Deadly Village - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

DEADLY VILLAGE by Kate Parker
The Thirteenth Deadly Mystery

With their apartment in London bombed out and Adam training soldiers afar Olivia Redmond and newborn Stevie are forced to live with her father. Unfortunately, Livvy's father likes calm and quiet and since babies are definitely not calm and quiet he soon tells them to leave! At least he arranged for them to go to Chipping Ford to stay with her good friend Esther. Life in the Cotswold village is not so peaceful when the village busybody is murdered. Though she'd rather spend time with little Stevie, with her new camera and work as a reporter as well as British Intelligence it's up to Olivia to help the local bobby, even when an inspector from Oxford arrives. Will she uncover the truth or will the secrets of Chipping Ford stay hidden?

It's hard enough to be a first time mother, let alone having to do so when your husband is away righting in a war, you don't have a home of your own, and your father's a jerk. Add murder to the mix and you see what Livvy is dealing with in the thirteenth Deadly Mystery. I love how Olivia is able to deal with the challenges of motherhood and small town village politics while helping to solve a murder. I also really like her chutzpah, putting people in their place and caring for herself and her family first!

The mystery itself was compelling. An unpleasant village woman who was blackmailing multiple people winds up murdered. Just who was she blackmailing? I enjoyed the manner in which Olivia and Constable Bell worked together to investigate, digging up clues from not so willing villagers. 

What was just as interesting as the mystery was the daily life for people in England during World War II. The details found here, the meals, the lack of petrol, working together on daily tasks and worrying about and/or grieving loved ones, adds yet another dimension to the story.

Layering together a riveting mystery with life during World War II DEADLY VILLAGE is a wonderful addition to this captivating series.

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 Deadly Village: A World War II Mystery (The Deadly Series) by Kate Parker

About Deadly Village

Deadly Village: A World War II Mystery (The Deadly Series)
Historical Cozy Mystery 13th in Series
Setting - Cotswold village of Chipping Ford
Publisher: ‎ JDP Press
Publication Date: ‎ August 19, 2025
Number of Pages ~300

In a village steeped in secrets, one woman's past is the key to solving a murder.

Olivia Redmond thought she'd left danger behind in blitzed-out London. But the quiet Cotswold village of Chipping Ford offers little refuge--especially when a local gossip turns up dead. With a baby to care for and the villagers turning frosty, Olivia's only ally is a young bobby overwhelmed by his first murder case.

As a former newspaper reporter and covert asset for Britain's intelligence chief, Olivia knows how to uncover the truth. The deeper she digs, the uglier it gets: blackmail, betrayal, and decades of whispered sins. And as the village closes ranks, Olivia must choose--keep the peace or expose the secrets that could shatter everything.

Perfect for readers of historical mysteries with sharp heroines and tangled moral landscapes, Deadly Village is the exciting thirteenth book in the World War II mystery Deadly Series. If you like research based history and clean reads, then you'll love USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Parker's page-turning mystery.

About Kate Parker

Kate Parker has long wanted to build a time travel machine. However, after several false starts, she gave up and created time travel by going back in time inside her books. Since she’s fond of murder mysteries, it is probably best that all of her travel is inside books or police from various ages would be hunting her. When not recreating old time buildings and fashions, she can be found with a modern computer and modern air conditioning in North Carolina with her daughter and a 115 lb. puppy who could just crash through any time barrier.

Author Links:  

Website – http://www.kateparkerbooks.com  

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/Author.Kate.Parker  

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Apple – Kobo

Currently Reading...

I recently finished reading Deadly Village by Kate Parker. This book is the thirteenth book in the Deadly series and was released last month.

With their apartment in London bombed out and Adam training soldiers afar Olivia Redmond and newborn Stevie are forced to live with her father. Unfortunately, Livvy's father likes calm and quiet and since babies are definitely not calm and quiet he soon tells them to leave! At least he arranged for them to go to Chipping Ford to stay with her good friend Esther. Life in the Cotswold village is not so peaceful when the village busybody is murdered. Though she'd rather spend time with little Stevie, with her new camera and work as a reporter as well as British Intelligence it's up to Olivia to help the local bobby, even when an inspector from Oxford arrives. Will she uncover the truth or will the secrets of Chipping Ford stay hidden?

Deadly Performance - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

DEADLY PERFORMANCE by Kate Parker
The Twelfth Deadly Mystery

 

June 1941 finds Olivia Redmond hot, short tempered, and generally out of sorts. After her apartment is bombed by the Nazis she's forced  to move in with her father. Her husband, Adam, has resumed his duties in the army and his visits are few and far between. In an attempt to perk Livvy up Sir Henry loans her services to The Stage, an entertainment newspaper run by his old friend Si. When Livvy learns of trouble on the set of Have You Seen My Mother-in-Law her interest is definitely piqued. When the dastardly director drops dead in front of her Olivia thinks her story may be more suited to the Daily Premier rather than the The Stage!

DEADLY PERFORMANCE gives a behind the scenes look at theatre during WWII. I found it interesting what performances were chosen to be staged during this time-comedies and revues, as well as the fact that tours were common, so people all over the country were able to attend performances. As with every Deadly mystery the characterization is everything. No part is too small as all characters are well rounded people with needs, desires, and great back stories...even if we don't know what those stories are! Livvy's relationship with her father has appeared to regressed and we don't get to see much of Adam, but Livvy's other friendships stand her well as she deals with a group of new, well fleshed out characters. The mystery was absorbing and various happenings made me wonder if events were connected.

Secrets, historic detail, and a finely tuned mystery make DEADLY PERFORMANCE a delightfully captivating story in one of my favorite series!

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Deadly Performance: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series) by Kate Parker

About Deadly Performance

Deadly Performance: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series)
Historical Cozy Mystery 12th in Series
Setting -West End of London, Summer, 1941
Publisher: ‎ JDP Press (December 9, 2024)
Paperback: ‎ 301 pages

Behind the spotlights and glamour lurk secrets and murder.

Amid the grim realities of wartime Britain, inside during the blackout hidden from the tatters left by the Blitz, glitz and glamour live onstage in the West End. But at one theater, The Regent, a malevolent force is causing escalating problems. Sabotage, damage and injury feed mistrust among the cast and crew.

Then during opening night, the hated director drops dead from poison, and Olivia Redmond's colorful, kindly editor is arrested for murder. Determined to investigate, Olivia finds secrets piling up among the bodies. But which secret leads to a crafty killer who won't hesitate to remove anyone in their way, including Olivia.

About Kate Parker 

 

Kate Parker has long wanted to build a time travel machine. However, after several false starts, she gave up and created time travel by going back in time inside her books. Since she's fond of murder mysteries, it is probably best that all of her travel is inside books or police from various ages would be hunting her. When not recreating old time buildings and fashions, she can be found with a modern computer and modern air conditioning in North Carolina with her daughter and a 115 lb. puppy who could just crash through any time barrier.

Author Links: 

Website - http://www.kateparkerbooks.com  

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Author.Kate.Parker  

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Apple - Kobo 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving Candidate - An Interview

Today I'm happy to welcome Elaine Faber back to Cozy Up With Kathy today. It's Election Day in the United States thus a perfect time to talk about Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving Candidate, the fifth book in the Mrs. Odboddy Mystery series.

Kathy: Today is election day in the United States of America, a fitting day to talk about your latest release. The Mrs. Odboddy series takes place during WWII. What are the major similarities and differences regarding voting then and now?

EF: On November 7, 1944, a Presidential election was held during the final stages of WWII, the setting of my latest mystery novel, Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving Candidate. 48,025,684 voters turned out to return Mr. Roosevelt to his unprecedented fourth term, making him the longest-serving President in U.S. history. By contrast, in 2020, 158,481,688 voters went to the polls. (This year, 2024, there are 186 million registered voters.)

Kathy: Was there specific inspiration for this story? 

