I Scream, You Scream - Literary Musings

There's nothing like sitting outside on a warm summer's day eating an ice cream cone. Mind you, it must be a warm day, not hot, or the ice cream will drip all over your hand before you can lick it all up! What flavor would you get? Strawberry? Sea Salt Caramel? Or something more adventurous? Maple Bacon or Wasabi Ginger? Whatever your choice one thing would make this idyllic scene even better; reading a cozy mystery as you enjoy your frozen treat. 

While any mystery, indeed, almost any book, would make for a delightful ice cream companion you might entertain reading a mystery featuring an ice cream shop! I highly recommend the Ice Cream Shop Mystery series by Meri Allen and the Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series by Abby Collette. Years ago I enjoyed the Mystery a la Mode Series by Wendy Lyn Watson and I'm sure you can find many more delightful mysteries serving up ice cream.

A DEADLY INSIDE SCOOP starts off the Ice Cream Parlor Mystery mysteries. Set in picturesque Chagrin Falls, Ohio Bronwyn Crewse reopens her family's ice cream parlor. This book is followed by A GAME OF CONES and A KILLER SUNDAE. Click on the titles to read my reviews.

 

More recently I discovered the Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. Udderly is a town fixture in Penniman, Connecticut. THE ROCKY ROAD TO RUIN is the first book in the series. The second, MINT CHOCOLATE MURDER was released last week. Be sure to check out the blog Tuesday for my review.

 

Have you read any mysteries featuring ice cream? What's your favorite flavor? Inquiring minds want to know!

Murder in Devil's Cove - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Cassandra Lane Hawthorne to Cozy Up With Kathy. You can find Cassie on the pages of the Book Magic Mystery series by Melissa Bourbon. MURDER IN DEVIL'S COVE is the first book in the series and was released last week.

I grew up in Laurel Point, Oregon.

And I left Laurel Point, Oregon as soon as I possibly could.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a beautiful place, but the Lane family is cursed. I thought I could outrun that curse—or maybe hide from it—by leaving home.

It worked for a while. I ended up in Devil’s Cove, North Carolina, just about as far away as I could get from Laurel Point. I was terrified of the sea, but I was also drawn to it—which is why I ended up on the coast—a different coast, but still on the water. I met Leo in a fish market. Love at first sight wasn’t something I believed in. I’d never planned to fall in love, or get married, or have children. All of those things would surely end in tragedy.

But I couldn’t stay away from Leo. We did fall in love, and we did get married. And we did have children. Beautiful twins: Pippin and Grey.

I don’t read. I stay away from books, because the Lane family curse of bibliomancy is directly connected to them, but I gave in to Leo’s passion for Tolkien and agreed to name my kids after two of his favorite characters. I don’t know if bearing these names will give either of them the strength they need to survive, but I hope so.

Because, you see, I didn’t survive. The curse got me in the end, and now it’s up to my children to figure out how to stop it before it takes them, too.

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 Review

MURDER IN DEVIL'S COVE by Melissa Bourbon
The First Book Magic Mystery 

After twenty years Pippin Hawthorne and her brother, Grey, have returned to Devil's Cove. Spirited away by their grandmother after their mother died and their father apparently walked out of their lives, the siblings have returned to reclaim their childhood home. Abandoned, the property needs a lot of work in order to be transformed into an inn, including removing their father's old boat. When they inspect the craft, however, they find a skeleton the hatch. Perhaps their father didn't walk out on them, after all. Pippin starts to uncover the truth about her family including a curse and her special ability, that of a bibliomancer!

A book with bibliomancers! How exciting for a voracious reader and lover of books like me. So imagine my surprise when I started to read and discovered that Cassie hated books, wouldn't have anything to do with them, and forbade her children to read them! Then I learn Pippin has difficulty reading and isn't a reader. Being a reader from a family of readers, I found it hard to understand their aversion to books. Obviously, they each had their reasons, Cassie the "gift"/curse and Pippin, having reading discouraged as a child, but it's shocking for me.

I found the first Book Magic Mystery to be totally captivating. There's a multipronged mystery and a family curse wrapped in a literary form of divination. More than that, it's a story of acceptance, coming to terms with the past, and being able to develop and adjust. It's about facing fears; fears of abandonment and of not being good enough. It's about growing up and reaching for your dreams.

I love the idea of a family curse and how two generations are looking for a way to understand and end it. The characters are unique and well developed. I absolutely love Hattie Juniper Pickle, a woman as flamboyant as her name! I also respect Pippin. Although not a reader, she is encouraged to become one, despite the difficulty. I also love the sweet pup and Pippin's efforts to make her a part of her family.

Blending a family curse and a hint of the paranormal with an intriguing mystery MURDER IN DEVIL'S COVE is a fantastic start to a new series. The book has piqued my interest and I can't wait to discover more about the Lane family, its curse, and if there is a way to end it!

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Murder in Devil's Cove: (A Book Magic Mystery) by Melissa Bourbon

About Murder In Devil's Cove

Murder in Devil's Cove: (A Book Magic Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Publisher: Lake House Press (September 22, 2020)
Number of Pages: Approx 300

 

Two best-selling authors, one magical universe.

In the Book Magic Mystery Series, best-selling authors Melissa Bourbon and Wendy Lyn Watson bring you the story of cousins Pippin Lane Hawthorne and Cora Lane. The cousins live on opposite coasts (Pippin in Devil’s Cove, North Carolina, and Cora in Laurel Point, Oregon), but they share the family gift of bibliomancy: the ability to foresee the future and unravel the past with the help of the books we love. Join Pippin and Cora as they use their otherworldly power to solve mysteries in their respective worlds.

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Every book tells two stories—one written on the pages with pen and ink, and one woven into the paper, a story of the soul. The Lane women have the gift of bibliomancy. They can read both.

But Cassie Lane doesn’t see this as a gift. For her, it is a curse because the book magic comes with a price--the Lane women die young and the men are lost to the sea. As soon as she’s able, she leaves Laurel Point, Oregon, running from her past and her fate, ending up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. There she meets Leo Hawthorne and lives a perfect life with him in an old Sea Captain’s house.

Perfect, that is, until an old book foretells the future, and the curse that has plagued the Lane women comes true for Cassie.

Twenty years later, Cassie and Leo's children, twins Pippin and Grey, are back in Devil's Cove. Long forgotten secrets surface and an old crime comes to light. Now Pippin must learn how to be a bibliomancer if she is to discover the truth about her father and continue his effort to stop the curse.

About Melissa Bourbon

Melissa Bourbon is the national bestselling author of nineteen mystery books, including the brand new collaborative Book Magic mysteries, the Lola Cruz Mysteries, A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series, and the Bread Shop Mysteries, written as Winnie Archer. She is a former middle school English teacher who gave up the classroom in order to live in her imagination full time. Melissa, a California native who has lived in Texas and Colorado, now calls the southeast home. She hikes, practices yoga, cooks, and is slowly but surely discovering all the great restaurants in the Carolinas. Since four of her five amazing kids are living their lives, scattered throughout the country, her dogs, Bean, the pug, Dobby, the chug, and Jasper, a cattle dog/lab keep her company while she writes. Melissa lives in North Carolina with her educator husband, Carlos, and their youngest son. She is beyond fortunate to be living the life of her dreams.

Author Links:

Website - https://melissabourbon.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/melissabourbonbooks/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookWarriors
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MelissaBourbonWinnieArcherBooks

Purchase Link - Amazon

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Who Invited the Ghost for an Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Teresa Watson to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Teresa writes the Ghost Writer Mystery series. WHO INVITED THE GHOST FOR DINNER? is the second book in the series and was released February 1st.

Kathy: Cam Shaw is a ghost writer. Would you ever consider working as a ghost writer?

TW: I think I would try it once, just for the experience. If it went well, then I would consider doing it again.


Kathy: Cam Shaw also deals with ghosts. Do you believe in ghosts?Have you ever had a ghostly experience?

TW: I wasn’t raised to believe in ghosts, but I think it is possible that they are around. Shortly after my father died last year, my mother said she felt he was in the house one night because she heard his office chair squeaking for a few minutes.


Kathy: WHO INVITED THE GHOST FOR DINNER? involves a production of BLITHE SPIRIT, a favorite play of mine. Why BLITHE SPIRIT? Any particular reason apart from ghosts?

TW: I’m a theatre geek! I was involved in high school and college, and I also did a community theatre production of STEEL MAGNOLIAS (I was M’Lynn). BLITHE SPIRIT is one of my favorite plays. It’s fun to watch Elvira wreak havoc on her poor husband’s life!


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

TW: I’ve been reading mysteries since I was in the sixth grade. Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie...my mother and I enjoy the same writers, so we trade books back and forth all the time.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

TW: Not at this time, although I am open to trying a different genre at some point!


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

TW: Well, the Ghostwriter series is about a ghostwriter who is suddenly able to see ghosts, who ask for her help in solving their murders. It’s definitely turned her life totally upside down! My other series is the Lizzie Crenshaw Mysteries series, about a woman living in a small town with a quirky cast of characters. She runs the local newspaper, and has managed to solve a few crimes, mostly by accident.


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

TW: I would have to say that my favorite character was Debra Cosgrove from the Lizzie series. Debra was Lizzie’s crazy half-aunt who happened to be a contract killer. I loved writing for her because I never knew what she was going to do, or when she was going to turn up! I think she had honorable intentions when it came to Lizzie, but her work usually got in the way of them having any kind of normal relationship. However, I was given a “death warrant” for her, and “ordered” to make her go away permanently, so she was killed off in DEATH CATCHES A KILLER. And before you ask, it was my mother who said she had to go (Mom also helps edit my books). Trust me, I argued like crazy to keep her around, but Mother was firm, so I bumped Debra off. *sigh* I still miss her. But, I think I have found a new favorite character, and that is Mac in the current Cam story.


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

TW: I don’t think there is a specific inspiration. My father was a Methodist minister, so we moved a lot when I was growing up. You meet all kinds of people! Some of those people just make such an impression on you that you remember them for the rest of your life. So I used them for some of the inspiration in my stories.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

TW: The first Lizzie story, DEATH OF A CANTANKEROUS OLD COOT, actually started out as a story for a group of online friends. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, and a friend and fellow writer, Jamie Lee Scott, suggested that I try and publish it. I did send it to a small publishing company, and they enjoyed the story, but wanted me to make it longer. I didn’t agree with that, because I felt it would take away from the story. So Jamie suggested self-publishing it; she created the cover, formatted it for me, uploaded it, and it just went from there!


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

TW: Wow, what a great question! Hm, let me think: the late Robert B. Parker (I love his Spenser series); the late Agatha Christie; Steve Berry (he writes the Cotton Malone series); and Jan Karon (the Mitford series).


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

TW: I’m actually not reading a mystery right now! *gasp* I’m reading OUT TO CANAAN by Jan Karon. It’s an excellent series, and one that I have enjoyed over the years with my parents.


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

TW: Does torturing my husband count as a hobby? *laughs* I’m a huge sports fan, so this is a great time of the year for me (as I write this, tomorrow is the Sweet 16 for the NCAA Tournament - GIG ‘EM AGGIES!). I’m a voracious reader, and read almost anything I can get my hands on. I love history, especially the Civil War and World War II. Movies are a big thing around here. Throw in music and crocheting, and that’s me in a nutshell!


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

TW: Dr Pepper, eggs, Apple Jacks, and Betty Crocker Ultimate Fudge Brownie mix!


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

TW: I have an index card with several title suggestions for the Lizzie series; two ideas for new Cam books; and two ideas for a couple of different possible series.


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

TW: You mean besides killing off people? *laughs* I really love hearing from people who have read both series, and having them tell me how much they love the stories. There are those who alternate between “what a great book”, followed by “but”, then switching back to “what a great book”. I do pay attention to what people say about the books, what they like, what they don’t like, or what they’d like to see happen. I do try to work some of those suggestions and comments into the next story. But isn’t that why every author writes? To hear that people really enjoy your stories? It makes all the hard work, sleepless nights (I just had one last night), and days of editing worthwhile.



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For a chance to win an e-book copy of WHO INVITED THE GHOST FOR DINNER? simply leave a comment on this blog post telling us if you'd like to be able to talk with ghosts. Leave your comment no later than 11:59 pm EDT Monday, April 11, 2016. Be sure to leave an e-mail address so that I may contact you should you win!

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading an advanced readers copy of Paws for Murder and am loving it! This book is the first in a new series by Annie Knox, a Pet Boutique Mystery. Izzy McHale had a plan: marry her high school sweetheart, help him through medical school, then become a fashion designer in NYC. Well, the first 2 parts of the plan worked-then her husband dumped her and moved to NYC while she remained in Merryville, Minnesota to design fashions, but for 4 legged customers. Izzy has opened the Trendy Tails Pet Boutique. While Izzy creates custom clothes and collars for pets, her friend, Rena, bakes them treats. The local protester has the boutique in her sights and the night of the grand opening, after creating a scene, is found dead-with Rena as the number one suspect.

The Culinary Mystery

There is no love sincerer than the love of food. —–George Bernard Shaw

"Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort."
Norman Kolpas

There’s always been an interest in food, not only eating, but talking about it, reading about it, and watching it on television. Look at the popularity of The Food Network. They’ve even added another station dedicated to food-The Cooking Channel. You can find food related shows on many other stations as well. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that the culinary mystery is one of the most popular cozy genres.

In order to be a true cozy mystery food and/or drink must be an integral part of the protagonist’s life. The protagonist may have a job revolving around food, or it may just be a hobby.  Many of these mysteries series feature shop owners: The Cheese Shop Mysteries by Avery Aames, The Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs, The Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joanne Fluke, or The Mystery a la Mode Series by Wendy Lyn Watson for instance. Some characters write about food: Carolyn Blue in The Culinary Food Writer series by Nancy Fairbanks or Hayley Snow in Lucy Burdette’s Food Critic Mysteries.

You may find a character who knows nothing about food, yet it fast becomes a prominent part of their life. Liver Let Die is the first in The Clueless Cook Mystery Series by Liz Lipperman. Journalist Jordan McAllister is completely clueless when it comes to food-she doesn’t even know what foie gras is-yet she agrees to cover for her newspaper’s culinary reporter. Jordan gets in over her head…and not only when it comes to writing her column. This book includes recipes as well as a great story. In addition to being a culinary mystery, this series could also fall into the humor genre.

It should be noted that many series include recipes, but they are not necessarily culinary mysteries.  Lorraine Bartlett includes recipes in her Victoria Square Mysteries, as does Maggie Sefton in her Knitting Mysteries.

It just goes to show how popular food is, and how important it is in all of our lives. After all, everyone has to eat!