Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Troubled Water by Kassandra Lamb. This book is the first in the Aging Ain't for Wimps Mystery series and was released last month.

Amy Parker's seventy-first birthday was off to a good start. Her husband, Charles, had given her a new dishwasher and was going to prepare her a steak dinner, even though she would have preferred shrimp. Unfortunately, her birthday dinner never happened as Charles never woke up from his nap. While his death was bad enough, even worse was the arrival of her bossy older sister, Clara, laden down with baggage and her cat! Before Amy could wring Clara's neck she found her dead body. And this time, it wasn't natural causes. Not too many people would shed a tear over Clara's death, but who would actually want to kill her? With two funerals to plan, an unexpected visitor who could change everything she thought about the past, and someone trying to kill her, Amy's seventy-first year is off to one heck of a start!

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading The Mysterious Case of the Missing House by Michele Pariza Wacek. This book is the fourth in the Redemption Detective Agency Mystery series and was released earlier this month.

The Redemption Detective Agency is not your normal detective agency. While Emily Hildebrandt has been using her office management skills in an attempt to bring a modicum of organization and sanity to the office, she hasn't been entirely successful. Her Aunt Tilde runs it more like a hobby than a business, rarely even accepting payment. And neither Tilde, nor her friends Mildred and Nora, is a licensed private investigator. That's why Emily is filling our a job application for the school district, although she hasn't been successful in completing that either. When the phone rings with a new case it seems fairly straight forward. Tilde and Mildred's old friend Amelia Clark has been on a cruise and is worried that her niece, Brandy, hasn't been watering her rose bushes. So Emily and the others drive to Meli's house only to find it isn't there. Instead there's a country club and spa! Only in Redemption could a house disappear. With a missing house and a missing niece will the Redemption Detective Agency be able to discover what happened?

Death in the Dillweeds - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a book I happened across that looks quite interesting! Death in the Dillweeds by Kristy Tate is the first in the Apothocary Shop Mystery series and was released this week!

Blurb:  

Welcome to Blue Heron Bay, where the tea is herbal, and the gossip is lethal.

After years as a cruise ship chef, Amelia Bellamy returns home to inherit her grandmother’s Victorian house, a bad-tempered Maine Coon, and an apothecary shop full of strange old remedies.

Then a local football coach turns up dead in the herb garden during Gram’s funeral wake.

Now Amelia, her first-love-turned-sheriff, and four meddling septuagenarians known as the Silver Sisters are hunting a killer in a town where everyone has secrets—and some recipes were never meant to be uncovered.

Because in Blue Heron Bay, even innocent herbs can leave a bitter aftertaste.

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ghost - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING GHOST
By Michele Pariza Wacek
The Third Redemption Detective Agency Mystery 

When Emily Hildebrandt takes the call from a new client for the Redemption Detective Agency she thinks it's a case of missing husband. And it is...sort of. It's just that the missing husband has actually been dead for a decade and it's his ghost that's missing! While Emily is ready to call it quits and even Mildred seems to agree, Aunt Tilde is adamant they help her old friend Ruth and if that means finding a missing ghost, so be it!

Peculiar things happen in Redemption, Wisconsin. A new case for the Redemption Detective Agency starts off as a missing husband then morphs into a missing ghost, a con, and murder! I loved how the mystery progressed from one issue to another with the zany antics of Aunt Tilde, Mildred, and Nora making me shake my head and laugh! The root of the story is a sad one. A grieving widow desperately missing her late husband and being cruelly taken advantage of. Sadly, elder abuse is common and comes in many forms, despicable scams such as the one  here are too common. I love how each problem led to a new avenue to investigate and each resulting answer led to a satisfying conclusion.

Emily is the wonderful level headed office manager who does her best to keep things running smoothly at her aunt's detective agency. I love how, even as she tries to reign the others in, she fulfills their requests even as she has her doubts. I wonder what Trisha is scheming and Emily needs to dump Jerome. He's a condescending ass. She's picked up on a few red flags, but she keeps dismissing them. I can't wait for her to finally realize he's a jerk and let him have it before completely walking away. 

I absolutely adore this series. The banter, the wacky dialogue that can make your head spin as well as Emily's will have you in stitches. Don't get me started on ghost butts. But at the bottom of it all is the heart. The kindness. Which Emily seems to forget. The ending made me so mad. Not the solution of the mystery, but what happened afterward. I can only hope that Emily will come to her senses and realize what really matters. 

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING GHOST is a fast paced madcap mystery with heart. You'll find yourself laughing then smiling as the pieces come together. I'm eagerly awaiting the Redemption Detective Agency's next case! 

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

 The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ghost (The Redemption Detective Agency) by Michele Pariza Wacek

About The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ghost

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ghost (The Redemption Detective Agency)
Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series
Setting - Redemption, Wisconsin in the 1990s
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Love-Based Publishing (September 2025)
Number of Pages ~200

Emily Hildebrandt is learning to settle into some of the very strange cases that come through The Redemption Detective Agency’s door.

Like Aunt Tilde’s friend Ruth who claims she’s lost a ghost.

How does one lose a ghost? Apparently when the ghost decides to walk out the door.

But, to make matters more complicated, it’s not just any ghost but the ghost of Ruth’s dead husband. Who was murdered decades ago under very suspicious circumstances.

Emily has no choice but to go back in time and figure out what really happened to Ruth’s husband, in order for everyone to rest in peace.

A spin-off from the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series! The Redemption Detective Agency is a funny, twisty cozy mystery series set in the 1990s featuring silver sleuths solving cold cases. Great for fans of the Thursday Murder Club.

About Michele Pariza Wacek

 

A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but she does spend much of her time writing stories now. Mystery stories, to be exact. They're clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn't enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes and more, at MPWNovels.com. Michele grew up in Wisconsin (hence why all her books take place there), and still visits regularly, but she herself escaped the cold and now lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona, with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie. When she's not writing, she's usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she's an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she's not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)  

Author Links: 

Website https://MPWNovels.com  

Facebook https://Facebook.com/MichelePWauthor  

Instagram https://instagram.com/themichelepw  

Purchase Link Amazon

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Dog Walker - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Emily Hildebrandt to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can fine Emily on the pages of the Redemption Detective Agency Mystery series by Michele Pariza Wacek. THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING DOG WALKER is the second book is the series and was released last week.

Musings From Emily Hildebrandt about “The Mysterious Case of the Missing Dog Walker”

Let me begin by saying I’ve never been a dog person. Nor have I ever been a detective.

I like order. And calmness. I’m happiest when everything is in its proper place and I have a tidy to-do list where I can cross tasks off as I complete them.

Dogs and investigations are none of those things. There’s always an air of chaos and messiness surrounding both being a detective and having a dog.

Which is why this particular case was so aggravating. Not only was I the one in charge of the case, but it was a case about a missing dog.

Except I was told the dog wasn’t missing. Actually, that’s not true. I was told the dog never existed in the first place.

Ugh. Talk about things not being neat and tidy.

Anyway, despite being everything that I hate, I have found myself starting to warm up to being both a dog person and a detective.

Much to my surprise.

Let’s start with becoming a dog person. I never thought I would EVER own a dog, much less a large, scruffy, yellow lab mix that sheds constantly.

And yet…I now have Scout. Although, in all fairness, Scout chose me.

He was a stray who wouldn’t let anyone touch him until I came around. And it’s a good thing he did, because I never would have cracked this case without his help.

Which leads me to becoming a detective. I’m discovering that I have a bit of knack for investigating. I never dreamed this would be the case, but it seems I’m pretty good at cracking cases.

And, dare I say it, I’ve even discovered that I’m enjoying it.

Just a little. I still prefer my spreadsheets and checklists and bringing order to a chaotic detective agency. But I’m finding it’s a nice break to get my hands dirty with a case or two. 

**************************************************************
THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING DOG WALKER is Book 2 of The Redemption Detective Agency, is a funny, twisty, romcom cozy mystery series set in the 1990s featuring silver sleuths solving cold cases, cats, dogs and an opposites attract love triangle. Great for fans of the Thursday Murder Club. 
**************************************************************

Review

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING DOG WALKER 

By Michele Pariza Wacek
The Second Redemption Detective Agency Mystery 

 

Emily Hildebrandt continues to find herself in the most mind boggling situations since moving to Redemption and becoming the office manager of her Aunt Tilde's detective agency. A dog that may or may not have existed and may or may not have gone missing, a husband who may be a rotten cheating scoundrel with a wife who is way too interested in an influential family are not the themes of a television show, but rather the new cases of the Redemption Detective Agency. While her aunt and friends prepare for their stakeout, including who's bringing what in the way of snacks, Emily starts to look into the case of the dog who went missing a year ago. However, she comes up with more questions than answers.

 

The second Redemption Detective Agency Mystery brings lots of laughs as Emily tries to navigate the confusion and outlandishness that is the detective agency and its "detectives". Quick comments that go round and round, at times I felt I was in the middle of an Abbot and Costello routine, and laughing just as hard. The aunt, the cousin, what dog, who? I'm still grinning. I also am enjoying the romantic aspect...or non romance as it were. I know where, or more importantly who, Emily should be placing her attention, despite Mildred. I have a feeling more is going on with another character-and it's not good. 

 

I'm really drawn to the uniqueness that is Redemption. I love learning more about its past and can't wait as more comes to light. I have a feeling there's a lot more shadiness coming and hope the Redemption Detective Agency is ready for it. I also enjoy that the series is set in the 1990s. At one point Emily was trying to memorize something on a sheet of paper and I was thinking why doesn't she quickly take a picture of it with her phone. Then it dawned on me this was the 90s. Heck, in 1990 I didn't even have my own computer let alone a mobile phone and was sending my film out to be developed! I certainly appreciate the difficulty of detecting without our current tools.

 

Lots of laughs, quirky characters, and a puzzling mystery make THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING DOG WALKER a fantastic fast paced read. I love this series and can't wait to learn more about this mysterious town that truly is one of the characters.

 

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

 The Mysterious Case of the Missing Dog Walker (The Redemption Detective Agency) by Michele Pariza Wacek

About The Mysterious Case of the Missing Dog Walker

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Dog Walker (The Redemption Detective Agency)
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - 1990s Wisconsin
Publisher: ‎ Love-Based Publishing (June 18, 2025)
Print Length ~200 Pages

Emily Hildebrandt is not having a good week.

First off, she’s tasked with looking for, of all things, a missing dog. And not just any missing dog, but one owned by the aunt of Nick Stewart’s girlfriend, Trisha.

Like she wants anything to do Nick. Ever. She’s dating someone new and ready to take her life back.

Except…that missing dog case takes a strange turn when the owner tells her she never had a dog.

Why would Trisha lie about a missing dog? Or is Trisha’s aunt the one is lying?

As Emily digs deeper into the case, she uncovers far more than she bargained for.

A spin-off from the Charlie Kingsley Mystery series! The Redemption Detective Agency is a funny, twisty cozy mystery series set in the 1990s featuring silver sleuths solving cold cases. Great for fans of the Thursday Murder Club.

About Michele (PW) Pariza Wacek

A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but she does spend much of her time writing stories now. Mystery stories, to be exact. They're clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn't enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes and more, at MPWNovels.com.

Michele grew up in Wisconsin, (hence why all her books take place there), and still visits regularly, but she herself escaped the cold and now lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.

When she's not writing, she's usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she's an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she's not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)

Author Links: 

Website https://MPWNovels.com  

Facebook https://Facebook.com/MichelePWauthor  

Instagram https://instagram.com/themichelepw  

Purchase Link Amazon  

It will be available on Kindle Unlimited soon. The 1st book in the series - The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive is now available on Kindle Unlimited. 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Basket Case - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Spike to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Spike on the pages of A Basket Case by Lesley A. Diehl. This book is the second in the Maddie Sparks Mystery series and was released last month.

My name is Spike. I’m not human and I’m certainly not a dog. I don’t care much for dogs. I’m a cat, a mystery solving cat. I came to live with Maddie Sparks, the protagonist in the Maddie Sparks mysteries in the bedroom of a man who she discovered had been murdered. I was crying, loudly. She thought I missed my owner, but she soon came to understand that cats do not have owners. Cats have people who indulge them, admire them, pet them, feed them, love them and let them get away was the beginning of our relationship and pretty much describes how it has gone since then. I was crying because I was hungry. I’m always hungry. Maddie looked like a soft touch for food, so I let out my most pathetic cry and gave her my cutest round-eyed look.

We found my owner, but my owner was unable to care for me, so I went to live with Maddie. And Zack. He’s Maddie boyfriend, although it’s odd calling a guy in his sixties a boyfriend. They seem to like one another a lot. They sometimes go up to her bedroom and shut the door. That I don’t like especially if I’m hungry and, as I said, I’m always hungry. They both feel so bad about shutting me out, that they give me a special treat like chicken breast or albacore tuna. Then I forgive them.

Like many cats, I have the ability to read people well. Like children, I don’t simply listen to what humans say, but I listen to their tone of voice, their body positioning, and like other animals, I can smell anger, anxiety and fear in humans. I have the uncanny ability to know if people are keeping secrets especially if that secret is murder. I am a formidable crime fighting force. You may think I’m exaggerating but read the Maddie Sparks mysteries and see how clever I am. I may not have opposable thumbs, a gun, knife, bomb, rifle, shotgun, baseball bat or other manufactured weapon to take down a bad guy, but I do have teeth, claws and the element of surprise in my favor. I once jumped on a fellow’s head when he threatened Maddie. Boy, did that surprise him. He dropped his gun.

I’m not necessarily at Maddie’s side when she ferrets out clues, interviews someone or searches a house, but I am usually there in the end. I’m not just a handsome face. I know Maddie and Zack are impressed with my feline contributions to their cases, and I will continue to come to their aid if and when they investigate future murders. I am quite reliable at rescuing humans especially if I’m fed well.

You may think I am simply bragging about my skills, but my creator, the author, decided she wanted a cat in her stories but not simply as a furry backdrop. She wanted one who could work as part of the team investigating the murder. So I applied for the job, and she hired me. As I said before, I’m not in these books because I’m cute or handsome. I’m part of the team. And I’m hard to resist unless you’ve got murder on your mind. Growl and hiss.

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

 A Basket Case (Maddie Sparks Mystery Series) by Lesley A Diehl

About A Basket Case

A Basket Case (Maddie Sparks Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Upstate New York
Publisher: ‎ Camel Press (November 12, 2024)
Paperback: ‎ 250 pages

Maddie Sparks believes she has found the perfect balance in her life-Zack, the man she loves, a book she loves writing and volunteer work at a local museum with a granddaughter she adores. An old flame from Zack's past arrives and drives a wedge into Maddie and Zack's romance, her writing stalls and someone murders the museum's director just as the museum is about to return a collection of Native American artifacts to the Onondaga and Oneida nations. Standing over the dead body of the museum director is an Indigenous man from neither group who insists one of the baskets in the collection belongs to his family. The authorities believe he is the killer, but Maddie does not. With her love life on hold, Maddie and her granddaughter set out to identify the killer, but their search reveals thefts at the museum and a two-hundred-year-old family secret that is the key to the motivation behind the killing. When Maddie uncovers the history behind the feud over the basket, she knows the identity of the killer, making Maddie his next target.

About Lesley A. Diehl

Cows, Lesley learned growing up on a farm, have a twisted sense of humor. They chased her when she herded them in for milking, and one ate the lovely red mitten her grandmother knitted for her. Determining that agriculture wasn’t a good career choice, instead, she uses her country roots and her training as a psychologist to concoct stories designed to make people laugh in the face of murder. Unusual protagonists appear in many of Lesley’s works including Desdemona the crime-fighting potbellied pig, a hobo turned county sheriff and Lesley’s zany back-home-on-the-farm relatives (The Killer Wore Cranberry, all six anthologies). She is the author of several cozy mystery series (The Eve Appel Mysteries, Laura Murphy Mysteries, The Big Lake Murder Mysteries, and her newest, Maddie Sparks Mysteries, featuring a senior sleuth and her rescue cat). Her cozy mysteries have won several Readers’ Favorite Awards and a short story Sleuthfest Award. Find out more at www.lesleyadiehl.com.

Author Links: 

Website www.lesleyadiehl.com  

Blog www.lesleyadiehl.com/blog  

Facebook www.facebook.com/lesley.diehl.1  

GoodReads www.goodreads.com/3414925.Lesley_A_Diehl  

Amazon www.amazon.com/author/lesleydiehl  

GoodReads www.goodreads.com/3414925.Lesley_A_Diehl  

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

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Clocked Out - A Cover Reveal

The Great Escapes Team is happy to share with you the cover of Anna St. John's new Josie Posey Mystery. It will be released on February 6, 2024

 

Clocked Out - A Josie Posey Mystery
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Level Best Books (February 6, 2024)
Setting: A small town in Sunflower County, Kansas, named English Village

Josie Posey and her posse of Mahjong Mavens are at it again, in this cozy mystery where the retired big city crime reporter turned small town crime solver uncovers another murder in picturesque English Village.

When the clockmaker’s daughter returns home for a visit, reporter Josie Posey is assigned the task of interviewing the talented watch designer. That very afternoon the young woman falls from a ladder while inventorying antique clocks.

At first, Josie is certain the fall was an accident. Everyone loved Ella McGregor Benjamin. But Ella’s deathbed statement is a mysterious riddle that can’t be ignored. With her Old English Sheepdog Moe by her side, and an ever-growing list of suspects, Josie scrambles to identify the killer before anyone else gets hurt.

The local police chief wants Josie to help solve the puzzle, but stay out of his murder case. The editor of The Village Gazette wants an in-depth story for the next edition. And somebody wants Josie to stop asking questions. Deadlines loom.

In this fast-paced rollercoaster ride of a mystery, the clock is ticking as Josie vows to find the killer before time runs out.

About the Author

Anna St. John writes cozy mysteries featuring a mature, yet feisty, fomer crime reporter, Josie Posey, as the amateur sleuth.

Her debut novel, DOOMED BY BLOOMS, was released by Level Best Books in February 2023. CLOCKED OUT is the second book in her Josie Posey Mystery Series. It is scheduled to release Feb. 6, 2024.

A former journalist, award-winning advertising copywriter and ad agency owner, Anna is married to her high school sweetheart. She writes from her home office in Kansas, with her Old English Sheepdog by her side.

Anna is represented by Cindy Bullard, of Birch Literary Agency. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Kansas Authors Club.

Author Links Website Facebook

Buy Link

Spiked Punch - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Spike to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Spike on the pages of the Maggie Sparks Mystery series. Spiked Punch is the first book in the series and was released last week.

Getting to Know Spike
From Spiked Punch
By Lesley A. Diehl

My name is Spike, and I’m a cat. I’m just purring up a storm to know that you are interested in finding out more about me. I am a major player in the Maddie Sparks mystery Spiked Punch. I share a house with Maddie Sparks who rescued me last summer when she found a dead body in a house in our small village. A relative of the man found dead had taken me to him, because her boyfriend was allergic to cats. If Maddie hadn’t given me a home, I don’t know what would have happened to me because that man was going off on a trip before he was killed and who knows what he could have done with me. Luckily Maddie snatched me out of the arms of one of the sheriff’s officers who wanted to take me to the pound. I didn’t like him. She took me with her and gave me chicken when we got to her house. Chicken. I love chicken!

I can’t tell you anymore about my past because I was so young, I’m not clear about my homes, but I do remember being in a shelter for several months before I was adopted by a young woman (the one who has the allergic boyfriend). That’s the problem with humans sometimes. If her boyfriend was the one who was allergic why didn’t she find another home for him? Why me?

Maddie has never lived with a cat, and she was over seventy years old, so she had a steep learning curve on what to provide for me, her new roomie. But with the help of a friendly and knowledgeable store clerk, she bought the necessary supplies: cat bed (I hate it), dishes, food, litter box and I think I’ve talked her into getting one of those water fountain thingies so I always have fresh water, from a bottle, of course. Like most cats I am very picky about food, toys and beds. I do love the human beds, however, laundry. Very comfy. I find a spot in the sun on Maddie’s desk delightful. And who makes those cat toys? A crumpled-up ball of paper works just fine. I know, I know. I should be more grateful that Maddie tries to buy me objects to stimulate my play, but I’m much too sophisticated to give into some stuffed catnip bird or mouse or fish. You can’t fool me. No real bird, mouse or fish is filled with catnip. I do play with them when she’s not around, but never in her presence. I don’t want her to think I’m easy.

Maddie is a snoopy kind of gal so we are perfect companions. You know what they say about curiosity and the cat. Yeah, well I’m good at feeling out people and their natures. I can tell the good ones from the bad ones. Take Maddie’s companion or lover or whatever humans call someone who hangs around and spends a lot of time touching and kissing a person. Boyfriend? He’s too old to be a boy. He’s almost seventy himself. He’s a retired county sheriff and he’s good at his job. I really admire a human who applies himself but also has a big heart. That’s Zack. He likes me, too, lets me sit in his lap and get cat hair all over his pants. I don’t know where the relationship between the two of them is going, but I hope somewhere. I like having him around the house and I don’t fancy trying to find another human male that I have to train. I hope she keeps him. He’s not allergic.

But back to snoopiness. Maddie, Zack and I are a crime fighting trio. We have each other’s backs. The best part is that neither Maddie nor Zack treat me with other than the most respect. Like Maddie says, “If Spike doesn’t like that person, then there’s something going on there.” I can defend myself was well as humans, maybe better since I can be quiet, reclusive and listen in on conversations. Oh, so you think cats can’t understand what humans are saying. Not so. Cats read body language and tone of voice better than humans. Take the murderer in Spiked Punch. I had the killer’s number from the moment we met. Here’s the story…Oh, oh, Lesley says I can’t say anymore. Since she’s the author, I must listen or she’ll have Maddie feed me that cheap tuna, not the gourmet kind. Yuck! You’ll have to read the book to see how brilliant I was in solving the crime. Remember the name—Spike Sparks, furry yellow crime fighter, armed with teeth and claws and a brain that is just as sharp.

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

 Spiked Punch (Maddie Sparks Mystery Series) by Lesley A Diehl

About Spiked Punch

Spiked Punch (Maddie Sparks Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Upstate New York
Camel Press (November 14, 2023)
Paperback: ‎ 248 pages

On the other side of seventy, Maddie Sparks decides to spice up her life by changing her writing interests from cozy mysteries to romance. She also determines her appearance should reflect this transformation in her writing career. A sassy new haircut and more fashionable clothes complete the newer Maddie Sparks. Before she can begin this new chapter in her life, a stabbing death in the quiet country village she has made her home shocks the town's residents.

When her son is accused of the murder, Maddie and the acting county sheriff come together to find the real killer. Their relationship soon blooms into more than one of shared determination to solve the murder. As they enjoy a hike in a nearby park, someone shoots the sheriff, barely missing Maddie. Another killer could be loose in the area, and the person may be closer to Maddie than she realizes. Maddie discovers parts of herself she didn't know existed: real life romance with the sheriff, a talent for sleuthing and room in her life for a fuzzy, orange cat named "Spike." This recent lease on life may be more exciting and more dangerous than Maddie expects.

About Lesley A. Diehl

Cows, Lesley learned growing up on a farm, have a twisted sense of humor. They chased her when she went to the field to herd them in for milking, and one ate the lovely red mitten her grandmother knitted for her. Determining that agriculture wasn’t a good career choice, instead she uses her country roots and her training as a psychologist to concoct stories designed to make people laugh in the face of murder. “A good chuckle,” says Lesley,” keeps us emotionally well-oiled long into our old age.” She is the author of the Eve Appel mysteries from Camel Press as well as several cozy mystery series and numerous short stories. Go to her webpage to find out more: www.lesleyadiehl.com.

Author Links: 

Website www.lesleyadiehl.com  

Blog www.lesleyadiehl.com/blog 

 Facebook www.facebook.com/lesley.diehl.1  

GoodReads www.goodreads.com/3414925.Lesley_A_Diehl  

Amazon www.amazon.com/author/lesleydiehl  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo -  

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Toes in the Tulips - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Sophie to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Sophie on the pages of Toes in the Tulips by Katherine H. Brown. This book is the third in the Adventures of Gladys Mystery series and was released last week.

Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining our humble little blog tour this week. Can I get a round of applause for these amazing bloggers? (Imagines clapping.) And for my author for giving me a prime spot as secondary character with a too-cute bookstore in the book Toes in the Tulips? (More clapping.)

I’m Sophie, owner of Babbling Books the one and only bookstore in the quaint town of Seashell Bay. I must say, I was rather excited to make my official debut this time. In previous books, this author has only alluded to me but clearly it is my time to shine. I mean, I realized I’m not the actual main character. My friend Gladys stars in that role. However, I do play a very important part. After all, it was me who somewhat accidentally pointed the cops in her direction by blabbing about the poisonous plants she had been researching on the computers in my bookstore.

That sounds worse than it is. Truly, I was trying to help Gladys, not throw her under the bus when Madeline was found dead in the community garden tulips.

Anyway, that’s all in the past. Gladys forgave me and we sorted everything out. I even offered up my computers again when she needed to do some digging into the victim’s past. (Doesn’t that sound so official ‘victim’s past’ – I love this detective stuff but I prefer to solve cases in books at my store. At least for now.)

It has been a little nerve-wracking watching the way Gladys pushes for clues and tries to avoid getting arrested and so forth. Still, I like to think that me teaching her how to use the Mystery Book Nook forum online really helped her out. I even heard a rumor she is going to start using the forum to put together some tips of some kind on her own to help other amateur sleuths out there. I’ve got to say, if she does that then I’ll have to subscribe to the Mystery Book Nook forum myself so that I can read it. Gladys has a, um, colorful experience with mysteries. There was that time on the cruise ship…well, nevermind she doesn’t like talking about that one. I also heard she had a run-in with an old nemesis in Texas and ended up on the suspect list for murder there, too. Needless to say, she’s got to have some good advice at this point since so far, she keeps coming out on the good side of the law after all of these misunderstandings.

Oh, would you look at that. A customer! I have to go sell some books, folks, but thanks for chatting with me today.

Yours truly,

Sophie, bookstore owner extraordinaire

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

Toes in the Tulips: (Adventures of Gladys) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World) by Katherine H. Brown

About Toes in the Tulips

Toes in the Tulips: (Adventures of Gladys) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)
Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series
Setting - Seashell Bay, Alabama
Independently Published (September 5, 2023)
Number of Pages: 74 (word doc pages / 30k words)

Another who-dunnit featuring one of your favorite Senior sleuths as well as an exciting new installment of The Mystery Book Nook Shared World.

Gladys is head over heels excited for the new community garden project. In fact, she's created a whole new event: the Community Garden Plant Potluck. The plant potluck is more popular than even she imagined until one of the community garden members is found toes up in the tulips, dead as can be.

Gladys won't rest until the killer is planted in a jail cell and the Community Garden project is free to grow again. But when clues don't make sense, she might have to do a little out-of-the-box research using an interesting new resource, The Mystery Book Nook Forum, online.

Don't miss this fun new adventure with some favorite characters!

The Mystery Book Nook Shared World (3 books) No Good Deed Unpunished: (A Vangie Guillory Mystery) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World) Estate in Peril: A Maude and Mabel Cozy Mystery (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World) Toes in the Tulips: (Adventures of Gladys) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)  

Adventures of Gladys Bonbon Voyage: Adventures of Gladys Humorous Senior Cozy Mystery Series Half-Baked Homecoming: Adventures of Gladys Humorous Senior Cozy Mystery Series Toes in the Tulips: (Adventures of Gladys) (The Mystery Book Nook Shared World)

About Katherine H. Brown

Katherine Brown is a wife, mom, Texas author, and unreformed bookaholic. From childhood, Katherine has devoured books for fun, for escape, for inspiration. As an author, it is Katherine's goal to provide that same fun escape for others and encourage a love of reading in any age group. Clean cozy mysteries with sass and good Southern manners are her specialty, though recently Katherine has taken the jump into the steampunk world with a fun twist on Mary Poppins inspired characters. When not writing, Katherine enjoys weekly trips to the library with her toddler, teaching yoga workouts, and spending time with family.

Author Links: 

Instagram instagram.com/katherinebrownkatie  

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18681694.Katherine_Brown  

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/katherine-h-brown 

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

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Katherine-Brown/e/B078J72H8M 

 Newsletter sign-ups: https://mailchi.mp/3ed2f71e303c/kbbnewsletterbookishinfo  

Purchase Link - Amazon  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on an upcoming release, THE SUNSET YEARS OF AGNES SHARP by Leonie Swann and translated from the original German by Amy Bojang.

THE SUNSET YEARS OF AGNES SHARP
by Leonie Swann

Blurb: 

It has been an eventful morning for Agnes Sharp and the other inhabitants of Sunset Hall, a house share for the old and unruly in the sleepy English countryside. Although they have had some issues (misplaced reading glasses, conflicting culinary tastes, decreasing mobility, and gluttonous grandsons), nothing prepares them for an unexpected visit from a police officer with some shocking news. A body has been discovered next door. Everyone puts on a long face for show, but they are secretly relieved the body in question is not the one they’re currently hiding in the shed (sorry, Lillith).

It seems the answer to their little problem with Lillith may have fallen right into their laps. All they have to do is find out who murdered their neighbor, so they can pin Lillith’s death on them, thus killing two (old) birds with one stone (cold killer).

With their plan sorted, Agnes and her geriatric gang spring into action. After all, everybody likes a good mystery. Besides, the more suspicion they can cast about, surely the less will land on them. To investigate, they will step out of their comfort zone, into the not-so-idyllic village of Duck End and tangle with sinister bakers, broken stairlifts, inept criminals, the local authorities, and their own dark secrets.

A Cryptic Clue - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a recent release that I didn't know about. It sounds like a great new series and I like the author's Blue Ridge Library Mystery series so A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert is going on my TBR pile.

 Blurb:

Sixty-year-old Jane Hunter, forced into early retirement from her job as a university librarian, is seeking a new challenge to keep her spirits up and supplement her meager pension. But as she’s about to discover, a retiree’s life can bring new thrills—and new dangers.

Cameron “Cam” Clewe, an eccentric 33-year-old collector, is also seeking something—an archivist to inventory his ever-expanding compendium of rare books and artifacts. Jane’s thrilled to be hired on by Cam and to uncover the secrets of his latest acquisition, a trove of items related to the classic mystery and detective authors. But Jane’s delight is upended when a body is discovered in Cam’s library. The victim, heir to a pharmaceutical fortune, was the last in line of Cam’s failed romances—and now he’s suspect number one.

Cam vows to use his intelligence and deductive skills to clear his name—but with a slight case of agoraphobia, rampant anxiety, and limited social skills, he’ll need some help. It comes down to Jane to exonerate her new boss—but is he truly innocent?

A Pickle of a Murder - A Review

 Review

A PICKLE OF A MURDER by Melissa Bourbon
The First Foxy Ladies Mystery 

With a flamboyant wardrobe and an unlit cigarette, Hattie Juniper Pickle knows her own mind. She also knows something is up when her dull as dishwater second ex-husband shows up out of the blue, with her first ex-husband, who also happens to be her third ex-husband, following on his heels. Telling her exes to come back later, Hattie is relaxing at home after a date when she hears someone messing around by her old loblolly tree. Going outside to chase them away she's stunned to find ex #2 under her tree-dead. Gathering her friends, the foxy ladies, Hattie is determined to discover what brought her ex to town and who killed him!

Having read the Book Magic Mysteries I was familiar with Hattie Juniper Pickle. Indeed, she was a secondary character so bright she deserved a series of her own and she got it in the new Foxy Ladies Mystery series. But have no fear, even if you haven't read the book series, you'll have no problem jumping in to Hattie's adventure.

I loved this quick read that brought me back to Devil's Cove. Though short, there was plenty of scintillating detail, red herrings, and enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing.

A PICKLE OF A MURDER is a fast paced colorful novella that proves that age is just a number.

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway