Sniffing Out Murder - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Kallie E. Benjamin to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You may also recognize Kallie as V. M. Burns and Valerie Burns. As Kallie, she writes the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. SNIFFING OUT MURDER is the first book in the series and was released Wednesday.

Kathy: In SNIFFING OUT MURDER we meet Priscilla and her bloodhound, Bailey. Pris is a children's book author. Have you ever been tempted to write children's books? 

KEB: The first book I ever wrote was a children’s book. I had just gotten a toy poodle, Coco, and I wrote several books about dogs. The books were intended to be entertaining and educational. Unfortunately, I never found a publisher. 

 

Kathy: When Pris returns to her hometown she learns former high school mean girl has become the newly elected school board trustee. Have you ever had to deal with a mean girl from your youth as an adult? 

KEB: Most of the mean girls from my youth have mellowed with age. However, I recently met someone who called herself a “mean girl.” She lives up to the name. Fortunately, I’m at an age where I’m better able to cope without getting involved in drama.

Kathy: It makes me so mad when arts and social programs are deemed frivolous. Also makes me want to smack that Whitney. Where you involved in these types of programs when you were in school? 

KEB: When I was young, I learned how to play the violin in a music program offered at my elementary school. It was a great program to introduce kids to the arts. To this day, I’m sure I could play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, if I still had my violin.

Kathy: I love that Pris and Bailey have a pet-assisted reading program. I know that there's a similar program at my local humane society. Have you ever been involved with one? 

KEB: When I lived in Indiana, my poodles, Coco and Cash, were registered therapy dogs with Therapy Dogs International. We did not participate in pet-assisted reading programs, but we used to visit nursing homes and hospitals monthly. These programs are great and I enjoyed them as much as my dogs did.
 

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? 

KEB: I love puzzles and I love to read. When I was a kid, I lived 3 blocks from my branch library. I used to go to the library several times each week. That’s where I read my first Agatha Christie, THE MURDER OF ROGER AKROYD. It blew my mind. It was a Whodunit, which combined my love of puzzles and my love of mysteries. After that, I read every Agatha Christie I could find and other similar books. That’s where I discovered my love of cozies.

 

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? 

KEB: Not yet. One day, I’d love to try my hand at writing other genres, but so far I have only written mysteries.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.  

KEB: Bailey the Bloodhound is a cozy series that features elementary schoolteacher and children’s book author, Priscilla Cummings, and her three-year-old bloodhound, Bailey. Bailey has an exceptional ability for scents and tracking and an even greater ability for getting them both into trouble.

 

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? 

KEB: If so, who and why? I think Bailey is my favorite character. Dogs have personalities (at least my dogs do), and I love trying to find ways to show Bailey’s without words.

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

KEB: Each of my series features a little bit of me. This series is set in Northwestern Indiana, which is where I was born and raised. Pris does pet-assisted therapy with Bailey. I also did therapy when I lived in Indiana. This series, like my others, touches on specific parts of my life.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? 

KEB: I’ve read cozy mysteries for decades. Over the years, I kept a list of books I wished someone would write. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that no one was writing those books, and perhaps I should try my hand at it. If I wanted to read a book about a woman who did pet-assisted therapy with her dog and solved mysteries, perhaps someone else would be interested in reading it, too.

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

KEB: Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Sue Grafton, and Jane Austen. These are all favorite authors. I would love to pick their brains and learn how to create books that will inspire and entertain for generations.

Kathy: What are you currently reading? 

KEB: When I’m writing, I usually read familiar books (old friends). I just finished THE CLOCKS by Agatha Christie.

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

KEB: I enjoy baking, reading, and spending time with my poodles, Chloe and Kensington. I also still enjoy puzzles.

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

KEB: Coffee, pasta, peanut butter, and pecans.

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

KEB: Yes. I have recently signed a contract for two more books in my Mystery Bookshop Mystery series, which I write as V. M. Burns. This will be books 10 and 11 in the series. My publisher has offered a contract for three more books in my Baker Street Mystery series, which I write as Valerie Burns. That will be books 4, 5, and 6. I have just turned in the second book in the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. Fingers crossed readers will enjoy it and my publisher will want more.

 

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

KEB: I love writing. I love sitting down and seeing where the characters will go. Taking something that has just been in my head and putting it on the page makes it feel real. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Thank you so much for having me on your blog today. 

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Review

SNIFFING OUT MURDER by Kallie E. Benjamin
The First Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery

With the success of her first children's book, Priscilla Cummings has returned home to Crosbyville, Indiana with the hero of her story, her bloodhound, Bailey. The thought that she'd have plenty of time to write after quitting her teaching job goes out the window when she and Bailey find the body of Whitney Kelley. The same Whitney Kelley with whom Pris had a very public confrontation with the day before. Pris will have to convince the new Chief of Police that she's innocent and there are plenty of more viable suspects out there. Will she be successful or will she and Bailey have to sniff out the killer themselves?

 

There's a lot of conflict and drama as SNIFFING OUT MURDER begins. Whitney and her sister are two absolutely awful people! And what Whitney did to Bailey in the diner?!?! Fortunately, there are some wonderful people in the book too, namely Pris's best friend, Marcie, and her Aunt Agatha. And of course, Bailey! I enjoyed Pris's clumsiness and how it led to several humorous moments, I also loved her intelligence and how she was able to take care of herself, with a little help from her BFF. While I knew the identity of a villain early on, I didn't know the whole story and it didn't diminish my enjoyment as I watched things play out.

With strong characters, plenty of wit, and an amazing bloodhound SNIFFING OUT MURDER is an enjoyable start to a new series.

 

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 Sniffing Out Murder (A Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery) by Kallie E. Benjamin

About Sniffing Out Murder

Sniffing Out Murder (A Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Indiana Berkley (December 5, 2023)
Paperback: ‎ 352 pages

When a murder unleashes a widespread investigation through Crosbyville, children’s book author Pris and her trusty bloodhound, Bailey, must sniff out the truth before the whole town goes to the dogs.

After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.

With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?

About Kallie E. Benjamin

Kallie E. Benjamin (Valerie Burns) is the author of the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. The first book, Sniffing Out Murder releases on December 5, 2023. Valerie is an Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist. Writing as V. M. Burns she is the author of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery, Dog Club Mystery, and RJ Franklin Mystery series. Writing as Valerie Burns, she is the author of the Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles.

Author Links: 

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/v-m-burns  

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

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16534140.V_M_Burns 

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

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/vmburns  

Website: vmburns.com  

Purchase Links Amazon Apple Books-A-Million Barnes and Noble Bookshop.org Google Play Hudson Booksellers Powells Target KOBO Walmart  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin. This book is the first in the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series and was released yesterday.

With the success of her first children's book, Priscilla Cummings has returned home to Crosbyville, Indiana with the hero of her story, her bloodhound, Bailey. The thought that she'd have plenty of time to write after quitting her teaching job goes out the window when she and Bailey find the body of Whitney Kelley. The same Whitney Kelley with whom Pris had a very public confrontation with the day before. Pris will have to convince the new Chief of Police that she's innocent and there are plenty of more viable suspects out there. Will she be successful or will she and Bailey have to sniff out the killer themselves?

Butterfly Betrayal - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

BUTTERFLY BETRAYAL by Ruth J. Hartman
The First Seneca James Mystery 

Seneca James has inherited her grandmother's farm but is struggling to grow enough milkweed to support the Monarch butterflies she raises. She needs the property next door but her elderly neighbor, who had always been nice and gracious, has done an about face, reneging on the contract to sell her his land. She then finds her lawyer, dead in her greenhouse. Seneca's best friend, the sheriff, is there to support her, but it seems as if most of the town has betrayed her. Will Seneca be able to save her butterflies and herself?

BUTTERFLY BETRAYAL has the markings of the coziest of cozy mysteries. The protagonist protects and raises butterflies and there's a cat who loves wearing butterfly outfits. That screams cute and cozy. The truth is a lot darker. The majority of the townsfolk we meet, people Seneca has knows her whole life, are duplicitous, nasty people. I want to spend time and hang out with the characters in cozies, but while I'd love to see the butterflies and Winifred's outfits while getting a bite to eat at the cafe-I don't want to visit this town. With cruel acts (don't worry, Winifred's fine) the book has more of a traditional mystery vibe, albeit with some very cute aspects.

The sting of betrayal and the reluctance to request help are the hallmarks of the first Seneca James Mystery. I like Seneca and Cody and adore Winifred. I also hope to see more of Murray. With red herrings and misdirection, the mystery was well executed. There was a major clue given at the start of the book that I knew was important, although I wasn't sure what it meant until the truth was revealed. 

BUTTERFLY BETRAYAL is a unique small town mystery with friendship and betrayal at its core.

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Butterfly Betrayal: A Seneca James Mystery by Ruth J Hartman

About Butterfly Betrayal

Butterfly Betrayal: A Seneca James Mystery
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Rural Indiana
Level Best Books (November 21, 2023)
Print length: ‎ 289 Pages

Raising butterflies is peaceful and calm, until someone dies.

Majestic Monarch Butterfly Farm might flitter away forever. That is, unless Seneca James acquires the property next door. She and Winifred, her costume-wearing cat, have a fight on their hands. Their land sits next to a milkweed-covered field, essential for monarchs. If she’s unsuccessful in buying it, her precious, winged friends won’t survive. When people end up dead on her farmland, Seneca is suspected of murder.

What is it about the milkweed field that’s worth killing for? And who’s the murderer?

About Ruth J. Hartman

Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning mysterious tales. She, her husband, and their cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats sit in the people's recliners. Not that the cats couldn't get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else's.

Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, farmhouse-dwelling writer uses her sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women who seem to find trouble without even trying.

Ruth's husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her despite her insistence all of her books have at least one cat in them. See updates about her cozy mysteries at Ruthjhartman.com.

Author Links: 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ruth.j.hartman 

Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063631596817  

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ruth-j-hartman  

Website https://www.ruthjhartman.com/ 

 Purchase Link - Amazon 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Brushed Up On Murder - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

BRUSHED UP ON MURDER by Ruth J. Hartman
The First Mobile Car Groomer Mystery 

No one in town really likes the persnickety Durbin Haines, even Molly Stewart. Molly tries to make allowances, seeing as the man saved her from an accident when she was a child, and his cat, Jasper is a sweet client of her grooming services, but it's challenging. When he rushes from a grooming appointment, leaving his beloved cat behind, she's a bit surprised, but agrees to bring Jasper home. When Durbin doesn't answer his door, she finds him in his garden-dead! While she sees murder, the sheriff disagrees. He does come around to her way of thinking, however, except he's certain Molly's Uncle Russ is the killer. With the help of her friends, including the hunky veterinarian and her cat Percival, she's determined to find the real killer all while keeping the cats of Whitewater Valley looking their best.

The first Mobile Car Groomer Mystery brings a variety of characters together in an entertaining mystery. There's action, laughs, and intrigue along with several plausible suspects and two adorable cats. My favorite characters by far are Percival and Jasper and I absolutely loved them in the climactic confrontation.

While the main characters are likeable, I found their behavior quite juvenile, especially when it came to the possible romance between Molly and Hank. I also wasn't thrilled with the portrayal of the Sheriff, a bumbling good ol' boy. I'm unsure of the level of Molly's cat expertise, at least when it comes to properly introducing cats. I'm hoping the reason she threw them together was merely a way to get a plot point across.

The first in a new series, BRUSHED UP ON MURDER is an enjoyable cat-centric mystery.

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 Brushed Up On Murder: A Mobile Cat Groomer Mystery by Ruth J Hartman

About Brushed Up On Murder

Brushed Up On Murder: A Mobile Cat Groomer Mystery
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Indiana
Level Best Books (April 18, 2023)
Print length: ‎ 275 pages

The life of a cat groomer isn’t just pampering purring felines, it's murder.

Mobile Cat Groomer Molly Stewart loves her job. Until she finds the dead body of one of her pet parents stabbed with a garden implement in his back yard. When Molly’s uncle Russ becomes the prime suspect in the murder and the sheriff won’t consider anyone else, Molly claws through obstacles as she prowls for clues.

With help from handsome veterinarian Hank Chenowith and Molly’s two cats, Percival and Jasper, will Molly succeed in proving her uncle’s innocence before the real murderer pounces on her?

About Ruth J. Hartman

 

Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning mysterious tales. She, her husband, and their cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats sit in the people’s recliners. Not that the cats couldn’t get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else’s. Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, farmhouse-dwelling writer uses her sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women who seem to find trouble without even trying. Ruth’s husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her despite her insistence all of her books have at least one cat in them. See updates about her cozy mysteries at Ruthjhartman.com.  

Author Links: 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ruth.j.hartman  

Website https://www.ruthjhartman.com  

Twitter https://twitter.com/ruthjhartman  

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3312900.Ruth_J_Hartman  

Purchase Link – Amazon  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Brushed Up On Murder by Ruth J. Hartman. This book is the first in the Mobile Cat Groomer Mystery series and was released yesterday.

No one in town really likes the persnickety Durbin Haines, even Molly Stewart. Molly tries to make allowances, seeing as the man saved her from an accident when she was a child, and his cat, Jasper is a sweet client of her grooming services, but it's challenging. When he rushes from a grooming appointment, leaving his beloved cat behind, she's a bit surprised, but agrees to bring Jasper home. When Durbin doesn't answer his door, she finds him in his garden-dead! While she sees murder, the sheriff disagrees. He does come around to her way of thinking, however, except he's certain Molly's Uncle Russ is the killer. With the help of her friends, including the hunky veterinarian and her cat Percival, she's determined to find the real killer all while keeping the cats of Whitewater Valley looking their best.

Dial M for Meow - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Ruth J. Hartman to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Ruth writes the Bookshop Kitties Mystery series. DIAL M FOR MEOW is the first book in the series and was released today!

Kathy: In DIAL M FOR MEOW we meet Christy Bailey, a children's book author who moves to help her aunt in her bookstore. Have you ever moved to help out a relative or friend?

RJH: Hi Kathy, thanks for having me! I've lived in Indiana all my life and have never moved to help someone out, but I've traveled places to help my parents and siblings when they've needed it.


Kathy: Milton and Pearl are Christy's cats, and the inspiration for her children's mystery books. Are these two clever felines based on real cats, or are they completely fictional?

RJH: Milton and Pearl are fictional, but their personalities are a lot like the three cats I have now! Lots of mayhem and spunk! Sometimes just watching mine give me ideas for whatever scene I happen to be working on. :)


Kathy: While Green Meadow, Indiana may be a lovely town, its residents certainly aren't! Why choose to fill your fictional town with so many horrible residents?

RJH: While there are a few characters in Green Meadow who are grumpy, most are great! Plus, some of the grumpy ones are also quirky, which adds flavor to the book :). My main characters are loving, kind, and sweet. They're the ones who will continue on into future stories. :).


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

RJH: I've always loved to read mysteries! Also, growing up, one of my favorite TV shows was Murder She Wrote, which was a cozy mystery in television form. The first mystery I ever read was Mary Higgins Clark's "The Cradle Will Fall." And while her books are more visual in showing you the actual murder, cozy mysteries give you the suspense without the gore, and the main characters are often quirky and fun. Plus, cozies often have the bonus of pets in the stories!


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

RJH: Not anymore. But in the past, I wrote several historical romances, contemporary romances, as well as a children's book, and a memoir. I loved writing all of them, but cozies are by far my favorite!


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

RJH: The Bookshop Kitties Mysteries take place in a small town in Indiana, where Christy, the main character, and her cats, Milton and Pearl, go to her Aunt Betty's bookstore to help run it. In the stories, Christy writes children's mysteries with Milton and Pearl as the main characters, but in book one, you see them beginning to actually help solve a murder that Christy discovers when she first gets to town.


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

RJH: While I love all of my characters, Milton and Pearl are by far my favorites! I've always loved cats, so writing about them is one of the things I enjoy most. And since two of my cats are siblings that we got as tiny kittens and like to do everything together, it was great to write about Milton and Pearl doing the same thing.


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

RJH: I combined my love of felines with the fun I had writing a children's book, "Murphy in the Paw-Paw Patch", with a cat as the main character. Any story about cats is fun for me!

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

RJH: While I love the writing process, getting to share it with others is awesome! It makes my day when a reader tells me how much they loved my story.
 

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

RJH: Mary Higgins Clark, Georgette Heyer, Craig Johnson, John Grisham.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

RJH: Right now I'm re-reading I'LL BE SEEING YOU by Mary Higgins Clark. I love her books and they're some of the few that I've read more than once.


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

RJH: One of the things I most love to do is take walks with my husband. There's an amazing trail a mile from our house that we take advantage of as often as we can. Along with sunshine and exercise, we're sometimes treated to sightings of hawks, owls, and blue herons.


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

RJH: Diet Mountain Dew. Chocolate. Makings for pizza. Salsa. (Hmmm, not much healthy food in there!!)


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

RJH: Yes! I already have a synopsis in mind for book two for the Bookshop Kitties Mysteries. And I have two other new series that will also be out this year as well.


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

RJH: I love making people laugh! One of my favorite ways to do that is through writing. 

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Review

DIAL M FOR MEOW by Ruth J. Hartman
The First Bookshop Kitties Mystery 

In a town full of nasty people, who killed one of the nastiest?

After her louse of a boyfriend drains her bank account Christy Bailey is ready to leave him and the city of  Philadelphia behind. Packing up her cats, Pearl and Milton, the inspiration for her children's mystery series, the trio head for Green Meadow, Indiana to help in her aunt's bookstore. Instead of a warm welcome Christy finds a cold dead body and an unconscious aunt. With her aunt a suspect and her cats threatened, Christie begins her own investigation. Will Pearl and Milton help her uncover the truth before it's too late?

The first Bookshop Kitties Mystery ticks almost all of the boxes for a great cozy mystery-notably smart cats, a comfortable bookstore, a nearby bakery with delectable descriptions of its treats, as well as the murder of a not so nice person. However, I found myself not liking most of Green Meadow's residents. Unlike most cozy settings it wasn't one in which I wanted to spend time. I did like Christy and her relationship with her aunt. Her clingy friend however was a tad too...clingy.

My favorite characters were Milton and Pearl. I really enjoyed seeing them uncover clues and quietly lead Christy to the proper path in her investigation. While my cats would be aghast at the pair's willingness to be pampered in public, I did like seeing them glory in the adulation of their fans.

DIAL M FOR MEOW combines clever cats, cantankerous characters, and bookish interests with murder in a new cozy series.

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 Dial M for Meow (Bookshop Kitties Mysteries) by Ruth J. Hartman

About Dial M for Meow

Dial M for Meow (Bookshop Kitties Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st In Series
Setting - Green Meadow, Indiana
Gemma Halliday Publishing (January 10, 2023)
Number of Pages: 153

When children’s book author, Christy Bailey, receives a call from her aunt Betty to help out at her bookshop, she drops everything to go. Christy packs up her two cats—Milton and Pearl, the stars of her children's mystery books—and leaves busy Philadelphia for tiny Green Meadow, Indiana. The timing of the call is perfect, as Christy’s letch of an ex-boyfriend has just cleaned out her savings, leaving Christy with a pile of unpaid bills and a desire to start over. And what better place to do that than a charming small town in Middle America?

But when Christy reaches her aunt's bookshop, instead of small town hospitality she finds a dead body! Even worse, her aunt is passed out in the corner, hands covered in blood. The dead woman is an old frenemy of her Aunt Betty, and while Christy knows her aunt is innocent, the local detective isn't so sure. With Milton and Pearl prowling for clues, Christy is determined to find the real killer and clear her aunt's name... before her story ends in tragedy!

About Ruth J. Hartman

 

Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning mysterious tales. She, her husband, and their cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats sit in the people's recliners. Not that the cats couldn't get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else's. Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, farmhouse-dwelling writer uses her sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women who seem to find trouble without even trying. Ruth's husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her despite her insistence all of her books have at least one cat in them. See updates about her cozy mysteries at Ruthjhartman.com.  

Author Links: 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ruth.j.hartman  

Website https://www.ruthjhartman.com  

Twitter https://twitter.com/ruthjhartman  

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3312900.Ruth_J_Hartman  

Purchase Link - Amazon 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Dial M for Meow by Ruth J. Hartman. This book is the first in the Bookshop Kitties Mystery series and will be released next month.

In a town full of nasty people, who killed one of the nastiest?

After her louse of a boyfriend drains her bank account Christy Bailey is ready to leave him and the city of  Philadelphia behind. Packing up her cats, Pearl and Milton, the inspiration for her children's mystery series, the trio head for Green Meadow, Indiana to help in her aunt's bookstore. Instead of a warm welcome Christy finds a cold dead body and an unconscious aunt. With her aunt a suspect and her cats threatened, Christie begins her own investigation. Will Pearl and Milton help her uncover the truth before it's too late?

Hippie Haven Homicide - A Spotlight

I'm happy to provide an excerpt from Sally Carpenter's latest Psychedelic Spy Mystery. Hippie Haven Homicide is the second book in the series.

Excerpt:

(Noelle takes her cat, Ceebee, to the secret headquarters of SIAMESE so he can be fitted with a collar equipped with a microphone for eavesdropping)

The room they entered was lined with shelves stocked with boxes, jars, scientific reference books and notebooks full of experiment notes. The tables stuffed into the small space were covered with microscopes, Bunsen burners, tubes, beakers, jars of chemicals and various electrical and mechanical devices. A man in a white lab coat and dark trousers waited for them beside the large center island. His white hair stuck up comically, as if he were amused to see them. His wrinkled face belied his age. His thick bifocals made his blue eyes look even larger. Around his neck hung the security badge—with black and white diagonal stripes—of the internal support staff, those who remained inside headquarters to equip the outside field agents.

“You must be Noelle. I’m Dr. Albedo. We’re glad to have you working with us.” Unlike Hanover, his voice was warm and friendly, and contained a tinge of an east European accent. But Noelle couldn’t see his lips move beneath his bushy white moustache.

“This is one of our veteran scientists at SIAMESE,” Dash said.

“Please put your animal on the counter.” Dr. Albedo patted the metal-lined top of the island.

Noelle placed the cat on the spot. “You wouldn’t happen to have any cat food, would you? Ceebee is starving.”

“It’s good that the cat hasn’t eaten. It’s best for animals to fast before surgery.”

“Surgery!” Noelle scooped up Ceebee. “No way are you cutting into my pet!”

“We need to implant an earpiece for the animal. Otherwise, you can’t use the radio to give him commands.”

“What’s wrong with putting a gizmo in his ear?”

“A small device can fall out. And the people standing around would hear you talking.”

“I still don’t like it.”

“We’ll place it just under the skin,” said Dr. Albedo. “Your cat won’t feel a thing. We’ll remove it as soon as possible.”

“If this is unacceptable, you may leave, Miss McNabb,” said Hanover. “But we’ll have to scrub the mission. We have no back-up animals. We would not have asked you unless we felt confident in your ability to help us and your country. We have reports that you have trained your cat to follow your directions––not something most cats do.”

Noelle gazed into the anxious cat eyes staring back at her. She was as patriotic as any other American, but she loved her pet. “If you promise you won’t hurt Ceebee. You won’t give him a lobotomy or anything.”

“We will treat your cat as gently as we treat our agents,” said Hanover.

Destiny stifled a laugh.

“All right then.” Noelle set her cat on the island. “But be careful.”

“I’ll leave you in the doctor’s capable hands.” Hanover turned to Destiny. “Let me know if any problems arise.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

Noelle was indignant. “Ceebee will do his job just fine!”

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Hippie Haven Homicide (Psychedelic Spy Mystery) by Sally Carpenter

About Hippie Haven Homicide

 Hippie Haven Homicide (Psychedelic Spy Mystery)  

Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series  

Publisher: Cozy Cat Press (May 21, 2020)  

Paperback: 229 pages 

Get ready to flip your wig over another groovy 1967 retro-cozy with actress and amateur spy Noelle McNabb. Spy agency SIAMESE (Special Intelligence Apparatus for Midwest Enemy Espionage and Surveillance) turns Noelle’s pet, Ceebee, into an “acoustic kitty” to listen in on an agent known only as Old Scratch. Meanwhile, a counterculture religious sect led by the Wise One infiltrates the staid town of Yuletide, Indiana. When one of the sect members makes a premature departure to the Spirit in the Sky, Noelle investigates, but finds herself in deep water—literally. With her undercover disguiser, Noelle really knows how to sock it to ‘em. However, she still can’t solve the secrets of a certain family member. Don’t miss this fab story of saints, sinners and spies!

About Sally Carpenter

Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier living in Moorpark, Calif.

She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school, her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. “Common Ground” also earned a college creative writing award. “Star Collector” was produced in New York City and served as the inspiration for her first mystery series.

Sally also has a Master of Divinity and a black belt in tae kwon do.

She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, jail chaplain and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures.

The books in her Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series are: The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper (2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), The Sinister Sitcom Caper, The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper and The Quirky Quiz Show Caper, all with Cozy Cat Press.

Flower Power Fatality is the first book in the Psychedelic Spy series.

She has short stories in three anthologies: Last Exit to Murder, Plan B: Omnibus and Cozy Cat Shorts. She penned chapter three of the CCP group mystery Chasing the Codex.

Author Links:  

Webpage: sandyfairfaxauthor.com 

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sally.carpenter.54  

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54118019-hippie-haven-homicide?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=tN4w7Vg3qi&rank=1  

Purchase Links - Digital - Paperback

Dash Away All - A Review & Giveaway

Review

DASH AWAY ALL by Christina Freeburn

The Third Merry & Bright Mystery

Holiday crafter Merry Winters has a chance of a lifetime. She's been chosen to come to the set and provide hand crafted items for a Christmas movie starring none other than Luna Carmichael, the queen of Christmas. When Merry arrives in Indiana she discovers that things are not so holly and jolly. A series of pranks have been occurring on set, Marie, Luna's personal assistant who recommended Merry for the job, seems distant and suspicious, and Luna herself is more Scrooge than Mrs. Claus! When Merry discovers Marie dead, she's unconvinced it's an accident, and so is the Sheriff. There's much more going on than making Christmas movie magic and Merry is smack dab in the middle of it. The question is, will she survive to craft another day?

Christmas movies evoke a sense of tradition, hope, and goodwill toward men. The reality is that Christmas movies are a business, oftentimes filmed in the heat of the summer, and people are not always nice. Merry thinks working on the set will be a dream come true. Instead she finds a harsh reality and murder. While slightly disappointed that Christmas magic doesn't exist, at least in this book, seeing the tarnish behind the glitter was somehow satisfying.

DASH AWAY ALL looks at parental relationships and their effect on both the parent and the child. Does biology make a difference? Is it better to know the truth of your birth or would you prefer to be content in your ignorance? To what lengths will you go to find the child you gave up...or the parents who left you?

Merry and her partner, Bright, have a very unique relationship. After reading this third installment in the series, I have a theory, but, wary of spoilers, I won't share it. I hope we learn more about Bright and the veracity of my theory in future books.

DASH AWAY ALL removes the sparkle and glamour of Christmas while shining a light on familial drama and the reality that the truth will always out. It's an intriguing mystery that I enjoyed reading. I especially loved Ebenezer's antics. I just hope that when Christmastime actually rolls around everyone will have the Christmas Spirit!

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Dash Away All (A Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mystery) by Christina Freeburn

About Dash Away All

Dash Away All (A Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series  

Publisher: Henery Press (July 7, 2020)  

Hardcover: 264 pages  Paperback: 264 pages

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…Merry Winters is excited for her dream-come-true moment: Being an on-site crafter for a Christmas movie. The tidings of joy are short-lived as she finds herself becoming a referee, dealing with a raging Ebenezer, participating in a bucket brigade, and finding evidence in a “murder.”

 

Is someone trying to stop the production or is it tied to a secret someone has on Luna Carmichael, the star of the movie and the queen of Christmas?

 

When Marie, Luna’s assistant, stumbles away from a car accident and dies, Merry believes the accident wasn’t quite so accidental. Was Luna or Marie the target? Merry finds more questions than answers, but one thing is certain: Everyone has an ulterior motive for being part of the production—including Marie.

 

After another murder, Merry wonders if the deaths are tied to a baby born long ago and abandoned. And more importantly, will Merry live long enough to find out?

About Christina Freeburn

Christina Freeburn has always loved books. There was nothing better than picking up a story and being transported to another place. The love of reading evolved into the love of writing and she’s been writing since her teenage years. Her first novel was a 2003 Library of Virginia Literary Award nominee. Her mysteries series, Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery and Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mysteries, are a mix of crafty and crime and feature heroines whose crafting time is interrupted by crime solving.

Christina served in the US Army and has also worked as a paralegal, librarian, church secretary, and golf shop pro. She lives in West Virginia with her husband, dog, and a rarely seen cat except by those who are afraid and allergic to felines.

Author Links:
Webpage: www.christinafreeburn.com  
Blog: www.theselfrescueprincess.wordpress.com  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaFreeburnCraftyandCrimeAuthor/  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristinaFreeb1  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ChristinaFreeburn  

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