A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder - A Review

 Review

A NEWLYWED'S GUIDE TO FORTUNE AND MURDER by Dianne Freeman
The Sixth Countess of Harleigh Mystery

While George Hazelton has a new mission recovering a book for the British Museum, his new wife, Frances, the Countess of Harleigh, has her own assignment, preparing a young woman's presentation to the Queen. Instead of finding the irascible woman who asked for her help while she and her family were in mourning, Frances discovers a woman nearly insensible! How could the Vicountess Lady Winstead become so ill so quickly? The equally irascible Lady Esther is certain that someone is harming her old friend and demands Frances uncover the truth. Could the niece Lady Winstead is sponsoring be poisoning her? Everyone knows there's no love loss between the vicountess and her stepchildren, could they be behind it? As George's mission intersects with Frances's, the newlyweds will have to work together before it's too late!

Class expectations, familial machinations, and greed are at the center of the sixth Countess of Harleigh Mystery. We also get to see diametrically opposed families; Lady Winstead's horrible household versus the Hazelton's caring one. France's aunt and George's sister jump right in to help...even Hetty's beau joins in, whereas the pretentious Lord Jonathon and insouciant Si and Vi are most unpleasant...and possibly worse. While Frances already has reason to dislike the members of Lady Winstead's household, Kate's behavior certainly doesn't engender trust. 

I absolutely love this series, from the bantering love of Frances and Hazelton to the complex mystery provided. There's humor and many twists and turns as almost everyone appears guilty! I love seeing George and Frances work together, at their relationship as well as in their "jobs". I also like that the book shines a light on the use, and misuse, of laudanum, and the lengths some people go to in order to control women...and finances.

With fascinating historical detail A NEWLYWED'S GUIDE TO FORTUNE AND MURDER is a brilliantly crafted mystery that kept me engaged from page one.

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder by Dianne Freeman. This book is the sixth in the Countess of Harleigh mystery and was released yesterday.

While George Hazelton has a new mission recovering a book for the British Museum, his new wife, Frances, the Countess of Harleigh, has her own assignment, preparing a young woman's presentation to the Queen. Instead of finding the irascible woman who asked for her help while she and her family were in mourning, Frances discovers the woman nearly insensible! How could the Dowager Vicountess become so ill so quickly? The equally irascible Lady Esther, is certain that someone is harming her old friend and demands Frances uncover the truth. Could the niece the vicountess was sponsoring be poisoning her? Everyone knows there's no love loss between her and her stepchildren, could they be behind it? As George's mission intersects with Frances's, the newlyweds will have to work together before it's too late!

Misfortune Cookie - A Review

 Review

MISFORTUNE COOKIE by Vivien Chien
The Ninth Noodle Shop Mystery

After coming too close to a killer for comfort Noodle House Manager Lana Lee has agreed to stop her sleuthing. To remove herself even more, Lana is headed to California. Her mother has paid for her to attend a restaurant convention and her sister, Anna May has decided to come along. The sisters also get to hang out with their Aunt Grace and stay at one of her rental properties. Grace is happy to show off her nieces at a work cocktail party, but a crash and screams pierce the night. A woman has fallen off the roof to her death. The woman happens to be Grace's good friend and the woman Lana saw involved in a confrontation at the convention. Much to Anna May's dismay Lana Lee is once again involved in murder. 

It's fun to see characters out of their usual environs, and I don't blame Lana and Anna May for leaving the December cold of Cleveland behind them to enjoy sunny California. It was also nice to see Lana more as a business professional...kind of...and getting to see Anna May cook, showcasing a skill we don't usually see from her. While I miss the Mahjong Mavens and the other regulars, MISFORTUNE COOKIE was a golden opportunity to explore the relationship between the sisters. I love how Lana and Anna May's relationship mirrors that of Grace and Mrs. Lee. Indeed, sisters make up the heart of the ninth Noodle Shop Mystery. Differences, similarities, bickering, and the complex relationship sisters share all play a part in this mystery.

I really enjoyed the complex mystery found in MISFORTUNE COOKIE and how Lana brings her investigatory skills to a new place, going so far as stopping at CVS to get a notebook! While I may be missing the Mahjong Matrons there are a lot of volatile characters in their place. That fortune cookie woman is a piece of work and it was fascinating to watch the characters interact, from suspicious co-workers to the "better than thou" husband, and more. And as for volatile, the final confrontation scene was a dramatic, pulse pounding thrill!

Fortune cookies, bubble tea, and sisters, MISFORTUNE COOKIE brings Cleveland to California in an exciting murder mystery.

Collecting Can Be Murder - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Jennifer S. Alderson back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Jennifer writes the Carmen de Luca Art Sleuth Mystery series. COLLECTING CAN BE MURDER Is the first book in the series and was released last month.

Kathy: You start a new series with COLLECTING CAN BE MURDER. What made you decide to add something new? 

JSA: After finishing book nine of my second mystery series, I decided to try start writing a new art-focused mystery series that would be, qua setting and feel, a mashup of Antiques Roadshow and the Thomas Crown Affair. The idea of combining those high- and low-brow worlds fascinated me!

The lead character, Carmen De Luca, is an art sleuth who hunts down priceless objects stolen from media-shy owners and cultural organizations located around the world. Her employer, The Rosewood Agency, is a private organization funded by a reclusive billionaire who encourages his operatives to do whatever is necessary to complete their assignment – even if it means breaking a few laws along the way. However, Carmen is not allowed to used weapons, but instead has to rely on her wits, martial arts skills, and a bottle of chloroform to get the job done.

I spend a lot of my free time in galleries and museums, and wanted to write about a character who was somehow involved with art and culture, yet did not work for a museum. The idea of making her an art sleuth was my way of giving Carmen a good reason to solve mysteries and travel for her work!


Kathy: Carmen De Luca is an art sleuth. Do you enjoy art? What's your favorite style?

JSA: Art is one of my great passions, and the reason why I moved to the Netherlands from Seattle, Washington in 2004! After studying art history in Amsterdam, I was lucky enough to work for several museums before the cultural sector imploded and I had difficulty finding another fulltime position. That’s when I decided to combine my love of writing and culture by writing four art mysteries (Zelda Richardson Mysteries), before moving on to the Travel Can Be Murder series. With the Carmen De Luca series, I’m going back to my first love, yet in a different way than the Zelda books. Whereas they are fast-paced and heavy on history, the De Luca novels are lighter in tone and the mysteries are a bit sillier.

I’m most partial to the bold colors and emotionally expressive, post-impressionistic art – Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Odilon Redon are great examples and some of my favorite artists. It’s fitting, I think, that I now live in the same city that houses one of the world’s best collections of post-impressionistic artwork – The Van Gogh Museum!


Kathy: In her first assignment Carmen and her partner have to recover a rare medieval prayer book from an eccentric collector. Why choose this unique treasure?

JSA: The impetus to actually write the first Carmen De Luca story was an invitation to write a short story for a charity anthology – and the theme was books! To choose which kind of book would be central to the mystery, I posted a poll on my Facebook page and in my newsletter and let my readers decide. They chose overwhelmingly for an illuminated manuscript because (according to their comments) they hadn’t read many mysteries featuring a medieval prayerbook.

I enjoyed writing the short story, but had to cut most of it to fit the length. It felt like a waste to throw away a perfectly good mystery, so I took the unabridged version and turned it into a full-length novel with a larger cast of characters and a different killer, than the short story.


Kathy: There have been many famous, or I should say infamous, art heists throughout the ages. Many still unsolved. Have any of these particularly intrigued you?

JSA: There are so many fascinating art heists, yet the Gardner Heist remains the most intriguing. Probably because there are so many twists and turns, as well as suspects who’ve admitted to the theft, only to later recount their testimony. In 1990 on Saint Patrick’s Day, thirteen masterpieces of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, yet to this day there is not one solid lead as to their whereabouts. I’m clearly not the only one who is captivated by this mystery, because there is a Netflix documentary about the thefts, as well as an ongoing podcast about the possible thieves and the missing paintings’ location called Empty Frames, as well as several other news specials.


Kathy: When it comes to writing I understand there are 2 general camps-plotters, who diligently plot their stories, and pansters, who fly by the seat of their pants. Are you a plotter, a panster, or do you fall somewhere in between?

JSA: I’m somewhere in between. I do spend quite a bit of time writing out a detailed thirty- to fifty-page outline of the chapters and major plot twists before I begin flushing the chapters out. Yet inevitably, halfway through, I’ll change my mind about the ending, and often who the killer should be. As a result, I tend to spend the majority of my writing time working on the first half, and then speed write the new ending.


Kathy: Authors are required to do a lot of their own marketing, especially for a new release. What's your favorite part of marketing your work? What do you dislike about marketing?

