Murder Most Eastern - A Guest Post, Review, & Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Emily Harper to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Emily on the pages of the Great Maine Mystery series. MURDER MOST EASTERN is the first book in the series and was released last week.

From Boston to Jasper Beach
By Emily Harper, amateur sleuth and recent inheritor of a lovely house on Jasper Beach

I didn’t move to Maine because I had a plan. I moved here because I inherited a house—and a mystery.

When my sister Becky died, everything shifted. I’d always imagined she’d be the one who settled down in some cozy coastal town, running on Dunkin’ and small-town gossip. Not me. I was the Boston one. A little too tightly wound, maybe, but predictable. Structured. Comfortable with my life in the city, at least on the surface.

Then came the phone call. And the funeral. And the house.

I’d never even heard of Jasper Beach before that week. But there it was—Becky’s house. Her cat. Her entire world tucked inside a weather-worn Victorian perched at the edge of the sea. And when I stepped inside for the first time, I felt it immediately: there was something unfinished. Something unsettled. Something that didn’t make sense.

She wanted me to stay. And at first I did, just to sort through her things. Then, to try to understand what really happened. And before I knew it, I wasn’t just sleeping in her bedroom—I was rethinking my entire life.

Becky left more behind than a house and a cat (Grayson, who is more opinionated than most people I know). She left questions. Secrets. Maybe even a trail she hoped I’d follow. And whether it was guilt, grief, or just sheer stubbornness, I couldn’t walk away.

I thought I was coming to Maine to say goodbye to my sister.

Instead, I stumbled into a murder investigation, befriended Becky’s attorney, Bill, and a retired librarian with more sass than sense (hi, Martha), and found myself navigating local scandals, secret codes, and one very nosy cat who seems to know when trouble’s afoot.

The truth is, nothing about this life was part of the plan. I’m not a detective. I’m not even all that brave. But I’ve discovered something important in this strange, windswept little town: sometimes the best parts of life are the ones you never see coming.

I still miss Becky every day. But in a way, she’s the reason I found this new purpose. She left me a home, a community, and a mystery—and I intend to honor that.

Even if it means chasing murderers in a pair of mismatched boots and figuring out how to keep a psychic cat out of the butter dish. 

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Review

 

MURDER MOST EASTERN by Nellie H. Steele

The First Great Maine Mystery

 

Although they weren't close, Emily Harper is devastated to hear of her sister's death. Upon inheriting Becky's Victorian with the proviso that she live in it a year, Emily leaves Boston behind and moves to rural Maine. Once in Becky's house she is filled with a sense of foreboding that even Grayson, Becky's cat, can't dispel. Though not one to believe in the mystical, Emily finds herself having visions after wearing her sister's bracelet, visions of the man she met at the lighthouse Becky was researching. When Emily returns to the lighthouse she discovers the man has been murdered. Does his death have something to do with the secrets Becky wrote about in her journal? If that's true, was Becky's death truly accidental? Will Emily discover the truth or will she be the next to die? 

 

I found the plot of the first Great Maine Mystery fascinating: an accidental death that may not be so accidental, shifty historians, a wise cat, hidden artifacts that may have a mystical purpose all set within the beautiful backdrop of rural Maine. 

 

I'm not sure how I feel about Emily. Her attitude towards Grayson irked me. While Emily grew attached to her she thought it was odd to talk to a cat and saying that she was just a cat. I suppose non pet people may think that way, but it bothered me. I did like how she was suspicious of others, but at times her actions put her in the too stupid to live category. Bill is a great character and I really liked Martha, the plucky librarian. But the character I liked best was Grayson, the cat. Grayson is a sturdy cat. I understand that. However, it's not necessary for the author to continually use the word waddle to describe her movements. She waddled here, she waddled there, she waddled everywhere! Most annoying.

 

I enjoyed the paranormal aspect to the story. While at times it did act a bit like a deus ex machina, it added another interesting layer to the story.

 

A little bit of mystery and a little bit of magick make MURDER MOST EASTERN an intriguing start to a new series. 

 

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 Murder Most Eastern (Great Maine Mysteries) by Nellie H. Steele

About Murder Most Eastern

Murder Most Eastern (Great Maine Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Maine
Publisher: ‎ A Novel Idea Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: ‎ August 28, 2025
Print length: ‎ 210 pages

A seaside Victorian. A skeptical artist. A cat with secrets. And a murder that won’t stay buried…

When struggling artist Emily Harper inherits a charming but creaky Victorian on the rugged coast of Maine, she expects a fresh start—what she doesn’t expect is cryptic notes, eerie visions, and a cat with an uncanny sense for trouble.

But nothing unsettles her more than the bracelet. A striking piece of tourmaline jewelry left behind in the house, it sends shivers up her spine whenever she wears it. At first, she chalks it up to stress—until she visits West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and is struck by a chilling vision of a man begging for his life. The next day, his body is found.

With a storm brewing, long-buried secrets rising to the surface, and a killer who will do anything to keep the past hidden, Emily must embrace the unexplainable—or risk becoming the next victim.

Fans of Ellery Adams and Carolyn Hart will love this twisty, atmospheric paranormal cozy mystery full of seaside charm, ghostly intrigue, and a heroine who refuses to back down—no matter how haunted her past may be.

Read now and sleuth the clues today.

About Nellie H. Steele

Nellie H. Steele is a storyteller who doesn’t just write books—she writes the stories her characters tell her. With distinct voices and minds of their own, her characters often take over, guiding her through tales of romance, mystery, adventure, and suspense.

A lifelong bookworm, Nellie vividly recalls sitting on the concrete floor of her childhood library, eagerly devouring Nancy Drew books and dreaming of solving mysteries of her own. Now an award-winning author, she spends her days crafting immersive worlds and unforgettable characters that feel like old friends. Her house is a zoo—literally—thanks to her rescue animals who seem perfectly happy napping while she writes.

Nellie’s writing process often involves background TV she never actually watches because she’s too wrapped up in her characters’ antics. When she’s not spinning stories, she works as a professor of statistics, where students who know her as an author are often surprised to find she really does teach math.

If you love twisty mysteries, soap-opera-style romance, and thrilling adventures, dive into Nellie’s books today and discover worlds you won’t want to leave. Connect with Nellie on Facebook at @NellieHSteele—she loves chatting with readers about characters, stories, and more!

Author Links: 

Website: https://nelliehsteele.com/  

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

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19769743.Nellie_H_Steele  

Purchase Link: Amazon

Confessions of a Mystery Reviewer - An Interview

Today I'm happy to allow Maureen Klovers to take over Cozy Up With Kathy. Maureen writes the Rita Calabrese Mystery series. In a switch up, instead of me interviewing Maureen she interviewed me! 

Confessions of a Mystery Reviewer: 
My Interview with Kathy Kaminski, the Cozy Mystery Fan Behind “Cozy Up with Kathy”

For a change, I’d like to shine the spotlight on an unsung heroine of the cozy mystery community: Kathy Kaminski.

One of the most talented and insightful reviewers in the blogosphere, she summarized the essence of my series far better than I ever could when she wrote “Food, Family, and Fun could be the motto for this series. Food can reflect emotions, family can drive you batty while also providing support, and life, even when dealing with murder, should be fun.” And I suspect other authors feel the same!

Kathy also throws terrific Facebook cozy mystery parties for Halloween and Christmas, founded the Western New York chapter of Sisters in Crime, and has done much to champion outstanding indie and small-publisher authors who would otherwise languish in obscurity.

