Murder on the Steel Pier - A Review

 Review

MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER by Rosie Genova
The First Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery 

In celebration of her March 31st birthday Tess Mancini headed to Atlantic City to celebrate. But after too much tequila she wakes up with a hangover and the biggest April Fool's Day surprise of all. Instead of her hotel room Tess finds herself in what appears to be an old-fashioned B&B. Without her phone! Somehow she knows where things are and soon discovers when. Tess Mancini has stepped into the life of her Great Aunt Theresa in 1955. If that weren't enough, her hot-headed brother (well, Theresa's brother, her grandfather) is accused of murdering one of the guests at their boarding house. With some innate knowledge and the words of Theresa in her head Tess will have to figure out what happened to her aunt, how to get home, and clear her grandfather of a murder charge so that she can be born! 

I love a good time travel story and MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER certainly qualifies! With WWII in the recent past and the Civil Rights movement in the near future I loved how the book incorporated aspects of both in this 1950s setting. I also love how Tess encountered two very important real people and while not explicitly giving their names I knew exactly who they were! I also liked how Tess was able to appreciate some things of this time, such as the fashion and the quiet, while glad certain other aspects of the past remain there.

The first Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery isn't a complete fish out of water story. Tess struggles with a lot of the differences in 1955, but she has an in with Theresa. While Tess doesn't know how to drive a stick, Theresa does and thus Tess can. Theresa also provides a knowledge of who's who and how to properly handle certain situations. Tess may be up a creek, but she has a paddle! I appreciate how Tess is able to give some spunk and sass, surprising people who see a more quiet "good girl". 

The mystery itself was well plotted with plenty of red herrings, twists and turns, and more than one surprise. I really enjoyed the varied characters and how they interacted with each other with Tess pushing the boundaries of Theresa's time, with a little help from her great aunt.

Wonderful characters, loads of period detail, and an intricate mystery combine to make MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER a delightfully unique start to a new series.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Murder on the Steel Pier by Rosie Genova. This book is the first in the Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery series and was released Monday!

In celebration of her March 31st birthday Tess Mancini headed to Atlantic City to celebrate. But after too much tequila she wakes up with a hangover and the biggest April Fool's Day surprise of all. Instead of her hotel room Tess finds herself in what appears to be an old fashioned B&B. Without her phone! Somehow she knows where things are and soon discovers when. Tess Mancini  has stepped into the life of her Great Aunt Theresa in 1955. If that weren't enough, her hot headed brother (well, Theresa's brother her grandfather) is accused of murdering one of the guests at their boarding house. With some innate knowledge and the words of Theresa in her head Tess will have to figure out what happened to her aunt, how to get home, and clear her grandfather of a murder charge so that she can be born! 

Murder on the Steel Pier - A Spotlight, Excerpt & Giveaway

MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER

by Rosie Genova

April 1, 2025 Book Blast

Synopsis:

THE TESS MANCINI TIME TRAVEL MYSTERY SERIES

 

Greetings from the Nifty Fifties…

The morning after a blowout birthday celebration in Atlantic City, crime reporter and party girl Tess Mancini wakes up in an unfamiliar place—1955. Bread is eighteen cents a loaf, Ike occupies the White House, and the Boardwalk is crawling with vintage cars and vintage wise guys. A bewildered Tess is sure of only two things: One, she’s not crazy, and two, the clothes are fabulous. Somehow, she’s living the life of her Great-Aunt Theresa, who disappeared decades before Tess’s birth.

In her 1950s existence, Tess is a reporter at the local newspaper, living at a boarding house owned by her Zia Antonetta, an Italian immigrant with a big secret. It turns out Theresa has a kid brother, teenaged troublemaker Val Mancini—aka Tess’s paternal grandfather. Though determined to return to her own time, Tess’s curiosity takes over. What happened to the first Theresa Mancini? And is Tess’s trip through time connected to her aunt’s fate?