JSA: It’s fun to interact with readers via Facebook and my newsletter. However, because the social media landscape is constantly evolving, I do tend to feel like there is always a new medium I should be learning about or getting involved with.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

JSA: In Book Two – A STATUE TO DIE FOR – Carmen has to sleuth out who killed a washed-up Hollywood film director who has been murdered by a Maltese Falcon statue - and in a locked room, no less! Movie moguls, priceless props, and long-buried secrets make for a deadly combination in this delightful mystery that is sure to appeal to fans of cozy crime and amateur sleuth mysteries.

In Book Three – FORGERIES AND FATALITIES – Carmen is trying to figure out if a respectable gallery owner is involved in a forgery ring or not. Her investigation leads her into the shadowy world of art smuggling and the mafia! 

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Review

COLLECTING CAN BE MURDER by Jennifer S. Alderson
The First Carmen de Luca Art Sleuth Mystery

Called back from retirement, art sleuth Carmen De Luca is on assignment, tasked with verifying the medieval prayer book owned by Harold Moreau is, in fact, stolen. Plans go awry when a bookshelf falls as Harold is showing off his collection to Carmen. When she regains consciousness she finds Harold dead and the prayer book gone. A raging storm prevents the arrival of the police as it also stops anyone from leaving. Someone at the villa must be the culprit, but who? Carmen will do what she can to recover the book and in doing so may solve a murder too.

I love the premise of the Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mystery series; tracking down stolen artwork so that it can be returned to the rightful owner. I also appreciate the fact that Carmen is a mature protagonist. I really enjoyed learning about the medieval prayer books and could easily visualize these little treasures.

Even though Carmen has a great backstory and the characters are interesting, I found them to be two dimensional. They never drew me in and I found that I didn't really care about any of them. I did, however, like Detective Nobel and felt his character had a lot of promise.

One thing really bothered me, something the author should have known or an editor should have caught. A song was described that was obviously Cat's in the Cradle. However, the author called it Cat's Cradle and said it was by Cat Stevens. Cat Stevens never wrote a song entitled Cat's Cradle (although he did have a compilation album by that title- but there is no song by that name on it). Harry Chapin wrote Cat's in the Cradle. 

COLLECTING CAN BE MURDER brings great artwork and mystery together in this new series.

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 Collecting Can Be Murder (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries) by Jennifer S. Alderson

About Collecting Can Be Murder

Collecting Can Be Murder (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - France
Traveling Life Press (May 31, 2023)
Approximately 250 Pages

Coming out of retirement can be deadly…

After tragedy struck three years earlier, art sleuth Carmen De Luca vowed to never work in the field again. But fifty is too young to fill her days with water aerobics and bingo, so when her former partner calls and begs for her help, Carmen gladly agrees.

Yet after their first assignment – the recovery of a rare medieval prayer book from an eccentric collector living in rural France – goes horribly wrong, Carmen ends up in the crosshairs of both the local police and a murderer!

With her target dead and the stolen book missing, she and her partner will have to pull out all of the stops to sleuth out the true killer’s identity – before their stay in France becomes permanent.

Introducing Carmen De Luca, an art sleuth with a nose for mystery and the job of locating valuable artwork stolen from museums around the world. If you love strong and resourceful heroines, puzzling mysteries, and a dash of art history, pick up Collecting Can Be Murder now!

Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries: Book One: Collecting Can Be Murder Book Two: A Statue To Die For More adventures coming soon!

These mysteries contain no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.

About Jennifer S. Alderson

 

Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, grew up in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she lived in Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. Jennifer’s love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, her Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and her Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels. When not writing, she can be found perusing a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip. For more information about the author and her upcoming novels, please visit http://www.JenniferSAlderson.com.  

 

Author Links: 

Website: http://www.jennifersalderson.com  

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferSAldersonauthor  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSAauthor  

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JSAauthor  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-s-alderson  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JennifeSAlderson  

Purchase Link - Amazon  

 

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Fatal Fudge Swirl - A Review

 Review

FATAL FUDGE SWIRL by Meri Allen
The Third Ice Cream Shop Mystery 

Despite the cooler temperatures of late October business is booming at Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop as tourists and locals alike line up for delicious frozen treats. Not only that, shop manager Riley Rhodes has been commissioned to make the Halloween themed wedding cake for the celebrated owner of the Inn on the Green. The whole town is buzzing with excitement, not only about Diantha's wedding, but the fact that a film company has come to town to film the latest Skylark production. There will be no happy wedding bells, however, when the bride-to-be is found dead. A tragic accident? Or something more nefarious? 

If Halloween, a wedding, and a film crew aren't enough, add in relationship issues, staff shortages, and star struck citizens and you have an intricate mystery with lots of moving parts. I really enjoyed the twists and turns made by those movable pieces. Lots of new characters with overlapping connections and a variety of plotlines kept me involved, curious how everything would ultimately be tied together. While there was a lot going on, everything fit together without superfluous bits.

I love how Riley's CIA background makes her a smart and unobtrusive sleuth. Respectful of local law enforcement, with a keen eye and mind, she has a unique ability to ferret out the truth. I really got a kick out of Sprinkles, not only her behavior, but how others react to her! I enjoy this series so much, and the third Ice Cream Shop Mystery kept me involved with not only a great mystery, but delicious sounding ice creams (with an odd one or two), captivating relationships, and an exciting hint at what's coming next. It's not just gelato!

Multiple paths converge in FATAL FUDGE SWIRL creating a chilling new mystery.

Murder to My Ears - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Rebecca McKinnon back to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Rebecca writes the Octavia Fields Mystery Series. MURDER TO MY EARS is the first book in the series and will be released next week.

Kathy: In MURDER TO MY EARS we meet Octavia Fields. She could be considered a modern day hippie in that, among other things, she's fairly nomadic and doesn't like commitments... or shoes. Do you share any of her unique traits?

RM: You’re starting with the hardest question! While Octavia is definitely her own person, there’s so much more of ME in this character than in any other one I’ve written. I (usually) wear shoes when I go places that expect them, but I prefer no shoes. I’d love to wander the world the way Octavia gets to! Octavia and I also have music in common. And while Octavia owns her violin shop, I worked in one for a couple of years. I feel like Octavia is similar to who I could have become if my life had gone in a different direction.

Kathy: Aerie Pines, where Octavia spends her summers, is classical music central and home to the Aerie Peaks Symphony. Do you enjoy classical music? Who are some of your favorite composers and/or pieces? (I'm more of an opera fan, but love Ravel's Bolero among others.)

RM: I love Bolero, too! I grew up on classical music, and some of the pieces are so much a part of me that I hear them and it’s like my soul is breathing. That’s a very Octavia thing to say, and it may not make sense, but it’s the best way I can describe it. In the book, Octavia plays one of my favorites: Harold in Italy. But there are so many pieces I love that I could list them all day.

Kathy: Octavia is a violist. What made you choose this instrument for her? Do you play any instruments?

RM: Like Octavia, I’m a violist. Not only did it feel like the natural thing to have Octavia pick up the instrument I know best, but personality went into the decision as well. There are exceptions, of course, but musicians tend to be drawn to an instrument based on their personality. That’s something I wanted to play with a little bit.

Kathy: Octavia directly speaks to the reader at times. What made you decide to break the fourth wall?

RM: I can’t take credit for that decision. That was all Octavia! It’s not something I’d normally consider, but with her personality it felt like it worked, so I let her keep it.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

RM: I love the puzzle of a mystery. Cozy mysteries drew me in as a reader with the lighter feel and the fact that they gave me a chance to participate in the investigation without needing the degree in forensic science some mysteries leave me feeling I need in order to solve the puzzle myself.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

RM: Since I write for myself first, I have a hard time staying in one lane. I like to go wherever my imagination takes me. That said, I’ve been trying to settle in with the cozy mysteries. Other books I have include a vigilante origin story, a time-travel romance, steampunk, a YA trilogy with some definite romance and a splinter world, and some shorter stories in a variety of genres that I did for a podcast.


Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

RM: Octavia’s series is all about taking that quirky side character we all love and putting her in the spotlight as the main character. My other cozy series, the Clear Creek Mysteries, has a backdrop of a yarn store—but it’s really all about community and friendship, and the ways people support the friends and family they care so much about.


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

RM: My favorite character changes depending on my mood. But I really love Detective Price. He’s very genuine, in a way I don’t think many people are.

 

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

RM: I knew I wanted to do a series that had classical music as the backdrop, because music played such a big role in who I’ve become. Since cozies like to have small, tight-knit communities, I decided the camp-type setting would be perfect. Aerie Pines was created as kind of a cross between some of the different summer music programs I’ve attended.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

RM: I always worry when I start a new project that no one will want to read it. But I have an amazing friend who helps me get past that and reminds me that I’m writing because the stories need to break out of me—and that every story deserves to be told. Because I wouldn’t have been brave enough to share it without her, MURDER TO MY EARS is dedicated to her.

