Bread Over Troubled Water - A Recipe, Review, & Giveaway

Today I'm pleased to be able to share a recipe from BREAD OVER TROUBLED WATER by Winnie Archer. This book is the eighth in the Bread Shop Mystery series and was released this week.

Olaya’s Morning Cookies (naturally gluten free!)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup oat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 cup golden flaxseed meal

• 1 1/2 cups extra thick rolled oats (or substitute gluten free old-fashioned oats)

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• Other Add Ins of choice


Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Prepare two baking sheets by lining with parchment.

3. Cream butter and both sugars together in large bowl.

4. Mix in the egg and the vanilla.

5. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon until combined.

6. Add the oats, flaxseed meal, cranberries, and walnuts (or other Add Ins). Stir until just combined.

7. Using a spook, form cookie dough into small to medium-sized balls. Place on the baking sheets. Press down slightly to flatten.

8. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes.

9. These cookies keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.


ADD INS

• Raisins

• Pecans

• Slivered almonds

• Golden raisins

• Dried cherries

• Dried blueberries or other dried fruit

• Chocolate chips• Sweetened dried coconut

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Review

BREAD OVER TROUBLED WATER by Winnie Archer
The Eighth Bread Shop Mystery

A staple in Santa Sofia, Yeast of Eden has its share of regulars, including the charming Josh Prentiss. After a tumultuous morning at the bread shop Ivy Culpepper and her pug, Agatha, take a break in the park that will be the site of her engagement party. Instead of a relaxing stroll, Agatha is on the scent of something else and leads Ivy to Josh's dead body. Before long protests against Yeast of Eden begin, with people claiming it was bread that poisoned the man. With the beloved bread shop in the crosshairs and the owner's sister a suspect, Ivy delves once more into a murder investigation. But will she find a killer, or will a killer find her?

 

New characters add more layers and decidedly more spice to this eighth Bread Shop Mystery and not everyone is what they seem. While on the surface everyone seemed to love Josh, his true colors are slowly revealed, providing lots of motive to a variety of suspects. Detailed descriptions enrich the drama and immerse readers into the story. I found characters I wanted to smack, and breads I really wanted to eat!

BREAD OVER TROUBLED WATER skillfully blends misdirection, red herrings, and surprising twists into a cleverly written character driven mystery.

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 Bread Over Troubled Water (A Bread Shop Mystery) by Winnie Archer

About Bread Over Troubled Water 

Bread Over Troubled Water (A Bread Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 8th in Series
Setting - California
Kensington Cozies (November 29, 2022)
Mass Market Paperback: ‎ 304 pages

Rising cozy mystery author Winnie Archer cooks up her latest installment in her delightful and delicious Bread Shop Mystery series.

Photographer Ivy Culpepper is soon to make a home with her husband-to-be in the California beach town of Santa Sofia—but the Yeast of Eden bakery remains her second home. It’s not just a place to work, but a community. And now one member of the community has been murdered . . .

A regular who used Yeast of Eden as a workspace, Josh Prentiss always turned heads with his startlingly good looks and thousand-watt smile. But Ivy can’t help noticing one morning that he seems distracted and off his game. Later, during a visit to the park where she and Miguel plan to hold their engagement party—with plenty of baked goods on the menu—her rescue pug, Agatha, sniffs out Josh lying in a bed of poppies…scone cold dead.

There’s no reason for Ivy to get involved. She’s busy enough holding down the fort as the shop’s owner, Olaya, cares for her recently orphaned niece, not to mention the stress when a new employee is fired and storms out in a rage. Then a band of rabble-rousers starts picketing the bakery, claiming that Olaya’s sourdough roll is what killed Josh—and Ivy hears some salacious gossip about her beloved boss. She doesn’t think there’s a grain of truth to the seedy rumors—but to prove it, she’ll have to start sleuthing . . .

About Winnie Archer

Winnie Archer is the nationally bestselling author of the Bread Shop Mystery series, as well as the Lola Cruz Mysteries and the Magical Dressmaking Mystery series written as Melissa Bourbon. A former middle school English teacher, lives in North Carolina with her educator husband, Carlos, and the youngest of their five children. Visit Winnie Archer online at www.MelissaBourbon.com!

Author Links

• • Website: http://www.melissabourbon.com/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaBourbonWinnieArcherBooks/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookishly_cozy/

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

 

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A Murder Yule Regret - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Winnie Archer back to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Winnie writes the Bread Shop Mystery series. A MURDER YULE REGRET is the seventh book in the series and was released earlier this week.

Kathy: In A MURDER YULE REGRET Ivy attends a Victorian costume party attended by a variety of Dicken's characters. There are so many wonderful versions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Do you have a favorite version?

WA: What a great question! I LOVE the Patrick Stewart version. Our family went to see Patrick Stewart perform A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Apparently, it was written to be performed solo. He narrated it, and acted the parts, but alone on stage. He was incredible!


Kathy: Ivy Culpepper is working to boost her fledgling photography business. Do you enjoy taking pictures at the holidays? What are some of your favorite subjects to photograph?

WA: I do love taking pictures. I went through a huge scrapbooking phase when my kids were little. With the advent of the cell phone camera, that all changed. My youngest son doesn’t have the same level of scrapbooks as my other kids, as a result.

We have an annual tamalada (tamale making party). I really enjoy capturing this party for posterity. It is all friends and family having such a great time. The event really captures the joy of the season for our family. It’s my favorite tradition.


Kathy: I'm sure Olaya had some special bakes coming up for the holidays. Do you have anything special that you make for the holidays?

WA: We’re fairly traditional, although I try to add new things now and then. I make the same caramel corn recipe I learned in 10th grade home ec. I make sausage bread, which is a family favorite (https://melissabourbon.com/sausage-bread/). We make dinner rolls, but don’t usually get more adventurous than that.


Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?

WA: I was so excited to be able to write a holiday-themed story for this series! DEADLY PATTERNS, a Magical Dressmaking Mystery, is also a holiday story. In that book, there’s a strong Santa element. I knew I wanted to go in a different direction with this one.

Since I do love A CHRISTMAS CAROL, that was the first thing that came to mind and stuck. When thinking about a holiday party Olaya could cater, a celebrity party felt right. And Santa Sofia is fairly close to the Los Angeles/Hollywood area, so a starlet fit the bill. Those elements all came together perfectly!


Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Ivy?

WA: Of course! Book #8 releases late in 2022. There’s a nice moment at the end of A MURDER YULE REGRET that leads into part of the storyline for that book, BREAD OVER TROUBLED WATER. The trouble begins when a Yeast of Eden customer meets an unfortunate demise. And Ivy is invested in getting to the truth because some people think Olaya’s bread is to blame.


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

WA: Definitely in between. I generally know who the victim is, a few possible scenarios as to who could have done it, and why, and the overall arc of the story.

It’s the in-between stuff that I can’t plot. So much comes to me as I write. I call it ‘brain writing’. The actual process triggers new ideas, and, dare I say, moments of brilliance?!

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

WA: Marketing is a necessary evil! I formed Book Warriors with fellow mystery writer, Diane Kelly, on Facebook. It’s a group focused on mysteries. We have a monthly book club and, of course, when our books release, we feature them!

The other HUGE thing I’m doing is taking me away from actual writing just a little bit. I’m tapping into my teaching roots and have created WriterSpark Writing Academy. It could end up as a way to market my books, sort of indirectly, but the focus is on teaching creative writing courses The first course is up for pre-sale and officially launches on January 1, 2022. https://writersparkwritingacademy.simvoly.com/

The best part of marketing boils down to the connections I get to make with other writers, and writing events we get to do.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

WA: Yes! My Book Magic series has the next book in the series, MURDER THROUGH AN OPEN DOOR, releasing on Feb.1, 2022. I love this series, so I’m super excited about it! (https://bit.ly/MTAOpenDoor)

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Review

A MURDER YULE REGRET by Winnie Archer
The Seventh Bread Shop Mystery

 

Ivy Culpepper is surprised when bread maven Olaya accepts a last-minute request to provide Yeast of Eden breads for a holiday party. Hollywood star Eliza Fox, who recently moved to Santa Sofia, is hosting a Dickensian celebration and not only will Yeast of Eden be providing plenty of carbohydrates for the event, but Ivy will also be its official photographer. Even with gossips and guests only there for the free food and drink, the party seems to be a success, until a scream pierces the night. A body has gone over the edge of the cliffside home. Who had the temerity to push a man to his death in the middle of a Christmas party? Eliza seems to be a genuine and down to earth young woman, but is it just an act?  

 

Celebrity gossip, unscrupulous people, a hint of past abuse, and a desire to reinvent oneself are at the heart of the seventh Bread Shop Mystery. The writing is as crisp as a December evening in Santa Sophia and I enjoyed every word. Lush descriptions made me feel as if I was there. Serious subjects are raised and dealt with in a mature and respectful manner making the book, not only more realistic, but more pertinent, especially in today's world.

In addition to stimulating your mind with a well plotted mystery, A MURDER YULE REGRET will ignite your desire to attend a holiday party in order to indulge in scrumptious appetizers and holiday beverages. Descriptions of food may me long for some of Olaya's creations. I'll have some star bread, please, and though I'm not sure about the combination, I'll try Mrs. Bradford's Sparkling Peppermint Swirl!

A MURDER YULE REGRET is a festive holiday mystery pitting celebrity dreams against reality with unsavory characters quietly driving the action. Filled with bright and shining stars and mouthwatering carbs A MURDER YULE REGRET makes for a perfect holiday read.

 

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 A Murder Yule Regret (A Bread Shop Mystery) by Winnie Archer

About A Murder Yule Regret

A Murder Yule Regret (A Bread Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 7th in Series
Publisher: ‎ Kensington Cozies (November 30, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

Freelance photographer and Yeast of Eden bakery assistant Ivy Culpepper has just scored the job of a lifetime shooting the Dickensian dress-up X-mas party thrown by It Girl film actress Eliza Fox . . . until an unwanted guest appears.

A holiday costume party in the sleepy coastal town of Santa Sofia could be just the boost Ivy needs for her fledgling photography business. At the party, Ivy enters a Victorian fantasy come to life, all courtesy of the fabulous Ms. Fox. Ivy gets to play shutterbug while hanging with Scrooge, Marley, the Cratchits, and more classic Dickens characters. But what begins as the best of times turns out to be the very worst for one of the party guests—a tabloid journalist with more enemies than Ebenezer himself.

When the man’s body is found sprawled across the jagged rocks below the house, the fingers begin pointing at Eliza. Meanwhile, Ivy gets roped into helping prove the starlet’s innocence. Her festive photos are now official evidence—and the Ghosts of Christmas Present could mean the party for Eliza is over, once and for all.ance photographer and Yeast of Eden bakery assistant Ivy Culpepper has just scored the job of a lifetime shooting the Dickensian dress-up X-mas party thrown by It Girl film actress Eliza Fox . . . until an unwanted guest appears.

A holiday costume party in the sleepy coastal town of Santa Sofia could be just the boost Ivy needs for her fledgling photography business. At the party, Ivy enters a Victorian fantasy come to life, all courtesy of the fabulous Ms. Fox. Ivy gets to play shutterbug while hanging with Scrooge, Marley, the Cratchits, and more classic Dickens characters. But what begins as the best of times turns out to be the very worst for one of the party guests—a tabloid journalist with more enemies than Ebenezer himself.

When the man’s body is found sprawled across the jagged rocks below the house, the fingers begin pointing at Eliza. Meanwhile, Ivy gets roped into helping prove the starlet’s innocence. Her festive photos are now official evidence—and the Ghosts of Christmas Present could mean the party for Eliza is over, once and for all.

 

About Winner Archer

Winnie Archer is the nationally bestselling author of the Bread Shop Mystery series, as well as the Magical Dressmaking Mystery series written as Melissa Bourbon. A former middle school English teacher, lives in North Carolina with her educator husband, Carlos, and the youngest of their five children. She can be found online at MelissaBourbon.com.

Author Links: 

Kensington: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496724410/dough-or-die/  

Website: https://melissabourbon.com/  

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

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

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Murder Yule Regret by Winnie Archer. This book is the seventh in the Bread Shop Mystery series and was released yesterday.

Ivy Culpepper is surprised when bread maven Olaya accepts a last-minute request to provide Yeast of Eden breads for a holiday party. Hollywood star Eliza Fox, who recently moved to Santa Sofia, is hosting a Dickensian celebration and not only will Yeast of Eden be providing plenty of carbs for the event, but Ivy will also be its official photographer. Even with gossips and guests only there for the free food and drink, the party seems to be a success, until a scream pierces the night. A body has gone over the edge of the cliffside home.  Who had the temerity to push a man to his death in the middle of a Christmas party? Eliza seems to be a genuine and down to earth young woman, but is it just an act?

Death Gone A-Rye - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Ivy Culpepper to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Ivy on the pages of the Bread Shop Mystery series by Winnie Archer. DEATH GONE A-RYE is the sixth book in the series and was released last week.

Bread! Olaya Solis lives and breathes bread. Since I moved back to Santa Sofia (from Austin, Texas where I left my ex-husband), I’ve learned why. Yeast of Eden, Olaya’s artisan bread shop, draws people from all over. They come to absorb the magic she infuses into her bread. If someone is heartbroken, she might give them sun-dried tomato and black olive or fig and almond loaf. If someone has a cold, traditional French bread could be the thing to cure it.

I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, Olaya is one incredible woman.

She, more than anything, drew me into Yeast of Eden. She knew what I needed before I did, and she was right. The companionship of the women in that first baking class I took at the bread shop filled me with contentment I hadn’t experienced since my mother’s death. Since then, Olaya, Mrs. Branford, and Emmaline have become my family. Of course Emmaline is my brother’s fiancé, so she really is about to be family. Of course I have Billy, my brother, and my dad. But the importance of the women who’ve shown up in my life to help heal the wound of my mother’s absence cannot be overstated. Olaya and Mrs. Branford are the family I choose.

And bread, well, it’s the comfort I need sometimes, and it’s just incredibly satisfying to make. When a baguette turns out perfectly crunchy on the outside and billowy soft on the inside, there is no better satisfaction. Cut a slice and slather on some butter or dip it in olive oil, and Oh My—perfection.

If you like bread, quaint beach towns, amazing female relationships, and mysteries—because I do manage to get to the heart of a few—give my books a try. Death Gone a-Rye is my latest. Spring Flings, school boards, and murder—what’s not to love?


Happy Reading!


Ivy Culpepper

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Review

DEATH GONE A-RYE by Winnie Archer
The Sixth Bread Shop Mystery

As her mentor is creating Vincent van Dough Focaccia, Ivy Culpepper gets involved in another murder investigation. The school board president is murdered just before Santa Sofia's Sheriff, and Ivy's best friend, is about to leave on her honeymoon. Em leaves her new captain in charge of the case with Ivy as her eyes and ears in Santa Sofia. As Ivy begins looking for information about the victim she soon discovers the murdered woman was almost universally despised. Almost everyone who knew her had a motive to kill her, so who actually did it? Will Ivy be able to help find a killer or would she be better off staying in Yeast of Eden's kitchen?

It's always a delight to be in Santa Sofia, and especially in Yeast of Eden where bread becomes, not only tasty food that nourishes the body, but works of art that heal the soul. While looking into the murder Ivy finds herself facing several societal issues as well. Immigration, racism, and educational politics all play a part in this complex mystery. In addition to these broader issues, trust plays a major factor in the sixth Bread Shop Mystery.

One of my favorite aspects to the book, indeed the whole series, are the characters. From the feisty Mrs. Branford to hunky Miguel, and all manner of people in between, the characters add depth, meaning, and heart. Plus they're fun!

DEATH GONE A-RYE is an intricately plotted mystery that's not afraid to touch on societal issues while stressing the importance of family. A charming setting and several feel good moments add even more layers to this heartfelt story.

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 Death Gone A-Rye (A Bread Shop Mystery) by Winnie Archer

About Death Gone A-Rye

Death Gone A-Rye (A Bread Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 6th in Series
Publisher: Kensington (April 27, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages

In the Northern California seaside town of Santa Sofia, a killer is trying to get a rise out of baker’s apprentice Ivy Culpepper . . .

Vincent van Dough focaccia is being touted on Instagram as the best thing since sliced bread. By strategically placing chives, olives, and yellow peppers to look like poppies and sunflowers, bakers create a mouthwatering masterpiece in the style of the great postimpressionist painter. At Yeast of Eden, where bread making has always been an art, they’re baking their own version for the school district’s Spring Fling.

But one person won’t be tasting the Mexican bakery’s latest specialty. Ambitious school board president Nessa Renchrik has been murdered. Like the rest of this close-knit community, Ivy is shocked. But she’s just as surprised to discover her beau—restaurateur Miguel Baptista—had his own fling with Nessa back in the day and now the police have this half-baked notion he might have killed her. It’s up to Ivy, her boss Olaya Solis, and eighty-six-years-young Penelope Branford to separate the wheat from the chaff to determine who the real culprit is . . .

INCLUDES RECIPES!

About Winnie Archer

The indefatigable Winnie Archer is a middle school teacher by day and a writer by night. Born in a beach town in California, she now lives in Colorado. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love/hate relationship with both yoga and chocolate, adores pumpkin spice lattes, is devoted to her five kids and husband, and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams. Visit her online at WinnieArcher.com.

Author Links: 

Kensington: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496724410/dough-or-die/  

Website: https://melissabourbon.com/  

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

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo 

 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway