Friday, April 11, 2025

No Roast for the Weary - A Review & Giveaway

Review

NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY by Cleo Coyle
The Twenty-First Coffeehouse Mystery

Manager and master coffee roaster Clare Cosi is worried. With a troubling economy and many people working remotely the Village Blend has noticed a dramatic decrease in business. The truth is the coffeehouse is in financial trouble. In order to turn things around the baristas decide to restart the Writer's Block Lounge. The upstairs portion of the shop would transform into a place where writers could work, bounce ideas off each other, and hopefully buy lots of coffee and pastries! As the crew try to implement their plan one of their regulars is in a coma. Mr. Scrib came in daily for a coffee and to give Esther a poetry challenge. At least until he appeared to have a psychotic break. When he returned to look for his notebook, he was attacked in the alley. Could what's happened to Mr. Scrib be related to the murder of a member of the original Writer's Block Lounge? Will Clare be able to close a cold case, solve the current attack, and keep the Village Blend solvent?

I've loved Clare Cosi for years and this book made me love her even more. Dedicated to the Village Blend and her baristas, she's loyal, smart, and savvy. She also treats others with respect. This twenty-first Coffeehouse mystery touched on some serious topics and I appreciated that mental illness, drug addiction, and the people dealing with these issues were treated with respect.

The relationship between Esther and Mr. Scrib was heartwarming and I love Wacker! I also enjoy seeing Clare's relationship with Mike, and how it differs from her relationship with Matt. I wanted to smack Matt and loved how Clare ultimately handled the situation with Driftwood. I highly approve of Madame's new beau and the tips he shared with the writers were not only great, but eminently useful. I may just utilize some of the ideas myself!

The mystery was baffling and the last few chapters had me shocked. You'll be on the edge of your seat wondering what will go wrong...and who is behind all of the problems.

Temperamental artists, cut throat entrepreneurs, and a scramble to save a historic landmark that happens to be home make NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY a fast paced caffeinated mystery. Grab yourself a coffee and perhaps a Twinkie Tribute cupcake and prepare yourself for a fabulous read, just don't try a Kismet!

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

No Roast for the Weary (A Coffeehouse Mystery) by Cleo Coyle

About No Roast for the Weary

No Roast for the Weary (A Coffeehouse Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 21st in Series
Setting - New York
Publisher: ‎ Berkley (April 1, 2025)
Hardcover: ‎ 368 pages

When the Village Blend opens a Writer's Block Lounge, a cold case crime turns up the heat on Clare and her crew in this gripping new entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when something dark occurred. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs—driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway—while penning projects during the day.

Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest. ~ Includes a knockout menu of recipes.

About Cleo Coyle

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries and Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, now celebrating more than 20 years in print. With more than one million books sold, their works have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech; received multiple Best of Year selection honors from reviewers; and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together, wrangle their rescue cats, drink a lot of java, and cook like crazy. Connect with Cleo at CoffeehouseMystery.com

Author Links: 

Webpage: https://www.coffeehousemystery.com/  

Free Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cleocoylerecipes/newsletter  

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CleoCoyle  

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cleo-coyle  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51488.Cleo_Coyle  

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

Purchase Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo Google Play Bookshop.org 

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Pineapple Easter Egg - A Book Blast with An Excerpt & Giveaway

PINEAPPLE EASTER EGG

by Amy Vansant

April 10, 2025 Book Blast

Synopsis:

Pineapple Easter Egg by Amy Vansant

PINEAPPLE PORT MYSTERY SERIES

 
NOW OPTIONED FOR TELEVISION!

Every book can be read as a standalone mystery - hop in anywhere in the series!

USA Today, Amazon All-Star and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Amy Vansant has her Pineapple Port crew on an egg-cellent adventures near and far!

Easter eggs surround the body. One of them has a note. Charlotte teams up with Sheriff Frank to solve a cryptic murder in a do-or-dye situation...

Too bad she won't have help. Uncle Seamus and Bob accompany Declan to his charity swim in Tampa, Florida, only to find themselves in pursuit of a stolen life-sized Jimmy Buffett cutout. Darla and Mariska travel to the center of Florida to meet Mariska's newly found cousin at an art festival, where a man with a crush on Mariska bobs up in the lake and she's thrown in jail as a murder suspect. It's up to Darla and some very familiar locals to hatch a plan, solve the crime, and clear Mariska.

It's all very egg-citing!

A super fun and unique mystery full of hidden "Easter eggs" for you to spot! Famous actors anagram names, Jimmy Buffet song references - find them all!

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Classic Mystery
Publication Date: April 9, 2025
Number of Pages: 350
Series: Pineapple Port Mystery Series, 24
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter One

Coby Karola stood over his sink, cleaning a dinner plate, when he heard something strike the window near his kitchen table. The noise was sharp. Loud. Too loud to be a bird.

“What the heck was that?” he said to no one, moving to the back door.

He cupped his hands around his face to peer out the window, but it was too dark to see.

He dried his hands on his pants and flipped the back porch light on. Nothing seemed amiss until his attention fell on the center of his unmowed lawn. Unnaturally bright specks of color scattered across an area about the size of a round picnic table—yellow, pink, purple…

Grumbling to himself, Coby opened the door. From the small landing, he saw the color blobs were equally round. Maybe a little oblong. Sort of like…

Eggs?

It was April...

Easter eggs?

Shaking his head, he walked out and bent to pick up one. It was plastic—the typical cheap, hollow plastic eggs people hid candy in this time of year.

Kids.

It was almost Easter. This stunt had to be kids thinking they were funny. This time of year, the residents’ grandkids visited Florida for spring break. Every spring was a nightmare of blaring speakers on golf carts wheeling around the neighborhood.

Coby shook the plastic egg and then cracked open a purple one. There was nothing inside. He picked up another to find it empty as well.

He snorted. If someone was going to take the time to scatter eggs around his yard, at least they could throw in a chocolate or two.

In the hopes of finding something, he kept at it, twisting one egg after the next. Distracted by curiosity, he never heard the stranger running up behind him.

The one with the hammer.

But then, that was the point.

Chapter Two

Charlotte padded into the kitchen to start the morning coffee, her oversized sleep shirt tapping her knees as she walked.

It was still a little strange to wake up in Declan’s house.

She’d given up thinking she’d ever live anywhere but Pineapple Port, the fifty-five-plus community where she’d grown up, but here she was—a whole three miles away in her husband’s house.

She didn’t mind.

Marriage was pretty cool.

Who knew?

She had a new pattern at Declan’s house, and it felt more and more like home every day.

Her soft-coated wheaten terrier, Abby, approached and sat, waiting to be taken for her morning walk. The dog had figured out her patterns faster than her mommy, but to be fair, all her patterns revolved around treats, so things were pretty straightforward for her.

Charlotte suspected Abby liked it better at Declan’s house. Declan had a pool and a fenced back yard, and the terrier could romp whenever she wanted—no waiting for official walks. Charlotte was pretty fond of that new aspect of their lives as well—

Hold on.

Charlotte stopped as something flashed in her peripheral vision. She glanced at the back slider doors in time to see a shadow pass the full-length shade.

Something outside was moving.

Something big.

It didn’t look like a stray cat passing by. It was bigger and more person-shaped. She knew Declan was in the bedroom, so that ruled him out.

She heard splashing and cocked her head.

Someone’s in Declan’s pool?

The splashing made her feel better. Thieves and killers didn’t usually take a quick swim before breaking into a house.

Goofball kids stealing a swim?

Probably. It was that time of year when grandkids came to Florida. People on vacation sometimes acted like vacation spots didn’t carry the same rules or consequences as back home. That’s when they ended up with kids in the pool and golf carts planted in mailbox posts.

