Midnight Spells Murder - A Review & Giveaway

Review

MIDNIGHT SPELLS MURDER by Mary Angela
The Second Happy Camper Mystery 

As Halloween approaches Spirit Canyon Zo Jones arranges for local author Marianne Morgan to have a book signing at the Happy Camper. The event is a big success, although not everyone is happy with Marianne's witchy style and brand of feminine empowerment. When Zo sees a life sized witch decoration outside her store she's amazed by its realism...until she realizes it's a very dead Marianne. The local newsman, who acts more like gutter press, has it in for Zo and is trying to create a big news piece, at Zo and her shop's expense. With a lot of gumption and perhaps a little ghostly intervention, Zo will hunt for the killer and find justice for the author with so much promise.

With the action taking place in town and centered more on Zo, the Happy Camper Mystery series finds its groove with its second offering. The Happy Camper shop oozes coziness and the characters seem more connected and in tune with each other. I'm pleased with the development of the secondary characters, each of whom has become more multidimensional with their own raison d'être. The scene with Beth spotting her daughter with a boy still has me laughing, and as for Hattie and her new employee, I'm grinning just thinking about it. I also appreciate how Zo's relationship with Max is evolving. 

I enjoyed the mystery and the suspects, two of whom I really wanted to be guilty as I disliked them so much. While not a suspect, "journalist" Justin Castle continues to leave a bad taste in my mouth; a character we can love to hate. I also appreciated the secondary mystery that came when a clue to Zo's birth mom was discovered.

Autumn in Spirit Canyon may bring on the chills, but curling up with a hot beverage and this book will leave you warm inside. Friendship, humor, and happiness combine to make MIDNIGHT SPELLS MURDER a success.

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 Midnight Spells Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery) by Mary Angela

About Midnight Spells Murder

Midnight Spells Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Publisher: Lyrical Press (July 13, 2021)
Print Length: 271 pages

Spirit Canyon’s annual Spirit Spooktacular weekend is on, and for local amateur sleuth Zo Jones, it’s boomtime for business at her Happy Camper gift shop . . . until a murderer drops in for a browse.

To celebrate Halloween at the Happy Camper, Zo schedules a talk by successful author and self-proclaimed witch Marianne Morgan. Although Marianne’s benign brand of witchcraft is more about feminine empowerment than black magic, her presence is still not welcomed by everyone. Then on a midnight stroll home, Zo spots what seems to be a new Halloween decoration propped up outside the Happy Camper. What she finds is not a mannequin but a dead Marianne, her lifeless body dressed in traditional witch’s garb. But why would someone send this good witch back to the spirit world permanently?

Soon Zo realizes that plenty of folks have motives for murdering Marianne. What’s worse, nosy TV newsman Justin Castle plans to broadcast a report associating Marianne’s murder with the Happy Camper. Zo calls on her partner in sleuthing, local forest ranger Max Harrington, to help her find the culprit before Justin’s report airs. Otherwise Zo’s business just might go bust. But to catch this killer, Zo will have to risk much more than just her reputation . . .

About Mary Angela

 

Mary Angela is the author of the Happy Camper cozy mystery series, the Professor Prather academic mystery series, and several short stories. When Mary isn’t penning heartwarming whodunits, she’s teaching, reading, traveling, or spending time with her family. She lives in South Dakota with her husband, daughters, and spoiled pets. You can find out more about her loves, including her writing, at MaryAngelaBooks.com.  

Author Links: 

Website: www.maryangelabooks.com  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/maryangelabooks  

Twitter: @maryangelabooks  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15342425.Mary_Angela  

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

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Open for Murder - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

OPEN FOR MURDER by Mary Angela
The First Happy Camper Mystery

Zo Jones, owner of The Happy Camper, is happy. She has a wonderful store, she takes time to be thankful, and her childhood friend is moving back to Spirit Canyon. Beth has inherited Spirit Canyon Lodge and is having a grand reopening of the rustic, yet chic accommodation. Zo is impressed with her friend's new venture and with press in attendance the opening looks to be a great success, until Enid Barrett comes on scene. Owner of a nearby resort, Enid spoils the mood by picking a fight with just about everyone. Why would a wealthy woman with her own resort and mansion be staying at the lodge? As reasons for this unpleasant woman's presence become known, more than one person has good reason to be upset. It's bound to be a long night when a major thunderstorm knocks the power out and traps everyone inside. Will everyone survive the night?

Tough, resilient, and independent are the hallmarks of Zo Jones. Growing up in the foster system has instilled these traits in her, yet she's also grateful and happy. Zo can also be opinionated and prickly with a chip on her shoulder. She's been able to face adversity and survive. I don't care for her behavior and attitude towards Max at the start of the book. But she's loyal and when her good friend is threatened with a murder charge Zo rushes to her defense. 

The majority of the secondary characters got short shrift in the first Happy Camper Mystery. They each have such interesting backgrounds I hope we get to learn more about them soon. I especially want to learn more about Jules and Hattie seems a hoot.

With a crisply plotted mystery, a unique shop, strong characters, and a beautiful setting OPEN FOR MURDER is a solid start to a new series. 

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Open for Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery) by Mary Angela

About Open For Murder

 

Open for Murder (A Happy Camper Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Publisher: Lyrical Press (November 24, 2020)
Paperback: 207 pages

Deep in the heart of touristy small-town Spirit Canyon, South Dakota, former journalist Zo Jones runs the Happy Camper gift shop, where she sells everything from locally made souvenirs to memorabilia. She even rents out mountain bikes, and dabbles in the adventure industry—and sleuthing . . .

It’s Memorial Day weekend in Spirit Canyon, and for Zo that means the return of summer shoppers. It also means the return of her good friend Beth, who’s moved back to the area to reopen her family’s premier hotel, Spirit Canyon Lodge. Beth and Zo spent many childhood summers there and Zo can’t wait to reconnect and celebrate the Grand Opening. But the festivities go from bad to worse when a power outage knocks out the lights—and morning reveals a competitor’s dead body found on the premises . . .

Soon enough, Beth is the prime suspect in the suspicious death. Fortunately, Zo isn’t afraid to put her investigative skills to work and prove her friend’s innocence. To start digging for information, she appeals to Max Harrington, a local Forest Ranger and unlikely ally. Though they’ve argued about Happy Camper’s tours, in this case they agree on one thing: Beth isn’t a murderer. Stranger things have happened than their collaboration. After all, this is Spirit Canyon. But as the list of suspects grows, Zo will have to keep her guard up if she doesn’t want to be the next lodge guest to check out . . .

About Mary Angela

 

Mary Angela is the author of the Professor Prather and Happy Camper cozy mystery series. When Mary isn’t penning heartwarming whodunits, she’s teaching, reading, traveling, or spending time with her family. She lives in South Dakota with her husband, daughters, and spoiled pets. You can find out more about her loves, including her writing, at MaryAngelaBooks.com.  

Author Links: 

Website: www.maryangelabooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maryangelabooks
Twitter: @maryangelabooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15342425.Mary_Angela
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryangelabooks/

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Currently Reading...

I just started reading Open for Murder by Mary Angela. This book is the first in the Happy Camper Mystery series and was released yesterday!

Zo Jones, owner of The Happy Camper, is happy. She has a wonderful store, she takes time to be thankful, and her childhood friend is moving back to Spirit Canyon. Beth has inherited Spirit Canyon Lodge and is having a grand reopening of the rustic, yet chic accommodation. Zo is impressed with her friend's new venture and with press on scene the opening looks to be a great success, until Enid Barrett comes on scene. Owner of a nearby resort, Enid spoils the mood by picking a fight with just about everyone. Why would a wealthy woman with her own resort and mansion be staying at the lodge? As reasons for this unpleasant woman's presence become known, more than one person has good reason to be upset. It's bound to be a long night when a major thunderstorm knocks the power out and traps everyone inside.

Coming Up Murder - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Lenny to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Lenny on the pages of the Professor Prather Mystery series written by Mary Angela. Coming Up Murder is the fourth book in the series and was released last week.

It’s hard to say when I fell in love with Em—before or after the king-sized Snickers incident. There she was, sitting in the front row of the faculty meeting, noisily unwrapping the candy bar. She was blissfully unaware that Jim Giles, our English chair, was waiting for her to finish. Eventually he would give up, as a box of Hot Tamales followed the chocolate. She’d skipped lunch that day and stopped by her favorite lunch destination: the downstairs vending machine. I’ve seen a five-dollar bill disappear in there in less than thirty seconds—and her promises to eat healthier, too.

Em would call me the “rabble-rouser” of the department, and yes, she would use that word. She’s fond of antiquated words that don’t exactly roll off the tongue. But her assessment would be dead wrong. Em has caused more rabble than a student protest, mostly with her investigations. She reads a lot of detective fiction and fancies herself an amateur sleuth. She reads a lot of historical romance, too, but I told her that doesn’t make her a duchess. Unfortunately, it does make me a duke—the imaginary sort.

We were at This and That, a thrift shop in Copper Bluff, when she asked me to try on a kilt, a green and blue plaid that had seen better days. I knew she’d been reading that Scottish series again. She said she hadn’t, but I recognize the look of a wanton woman when I see one (plus she gave me an example from one of her books). It wasn’t Macbeth she was envisioning when I tossed on the garment over my shorts.

Which is just as well for me. When it comes to our relationship, she thinks of us as “just friends.” We are friends, but we are also idea junkies, coffee drinkers, sparring partners, pasta lovers, and wine enthusiasts. If we’re not teaching class, we’re together. She thinks this is mere coincidence.

To quote one of her recent novels, “Dear readers, it is not.” I’ve done everything I can think of to win her heart. I’ve crept around theaters, I’ve interrogated faculty members, I’ve skipped classes (okay, that was all me), I’ve gone to bake sales, I’ve even gone to Mass—and I’m Jewish! What will it take for Emmeline Prather to see the light?

It might be the greatest question she’s never asked, and she’s asked plenty. She asked me to a funeral parlor once like we were going on a date. I’m a patient man, but I’m no saint. I need to find a way to make her understand, and I think I know how. Cross your fingers, friends—and if that doesn’t work, rub a rabbit’s foot, throw a horseshoe, pick up a penny. You get the idea. She’s a big believer in signs. Let’s just hope she sees the flashing one in front of her before we’re old and gray. 

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Coming Up Murder (Professor Prather Mystery) by Mary Angela

About Coming Up Murder

Coming Up Murder (Professor Prather Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 4th in Series 

Camel Press (November 12, 2019)  

Paperback: 258 pages 

Everything’s coming up roses for Professor Emmeline Prather. Her scholarly book is finished, spring term is coming to a close, and her love life is blossoming. Then the festival surrounding the exhibit of Shakespeare’s First Folio opens, bringing with it a tempest more dramatic than the bard’s.

In his panel presentation, actor and grad student Tanner Sparks contends Shakespeare isn’t Shakespeare, boasting that he can prove the long-debated theory that an aristocrat actually penned the sonnets and plays. His bombshell sets off an acrid debate among scholars. But were they upset enough to kill him? That’s what Em wonders when Tanner is found dead in Shakespeare’s Garden, his macabre pose inspired by a scene from Hamlet.

At her department head’s urging, Em sets out to find the killer. Suspects abound, and Em finds herself targeted by Shakespeare-themed threats. Undaunted, she persists, determined to solve the case before the end of the semester.

About Mary Angela

Mary Angela is the author of two cozy mystery series that have strong protagonists with soft hearts. Emmeline Prather is the witty young teacher in the Professor Prather series, and Zo Jones is the sassy sleuth and shop owner in the Happy Camper series (coming from Kensington in 2020). When Mary isn’t penning heartwarming whodunits, she’s teaching, reading, traveling, or spending time with her family. She’s the proud mom of two beautiful daughters and the shameless owner of two very spoiled pets. You can find out more about her loves, including her writing, at MaryAngelaBooks.com.

Author Links:
Website: www.maryangelabooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maryangelabooks  
Twitter: @maryangelabooks  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15342425.Mary_Angela  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryangelabooks/ .  

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Mrs. Gunderson’s Marshmallow Nut Masterpiece - A Guest Post, Recipe, & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Mrs. Gunderson to the blog today. You can find her on the pages of the Professor Prather Mystery series. A Very Merry Murder is the third book in the series and was released this week!

Mrs. Gunderson’s Marshmallow Nut Masterpiece

Marshmallow nut masterpiece—those are Emmeline’s words for my fudge, not mine. I’m Emmeline’s next-door neighbor, and I, like many people, enjoy baking during the holidays. There’s something comforting about feeding others during the season. Emmeline says it’s my Christmas gift to the world, but you know how fond she is of overstating things. She gets it from her books, I think. She likes them so much I knew she’d enjoy a hardback edition of First Lutheran’s Christmas Cookbook. Unfortunately, following recipes proved harder for her than finding mistakes in her students’ papers.

To her credit, she did use the cookbook. I don’t believe it’s in her nature to let a book go unread. But her sugar cookies were a dismal failure. They didn’t resemble the picture at all! She rushed through the recipe without refrigerating the dough, which every good baker knows is a formula for disaster. Bakers must be careful and methodical. One would think a professor would be better at following directions.

But back to my fudge. I suppose it is sort of a masterpiece. It was passed down by my mother, who made the recipe many times for the church bazaar. It was there that she met my father. He purchased all four pounds and married her six weeks later. Mother always said it was because he ran out of fudge, but they had a loving relationship, and I always think of them when I make it. Recipes are like that, aren’t they? Little memories passed down from one generation to another.

So maybe you will think of me when you make the fudge—or Copper Bluff and our own Winter Festival. I promise you, you’ll want to see what happens there. I have a feeling it might just make your holiday season a little sweeter.

 

Mrs. Gunderson’s Marshmallow Nut Masterpiece

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups sugar

½ cup butter

5-oz. can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk

7-oz. jar (2 cups) marshmallow crème

12-oz. pkg (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

¾ cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. of vanilla

2 cups of miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1. Line a 9x9 pan with foil. Make sure ends extend over the sides of the pan for easy lifting. Butter foil, and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, combine butter, milk, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil over medium heat for five minutes. Keep stirring!

3. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallow crème and chocolate chips. Add vanilla. 

4. Stir in walnuts. Then add two cups of marshmallows. Stir gently. Don’t let the marshmallows melt. (You may omit them and the walnuts if desired.)

5. Spread in prepared pan. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until firm (about an hour).  

6. To cut, remove fudge from pan using foil as a handle.  Turn onto a glass cutting board, and remove foil. Use a large knife to cut into pieces. Store fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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A Very Merry Murder (A Professor Prather Mystery) by Mary Angela

About the Book

 

A Very Merry Murder (A Professor Prather Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series  

Camel Press (October 1, 2018) Paperback: 258 pages

It’s December in Copper Bluff, and from hillside to hallowed hall, everyone is merry—or will be as soon as semester break arrives. Students are studying, professors are grading, and Emmeline Prather is anticipating the university-sponsored holiday concert. Friend and colleague Lenny Jenkins will be accompanying the visiting quartet, Jazz Underground, and Em can’t think of a better way to kick-start the holiday season.

But before she can say “Jingle Bell Rock,” trouble arrives at Candlelight Inn, the bed and breakfast where the quartet is staying. One of the band members dies unexpectedly, and suspicion falls on Em, whose altercation with the man ends with him on the floor. He never recovers, and now she’s worried her reputation might not either. When Emmeline starts to see parallels between an Agatha Christie novel she’s teaching and the victim, Lenny claims she’s read one too many mysteries.

As the clues unravel, so does the murderer’s patience. Em is close to finding the truth, but will the truth—or the murderer—push her over the edge? It will take a Christmas miracle to solve this case, but if there’s one thing in surplus this time of year, it’s faith.

About the Author

© Julie Prairie Photography 2016

Mary Angela is the author of the Professor Prather academic mystery series, which has been called “enjoyable” and “clever” by Publishers Weekly. She is also an educator and has taught English and humanities at South Dakota’s public and private universities for over ten years. When Mary isn’t writing or teaching, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Author Links Webpage Blog GoodReads Facebook Twitter  

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