EF: In the previous mystery novel, Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings, Agnes ran afoul of the prejudiced city council as she searched for a permanent home for Shere Khan, the displaced carnival tiger she adopted. It seemed natural that when a seat opened up on the Newbury City Council, she should run for office. Of course, campaigning for any office has many snags, and it’s not surprising when Agnes begins to experience her unworthy opponent’s skullduggery! And boy, do things heat up as the campaign draws nearer to Election Day.

Kathy: After Mrs. Odboddy makes the decision to run for office, all manner of troubles befall her. She's certain her political opponent is behind it all. The question is posed, "is winning an election worth it when her family is at risk?" 

EF: Agnes faces soul searching questions about continuing the campaign when political shenanigans put her family at risk. Should she become a quitter when things get tough or keep fighting for a righteous cause?

To complicate matters, the State has received an anonymous letter declaring Agnes and Katherine are unfit foster parents, and continued care of their foster child is threatened.

In the midst of domestic and political challenges facing the family, Katherine’s ex-boyfriend, who left her at the altar the year before, returns in an attempt to restore their relationship. Katherine feels unable to send him packing when he manages to ‘save the day’ on multiple occasions. 

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Blurb:

As the war continues to rage in Europe, Election Day approaches in Newbury. Among other inequities, the Newbury City Council makes it difficult for local women to obtain business licenses even for home-bases businesses. Mrs. Odboddy decides to run for the vacant city council seat, but she has no idea what political obstacles she will face. The trouble starts, first with disasters in her home, to violence and racism against her friends, and then theft charges are filed against her!

To make matters worse, her granddaughter’s old boyfriend has returned to town declaring his unwanted, undying love. His heroic responses to multiple adverse events affecting the family make it difficult for Katherine to send him packing.

 

Agnes suspects her political opponent is behind all the trouble, including the state’s attempts to remove their beloved ward, Mattie. It seems that Agnes is up against a conniving opponent who will stop at nothing to prevent her winning the election. How can she prevail against such sinister deeds? Is winning an election worth it when her family is at risk?

Join Agnes as she faces overwhelming odds in her efforts to bring much needed change to Newbury. 

 

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Other Mrs. Odboddy adventures.  Amazon. (e-books $3.99 and paperback $16.00)

Mrs. Odboddy - Hometown Patriot is a riotous romp through a small California town in the days following Pearl Harbor. Agnes joins other American housewives as they fed their families with rationed food, collected papers and cans, knitted sox for the troops; all the while exposing local conspiracies and spies. http://tinyurl.com/hdbvzsv

Mrs. Odboddy Undercover Courier. Planning to join Mrs. Roosevelt on her Pacific Island Tour, Mrs. Odboddy and Katherine carry a package to President Roosevelt. Sure the package contains ‘secret war documents,’ Mrs. O is fully prepared to fend off Nazi agents on her train trip across the USA. http://tinyurl.com/jn5bzwh

Mrs. Odboddy – And Then There Was a Tiger   Asked to bank the War Bond money, Agnes loses it instead! In her attempt to restore her reputation, she learns more than she thought possible about counterfeit money, Good Will stores, and tigers!  https://tinyurl.com/yx72fcpx

Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings   Locating a home for a tiger and exposing a thief becomes paramount, but as her own mental health is questioned, Agnes’s challenges mount. https://tinyurl.com/5xah4cnt

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Author links: 

www.mindcandymysteries.com  (Elaine’s website)

Elaine.Faber@mindcandymysteries.com (email)

Author Bio:

Elaine is a member of Sisters in Crime (SIC), Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA), and Elk Grove Writers Guild (EGWG). She has published eleven cozy mystery novels, an anthology of short cat stories, and multiple short stories published in twenty-one independent anthologies. Novels include a WWII humorous historical fiction series, cozy cat mysteries, and a paranormal mystery adventure series.

Elaine has won numerous awards for her novels and short stories.

Elaine volunteers at the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop in Elk Grove, CA. She lives with her husband, and feline companion, Truffie, who contributes inspiration for many of her cat-related stories and novels.

Under the Paper Moon - A Review

Review

UNDER THE PAPER MOON by Shaina Steinberg
The First Bishop and Gallagher Mystery 

Evelyn Bishop is no stranger to danger and death having served in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Working as a private detective in 1948 Los Angeles Evelyn is following an old family friend, a munitions dealer during the War, who's suspected of adultery. She's stunned when she runs across Nick Gallagher, the man who led her close knit band during the War. The man she loved. The man who betrayed her. When George is killed, it seems that more is going on than just a cheating spouse. With signs pointing back to the War Evelyn refuses to let the matter rest. Teaming up with Nick one more time the pair will hunt for answers, and hope they survive the outcome.

World War II was a time when women stepped out of the home and came into their own, taking on jobs previously only held by men and finding their place in the world. Evelyn Bishop is such a woman. Unwilling to be a socialite planting a Victory Garden she instead joins the OSS. Not content, or competent, to be a secretary in London, instead she joins an elite team going on missions behind enemy lines risking life and limb...and heart. After the war, like so many soldiers, she has difficulty reassimilating to civilian life.

What lengths would you go to for someone you loved? Would you do the same for your country? How far would you go to forget? I appreciate the gritty realism found in UNDER THE PAPER MOON, from the war torn countryside of France to the hardboiled streets of LA. Loyalty, secrets, and betrayal are the key themes of the first Bishop and Gallagher Mystery. Twists, turns, and shocking surprises kept me enthralled while dark humor, finely drawn characters, and as exquisite backdrop kept me entertained.

Pulse pounding action, heart wrenching drama, and an intricately plotted mystery make UNDER THE PAPER MOON an outstanding novel. Learning it's the first of a series is icing on a wacky cake. I look forward to seeing how the characters develop and what challenges they'll face next!

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Under the Paper Moon by Shaina Steinberg. This book is the first in the Bishop and Gallagher Mystery series.

Evelyn Bishop is no stranger to danger and death having served in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Working as a private detective in 1948 Los Angeles Evelyn is following an old family friend, a munitions dealer during the War, who's suspected of adultery. She's stunned when she runs across Nick Gallagher, the man who led her close knit band during the War. The man she loved. The man who betrayed her. When George is killed, it seems that more is going on than just a cheating spouse. With signs pointing back to the War Evelyn refuses to let the matter rest. Teaming up with Nick one more time the pair will hunt for answers, and hope they survive the outcome.

Deadly Gamble - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

DEADLY GAMBLE by Kate Parker
The Eleventh Deadly Mystery 

In 1941 Portugal is a neutral country and Lisbon a glittering city filled with both English and German businessmen and spies of various nationalities. One double agent is willing to give important information to England, but demands that his contact be a married woman. And so Olivia Redmond heads to Lisbon, in service to the spymaster once more. While it's nice to be free of nightly bombings, Livvy faces several other problems. Before she can meet with her contact he falls to his death. A search of his apartment doesn't lead to the documents, but rather the discovery of his young daughter. Livvy has to deal with annoying spies, dangerous Germans, and her own feelings as she cares for the little girl. Will Livvy be able to finish her mission, find the girl's relatives, and go home, or will Portuguese authorities put her in jail for murder?

With only a brief appearance by Sir Malcolm, the other principal characters in the series are absent from the eleventh Deadly Mystery. While I missed her interactions with Adam, as well as seeing her other friends, their absence truly gave Olivia a chance to shine on her own. And shine she did. I enjoyed how Livvy put her male counterparts in their place...and had plenty to say to certain Germans as well. DEADLY GAMBLE shows just how strong, and fierce, Livvy can be while it also shows her thought process regarding what she really wants from life.  

One of the things I like best about this series is learning new things. I never realized that Portugal was neutral during World War Two. I also love the characters, the danger, excitement, and humor found here. The plot and the historic details brought the story to life and had me completely captivated. 

DEADLY GAMBLE is a riveting story of spies and intrigue in a city trying to hold on to its luster.

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 Deadly Gamble: A World War II Mystery by Kate Parker

About Deadly Gamble

Deadly Gamble: A World War II Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery 11th in Series
Setting - Lisbon, Portugal in 1941
Publisher: ‎ JDP Press (April 16, 2024)
Print length: ‎ 255 pages

In 1940s Portugal, everyone is willing to trade secrets if the price is right.

Britain stands alone against the forces of Nazi Germany. Livvy Redmond is a young newspaperwoman determined to serve Britain’s spymaster in the face of danger. When she arrives in neutral Lisbon, she discovers a city full of spies, refugees, and the secret police.

At an elegant party to meet a double agent, Livvy witnesses him fall to his death from a balcony and must now determine what secrets he wanted to pass her. Further complicating matters, she must guard the man’s young daughter from sinister people trying to kidnap the girl.

Gambling on the assistance of British embassy staff, Livvy commits to uncovering the truth while keeping the orphan safe. With spies and traitors lurking around every corner, Livvy must race against time to learn the secret someone has already killed to keep hidden – and is willing to murder again to protect.

Deadly Gamble is the exciting eleventh book in the World War II mystery Deadly Series. If you like intrepid heroines, research-based history and clean reads, then you’ll love USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Parker’s page-turning mystery.

About Kate Parker

Kate Parker grew up inside the Beltway, when DC was a sleepy southern city and you could walk along the sidewalk directly in front of the White House. Now you can’t get within a block of the White House, and it takes Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon to house even part of what the Old State, War and Navy building held. All this fed Kate’s love of history. With retirement, Kate moved to North Carolina and took up writing historical mysteries. Now with a career spanning over a decade, Kate is a USA Today bestselling author and the Deadly Series is her longest-running series. She lives with her daughter and a 110-pound puppy.

Author Links: 

Website http://www.KateParkerbooks.com 

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/author.kate.parker/  

Purchase Links Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Apple 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Deadly Manor - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

DEADLY MANOR by Kate Parker
The Tenth Deadly Mystery

 

Looking for a respite from the bombing in London and a place to help her husband recover from a war injury Olivia Redmond and Adam, head to the country to stay with friends. Unfortunately, the manor is overrun when the obnoxious Viscount Norrington invites himself and a shooting party to stay as well. When two of the guests don't appear for breakfast, Livvy and Adam decide to check the old wing-and find the two men dead-murdered. Determined to help her hosts, Livvy tries to uncover the killer. But with no clear motive and a house chock full of suspects, all with secrets, the task seems insurmountable. 

 

I love a good country house mystery and DEADLY MANOR executes it brilliantly. Giving a look at the aristocracy, it includes a crass Viscount I'd love to punch, or at least dress down, who I was certain would be the murder victim. Without being maudlin or overly sentimental it also deals with disabilities, accommodations, and learning new ways to live. I truly appreciate the little historical details, such as refugees from London living with the vicar, blackout curtains, and the inability of women to gain access to certain places. Those facts add verisimilitude and depth and increase my enjoyment of the story.

Almost everyone has a secret in the tenth book in the Deadly series and disparate motives make for a complex and compelling mystery. The reappearance of an old foe added another layer to the already multilayered plot and tension increased as the story progressed. There were plenty of thrills to rev up my heart rate and I applaud Livvy for her determination and smarts.

 

DEADLY MANOR is a brilliant mystery bringing together the theme of country house parties infused with class issues all within the backdrop of World War II. This series remains one of my most favorites and I can't wait to see what happens next!

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 Deadly Manor: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series) by Kate Parker

About Deadly Manor

Deadly Manor: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series)
Historical Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
JDP Press (August 15, 2023)
Print length: ‎ 265 pages

Surrounded by war, stalked by murder, can she stay alive? October 1940. Livvy Redmond is thrilled to receive an invitation to a country house party away from the Blitz. There she hopes to help her husband overcome his injuries from fighting in France. But excitement turns to horror when she stumbles across two members of the house party – murdered. Indebted to her hostess, Livvy attempts to catch the killer. No one is who they seem, and the party goers leave her with more questions than answers. Somewhere close, the killer waits in the shadows to stop her. Deadly Manor is the exciting tenth book in the World War II mystery Deadly Series. If you like intrepid heroines, research-based history and clean reads, then you’ll love USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Parker’s page-turning mystery. Uncover a murderer in Blitz-era England with Deadly Manor.

About Kate Parker

With her love of travel, Kate Parker sets her novels overseas. Once home from her research trips and armed with hot tea and chocolate, she can be found clicking away on her keyboard, hiking the hills of central North Carolina, and spoiling her 90 pound muse puppy. She’d tell you what she did before she retired, but then she’d have to use certain skills to eliminate you. She pens stories to entertain readers who enjoy action and murder in tales about plucky heroines, quirky characters, and difficult situations in a bygone era. Her stories are sweet, as in no graphic sex, violence, or language. Her heroines remain ladylike while chasing murderers and escaping danger. Well, as ladylike as scratching, punching, and kicking can be.

Author Links – Website – Facebook – BookBub – GoodReads –

Purchase Links – Amazon – Kobo – B&N

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Hotshot Shamus - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to allow Percy Cole to take over Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Percy on the pages of the Persephone Cole Vintage Mystery series. Hotshot Shamus is the fourth book in the series.

A Hotshot Shamus 

My name is Percy Cole. I’m a private investigator licensed in the five boroughs of New York City. You can also call me a gumshoe, private eye, sleuth, beagle, dick, flatfoot, shamus, whatever you want. It’s all fine by me. And don’t be confused by my moniker. I’m a woman, not a man. Some people think of it as a disadvantage. That’s their loss. If you hire me and pay me the going rate (fifteen bucks a day plus expenses), I will do what any male PI can do, only better.

Sometimes people are shocked when they find out they’re dealing with a lady detective. But as Mae West says, “Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often.” Sure, once in a while from the back, I’ve been mistaken for a man. I’m nearly six feet tall and if my red hair is tucked up under my fedora and I’m wearing one of the men’s suits Mother altered for me, it can happen. People see what they expect to see. You’d think they’d know better. Women in the workforce are here to stay. Especially me.

These are modern times, 1943, and there’s a war raging overseas. Now’s the time for women to step up, take our place in society, and do the jobs only men did before. As for me and my job, I take boxing lessons in case I have to rough some felon up before I haul him off to jail. It’s happened before and it’ll happen again. I also learned how to fire the German Mauser my uncle left me in his will. But frankly, I mostly use the old noodle to get the job done. In my line of work, you gotta think on your feet.

I remember one of my first cases. This rich guy hired me to locate his run-away daughter before the cops did. You could say she was a bit on the wild side, her being seen schtupping a man in her father’s 5th Avenue jewelry store window after hours. Then the man was found dead, she took off running, and all eyes were on her. Of course, I found her before the cops but when I did she thought I was a man and started screaming and kicking. I grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, told her what’s what, and hid her out until I got to the bottom of who really killed her lover. I still got the shin splints from dealing with her. But it’s all part of the job. Turned out she was a sweet kid. I was tough on her, but she needed it.

Speaking of sweet kids, I should mention Oliver, my eight-year-old son. He is the child who gives my life meaning. I’m a single, working mom, and I’m grateful every day for my family that loves and stands by my kid. Think it’s odd this tough cookie should talk about her family? Let’s face it, it’s a rare woman who doesn’t deal with family matters, no matter how tough we are.

About men: when it comes to the male gender, I have my moments, you bet. There are men who fall for this redheaded broad with my wicked sense of humor. But I’ll stop there. We need to keep this family rated.

I was talking just the other day to my good friend, Sam Spade. He’d just finished up a case with a fat man and a black bird. I said, “Sam, where do they crawl out from?” And then I told him my story of finding a dead woman drown in a vat of chocolate. In Brooklyn, no less. Sam shook his head in wonderment and offered me a shot of whiskey, neat. I took him up on it, but only for a quick one. I had to get home and tuck Oliver in. Working mom and all that. 

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 Hotshot Shamus (The Persephone Cole Vintage Mysteries) by Heather Haven

About Hotshot Shamus

Hotshot Shamus (The Persephone Cole Vintage Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 4th in Series
New York City 1943
The Wives Of Bath Press (April 18, 2023)
Paperback: ‎ 324 pages

Persephone (Percy) Cole saves the life of a senator’s granddaughter but had no idea how much her own life was going to change as a result. There’s the unwanted fame, reporters hounding her mercilessly, and past enemies crawling out of the woodwork. Worse yet, our 5’11” lady shamus now has to dress the part of the successful PI! Then an unknown murderer tries to frame Percy for his killing spree, leaving deadly clues pointing to her. Worse yet, these are followed by death threats against her and her family.

But who? And why?

About Heather Haven

Back in the Punic Wars, Heather wrote ad copy, comedy acts, and had several plays performed very Off-Broadway. Her novels include the Silicon Valley-based Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries, Manhattan-based Persephone Cole Vintage Mysteries, Love Can Be Murder Mysteries, Snow Lake Romantic Suspense, and standalone, Murder under the Big Top, inspired by her mother’s stint as a performer with Ringling Brothers’ Circus. Just to break up the monotony, her short stories are featured in here anthology, Corliss and Other Award-Winning Stories. She and her husband are allowed to live in the foothills of San Jose, California, with their cat, Ellie.

Author Links:  

Webpage https://heatherhavenstories.com/  

Blog https://heatherhavenstories.com/blog/  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/heather.haven.5/  

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4584715.Heather_Haven  

Purchase Link - Amazon 

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Mrs. Odboddy's Desperate Doings - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Elaine Faber back to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Elaine writes the Mrs. Odboddy Mystery series. Mrs. Odboddy's Desperate Doings is the fourth book in the series.

 

The Author’s Elevator Pitch
By Elaine Faber

As a published author, I plot mysteries, contrive red herrings, bring bad guys to heel and conflict star-crossed lovers. My stories unfold across ten published novels and an anthology of ‘cat stories’. The blurb on the back of my latest novel explains the story in 70 words or less. 'During WWII, this eccentric elderly lady exposes an art thief, all while she fights the war from the home front. When she isn’t knitting sox, or pursuing art thieves, she seeks a home for a hapless carnival tiger. That’s when she falls from a tree and begins to hallucinate….’

When I composed my first short story in high school, no one told me that to become a successful author, it took more than writing intriguing plots and stimulating dialogue.

More recently, I learned that one cannot attract a traditional publisher without a social media platform of 5,000+, which I don’t have, so I must consider self-publishing. But, for even a minute chance of success, one must also master the skills of a publicist, a bookkeeper, editor, a full time blogger, cover designer, and salesman. I must become an expert orator and watch for panel dates or speaking opportunities. Though not necessarily a ‘master’ at any of the above, but feeling somewhat competent in most, I attended a writing conference. Imagine my dismay to learn, there was yet another expert skill to be mastered...

I was instructed to memorize an ‘elevator pitch’ about my book, in the off chance that someday while standing in line at Starbuck or the dry cleaners, I might run into a literary agent sipping a Carmel Macchiato or a publisher picking up his dry cleaning.

The conference director explained that in such an eventuality, I must command the agent’s undivided attention with an opening hook, define my plot’s originality, create a desire to read my scintillating novel, convince him that my witty novel is on an inevitable track as a New York Best Seller. I must explain why everyone from a Texas cowboy to a Hollywood stockbroker would spend his last dollar to buy my book… all in sixty seconds or less.

Yet, impressed by the credentials of the conference speaker who gave his impressive presentation, and willing to follow any expert advice for the chance of producing that Best Seller, I diligently stood in front of a mirror and memorized my elevator pitch about Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings, determined the best places to smile, pause for special effect, or use impressive hand motions to emphasize the final sentence. .

Unfortunately, I’m convinced that should I ever be fortunate enough to find myself on that much imagined elevator with an agent or a major publisher, in spite of my good intentions and hours practicing my 60 second elevator pitch, the conversation would more likely go something like this...

“Ooh! Ooh! Wait! You’re that Zondervan guy, right? Hold on! Let me push this button and stop this thing. Let me think. Oh, I remember. I wrote a World War II humorous novel, see? You’re gonna love it. You’re not in a hurry, right? About that book I wrote… How does it go? It’s about this quirky, old lady, see? Wait. Don’t go! There’s more. She thinks that the local doctor is stealing art work, and there’s this tiger, see, a real live tiger… and, and…Nazi spies…” 

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Mrs. Odboddy's Desperate Doings: A WWII tale (Mrs. Odboddy Mysteries) by Elaine Faber

About Mrs. Odboddy's Desperate Doings

Mrs. Odboddy's Desperate Doings: A WWII tale (Mrs. Odboddy Mysteries)
Historical Cozy Mystery 4th in Series
Setting - California
Elk Grove Publications (April 30, 2022)
Paperback: ‎ 264 pages

After falling from a tree, Agnes’s behavior and delusions escalate from ‘merely eccentric,’ to ‘near mayhem ’ Still seeking a permanent home for a displaced carnival tiger, she goes to unthinkable extremes in an effort to prevent city hall from destroying the big cat. When Agnes witnesses a well-known citizen commit burglary, and the church’s beloved Good Shepherd painting goes missing, she becomes obsessed with exposing the art thief. But, questions arise whether the extent of her bizarre behavior is due to a ‘brain bleed’ from her head injury, or is something amiss in her medical treatment?

As WWII rages across the Pacific, dealing with victory gardens and rationing at home doesn’t stop Agnes from fighting the war from the home front. From city hall, to the hot seat at Newbury’s Police Department, and finally to a San Francisco mansion, Agnes pursues injustice to save a tiger and expose a shocking conspiracy at the highest levels of Newbury’s elite society.

Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings is a hilarious WWII mystery-adventure you’ll not soon forget.

About Elaine Faber

Elaine Faber lives in Elk Grove, CA, with her husband and two feline companions. She is a member of Sisters in Crime (SIC), Elk Grove Writer’s Guild (EGWG), and Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA). Elaine volunteers with the American Cancer Society. She has published nine cozy mystery novels, and an anthology of cat stories. Her short stories are also published in 22 independent anthologies.

Black Cat’s Legacy, Thumper meets Kimberlee and with the aid of his ancestors’ memories, helps her pursue her father’s cold case murder. http://tinyurl.com/lrvevgm Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer, Thumper (Black Cat) goes to Texas and confronts an embezzling attorney and thwarts an attempted murder plot. http://tinyurl.com/q3qrgyu Black Cat and the Accidental Angel, Black Cat and his companion are left behind following an MVA and find new adventures on an emu farm. http://tinyurl.com/y4eohe5n Black Cat and the Clue in Dewey’s Diary Kimberlee follows clues to stolen gold coins in Austria, as Black Cat faces intrigue in hometown Fern Lake. http://tinyurl.com/vgyp89s Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot, Eccentric Mrs. Odboddy is determined to expose Nazi spies and conspiracies on every hand. http://tinyurl.com/hdbvzsv Mrs. Odboddy-Undercover Courier, Mrs. Odboddy prevents Nazi spies from stealing the ‘secret documents’ she is carrying by train to President Roosevelt. http://tinyurl.com/jn5bzwb Mrs. Odboddy-And Then There was a Tiger, Falsely accused, Agnes seeks the missing war bond money and befriends a displaced carnival tiger. https://tinyurl.com/yx72fcpx Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings. Agnes exposes an art thief, and seeks a permanent home for Shere Khan, the displaced carnival tiger, she https://tinyurl.com/5xah4cnt The Spirit Woman of Lockleer Mountain. Is the woman in the woods a missing neighbor, the imaginary local Native American’s Spirit Woman? http://tinyurl.com/y7rp7f3x All Things Cat, Twenty-one short stories written about, or narrated by about cats from all walks of life. http://tinyurl.com/y9p9htak

Elaine’s Website http://www.mindcandymysteries.com  

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