Twelve Slays of Christmas - Review

Review

TWELVE SLAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Jacqueline Frost

The First Christmas Tree Farm Mystery

Holly White has returned home to Mistletoe, Maine, but not for her Christmas Eve wedding. Confident that she actually dodged a bullet when her fiance left her for a yoga instructor, Holly is throwing herself into the Reindeer Game festivities at her family's Christmas tree farm. But when the president of the historical society, who had been wreaking havoc with several residents including Holly's dad, winds up murdered at the farm Holly finds she has more on her plate than Christmas cookies! Holly needs to get the farm back in business after it's closed to the public as a crime scene and decides to show that good looking sheriff that there are much better suspects than her family and the farm's employees.

Reindeer Games Tree Farm is a magical place for a mystery. Filled with winter traditions and all the Christmas trimmings, reading this book made me want to snuggle by the Christmas tree and drink some of Cookie's special tea...even though my tree isn't up yet! Despite the joy to be found at the farm, there's also a killer on the loose adding fear and suspicion. I appreciate the fact that Holly visibly reacts to the threats and scary occurrences with realistic emotions. She's affected and struggles to deal with what has happened, but doesn't let it stop her from trying to find the killer.

TWELVE SLAYS OF CHRISTMAS is a charming Christmas read, perfect for getting into the holiday spirit. I can easily picture it transformed into film and watching it on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel! It's a perfect holiday blend of mystery and romance with enough chills to be exciting and the right amount of sweetness to make you smile. The first Christmas Tree Mystery is a feel good story flavored with the joy of Christmastime as well as a good mystery!

Of Murder and Men - Review

Review

OF MURDER AND MEN by Lynn Cahoon

The Third Cat Latimer Mystery

Cat Latimer is certain that her third Writers' Retreat will be quiet and uneventful, although her partner is driving her to distraction paying more attention to her boyfriend than her responsibilities to their business. When Shauna announces her engagement, Cat is even more worried. Will Kevin start treating Shauna better? Will Shauna quit? The retreat gets underway and despite Shauna's lapses is running smoothly, the guests getting along well and bonding. Yet things don't remain uneventful. Kevin goes missing during the night and is found murdered on his property. Has Kevin's past come back to haunt him, or was it his future? 

The Cat Latimer mystery series looks at the reality of authors' lives today, juggling the creative and business aspects of the working writer.

OF MURDER AND MEN deals with themes of family and love. We see differences and similarities in the relationships between biological relationships and the families people choose. We see romantic love in many forms as well. In addition to the newly engaged couple, we get the possible bud of a new relationship for Cat's uncle. We also see Seth's growing importance in Cat's life, if also a bit of annoyance. Seth is the good guy high school sweetheart, Cat's first love. But there is also the intrigue of the mysterious well meaning mobster.

OF MURDER AND MEN is a well balanced novel combining dual mysteries with a touch of romance amid an intriguing backdrop.

Currently Writing...

"Who was that? That wasn't Mark, was it? Who was it? Kasia?"

A slight smack to the arm broke my reverie and brought me back to reality, but my eyes must have still been glazed over as Vic continued, "What is wrong with you?"

At that moment I heard the front door open and Craig reentered  the store. "Yup, there they are. I left my gloves in here. It was great meeting you, oh hi." Seeing Vic, Craig introduced himself to a speechless Victoria. "Well, I have to dash, I need to make the rest of these deliveries. I hope I'll see you both again soon." With a quick wave and a grin, he was out the door, grape shaped bells ringing his exit.

"Whoa."
"Yeah."

We both paused to admire the exiting winemaker, but Vic was the first to break the silence. "Well, now you have something other than that house to drool over." I have a feeling my smack to her arm was a bit more forceful than hers.

Canal Days Calamity - Spotlight & Giveaway

Canal Days Calamity (A Dog Days Mystery) by Jamie M. Blair

 

Canal Days Calamity (A Dog Days Mystery)  

Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series  

Midnight Ink (November 8, 2017) Paperback: 240 pages 

Cameron Cripps-Hayman is taken aback when she stumbles upon another murdered neighbor, this time behind her sister's shop, Dog Diggity. The timing couldn't be worse, as there's only a week left before the store's grand opening during Canal Days, the biggest festival of the year.

When the police arrest her handyman, Cameron knows they've got the wrong suspect, so the Metamora Action Agency sets their sights on cracking the case. With one solved murder under their belts, how hard could a second be?

With a flood warning and a murderer on the loose threatening the start of Canal Days, can Cameron and her crew save the town's annual dog and pony show from being canceled?