But when young Val is accused of murdering a boarding house guest, a Nazi in hiding, Tess ends up with two investigations on her hands—and now stuck in time until she can prove Val’s innocence. As she searches for answers, she finds allies in a dishy police detective and a suspiciously charming fellow reporter. The clock is ticking for Tess to find a way home, but first, she has to keep her grandfather off Death Row.

Because before Tess can get back to the future … she needs to make sure she has one.

Praise for Murder on the Steel Pier:

"Murder on the Steel Pier is impossible to put down, offering an irresistible blend of mystery, history, and time travel. I felt like I was in 1950s Atlantic City along with heroine Tess. Unlike her, I didn’t want to leave! I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for Tess’s next adventure."
~ Ellen Byron, Agatha Award-Winning Author

"Awesome book! This stylish, creatively written and highly entertaining mystery will keep you turning pages long past bedtime."
~ Terrie Farley Moran, award-winning author of the Murder, She Wrote series

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery
Published by: Two Roses Books
Publication Date: March 31, 2025
Number of Pages: 340
ISBN: 979-8-9911241-1-9
Series: The Tess Mancini Time Travel Mysteries, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | AppleBooks | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

From Chapter 1

Someone was smoking a cigarette. I sniffed, and spikes of pain started at my chin and shot through the top of my head. Oh God, make it stop, and I promise I’ll never touch another drop of tequila. Being another year older was bad enough—did I have to be punished for it, too? My nose twitched as the smoke teased my nostrils and caressed my olfactory nerves. I’d quit a month ago, but the longing for a cig came roaring back.

With my eyes still closed, and my head nailed to the pillow, I had one coherent thought: This is supposed to be a smoke-free hotel. As far as I knew, it was also bird-free, but the chirps and twitters assailing my ears were clearly coming from feathered creatures. Then again, it’s Atlantic City. Maybe the birds were part of the hotel show. Ever so slowly, I slid my hands from under the covers and cupped them over my ears.

“Please, birdies,” I whispered. “Stop singing.” Geez, they sounded close enough to be in my room. I exhaled, yoga style. C’mon, Tess, time to open your eyes. You can do it. Actually, I couldn’t, as my lashes were glued together. (Had I slept in my make-up? Not a good sign.) Still covering my ears against the piercing bird song, I fluttered my left eyelid and squinted.

Big, fuchsia-colored roses seemed to scream at me from the wall. And sun—blinding, eyeball-searing sun—streamed in through an uncovered window. And not a hotel window bolted shut and draped to keep out that awful light, but a wooden one with glass panes. And across the top, a ruffly white curtain.

Okay, not my hotel. So where was I? My empty stomach grew queasy; I wouldn’t have gone home with a stranger. Though I did remember a cute blond guy playing the slots next to me, but it was all so … blurry. I eased open the other eye. Across the room was a vanity table draped in more white ruffles. Somehow, I doubted the blond guy lived here.

This place was obviously some kind of historic inn or something, but that still didn’t explain how I’d gotten here. I looked down at the sheets, also decorated with roses. Only these were little yellow ones. Somebody sure liked her florals.

“So weird,” I muttered. Hands shaking, eyes half closed, I felt around for my phone, but my fingers landed on a string of beads. I let go of the necklace and blinked hard, trying to ignore the little flashes of pain behind my eyes. Next to me was an old-fashioned nightstand; on it was a lamp with a frilly pink shade, an analog alarm clock ticking loudly, and the “necklace,” which had a cross hanging from it. A face stared at me from a black-and-white photo. I shifted closer, peering at a guy with slicked-back hair, thick brows, and dark-lashed eyes. Across the bottom of the picture was a name, signed in blue ink. I frowned at the image. Who the heck was Tyrone Power? Was he someone’s boyfriend? Or part of the décor?

