Friday, December 30, 2022

Death by Arts and Crafts - A Review

 Review

DEATH BY ARTS AND CRAFTS by Alexis Morgan
The Sixth Abby McCree Mystery 

It’s summertime, time for craft shows to pop up all over the country. As a new member of Snowberry Creek’s City Council Abby McCree finds herself acting as liaison between the council and the planning committee for the town’s first arts and craft festival. Tasked with visiting several other festivals to scope out logistics and check in with the artists coming to their festival, Abby decides to make it a girl’s weekend having her friends, Dayna and Bridey, tag along. Although unable to speak with the iron worker headlining the Snowberry Creek show and odd vibes coming from Dayna regarding her ceramics partner, Abby considers the weekend a success. That is until she comes home to find her friend Gage needs to speak with her in his official capacity. The Chief of Police tells her that the iron working artist was murdered, his assistant is missing, and Abby may have been one of the last people to see them alive.

Abby McCree is one of my favorite protagonists of all time. She's smart, generous, is always baking snacks and feeding people, and she's not afraid to speak her mind. One of the things I like best about Abby is that she has no intention of getting involved in murder investigations. She doesn't go around sleuthing. Murders just happen around her. She doesn't back down, but she certainly doesn't go looking for trouble. I also love her relationship with the men in her life, including Zeke. She's a solid friend, and perhaps something more to Tripp. I love how their relationship is progressing! She also has good friendships with women too, the older ladies of the quilt club, and her besties Dayna and Bridey. 

The mystery in the sixth Abby McCree Mystery compelling with higher stakes as relationships got more intense. I loved the variety of suspects and how the concurrent issues between Dayna and her business partner impacted the murder investigation.

An intricately plotted mystery and richly drawn characters make DEATH BY ARTS AND CRAFTS a fantastic read you won't want to put down.

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Dial M for Meow by Ruth J. Hartman. This book is the first in the Bookshop Kitties Mystery series and will be released next month.

In a town full of nasty people, who killed one of the nastiest?

After her louse of a boyfriend drains her bank account Christy Bailey is ready to leave him and the city of  Philadelphia behind. Packing up her cats, Pearl and Milton, the inspiration for her children's mystery series, the trio head for Green Meadow, Indiana to help in her aunt's bookstore. Instead of a warm welcome Christy finds a cold dead body and an unconscious aunt. With her aunt a suspect and her cats threatened, Christie begins her own investigation. Will Pearl and Milton help her uncover the truth before it's too late?

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

The Alchemist of Riddle & Ruin - A Review

 Review

THE ALCHEMIST OF RIDDLE & RUIN by Gigi Pandian
The Sixth Accidental Alchemist Mystery

A specter from the past descends on Portland, but is it really a ghost? Could it be an alchemist? Shocked when a figure enters Blue Sky Teas Heather is sure it is the ghost of her high school friend who was murdered and the killer never caught. While Zoe tries to support Heather and look for the truth, Dorian the gargoyle is doing the same with his young friends, Veronica and Brixton, Heather’s son. Is someone back for vengeance? Will the truth of what happened all those years finally come to light?  

An unsolved mystery from the past haunts the present day characters in the sixth Accidental Alchemist Mystery. I love learning more about Heather and enjoyed the complex riddles and poetry that was the heart of this mystery. With so many possible motives and suspects, I loved how Zoe and Dorian each peeled back the layers to uncover the truth, each in their own way. I also love how Veronica bristled at being the steady one-and I saw her actions coming even if her friends and family didn't!

With word play, floral clues, and fantastic characters THE ALCHEMIST OF RIDDLE & RUIN is an outstanding entry to this ingenious series.

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Merry Christmas!

Oh the weather outside is frightful...at least it is here in Western New York, and, from what I understand, most of the United States. My Christmas plans are postponed due to the winter storm here, but I'm safe at home with plenty of food and power. I hope you are safe and happy with plenty of wonderful mysteries to read during this wonderful holiday season. 

In addition to Christmas, there are many other holidays that are celebrated at this time of year. When it comes to cozy mysteries, however, Christmas seems to be the most popular. I know of a Yule themed one, but can't think of any Hanukkah or other winter celebrations. I thought I'd share some of my favorites. There are many many more, including some others I love I didn't get around to mentioning!

Favorites include THE ENEMY YOU GNOCCHI by Catherine Bruns, A MURDER YULE REGRET by Winnie Archer, MURDER FIR CHRISTMAS by Joyce and Jim Lavene, AN EGGNOG TO DIE FOR by Amy Pershing, IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE MURDER by Maria DiRico, TWISTED TEA CHRISTMAS by Laura Childs, and MURDER AT THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE BAKE-OFF by Darci Hannah,

Recent releases include ROAST DATE by Heather Day Gilbert and IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT SHEAR by Allie Pleiter,

There's also DECK THE DONUTS by Ginger Bolton.

There are whole Christmas themed mystery series! Some of the books are set at Christmas while others aren't. I'm talking about the Mrs. Clause Mystery series by Liz Ireland and the Year Round Christmas Mystery series by Vicky Delany. 

Looking for a quick read? Try GINGERDEAD HOUSE by Nancy Warren, a Great Witches Baking Show Novella, or anthologies such as DEADLY TRADITIONS: A COZY MYSTERY CHRISTMAS ANTHOLOGY or CHRISTMAS SCARF MURDER by Carlene O’Connor, Maddie Day, and Peggy Ehrhart.

ABIDE WITH ME by Jane Willan takes place between Christmas and Epiphany and Yuletide Homicide is a Yule Mystery.

I haven't even scratched the surface-but I need to end this post as I need to get to bed before Santa arrives. Want some more ideas for holiday books? Did you know that you can search my blog? On the right hand side is a list of my tags-you can pick holidays, which will include all holidays, not only winter ones so you may find St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, or something else. You can also look for Christmas. I wish you a wonderful holiday season filled with delightful books! Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 23, 2022

Roast Date - A Review & Giveaway

 Review


ROAST DATE by Heather Day Gilbert
The Seventh Barks & Beans Cafe Mystery

Macy Hatfield has finally given in to her neighbor Vera's request to come to a book club meeting. Since it's close to Christmas it will be a holiday party and Macy will be able to talk about the Barks and Beans Cafe as well as sell some of her brother's special coffee blends. The meeting takes a harsh turn when some of the members start making nasty comments about the mayor, who is leading the book discussion. An escaping pup creates havoc and more hurtful innuendos are thrown before everyone takes their leave. Helping tidy up Macy heads upstairs only to find the mayor's dead body in Vera's bathroom. Was it an accident, a natural death, or something more sinister?

Illegal drugs, affairs, and other scandals rock the small town of Lewisburg, West Virginia in the seventh Barks & Beans Cafe Mystery. But how much is truth and how much is just hurtful gossip and political mudslinging?  I absolutely love this series. It's smart, crisply written, and full of interesting characters. I also love that while the mystery is solved in each book there is a story arc that is slowly playing out over the series. And that arc just got a whole lot more dangerous while simultaneously hitting much closer to home in this entry to the series.

A smidgen of romance, an ingeniously plotted mystery, and adorable dogs (plus one mischievous cat) combine to make ROAST DATE a fantastic addition to this delightfully caffeinated series.

*******************************************************************

 Roast Date (Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery) by Heather Day Gilbert

About Roast Date


Roast Date (Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 7th in Series
Setting - West Virginia
WoodHaven Press (December 20, 2022)
Number of Pages ~250

BOOK SEVEN in the bestselling BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!

Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java...and where murder sometimes pays a visit.

After much cajoling, Macy gives in to her neighbor, Vera, and agrees to come to her book club's Christmas party so she can share about the cafe. While public speaking isn't Macy's thing, she wants to brighten Vera's lonely holiday season...and she can sell a little house blend on the side.

When a lively book discussion spirals into a public roast of the mayor—who happens to be sitting in their midst—things get uncomfortable. Soon afterward, the mayor shows up dead in Vera's bathroom, and no amount of gingerbread cookies or eggnog can restore Vera to the club's good graces. 'Tis the season for Macy to find the murderer, or else Vera might be taking a long winter's nap in a jail cell.

Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown...with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.

The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order: Book 1: No Filter Book 2: Iced Over Book 3: Fair Trade Book 4: Spilled Milk Book 5: Trouble Brewing Book 6: Cold Drip Book 7: Roast Date

About Heather Day Gilbert

Award-winning novelist Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing mysteries and Viking historicals. She brings authentic family relationships to the page, and she particularly delights in heroines who take a stand to protect those they love. Avid readers say Heather's realistic characters—no matter what century—feel like best friends. When she's not plotting stories, this native West Virginian can often be found hanging out with her husband and four children, playing video games, or reading Agatha Christie novels.

Author Links: 

Webpage: https://heatherdaygilbert.com/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherdaygilbert/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherdgilbert  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heather-day-gilbert  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7232683.Heather_Day_Gilbert  

Purchase Link - Amazon  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading The Alchemist of Riddle and Ruin by Gigi Pandian. This book is the sixth in the Accidental Alchemist Mystery series.

A specter from the past descends on Portland, but is it really a ghost? Could it be an alchemist? Shocked when a figure enters Blue Sky Teas Heather is sure it is the ghost of her high school friend who was murdered and the killer never caught. While Zoe tries to support Heather and look for the truth, Dorian the gargoyle is doing the same with his young friends, Veronica and Brixton, Heather’s son. Is someone back for vengeance? Will the truth of what happened all those years finally come to light?

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

The Socialite's Guide to Murder - A Review

 Review

THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER by S. K. Golden
The First Pinnacle Hotel Mystery

Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy loves fashion, movie stars, and solving puzzles. A Manhattan girl at heart, Evelyn has no desire to leave neither the city nor the Pinnacle, her father's hotel. Her every need is satisfied, including solving puzzles and throwing parties. The hotel's latest party is the unveiling of Billie Bell's newest painting. Fireworks erupt however, when a fight nearly breaks out and the painting is stolen. Determined to put her sleuthing abilities to good use, Evelyn is stunned to learn that she is a suspect after she finds the artist's murdered body. Together with her "boyfriend" and her crush, Evelyn will prove her innocence and find a killer.
 
I enjoyed my first trip to the Pinnacle Hotel. Despite the fact that I found Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy to be a posh, pampered princess as well as a bit of a snob, I liked her. Evelyn's backstory is fascinating and important as it is the root of many of her issues; the obvious, such as not leaving the hotel, and the more subtle, developing a persona instead of being real. It will be interesting to see if she will continue to develop and show her true self as the series progresses. I'm also curious if the unsolved murder of the past will come into play.
 
The mystery in THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER was interesting, a confounding theft followed by murder. I appreciated Evelyn's sleuthing, her relationship with the police, and her young friend Amelia.
 
THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER is an entertaining jaunt back to 1958 introducing readers to unique characters in a fun setting. It's just ginchy! 

Sunday, December 18, 2022

The Case of the Parrot Loving Professor - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Charlie to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Charlie on the pages of The Case of the Parrot Loving Professor. This book is the second in the Buttercup Bend Mystery series and was released last month.


Hey, there. I’m Charlie, the parrot of Dr. Barry Bodkin. Rather, I was his parrot. He’s dead now. Murdered. I found it so hard to believe, and I was the only witness. This girl, young woman, a college student and newspaper photographer named Cathy Carter, dropped by after the dirty deed was done. I wish I could’ve told her what I’d seen, but all I could do was squawk “help!” “help!”

Dr. Bodkin was an anthropology professor. He had three wives, a son, and a daughter, but he didn’t care for any of them as much as he cared for me and parrots, in general. He was so fond of us that he created a parrot club that had three other members and their birds. One member didn’t have a parrot, but he still attended meetings. I was friends with the other parrots – Hamlet who spoke Shakespearean phrases because he belonged to an English professor and Pedro who spoke Spanish because his owners brought him to Buttercup Bend from that country.

While I know Bodkin’s killer poisoned him after they shared a toast, I won’t reveal any spoilers. I got in trouble doing that at his wake and was birdnapped. I was eventually found, but it was a harrowing experience. Cathy and her friend, Nancy, now a detective working for Cathy’s grandmother’s boyfriend, tried to solve the case. They spoke with the parrot club members, Bodkin’s siblings, and his ex-wives. Detective Hunt and Sheriff Miller weren’t thrilled about the girls getting involved, especially after they started receiving strange notes from Shakespeare plays. The notes weren’t obvious threats, but they were very odd.

While all this was going on, Cathy and Nancy were also preparing for a 1970’s costume dance and Cathy’s birthday. Cathy had already received a gift from one of her male friends, the veterinarian who helps her with her pet rescue center. He’d given her two kittens to replace her old Siamese, Oliver, who passed away after her previous mystery, the first Buttercup Bend book, The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady. Cathy is also seeing her gardener. She can’t decide between these two men and isn’t getting any younger.

If you like parrots, and I hope you do, you should get a copy of this book. It’s available in lots of places. Don’t mind the cats. I stayed far away from them. 

***************************************************************************

 The Case of the Parrot Loving Professor by Debbie De Louise

About The Case of the Parrot Loving Professor

The Case of the Parrot Loving Professor Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Buttercup Bend, a fictional town in the Catskills, New York
Next Chapter Publishing (November 6, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 290 pages

Cathy Carter knew that returning to college would be tough, but she never expected it would involve finding her anthropology professor’s dead body.

There are no shortages of suspects in Dr. Bodkin’s murder. Besides his three ex-wives and estranged son and daughter, there are also the members of the Talking Parrots Club, a group of four parrot enthusiasts, of which he was the president and founder.

As Cathy delves into Bodkin’s murder, she discovers a relationship between her teacher and the Mennonite family from whom she purchased the farmland for her new pet rescue center. She and her friend Nancy, now employed at a detective agency, work together to help Detective Hunt and Sheriff Miller solve the crime.

 

About Debbie De Louise

Debbie De Louise is a reference librarian at a public library. She’s the author of 14 novels including the six books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series featuring Alicia the librarian and Sneaky, the library cat, and the new Buttercup Bend cozy mysteries featuring Cathy Carter, the owner of a pet cemetery and rescue center. Debbie’s other books include standalone mysteries, a paranormal romance, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. She also writes articles for Catster.com and has published dozens of short stories and poems in anthologies. She’s a member of the Cat Writers’ Association, Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Long Island Authors Group. She lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and two cats. Learn more about her and her books by visiting https://debbiedelouise.com.

Author Links:  

Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deblibrarian  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise  

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ  

All Author: https://allauthor.com/author/debbiedelouise/ 

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiedelouise/ 

 Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debbie-de-louise  

Debbie’s Character’s Chat Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/

Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog: https://Sneakylibrarycat.wordpress.com  

Purchase Links - Amazon - Books2Read  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, December 16, 2022

Chaos at Carnegie Hall - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

 Review


CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL by Kelly Oliver
The First Fiona Figg & Kitty Lane Mystery
 
Dreams of bringing down the notorious spy Frederick Fredericks have Fiona Figg excited to embark on her next mission, that is until she discovers that she's working as a babysitter for her boss's teen-aged niece and has a chaperone. Sailing to America to see a famed soprano Fiona encounters suspicious German conversations, outspoken Americans, and has a surprise reunion. Will Fiona bring down her man? Or will the tables be turned?

CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL is the first Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane mystery, however it is not the first mystery featuring Fiona Figg. I'm a stickler for reading series in order and found myself a bit adrift here as this was my first encounter with Fiona. While it works as a standalone I felt a bit behind when it came to Fiona's relationships with Archie and Fredericks and I feel I would have appreciated everything more if I had read from the actual start of the series instead of the start where Kitty Lane comes in.     
 
Appearances can be deceiving, and I'm not just talking about Fiona's disguises, and don't get me started about Kitty. I trust Archie much less than I do the known spy, who may be my favorite character, I found Fiona to be a bit silly. In fact, I didn't really like any of the characters, although, I didn't dislike them either. The addition of real life historical characters was fun. I enjoyed disliking Edison, who I've always thought was a jerk, and I like the wink and a nod to J. Edgar Hoover's lesser known proclivities. 
 
CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL is a fun mystery that takes readers from high seas to high Cs.
 
************************************************************************         

Chaos at Carnegie Hall by Kelly Oliver Banner

Chaos at Carnegie Hall

by Kelly Oliver

December 5 - 30, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Chaos at Carnegie Hall by Kelly Oliver

Agatha Christie meets Downton Abbey in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series opener.

Can Fiona catch a killer and find a decent cup of tea before her mustache wax melts?

1917. New York.

Notorious spy, Fredrick Fredricks, has invited Fiona to Carnegie Hall to hear a famous soprano. It’s an opportunity the War Office can’t turn down. Fiona and Clifford are soon on their way, but not before Fiona is saddled with chaperon duties for Captain Hall’s niece. Is Fiona a spy or a glorified babysitter?

From the minute Fiona meets the soprano aboard the RMS Adriatic it’s treble on the high C’s. Fiona sees something—or someone—thrown overboard, and then she overhears a chemist plotting in German with one of her own countrymen!

And the trouble doesn’t stop when they disembark. Soon Fiona is doing time with a group of suffragettes and investigating America’s most impressive inventor Thomas Edison.

When her number one suspect turns up dead at the opera and Fredrick Fredricks is caught red-handed, it looks like it’s finally curtains for the notorious spy.

But all the evidence points to his innocence. Will Fiona change her tune and clear her nemesis’ name? Or will she do her duty? And just what is she going to do with the pesky Kitty Lane? Not to mention swoon-worthy Archie Somersby…

If Fiona’s going to come out on top, she’s going to have to make the most difficult decision of her life: the choice between her head and her heart.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: November 2022
Number of Pages: 298
ISBN: 9781804831564
Series: The Fiona Figg Mysteries
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

* * *

Inside, the cabin was the opposite of Hugo Schweitzer’s. Whereas the German’s room was disorderly and repulsive, this man’s berth was tidy and attractive. In fact, it hardly looked occupied. The bed was made in a neat military style. There wasn’t an article of clothing nor a personal item in sight. A faint scent of pine and citrus graced the room. Like a familiar embrace, the uniform order and pleasing smell put me at ease.

Hugo Schweitzer’s disgusting mess had allowed clues to remain hidden in plain sight. This man’s neatness required clever hiding places. Where would I hide a secret document in this room? Under the mattress? In the wardrobe? Sewn inside an article of clothing?

I crossed the room. Getting to the wardrobe was considerably easier than it had been in Schweitzer’s clutter. When I opened the wardrobe, a waft of pine and citrus caressed my nostrils again. I thought of Archie. When would I see him again?

Concentrate, Fiona. Now was not the time to behave like a lovesick schoolgirl.

Two neat suits hung on hangers, spaced apart like sentries guarding a gate. One was a uniform. A British uniform. Could this traitor be in the British army? The other was a black evening suit. Whatever the blackguard was wearing under that trench coat constituted his third and final outfit. There were no more.

Standing to attention at the bottom of the wardrobe were two tall black boots. I bent down to get a closer look. Inside a boot would make a decent hiding place.

“Looking for something?” a man’s voice boomed from behind me.

I gasped and squeezed my eyes shut tight.

If only I were wearing my maid’s costume—although what maid would be cleaning at this time of night? I should have changed into Harold the helpful bellboy. At least then I’d be dressed as a man. As it was, I was wearing a flimsy evening gown and as vulnerable as a lamb in a ship full of wolves. Did I dare turn around and face my accuser?

“Did you find it?” The voice was closer now… and softer… and familiar.

Good heavens. I whipped around and practically flew into his arms. “Archie.”

He chuckled. “I should have known I’d find you breaking into my room.” He pulled me into an embrace. “Fiona. Dear Fiona.” He kissed the top of my head.

I buried my head in his shoulder. Ahhh. The scent of pine and citrus… and those horrible Kenilworth cigarettes. The scent of Lieutenant Archie Somersby.

My heart was racing. From being scared out of my wits, or from being in Archie’s embrace, I didn’t know. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same.” He held me tighter.

“You, first.” I inhaled his familiar presence.

“I will tell you, but only because it’s necessary.” He pulled out of the embrace and held me out at arm’s length. “It’s crucial that you don’t expose me.”

“Expose you?” I had to censor my imagination. His earnest green eyes framed by those dark lashes and that wild lock of chestnut hair falling across his forehead made it deuced difficult.

“I’m on an important mission.” He fortified his countenance with a steely gaze. “You mustn’t let on that you know me. In fact, you should stay away from me.” He pulled a gold pocket watch out of his waistcoat pocket and glanced at it.