About The Author:
 

Jamie Blair (Ohio) is the award-winning author of young adult and romance books, including Leap of Faith (Simon & Schuster, 2013) and Lost to Me. Visit her online at www.JamieBlairAuthor.com and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JamieMBlair

 

 

 

 

 

Purchase Links:

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A Fatal Collection - Review & Giveaway

Review

A FATAL COLLECTION by Mary Ellen Hughes

The First Keepsake Cove Mystery

Needing some time away from her loser boyfriend, Callie Reed decides to spend some time visiting  her favorite Aunt Melody in charming Keepsake Cove. Their visit abruptly ends when Callie finds her aunt dead in her music box shop, apparently having accidentally fallen during the night. When Callie learns she is Melody's only heir and now owns her shop and cottage, she decides to leave West Virginia for good and start a new life in the Maryland town catering to collectors. Yet, the more time passes, the more Callie questions her aunt's death. What was she doing in the store in the middle of the night? Was it really an accident? Or did it have something to do with her nasty neighbor? Or the controversy she started with the Keepsake Cove Association? And why is her grandfather's music box suddenly playing when no one has wound it up? 

I love the exposition found in the first book of a series, meeting the characters and exploring their world. Mary Ellen Hughes does not disappoint. We meet interesting well developed characters who exist in a charming town. Being a collector, though not of music boxes or salt and pepper shakers, I wish I could walk the streets and browse the stores of Keepsake Cove. Callie Reed is a smart protagonist who doesn't go about deliberately putting herself at risk, although she does find herself in danger.

I enjoy the open ended possibilities we're left with at the end of the first Keepsake Cove mystery. There are lots of avenues to explore and three characters in particular I'm sure we haven't heard the last of!

A FATAL COLLECTION is a fantastic start to a new series. There's a well plotted mystery and a hint of otherworldiness that makes this series debut a hit!

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The Turning Point – Have You Reached It? - Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Cheryl Hollon to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Cheryl writes the Webb's Glass Shop Mystery series. Etched in Tears is the fourth book in the series and will be released next week.

 

The Turning Point – Have You Reached It?

The road to publication can be a difficult journey filled with detours, obstructions and an endless supply of unknown obstacles. It’s an individual journey and uniquely different for each writer. For me, establishing the fixed habit of writing every single day was the turning point from writer-in-waiting to about-to-be-published author.

Strangely, it wasn’t the quality of the words that pushed me to a higher level of professionalism. It was taking that nearly obsessive approach to the physical act of writing every day. As I am deep in revisions for the fifth book in the Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series, I feel like a professional going about the practical business of crafting another story.

That is the situation you are looking for – how you achieve that feeling is a personal journey of discovery. Some writers I know achieved that level by first submitting short stories until one was accepted and published. Yes! Validation achieved. Others have considered the completion of a novel-length manuscript as proof of professional credentials. The key in these cases was that afterwards, they felt like a career writer.

The journey will take different paths and will be unique to each writer. Look for that turning point and see how it affects your next steps. The funny part is that you can’t tell if you’ve turned that corner until you can look back and see it. When I look back after securing an agent, a publisher, a two three-book contracts from Kensington Publishing. Now that I can hold those books in my hand, I see that I turned that corner when I started writing everyday – just like a job – every single day.

Where are you on your writing journey?

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Etched in Tears: A Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery

By Cheryl Hollon

When a famous glass artist is murdered at his own exhibit, deadly secrets are put on display, and it’s up to glass shop owner Savannah Webb to see through a killer’s cover.

Celebrated glass artist Dennis Lansing is returning to St. Petersburg, Florida, for an exhibit at the world-renowned Salvador Dali Museum. His unique style of embedding document images in his art is at the vanguard of contemporary glasswork. But as Savannah’s first boyfriend and a former apprentice to her father, Dennis’s return home has her reflecting on the past—a trip down memory lane that takes a dark turn when Dennis is found murdered at the museum with an old reference letter from her father in his pocket. A search through her father’s records sheds new light on Dennis’s history, but it seems his present life wasn’t so transparent either. Now, with a gallery of suspects to consider, it’s up to Savannah to figure out who fits the mold of a murderer.

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About the author:

Cheryl Hollon writes full time after she left an engineering career designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind the house, Cheryl and her husband George design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass and painted glass artworks.

Visit and sign up for my newsletter at my website:  http://www.cherylhollon.com

Like me on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cherylhollonwriter

Follow me on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/cherylhollon

 

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading A Fatal Collection by Mary Ellen Hughes. This book is the first of the Keepsake Cove Mystery series and was released last week.

Needing some time away from her loser boyfriend, Callie Reed decides to spend some time visiting  her favorite Aunt Melody in charming Keepsake Cove. Their visit abruptly ends when Callie finds her aunt dead in her music box shop, apparently having accidentally fallen during the night. When Callie learns she is Melody's only heir and now owns her shop and cottage, she decides to leave West Virginia for good and start a new life in the town catering to collectors. Yet, the more time passes, the more Callie questions her aunt's death. What was she doing in the store in the middle of the night? Was it really an accident? Or did it have something to do with her nasty neighbor? Or the controversy she started with the Keepsake Cove Association? And why is her grandfather's music box suddenly playing when no one has wound it up?