I hope you enjoy this peek behind the mystery reviewing curtain with one of the greats!


Me (Maureen): I like to play "Two Truths and a Lie" to get to know someone. So tell me two true things about you and one lie, and I'll try to guess the lie!

Kathy: Here are my three things: (1) I was a police officer in Texas, (2) I am an avid baker, and (3) I once owned an off-track thoroughbred who I competed with as a Hunter/Jumper.

Me: Thoroughbreds are crazy expensive, so I’m thinking that’s the lie.

Kathy: Nope! I had a thoroughbred named Harley. His racing name was Bad to the Bone.

Maureen: That sounds like a cozy mystery title. Did he win any races?

Kathy: Yup!

Maureen: OK, so I am going to guess being an avid baker is a lie.

Kathy: You’re right! That’s a lie. But I do love watching the Great British Baking Show.

Maureen: That’s kind of odd, don’t you think? I mean you read culinary mysteries with recipe but you don’t make them…so tell me about being a police officer.

Kathy: I was a patrol officer the University of Texas-Austin. Now I’m a rehabilitation counselor in the forensic unit of a psychiatric hospital, working with patients who are involved in the criminal justice system. My main focus is vocational training; getting people ready to join the workforce when they leave the facility. I’m most proud of the greeting card program I run; patients make greeting cards that they share with other patients. I also run a mobile library. I run several groups including a “mystery history” group for patients where we watch and discuss documentaries. I teach creative writing.

Maureen: Do you get any “true crime” stories—or even confessions—from your patients?

Kathy: No—and if I did, I couldn’t tell you. I did have one patient who was an actual psychopath. That’s actually pretty rare, because most psychopaths are never caught. They’re the “nice guy” who lives next door. But he was actually one of my favorite patients.

Maureen: What was the first mystery you ever read?

Kathy: I read the Hardy Boys mysteries and the Three Investigator Mysteries as a child. I distinctly remember my first cozy mystery, CATERING TO NOBODY by Diane Mott Davidson. I loved the mystery, I loved the food, I loved escaping into a world with lovely people I wanted to spend time with—I loved it all!

Maureen: Do you read in other genres?

Kathy: With my review schedule I rarely have time to indulge in genres other than crime fiction. In addition to cozies, I enjoy traditional mysteries, historical mysteries (which are usually cozy or traditional), and the odd police procedural or thriller. I try to find time for non-fiction as well. I like reading about spiritual matters, cults, history, and more!

Maureen: What motivated you to make the leap from mystery fan to mystery reviewer?

Kathy: Qwilleran, from the “Cat Who” series!

Maureen: I enjoy Lillian Jackson Braun’s reporter-and-Siamese-cats crime-fighting trio as much as anyone, but I’m not following.

Kathy: Qwilleran always said he can write 1000 words about anything. So inorder to improve my writing I started a blog. Then, since I knew several authors I decided to start a mystery blog. Cleo Coyle was my first giveaway, and Lorraine Bartlett was my first interview. Then I started doing tours. The rest is history! I do tours now with Dollycas and Partners in Crime.

Maureen: If you could be one fictional character, who would it be and why?

Kathy: This is a very difficult question. My first thought was Amelia Peabody, a Victorian-era Egyptologist, but I want modern conveniences, especially indoor plumbing, so she’s out. Then I thought Molly Kimball from the Cambridge Bookshop Mystery series by Elizabeth Penney. Moving to England with my mom to help run the oldest bookshop in Cambridge would be fun, and it would be great to have a boyfriend who is not only really nice, but rich! But she is so young. Hmmm. Maybe Aleksandra Daniels from the Enchanted Bay Mystery series by Esme Addison. She shares my Polish heritage, and a there is the added bonus of magic!

Maureen: What mystery series hasn’t been written but should be?

Kathy: A clerical mystery series starring a rabbi and a priest, both in their 70s, who grew up together.

Maureen: That’s an interesting premise.

Kathy: My dad was born in 1939. I just remember all the funny stories he had about growing up. I’ve read and enjoyed several clerical mysteries with priests and nuns as sleuths, and I enjoyed a few series with wives of rabbis!

Maureen: How has the cozy mystery genre evolved since you started reviewing?

Kathy: The volume has really increased, for one thing! It used to be books in a series would publish once a year, now it’s every 3-4 months! Lately, I am seeing a lot more paranormal mysteries, especially ones that are self-published.

Maureen: So for those of my readers who are interested in becoming a reviewer, how does it work?

Kathy: It starts with getting the books. I am a member of two touring companies, I work closely with publicists from Kensington, plus other publicists and authors contact me as well. After I finish the book, I focus on writing a review that captures the essence of the book, not just what happens, but the mood, the theme, how it makes the reader feel. Then I post my reviews on my blog, as well as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, Bookbub, thestorygraph.com, and Netgalley if I got the book from them. I add links to my personal Facebook page as well as my corresponding Cozy Up With Kathy Facebook page and on Blue Sky as well.

Maureen: Do you try to solve the crime along with the sleuth?

Kathy: No, I read solely to enjoy it. Sometimes I know who “dunnit” before the protagonist, but I don’t keep track.

Maureen: Do you ever read a book and have a completely different reaction to it than other reviewers do? Do you even pay attention to what other reviewers write?

Kathy: Yes! I get mad when I see bad reviews about books I loved and, conversely, I’m amazed at good reviews for books I thought were awful! I never read someone else’s review for a book before I write my review for it. Consequently, and I know this sounds bad as a reviewer, I rarely read reviews.

Maureen: OK, since this is for my newsletter, let’s talk Rita. What’s your favorite Rita Calabrese mystery, and why?

Kathy: I love Rita so much!!! It’s hard to say which was my favorite Rita Calabrese mystery, but I’ll go with OF MASQUES AND MURDER, the fourth book in the series, where Rita decides to give up meddling for Lent!

Maureen: How do you want the characters to evolve as the series progresses?

Kathy: The evolution of a character is a tricky thing. We love to have characters grow, but Rita's foibles are some of the things I like best about her. She's opinionated, she meddles, but most of all she loves her family. I don't think that should ever change. It will be interesting to see how her relationship with her husband may change due to his new journalistic endeavors. And neither the Widow Schmalzgruben nor Cesare and Luciano (her Bernese mountain dogs) can ever die!

Maureen: Apparently, you and my dad think alike – maybe it’s the shared Polish heritage! I was going to kill off the widow at one point and he talked me out of it. Well, I think that’s a wrap! Thanks so much for talking with me, Kathy.

Kathy: My pleasure! 

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Links:

For Kathy:

Website: https://cozyupwithkathy.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CozyUpWithKathy
Facebook Party Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2735820886635502
Blue Sky: @katreader.bsky.social‬

For Maureen:

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

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Murder Most Eastern by Nellie H. Steele. This is Book 1 of the Great Maine Mysteries and will be released August 28, 2025.

Although they weren't close, Emily Harper is devastated to hear of her sister's death. Upon inheriting Becky's Victorian with the proviso that she live in it a year, Emily leaves Boston behind and moves to rural Maine. Once in Becky's house she is filled with a sense of foreboding that even Grayson, Becky's cat, can't dispel. Though not one to believe in the mystical, Emily finds herself having visions after wearing her sister's bracelet, visions of the man she met at the lighthouse Becky was researching. When Emily returns to the lighthouse she discovers the man has been murdered. Does his death have something to do with the secrets Becky wrote about in her journal? If that's true, was Becky's death truly accidental? Will Emily discover the truth or will she be the next to die?

Die, Die, Birdie - A Guest Post and Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Kiki Lowenstein to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Kiki on the pages of the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery series by Joanna Campbell Slan. Die, Die, Birdie is the nineteenth book in the series and was released 

 

Hello from Time in a Bottle!
A Guest Post by Kiki Lowenstein

Hi, Kathy, and all you wonderful cozy mystery readers!

When Joanna asked if I'd like to write something for your blog, I jumped at the chance. As someone who's found herself in the middle of more mysteries than I ever bargained for, I've become quite the cozy mystery fan myself. There's something so comforting about curling up with a good mystery where you know justice will prevail and the amateur sleuth will figure things out—even when that amateur sleuth happens to be me!

My name is Kiki Lowenstein, and I own Time in a Bottle, a craft store here in a St. Louis suburb. A few years ago, if someone had told me I'd be solving murders between organizing cardstock, freezing glue sticks, and teaching classes, I would have laughed. (You do know that freezing glue sticks eliminates those pesky stray strands, don’t you?) But life has a funny way of surprising us.

It all started when my husband George died suddenly, leaving me nearly broke with an eleven-year-old daughter to raise. I desperately needed work, and Dodie Goldfader took a chance on hiring me at her store. I thought I'd be selling supplies and helping customers preserve their memories. I never expected to be preserving evidence and tracking down killers!

What I've learned is … crafters make excellent detectives. We're detail-oriented by nature—we notice when something's even slightly out of place. We're used to figuring out how all the pieces fit together perfectly. And we're persistent! Anyone who's spent hours getting a piece of fabric or ribbon or felt cut just right knows about not giving up when things get tricky.

My crafting background has helped me solve cases in ways the police never expected. I can spot when someone's handwriting doesn't match their usual style, notice if supplies have been tampered with, or recognize when a "perfect" scene has been staged. Plus, working in the crafting community means I hear all the local gossip. Sometimes that gossip contains crucial clues.

The best part about my unexpected detective career is that it's brought wonderful people into my life, including Detective Chad Detweiler, who is now my husband. My coworkers have become like family, and even my daughter Anya has learned to roll with her mom's tendency to stumble into mysteries.

In my latest adventure, Die, Die, Birdie, things get particularly interesting. Without giving too much away, let's say that my child’s request for a new pet turns seriously strange. Yes, he gets the bird he wanted. But he also gets more than he bargained for. Turns out the bird was a witness to a crime and even swallowed some of the evidence. Did you know a small parrot can swallow tiny diamonds and use them to grind up his food? (Hey, I didn’t know that either!)

I hope you'll join me for this new mystery. Like all cozy mysteries, it has that perfect blend of puzzle-solving, community, and characters you'll want to spend time with. Plus, I promise you a lot of laughter and warm fuzzies along the way!

Thanks for letting me visit your wonderful blog, Kathy. Keep reading those cozies—they remind us that even in the darkest mysteries, there's always hope for a happy ending.

Warmly, Kiki Lowenstein

P.S. - Die, Die, Birdie https://amzn.to/46PkAMN is available now, and I promise no crafting supplies were permanently harmed in the making of this mystery!

P.P.S.—Oh, and about those diamonds. Everything comes out in the end. (LOL)

 

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 Die, Die, Birdie (Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series) by Joanna Campbell Slan

About Die, Die, Birdie

Die, Die, Birdie (Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery 19th in the Series
Setting - Missouri
Publisher: ‎ Spot On Publishing
Publication date: ‎ July 1, 2025
Print length: ‎ 230 pages

When her son's new pet becomes evidence in a murder case, scrapbook store owner Kiki Lowenstein-Detweiler discovers that some family secrets are worth killing for.

All eight-year-old Erik wanted for his birthday was a bird. What he got was Solo-a traumatized lovebird whose mate was recently devoured by a boa constrictor at a local pet shop.

But when Kiki learns that Solo originally belonged to Ruthie Goldman, a beloved member of their temple community who died after a brutal home invasion, she realizes this is no ordinary rescue pet.

Solo may be small, but he's carrying big secrets-literally. X-rays reveal the tiny bird has swallowed several diamonds from the robbery that killed his previous owner. Now someone is desperately trying to track down Erik's feathered friend, and Kiki's family is in danger.

As Detective Chad Detweiler investigates the diamond theft that triggered Ruthie's fatal stroke, Kiki uncovers a web of family betrayals, frozen embryos, and twisted ideas about genetic purity.

With her trademark blend of humor, heart, and small-town Missouri charm, Kiki must protect her family while helping to solve a murder that hits frighteningly close to home. Because when inheritance, infertility, and identity collide, even the most loving families can harbor deadly secrets.

"Fans of cozy mysteries will delight in this charming blend of family drama, small-town secrets, and feathered friends. Kiki Lowenstein-Detweiler proves once again that the most dangerous mysteries often begin with the most innocent questions."

About Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author

who has written more than 70 books, both fiction and non-fiction. Currently, she writes four ongoing mystery series: the Kiki Lowenstein cozy mysteries (Agatha Award finalist/first novel/contemporary); the Jane Eyre Chronicles (Daphne du Maurier Award for Literary Excellence winner/historical); the Cara Mia Delgatto mysteries (contemporary); and the Friday Night Mystery Club mysteries (set in 1980s). She’s also the editor and co-author of the Sherlock Holmes Fantasy books.

Her publication career began as one of the earliest Chicken Soup for the Soul contributors, and her stories appear in five of those New York Times bestselling books. Joanna’s first non-fiction book, Using Stories and Humor: Grab Your Audience (Simon & Schuster/Pearson), was endorsed by Toastmasters International and lauded by Benjamin Netanyahu’s speechwriter. Her books on scrapbooking have won fans all over the world, and she has taught scrapbooking techniques in Europe and on cruise ships, as well as in the United States.

When she isn’t writing, Joanna is an avid crafter. Contact Joanna at JCSlan@JoannaSlan.com.

Follow her on social media by going here https://www.linktr.ee/JCSlan

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Axes & Alchemy - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm very happy to welcome Cosmo Merlin de Beaufort to Cozy Up With Kathy Today. You can find Cosmo on the pages of the Willowmere Mystery series. AXES & ALCHEMY is the second book in the series and was released last week.

 

Let me guess, dear reader. Now that you’ve discovered that there’s more to me than meets the eye, you have a few burning questions.

Rest assured, it’s only to be expected. Uppermost on your mind is certainly the mind-boggling conundrum what I, Cosmo Merlin de Beaufort, a cat of unusual beauty and illustrious past lives, am doing in a small town like Willowmere, Oregon. Surely a penthouse in Manhattan or an apartment close to the Champs-Elysées in Paris, even a castle in the Scottish Highlands would be more suitable for me.

How right you are. Maybe I will tell you another time about my past. First though I need to make sure that my biographer is deserving of my confidence. So far, she hasn't strayed from the truth, but it's early days. You never know when a human's imagination runs away with them!

I assume the second most important question on your mind - in some cases it might even have been the first - is whether you too have a wise, four-legged or winged mentor in your life.

The answer is: Yes, it’s entirely possible that your nonhuman family member is indeed your familiar, even if they don’t talk to you.

You see, not all powers are created equal, but animals and familiars have been watching over you for eons. To be fair, some of you are worthier than others - sadly we have learned that humans are not the most trustworthy of species, present company excluded, of course.

You have already proven yourself to be discerning, smart, lovable even. Otherwise, you would not be reading this. (And, yes, I can tell all this just by connecting with you through a blog post. This is a mere glimpse of the things I am capable of.)

But we were talking about your pets. Ask yourself these questions. How did your pet come into your life? Did your gaze lock somewhere at a rescue center or on the street? Did you see a picture of them? Did you feel an instant connection? A tug on your heartstrings?

Then, when you brought them home, what did you experience when you bonded? Was it a warm, fuzzy feeling when a tiny paw touched your hand or you fondled their ears or stroked a silky back? Didn't you relax? Breathe easier? Feel happy?

Isn't the sound of a meow or a bark or a chirp or bird song lifting your heart?

As for your trusted pet (or animal companions as I prefer to call us) watch over you? Do they curl up next to you when you’re unwell or heartbroken? Stand faithfully guard when you need protection?

Not to mention the many, many occasions when one of us has saved a human when there was a fire breaking out or filthy gas escaping.

Not all of us may be able to teach you valuable lessons like I do with Bex, but I am a feline of quite unusual powers, even among familiars.

But believe me, we all try to share with you lessons on how to be good, how to create a community, how to connect. Whatever happens in your life, as long as you have an animal companion you will never truly be lonely. That, my dear friend, that in itself is magic.

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Review

AXES & ALCHEMY by Carmen Radtke
The Second Willowmere Mystery 

Capturing the memories of Willowmere's oldest residents is a wonderful idea. Turning the recordings into a podcast seems like a novel way to share their wisdom. That is until the talk turns to hidden treasure in Willowmere. Whether pirate doubloons or the secret of alchemy itself, Bex Merriweather is right to be concerned. Even though the podcast is quickly removed0 treasure seekers appear and the nursing home is under siege! Bex's witchy warning system goes off giving her extreme hot flashes that have nothing to do with perimenopause and everything to do with someone else wielding magick. When a disliked townsperson is murdered there are too many suspects with a multitude of possible motives. With the help of her mentor, Cosmo, Bex will have to up her witch skills in order to protect the town and solve yet another murder!

Bex and Cosmo make a great team. While Cosmo teaches and trains, Bex infuses her own charm and spunk. I also enjoy how she investigates the mystery with her friends and especially how they get Ms. Vine to join in! The mystery is complex with lots of new characters and so many motives...almost too many. I like that there's a new venue in town, with new owners, but partway through the book they just seemed to fade away.

Woven into the murder mystery is a magickal one. Magickal items are left around the library. Yet, in the end the significance was never addressed. Who left the labradorite? Why? We don't know. Does it have something to do with what happened in the last chapter? Will it be explained in the next book?  

Showing once again that women in midlife are powerful and purposeful AXES & ALCHEMY is a fun mystery that combines magick, murder, and community. I look forward to seeing what happens next, especially with the introduction of Fleur!

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 Axes and Alchemy (A Cozy Midlife Witch Mystery) Willowmere Mysteries by Carmen Radtke

About Axes and Alchemy

Axes and Alchemy (A Cozy Midlife Witch Mystery) Willowmere Mysteries
Paranormal Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Oregon Independently Published
Publication Date: ‎ August 15, 2025
Number of Pages: ~230

Pirate loot and deadly feud … So much for a peaceful next chapter: Novice witch Bex Merriweather has her hands full running a leading library and secretly studying magic under the critical eye of her opinionated familiar and mentor, cat Cosmo. The last thing newly divorced perimenopausal Bex needs is more tasks needing her attention. But when a podcast connects a pirate treasure and voodoo magic with tranquil Willowmere and treasure hunters as well as occultists flock to the town, feuds erupt. When a dead body is found, Bex and Cosmo can’t discount the idea that greed and black magic had something to do with the murder. But can she protect her secret and the town without exposing the truth about her inheritance? And is somebody already on her trail – somebody wishing her ill? With only her cat and her trusted circle of friends, Bex sets out to catch a killer before the treasure of a long dead pirate claims another victim. Axes and Alchemy is the second case in this fun-filled series. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, magical mayhem, and heroines who believe it’s never too late for a new chapter—or a little witchcraft!

About Carmen Radtke

Carmen has spent most of her life with ink on her fingers and a dangerously high pile of books and newspapers by her side.

She has worked as a newspaper reporter on two continents and always dreamt of becoming a novelist and screenwriter.

When she found herself crouched under her dining table, typing away on a novel between two earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, she realised she was hooked for life.

The shaken but stirring novel made it to the longlist of the Mslexia competition, and her next book and first mystery, The Case Of The Missing Bride, was a finalist in the Malice Domestic competition in a year without a winner. Since then she has penned several more cozy mysteries, including the Genie and Adriana Darling ghost mysteries and the Jack and Frances series set in the 1930s.

Carmen now lives in Italy with her human and her four-legged family. Although she possesses no witchy powers, she’s known to be easily held spellbound by animals.

Author Links:

Website - https://www.carmenradtkeauthor.com

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

Purchase Link - Amazon

Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Amanda Chapman to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Amanda writes the Mrs. Christie Mystery series. MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY is the first book in the series and will be released next week.

Kathy: In MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY we meet Tory Van Dyne who works as a book conservator at Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library. Is this a job that you would be interested in having?

AC: Honestly, I can’t imagine any job better than the one I’m doing now (i.e., writing mysteries). But if I had to choose another one, it would absolutely be book conservator. I love books. I particularly love old books (which explains why I still have all my Nancy Drews and all my mother’s Agatha Christies). What could be more rewarding than to bring a book back to life? Even if it sometimes means literally vacuuming up silverfish and bookworms (yes, they are a real thing!) hiding between the pages. 


Kathy: Tory meets a woman who claims to be the ghost of Agatha Christie! Do you believe in ghosts? 

AC: Well, as Agatha Christie once wrote in her short story “The Hound of Death,” “the supernatural is only the natural of which the laws are not understood.” Goodness knows, I don’t understand them. That being said, I stand with the great British master of the ghost story, M.R. James himself: “Do I believe in ghosts? I am prepared to consider evidence and accept it if it satisfies me.” 


Kathy: If you could have someone who has crossed over come back to help you, who would you choose? 

AC: Let’s see… Oh yeah, I know. Agatha Christie. Definitely Agatha Christie. 


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? 

AC: Well, it wasn’t so much what as who. And the who was my mother, a lifelong mystery addict who passed her habit on to me. For which I will be forever grateful.

But what keeps me going back to mysteries (and writing mysteries) was perhaps best said Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim had a deep fascination with mysteries (which he often used in his work), pointing in particular to “Agatha Christie’s mysteries, the kinds of things where you know that it’s all going to be neatly wound up at the end and everything’s going to make logical sense. I think that’s why murder mysteries are popular, is this defense against chaos.” I’m with Mr. Sondheim on that! 

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? 

AC: No, I am and always will be married to mysteries. 


Kathy: Tell us about this first book in your new series. 

AC: In short, it’s about Tory Van Dyne, a book conservator at Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library, and a woman claiming to be Agatha Christie on holiday from the Great Beyond joining forces to catch a killer.

The longer version is that Tory is really not thrilled when she discovers a woman in the library’s Christie Room who then calmly introduces herself as Agatha Christie, politely requests a cocktail, and announces she’s there to help solve a murder—that has not yet happened.

But as soon as Tory determines that this is just a fairly nutty Christie fangirl, her socialite/actress cousin Nicola gets caught up in the suspicious death of her less-than-lovable talent agent. Nic, as always, looks to Tory for help. Tory, in turn, looks to Mrs. Christie. The woman, whoever or whatever she is, clearly knows her stuff when it comes to crime.

Aided by an unlikely band of fellow sleuths—including a snarky librarian, an eleven-year-old computer whiz, and an NYPD detective with terrible taste in suits—Tory and the woman claiming to be her very much deceased literary idol begin to unravel the twists and turns of a murderer’s devious mind. Because, in the immortal words of Miss Jane Marple, “murder is never simple.” 


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

AC: I love them all. But I have to admit that Tory is closest to my heart. For one thing, she’s the most down-to-earth member of a decidedly eccentric old-money New York family, in that she actually has a job. Plus, she’s not yet over a fairly recent trauma. As a result, she’s determined to leave up-town society -- and that trauma -- behind and live basically as a recluse. Or what she calls “a safe, sane, sensible life.” But it’s not long before Tory realizes that “my safe, sane, sensible life was as dead as a body with a knife in its back in one of Dame Agatha’s own mysteries.” To watch Tory come back to life and back into life has been such a joy for me. 
 

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

AC: On the dead side, the Queen of Crime (obviously) and Dorothy L. Sayers (creator of the wonderful Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane mysteries). On the living side, Louise Penny (for her delightful -- and a little bit supernatural -- Three Pines/Inspector Gamache mysteries) and Anne Cleves (Vera anyone?). 


Kathy: What are you currently reading? 

AC: I’ve just discovered via my Kindle a wonderful series, the Mr. and Mrs. North mysteries, written in the 1930s and ‘40s by the husband-and-wife team of Frances and Richard Lockridge. Every book is clever and witty and features a remarkable number of cocktails imbibed while sleuthing. (I should point out that there are also more than a few cocktails imbibed in Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library.) I’m only on number 5 in the series out of 26 (!), so I am set for at least a couple of weeks (I read really, really fast.) 


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

AC: Honestly, I’m the most boring person on earth. All I do is read. Mostly mysteries. 


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

AC: Cold-brew coffee, because how can anyone write a book without coffee? Real parmigiano Reggiano cheese to be freshly grated over pasta, because pretty much all I cook is pasta. A bottle of pinot grigio, because all that cocktail talk aside, I don’t really like cocktails. But I really like wine. And Irish butter, because it’s the best butter in the world and when there’s absolutely nothing left in the fridge to eat, you can always make pasta with butter and cheese. And have it with a glass of pinot grigio.

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

AC: I’m already writing (actually, I’m almost finished with) Book Two of the series, which I am absolutely loving. And I’m coming up with ideas for more… Stay tuned!

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

AC: Honestly, my favorite thing about being an author is writing. It’s an absolute joy. I love coming up with new ways to kill people (haha, just kidding). But most of all, I love my characters. I have so much fun with them. Just wait until you meet Tory’s flighty actor cousin Nicola Van Dyne. (As Nic herself would say, “I love love love her.”) And Tory’s best friend, the exceedingly well dressed and very snarky librarian, Adrian Gooding, “who believes in exactly nothing, not even the keto diet.” And “the hot detective” as Adrian refers to Detective Sebastian Mendez-Cruz, kindly not taking off points for the unfortunate suits. And our eleven-year-old Irish computer whiz, Mairead Butler, unofficial secretary of what she insists on referring to as “Agatha Inc.” And finally, that absolutely charming crime-solving genius, Mrs. Christie herself, “whoever and whatever she might be.” I’ll leave that up to you… 


Kathy: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

It’s been an absolute pleasure! As Nic would say, I loved loved loved your questions.

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Review

MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY By Amanda Chapman
The First Mrs. Christie Mystery

Tory Van Dyne lives a quiet stable life. While she has some issues, that she is working through thank you very much, she is the normal one in her eccentric wealthy family. She's happy living and working in the townhome her grandmother gave her running the Mystery Guild Library on the main floors, working as a book conservator in the basement, and living in private quarters on the top floors. Tory starts to question her sanity when she meets a woman in the Christie Room, a woman who claims to be Agatha Christie herself! To top it off she says she's there to help solve a murder mystery! A poisoning sets off warning bells and when Tory's effervescent cousin, Nic's, agent dies they wonder. Could it be murder? When a second person dies under mysterious circumstances there's no longer much doubt. With the help of Mrs. Christie, Tory and her friends start to piece together the clues and work to solve a murder mystery!  

I loved, loved, loved this book! Agatha Christie coming back to help solve a murder mystery. Quirky friends. Monied old New York. A smidge of romance. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, an incredibly complex, intricately plotted mystery. MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY delivers on all accounts! 

I was delighted to meet Tory, a protagonist who's vulnerable, yet strong, naive, yet knowledgeable. Flighty Nic is charming, despite her faults, the hot detective is smart and kind in addition to being hot, Adrian is a wonderful foil, and Mairead is a very special kid! And then there's Agatha Christie herself. From Tory thinking Mrs. Christie must be a fan girl, well, fan woman, to Adrian who doesn't believe in anything, the progression of belief in Mrs. Christie is wonderful. More than helping solve a murder or two, Mrs. Christie helps people become better. The characters are all incredibly unique, each with their own foibles and strengths. Even the minor characters. I was most impressed with Norman and I can't forget the drag stewardesses. 

I love how quotes are incorporated, not only at the start of a chapter, but in actual dialogue! The amount of research necessary to find just the right Agatha Christie quote to seamlessly and appropriately fit in conversation is somewhat awe inspiring! 

Smart, funny, and able to tug at the heartstrings MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY is a phenomenal start to a new series. 

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 Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library (Mrs. Christie Series) by Amanda Chapman

About Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library

Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Greenwich Village in New York City (primarily near Washington Square)
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ August 26, 2025
Print length: ‎ 368 pages

Book conservator Tory Van Dyne and a woman claiming to be Agatha Christie on holiday from the Great Beyond join forces to catch a killer in this spirited mystery from Amanda Chapman.

Tory Van Dyne is the most down-to-earth member of a decidedly eccentric old-money New York family. For one thing, as book conservator at Manhattan’s Mystery Guild Library, she actually has a job. Plus, she’s left up-town society behind for a quiet life downtown. So she’s not thrilled when she discovers a woman in the library’s Christie Room who calmly introduces herself as Agatha Christie, politely requests a cocktail, and announces she’s there to help solve a murder— that has not yet happened.

But as soon as Tory determines that this is just a fairly nutty Christie fangirl, her socialite/actress cousin Nicola gets caught up in the suspicious death of her less-than-lovable talent agent. Nic, as always, looks to Tory for help. Tory, in turn, looks to Mrs. Christie. The woman, whoever or whatever she is, clearly knows her stuff when it comes to crime.

Aided by an unlikely band of fellow sleuths —including a snarky librarian, an eleven-year-old computer whiz, and an NYPD detective with terrible taste in suits—Tory and the woman claiming to be her very much deceased literary idol begin to unravel the twists and turns of a murderer’s devious mind. Because, in the immortal words of Miss Jane Marple, “murder is never simple.”

About Amanda Chapman

Amanda Chapman (aka Amy Pershing) is a lifelong mystery lover and wordsmith. Under the name Amy Pershing, she is also the author of the Cape Cod Foodie mysteries. An enthusiastic fan of traditional mysteries and of New York City, she found herself wondering, “What if someone recreated Agatha Christie’s personal library -– even to the furnishings and architecture — in New York City? What would happen in that space?” And thus MRS. CHRISTIE AT THE MYSTERY GUILD LIBRARY -- the first in a new series -- was born.

Author Links: 

Website www.amandachapmanauthor.com  

Follow Amanda Chapman on Facebook  

Follow Amanda Chapman on Instagram 

 Follow Amanda Chapman on Goodreads

Purchase Links PenguinRandomHouse - Amazon - B&N - Bookshop.org - Kobo

 

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman. This book is the first in the Mrs. Christie Mystery series and will be released next week. 

Tory Van Dyne lives a quiet stable life. While she has some issues, that she is working through thank you very much, she is the normal one in her eccentric wealthy family. She's happy living and working in the townhome her grandmother gave her running the Mystery Guild Library on the main floors, working as a book conservator in the basement, and living in private quarters on the top floors. Tory starts to question her sanity when she meets a woman in the Christie Room, a woman who claims to be Agatha Christie herself! To top it off she says she's there to help solve a murder mystery! A poisoning sets off warning bells and when Tory's effervescent cousin, Nic's, agent dies they wonder. Could it be murder? When a second person dies under mysterious circumstances there's no longer much doubt. With the help of Mrs. Christie, Tory and her friends start to piece together the clues and work to solve a murder mystery! 

Sour Crime Donuts - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on an upcoming release. Sour Crime Donuts by Ginger Bolton is the tenth book in the Deputy Donut Mystery series and will be released next week.

Blurb:

Emily feels like a protective big sister around bubbly twenty-something Izzy—a new regular whose enthusiasm for peaches and cream donuts is surpassed only by her dream to start her own business. As if blown in by an August breeze, Izzy pulls Emily into her plan to buy a property at the edge of town to grow and sell fresh produce. But she’s not the only fan of Deputy Donut’s peachy delights . . . or the only patron vying to own the lush parcel of land. And the competition is fiercer than the two women imagined . . .

Petty squabbles turn deadly when a developer with a mean streak is found murdered on the vacant stretch of land. Worse, Emily’s signature donuts are spotted nearby, leading to several potential suspects who could have left their sugar-frosted fingerprints all over the crime scene—including the mayor, a handsome out-of-towner, and even sweet-to-the-core Izzy. When her detective husband discovers poisonous ingredients in the discarded desserts, a shocked Emily must reveal holes in a collection of very fuzzy facts and nab the killer before someone else takes their last bite . . .

Lost Heart in King Manor - An Interview & Review

I'm pleased to welcome Celeste Fenton to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Celeste writes the Mysteries of a Heart Series. LOST HEART IN KING MANOR is the first book in the series and was released earlier this year.

Kathy: In LOST HEART IN KING MANOR we meet Gabby Heart. When her mother has a health crisis Gabby discovers family secrets and a deadly agenda. Have you ever had to take care of a family member with health issues? Have you ever unearthed family secrets?

CF: Yes to both. Caretaking teaches you patience, resilience, and that sometimes the best medicine is a well-timed laugh. As a mother of twin boys, one or the other often had scrapes and bruises, but fortunately neither had serious injuries or illnesses. My late husband had a few surgeries that we got through together. As for family secrets—let’s just say I had a challenging childhood and learned early on that real life can be every bit as twisty as fiction. The difference is, in fiction, I get to decide how the story ends… and no one minds if I add a few dramatic gasps or saves. 

Kathy: Gabby teaches art and runs a gift shop. Aside from writing, do you create art?

CF: When I was younger, I sewed and quilted. When I retired, I took drawing lessons. And now here is my guilty little secret. I do paint by numbers!! People think I have done them freehand. Do I disabuse of their assumption? Maybe. 

 

Kathy: You published your debut novel later in life. How has age impacted your road to publication?

CF: You know...I believe in that old saying...make lemonade out of lemons. On the plus side, I have a lot of life experience to draw from. Both the joyful and the painful. All material for “well, that’s going in a book someday.” But, on the challenging side, I time is racing by, so I don't want to waste a second of it. I don’t waste time chasing what’s trendy. I write the stories I want to tell… and I do it before I forget them. 


Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?

CF: Ah...I've always loved a puzzle. As a kid, I devoured Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I like the challenge of digging up the clues buried in plain sight. 

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

CF: I consider my writing to be a mystery and romance combo. My sweet spot is romantic suspense with a cozy mystery heart. But I also think the women’s fiction genre slips in. 

Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

CF: The Mysteries of a Heart Series follows the journey of Gabby Heart, a sharp-witted (and sometimes sharp-tongued) illustrator with an uncanny knack for stumbling into adventures of a lifetime and secrets worth killing for. Each book unravels a new mystery while deepening the emotional ties between characters. 

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

CF: Gabby, of course. She's smart, her life is messy, she's scared of love, but still secretly yearning for it. A close second is Jay Laird. He’s infuriatingly charming, maddeningly cocky, and yet surprisingly vulnerable. He’s also the kind of character I love to write banter for—because he always thinks he’s winning… until Gabby gets the last word. 

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

CF: My love of small, close-knit communities—where everyone knows each other’s business, but still shows up when it matters. It’s a place where gossip travels faster than Wi-Fi. And, I'll confess that the idea of ACHE came from a conversation I overheard while standing in line at the grocery store, and another conversation at a coffee shop. Not that I make a habit of eavesdropping!

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

CF: When my husband passed away in 2021 I realized that time was flying by. I also realized that I had been letting fear (of rejection and failure) hold me back. I didn’t want to look back one day and regret not trying. Stories were stacking up in my head, and I had too many post-it notes with ideas all over the house. 

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

CF: That was a hard question!! If I have to pick only 4, I'll go with: Agatha Christie (her cozy style and twisty endings, plus I want to know the real reason she disappeared for a few days), Nora Roberts (genre-bending genius and great sex scenes), Jane Austen (for sharp wit and social commentary and more about Mr. Darcy), and M.C. Beaton (because her humor could cut glass and she’d probably start the best gossip). We’d have mystery, romance, and wickedly funny conversation over dessert.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

CF: Just finished ATOMIC CITY GIRLS by Jane Beard and just started PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry.

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

CF: Sure! Reading of course! In addition to the paint-by-numbers, I like escape rooms, playing Canasta and Hand and Foot, and my current project is creating a digital scrapbook for each year of my grandchildrens' life.

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

CF: Coffee (of course!), half-n-half for the coffee, blueberry preserves (I'm addicted), and bread and butter pickles.

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

CF: Oh yes! CAPTIVE HEART AT BRANTMAR CASTLE - Book Two in the Mysteries of a Heart Series – will be released on September 22. And BROKEN HEART AT AVALON CHATEAU will be released in late winter/early spring of 2026.

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

CF: Hearing from readers who tell me my book gave them an escape, made them laugh or comforted them when they needed it most. 

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Review

LOST HEART IN KING MANOR by Celeste Fenton
The First in the Mysteries of a Heart Series 

Dost Island is a quiet scenic location off the coast of Massachusetts. It's the home to King Manor and the enclosed ACHE, the Adult Care and Health Enclave complex, a rehabilitation center that also does research on elder care. After Gabby Heart's mother suffers some disturbing issues then falls and breaks her hip, her doctor recommends she goes to ACHE to recover. After a tour of the mansion turned retirement center the women agree. After all, it's not permanent. But not everything is as it seems at King Manor. As a hurricane is set to hit the island Gabby finds herself  at ACHE along with a good looking neighbor and annoying new office mate. Despite the attraction to both men, Gabby's more concerned for her mother's altered mental state and the odd things happening to other residents. Will the hurricane obliterate the mansion or reveal its dark secrets?

LOST HEART IN KING MANOR is an intriguing story that's part mystery and part romantic suspense. With wit, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and self confidence Gabby is a likable protagonist, even though she tends to ramble on and on when telling a story. I appreciate her long term friendship with Lola and Abe. The guys, both Rick and Jay, can be annoying. Very annoying. Jay's method for getting what he wants was a dead turn off for me and even Rick was problematic. Neither was any match for Lavanda, however. Ultimately, it's a novel of growth for Gabby. Letting go, letting in, and expanding to see who she really is.

There was a lot of excitement and I wasn't sure who to trust! I really liked how the history of the manor played a vital role. A few things did bother me, however. A main problem was the visitor in the hospital. A major thing, yet Gabby drops it and doesn't address it. It eventually is reintroduced near the end of the book, but it was driving me bonkers that she didn't look further into the situation at the start. Other things also happened and I couldn't understand the point, like teenaged Luke coming to ACHE during the hurricane.

Danger, excitement, and a bit of lust reside in LOST HEART IN KING MANOR. Check out the mysterious goings on and relationship issues in the first book in this riveting new series. I look forward to seeing what's in store for Gabby next!

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

Author Links:

Website

https://celestefenton.com

Amazon Author page

https://www.amazon.com/stores/CELESTE-FENTON/author/B0F5HTW7RK

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@CelesteFentonWrites

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575815274859

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/celestefentonwrites

TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@celestefenton?lang=en

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/celeste-fenton-33811a357

A Dish Best Served Dead - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

A DISH BEST SERVED DEAD by T. C. LoTempio
The Third Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mystery

The Foodie Fest Convention has come to Branson, Georgia and former chef and food blogger Tiffany Austin is looking forward to checking out all the action. With a food truck competition and a special episode of the TV show Last Chef Standing there's plenty of good food along with innovative cooks and chefs. In fact, Tiffany's ex boyfriend is there representing her former restaurant, along with his fiance. Also there is Jason Barclay, a food critic with an attitude and a rapier sharp pen. Word has it that he's about to publish a tell-all book with movie rights in the works. After a fantastic meal at the opening banquet Tiffany decides to get some air before dessert. Checking out the fountain she saw earlier she notices a shoe sticking out of the water-a shoe attached to the foot of the very dead Jason Barclay. In between interviewing chefs and tasting lots of delectable food Tiffany will start to look into Jason's murder. Lots of people hated the man, but the killer had to be someone whose secrets he was about to reveal. With help from her best friend and new cameraman Tiffany will try to uncover the truth, hopefully before her own secrets are revealed.

I want to attend a Foodie Fest Convention, though preferably one without a murder. I love the ambiance of a culinary gathering. A bit of competition along with greeting old friends makes a fun festive setting with crowds adding to a huge list of suspects.While I like Tiffany, I did want to bop her on the head a few times. Not only does she need to come clean with Phil, she should have provided him with her clues, not hold on and wait until she'd investigated and determine what was relevant. I couldn't believe what she did at the end. No spoilers from me, but it was almost a too stupid to live moment which almost did get her killed.

I loved the variety of suspects and the fact that there were mysterious strangers as well as not so mysterious ones. I enjoyed the addition of Jimmy, a Watson to Tiffany's Sherlock, but with contacts! I liked how so many people were acting suspiciously, even people Tiffany trusted. I didn't and was somewhat surprised by her loyalty.

Scrumptious food, lots of suspects, and murder cook up a delicious entry to this culinary series. I look forward to the next one!

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 A Dish Best Served Dead: A Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mystery by T. C. LoTempio

About A Dish Best Served Dead

A Dish Best Served Dead: A Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mystery
Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series
Setting - Georgia
Publisher: ‎ Beyond the Page
Publication Date: ‎ August 5, 2025
Print length: ‎ 258 pages

When a food convention turns fatal, Tiffany Austin will have to cook up a scheme to catch a killer . . .

The national Foodie Fest is in town and food blogger Tiffany Austin is thrilled to report on the event, even if it means crossing paths with an arrogant and annoying chef from her past. The man can’t help boasting of his success, but he also lets slip to Tiffany that he’s publishing a tell-all memoir that will be filled with scandalous secrets about many people in the food industry. It’s a risky career move, and maybe just plain risky, as Tiffany discovers later that day when she finds the chef’s dead body mere steps from the convention center.

With any number of reputations and careers at stake if the chef’s memoir were ever published, Tiffany realizes virtually everyone at the event is a suspect. Wending her way through the convention crowd in her guise as a reporter, she cautiously questions as many of the participants as she can, hoping to unearth a telling clue or a false alibi. Because while everyone has a skeleton or two in the closet, Tiffany knows someone at the food fest has a secret they’d kill to protect—and would kill for again if she gets too close to the truth . . .

Includes scrumptious Foodie Fest recipes!

About T. C. LoTempio

 

T.C. LoTempio is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Nick and Nora Mysteries, the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries, and the Cat Rescue Mysteries. Born in New York City, she now resides in Phoenix, Arizona, with her two cats, Maxx and Rocco. Rocco prides himself on being the inspiration for her Nick and Nora series! For more information, check out her and her cat Rocco’s blog at www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com and visit her website at www.tclotempio.ne

• FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/toni.lotempio.5
• TWITTER/X: ROCCOBLOGGER
• WEBSITE: https://www.tclotempio.net/

Purchase Links - Amazon -

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Dish Best Served Dead by T. C. LoTempio. This book is the third in the Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mystery series and was released last month.

The Foodie Fest Convention has come to Branson, Georgia and former chef and food blogger Tiffany Austin is looking forward to checking out all the action. With a food truck competition and a special episode of the TV show Last Chef Standing there's plenty of good food along with innovative cooks and chefs. In fact, Tiffany's ex boyfriend is there representing her former restaurant, along with his fiance. Also there is Jason Barclay, a food critic with an attitude and a rapier sharp pen. Word has it that he's about to publish a tell-all book with movie rights in the works. After a fantastic meal at the opening banquet Tiffany decides to get some air before dessert. Checking out the fountain she saw earlier she notices a shoe sticking out of the water-a shoe attached to the foot of the very dead Jason Barclay. In between interviewing chefs and tasting lots of delectable food Tiffany will start to look into Jason's murder. Lots of people hated the man, but the killer had to be someone whose secrets he was about to reveal. With help from her best friend and new cameraman Tiffany will try to uncover the truth, hopefully before her own secrets are revealed.

Murder at the Wham Bam Club - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a recent release that's on my TBR pile. Murder at the Wham Bam Club by Carolyn Marie Wilkins is the first book in the Psychics and Soul Food Mystery series. It was released last month.

 Blurb:

After the death of her brave Harlem Hellfighter husband during the First World War, young widow Nola Ann Jackson returned to her hometown of Agate, Illinois, to live with her Aunt Sarah, a known local psychic. Under her aunt’s care and tutelage, Nola has been learning how to tap into her own intuitive gifts and communicate with the spirits. And she will rely on their insightful guidance when she’s asked to help investigate a woman’s disappearance.

Lilly Davidson, the missing woman, was living at the Phyllis Wheatley Institute for Colored Girls where young ladies are educated and prepared to follow bright futures. But she vanished after a night at the Wham Bam Club where jazz music swings, prohibition is defied, and other vices are encouraged. Lilly was seen fraternizing with Eddie Smooth, trumpeter and leader of the St. Louis Stompers—and a notorious pimp. Nola finds Lilly at the club alive and well, supposedly engaged to Eddie. That same night, the Wham Bam is set afire and Eddie is killed by gunfire, leaving Lilly on the run, a suspected murderer.

Eddie Smooth had shady dealings with Agate’s wealthy elite, Black and white, making plenty of enemies with motives for wanting him dead. He was also a notorious womanizer who left several broken hearts in his wake. To prove Lilly’s innocence, Nola must listen to her spiritual instincts to unravel political schemes and personal vendettas to find a killer desperate to cover up a scandalous conspiracy . . .

Death at Rock Bottom - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Kris Bock to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Kris writes the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series. DEATH AT ROCK BOTTOM is the second book in the series and was released last month.

Psychic Powers in a Mystery Novel with Kris Bock

For the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, I gave the main character, Petra, the psychic power of psychometry. That means she can touch an object and receive impressions about the person or people who held it previously. An author can choose how to portray a character with psychic powers, and few readers are going to claim, “That’s not how it really works,” since to most of us, it’s a speculative element.

In GRAVE RESERVATIONS by Cherie Priest, her heroine has psychometry but must concentrate for a minute or two in order to get anything from an object. It’s a skill she can use, or not, as she chooses. In my series, Petra’s psychometry is constant and out of her control. She never knows what images or feelings she might receive from touching a random object. The visions can come on hard and overwhelm her.

“Her psychic ability isn’t some glamorous superpower—it’s a burden. The way Bock describes her exhaustion from touching objects, the way she braces herself before every handshake, the way she longs for silence but is constantly bombarded by echoes of violence… I’ve never read a psychic protagonist who felt this real.” – Lauren Marks on GoodReads. 

This has affected every aspect of her life. She studied geology, because rocks and minerals usually don’t hold psychic emanations. (The exceptions would be things like a worry rock a person kept in their pocket – or a rock used as a weapon, as in book one, A STONE COLD MURDER.)

“Petra’s psychometry is such a fresh take on psychic abilities. It’s not about predicting the future—it’s about being drowned in the past. The scene where she touches the fluorite crystal and is flooded with the victim’s terror? I had chills. Bock doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of this ‘gift’—the way it isolates Petra, the way it makes her question every interaction. It’s brilliant character work.” – Lesa Ruby on GoodReads. 

Petra doesn’t have friends, because she doesn’t feel right learning things about people without their knowledge and permission. Yet she doesn’t want to tell people about her gift too quickly, for fear they’ll either think she’s crazy or want her to use it on their behalf, something that destroyed several relationships with family and friends in the past. She has many pets – cats, ferrets, rats, and guinea pigs – because she craves connections and affection, which she can’t get from other humans.

Or can she? When she moves to New Mexico to start a job at a quirky museum in book one, she plans to keep a pro low profile. That’s hard in a very small town though, and her museum coworkers quickly attempt to befriend her. Besides, since she’s afraid her predecessor might have been murdered, she’s motivated to learn more about the people around her. Almost before she knows it, she has friends. But that doesn’t mean she wants to tell them her secret.

The series explores themes of friendship or “found family,” expressing one’s authenticity, and whether or not we have an obligation to use our special gifts. How would you feel if you had a psychic power? Would you tell people or keep it a secret? Would you use it for gain, amusement, or to help others?

It’s not likely most of us will ever have to answer these questions, but that’s the fun thing about fiction: It allows us to explore questions and maybe get to know ourselves a little better. Inspire interesting conversations with others as well! If you have a book club, you can get discussion questions for A Stone Cold Murder here! 

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Review

 

DEATH AT ROCK BOTTOM by Kris Bock
The Second Reluctant Psychic Mystery 

Petra Cloch is slowly getting accustomed to life in small town New Mexico, making friends, and working in the quirky Banditt Museum. While still not comfortable with her gift of psychometry, Petra decides to practice her skill with the help of her friend and coworker, Liberty. Their practice is interrupted by a woman demanding to know the whereabouts of the rock her late husband donated. Assuring her that they know nothing about it, the widow says she believes her husband had dementia as he had begun to be forgetful, paranoid, and talking about aliens. Departing as quickly as she appeared Liberty starts to wonder. Frank was a healthy man who knew his way around the desert. And even fit people can get disoriented and die in the heat. But what's the importance of this rock? Is there more to Frank's death? It couldn't hurt to start looking for the rock and delve into Frank's last days. Haven is more than excited to start another investigation. A missing rock, a missing will, could the desert death actually be murder?

I really like Petra and completely understand being overwhelmed dealing with people. I'd rather be home with my animals too! But I like how she's venturing out and how people are welcoming her into their circle. She has friends now, even though she finds that somewhat difficult at times. I also love Liberty and her calm mature presence. Haven, however, is a bit much for me with her overexuberant eagerness. Still, she is a good counterpoint to the quieter and more sedate Petra and Liberty. I am also a bit in awe of Jenny. She really commanded a fun scene.

I liked how the mystery was a bit obscure. Was it murder, manslaughter, or a tragic accident? What's the significance of Frank's big find? Is the motive inheritance, land, fraud, or something else. I appreciated how Haven divvied up roles and assigned tasks to the members of the "book" club. I also appreciated how snacks and drinks are an integral part. Snacks, drinks, and friendship. Everyone has a task and plays an important role, no matter their abilities. I also like how they have a mind to keep the sheriff and police departments in the know. No one is running off and taking stupid risks on their own either. 

Rocks, aliens, and a death in the desert combine to make DEATH AT ROCK BOTTOM a unique and engaging mystery. The more I'm around these characters the more I love them and I can't wait to see what happens next!

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 Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery) by Kris Bock

About Death at Rock Bottom

Death at Rock Bottom: A Paranormal Mystery (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - New Mexico
Publisher: ‎ Tule Publishing
Publication Date: ‎ July 30, 2025

She can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it before…

After solving the mystery of her predecessor’s death, geologist Petra Cloch wants to focus on her new job as the rocks and minerals curator at a quirky, small-town New Mexico museum. But her friend and colleague Liberty is suspicious of the “accidental” death of Frank Underwood, a retired petroleum engineer and rockhound who unexpectedly died while hiking. Frank acted odd and secretive in his last weeks—mumbling about an incredible find in the desert and aliens. Was he showing the first signs of dementia, or were more sinister forces at work?

Petra agrees to help excavate the truth, and soon, instead of meeting for book club, she and her friends become amateur investigators. Petra uses her gift and her brains to sort through the contradictory stories and confusing clues as she and her friends dig for answers.

Did Frank’s heirs decide to hasten their inheritance? Or did his rock shop business partner decide to go solo? Petra joins the local geological club to discover whether someone there acquired a taste for murder, because they’ll need rock solid evidence to catch a killer.

Perfect for fans of Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild Mysteries and Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters!

If you love supernatural sleuths, small-town intrigue, and mysteries with a geological twist, Death at Rock Bottom is your next must-read! Grab your copy today!

About Kris Bock

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, which made Barnes & Noble's list of “Handpicked Favorites You'll Love!” Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more about Kris’s books or sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more. As for Kris’s romance stories, the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery, which causes as many problems as it solves.  

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