A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder - A Review

Review

 

 

A DAUGHTER'S GUIDE TO MOTHERS AND MURDER 

By Dianne Freeman

The Eighth Countess of Harleigh Mystery

 

Frances Hazelton and her husband, George, are enjoying the tail end of their honeymoon in Paris before heading home to London. Alicia Stoke-Whitney also happens to be in town and asks Frances for help. An American whose previous wife was murdered has set his sights on her daughter. The killer was never caught, is it possible he killed her? Before Frances can even start to look into the matter, new evidence has come to light and the Hazleton's friend, Inspector Cadieux, has asked for their assistance. None other than actress Sarah Bernherdt has become a suspect and none of the French gendarme want to risk being reviled worldwide should she be arrested. Happy to be investigating once more the Hazeltons will use their social contacts and deductive powers to follow the trail, wherever it may lead.

 

I'm always delighted when another Countess of Harleigh Mystery is released as I know I will be in for an entertaining, well plotted, intriguing mystery filled with wonderful characters. This eighth entry in the series deals with relationships, scandals, and the special bond between mothers and daughters. There are several mother daughter duos here and I'm happily surprised in the change in Frances' mother and pleased with her help in the investigation. I truly appreciate how A DAUGHTER'S GUIDE TO MOTHERS AND MURDER dealt with certain domestic issues that are as timely now as they were then. 

 

I love the investigation, how Frances and George work together as well as with the police. I also grin at how Frances throws herself headlong in, no matter the danger. The mystery was complex, especially as the murder occurred some months prior, with a variety of suspects. Adding the incomparable Sarah Bernhardt to the mix was a fun choice.

 

A DAUGHTER'S GUIDE TO MOTHERS AND MURDER shows the strength of a mother's love in a myriad of circumstances while providing an intriguing and thought provoking mystery.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman. This book is the eighth in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series and was released yesterday.

Frances Hazelton and her husband, George, are enjoying the tail end of their honeymoon in Paris before heading home to London. Alicia Stoke-Whitney also happens to be in town and asks Frances for help. An American whose previous wife was murdered has set his sights on her daughter. The killer was never caught, is it possible he killed her? Before Frances can even start to look into the matter, new evidence has come to light and the Hazleton's friend, Inspector Cadieux, has asked for their assistance. None other than actress Sarah Bernherdt has become a suspect and none of the French gendarme want to risk being reviled worldwide should she be arrested. Happy to be investigating once more the Hazeltons will use their social contacts and deductive powers to follow the trail, wherever it may lead.

Twist Of Time - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

TWIST OF TIME
By Gy Waldron 

 

In Santa Barbara Detective Kate Flynn is called to the scene of a murder. The body of a woman has been found on a hiking trail, naked without a head, hands, or feet. And a body with no head is not the most unusual aspect of the case. Kate finds herself working with an Anglican monk who is an expert in Celtic studies, a megalomaniac whose ancient journal has been stolen, and the story of two Templar Knights. 

TWIST OF TIME is a tale combining two stories, a modern day thriller involving a stolen journal and the story of two Templar Knights, Sir Ursus and Sir Brychan, the author of the missing journal. I've always been interested in the Templar Knights and the historical story was fascinating, keeping me spellbound. The modern aspect was a fast paced thrill ride, with multiple people trying to find the journal and Brother Thomas translating it. Lines are blurred between good and bad-certainly the man who originally had the journal and wanted Brother Thomas to translate it was bad, but what about all of the other people trying to get it? The ending had some major twists and some surprises, two of which did not sit right with me.

 

One of the more unusual aspects of the book was the psychic aspect. That was a unique and very interesting addition to the plot. I really liked the three main historical characters and Brother Thomas. My opinion of another became tainted by the end. However the character I found most fascinating was Leo. I'd love to learn more about him-what a backstory he must have. While there were many things I liked, and I certainly did enjoy TWIST OF TIME, you can certainly tell it was written by a man. It is not a necessity to continually describe women's breasts. Especially as those descriptions weren't relevant to the character or plot. Also one of those surprises I mentioned. Sigh. 

TWIST OF TIME is a fast paced thriller combining history with modern day science.

 

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TWIST OF TIME

by Gy Waldron

February 10 - March 7, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A fast-paced thriller by Emmy Award-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director Gy Waldron

Detective Sgt. Kate Flynn of the Santa Barbara Police Department is called in to investigate a gruesome decapitation and homicide. Her first clue comes from a most unlikely source: an Anglican monk and Celtic studies expert.

Brother Thomas has been expecting the hand-delivery of a priceless diary of a fourteenth-century Templar Knight, but instead he finds the messenger has been murdered.

Kate and Thomas are pulled deep into a centuries-old mystery with roots in medieval Europe and branches that lead to government intelligence, the Vatican, and a top-secret private lab where untold powers were being alchemized that could alter the face of humanity forever.

It's a race against evil to uncover a plot that could lead them to centuries-old treasure-or to their own demise at the hands of a deranged tech billionaire who has nothing to lose.

With parallel quests for the truth taking place centuries apart, and a touch of mysticism, readers will be taken on a suspenseful journey with one twist after another in Twist of Time, an electrifying novel of intrigue and history.

Readers of thrillers and novels of suspense by Dan Brown, Ken Follett, David Baldacci will savor every surprise in screenwriter Gy Waldron's fiction debut.

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: First Fruits Publishing
Publication Date: August 20, 2024
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9798869378163
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Author Bio:

Gy Waldron is an Emmy Award-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director who has written chart-topping television sitcoms, dramas, miniseries, and movies. He has created three network series, including The Dukes of Hazzard, and is known for the action-comedy film Moonrunners, which he wrote and directed.He started his writing career in Hollywood working as a staff writer for legendary producer Norman Lear on hit shows such as One Day at a Time. After an eight-year run with The Dukes of Hazzard, he segued into true crime limited series. He received an Emmy Award nomination for the six-hour limited series Billionaire Boys Club, and wrote other projects, including The Menendez Brothers, Brotherhood of the Rose, Innocent Victims, and The Unabomber. His creative work for theater received an American National Theater and Academy (ANTA) Award.In 2024, Gy Waldron received a Grady Fellowship from his alma mater, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia. Whether writing for screen, for the stage, or for readers around the world, Waldron is widely known for his unique blend of action, comedy, and suspense, always leaving audiences highly entertained.With a background of serving in U.S. counterintelligence in Europe, Gy (a.k.a. Gyneth) has written about the fields of intelligence and crime. Stationed in Germany in the late 1950s, he was on the KGB desk working with captured Gestapo files and monitoring CIC (Counter Intelligence Corps) operations against various Communist intelligence services during the Cold War. Additionally, he worked with American operatives in executing orders from U.S. Command.He draws heavily on his experiences when writing fiction. Prior to his career in Hollywood, Gy worked in broadcast television at WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. There, he was a director of specials, sports, and documentaries. Gy worked on many civil rights documentaries and directed feeds to NBC's Huntley-Brinkley Report that focused on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his associates.A native Southerner, he now lives in Malibu, California, in a canyon between the mountains and the ocean where he is writing his next novel, Fugue.

Catch Up With Gy Waldron:
www.gy-waldron.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads

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Mystery in Marseille - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

 MURDER IN MARSEILLE by Nupur Tustin

The Third Sophie's Adventure 

Sophie is whisked off to Marseille, but not to watch over a Matisse with Madame Perrin, but a romantic rendezvous with her boyfriend. But her FBI beau gets sent to another city for a conference and she has to settle for a tour of the sites with her friend, Nicole. Plans change once again when the Matisse on loan from the museum is stolen! Now Sophie and are on the hunt to find the painting before it leaves Marseille!

One of the things I enjoyed most about MURDER IN MARSEILLE was learning some of the history of the city. I also enjoyed Sophie's investigation, with plenty of opportunity for some chuckles. A concise mystery, it still left plenty of room for a gaggle of suspects.

MURDER IN MARSEILLE is a quick trip through Marseille with disguises, plenty of art, and a satisfying mystery.

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Mystery in Marseille: A Bite-Sized Art Heist Mystery (Sophie's Adventures) by Nupur Tustin

About Mystery in Marseille

Mystery in Marseille: A Bite-Sized Art Heist Mystery (Sophie's Adventures)
Travel Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series
Setting - Marseille, France
Publisher: ‎ Foiled Plots Press (October 18, 2024)
Paperback: ‎ 168 pages

A holiday in France; an art thief on the run! Art sleuth Sophie must stay a step ahead of a brash criminal . . .

A rare Matisse in Marseille provides a convenient cover for undercover art sleuth Sophie Poisson’s covert romantic plans in the city.

But when the painting is unexpectedly stolen, Sophie finds herself chasing an art thief instead of romance.

With a wily thief one step ahead of her and her undercover partner, Uncle Arthur, out of town, can Sophie devise a strategy to recover the Matisse before it sails out of Marseille, never to be seen again?

About Nupur Tustin

A former journalist with a Ph.D. in Communication, Nupur Tustin orchestrates murder in the historical Joseph Haydn Mystery series and paints intrigue in her contemporary Celine Skye Psychic Mystery series, based on the true story of the unsolved Gardner Museum theft. Travel, disguises, and stolen art form the basis of undercover art sleuth Sophie’s adventures in the Sophie’s Adventure series.

• Author Links: 
• Website: https://ntustin.com  
• Blog: https://ntustin.com/blog 
• Shop: https://ntustin.com/shop  
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ntustinauthor/  
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/nupurtustin 
• Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nupur-tustin
• Purchase Links: Amazon - Barnes & Noble Kobo Apple iBooks

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A Murder Most French - A Review

 Review

A MURDER MOST FRENCH by Colleen Cambridge
The Second American in Paris Mystery

Tabitha Knight is a horrible cook, but with her good friend and neighbor Julia Child teaching her, she’s slowly improving. To further Tabitha’s culinary knowledge Julia insists she accompanies her to her school where the Chef Beauchȇne is giving a demonstration. The demonstration turns disastrous, however, when the chef opens a rare bottle of wine, sips, and keels over dead. When a second chef is killed in the same manner the following day, right in front of Tabitha and Julia again, the pair can’t help but be intrigued. Who would want to kill these chefs? And why? Does it have anything to do with the vandalism at the markets? 

Tabitha makes such a great protagonist. She's smart, ingenious, and capable. She's also devoted to her friends and family. I love the relationships found in this series, Julia and her husband (and I love that this relationship mirrors their real life one), Julia and Tabs, Grandpère and Oncle Rafe, Tabitha and her messieurs, and Tabitha and Merveille. I can't wait to see what develops.

I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and how excited both Tabitha and Julia were at the possibility of solving another murder. Although I had a good inkling on who the killer was, I didn't know the motive. I loved seeing how everything all came together.

One of my favorite things about the American in Paris Mystery series is how Julia Child joyously describes food and cooking. Her enthusiasm is catchy and makes me feel happy. I still picture the dancing chicken breasts!

A MURDER MOST FRENCH is a scrumptious postwar mystery that will have you wanting to cook, but maybe passing on any rare wine.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Murder Most French by Colleen Cambridge. This book is the second in the American in Paris Mystery series. 

Tabitha Knight is a horrible cook, but with her good friend and neighbor Julia Child teaching her, she’s slowly improving. To further Tabitha’s culinary knowledge Julia insists she accompanies her to her school where the Chef Beauchȇne is giving a demonstration. The demonstration turns disastrous, however, when the chef opens a rare bottle of wine, sips, and keels over dead. When a second chef is killed in the same manner the following day, right in front of Tabitha and Julia again, the pair can’t help but be intrigued. Who would want to kill these chefs? And why? Does it have anything to do with the vandalism at the markets?

An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder - A Review

 Review

AN ART LOVER'S GUIDE TO PARIS AND MURDER by Dianne Freeman
The Seventh Countess of Harleigh Mystery

George Hazleton has always had a special fondness for his unconventional Aunt Julia, so when she asks him to visit her in Paris regarding a private matter he can't say no. He also can't say no to his wife Frances, formerly the Countess of Harleigh who insists she accompany him. They decide to make the trip a holiday and include a visit to the Paris Exhibition as well as investigate the suspicious death of the artist Paul Ducasse on behalf of Aunt Julia. But when they meet with her, she's reluctant to talk about the matter and eventually tells them she was mistaken and there's nothing to look into. When an accident turns out to be murder George and Frances will have to uncover the many secrets of Julia's life in order to catch a killer!

The seventh Countess of Harleigh Mystery finds our intrepid heroine in Paris for a honeymoon-cum-family trip to the Paris Exhibition, with a little sleuthing beforehand. If Frances and George thought dealing with an artistic crowd and a smart police detective could be challenging, not to mention solving two murders, they also have to deal with a teenaged girl!

I absolutely love Frances, the Countess of Harleigh, though now she's simply Mrs. Hazleton. I'm glad that marriage has not diminished her spunk, nor her joie de vivre. She's smart and competitive, I relish the times she uncovers things before George, let alone the police. I also enjoyed getting a glimpse of the Paris Exhibition with its moving sidewalks and vast crowds as well as seeing some of the water holes favored by artists of the time. 

A delightful holiday adventure AN ART LOVER'S GUIDE TO PARIS AND MURDER incorporates art and family secrets into an entertaining Parisian murder mystery.

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman. This book is the seventh in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series and will be released June 25, 2024.

George Hazleton has always had a special fondness for his unconventional Aunt Julia, so when she asks him to visit her in Paris regarding a private matter he can't say no. He also can't say no to his wife Frances, formerly the Countess of Harleigh who insists she accompany him. They can make the trip a holiday and include a visit to the Paris Exhibition as well as investigate the suspicious death of the artist Paul Ducasse on behalf of Aunt Julia. But when they meet with her, she's reluctant to talk about the matter and eventually tells them, she was mistaken and there's nothing to look into. When an accident turns out to be murder George and Frances will have to uncover the many secrets of Julia's life in order to catch a killer!

Under the Paper Moon - A Review

Review

UNDER THE PAPER MOON by Shaina Steinberg
The First Bishop and Gallagher Mystery 

Evelyn Bishop is no stranger to danger and death having served in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Working as a private detective in 1948 Los Angeles Evelyn is following an old family friend, a munitions dealer during the War, who's suspected of adultery. She's stunned when she runs across Nick Gallagher, the man who led her close knit band during the War. The man she loved. The man who betrayed her. When George is killed, it seems that more is going on than just a cheating spouse. With signs pointing back to the War Evelyn refuses to let the matter rest. Teaming up with Nick one more time the pair will hunt for answers, and hope they survive the outcome.

World War II was a time when women stepped out of the home and came into their own, taking on jobs previously only held by men and finding their place in the world. Evelyn Bishop is such a woman. Unwilling to be a socialite planting a Victory Garden she instead joins the OSS. Not content, or competent, to be a secretary in London, instead she joins an elite team going on missions behind enemy lines risking life and limb...and heart. After the war, like so many soldiers, she has difficulty reassimilating to civilian life.

What lengths would you go to for someone you loved? Would you do the same for your country? How far would you go to forget? I appreciate the gritty realism found in UNDER THE PAPER MOON, from the war torn countryside of France to the hardboiled streets of LA. Loyalty, secrets, and betrayal are the key themes of the first Bishop and Gallagher Mystery. Twists, turns, and shocking surprises kept me enthralled while dark humor, finely drawn characters, and as exquisite backdrop kept me entertained.

Pulse pounding action, heart wrenching drama, and an intricately plotted mystery make UNDER THE PAPER MOON an outstanding novel. Learning it's the first of a series is icing on a wacky cake. I look forward to seeing how the characters develop and what challenges they'll face next!

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Under the Paper Moon by Shaina Steinberg. This book is the first in the Bishop and Gallagher Mystery series.

Evelyn Bishop is no stranger to danger and death having served in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Working as a private detective in 1948 Los Angeles Evelyn is following an old family friend, a munitions dealer during the War, who's suspected of adultery. She's stunned when she runs across Nick Gallagher, the man who led her close knit band during the War. The man she loved. The man who betrayed her. When George is killed, it seems that more is going on than just a cheating spouse. With signs pointing back to the War Evelyn refuses to let the matter rest. Teaming up with Nick one more time the pair will hunt for answers, and hope they survive the outcome.

Theft in Sleepy Hollow - A Review

 Review

THEFT IN SLEEPY HOLLOW by Nupur Tustin
The Second Sophie's Adventure Mystery 

Jeanne Sophie Poisson is ready for a well deserved vacation from her job as a police secretary in Calais. Planning on letting her hair down with her best friend in Paris, she soon learns her vacation is starting early. And she's not going to Paris. Instead she's headed to Sleepy Hollow, New York accompanied by her "Uncle Arthur". There the pair will take a painting workshop given by a devious painter...who may well be a thief. Will Sophie be able to save a Monet? 

I've always found art theft compelling. Famous paintings worth millions spirited away, most likely bought by a millionaire to be secreted away. While I admit that I'd love to have an original Degas, I'm content with the prints hanging on my walls. Going undercover to prevent such a theft-what fun! I love how Sophie made due with supplies and I giggle at her love of wigs. Sophie and "Uncle Arthur" make a great team and I appreciate how they work together.

A bit longer than the first book in the series, THEFT IN SLEEPY HOLLOW is still short, yet still packed with intrigue and fun. I admit I laughed at Sophie's ignorance about the LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW. Being from New York state, I suppose I think everyone should be familiar with this story. I also loved the surprise at the end. While not Paris fun with her bestie, Sophie still manages a little vacation fun.

With an intriguing plot and a few surprises THEFT IN SLEEPY HOLLOW is a delightful adventure.

The Pompadour Necklace - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

THE POMPADOUR NECKLACE by Nupur Tustin
The First Sophie's Adventure Mystery 

Sophie is on a mission-follow the man who stole a necklace once belonging to Madame Pompadour, patron of the arts in the 1700s. Traveling from Calais to Paris and on to London with gumption, wigs, and some unexpected help Sophie is determined to get this treasured heirloom back!

I enjoyed meeting Sophie is this first Sophie's Adventure Mystery. She's determined, smart, and dare I say, plucky! I enjoyed the surprises she encountered and ultimately rendered!

THE POMPADOUR NECKLACE is a very short story. I read the whole thing in one sitting...in the bathtub! Despite its brevity, the characters are well developed and the plot captivating. It's the first in the series, but I sense a lot of backstory. I look forward to learning more.

A delightfully quick read, THE POMPADOUR NECKLACE is an intriguing start to a new series featuring historical objects, travel, and memorable characters.

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The Pompadour Necklace and Theft in Sleepy Hollow (Sophie's Adventures) by Nupur Tustin

About The Pompadour Necklace

The Pompadour Necklace: Sophie's Adventures
Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - London, England
Foiled Plots Press (March 14, 2023)
Paperback: ‎ 60 pages

The necklace had once belonged to Madame Pompadour—mistress of the French King Louis XV.

Now it’s gone. Stolen by a clever conman. And it will take every ounce of determination and ingenuity a young woman possesses to recover it.

But can a mere girl from Calais outwit a practiced fraudster?

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About Theft in Sleepy Hollow

Theft in Sleepy Hollow (Sophie's Adventures)
Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - New York
Foiled Plots Press (November 25, 2023)
Digital Print length: ‎ 101 pages

In Sleepy Hollow, a Monet is in danger of being spirited away. . .

But undercover art sleuth Sophie Fisher—also known as Jeanne Sophie Poisson— is on the trail of the brazen art thief.

From a Hudson River Cruise to Cold Spring to a spooky lantern-light tour of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Sophie will do what it takes to capture the thief . . .

And prevent him from spiriting away a valuable work of art.

About Nupur Tustin

A former journalist, Nupur Tustin is the author of the Joseph Haydn Mysteries set in Austria, the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries, based on the infamous Gardner Museum theft, and the author of Sophie’s Adventures, about a French James Bond who goes on undercover missions to recover stolen art and artifacts.

Author Links

• Website: https://ntustin.com
• Blog: https://ntustin.com/blog
• Shop: https://ntustin.com/shop
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ntustinauthor
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/nupurtustin
• Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nupur-tustin

Purchase Link - The Pompadour Necklace Amazon  

Purchase Links - Theft in Sleepy Hollow Amazon B&N Nook Kobo Apple Other 

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Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Theft in Sleepy Hollow by Nupur Tustin. This book is the second in the Sophie's Adventures Mystery series and was released last month.

Jeanne Sophie Poisson is ready for a well deserved vacation from her job as a police secretary in Calais. Planning on letting her hair down with her best friend in Paris, she soon learns her vacation is starting early. And she's not going to Paris. Instead she's headed to Sleepy Hollow, New York accompanied by her "Uncle Arthur". There the pair will take a painting workshop given by a devious painter...who may well be a thief. Will Sophie be able to save a Monet?

Collecting Can Be Murder - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Jennifer S. Alderson back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Jennifer writes the Carmen de Luca Art Sleuth Mystery series. COLLECTING CAN BE MURDER Is the first book in the series and was released last month.

Kathy: You start a new series with COLLECTING CAN BE MURDER. What made you decide to add something new? 

JSA: After finishing book nine of my second mystery series, I decided to try start writing a new art-focused mystery series that would be, qua setting and feel, a mashup of Antiques Roadshow and the Thomas Crown Affair. The idea of combining those high- and low-brow worlds fascinated me!

The lead character, Carmen De Luca, is an art sleuth who hunts down priceless objects stolen from media-shy owners and cultural organizations located around the world. Her employer, The Rosewood Agency, is a private organization funded by a reclusive billionaire who encourages his operatives to do whatever is necessary to complete their assignment – even if it means breaking a few laws along the way. However, Carmen is not allowed to used weapons, but instead has to rely on her wits, martial arts skills, and a bottle of chloroform to get the job done.

I spend a lot of my free time in galleries and museums, and wanted to write about a character who was somehow involved with art and culture, yet did not work for a museum. The idea of making her an art sleuth was my way of giving Carmen a good reason to solve mysteries and travel for her work!


Kathy: Carmen De Luca is an art sleuth. Do you enjoy art? What's your favorite style?

JSA: Art is one of my great passions, and the reason why I moved to the Netherlands from Seattle, Washington in 2004! After studying art history in Amsterdam, I was lucky enough to work for several museums before the cultural sector imploded and I had difficulty finding another fulltime position. That’s when I decided to combine my love of writing and culture by writing four art mysteries (Zelda Richardson Mysteries), before moving on to the Travel Can Be Murder series. With the Carmen De Luca series, I’m going back to my first love, yet in a different way than the Zelda books. Whereas they are fast-paced and heavy on history, the De Luca novels are lighter in tone and the mysteries are a bit sillier.

I’m most partial to the bold colors and emotionally expressive, post-impressionistic art – Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Odilon Redon are great examples and some of my favorite artists. It’s fitting, I think, that I now live in the same city that houses one of the world’s best collections of post-impressionistic artwork – The Van Gogh Museum!


Kathy: In her first assignment Carmen and her partner have to recover a rare medieval prayer book from an eccentric collector. Why choose this unique treasure?

JSA: The impetus to actually write the first Carmen De Luca story was an invitation to write a short story for a charity anthology – and the theme was books! To choose which kind of book would be central to the mystery, I posted a poll on my Facebook page and in my newsletter and let my readers decide. They chose overwhelmingly for an illuminated manuscript because (according to their comments) they hadn’t read many mysteries featuring a medieval prayerbook.

I enjoyed writing the short story, but had to cut most of it to fit the length. It felt like a waste to throw away a perfectly good mystery, so I took the unabridged version and turned it into a full-length novel with a larger cast of characters and a different killer, than the short story.


Kathy: There have been many famous, or I should say infamous, art heists throughout the ages. Many still unsolved. Have any of these particularly intrigued you?

JSA: There are so many fascinating art heists, yet the Gardner Heist remains the most intriguing. Probably because there are so many twists and turns, as well as suspects who’ve admitted to the theft, only to later recount their testimony. In 1990 on Saint Patrick’s Day, thirteen masterpieces of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, yet to this day there is not one solid lead as to their whereabouts. I’m clearly not the only one who is captivated by this mystery, because there is a Netflix documentary about the thefts, as well as an ongoing podcast about the possible thieves and the missing paintings’ location called Empty Frames, as well as several other news specials.


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?

JSA: I’m somewhere in between. I do spend quite a bit of time writing out a detailed thirty- to fifty-page outline of the chapters and major plot twists before I begin flushing the chapters out. Yet inevitably, halfway through, I’ll change my mind about the ending, and often who the killer should be. As a result, I tend to spend the majority of my writing time working on the first half, and then speed write the new ending.


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?

JSA: It’s fun to interact with readers via Facebook and my newsletter. However, because the social media landscape is constantly evolving, I do tend to feel like there is always a new medium I should be learning about or getting involved with.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

JSA: In Book Two – A STATUE TO DIE FOR – Carmen has to sleuth out who killed a washed-up Hollywood film director who has been murdered by a Maltese Falcon statue - and in a locked room, no less! Movie moguls, priceless props, and long-buried secrets make for a deadly combination in this delightful mystery that is sure to appeal to fans of cozy crime and amateur sleuth mysteries.

In Book Three – FORGERIES AND FATALITIES – Carmen is trying to figure out if a respectable gallery owner is involved in a forgery ring or not. Her investigation leads her into the shadowy world of art smuggling and the mafia! 

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Review

COLLECTING CAN BE MURDER by Jennifer S. Alderson
The First Carmen de Luca Art Sleuth Mystery

Called back from retirement, art sleuth Carmen De Luca is on assignment, tasked with verifying the medieval prayer book owned by Harold Moreau is, in fact, stolen. Plans go awry when a bookshelf falls as Harold is showing off his collection to Carmen. When she regains consciousness she finds Harold dead and the prayer book gone. A raging storm prevents the arrival of the police as it also stops anyone from leaving. Someone at the villa must be the culprit, but who? Carmen will do what she can to recover the book and in doing so may solve a murder too.

I love the premise of the Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mystery series; tracking down stolen artwork so that it can be returned to the rightful owner. I also appreciate the fact that Carmen is a mature protagonist. I really enjoyed learning about the medieval prayer books and could easily visualize these little treasures.

Even though Carmen has a great backstory and the characters are interesting, I found them to be two dimensional. They never drew me in and I found that I didn't really care about any of them. I did, however, like Detective Nobel and felt his character had a lot of promise.

One thing really bothered me, something the author should have known or an editor should have caught. A song was described that was obviously Cat's in the Cradle. However, the author called it Cat's Cradle and said it was by Cat Stevens. Cat Stevens never wrote a song entitled Cat's Cradle (although he did have a compilation album by that title- but there is no song by that name on it). Harry Chapin wrote Cat's in the Cradle. 

COLLECTING CAN BE MURDER brings great artwork and mystery together in this new series.

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 Collecting Can Be Murder (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries) by Jennifer S. Alderson

About Collecting Can Be Murder

Collecting Can Be Murder (Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - France
Traveling Life Press (May 31, 2023)
Approximately 250 Pages

Coming out of retirement can be deadly…

After tragedy struck three years earlier, art sleuth Carmen De Luca vowed to never work in the field again. But fifty is too young to fill her days with water aerobics and bingo, so when her former partner calls and begs for her help, Carmen gladly agrees.

Yet after their first assignment – the recovery of a rare medieval prayer book from an eccentric collector living in rural France – goes horribly wrong, Carmen ends up in the crosshairs of both the local police and a murderer!

With her target dead and the stolen book missing, she and her partner will have to pull out all of the stops to sleuth out the true killer’s identity – before their stay in France becomes permanent.

Introducing Carmen De Luca, an art sleuth with a nose for mystery and the job of locating valuable artwork stolen from museums around the world. If you love strong and resourceful heroines, puzzling mysteries, and a dash of art history, pick up Collecting Can Be Murder now!

Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries: Book One: Collecting Can Be Murder Book Two: A Statue To Die For More adventures coming soon!

These mysteries contain no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.

About Jennifer S. Alderson

 

Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, grew up in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she lived in Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. Jennifer’s love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, her Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and her Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels. When not writing, she can be found perusing a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip. For more information about the author and her upcoming novels, please visit http://www.JenniferSAlderson.com.  

 

Author Links: 

Website: http://www.jennifersalderson.com  

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferSAldersonauthor  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSAauthor  

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JSAauthor  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-s-alderson  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JennifeSAlderson  

Purchase Link - Amazon  

 

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