30 Second Death - Review

Review

30 SECOND DEATH by Laura Bradford

The Second Tobi Tobias Mystery

Business is booming for Tobi Tobias, unfortunately, her personal life isn't faring so well. Andy's ex has come back into his life and in trying to help her good friend, she may just have set Carter up for a murder charge! A diva at Carter's theatre company has made the mellow Carter lose his cool, so in order to save his job, Tobi rescinds the acting offer she gave the Art Director and gives the job to the Diva. A nightmare on the set, Fiona angers everyone, but it's only after Carter works on her hair that she drops dead. Now Carter's the prime suspect, but plenty of people had motive. Will Tobi be able to prove Carter's innocence when even Mary Fran doubts him? Will she work out her relationship with Andy? And just what is Rudder getting up to at night that the police are called for a noise disturbance?

Tobi's junk food diet makes my eating habits look positively healthy and her snorting, along with her reaction to it, gets on my nerves. Despite the fact that I find Tobi annoying at times, her deep rooted kindness makes me appreciate her as a person and as a character.  And although poor decisions abound, if better choices were made there'd be no mystery.

I really enjoyed the mystery in 30 SECOND DEATH. Laura Bradford is quite adept at misdirecting readers, leading us toward what seem like the logical conclusion. When the mystery is solved we're reminded of all those well placed clues we may have glossed over which now make us say, "Well, of course. It all makes sense now!" The romantic anticipations and troubles of both Tobi and Mary Fran add to the angst of the story, heightening the drama.The mood is lightened, however, with plenty of humor, from Tobi's new clients, Dom and Gina Paletti, but especially from Rudder, wise words from teenager, Sam, and those quirky traits of Tobi.

30 SECOND DEATH is a well rounded mystery that provides a pleasurable mixture of laughter and drama while highlighting the importance of love and friendship.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading 30 Second Death by Laura Bradford. This book is the second in the Tobi Tobias Mystery series and was released yesterday!

Business is booming for Tobi Tobias, unfortunately, her personal life isn't faring so well. Andy's ex has come back into his life and in trying to help her good friend, she may just have set Carter up for a murder charge! A diva at Carter's theatre company has made the mellow Carter lose his cool, so in order to save his job, Tobi rescinds the acting offer she gave the Art Director and gives the job to the Diva. A nightmare on the set, Fiona angers everyone, but it's only after Carter works on her hair that she drops dead. Now Carter's the prime suspect, but plenty of people had motive. Will Tobi be able to prove Carter's innocence when even Mary Fran doubts him? Will she work out her relationship with Andy? And just what is Rudder getting up to at night that the police are called for a noise disturbance?

The Silence of the Flans - Spotlight

I'd like to shine a spotlight on a book on my TBR pile. It just arrived today from Amazon, but I won't have time to read it for a bit, even though I really want to read it now! Released earlier this month SILENCE OF THE FLANS by Laura Bradford is the second Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery.

From the back cover:

Baker Winnie Johnson does her best work when the heat is on. As owner of the Emergency Dessert Squad, she has a deft touch in the kitchen and a soft spot for lost causes. So when her business professor beau, Jay Morgan, expresses misgivings over having to fail one of his fourth year students, Winnie cooks up a sweet solution.

She'll offer an extra credit opportunity in exchange for a little help with her growing business. But when her protege's first dessert delivery poisons a student journalist, the publicity threatens to burn Winnie's business to a crisp. Now the entrepreneur-turned-detective must uncover the ingredients behind a recipe for murder before she crumbles under pressure...

Recipes Included.

Death in Advertising Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Laura Bradford to the blog today. DEATH IN ADVERTISING, the first book in Laura's new Tobi Tobias Mystery series, was released February 7th.

Kathy: You start a new series with DEATH IN ADVERTISING. Was there a specific inspiration for this series?

LB: I first wrote DEATH IN ADVERTISING years ago. Tobi, the main character, just appeared in my head. She was smart, determined, plucky, and had great friends. So I’d say she was my inspiration for the series.


