Die, Die, Birdie - A Guest Post and Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Kiki Lowenstein to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Kiki on the pages of the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery series by Joanna Campbell Slan. Die, Die, Birdie is the nineteenth book in the series and was released 

 

Hello from Time in a Bottle!
A Guest Post by Kiki Lowenstein

Hi, Kathy, and all you wonderful cozy mystery readers!

When Joanna asked if I'd like to write something for your blog, I jumped at the chance. As someone who's found herself in the middle of more mysteries than I ever bargained for, I've become quite the cozy mystery fan myself. There's something so comforting about curling up with a good mystery where you know justice will prevail and the amateur sleuth will figure things out—even when that amateur sleuth happens to be me!

My name is Kiki Lowenstein, and I own Time in a Bottle, a craft store here in a St. Louis suburb. A few years ago, if someone had told me I'd be solving murders between organizing cardstock, freezing glue sticks, and teaching classes, I would have laughed. (You do know that freezing glue sticks eliminates those pesky stray strands, don’t you?) But life has a funny way of surprising us.

It all started when my husband George died suddenly, leaving me nearly broke with an eleven-year-old daughter to raise. I desperately needed work, and Dodie Goldfader took a chance on hiring me at her store. I thought I'd be selling supplies and helping customers preserve their memories. I never expected to be preserving evidence and tracking down killers!

What I've learned is … crafters make excellent detectives. We're detail-oriented by nature—we notice when something's even slightly out of place. We're used to figuring out how all the pieces fit together perfectly. And we're persistent! Anyone who's spent hours getting a piece of fabric or ribbon or felt cut just right knows about not giving up when things get tricky.

My crafting background has helped me solve cases in ways the police never expected. I can spot when someone's handwriting doesn't match their usual style, notice if supplies have been tampered with, or recognize when a "perfect" scene has been staged. Plus, working in the crafting community means I hear all the local gossip. Sometimes that gossip contains crucial clues.

The best part about my unexpected detective career is that it's brought wonderful people into my life, including Detective Chad Detweiler, who is now my husband. My coworkers have become like family, and even my daughter Anya has learned to roll with her mom's tendency to stumble into mysteries.

In my latest adventure, Die, Die, Birdie, things get particularly interesting. Without giving too much away, let's say that my child’s request for a new pet turns seriously strange. Yes, he gets the bird he wanted. But he also gets more than he bargained for. Turns out the bird was a witness to a crime and even swallowed some of the evidence. Did you know a small parrot can swallow tiny diamonds and use them to grind up his food? (Hey, I didn’t know that either!)

I hope you'll join me for this new mystery. Like all cozy mysteries, it has that perfect blend of puzzle-solving, community, and characters you'll want to spend time with. Plus, I promise you a lot of laughter and warm fuzzies along the way!

Thanks for letting me visit your wonderful blog, Kathy. Keep reading those cozies—they remind us that even in the darkest mysteries, there's always hope for a happy ending.

Warmly, Kiki Lowenstein

P.S. - Die, Die, Birdie https://amzn.to/46PkAMN is available now, and I promise no crafting supplies were permanently harmed in the making of this mystery!

P.P.S.—Oh, and about those diamonds. Everything comes out in the end. (LOL)

 

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

 Die, Die, Birdie (Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series) by Joanna Campbell Slan

About Die, Die, Birdie

Die, Die, Birdie (Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery 19th in the Series
Setting - Missouri
Publisher: ‎ Spot On Publishing
Publication date: ‎ July 1, 2025
Print length: ‎ 230 pages

When her son's new pet becomes evidence in a murder case, scrapbook store owner Kiki Lowenstein-Detweiler discovers that some family secrets are worth killing for.

All eight-year-old Erik wanted for his birthday was a bird. What he got was Solo-a traumatized lovebird whose mate was recently devoured by a boa constrictor at a local pet shop.

But when Kiki learns that Solo originally belonged to Ruthie Goldman, a beloved member of their temple community who died after a brutal home invasion, she realizes this is no ordinary rescue pet.

Solo may be small, but he's carrying big secrets-literally. X-rays reveal the tiny bird has swallowed several diamonds from the robbery that killed his previous owner. Now someone is desperately trying to track down Erik's feathered friend, and Kiki's family is in danger.