I pulled my arm out of his grip. “Does your mission involve Hugo Schweitzer?” My tone was pained, but I couldn’t help it. I wished my feelings for him weren’t so strong. After all, I hardly knew him. Still, I knew he worked for British Intelligence, despite Fredrick Fredricks’s accusations to the contrary. Afterall, who was more trustworthy? A German spy or a British soldier, an especially attractive one too?

Archie tilted his head and gave me a quizzical look. “How did you know?”

“I saw you together earlier on deck.” Without a doubt, the trench coat and fedora Archie was wearing, along with his sleek silhouette and graceful gait, were identical to those of my mysterious compatriot and Hugo Schweitzer’s clandestine companion.

He laughed. “I should have known that was you watching us.” He kissed me on the cheek. “Fiona, you’re an ace. I’ve never met a girl quite like you.” His eyes danced mischievously.

The way he was laughing, I didn’t know whether to be insulted or flattered. Wait a blooming minute. “Did you forget something?” I’d seen that amused expression before. “Why did you return to your cabin?”

“To catch you in the act, love.” Archie grinned.

“So, you saw me in the corridor?”

He raised his eyebrows and nodded. “Afraid so.”

I punched his shoulder. “And instead of saying anything, you pulled this trick?”

“I’m sorry.” He intercepted my hand and brought it to his lips. “Can you forgive me?”

I pulled out of his grip. “Only if you can tell me about Mr. Schweitzer and the chemists’ war.”

“You know I can’t do that.” He sighed. “It’s classified.”

“What does the war have to do with aspirin, the headache remedy?”

He led me to the bed, sat down, and patted the bedcover, inviting me to sit too.

My cheeks flamed. It was only then that I realized I was alone in a gentleman’s room… after midnight, no less. Dilly Knox’s words echoed through my head. “Our Fiona will do anything for King and country, don’t you know.” That only strengthened my resolve. I was on official business and not a romantic getaway.

I took a seat on the bed and tucked my gown tightly around my thighs. “You were going to tell me about aspirin?”

“You’re nothing if not persistent.” Archie smiled and put his arm around my shoulders.

I scooted to the head of the bed and out of his reach. “Aspirin?”

He shook his head. “You really are quite a girl.”

I folded my arms over my chest and glared at him.

“Righto.” His smiled faded. “Aspirin is made from a chemical called phenol.”

Phenol. I’d heard Hugo Schweitzer mention it. And phenol was in the letter from the Kaiser. The Kaiser’s letter. Should I tell Archie about the letter? Or report it to Captain Hall first? “What does phenol have to do with the war?”

“We need phenol to make trinitrotoluene.” Archie gave me a knowing look.

I gave him an ignorant stare in return. “What is trinitrotoluene?”

“TNT.”

“The explosive?”

He nodded.

“Golly.” Still, why did it matter if aspirin and TNT shared one element? How did that affect the war? Could aspirin be turned into an explosive?

“Golly is right.” When he smiled, tiny dimples appeared at the corners of his mouth.

I had to stop myself from reaching across the bed to touch that tempting lock of wavy hair… and those dimples. Stop it, Fiona. You’re on an espionage mission and not on holiday. A holiday with Archie… how divine. Stop! Just stop.

“I’m sorry we can’t work together in the open.” He took my hand and kissed it. “But for now, I’m undercover and I have to stop Schweitzer at all costs.”

“I have a confession.” I sat on my hands to keep from touching him. “I broke into Hugo Schweitzer’s cabin.”

Archie sat up straighter. “Go on.”

“He has a briefcase full of papers and letters… in German.”

“Yes,” Archie said encouragingly.

“One of the letters was from the Kaiser.” I glanced over at him.

“I don’t suppose you can recount the letter verbatim?” He raised his eyebrows. He’d seen me do it before.

“I don’t suppose you have a pencil and paper?” I released my hands from their bondage.

Archie got up and went to the dressing table. He opened the top drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper and then withdrew a pencil from his breast pocket and held it up.

I joined him and sat down at the table.

He placed the paper on the table in front of me and handed me the pencil. “Work your magic, my love.”

My pulse quickened. Did Archie just call me my love? My cheeks warmed. With a smile in my heart, I closed my eyes and let the words form before my mind like captions across a black screen. I didn’t know what they meant, but I could see them as clearly as if I were holding the letter in my hands. I opened my eyes and began setting to paper what I had seen. My hand was flying across the page. When I finished, I scanned my reproduction and then held it up to Archie. He’d been breathing over my shoulder as I wrote, which was deuced distracting.

As he read, the grim look on his face spoke volumes. “Good God,” he gasped. “So that is what they’re up to. And the phenol plot goes all the way to the Kaiser himself.” He dropped the paper on the dressing table. “Schweitzer is siphoning off phenol from the allies on orders from the Kaiser himself.”

Siphoning off phenol. The chemical needed to make explosives. So that was the phenol plot.

The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. “Fiona, you’re a genius.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

His eyes hardened. “I’ve got to stop him.” Archie’s hand trembled as he ran it through his hair. “I’ve got to stop Schweitzer.”

I gazed up at him with as much resolve as I could muster.

“You mean we’ve got to stop him.”

***

Excerpt from Chaos at Carnegie Hall by Kelly Oliver. Copyright 2022 by Kelly Oliver. Reproduced with permission from Kelly Oliver. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Kelly Oliver

Kelly Oliver is the award-winning and bestselling author of three mystery series: the seven-book suspense series, The Jessica James Mysteries; the three-book middle grade series, Pet Detective Mysteries; and the four-book historical cozy series, The Fiona Figg Mysteries.

Chaos at Carnegie Hall is the latest Fiona Figg mystery, and the first to feature sidekick, Kitty Lane.

When she’s not writing novels, Kelly is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University.

To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to:
www.KellyOliverBooks.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @KellyOliverBook
Instagram - @KellyOliverBook
Twitter - @KellyOliverBook
Facebook - @KellyOliverAuthor

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaway entries!

 

 

GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Kelly Oliver. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading...nothing. lol. 

My Kindle died while I was in the midst of reading The Socialite's Guide to Murder by S. K. Golden. While waiting in vain for it to revive and then waiting for a new device I read other books including Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green. This is a collection of Egyptian myths and legends originally published in 1967. I then went back to and just finished reading The Socialite's Guide to Murder. However, I already wrote a currently reading post about it, don't want to write about it again, and I haven't started reading the next book on my list. So...stay tuned.


Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Chaos at Carnegie Hall - An Interview, Excperpt, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Kelly Oliver to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Kelly writes the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series. CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL is the fourth mystery featuring Fiona Figg, but the first Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery.

Kathy: The Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series takes place during World War I. What made you pick this time period for your series?

KO: The first book in my Fiona Figg Mysteries—before Fiona got a sidekick—was inspired by Agatha Christie. I set it in 1917, the year Christie published her first Hercule Poirot mystery.


Kathy: Historical mysteries require an extra special brand of research. What's your favorite method to research this time period?

KO: I love handling and looking at antique Baedeker’s guides to the regions where my novels are set. The one I’m working on now is set in Northern Italy and a tattered 1910 Baedeker’s guide is right here on my desk. I also read biographies of the people upon whom I base some of my historical characters. For CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL, I read biographies of Dorothy Parker and Margaret Sanger. I’ve also had fun in the past with Mata Hari, and Mileva Einstein (Albert’s first wife and collaborator). Currently, I’m reading everything I can find about French aviator and sportswoman, Marie Marvingt. I love reading about powerful and interesting women who have been nearly forgotten by history.


Kathy: In CHAOS AT CARNEGIE HALL Fiona Figg is invited to hear a famous soprano. I am a huge opera fan. Are you? Do you have any favorites either opera or composer? When it comes to today's operatic sopranos Diana Damrau is my favorite.

KO: I am an opera fan! I remember the first time I saw an opera performed on stage. I was an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin and finally had something like a salary. The opera was Turandot by Puccini. It was transcendent. I wept from the beauty of those voices.

I love the classics. Mozart, Puccini, Bizet, Rossini. My latest soprano crush is Latonia Moore. The story of how she came to opera from the University of North Texas jazz program is inspiring.


Kathy: Fiona winds up investigating Thomas Edison. I imagine it's great fun to write famous people into your story. What are the benefits of adding real historical characters to a work of fiction? What are its pitfalls?

KO: I wanted to include Thomas Edison because I had done research on him in my scholarly life as a philosophy professor. He was one of the inventors of film and of the electric chair. I was researching the relationship between the two and found a lot of really troubling stuff about Edison. Needless to say, I was keen to make him a bad guy in a novel. It is eye-opening when you learn the truth about some historical heroes.

It is fun to write about famous people from history. And their stories are often pre-made plot lines, which is great. The downside is that their timelines and stories don’t always fit my plans for them!


Kathy: What first drew you to historical mysteries?

KO: I love to read historical mysteries. They transport you to another world, the world of the past. And I love to learn. So why not learn something while reading a novel.

As a writer, reclaiming women’s stories is important to me. My passion as a novelist and a scholar has always been women’s issues. I’m on a mission to find extraordinary women who have been forgotten.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

KO: As a philosophy professor in my day job, I’ve been writing nonfiction about women’s issues, animal ethics, environmental ethics, and lots of other subjects for decades.

My first novel was in my contemporary suspense series, The Jessica James Mysteries. It was based on my own experience in graduate school…. Except I didn’t kill my thesis advisor.

I’ve also written a middle-grade, kid’s mystery series, The Pet Detective Mysteries.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

KO: Meet the characters in the Fiona Figg Mysteries:

Fiona Figg

What’s the best way to forget a philandering husband?

Become a spy for British Intelligence, of course.

Desperate to get out of London and determined to help the war effort, file clerk Fiona Figg volunteers to go undercover. More comfortable wearing a fake mustache than a ballgown, Fiona fancies herself a master of disguise.

As she tracks her nemesis from the English countryside, across the continent, to New York, can Fiona prevent the deadly “panther” from striking again, save her own skin in the process, and find a decent cup of tea… all before her mustache wax melts?

Fredrick Fredricks

A charming South African war correspondent has tongues wagging. His friends say he’s a crack huntsman. The War Office is convinced he’s a traitor. Fiona thinks he’s a pompous prig. What sort of name is Fredrick Fredricks anyway?

Too bad Fiona doesn’t own a Wolseley pith helmet. Murderers are on the prowl, and it’s not just the big-game hunter who's ready to pounce.

Captain Clifford Douglas

Good old reliable Clifford. He proposes to Fiona at least once a month.

Sent by the War Office to chaperone, Clifford means well. But much to Fiona’s embarrassment, the incorrigible blabbermouth is constantly sticking his foot in it, ruining her investigations, and blowing her cover.

Lieutenant Archie Somersby

From the moment she met the handsome (shirtless) flyboy in Charing Cross Hospital where he was nursing a wounded wing, he captured her heart.

But how well does she really know him?

Fredrick Fredricks claims the lieutenant is a double agent.

Archie claims “it’s classified.”

Who should she believe?


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

KO: I love writing Fiona Figg. She is so different from me! She’s witty and funny, but so straight-laced… or so she thinks.


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

KO: As I mentioned, the Fiona Figg Mysteries are inspired by Agatha Christie. They are also inspired by my love of Elizabeth Peters’s Amelia Peabody series. I’m also a huge fan of Rhys Bowen’s Her Royal Spyness series.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

KO: As I said, I’m on a mission to bring women’s issues to the attention of as many readers as possible. Needless to say, academic philosophy is not very widely read.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

KO: Naomi Hirahara’s brilliant CLARK AND DIVISION. And I fell behind on one of my favorite series, The Perveen Mistry Mysteries by Sujata Massey. So, I’m finishing THE BOMBAY PRINCE. I’ve also fallen in love with Mia Manansala’s Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries.


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

KO: Does caring for three demanding felines count as a hobby? It’s more like a fulltime job. But when I’m not writing, reading, or chasing cats, I like to hike and x-country ski.


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

KO: Sencha green tea. Matcha green tea. Gyokuro green tea. And popcorn.


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

KO: I have a six-book contract with Boldwood Books for The Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mysteries. Two down, four to go. I would like to continue writing the Jessica James Mysteries. And I have a fun idea for a new cozy series—if I ever have time to write it.


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

KO: Inventing worlds where justice for women is real. 

******************************************************************

Chaos at Carnegie Hall by Kelly Oliver Banner

Chaos at Carnegie Hall

by Kelly Oliver

December 5 - 30, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Chaos at Carnegie Hall by Kelly Oliver

Agatha Christie meets Downton Abbey in the Fiona Figg and Kitty Lane Mystery series opener.

Can Fiona catch a killer and find a decent cup of tea before her mustache wax melts?

1917. New York.

Notorious spy, Fredrick Fredricks, has invited Fiona to Carnegie Hall to hear a famous soprano. It’s an opportunity the War Office can’t turn down. Fiona and Clifford are soon on their way, but not before Fiona is saddled with chaperon duties for Captain Hall’s niece. Is Fiona a spy or a glorified babysitter?

From the minute Fiona meets the soprano aboard the RMS Adriatic it’s treble on the high C’s. Fiona sees something—or someone—thrown overboard, and then she overhears a chemist plotting in German with one of her own countrymen!

And the trouble doesn’t stop when they disembark. Soon Fiona is doing time with a group of suffragettes and investigating America’s most impressive inventor Thomas Edison.

When her number one suspect turns up dead at the opera and Fredrick Fredricks is caught red-handed, it looks like it’s finally curtains for the notorious spy.

But all the evidence points to his innocence. Will Fiona change her tune and clear her nemesis’ name? Or will she do her duty? And just what is she going to do with the pesky Kitty Lane? Not to mention swoon-worthy Archie Somersby…

If Fiona’s going to come out on top, she’s going to have to make the most difficult decision of her life: the choice between her head and her heart.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Published by: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: November 2022
Number of Pages: 298
ISBN: 9781804831564
Series: The Fiona Figg Mysteries
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

* * *

Inside, the cabin was the opposite of Hugo Schweitzer’s. Whereas the German’s room was disorderly and repulsive, this man’s berth was tidy and attractive. In fact, it hardly looked occupied. The bed was made in a neat military style. There wasn’t an article of clothing nor a personal item in sight. A faint scent of pine and citrus graced the room. Like a familiar embrace, the uniform order and pleasing smell put me at ease.

Hugo Schweitzer’s disgusting mess had allowed clues to remain hidden in plain sight. This man’s neatness required clever hiding places. Where would I hide a secret document in this room? Under the mattress? In the wardrobe? Sewn inside an article of clothing?

I crossed the room. Getting to the wardrobe was considerably easier than it had been in Schweitzer’s clutter. When I opened the wardrobe, a waft of pine and citrus caressed my nostrils again. I thought of Archie. When would I see him again?

Concentrate, Fiona. Now was not the time to behave like a lovesick schoolgirl.

Two neat suits hung on hangers, spaced apart like sentries guarding a gate. One was a uniform. A British uniform. Could this traitor be in the British army? The other was a black evening suit. Whatever the blackguard was wearing under that trench coat constituted his third and final outfit. There were no more.

Standing to attention at the bottom of the wardrobe were two tall black boots. I bent down to get a closer look. Inside a boot would make a decent hiding place.

“Looking for something?” a man’s voice boomed from behind me.

I gasped and squeezed my eyes shut tight.

If only I were wearing my maid’s costume—although what maid would be cleaning at this time of night? I should have changed into Harold the helpful bellboy. At least then I’d be dressed as a man. As it was, I was wearing a flimsy evening gown and as vulnerable as a lamb in a ship full of wolves. Did I dare turn around and face my accuser?

“Did you find it?” The voice was closer now… and softer… and familiar.

Good heavens. I whipped around and practically flew into his arms. “Archie.”

He chuckled. “I should have known I’d find you breaking into my room.” He pulled me into an embrace. “Fiona. Dear Fiona.” He kissed the top of my head.

I buried my head in his shoulder. Ahhh. The scent of pine and citrus… and those horrible Kenilworth cigarettes. The scent of Lieutenant Archie Somersby.

My heart was racing. From being scared out of my wits, or from being in Archie’s embrace, I didn’t know. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same.” He held me tighter.

“You, first.” I inhaled his familiar presence.

“I will tell you, but only because it’s necessary.” He pulled out of the embrace and held me out at arm’s length. “It’s crucial that you don’t expose me.”

“Expose you?” I had to censor my imagination. His earnest green eyes framed by those dark lashes and that wild lock of chestnut hair falling across his forehead made it deuced difficult.

“I’m on an important mission.” He fortified his countenance with a steely gaze. “You mustn’t let on that you know me. In fact, you should stay away from me.” He pulled a gold pocket watch out of his waistcoat pocket and glanced at it.

I pulled my arm out of his grip. “Does your mission involve Hugo Schweitzer?” My tone was pained, but I couldn’t help it. I wished my feelings for him weren’t so strong. After all, I hardly knew him. Still, I knew he worked for British Intelligence, despite Fredrick Fredricks’s accusations to the contrary. Afterall, who was more trustworthy? A German spy or a British soldier, an especially attractive one too?

Archie tilted his head and gave me a quizzical look. “How did you know?”

“I saw you together earlier on deck.” Without a doubt, the trench coat and fedora Archie was wearing, along with his sleek silhouette and graceful gait, were identical to those of my mysterious compatriot and Hugo Schweitzer’s clandestine companion.

He laughed. “I should have known that was you watching us.” He kissed me on the cheek. “Fiona, you’re an ace. I’ve never met a girl quite like you.” His eyes danced mischievously.

The way he was laughing, I didn’t know whether to be insulted or flattered. Wait a blooming minute. “Did you forget something?” I’d seen that amused expression before. “Why did you return to your cabin?”

“To catch you in the act, love.” Archie grinned.

“So, you saw me in the corridor?”

He raised his eyebrows and nodded. “Afraid so.”

I punched his shoulder. “And instead of saying anything, you pulled this trick?”

“I’m sorry.” He intercepted my hand and brought it to his lips. “Can you forgive me?”

I pulled out of his grip. “Only if you can tell me about Mr. Schweitzer and the chemists’ war.”

“You know I can’t do that.” He sighed. “It’s classified.”

“What does the war have to do with aspirin, the headache remedy?”

He led me to the bed, sat down, and patted the bedcover, inviting me to sit too.

My cheeks flamed. It was only then that I realized I was alone in a gentleman’s room… after midnight, no less. Dilly Knox’s words echoed through my head. “Our Fiona will do anything for King and country, don’t you know.” That only strengthened my resolve. I was on official business and not a romantic getaway.

I took a seat on the bed and tucked my gown tightly around my thighs. “You were going to tell me about aspirin?”

“You’re nothing if not persistent.” Archie smiled and put his arm around my shoulders.

I scooted to the head of the bed and out of his reach. “Aspirin?”

He shook his head. “You really are quite a girl.”

I folded my arms over my chest and glared at him.

“Righto.” His smiled faded. “Aspirin is made from a chemical called phenol.”

Phenol. I’d heard Hugo Schweitzer mention it. And phenol was in the letter from the Kaiser. The Kaiser’s letter. Should I tell Archie about the letter? Or report it to Captain Hall first? “What does phenol have to do with the war?”

“We need phenol to make trinitrotoluene.” Archie gave me a knowing look.

I gave him an ignorant stare in return. “What is trinitrotoluene?”

“TNT.”

“The explosive?”

He nodded.

“Golly.” Still, why did it matter if aspirin and TNT shared one element? How did that affect the war? Could aspirin be turned into an explosive?

“Golly is right.” When he smiled, tiny dimples appeared at the corners of his mouth.

I had to stop myself from reaching across the bed to touch that tempting lock of wavy hair… and those dimples. Stop it, Fiona. You’re on an espionage mission and not on holiday. A holiday with Archie… how divine. Stop! Just stop.

“I’m sorry we can’t work together in the open.” He took my hand and kissed it. “But for now, I’m undercover and I have to stop Schweitzer at all costs.”

“I have a confession.” I sat on my hands to keep from touching him. “I broke into Hugo Schweitzer’s cabin.”

Archie sat up straighter. “Go on.”

“He has a briefcase full of papers and letters… in German.”

“Yes,” Archie said encouragingly.

“One of the letters was from the Kaiser.” I glanced over at him.

“I don’t suppose you can recount the letter verbatim?” He raised his eyebrows. He’d seen me do it before.

“I don’t suppose you have a pencil and paper?” I released my hands from their bondage.

Archie got up and went to the dressing table. He opened the top drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper and then withdrew a pencil from his breast pocket and held it up.

I joined him and sat down at the table.

He placed the paper on the table in front of me and handed me the pencil. “Work your magic, my love.”

My pulse quickened. Did Archie just call me my love? My cheeks warmed. With a smile in my heart, I closed my eyes and let the words form before my mind like captions across a black screen. I didn’t know what they meant, but I could see them as clearly as if I were holding the letter in my hands. I opened my eyes and began setting to paper what I had seen. My hand was flying across the page. When I finished, I scanned my reproduction and then held it up to Archie. He’d been breathing over my shoulder as I wrote, which was deuced distracting.

As he read, the grim look on his face spoke volumes. “Good God,” he gasped. “So that is what they’re up to. And the phenol plot goes all the way to the Kaiser himself.” He dropped the paper on the dressing table. “Schweitzer is siphoning off phenol from the allies on orders from the Kaiser himself.”

Siphoning off phenol. The chemical needed to make explosives. So that was the phenol plot.

The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. “Fiona, you’re a genius.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

His eyes hardened. “I’ve got to stop him.” Archie’s hand trembled as he ran it through his hair. “I’ve got to stop Schweitzer.”

I gazed up at him with as much resolve as I could muster.

“You mean we’ve got to stop him.”

***

Excerpt from Chaos at Carnegie Hall by Kelly Oliver. Copyright 2022 by Kelly Oliver. Reproduced with permission from Kelly Oliver. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Kelly Oliver

Kelly Oliver is the award-winning and bestselling author of three mystery series: the seven-book suspense series, The Jessica James Mysteries; the three-book middle grade series, Pet Detective Mysteries; and the four-book historical cozy series, The Fiona Figg Mysteries.

Chaos at Carnegie Hall is the latest Fiona Figg mystery, and the first to feature sidekick, Kitty Lane.

When she’s not writing novels, Kelly is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University.

To learn more about Kelly and her books, go to:
www.KellyOliverBooks.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @KellyOliverBook
Instagram - @KellyOliverBook
Twitter - @KellyOliverBook
Facebook - @KellyOliverAuthor

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaway entries!

 

 

GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Kelly Oliver. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

Sunday, December 11, 2022

Dumpster Dying - A Review & Giveaway

 Review


DUMPSTER DYING by Michelle Bennington
The First Hazardous Hoarding Mystery 

Birdie Harper lives alone with her treasures. And the ghost of her dead husband. Collecting all manner of things from garage sales and dumpster dives, Birdie finds it painful to throw anything out, though she will gift some things she finds, like the ceramic angel that was a perfect present for Jenna, the young cashier at the local convenience store. When Jenna goes missing Birdie knows something is terribly wrong. With an older sister trying to boss her around and a possible suitor from church, Birdie is determined to uncover the truth behind Jenna's disappearance-no matter the cost.

I really enjoyed my first trip into Birdie Harper's world. I love the realness that is Birdie. She's gone through a lot and is coping the best way she knows how. She's determined, funny, feisty, and kind. Only one thing bothered me a bit. Continually described as an old lady, I was stunned when I discovered she's just a year older than me! In any case, the mystery is intriguing and I love Birdie's determination to help. Excellent character dynamics and a distinct sense of place really drew me in.

One of the things I appreciate most about DUMPSTER DYING is the way in which the hoarding aspect is portrayed. Approached with care and understanding, it is also very realistic from the tingling and obsessive thoughts to the condition of Birdie's home as well her emotions in regard to it all. Birdie is a hoarder, but she is not a caricature.

DUMPSTER DYING is a unique mystery that incorporates timely real life issues making it an outstanding first entry in a new series.

*********************************************************************

 Dumpster Dying: A Hazardous Hoarder Mystery by Michelle Bennington

About Dumpster Dying 

Dumpster Dying: A Hazardous Hoarder Mystery
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Kentucky
Independently Published (September 7, 2022)
Paperback: ‎ 270 pages

Birdie Harper is a widowed hoarder who lives with her husband's ghost. The only thing she enjoys more than a good yard sale is a good dumpster dive. When she finds her latest treasure—a ceramic angel— she knows just who to bring it to.

Jenna Lawson is a cashier at the Blue Market convenience store where Birdie often shops. The two women have formed a strong bond to assuage the losses in their lives, and Birdie thinks of Jenna like the daughter she lost long ago. So, when Jenna goes missing, Birdie is determined to find out what happened to her.

As she works to unravel the mystery, a man at church, Neville Miller, shows interest in Birdie, leading her to wonder if the lonely days are finally coming to an end. But her ghostly husband, Walter, sure isn’t going to like it.

Birdie is on a hunt that may claim the ultimate price—her own life.

 

About Michelle Bennington

 

Born and raised in the beautiful Bluegrass state of Kentucky, Michelle Bennington developed a passion for books early on that has progressed into a mild hoarding situation and an ever-growing to-read pile. She delights in spinning mysteries and histories. Find out more on her website: www.michellebennington.com  

Author Links: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellebenningtonauthor  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.bennington.author/  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22406377.Michelle_Bennington  

Webpage: www.michellebennington.com  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleAuthor/with_replies  

Purchase Link - Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, December 9, 2022

Cold Drip - A Review

 Review


COLD DRIP by Heather Day Gilbert
The Sixth Barks & Beans Cafe Mystery 

It's Thanksgiving week and Macy Hatfield is excited as her boyfriend, Titan, is coming into town for the whole week. Touring the area, the couple go on a self guided tour of the nearby caverns. When the lights suddenly go out a scream pierces the darkness. Apparently one of the socialites fell down a chasm while taking a selfie. When the woman's body isn't found, despite search and rescue efforts, Macy starts looking into the rich woman's social circle. Will Macy be able to enjoy the holiday and time with her family and friends? Or will her search for the truth put her life in jeopardy? 

Snobbishness, cliques, and the rich generally aren't in Macy Hatfield's wheelhouse, but in the sixth Barks and Beans mystery she gets pulled into that set. I enjoyed seeing Macy navigate this world, while also spending time with Titan as well as the wonderful shelter dogs who visit the cafe. There were plenty of suspects to dislike and I enjoyed the surprising twists and turns the investigation took.

COLD DRIP is a well plotted mystery filled with wonderful characters in a charming setting with the added bonus of promoting the adoption of shelter dogs.

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Dumpster Dying by Michelle Bennington. This book is the first in the Hazardous Hoarder Mystery series.

Birdie Harper lives alone with her treasures. And the ghost of her dead husband. Collecting all manner of things from garage sales and dumpster dives, Birdie finds it painful to throw anything out, though she will gift some things she finds, like the ceramic angel that was a perfect present for Jenna, the young cashier at the local convenience store. When Jenna goes missing Birdie knows something is terribly wrong. With an older sister trying to boss her around and a possible suitor from the church, Birdie is determined to uncover the truth behind Jenna's disappearance-no matter the cost.

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

The Socialite's Guide To Murder - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome S. K. Golden to Cozy Up With Kathy today. S. K. writes the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series. THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER is the first book in the series. Stay tuned for my review.


Kathy: THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER is set in an exclusive hotel in New York City in 1958. Why did you choose this setting and time period for your series?

A couple story ideas combined to make my debut, but one of the main ones was: Eloise at the Plaza, all grown up and solving mysteries. The Plaza Hotel is in New York and the Eloise books are set during the 50s, so that’s what inspired those choices. Also, Home Alone 2. Love that movie. And Kevin stays at the Plaza Hotel.


Kathy: Historical mysteries require an extra special brand of research. What's your favorite method to research this time period?

I could talk about the over half dozen books I’ve purchased that go over this time period in detail, but, honestly, my favorite form of research has been watching Marilyn Monroe movies and episodes of Dragnet.


Kathy: In the first Pinnacle Hotel Mystery we meet Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy. Our protagonist is the wealthy daughter of the hotel's owner and is obsessed with fashion and movie stars. Do you follow today's stars?

I have my favorites. For instance, I’ll watch Keira Knightley in anything. I’m a little bit in love with John Bernthal. Just a little bit. Nothing weird. But I think it’s better not to know much about celebrities’ personal lives because it makes it easier to enjoy the character they’re playing.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

My first memories of reading on my own are of checking out the Nancy Drew books from the local library. I didn’t even know what a “cozy mystery” was until I was an adult and it was defined for me: amateur sleuth, no sex, swearing, or violence on the page. A lightbulb went off for me. Psych, the tv show I’d loved as a teenager, was a cozy mystery. Nancy Drew was a cozy mystery. I’ve loved this genre all my life and there’s more of it? There was so much more of it. It was like, when you’re a kid, and you have a favorite Disney princess, and then your parents take you to Disney World for the first time and you get to meet that Disney princess and give her a hug, take a picture with her, get her autograph. That’s what it felt like. Except I was in my twenties.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

I’ve dabbled a bit in creature features (sci-fi) and romantic suspense, but cozy mysteries are my heart.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy is a hotel heiress with anxiety, agoraphobia, and a knack for finding things. She uses her skills and her love of detective novels to solve crimes committed in her father’s hotel.
 

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

In my book or in books I’ve read? My favorite character to write is, thankfully, Evelyn. It’s written in first person point of view, so I have to spend a lot of time in her head. Or, she spends a lot of time in my head? Either way.

My favorite character I’ve read is…hmm. This is hard one. Morwen the Witch from the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede. Or, maybe, Emma from EMMA by Jane Austen. The Luggage, from the Discworld series. I’m gonna end it there, or I’d keep going for way too long. 

 

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

Eloise at the Plaza, Cher from Clueless, Emma from Emma, (while Cher is inspired by Emma and Clueless is an Emma retelling, I’m choosing to view them as separate characters) and Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. And Miss Marple, of course.

 

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

It's been my dream since I was ten to be an author. I’m fortunate enough that my husband’s work allows me to stay home. Now, we have five kids. So, I don’t have a ton of free time to write. But while they’re at school or watching an episode of Sponge Bob, I can get words down. Signing with Crooked Lane and being able to show my kids a real book they can hold in their hands and say, “See? I was working!” has been an absolute dream come true.
 

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

Oooooh! This is gonna be tough to narrow down. Let’s see. Jane Austen, first and foremost. Agatha Christie, of course. Do I do Tolkien and Lewis because they were friends in real life, or do I break from that and invite Terry Pratchett? Final answer: Austen, Christie, Tolkien, and Pratchett. No, wait! Donald Westlake. I’d love to hear him and Christie talk! Darn. Okay. Christie, Westlake, Tolkien and Pratchett. Final final answer. Sorry, Jane. But I think the cross talk between two mystery authors and two fantasy authors would be an amazing experience. (I did name two children after her/her books, so, it’s fine. Well, they are middle names. Still!)

 

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

I’ve got two current reads going. On hardback: The 12 SLAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Jacqueline Frost. And on audio: GENEVA by Richard Armitage (narrated AND written!)

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

I love bullet journaling. I’m a big list person anyway but being able to be creative with it helps me focus on the plans I’m making. Of course, there’s reading. I like to bake – mostly cookies. And I listen to true crime podcasts.

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

Nutella. Sparkling water – been on a La Croix Limencello kick. Mixed berry yogurt. Cheese, spreadable brie. Yum. 

 

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

I’m working on edits for Evelyn’s second book right now. It should be available in the fall of 2023. And the cover is stunning!

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

Having a built-in excuse for daydreaming and talking to myself. No, I’m not weird, I’m an author. Thank you. No, no, put the phone down, I’m fine. I promise. Just look at my internet search history. No, wait! Don’t look at that!

********************************************************************

 The Socialite's Guide to Murder (A Pinnacle Hotel Mystery) by S. K. Golden

About The Socialite's Guide to Murder

The Socialite's Guide to Murder (A Pinnacle Hotel Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
1st in Series Setting - New York City, 1958
Crooked Lane Books (October 11, 2022)
Hardcover: ‎ 320

The hotel was her refuge, but scandal is afoot—and a killer stalks the halls in this charming series debut perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Ashley Weaver.

It’s 1958 and Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy has not left the Pinnacle Hotel in fourteen months. She suffers from agoraphobia, and what’s more, it’s her father’s hotel, and everything she needs is there. Evelyn’s always been good at finding things, she discovered her mother dead in a Manhattan alleyway fifteen years earlier. Now she’s finding trouble inside her sanctuary. At a party for artist Billie Bell, his newest work is stolen, and Evelyn’s fake boyfriend (and real best friend), movie star Henry Fox, is accused of the theft. But just as Evelyn sets out to prove Henry’s innocence, she finds Billie Bell dead.

The murder weapon links the crime to the hotel’s chief of security. But why would he use a knife with his initials on the handle? With her beloved home in disarray, Evelyn joins up with hotel employee (and her secret crush) Mac Cooper to get to the bottom of the case.

As Mac picks locks and Evelyn snoops around the hotel, they discover the walls around them contain more secrets than they previously knew. Now, Evelyn must force herself to leave the hotel to follow the clues—but when she and Mac set off to chase a lead, their car crashes and they barely escape with their lives. Someone snipped Evelyn’s brake lines, and now the stakes have become dangerously high.

Evelyn’s knack for sleuthing—and her playful imagination—are always hard at work, and she throws an elaborate party at the hotel where every guest is a suspect. But will the killer emerge from the glamorous lineup? If not, Evelyn just might find herself…next in line for murder.

About S. K. Golden

Sarah K Golden is the author of the cozy mystery Murder at the Pinnacle Hotel. Born and raised in the Florida Keys, she married a commercial fisherman. The two of them still live on the islands with their five kids (one boy, four girls — including identical twins!), two cats, and a corgi named Goku. She graduated from Saint Leo University with a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Administration and has put it to good use approximately zero times. She’s worked as a bank teller, a pharmacy technician, and an executive assistant at her father’s church. Sarah is delighted to be doing none of those things now. She is currently working on book two in the Evelyn Murphy series.

Author Links

  Purchase Links: PenguinRandomHouse - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - IndieBound -

  a Rafflecopter giveaway