I also love my supporting cast of his friends, his chosen family, who provide tension and laughs, and much-needed reality checks.


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

MC: On one hand I wanted to read a mystery thriller with a gay protagonist and was missing that kind of book. On the other, I kind of had a story in my head that could have taken place in many locations, but then I found out about the ’77 blackout, and knew that would have to play a part in the book.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MC: After years of writing and editing, and beta readers who all felt I had something here, I decided to take the plunge, and at least try to find someone interested in what I had to say. It took a few years and several rejections, but I kept at it, and found a wonderful home with Level Best Books, who believed in me and the story from the first moment.


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

MC: Tough one. Jospeh Hansen, Michael Connelly, S.A. Cosby and David Sedaris. That should make for an interesting night.


What are you currently reading?

MC: I just finished S.A Cosby’s ‘My Darkest Prayer’, and am reading Michael Nava’s ‘Lies With Man’ and Cheryl A. Head’s ‘Bury Me When I’m Dead’. Then it’s on to Lori Duffy Foster’s ‘A Dead Man’s Eyes’.


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

MC: I love traveling (a bit harder these days) and being out in nature. As a professional photographer I still enjoy shooting spontaneous, private projects, like abandoned gas stations or desert scenes.


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

MC: Always, always pasta, onions, and fresh tomatoes. Sea Salt Pita Chips from Trader Joe’s (like Crack, I swear) and Nespresso coffee.


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books?

MC: I’m working on an LAPD procedural, though it’s been tough (mostly because of in-person research, visiting locations and police stations, etc, to get the details right) and I have outlined a sequel to Blackout. Next up is my short story, ‘All In The Planning’, which appears in the upcoming ‘Malice Domestic 16: Mystery Most Diabolical’.


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

MC: Letting all the voices in my head run wild and see where they take me.

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 Death, suspense, and betrayal meet with unexpected hope in 70s-inspired debut mystery novel

Strait-laced forty-something Franco definitely picked the wrong night to get freaky. A hook-up with a hot guy on his Manhattan rooftop, and a joint he's unaware is laced, leaves him dazed. And - if memory serves him - the sole witness to a murder across the street. Except, the cops can’t find a crime scene or a body, and Franco’s perforated recollections and conflicting testimony leave the detectives unimpressed. When days later the mutilated body of a philanthropic millionaire is discovered, he’s not only shocked to learn he knew him, but with Franco’s fingerprints all over the crime scene, he quickly graduates from unreliable witness to prime suspect. And the random trick who could alibi him has vanished into the anonymity of the Internet.

Unsettled, and confronted with forty-year-old memories, when Franco’s father was murdered in front of him during Manhattan’s infamous blackout, a shocking revelation finally unmasks the man who pulled the trigger that night. And painting Franco the perfect suspect. With a target on his back and time running out, the truth will set Franco free, or earn him a toe tag at the morgue.


Read the title that author PJ Vernon calls “a gripping debut from an exciting new author to watch that had me turning pages long into the night.”

 

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Marco Carocari: Marco Carocari grew up in Switzerland. After seeing Murder, She Said on TV his grandmother gifted him Agatha Christie’s 4:50 From Paddington. Though hugely disappointed that the real Miss Marple bore no resemblance whatsoever to the brilliant and funny Margaret Rutherford, he was hooked, and devoured every crime novel he could get his hands on that his parents didn’t object to (considering he was ten). Over the years, he worked in a hardware store, traveled the globe working for the airlines, and later as an internationally published photographer, and frequently jobbed as a waiter, hotel receptionist, or manager of a professional photo studio. In 2016 he swapped snow-capped mountains, lakes, and lush, green pastures for the charm of the dry California desert, where he lives with his husband. ‘Blackout’ is his first novel.