Hangover and rubber legs be damned, I had to get moving and find my phone. But before I could get a big toe out from under the covers, a knock sounded at the door. I sat up in the strange bed, holding my throbbing head as though it were a soft-boiled egg.

“Tess? Are you awake yet?” The voice on the other side of the door had a slight Irish brogue. “Can I come in, then?”

“Yes,” I croaked. Whoever she was, she knew my name. Despite the sunlight, the room was chilly, and I huddled under the cotton blankets as the woman bustled in holding a small tray. I sniffed coffee and toast, and when she set it down on the nightstand, my stomach gurgled audibly.

“Now,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron, “we served breakfast some time ago, and when you didn’t come down, I knew you’d be oversleepin’ again. Your auntie will have my hide and your own if you don’t get down to that kitchen.” She crossed her ample arms and sent me a stern look. “You know we don’t serve anyone in their rooms, guests or otherwise, but Carolina insisted I bring you your coffee. Said you’re no good without it.”

I looked up at a broad-shouldered woman in a green housedress. Over that was an apron in a loud, orange-and-green pattern of forks and spoons. Her thick white hair, twisted into a bun, was bright against her weathered skin. Her small dark eyes gave the impression of two raisins set in a gingerbread face. I’d never seen her before in my life.

“Sorry, Mrs. Flaherty.” How did I know that? It surely must have been her name because she didn’t correct me. I sat up quickly, my mouth hanging open in shock, and the blankets slipped to my waist.

Mrs. Flaherty took a step closer to the bed and narrowed her eyes at me. “Just what are you wearing, missy?” What was I wearing? I glanced down at the cursive “T” stitched on the pocket of my favorite monogrammed PJs. Expensive ones. And why did she care? I opened my mouth to answer, but Mrs. F got there ahead of me. “They’re silk,” she hissed. “And black, for the Lord’s sake.”

“Uh huh,” I said slowly, wondering if she commented on the nightwear of all her guests. Still, I pulled the blankets up to my chin.

“Best not let your auntie see them. Don’t know how in the world you afford such things,” she grumbled. “Eat up quick now, and bring down that tray when you’re through.”

“Okay,” I whispered, staring at the door she closed behind her…

***

Excerpt from Murder on the Steel Pier by Rosie Genova. Copyright 2025 by Rosie Genova. Reproduced with permission from Rosie Genova. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Proud Jersey girl Rosie Genova is a multi-genre author. Her work includes a Jersey shore cozy series, The Italian Kitchen Mysteries, and The Tess Mancini Time Travel Mysteries, set in 1955 Atlantic City. She is also the author of standalone suspense and a couple of rom-coms that presently live in her computer files (but are longing to be released into the wild). A former teacher and journalist, Rosie’s non-fiction has appeared in a variety of publications, including Entrepreneur magazine and The New York Times. The mother of three sons, Rosie still lives in her favorite state with her husband, too many dusty antiques, and a charming mutt named Lucy.

Catch Up With Rosie Genova:

www.RosieGenova.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @RosieGenova
Facebook - @RosieGenova

 

 

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RSVP to Murder - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

 Review

RSVP TO MURDER by Carol Pouliot
The Fourth Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mystery 

A chance to attend a holiday party at a great camp in the Adirondacks? In 1934? Yes, please! Olivia Watson is excited to join Detective Steven Blackwell, even as it will test her ability to remain in the past away from the house she and Steven share. It's a good thing that their host, publisher Gil Racine, has planned plenty festive activities, as a blizzard arrived along with the guests preventing anyone from leaving. A rousing round of carol singing is stopped abruptly as their host keels over...poisoned. With the blizzard preventing local police from arriving, it's up to Steven and Olivia to begin an investigation. The murderer has to be one of the family or staff, but who?