As Detective Chad Detweiler investigates the diamond theft that triggered Ruthie's fatal stroke, Kiki uncovers a web of family betrayals, frozen embryos, and twisted ideas about genetic purity.

With her trademark blend of humor, heart, and small-town Missouri charm, Kiki must protect her family while helping to solve a murder that hits frighteningly close to home. Because when inheritance, infertility, and identity collide, even the most loving families can harbor deadly secrets.

"Fans of cozy mysteries will delight in this charming blend of family drama, small-town secrets, and feathered friends. Kiki Lowenstein-Detweiler proves once again that the most dangerous mysteries often begin with the most innocent questions."

About Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author

who has written more than 70 books, both fiction and non-fiction. Currently, she writes four ongoing mystery series: the Kiki Lowenstein cozy mysteries (Agatha Award finalist/first novel/contemporary); the Jane Eyre Chronicles (Daphne du Maurier Award for Literary Excellence winner/historical); the Cara Mia Delgatto mysteries (contemporary); and the Friday Night Mystery Club mysteries (set in 1980s). She’s also the editor and co-author of the Sherlock Holmes Fantasy books.

Her publication career began as one of the earliest Chicken Soup for the Soul contributors, and her stories appear in five of those New York Times bestselling books. Joanna’s first non-fiction book, Using Stories and Humor: Grab Your Audience (Simon & Schuster/Pearson), was endorsed by Toastmasters International and lauded by Benjamin Netanyahu’s speechwriter. Her books on scrapbooking have won fans all over the world, and she has taught scrapbooking techniques in Europe and on cruise ships, as well as in the United States.

When she isn’t writing, Joanna is an avid crafter. Contact Joanna at JCSlan@JoannaSlan.com.

Follow her on social media by going here https://www.linktr.ee/JCSlan

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Murder on the Mississippi - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

 

MURDER ON THE MISSISSIPPI by Erik S. Meyers
The Second Sally Witherspoon Mystery 

Sally Witherspoon is ready for a vacation! After the traumatic events six months prior when her best friend and business partner was murdered Sally is ready to leave her biker bar in the Ozarks in capable hands and take a cruise down the Mississippi. The boat tour is an intimate affair with only eight other passengers and a small crew. Perhaps its the bartender in her, but Sally is keen to learn more about her shipmates as well as the crew. Truth be told, she misses investigating murder. When Jim, one of the least likable of the group, declares his seafood allergy then appears to die from anaphylactic shock Sally is eager to investigate. Will her questions be seen as helpful or will Sally find herself on the wrong side of the police...and a killer?

I like Sally and the idea of taking her away from Berry Springs. I also appreciated the concept of her riverboat cruise, the hidden history tour. However, I didn't care for this traveling Sally. She seemed so ingratiating, wanting so much to get to know people she appeared more socially awkward and annoying. Even more so as she strove to prove she could help solve the murder. The people she wanted to be friends with on the tour were even worse, especially the "influencer" who seemed to only speak in shrieks or squeals. 

The murder was complex, even in its method and the investigation unique. I enjoyed how Sally gathered a team to help her. There were some astonishing twists and surprises, though when finally revealed I thought the motive a bit weak for everything that was done. It made for quite an exciting ending though!

With an unusual set of characters MURDER ON THE MISSISSIPPI touches on societal issues even as it entertains. I look forward to seeing Sally back in the Ozarks, certain that she will soon find a new mystery to solve.

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

MURDER ON THE MISSISSIPPI

by Erik S. Meyers

April 28 – May 16, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

 

Amazon | Goodreads

THE SALLY WITHERSPOON MYSTERY SERIES

 

Six months after the events in Death in the Ozarks, Sally Witherspoon is trying to put that terrible time behind her. She books a river cruise down the Mississippi to get away and relax.

Unfortunately relaxation is not to be as as she's called on to get to the bottom of a mysterious death that occurs on board.

A combination of Cheers bartender and Miss Marple, Sally Witherspoon is as determined as ever to solve it.

Praise for Murder On The Mississippi:

"An enjoyable, but deadly cruise down the Mississippi that will keep you in suspense from start to finish! A relaxing trip down the river that turns into a nightmare for main character Sally Witherspoon is a delightful mystery for readers... Lots of twists make for an entertaining read. And like Sally, once it’s over, I’m ready for the next adventure. Looking forward to more in the Sally Witherspoon series!"
~ Ivanka Fear, author of the Blue Water Mysteries and Jake and Mallory Thrillers

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Series Links: THE SALLY WITHERSPOON MYSTERY SERIES on Amazon & Level Best Books

Also, Don't Miss...

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

DEATH IN THE OZARKS

 

A cross between Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and a Cheers bartender, Sally Witherspoon, a 50-something accountant turned biker-bar owner, loves solving puzzles. Up to now, she has focused on helping neighbors and friends find lost jewelry, lost pets, and lost loves.

But when she finds her best friend and business partner, Bill Arnold, dead in a dumpster behind her bar on a Saturday night, she needs all her wits and grit to find out who did it.

And she won't stop until she does.

 

Author Bio:

Currently in Austria, Erik S. Meyers is an American abroad for years and years who has lived or worked in six countries on three continents, the longest in Germany. He is an award-winning author and communications professional with over twenty-five years of expertise in a variety of corporate roles. Reading and writing are his passions, when he is not hiking one of the amazing trails in Austria or elsewhere.

Catch Up With Erik S. Meyers:
www.ErikMey.com
Medium - @erikmey
Goodreads - @erikmey
Instagram - @erikmeyauthor
Facebook - @ErikSMeyersAuthor

 

 

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Murder on the Mississippi by Erik S. Meyers. This is the second book in the Sally Witherspoon Mystery series and was released April 15, 2025.

Sally Witherspoon is ready for a vacation! After the traumatic events six months prior when her best friend and business partner was murdered Sally is ready to leave her biker bar in the Ozarks in capable hands and take a cruise down the Mississippi. The boat tour is an intimate affair with only eight other passengers and a small crew. Perhaps its the bartender in her, but Sally is keen to learn more about her shipmates as well as the crew. Truth be told, she misses investigating murder. When Jim, one of the least likable of the group, declares his seafood allergy then appears to die from anaphylactic shock Sally is eager to investigate. Will her questions be seen as helpful or will Sally find herself on the wrong side of the police...and a killer?

Hippie Wagon Homicide - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Mildred Abbot back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Mildred starts a new series with Hippie Wagon Homicide. This first Twister Sisters Mystery was released last month.

Kathy: In Hippie Wagon Homicide we meet Cordelia Davis who lives life with no regrets. Do you try to live that way as well?

MA: I do, for the most part. There are many mistakes I’ve made throughout my life, I’m far from perfect; however, there are only two or three things that I actually regret. Each one of those involved hurting someone’s feelings, someone who is no longer with us and I cannot apologize or tell them I love them. Beyond that, I firmly believe that all the hard and scary things that have happened have brought me to who I am now, and I’m grateful for that. I also do my very best, intentionally, to live a kind life and to leap. Part of why I am a writer. Part of why I’m willing to struggle to pay bills in order to write, because I don’t want to to live in regret. We get one life-- Live your dream or at least fight to live your dream! I think if you’re doing that, and if you are kind and seek to help people, or the very minimum not harm others, there won’t be much else to regret.


Kathy: A tornado altered the destiny of the little Ozark town of Willow Lane. Has your town or life been impacted by Mother Nature in some way?

MA: I grew up in a little town in the Ozarks the first 18 years of my life. Tornado drills, tornado sirens, going to the basement… those were frequent and they terrified me! None ever hit our town when I lived there, though a town close by was practically destroyed and a few others in recent years have been hit as well. And what’s funny, despite living in tornado territory growing up it wasn’t until I moved to Denver that I actually saw my first tornado, though it was a small little thing, far away. Currently, I live in New Orleans and have been through a few hurricanes already. One of which was this last year where we were out of her home for a week and stayed with my in-laws with no electricity, no air conditioning, not knowing how our home was. We were very fortunate as our home was fine. It seems mother nature has at least one way to show her temper no matter where you live. I have to say, though I’ve never lived through a tornado and I have now lived through a couple hurricanes, I am still much more afraid of tornadoes than hurricanes. However, apparently, I’ve learned that sometimes in hurricanes tornadoes hop along for the ride. I can’t imagine anything more rude.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

MA: I devoured Nancy Drew and Hardy boys as kid. Was completely obsessed. And read several Agatha Christie books in high school which I loved. Then I took a break from reading them for almost a couple decades, though a lot of the TV shows I watched were cozy mysteries, not that I even knew the term cozy mystery. I rediscovered my love of the genre with Agatha Frost’s Paridale Cafe series, then discovered witch cozies, and I’ve been trapped ever since.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

MA: Not currently, but I have. I wrote under the names Brandon Witt and Rosalind Able. Both are about as far away from cozy mysteries as you can get. I don’t have very many crossover readers, which is fine.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

MA: *The Twister Sisters: Three senior citizen ladies--Cordelia, Wanda, and Pamela--deliver casseroles from their hippie wagons (think Meals-on-Wheels) to residents of their charming Ozark town, Willow Lane. In what is a great surprise to them, but probably no surprise to cozy mystery readers, they discover murder victims during their deliveries and are further surprised to find they have a knack for finding the killer and uncovering long buried secrets around the town.

Note: This limited series of ten books is full of feel-good storylines and characters that will have you laughing, crying, and turning every which way trying to solve the mystery. It blurs the line of cozy mystery, traditional mystery, and contemporary fiction in its style, but keeps true to the cozy rules of no sex, foul language, or gore.

*The Cozy Corgi: Winifred Page and her corgi, Watson, moved to the tiny mountain town of Estes Park, Colorado. She opened up her bookshop, the Cozy Corgi, and began to simultaneously solve murders and reveal the townspeople’s sinister secrets. Fred falls into it naturally, as she’s the detective’s daughter and at times helped her father talk over cases when she was younger. Watson, goes along for the treats, and provides her with companionship, lovable grumpiness, and, naturally, much corgi disapproval.

Note: This long-running, continuing series is in every way a traditional cozy mystery. Full of laughs, charm, and sweetness. It stands on its own two feet with constant character development and mysteries that grow more and more complicated with each installment.

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

In Twister Sisters, it’s a tie. I love all the women of this little casserole delivery business equally. Cordelia, Wanda, and Pamela have known each other for six decades. Their friendship, their loyalty, and their care and devotion to one another is a joy witness and an honor to document throughout the Twister Sister stories.


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

MA: The Twister Sister series was inspired by my other series, the Cozy Corgi. In the Cozy Corgi, Winifred owns a bookshop and in each of the installments talks about one of the books she’s reading. Typically, these are books that I, the author, enjoy and get to brag about through Winifred. However in one early installment she talks about a mystery series involving three older women delivering Meals on Wheels and solving murders. One of my readers wrote in and asked what series that was because she’d like to read it. I realized that I would like to read it as well, and since it didn’t exist, decided to write it.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MA: Since my sophomore year in high school when I fell in love with writing, I have wanted to be an author. It was a long, long road, full of years of rejection. Now, across three pen names, I’ve written nearly 50 books. It never ceases to amaze me that I am currently getting to live my dream. As with any indie author, it’s by the skin of my teeth, but I am so unbelievably grateful.


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

MA: I was asked this in another interview recently, but only allowed three authors. I chose Hans Christian Andersen, Peter S. Beagle, and Kelley Armstrong. Now that I get to invite four, I’m sending JD Robb an invitation as well. However, if one of them has to cancel, hopefully Stephen King can slide into the empty seat.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

MA: The Deepest of Secrets by Kelley Armstrong and A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison. After which, I’m diving into The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren and then Blood and Rain by Glenn Rolfe. As all of you readers know, the list is never ending!


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

MA: Absolutely! I am dog crazy, so while I wouldn’t consider my pups a hobby, they do get the majority of my time. One of the reasons being an author is the best job ever--such cute coworkers! I love cooking, drawing, coloring, and videogames on the iPad while I’m in the bathtub. I also work out every day and have recently started yoga (2 classes and I’m already understanding what the hype was all about.)


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

MA: Lettuce, chicken stock, eggs, and mayonnaise (I haven’t lived in the Midwest in twenty-five years, but good luck clawing mayonnaise out of my cold dead hands)


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

MA: Always!

Book 2 of twister sisters, Casserole Casualty is in edits right now and should be out in March.

Book 24 of the Cozy Corgi, Pesky Puppies, was finished today and should be out in April.

I hope in the next year or two after the Twister Sisters is closer to its ten book finale, to start another cozy mystery series, hopefully with mermaids and all sorts of fantastical twists and turns.


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

MA: Creating books-- things that I have enriched my life, at times offered comfort, at times escape, at times perspective. I get the honor of writing those magical things now. Equal to that, I love my characters. It’s a joy to spend time with them. With my puppies asleep while I type, these beloved friends tell me their stories. 

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

 Hippie Wagon Homicide (Twister Sisters Mysteries) by Mildred Abbott

About Hippie Wagon Homicide

Hippie Wagon Homicide (Twister Sisters Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Small farming/tourist town in the Missouri Ozarks
Wings of Ink Publications, LLC (February 1, 2022)
Hardcover: ‎ 474 pages Paperback: ‎ 626 pages Digital Print length: ‎ 476 pages

Cordelia Davis lives with no regrets, despite her life changing drastically a half century ago when a tornado altered the destiny of the little Ozark town of Willow Lane. The town grew back stronger and more beautiful, and Cordelia, her sister, Pamela, and her best friend, Wanda, built a life to treasure.

As Willow Lane honors the memory of those lost and celebrates all that has been achieved, tragedy refuses to remain in the past. News of murder rocks the pastoral countryside when Cordelia discovers a body on her farm, beneath her beloved willow tree. And while the police make an immediate arrest, Cordelia finds herself untangling a web of lies and long-ago secrets.

With suspects in every nook of her cozy town—and an old flame knocking on her door—it will take all Cordelia’s tenacity to face the past and to weather the mysteries of Willow Lane.

About Mildred Abbott

Preoccupied with everything found in cozy mysteries: Puppies, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods. Although not obsessed with murder, however. At least not in real life (No contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in everyday life. Author of the Cozy Corgi series and the Twister Sister series.

Author Links: 

Website: http://www.mildredabbott.com  

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2AWmqNt  

Patreon: https://bit.ly/MildredAbbottPatreonPage  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MildredAbbottAuthor/?ref=bookmarks  

Facebook Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/421718101651414/ 

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

Audible Audiobooks: http://bit.ly/cozycorgiaudiobooks  

Newsletter Signup: http://www.mildredabbott.com/contact-mildred.html  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17347095.Mildred_Abbott  

Purchase Link - Amazon

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Hippie Wagon Homicide - A Spotlight & Giveaway

 Hippie Wagon Homicide (Twister Sisters Mysteries) by Mildred Abbott

About Hippie Wagon Homicide

Hippie Wagon Homicide (Twister Sisters Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Small farming/tourist town in the Missouri Ozarks
Wings of Ink Publications, LLC (February 1, 2022)
Hardcover: ‎ 474 pages Paperback: ‎ 626 pages
Digital Print length: ‎ 476 pages

Cordelia Davis lives with no regrets, despite her life changing drastically a half century ago when a tornado altered the destiny of the little Ozark town of Willow Lane. The town grew back stronger and more beautiful, and Cordelia, her sister, Pamela, and her best friend, Wanda, built a life to treasure.

As Willow Lane honors the memory of those lost and celebrates all that has been achieved, tragedy refuses to remain in the past. News of murder rocks the pastoral countryside when Cordelia discovers a body on her farm, beneath her beloved willow tree. And while the police make an immediate arrest, Cordelia finds herself untangling a web of lies and long-ago secrets.

With suspects in every nook of her cozy town—and an old flame knocking on her door—it will take all Cordelia’s tenacity to face the past and to weather the mysteries of Willow Lane.

About Mildred Abbott

Preoccupied with everything found in cozy mysteries: Puppies, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods. Although not obsessed with murder, however. At least not in real life (No contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out who-dun-it has played a formative role in everyday life. Author of the Cozy Corgi series and the Twister Sister series.

Author Links: 

Website: http://www.mildredabbott.com  

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2AWmqNt  

Patreon: https://bit.ly/MildredAbbottPatreonPage  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MildredAbbottAuthor/?ref=bookmarks  

Facebook Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/421718101651414/ 

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

Audible Audiobooks: http://bit.ly/cozycorgiaudiobooks  

Newsletter Signup: http://www.mildredabbott.com/contact-mildred.html  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17347095.Mildred_Abbott 

Purchase Link - Amazon

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Death Grip - A Review

 Review

DEATH GRIP by Elaine Viets
The Fourth Angela Richman, Death Investigator Mystery 

When a hiker stumbles upon bodies buried in the woods of Chouteau Forest, a toney enclave in Missouri, Angela Richman, death investigator, finds herself in a political nightmare. It's the rich and powerful covering for each other in a tale of sex and murder.  

DEATH GRIP is a thriller and partially a police procedural, only partially because Angela is a death investigator, not a police officer. She, as well as the readers, knows who the killer is early on. The challenge, and the story, is proving it! 

Not much angers me more than rich men doing whatever they want, and getting away with it. Sadly, this happens as much in real life as it does in fiction. This reality is the crux of the fourth Angela Richman, Death Investigator Mystery. Angela and Jace not only have to deal with a cunning suspect who has the wealth, power, and connections to stymie their investigation, but co-workers and superiors who would rather keep the status quo than find the truth. 

I appreciate the humor slightly sprinkled throughout the story, lightening the darkness. I adore Cutter and I like the growing relationship between Angela and Chris. These aspects bring out the humanity sorely lacking in some of the other characters.

DEATH GRIP is a compelling mystery fueled by misogyny and sexual sadism as well as the determination to stop it.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Death Grip by Elaine Viets. This book is the fourth in the Angela Richman, Death Investigator Mystery series.

When a hiker stumbles upon bodies buried in the woods of Chouteau Forest, a toney enclave in Missouri, Angela Richman, death investigator, finds herself in a political nightmare. It's the rich and powerful covering for each other in a tale of sex and murder.

30 Second Death - Review

Review

30 SECOND DEATH by Laura Bradford

The Second Tobi Tobias Mystery

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

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

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

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

Currently Reading...

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

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

Cat in a Flock: An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Lisa Brunette to Cozy Up With Kathy. Lisa writes the Dreamslippers Series of which Cat in the Flock is the first book.

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

LB: Everyone’s favorite character from the Dreamslippers Series is Amazing Grace. It’s easy to see why: She’s what we all want to be when we grow up! At 77, she dresses in a classic, fashionable way, takes attractive, interesting lovers, and has as rich a spiritual life as a social one. She’s that older woman who’s blazed her own path and is fully in command of her decisions and passions.

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

LB: My inspiration comes from a decade of writing on other things, beginning with a 2008 cover story I wrote for Seattle Woman magazine on leading authors in the mystery genre. That rekindled a love for the genre that had been beaten out of me by academia. After that, I ended up working for five years on mystery games for older women. The experience of trying to train young male developers to create games for an audience they really didn’t understand drove me to write a female-centric plot focused on a granddaughter/grandmother relationship.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

LB: The urge to share my stories with readers. I live for the opportunity to inspire, delight, and entertain people with my words.

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

LB: Virginia Woolf, Aphra Behn, George Sand, and Sylvia Plath. All four of them were trailblazing women writers who succeeded despite the extreme sexism of their times.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

LB: Up next is Megan Abbott’s You Will Know Me and then Sophie Hannah’s Kind of Cruel.

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

LB: I’m a very serious practitioner of both yoga (for more than 20 years) and Nia, a barefoot dance focused on the joy of movement in a healing context. These help counteract the physical stress of working at a computer for long hours. They also inspire my fiction; in book three in the Dreamslippers Series, Amazing Grace takes up Nia, and that’s significant to the plot.

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

LB: I’m on an autoimmune/paleo diet, so I have to have coconut oil and ghee on hand, as well as grass-fed beef from a local farmer and tons and tons of vegetables, which I buy from a woman with experience and connections in the organic farm community. She’s also one of my dance teachers!

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

LB: I’m taking a pause now with the completion of the Dreamslippers Series boxed set, which includes all three books plus a bonus novella. My current project is a stand-alone mystery based on a news story I read recently. A woman called 911 to report she’d shot her husband in self-defense. At first the crime scene seemed to support the woman’s claim, but then police realized her husband had been shot in the back, and the crime scene had been cleaned up. I’m riveted by all the questions this raises, not the least of which is, Who is this woman, and how did her life get to this point?

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

LB: Reaching people with my stories. Hearing them tell me they love being in the worlds I’ve created, or that the books touched them in some way.

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Review

CAT IN THE FLOCK by Lisa Brunette

The First Dreamslippers Mystery

After graduating college Cathedral McCormick, better known as Cat, moves to Seattle to learn the PI business from her grandmother, Amazing Grace, and eventually take over the business allowing her gran to retire. Cat is also planning to train with her grandmother to better manage her unique ability. Cat, like Grace, is able to slip into other people's dreams. A young girl's horrifying dream, possibly symptomatic of abuse, starts what will be Cat's first case as a PI. Is the girl truly in danger? Will she be able to find her to help? Her investigation will lead her back to Missouri as she goes undercover at the Plantation Church. Will she discover the truth behind the dreams? Or will she wind up a victim?

CAT IN THE FLOCK is a unique mystery filled with hot topics such as domestic abuse, spirituality, and hypocrisy in evangelical fundamentalism. Brunette handles all of these topics with a non-judgmental, delicate hand, showing the good that sometimes exists within the bad. Cat herself follows her own journey which leads to new realizations about herself and her own beliefs, as well as her relationships with both her mother and grandmother.

Although the topics involved in CAT IN THE FLOCK are heavy and filled with gravitas, the book has a lightness and a joy within. I love Amazing Grace with her openness to new, and old, ideas, but my favorite character is Cat's dad. He brings humor without baggage and is just plain fun; a distinct counterpoint to the relationship between the women in the family.

CAT IN THE FLOCK provides a fascinating look at spirituality and religion along with the power of relationships, both positive and negative. The inclusion of the dreamworld showcases the emotions and drama of those involved in this intricately plotted mystery. This first book in the Dreamslippers Series is a satisfying read, especially if you're looking for something a little different.

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Cat in the Flock

by Lisa Brunette

on Tour March 1-30, 2017

Synopsis:

A sexy murder-mystery with a spiritual edge.
For most people, dreams are a way to escape reality. But for Cat McCormick, they're a way to get closer to the truth. Cat can 'slip' into other people's dreams.
After graduating college with a degree in criminal justice but little in the way of real-life experience, Cat moves from the Midwest to Seattle to apprentice with her Granny Grace, who shares the ability. Granny uses dreamslipping as a private investigator, and Cat plans to follow in her footsteps.
But forced to take work as a security guard, Cat discovers a mother and daughter on the run. Following the clues, she goes undercover in a Midwestern megachurch, where she finds redemption and goodwill amidst repression, hypocrisy, and murder.

Praise:

"A fascinating tale of mystery, romance, and what one woman's dreams are made of. Brunette will keep you awake far into the night.” -- Mary Daheim, bestselling author of the Bed-and-Breakfast and Emma Lord/Alpine mysteries
"Already hooked, this reader intends further sojourns in Cat's dreamslipping world. Highly recommended." -- Frances Carden, Readers Lane
"Gripping, sexy and profound, CAT IN THE FLOCK is an excellent first novel. Lisa Brunette is an author to enjoy now and watch for the future.” -- Jon Talton, author of the David Mapstone Mysteries, the Cincinnati Casebooks and the thriller Deadline Man
"A little Sue Grafton and a dose of Janet Evanovich… is just the right recipe for a promising new series.” -- Rev. Eric O'del
"The launch of an intriguing female detective series... A mystery with an unusual twist and quirky settings; an enjoyable surprise for fans of the genre." -- Kirkus Reviews

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery
Published by: Sky Harbor Press
Publication Date: December 27th 2014
Number of Pages: 197
ISBN: 0986237701 (ISBN13: 9780986237706)
Series: Dreamslippers #1
Purchase Links: Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Goodreads 

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

Sherrie marched into her daughter’s bedroom and dragged a child-sized roller bag suitcase out of the closet. The girl stood in the middle of the room, still in her pajamas. Milk from breakfast had dried around the edges of her lips.
“Ruthie,” the mother said. “I need you to get dressed. We’re going to take a…trip.” Sherrie tried to make her voice sound cheery, but the desperation she felt came through in her tone.
“What’s wrong, Mommy?”
Sherrie set the suitcase on the bed. The bubble- gum pink had once seemed innocent but now looked fleshy and indecent. She glanced at the clock over the bed. He’d been golfing for a good fifteen minutes by now, long enough for her to make sure he didn’t come back for a favorite club or the right gloves. She wanted to be on that morning flight by the time he got home and discovered them gone.
She flung open the chest of drawers and grabbed all of the girl’s socks and underwear, a pair of corduroy pants, black cotton tights, a sweater the color of a Midwestern sky. Nothing pink. Only warm things. Seattle in her memory was cold and wet. It was a grey city; grey clouds over grey buildings. Even the water was grey.
One doll would fit. Made of cloth, it could be folded in on itself and slid down the backside of the suitcase.
“Can I bring the ballerina skirt?”
Any other day, she would have corrected her daughter, who needed to learn the precise names of things. Tutu. There it was in the closet, hanging because it took up too much room in the drawer. She yanked it free, sending the hanger to the floor. Ordinarily, she would pick that up; her house was so clean it hurt her eyes with its spareness—as if theirs were a showroom house, not lived in. She left the hanger there, aware of the thrill this fraction of disobedience gave her. She shoved everything into the little pink case, but with the fluffy tulle taking up so much space, the zipper would not close. The choice was clear. The doll would be a comfort to Ruthie in Seattle, but the tutu would not.
“We’ll come back for this later,” she said, tossing the tutu onto the bed. The zipper closed, the sound of it satisfying.
“No, Mommy!” Ruthie stomped her foot. “I want it now!”
“Then you’re going to have to wear it. Now get dressed while I pack my clothes.” But she felt a pang of guilt for her reprimanding tone, and for having to leave the tutu. Bending down, she used her thumb to wipe some of the milk crust from her daughter’s face. “I’ll let you wear anything you want on this trip, okay, sweetheart? And clean your face with the cloth in the bathroom, like Mommy showed you.”
The girl nodded, as if sensing this was not the time for a tantrum.
Sherrie’s own packing, she did with even less consideration. Under things, shirts. A fleece hoodie. Warm socks. She remembered she needed layers in Seattle. Sometimes it could seem warm even though it rained and the sun had not come out for weeks. Her keepsakes in their tiny, locked chest would not fit. They were the only things she had to remind herself of her life before this, but she would have to leave them behind.
Sherrie kept watch on the clock and glanced out the window twice to make sure his car wasn’t out front even though she knew he wouldn’t be home for another hour. The sun had risen blood-red over the cornfields in the distance, lighting them as if on fire. She’d miss that. And she thought of thunderstorms, which seemed never to occur in Seattle. She’d miss those, too.
Ruthie appeared in the doorway. Her face was clean, but none of her clothes matched. She was wearing pink high-tops that seemed wrong for the city they were going to, the situation, and everything else, but she had apparently decided not to wear the tutu.
“Time to leave.” She took the girl’s hand, promising to herself she’d never let go.

Author Bio:

Lisa was born in Santa Rosa, California, but that was only home for a year. A so-called "military brat," she lived in nine different houses and attended nine different schools by the time she was 14. Through all of the moves, her one constant was books. She read everything, from the entire Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden mystery series to her mother's books by Daphne DuMaurier and Taylor Caldwell.
A widely published author, game writer, and journalist, Lisa has interviewed homeless women, the designer of the Batmobile, and a sex expert, to name just a few colorful characters. This experience, not to mention her own large, quirky family, led her to create some truly memorable characters in her Dreamslippers Series and other works, whether books or games.
Always a vivid dreamer, not to mention a wannabe psychic, Lisa feels perfectly at home slipping into suspects’ dreams, at least in her imagination. Her husband isn’t so sure she can’t pick up his dreams in real life, though.
With a hefty list of awards and publications to her name, Lisa now lives in a small town in Washington State, but who knows how long that will last…

Lisa publishes a bimonthly newsletter. Sign up and receive a free book!

You can also visit Lisa on her Website , on Twitter , & at Facebook .

March 2017 Tour Participants:

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