Murder at the Waterfront - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Jacque Rosmanto Cozy Up With Kathy today. Jacque writes the Academic Mom Mystery series. Murder at the Waterfront is the third book in the series and was released earlier this year.

Kathy: In Murder at the Waterfront, Cara Knight gets involved in the investigation when one of her students is arrested for murdering Washington, D.C.’s chief medical examiner. Would you insert yourself in a murder investigation?

JR: I would love to, if I honestly had a role to play and my appeals to the authorities in charge went unnoticed.

Kathy: Cara stumbles into a tangle of city politics and more. Have you ever gotten involved in local politics?

JR: There are social workers who work on the macro side of things, which might mean political social work or community organizing, but I’ve always been a clinical social worker, working with individuals, families, and groups.

Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?

JR: I liked that there was a plot going somewhere rather than just pretty writing for the sake of it, and I liked working out the puzzle alongside the sleuths.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

JR: She’s mastered the art of work-life balance until murder tips the scales. Cara Knight is a mother of two preschoolers in the D.C. suburbs and an assistant professor going for tenure. She has enough to juggle before adding crime-solving to the mix. If you like clever sleuths, dry humor, and twisty whodunits, you’ll love the Academic Mom Mysteries.

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

JR: Cara’s annoying mother-in-law, Barbara, because she inserts herself into the mysteries even though she hates to move.

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

JR: Murder in Georgetown was inspired by the Chandra Levy case in D.C. in the early 2000s. I wasn’t even living in the area at the time, but once I moved here, I was intrigued and inspired by being so close to the nation’s capital.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

JR: I do! The Academic Mom Mysteries are traditional mysteries, but I’ve recently branched out. Under the pen name Jacey Lewis, I’ve started a true cozy mystery series involving scone baking and rescue pets. The first book, Scone Cold Whiskers, came out July 16, 2026, as part of a multi-author project called Whiskers and Whisks Whodunits. And under the pen name Camden Gray, I’m writing Forbidden Tides, a paranormal romance series set on the misty California coast, where the sea keeps its secrets and forbidden love is the most dangerous tide of all. The first in the series is a novella, When the Undertow Pulls.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

JR: I’ve always wanted to publish. Even at seven years old, when I announced my writing dream to my mother, it was because I wanted to create in other people the feeling I got from reading. That hasn’t changed.

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

JR: Definitely Agatha Christie—she’s been a role model for obvious reasons, but I’ve also re-read her autobiography over and over and love the Victorian world she writes about. The other three are trickier. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many of my favorite authors speak at events, and I do a lot of events with other authors, so it feels like choosing among friends.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

JR: I’m currently reading Sequel by Jean Koralitz. You’re welcome to join me on Goodreads (goodreads.com/user/show/120990726-jacqueline-corcoran) to see what I’m reading. I usually take on a fifty-book-a-year challenge.

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

JR: My serious hobby, which takes up a lot of time, is writing fiction. Beyond that, tennis and working out. 
 

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

JR: Butter, popcorn, M&M’s, and cheese.

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

JR: Two more books have been contracted for the Academic Mom Mysteries, bringing the total to five. The next one picks up in the fall, right after the summer setting of Murder at the Waterfront. I’ve been through a few title changes with this one. First was Murder at Embassy Row, until I realized how much security embassies have, and I couldn’t find a way to give Cara ongoing access. Then I moved the setting to a museum I’m calling the National Museum of Contemporary Art and titled it Murder at the Smithsonian, only to discover that Margaret Truman already used that title in her D.C. mystery series. So I’m currently looking for the right name as I complete the book.

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

JR: Being able to make more of life than the everyday—weaving my experiences with make-believe and hopefully reaching readers who co-create with me the experience I’ve tried to evoke.

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 Murder at the Waterfront (The Academic Mom Mysteries) by Jacque Rosman

About Murder at the Waterfront

Murder at the Waterfront (The Academic Mom Mysteries)
Traditional Mystery/Amateur Sleuth 3rd in Series
Setting – Washington D.C.
Publisher: ‎ Speaking Volumes, LLC
Publication Date: ‎ May 19, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 230 pages

She’s mastered the art of work-life balance—until murder tips the scales.

Assistant professor Cara Knight juggles raising two preschoolers, teaching social work, and chasing tenure, with a dean intent on derailing her hopes. When one of her students is arrested for murdering Washington D.C.’s chief medical examiner, and Cara inserts herself into the investigation, she risks far more than her career. Convinced of her student’s innocence, Cara stumbles into a tangle of city politics, grieving families, and secrets someone would kill to keep buried.

Can she diagnose the cause of death before she too ends up in the morgue?

Murder at the Waterfront is Book Three in the Academic Mom Mysteries. If you like clever sleuths, dry humor, and twisty whodunits, then you’ll love Jacque Rosman’s well-plotted puzzle.

About Jacque Rosman

 

Jacque Rosman writes the Academic Mom Mystery series, featuring Cara Knight, a social work professor whose research instincts keep pulling her into investigations that are decidedly off-syllabus. With wry humor, Jacque mines the absurdity of academia and motherhood for a series that's equal parts twisty and true-to-life, set in the nation’s capital. When she's not plotting murders, Jacque can be found juggling her own version of the academic mom life. Join the newsletter for updates on Cara's next case and the meals that she can get all her family to eat.  

Author Links: 

Website http://www.JacquelineCorcoran.com  

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

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/?ref=nav_home 

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-corcoran-362b5124/  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Bookshop.org - Kobo -

A Field Guide to Death & Deceit - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Michelle L. Cullen to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Michelle writes the Harry & Emma Mystery series. A Field Guide to Death & Deceit is the second book in the series and will be released later this year.

Kathy: Harry Lancaster works with his Gen Z colleague Emma. What makes writing two different generations working together fun and/or difficult? 

MLC: I love writing two characters who are at two different stages of life, neither of which I belong to. Harry is a Boomer and Emma is a Gen Z (or very young Millennial). In many ways, Emma’s struggles with finding her own way mirror challenges I faced in my twenties; it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. And I hope that once I retire, I follow in Harry’s shoes and stay active and engaged. For the first book, I had beta readers from each age group review my manuscript to help make sure Harry and Emma’s voices rang true to their ages.


Kathy: In A Field Guide to Death and Deceit Harry meets up with an old sweetheart. Have you ever encountered an old love again? 

MLC: I have. And while I’m not one to second guess the choices I’ve made, one guy has left me wondering what if…


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

MLC: Murder, She Wrote was the first cozy mystery that pulled me in. I have great memories of watching this as a kid with my dad. Each episode took place in a setting I’d love to visit, didn’t get too dark or gory, had interesting characters, sometimes involved humor, and always involved justice. They are the perfect escape.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

MLC: I’ve written an action / adventure novel based on my aid work experiences in Rwanda. It’s a saved file for now…perhaps one day it will make its way into the world.


Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

MLC: Only Murders in the Building goes to the Ohio suburbs in the Harry & Emma Mystery series. Full of wit and warmth, these whodunits feature a cross-generational crime-solving duo with a knack for finding mayhem and murder.


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

MLC: I think my favorite character right now is Elizabeth Best from Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. Elizabeth is a cunning, tour de force who’s afraid of nothing. She’s the kind of older woman I’d love to be.


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

MLC: My mom sparked the idea for my first book in the Harry and Emma series. She initially resisted the idea of moving to a condominium for years, stating that she valued her privacy and didn’t want other people sticking their noses into her business – even though it would make things easier in terms of yardwork and clearing snow. A few years later, she ended moving to a stand-alone patio home that was part of an HOA that would take care of this outside work. When I went to help her set up her new home, imagine my surprise when I found her running from window to window to watch her neighbors’ comings and goings. With that, the idea for Harry Lancaster was born.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MLC: I love finding books with characters I enjoy spending time with, and finding series that I go back to time and time again because the characters feel like old friends. I wanted to create and offer that same feeling with others who love to read.


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

MLC: This is a tough question because the list of authors I’d love to meet is quite long. Off the top of my head, I’d say M.C. Beaton, Ann Cleeves, Deanna Raybourn, and Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

MLC: I’m reading Jess Cannon’s A Zoom with a View and Uzma Jalaluddin’s Moonlight Murder and just finished Jessa Maxwell’s The Golden Spoon. Each book is fabulous!


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

MLC: When I’m not working my day job or writing, I love to read, do yoga, or get outside, whether walking, kayaking, biking, paddle boarding, or skiing.


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

MLC: Salsa, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and quinoa – none of which go together but are great complements or additions to the meals I make.


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

MLC: I’ve just finished drafting flap copy for Harry & Emma Mystery books three through five, with the hopes of getting a two to three book deal to keep the series going. Fingers crossed!


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

MLC: I love chatting with readers and other authors about books and the writing process. It never gets old! 
You can learn more about me and my books or connect with me on social at the links below:

Website: https://mlcullen.com/

IG: @michellelcullen

Facebook: @MichelleLCullenAuthor

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 A Field Guide to Death and Deceit: A Harry & Emma Mystery - A Novel by Michelle L. Cullen

About A Field Guide to Death and Deceit

A Field Guide to Death and Deceit: A Harry & Emma Mystery - A Novel
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Ohio
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: ‎ September 15, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 336 pages

Widower and anthropologist Harry Lancaster and his Gen Z colleague Emma are back for more murder and mayhem when they stumble upon a dead farmer.

This delightful sequel to A Field Guide to Murder is perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

When an odd request leads Harry Lancaster to agree to meet his former sweetheart Willow at a farm on the outskirts of town, Emma’s suspicions run high, and she insists on joining him. Instead of Willow greeting them when they arrive, they discover the farm's owner dead, with a corn rake embedded in his back.

After being interrogated by the police, Harry and Emma return to his home to find a bereft Willow, who admits she lost her life savings in a real estate scam involving the farm. Worried Willow will become the main murder suspect, Harry decides to help her, despite Emma’s concerns.

To bring the swindlers—and murderer—to justice, Harry recruits his potentially shady, financial-whiz brother and a neighborhood teenage hacker. Then Willow’s realtor is declared missing, and Harry’s brother is caught up in the fray.

As Harry, Emma, and team unearth clues, they increasingly dodge the police, stalkers, and danger in their race to save Willow and Harry’s brother before anyone else turns up dead.

About Michelle L. Cullen

Michelle L. Cullen has lived and traveled all over the world, from working as a bilingual secretary in Paris to backpacking around Europe, Central America, and Southern Africa to helping rebuild communities after war throughout Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific — where she saw the best and worst of human behavior. Her lifelong fascination with people and why they do what they do, was further fueled by her academic training. She obtained her PhD from the London School of Economics' Sociology Department and her master’s degree in anthropology from Melbourne University in Australia.

A fan of adventure, she has a black belt in Taekwondo, has summited 900 feet rock climbing, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, and hiked up an active volcano. She currently lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where she’s either doing yoga, playing outside, or plotting murder. She’s a proud member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and The Authors Guide, and has been gleefully reading and watching murder mysteries since the age of ten.

Author Links

• Website: https://mlcullen.com/
• Newsletters: https://michelle-l-cullen.kit.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleLCullenAuthor/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellelcullen/
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55985912.Michelle_L_Cullen

Purchase Links: Amazon - PenguinRandomHouse - Barnes & Noble - Books A Million - Bookshop.org - Hudson Booksellers - Target - Walmart -

Murder at First Sight - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome J. P. Bird to Cozy Up With Kathy today. J. P. writes the Suddenly Psychic Mystery series. MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT is the first book in the series and was released earlier this month.

Kathy: In MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT aspiring artist Amelia Wethers is coerced into posing as a seer at a town fair. Have you ever had a booth at a fair?

JPB: I haven’t had a booth at a fair, but I was a liquor rep for fifteen years and had a lot of sampling booths at different locales. My favorites were the golf tournaments. You get to be out in the sun, chatting to happy people as they came to the hole I sponsored.


Kathy: Amelia discovers she truly has a psychic gift. Do you believe in psychics? Have you ever had a reading?

JPB: I have! I’ve been to several psychics for readings. Some are better than others… I like to believe in psychics; I hope there is more out there than what we can tangibly prove it real.


Kathy: In order to catch a killer Amelia engages in hot yoga. I’ve done some regular yoga, but have zero desire to even attempt hot yoga? Do you practice yoga?

JPB: I practiced yoga years ago and loved it (I need to get back into it). I tried hot yoga once, and it was not for me. The heat made me exhausted! I drew from that experience to write that scene as during the one and only class I took, I spent most of the time trying to come up with a reason to leave early.


Kathy: She even adopts her brother’s feral ferrets. I love ferrets, but have never had them as a pet. I currently have 4 cats. Do you have any pets?

JPB: I have Max, a 14-year-old ginger cat, and Poppy, a 12-year-old Mi-Ki dog. Max is twice the size of Poppy, but Poppy holds her own against him. They love to torment each other.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

JPB: I like the escapism of cozies. They’re going to be light and happy reads. My favorites are the ones with snarky characters whose confidence always gets them into trouble. But in the end, everything works out, and you, as the reader, were taken to this wonderful world that (hopefully) will continue on for many books. You get a chance to get to know the characters and location really well. I’m always waiting for my favorite cozy authors to release the next in their series; it’s like visiting old friends.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

JPB: Not yet, but I would like to try writing a psychological thriller. Lol, some days you need light and happy; others you need thunderstorms and intense drama.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

JPB: The Suddenly Psychic Novels are a light, comedic read. They follow Amelia Wethers, who’s a bit of a chaotic mess, after she discovers she’s psychic and tries to stop her darker visions from coming true. She lives in a small town filled with quirky characters.


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

JPB: Definitely Amelia’s brother Laurence. I adore him. As soon as he shows up, I know I’m going to be laughing. I kind of think of him as one of those inflatable waving tube men… He arrives and ridiculous ensues. Trying to come up with some of his phrases had me in fits of giggles (brain juice??).


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

JPB: I wrote the first book, MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT, during the COVID lockdown. It was a difficult time for everyone, and I liked the idea of being able to see into the future. To see a glimpse that life would return to normal. And from there, The Suddenly Psychic Novels just spiraled. I would write a scene and realize that could be a later story plot.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

JPB: I’ve always wanted to be an author, but I never imagined it would actually happen. After finishing Murder at First Sight, I put it aside for a while. When I reread the book, I laughed quite a few times and thought it might have some appeal to cozy mystery readers. I decided to be brave and send it to a publisher.


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

JPB: I would want a varied dinner party. Tina Fey would be a blast. I follow Lauretta Hignett on Facebook, and she seems so much fun. Paul Kalanithi and Khaled Hosseini, I think, would balance the brevity. I like dinner parties when the conversation topics flow from every letter of the alphabet.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

JPB: A friend of mine recently recommended EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson. I am loving it! I can’t wait to read more of the series.


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

JPB: I’ve recently started making kombucha. It is such a gross thing to have sitting on the counter, though. I have two jars: one is a SCOBY hotel (I use the SCOBYs for fertilizer in my garden, so once a few have grown, I blend them up and feed them to whichever plants need it) and the other is for consumption. Trying new flavors and seeing what works is so satisfying. Plus, having a fridge full of ready to drink kombucha is fantastic.


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

JPB: Chocolate - this is a necessary everyday staple.
Sparkling water - I am addicted to that stuff.
Eggs - I’m a lazy cook; they’re quick and easy to make.
Berries - I love all berries, so whatever is on sale that week are the ones I choose.


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

JPB: I would love to continue the series. Spending time with Amelia and her family/friends brings me so much joy.

I’ve started working on a new series that is set at a winery, so I’m taking a lot of my experience from visiting wineries for work and adding that to my writing. And there are so many places in a winery and vineyard for ridiculous mayhem and mystery to occur!


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

JPB: What I love about being an author is all the new experiences.

Before this, I would never have imagined myself doing an interview! I’m still in shock that something I wrote is out there in the world and people want to know about the book and me.

I was recently on a couple of panels for the Canada Fiction Fest, which was such an incredible opportunity. I’ll be going to Calgary, Canada in October to attend Bouchercon. A week of being surrounded by talented authors sounds like heaven. Even the social media aspect (which I was dreading) has been fun. I’ve connected with people around the world. I’m looking forward to seeing where this path will take me.

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Review

MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT by J. P. Bird
The First Suddenly Psychic Novel 

Amelia Wethers owes her best friend, Carolyn Campbell. After all she's given her a job, an apartment that barely costs anything, as well being the cause of some youthful indiscretions. The least she can do is play the psychic at the school fundraiser, even if she was tricked into it. Getting into the role Amelia was actually having fun, until the crystal ball showed her the murder of local philanthropist Phillip Foster and she told his wife. Now the wealthy woman is screaming and threatening to sue while Amelia is coming to grips that she may actually be a real psychic. Determined to save Phillip's life Amelia will do anything, including hot yoga and assisting in her brother's romantic plans, while simultaneously avoiding the hot new detective in town. Will she be able to track down a killer or will this first vision be her last?

MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT is an absolute delight. Amelia Wethers gets herself into zany situations and her friends and family are also delightfully wacky, in a decidedly charming way. With a brother who lives in their parents' basement and a father who is an extreme gardener and knows when to keep a secret from his wife Amelia might be considered the "normal" one...except for those madcap situations she finds herself in. But however wacky, these characters truly love each other and are there for each other, no matter what.

I enjoyed the mystery, from Amelia discovering her family secret to doing her darndest to protect an innocent man. I love how Nick, the hot new detective, gets involved, and doesn't shy away. Well plotted and well written the first Suddenly Psychic novel is a hit.

MURDER AT FIRST SIGHT is a fast paced laugh out loud mystery filled with eccentric characters and hilarious situations. I loved every minute of it! 

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 Murder at First Sight (Suddenly Psychic) by JP Bird

About Murder at First Sight

Murder at First Sight (A Suddenly Psychic Novel)
Cozy Psychic Mystery 1st in Series
Setting- Small fictional town of Hillside, USA
Publisher: ‎ Tule Publishing
Publication Date: ‎ July 1, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 230 pages

When a good deed might lead to murder… Coerced into posing as a seer at her small town’s spring fair, barista and aspiring artist Amelia Wethers dives into the dramatic role, comforting herself that it’s only a few hours and then she can indulge in sweet and savory snacks. When the wealthy and snarky Summer Foster swans into her tent inquiring about the expected success of her swanky summer party, Amelia’s not prepared for the crystal ball to fill with smoke and reveal the shockingly violent murder of Summer’s husband. Amelia grapples with skepticism, anger, and scorn as she tries to warn wealthy scion Phillip Foster that he’s a target for murder in a few weeks. Discovering she’s descended from a long line of psychics complicates Amelia’s investigation, especially when the town’s newest and distressingly handsome homicide detective dogs her every step and suspects her of murder. It’s a race to the finish, and Amelia will do anything—including pre-dawn hot yoga, adopting her brother’s feral ferrets, missing dessert, setting herself up as bait and making a fool of herself—to stalk a killer.

About JP Bird

 

JP writes cozy mysteries with quirky characters that make her laugh when they disagree with the laid-out plans for their story and take her on a different path. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada, and hates the cold weather but loves the winter months because they’re a great excuse to hibernate with a cup of tea or a glass of red wine. When she’s not writing or reading, she spends her summers in the garden and her winters plotting how to win her neighbourhood Christmas display competition. They don’t know it’s a competition, but she plays to win nonetheless.  

Author Links: 

www.jpbird-author.com JPBird-author (@jpbird_author) • Instagram photos and videos Facebook  

Purchase Links Murder at First Sight (Suddenly Psychic Book 1) - Kindle edition by Bird, JP . Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Murder at First Sight by JP Bird | eBook | Barnes & Noble® Murder at First Sight eBook by JP Bird - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States Murder at First Sight by JP Bird - Books on Google Play Murder at First Sight (Suddenly Psychic Book 1) by JP Bird | Goodreads

A Deadly Paczek - An Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Marta Kowal to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Marta writes the Paczek Lane Mystery Series. A DEADLY PACZEK is the first book in the series and was released last week. Be sure to return to the blog Tuesday when I'll post my review of this delectable new book!

Kathy: In A DEADLY PACZEK Lena Mazur visits Miłosław in Poland to settle her late grandmother's estate. I was lucky enough to visit family in Poland staying in Sandomierz and Krakow. Have you spent time in Poland? What parts?

MK: Yes, I live n Poland currently, near Poznan in Great Poland. I know Krakow, and I completely understand why people fall in love with it. It has that mix of beauty, history, cafés, churches, old streets, and slightly mysterious corners that makes you want to keep walking.

But for this series I was more interested in smaller-town Poland than the big famous cities. I wanted a place where people notice who is walking across the square, where the bakery has a history, and where family stories don’t really disappear. Miłosław gave me that feeling. It felt like the right size for a cozy mystery: small enough that everyone has an opinion, but big enough to hide plenty of secrets.


Kathy: What is your favorite part about Poland and why set your mystery series here?

MK: My favorite thing about Poland is probably the mix of warmth and history. There is food, family, humor, strong opinions, beautiful old places, and then underneath it all there is this deep sense of memory. Even ordinary things can feel connected to the past.

That is exactly what I wanted for the series. I didn’t want the mystery to happen in a place that felt generic. I wanted the town to matter. In *A Deadly Paczek*, the bakery, the recipes, the neighbors, and the family history are all part of the mystery. Miloslaw gave me the atmosphere I wanted: cozy, but with shadows.


Kathy: Lena is a Polish-American pastry chef. Do you like to bake? Or cook?

MK: I do like to cook, yes. I’m probably more of a home cook than a precise baker. I enjoy making food that feels comforting: soups, simple dinners, things you can share. I like the process of putting something together and then sitting down with people to eat it.

Baking is a little different for me. I love baked goods, but baking itself requires more discipline than I naturally have. Lena is much better at it than I am. She understands dough, timing, texture, and all the details that separate something good from something truly beautiful. I admire that. I think that’s why I enjoyed writing her so much: she has a skill I respect.


Kathy: Do you have favorite Polish foods? When it comes to baked goods I adore kołaczki and, of course, pączki!

MK: Pączki, definitely. They are impossible not to love. I also love pierogi, especially the classic potato and cheese kind, and barszcz. There is something very comforting about Polish food. It is not shy food. It feeds you properly. 

For sweets, I like anything with plum, poppy seed, or farmer’s cheese. I also like that Polish food comes with opinions. Everyone has a family version, a correct way, a grandmother’s way, or a memory attached to it.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

MK: I like that cozy mysteries give you a murder, but they also give you a world you want to return to. I enjoy the puzzle, but I think I’m just as drawn to the town, the recurring characters, the small routines, and the feeling that you are slowly getting to know a community.

There is also something satisfying about order being restored. The world can be messy and frightening, but in a cozy mystery someone pays attention. Someone asks questions. Someone cares enough to put the pieces together.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? 

MK: This is my first published book, so I’m still finding my feet. Right now cozy mystery feels like the right place for me because it lets me combine many things I enjoy: reading, food, small towns, family secrets, humor, and world-building.

I can imagine writing other kinds of mystery in the future, maybe something with more history or a slightly darker atmosphere, but for now I’m very happy in Miłosław with Lena and the bakery.


Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

MK: The Paczek Lane Mysteries follow Lena Mazur, a Polish-American pastry chef who inherits her grandmother’s bakery in the small Polish town of Miłosław. She arrives thinking she is only there to settle the estate, deal with paperwork, and decide what to do with the property. Instead, she finds a dead man in the cellar, missing pages from her grandmother’s recipe notebook, and a town full of people who know much more than they are willing to say.

The series is a cozy culinary mystery with a Polish setting, a bakery at its heart, and a lot of small-town secrets. Each book has its own mystery, so readers can enjoy a complete investigation, but there is also an ongoing emotional story: Lena slowly deciding whether this inherited bakery is a burden, a responsibility, or maybe the home she did not know she needed.

I wanted the books to feel warm and inviting, but not too simple. There are recipes, neighbors, humor, gossip, and plenty of food, but there are also old family stories, property disputes, buried grudges, and secrets that have lasted for years. Miłosław is not a dark place, but it is a place with memory.

Book 1, A DEADLY PACZEK, introduces Lena, the bakery, and the town. Book 2 continues her story with another mystery, more Polish food, and more complications from the past. My hope is that readers come for the murder and the pączki, but stay because they want to walk those streets with Lena again.


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

MK: Lena is my favorite because she is capable, but she is not completely sure of herself. I like characters who are still becoming who they are. At the beginning, she thinks she is only in Miłosław to deal with her grandmother’s estate. She does not expect to care so much.

I also really enjoy the neighbors. Small-town side characters are fun because everyone has an opinion, and not all of those opinions are useful. Some people help, some people interfere, and some people know far more than they admit.


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

MK: The first idea was a bakery with a secret. I liked the image of someone inheriting a place that should feel warm and safe, then discovering a body there. That contrast interested me. 

The recipe notebook came very early too. Family recipes are so personal. They can be messy, handwritten, stained, full of little notes. If pages are missing from a notebook like that, it immediately feels suspicious. From there, Lena and the town started to grow. 


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MK: Honestly, I think I wanted to see if the world I had built could live outside my own head. I love reading, and I love creating fictional places, but publishing is different. It means letting other people walk into that place and decide whether they want to stay.

Because this is my first book, I still feel a little strange calling myself an author. But I did finish the book, and now readers are meeting Lena, so I suppose I have to get used to it.


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

MK: Agatha Christie, because I would love to ask her very direct questions about plotting and then probably get very elegant, not entirely direct answers. 
Jane Austen, because she would understand everyone at the table within five minutes. 
Louise Penny, because she writes community and kindness and darkness in such a beautiful way. 
And Olga Tokarczuk, because her imagination is so wide-ranging and rooted in place, myth, and history. I think that would be a fascinating table.


Kathy: What are you currently reading? 

MK: I usually read more than one thing at once, and not always in the same genre. For pleasure, I often return to mystery series because I love seeing how writers build a place over several books, not just one plot.

Right now, I’m reading and rereading books that help me think about three things: mystery structure, small communities, and atmosphere. I love Louise Penny’s STILL LIFE because Three Pines feels like a real village, full of warmth, beauty, secrets, and people who are kinder or more dangerous than they first appear. That sense of a community with memory is something I think about a lot while writing Miłosław.

I also admire Richard Osman’s THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB. It has a very different tone from my series, but I love the balance of humor, friendship, and crime. It reminds me that a mystery can be clever without becoming cold, and funny without losing emotional weight.

For classic mystery, I still enjoy going back to Agatha Christie, especially THE MURDER AT THE VICARAGE. Miss Marple’s village is a wonderful reminder that small places are never simple. Everyone knows everyone, but that does not mean anyone knows the whole truth.

Outside mystery, I like reading books that give me a stronger sense of place and history. Olga Tokarczuk’s HOUSE OF DAY, HOUSE OF NIGHT is one I think about because of the way it treats place almost like a living thing, full of stories, fragments, and old memories. That kind of layered atmosphere is very inspiring to me. 

I also browse cookbooks and food writing, especially anything connected to Central and Eastern European food. For the Paczek Lane Mysteries, food is not just decoration. Recipes can be family history, comfort, pride, rivalry, and sometimes clues. So even reading about bread, jam, pierogi, or holiday baking can send my imagination in a useful direction.

So my reading is part escape and part research. Sometimes I read because I want to relax with a good mystery. Sometimes I read because one small detail, a village custom, a recipe, an old house, a line about family history, opens a door in my imagination.


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

MK: Reading is the big one. I love getting absorbed in a book series and feeling like I know the place. That is probably why I enjoy writing a series too.

I also like food, local history, travel, old towns, and small details that suggest a story. A handwritten recipe, an old building, a family photograph, a locked cabinet, a bakery window: those are the kinds of things that make me start asking, “What happened here?”


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

MK: Coffee, because that is non-negotiable. 
Butter, because it makes almost everything better. 
Eggs, because they are useful when you don’t know what else to make. 
And jam or preserves, ideally something plum or raspberry. It feels like the sort of thing that belongs in Lena’s kitchen too.


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

MK: Yes, I definitely want to continue the Paczek Lane Mysteries. Lena’s story is not finished, and neither is Miłosław’s. Book 2 brings another mystery, more of the bakery, more Polish food, and more trouble from the town’s past.

What interests me most is watching Lena slowly belong somewhere she did not plan to stay. She came to settle an estate. Instead, she found a bakery, a community, and a lot of unfinished business.


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

MK: Since this is my first book, I’m still getting comfortable with the word author. But my favorite part of writing is creating a world. I love the moment when a place starts to feel real: the bakery has a smell, the neighbors have opinions, the streets have routines, and the characters begin to surprise me.

And now, the best part is seeing readers respond to that world. When someone says they liked Lena, or the town felt real, or they want the next book, that means a lot. It makes the imaginary place feel shared.

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For more information check out the author's site:  https://www.martakowalbooks.com

And don't forget to come back Tuesday for my review. 

The Twilight Toxin - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Holly Bell to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Holly writes the Amanda Cadabra British Urban Fantasy Mystery series. Amanda Cadabra and the Twilight Toxin is the ninth book in the series and was released earlier this year.

Kathy: In Amanda Cadabra and the Twilight Toxin, covert witch Amanda and her irascible feline familiar return to the Cornish land of her birth. What makes this location a perfect spot for a mystery?

HB: In the South West of Britain, jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, it is a remote peninsula and is a land rich in mythology. It has its own Celtic language, which predates English, and as a location, has literary heritage in the shape of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca and Jamaica Inn. The landscape has both the dramatic north coast and the wildness of Bodmin Moor. The Cornish themselves are a separate nation. What more could you ask for?


Kathy: Your series is described as "a British urban fantasy with a side of cosy mystery, a dash of adventure, and a healthy helping of humour". If you are able to divide your writing, which portion is your favorite to write?

HB: Urban fantasy. This is where the mines are, the deep literary seam of mystery, suspense and even danger. Love the idea of someone with supernatural powers having to move unseen through the ordinary, the everyday, covertly helping, rescuing, solving. I enjoy the challenge of the limitations it imposes on the whodunnit and how much paranormal skills could be used to solve it without being discovered, because their magical nature puts them at constant risk, and the lives of others. The dark undercurrent that runs though all of the books and deepens through the series is the one that I find the most satisfying, especially with humour and the ‘side of cozy’ with its counterpoint.


Kathy: If you had the chance, would you like to have magical powers?

HB: Yes. Amanda’s gift of levitation would be extremely handy. Yet in a way, we do all of us have magical powers; our sixth sense, the inexplicable way knowledge, in flashes of enlightenment, comes to us out of the blue without tangible evidence at that moment.


Kathy: What first drew you to paranormal mysteries?

HB: A phone call. Back when I was strictly a non-fiction writer, an author friend called in great excitement, having just learned of this new genre of cozy paranormal mystery.

I adored Agatha Christie, and Tolkien was my favourite author. I’d read all of the Terry Pratchett and Dick Francis collections, so the idea of combining the two great literary loves of my life was tremendously attractive. And, which was a huge part of it, my friend had absolute faith that I could do it. And once I started ... I couldn’t stop.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

HB: Currently no. But I have written nonfiction, which I would like to return to, to update and create new editions of those books.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

HB: Amanda Cadabra is a covert witch with a comically grumpy feline familiar in a village of Normals (muggles) and solves murders by the use of her magical skills, without revealing them in order to preserve her safety. She is assisted in various degrees by the by-the-book Detective Inspector Trelawney, who is not at all comfortable with the world of magic.


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

HB: Amanda. She has so much of me in her, or perhaps I should say there is so much of her in me. We have the same challenges, especially with regard to social interaction, and we share many of the same strengths when it comes to problem-solving. I did train in furniture restoration for a year and a half, so we have that in common too, but Amanda’s much better at it than I am. I think she has great capacity to continue to develop, and I’m looking forward to seeing how that happens and what she does next.


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

HB: The short answer is no. It came out of the ether. Initially, I learned about the then formula for cozy paranormal mystery, which is the genre where the series started out, and it just grew from there: covert witch, English village, familiar who is a grumpy but powerful cat, Cornish history, Tudor village, old buildings, history, old stories.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

HB: The ease of doing so on Kindle Direct Publishing. For me, it was a no-brainer. When I was 19, I did make a foray into science fiction writing and did have the book looked at by someone with connections to a publishing house, and the work they would have needed on it and the limitations on the amount of control I would have had put me off completely. But then Amazon changed the game and world of publishing, and then they were joined by Kobo, Apple, Google and more.


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

HB: Tolkien, Christie, Dick Francis and Terry Pratchett.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

HB: Non-fiction sources, researching for a future book and more.


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

HB: I play an online multiplayer interactive game called World of Warcraft, and I love dancing whenever I can.


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

HB: Peppermint tea, cheddar, kvarg, and Swiss dark chocolate.


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

HB: Yes, I already have the plot down for the next book in the Amanda Cadabra series, I have ideas for spin-off series based on one of the supporting characters that will spring from Book 6, Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr, and I have the plot of another of the prequel Philip Rayke Mysteries. Plus, I would like one by one to bring out all of the existing books as audiobooks, with the second one coming out around this time.


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

HB: The wild ride of creativity when a new book is coming to me. 

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 Amanda Cadabra and The Twilight Toxin (The Amanda Cadabra British Urban Fantasy Mysteries) by Holly Bell

About Amanda Cadabra and The Twilight Toxin

Amanda Cadabra and the Twilight Toxin 

Paranormal Cozy Mystery 9th in Series
Setting - Cornwall, and an English village
Publisher: ‎ Independently published
Publication Date: ‎ April 29, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 422 pages

Someone is Watching

A body is discoveredin a troubling location, just as the killer had intended, the crime scene drawing covert witch Amanda and her irascible feline familiar back to the Cornish land of her birth. Inevitably, Detective Inspector Thomas Trelawney is drawn in to help her unravel this perplexing crime.

At the heart of this heinous murder lies an unknown weapon, a device possessing an extraordinary and lethal power. Worse still, the killer remains, somewhere close by ... waiting. Who can it be? Can a daring venture into the past, to reclaim a distant memory from the curious Lucy Penlowr, bring Amanda and the inspector any closer to the truth?

Trelawney, determined to solve the case by normal methods, finds every turn a blind alley until a perilous path leads to two fateful hours at a secret gathering. Now, Amanda's mounting temptation to embrace a dark revenge, and the ultimate test of her burgeoning magical skills, risk everything in a race for survival

Can Amanda and Trelawney unmask the killer and discover the true meaning of The Twilight Toxin?

A British urban fantasy with a side of cosy mystery, a dash of adventure, and a healthy helping of humour, The Twilight Toxin is the ninth standalone whodunnit in the Amanda Cadabra series.

About Holly Bell

Humorous and quintessentially English with excitement and magic.

Cat adorer and chocolate lover, British author Holly Bell’s life changed in a day. A best-selling author friend convinced Holly that she could write cozy mysteries, after many years' experience with non-fiction, photography and video making.

Holly devoured all of the Agatha Christie books long before she knew that Miss Marple was the godmother of the Cozy Mystery. Her love of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings meant that her first literary creation in this area would have to be a cosy paranormal. Over the series the books have grown to straddle urban fantasy mystery too.

Having derived immense delight from the adventure of writing Amanda Cadabra and The Hidey-Hole and its 8 sequels, and a prequel to date, Holly has more in the pipeline.

Her favourite feline is a black cat called Bobby. He is black. Like her favourite hat. Purely coincidental.

Holly loves to hear from readers. She always responds in person.

The Amanda Cadabra Cozy Paranormal Mysteries (in order): Amanda Cadabra and The Hidey-Hole Truth Amanda Cadabra and The Cellar of Secrets Amanda Cadabra and The Flawless Plan Amanda Cadabra and The Rise of Sunken Madley Amanda Cadabra and The Hidden Depths Amanda Cadabra and The Strange Case of Lucy Penlowr Amanda Cadabra and The Hanging Tree Amanda Cadabra and The Nightstairs Amanda Cadabra and The Twilight Toxin Author Links  

Join the newsletter for updates http://amandacadabra.com/come-on-in/  

Website https://amandacadabra.com/  

Book https://amandacadabra.com/book-9-the-twilight-toxin/  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Holly-Bell-923956481108549/  

X https://twitter.com/holly_b_author  

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.co.uk/hollybell2760/ 

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hollybellfantasy/  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hollybell-amandacadabra/  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18387493.Holly_Bell  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/holly-bell  

Purchase Links Amazon Universal links Kobo Google Google Play Barnes & Noble Apple Books2Read Bookshop.org

The Ghost and the Key - An Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Bill Cusano to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Bill writes the Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club Mystery series. THE GHOST AND THE KEY is the first book in the series.

Kathy: In THE GHOST AND THE KEY readers are introduced to The Ladies Garden Club of Old Cranberry, Connecticut. Is this group based on a real organization, or is it completely a product of your imagination?

BC: It is completely a product of my imagination.

Kathy: While a portion of the book takes place in modern times, part goes back 192 years to the founding of the group...and a murder. Did you find writing one time period easier than the other?

BC: I love writing in both periods. When I wrote THE GHOST AND THE KEY, I did not have a series in mind. Elcira inspired me to go back in time and discover her story.

Kathy: The ghost of Elcira Cranberry visits Mildred, the current Cranberry matriarch. Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever had a paranormal experience?

BC: When I was young, I believed I saw a young girl standing in my bedroom. I was severely nearsighted at the time and she was out of focus, making me wonder if she could have been real. I do believe the Holy Spirit guides us and informs us, so it is possible.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

BC: I have always been a fan of Agatha Christie, among others who write these mysteries. They are fun.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

BC: The rest of the series is historical fiction. There are still mysteries in them, but I find history intriguing, especially when approached through a family saga like mine. I have written thrillers and dark comedy as well.

Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

BC: The Cranberry family has managed to hold onto its property, its dignity and its secrets for nearly two hundred years, across eight generations.The strength lies in the family, with the women being the moral center of the home and the farm, going against the established norms of the time to do what they believe is right..

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

BC: Elcira is my favorite character. She sets the tone and the example for all who follow, right up to the present day with Mildred, her great great granddaughter. Alongside Elcira is Deborah who defies convention and stereotypes. They are hated and despised by the townfolk, while also being quietly admired.

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

BC: My inspiration was and remains my wife and her love of stories in all genres. She was always supportive of my writing, but she would encourage me to read the books she was reading, telling me I could write like that. I took that as a polite way to tell me how I could get better at my writing.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

BC: When my wife passed, I wanted to write a book she would have loved to read, and I wanted to publish it by her birthday. To do that, I had to become an independent publisher.


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

BC: Edgar Allen Poe would be one, for the tension he created in his stories. Kristin Hannah for all her great stories of strong women and sisters. Lynda Rutledge for the way she turned a true story into an amazing journey in WEST WITH GIRAFFES. And any one of the dozens of talented writers I have met on Substack, including Asteria Geisterblum.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

BC: I am currently reading submissions for the Claymore Awards which will be presented at the Killer Nashville writers conference in August. These are not yet published novels in a variety of genres, not my own, so I can submit my novels as well.

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

BC: I love to play the piano and am learning to play the violin. I like to take walks and listen to books or music while I do. I have always been fascinated by technology, and I dabble in video production. I used to paint, but haven’t done that in a long while, and I am learning to play bridge.

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

BC: Eggs, Butter, Bacon, and English Muffins

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

BC: I have plans for more books in the current series. There are a lot of characters whose stories have not yet been told. I have been asked to write a second book in the Jigsaw Man possible series. I have started a couple of other books that could turn into stand alone or series books.

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

BC: I started out life as a shy and introverted child. Reading and writing were where I could escape and be me. Over the years, as I developed greater self-confidence and met many interesting people, I continued to write stories inspired by the worlds they introduced me to. I love my characters. I miss them when I am away. They become real to me. Now that I have a voice actress recording their voices for audiobooks, I am blown away. They live.

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THE OLD CRANBERRY LADIES GARDEN CLUB

by Bill Cusano

June 1 - July 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

 

THE GHOST AND THE KEY

With a pitchfork through the man's groin and another through his chest, it is clear that someone had murdered Chester H. Cranberry. It's not something that could have happened accidentally. But that was 192 years ago. As Mildred Cranberry, the current family matriarch, puts it, "We have two women, two keys, two pitchforks, and one dead two-timing man." Who in their right mind would want to dig up that cold case and try to solve it? It's not like the murderer could be prosecuted in 2024, right? But what if a key piece of evidence can be dug up (literally)? And what if a descendant of Chester's illegitimate child can get her hands on it? Mildred will need more than the Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club members to solve this bizarre case. The spiritual support she needs may not be what she expects when the ghost of Elcira Cranberry, the widow murderess herself, arrives to do what? Tell the truth or protect her reputation?

The Ladies Garden Club of Old Cranberry, Connecticut, has a 200-year history that has remained shrouded in secrecy for so long, it has been lost to history, until now. Elcira Cranberry and freedwoman Deborah Townsend knew the men of the town would have no interest in a garden club, so it was the perfect cover for their secret organization. Now, nearly two centuries later, the current members have no idea what those ladies were up to in the early 1800s, right here in Connecticut. But the secret will soon be out.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery
Published by: 4610 Publishing
Series: The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club
Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

The Cranberry Farm, Connecticut, 1832

Dressed in her husband’s shirt, overalls, and boots, to avoid soiling her fine clothing, Elcira Cranberry takes the long way around from the main house to the potting shed at the edge of the carriage house property. She stops to press her face into the down-soft syringa vulgaris, better known as the lilac. Here, bordering the two parcels of land her husband planted all seven colors of the species, one variety each year for each of their children. What a loving thing to do, she had thought, until they started blooming and it became apparent that their spring-like lily of the valley fragrance was the perfect way to overpower the stench from the nearby outhouse. So much for romance. But she enjoyed them, her other children, as she called them, and each year she clips, grafts and coddles a new generation into life, hoping to extend their lives beyond the one-hundred-years they are expected to live.

“Be careful, dear,” he told Elcira when he saw her cradling the flowers to her nose, “some lilacs can be quite toxic.”

“I intend to enjoy every moment of my life with them.”

She steals away to her favorite place and unlocks the potting shed door with a brass key. It occurs to her that, dressed as she is, a passerby or nosy neighbor, like Colonel Townsend, could mistake her for Chester.

Elcira locks the door from the inside and pockets the key. She unbuttons the overalls and lets them drop to the floor. The work shirt becomes a work dress, and its function is to keep her cool.

The sunlight barely sneaks in—a voyeur, a peep, a trickle of light—enough for her to see her potted friends. The scent of lilacs and fresh soil erases all thoughts from her mind. This is her peaceful place. While she works at making a V-shaped cut in the stem of the yellow lilac, a sparrow chirps to her chicks in a nest under the eave of the roof. The nest sits precariously between the crossbeam and the top of the wall. The shed doesn’t offer much protection from the elements, but it provides shade from the sun and some cover from the rain and snow. Mostly, it provides Elcira with an asylum, a place to go to be alone with her thoughts.

“Elcira!” Chester barks. “Where are you? I need something to drink.” She knows he is in the barn again, moving piles of hay from one place to another, pitchfork in hand. He will be loading the hay onto the wagon to bring to the horses. If only the children were old enough to help him, she would have more time to spend with her horses. Theirs is the life, running within their rounded-fenced paddock on the bottom fifty, beyond the hill, drinking from the pond whenever they need refreshment. Why don’t you go down there, stick your head under, and breathe in all you can?

She brushes the dirt from her hands and wipes them on the overalls before stepping back into them. She doesn’t have much time to herself, but at least with Deborah watching the young ones and the older ones at the schoolhouse in town, these few hours are her time unless he calls. At least he’s not twiddling his fingers beneath some young thing’s whalebone corset.

She has thought about hiring one of those newly freed slaves as an all-around domestic as some of Elcira’s garden club ladies have done. No doubt Chester would want to choose one whose looks he fancies. It doesn’t matter to him what the skin looks like. His eyes roam where only modesty and necessity should venture. Freed slaves, like Deborah, do still turn some heads in town, but here,

on the edge of their property, where the Colonel lives, she is safe from wandering eyes and hands. Rumors do make their way from the wagging tongues of the garden club ladies, who are often more reliable than the local newspaper.

Elcira unlocks the potting shed and approaches the well. Deborah is sitting on the ground, her back against the stone well.

“Oh, Mrs. Cranberry. I didn’t expect anyone at this time of day.” Her nose is running, and her eyes look like ladybugs, red and black.

“You didn’t want to be seen. What’s wrong?” Elcira is unaccustomed to involving herself in the affairs of others, but Elcira has known Deborah since she was born. Her mom, Grace, was Colonel Townsend’s slave and nanny to his daughter, Penelope. Now, she is often alone in the house here on the edge of the Cranberry Farm while the colonel is away with his militia. Chester sold this property from the row of lilacs down to the small house to Colonel Townsend for a mangy mule and some seed. One of those neighborly deeds he is famous for, making him look like a true gentleman among all the other “true” gentlemen of this idyllic New England paradise lost.

Deborah places a hand on her belly and starts to cry. Instantly, Elcira understands.

“Who is the father?” Elcira expects her to say it is the colonel, but Deborah puts her head down and wipes her eyes with the hem of her skirt, revealing her legs. Even with her dark skin, Elcira spots remnants of bruises. If this is the twiddler’s work, God help him.

“Elcira! My water!”

“Oh hush, you old hoot!” Elcira reaches for the pail to lower it into the well, but Deborah takes it.

“I’ll do it,” she says.

Elcira grabs Deborah’s hands in hers. Their eyes meet. Neither of them moves. “Did he do this to you?” Elcira asks.

Deborah’s lip quivers. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Cranberry. I couldn’t stop hi—”

“Hush now.” Elcira reaches for Deborah and hugs her. “I know, I know.”

This was not the first time he’d done it. But this isn’t one of the women who frequent the tavern looking for some company for a price. This is Deborah, her friend.

Elcira tightens her grip on her hands for a moment, taking a deep breath before letting go.

“I’ll take the water to him.” Elcira lowers the rope to fill the pail, her lips tight, pressed against each other as if the pail is too heavy. When she pulls it up, Deborah takes it from her.

“This is something I need to do myself,” she says.

A chill rushes through Elcira. Should she let Deborah confront the man who violated her? Deborah kisses Elcira on the cheek and says,” I’ll be fine. Go back to your lilacs. They will miss you.”

Elcira leans closer and kisses her on the cheek. “I will be in the shed. We can have privacy there.” She hands Deborah the brass key. “Keep it. You can unlock the shed at any time and lock it again from the inside. In case you need to get away by yourself, that is. I do it all the time.”

“What about you?”

“There is another key. I keep it on a hook in the shed, in case I get locked in,” she says, nodding toward the barn. “He won’t miss it.” Elcira walks back to the shed. On the way, she notices that Charley, Colonel Townsend’s horse is tied to a post at the house. Good. Deborah doesn’t have to be alone. She looks up at the barn. Chester wields the pitchfork like a hammer, stabbing bundles of hay to loosen them. Seeds and dust spray the air, glistening against the sun. He wipes his brow, jabs the pitchfork into a bale beside him, plants himself on a throne of hay, and takes the pail of water from Deborah.

Elcira clips a few branches from the white lilac bush near the door and brings them inside. The intoxicating aroma pulls her toward the porcelain white cups of the flower. Several fall off, a sign that the season is waning. Soon all the buds will be cast to the wind and the bushes will go back to serving as a hedge. When the flowers die, time dies with it.

She reaches for the key near the door’s hook. It is missing. It must be in the house.

“Elcira!”

For God’s sake. Leave me be. She grabs the door handle and gives it a turn. It won’t move. It’s locked.

“Deborah!” Elcira calls her name several times, but there is no answer.

***

Excerpt from THE GHOST AND THE KEY by Bill Cusano. Copyright 2025 by Bill Cusano. Reproduced with permission from Bill Cusano. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Bill Cusano is an author, a retired deacon in the Episcopal Church and a believer that it is the process rather than the outcomes that matter most in our lives. Retired from the corporate world and an eight-year stint running a non-profit feeding program, Bill attacks every project as a ministry, giving it his full commitment. Needing to readjust to life after losing the love of his life to leukemia in April of 2024, Bill returned to writing full-time, resulting in The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series, the motivation and inspiration for which came from his wife’s voracious appetite for reading historical fiction. While this is Bill’s debut novel, he has always been a writer, publishing short stories and poems early on, and then beginning a daily spiritual blog in 2008. You can follow Bill’s Reflections From The Garden Bench along with other writings on his Substack account.

Catch Up With Bill Cusano:

BillCusano.com
Bill's Substack
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @billcusano
Instagram - @billcusano
X - @CusanoBill
Facebook - @bill.cusano

 

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The Black Cat Detectives - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Kit Gray to Cozy Up With Kathy today. THE BLACK CAT DETECTIVES is Kit's debut novel and was released last month.  

 

Kathy: In THE BLACK CAT DETECTIVES we meet Bippity, Boppity, and Boop, three kittens who need to solve a murder. Why choose to make the cats detectives instead of their human?

KG: Mila is trying to solve the murder, too! In fact, the process teaches her a lot about herself, her community, and what’s important to her. But she doesn’t realize how much help she needs from her clever, loyal kittens.

There are a lot of reasons I loved the idea of telling ¾ of the story through the kittens’ eyes and making them detectives. One was the sheer potential for antics. Kittens, especially ones who can bend the laws of physics, can get up to all sorts of nonsense.

But on a more serious note, showing the story unfolding from the perspective of the kittens allowed me to offer an outsider’s perspective on the human characters and their world, which was a lot of fun to write, and I think added something interesting to the story.


Kathy: I currently have 5 cats, all rescues. Do you have cats of your own? 

KG: I am lucky to have two cats, a mama named Hylia and her baby, Mickey, and two dogs, a pitbull/lab cross called Titan and a pitbull/greyhound cross called Iris.

You may recognize the name Hylia from the book. I didn’t name her after the noble feline Queen character. Rather, a dear author friend of mine, April McCloud, had read an early draft. April is friends with a lady named JoAnn who fosters pregnant cats and new mamas in up in Rochester, NY, and talked JoAnn into naming the cat she was fostering after the character in my book.

Then she called me and told me about the real-life Hylia. Of course, I couldn’t resist rescuing her, and I am delighted to say that she very much resembles the character for whom she’s named.


Kathy: The kittens' human is Mila, an up-and-coming magician. Do you enjoy magic shows?

KG: I haven’t been to one in years, but I used to love them when I was growing up. To write Mila and her magic authentically, my daughter and I embarked on a quest to learn magic ourselves. Now, we perform tricks at book events, and even teach the audience how to do one or two of them!


Kathy: In addition to magic, there's also magick. Why choose a paranormal mystery and what makes them such fun?

KG: There was a very practical reason to add the layer of magic to my story. Without special abilities, there’s only so much three kittens could do to investigate a murder. I needed them to be extraordinarily intelligent and have some ability to subtly bend the laws of physics so that they would have the skills at paw to investigate the crime and save their human.

Though to be fair, I am not entirely convinced that my cats don’t have similar superpowers in real life!


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

KG: I grew up on cozy mysteries, starting with Agatha Christie and Lilian Jackson Braun. I’ve loved them all my life. I particularly like the combination of intellectually engaging, fun, and joyful that is so central to the cozy reading experience.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

KG: I write a lot of dark speculative fiction, usually apocalyptic, and I’ve published some short pieces of creative nonfiction, some literary flash fiction, one horror short, and a bunch of poetry. But this is my first published novel, and I’m really happy about that! I love that it centers joy!


Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

KG: This is the first book in my series, though I do admit I’m hoping for the opportunity to write more. It centers three kittens with the ability to subtly bend the laws of physics, who must solve a murder mystery to save their human.


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

KG: I have a huge soft spot for Boop, but Bippity is the easiest for me to write because her mind works the most like mine.


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

KG: I had five elder rescue cats, and one terrible year, I lost them all to unrelated illnesses, one after another. It was the worst year of my life, and I lost track of my joy. Then it occurred to me that instead of my usual dark speculative novels, maybe I could write something joyful. Naturally, I immediately thought of murder!

It was such a balm, writing a story that brought to life so many facets of what I loved about the fur family I had lost, and knowing that they would live forever on the page. It helped me honor their memory, rediscover my own joy, and hopefully share that joy with the world.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

KG: When you write just for yourself, the story exists only in your own mind. When you write work to publish and share, each reader who picks up a book enters into an act of co-creation with the author. What I put on the page is only half of the equation. How each person who honors me with their time and attention sees and feels and imagines what I’ve written is the other half. To me, each unique instance of a story being brought to life by someone choosing to read it is a precious and magical thing.

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

KG: 1. Agatha Christie, 2. Octavia Butler, 3. Ursula K. LeGuin, 4. George Sand.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

KG: Voted Most Likely to Murder by Lacey Moone and Hot Wings and Homicide by Carmela Dutra, and I’m re-reading The Mysterious Mr. Quin by Agatha Christie. 


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

KG: I’m a solo parent to a homeschooled neurosparkly kiddo, an avid fan of carnivorous plants (I have a Nepenthes Lady Luck on my writing desk), and an enthusiastic baker.


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

KG: 1. A Dr. MacDougall’s instant pad Thai soup cup, which is my panacea when I get an upset stomach

2. A log of homemade cookie dough so kiddo can make a warm cookie for dessert when she wants one

3. Loads of fresh fruits and veggies, and invariably, somehow, one shriveled ancient apple

4. Homemade pancake & waffle mix, similar to bisquick but vegan


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

KG: I do! I have one book I’m preparing with my agent so it can go on submission to editors, one that I’m currently drafting, three completed books waiting in the wings, and two that have been planned and are waiting for their turn to be written.


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

KG: I’ve had a few people let me know that the kittens gave them joy in a way that’s going to stick with them. That’s the most wonderful feeling, and such an incredible honor. 

***********************************************************************

 The Black Cat Detectives: A Mystery by Kit Gray

About The Black Cat Detectives

The Black Cat Detectives: A Mystery
Cozy Animal Mystery
Setting - Corvin's Crossing—a small fictional island off the coast of New England
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: ‎ May 26, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 304 pages

A charming cozy mystery with a delightful twist: The detectives are three kittens with magical powers, determined to solve a most purr-plexing case.

Precocious kittens Bippity, Boppity, and Boop are exceedingly loyal to their human, the twenty-eight-year-old up-and-coming magician Mila. She saved them from starving to death in a dingy Corvin’s Crossing alleyway and has been nothing but loving ever since, even though her own life is in shambles.

So when Mila’s sketchy boyfriend and business manager turns up dead at the end of her big magic show—she’s the prime suspect. With evidence mounting, there’s nothing stopping the sheriff from hauling away Mila to the human pound. Unless the kittens can solve the crime and clear her name.

The kittens will have to use their dubious control over the laws of physics and every whisker of know-how they’ve got to catch the real killer if they want to save their happy home with Mila. This is one meow-stery more tangled than any ball of yarn they’ve encountered yet.

About Kit Gray

Kit Gray aka Elise Scott writes from their lived experiences of queerness, disability, neurodivergence, fat-positivity, and petting three cats with two hands. Their life has been an adventure, from facilitating equine therapy for trauma survivors to counseling at-risk youth with the aid of an inordinately large sub-woofer and beyond. They earned their BA from Mount Holyoke and their MS from Capella University. Their debut novel, a cozy mystery featuring three kittens with the ability to bend the laws of physics, who must solve a murder to save their rescuer from the human pound, is forthcoming from Crooked Lane in May 2026. Elise is a Not Quite Write Prize winner and Best-of-the-Net nominee. Their short work has appeared/is forthcoming in The Advocate, Choices: An Anthology of Reproductive Horror, The Not Quite Write Anthology 2025, The B'K, Five Minutes, Knee Brace, All Existing, and Quibble, among others. Find out what they’re working on now at http://elise-scott.com.

Author Links

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