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

RM: I think any of the big names I can think of at the moment (Agatha Christie) would thoroughly intimidate me! I have a group of author friends who get together every so often, and I think I’d be happier sharing a meal with them than anyone else, even if there are 8 of us instead of 4.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

RM: ROYAL REBEL by Heather Frost
 

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

RM: I’m a knitter, and I love to play in the garden and make messes in the kitchen. I also really love going on adventures (even if I have to turn a trip to the grocery store into one)!

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

RM: Cheese, bread, fruit, popsicles.

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

RM: I definitely have more Octavia coming. I also have some other irons in the fire that I can’t talk about yet.

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

RM: I love getting to play with my imaginary friends all day.

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Review

MURDER TO MY EARS by Rebecca McKinnon
The First Octavia Fields Mystery 

 

Ludwig Baylor was a persnickity man, always looking to argue with anyone and everyone at Aerie Pines. So a confrontation about a violin string at Octavia's shop was nothing out of the ordinary. What was out of the ordinary was when Octavia went to deliver a bow to violinist Tatiana and found Ludwig dead instead.  

 

MURDER TO MY EARS gives plenty of laughs, a few thrills, and great character dynamics. Octavia Fields is a unique and fun protagonist. Living by her own rules, with her head often in the clouds and her shoes off her feet, she finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. The first Octavia Fields Mystery is filled with fun and quirky characters, from Octavia's closest friend, who happens to be the biggest gossip and flirt, and her employees who don't want her messing up their store to the members of law enforcement, the down to earth Irene and the dashing Detective Price.

 

With a symphonic summer camp vibe the first Octavia Fields Mystery brings down the house. Its intricate plot, unique classical music setting, and compelling characters make a great start to a new series. MURDER TO MY EARS is music to my ears.

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 Murder To My Ears (An Octavia Fields Mysteries) by Rebecca McKinnon

About Murder to My Ears

Murder To My Ears (An Octavia Fields Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Independently Published (June 30, 2023)
Print Length: 260 pages

Octavia Fields should know better than to judge things by their appearance. After all, most people don’t expect a nomadic hippie to be a classical violist—let alone one who runs a seasonal music shop at Aerie Pines, the summer home of the Aerie Peaks Symphony.

But when her business season starts off on the wrong note, it’s obviously the persnickety concertmaster’s fault. If he hadn’t turned up dead—leaving Octavia to find his body— she wouldn’t have to deal with the handsome detective who isn’t sure what to think of her impressive arrest record.

With symphony members cornering Octavia to pass on “evidence” by way of sotto-voce rumors, it shouldn’t surprise her to learn the helpful musicians aren’t the only ones who believe Octavia’s helping with the investigation. When a threatening letter arrives, it’s clear the killer thinks she’s playing harmony to the detective, too.

When the detective doesn’t appear to be making progress on the case, Octavia decides it’s up to her to solve the mystery—before the killer hears their cue to silence her!

About Rebecca McKinnon

Rebecca McKinnon enjoys playing with her imaginary friends and introducing them to others through her writing. She dreams of living in the middle of nowhere but has been unable to find an acceptable location that wouldn’t require crossing an ocean.

Website/Social Media Links:  

Website – https://rebeccamckinnon.com/  

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaMcKinnonAuthor  

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rebeccamckinnon_author/?hl=en  

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4993788.Rebecca_McKinnon  

Purchase Link – Amazon -

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien. This book is the ninth in the Noodle Shop Mystery series and will be released June 27, 2023.

After coming too close to a killer for comfort Noodle House Manager Lana Lee has agreed to stop her sleuthing. To remove herself even more, Lana is headed to California. Her mother has paid for her to attend a restaurant convention and her sister, Anna May has decided to come along. The sisters also get to hang out with their Aunt Grace and stay at one of her rental properties. Grace is happy to show off her nieces at a work cocktail party, but a crash and screams pierce the night. A woman has fallen off the roof to her death. The woman happens to be Grace's good friend and the woman Lana saw involved in a confrontation at the convention. Much to Anna May's dismay Lana Lee is once again involved in murder.

Paint Me a Crime - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Holly Yew to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Holly writes the Rose Shore Mystery series. Paint Me a Crime is the first book in the series and was released last week.

Kathy: In Paint Me a Crime we meet Jessamine Rhodes, an art curator who has left a prominent gallery to open a small town community art center. Do you enjoy going to art galleries?

Yes, but it is something I have only done a handful of times. I live out in the middle of nowhere, and there’s not much of anything around, much less an art gallery.

Kathy: Have you ever been part of a community art center? Do you create art?

No, I haven’t been part of a community art center, just lots of arts and crafts programs at summer camps when I was a kid.

Kathy: Jessamine's first class is a watercolor class. Do you enjoy watercolors? What's your favorite artistic medium?

I haven’t created any art in many years, but I used to enjoy using pastels. A sneak peek for book two of the Rose Shore Mysteries is that it opens with a pastels class.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

The first cozy mystery I ever read was a Tea Shop Mystery by Laura Childs. It was Scones & Bones, which is right in the middle of the series. I randomly saw it on a library shelf and thought a mystery about both tea and pirates sounded like a lot of fun! After I read a few cozy mysteries, I wanted to try writing fiction, and I liked the idea of creating a puzzle for readers to solve like the cozy mystery genre is known for.
 

Do you write in any other genres?

Not currently, though I’d love to write something historical one day.

Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

My series takes place in the fictional town of Rose Shore in the not-so-fictional Okanagan, BC, Canada. Jessamine, the owner of the local art center, gets caught up in solving murder mysteries in her beloved town. Her friends and adorable pet beagle join in the adventures.
 

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

Andrew Marsh is my favorite character. He is the admin assistant at the Rose Shore Community Art Center and has a great sense of humor. I like having a comic relief side character who is also a very caring friend for Jessamine to count on.

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

I was inspired by a writing prompt that said, “A painting goes missing in broad daylight. There were numerous people in the room, but no one saw anything.”

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

I don’t really have a clear answer for that. There was no moment where I decided I wanted to be a published author because everything happened one step at a time. After I finished writing Paint Me A Crime and had edited and revised it numerous times, I pitched it to agents and was offered representation. After editing it and revising it numerous times again, we sent it off to publishers.

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

- Deanna Raybourn because I love the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, and I want to learn about her research process for historical mysteries set in Victorian England.

- Julie Anne Lindsey because I think she has a great sense of humor and would be a lot of fun to hang out with.

- Jane Austen, which is a big cliché, I know, but I want one dead author at this dinner part just to keep things interesting. Plus, I’d love for her to learn that her novels stood the test of time and became some of the most well-known books in the world.

- Christina Lauren, which I know is cheating a bit, but then I would get a bonus author!

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading the Library Lover’s Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay. I just finished book five, On Borrowed Time, and am waiting for my hold on book six, A Likely Story, to come in at my local library. I’m also currently reading Cold Brew Corpse by Tara Lush and Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

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

I like to bake and often bake with my son, which is always a messy adventure as he is only two years old, but he loves helping in the kitchen.

I also love to travel and have been to over twenty countries.
 

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

- Fruit of all kinds
- Bagels
- Taco seasoning
- Ice cream (though that is in the freezer)


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

I have written two more books in the Rose Shore Mysteries, both of which are waiting for copy edits, and I actually have another series debuting later this year. Murder by the Seashore, book one of the California Bookshop Mysteries will be releasing on October 17. This new book is about a bookshop owner who finds the dead body of a mysterious customer underneath the pier near her shop.

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

I love creating settings that I would love to visit or live in myself, both in terms of idyllic locales and the close-knit communities that are so common in cozy mysteries.   

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 Paint Me a Crime (A Rose Shore Mystery) by Holly Yew

About Paint Me A Crime

Paint Me a Crime (A Rose Shore Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting – Okanagan Valley in BC, Canada
Touchpoint Press (June 13, 2023)
Paperback: ‎ 252 pages

Art curator Jessamine Rhodes has left behind her gig at a prominent gallery in the city to open her own community art center in the small town of Rose Shore. She’s all set to host an extravagant opening watercolors class and has even booked a famous artist to teach it. Gabriella Everhart brings along her priceless painting Tranquil to showcase as the centerpiece of the event. The opening class is just wrapping up when suddenly Tranquil disappears before Jessamine’s eyes. Next, the lights of the art center flicker out and leave the crowd in complete darkness as a scream pierces the air. To her horror, Jessamine’s flashlight reveals that prestigious art collector Victor Carlisle has been murdered, and now her dreams are as shattered as the champagne glass found near the scene. Determined to save her now teetering reputation, Jessamine sets out to search for answers and the missing painting on her own. She has invested everything into her art center and is too anxious to step back and do nothing. Along the way, she teams up with a handsome paramedic who seems to have his own reasons for wanting justice for Victor’s tragedy.

About Holly Yew

After having called many places around the world home, Holly Yew has settled in the Okanagan, BC with her husband, son, and two rescue dogs. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s playing the piano, watching Star Wars, or enjoying a Dole Whip in Disneyland.

Holly is a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers. She loves connecting with other writers and bookworms on social media, and you can find her at hollyyew.com.

Author Links: 

Website https://hollyyew.com/  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/samara.yew.books  

Twitter https://twitter.com/HollyYew  

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/holly.yew.author/  

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Murder at the Pontchartrain - An Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Kathleen Kaska to Cozy Up With Kathy. Kathleen writes the Sydney Lockhart Mystery series. Murder at the Pontchartrain is the sixth book in the series and was released last week.

Kathy: The Sydney Lockhart Mystery series is set in the 1950s. Why choose this timeframe?

KK: I was born in the 1950s. I love the decade’s fashion, music, and movies. It was an exciting time for women. WWII had ended, and more women were claiming their independence and entering the workforce. I wanted my protagonist to be a young woman ahead of her time, struggling to make it in a man’s world.

Kathy: In Murder at the Pontchartrain, Sydney, and her boyfriend/partner have come to the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans to get married. New Orleans has a truly unique ambiance with voodoo and hauntings being the norm. How have these things influenced your book?

KK: A book set in New Orleans calls for elements of voodoo, which I included in the story. My Sydney Lockhart series is a lighthearted and humorous cozy. In Murder at the Pontchartrain, which comes out on June 28, one of the victims visits the House of Voodoo in the French Quarter because she believes her hateful deceased husband is abusing her from his grave. As a result, Sydney’s investigation begins with a visit to the current voodoo queen, the historic St. Louis Cemetery, and eventually to the nearby swamps where she came close to being lost forever.

Kathy: Sydney relies on Rip Thigbee, a ghost detective. Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever had a ghostly encounter?

KK: Tough questions. There is so much we don’t know, and more we can’t understand. I like to think that the human mind has not yet evolved to understand the strange phenomena that occasionally occur. I’ve never had a ghostly encounter, but I have experienced odd happenings that I couldn’t explain. One time I just started reading A Son of a Circus by John Irving. The novel begins with a family of circus dwarfs. I was on page two when I heard a racket coming from a vacant lot next door. I went to investigate and found a family of dwarfs in an old station wagon, listening to rock music. My husband, still to this day, thinks I imbibed too much wine.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

KK: I love reading cozies. They are void of explicit violence and sex, and most are humorous. I read other mystery genres, but reading and writing cozies help me relax and put me in a good mood. Who doesn't like to laugh? Some of my favorite cozy authors are Carl Hiaasen, Spenser Quinn, Elizabeth Peters, Ben Rehder, and Janet Evanovich. Several readers have told me that my Sydney Lockhart series reminds them of Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. Sydney has also been compared to the delightful Mrs. Maisel character from the Amazon Prime series.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

KK: I just completed a hardboiled detective story set in Manhattan in the 1940s. Since I love reading Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and Mickey Spillane, I wanted to try writing a gritty detective story. I had great fun delving into New York City of long ago. My protagonist is a down-and-out ex-cop who lands a high-profile case. It’s his one big chance to pull himself out of the Hell’s Kitchen gutter he calls home. I lived in Manhattan in the 80s when Hell’s Kitchen was a rough, dangerous neighborhood. I think that’s when the seed for this mystery began to germinate.

I also wrote three mystery trivia books on Agatha Christie, Alfred Hitchcock, and Sherlock Holmes. The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book is in its third printing.


Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

KK: Allow me to use a fellow author’s flattering review of the Sydney Lockhart series. “What is it like reading a Sydney Lockhart mystery? Picture, if you will, Carl Hiaasen writing a classic film noir featuring the zany, red-haired reporter Sydney Lockhart who somehow gets herself into more tight situations than Lucille Ball did in a whole season of I Love Lucy.”

My Kate Caraway Animal-Rights Series is a suspense mystery. Each book centers around an animal-right issue in which my protagonist, Kate Caraway, finds herself caught in the middle of doing what’s right and what's ethical, which are not always the same. She’s not a vigilante, but she's relentless when it comes to righting a wrong.


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

KK: In my Sydney series? It’s hard not to love all the characters, even the bad guys. In Murder at the Driskill, the fourth in the series, Lydia LaBeau showed up, and I instantly fell in love with this girl. She was a big hit with many of my readers, too, so she’s going to stick around. Lydia is twelve years old and possesses the wisdom of a seventy-year-old. She runs her neer-do-well’s father’s live theater in downtown Austin. Having a prop and costume room at her disposal, Lydia often dresses in whatever reflects the case Sydney is trying to solve. In Murder at the Pontchartrain, her chosen costume was that of a voodoo queen.


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

KK: Since I love reading humorous mysteries, I wanted to try writing one. Sydney showed up in my imagination and began to tell her story. I just had to listen and write it down. Thankfully, Sydney has not stopped talking.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

KK: I love writing. It’s an excellent way to connect with people; to do that, I needed to publish my work.

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

KK: I used to work in marketing at a publishing company. Brainstorming ideas with my colleagues was a blast, and those sessions enhanced my creativity. So, at this special dinner party, I would invite Agatha Christie, Martha Grimes, Raymond Chandler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

KK: I’m rereading Martha Grimes’ Richard Jury series to get in the right frame of mind because I’m working on a British crime mystery. Grimes is a fabulous writer and a true inspiration. She’s a master of metaphors. Looking through her books on my bookshelf, you will find that many of the sentences are highlighted because they deserve to be reread.


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

KK: I love the outdoors and spend a lot of time birding. I also enjoy running, and I do two or three marathons a year. I have the most fun attending baseball games with my husband and hanging out with my three fabulous sisters.


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

KK: You will always find a bottle of gin in my freezer, and olives, leafy lettuce, blueberries, bananas, lemons, and almond milk in the fridge. I always stock sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, oatmeal, and olive oil in the pantry. As you might guess, my husband and I dine out a lot.


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

KK: I have three hotels on my list for the next three Sydney Lockhart mysteries. And I have a list of hotels suggested to me by my readers. I just hope I get to all of them.

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

Creating something out of my imagination. Writing is an art that doesn’t require going to the store for supplies. I also get to meet other authors and readers.

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 Murder at the Pontchartrain by Kathleen Kaska

About Murder at the Pontchartrain

Murder at the Pontchartrain
Cozy Mystery (Humorous) 6th in Series
Setting - New Orleans, Louisiana
Anamcara Press LLC (June 15, 2023)
Paperback: ‎ 280 pages

“My name is Sydney Lockhart. I solve murders, most of which I’m the primary suspect.

My boyfriend/partner, Ralph Dixon, and I came to the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans to get married. Instead, Dixon’s in jail for a double murder. I’m in a swamp, spying on the KKK. Helping me untangle this mess is my bubble-headed cousin Ruth who’s undercover as a chef at the Pontchartrain. My twelve-year-old charge, Lydia LaBeau, dressed as a voodoo queen, is looking for clues at Pat O’Brien’s in the French Quarter. Rip Thigbee, a ghost detective, is my only hope.

I’m not making any of this up. This is my life and this is what I deal with, like it or not. So, mix yourself a Hurricane and join me in the Big Easy for another historic hotel murder case.”

About Kathleen Kaska

Kathleen Kaska is the author of the awarding-winning mystery series: the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s and the Kate Caraway Animal-Rights Mystery Series. Her first two Lockhart mysteries, Murder at the Arlington and Murder at the Luther, were selected as bonus books for the Pulpwood Queen Book Group, the country’s largest book group. She also writes mystery trivia. The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book was published by Rowman & Littlefield. Her Holmes short story, “The Adventure at Old Basingstoke,” appears in Sherlock Holmes of Baking Street, a Belanger Books anthology. She is the founder of The Dogs in the Nighttime, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Anacortes, Washington, a scion of The Baker Street Irregulars. Watch for Murder at the Pontchartrain: the 6^th Sydney Lockhart Mystery in June 2023.

Author Links:

Website http://www.kathleenkaska.com  

Twitter https://twitter.com/KKaskaAuthor  

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/kathleenkaska  

Instgram https://www.instagram.com/kathleenkaska/  

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=Kathleen%20Kaska  

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/www.kathleenkaska.com  

Purchase Links - Anamcara Press - Amazon