Kathy: Tobi Tobias has to moonlight in a pet store when she opens her own ad agency. Have you ever worked in a pet store or for an animal rescue organization?

LB: No pet stores for me. But my sweet cat, Hobbes, was a rescue animal and I know how much joy she brought me. I figured putting Tobi around animals would make for some fun—and it does!


Kathy: Do you have pets of your own?

LB: Hobbes passed on 7 years ago and I still think about her all the time. She was truly the sweetest cat I’ve ever known. Now, there is Angus. He, too, is a cat…and while very different than Hobbes, he is a character in his own right.


Kathy: If you could spend time with an animal who you could not have as a pet, what type of animal would it be?

LB: Sea lion. Without a doubt. LOVE them. When I visit a zoo, it’s the first place I must go. When I spent some time in Monterey, CA a few years ago, seeing them in the wild (all over the place) was such a treat!


Kathy: You write multiple series simultaneously. How do you juggle them all? Do you sometimes discover you've accidentally put characters in the wrong series while writing?

LB: I never work on two books at a time, so that’s one way I don’t confuse them. I keep index cards with info on all my characters so that helps, too…although, honestly, they’re all real to me so the only confusion might be remembering eye color (which is why I keep the cards). One time, I put a character from another series in a book, but I caught it during editing and it made me laugh.


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?

LB: I fall in between. I always know who did the crime and why. And I know the other suspects in advance, as well. But it’s the rest of the book—the flavor, if you will—that I just let write itself.


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

LB: I like my author page on Facebook—many of the readers I’ve met through that have become friends. I also love library events. I love talking to/being around readers.

As for what I dislike—Twitter. I don’t get it. But I still try.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

LB: Three Tobi Tobias Mysteries will be out in 2017. Death in Advertising (the debut title) is out now. 30 Second Death—book # 2—will be out in July. The 3rd book in the series will be out in December. So that’s exciting.

The Silence of the Flans, the 2nd book in my Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, will be out March 7th.

Patterned After Death, the 12th book in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey, will be out in June.

Beyond that, I hope to put out a 6th book in my popular Amish Mysteries this year.

I also have a new project I’m working on (that is now contracted) that I’ll divulge as soon as I can.

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Review 

DEATH IN ADVERTISING by Laura Bradford

The First Tobi Tobias Mystery

Tobi Tobias has started her own advertising agency, a dream she's had since childhood. That dream didn't include a struggling agency and working in a pet store to try to make ends meet, however. Tobi gets her chance to keep her business afloat and pay off some of her mounting bills when she lands the account of another struggling business, the Zander Closet Company. Tobi creates the perfect slogan and both companies begin reaping its benefits. But before the celebration begins in earnest, Tobi's slogan becomes an advertising nightmare. While her slogan didn't cause the death of the prominent Car King of St. Louis, its association is killing her new found success. Determined to save her business, along with hunky Andy Zander's closets and a grieving African Grey parrot, Tobi puts a hold on looking for catchphrases and starts looking for clues.

It took me a while to warm up to Tobi. She acted a bit juvenile and her idiosyncrasies were a bit more annoying than endearing. I was also a bit worried about the pet shop. As an advocate for animals I hoped that the store was a respectable one, promoting adoptions and responsible pet ownership. The story, however, was compelling and Tobi began to grow on me. The more I read, the more I was carried away by the mystery. By the time Grandpa Stu came on the scene I was hooked.

Bradford gives us plenty of interesting characters with a variety of motives. A bit of romance, some laughter, and genuine compassion between the characters add charm. DEATH IN ADVERTISING is a promising start to a new series.

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Death in Advertising by Laura Bradford. This book is the first in the Tobi Tobias Mystery series and will be released next week.

Tobi Tobias has started a her own advertising agency, a dream she's had since childhood. That dream didn't include a struggling agency and working in a pet store to try to make ends meet, however. Tobi gets her chance to keep her business afloat and pay off some of her mounting bills when she lands the account of another struggling business, the Zander Closet Company. Tobi creates the perfect slogan and both companies begin reaping its benefits. But before the celebration begins in earnest, Tobi's slogan becomes an advertising nightmare. While her slogan didn't cause the death of the prominent Car King of St. Louis, its association is killing her new found success. Determined to save her business, along with hunky Andy Zander's closets and a grieving African Grey parrot, Tobi puts a hold on looking for catchphrases and starts looking for clues.

Éclair and Present Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm thrilled to welcome Laura Bradford to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Laura has started a new series which will be released June 7th. Éclair and Present Danger is the first in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series.

Kathy: You start a new series with Éclair and Present Danger. Why choose desserts as a theme?

LB: I think the concept of an emergency dessert squad sounds like fun. I know there are lots of times in life when a little goodie-boost has turned a few of my bad days around.


Kathy: You certainly came up with a unique delivery system! How did you come up with that idea?

LB: I was brainstorming creative bakery ideas with a former Girl Scout of mine and she mentioned a pull towards food trucks. The next thing I knew, I was picturing an ambulance and emergency desserts in my head. Once I did, I just knew it would make a perfect cozy mystery.


Kathy: Lovey is not such a loving cat, at least to Winnie. Is Lovey based on a real feline?

LB: No, not really. I just loved the idea of Winnie taking on this cat because of her love for her now deceased friend. And how she sticks with it even though the cat isn’t thrilled. We’ll see signs of the ice thawing though in future books.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

LB: I love the small town feel, the characters you come to know and love, and I love that justice always prevails in the end.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

LB: I have written a handful of romance novels, one of which won me my first writing award. And I’m working on a women’s fiction when time allows. I have lots of stories in me.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

LB: I’d be happy to!

Éclair and Present Danger kicks off my new Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries. The series’ name pretty much sums them up. There’s a great cast of characters I think my readers will fall in love with (I know I have). Silence of the Flans (Book # 2) will follow in March.

A Churn for the Worse, the 5th book in my Amish Mysteries, released in March. This series follows English gift shop owner, Claire Weatherly, and former Amish-turned-Police Detective, Jakob Fisher. Again, a series with characters readers can identify with on so many levels.

Needle and Dread, the 11th book in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey) is a series rooted in friendships. The women, who range in age from early twenties to eighty-something, have their squabbles but they always come together in the end.

Truth Death in Advertising, the 1st book in my Tobi Tobias Mysteries, will debut in February 2017 with Kensington’s Lyrical E-line. These books are first person humorous mysteries and are a wee bit more sassy that I usually write, but equally fun.

And, last but not least, I can’t forget my Jenkins & Burns Mysteries. Available in E-format only now, this is the series that saw me published for the first time and earned me an Agatha nomination for Best First Novel (Jury of One, 2005—now titled, Deadly Readings in its E-form)


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

LB: I tend to have a favorite character (s) in each series. In the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, however, I have several. I love Winnie, my protagonist, because I like her spunk, her loyalty, and her creativeness. I love Renee (Winnie’s best friend) because she keeps Winnie on her toes. And I love Mr. Nelson (Winnie’s elderly downstairs neighbor) because he makes me laugh.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

LB: In terms of the Emergency Dessert Squad? My agent loved it. And we had offers from two publishing houses. So that made the decision easy.


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

LB: Mary Higgins Clark
Lynn Cahoon
Linda Castillo
Harlan Coben


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

LB: Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series. I read these when I’m on the elliptical machine at the gym. Helps make the time go by.


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

LB: Sure. I love to bake, play games, and travel.


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

LB: Pretzels
Chocolate of some sort (bonus points if it includes caramel)
Candy corn
Water


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

LB: Here’s what’s coming up in 2017:

**Silence of the Flans (Book # 2 in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries) will release in March 2017. Book # 3 will follow in January 2018.

**Three titles in my upcoming Tobi Tobias Mysteries will debut in 2017—February, July, and December.

**I will be releasing a 6th book in my Amish Mysteries in 2017.

**The 12th book in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey) will be out in June 2017.


Kathy: What is your favorite thing about being an author?

LB: When I started on this journey, my favorite part was the writing. Now, I have to say it’s the amazing people I’ve met because of my writing.

***
Now available!!!
Éclair and Present Danger
The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.

With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.

To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim...

***
Bio:
As a child, Laura Bradford fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do or be anything else. Today, Laura is the national bestselling author of several mystery series, including the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Amish Mysteries, the Jenkins & Burns Mysteries, the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey, and the upcoming Tobi Tobias Mystery Series. She is a former Agatha Award nominee, and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. A graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, and being an advocate for those living with Multiple Sclerosis.
For more information, visit: www.laurabradford.com or, for day to day stuff, you can find Laura on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurabradfordauthor/ and occasionally on Twitter @bradfordauthor


***

Review

ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER By Laura Bradford
The First Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery

Winnie Johnson's life has taken an unimaginable turn. She has one last shot to save her bakery from closing due to the imposed rent hike, an inheritance from her elderly friend Gertrude. Cash is not on the agenda however, and instead Winnie leaves with a vintage ambulance and an ornery cat named Lovey. Ornery to Winnie, that is, and friendly to everyone else! Winnie's day gets even worse when she delivers a pie to a widower neighbor only to find him dead. Someone smothered the elderly man! Could it be the mother of the bratty girl who destroyed his flowerbed? Or a son too eager for his own inheritance? While Winnie ponders these questions and tries to reassure her neighbors she has an epiphany. Her building may be lost, but her business isn't! Taking advantage of the ambulance, she decides to create a mobile dessert service. After all, when things are bad baked goods always make you feel better. Winnie and her friends embrace their new theme coming up with pithy dessert names such as Dump (him) Cake, Hot Flash Fudge Sundae, and Don't-Be-Blue Berry Pie and the business starts to take off. But can her emergency dessert service make it? Will she be able to reassure her neighbors that they're safe? Will she discover who the murderer is? And, most importantly, will she get Lovey to like her?

 ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER is a fun start to a new series. The characters are down to earth with real appeal. I'd be pleased to be Winnie's friend, even though she pulled a totally stupid move when she realized who the killer really was! My favorite character, however, has to be Lovey. Her life has drastically changed as well and I can't help but smile at how she deals with it! I appreciate Bradford illustrating the importance of the elderly in this world, and the joy our elders can bring as well as the humor! There's a never let life get you down attitude, even when life does get you down. However bad it gets, you never know what lies around the corner-it could be better than you ever imagined.

While I did truly enjoy this book, one thing really nagged at me. When Winnie lost the bakery she continued to bake and sell her items via her new business. But she baked in her home. Something tells me the health department would take issue with that-unless the home was already certified, but that fact was never mentioned. Still in all,  ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER was a delightful read which brought many a smile to my face.


Recipes Included. 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Éclair and Present Danger by Laura Bradford. This book is the first in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series and will be released June 7th.

Winnie Johnson's life has taken an unimaginable turn. She has one last shot to save her bakery from closing due to the imposed rent hike, an inheritance from her elderly friend Gertrude. Cash is not on the agenda however, and instead Winnie leaves with a vintage ambulance and an ornery cat named Lovey. Ornery to Winnie, that is, and friendly to everyone else! Winnie's day gets even worse when she delivers a pie to a widower neighbor only to find him dead. Someone smothered the elderly man! Could it be the mother of the bratty girl who destroyed his flowerbed? Or a son too eager for his own inheritance? While Winnie ponders these questions and tries to reassure her neighbors she has an epiphany. Her building may be lost, but her business isn't! Taking advantage of the ambulance, she decides to create a mobile dessert service. After all, when things are bad baked goods always make you feel better. Winnie and her friends embrace their new theme coming up with pithy dessert names such as Dump (him) Cake, Hot Flash Fudge Sundae, and Don't-Be-Blue Berry Pie and the business starts to take off. But can her emergency dessert service make it? Will she be able to reassure her neighbors that they're safe? Will she discover who the murderer is? And, most importantly, will she get Lovey to like her?

Recipes Included.