Abby heard the intruder splashing and offered her opinion in the form of a deep-chested boof—that pre-full-bark noise all dogs made before completely losing their minds. The dog jogged to the door and entered the lowered shade from the side to peek outside.

Abby’s bark alone would probably scare away the kids—but she didn’t bark. Instead, her little nub of tail wagged.

Charlotte stood behind her failing guard dog but couldn’t see anyone from her angle. Whoever was in the pool had stopped at the far end, out of sight, but she heard someone say, “Whoo! Cold!

She left Abby and hustled to the bedroom to wake up her husband.

Declan,” she hissed, shaking him.

He cracked one eye open.

“Hm?”

“There’s someone in the pool.”

“What?”

Declan sat up, alarmed but clearly still half asleep. It didn’t look like his mind would be joining them for another minute or so. The man slept like the dead.

Must be nice.

“There’s someone in our pool,” she repeated.

“In the pool? The cleaning guy?”

“It’s Friday. It’s not the cleaning guy. He was yesterday,” she said, slipping into her robe.

Declan checked his watch and grunted. He stood and stretched. His eyes focused on her. It looked like his brain had caught up to the rest of him.

“There you are,” she said, giving him a quick kiss.

Abby barked twice, and Declan strode toward the living room in the sweat shorts he usually wore to bed without bothering to get dressed. Now, he was all business. Whoever was out there was lucky the man hadn’t had his coffee yet.

Charlotte followed. Declan grabbed a controller from the sofa table, opened the automatic curtains, and watched in stunned silence as someone stroked their way to the edge of his pool.

“Why would someone steal a swim at four in the morning?” asked Charlotte.

Declan switched on the back porch light as the swimmer grabbed the side and bobbed up for air. Noticing the lights and open blinds, he pulled the goggles over his bushy gray eyebrows and squinted at them from the water.

He waved.

“Is that Bob?” asked Declan.

“I think it is,” said Charlotte. “I should probably call Mariska and tell her her husband’s loose.”

Declan glanced over his shoulder at her.

“This is what I was afraid of. Your crazy has followed you from Pineapple Port.”

She smirked and smacked his arm.

“You knew what you were signing up for. No takebacks.”

Declan had experienced plenty of Pineapple Port insanity during their dating years. She, on the other hand, had never known anything else. She was young when she moved into the retirement community to live with her grandmother after her mother died. When her grandmother also passed, the community let her stay, though she was far from the minimum fifty-five years old.

By the time she met Declan, she’d gotten so used to the crazy that she’d stopped noticing it—until she saw it through his eyes. Turns out, life was strange growing up as a retirement community’s young mascot.

Mariska and Bob the Morning Swimmer had served as her foster parents and lived across the street from her in Pineapple Port— though, apparently, now Bob lived in their pool.

Declan opened the slider, and Abby shot out, tail-wagging hello to the familiar man in the pool.

“Whatcha doin’, Bob?” asked Declan.

“I’m getting a quick swim in before we go,” said Bob, patting Abby while she licked the water off his arm.

Declan scowled. “Before we go?”

Charlotte put her knuckles against her lips.

Oh no.

She saw where this was heading.

I think I messed up.

“I’m coming with you to the charity swim in Tampa,” said Bob.

Charlotte nodded.

Yep, I messed up.

Declan turned to look at her. The whites of his eyes flashed, signaling either annoyance or panic. Probably both.

“Hey sweetheart, did you tell Bob I was going to a charity swim in Tampa today?” he asked in a sing-song voice.

His frozen smile answered her question.

Annoyed. Definitely annoyed.

She winced. “I might have mentioned it to Mariska.”

Her husband let out a slow, steady breath. She’d seen him do that move a few times before. One or more of the Pineapple Portians were usually nearby when it happened. Or, Declan’s Uncle Seamus—but a Seamus Sigh came with extra teeth gritting. He was the only thing crazier than the residents of Pineapple Port.

“I’m guessing you’d like to carpool there with me?” he asked Bob.

He’d given in fast. Like her, he’d figured out it was always easier to just accept the crazy was happening.

“That be great,” said Bob. “We should grab some breakfast here first.”

“Sure, the pool always comes with a complimentary breakfast.” Declan turned. “Maybe you could start on that, darling?”

She stuck her tongue out at him and moved to the kitchen to scoop extra coffee into the machine.

It was official—she’d been swept into the nuttery. She should have run away the second she saw it was Bob and not a killer taking a quick dip, pre-murder spree.

She turned on the stove and found a pan.

“Ask Bob what he wants—”

“Eggs!” called Bob, lowering his goggles back over his eyes. “And bacon. And toast. And orange juice!”

Declan nodded and left Abby outside to run around the pool, chasing Bob back and forth as he swam. He’d almost shut the door when Bob popped up again.

“Coffee!” he yelped.

Declan signaled he’d heard and turned to Charlotte.

“What have you done?” he asked.

She laughed. “I’m sorry. It never occurred to me he’d want to go with you. He hasn’t been into swimming for years.”

“I suspect it has more to do with the beach bunnies in Tampa than the swimming,” said Declan.

She snorted a laugh. “You said beach bunnies—you’ve been hanging out with the oldies too long.”

He smirked. “Well, whose fault is that? I’m just glad it wasn’t Seamus—”

“Top o’ the mornin’ to ye,” said Seamus as he burst through the front door.

***

Excerpt from Pineapple Easter Egg by Amy Vansant. Copyright 2025 by Amy Vansant. Reproduced with permission from Amy Vansant. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Amy Vansant has written over 40 books, including the fun, thrilling Shee McQueen series, the rollicking, twisty Pineapple Port Mysteries, and the action-packed Kilty urban fantasies. Throw in a couple of romances and a YA fantasy for her nieces...

Amy specializes in fun, exciting reads with plenty of laughs and action -- she tried to write serious books, but they always ended up full of jokes, so she gave up.

Amy lives in Jupiter, Florida, with her muse/husband and a goony Bordoodle named Archer.


 

Catch Up With Amy Vansant:

AmyVansant.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @AmyVansant
BookBub - @AmyVansant
Instagram - @TheAmyVansant
Threads - @TheAmyVansant
X - @AmyVansant
Facebook - @TheAmyVansant
BlueSky - @amyvansant.bsky.social
YouTube - @AmyVansant

 

 

Tour Participants:

Are you looking for more great books, reviews, and giveaways? Visit these sites:

 

 

Don't Miss Your Chance! Enter to Win:


Click Here for FREE Books & a chance to WIN more exciting prizes!

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle. This book is the twenty-first in the Coffeehouse Mystery series and was released last week.

Manager and master coffee roaster Clare Cosi is worried. With a troubling economy and many people working remotely the Village Blend has noticed a dramatic decrease in business. The truth is the coffeehouse is in financial trouble. In order to turn things around the baristas decide to restart the Writer's Block Lounge. The upstairs portion of the shop would transform into a place where writers could work, bounce ideas off each other, and hopefully buy lots of coffee and pastries! As the crew try to implement their plan one of their regulars is in a coma. Mr. Scrib came in daily for a coffee and to give Esther a poetry challenge. At least until he appeared to have a psychotic break. When he returned to look for his notebook, he was attacked in the alley. Could what's happened to Mr. Scrib be related to the murder of a member of the original Writer's Block Lounge? Will Clare be able to close a cold case, solve the current attack, and keep the Village Blend solvent?

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Corsets and Casualties - A Review

 Review


CORSETS AND CASUALTIES by Gayle Leeson
The Sixth Ghostly Fashionista Mystery 
 
Amanda Tucker is having fun designing retro inspired clothes and costumes for the upcoming Halloween holiday. When Ford shows her an old bible he bought at an estate sale Amanda is surprised to see familiar names, relatives of her ghostly friend, Max. One name, however, isn't familiar to the flapper. It turns out there was an aunt she never knew about. When Max's nephew and Amanda's grandfather go to the auction house to see if they can find other family items they're met with a police barricade-the owner has been shot! Amanda will have to piece together old family secrets and modern day family angst in order to discover more about Max's relatives. Will she find answers or will her curiosity get her killed?
 
Relationships are the bedrock of the Ghostly Fashionista Mystery series. Whether it's the loving familial relationships between Amanda and Grandpa as well as Dwight, Zoe, and Max or the romantic relationship between Amanda and Jason, or even the friendship between everyone at the Shops on Main, the care they have for each other makes for a brighter world and a more fulfilling read. 
 
I truly love this series and find it heartwarming as well as funny. I'd like to hang out with these characters and I seriously want Amanda to design me an outfit! I know I'd be the elephant's eyebrows. The mystery, well, mysteries, were compelling and the subplots emotional. Red herrings lead readers to a variety of possible conclusions with various characters assisting with their suspicious behavior.

New family drama as well as old combine in CORSETS AND CASUALTIES, eventually bringing friends and family closer together in this charming mystery.

Sunday, April 6, 2025

The Chow Maniac - A Review

 Review


THE CHOW MANIAC by Vivien Chien
The Eleventh Noodle Shop Mystery 

As manager of the Ho-Lee Noodle House Lana Lane has an in with Cleveland's Asian community. She also has a knack for solving mysteries. So when PI Lydia Shepard finds herself with an Asian client with claims of a secret society and multiple murders, she brings Lana in as a consultant. Lana soon learns she has more ties to this society that she knows. Surely Mr. Zhang isn't a criminal mastermind?! Will Lana be able to get to the truth before another member is killed?

I've long loved Mr. Zhang and wished, not only that he had a bigger role in the Noodle Shop Mysteries, but to learn more about him. My wishes were granted in this, the eleventh book in the series. Was it possible that Mr. Zhang was the leader of a secret organization and was killing off members who opposed him? Say it isn't so! 

I love when mysteries add historical detail and little known facts to the plot. THE CHOW MANIAC is centered around a story from Chinese mythology, the Eight Immortals. I enjoyed learning about this legend and details about the Chinese in early twentieth century Ohio. While the secret society in this book may be fictional, the truths surrounding it are fascinating.

The mystery here was unique in that three of the murders happened before the start of the book and Lana is working semi professionally to solve it, though it soon turns out she does have a vested interest in solving the case! I love how Lana sticks to her guns and does what she's good at!

Infused with humor and Chinese legends THE CHOW MANIAC is a delectable entry to a fantastic series. I'm already craving the next one!

Friday, April 4, 2025

Murder on the Steel Pier - A Review

 Review


MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER by Rosie Genova
The First Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery 

In celebration of her March 31st birthday Tess Mancini headed to Atlantic City to celebrate. But after too much tequila she wakes up with a hangover and the biggest April Fool's Day surprise of all. Instead of her hotel room Tess finds herself in what appears to be an old-fashioned B&B. Without her phone! Somehow she knows where things are and soon discovers when. Tess Mancini has stepped into the life of her Great Aunt Theresa in 1955. If that weren't enough, her hot-headed brother (well, Theresa's brother, her grandfather) is accused of murdering one of the guests at their boarding house. With some innate knowledge and the words of Theresa in her head Tess will have to figure out what happened to her aunt, how to get home, and clear her grandfather of a murder charge so that she can be born! 

I love a good time travel story and MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER certainly qualifies! With WWII in the recent past and the Civil Rights movement in the near future I loved how the book incorporated aspects of both in this 1950s setting. I also love how Tess encountered two very important real people and while not explicitly giving their names I knew exactly who they were! I also liked how Tess was able to appreciate some things of this time, such as the fashion and the quiet, while glad certain other aspects of the past remain there.

The first Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery isn't a complete fish out of water story. Tess struggles with a lot of the differences in 1955, but she has an in with Theresa. While Tess doesn't know how to drive a stick, Theresa does and thus Tess can. Theresa also provides a knowledge of who's who and how to properly handle certain situations. Tess may be up a creek, but she has a paddle! I appreciate how Tess is able to give some spunk and sass, surprising people who see a more quiet "good girl". 

The mystery itself was well plotted with plenty of red herrings, twists and turns, and more than one surprise. I really enjoyed the varied characters and how they interacted with each other with Tess pushing the boundaries of Theresa's time, with a little help from her great aunt.

Wonderful characters, loads of period detail, and an intricate mystery combine to make MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER a delightfully unique start to a new series.

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Murder on the Steel Pier by Rosie Genova. This book is the first in the Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery series and was released Monday!

In celebration of her March 31st birthday Tess Mancini headed to Atlantic City to celebrate. But after too much tequila she wakes up with a hangover and the biggest April Fool's Day surprise of all. Instead of her hotel room Tess finds herself in what appears to be an old fashioned B&B. Without her phone! Somehow she knows where things are and soon discovers when. Tess Mancini  has stepped into the life of her Great Aunt Theresa in 1955. If that weren't enough, her hot headed brother (well, Theresa's brother her grandfather) is accused of murdering one of the guests at their boarding house. With some innate knowledge and the words of Theresa in her head Tess will have to figure out what happened to her aunt, how to get home, and clear her grandfather of a murder charge so that she can be born! 

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Murder on the Steel Pier - A Spotlight, Excerpt & Giveaway

Murder on the Steel Pier by Rosie Genova

MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER

by Rosie Genova

April 1, 2025 Book Blast

Synopsis:

Murder on the Steel Pier by Rosie Genova

THE TESS MANCINI TIME TRAVEL MYSTERY SERIES

 

Greetings from the Nifty Fifties…

The morning after a blowout birthday celebration in Atlantic City, crime reporter and party girl Tess Mancini wakes up in an unfamiliar place—1955. Bread is eighteen cents a loaf, Ike occupies the White House, and the Boardwalk is crawling with vintage cars and vintage wise guys. A bewildered Tess is sure of only two things: One, she’s not crazy, and two, the clothes are fabulous. Somehow, she’s living the life of her Great-Aunt Theresa, who disappeared decades before Tess’s birth.

In her 1950s existence, Tess is a reporter at the local newspaper, living at a boarding house owned by her Zia Antonetta, an Italian immigrant with a big secret. It turns out Theresa has a kid brother, teenaged troublemaker Val Mancini—aka Tess’s paternal grandfather. Though determined to return to her own time, Tess’s curiosity takes over. What happened to the first Theresa Mancini? And is Tess’s trip through time connected to her aunt’s fate?

But when young Val is accused of murdering a boarding house guest, a Nazi in hiding, Tess ends up with two investigations on her hands—and now stuck in time until she can prove Val’s innocence. As she searches for answers, she finds allies in a dishy police detective and a suspiciously charming fellow reporter. The clock is ticking for Tess to find a way home, but first, she has to keep her grandfather off Death Row.

Because before Tess can get back to the future … she needs to make sure she has one.

Praise for Murder on the Steel Pier:

"Murder on the Steel Pier is impossible to put down, offering an irresistible blend of mystery, history, and time travel. I felt like I was in 1950s Atlantic City along with heroine Tess. Unlike her, I didn’t want to leave! I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for Tess’s next adventure."
~ Ellen Byron, Agatha Award-Winning Author

"Awesome book! This stylish, creatively written and highly entertaining mystery will keep you turning pages long past bedtime."
~ Terrie Farley Moran, award-winning author of the Murder, She Wrote series

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery
Published by: Two Roses Books
Publication Date: March 31, 2025
Number of Pages: 340
ISBN: 979-8-9911241-1-9
Series: The Tess Mancini Time Travel Mysteries, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | AppleBooks | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

From Chapter 1

Someone was smoking a cigarette. I sniffed, and spikes of pain started at my chin and shot through the top of my head. Oh God, make it stop, and I promise I’ll never touch another drop of tequila. Being another year older was bad enough—did I have to be punished for it, too? My nose twitched as the smoke teased my nostrils and caressed my olfactory nerves. I’d quit a month ago, but the longing for a cig came roaring back.

With my eyes still closed, and my head nailed to the pillow, I had one coherent thought: This is supposed to be a smoke-free hotel. As far as I knew, it was also bird-free, but the chirps and twitters assailing my ears were clearly coming from feathered creatures. Then again, it’s Atlantic City. Maybe the birds were part of the hotel show. Ever so slowly, I slid my hands from under the covers and cupped them over my ears.

“Please, birdies,” I whispered. “Stop singing.” Geez, they sounded close enough to be in my room. I exhaled, yoga style. C’mon, Tess, time to open your eyes. You can do it. Actually, I couldn’t, as my lashes were glued together. (Had I slept in my make-up? Not a good sign.) Still covering my ears against the piercing bird song, I fluttered my left eyelid and squinted.

Big, fuchsia-colored roses seemed to scream at me from the wall. And sun—blinding, eyeball-searing sun—streamed in through an uncovered window. And not a hotel window bolted shut and draped to keep out that awful light, but a wooden one with glass panes. And across the top, a ruffly white curtain.

Okay, not my hotel. So where was I? My empty stomach grew queasy; I wouldn’t have gone home with a stranger. Though I did remember a cute blond guy playing the slots next to me, but it was all so … blurry. I eased open the other eye. Across the room was a vanity table draped in more white ruffles. Somehow, I doubted the blond guy lived here.

This place was obviously some kind of historic inn or something, but that still didn’t explain how I’d gotten here. I looked down at the sheets, also decorated with roses. Only these were little yellow ones. Somebody sure liked her florals.

“So weird,” I muttered. Hands shaking, eyes half closed, I felt around for my phone, but my fingers landed on a string of beads. I let go of the necklace and blinked hard, trying to ignore the little flashes of pain behind my eyes. Next to me was an old-fashioned nightstand; on it was a lamp with a frilly pink shade, an analog alarm clock ticking loudly, and the “necklace,” which had a cross hanging from it. A face stared at me from a black-and-white photo. I shifted closer, peering at a guy with slicked-back hair, thick brows, and dark-lashed eyes. Across the bottom of the picture was a name, signed in blue ink. I frowned at the image. Who the heck was Tyrone Power? Was he someone’s boyfriend? Or part of the décor?

Hangover and rubber legs be damned, I had to get moving and find my phone. But before I could get a big toe out from under the covers, a knock sounded at the door. I sat up in the strange bed, holding my throbbing head as though it were a soft-boiled egg.

“Tess? Are you awake yet?” The voice on the other side of the door had a slight Irish brogue. “Can I come in, then?”

“Yes,” I croaked. Whoever she was, she knew my name. Despite the sunlight, the room was chilly, and I huddled under the cotton blankets as the woman bustled in holding a small tray. I sniffed coffee and toast, and when she set it down on the nightstand, my stomach gurgled audibly.

“Now,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron, “we served breakfast some time ago, and when you didn’t come down, I knew you’d be oversleepin’ again. Your auntie will have my hide and your own if you don’t get down to that kitchen.” She crossed her ample arms and sent me a stern look. “You know we don’t serve anyone in their rooms, guests or otherwise, but Carolina insisted I bring you your coffee. Said you’re no good without it.”

I looked up at a broad-shouldered woman in a green housedress. Over that was an apron in a loud, orange-and-green pattern of forks and spoons. Her thick white hair, twisted into a bun, was bright against her weathered skin. Her small dark eyes gave the impression of two raisins set in a gingerbread face. I’d never seen her before in my life.

“Sorry, Mrs. Flaherty.” How did I know that? It surely must have been her name because she didn’t correct me. I sat up quickly, my mouth hanging open in shock, and the blankets slipped to my waist.

Mrs. Flaherty took a step closer to the bed and narrowed her eyes at me. “Just what are you wearing, missy?” What was I wearing? I glanced down at the cursive “T” stitched on the pocket of my favorite monogrammed PJs. Expensive ones. And why did she care? I opened my mouth to answer, but Mrs. F got there ahead of me. “They’re silk,” she hissed. “And black, for the Lord’s sake.”

“Uh huh,” I said slowly, wondering if she commented on the nightwear of all her guests. Still, I pulled the blankets up to my chin.

“Best not let your auntie see them. Don’t know how in the world you afford such things,” she grumbled. “Eat up quick now, and bring down that tray when you’re through.”

“Okay,” I whispered, staring at the door she closed behind her…

***

Excerpt from Murder on the Steel Pier by Rosie Genova. Copyright 2025 by Rosie Genova. Reproduced with permission from Rosie Genova. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Rosie Genova

Proud Jersey girl Rosie Genova is a multi-genre author. Her work includes a Jersey shore cozy series, The Italian Kitchen Mysteries, and The Tess Mancini Time Travel Mysteries, set in 1955 Atlantic City. She is also the author of standalone suspense and a couple of rom-coms that presently live in her computer files (but are longing to be released into the wild). A former teacher and journalist, Rosie’s non-fiction has appeared in a variety of publications, including Entrepreneur magazine and The New York Times. The mother of three sons, Rosie still lives in her favorite state with her husband, too many dusty antiques, and a charming mutt named Lucy.

Catch Up With Rosie Genova:

www.RosieGenova.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @RosieGenova
Facebook - @RosieGenova

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great books and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!


Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

Don't Miss Out! Enter Now for Your Chance to Win!

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

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Two Weddings and a Murder - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a recent release in a series in which I am woefully behind. Two Weddings and a Murder by Alyssa Maxwell is the ninth book in the Lady and Lady's Maid Mystery series.

Blurb: 

June 1922: The blessed day has finally arrived. Phoebe Renshaw and Owen Seabright are to be wed, and lady’s maid Eva Huntford could not be more delighted for her lady’s happiness. But she is disturbed by one notable absence from the ceremony—her beau, Police Constable Miles Brannock. When Miles finally does appear, breathlessly running into the reception at Foxwood Hall, he brings grim news: he’s found Chief Inspector Isaac Perkins murdered, shot in his home in his favorite parlor chair with his own gun.

A policeman naturally makes enemies, especially those of questionable character. In charge of finding his former boss’s killer, Miles reviews the details of the crime scene. The murder weapon has been wiped clean and left on the table next to the remnants of the chief inspector’s breakfast: sausage pasty and coffee reeking of a bit of whiskey. No sign of forced entry. A seemingly peaceful scene—other than the bullet hole in the victim.

Before Miles can make much progress in his investigation, a Scotland Yard detective arrives in Little Barlow to take over the case—and promptly focuses his suspicions on the constable himself, who he reasons had motive and opportunity. Coming to their maid’s defense, Phoebe and Owen postpone their honeymoon to join Eva in clearing her beau’s good name and unmasking the identity of the true killer . . .

Friday, March 28, 2025

Shake-speared in the Park - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

 Review


SHAKE-SPEARED IN THE PARK by Joy Ann Ribar
The Second Bay Browning Mystery 
 
The Spring Semester may have ended, but school isn't over for Professor Bay Browning. To fulfill volunteer requirements for Flourish College, Bay is assistant director of the school's summer production, a Shakespeare inspired play she co-wrote. With a short production time the set is being constructed as the actors rehearse. A scream pierced the night. Talon Hunt has fallen from the unfinished balcony after a mock sword fight. Was this a tragic accident or something more? There's more drama around the actors than in the play itself! Bay will have to keep her eyes and ears open as she discovers more about the elite of Angel Bird Bluff than she'd care to know.
 
Things are different for the wealthy and the second Bay Browning Mystery enters that world of legacy students and privileged adults who can seemingly make problems disappear by throwing money and power around. It's a story of how wealth can shape families, how scapegoats can be found, and underdogs championed. It also shows how some people are able to grow while others stagnate. and still others regress.
 
There's a lot to love in SHAKE-SPEARED IN THE PARK, a confounding mystery, intriguing characters, interesting dynamics, and more. As a former theatre major I loved the concept of a college's summer theatrical production, especially one that weaves the works of Shakespeare into a new play. I also loved how Posey, Cass's new boss decided on a Shakespearean theme for her party along with a game I'd love to play. And what a party it was. I enjoyed the interactions between Bay and Detective Downing as her production was plagued, not only by death, but by less serious mishaps as well. I appreciate the way she works with him to solve the crimes as well as how her sister brings her skills to the table.

SHAKE-SPEARED IN THE PARK is an exquisitely wrought mystery combining the worlds of the elite and academia with a theatrical background. This is fast becoming a favorite series and I can't wait to dig into the next one!

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

Shake-speared in the Park by Joy Ann Ribar Banner

SHAKE-SPEARED IN THE PARK

by Joy Ann Ribar

March 17th - April 11, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Shake-speared in the Park by Joy Ann Ribar

A BAY BROWNING MYSTERY

 

When Bay Browning helps direct the Flourish College summer theater production, “Shakespeare’s Couch,” she doesn’t plan for murder at the first practice.

Someone wants revenge against the elite cast members, as more terror unfolds on stage and backstage with each rehearsal. What should be a lighthearted parody on The Bard and his characters is cursed from the start, even without someone shouting “Macbeth” in the theater. Detective Downing takes charge of the crime, but Bay and her puzzle-solving cohort, Jen Yoo, follow their own script behind the scenes. Cassandra, Bay’s extraordinary sister, makes her own dramatic entrance on the case. After all, Cass is now the personal assistant to one of the elites living the high life on the bluff above Prairie Ridge. How many tragic scenes will be scripted before the villain faces the final curtain?

Praise for Shake-speared in the Park:

"A clever cozy that reads like an elusive buried treasure, that, once uncovered, shines with a burnished gold. Shakespearean scholars can revel throughout, as a college summer play, Shakespeare’s Couch, features a myriad of familiar characters, representing their plays. A costume party with more Shakespearean identities milling about provides sheer fun and frolic. The best part, however, is the thorough depiction of humanity, characteristic of Ribar’s writing. Even secondary characters come alive with strengths and foibles that delight and endear."
~ Saralyn Richard, author of the Detective Parrott mystery series, Bad Blood Sisters, and Mrs. Oliver’s Twist

"Ribar serves up wicked, clever fun in 'Shake-speared in the Park,' the second installment in her Bay Browning mystery series. A young man with much promise falls from a stage-prop balcony. He's dead when he lands, but that's not what killed him. Was his brother, the wayward son, involved? His best friend? Or one of the wealthy equestrian crowd? Then, another death, this time in a greenhouse. It's like 'Knives Out' meets Agatha Christie. Suspects abound. Two sisters—one a killer magnet, the other an ex-con—are determined to find out. The escalating tempo keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the end!"
~ Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson crime thriller novels

"In this fast-paced mystery and nod to Shakespeare, the murderous shenanigans would please the Bard himself! Professor Bay Browning’s play rehearsals go awry with deadly weapons, poisons, and just about anything else a playwright might use to scare or 'off' someone in dramatic fashion. As in 'Romeo & Juliet,' differences of class and money between families put a small Wisconsin college and Bay in the crosshairs. Replete with a twisty costume party, this novel opens the curtain on an entertaining theater production with actors poised to take their final bow, pun intended. Ribar balances scenes effectively between amateur detectives Bay and her sister Cass, the latter a plant aficionado and former prison inmate. To borrow from the Bard, 'To read or not to read?' The answer is easy: This is fun."
~ Christine DeSmet, author, Fudge Shop Mystery Series and Mischief in Moonstone Series

Book Details:

Genre: Blended Mystery: Traditional Mystery with Paranormal Twists
Published by: Wine Glass Press
Publication Date: February 2025
Number of Pages: 359
ISBN: 9781959078272 (ISBN10: 1959078275)
Series: Bay Browning Mysteries: Book Two
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Carillon Tower Park was buzzing with activity when Bay arrived for rehearsal. Desmond Carver, the director, was only steps ahead of her, so she dashed to catch up. Bay smiled at his signature bobbing walk on those extra-long legs that might belong to a pro basketball player instead of a theater professor.

“Desmond, hey. Looks like the students are psyched about the show.” Bay nodded toward the outdoor theater area where a portable tech booth had been set up. People inside were testing spotlights and sound effects.

The stage was midway through set construction showing false stone walls and two framed second story balconies. Someone was sweeping the stage free of pine needles, while a couple of others were taping the floor where furniture would go. Bay waved at Jen Yoo, her art professor friend, who was painting a flat with some students.

“It’s a positive sign when they show up early. Believe me, once we’re in the trenches, some will find reasons not to show up at all.” Desmond set a stack of scripts on one of the seats near the middle of the theater. “Actors,” he said using air quotes around the word.

Bay’s optimism didn’t dwindle. She was pleased with the turnout for auditions, considering it was a summer production, meaning many students were gone or working. The fact she and Desmond had backups for the main roles revealed enthusiasm for the show.

Desmond handed her a theater badge and key for the rooms beyond the stage. “By the way, in case I forget later, thanks so much for volunteering to help with the play. It can be a thankless job.”

Bay grinned but wondered why Desmond was being so pessimistic. He wasn’t close to retirement, maybe ten years older than Bay, and she’d pegged him as carefree and upbeat. Then again, in the two years she’d been a Flourish professor, she’d had a handful of short conversations with him.

At seven p.m. on the dot, the clock tower bell rang out the hour and Desmond spoke through a megaphone he’d brought to rehearsal. “Let’s get going. We start on time. We end on time. That’s my number one rule.”

To Bay’s surprise, every student hushed without delay. She’d heard Desmond was respected, and he knew these students from past plays. Many were seniors doing a final postgraduation show before entering the real world.

“For the first few rehearsals, we’re going to need to work around the set builders and the tech crew setting up lights and testing sounds. This isn’t a typical show. Summer theater is a shortened schedule, so we’re putting an entire production together in short order.” Desmond handed printed schedules to Bay, who passed them out to the actors and crew.

It wasn’t quite June, thankfully, because performances were marked for the last week of that month, just past the celebration of Midsummer on June twenty-fourth.

“You’ll notice on the schedule that all lines must be memorized by June tenth. That’s two weeks, my friends. Let’s make it happen.” Desmond used his teacher voice. Even Bay snapped to attention.

“Places everyone. We’ll start with the prologue and go straight through from act one as far as we can until eight-thirty. The script notes some introductory music, but we won’t add that for a couple of weeks. Proceed, Kitt.”