A jolly holiday party turns into a murder investigation for Depression era police detective Steven Blackwell and his modern day partner Olivia Watson. Quaint holiday traditions, including a sleigh ride and singing carols make the murder all the more shocking, especially as the victim was having such a wonderful time. With the blizzard in the remote forest creating a closed circle mystery, the murderer had to be a family member or one of the staff. It was fascinating to see Steven and Olivia work together, making due with impromptu tools in order to investigate. Motives were cleverly revealed to readers, also providing many red herrings.

While Steven and Olivia were in the Adirondacks, the Knightsbridge  police department soldiered on, eventually helping in the investigation. It was curious to see Will, Steven's work partner, decide to investigate Olivia-and thrilling to see what happens when the two of them become cornered by the killer. I enjoy the 1930s ambiance, but it's fun to see some of Olivia's modern day moves! There were also some moving moments, and a surprisingly heart tugging one.

RSVP TO MURDER is a swell mystery combining a Depression era setting and mindset with a modern viewpoint. Christmas, whether in 1934, 2014, or today can be a special time with family and friends with a certain special something in the air. Readers see this in the fourth Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mystery and will also be teased by the ending when Steven and Olivia experience something more.

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

RSVP to Murder

by Carol Pouliot

November 6 - December 1, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A new twist on the 1930s English country house mystery.

Embarking on their most daring time-travel experiment to date, Depression-era cop Steven Blackwell and his 21st-century partner-in-crime Olivia Watson travel to the Adirondack Mountains for a Christmas party at one of the legendary Great Camps. Their host, a wealthy New York publisher, has planned a weekend filled with holiday activities, but, as the last guest arrives, temperatures plummet and a blizzard hits. Before long, the area is buried in snow, the roads are impassable, and the publisher is poisoned.

Unwilling to wait until the local police can arrive, the victim’s widow convinces Steven to launch an unofficial investigation. Soon, a family member goes missing and Steven and Olivia discover a second victim. Trapped with a killer, Steven and Olivia race against the clock before the murderer strikes again.

Praise for RSVP to Murder:

"A classic holiday movie and Agatha Christie novel mashup"
~ Shawn Reilly Simmons, author of the Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series

"RSVP to Murder is Agatha Christie with a time-travel twist. Pouliot supplies us with just what we crave in a great locked-room mystery: a blizzard, closed roads, dead phone lines, roaring fires, and lots of suspects and motives—all set in a luxurious Adirondack Great Camp in 1934. Snap on your seatbelt and travel with Steven and Olivia, you’ll be happy you did!"
~ Tina deBellegarde, Author of The Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery Series.

"A Great Camp in the Adirondacks serves up a sumptuous setting of plump armchairs, roaring fireplaces, and the heady scent of Christmas pines—all begging to be settled into with this thumping good vintage whodunit set in the 1930s. Cleverly plotted with plot-twists aplenty and some time-travel to boot, this immersive mystery is a gem."
~ Laurie Loewenstein, Author of the Dust Bowl Mystery Series

"Readers are invited to the glamour of the Thirties, where the rich are putting on the Ritz, until there’s a murder to solve. Join time-travelers Blackwell and Watson in a race to the Racines’ Adirondack Great Camp to catch a killer. A clever...and a thoroughly unique must for fans of the paranormal and historical. RSVP today!"
~ Gabriel Valjan, Author of the Shane Cleary Mysteries series

"The Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries’ latest installment, RSVP to Murder, combines the thrilling and “timeless” aspects of Jack Finney’s classic TIME AND AGAIN mixed with the wit and charm of a modern, puzzling mystery. Highly recommended for all lovers of time travel, history, romance and wily sleuths."
~ L.A. Chandlar, Best-selling author of the Art Deco Mystery Series

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: September 2023
Number of Pages: 305
ISBN: 9781685123857
Series: The Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries, #4
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

December 31, 1902
New York City, New York

She was marrying the wrong man.

With a silk-gloved hand, Margery Belleville lifted the bottom of her wedding gown and peeked around the heavy, carved doors into the nave of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Several hundred guests—ladies in expensive finery, wool coats trimmed with ermine and fancy hats with brims reaching out over their shoulders, and tuxedoed men in black silk top hats—awaited the wedding of the decade. St. Patrick’s reminded Margery of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris with its Gothic-style pointed arches and rich stained-glass windows set in lacey webs. The soaring, vaulted ceiling, lit by crystal chandeliers suspended on long rope-like cables, rose hundreds of feet in the air. Light from the chandeliers reached into the far corners of the church and mingled with the glow of candles twinkling in wrought-iron stands. Inhaling the scent of balsam fir from the many holiday decorations, Margery gazed down the long center aisle, where she would soon walk with her father.

Margery stepped back into the vestibule, her pure-white gown rustling softly as she moved. She was, at least, happy her parents had allowed her the choice of her wedding dress, if not the groom. Margery and her mother had searched in several shops, nearly deciding to have the dress custom made when they came upon this elegant, sleek gown. The moment Margery laid eyes on it, she knew it was the one. The high neckline draped in soft folds beneath her chin, flattering her face. The form-fitting bodice hugged her curves, yet avoided the dreaded hourglass silhouette, with its yards of smooth satin skirt billowing around her. Margery’s unadorned veil revealed topaz eyes and soft lips, but covered her rich auburn hair and cascaded down her back. This was the gown of a modern, independent woman. If only her life matched the dress.

His conversation with the bishop finished, Anthony Belleville joined his daughter. “Are you ready, my dear?”

The organ began Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March,” and a rumble echoed throughout the nave as the guests stood and turned toward the back of the cathedral. Trembling, Margery took her father’s arm.

He must have felt her shaking because her father leaned over and, to Margery’s astonishment, whispered, “I know he’s not your first choice. But you will be well cared for and you know Gil adores you. I don’t know which man has captured your heart, but you won’t lack for anything with Gilbert Racine. The publishing empire he’s going to inherit will provide a comfortable, even pampered, life. He’s the best choice to keep you in the style your mother and I have provided. I can’t bear the thought that you would ever lack for anything, my dearest daughter.”

Margery was further shocked when her father wiped a tear from his eye.

It was at that moment when Margery Belleville, soon to be Margery Racine, accepted her fate. She would be a good wife for her successful businessman husband. She would provide him with children and a well-run home. She’d bury her feelings deep inside, lock them away in a cupboard, and throw away the key. She could not marry the man she loved. But she might grow to love the man she married.

Margery forced a smile and reached up to give her father a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be alright, Papa. Gil will be a good husband.” She patted his hand. Straightening her spine, Margery gave a sharp nod of her head. “I’m ready.”

***

Excerpt from RSVP to Murder by Carol Pouliot. Copyright 2023 by Carol Pouliot. Reproduced with permission from Carol Pouliot. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

A former language teacher and business owner, Carol Pouliot writes the acclaimed Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries, traditional police procedurals with a seemingly impossible relationship between Depression-era cop Steven Blackwell and 21st-century journalist Olivia Watson. With their fast pace and unexpected twists and turns, the books have earned praise from readers and mystery authors alike.

Carol is a founding member of Sleuths and Sidekicks, Co-chair of the Murderous March Mystery Conference, and President of her Sisters in Crime chapter. When not writing, Carol can be found packing her suitcase and reaching for her passport for her next travel adventure.

Learn more and sign up for Carol’s newsletter on her website:
www.carolpouliot.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @cpouliot13
Instagram - @carolpouliotmysterywriter
Facebook - @WriterCarolPouliot
Sleuths and Sidekicks

 

 

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading RSVP to Murder by Carol Pouliot. This book is the fourth in the Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mystery series.

A chance to attend a holiday party at a great camp in the Adirondacks? In 1934? Yes, please! Olivia Watson is excited to join Detective Steven Blackwell, even as it will test her ability to remain in the past away from the house she and Steven share. It's a good thing that their host, publisher Gil Racine, has planned plenty festive activities, as a blizzard arrived along with the guests preventing anyone from leaving. A rousing round of carol singing is stopped abruptly as their host keels over...poisoned. With the blizzard preventing local police from arriving, it's up to Steven and Olivia to begin an investigation. The murderer has to be one of the family or staff, but who?

Danger at Dunhaven Castle - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Nellie H. Steele to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Nellie writes the Cate Kensie Mystery series. Danger at Dunhaven Castle is the fourth book in the series and was released this past week.

Kathy: In Danger at Dunhaven Castle Cate Kensie begins to slip in and out of different time periods. If you had the chance, would you travel through time? If you could pick when and where you'd visit, where and when would you choose?

NHS: I think I would, as long as I could return to this time. I’m pretty sure I’d quickly tire of the lack of creature comforts we have become accustomed to in this century! I’ve got a laundry list of times and places I’d love to visit, so in no particular order: colonial America, Victorian England, 1920s, 1940s. I’m sure there are a lot of others, but those are my top picks.

Kathy: I've always wanted to live in a castle. In fact, when I was a kid I would check out this magazine from the library which had castle and manor homes for sale. If you had the chance, and the financial ability, would you live in a castle?

NHS: Absolutely. I can’t imagine how entertaining it would be to live in a castle. I’m certain I’d spend at least a decade exploring my own home like it was a museum! I’ve always been fascinated by castles and large manor homes!

Kathy: Cate is also busy researching the castle's history. Do you enjoy doing research? Is history a favorite subject for you?

NHS: I’ve always liked history. I considered a minor in it during college, but I had a dual major (in completely unrelated topics) so I couldn’t fit it in. But I picked up history classes when and where I could and I’m intrigued by what life was like in past eras and how different things are between now and then!

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

NHS: I love mysteries. I grew up reading Nancy Drew and graduated to Victoria Holt. I’m not too squeamish so I can read some of the more gritty mystery novels, but I truly love the easiness of cozy mysteries. They are light and fun with just enough intrigue to keep you interested. It’s a really nice blend of pleasant story with mysteries that won’t turn your stomach or make you lose sleep (unless, of course, you can’t stop reading!).

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

NHS: I do! I’m a literary split personality and love to write different types of mysteries. In addition to cozy mysteries, I also write supernatural suspense mysteries (magical realism, think Dark Shadows), adventure mysteries (like Indiana Jones), and historical mysteries!

Kathy: Tell us about your series. 

NHS: The Cate Kensie Mysteries series is my cozy mystery series following Cate Kensie as she discovers she is the heiress to a fortune and a Scottish castle. The series starts with Cate’s journey to Scotland and surprising discovery about what makes her castle unique. Cate will then use her new found time traveling ability to solve mysteries in the past.

Book 4 of the Cate Kensie series involves a few characters from my Shadow Slayers supernatural suspense series. This series follows a set of supernatural creatures and their human friends who work to prevent evil from seeping too far into the real world.

The Maggie Edwards Adventures series is a high-octane, globe-trotting thrill ride following Maggie Edwards as she solves archeological mysteries.

And last, but not least, my historical mystery series, Duchess of Blackmoore Mysteries, follows Lenora Fletcher as she solves mysteries using her unique ability: she can communicate with the dead.
 

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

NHS: Yikes, that’s hard! I enjoy most of my characters and picking a favorite is like picking your favorite child! Some I love to write, like Marcus Northcott, because he gets to say things no one else can. And Cate Kensie will always hold a special place in my heart since she was my first published character and is named after my grandmother.

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

NHS: Nothing beyond I wanted it to have a really cool castle in a beautiful setting and I didn’t want it to be your average “ghost” story.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

NHS: I wrote The Secret of Dunhaven Castle for my mom’s birthday. After she completed a scavenger hunt and solved a puzzle, she got the book to read. It was up to her if I moved forward to publish it. (She said yes!).

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

NHS: Since I’m an introvert, hosting a dinner party probably isn’t up my alley! But on the off-chance I decided to, I think I’d invite some of the fantastic authors I’ve encountered on my publishing journey (and there’d be a lot more than four!). I’ve met some wonderful people and made great friends on my journey and I’d love to celebrate the work we do together!

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

NHS: I’ve got a few reads on my Kindle right now. I’m reading Murder in the Christmas Tree Lot, Jack of Spades, and Laird of Drumlychtoun.

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

NHS: I’m really passionate about animals. I’ve got a rescue home for abandoned and abused animals. Right now, I’ve got 14 pets in the house. They take a good amount of care since some of them have several issues, but I enjoy doing it and seeing the difference in them from the time we begin working with them until they really settle in.

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

NHS: Eggs, bread, cheese, chocolate.

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

NHS: Yep! Cate 5 will soon be underway! Book 4 in the Shadow Slayers series is working its way through the editing channels. And I’ve got a first draft of a new series starter written. Duchess of Blackmoore 2 is also about 1/3 of the way complete. Look for all these (and more!) coming in 2022!

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

NHS: There’s so many great things but my favorite is creating characters and worlds to slip into. I absolutely love to escape into my stories and I really hope readers do, too! 

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

 Danger at Dunhaven Castle: A Cate Kensie Mystery by Nellie H. Steele

About Danger at Dunhaven Castle

Danger at Dunhaven Castle: A Cate Kensie Mystery
Cozy Mystery 4th in Series
Publisher: A Novel Idea Publishing, LLC
Number of Pages: ~400

Frightening nightmares. Aberrations in time. Who is haunting Cate’s nightmares?

Months after solving two mysteries involving her ancestors, time-traveling, castle-dwelling Countess, Lady Catherine Kensie, still suffers from haunting nightmares. Chased by a mysterious man, Cate ponders who could be haunting her dreams and disturbing her sleep. She’s also smack dab in the middle of a brand-new research project, having found journals belonging to the Scottish castle’s original owner.

As Cate digs into the castle’s history, not only do her nightmares become more frequent and more frightening, but Cate also begins to experience strange phenomena with the time portals enclosed in the castle walls. Controlled by the mysterious heirloom timepiece she received as part of her inheritance, Cate is shocked when she begins to slip in and out of other time periods despite not activating the mechanism that controls them!

Can Cate learn the secret to control the time portals and discover who haunts her dreams before she finds herself lost in time?

 

About Nellie H. Steele

 

An Indies Today finalist for Best Book of the Year 2020 with Cleopatra’s Tomb, Nellie H. Steele made the leap from science to art with her first book, The Secret of Dunhaven Castle.

An animal enthusiast, Nellie often features a version of one of her fourteen rescue animals in her stories, though the fictional pets are usually better behaved than her own fur-babies! A literary split personality, Nellie’s work ranges from cozy mystery to supernatural suspense to riveting adventure.

She lives in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. When she isn’t writing or engaging in animal care, she enjoys teaching Statistics and Data Science at a local university.

Check out all Nellie offers at www.anovelideapublishing.com/novels or at her blog, Nellie’s Book Nook, available at www.nelliesbooknook.com!  

Author Links: 

Publisher Website: www.anovelideapublishing.com  

Blog: www.nelliesbooknook.com  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nelliehsteele  

Instagram: www.instagram.com/nelliehsteele 

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/nelliehsteele1  

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nelliehsteeleauthor  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19769743.Nellie_H_Steele  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nellie-h-steele  

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nellie-H.-Steele/e/B07Z9PD3YN  

Purchase Link: Amazon

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Death Rang the Bell - A Review

 Review

 

DEATH RANG THE BELL by Carol Pouliot
The Third Blackwell & Watson Mystery

Olivia Watson is excited to spend her first Halloween in 1934. It's fun for the 21st century woman to see the differences as well as the similarities in the way people celebrate the holiday. Her friend, 20th century Detective Steven Blackwell, though happy to attend a Halloween party with her in his time, is waiting for the other shoe to drop. For him, something bad always happens on Halloween. Sure enough, while they are in his house, the duo hear a gunshot. The man across the street has been shot dead in his doorway and Olivia saw the whole thing from the upstairs window. The hunt is now on for the slender man Olivia saw. The question is, did he see her? The biggest fear for both Steven and Olivia, however, is that with Olivia as a material witness, will their time traveling secret be exposed?

This third Blackwell & Watson Mystery finds Olivia spending more time in 1934. No longer a quiet bystander she's making friends and even writing news articles. Lines are becoming blurred and I'm curious as to the ramifications of her actions.

I like that Olivia doesn't actively investigate the murder. She's a sounding board for Steven and even accompanies him and assists with some interviews, but the pursuit of a killer is left to law enforcement. The mystery is deftly crafted with plenty of misdirection and multiple timelines laid out the story, giving both background and motive.

DEATH RANG THE BELL is a Halloween treat with a devil for a villain as a victim, disguises, and a spark of romance.

Currently Reading...

I just started reading Death Rang the Bell by Carol Pouliot. This book is the third in the Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mystery series and was released yesterday. 

Olivia Watson is excited to spend her first Halloween in 1934. It's fun for the 21st century woman to see the differences as well as the similarities in the way people celebrate the holiday. Her friend, 20th century Detective Steven Blackwell, though happy to attend a Halloween party with her in his time, is waiting for the other shoe to drop. For him, something bad always happens on Halloween. Sure enough, while they are in his house, the duo hear a gunshot. The man across the street has been shot dead in his doorway and Olivia saw the whole thing from the upstairs window. The hunt is now on for the slender man Olivia saw. The question is, did he see her? The biggest fear for both Steven and Olivia, however, is that with Olivia as a material witness, will their time traveling secret be exposed?

The Alchemy Thief - A Review

 Review

THE ALCHEMY THIEF by R. A. Denny
The First Pirates & Puritans Book

In 2019 Peri Fuller is enjoying life, excited to be a freshman at Harvard being wooed by a wealthy older student. She’s also intrigued by the discovery of an interesting relic she found while swimming in the Atlantic; a piece that seems to have the same symbols as a book she saw on a recent trip to Morocco. Life is not so pleasant for Ayoub. Ayoub, a 10-year-old terrorist, has succeeded in stealing a rare book from a Moroccan museum, but at the cost of his mother. An ocean apart, freak storms and a strange ball of light transport both into the past. Ayoub grows up a feared Barbary corsair while Peri joins a group of Puritans in Martha’s Vineyard in the mid-1600s. As Ayoub strives to rid the world of infidels, Peri looks for a way home. Stuck in the 17th century Peri slowly realizes she may hold the clue to stop a terrorist threat in 2019.

Past and present are intimately entwined in THE ALCHEMY THIEF and I love how the connections are slowly revealed. Both Ayoub and Peri are flawed protagonists. Peri has the naivety and self-absorption of youth while Ayoub is basically a soulless villain. Both grow and persevere for very different reasons. Daniel is my favorite character of the book, a well-rounded, smart, and dashing lead player while Liam is the obnoxious spoiled rich boy.

I’m somewhat ambivalent about the religious overtones of the book, particularly the conversion of the Wampanoag. While I appreciate the dedication and faithfulness of the Puritans, at times the book seemed to be a bit preachy, especially with the counterpoint of Muslim extremists. I truly appreciate the historical detail that kept me engrossed in the story.

The biggest issue I had with the book was the ending. There wasn’t one. After a very long and involved story readers come to a stopping point, with several plot points revealed, but there was no resolution. There will be a second and even third book in the series, so I hope that readers will eventually find out what happens.

THE ALCHEMY THIEF is a fascinating genre bending novel incorporating historical detail with modern terroristic thrills.