Bay and Desmond watched from the back third of the theater, taking notes as lines were delivered, stopping when necessary to help with enunciation or cadence. At the end of the second act, Desmond announced a seven-minute break, then headed to the tech booth to talk about lighting.

Bay noticed he seemed nervous about the tech crew being run by an intern. His normal production partner, Leo, another theater professor, was spending summer break in New York City at a Broadway intensive master class. Leo recommended a theater grad student from Madison to take his place.

As lights flashed on and off in different positions, Bay watched the techies at the booth. Desmond pointed at the script as intern Evan made notes, then flashed the light Desmond asked for. Bay noticed Evan’s body posture: alert, attentive, like a golden retriever eager to please. In contrast, Desmond alternated running a hand through the twists on top of his head, placing his hands on his hips, then rubbing the back of his neck before repeating the moves again.

“That looks intense.” Jen Yoo was sitting by Bay, a clean paint brush in one hand.

“Hey, Jen. Yes, I’ve never seen this side of Desmond. How about you?”

Jen shrugged. “I haven’t worked on a summer production in some time. The younger Desmond was laid-back. But some of us lose our patience as we age. Thankfully, I don’t have that problem.” She snickered.

Bay turned her full attention to Jen. “Why are you working on this production, anyway?”

“Two reasons. One: It fulfills my volunteer hours for the whole year. Two: It’s a show you wrote. I’m proud of you and want to see how it turns out.” Jen leaned her head over to meet Bay’s.

With break wrapping up, chatter from the stage echoed around the quiet outdoors. When a commotion ensued, Bay chalked it up to high energy from a new show, the honeymoon period. But then a loud thud sounded, someone began shrieking, and a cacophony of shouts and running feet ensued.

Bay, Jen, and Desmond ran to the stage, with the tech crew close behind. The adults vaulted onto the stage where the lead actor, Talon Hunt, lay crumpled in a twisted heap.

“Everybody back up,” Desmond shouted.

“He fell off the balcony,” one of the students called out.

“I didn’t mean to. We were goofing around, practicing a duel.” Jackson Lange knelt over Talon, his chest heaving, his face distraught.

Desmond, Jen, and Bay knelt beside Talon too, and Jackson stood up and looked away. Desmond checked Talon’s pulse, shook his head, listened for a heartbeat, and shook his head again. Bay called 911.

“Let’s straighten him a bit so I can do CPR.” Desmond motioned for Jen and Bay to get on either side of his legs and they gingerly turned him.

Desmond was still administering chest compressions and breaths when the emergency team arrived to take over. Thirty minutes later, the EMTs pronounced Talon dead.

***

Excerpt from Shake-speared in the Park by Joy Ann Ribar. Copyright 2025 by Joy Ann Ribar. Reproduced with permission from Joy Ann Ribar. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Joy Ann Ribar

Joy Ann Ribar is an RV author, writing on the road wherever her husband and their Winnebago View wanders. Joy’s cocktail of careers includes news reporter, paralegal, English educator, and aquaponics greenhouse technician, all of which prove useful in penning mysteries. Her cozy Deep Lakes Mysteries, feature baker/vintner Frankie Champagne, who moonlights as an investigative reporter. Joy’s Bay Browning Mysteries blend edgy, traditional, and paranormal elements twisted around classical literary themes. Joy loves to bake, read, research wines, and explore nature. Her writing has received awards and recognition from WWA, PenCraft Book Awards, Book Fest, Reader’s Favorite, and Chanticleer Cozy and Not-So-Cozy awards.

Catch Up With Joy Ann Ribar:

JoyRibar.com
Joy's Substack
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @ribarjoy
Instagram - @authorjoyribar
Facebook - @JoyRibarAuthor

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!


This linky list is now closed.

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

Don't Miss Your Chance to Win! Enter Today!

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

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Murder, She Wrote: Snowy with a Chance of Murder

 Review


MURDER, SHE WROTE: SNOWY WITH A CHANCE OF MURDER
By Jessica Fletcher & Barbara Early
The Sixtieth Murder, She Wrote Mystery

Jessica Fletcher should have been enjoying a tropical cruise, but a slip on the ice has her not only stuck in snowy Maine, but confined to a wheelchair with the use of only one arm. Adamant about recovering at home, she grudgingly accepts the help of a live in aide. Fortunately, Alice is a personable young woman, unlike the man renting the house across the way who spends the days constructing X-rated snow sculptures. As Jessica recovers she learns of several mysteries occurring around Cabot Cove: the death of a food truck man and his missing wife and the "Bologna Kid" to name a few, and can't help but use her binoculars to check out things from her living room window. Has J. B. Fletcher turned into L. B. Jefferies?

MURDER, SHE WROTE: SNOWY WITH A CHANCE OF MURDER is a delightfully different mystery. For a good portion of the book readers aren't entirely sure what the mystery is. Sure, we know about the murdered man and the assumption that his wife killed him after an argument and fled which happened before the book started. We also know about a man stealing food and clothing. All this and everything that happens in the first portion of the book doesn't seem that pressing, but it's is laying the groundwork for the murder that happens right under Jessica's nose. 

Spending time in Cabot Cove is like coming home. Reading the sixtieth Murder, She Wrote Mystery is like being wrapped in a cozy blanket with a nice cup of cocoa in hand. While it was fun hanging out with Jessica, Seth, and Mort nothing crucial appeared to be happening. It seemed that disparate events were occurring around town and I thought was too much time spent on a seemingly irrelevant subplot, however, by the end of the story everything joined together, proving things were indeed relevant and making a seamless whole. 

MURDER, SHE WROTE: SNOWY WITH A CHANCE OF MURDER brings the warmth of good friends and a great mystery to a wintry Maine in a great addition to this long running series.

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

 Murder, She Wrote: Snowy with a Chance of Murder by Jessica Fletcher & Barbara Early

About Snowy with a Chance of Murder

Murder, She Wrote: Snowy with a Chance of Murder
Cozy Mystery 60th in Series
Setting - Maine
Publisher: ‎ Berkley (March 18, 2025)
Hardcover: ‎ 304 pages
In a nod to Rear Window, this newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series finds Jessica Fletcher coping with an injury that leaves her homebound—and a murder just outside her window! Jessica Fletcher has taken a nasty spill on the ice, leaving her in a wheelchair for several weeks. She tries to work on her latest manuscript but finds herself distracted by a new neighbor moving in across the street. There’s good reason for her to be distracted, because soon after unpacking his sparse belongings, Mr. Rymer is out in the front yard, building somewhat risqué (read: naked) snow sculptures. While Cabot Cove debates whether the sculptures are a protected form of art or a public display of lewdness, someone starts destroying them at night. Rymer doesn’t seem upset. He just makes new ones. No need to get the police involved over a little snow, he says. Especially when there’s plenty more of it and a blizzard in the forecast. The morning after the storm, Jessica looks out the window to see a new sculpture across the street—and the body of Mr. Rymer half-buried in the snow. Can Jessica catch a cold-blooded killer from her chair by the window?

About the Authors

Barbara Early earned an engineering degree, but after four years of doing nothing but math, developed a sudden allergy to the subject and decided to choose another occupation.

Before she settled on murdering fictional people, she was a secretary, a schoolteacher, a pastor’s wife, and an amateur puppeteer. She lives in Western New York State (Go Bills!), where she enjoys cooking, crafts, classic movies and campy seventies television, board games, and spending time with her granddaughters.

Before teaming up with Jessica Fletcher, she previously wrote the Vintage Toyshop Mystery series and the Bridal Bouquet Shop Mysteries (as Beverly Allen).

Author Links

Website https://www.barbaraearly.com/

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

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Bookshop.org - Penguin Random House

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Shake-speared in the Park by Joy Ann Ribar. This book is the second in the Bay Browning Mystery series and was released last month.

The Spring Semester may have ended, but school isn't over for Professor Bay Browning. To fulfill volunteer requirements for Flourish College Bay is assistant director of the school's summer production, A Shakespeare inspired play she co-wrote. With a short production time the set is being constructed as the actors rehearse. A scream pierced the night. Talon Hunt has fallen from the unfinished balcony after a mock sword fight. Was this a tragic accident or something more? There's more drama around the actors than in the play itself! Bay will have to keep her eyes and ears open as she discovers more about the elite of Angel Bird Bluff than she's care to know.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Shake-speared in the Park - An Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Joy Ann Ribnar to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Joy Ann writes the Bay Browning Mystery series. SHAKE-SPEARED IN THE PARK is the second book in the series and was released last month. Be sure to return Friday, when I'll post my review!

Kathy: In SHAKE-SPEARED IN THE PARK Bay Browning helps direct the Flourish College summer theater production of Shakespeare's Couch. As a theatre major I'm curious, have you ever been involved in mounting a production?

JAR: I’ve been an assistant director in high school productions, but most of my time has been on stage from high school through community theater musicals and comedies. I understand the process of producing and directing a show because in community theater, everyone’s involved from painting sets, to creating costumes, to doing make-up and finding props. I love theater. My favorite shows I performed in are White Christmas, The Music Man, and Drinking Habits, where I played a wine-making nun trying to save the convent.

Kathy: Shakespeare was integral to my training and I still love the bard. Are you a fan?

JAR: Huge fan! I’ve never acted in a Shakespeare play, but I’ve performed monologues. As a high school and college educator, I’ve taught many of The Bard’s plays. We always take parts and read aloud the plays together in class, and that is the key to helping students understand and love The Bard, too. My favorite plays: Othello and Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Kathy: The Bay Browning Mystery series has a paranormal bent. Why choose to add something otherworldly?

JAR: Bay needed a good partner to contrast and complement her; Cassandra. I named Cass after the Greek maiden Cassandra, who has the gift of prophecy, but nobody believes her predictions. I decided my Cassandra would be a modern version from Greek mythology. Her gift is part of her character arc. As a child and teen, her gift makes her an outcast. Then, Cass uses her gift to perfect her grifting skills. Now she’s out of prison and trying to use her gifts for good.

Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?

JAR: My older sister read the Trixie Belden series, so I grabbed them as she moved on to the next one. My local library had shelves of Nancy Drew mysteries, too, so there was always something new to check out. I loved the adventures, the puzzles to solve, and the brave young women taking risks. I graduated to Agatha Christie, Phyllis Whitney, and Taylor Caldwell. Reading women authors writing about smart, confident female characters, made me feel confident, too. When I decided to write something, mysteries were a natural fit.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

JAR: I wrote a few flash fiction shorts of various genres, and essays as well. I used to be a newspaper reporter, so I feel comfortable writing non-fiction, too.

Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

JAR: The Bay Browning mysteries are literature-themed and edgy with a paranormal twist. Bay, a college professor, and Cassandra, an ex-con with the gift of extra-sensory perception meld their talents and contrasting personalities to solve crimes in a small Wisconsin city.

The Deep Lakes Mystery series offer a light-hearted look at murder, recipes included. Frankie Champagne, together with best friend Carmen, own Bubble & Bake, a bakery/ wine lounge in a Wisconsin tourist town where murder is an occasional visitor. Frankie somehow lands in the middle of crime scenes and dives right in to investigate, proving she can go toe-to-toe with the pros.

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

JAR: All of them in one way or another because they all serve a purpose, but that’s a coward’s answer. I love Cassandra because she’s gritty and imperfect. Like all of us, she’s a genuine work in progress, and readers can see her evolution and her struggle to overcome a troubled past, learn from it, and redefine herself. She’s relatable and heartwarming.

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

JAR: I wanted my second series to be something quite different from my first cozy bakery/winery series. I had recently retired from teaching and missed having rich discussions about literature, poetry, classics, and Shakespeare with my students. That’s when it dawned on me to bring literature into a new series with an English professor as one of the main characters (Bay Browning). I think it’s interesting to have a reluctant sleuth as a lead character in a mystery series. Bay would prefer reading books or sitting in her office preparing lessons, but she’s dragged into a complicated murder investigation as a consultant because of her literary skills. The notion of creating literature-themed mysteries sounded worthwhile and fun.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? 

JAR: My husband and sisters nudged me after I wrote my first mystery. I sent it to a publisher, was rejected, then sent it on to a smaller publisher where I found someone who would hold my hand through the process. Together, we published the first four books I wrote, and then I went on to publish independently.

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

JAR: J.R.R. Tolkein, Maya Angelou, Julia Child, and Jane Austen. No party would be complete without Jane.

Kathy: What are you currently reading? 

JAR: THE GLASSMAKER by Tracy Chevalier, a novel about a female glassmaker during the Renaissance in Murano, an island near Venice.


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

JAR:  I love hiking, sight seeing anywhere in the world, history, and baking. I enjoy experimenting with different spices and combining flavors to create recipes for my first series.

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

JAR: Fresh fruit (berries, apples, grapefruit), hard boiled eggs, brie cheese, and butter.

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

JAR: I’m working on the next Bay Browning mystery: POETRY SLAMMED, featuring a newly-discovered Emily Dickinson poem and a missing English professor from Bay’s department.

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

JAR: 1) Talking to readers at in-person events or online author takeovers. 2) Creating a world and playing in it!

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

Shake-speared in the Park by Joy Ann Ribar Banner

SHAKE-SPEARED IN THE PARK

by Joy Ann Ribar

March 17th - April 11, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Shake-speared in the Park by Joy Ann Ribar

A BAY BROWNING MYSTERY

 

When Bay Browning helps direct the Flourish College summer theater production, “Shakespeare’s Couch,” she doesn’t plan for murder at the first practice.

Someone wants revenge against the elite cast members, as more terror unfolds on stage and backstage with each rehearsal. What should be a lighthearted parody on The Bard and his characters is cursed from the start, even without someone shouting “Macbeth” in the theater. Detective Downing takes charge of the crime, but Bay and her puzzle-solving cohort, Jen Yoo, follow their own script behind the scenes. Cassandra, Bay’s extraordinary sister, makes her own dramatic entrance on the case. After all, Cass is now the personal assistant to one of the elites living the high life on the bluff above Prairie Ridge. How many tragic scenes will be scripted before the villain faces the final curtain?

Praise for Shake-speared in the Park:

"A clever cozy that reads like an elusive buried treasure, that, once uncovered, shines with a burnished gold. Shakespearean scholars can revel throughout, as a college summer play, Shakespeare’s Couch, features a myriad of familiar characters, representing their plays. A costume party with more Shakespearean identities milling about provides sheer fun and frolic. The best part, however, is the thorough depiction of humanity, characteristic of Ribar’s writing. Even secondary characters come alive with strengths and foibles that delight and endear."
~ Saralyn Richard, author of the Detective Parrott mystery series, Bad Blood Sisters, and Mrs. Oliver’s Twist

"Ribar serves up wicked, clever fun in 'Shake-speared in the Park,' the second installment in her Bay Browning mystery series. A young man with much promise falls from a stage-prop balcony. He's dead when he lands, but that's not what killed him. Was his brother, the wayward son, involved? His best friend? Or one of the wealthy equestrian crowd? Then, another death, this time in a greenhouse. It's like 'Knives Out' meets Agatha Christie. Suspects abound. Two sisters—one a killer magnet, the other an ex-con—are determined to find out. The escalating tempo keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the end!"
~ Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson crime thriller novels

"In this fast-paced mystery and nod to Shakespeare, the murderous shenanigans would please the Bard himself! Professor Bay Browning’s play rehearsals go awry with deadly weapons, poisons, and just about anything else a playwright might use to scare or 'off' someone in dramatic fashion. As in 'Romeo & Juliet,' differences of class and money between families put a small Wisconsin college and Bay in the crosshairs. Replete with a twisty costume party, this novel opens the curtain on an entertaining theater production with actors poised to take their final bow, pun intended. Ribar balances scenes effectively between amateur detectives Bay and her sister Cass, the latter a plant aficionado and former prison inmate. To borrow from the Bard, 'To read or not to read?' The answer is easy: This is fun."
~ Christine DeSmet, author, Fudge Shop Mystery Series and Mischief in Moonstone Series

Book Details:

Genre: Blended Mystery: Traditional Mystery with Paranormal Twists
Published by: Wine Glass Press
Publication Date: February 2025
Number of Pages: 359
ISBN: 9781959078272 (ISBN10: 1959078275)
Series: Bay Browning Mysteries: Book Two
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Carillon Tower Park was buzzing with activity when Bay arrived for rehearsal. Desmond Carver, the director, was only steps ahead of her, so she dashed to catch up. Bay smiled at his signature bobbing walk on those extra-long legs that might belong to a pro basketball player instead of a theater professor.

“Desmond, hey. Looks like the students are psyched about the show.” Bay nodded toward the outdoor theater area where a portable tech booth had been set up. People inside were testing spotlights and sound effects.

The stage was midway through set construction showing false stone walls and two framed second story balconies. Someone was sweeping the stage free of pine needles, while a couple of others were taping the floor where furniture would go. Bay waved at Jen Yoo, her art professor friend, who was painting a flat with some students.

“It’s a positive sign when they show up early. Believe me, once we’re in the trenches, some will find reasons not to show up at all.” Desmond set a stack of scripts on one of the seats near the middle of the theater. “Actors,” he said using air quotes around the word.

Bay’s optimism didn’t dwindle. She was pleased with the turnout for auditions, considering it was a summer production, meaning many students were gone or working. The fact she and Desmond had backups for the main roles revealed enthusiasm for the show.

Desmond handed her a theater badge and key for the rooms beyond the stage. “By the way, in case I forget later, thanks so much for volunteering to help with the play. It can be a thankless job.”

Bay grinned but wondered why Desmond was being so pessimistic. He wasn’t close to retirement, maybe ten years older than Bay, and she’d pegged him as carefree and upbeat. Then again, in the two years she’d been a Flourish professor, she’d had a handful of short conversations with him.

At seven p.m. on the dot, the clock tower bell rang out the hour and Desmond spoke through a megaphone he’d brought to rehearsal. “Let’s get going. We start on time. We end on time. That’s my number one rule.”

To Bay’s surprise, every student hushed without delay. She’d heard Desmond was respected, and he knew these students from past plays. Many were seniors doing a final postgraduation show before entering the real world.

“For the first few rehearsals, we’re going to need to work around the set builders and the tech crew setting up lights and testing sounds. This isn’t a typical show. Summer theater is a shortened schedule, so we’re putting an entire production together in short order.” Desmond handed printed schedules to Bay, who passed them out to the actors and crew.

It wasn’t quite June, thankfully, because performances were marked for the last week of that month, just past the celebration of Midsummer on June twenty-fourth.

“You’ll notice on the schedule that all lines must be memorized by June tenth. That’s two weeks, my friends. Let’s make it happen.” Desmond used his teacher voice. Even Bay snapped to attention.

“Places everyone. We’ll start with the prologue and go straight through from act one as far as we can until eight-thirty. The script notes some introductory music, but we won’t add that for a couple of weeks. Proceed, Kitt.”

Bay and Desmond watched from the back third of the theater, taking notes as lines were delivered, stopping when necessary to help with enunciation or cadence. At the end of the second act, Desmond announced a seven-minute break, then headed to the tech booth to talk about lighting.

Bay noticed he seemed nervous about the tech crew being run by an intern. His normal production partner, Leo, another theater professor, was spending summer break in New York City at a Broadway intensive master class. Leo recommended a theater grad student from Madison to take his place.

As lights flashed on and off in different positions, Bay watched the techies at the booth. Desmond pointed at the script as intern Evan made notes, then flashed the light Desmond asked for. Bay noticed Evan’s body posture: alert, attentive, like a golden retriever eager to please. In contrast, Desmond alternated running a hand through the twists on top of his head, placing his hands on his hips, then rubbing the back of his neck before repeating the moves again.

“That looks intense.” Jen Yoo was sitting by Bay, a clean paint brush in one hand.

“Hey, Jen. Yes, I’ve never seen this side of Desmond. How about you?”

Jen shrugged. “I haven’t worked on a summer production in some time. The younger Desmond was laid-back. But some of us lose our patience as we age. Thankfully, I don’t have that problem.” She snickered.

Bay turned her full attention to Jen. “Why are you working on this production, anyway?”

“Two reasons. One: It fulfills my volunteer hours for the whole year. Two: It’s a show you wrote. I’m proud of you and want to see how it turns out.” Jen leaned her head over to meet Bay’s.

With break wrapping up, chatter from the stage echoed around the quiet outdoors. When a commotion ensued, Bay chalked it up to high energy from a new show, the honeymoon period. But then a loud thud sounded, someone began shrieking, and a cacophony of shouts and running feet ensued.

Bay, Jen, and Desmond ran to the stage, with the tech crew close behind. The adults vaulted onto the stage where the lead actor, Talon Hunt, lay crumpled in a twisted heap.

“Everybody back up,” Desmond shouted.

“He fell off the balcony,” one of the students called out.

“I didn’t mean to. We were goofing around, practicing a duel.” Jackson Lange knelt over Talon, his chest heaving, his face distraught.

Desmond, Jen, and Bay knelt beside Talon too, and Jackson stood up and looked away. Desmond checked Talon’s pulse, shook his head, listened for a heartbeat, and shook his head again. Bay called 911.

“Let’s straighten him a bit so I can do CPR.” Desmond motioned for Jen and Bay to get on either side of his legs and they gingerly turned him.

Desmond was still administering chest compressions and breaths when the emergency team arrived to take over. Thirty minutes later, the EMTs pronounced Talon dead.

***

Excerpt from Shake-speared in the Park by Joy Ann Ribar. Copyright 2025 by Joy Ann Ribar. Reproduced with permission from Joy Ann Ribar. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Joy Ann Ribar

Joy Ann Ribar is an RV author, writing on the road wherever her husband and their Winnebago View wanders. Joy’s cocktail of careers includes news reporter, paralegal, English educator, and aquaponics greenhouse technician, all of which prove useful in penning mysteries. Her cozy Deep Lakes Mysteries, feature baker/vintner Frankie Champagne, who moonlights as an investigative reporter. Joy’s Bay Browning Mysteries blend edgy, traditional, and paranormal elements twisted around classical literary themes. Joy loves to bake, read, research wines, and explore nature. Her writing has received awards and recognition from WWA, PenCraft Book Awards, Book Fest, Reader’s Favorite, and Chanticleer Cozy and Not-So-Cozy awards.

Catch Up With Joy Ann Ribar:

JoyRibar.com
Joy's Substack
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @ribarjoy
Instagram - @authorjoyribar
Facebook - @JoyRibarAuthor

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!


This linky list is now closed.

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

Don't Miss Your Chance to Win! Enter Today!

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

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours